Simoninigans

My Absence Excuses

2009-07-20T21:02:00.005-04:00

My lack of postings are due to the following excuses:

:: no internet access, but just with my username (hmmm ?)

:: the camera was last in Scott's possession which he thinks he left in the shed which has the basketball sized hornet's nest in it!

So once I get these two issues dealt with I will be back to regular postings but for now I'm taking my time and enjoying the lazy days of summer with the kids (poor Daddy has to go to work).

Medieval Festival

2009-07-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

We went to the Upper Canada Village Medieval Festival since Sir Carter is so interested in knights and castles. It was incredible and we going back next year but in costume. Carter and Gabe can be knights, Madison a princess, I'll be a gypsy and Scott can wear a Peter Pan hat!

Madison and Scott making candles.

His sword is bigger than him!

This was a real Heavy Armour Jousting Match, they actually went at each other full force and knocked each other off their horses.

Upper Canada Pioneer Village

2009-07-07T08:00:00.000-04:00

In keeping with our learning about pioneer living we took a family trip to the Upper Canada Pioneer Village to explore what life would have been like for Canadian pioneers in the 1860s. I was the most excited and interested and would like to go back by myself. This part of Canadian history really interests me and I can't stop reading about it. There is something that captivates me about truly living off the land and a simplier way of life. Our pioneers worked hard and endured many hardships yet their lifestyle still appeals to me. I do believe that I am a 19th century soul livng in a 21st century body.

Here a few of the many photos I took with a link underneath in case you want to read some more.

General Store

The Dressmaker's Shop

The School House

Spinning & Weaving

Crafting Duathlon

2009-07-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

This shirt and skirt for Madison was my crafting duathlon combining both knitting and sewing. Its the Summerlin from Kathryn Ivy. The bodice is knit and the bottom portion is sewn on with a matching skirt. It is knit with Sublime Organic Cotton dk and the fabric is a 100% cotton. I made it really big so that it will fit her longer. We are both really happy about how it turned out.

Vacation Notice

2009-06-30T07:30:00.003-04:00

We are currently on vacation and won't be posting regularly but,

Please come back and visit us next week for some exciting posts about . . .

:: The Upper Canada Pioneer Village

:: The Medieval Festival

:: The Canadian Bushplane Museum

:: The Norgoma Historic Ship Museum

and other Simoninigan antics!

Take care friends and Happy July 1st (Canada Day eh!)

Summer Solstice

2009-06-19T09:15:00.009-04:00

Summer Solstice means to me . . .

:: A trip home to the the Sault (not the Zoo, Carter) t0 visit my roots

:: Having my Madi home with me all to myself

:: Being in awe of Mother Nature, especially through the children's eyes

:: Trips to the Farmer's Market & many fresh summer salads

:: Many a Field Trip in our nation's capital as we explore our hometown as tourists

:: Working on the kids' fort in the backyard

:: Camping sleepovers in the tent (in the backyard)

:: Sipping homemade lemonade and iced tea

:: Pulling weeds from the garden

Our Little Big Boy

2009-06-12T09:41:00.004-04:00

Carter found a friend caterpillar yesterday and named him "Harry". He giggled as he walked across his fingers and was so gentle with him. Eventually he did drop him in the grass and couldn't find him but continued to look and call his name. "Mama I can't find Harry and I've looked everywhere for him, I think he's lost". I hope he didn't step on him while looking!

I can also officially announce that Carter is fully potty trained now! We are so proud of him and he is also very proud of himself. We put him in underwear starting last Saturday morning and he tried and tried all day with no success. Now since Sunday he hasn't had any accidents and dry diapers in the mornings! It took one day. There really is something to be said about waiting until the child is ready and not the parent and not focussing on their age. Oh, and some gummy worms as bribes and cool underwear help too.

Pow Wow

2009-06-09T08:00:00.002-04:00

(check out the belly on Gabe)

We took the kids to experience their first Pow Wow. It quickly became obvious just how underexposed they are to our native culture. There is nothing like seeing a pow wow through a child's eyes. They were so full of questions, loud comments and had no problem with pointing at people. This didn't bother me at all and no one else seemed to mind. I tried to answer all of their questions as best as I could.

Of course I have acquired some books on Ojibway heritage and ceremonies to learn more myself and hopefully pass some culture onto my children. The best book I found is The Mishomis Book The Voice of the Ojibway by Edward Benton-Banai.

It really was an amazing thing to experience with the kids, the drum drumming, the men singing, the people dancing, the circle of community surrounding them.

Its a start, the kids and I can learn together.

A Polka dot Dress

2009-06-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Polka dot dress + matching head band = Happy little girl

I sewed Madison's doll "Sasha" a polka dot dress and matching head band, made out of an old pair of my pajama pants and no pattern. The addition of the bias tape as a belt is Madison's doing, she does like to accessorize. She has now put in a request for an apron, bloomers and a knit sweater . . . no problem, Sasha is going to have a better wardrobe than me!

Our Little Ballerina

2009-06-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

Pictures from Madison's ballet recital last weekend.

What can I really say about this, the pictures say it all.

She is absolutely beautiful.

It still brings tears to my eyes to think about her up on that stage.

She takes her ballet very seriously and practices all the time at home.

Our little ballerina.

I love you Madi.

In Gratitude

2009-06-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

A new spring/summer linen table cloth made from a thrifted piece of linen for $2.99!

Today I am thankful for . . .

:: The lilacs my kids keep picking me from our neighbours' tree

:: A husband who doesn't quite get my craft obsession but is understanding none the less

:: Watching my daughter's ballet recital over the weekend

:: Setting a date for a weekend fabric shopping trip with a dear friend

:: Knitting & watching my children playing using their imaginations

:: Dinner already made this morning in the slow cooker

:: A 5 year old who loves to hang the diapers on the clothes line

:: Looking forward to the Crafty Mamas coming over tonight

Our Garden is Planted

2009-05-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

We planted our vegetable garden last weekend (and I'm just getting around to posting the pictures now). This is the first year we have been in the same house long enough to plant and grow and hopefully eat and store our own vegetables. I have been reading about and planning my vegetable garden for years, so it was amazing to finally get my knees dirty and my hands into the earth.

It's important to me that the kids learn where their food comes from, how to grow it and experience the pleasure that comes from preparing and eating food you have grown yourself. Both of my grandfathers were amazing gardeners, unfortunately I could not learn from them, their knowledge and wisdom died with them, what a missed opportunity. I have to follow instructions from a gardening book. My wish is that gardening becomes second nature to my children and becomes intrinsic to them.

Almost everything was sown directly into the ground which is more cost effective, especially if you want organic plants.

I couldn't resist this garden plaque, it seems that they made it just for me, how perfect!

I have been using this book From Seed to Table A Practical Guide to Eating and Growing Green by Janette Haase. Its a month-by-month guide to growing a significant amount of food in a small home garden. She provides clear instructions for the gardening year from planning to planting to harvesting, storage and seasonal recipes.

The Earth is mother,

Of all that is natural,

Of all that is human.

-Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), German abbess, poet, mystic and composer

Pioneer Philosophy

2009-05-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

In keeping with the pioneer theme we seem to have going on around here lately I have posted up some new words of wisdom. This pioneer philosophy is well suited as our new mantra.

School Reading

2009-05-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

I've been doing a bit of my own unschooling, which stemmed from Vintage Chica's "Summer Un-school", that I signed up for a couple of months ago. The controversy that followed absolutely astonished me and I had to read up on the topic some more myself.

I still don't get why the "radical unschoolers" have a problem with calling it "Summer Un-school", to me its like someone stated in the comments, why would a vegetarian/vegan discourage someone from trying vegetarianism/veganism? The opposite should be true, if you really are that passionate about your philosophy/lifestyle then you should be encouraging others to try it and not feel threatened by that. You certainly cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.

Enough said, well except: thank you to Erin for hosting Summer Un-school on her blog and for so gracefully and articulately taking all the "heat" for it, what an amazing opportunity you have given our children and our families to learn and to grow. And thank you to all the other unschooling mamas who are sharing their experiences.

My oldest attends our local public french immersion primary school and loves it. The challenge we have is that Canada is a bilingual country (english & french) and since we live in Ottawa (Canada's capital city) bilingualism is a necessity. Both myself and Scott were never given the opportunity as children to attend french immersion school and are now only english speaking. If we were to homeschool our children we would not be able to teach them french, they would have to take french classes and would not have the benefit of immersion. Thus, if they at a later time wanted to or needed to enter the school system they would have to take the english stream. This is a major consideration and obstacle.

