The Saga of the Playsilks

The Saga of the Play Silks

There once was a young lady who had a little baby. She wanted some Waldorf playsilks but she didn't like to sew and she lived far far away from anyone who sold them. So she did what any clever young lady would do - she asked her mama to sew some for her.

A few weeks later an airmail package came from America to Saudi Arabia and a pile of pretty, soft and silky play silks fell out of the package. They were so dreamy! The young lady was happy and the baby was happy.

The baby chewed on the play silks and laughed when her mama played peek-abo with them. She put them over her head and played peek-abo too.

When the baby was 3 years old she used the silks as wings and skirts and capes and dressed up as a fairy, a pirate and a princess. When she grew up to be 5-years-old she tucked her baby dolls into bed with a scarf as a blanket and kissed them goodnight.

When her baby sister was born that year she covered her baby sister in playsilks and watched her giggle.

The play-silks continued to entertain all her friends, her sister and even her sister's friends. Sometimes they were draped over the nature table and sometimes they were worn as cloaks or hoods. Sometimes they were picnic blankets and sometimes walls of a fort or a house. They were table cloths, blankets and everything you can imagine.

But they were very sad because they always stayed at home. They wanted to have adventures. Once, one of them got to go to the Mayfair and often they got to play outdoors but they wanted to go on a real adventure.

So one day...13-years after their birth, the sister of the little baby (who was now 13-years-old) was going to be a fairy at the Renaissance Festival and she needed a skirt.






Her mama, who was an older woman now, said "I still don't like to sew. I like to knit so I can pay someone else to sew for me." And she laughed a little rascally laugh. Then the little sister, who was now 9-years-old said, "But mama, I want you to MAKE my fairy outfit. You HAVE to make something for me (in less than 20 minutes of course)." And she looked at her mama with beautiful wide brown eyes.



So the mama took an old belt with a lot of holes in it, she folded & draped some of the playsilks over the belt and used thread to secure them every few centimeters through the holes in the belt. Then she sprinkled some fairy dust on the scarves and attached some felt butterflies and dragonflies and some silk flowers. She clipped butterflies in the little girl's hair and the little girl spied a pussy willow branch on the nature table and said "THAT is the perfect wand!"




And because the mother loved to knit she bobby pinned a little knitted unicorn to the top of her outfit and sprinkled some fairy dust on the baby unicorn too. She saw her beading box on top of the craft table and quickly strung a clasp onto some clear thread, attached a crystal and made a necklace for the fairy too.




Now the little fairy was very happy and the scarves were happy too. And now they are both having many adventures today being fairies at the Renaissance Festival all day!

Educational Posters for Ramadan/G3 & G4 Waldorf Units

There are a number of professional photo posters available at:

Educational Posters

These are more "Montessori" in style than Waldorf - in the Montessori classrooms posters that show children about life around the world are standard display - however, although it is not standard in the Waldorf classroom, there is no rule against displaying gorgeous educational photos :). The photo of the Ramadan Lanterns is quite popular this time of year for children exploring non-Western cultural traditions. You will also find a number of Egyptian and Persian photos at the link above which are suitable display for any unit you may be doing with those cultures.

NOT ALL OF THE AVAILABLE PHOTOS AND SIZES ARE LISTED. If you would like smaller sizes or you would like to see all the available photos please link to:

ImageNations Catalog

If you make a custom selection of prints and posters we can agree on a price and I can invoice you. Shipping is less expensive if you order more than one print and prints are available in all sizes. Posters are 11 x 14" or 20 x 24" - I also have postage stamps using any of the prints available :)

Blessings & Health,
Kristie

Inspiration for Overwhelmed HS Parents

I came across this lovely quote today while I was reading one of my favorite books -

The Earth Speaks by Steve Van Matre

I get so many questions from people asking if they are "doing enough" and I often read messages on the lists I belong to debating what children should learn and what they don't need to learn, etc....and we are all so overwhelmed by information too!

This quote speaks to me deeply on this issue:

Anatole France said, "Do not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things. Awaken people's curiosity. It is enough to open minds; do not overload them. Put there just a spark. If there is some good inflammable stuff, it will catch fire."

Herbal Identification VIDEO

The new member video this week is called, "Herbal Identification" and is packed with information on how you can safely and correctly identify herbs in your own backyard, neighborhood, local park or nature center. Learning this simple technique can save you money and be a lot of fun too. This method of harvesting is also called "wildcrafting" and is perfect for the months of September and October. This video tutorial will form the base of all things herbal you do with your children in class this year, as it will give you the ability to find herbs on your nature walks and in your back-yard that you will use in a variety of lessons all year (cooking, crafts, healing and gifts).

This can also be used in conjunction with general plant identification during nature walks, a biology unit or any unit on plants.

All members of the September and August lesson plans (www.earthschooling.com )& members of the Parent-Child Healing Class will receive this video for free. Any non-members who would like to purchase this video can link to:

Herbal Identification and Wildcrafting Video

To Grow in The Open Air...

When it is Autumn or Spring and the kids are "living" outdoors it reminds me of thisa poem by Walt Whitman. He says, "Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth."

9 and 10-years-old and they still love building houses out of scarves and furniture...I took one picture a couple days ago...and here is yet another...so exactly WHEN do I get my furniture back? I suppose just in time for the grandkids to use it? LOL!

Nature Walk Ideas - It's a Small World

Today we went for a nature walk and decided our theme would be "small things". We don't always have a theme. At least half of the time we just walk. However, many times we do have a theme...something to guide us and to focus our walk so we are not scattered and running all over the place - LOL! Our theme today was "What do the Fairies See?" . We brought our magnifying glasses and looked at the world as if we were about 4 inches tall! The girls loved it and look what we found! What are some of your favorite nature walk themes?

Blessings & Health,

Kristie

http://www.earthschooling.com/

Peace on Earth and a Dreamy Afternoon

Just sharing a couple fun photos from today...no need for words...they were just moments I found precious today :)