Jobs for Creative Minded folk

I remember back in high school going to one of those 'Career' expos.

I can still smell the crowds, see the bland (ohhhh, so bland) displays and recall the many 'big' employers of the day with their stalls.

I remember, even not that far back in 1990, that there didn't seem to be too many choices.

There were broad categories:

Health (eg Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapist, Occupational therapist, Gym instructor)

Education (Teacher, childcare worker, speech language teacher, special needs teacher)

Trades (Carpenter, Builder, Plasterer, Brick layer, Painter, Electrician, Mechanic)

Hospitality (Chef, Waitress, Hotel Manager, Security, Concierge)

General (Hair dresser, Utility driver, Retail)

They were jobs.

I don't recall much being said about going into business, and definitely not into business for yourself.

The idea was that your pathway, no matter if you went to uni/tafe or became an apprentice, was to become permanent full-time on a salary.

There was definitely no direction towards an artistic career.  No mention of the possibility of work experience on magazines or alongside journalists (years later, I was so happy to think that some lucky ducks did have this opportunity) , no way to bridge the gap to a working, paid artist or introductions to ad agencies or writing teams where creative thought might just have been welcome.

So, for anyone who was a little left of centre, the 'job' (just over broke) scenario just wasn't going to cut it.

I packed my backpack (started out with 58 kg, returned 3 years later with 28kg- smart!) and set off on a world tour by myself at 18.  I had no idea what I wanted to do, just that working for someone else in a boring 9-5 job was not going to do it.  And that trip opened my eyes towards possibility!  

Lately, I've been hearing about some super creative jobs and pondering the "luck/hard work/right place-right time" of those who either find or create these. 

• A lady who is sent instructions, via email, of the 'patient' role she must play for newly trained and final year doctor students.  She is given a strict set of guidelines as to what she must do, eg rant and rave and complain about the 15 other ailments she has not directly connected to the current problem, being meek as a mouse and vague on describing symptoms, being authoritarian and full of 'internet' knowledge about their undiagnosed 'dis-ease'.  With these boundaries in place, she must turn up to the 'surgery' in full regalia and "become" the patient.  I love it!
• A lady who travels the world, from London to Dubai to New York and Europe, in her quest to predict the next 'in-thing' for Christmas. Not this one, but next. She is in charge of choosing colour palettes, styling scenes, choosing cool ornaments, figurines, flashing lights and wrapping paper and then has to train her team to display these products to their best ability.  I love it! 
• Becoming a year-round 'elf' in Santa's village in Lapland.  They have the task of loving and believing in Christmas 365 days a year, making gingerbread cookies with 'Mrs Claus' each night for the new visitors, finding and decorating new trees and driving reindeer.  I love it!

Years ago, I spent a whole summer dressed in a 'convict' uniform of blue and white, with a merry cap on my head, being 'dunked' by anyone with a spare $2 coin and a good throwing arm.  Yes, I sat on a little 15cm square seat above a huge rainwater tank and waited joyfully (or not, if it was overcast) for an instant submerge!  Climbing out drenched and heavy, I reclaimed my teensy seat and waited for the next throw!

I never thought I'd spend my teaching years making home-made bread, making felt creations, painting with watercolours, drawing artistically on chalkboards with vibrant colour, baking endless muffins, singing all day long, writing songs and stories and just generally being enveloped in colour, life, light and love.  That is my kind of teaching.  Thank goodness for creative schools that encourage the creativity of their teachers!  A creatively well-fed teacher cannot help but nourish the students they teach.

(I don't know about you, but I'm not seeing too many juicy exuberant souls in our current education system.  With Christmas coming up, it might be time to think outside the box for our 'teacher gifts' and aim to 'nourish' their creative spirits, rather than their stomachs, no matter how much one might love chocolate.  Check back tomorrow for some ideas on out-of-the-box teacher gift suggestions!) 

And to think we can get stuck behind a desk!

We all have stories of jobs/careers beyond the norm.  Let's share them here! 

 I believe that if kids or teens only knew there were BIG possibilities, they might take the time to dig a little deeper to find just the right fit for them.  A fit that will nourish their own quirky creative mind, rather than be stuck mindlessly in work they hate.

I wish someone, my own creative angel, had whispered in my ear.

Let's be that angel for someone else.

(And you know what, it is never too late.  Our stories here might just inspire or push/shove someone to take the wild path now, no matter how old/crabby/tired/flat out/uneducated they feel.) 

It is potent with possibility.

I'd love to hear all about your most outlandish job/career/tasks or ones you know of or that your friends might do!  Whimsical, wild or downright wacko, please share them here!!

How to grow vegetables - a beginners guide!

If Amber  'no-Greene-thumb' can do it, anyone can!

Isn't this luscious???

The Greene household is finally super green!

Yes, worm farm is in place and powering. I must say, I'm becoming quite fond of those little darling creatures who work so hard to munch the food I give them.  

The compost bins are up and mulching and warm! Oh, so warm, and sweet smelling- as they should be, so I'm told.

