Saturday, October 18, 2008
Shrinkydink Necklace
Remember shrinky dinks? I made a necklace out of a picture Blackbird Jr drew of me, Mr Blackbird and Jr in our house.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Embroidered Baby Quilt
A baby quilt I made from the book Doodle Stitching. You can see more photos of the quilt, including progress shots in my flickr set for the quilt.
The whole quilt. It took me about a month to sew and embroider. I really love the pattern and would like to make another one sometime.
details:
Matching shoes and bib
The whole quilt. It took me about a month to sew and embroider. I really love the pattern and would like to make another one sometime.
details:
Matching shoes and bib
Outdoor Preschool in Canada
I love, love, love this idea. I wish I could send Blackbird Jr and he wishes he could go too. He figures our old house is getting broken down so we need a new one and maybe it could be in that city where the outside school is.
Outdoor Preschool
Children will play outside all day, rain or shine, in warm or wintry weather at Canada's first outdoor preschool.
The Carp Ridge Forest Pre-School promises its students few comforts like plastic toys, climate control, or electric power when it opens in about two months in Ottawa's rural western outskirts.
Instead, it boasts a garden, trails through the woods, and a tent-like shelter called a yurt, and aims to help children aged three to six connect with nature.
Marlene Power-Johnston, the school's coordinator said she was inspired to start the preschool while trying to find daycare for her 22-month-old daughter, Hazel Avery Johnston.
Preschool coordinator Marlene Power-Johnston said outdoor preschools have existed in Europe for decades.
"What I was really disenchanted by in other preschools was the lack of natural play space," said Power-Johnston. "The toys, the activities and the environment [are] institutionalized, and also very manufactured."
Power-Johnston learned that outdoor preschools have existed for decades in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and Ireland, and decided to try the idea in Canada.
"I really wanted my child to grow up with environmental principles …to be able to connect to nature and to grow that connection and the love for nature and from that connection," she said.
On Wednesday, Power-Johnston offered a tour of the preschool site at the Carp Ridge Ecowellness Centre, which features a natural health clinic and a learning centre surrounded by 77 hectares of woodland.
Accompanied by Hazel, who was dressed in red rubber boots and a bright yellow raincoat, she led the way along a leafy path among the trees toward the school's yurt, a tent-like shelter in the woods that will be used for storytime or naps. En route, Hazel stopped several times to collect stones and acorns.
A tent-like structure, called a yurt, will be used by preschoolers for storytime and naps.
The Ecowellness Centre building itself will be used by the pre-school during lightning storms or if the temperature drops below -10C, and will give its 10 students access to modern washrooms.
But most activities will take place outdoors or inside the yurt.
Power-Johnston said staff will do a safety check on the children daily to make sure the kids are dressed appropriately for the weather, and will counsel parents on what their children should wear.
As Power-Johnston was speaking to a CBC reporter, Hazel dodged back outside into the rain.
Her mother noted that most children, like Hazel, don't complain about the weather and European outdoor pre-schools actually have less access to shelter than hers will.
"Some of these societies … are a lot less risk averse and also are a lot less afraid about being outdoors in nature," she said.
Fewer sick days
Contrary to many parents fears, Power-Johnston said forest pre-schools in Europe report fewer sick days a year than indoor pre-schools.
Dr. Rachel Colley, an expert in childhood obesity at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, said she thinks the forest pre-school is an important step at a time when preschoolers are spending more and more time watching TV.
"We know that connecting with nature and getting outside is really important for both the physical development of children, and also their mental health and well-being," she said, adding that physical activity and healthy lifestyle behaviours are ingrained at a very young age.
Power-Johnston expects the Carp Ridge Forest Pre-School to be up and running in two months. As of Wednesday, two families had signed up and more are taking tours this week.
Story and photos via CBC
Outdoor Preschool
Children will play outside all day, rain or shine, in warm or wintry weather at Canada's first outdoor preschool.
