Indigo Inspirations Rainbow Horse Giveaway Winner

The winner of Indigo Inspirations   Rainbow Horse is

My Little Roses
What a beautiful givaway my daughters friend has two of these and she would just love one for her birthday! Would love to be in this one! We have just been shopping at indigo inspirations, what a treat for winter Yay!


My Little Roses, please email me your postal details and include your choice of colour for the Galloping Horse kit and we'll send it out to you!
amber.greene@hotmail.com


Congratulations!

Thank you so much to everyone for entering.
Both Jo and I have had lovely fun reading all your comments!!
Rainbow horses seem to capture that little child in all of us.

Thanks again for entering and hope to see you back here really soon!!

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MamaMoontime in the Sunday Mail

Hopefully, this article might inspire other mama's (and women of all ages) to find or make something similar in their local communities. Imagine the power of a bunch of young crafty chicks? They would be building something solid and stable for their life journey, don't you think?

 I really do believe that if every mama had their own creative tribe, building purposefulness  and meaningfulness into their lives through craft and artistic pursuits (whatever they may be), there would extra happy bunches of mama's and women in the world!

(We might even see lowered rates of post-natal depression?)

 I'm hopeful.  Are you? 

Monster Truck Day Out

Want to know the way to a little boy's heart?

Just organise a visit to the local council's

Monster Machinery Day!

Ned was in truck-heaven!!!

And I now have about 15 new words to add to my rapidly growing "truck-centred" vocabulary.

Who would have ever thought of this benefit when giving birth to a boy?

:)

Our local council organises this sensational display of all their machinery once a year,

 and invite all the local children to come and try out their machines.

They can sit in the big trucks and machines, chat to the drivers, push and pull levers, press horns (I think most of the parents would agree that we could do without this one!), run up and down ramps, climb ladders, pop into boats, stand on kanga's, listen to 'truck' inspired musical showcases, try to win truck-inspired prizes, ride mini-trucks, jump on a jumping castle, dig in a monstrous sandpit, see excavators at work and the best bit- 

it is all for free!

Even the parking!

There were mosquito-larvae hunting land-mobiles, garbage trucks (Ned's favourite is the recycling truck), bobcats, diggers, graders, rollers, midgie zapping boats, dump trucks, car transporters, horse floats, tractors, grass mowing trucks, road sweepers, hedge clipping machines, big trucks, little trucks and all the ones in between, an educational composting-how-to van, beach tractors, quad bikes, SES vehicles and others I can't even recall!

Ned's big sister was a joyful companion for the truck adventure. 

And Grandpa too. 

I loved this- a tip truck slide!

Who needs a playground???

For a truck mad boy like mine, this day was long awaited and much appreciated. 

Do you have something like this in your local area?

Or perhaps something just as fun?

Tell me more!!

(and if not, why not post a suggestion to your local council?? 

Imagine the fun you too could have!)

Just for today!

9 days ago, I stopped eating sugar. 

All sugar.

No chocolate, no cakes, no biscuits, no ice cream, no yogurt, no lollies, not even honey or maple syrup.

Nil, nada, nought, nothing. Zip. Diddly-squat.

It's not an easy task as not only is sugar in the fun stuff,
(and my favourite recipes to collect- I have folders full!!!)
it's also in most everyday foods, even the organic stuff.
So it is pretty much back to basics- full fat versions of cheese, meat, dairy, vegetables and a little bit of fruit (the fibre in whole fruit helps to digest the frustose). 

Whilst I'm hoping one plus will be a few pesky kilos disappearing,
removing sugar is more about long-term health and vitality (and diabetes prevention).
  I've done it before, (7 YEARS of NO chocolate at all!!!! Sad but true ) but let sugar creep back in and cravings returned with a vengeance when I broke the chocolate drought in 2010! 

But you know what has been my breakthrough in getting over the cravings...

The idea of a 'One Day Diet'.

I read the article "Dr Oz One Day Diet" by Dr Mehmet Oz in a recent Good Housekeeping and it is full of good tips.
But it is more the IDEA of a one day diet that I like!

Anyone can do anything for ONE DAY.
(or sometime during that 'one day').