And the little (yes, little!) 90cm by 90cm raised bed has nurtured her babies to maturity.

I'm loving it!

This wee garden bed was filled with good quality soil from our local garden supplier. Then Sandi, one of my fabulous Moondew mums, (and a horticulturalist to boot!) brought us some mushroom compost and we all dug it in. 

We planted seedlings-  butter beans, tomatoes, bok choy, silverbeet and beetroot in the good brown earth.  ( I later added a baby basil but it is a little sunburnt- oh no!)  The leftovers are sprinkled in amongst our normal garden beds and thriving too!  

The children then watered them with a solution of water and worm pee. (Worm pee with thanks again to Sandi, her two little boys and their magnificent garden). Oh, those seedlings needed a big drink.  

 And each week, the children from both groups have continued to water them with lots of love, making sure to only wet their 'feet' and not throw water into their faces!

No one likes that, you see!

And this week, success!

Big fluffy juicy green leaves of bok choy and silverbeet! 

(We ate them tonight.  Sauteed with a little butter. Yum.)

And the tomato plants have sprouted delicate flowers and so have the butter beans.

I never knew gardening could be so exciting!!!

What a marvellous way to bring the joys of wonder and anticipation to children and adults alike. 

And here is the best compost tip I have ever heard.

My friend Sandi suggested that we wrap our veggie scraps in a few sheets of newspaper and throw them straight into the compost like that.

A neat parcel, all wrapped up.

Saves mess.

 ( if you are like me, and it takes days to actually get the compost to the bin, this saves a really big stinky mess!). 

Saves time.

 (no more washing up of dodgy compost bins- agghh!) 

And saves the compost from those awful looking larvae!

Good stuff!

You can also wrap up your worm food like this too! 

The worms will eat through the paper but the other bugs won't. 

How to make Chocolate Zucchini cake!

This has to be my favourite cake so far this year.

And it is pretty good for you too!  

Original Chocolate Zucchini Cake by Jackie French.  

 Healthy and moreish recipe substitutions by my friend Sandi Donaldson

(All substitutions in italics)

185 gram butter   

1 cup brown sugar  half cup honey 

2 eggs

2 cups grated/chopped zucchini  plus half cup grated beetroot

1.5 cups self raising flour  use wholemeal sr flour

1/4 cup cocoa  or carob

2 tablespoons grated orange rind  or lemon/lime rind

3 quarters cup of milk of your choice

Recipe:

Cream butter and sugar

Beat in eggs one at a time

Gradually stir in other ingredients

Bake in cake tin on 180 degrees for 45 mins or until firm

Cool in fridge overnight.

(This is where the most amazing chewy texture develops!)

Drizzle with fresh cream to serve!

Yummo!!

Happy Advent 2010!

Today is the first day of Advent.

Last year, I posted a series of articles about Advent and the progression of events and meanings behind this four week lead up to Christmas. You can read the first one Advent Time .

Today, we have a new felt candle centre for our family table.

I wanted to make something beautiful and in my fave colour red.

The Poinsettia flower in a ring was the perfect solution.

I first felted the base and then needle felted a second set of leaves on top that will form a flower ring around the base of the candles as they arrive.  

This is what our Advent candle circle looks like today with the first candle burning. 

Here's to the Christmas season.
We can celebrate the busy season by sidestepping, as much as possible, the commercial buy-everything-in-sight attitude and remember it for the true season of sharing and celebrating with loved ones, family and friends. A few moments each Sunday can help us to ground our feet back into the reality of the season and help us save us spending our hard-earned pennies on 'stuff' we don't really want or need.

  This year, I'm putting those pennies into 'experiences'- visiting our local theme park with the White Christmas theme and joining the local bus tour to visit all the Christmas lights (The bus tours are such daggy fun!  Most people really get into the spirit and dress up for the occasion, draped in flashing earrings and sparkling hats and singing along to the cheery Christmas songs played through the bus tape deck!)   And we are making our own Christmas decorations and sweet food too! 

Re-thinking "Gifts" and "Giving" by Susan Perrow

Rethinking “Gifts” and “Giving”

An Article for Families by Susan Perrow (2010)

Originally published in Kindling magazine. Kindly reprinted here with permission from the author.

Susan's website is Healing Through Stories

In the yearly cycle of family life there can be many occasions for giving and receiving gifts – birthdays, cultural and religious festivals, house-warmings, welcomes and farewells, celebration of a special achievement, and other in-family rituals.

This article challenges the modern parent to rethink how to celebrate such occasions with simple and creative ideas for gifts – gift ideas that, like a healthy dish of food, can nourish our body and soul and not just link into a western materialistic culture and feed a greedy commercial world (that rarely has the well being of children as their priority).

Finding ways to simplify gifts

In my years as a single parent of three boys I was living on a tight budget and learning to make the dollar stretch to the end of the road and back. However, finding ways to simplify gifts and break away from the current consumer culture was not just a budgetary decision. It was a conscious step in rebelling from the expected materialistic norm.

