waldorf – NaturalKids Team

Posted on April 1, 2013

~ It’s time for a new spring/summer wardrobe !!!

I don’t know if you are like me, but every time spring is near I’m anxious to go to my wardrobe and start wearing my little dress and skirt again ! Not to mention that I love to go shopping for a couple of new sets…I don’t know why but it’s not the same for fall…do you feel the same !? Spring is really a ”blooming” season, you want everything to look fresh, clean…all new !! Also it’s that time of the year we, as parents, need to find new clothes for our children…omg they grow so fast ! I think my daughter gained 2 inches more this winter !?? She is going to turn 12 soon, and shopping for her is now a bit of a headhache. She’s not an adult yet, but children’s clothing don’t fit her anymore…boy oh boy..I have to be really creative to find something decent for her ah!ah!

Sometimes I kind of miss the time when she was younger, to dress her up in little colored shorts and skirt sets, with bows and frills…you know what I mean !? I used to work as a fashion designer for children and I’ve always loved clothing…to mix and match them and not to mention to design them. I just loOoove designing clothes…sketching, drawing… it’s another passion of mine!

I’m now the creator behind FeeVertelaine, handmade natural toys and dolls. Lately I did offer myself a treat ! I started a project that I’ve been dreaming about for many years now…Creating my own paper doll !! As a little girl, paper dolls were one of my ABSOLUTE favorite things to play with! So I took my pencil away from the cobwebs, and started to draw Emilÿ…it so reminded me of my time in fashion school. I also loOove watercolor, so I told myself why not do the coloring this way…so I did ! Every little step of the creation of this project was a pure delight for me.

After many months of sketching, coloring, editing…she finally came to life. This was pure joy for my daughter, who was my assigned tester 😉 She and her friend had such a great time playing.. humm sorry testing…all the new spring/summer wardrobe that Emilÿ comes with. It was so sweet to watch them mixing and matching everything together…4 hands on one doll is a true test !! So I knew she was ready for the world to meet her !

My heart is filled with excitment to introduce her to you today…Emilÿ my first paper doll…all ready for spring with her new wardrobe !! Enjoy !!!

You can find her here in my Etsy shop.

This lavender dress reminds me of a dress that I sewed recently for one of my winter fairy dolls…a last glimpse of winter just before spring shows up at our door !

If you wish to see and read more about my creative process, I invite you to visit my Facebook page where I add pictures of my everyday work and things I cherish…. I will soon offer Emilÿ as a giveaway…keep an eye open !!

Happy spring !!

Warm regards,

~Julie xo

Posted on October 1, 2012

Sorting Jars For the Little Ones

My seven year old began first grade this year. She is the oldest and her younger sister, who is five, began her first year of kindergarten. We are using a Waldorf inspired curriculum which stresses a slow progress up to reading and other academics. While her oldest sister and I work on form drawing and learning numbers and letters, I wanted to give my kindergartener and the even younger sister, 2, a few activities that help them to feel involved when I can’t be one on one with them and challenge them just a bit. In Donna Simmons’ Kindergarten With Your Four to Six Year Old she recommends filling a jar with different kinds of beans and then pouring them out for your child to sort and then re-layer in the jar.
So I did that plus made a couple more for them. One jar holds a mixture of colored buttons. The girls enjoy finding different ways to group them and actually find this one a little challenging because there’s not always a clear answer for which group a button should go in. I also made a jar filled with seashells, mini pine cones, various nut shells, and acorn caps. And, of course, one with four kinds of dried beans.

We have four small, wooden sorting bowls that I found at a thrift shop and pour them out into a larger bowl.

It can be challenging to keep the little ones busy and happy while the older children are doing their lessons but I’m finding that having a few activities at hand that require just enough concentration from them helps us get from lessons to things that involve them more pretty smoothly. What kind of things do your little ones work on during your older child’s home school (or homework) lessons? Please do share in the comments!

Posted on May 30, 2012

Photo Tutorial: How to make a mei tai doll carrier

Children love to pretend, and do just like their parents. Seeing mommy and daddy with a baby on the back is something usual for my children, and soon enough my daughter requested for a ring sling so she can carry around Victoria, her waldorf companion doll. This spring, I’ve checked on my longtime to-do list one item I really wanted, a mei tai. Both children wanted one, their size. I made two of those while they were naping at the same time…It doesn’t happen often, but today they did so I’ve jumped on the occasion and thought you might like to see how I did them.