This summer I will take the kids lead, help them to learn, to explore, to grow, at their leisure, on their own will. I will follow their own natural curiosity, I will be their social convenior, their chief researcher, their chauffer, their exploration companion, their documentarian, the carrier of the library book bag. I do have activities, crafts, field trips, adventures planned to fill in some gaps but we will have our summer un-school.

Sheep Shearing Festival

2009-05-19T08:00:00.001-04:00

We have been waiting all year for this (well mainly me) . . . The Canadian Agriculture Museum's Sheep Shearing Festival! Considering how wool, in its many forms, has become such an important and present part of my life and the kids', it was an awesome experience to learn together how a sheep is sheared and what happens to the wool after.

First the sheep get their toe nails clipped and then they're sheared.

The whole process only takes about 2 minutes. Although it may look like the sheep is struggling she was actually quite docile and the sheep are not harmed.

We learnt that Canadian sheep are primarily sheered for the beneficial health reasons for the sheep. The wool from a Canadian sheep only sells for about $2 and it costs $5 to sheer them. Whereas, the wool from a sheep in New Zealand for example would fetch around $30.

Madison and Carter got to try their hands at carding the wool and feeling the lanolin. They both gave me their carded wool to knit something with. There were also spinning, knitting, and weaving demonstrations. I can't wait to learn how to spin wool with a drop spindle which is something I plan on learning next winter.

Goobie-Goo

2009-05-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

Sleeping with his stuffed Willy (named after our dog) and his Waldorf doll

"What do you mean I'm not supposed to be in the pots and pans cupboard?"

"Oh I'm not going inside Mom, I love it out here . . . that is unless there's something to eat in there!"

Pressing his face up against the window after his sister and brother just finished drawing with their window crayons.

Climbing into the tupperware drawer.

Why stand at the train table when you can sit right on top of it to play?

Riding in the wagon helping to collect firework for our backyard campfire because he always wants to do whatever his big sister and big brother are doing.

Coo-Coo-Roo

2009-05-13T14:43:00.005-04:00

Handsome

Nature lover

Loving big brother

Fisherboy (his 1st fish!)

Here's the score this season:

Madison - 3

Carter - 1

Scott - 0

Craftster (his first embroidery!)

Repurposed Pillowcase Skirt

2009-05-05T11:39:00.005-04:00

I made Madison a summer skirt from a repurposed vintage pillowcase I found on one of my many thrifting adventures. Its really simple, no pattern, I just cut the pillow case in half, leaving the side and bottom hems and then sewed an elastic into the top. You could use bias tape at the bottom or even add ricrak or some ribbon to fancy it up. But, Madi had strict instructions that she did not want any of that.

I also made her the headband she's wearing from some fabric I got from a used clothes "Swap till you drop" on the weekend. I will be making many more summer skirts and many more headbands for her and for myself. I love skirts in the summer and the headbands keep my fly-away frizzy hair somewhat at bay.

Pencil Crayon Roll

2009-05-01T10:13:00.002-04:00

I made Madison a matching pencil crayon roll with the fabric from my knitting needle case. I'm thinking of making some matching aprons with the rest of the fabric . . . back to the sewing machine.

Knitting Needle Case

2009-04-30T08:00:00.002-04:00

Just some pictures of the Knitting Needle Case I sewed for myself using this tutorial as a guide. I was getting really tired of having my needles lose in my knitting bag. Now of course Madison wants one for herself, I guess I'll make her a pencil crayon roll out of the same lovely fabric. The bias tape I used was given to me by my grandmother, I wonder what she had bought it for all those years ago, its nice to have that little bit of history sewn in.

Root Viewer

2009-04-29T12:52:00.004-04:00

Introducing our Root Viewer, "From sprouting to full harvest, the Root Viewer allows you to observe vegetables growing right before your eyes . . . a fun and educational experience for kids of all ages!"

They planted onion, carrot and radish seeds but they had the most fun watching the growing medium expand in the water and become soil.

We placed it on the kitchen window so the plants get lots of warmth and sunlight (and can't be reached by little hands!).

We will be using our Garden Journal to record our observations of how the vegetables grow. Madison and Carter have both checked for sprouts about a dozen times already today!

Kids Teapot Cozy

2009-04-28T09:39:00.002-04:00

With a collaborative effort Madison and Carter created this cozy for their teapot. Together they picked the colours for the circles & the colour of thread, next they decided where it should go, Madison poked the needle through the felt and Carter pulled it. It was absolutely incredible to watch them sew together and see how proud of themselves they were and Mama is even prouder!

Our Nature Bag

2009-04-23T13:53:00.004-04:00

We have been very busy lately exploring and observing nature using our Nature Bag. The kids have really been enjoying this and are extremely enthusiastic which fortunately for me is quite contagious. The plan is to share some of our nature journal on the blog, so we'll start with the contents of our nature bag . . .

The actual bag itself is a thrift find and one that Scott wants for himself but Madison won't give it up. The plan was to sew personalized bags for the kids but this will have to do for now. I have included a sketch pad and pencil crayons to keep record with.

The Easter Bunny brought the kids a wooden HABA compass and magnifying glass with a metal box for safe keeping.

I have also included binoculars, bug viewer and a whistle and bear bell for each child because you just never know when you might run into a bear or other wild animal! As well as a LED lantern for night-time nature walks which Carter has really taken a liking to.

These are our specimen jars for displaying our findings on the nature table. I did have these in the bag but quickly realized glass wasn't such a good idea so we had to switch to plastic bags (ugh!).

And of course our books: the first one is Keeping a Nature Journal and the second is Fun with Nature a Take-Along Guide which is an amazing reference book for kids, I would highly recommend this one.

For some other great ideas about what to keep in your field guide check out this.

And The Magnifying Glass is an amazing online nature journal.

Happy Trails!

A Felted Dress for Madi

2009-04-21T10:11:00.005-04:00

This is my new knitting project: a felted dress for Madison. I spotted the pattern at the yarn store and couldn't resist it, knitting and felting, so now its on my needles. Hers will be pink though, of course. This is my first time knitting with circular needles instead of dpns, which is much easier.

I'm in the process of sewing up Madi's sweater which is proving to be more challenging that I thought, its hard to be such a detail oriented personality. She was looking through a knitting book and found a knit flower for her sweater. So I guess I'll be knitting that along with a matching purple hat to use up the rest of the wool.

I've Made Myself a Committment

2009-04-16T08:00:00.003-04:00

Here's my disclaimer: this post is all about me, not my kids, not my family, not even my crafting . . . its all about me, so keep reading if you want to.

I want to be runner, and always have. However, I always had an excuse why I couldn't run: I'm pregnant, breastfeeding, too tired, blablabla, you get the point. But, fortunately I've run out of excuses. So last week, with my Mom's encouragement, I splurged and bought myself a pair of motion control running shoes. So now I've committed myself to running and I'm really excited about it.

Running is almost the perfect form of exercise, it can be done anywhere, anytime and the only cost is the fancy shoes for your feet (and maybe for some a good sports bra). You get fresh air, get to enjoy nature and probably see parts of the city you wouldn't otherwise. Of course there are the cardiovascular and muscular benefits.

I'm doing this for myself, by myself, on my own terms. I have promised myself to maintain realistic expectations and not get too discouraged in the beginning. I think its really important for my kids to see me enjoying exercise and doing something for myself. I have to lead by example since I'm trying to teach them, "Its better to have a body in shape than to obsess about the shape of your body".

Simoninigan Lemonade

2009-04-15T12:58:00.008-04:00

We made the first official batch of Simoninigan Homemade Organic Lemonade in the backyard yesterday and we thought we would share the recipe so that our devoted blog readers could enjoy this refreshing & fun to make summer-time drink. So here goes . . .

1 Slice as many organic lemons as you want (or have) in uniform thin slices, by halving the lemons from pole to pole before slicing horizontally. Don't peel the lemons but make sure to give them a good scrub first.

2 Add approximately 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar per lemon - more or less depending on your taste for tart vs sweet.

3 Now here comes the fun part, mash the sliced lemons & sugar with a potato masher until the lemon slices give up their juice, the sugar is dissolved and the juice is thickened to a syrup consistency, about 5 minutes.

This should be done in a glass non-reactive bowl but, we do it in a pot so one child can hold the pot handle whilst the other mashes. This is a great activity for either excited kids and/or frustrated parents.

4 Next pour your mashed up lemons & sugar through a large sieve over a bowl and press on solids with masher or back of wooden spoon to release as much liquid as possible.

5 Compost lemons, transfer liquid to glass serving pitcher, add cold water to desired taste & stir until blended. Taste for sweetness & add more sugar or if you want to be fancy add one Tablespoon of grenadine to turn the lemonade pink. Add ice to chill and enjoy!

Let us know if you try it.

