This is a gingerbread house Christmas ornament that is my own design. I found a picture of gingerbread house cookie that I liked and modified it to be a Christmas ornament.
The ornament is made from wool felt and cotton embroidery floss. It is about 3 1/2" tall and 2" wide. It is hand-embroidered using the blanket-stitch.
I posted this ornament in my shop on Etsy, Harvest Moon by Hand. Within an hour...it was gone. So, I've made another one and it is available in my shop.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Eco-Friendly Envelopes Made from Wallpaper
How many trees worth of paper have you used in your lifetime?
It's not a question that most people think about...or WANT to think about. It is so easy to waste paper. Yet, by making a conscious effort, you can reduce the amount of paper you consume each year.
One way to reduce the amount of paper you use is to make envelopes from wallpaper that is in wallpaper sample books.
I had several wallpaper sample books on hand, and wanted to find a use for them rather than just having them sit in my closet. Looked through the wallpaper, and chose some pages that I thought were pretty.
I hand-cut, folded, and glued each envelope. Made three different sizes of envelopes, and then wrapped each set with a bow.
If you don't have the time to make your own envelopes - or prefer to purchase handmade items for yourself or as gifts - the envelopes are available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
*~*~*~*~*
Letter writing is a great way for children to practice their writing skills. It's even better when the envelopes are pretty and make an environmental statement!
The envelopes are great for bill paying, book making, scrapbooking, or organizing craft supplies. Tuck an envelope with a special note in a lunch bag, a suitcase for a young adult headed off to college, or under a pillow.
It's not a question that most people think about...or WANT to think about. It is so easy to waste paper. Yet, by making a conscious effort, you can reduce the amount of paper you consume each year.
One way to reduce the amount of paper you use is to make envelopes from wallpaper that is in wallpaper sample books.
I had several wallpaper sample books on hand, and wanted to find a use for them rather than just having them sit in my closet. Looked through the wallpaper, and chose some pages that I thought were pretty.
I hand-cut, folded, and glued each envelope. Made three different sizes of envelopes, and then wrapped each set with a bow.
If you don't have the time to make your own envelopes - or prefer to purchase handmade items for yourself or as gifts - the envelopes are available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
*~*~*~*~*
Letter writing is a great way for children to practice their writing skills. It's even better when the envelopes are pretty and make an environmental statement!
The envelopes are great for bill paying, book making, scrapbooking, or organizing craft supplies. Tuck an envelope with a special note in a lunch bag, a suitcase for a young adult headed off to college, or under a pillow.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Sophia and Me Playing the Gongs
We went to the annual Dragon Festival at Lake Phalen this year. The event showcases the 2,400-yr-old tradition and sport of dragon boat racing. There also are performances, displays, and activities that help increase cross-cultural understanding.
One of the performances was by the Sumunar Gamelan Ensemble led by Joko. When I use to run Create & Cultivate Art Camps for children at the farm, Joko was one of the artists who taught the children. He's a great artist/educator, and I was so happy that Sophia and Olivia were able to see and hear the Gamelan Ensemble.
At the end of the performance, Joko asked if anyone from the audience wanted to learn to play the gamelan. Sophia and I volunteered. We were guided to the gong section.
I started out with the little gongs and Sophia was going to play the large one. She wanted to switch, though, and play the smaller ones.
It was such a fun experience, and one that both of us will remember for many years.
So, what is a gamelan? Here's the definition from Wikipedia:
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included.
The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments.
A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together — instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.
One of the performances was by the Sumunar Gamelan Ensemble led by Joko. When I use to run Create & Cultivate Art Camps for children at the farm, Joko was one of the artists who taught the children. He's a great artist/educator, and I was so happy that Sophia and Olivia were able to see and hear the Gamelan Ensemble.
At the end of the performance, Joko asked if anyone from the audience wanted to learn to play the gamelan. Sophia and I volunteered. We were guided to the gong section.
I started out with the little gongs and Sophia was going to play the large one. She wanted to switch, though, and play the smaller ones.
It was such a fun experience, and one that both of us will remember for many years.
So, what is a gamelan? Here's the definition from Wikipedia:
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included.
The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments.
A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together — instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.
Friday, July 10, 2009
All Natural Toys for Children
This is one of the donuts that I make that was featured in the LIVING CRAFTS magazine (Winter 2008-09 issue) under the "Good Finds" section.
It is made from all-natural materials. The base of the donut is made with 100% wool felt that has been plant-dyed by hand. The frosting is made from 100% wool felt.
