MamaMoontime Creativity Club Schedule Feb-April 2010

Details coming soon!

Week Four of Advent- The Human Kingdom

And now we celebrate!


This final week celebrates the human being, which is made up of elements of all the three other kingdoms and uses the gifts of 1. the foundation structure, 2. the nourishment of living forces and 3. capacity for relationships and movement to help us humans in our quest for creative growth.

As humans though, we have one special quality that differentiates us from the other animals and this is our ability to create independently. We are CALLED to use this gift!!

This week we also recognise the Fire Element. Fire is the biggest force on earth and when we 'go through the fire', we are rendered anew. Every creative action we take is to render something new as a gift to the world. It is our 'fire inside' which goads us into action! Whether it be a craft, or a song, or a meal, or a poem, or a painting, or sorting out your home office, or digging a new garden is irrelevant. The CREATIVE ACTION is what is important. This is our spirit working upon the world.

Our Nature table can now have the human figures of a man and woman (Mary and Joseph), although the shepherds, kings and of course the royal baby all come later still.

We now light the four candles on our wreath.

Here are some interesting ideas to ponder.... These are from the book, 'Festivals with Children'.

• “Mary” is the archetype of the human soul’s willingness to ‘become’; to grow and prepare for the birth of that which wants to come. This is visible even in the clothing she wears- the cloak of blue which surrounds and protects, and in the warmth of the red shining forth from within”

• “Joseph” is the protecting ‘foster father’, who represents the bolidy nature of man, that is, the earthly physical foundation for existence on the earth

• “Shepherds” watch over those creatures needing protection which have been entrusted to them. They are open to the words of the angel, representatives of inner wakefulness, of openness for the divine, of the hearts powers of devotion and reverence

The blue cloak of Mary might also a depiction of her willingness to be a channel between "heaven" and earth, and her red dress a symbol of her 'human-ness'- that is, full of the life giving blood fuel.

It is interesting that in the human body, the heart is the organ that does circulate what we commonly know as red (oxygen full) and blue (oxygen depleted) blood. The heart is truly the organ we need to cherish and utilise at this time of year- loving, giving and receiving in the spirit of Christmas.

Happy 4th Advent!! I wish you happy times with your loved ones and community!

How to make a Sewing Case (original design by Noriko Osawa)

Here is a sewing kit idea to make.  The original design is by Noriko Osawa, and uses a sewing machine, but this is a hand sewn version using lots of buttons because I like buttons.

Inside cover.

The idea came from this book which you can purchase through Chronicle Books. It is one of the Kyuuto series, ('cute' in Japanese!)

This is the original design. Lovely!

And below are the instructions for my hand sewn version.

First take a piece of denim cotton material (colour of your choice) that is 26cm by 27cm.  Lay it out so the long side is horizontal.

From the bottom length, measure up 2cm and then stick, using craft glue, a length of coordinating ribbon along the horizontal line.  Let the ribbon overlap the edges by about 2cm either side.

Measure 10cm from the top of this ribbon and glue the second ribbon down here.  (It will sit just below the half way mark)

Now, embroider or embellish to your heart's content!!

You do this in the bottom right hand corner of your piece (see below)

Turn it over so the wrong side of your embroidery is in top right corner.

Place craft glue as shown, staying below the middle ribbon, and about 3cm from all three sides.

The glue helps to strengthen the cotton cover.

Carefully, fold the material down so that the middle ribbon now sits at the very top of your front cover.

Smooth it out evenly.

Now, tuck in all the seam allowances, folding in the extra ribbon inside the cover.

This is what it will look like when done.

Fold the material under as close to the ribbon edge as you can for a neat finish.

Blanket stitch (blanket stitch tutorial coming soon!) all away around the edges on the three open sides.

Now take 2 rectangles of felt 9cm by 17cm.  Use pinking shears to finish the edges off neatly.

Lay the two layers on top of the inside pages of the sewing kit.

Be sure it is facing up the right way.

On the top layer of felt, on the left side, sew a little pocket of felt. Embellish as you like.

Now, pin the felt rectangles down to the inside cover.

Using a chain stitch, stitch down the two felt pieces to the inside cover, being careful not to go through the material to the outside cover.

Add a little ribbon to help hold the scissors and keep them secure during travel.

The final step is the little pin cushion.  Take a rectangle about 18cm by 10cm.

Fold in one seam allowance on the left long side and the bottom sides, towards you, then fold the material in half so that the seam allowances are visible.

Whip stitch down the two sides separately so you are left with an opening.

Turn the pocket inside out and fill with wool stuffing.

Use a very small whip stitch to seal the pocket shut.

Attach this pillow to the inside right side of felt with a few tacking stitches.

Be sure this tack stitch doesnt go through to other side of felt or it will be visible when you turn the 'pages'.

Add four buttons to secure it firmly to the 'page'. 