Whether that is to eat well, stop worrying, exercise, practice being more loving to our children, speak only kind and positive words, refrain from gossip,  massage your husband's back, or ring your mum, if we can think of it as a renewable task with an element of choice in a conservative time-frame,
somehow it seems much much easier, don't you think??

I can easily overcome my cravings for sugar if it is just for one day.  No worries.

This One-Day habit can become a principle to also inspire our creative practice.
We can all make a commitment to do something, one little creative thing, today.
And the days add up.  Even if we only spend 5 minutes each day,
our long held dream of a 'beloved t-shirt and fave fabric scrap' quilt will soon be accomplished,
and sitting pretty on our bed!
A page a day of our scrapbook and the family album will be done.
Reading one article or writing 500 words for our graphic design course, or 20 sentences of our screenplay, or 3 pages of our novel-
yep, can do it today for sure.

Some of you may remember that I have 'Carpe Diem' tattooed on my foot.
'Seize the Day'.
It is there to remind me, (and I need reminding often!).
Won't you join me?

Yep, today we can seize the day, and we will!

SALUTATION TO THE DAWN
by the famous Indian dramatist, Kalidasa.

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities# and realities of your existence


*The bliss of growth
*The glory of action
*The splendour of achievement


For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision
But today well lived makes yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!
Such is the salutation to the dawn. 

#verities= truths, principles

Scott Wade, Dirty Car Artist

More than anything in the world, I LOVE people who have a special kind of creative talent.

It might be cutting vegetables into artistic shapes, creating houses from empty soft-drink bottles for homeless in Haiti, a girl who made a prototype for a stylish jacket filled with LED lights for night-time return bike rides (as you know, her bike lights kept getting stolen), making solar powered sculptures of 'trees' for street lighting... anything really that puts good thinking to use. 

I want to give a shout out to more of these kinds of people at MamaMoontime more regularly.

They are changing our world, making us see things differently and help us to believe that we too, might have a unique talent (we all do!!).  They inspire us to find that spark inside and start using it daily. 

Artists in daily life.

I really like Scott Wade.  He took an age old problem, that of 'dirty car windows' and with a twist, found a new creative solution!!  He made the dirty car window his canvas, and look what he does!

(Images with thanks and permission of Scott)

These images don't do his work justice (due to their limited size)
 but hopefully this taste will inspire you to pop over to his site Dirty Car Art
and check out his gallery in full splendid glory!!!

Honestly, it will blow your socks and shoes off!!

Mona Lisa/Starry Night

Detail of Mona Lisa/Starry Night 

Trapped!

**My gosh, how you'd laugh if you came up behind this one!!**

Be sure to view "Birth of Venus" and "Einstein and Edison"  and if you are a soccer fan, don't miss "Ronaldinho".  

But the one that really tickled my fancy?

The reproduction of John William Waterhouse's 19th century depiction of "Hylas and the Nymphs".

Truly amazing!!!

(Compare it to the original in Wikipedia for proof!)

Thanks, Scott. 

You brighten up the world just that little bit more with your take on life and art. 

Do you know of any cool creative stuff being done in your world?

Send me the link!! and do tell me what you think about Scott's work too!

Giveaway: Make your own Rainbow Horse Kit

Sponsor Giveaway

The lovely Jo, from Indigo Inspirations , is excited to offer MamaMoontime readers a wonderful giveaway.  Thank you, Jo. 

A RAINBOW HORSE KIT

The lucky winner will receive an all-inclusive kit to make their very own rainbow horse.

(Actually, Jo kindly suggested that the winner might like to choose their own colour- either rainbow, or pink, brown or white as pictured above.  Ooohhh, a choice! Even more fun!) 

All kits are made with hand painted wool felt and hand painted wool, have wool fleece for stuffing and and have detailed instructions.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment here.

The giveaway is open until Tuesday 31st May, at 5pm AEST and the winner will be announced on Wednesday the 1st of June, the first day of winter (summer). 

One entry/comment per person.

The winner's name will be posted here, and at MamaMoontime on Facebook.

(Not a facebook fan yet?  Search MamaMoontime and click 'like' to join up)

The giveaway is open to everyone, both in Australia and overseas. 

Jo has an  Indigo Inspirations Etsy Shop too, filled with lovely things.