Celebration Bunting/Flags/Garland

2009-04-14T09:11:00.006-04:00

I finished sewing our Celebration Bunting/Flags/Garland (whatever you want to call them). The multi-coloured polkadots are an old pair of my pajama bottoms and the other coordinating stripes and polkadots I purchased new to match.

I created a 6 x 8 template out of sturdy cardboard but, you could make them whatever size you want to
Using the template and my rotary cutter, I cut the triangles from the fabric, you can make as many as you want
Using the same template I cut out triangles out of a really thick (almost starchy) white cotton, to back them with
Sew them together (right sides out) along the two long sides of the triangle
Trim the edges with pinking shears to stop the fabric from fraying
I then made some bias tape with the same sturdy white cotton
Sew the flags into the bias tape using a fancy zigzag stitch making sure to leave enough at both ends for tying or hanging.

These can be used as decoration any time of the year for a child's bedroom, playroom or outside. But, they can also be used as seasonal decorations by changing the fabric choices. They make a great green alternative to disposable crepe birthday banners. And can be personalized by using applique or freezer paper stenciling to write on the flags.

Spring has finally sprung at our house!

2009-04-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

We have been busily reading our Spring books, working on our Early Spring Nature Table, planning our garden, sewing seeds and getting our nature bag supplies collected. All of the snow has melted from our yard and the winter gear is ready to be packed away. The sun is shining, flowers & trees are budding, the birds are chirping, the squirrels are busy digging up stored food.

The kids have found a cure for their cabin fever which includes (but not limited to): puddle jumping, mud digging, nature collecting, bird watching, park swinging, and all around squeals of delight that spring has arrived.

Our long & dark Canadian winter hibernation is over . . . let the sun shine, the rain pour and our world turn green all around us right before our eyes! Magical.

I'm Still Here

2009-04-06T14:42:00.009-04:00

I'm still here, I just haven't been posting much lately. I've been re-evaluating the whole blog thing and trying to sort through my have-to and want-to. There are a lot of things on both lists right now and I'm trying to muddle through them as best as I can without too much stress or anxiety. I can't decide if blog posting should be on the have-to or want-to list?

I recognize that I have to let some things go and even lower my standards on some. Sometimes I have to move something from the have-to list onto the want-to list. Most of this is self-imposed, silly really, I blame it on the fact that I'm a Virgo and its just in my nature to be organized and a bit of a perfectionist.

I think it also has to do with the whole concept of "spring cleaning", for some reason I feel the need to clean, organize & air out the entire house and I guess part of that includes myself and its great to have this blog to help me with this. I guess this is in anticipation of the lazy days of summer when we can just sit back, relax (ya right!) and enjoy the outdoors.

The blog needs to be more about "life", my life, the kids life, our life together as a family. Regardless of what we are doing, weather its an exciting day or mundane day, happy or sad, good or bad. You are going to see it all, right here. This space is a place for my creative expression through my words & photographs, the sharing of my crafty creations and of course a way to document it all and share with friends & family. Even if we have one of those days, I'm going to share it. If I'm going to document our lives then it needs to be real, not staged or contrived, but honest and true to ourselves.

Oh ya, I almost forgot, the above picture is of Sasha (Madison's doll) with her new ring sling and pocket baby. Madison earned the money to pay for it when she came to work with me for a couple of hours. She took it really serious and made sure to complete all of her tasks. Now she wants to work more hours to earn the money to buy a friend for Sasha!

Felted Bowl

2009-03-31T08:00:00.001-04:00

I finished knitting a Felted Bowl last night, the pattern is from One Skein (which I borrowed from the library). I used Cascade Yarn's Ecological 100% Peruvian Highland Wool undyed & 10 mm double pointed needles.

Above is the knitted bowl before felting, Madison thought it made a pretty good hat and even agreed to model it for me. You can see how loosely knit it is.
And this is the bowl after felting it in the washing machine with hot water, a tiny bit of soap and about 15-20 minutes of agitation. I dried it over a bowl so that it would take the shape I wanted.
And here it is still wet but I couldn't wait to take the picture. Its a bit more "hairy" that I wanted it to be but overall I'm happy with it.
However, I do have all this fabulous wool roving that I could use to needle felt some kind of design or picture onto the bowl. And before I knit another one I want to dye the wool some different colours using this . . . I guess I'm not done yet after all!

Rainbow Procion Dyeing Tutorial

2009-03-30T08:00:00.011-04:00

(picture courtesy BTRT)

Lori of Beneath the Rowan Tree has an amazing Rainbow Procion Dyeing Tutorial for purchase from her Etsy shop that I really wanted to share. This is something I am going to do but, only after I finish up some of my current works in progress!

Its a 10 page tutorial for creating colourful rainbow items, which are suitable for all plant fiber which includes cotton, bamboo, hemp etc. The tutorial includes 20+ pictures, clear, detailed instructions and loads of tips & tricks. It will walk you through dyeing a pair of cotton tights, but is applicable to anything at all: clothing, sheets, wraps and more. The tutorial provides information on dyeing with Procion (fiber reactive) dyes. The tutorial costs $6.50 (USD), and will be emailed to you in a PDF file. The tutorial itself and all the content and images are copyright of BTRT but it can be used to make items for commercial purposes.

How cool is this, oh the possibilities . . !

Little House on the Prairie

2009-03-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

I love Little House on the Prairie, always have and always will. I'm not ashamed of this, rather I'm proud of my love for the Ingalls family and all of their pioneer ways.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about

(who doesn't?) Little House on the Prairie is an American one-hour dramatic tv show about the life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the 19th century American West. It was a very loose adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder's best-selling series of Little House on the Prairie books.

Check out this, the introduction & music from the series, for a little nostalgic throw back. When I was growing up I used to love to pretend play "Little House" complete with pioneer dress up and chores.
I have reserved from our public library The Complete Television Series! How amazing is this, I can watch it again with the kids.
We will definitely have to get some copies of the books because we love books around here.

And I think this means yet another sewing project to make some bonnets from this pattern from Amy Karol(aka Angry Chicken).

And this also means a family trip this summer to Upper Canada Village Heritage Park which is an 1860's village complete with a mill, trade shops, farms, churches, homes, factories and even a one-room schoolhouse. Oh ya we'll be going there!

I really think that I was meant to be born in the 19th century!

Mom's Words of Wisdom

2009-03-24T13:16:00.004-04:00

This is something I have been wanting to do for a while, even though the kids are only 5, 3 & 1 and none of them can read yet, I wanted to frame Mom's "Words of Wisdom" as a gentle reminder for them. I used a Martha Stewart Crafts Keepsake Collector Box and hung it over the kitchen doorway.

The idea is that I will post my motherly advice and other famous quotes and words of wisdom for the kids to see, read and ponder on. I'm hoping this subtle reminder that they have to walk under repeatedly will get my message across. Hopefully as they grow older it will reflect what is going on in their lives.

For example, right now I am trying to teach Madison that "All You Can Do is Your Best" and as long as you are doing your best nothing else matters.

Madison's Sweater

2009-03-23T12:46:00.005-04:00

I'm back from my March Break - Break and I'm happy to report that I completed a couple of craft projects, half started some more, got lots of spring cleaning and organizing done and did some really fun stuff with the kids. I'll share some more in later posts.

I finally finished knitting my silly leg warmers. I will post some pictures but I desperately need a pedicure before these feet are posing for any pictures!

This is my next knitting project, which a couple of the Crafty Mammas are going to knit too, which is great cause I'm going to need some help with this one. Its a sweater for Madison, knit with purple chunky wool from King Cole pattern # 3035. The ETC (Estimated Time of Completion) is approximately Fall 2009.

March Break - Break

2009-03-17T10:15:00.003-04:00

I'm taking a March Break - Break from blogging and using the time to hang out with the kids, get some spring cleaning and organizing done and of course some crafting. Hopefully I'll have some finished projects and maybe a tutorial to share when I return next week!

She's Back, Feel'in Good & Ready to Go

2009-03-13T08:00:00.001-04:00

This is the crown I made for Madison last night and this morning, for "hat day" at school. The pattern is from Amanda Blake Soule's book The Creative Family. Its actually her Birthday crown which is why it has 5 stars. Although she doesn't look happy and refused to pose for the picture she did really love it. I made one for Gabe's 1st Birthday and now Carter needs to pick the colours of felt he wants for his.

Okay, seriously I love felt, I love all the colours it comes in, I love how it cuts, I love sewing it by hand and especially how forgiving it is. I have accumulated quite a pile but the thing is I can justify it because I use it all the time. Its got endless possibilities and not just for kid stuff.

Just one of my craft obsessions but, now on to the next . . .