I hand-cut, blanket-stitched, and filled the donut with 100% clean, carded sheep wool. The wool came from sheep that I raised.
This piece is meant to provide a rich, sensory experience and intended to be enjoyed for many years by children.
They are great for imaginary play...in a play kitchen, pretend bakery, or a tea party.
Children who have low vision or are blind will enjoy the different textures of the wool and the toppings. (My daughter is legally blind in both eyes, and loves to play with toys with different textures.)
It is available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
It is made from all-natural materials. The base of the donut is made with 100% wool felt that has been plant-dyed by hand. The frosting is made from 100% wool felt.
I hand-cut, blanket-stitched, and filled the donut with 100% clean, carded sheep wool. The wool came from sheep that I raised.
This piece is meant to provide a rich, sensory experience and intended to be enjoyed for many years by children.
They are great for imaginary play...in a play kitchen, pretend bakery, or a tea party.
Children who have low vision or are blind will enjoy the different textures of the wool and the toppings. (My daughter is legally blind in both eyes, and loves to play with toys with different textures.)
It is available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Four Handmade Fabric Covered Buttons
My daughters and I have been enjoying making fabric-covered buttons recently.
These are four buttons that I recently made from two different cotton fabrics. They would be good for replacing plastic buttons on clothing, as special embellishments for a knitted or crocheted item, crafting, or for pontail or clip holders.
This set, as well as other sets of buttons, are available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
These are four buttons that I recently made from two different cotton fabrics. They would be good for replacing plastic buttons on clothing, as special embellishments for a knitted or crocheted item, crafting, or for pontail or clip holders.
This set, as well as other sets of buttons, are available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Olivia on the 4th of July
Olivia wanted to wear her horse costume in the 4th of July parade. Told her about Paul Revere's horse which she found interesting.
She wanted to know the horse's name. Apparently Paul Revere borrowed the horse he rode when he made the announcement/gave the warning. Some sources say the horse didn't have a name. Other sources say the horse's name was "Brown Beauty."
She's going to stick with the Brown Beauty name since it reminds her of one of her favorite stories "Black Beauty."
She wanted to know the horse's name. Apparently Paul Revere borrowed the horse he rode when he made the announcement/gave the warning. Some sources say the horse didn't have a name. Other sources say the horse's name was "Brown Beauty."
She's going to stick with the Brown Beauty name since it reminds her of one of her favorite stories "Black Beauty."
Friday, July 3, 2009
Buttons for Crafting or Math Activities
Went through my button jars and created this melon-inspired button collection in pink, green, and white that's available in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. The colors remind me of summer, watermelons, and picnics.
With over 75 buttons to choose from, you could use them for a variety of projects: sewing, quilting, ATCs, ACEOs, scrapbooking, art journaling, jewelry...the possibilities are endless.
Buttons also are wonderful, tactile objects to use with math activities with children. Here are some ideas:
- match and sort the buttons (by shape, color, number of holes in the button, texture, pattern)
- addition and subtraction
- count and skip count (by 2, 3, 5, 10)
- create pattern series (green, green, pink, white, green, green, pink, white)
- introduce the concept of greater than, less than, and equal
- make different graphs using groups of buttons
- guess the number of buttons in jars
There are so many ways to use buttons in math. Having something tangible...something a child can manipulate...can make all the difference in helping introduce a new concept or comprehending a concept with which a child is struggling.
With over 75 buttons to choose from, you could use them for a variety of projects: sewing, quilting, ATCs, ACEOs, scrapbooking, art journaling, jewelry...the possibilities are endless.
Buttons also are wonderful, tactile objects to use with math activities with children. Here are some ideas:
- match and sort the buttons (by shape, color, number of holes in the button, texture, pattern)
- addition and subtraction
- count and skip count (by 2, 3, 5, 10)
- create pattern series (green, green, pink, white, green, green, pink, white)
- introduce the concept of greater than, less than, and equal
- make different graphs using groups of buttons
- guess the number of buttons in jars
There are so many ways to use buttons in math. Having something tangible...something a child can manipulate...can make all the difference in helping introduce a new concept or comprehending a concept with which a child is struggling.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Work in Progress...Create a Picture with Felt Shapes
Originally uploaded by Pictures by Ann
These are all the items needed to create this page in the activity book.
The book is made from wool felt. All the pieces are hand-cut and then hand-embroidered. When two sheets are complete, I blanket-stitch them together to make a "page." I use the grommet tool to put two grommets in each page.
In addition to being a good book for children, it also would be appropriate for people for who have Alzheimer's Disease who are looking for soft, sensory-rich activities to do.