Hand dyed wool, silk and wool felt in the most edible of colours, wood and wire figures, craft kits perfect for birthday presents, scarfs, toys, books and the cutest toadstool knitting nancy too!

Why not stop by and say hi?

Don't forget to leave a comment and tell your crafty friends too!

Eating the fruits and vegetables of the season

I love receiving my Food Connect   box of fruits and vegies each week.
They are super fresh and delicious and chemical-free.
One happy mama.

But, stupidly, even more than that, I love the weekly 'farmletter'!

It is so joyful -yes, really joyful- to know who is growing the food and where it comes from.
I feel a real sense of community.
But more than that, it makes me realise that the big myth of supermarkets has me, and mostly everyone else, fooled.

Here is an example of some info from this week's letter that opened my eyes further...

"... unfortunately, the snow peas and zucchinis at Allen and Wendy's farm have succumbed to the frost and they will not be able to send any... the same chill has slowed the zucchini of Russell and Maryanne so they may not have many for us after picking on Monday. They are still picking from farm blocks that were planted during the January rains. These blocks are yielding lower than usual and the veges are of lower quality- the effects of the heavy rain are still being felt in the soil on many farms.  The same goes for Steve and Janine- they are getting back into harvesting in full. Soon, they will be on newly planted blocks and we will hopefully see beautiful capsicums in the boxes as a result as winter approaches. The other effect of the cold has been on corn, which has only reached half size so is not ready for this week's boxes".


But to look at the shelves in the fruit and veg section, you'd never know the challenges that farmers face on a daily basis.


Makes me wonder too, WHERE  in the world they are getting their produce, and how??
Perfectly formed, evenly coloured, no blemishes on the majority of the fruits-
 just a uniformity that is a little scary!
Not only that, the shelves are filled to the brim each and every single week with their full complement of fruit and veg.
 It seems we can (grow and) buy beetroot, leek, capsicum, turnip, zucchini, squash, lemons, oranges and mandarins all year round.
Unlike these farmers, it doesn't seem to matter much what the weather is doing.
There is rarely a bare shelf.  Do they have a box of magic tricks, or a wizard working behind the scenes?

There is more.
"This week, Eric has fantastic mandarins and oranges for the kids lunch boxes.  The citrus industry obtained permission to expand the use of fungicides in the 2010/2011 season due to the wet conditions causing outbreaks of fungal diseases like brown spot.  Eric went down a different path by trying tea compost to control these issues and has suffered high fruit loss.  He has issued us a challenge to not judge an orange by its cover, so let's order up big on extra oranges"

A plea like this makes you want to help, doesn't it.
And I just love the intentions of these folk- trying all kinds of things to ensure their food remains chemical free for us to eat.

The farmletter links me to the land and my food like never before.
I get a real picture of what is in season, and fresh,
and a lesson in avoiding the foods that may have been in cold storage for months.

In the coming weeks, there will be offerings of lemonade fruit, nutrient dense broccoli, cabbages, carrots, onions and perhaps tomatoes if the weather improves.

I feel myself becoming excited at the prospect of such wintery abundance!

Transforming gun play, Part Two.

A few days ago, I wrote an article about the idea of 'transforming' gun (and sword) play.

Interestingly, someone found the idea that I would want to change a child's gun play (and therefore, something that arises from their true nature) into something else, a little bit offensive.
(This was interesting to hear, not least because in my examples of transforming gun play, the children were still playing guns, just not killing each other!)

"This is interesting to me. you have seen that it is nature not nurture. in fact, most child studies have shown this to be the case (kids never exposed to guns will pick up objects and use them as such) however you (and many others) want to change it. Why? if your child were gay would you change that? No, I dare say most people would embrace that and be proud that they could. However, in the interest of being all new agey and loving...you try to change your child's true nature. Thereby giving it a definition of being bad. An inherent part of your child. ! Does this bother no one else???

How about just showing them the proper way to use a gun? How about not making a big issue out of it? How about loving all parts of your child even though that may be less than acceptable but are them, their nature? 

I am certainly not a gun toting conservative but it seems to me a double standard. I would rather love all parts of my child, especially those inherently him, and help him to see how good they all are, then change them"

I love it when someone, anyone, brings me another point of view.