She's back from the Sewing Machine Hospital (seriously that's what its called), she's feel'in good and she's ready to go, my sewing machine that is. I've cleared off my craft table entirely (that's a feat in itself) and I've got my cutting mat and rotary cutter all ready to go for . . .

These thrifted pillow cases and soft flannel blanket to make a Cuddle Blanket for Gabriel. Did I mention that I also acquired a walking foot while at the sewing machine repair shop?

And there are many, many other sewing projects in the works, I hope she had a good rest cause I'm gonna give'er a good go!

Look What I Made

2009-03-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

I finally got around to making myself a needle book to house my scissors and favourite sewing needles and pins. I got really tired of not having everything all together. And I finally bought one of the small tape measures where you push the button and it winds itself up, since the kids love to play with my other one and I never know where it is (dangerous, I know).

The Owl Scissor pocket pattern is from Betz White's Warm Fuzzies book, its meant for the "who-has-my-scissors craft apron" but I thought it would be perfect for my "who-has-my-scissors-needles and measuring tape needle book".

"Home is Where the Art Is"

2009-03-10T08:00:00.007-04:00

The featured article in Mothering Magazine's March-April 09 issue is Crafty Mamas written by Jean Van't Hull. Its about how, "Everyday objects are elevated to the sublime in the art and blogs of five creative women."

The five featured women are:

Amanda Blake Soule - who blogs as SouleMama & is the author of The Creative Family How to Encourage Imagination and Nuture Family Connections
Sally Shim - who blogs at Shim and Sons
Amy Karol - who blogs as Angry Chicken & is the author of Bend-the-Rules-Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew
Stephanie Congdon Barnes - she blogs at stephaniecongdonbarnes.blogspot.com & has published A Year of Mornings - 3191 Miles Apart: A Photographic Collaboration
Eren San Pedro - aka Vintage Chica who blogs at vintagechica.typepad.com

Look at the above picture of Soulemama's studio space, how I covet it.
The article talks about how there is an entire movement of stay-at-home moms making things themselves rather than buying them, thrifting & re-purposing, trying to simplify their lives and re-connecting with nature. Van't Hul writes, that the movement involves stay-at-home moms "reaching out with or extending that creativity, through writing and photography, via their own blogs." She puts in perfectly in her article, "Blogs often serve a dual purpose of sharing information about crafts, and providing a welcome avenue for networking and "getting out of the house," if only via the keyboard".

Once again Mothering Magazine "hits the nail on the head", the article perfectly describes and explores the reasons why I started to read blogs and why I started my own. There is a community of stay-at-home mothers that are connected via their computers not only by their love for their children but, by a love for all things handmade. There is a movement of re-connection to home economics, a whole generation is re-learning traditional crafting and teaching it to their children and sharing it with others through their blogs.

For me, the skills and knowledge of breastfeeding, sewing, quilting, knitting and food preservation skipped a generation. My grandmothers did these things, albeit out of necessity, but they did not pass the skills on to my parents. Now, it seems that the generations that follow are trying to reach back into time and re-learn these invaluable domestic skills and pass them on to their children. The difference is, now the necessity of it all isn't the Great Depression its a commitment to a green lifestyle.

I tie my apron strings around my waist with pride!

:: Wow, that was a long post and I even wanted to write more! Really, just buy the magazine and read the article (or you can borrow mine).

Simoninigan Approved Music

2009-03-09T08:00:00.004-04:00

I wanted to share some of the music the kids have and I have been listening to lately and loving. They are Simoninigan approved for your listening enjoyment and in no particular order:

Jack Johnson and Friends :: Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George

Elizabeth Mitchell :: You Are My Little Bird

Putumayo Kids :: Folk Playground

Renee & Jeremy :: Its a Big World!

Like Mother Like Daughter

2009-03-06T10:45:00.013-05:00

Much to my amusement and liking Madison loves to do everything I do, say everything I say, go where I go, eat what I eat, wear what I wear and so forth. As much as I want and encourage her to develop her own personality I do love the fact that she loves to copy me so much. They say that a child's strongest influence is the same sex parent. That is a lot of responsibility and pressure sometimes but, it is also such an opportunity and privilege. Unfortunately, she has also developed an addiction to chocolate and all things sweet just like Mommy.

We recently got matching recipe boxes with fairies on them (of course). Organizing my recipes is something I have been meaning to do for a while now but I couldn't find the right box and cards to inspire the laborious endeavor. Well now I have found them and Madi had to have her own, she loves to sit beside me and copy her recipes down too.
And these are the best . . . matching Amy Butler craft caddies! She has her embroidery and felt in hers and I currently have my knitting in mine. Although I usually don't buy anything new when I saw these I knew we had to have them, how could I resist the pink Amy Butler design?

WIP Update

I finally finished one leg warmer and even though I vowed not to make the second I have cast it on my needles.
I finally cleared off my craft table to make room for my sewing machine but, sadly she is broken, her tension is off and the thread keeps breaking. I even brought her to the local quilting store and they couldn't get her going. So off to the sewing machine clinic she goes for a well deserved rest & repair.

Rainbow Brooch

2009-03-04T21:25:00.004-05:00

I surprised Madison with a Rainbow Broach today, she was so happy to have something handmade by Mommy. I love it when I find someone to wear my creations (thank you Madi & Nannie). She wore it to school and was prouder than a peacock.

Fort Simoninigan

2009-03-03T08:00:00.002-05:00

4 chairs + 2 blankets = 3 happy children

This is Madison's "Girl Club" behind our bar. It is very elaborately set up & everything has a certain place. If someone goes in and moves something she knows right away. Entrance requires a secret password, I know it but I am sworn to secrecy.
Carter's forts are just as elaborate as his sister's but his are so imaginative, he will tell you all about it and show you around but don't try to go in!
If there is one thing the Simoninigans like to do its build forts. Plus, according to Madison I am an expert fort builder and repairer.

Sometimes the forts are a simple blanket over a chair and sometimes they are extremely elaborate with different rooms set up.
Sometimes they build them together and sometimes they are as unique and individual as their personalities and require a secret password to get in.
Sometimes we, oops I mean they, have snack time or lunch in their forts and one time we even ate our dinner under the dining room table fort!
Sometimes they only last a little while and sometimes they stay set up for days.

And no one ever knows what will happen in the fort, I've witnessed tea parties, dragon fighting, giving birth to dolls (with Carter as the midwife!) and all sorts of shenanigans. I love how all they need is the blanket and maybe the pillow from their bed to make their imaginations soar.

One thing is for sure, I love fort building as much as my kids do.

Tie One On is Back!

2009-03-02T08:00:00.002-05:00

Here's the new Tie One On theme from Angry Chicken- make an apron spending no $!

You have to use existing materials which means absolutely no buying any kind of materials, supplies or fabric. You have 2 months to sew your creation, jpegs must be sent by April 30th and the gallery will be up early May.

The idea is to make aprons to show and tell. Every few months there is a different theme. Submissions must be new creations, not purchased or existing vintage ones. You don't need to join or do anything special to be a part of Tie One On, you just e-mail Angry Chicken your apron submission as an attached jpeg by the deadline, with a blog or e-mail link (optional) and any info you want added.

Oh ya! This is right up my alley. I love aprons. I love thrifting them, I love wearing them, I love gifting them, I love sewing them and I love that I'm not the only one!

Imagination at Play

2009-02-27T09:00:00.006-05:00

Cowboy Carter made another appearance at the Simonini ranch, he rode into town on his horse Snowflake and chased that dog Willy right out of town!

Did you know . . . ?

There is a panda bear living in a hole in our basement floor, he loves to eat bamboo and requires a lot of cool water to drink. Oh ya and he can talk too

The bag of pretzels at snack time is actually a rocket ship, the pretzels are little people who blast off to the moon to swim in the water (aka hummus). The pretzels use parachutes to get down from the sky. Interesting.

There is a candy machine attached to the wall, you can fill up your pockets and the candy is, "really yummy".

Carter built the "Indians" a new house because theirs fell down. (Pretty sad when a 3 year old even knows the sad state of affairs on Canadian reserves).

I just got hit by a big rock and have to go to the principal's office. But I'm okay because I got a new toy to make me feel better.

All of this happened within a mere 30 minute play time. Exhausting really for me, difficult to keep up with at times but, really entertaining and makes my mamma heart melt.

Imagination is defined as, "the faculty of imagining, or of forming mental images or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses . . . It helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge; it is a fundamental facility through which people make sense of the world".