First find 2, 3, 4 fabric you like, your child like and that goes well together.

Cut two rectangle that would be around the size of your child’s front. The bigger the easier to carry a big 18″ doll, the smaller the easier to wear for a child. This one is smaller 9×12″, I suggest to go bigger. I have an easy trick for the top strap angles later.

Cut the straps. The longer the better. I first went with 20″. This is okay for the bottom ones, but I’ve added 16″ after trying it on my boy. They are about 4″ large, so I cut them 8″ and folded them. Right side facing, sew/serge on top and the side, and flip them right side up.

Take your rectangle and place one strap in a corner. Cut. Fold vertically (on the longer) and cut the excess corner.

Take one rectangle, facing right side up. Roll your straps, it’s so much easier. Pin your longer ones at the angles.

And pin the short ones at the bottom. Leave an inch or so at the bottom.

Place the other rectangle (right side must face!) and pin around. Sew/serge the sides and top, but leave the bottom open.

Flip everything right and unpin straps. Enter the excess fabric at the bottom in and over stitch it.

If you realize, like me, that the top straps are too short, here’s how I manage to add on without unsewing anything; make straps like you first did, and tuck in a half inch inside the strap.

Inside end of strap in and overstich.

There you go! A beautiful, playful doll carrier for your little person to take his/her doll everywhere!

My son’s been carrying Albus ever since I tried it on him. He only took it out to get in the car twice and promptly asked it back both times. He also took it out to sleep, but I’m pretty sure he’ll ask for it tomorrow.

Hoping I made some of you try to make some! It’s very easy and takes no time. It’s a really good way for your child to carry around his/her doll everywhere while optimizing the chance for it to stay clean!

Please come back and share if you make one, we’d love to see it!

Posted on May 2, 2012

sharing the work

the smallest things are not lost on our children. they have been watching our actions since the day they were born …how we talk, how we move, even the smallest blink of our eyes, they are taking note

with fresh eyes taking in all sorts of details to map out this new world of theirs

sometimes it strikes me as funny, that these little people play at what we call work…

if only we would grow and find the same fun, in sweeping the floor, dusting the shelves and hanging the laundry

alongside us they find their place to work and grow through the day and years….

now off to garden we two go to see what might have come up…

hello, I am Pamela of prettydreamer. I am mama to a lovely prettydreamer of my own. I am still in love with toys, storybooks and fairy tales of all kind. I love trees, rocks, maps and unknown places and stumbling upon ideas turned upside-down, folk hands and honest traditions that run deep and all the other friendly playful things that function or are simply made to bring joy

Posted on June 24, 2011

Interview with Oast

This week we take a close up look at Oast with owner and artist Rachel.

Tell us about you
Hi, I am Rachel and I am a Canadian living in the UK. I live in a small farmhouse in rural Kent. We don’t work on the farm but benefit from watching the seasons change in the orchards and the beautiful birthing that takes place with the cows and sheep in the spring. The mark of the land in this area is the oast houses, which are the buildings where hops are dried for making beer. We happen to have a group of them that I look at as I craft and others on the rolling hills beyond the farm. My environment is very important to me and my surroundings are the ideal place for my small family to live. I have one husband, one child, and one one on the way. Another child, not another husband… oh you.

Tell us about your business
Oast is a Waldorf Doll shop. I have focused mostly on dolls for children 0 – 3 years old. That is starting to shift and I am enjoying the process of making jointed dolls for older children but they rarely make it as far as the shop.

Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in children. I love to watch how they connect with their toys and what they chose to attach themselves to. It is a powerful thing to observe, and often far out of the rationalization of adults. By this I mean, what we would chose for our children seems to rarely be what they would chose for themselves. Like the idea that children like the box a toy comes in more than the toy itself. I see that with dolls as well. Parents are drawn to the dolls with full heads of hair a bit more detailing while their young children are attracted to the simple faces and soft bodies. This helps me trust my craft and inspires me to see the special qualities in each developmental stage that corresponds to certain doll types.

