Sew little one sew!

Inspiring ideas to get your little ones sewing!

Sew Mama Sew

What it's all about....

(If I Have not Love part 1)

(If I Have not Love part 2)

Word Incarnate

A poem, some cookies and a Christmas tree.

Ode to Christmas

Season of lists and fake plastic trees,

Close bosom friend of twinkling fairy lights;

Conspiring with them how to clothe and dress

Glossy page magazine inspired parties,

To bend with baubles the artificial berry,

and fill all houses with bright, pomp and gaud,

To swell the baskets and fill the stores

With longings and wish-lists, yet money problems in thought.

And still more, late hour shopping to keep the elves on their toes,

Until, they think the stockings will never cease supplying,

For the mere stress forces over-brimmed middles to burst

their buckles under the strain of one to many puddings.

*

Yet who has not seen you in the memory of youth?

Sought ‘mongst the reclaimed yester-years of printed biscuit tins.

And there will find you sitting on a plain and simple hearth rug,

Ashes and embers gently warming frosted fingertips,

The long lost notes of carols lingering, mingling with

The soft scents of charred chestnuts curling round cobbled streets.

Gathered together the Christmas table laden

With warm cups of cider mulling past sorrow to forgetfulness

We hear the old songs and dance once again.

As slow drifts of snow accumulate the soft breathed vespers of wakeful stars.

Waiting upon the horizon of the night.

*

Where are the cries of the babe in the manger

The songs of Christmas birth, Where are they?

While yonder star sheds a ray of joy,

the ripeness of the sun casts red glow upon the mountainside.

Gradually, merging, the star and the sun slowly become one, single golden halo of light .

Tis true, the star, may only set in to the deep once the red mists of the setting sun

whisper a scent of evening Myrrh before the frankincense of dawn.

And humble shepherds , are first to hear another lamb, bleating from hilly borne.

While the bells of decked halls cease their chime,

Against the silence of a lowly stable,

And the song of an angel rising in the sky.

Poem by Emmy.

We have been studying Keats's "Ode to Autumn" and I thought it would be interesting to do a poem about Christmas using the original as a template. I think it turned out really well!

We've been finishing up our Advent Lap books today we have also been making and baking lot's of Christmas goodies. Emmy has been crocheting a snowflake from this fun and simple pattern kindly shared by this lovely lady.

It is currently pinned to the carpet in my bedroom away from little toes! I think that the technical term is blocking but I'm not very good at those technical terms! All I know is that liddle fingers and toes must be kept far far away from it.

We baked up lots of different cookie flavours. mocha spice, cocoa crackle and carrot cake crumble.
And then it was time for our own little bit of tinsel and bauble!

Some advent activities and a Victorian dress and bonnet.

Emmy has been busy sewing a Victorian over-dress and bonnet for Boo.

I think a little knitted shawl would be perfect to finish it off don't you?

And a curtsy!
Boo doing her very best "poor workhouse girl" impression! Shhhh! If you look close you'll see the hemline isn't cut and sewn up yet. But Boo couldn't wait to try it on and I said you wouldn't let on ;)
Besides, it adds to that authentic workhouse charm dosen't it!

Here's the free bonnet pattern we used. The dress was a made with a simple peasant blouse bodice stiched onto a gathered skirt.

Here we have some Star flower decorations to adorn the golden nights of advent.

Recipe for these inventive, inexpensive and easy enough for even littles to help with and big kids to have fun with this clever creative blogger will show you how to do it!

Jesse tree of life adorned in winter sunlight...


An Advent dawn...

Emmy's Aboriginal painting. Each symbol is representative of an aspect of nature and an integral part of the whole design. Each aboriginal painting is not just a work of art but a spiritual and physical story.

Emmy concluded her study of tribal life with an in depth study on aboriginal life and her own dream time painting.

If you haven't seen this film yet I highly recommend it. Not for young children though.



For more advent fun with your little ones here is A Lovely online nativity colouring book for littles...
And some more advent activities at Little Blots.

Rejoice!! Happy Gaudete Sunday!