One of the things I am most proud of as a mother (as mothers we all need to give our selves some credit sometimes) is my children's ability to use their imaginations. I have worked hard to provide the opportunity and environment for their imaginative play to flourish. I try to do this by providing a nurturing and open environment with toys and tools to allow their imagination and natural curiosity to lead the way. I try to allow opportunities for free play and unrestricted access to their toys, books, art supplies and whatever else is required. One of the most important ingredients for this is restricted access to television, this is one thing that I am very strict about. I have to turn off my adult mind, put away my concerns about them making a mess and jump right in and play along.

I gotta go its Mozart's Birthday (Carter's stuffed monkey) and they are just about to cut the pretend cake!

Woolly Tits

2009-02-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, those are knitted "Woolly Tits"! What the? Here's the story . . .

The original idea came from a story on the BBC a couple of years ago, whereby a hospital in Liverpool couldn't afford or like the commercial fake breasts used for teaching breastfeeding to new mothers. So someone came up with the idea of knitting them instead. An appeal went out worldwide for knitters to help out. That's when a fellow Ottawa Public Health Breastfeeding Buddy Volunteer by the name of Elizabeth Ann Spencer decided to help out and see if there was any local interest, and there was!

Here is a video clip from BBC news to see Woolly Tits being used as a breastfeeding teaching tool.

Elizabeth is amazing, she has raised $400 during each of the last 2 years for UNICEF's "Spread the Net" campaign in memory of a school-friend who died of malaria when she was 19.

So now you're wondering how can I order some?

Elizabeth knits basic skin colours (ivory/maroon or beige/chocolate) and fun stripey ones!

They are $10 each ($8 goes to UNICEF!) if picked up locally and add $3 (for a total of $13 each) to cover postage & handling if they need to be mailed. No bulk discounts, sorry.

These are aimed primarily at those who teach breastfeeding for demonstrative purposes only, such as lactation consultants, pre-natal educators, postpartum nurses & doulas and GP practices. They are not meant to be toys or novelty items.

Please email me at marcisimonini(at)rogers(dot)com to get in touch with Elizabeth to place your order.

Cuddle Blankets

2009-02-25T09:00:00.003-05:00

This is our basket of "Cuddle Blankets" that the kids (and I) use everyday. I am always folding them and putting them in the basket which has become one of my everyday rituals and part of the rhythm of my day. As I was folding them today I stopped to look at each one and admire it and really think about what these lap quilts have come to mean to our family. They provide more than just a practical use, they warm the heart and soul, they provide comfort & nurturing and are even used for imaginative play.

They have many uses indeed:

to cuddle with during our "snuggle buggling" which involves making a "love cocoon" under the cuddle blanket (very popular)
cuddle blankets are also excellent for fort building
they make a great picnic blanket for both indoor & outdoor use
are a must for tea parties
cuddle blankets also make excellent beach blankets
they also double as a stroller blanket to keep little ones warm on a cold winter's day

This one I actually machine sewed myself before we had kids, my first and only attempt at quilting, without help, without a book, totally free form. I loved it and can't wait to take up quilting again. But, this time I think I might actually take a class and learn how to do it properly. (Focus, focus on one craft at a time!)
This red one was a gift and is completely hand quilted, its beautiful.
This cuddle blanket was made by a very dear childhood friend of mine, I think of her every time we use it. Its machine quilted and beautiful, this one is Carter's favourite.
This is Madison's choice as favourite cuddle blanket because of the rainbow. Its thrifted and I would love to know who made it and the story behind it.

I Heart Squirrels

2009-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Yes that's right, I heart squirrels. I don't know exactly why but I just think they are really interesting little creatures. Not that I would want one as a pet but they're a lot of fun to watch and photograph. In fact when I was taking the pics for this post Madison rolled her eyes and said, "Mommy why do you like squirrels so much?" not really in the form of a question more of an annoyed statement.

Above is a felt squirrel broach, "on the lookout for acorns with his beady eye" which is beautifully hand cut & hand sewn by an amazing and talented fiber artist Lupin (or Laura). The broach is available in grey or dark red and measures approx. 6cms. Please visit her website or Etsy to order one & see more of her work and check out her blog Bugs And Fishes by Lupin for daily doses of felt + time + tea = handstitched loveliness.

Now lets learn some more about squirrels, shall we!

Spieces?

There are about 300 varieties of squirrels around the world. In North America there are ten. Examples are the red/brown squirrels that live in evergreen trees and eat seeds of pinecones and the gray squirrel (my favourite) which lives in woods of oaks, ashes and beeches and mainly eats beech nuts and acorns.

Where do squirrels live?

Squirrels typically live in trees - in holes in the trunk, or in treetop crow's nests. The homes in the treetops are called dreys and sometimes consist of two rooms and a nursery! How cool is that? Here is a video of some gray squirrels building their drey and mating (ya I knew that would get your attention!).

Above is a picture (gotta love winter's grey sky in the background) of a squirrel's drey high up in the Maple tree right in our front yard. The kids love to look out the picture window and watch the squirels go in and out. They are always busy repairing the drey, digging up stored food and either playing/fighting each other. Its hilarious to watch them jump onto the bird feeder to steal some seed.

I'm always asking the kids, "I wonder what the squirrels are doing today? I wonder what they are doing in their drey and when they are going to come out?" and they always get excited when they spot one and are sure to let me know!

Leg Warmer Update

2009-02-23T14:42:00.002-05:00

This is one of my leg warmers in progress . . . I finally figured out how to knit in the round with double pointed needles (dpns)! Its 31 cm (12 inches) long, which I was pretty excited about until I realized the pattern says the finished measurement should be 66 cm (26 inches) long. For sure I will only be knitting one leg warmer, the other leg will just have to stay cold! There is no way I can do this again right now, maybe I'll knit the other one in the fall. While I'm knitting I think about what my next project should be, never mind knitting another leg warmer, been there done that. Now I know not to knit things in pairs like socks and mittens.
I also bought myself (yes even new, not thrifted) this I don't even know what you call it, knitting folding storage stand to house my growing stash of wool and other such notions. I love the fabric and think that I will have to find coordinating material to make myself a roll up needle case and matching notions bag. Now all I need is the rocking chair to put it beside!

Gardening, the Mouse & Tea

2009-02-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

Madison is loving . . .

Planning our garden for the spring

The medal she got for 100 Days of School & her new apron

Snuggle Buggling with Mommy on the couch in the mornings
Carter is loving . . .

Playing on the computer and using the mouse (with his big sister & Teddy)

Going to the "Barn" to see the animals in the winter & the cows being milked

Helping himself to snacks in the kitchen
Gabriel is loving . . .

Playing with the new Plan Toys Tea Set

Walking around getting into things & then proudly showing everyone what he found

Drinking or more like chugging milk out of his Klean Kanteen

Mamma Needs a New Chair

2009-02-20T09:04:00.003-05:00

I'm sad to say that my glider is on its final glides. The arm is broken and won't stayed glued together, the cushions have no cushioning left, springs are missing & you need to sit on a pillow and screws randomly fall out of it while gliding.

The thing is I've had this glider for over 5 years now, since I was pregnant with my first. It holds countless memories for us and has unmeasurable sentimental value. When I think about the amount of glides it provided for my babes and me it melts my heart. The nurturing it helped provide, the breastfeeding, the rocking to sleep, the consoling, the cuddles, just last week I rocked my five year old when she was sick. Plus now I like to sit in it and knit (how little old lady of me!).

Farewell my friend, thanks for the glides, thanks for the love.
The time has come to choose a new chair. I really don't want another nursery looking baby glider but a nice upholstered chair that glides. Glide baby glide. This is the Hazel Glider by Serena & Lily. I love the casual look of this one and it looks so inviting & comfortable to sit in.
This is the Luca Glider by Monte which is a Canadian company and is sold at a local retailer. This one is more modern looking but I like the fact that its made right here in Ontario and the company is big on sustainability.

They both come in every colour combination imaginable, are about the same price & take 4-6 weeks for delivery. Isn't that just about the right amount of time for Mother's Day?

Another option, and a much cheaper one, is going with a traditional mission style rocking chair.

Oh please help me decide.

And then there was bread, finally

2009-02-19T13:37:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to making fresh homemade bread, after months of reading my bread books and sourcing out specialty organic bread flour and yeast. There really is nothing like the feeling of kneading your own bread dough, the smell of yeast & rising dough and bread baking in the oven. I started with the basic bread recipe with a bit of whole wheat flour added for flavour. It turned out really crusty on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside.

Mmmmm . . . fresh homemade bread hot out of the oven with lots of butter spread over it. I can't wait to make another.

My Blanket Scarf!