After the book is complete, I will be making a PDF pattern and making it available at Harvest Moon by Hand (my shop on Etsy).
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Green Mandala Star Suncatcher
It's time to start thinking about Christmas. That's a bit difficult to do when the weather is in the upper 80s and low 90s, and everything is so green and colorful outside.
However, it's always enjoyable to create new window stars in a variety of colors and patterns.
I'm planning on making more stars in green, red, and white over the next couple of months. There should be quite a selection in my shop, Harvest Moon by Hand. See the images above for a sneak peek.
Some of the stars shown here as well as other gift items are already available in my shop if you like to get your Christmas shopping done early.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sophia in "The Chocolate Milk Cow"
This is one of the scenes of "The Chocolate Milk Cow" - a play/musical at a local community theater in Wisconsin - that Sophia is in (St. Croix Art Barn).
She is playing "Francis Farmer" and has been rehearsing for over six weeks. The 5 performances span over two weekends, and are giving Sophia some great opportunities in theater, singing, dance, and public speaking.
She is responsible for learning quite a few lines and songs, but has really enjoyed the challenge...and performing in front of live audiences.
She is playing "Francis Farmer" and has been rehearsing for over six weeks. The 5 performances span over two weekends, and are giving Sophia some great opportunities in theater, singing, dance, and public speaking.
She is responsible for learning quite a few lines and songs, but has really enjoyed the challenge...and performing in front of live audiences.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Olivia Performing at Local Community Theater
This is one of the scenes of "The Chocolate Milk Cow" that Olivia is in. Sophia is in the performance as well. The play/musical is at the St. Croix ArtBarn in Osceola.
The girls each have about 50 lines that they are responsible for knowing - a combination of lines they speak themselves, with a few other children, or as a group.
There are quite a few songs and movements that they also learned as part of the play/musical.
This has been such a great opportunity for both of the girls, and they are looking forward to being a part of next year's performance already...even though this one still has 3 more performances.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Summer Solstice Star Collection
Using the 4-color star as the central focus, I made a different pattern star in each of the four colors to surround it.
These five stars remind me of the Summer Solstice which is right around the corner.
They also would be good stars to have up all summer reflecting the warm colors and temperature of the season.
The link to my Etsy shop (Harvest Moon by Hand) is on the right side of the blog.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Olivia Harvesting Rhubarb
It's definitely summer now and the garden is starting to produce some favorites - like rhubarb.
Here Olivia is holding two stalks of rhubarb from the garden. The leaves have to come off before they come into the house since they are poisonous to cats.
So far, we've enjoyed rhubarb sauce, crisp, and coffee cake. Sophia has requested a rhubarb pie.
Before long, it will be time to can some rhubarb sauce and freeze some cut-up rhubarb for use during the winter.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Olivia Feeding Giraffe
One of the unit studies the girls did this year was on Africa and African animals. The Minnesota Zoo is having a special exhibit during the warm months. There are two beautiful giraffes here now.
One of the opportunities visitors have is to feed the giraffes a special biscuit (you have to purchase it and then go in a separate area to feed the giraffe).
Check out the giraffe's tongue as it reaches for the treat Olivia is holding out for it. She said the tongue was "rough." She really enjoyed feeding the giraffe.
Giraffes eat for 23 hours each day. They rest in 5 minute increments for a total of 1 hour each day.
One of the opportunities visitors have is to feed the giraffes a special biscuit (you have to purchase it and then go in a separate area to feed the giraffe).
Check out the giraffe's tongue as it reaches for the treat Olivia is holding out for it. She said the tongue was "rough." She really enjoyed feeding the giraffe.
Giraffes eat for 23 hours each day. They rest in 5 minute increments for a total of 1 hour each day.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Bringing Brazil to Minnesota
A friend from Brazil visited for ten days from the end of May through early June. She was an exchange student back in the late 1990s when she was a senior in high school.
This was an exciting time for the girls as they learned a lot about Brazil - its culture, language, everyday life, and games. It was such a wonderful opportunity for them to meet Ruth and get a taste of what Brazil/South America is like.
Hopefully within a year, we will be traveling to Brazil on frequent flier points to visit Ruth and her family. It would be an incredible learning experience for the girls - and a real opportunity for them to get a more better view of the world and what life is like in a different country.
On this day, we visited Osceola, Wisconsin, to see Cascade Falls. You have to walk down about 100 steps to get to the waterfall. There's a small stream that winds through a forest. It's a pretty location tucked right along the St. Croix River.
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