What got you started in your craft?
As is the story of many Waldorf doll makers, I made my first one for my daughter and have been going strong ever sense. It is addictive to create something that a child will grow and share with. After seeing and hearing how children respond to the dolls themselves, I fell even more in love with the process. There is nothing like watching a child hug one of my dolls for the first time.

What’s your favorite thing you have ever made?
My daughter. Seriously the best craft project ever, and the most consuming.

How long have you been on Etsy and how has it been for you so far?
I have been on Etsy nearly a year and I have found it slow going. I sell a product that has a lot of competition and I am just slowly making my way. I enjoy the process of creating and know that as long as I maintain the standards I have set for myself, the rest the sales will continue to come.

What do you hope to gain or contribute to the Natural Kids group?
I am pretty isolated where I live. The UK has amazing fiber arts and a lot of natural crafts people. I don’t have access to them on a regular basis from where I live. I hope to continue to be inspired by the NK community. I love the process of creating and also the professionalism projected by the team. I work very hard at not only making a high quality doll that is safe for children but one that will make many journeys. The Natural Kids group follow this same ethos. The doll makers on the Natural Kids Team are all amazing and I feel so happy to be amongst them. I am hoping that I will be able to contribute to the team through my enthusiasm and love of community.

Share your links:
oast.etsy.com
oast.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58465055@N05/

Posted on June 20, 2011

What’s new, and, well, natural from the Naturalkids Team on Etsy

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from…yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! This week, we feature wonderful variety of artists who work in either wood or wool, bug and love working with sustainable, natural materials.

Friendly Skunk Toy

Woodmouse‘s Amber creates Eco-friendly wooden toys handmade from sustainably harvested USA poplar. All the wooden toys and figures in the shop are designed, cut, woodburned and sanded by her. Her water-based paints have been independently third-party tested for safety. They are AP Certified non-toxic and bear the ACMI non-toxic label. Amber seals with organic jojoba oil and beeswax from a local beekeeper. Here is her Friendly Skunk Toy.

Wood Phone Toy

The Wood Toy Shop is run by Mark, a stay at home dad, who just installed new solar electric panels to power the workshop! His toys are built to last from hard woods and are finished with non-toxic mineral oil. Most of the wood he uses are mill ends and scrap from cabinet shops. Here is his Wood Phone Toy.

Sea Horse Wool Diaper Cover

Angela, of Wild Child Woolies is a stay at home/work at home/homeschooling (I guess she’s HOME a lot!) mom of 5 awesome kids. In her shop you’ll find unique, top quality, handmade wool interlock diaper covers for cloth diapered infants and toddlers. Here is her Seahorse Wool Interlock Pull Up Diaper Cover/Soaker.

Wet Felted Pocket Mirror

Kim of Viltalakim crafts all of her household decor items, wearables and and other treasures, by the wet felting technique with super soft merino wool. She does this all by hand, without sewing/ knitting first. No washing machine, just her own hands… Here is her Wet Felted Pocket Mirror.

From imaginative wood toys for storytelling and play to natural baby necessities to wet felted wool treasures, these are just a few of the natural creations you will find from our shops hailing from all over the world.

Thanks for joining us this week! Please do return again next Monday as we continue to feature all the wonderful members of the NaturalKids team on Etsy. Until then, I invite you to browse all our wonderful shops.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie
Nushkie on Facebook

Posted on June 7, 2011

How to Care for a Waldorf Style Natural Doll Baby

I wrote an article on Waldorf doll care on my GermanDolls blog previously. You can read it here. But since many people who own natural cloth dolls may have these questions, I wanted to make a renewed effort in giving directions for cleaning your doll babies and doll clothing on the NaturalKids Team blog.

Question #1: Can I wash my doll?

If you are the proud owner of a natural Waldorf style doll, no matter who the maker is, your doll should be stuffed with sheep’s wool. If you are not sure about your doll’s stuffing, you should ask the maker to be absolutely certain of it. My dolls are ALL stuffed with clean carded wool.

Being stuffed with real wool is of great advantage! Not only does the wool give warmth and softness, these benefits aside, sheep’s wool has natural antibactirial properties. Wool is less likely to pick up germs and dust to begin with. Wool stuffing means your doll is washable, and that it is okay to fully soak your baby in water and give her/him a complete bath!

