waldorf mama

around the house...

as we were making our weekly commute to austin yesterday, about half way through the trip...i realized i left my camera at home! so over the next few days i'll be including in my posts here previous photos i've taken but haven't yet shared. little snippets and scenes from our home and life.

today's images are just a few from around our home...

kitchen table with art boards for drawing and drying watercolor paintings

mr sun, who greets guests at our front door

our much loved ostheimer doll house

a heartwood arts gnome house by our front door

home, sweet, home...

shelley

autumn home...

this weekend, we created our ostheimer autumn nature table scene - to honor the welcoming of autumn and celebrate this wonderful season in our home. even though this isn't a 'nature' table in the truest sense of the word, it is our autumn tableau and we like to add bits of nature as the season progresses...

and a few more bits of autumn goodness around our home...

'mother nature' joined us for a bit before sending her off to her new home!

some goodies from pia, my seasons round exchange partner

as we continue to welcome autumn!

shelley

michaelmas...

the autumn wind blows open the gate,

saint michael it is for you we wait.

we follow you, please show us the way...

with joy we greet this autumn day.

oh saint michael, god's great knight...

strong and pure and shining bright.

i'll be a knight of michael, too...

and polish my crown to a golden hue.

and ask the gnomes to iron the mine,

iron from the stars and the earth so fine.

to bring to the blacksmith, who with his might...

will make me a sword, so strong and bright.

i'll polish by sword so fine and bright,

and i will use it for the right.

drive evil away, i will try

and protect those who are weaker than i.

rainbow thursday...

more rainbow love...

ostheimer snow white and the seven dwarves

rainbow tapestry by crazy momma productions

rainbow wool yarn by fabulosity

my rainbow girl...

join me for the conclusion of rainbow week tomorrow!

shelley

her room...

a few things from maya's room that are making me smile today...

our lovely tapestry banner custom made by crazy momma productions, handcarved wooden frames from nova natural, framed prints from my favorite waldorf artist ~ ruth elsasser

windowsill guardian angel print (also by ruth elsasser), small wooden ostheimer angels

ostheimer music box

yours in the beauty of handmade goodness,

shelley

spring...

today marks the beginning of spring. the vernal equinox, when day and night are equal and balanced. and we look toward the growing light. although we celebrated the first promise of spring at candlemas, there were still nights of frost and darkness ahead. now spring is manifest. as dawn is the time of new light, so is the spring equinox the time of new life.

our spring nature table...

yours in celebration of spring!

shelley

the beauty that surrounds us...

often times when i am watching maya play with her wooden toys, i stand in awe of the beauty that surrounds her. and this, to me, is just as it should be. in fact, it is central to the waldorf philosophy. these toys and play things that are made by hand, using only natural materials, are instilled with a 'life force' that is not present in other kinds of toys.

i am often confronted with the notion that toys for children might get broken or damaged in some way with the sometimes robust and excited play they receive, so why should they be of good quality? but think of the message this instills. is their play, the true work of our children, not worthy of the best and highest quality play things we can provide for them? 

i'm sure we can all recall some of the toys we had as children ourselves. i know that i can. and they are included in some of the sweetest and most vibrant memories of childhood that i have. as a result, i have always wanted to surround my children with the most beautiful toys that i can...so that their memories will be full of these natural, important, and handmade things. rather than toys that are unimportant, inexpensive and replaceable.

and so to honor my children and these most significant childhood years, i choose to provide and surround them with beautiful and lovingly handmade toys. because this time is important. and they are worthy.

yours in the beauty of natural and handmade toys,

shelley