Remembering what matters (Post it Notes to Self)

Being right with Jesus before I try to be right with anyone else.

Taking off the shackles of the mind. Sinking down into the still waters dwelling in the heart.

Remembering that peace increases with trust, whatever the outside circumstances

Taking life without the frills. Eating simple. Mind, body and soul.

Reaching out to touch the truth in the kind of beauty which comes unadorned.

Not forgeting that it's the the inside of the cup that needs the most attention.

Welcoming the outsider into my heart. The one who opposes me. The one who threatens me. The one who other's reject. See how the reflection in another's eyes is deep within a part of my own self.

Embrace. Love.

pHOTO : My hand after spending a morning planting, painting and play doughing with the girls.
Real, true, unpretty, but touched with the fabric of the everyday life I love and embrace.
Better than a french manicure.

Inner connectedness

It doesn't have to be all about, activities, or shoe-horning the children into over demanding schedules.

A little bit of talking, connecting, natural conversation and reading aloud goes such a long way with helping the girls to internalize knowledge.

Instead of being "outside" of the learning process, almost as an overseer, I am trying to get "within" the learning process with them.

 See things through their eyes.

This is so helpful for both myself and the girls and it is creating such bonds between us.

It is not hard to learn when learning is a joyful experience for all involved.

I have found that they pick up on "my vision" too.

My feelings and general attitude are reflected by them.

They really are little mirrors, polished to reflect and interpret the world around them.

This is why I feel so much responsibility to teach them the most important things in life.

My scripture for the year is Jesus's parable of the vine where he reminds his disciples that he is the vine and they are the branches. To receive life, truth, strength, peace (all the gifts of the spirit) they must learn to remain "in Him."

This can be so hard when I keenly feel a thousand different tugs from every side of my life.
I feel like Jesus is trying to pull me down into the deep waters, while I am often fearfully trying to scramble up to the tempestuous surface for air.

My mind is on dinner, activities, expectations, a clean house, responsibilities, ....

And I forget that non of these things will reach true fulfillment unless I remain "in Him" As a branch connected to the vine of life.

To remain at peace in the deep waters of His life is what I want the children to learn about first.

First day of Advent...

Today we begin our first Jesse tree reflection.

Genesis (1:1 3-7 2:1-4)
"And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."

This morning ice coated every surface. And the light reflected as written. The ground sparkled, nature decorated the first day of Advent.
This afternoon the birds gathered upon the branches and sang aloud. What a sound. They must have known, someone must have told them the child of the manger will be born soon.
And so we sing too.



Tonight we make our Christkindl.

Maria Von Trapp describes it thus:

Once more the mother appears with the bowl, which she passes around.
This time the pieces of paper contain the names of the members of the
family and are neatly rolled up, because the drawing has to be done in
great secrecy. The person whose name one has drawn is now in
one's special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to do
as many little favors for him or her as one can. One has to provide
at least one surprise every single day — but without ever being found
out. This creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense,
kindness, and thoughtfulness. Perhaps you will find that somebody
has made your bed or shined your shoes or has informed you,
in a disguised handwriting on a holy card, that "a rosary has been
said for you today" or a number of sacrifices have been offered up.
This new relationship is called "Christkindl" (Christ Child) in the old
country, where children believe that the Christmas tree and the
gifts under it are brought down by the Christ Child himself.

The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the
relationship is a reciprocal one. The person whose name I
have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the
helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing
these many little acts of love and consideration for someone
in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem,
according to the word, "And he that shall receive one such
little child in my name, receiveth me." That is why this particular
person turns into "my Christkindl." At the same time I am the
"Christkindl" also for the one I am caring for because I want
to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services
in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth,
when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father
with a similar love and devotion.

Many times throughout these weeks can be heard such
exclamations as, "I have a wonderful Christkindl this year!"
or, "Goodness, I forgot to do something for my Christkindl
and it is already suppertime!" It is a delightful custom,
which creates much of the true Christmas spirit and
ought to be spread far and wide.

Happy First Day of Advent!