Surprisingly it was not as difficult as I had first imagined. When my oldest son lost his first tooth, the current tradition as practised by families in our neighbourhood was to replace the tooth with a coin ($1 or $2 – a lot of money in the early eighties!). I thought about this and the materialistic basis to such a tradition (and the cost of many teeth lost by three boys over the next few years!) and decided to try something simpler. Instead of a gold coin left by the ‘tooth fairies’ a tiny little shell was left out instead. The comment made by my excited six-year old boy in the early hours of the morning still rings in my ears – “I knew the real tooth fairies wouldn’t leave money!”

With this seal of approval by an innocent child, a simple family tradition commenced – for each tooth lost a natural treasure was left in its place (a shell, crystal, feather, etc). With the seventh tooth (arbitrarily chosen - a stopping point was needed eventually!) a special treasure box was left out with a note suggesting its use as a home for the accumulated treasures. Many years later and these little boxes, with their simple contents, are still kept by the boys as a treasured memory.

Creative and unusual gift ideas

When the boys and I shared the first Christmas together in our newly purchased home (after living in more than ten rental properties in as many years), their main present was a box full of new trees for the garden (one box each). Although this was an unusual choice of gift, the summer holidays that followed had a special quality to them as each boy planted and cared for his collection of trees. They still remember this with great affection.

Several years later, the main Christmas present from myself to my two older boys involved a simple re-arrangement of the bedrooms in the house. They had out-grown their small room and I decided to give up my attachment to enjoying the larger main bedroom! On Christmas Day they found a long tubular present under the tree – it was the plans of the house showing the new bedroom arrangements! What a grand surprise this was for them, and as I should have predicted, our special day was spent moving furniture from one room to another! Not one comment was made about this not being a ‘good enough’ present – the boys were ecstatic with the idea. The new gift of ‘space’ then allowed many creative possibilities through the holidays as they experimented with and arranged (and rearranged) their beds, desks and special things.

I am now remarried and together my husband and I have six grown up children. To simplify the task of buying gifts for each one at Christmas (plus spouses and boyfriends/girlfriends) we have decided to choose ideas that help us all have fun together. One year everyone received water pistols and a cricket set (these toys encouraged an active but very cool Christmas day). The next year we all went on a morning snorkelling trip to an island off the Australian east coast, the next year a kayaking trip. We still have options of horse riding, or playing golf, or ten pin bowling??? – the possibilities are endless.

Involvement and Activity

Whether you create your own ideas for gifts or go shopping for gifts (fortunately there are some quality products on the market shelves), I suggest two over-riding principles of good gifts for children:

1. That they allow “involvement” by the child (i.e. that they are not just passive entertainment)

2. That they encourage “activity” (physical, imaginative and/or intellectual) – age appropriate of course.


The Joy of Giving

In The Good Gift Guide (Simon and Schuster, 1995, p.x)), Alison Pearl lists the first criteria for ‘good gifts’ as needing to

1. Be chosen ‘from the heart’ and

2. Bring joy to both giver and receiver.

This brings me to the less emphasised joy of gifts – the joy of giving! My fondest experience of this was when I was questioned by my boys in their mid primary school years as to the truth behind the existence of ‘Santa’. Without feeling I was being dishonest, I told them that Santa was like a ‘giving spirit’ who helped bring gifts to children when they were little. I explained that as they grew older it was their turn to become the ‘giving spirits’ and the image of Santa was no longer needed. My boys took this in quite deeply and as Christmas approached that year they threw themselves into the joy of making and wrapping little gifts for every family member they could think of (including distant cousins). This year was one of my favourite of all our family events –the emphasis had switched from ‘what am I getting’ to ‘what can I give and who can I give to’. I believe if we can strive for a balance between giving and receiving then this creates a healthy medium for families.

This shift of emphasis (from ‘givee’ to giver) also became a main theme at the preschool that I ran for twelve years in Byron Bay. For our Christmas festival the children would be so involved in making little gifts for their families (candles, packs of greeting cards, felt toys, tie-dyed treasure bags, etc) that they rarely thought about what they might be getting themselves. At Easter time, bulbs planted in little pots became our traditional autumn Easter gifts to take home. These helped to take the competition and focus away from how many chocolate eggs each child was expecting to receive from family and friends, or had already received two weeks before Easter!.

If you are trying to come up with gift ideas for pre-school age children to give to others, thinking laterally and simply produces many possibilities. Cleaning all the wedding shoes for the wedding party (from grandma to baby brother) was the proud wedding gift from a five-year old boy to his about-to-be-married mother and father. With the teacher’s supervision and help from his friends, he cleaned the shoes at the pre-school the day before the wedding. The important side benefit of this was that it helped to ‘focus’ his excitement, and helped him share with the pre-school community his special news – at the end of the day the 9 pairs of shoes were lined up on the shelf in the foyer for all to see!

It is surprising how simple a gift can be, and how readily children will accept such simplicity. At our autumn festival the children used to be so excited to sit and polish the apples – with each child feeling very satisfied and happy to take a shiny red apple home for a gift to his/her family.