Note: in this version, the pin cushion is attached permanently

Add a ribbon on both inner faces.  This is positioned half way down on the left and right sides and will be used to close the sewing kit together. Sew a coordinating button to help secure the ribbon and stop fraying.

This sewing tool kit will work wonders!

How to make delicious Carob Tahini Rice Puff balls

Here is a great recipe for those who dont like chocolate (or prefer carob) or who just want something a bit different for their Christmas Day sweets.

Ingredients:

• 1 jar tahini
• 1 jar honey
• 250grams carob powder
• 2 cups rice puffs/rice bubbles
• flaked coconut

(This is a slight variation on a recipe from 'Recipes to the Rescue')

Firstly, add tahini and honey to a pot and pop it on the stove element on low heat until the two ingredients melt.  Add carob powder and mix well.

Take off heat, and add rice puffs a little at a time until the rice is coated with the carob tahini mixture. (You may need to add a little more rice puffs- just be sure they are coated with brown sticky mixture)

Fill a low sided container with coconut.

Take one spoonful of mixture (a large tablespoon makes balls that are about the size of an Australian 20 cent piece) and roll it in coconut.  Place each ball on a tray. Continue until you have finished up the mixture.

Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes up two of these trays plus a few extra that you can nibble on with a cup of tea that night without spoiling the look of a full plate!

From woh to go, this takes about 20 minutes but you will be loved by all who taste these so it is time well spent.

(We did give these out to parents, along with White christmas balls and an apricot coconut bliss ball- 3 of each in fact- in a handmade box painted and folded by their children in kindy a few years back.  This was the best received present yet!)

Stampin' Up inspirations for Christmas

A few weeks back, I did a Christmas gift bag workshop with Stampin' Up demonstrator Petronela. You may remember we made these little crackers.  On the weekend, I finally finished off the 14 (yes, 14!!) of these I wanted to do for our  big extended family "Christmas Day"  treat. 

We'll use them as table place settings just for the adults.  (I did something different for the kids.)  Phew!!  How beautiful is the paper- and oh, the stickers!!  They all co-ordinate!!!  I love co-ordination! (Wish i had more help like this in the fashion stakes)

Not too much of a stretch creatively but fun nevertheless. 

This is the template if you want to try some yourself.

5 1/4 inch by 8 inches is the rectangle.

You can visit Shelley Hopps website for full instructions.

Petronela clevely made up some little books for a small Christmas gift.

I borrowed her idea to make up a little token gift for the women of my family.

The "Stampin' Up" motto is CASE

Copy and share everything.

I think its a good motto for our crafty friends too.

PS.  I have to day that I have finally dropped the ball!!  I am now in relaxing holiday mode, catching up with friends and family and reading.  I will impose a self-directed exile next week on all things computers, but can't wait to get back into blogging in the  new year with some fresh ideas, an updated look and regular giveaways!!  First one is coming soon!

How to make a peg doll- Mother and baby

The mama's all made a peg doll for their advent table but you could use this template to make any kind of peg doll.

They are wonderful old fashioned dolls for the doll house, make fabulous shoe friends (clipping two shoes together in a pair) and are marvellous at helping children find their own hat home.  Why not personalise them and make a few for each child's things?   Children could then easily identify their shoes, clothes, aprons, washing cloths etc. 

Take a rectangular piece of felt about 16-18cm long and 10 cm wide.  (Length depends on how long you want the dress/skirt to be- measure this against the peg yourself to find the right length).  Cut it into this cross shape so that when it is folded in half, it looks like a T shape.

Fold it in half, and cut a tiny circular hold in the middle of the folded side.  This is to put the 'head' of the peg through.

Take an old fashioned wooden peg and a length of pipe cleaner about 12 cm long.  Place the pipe cleaner through the slit in the peg.

Wind it around the back of the peg and cross the two ends over.

Now place the 'dress' over the peg head and over the peg.

From the 'arm' cuff, blanket stitch in toward the body and down the length of the dress until you reach the bottom.  Repeat the other side.

Fold the two ends of the pipe cleaner together and twist to secure hands in position.

Add a dob of glue to the head and attach fleece (or wool or whatever you have) for hair.

To make the baby:

Take a small piece of fleece (any skin type colour- you only see the face) and tie a knot in the centre of it.

Fold it in half and tie off the knot to secure it.  Lay it on a square scrap of brown material about 7cm square.  Fold over the top edge of the material toward you.

Now, swaddle the baby.  First, around head, then bottom up towards body, then either side.

When it is ready, secure the material with a few small stitches along the swaddle line.

The baby should sit snuggly inside 'mama's' arms.

For Mary, add a small semi circle of blue material (or felt) and stitch it in a few places to secure it to body of the peg doll.

You could make Joseph in a similar fashion, with brown felt clothes, a fleece beard, and a light brown coat/cloak tied off with brown string.