Unlike polyester filled dolls, that will matt down and flatten, Wool stuffed natural dolls will NOT lose their loft. Though spotcleaning is preferable and less hard on the doll, if there should be an accident (bad fall in the dinner plate or puddle) your doll can go take a bath! Here are a few points you need to remember when giving your doll a bath:

make sure the water is lukewarm and NOT hot. Just as giving a bath to a sweet babe.
Don’t use harsh detergents or cleaning agents. Best is a product you would use for a wool sweater such Woolite or a gentle shampoo. You may even want to give your doll and your child a bath at the same time. Just make sure that the soap used at bathtime is colorless and a mild one. You can apply mild soap directly to a bad spot and gently massage that area.
Then rinse out the doll until all the soap suds are gone.After the bath you must gently squeeze the dolls’ limbs and mid-section to get most of the water out. Don’t sqeeze the head! Since it is formed and shaped with string it should not be squeezed or treated too roughly! Too much squeezing might damage the shape of it.

Set your doll on thick bathtowel for drying. If it’s summer time or you live in a warm climate you can put it outside. In the winter I dry my dolls on the radiator. Depending on the climate you live in drying time may vary. Where I live (Colorado) it’s really dry and my dolls dry within a day. In a humid climate you may have to wait a couple of days…

Question # 2. What about haircare? Can my child brush the dolls’ hair?

A Waldorf dolls’ hair is usually made of worsted wool, mohair yarns, or combinations of natural yarns. Sometimes dollmakers use the loopy curly kind, known as boucle yarn. You should NEVER EVER brush your doll’s hair with a real hairbrush. It should only be styled using fingers. Rough brushing of the hair will thin the hair out and destroy the loops of the mohair.

Maybe this has already happened to your dolls’ precious tresses. Don’t get too upset. It is fixable! The great thing about Waldorf dolls is that you can repair them!

Dollmamkers use varying techniques to sew on dollhair. It kind of depends on the make of your doll. My dolls usually have a crocheted wig. If the doll has long hair the hair is sewn onto this wig. If the hair is damaged you can remove the layers of damaged hair and sew on a new layer. Just search for the tiny stitches and gently undo them. You could even get creative and give your doll a whole new look and different haircolor.

I will write another article on this topic to help you out! So keep watching my blog!

Question #3 What about the doll clothing? Can it be washed?

I recommend hand washing all little doll clothes. Why? Because most US washing machines I have come across are quite violent and have ripped my own clothing – even when set on a gentle cycle – to shreds. If you absolutely don’t have the time and energy you could put your dolls’ clothes in a protective net and wash them on cold in a machine.

I would never do this to items made of felt though. Felt might pill or react in some funny unexpected way…

General tips and Suggestions:

If the blush on your dolls’ cheeks has faded, a wee bit of red beeswax crayon can be applied. If you don’t own such a crayon, you can use a non-toxic red pencil to gently rub some new blush on the dolls’ cheeks. Don’t overdo it though! But also don’t be afraid. I believe the true beauty of these dolls lies in the fact that they can take some loving and still be adorable.

My daughter has a Hispanic doll I made her long time ago. The dolls’ hair is matted, and she got some spots from “eating strawberries” but my child would not have me change a thing about her. I’ll never forget the trauma when her American girl doll lost an arm a while ago. How do you put a plastic arm back on? My clothdolls have never lost a limb…

But since natural dolls are made of cloth, small holes or tears can be fixed. Don’t be afraid to take a needle to your doll! You may even find you enjoy it and decide to make a doll of your own!

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Please, let me know if you have any other questions about doll care. I’d be glad to share my kwowledge to help you keep your baby clean and pretty looking! If you are a dollmaker I would love to get some of your cleaning tips and suggestions, too!

Ulla Seckler is a dollmaker who was born and raised in Germany. She lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two kids. You can find her Notes by a German Dollmaker on her blog where she shares some great German recipes, pictures of her sweet dolls, and life lessons learned. Don’t forget to stop by her Etsyshop and take a peek at her wonderful doll creations.