Conclusion

Nowhere in the definition of a gift and in the tradition of gift-giving is a gift confined to being purchased from a shop. This article encourages you to think ‘beyond shops’ to new possibilities for gifts. It suggests a break away from the current ‘consumer culture’ that is so prevalent in all aspects of our lives today. It encourages an exploration of new choices for children (and adults), based on what you believe is ‘good’ for wholistic child development, and not led by what the commercial world thinks is ‘good’ for children.

Most of all it encourages you to explore the richness of SIMPLICITY.

Happy giving!





























Therapeutic Storytelling with Susan Perrow

I'm so fortunate to know Susan Perrow.

She is a master storyteller extraordinaire.

In past posts, I have shared something of our adventures with Susan in making up and sharing games.

Recently, though, a group of women, including myself!, were lucky enough to participate in Susan's famous Therapeutic Storytelling Workshop held at our local beautiful "child-love-and-care centre", Fingerprints.

I love storytelling. It is what guides my life.

But I am enamoured with telling stories that help heal, change or grow a person, whether that person is a child or adult. Susan is someone who has a talent for creating these kinds of stories, and helping others to find their storytelling voice.

Our day was enveloped in 'metaphor'.

As many regular readers may know, this is my favourite kind of storytelling too so I was instantly captivated.

Susan shared many of her own personal stories, successes and a little of her journey, to which we were all held spellbound.  The room was quiet with all eyes on Susan, as we sat transfixed listening to the possibilities that story can have on changing someone's life for the better.

There were a couple of things that stood out for me.

I'd like to share them.

"If we have a connection to something, some way of creating deep bonds through story,

we are less likely to hurt it". 

I believe that, and I believe we need more of this with our young children and especially the current generation of teens.  Lack of connection, or fake connection, through such modern technology as Facebook and MSN is creating a generation of children who can't talk to one another face to face.  I see this daily with my own daughter and her friends.We need to reignite the tradition of person-to-person, heart-to-heart storytelling to find our way back. 

"Anyone and everyone is a storyteller"

Susan took us through a process and story structure that helped us to write therapeutic stories and become a storyteller. Many people in the group were new to this idea, and to watch them leave with an extra boost of confidence and a spring in their step, as they put on their invisible storyteller hats, was just delightful.
 I know my hat received a big shiny polish!

"Never doubt your intuition"

As someone who has been using helping (not necessarily therapeutic except on occasion), this statement was a welcome reminder.  Intuition has saved the day, many a time, and I am grateful always for the 'little tap' on the shoulder, no matter how it comes. 

I don't want to give away much more, but leave you with just a taste in the hope that one day, you too may be lucky enough to join in one of Susan's workshops.

(If you want to organise one for your local area, you can contact Susan via her website Healing Through Stories or via email susanperrow@gmail.com )

And as an added treat, tomorrow I will re-publish one of Susan's articles from the Kindling magazine with permission from Susan herself.  This is an article on Gifts and Giving, so appropriate at this time of the year.

Look forward to seeing you late tomorrow, hopefully from a brand new Mac!

I can't wait!

How to encourage children to join in with Dad

I am so happy to have married my creative-partner-in-consultation.

I was going to say, partner-in-crime but this really doesn't seem right :)

Chris has a natural ability to find creative ways to support children in their play and work.

I saw this in our early days of courtship when he was with his nephews and Henrietta and I see it daily when he interacts with Ned. 

The latest example is this.

Chris was mowing our horribly overgrown patch of weeds on the lower level of our acreage.

A while back, Chris removed the engine from an old mower so the Moondew children could push it around to 'mow' the grass in the playground.  This particular day, Ned traipsed off and collected the mower and proceeded to follow Daddy along, matching his boots, sunglasses and hats to boot!

The problem was that the slightly steep slope was a bit much for Ned.

Downhill was alright, but the push upwards was a real energy zapper and frustration maker.

So Dad tied a rope from the back of his shirt, to the front of Ned's lawnmower and in tandem, off they went.

For about another 90 minutes, Ned 'mowed' the lawns with Dad, up and down, and all around.

And even on the front curb strip!

Happy Daddy, Happy child.

And job done!

An outdoor chalk board

Our newest addition to our outside playground is the rock-edged blackboard.

I love having a place where children can come and use good quality, vibrant, rainbow-hued chalk to make their own drawing creations.

Sometimes, when the hussle and bussle of play is just too much, or they are having a quiet, contemplative type of day, drawing is just the tonic.

Why limit that to paper?

You can buy chalkboard paint at any good hardware store.

It is as simple as painting it on a prepared surface (just as you would prep any surface ready to be  painted with sugar soap and sandpaper) then waiting for it to dry.

I love Lyra Chalks for their sheer vibrancy!

Rainbow brights, share your lights. Here we come...

And if you want some chalkboard drawing inspiration, why not stop by chalkboard resources ?