2009-02-18T13:16:00.002-05:00

Well here it is, my first knitted scarf is finally done. Its actually more blanket-like measuring 140 cm (55 inches) long & 36 cm (14 inches) across. I think it would make a better table runner. Willy our golden retriever did a fine job modeling it for me doesn't he look happy?!
Then it was on to my next project and off to the local wool store I went for some help. Ultimately I want to knit a bowl (Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson) to felt in the washing machine and then needle felt some kind of design on the outside. But, first I have to learn to knit in the round . . .
So this is what's on my needles right now a pair of leg warmers for me from the book One Skein by Leigh Radford. Actually its more like on my needles and then ripped off my needles and then on again and again. Knitting with double pointed needles (dpn) and four of them is proving to be quite a challenge for me. I had some help and support from the Crafty Mammas but I'm also going to our public library tonight to check out their knitting group. I absolutely love the wool I found for these with the different shades of red of course.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

Madison gave hand-made Valentine cards to her school friends this year. I cut out a heart and wrote on the front and she did the rest. She wrote her name inside, drew & coloured pictures and stickered. We really enjoyed doing this together and she was really excited about giving them to her friends. What a sweetheart.

Wherever you are & whoever you are with today, Happy Valentine's!

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe

2009-02-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe - I can't decide what to blog about today so here is a bunch of my scatterbrain odds & ends . . .

This picture pretty much sums up what I've been doing the last couple of days, mothering 3 sick kids with head colds, runny noses and a nice dry cough to go with it. My arsenal included lots of kleenex, orange juice, homeopathic cough syrup, chest rub, some cuddle blankets for snuggle buggling in the rocking chair & a whole pile of movies. I'm sure I'll get it next.
Knitting Update - My scarf is now 25 inches long and the ball of wool is about the size of a soft ball. I think I will be done in time for the Crafty Mommas meeting so they can help me decide on my next knitting project. I got some knitting books from the library, have joined Ravelry and have been coveting some really beautiful wool on Etsy.
I was really excited when the new Spring 2009 issue of Living Crafts arrived in the mail. There are some really great projects in it which include: sewing a doll quilt, a knitted baby carrier, weaving with children, felted flowers, easter bunnys & other great stuff.
Scott finally dug out the Advanced User Guide for our camera. I really need to read it and work on my picture taking skills.
And last but not least, I bought some carob chips to make some cookies with. I'm still looking for a good recipe so if anyone has one please pass it on.

The Rhythm of My Day

2009-02-12T09:00:00.009-05:00

Every morning one of the first things I do is grind my coffee beans to brew a fresh pot of coffee. The sound of the grinder grinding and the smell of the coffee brewing has become a ritualistic part of mine and the kid's mornings. Sometimes they even like to push the button on the grinder. I like to drink my coffee in the same thrifted ceramic mug and love to add the milk and sugar from the same thrifted mushroom sugar bowl and creamer. I rarely get to sit & relax and drink my coffee hot but that in a way has also become part of the natural rhythm of my mothering day.

I want to start blogging about and sharing my everyday rituals, the things that I do with or without noticing that are a very important and special part of my life. The things that make up the rhythm of my life and my family's life. Sometimes its important to stop our busy lives and take notice of the small things. To live in the moment. Rituals are important on a personal level to nurture our inner selves. And they are important for families and children to develop a sense of belonging and tradition.

Mothering Magazine published a great article in their May/June 08 issue titled, "Mommy Rituals" about how simple, focused actions can bring energy and calm to daily parenting life. Here are some ideas:

greet the day & end the day by watching the sun rise or set and bid the day a thankful hello or farewell
Drink a full glass of water and imagine it cleansing your body, mind & soul
Be thankful & show gratitude
Notice nature
Stop sometimes, actually pause and take notice of the moment
Read for pleasure
Be silly everyday, laugh and break out of your adult mind
Coddle and nurture yourself

I invite my readers to share some of their everyday rituals and leave them as a comment (remember to leave your name or initials in the text). They can be as simple or elaborate as you want them to be. They can be your own personal rituals or ones that you have with your children. They can be abstract or concrete. And they actually don't have to be something that you do everyday, its the ritualistic part that's important.

Sharing is so much fun.

Needle Felted Wizard

2009-02-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

Over the last 2 weeks a good friend and I took a needle felting class and had a lot of laughs making our "Wooly Wizards".

Basically needle felting is sculpting wool by poking it repeatedly with a special felting needle.

Wool fiber + mechanical agitation (with the felting needle) = felt

This is a picture of the wool roving I used to sculpt. One is dyed blue and the other in its natural colour. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the actual process but its actually really easy.

This is my 'Wooly Wizard' I tried to make him look more like a Father Winter but I think I will have to give it another try. I prefer the waldorf faceless needle felted figures. Here is a great post about this. I have more wool roving and needles to make some figures for our nature table.

My favourite needle felt artist is Beneath the Rowan Tree. She is unbelievably talented and Canadian too. Have a look at some of her amazing work and you will see why I was inspired to learn.

Pink Play Silk, Teddy & the Vacuum

2009-02-09T20:32:00.004-05:00

Madison is loving . . .

Her brothers (sometimes a little bit too much)

Anything to do with school

Her new pink play silk

Carter is loving . . .

Teddy (I mean he loves Teddy and says, "He's special")

Going for a ride in my craft bag (Not very safe I know, but fun)

Picking out his own clothes (finally some independence)

Gabriel is loving . . .

Walking and trying to keep up with his brother & sister

Napping in the stroller with Carts in the cold & not inside in his warm bed

His love affair with the vacuum continues

Knitting Update

My scarf is now 17 inches long!

Knitting Update #1

2009-02-06T16:17:00.006-05:00

I've been pretty busy knitting since yesterday. First I rolled the "hank" (I love the new knitting lingo) of purple wool into a ball which is the size of a basketball, I think maybe I should have made 2 balls, oh well. I just keep it hidden away in my craft bag while I knit in public.

Next I taught myself to cast on and I think once I got going I got a bit carried away since I ended up with 50 stitches. The scarf is going to be huge and almost more blanket-like.

As for the actual knitting it's going really well, the tension seems to be fairly consistent and I haven't dropped any stitches yet. Right now its 6 inches long and my goal is 60, so I figure at this rate I should be done in about 10 days which will be just in time for the next Crafty Mammas meeting. I already want to learn more stitches and how to read a pattern, this straight knitting thing is kinda boring.

Loving Baby Wearing

2009-02-04T14:15:00.001-05:00

I have got to spread the word about the ERGO Baby Carrier. I didn't discover it until my third baby was 6 months old and I wish I knew about it 5 years ago. So worth the investment (it retails for about $115). I've tried pocket slings, ring slings, mei tai and others but the Ergo is by the far the best over all. Included in the many benefits of baby wearing, and there are many, is the elimination of the need for a stroller. Gabriel did not sit is a stroller until about age 1! The best is the back carry which means you are hands free but it also works well for the front carry too. Even Carter at 3 years old loves to be carried in mommy's back pack. Its very comfortable and easy to use for multiple wearers.

(Oh, and did I mention that its available at 3 Little Monkeys!)

Crafty Mammas

2009-02-03T12:36:00.005-05:00

I had my first meeting with my Crafty Mamma group last night, very exciting. We are a small group of like-minded mothers (all with 3 children) who like to craft. We are going to meet every 2 weeks and alternate hosting. Our main craft will be knitting but will also include felting and sewing and maybe a little bit of wine drinking.

Above is the purple wool and bamboo needles I purchased to knit my first scarf, with the Crafty Mammas help of course. I'll keep you posted on how its going.

Aprony Goodness

2009-02-02T09:00:00.003-05:00

Call me old fashioned but I love aprons, there is something so domestic and almost nurturing about tying those apron strings around my waist. Not only are they functional but they are beautiful too, especially the vintage ones. Even my children love to put them on, they run to the drawer where they are kept and get excited about choosing the one they want to wear, especially if its one of mommy's.

The following are some of the aprons that I've thrifted that I wanted to share. And now that I have my new china cabinet with drawers I have a place to store them and room for more.

I love the pink pockets on this one and the vintage floral fabric is fabulous.
I think this is my favourite one, with a dish cloth sewn on and a pocket, the best! Sorry the picture is sideways, I still haven't found that little camera instruction book.
Gotta love the paisley fabric and pocket, very cute.

The embroidery on this apron is unbelievable, so much stitching and I love the gingham.

In Lieu of Gifts

2009-01-29T13:40:00.003-05:00

Oh a mother's pride, I am so proud of Madison. For her 5th Birthday, which was back in August, she agreed to have a Charitable Birthday Party for her and 5 of her friends. Guests were asked to make a donation to the Ottawa Food Bank in lieu of birthday presents. Information about the charity and the form for a tax receipt were sent with the party invitations. We gave Madi the choice of 3 different charities to choose from and she still received presents to open from her family.
This is the thank you card she just received from the Food Bank, she collected 10 pounds of food and $120 which for every dollar generates five dollars worth of food into the community. She is really proud of herself and she should be.