The last thing I ever want in my life is to be stuck, dogmatic, inflexible.

In fact, I strive hard to practice stretching -a kind of yoga of sorts :) - in my thinking every day.

I read from a wide variety of sources (from The New Yorker, to Women's Weekly, Whole living to Vogue, Organic Gardener to Grass Roots, Architectural Digest to the 'trashies', wonderful bits of fluff that they are!- anything that catches my eye). 

 I regularly, weekly, walk out from the library with at least 20 things. 

I actively seek out documentaries, but love You Tube too, and foreign films and thought-provoking movies. 

(but romantic comedies are my favourite!) 

I mix with a wide variety of people, of all ages, from all walks of life. 

But someone else's opinion can open your thinking in a way that other fodder can't.

Thank you.

BUT

I have given this more thought than usual.

And you know, as much as I might be called a 'hippie' type, or positive thinking, or do-gooder, 

or even new-agey or loving.....

(and in this world of negativity, I'm actually proud of that. Well, maybe not 'new-agey'- it is a bit too mung-bean for me but 'conscious' I'd try on for size ).....

I do think we do children a service (not a disservice) to help them find their way in the world.

I think there might be other examples that might better illustrate this.

So, if a child's inherent true nature is something to be loved and respected and seen as good, 

and not changed, but embraced and valued by the parents, 

what happens to those children born with a congenital heart defect, or a lazy eye, or an inability to read, or autism, or a birth mark across their cheek?

 Should we leave the child as they are and not try to change them?

Isn't our job as parents to actively try to support and change and alter things to make that child's life easier?

To help them along the way, to smooth the bumps, to soften the falls (not too much, but at least a little).

I think we can see gun play in much the same way.

Gun play can lead to the child being labelled or seen as aggressive, or troublesome, or a bully (especially if their gun play is impacting upon their peers).

 It can be intimidating and scary and loud.

So, why wouldn't we help and support the child to make other choices?

(And on another note, who is to know whether the gun-play is innate, 

or comes through exposure to guns in the home, on the tv or social environment in which the child lives?  Unfortunately, in some cases, the play does comes through direct imitation.

Some would suggest 'playing it out' would be more therapeutic, but what about the other children in the group?) 

It really is a difficult one, isn't it!  With NO easy answers.

I suppose in essence, the art of 'transformation' is to remedy or bear out external behaviours, which may be causing difficulties to the child or to you as a parent or teacher, rather than innate characteristics.  If gun play isn't causing difficulties, then there would be no need for transformation. 

 But my experience tells me that it often does. 

What are your thoughts???

Seaworld Castaway Bay Climbing Net Playground

How cool is this?

I just wanted to jump in there- never mind the kids!

The right hand side is definitely for the big kids, or the young at heart!

These rope bridges and chutes were pretty high!

But on the left side, there was the most fantastic playground of slides, climbing nets, places to jump through, slide through, slip through, sneak under and around.

A veritable movement game if I ever saw one!

My little man (and big man) didn't want to leave.

And neither did I.

We'll be back for sure. 

Outside playgrounds and Outdoor classrooms. What do young children really need?

(Moondew children in outdoor play action!)

I really liked this post (below) by Teacher Tom.

River Keeps on Rolling on Teacher Tom's blog
is about the industrious activity of the children in his outdoor classroom.
It is worth a read, especially to check out the pictures of the children in action.

Play for children really is their work, don't you think?

And we see this more than ever in a slightly dishevelled outdoor environment than one that is perfectly pristine.

Health and safety concerns, and rules, rules and more rules are meaning more and more children NEVER get to see real grass, or dirt, or sand, or mucky water.

Last weekend, there was a bus tour that took a large group of kindergarten teachers and staff visiting a number of local childcare centres and preschools.  

Some of the participants joined the tour because they wanted to see a centre with 'real grass'!

I mean, can you believe it?? 

Years ago, when we moved from our old tin-shed kindergarten room (you wouldn't have known, it was beautiful!) into our new purpose-built rooms, the playground was made up of a MASSIVE shaded (but not waterproof) sandpit, a climbing dome and one simple fort, surrounded by an expanse of real grass on both sides. 

But the children had almost nothing to do!