And this you-tube video! of Brian Wolfe in action! 

How to make a Felt-covered Christmas shopping notepad

I'm a big believer in bringing beauty and creativity to even the smallest of things.

(In my Create and love life! course, there is a whole session on this!)

There is no excuse for an ugly notepad in your handbag after this!

Firstly, cut out a piece of felt about 1cm wider than your chosen notepad and with about 1 inch extra length at each end of the book, as shown in the photo above.

I chose red and green, for Christmas themes but you could make these at any time of the year.

Position your book onto the felt and turn over the bottom edge to about 1 inch.

Begin blanket stitching by pushing your first stitch in between the two layers. Tuck the loose end into the fold and out of the way.  I like neat edges!

Remember to take the second stitch back through the first stitch.

This handy tip ensures your first stitch sits flat across the end of the felt, rather than on the diagonal across the felt.

Blanket stitch up the side until close to the other end.

Turn the last inch of felt over to form the second book flap.

Remember to make two stitches on top of one another at the very end.

This gives you a double knot.

Push the needle through the felt and out into a random place.

This ensures your thread ends are cut off neatly and in a tidy fashion, rather than hanging loose.

Children love this task!

Blanket stitch can be mastered by anyone over about 4 years old, and some 3's can manage it too, even if it is only the odd stitch supported by your help.   "A few stitches a day" is a good rule of thumb for young children. I keep 'works in progress' in a little cotton bag or a zip lock bag with their name on it.  If you keep it visible by storing it in a craft basket or on your shelf, they can access it at any time they feel creative.

To decorate, cut out Christmas shapes such as trees, snowmen, reindeer etc.

Glue them on, then secure with stitching through sequins, stars, beads etc.

You might also like to stitch around the perimeter of the shape too, if you have time.

Here are some works in progress from my Moondew mama's!

A fancy flower star,

and the beginnings of a Snowman. 

and a fruit basket.

See, you can do anything!

So much nicer to pull this out of your handbag in the busy Christmas season,

 (rather than a tattered shopping list) don't you think?!

BIG NEWS!

Keep an eye out in early 2011 for your chance to join MamaMoontime's CREATE and love life! gang.

I will be tranforming this course into E-book and Webinar so that those of you who would like to participate in this course (over 10 sessions),

in your own time, in your own home, in your own country (no matter where you are),

will now be able to!

Oh, what fun!!

Hope you'll be able to join me!!

Felt Nature Scapes

Tamar made a lovely vertical playmat.

Steph made a nature mat for her son for Christmas, complete with golden path, rock lined pond and a vegie patch.  Steph is going to continue embellishing this with needle felting.

Lara's toadstool house was loved by all.

And Afra and her two little ones made their Advent spiral, also to be embellished with beads and delighftul bits.

This is the beginning of my advent mat.

I will show you the finished creation soon!

More alternative ideas for Christmas gifts, parties and activities by Felicity St John

My friend Felicity kindly shared with me this article that was published in the Friends of the Birth Centre newsletter 2009 and Special Delivery- Friends of the Birth Centre 2009.   I'm so excited to be able to republish it here for my MamaMoontime friends! She has some fantastic ideas!

Enjoy!