We will continue to have charitable birthday parties for our kids once they reach age 5 and are old enough to understand and participate. We encourage more families to do the same, just think of the possibilities . . .

My Little Valiant Knight

2009-01-28T11:17:00.002-05:00

Here is my little Valiant Knight's costume, complete with armour, helmet and shield. All made out of felt (of course) and the pattern was made from my imagination. The shield has cardboard inside and is re-inforced with paint stir sticks for stability, with a handle on the back.
And here he is Sir Carter riding his horse named Snowflake, with his "sword of truth and shield of virtue", oh the dragon slaying that is going on in this house now!

Gabe's 1st Birthday!

2009-01-26T13:27:00.003-05:00

Gabriel a.k.a. Gabe, Baby Gabie, Gigi, Googoo, Mr. McGeeMcGoo turned one on the weekend! We can't believe that it has been a year since he literally dropped into this world and was caught by Daddy. He truly is an angel, he is the sweetest, happy, easy going, most cuddly baby. He fills this family with much love and we adore him.

Madison made his Birthday poster for him with a castle and fireworks, she's so sweet. Carter would have helped but he fell asleep.
The whole family helped to make his birthday banana chocolate chip cake which Madison & Carter picked for him because apparently he likes bananas so much and they like the chocolate. We don't have a picture of the finished cake because Daddy cut into it before the party.
Here he is, the birthday boy, wearing his birthday crown, eating his birthday cake with his new birthday train in front of him to distract him from taking off his crown for the picture.
We got him a Heros Birthday train, so that every year he gets a new wagon to add to the train with birthday candles to blow out. How cool is that for a little boy to have?
I did manage to make him a felt birthday crown, which he will only get to wear on his birthday and every year he will get a new embroidered star.

Happy 1st Birthday Gabriel! We love you.

P.S. Carter just said the cutest thing, he pointed up to the sky and said very excitedly "Look Madi that cloud looks like you in your ballet suit!" He loves his big sister.

The Cupboard of Endless Possibility

2009-01-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of the kids craft cupboard which is in the kitchen right off the dining room since they do most of their work at the dining room table. I wanted them to have free access to it so they could decide when they wanted to create and what materials they wanted to use. Almost all of their supplies are kept here except for the small things that are choking hazards and of course there is a lock so that Gabriel can't get in.
Both Madison and Carter have been spending a lot of time experimenting with their water colour paints. I love how the morning winter's sun shines in the south facing dining room window while they work. Magical.
This is one of Carter's pieces created with their Stockmar beeswax crayons in both blocks and sticks. They each have a wire bound scrap book to draw in which keeps everything together and makes it easier to look back at their work. I try to remember to date things and write a description of the drawing since it isn't always so obvious!

They both love their Djeco stamps and stamp pads, Madison has the princess stamps and Carter has the knights, how surprising. Carter uses his at least once a day, he gets ink all over his hands and face and all over the table but when he's done he always asks for a cloth to clean up, puts the stamps back in their box and puts them back in the craft cupboard. Impressive. And of course Madison's are as neat & tidy as the day she got them.

I love their new craft cupboard. I love the endless possibilities and creativity it allows. I love the time we share together. I love their imaginations and watching how it materializes through their art. What more could a mother want?

In the Red

2009-01-21T15:11:00.008-05:00

Lately I have been drawn to red knits, particularly matching red knits for Gabriel and myself from our heads right down to our toes . . .

This is my new-to-me (aka thrifted) red knit purse and matching hat, love them.
And this is Gabriel's Llamajama red merino wool hand-knit snuggle suit which is absolutely gorgeous. Sorry there is no picture of my lil' M.I.T. (Man in Training) wearing it but he could barely tolerate diaper changes today never mind one of mamma's photo shoots.
Like I said we match right from our heads down to our toes. I with my red "Dorothy" shoes that I thrifted awhile back and Gabriel with his red wool Padraigs. I love this picture of me holding his hands while he learns to walk, so sweet.

Reading over this post two things come to mind:

1) When Gabe is older he is going to loath the fact that we matched so much and

2) Although I have been putting off learning how to knit until I finished some felting and sewing projects I think this proves that I am drawn to knits and need to learn soon.

Change and Hope

2009-01-20T13:24:00.005-05:00

Congratulations United States of America on the Inauguration of

Barack Obama.

Welcome Change.

Hope for the future,

For our neighbours and for our world.

The Case of the Recorder

2009-01-19T13:18:00.004-05:00

This is the case I made for Madison's recorder, its made out of pink felt, with blanket stitching along the edges and a "M" sewn with ric rack. The embroidered flowers are my first attempt at embroidery which I taught myself from a book. Of course when I gave it to her she was upset because she wanted both flowers to be pink and she wanted a handle on it but she seems pretty happy with it. I have to admit I'm pretty impressed with myself at the embroidery and that the recorder actually fits inside!

The Sound of Music, Washing Dishes & Cruising

2009-01-16T21:28:00.004-05:00

Madison is loving . . .

Sitting at her new desk and doing her "homework"

Listening to the Sound of Music soundtrack and of course singing along

Playing her recorder

Carter is loving . . .

"Helping" in the kitchen, especially washing the dishes

Playing with his castle, pretending to be a knight and slaying dragons

Dinosaurs

Gabriel is loving . . .

Rearranging his sister's dollhouse

Cruising along the furniture and walls

Playing with the china

Rainbow's End

2009-01-15T10:00:00.001-05:00

We really are book obsessed around here! I thrifted these books for the kids awhile back and they have become our new favourites. The series is called Rainbow's End, written by Jane Patience and illustrated by John Patience. They are the cutest stories ever and the illustrations are unbelievably enchanting. They are a pleasure to read and fun to look at.

Here is the book's description of Rainbow's End:

"It is located at the end of the rainbow in Nutshell wood. It can only be seen by humans when a rainbow is in the sky, otherwise it is invisible to everyone except the gnomes who live there and the woodland animals. The gnomes of Rainbow's End are jolly folk who are always busy. Lots of exciting and interesting things happen in the village and no one is ever bored."

We have Wooly Foot's Good Idea, Toby Claypot's Wishing Well and Toddy and the Fox. As far as I can tell there are 5 more in the series but I can't find them anywhere, not even at the library. They are published by Peter Haddock Limited in Bridlington England.

Madison sits at her new desk and copies the stories word by word in her little workbook, very studious, when she's done I'll share a picture.

The Inspiration for it all

2009-01-13T10:36:00.013-05:00

This is the book The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections written by Amanda Blake Soule that was the beginning inspiration for this blog and much of the recent "goings ons" around here. The book has simple projects and activities for parents and children including a felt pencil roll, sewing upcycled children's pants, freezer-paper stenciling, embroidered children's art, birthday crown, bunting and many more. It is broken down into four beautifully written sections which include: Gathering, Playing, Living and Connecting. This will be my new go to gift for new parents and like minded mothers.

She eloquently writes about:

- the importance of imaginative play and how to have fun with fewer natural toys

- having high quality art supplies available to your children and displaying their art

- creating together with "Family Drawing Time"

- exploring and learning through nature including creating a nature table

- sharing the tradition of handmade including knitting, sewing, embroidery and felting

- the importance of everyday family rituals and celebrating your family

Her blog SouleMama gives me that daily dose of inspiration that I need to get our families' creative juices flowing. Please have a look and bookmark it.

Thank you Amanda and the Soule family for sharing, your inspiration is so greatly enjoyed and appreciated and has changed our family life in so many positive ways.

Mother-ease = Happy Mother

2009-01-12T13:18:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to selling my Happy Heinys one size pocket diapers on a local used website. It was surprisingly easy to do and there were many people wanting to buy them. I plan on selling more of our baby "stuff" that we don't use. And the one bumGenius one size pocket diaper I had well I gave it away for free. Good riddens I say. I would never recommend either of them, quite the opposite, they leaked, they stank, the velcro was disgusting and it was a pain to stuff the inserts.

Now I am now a proud cloth diapering mother using Mother-ease one size organic diapers with snaps and the cutest covers I ever did see. Gabe seems more comfortable and they launder much better. And the best part its a Canadian company and of course I bought them at my favourite natural parenting store 3 Little Monkeys. I still love my prefolds and would recommend using them for newborns as its more cost effective. Its amazing how happy new cloth diapers can make me!

The House of Books

2009-01-06T16:55:00.009-05:00

We have a lot of books in our house and most of what we do has something to do with a book.