The newly planted trees in this space (the original trees were cut down in the building process- thoughtful and considerate and forward thinking of the builders, don't you think?) were of no use as shade, and it was hot, hot, hot, so we reverted to taking the double group up to the old kindy yard.  There wasn't much left there- a few old pots and pans, and large rocks from the creek and leftover logs- no grass, no fort, no climbing dome, no sandpit- just weeds and bare ground were on offer. Yet, the children jumped in with gusto, and never wanted to leave!!

They made cakes and stews, porridge and pies, stirred their creations over man-made 'fires' and climbed on the very small hills as explorers. They became archeologists and explorers, digging for bones of long lost dinosaurs, and gem collectors on a mission to find the gnomes crystals.   They made leaf boats, and stone sculptures and if we gave them a bit of wool, they finger knitted fishing rods and skipping ropes. 

Scrap material and bits of felt were rolled into sushi, and tied with vines.  They picked 'flowers' and set up beautiful displays on the window ledges of their log cubbies.  

They often sang as they worked.  

 I never saw such rich play in the newly minted space.

Whilst the pure white beach-sand filled sandpit was always a hive of activity, not a lot of action happened outside this space.  Many of the children sat on chairs under the shaded awning and read books, or drew pictures, or helped the teacher. Sometimes, they lined up to skip in the large rope.
But self-directed, independent imaginative play that grew and morphed and spewed out... not a lot.

There was a lovingly engineered 'creek', a man-made offering of a concrete weir filled with stones, with pedestrian 'bridges' at either end.
For the water to run, it needed to be turned on and off at the switch by the adult teachers,
and monitored for health and safety and cloaked in rules.

Whilst it looked great, children weren't always inclined to play there, except the odd child who seemed content to throw the stones! 

The artificial creek never had the same pull as the real one that ran behind our old space.  Children often stood near the imposing wire-mesh gate during outdoor play and peered at the bush track which would lead them down a slight hill to the creek bed.  Audibly plaintive sighs were a common occurrence if it wasn't a 'creek' day!

The children never needed a single toy or piece of equipment or tool down at the creek.  The rocks and stones and leaves and fallen branches were their greatest ally.

And often, they were content just to dip their toes in, or jump from side to side across the 15cm trickle!

Oh, it was a joyous time!

Have you had similar experiences???
Tell me your stories!

How to make a Birthday Medallion Necklace

No crowns for our birthday children this year.

Nope.  The children are gifted instead with a beaded medallion necklace.

The medallion itself is a felt version of their Moondew symbol. 

The beads are threaded onto a long length of coloured ribbon via a needle. 

I cut out the basic shapes of their symbol and stitch them to a circle of felt. 

I add embellishments with embroidery and then glue a second, slightly larger felt circle to the back to keep it all neat and tidy.   

The medallion is stitched to the centre of the bead necklace through and around the ribbon. 

I rather like these.

It is such an honour to place it around the child's neck during the ceremony.

It kind of feels like I am 'knighting' them!

And I hear that they like them too!

Periwinkle Preschool Gorgeous Revamped Playground!

Paved play area

Sandpit

Fort and slide

Tree swing

Vegie patch and soon-to-be mudpatch!

Yes!!! Mudpatch for digging!!!

Lucky children. 

Balance Beam

Swings and Flying Fox

Water pump for children to pump their own water for play from the well-hidden water tank 

designated just for this purpose.

Climbing net 

Climbing dome

And a trampoline.

Doesn't it just look like juicy, succulent fun?

Our first mandarin!

When we first moved in to this house, we held a housewarming party and our friends, Sarah and Yochai gave us a mandarin tree.

My husband planted it, but with each development of his rock-scape landscaping work, the tree needed transplanting three times.   We weren't sure it would survive, but survive it did!

And it has just fruited for the first time!!!

Three mandarins- sadly, eager toddler hands pulled off two of the fruits before they reached their fullest potential, but one remains and has begun to ripen.

Exciting.

Maybe in a week or two, it will be ready to eat.

Yum!

How to stop 'gun' play in young children

In my many years of working with young children, I have learned to 'look behind' outward behaviours to try to understand the archetype of what a particular behaviour might really be about.