Creating a Sustainable Christmas by Felicity St John

• Ever notice how there is always too much food at every event, morning tea, lunch, etc you go to (even when it is not Christmas). Much of it gets thrown out, and in the warmer months may not be safe to keep. So take less - do you really need to take a plate of 24 cookies, or will 6 suffice. And while we are on the plate - take one, wash it and take it home.
• If you must give a gift - give one that counts. Organisations such as Oxfam (http://www.oxfamunwrapped.com.au/) and Tear Australia (http://www.usefulgifts.org/) have catalogues of useful gifts you can buy that make a difference in someone's life in developing nations; providing food, a source of income, sanitation and health. You even get a card you can give to someone letting them know what their gift is and how it helps someone. Gifts start from $5 for eye care or school supplies. For $25 you could restore someone's eyesight while sitting back and enjoying the view before your eyes you often take for granted (https://www.hollows.org.au/Donate_Now).
• Have honest discussions with loved ones, child care centres, schools etc. I've often been a part of the unoriginal idea of everybody buying a $5 present/contributing $5 to a present for their child at school/childcare/playroup. Does your child honestly need more stuff? So next time this idea comes up (and it will), talk to the people involved about ditching the idea altogether, starting a community permaculture garden with the funds, or buying, for example a well for people who could definitely use sanitary water. Consider that a school with just 300 students could buy a well with that $5.
• Give gifts of your time. Time is finite and incredibly valuable. You have a skill, a talent that someone else could use. I am telling you now I (and my sizeable behind) would much rather an afternoon of babysitting, than a giant box of chocolates. Can you teach someone to cook, to ride a bike, to start a garden, fix a bike, re-string a guitar, fix fence posts, walk someone's dog - the list is endless. Brothers and sisters can change their younger siblings nappies for a week, read stories to others, or bring Dad a drink of cold water while he is doing whatever it is Dads do
• According to research on happiness, once a certain survival level has been met, experiences bring happiness more than material goods. So how about opting for experiences with people - a dinner, taking someone out with you to rockclimb using your gear, a good walk with your father, having a surf together, or learning to cook old school style from your Italian Nonna. The bonus of experiences is that it also cuts out the need for wrapping paper
• Consider investing in a deciduous tree to plant in your yard to provide decent shade in summer, and let the sun in during winter. This will reduce your heating and cooling needs, and reduce the impact on the environment.
• Even though it involves using paper, I would say write a letter to someone to share with them why you are truly grateful for them, and special memories of them you hold. I've been surprised in the past of how this has moved some people - which I just hadn't expected. Gratitude Journals (again paper - or hey, you could do an online one). Why? I find the more people focus on how much they have to be thankful for, the less the need to fill their life with stuff to fill a void.
• Don't feel obligated to return the buying of gifts. You are just setting up a cycle for the following year, which is not kind to your environment or wallet.
• Give a gift membership to organisations like Australian Conservation Fund.
• If you have a magazine you love, such as G magazine, buy a gift subscription for your local library and enjoy reading it there, knowing others can share it.
• If you are going to buy a gift for someone, consider where it has come from, and where it will end up. Where possible take a Cradle to Cradle approach where the item just feeds back into the system. And for goodness sake make sure it is something the person actually really desires. Aunty Jill really doesn't need another bottle of Vanderbilt darling.
• Send e-cards instead of paper based cards through organisations like Care 2 - http://www.care2.com/ecards/
• Read David Suzuki's Green Guide and implement some of the ideas.
• For all those people you know who may be receiving chritsmas upgrades on their mobile phones when they have a perfectly good one(albeit so 2008 version, or one where the zero needs to be pushed down a little harder), find a good home for their mobile with someone who actually needs one, or recycle it through programs such as Melbourne Zoo's phone recycling program (www.zoo.org.au/Calling_on_You), which by reducing the demand for some components found in mobile phone saves gorilla habitats. You can even send phones that are unusable to you.
• Consider second hand items. We're talking Ebay (http://www.ebay.com.au/, Gumtree (http://www.brisbane.gumtree.com.au/), freecycling (http://www.freecycle.org.au/), Baby and Kids Market (http://www.babykidsmarket.com.au/), refurbished goods such as bikes (http://www.bicyclerevolution.org.au/), and swap meet parties with your gal pals etc. Quite a few people we know have had swap parties with their clothes, or toys, or baby goods, and made a really great night of it with a bit of wine and cheese. Think about your child/loved ones interest and where you might be able to find something second hand to match. I have a costume loving daughter who always got around in costumes after school, and we found a great dance gear shop re-selling people's second hand dance costumes (http://www.jpz.com.au/). I can buy a box of beautiful tutus, chicken costumes etc for less than I would pay at Lifeline.
• If you grow herbs, take generous bouquets of these, instead of flowers, wine and chocolates. The fragrance they fill a house with is beautiful.
• How about a bike as a present (preferably refurbished), and practical lessons on how to keep it going. Of course the whole point is to actually use it, instead of the car.
• Don't bother with disposable plates - use the permanent kind. There are always enough hands around to wash plates. 

**

I love the last one.  Washing up is such a good place for community building, conversation and care. Don't you think?

***

I'm super grateful for Felicity sharing this with me, especially today. Sadly, today I attended the second funeral this year for a child from my old school.  It is never fair when children pass, and even more tragic when they pass from a rare and unfortunate reaction to a virus/flu (as both these children did).  Today, the Gage family were supported by a huge number of people who came to share their grief and loss, and throughout it all, they remained courageous and showed a quiet dignity and strength. "Rock solid".

I'm pleased to have known Ben during his year in Prep, and to have helped coax a smile, and giggle with glee as we jumped rope together countless times.  Blessings to the entire family, and to Ben. 

Au Revoir.

  

50 Alternatives to Gifting Toys for Presents

Doesn't it seem that children of today have so many toys?

I try to pare it down, but no matter how much I do, there always seems to be too much.

Is that true for you too?

And with each Christmas, birthday, party invitation, celebration or day at the shops/op shops, more toys seem to appear.

So, this Christmas I will try to fill my children's stockings with things other than toys and I might pass this list on to well meaning family and friends. A gentle (yes, gentle!) nudge in ths direction is often needed, isn't it?

Here is my list of toy-alternative inspiration.

Maybe you'll be inspired too...

1. Clay plant pot and packet of flower seeds
2. A net bag full of Spring bulbs ready for next season
3. A tomato planter box and trellis and a tomato seedling. I heard today that my friend Amanda is buying her little girl a pre-cast raised Garden Bed for less than $100.  This truly is the gift that keeps on giving! Love it!
4. A good quality set of gardening tools
5. A funky pair of gardening gloves
6. A franjipani tree
7. A fruit tree (orange, mulberry or lemon would be my pick!)