I bought this bread making book for myself about 2 weeks ago and have been trying to read it ever since. But it seems that every time I sit down to read it with a cup of coffee my coffee is cold and I have to pour a new one or someone needs something or the dog wants out or a diaper needs changing . . . bla bla bla you get the point. I have been talking about starting to bake our own bread since the summer time and I am determined to learn how even if it is from a book.

This is the book Complete Guide to Sewing that I thrifted at "The Village" for $3.99, which is a steal since its almost like a tailor/seamstress textbook. I also bought myself Amy Karol's book Bend-the-Rules Sewing for Christmas. I plan on making a knight costume for Carter, some matching clothes for Madison and Sasha (her new Waldorf doll), some aprons and bags. You know all of this in my spare time. I know this picture is blurry but I chose it because all 3 of their little precious hands are on momma's book while she is trying to take a picture, so telling of my life.

And here is a pile of new-for-us books for the kids, I tell you its better than bringing home candy they get so excited. I absolutely love buying them books, both fiction and non-fiction and reading to them and watching how they learn and explore through books. I want to find them some nice book plates so they can write their own names and glue them in, so much fun.

Lastly I wanted to share a Simoninigan story. Yesterday the kids were happily playing together, that is until Carter (who's 3) bit Gabriel (who is 11 months) on the hand and boy did it make Gabe cry, actually they both did. Of course big sister Madison claims she rescued Gabe from the jaws of Carter "just in time, Mommy". I sent Cart to his room to think about what he had done. Once I had kissed poor little innocent Gabriel's hand better, we went to talk to Cart about what had happened. Carter decided, with some encouragement, to apologize to his baby brother and asked to see his hand. Gabriel held out his hand for Carter to see and then grabbed his hand and bit him back and hard too. Carter started to cry and Gabriel had to apologize to him. Of course all this made Madison laugh and honestly I couldn't help myself from laughing too. I guess it was a lesson of what goes around comes around.

Nature Table

2009-01-05T17:02:00.001-05:00

We have been busy working on our first Winter Nature Table. We are using the table in the entrance so that Madison and Carter have access to it but Gabriel doesn't. Madi collected the bare branches with no leaves and Cart and Gabe collected the pine cones and evergreen boughs. The white play silk represents the snow and the candle represents the return of the sun.

The winter scene is this layered 4 Seasons Puzzle by Beleduc which was one of Madison's Christmas presents. She is really excited about the nature table, she takes it very seriously and enjoys showing it to any visitors and explaining what everything represents. I'm so proud.

This is Father Winter who is the personification of winter and my next crafting adventure. I've already made his head and of course his cloak will be made from felt and his beard from wool. I'm sure mine won't look like this but that is the beauty of hand made, I'll share a picture when I'm done. Although all crafting is now on hold as I have promised to finish Gabriel's (aka the baby who doesn't sleep) baby book and birth story for his first birthday.

Breakfast in Bed and a Dragon

2008-12-31T21:29:00.000-05:00

The last two mornings I have awoken to a lovingly prepared breakfast tray in bed. Yes I can hear them quietly getting things ready in the kitchen and Madison ever so gracefully carrying the tray down the hall, I pretend to be asleep and pretend to be surprised. The first day Madi drank my juice box and the second day Carter ate my bagel. Oh how they spoil Mommy. I asked them why they didn't bring Daddy a tray and Madi replied, "We tried Mommy but he was too grumpy"! If only I could teach them how to make a pot of coffee.

I finished Carter's felt dragon for his castle. Oh how the battles ensue. You should hear the brave knights fighting the fierce dragon. He yells "I slain you dragon, I slain you".

Oh Happy Thrifting

2008-12-30T20:26:00.000-05:00

I have had some pretty amazing thrifting finds lately and thought that I would share a few.

First, a desk for Madison's newly painted pink bedroom. She's really excited about her "art" desk as she calls it and has already decided what she will keep in each drawer. Of course it needs some sanding and paint but Daddy is as always happy to pick up and fix up my thrifting finds.

Next is the odd looking but unique bench for the entrance. It has these really weird storage compartments on either side, not sure why the handles are there.

And the best find is this 1970's retro style china cabinet that is in almost perfect condition. I got it for $25 which was actually 50% off! I was holding my breath while buying it, before they put the "Sold, waiting for pick-up" sign on it. I love the shelves with sliding glass doors, one side holds my silver tea set and china tea cups and other side has Madison's tea set. She couldn't believe that I was actually letting her put it in there. The bottom holds my serving dishes, has drawers for my silver ware and linens and the other side holds my china which I can actually use now. Of course this also means that I now have more room to store more thrifted tea sets and linen!

Embroidery 101

2008-12-26T14:22:00.002-05:00

Much to my delight, and hers, I gave Madison this special Christmas present from Mommy. A box of beginner embroidery supplies, including her own needles, floss, hoop, burlap and of course a felt bonbon pincushion made by me. She had been watching and asking me for a while to learn how to sew so I was very excited for us to learn together.

Make my heart melt, this is her first creation. Look at those stitches, some small, some big, the different colours of thread. She even threaded the needle once by herself and many, many, many times by me. And now she wants to sew more!

Christmas 2008!

2008-12-25T14:09:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy Solstice!

This was our first Christmas with just our little family. We enjoyed our time together and creating our own traditions. I think Scott and I were more excited for Santa to come than the kids, it is so much fun to be the parent (most of the time anyway).

Oh Christmas Tree, missing the felt tree skirt and presents but beautifully decorated and then re-decorated and then re-decorated again and again . . . you get the point.

Daddy went to Madison's school for her Holiday concert and crafting, very exciting for the both of them, I don't know who had more fun.

Advent candle (picture courtesy Madison) we managed to light every night with our meal blessing and gratitudes. Right beside the very flameable Rudolph Bumble which Carter is very scared of.

The ever popular and more elaborate every year gingerbread house.

This year's Santa photo, hanging on our new photo mobile. Gotta love Gabe crying, Cart pouting and Madi the only one smiling.

Christmas eve, we went to church where Carter said, "Shhh, baby Jesus is sleeping". After our appetizers we gave the kids their Waldorf dolls. Madison screamed when she opened Sasha, they have been inseparable ever since.

The stockings were hung and a plate of "sun" cookies and milk for Santa, carrots for the reindeer and of course some nice cheese for Santa Mouse my favourite Christmas book from childhood which I now love to read/recite by memory to my own children over an over again.

Carter's castle which he absolutely loves, he has put in an order for Mommy to make him a felt dragon, "green with a fire tongue" please.

Madison's dollhouse, I love how Santa put the Daddy sitting on the toilet!

Gabriel, our sweet happy easy going Gabe, on his first Christmas morning, he was so excited but had no idea what exactly was going on.

Carter screamed with delight when he opened his roll of scotch tape. He also got 4 glue sticks which is great since he uses on average one per day.

Madison took some time out from playing her new recorder (another present she screamed when she opened) to pose in the new silk cape, which Santa put in Gabe's stocking by mistake, even Santa makes mistakes!

Gabriel posing in the dragon costume which is really for me since I always have to be the dragon, Madi is always the princess and Carter is of course the brave knight (with no armour for now which is one of my many new sewing projects for the new year).

World's loneliest felt doll

2008-12-20T21:44:00.000-05:00

Here is one of the many felt Christmas tree ornament peace doves I sewed from Living Crafts

I really enjoyed making them and love gifting them.

And here is the world's loneliest felt doll made with the pattern from Too Cute

Madison couldn't wait for me to finish her and now she won't give her the time of day.

Carter won't play with her either, I tried that, he asked if I could make him a boy doll instead.

So now she sits on my craft table watching me.

(PS - sorry the photo is so blurry, guess I'll have to work on my photo skills, if only I could find that silly little instruction book that came with the camera)

For the love of Felt

2008-12-18T21:29:00.000-05:00

What started out as a small "sample" pack of wool felt from

Bugs & Fishes by Lupin

quickly turned into . . .

This, a slightly larger pile of felt sheets in every colour I could find.

Which of course still wasn't enough . . .

I then purchased felt by the meter, some of which is thrifted I might add!

What exactly have I been making with all this felt?

Lots, I will share some pictures in some later posts.

But I do promise the felt buying has stopped (at least until next year anyway)!

What the h-e-"double hockey sticks" is Simoninigans?

2008-12-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

Simoninigans is a combination of Simonini & shenanigans!

Shenanigans is of course:

she-nan-i-gan [shuh-nan-i-guhn]

noun, informal

a) mischief; prankishness

b) deceit; trickery.

a mischievous or deceitful trick, practice, etc.

What a perfect way to describe our little family, we are Simoninis and I will blog about our shenanigans, there you have it folks Simoninigans.