GardenMama

.: A Gift For The Birds :.

.: Pinecones gathered on a snowy day :.

We enjoyed feeling the energy of this day through time speant outdoors. The temperatures have dropped and snow storms continue to visit leaving us spending the last few days indoors. 

It felt refreshing to fill our lungs with fresh air if only for a short time, as we set out to gather pinecones to create a gift for the birds. 

We walked to the edge of the pine grove and took shelter under the pine trees. They seemed to be the only place untouched by the snow. We imagined that wild rabbits, deer and squirrels enjoy this place as well. The air was cold and the snow that covered the landscape around us swirled up into the air as the winds blew, creating a beautiful show.

.: The pinecones opened up when brought into the warm house :.

We moved our feet across the pine needles that lay under the trees to reveal tightly closed pinecones that we then placed into our baskets.  We arrived home and set out peanut butter, cooking trays, yarn, and birdseed to craft a nurturing winter gift for the birds!

When the pinecones were brought inside the baskets became even more full as the pinecones opened up in the warmth of home.

.: Each pine cone is strung upon a yarn loop for hanging :.

Many pinecones were strung as we created beautiful ornaments to adorn the trees once again...

.: Buttering each pinecone with peanut butter :.

Each pinecone was first covered in a coating of peanut butter.
 

.: Rolling each peanut butter covered pine cone in birdseed :.

While rolling each pinecone into the birdseed we enjoyed the feeling of  preparing a nutritious and layered meal for these favored friends that faithfully visit each day to grace us with their beauty as we observe them in special moments by sunny windowsills. 

.: The finished treats for the birds :.

.: Looking good enough to eat! :.

Each peanut butter and birdseed covered pinecone was placed onto baking sheets and put into the refrigerator to further set.

We concluded that these treats looked good enough to eat! It was our pleasure to decorate the trees with these sweet simple treats for our friends the birds.

.: One of my favorite birds, a Chickadee enjoying this treat! :.

.: This Tufted Titmouse would take a seed and then sit over on the branch to crack it open :.

In no time at all they found the snacks that we left them. Soon all that was left was a bare pinecone left to return to forest once again!

.: A closer look at this friend who was enjoying the treat we left him :.

.: Transferring Images Onto Stone ~ Mindful Giving :.

.: Stones we created today with transferable images :.

You may notice that the winter months bring about quite a bit of crafting for my family. We try to enjoy creating each and every day.  Many of you know of my affinity for stones! Like some of you I have quite a collection of stones collected from the ocean this past summer...

I am usually one who will use materials found near-at-hand or materials that can be recycled. Today we mixed things we had on hand and something that caught my eye at the craft store!

.: Choosing our stones for the project! :.

We gathered up a few stones from the collection and placed them in a bowl. These stones were chosen for their smoothness and size so that the images we transferred onto them would fit proportionately.

.: The sheet of transferable images :.

I purchased this sheet of transfers from the craft store. Some of the images appealed to me as I imagined them transferred onto the stones.

.: By rubbing over the image it transfers onto the object :.

I started with a few and soon all three children were gathered around to choose their own images and transfer them onto the stones!  The simple process  entails placing the transfer onto the stone and with the stick provided you rub over the image and it transfers itself. 

.: Butterflies hold significant meaning for me, this one is beautiful! :.

.: I appreciate this little bird sitting atop a stone! :.

The butterfly and bird stone are two of my favorites--they make me happy and now live in my kitchen!

.: A sweet pairing of stones :.

The bird and bird cage made for a fun pair! I think these stones would make beautiful Valentine gifts for  friends, or as party favors!

.: These stones are now placed in unexpected spots around the house! :.

I appreciate discovering them in unexpected places around the house. It makes me smile to see their simple beauty paired with nature!

.: Admiring their work! :.

.: My favorite stone which holds symbolic meaning for me :.

Ginny, who writes the blog Sweet Myrtle wrote a lovely post that I enjoyed reading today. She spoke of choosing a word to focus on in this new year.  Ginny wrote a long list of words that bring inspiration to her before choosing one word to focus on.

This resonated with me because over this past year my family adopted the mantra: "Be here now." Many times I have pondered this mantra and it rang true for me in times when I needed it.

.: A warming word bringing peace to my heart :.

I know firsthand that writing a positive or inspirational word on a stone is powerful. Wouldn't this be a great project to create a few stones with life-affirming words on them and place around your home to bring more encouragement, joy, and mindfulness into your day?

.: Wishing you creativity, beauty, and inspiration today! :.

.: Savoring The Peace & Joy Of Christmas :.

.: Hen house complete with the farmers and their flock! :.

We are truly loving every moment of these quiet days after Christmas. I was wishing for a visit from Queen Winter! She certainly did visit and gave us a very snowy Christmas!

Now the landscape around our home is covered in a blanket of fresh white snow and we are enjoying our Christmas tree for just a bit longer, (staying in our slippers and pajamas just a bit longer) and letting the gifts sit happily opened around the tree as we enjoy these peaceful days!