When I have an inkling of what the child might be striving for with a particular play style or game, it can be a dual win.  My understanding (and love for) of a particular child deepens, AND I am given insights that may help me to creatively support this health-giving opportunity. 

But, one of the most difficult things to work with is 'gun play', and its cousin, sword play. (Superhero play has elements of this also, in the attempts to 'kill off' the baddies all kinds of 'violent'- looking scenarios are created). 

It is difficult in the fact that this kind of play happens mostly with boys, and can be outwardly 'aggressive' to look at, but also that it is the one thing that most parents fear, or dislike and want transformed in any way, shape or form possible.  And do it quickly! 

I believe Gun play, whether it is cowboys and indians, or 'shoot 'em up' style battles, is more strongly nature, than nurture.  All kinds of children - even those brought up in the most loving, tv-free, video-free, computer-game free, water-pistol free, happy, harmonious households - play guns. 

I watched in true disbelief the other week at Moondew when Ned took one of our large wooden pegs (about the size of an adult's hands) and picked up a green rectangular block, and it instantly became a pistol.  Wow. I thought.  It lives in him too. 

How do we manage these things, especially when they present difficulties to others?

We can make rules.  

"There are no guns/swords in this house. Guns/swords only hurt people".

That works, sometimes. 

But sometimes not. And may push it underground, just out of sight.

We can refuse to buy gun or sword toys.

But they'll be given them for presents, or make their own.

All they need to do is to find a L shaped stick and there it is.

But one of the most helpful ways I have learned is to 'transform' it.

We have had 'guns' that could shoot out 'mortar' when building a brick house (cubby) in play. Very focused, specific use there!

Or in the case of a 'fire rescue'.  The water gun saved the day!

We have had a gun that streamed a rainbow in the corner of our garden one misty day, and also one that could be used to capture the glory of the sun to help us light our winter lanterns with its stored flame.  

Mostly, after a short while of using this newly-transformed and full of imagination power 'gun', the gun is "put away" happily, to be safely stored until they are needed again. (but mostly forgotten!)

(Many times, this is a metaphorical action, rather than a real one).

The act of allowing 'gun play' in a measured, contained scenario supported by an kind and helpful adult for a short (5-10 minute) period can be an astute decision in raising good-natured, cooperative children.
It is the old 'win, win'.  Don't you think?

Sword play can be transformed in the same way.

My friend Jen just wrote about her son Kaelan, "Sir Wonderful" and their creative use of a 'sword' as a behaviour management tool.  It is a great article.  Why not pop by to read their story?

But I also love this one.

I found the picture book, "The Sunflower Sword", written by Mark Sperring and illustrated by Miriam Latimer, in my local library and I LOVE it!

It begins...

"In this land, there lived a knight who wanted to be big like the other knights, and fight like the other knights and have a sword like the other knights.

But his mother said he couldn't"


As part of her striving to search deeply for a truth behind the veil, and understand his bottomless desire for a sword, she asks him why he wants a sword and he simply answers...

"To whoosh and swoosh in the air"

(Oh, to understand their inner workings!  Sometimes, we SHOULD just ask!!)

With that in mind, she sets out to find a creative solution!

(I won't tell you anymore, but really, this book is a worthy investment if you have boys who want to woosh and swoosh- perhaps you too, can use her idea!)

Anyway, I will now pop this little story up in a tiny pocket of the brain, ready to pull out this transforming strategy should the need arise.

Thank you, Mark and Miriam.
This book really made me smile!!

The extra special touch- that all important ingredient for childcare

Ned is beginning his foray into Early Childhood Education with one day per week at my friend Gabi's DreamArt House Family Day care. 

It has been a VERY BIG decision, as I have always planned to have him at home with me until school, but I need to finish some writing work that is seriously overdue and just not getting finished in spits and spurts.  

You might know that I'm not a big fan of "childcare" at all.  I know there are great centres, and some overwhelmingly fantastic people working in childcare, and owners and directors who breathe their work.    But I'm still not a fan.  I'm reluctant to go too deeply into my beliefs here because I completely understand that sometimes we don't have a choice- mortgages have to be paid, food needs to be put on the table, bills keep arriving almost daily.  Sacrifices (whether that it is to put your child in care, or have a husband who works away, or put holiday trips on the back burner) have to be made no matter what choice is made.

