GardenMama

.: Ice Mandalas :.

   

.: Pink petals suspended in ice create an ice mandala :.

To live presently with the rhythm of each season is a true joy of life. It helps us to soak in each inspiring and beautiful element of the season with gratitude, mindfulness, and artfulness.

.: Cranberries and Evergreens suspended in ice  :.

It is a yearly tradition for my family to make Ice Mandalas in February. The deep cold this month has to offer perfectly maintains this outdoor gallery of art while the monochromatic landscape offers a complementary backdrop for this bright display of color!

.: Berries and greens starting to freeze :.

With much excitement I shared with the children it was time to create ice mandalas. Soon we set out our supplies to create a dream-like world under the trees in honor of the winter season.

.: Baking pans with water set outdoors while nature does her part to freeze each mandala :.

Circular baking pans were filled with water, jute rope was taped to the edge of the pan, and then came an imaginative session of placing in each object that would soon be frozen in ice!

     

.: Each ice mandala sparkles as it catches the light :.

It is wonderful to step outside and behold the morning sunlight slowly returning to sparkle through the colorful objects suspended in ice. 

.: Petals on ice :.

The early evening light highlights the bubbles and swirls that form in each ice mandala. This brings great beauty and a big smile into our day!

.: Cranberries and Evergreens on Ice :.

Nature collaborated beautifully on this project, freezing each icy disk.

  

.: This doile is set in water outdoors to freeze, creating an Ice Mandala :.

A crocheted doile was captured in ice today and was set out in the branches of an old cherry tree to share with us the details of its pattern.

.:The sunlight illuminates each Ice Mandala as it hangs from branches:.

Soon the sun that is shining brightly once again will melt all of the snow and ice and hand back to us this doile that will be placed on a spring table set with fresh tulips from the gardens.

.: Adding petals to water creating an Ice Mandala :.

While we place each medium into the pan of water, we enjoy the yearly traditions we take part in together. These traditions are a way for us to mark the seasons and remind us of what is to come...

   For a look at last year's 'Ice Mandalas', visit the link here.

.:May you capture beauty, tradition and magic with your family!:.

.: Seasonal Window Adornment ~ Tutorial :.

As the snow continues to fall we enjoy the warmth of home.  Our gaze outdoors is met with a landscape of white snow so we set our sights on adding a bit of color to our windows indoors!

With many dried pine needles left behind after the holidays, we gathered them up to recycle and craft with for a day just like today...

We enjoyed creating many seasonal wreaths of dried pine, red berries, and pinecones and hung them in the windows of the living room.  The windows are full with color and natural beauty with a backdrop of snow.

This piece of sturdy cardboard was recycled from the back of a watercolor paper pad.

 I selected a bowl just the size I wished for each wreath to be. I then placed it upon the cardboard to trace a circle.

With a cup I traced on the inside of each circle to create a ring that would be cut out.

After cutting out a cardboard ring template we were ready to begin!

Dried evergreen needles had previously been set aside from our Christmas tree as well as a few evergreen branches I have placed on our nature table. We gathered mini pinecones and some red berries that grow right outside our door for all of us to create our wreaths.

The children and I were already cozy in the living room watching the snow fall outdoors through the windows so I set out the cover of a large box for the children to use as a creating area. 

Each child's wreath was coated in glue-- and then--as if decorating a cake, they went right to play!

These little wreaths are simple to create, while also looking natural and beautiful in your windows. They can also of course be as simple or complex as you wish, enjoyed by mamas too as I always enjoy creating alongside my littles.

 

Finished with a piece of natural-colored Raffia ribbon, these wreaths add a bit of seasonal color to our days. I look forward to adapting them to other seasons as well.  We will enjoy creating new wreaths as the seasons change with dried flowers, pressed leaves, or shells.

.: Weaving Evergreens ~ A Living Ring Of Hope :.

.: Into the woods with gathering baskets in hand :.

Into the woods with gathering baskets in hand we set out to harvest Evergreens that will make up a winter wreath to greet others at our door. (As well as a second wreath made of delicate greens that sits upon the table with winter lanterns in celebration of this Advent season.)

.: Harvesting Evergreen boughs that will create a Winter wreath! :.

The woods envelopes us in its beauty and grace and grounds us to this moment and to this process of receiving these gifts from nature!
 

.: The gathering is done eagerly as we anticipate creating with these boughs! :.
 
The sun pours over our shoulders and kisses the tops of our head as we walk towards home with hands scented of pine.  The scent of moss and earth surrounds us as we walk and enjoy the beauty that is this day!

.: The wire frame can be saved each year ~ this one is from a local craft store for only a few dollars :.

With a wire frame set out and a basket full of greens I begin to weave each green bough in and out until each child gathers around me.  I hand over this loom to my eldest son who begins weaving the boughs  passing them through, over, and under, creating this pine scented tapestry.

.: With the wire frame in hand my oldest son now guides this process of wreath making :.

Now he is the teacher. He guides the process and on he passes this loom from small hands to smaller hands. While teaching each other we also teach ourselves.

.: Each child waiting their turn to weave the boughs that create this Winter wreath :.

.: I appreciate that we each take part in this process from start to finish :.

Children and nature are such rich gifts. They are creative inspirations which bring such meaning into the simple processes of life.  They make us mindful of choosing wisely and allow us to slow down to notice the details of life!

.: The scent of pine scents our hands as we weave each bough :.

We set orange peels and pine to simmer on the stove while the wreath became very full with the beauty of the trees and the energy of the creative hearts and hands that were creating with it on this day.

.: The finished wreath waiting to be trimmed :.

.: A living ring of hope! :.

Once our winter wreath was complete we trimmed  the center to create a circle.  The green boughs remind us of the life that emerges even during the darkness of winter.  The circular shape reminds us of the circularity of the seasons. Together the two form a living ring of hope!