.: Ocean stones rejoin me in a  gorgeous new attire! :.

My very thoughtful friend Maribeth sent me these three gorgeous crochet covered stones. These are absolutely one of my favorite gifts! 

I had collected stones at the ocean near our home to send to Maribeth for her to use for her craft. She generously offered to craft one for me--and to my surprise she sent not one, but three!

These stones were a few I had collected for her. It was truly meaningful to have them come back to me in this most beautiful way. Each stone was collected in meditation and in turn I know Maribeth very mindfully adorned each stone.

.: The colors and sweetness of these gifts brightens my day when I see them in my kitchen! :.

A few other fun gifts (picked out by me during a visit to an antique shop near my mama's house) given on Christmas day from my mama... embroidered antique pillows, the sweetest little clock I ever did see with a 'Hansel and Gretel' scene, gorgeous antique tablecloths (some crocheted, others embroidered)  a sweet little snail planter, and antique kitchen tools that match the colors in my kitchen!

.:Amber is an advocate for animals--I think she would smile knowing my kitten is also enjoying her gift!:.

Amber and I were partners in a seasonal swap.  Amber shared with me very thoughtful gifts of handmade herbal-infused soaps and tealights, foraged wild Columbine seeds, handmade toffee, and a vintage glass insulator she so thoughtfully added to my small collection. 

The most nurturing gift she sent was a handmade pillow made from thrifted flannel. It is filled with sheep wool from a sheep Amber personally knows.  Not only does she know this sheep, she also sheared, washed, and carded its wool to add into this most treasured pillow.  Intoxicating scents of Lavender and Balsam also mingle inside this pillow, giving me the most magical sleep! My little kitten is constantly drawn to the beautiful scents!

.: I enjoyed giving gifts that once lived in the forest that I now made into something new! :.

This year I worked with a medium that was new to me. I cut lengths of branches from a recently fallen Birch tree and fashioned them into candleholders to give as gifts to family and friends. One also joined our Christmas table with evergreen branches sitting beautifully underneath! I created a puppet stand out of this fallen Birch tree for my children's puppets as well as many tree blocks and postcard holders that also were given as gifts.

.: Waldorf book of blessings and a crystal tealight holder for my eldest son sits upon our table! :.

My eldest son is enamored with gems and minerals. I thought this gorgeous crystal tealight holder would be a very well received gift!

This year we also started a new tradition that will include the creating of a new book of table blessings each year to be opened before our Christmas Eve dinner. It was inspired by this handmade version I purchased from our local Waldorf school.  We began this new tradition this Christmas Eve by allowing my eldest son to open this gift and read a blessing from it aloud before our meal.

.: I am enjoying watching, feeding, and photographing the birds! What a gift to have them visit! :.

Our feeders have been filled a few times already during the snow. We are enjoying watching the bird airport right outside our window! While one bird flies in to the feeder, the others wait patiently on the branch hanging overhead--and then back the first bird flies to let in another to the feeders!

.: 'Baby Zuku' our kitten enjoys some time watching the snowfall and birds outside the window :.

As the snow continues to fall, one of my favororite things to do is to wrap up in handmade quilts and read through our ever-growing stack of winter books!

.: I am quite taken by these little walnut and wool felt strawberries made by my eldest son! :.

While receiving thoughtful handmade gifts is lovely, it is giving that my family enjoys most of all! In the days before Christmas we had been so very busy creating. One of the sweetest gifts my eldest son created for his younger sister was this play set of walnut and wool felt strawberries! They are absolutely precious and have already seen so much play!
 

.: These creative books are inspiring us on these snowy days! :.

While reading winter books and enjoying the coziness of the accompanying illustrations, we are also enjoying a great big stack of books that nurture our creative spirits and our homelife together. It has been pure joy to pour through these books with my family! There is much inspiration to bring us right through the new year!

.: Be still my heart... My daughter is knitting!!! :.

One of my most cherished moments of Christmas this year was when my daughter received the one gift she wished for this year--her very own wooden knitting needles and rainbow yarn. 

She has been finger knitting but this was the first time she had asked for her own wooden needles.  I knit her just one row as an example and she said "Ok mama, can I do it now?" and off she went to my amazed yet not surprised eyes!  (To the mamas who have knitting little ones you know how full my heart is right now!)

.: My youngest son getting ready to slide down the hill and over a snow jump! :.

My little ones received sleds this Christmas, and so with the newly fallen snow we have been out sledding each day on the little hill behind our home.

.: There he goes down the hill and over the jump flying through the air!! :.

All three children found themselves today in mid-air while gliding over the jump they had made out of snow!
 

.: Time to go back in to enjoy the coziness of home! :.

And when their little cheeks were rosy like their Waldorf dolls they were ready to come indoors for some hot cocoa and homemade marshmallows. Our fluffy friend also enjoyed the snow for a little bit today while wearing his most gorgeous and full winter coat!

.: We are basking in the glow of these most cozy and relaxing days after Christmas and ever so ready to welcome in the new year with great joy! :.