The Carp Ridge Forest Pre-School promises its students few comforts like plastic toys, climate control, or electric power when it opens in about two months in Ottawa's rural western outskirts.
Instead, it boasts a garden, trails through the woods, and a tent-like shelter called a yurt, and aims to help children aged three to six connect with nature.
Marlene Power-Johnston, the school's coordinator said she was inspired to start the preschool while trying to find daycare for her 22-month-old daughter, Hazel Avery Johnston.
Preschool coordinator Marlene Power-Johnston said outdoor preschools have existed in Europe for decades.
"What I was really disenchanted by in other preschools was the lack of natural play space," said Power-Johnston. "The toys, the activities and the environment [are] institutionalized, and also very manufactured."
Power-Johnston learned that outdoor preschools have existed for decades in Germany, Denmark, the U.K., and Ireland, and decided to try the idea in Canada.
"I really wanted my child to grow up with environmental principles …to be able to connect to nature and to grow that connection and the love for nature and from that connection," she said.
On Wednesday, Power-Johnston offered a tour of the preschool site at the Carp Ridge Ecowellness Centre, which features a natural health clinic and a learning centre surrounded by 77 hectares of woodland.
Accompanied by Hazel, who was dressed in red rubber boots and a bright yellow raincoat, she led the way along a leafy path among the trees toward the school's yurt, a tent-like shelter in the woods that will be used for storytime or naps. En route, Hazel stopped several times to collect stones and acorns.
A tent-like structure, called a yurt, will be used by preschoolers for storytime and naps.
The Ecowellness Centre building itself will be used by the pre-school during lightning storms or if the temperature drops below -10C, and will give its 10 students access to modern washrooms.
But most activities will take place outdoors or inside the yurt.
Power-Johnston said staff will do a safety check on the children daily to make sure the kids are dressed appropriately for the weather, and will counsel parents on what their children should wear.
As Power-Johnston was speaking to a CBC reporter, Hazel dodged back outside into the rain.
Her mother noted that most children, like Hazel, don't complain about the weather and European outdoor pre-schools actually have less access to shelter than hers will.
"Some of these societies … are a lot less risk averse and also are a lot less afraid about being outdoors in nature," she said.
Fewer sick days
Contrary to many parents fears, Power-Johnston said forest pre-schools in Europe report fewer sick days a year than indoor pre-schools.
Dr. Rachel Colley, an expert in childhood obesity at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, said she thinks the forest pre-school is an important step at a time when preschoolers are spending more and more time watching TV.
"We know that connecting with nature and getting outside is really important for both the physical development of children, and also their mental health and well-being," she said, adding that physical activity and healthy lifestyle behaviours are ingrained at a very young age.
Power-Johnston expects the Carp Ridge Forest Pre-School to be up and running in two months. As of Wednesday, two families had signed up and more are taking tours this week.
Story and photos via CBC
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sewing Space in a Closet
I love this. One day I want to set up an office-type space (computer, stationary stuff) in a closet. I've always loved small cozy spaces and used to love playing in my closet, playhouses or tree forts. I think I've passed that on to DS, who slept in a laundry basket of blankets (really) for months when he was 2. He always wanted to fall asleep there and would crawl up in it to nap. I'd take him out after he fell asleep and put him back in his bed, but he'd just snuggle up in his basket happily to fall asleep.
Sewing space from Lovely Design
Sewing space from Lovely Design
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Thanksgiving in the Country
Some photos I took this Thanksgiving. We travelled up to Northern Alberta to visit family.
Mr Blackbird driving the farm truck.
Me riding. Geek Farm Chic.
Photos from the farm
moo.
Mr Blackbird driving the farm truck.
Me riding. Geek Farm Chic.
Photos from the farm
moo.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Pretty Pretty Fabrics
I bought these packs of quilting squares from Fat Quarter Shop just to make doll quilts for the dolls I've been making. Because it's not like I have a couple dozen old baby quilts lying around or anything.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
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