8. A worm farm and 1000 starter worms

9.  A gift certificate to the movies for two and popcorn voucher (Mum or Dad and child treat) or a gift certificate for our local chocolate cafe!  A wonderful way to create a special memory.

10. A gift certificate for 'Build a Bear'- a shop where they put together their own soft toy and it travels home with them in a special carry box (Our local one is in Surfers Paradise)

11. A teapot for one and a small packet of herbal peppermint tea leaves

12. A flower tea bomb.  Just like a bath bomb, but immerse this in hot water in a clear jug to watch it unravel into a posy of flowers- So sweet! 

(Try any speciality tea shop-

Robina Town Centre has one downstairs near David Jones entrance that sells them)

13.  A new pillowcase embroidered or patchworked with their own name. (Time to get out your embroidery hoop and thread!)

14.  A felted wallhanging for their bedroom door

15.  A Good Morning Tray. Fill it with a brass bell, a special cup and a teeny vase.  What a lovely way to wake up your children on a weekend morning.

16.   Drawer liners- a delightful way to induce beauty and reverence for smell.  Young girls might love this.

17.  A bath bomb or fancy bubble bath for a deep soak

18.  A hose attachment for the bath.  Children love to wash themselves with running water.  What fun!

19.   An embroidered towel set of their very own for bathtime

20.  A individualised cutlery set.  Children will be excited to use their matching set of cutlery at the family meal table.

21.  A money box to save up for their next holiday treat

22.  A box of hand baked gingerbread cookies, personalised with their own name using white store-bought tube icing or royal icing through a paper piping bag.  Add 10 loops of red ribbon so they can hang them up on the tree if they like.

23.  A craft box of their very own- add a small pin cushion, needle case and needles, pair of scissors, a few metres of gorgeous ribbon, a bottle of glue, a sampler of paper, a glue stick, a set of good quality pencils and a pencil sharpener and some cross-stitch material squares. 

24.  A set of paper patty pans in bold colours

25.  Their very own dish mop or brush

26.  A set of teatowels, a baking bowl and measuring cups

27.  An apron and oven mitten set, made by you or a friend in their favourite colour

28.  A child sized wheelbarrow or rake

29.  A heap of different sized bowls for the sand pit (Think Op shop)

30.  A pile of cool and funky material offcuts. Tidy the edges up, neatly fold and wrap with raffia for a cute gift of creative possibility

31.  A felt keyring in their favourite motif that they can attach to their school bag or lunch tin to help them identify their things

32.  Herb starter pots- basil, oregano, lemongrass, chives, parsley are all popular to use in dinner dishes and are easy to grow and care for

33.  A child size broom for sweeping

34.  Their own eco-friendly window washing/soapy bubbles set.  Moondew children love this task so their own cleaning tray (those ones with the carry handle) filled with a spray bottle, small sponges, chammy cloth and 'bubble' solution could be lots of fun.

35.  An amber necklace or bracelet

36.  A groovy stationery set- letter paper, stamps, envelopes and ways to make them individualised and full of funk!  Squirter pens, paint brushes and paint washes or twist up crayons are fun tools to use

37.  A set of oil pastels and a tin to keep them in

38.  A homemade set to make pompoms. You'll need balls of wool, cardboard circles, a pair of scissors, a finished pom pom so they know what it looks like and tying string.

39.  A circle paper punch and a sampler of colourful paper so they can cut out circular nametags, book cover nameplates or make a sculpture of hanging 3D paper balls

40.  Wooden kitchen utensils just for them- wooden spoon, mallet, whisk, pastry brush  and a rolling pin(Ned will wake up to this on Christmas morning). You might add a child friendly cook book. Pick one up in great condition in your local op shop. 

41.  A coin purse with a variety of coins from different countries

42.  A pair of binoculars and a pass to the local observatory or planetarium

43.  Their own set of hair shampoo and conditioner

44.  A new hairbrush

45.  A set of old vintage keys on big jangly ring.  Imagine the fun and creativity in discovering what the keys may have been used for.  Mystery and mayhem

46.  A handwritten icecream recipe, an icecream scoop tied with a ribbon bow and a handmade voucher for buying all the ingredients to make it.  Try the recipe in the book, Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon.

47.  Revamped bedside lamp covers.  Bring a bit of life to old style.  Find a how-to in the library craft section.

48.  Make them a picnic cutlery set from an old linen tablecloth.  Sew up enough pockets for knife, fork, spoon and napkin then roll it all up.  A length of twisted rope can be attached to the final product to tie it up for portability. 

49.  A new hat.  Baseball cap, or sun hat, or sun visor or water resistant sunshade, there are plenty of options.  Try your local market for inspiration.

50.  A set of train/boat/plane/steamtrain tickets (depending on your locality and cash flush-ness!). One of my favourite memories is being 15 and taking a Mystery flight with my friend Rebecca. We ended up in Cairns (about 30 hours north of here) for the day and went snorkeling under a blue summer sky on Green Island. Just that morning, we'd left the cold and pouring rain! But the greatest thing about the trip was the feeling we were trusted and the "grown-up-ness" of the adult-less air travel!   Taking your children on short trips now is the best way I know to excite and inspire world travellers! This is truly a gift for life!!!!

