Harvest Season

 harvest season

Wild prairie arrangement.  Gathered wild grasses, 

ironwood,  birch,  willow, and grapevine branches.

Spring's yarrow, and baby's breath found in the road ditches, 

(and sweet clover for sachets to freshen the house - good to  take away the musty smell of closed in  winter.)

Summer's golden rod,  fox tail, tansy, pepper grass, and curly dock.  
Wreath arrangement tied together in number nine wire - 

or left-   left on trees, in fields, and in  road ditches for me to enjoy on my walks…

Saltiness

 

Salt and Light: Tasty and Bright;

 "Salt" maintaining its saltiness,  through faith.    

Puppet dolls to make

For a season,  I created flat felt hand puppets that were used in interactive story telling  during children's library hour. 

A flat felt puppet pattern can  be used to make a small doll.   

 Cut a 1" slit at the bottom of a flat felt hand puppet and sew to create the  legs. 

Three Bears  basic felt hand puppets in front.  
Small bear doll  or soft sculpture is  shown in the back row. 

Felt Hand Puppets can be altered

 to make small dolls or soft sculptures.

Use a basic felt hand puppet: 

make a cut for legs, sew 1/4" around body and  feet,

clip curves, turn inside out, stuff.  Then close 

with a hand stitch inside leg seams.  Decorate!

I

Small dolls or puppets are

  wonderful teaching tools for interactive story telling.  Check out the tips below for interactive story telling with the 3 Bears.



INTERACTIVE STORY TELLING:   

     The teacher narrates a well known fairy tale, and children in the audience volunteer to hold the doll or manipulate the puppet.  They can repeat  familiar lines such as Papa Bear saying,  "Who's been eating my porridge?"  
     A hand puppet is easy to manipulate.  Slip it over your hand like a glove,  and wiggle your fingers until you get used to it! The story can be adapted to fit the needs of those who participate.  

     Here’s an example: Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 

1. Goldilocks likes to stir things up,  like porridge and trouble!
2. Baby Bear likes to have fun and jump on the bed.  Boing, boing!
3. Papa Bear likes to growl!  GRRR.... 
4. Mamma Bear likes to tidy up the house and knit.  Tut Tut Tut.  (Perhaps Goldilocks sat on Mother Bear's knitting needles and they got bent and the chair got broke!  With interactive puppetry, the  narrator can ad lib! ) 


Puppets at HollyhockJunction 
See basic hand puppets to make on my  Oct 30  2012 post  , and also   many other character  ideas on other posts in 2012.  

Children in a classroom setting telling the story of the Three Little Pigs.  

CHicKeNs...

 Conversations about the things we remember about chickens!

 

  

Bright sayings on signs and towels and all...

Bright signs:  Seems like wherever I go - to flower gift shops and craft fairs,  the hot items are bright sayings on wooden signs, garden stones, tee's, silk screened hand towels, and of course, greeting cards...bright sayings too numerous to mention here. 

Today, bright sayings on  

potholders at HollyhockJunction.  

 

At the County Fair

At the county fair at the 4-H booth, local food is being  served- sloppy joes, potato salad, and baked beans.  A  4-H parent   in blue jeans is busy wiping off the empty tables  as the people chow down and leave.  

In her back pocket - half in and half out,  are two dolls,  Barbie and Ken.  At first, I think they are a novel decoration  fitting for the occasion. 

I say to her,  "The Barbie and Ken add a bit of whimsey to the day."   

"My daughter needs them there," she laughs, "She won't let them out of her sight."  She points to one of several small children nearby who are helping her clean. 

Proverbs 31:18  Her children rise up and call her blessed...

Handmade Aprons

 Sew So Sow

Elderly folks. She sews.  He is having health issues.  So she is selling aprons in their garage and not in sunny Arizona.  She has determined to sow  her gifts in a new place.

Proverbs 31: 24  She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Crow on the Patio

 

19 " Crow for the patio.  carved by J.M.

 

little graces

 

     Erma arranges  a bouquet of fresh cut flowers for her dining room table most every week. It’s like redecorating her house.  Adding  a fresh, new, and different colorful bouquet.  Whatever the season, they are picked wherever she can find them- her garden  in season, from the local florist shop, or the grocery store in the  vegetable department.  (She stops at florist shops in  other towns too, as she is passing through. )  

      When she gets home,  she lifts the delicate gift to herself out its protective packaging that protected it from the wind and cold.  Snips the ends of the stems, and creatively places each bloom and sprig in one of her many vases.  Adds good water, and  a little plant food to make them stay.    Some days she’ll be the only one who sees them. No matter.   For Erma,  Life is a bouquet.  

hollyhockjunction.blogspot.com 

Simple Times Valentines.

Remembering fun little Valentines.  

The kind that made their way into homemade Valentine boxes 

at grade school Valentine parties-   

along with pink cupcakes,  candy hearts, and paper decorations.