Happy Spring!

Happy Vernal Equinox to all!

Although most members of the Collective are still buried in snow, we can still dream of the nice weather to come.  Take heart, my friends.  The spring weather will get here eventually and bring with it all the lovely things we have missed so desperately this winter.

PS: the picture above is from last year and the inspiration for this piece:

which will be coming with me to the Carlisle Country Craft and Old-Fashioned Market Mercantile for those who want to see it in person.

A DIY project

If you have had a chance to go into the Rural Creators' Collective lately, you may have noticed this canoe full of branch slices by the check out counter (by Greg Hughes of Full Circle Woodworks).

On first glance, you may think they are just gift tags, but they can be so much more.

With a little modge podge and an old picture book, you can customize them for any occasion.

You can leave yourself an inspiring message.

You can rubber stamp them to create original tags, or a child's memory game.

Another version of memory...a learning tool to help young children learn their letters 

(or numbers matched with dots).

You can play with them to create wreaths, flowers, and other combinations for natural decor for your home.

13 of them will create a "perpetual calendar".

My favourite...a countdown to a special occasion (birthday?) where each day your child finds the countdown number somewhere in the daily routine...maybe by a toothbrush, with a snack, on their pillow...

Yesterday, while I was preparing the pictures for this post, my youngest son walked in and immediately started rearranging letters to make words.  It quite surprised me as I thought this would be a great activity for much younger children.  I think I may need to make him a full set and see what random words I find around the house.

Have fun creating!

Linking up with: Keep Calm Craft On over at Frontier Dreams 

                         Backyard Farming Connection

Eco-friendly holiday ideas

It's October 25th.  Two months until Christmas.  So - today I have something a little different for you today... a selection of eco-friendly or natural holiday ideas.

Toss a hand knit washcloth and handcrafted bar of soap into an antique mason jar for a super quick last minute gift.  I cut a bar in half to fit in the mouth of my jar, but depending on the container you use, you may be able to add it in whole.  Second hand shops often have great glass containers that would be great for this.

Bake up a giant muffin in an oven safe pottery bowl for a twist on the standard holiday fruit bread.  Gift it with a cutting board and tea towel, or...

...wrap it up with a mug, some tea, and some in-season fruit for a great gift basket with something different and unexpected.  (If you happen to be using one of Remembrances' bowls, the giant muffin serves 4 - and there is still one left in the shop if you like this idea and don't have a bowl that would work).

Chop a log into varying heights, add some candles, pine cones, and if you choose, some greenery or flowers and you have a nearly instant holiday display that can last you from now until the end of winter.  Don't have the time, tools, or inclination to chop up a log?  There happen to be some lovely large wood slices in the shop that would work beautifully for this, and Tara has some great scented candles in jars that could complete the look.