(Sometimes, some of us do have a choice, but that is another matter altogether).  

But one thing I will say it that for most children, there is NO substitute for mum or dad, even if you don't cook, paint, sing, or teach them the alphabet each and every day.

In the big picture, simply through osmosis, children learn from us everyday - when we write lists, when we talk on the phone, have friends over to visit, go food shopping, scan the library, play at the park.  Children socialise and meet children in many of these places, and we can make new friends too.  The very best education they receive from us is when WE look to ourselves and our own behaviours to make sure we are really up to the job- that we talk to them as we go about our day and strive as much as possible to include them in our tasks.  We might strive not to swear or get too upset or annoyed by the crappy things that sometimes happen in life when they are in our presence (saving the sharing of our frustrations until after they are in bed) AND we might try to do a little something WITH them everyday- read two or three books, or make dinner, or push them on a swing or share a morning cup of warm milky tea or build  a block farm with them for 10 minutes.  A few minutes of your undivided attention is gold. 

But, when we have to work, 

we have to make our choices about who to leave our precious little ones with.  

We have to decide if we want them in a room of ten or twenty little children, in a family-like situation of four children with one 'house-mama', or with a beloved family member if we are so lucky.   We have to observe the carers, and determine whether caring for young children is their passion, or just a job that pays the bills.  The environment tells us a lot-  how well resourced the space is, how much love and care goes into looking after their things, the kinds of toys on offer, the type of language and tone of voice carers use around our children, how their art and folios are displayed in the room and the overall cleanliness of the room.  

But it is really in the little things.  These are the things that can make or break a child's willingness to spend time in the care environment.   

A daily handshake at the door, a cuddle each time they return home, the careful way they lay out (rather than throw -more common than you think!)  the rest-time beds and gently tuck in their blanket around the children as they prepare for sleep, the way they repack a child's bag with newly folded items at the end of each day, or a teacher's individual way of acknowledging the gifts of each child. 

My friend Gabi's devotion to children, and to her new family daycare adventure, really shone brightly today.  Ned came inside to find a small parcel on his bed.

When he opened it, inside was a little red and blue clothed teddy bear, holding a small scroll and with a picture necklace around his neck.  

When we unwound the scroll, we found a hand-written note explaining that this little bear, Dreamy Gentle Paws, had arrived to greet Ned today and accompany him on his new journey to DreamArt House later this week.

He also shared that the little picture around his neck (a truck- what a perfect fit!) is to be Ned's own symbol - a picture to help him identify where to put his bags, his shoes and his hat.  Dreamy's last words were that he would be a friend for Ned to cuddle at any time throughout the day.  A cuddle bear of his very own, helping Ned to feel safe, secure and happy with Miss Gabi when mummy goes to work. 

I was so moved by this thoughtful gesture that I couldn't help but have a few tears!

Gabi, you are a treasure and a wonder for parents who are a little bit nervous and anxious about leaving their bubba.  Your actions of love and care envelop the entire family and we feel so pleased to have you as Ned's first teacher. 

And by the way, 

Ned himself was delighted with his new friend! 

What is special about your child's carer or teacher?  

How do they demonstrate that special extra touch? 

How to make an Autumn faerie

Here is another way you can use pipe cleaners to make a simple dolly.

Wrap a small piece of pipe cleaner around a 1cm bead like so. 

Twist an arm piece around the stem and add two smaller beads for hands.

Twist the pipe around these and secure tightly.

Cut out this shape for the faerie dress. 

You can also taper the point of the dress shaped more like an autumn maple leaf. 

Place the dress over the head, and fold back the cuffs so the hands become visible. 

Stitch from the cuff, along the arm piece, and down until the midway point on the dress. 

Repeat both sides. 

Attach a long hanging string from the wire on the bead. 

Now, make the hair.

Plaits are cute!

Pull the piece into three and plait from each end. 

Place glue on the bead head, and thread the hanging string through the hair before securing in place. 

You might like to embellish with a sweet autumn leaf pocket. 

It looks just right to hold a gumnut teacup!

Why not try hanging a few on a naked branch outside on your favourite maple tree?

They also make enchanting pocket friends, and do love to jump into birthday treat bags.