Remember that someone wise once said, the journey means as much as the destination!

Happy Alternative Gift Giving!!

I'd love to compile a list of your fab ideas too. 

Write your favourite gift giving tip/gift/ guide here.

Let's share some gift giving love around the world!!

Where to buy eco-friendly, timber or handmade toys for children

In 2006, I was lucky enough to purchase the most glorious wee felt folk in a seedpod shaped hanging bag from a business called The Friendship Tree
Started by two sisters, Kim and Donna, in Melbourne many years ago, their work is divine and has inspired many a toadstool house, I'm sure!
The girls have a broad range of wooden toys, wee felt folk, playmats, accessories for storytelling and things to decorate children's bedrooms. But you may find, as I did, that your purchase feeds the child within you and you can't bear to part with it!  Luckily, there are plenty of choices, just perfect for imaginative play.

Three Sisters Toys is another favourite of mine for all kinds of things. I'm coveting the little cuckoo whistle for under $5. What a great stocking filler! And with the strength of the Aussie dollar, there are plenty of bargains to be had. (Not so green of me, I know, with air miles and carbon output, but the same product here has already travelled the same distance, and sometimes the retailer wants double the price.)

Bright Buttons Toys is a new find.  These guys had a stall at the Mathilde's Markets and I was loving the home corner toys especially.  They are not things I might normally find in my kindergarten, especially if I am hopeful (and supportive) that children will use their own imaginative energy to 'create' or find something they can use to represent a teapot, cup, sugar, teabag, kitchen, shop etc, but older children (6 +) sometimes want or need something more tangible/supportive during their final stage of transition from kindergartener to primary school child. 

For those families who know their children are going to be given toys for gifts, it helps to be able to point family and friends in the direction of something you might think is suitable for their play, even if you wouldn't necessarily purchase it yourself.  I'd much rather Ned have a gorgeous cloth teepee cubby, a cute timber kitchen and baking set, a french knitting kit in the shape of a Queen, or a sustainable bamboo truck than cheap and cheerful plastic rubbish, wouldn't you?   And I'll be doubly pleased by their efforts to support the creative raising of my eco-aware children.  Win win!

Children can never pass up a set of sweet timber animals, can they?
Toys 4 Tot has well priced sets of cows, echidnas, polar bears, lions, geese on a pond, a forest set, a farm set, a horse set, and wooden fences. Some are nicer than others. I particularly love the cows and the horses. In comparison to other wooden animals/sets I know of, these prices are realistic and affordable and are value for money.
They also sell the musical twirl- a tree shaped musical instrument that is played by rolling a marble/s down from the top. I bought one of these about 12 years ago for my school, and a more commercial version for myself about 6 years ago, but I havent seen them again since. This one is pretty cool and a funky accessory for bedrooms in later years. Just be sure to keep marbles out of reach, unless under supervision.

I really love Gary's creations at Bentsticks . I've posted about his exquisite work before, but if you haven't stopped by or had an excuse to buy before, Christmas might be the perfect opportunity.

Check out the delightful Pixie doors.  Children can build their own block creations and pop these into their play for that little bit of elf fantasy.  As a child, I would have fallen in love with this!  My love of all things beautiful is one thing, but being a practical taurus too, the Pixie Bookends really catch my attention.  Yes, my attention. Somehow, I dont think, even with good intention, that these would last long in either of my children's rooms. Nope, I'd have to snaffle them! But get in quick... I can't imagine Gary has too many pieces left as he has just completed a run of fetes.

I've saved my newest favourite until last, and unfortunately only Gold Coast locals will be able to access these great toys. Made by a local Grandpa, "Flash Toys" are cars and trucks ranging from $10 for a small car to $50 for the big solid walled truck as shown. There are concrete trucks, aeroplanes, helicopters, utes, short semi's and one big long semi that even has its own ramp, and a place to put the ramp when you 'drive'. Honestly, in all my years searching for well made, durable cars and trucks in plain timber, these trucks top the list BY A LONG SHOT!

 (This is Ned's Christmas present from Santa! The Moondew cars, also from Flash toys, can fit right inside the Pantec trailer.  How neat!)

 The trucks and cars are designed with moving parts. 
Knobs to turn gates shut, levers to lift trays and rotors to twirl.

 This one already belongs to Ned.  The tray lifts and tilts and the tailgate folds down.
Bek and the girls from Fingerprints gave this to him for his birthday and it is one of his favourites.

The only way to purchase a Flash Toy is to head to Carrara Markets, either Saturdays or Sundays, on Nerang-Broadbeach Road.  (Australian readers might try calling 07 55 311 335 to enquire about postage to your bit of the world).   Visit the big shed in the old part of the market, and you'll find the shop "Carol's Craft" on the left side.  Take your fancy.  Make sure you say hi for me!