Posted on May 9, 2011

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from…yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! Once again, we are featuring a wonderful variety of artists who all work with natural materials and today, are all Waldorf-Inspired! All their shops start with an F…could that stand for open-ended “free play?? I think so! Enjoy!

Fee Tartine is the home of various styles of Waldorf-Inspired cloth dolls. Johanne, is from Canada. She is a Mother, midwife and craftswoman, who is “overwhelmingly busy but literaly addicted to sewing and knitting.” Her latest, the Punk-Dorf 15″ Waldorf Inspired Doll , is a simple but sturdy one-of-a-kind doll, made from quality re-purposed materials.

Donni, the creative wonder behind Fairyfolk, makes needle felted and silk treasures. She grew up in South Africa, where she had a lovely, natural childhood surrounded by animals and wilderness. She has lived in many different countries, Ireland, England, New Zealand and now, finally, America where she has settled at last. “I have a loving Kiwi husband and two gorgeous children. Crafting is how I reconnect with myself. It is the language of my soul. I came to needle felting only recently and have fallen in love with all of it… the sound of the needle in the wool, the smell of the wool, the feeling of my creation in my hands. I am so grateful for the wide range and color of the wool I can work with… it makes anything possible.” Here is her latest Set of 8 Snow Felted Acorns.

Free Trade Family hails from Arizona, the shop offers a wide variety of cotton and wool play foods for your child’s play kitchen or market or for imaginative fun anytime, including fruits, vegetables, ethnic foods, and sweets. Here is the latest… Cotton Play Food – Chocolate Sandwhich Cookies.

Those are the featured new items for this week– from lovely upcycled Waldorf dolls to wool decor and play acorns to cotton play food play…they are all from natural materials and from the hands of folks who love nature, children and open ended toys..this is just a small sample of the quality and variety our customers enjoy from the fine crafters and artists of the NaturalKids team.

Thanks for joining us this week and please do return again next Monday as we continue to feature all the wonderful members of the Naturakids team on Etsy! Til then, I invite you to browse all our wonderful shops.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie
Nushkie on Facebook

Posted on May 2, 2011

What’s New, and Well Natural from the Natural Kids Team on Etsy

Welcome! I continue my trek backwards through the alphabet to bring to you the most wonderful and imaginative treasures. They are all handmade with natural materials from…yes! the NaturalKids Team on Etsy! This week, we feature wonderful variety of artist from who have one thing in common – they all work with natural materials!

Ulla is the visionary behind GermanDolls. Her shop is a wonderful resource for Waldorf style handmade dolls and doll clothing. All of the items you see in her shop are made by her from patterns she designed. She makes her dolls and doll clothes from natural fibers, wool, cotton, and felt. Here is her custom made Leaf Buddy.

Finns and Flowers is a small husband and wife team family business in the beautifully small and rural community of Palermo Maine. Both are endlessly inspired by their three magical children. “We believe that children need toys that invite them to be active not only physically, but mentally as well. They need toys that are pleasing to look at and enjoyable to touch. Most of all they need toys that are fun and safe!” They don’t paint or stain the wood, but let it be in its natural form. Ten hand rub each wooden toy with either a mixture of beeswax and jojoba oil, or environmentally and child safe linseed oil to further enhance the beauty and protect the wood. Here is their Natural Heart Teether.

FeeVertelaine is located in Canada. Julie is the heart and soul of this “oui” shop. All dolls are earth friendly as they are made with natural quality fiber such as wool, mohair, cotton, and alpaca. Julie says, “I always enjoyed creating, it is my passion, my hobby…it is a part of me, a joy! Through my creations a piece of my soul is revealed. I have a daughter, so the first doll that I did was for her…and now guess what happen???…ha!ha! I couldn’t stop…I had to make more. I just love to create them!” Here’s what’s new from her: Sweet Little Traveling Family House

Those are the featured new items for this week– from sweet play toys to teethers – all from natural materials and from the hands of folks who love nature, children and open ended toys..this is just a small sample of the quality and variety our customers enjoy from the fine crafters and artists of the NaturalKids team.

Warmly,
Rebecca aka Nushkie

Nushkie on Facebook

Posted on April 15, 2011

Nature Table, The Mess of It All

Everything gets a little messy from time to time even our beloved Nature Table. Sticky hands and messy play can do a little damage but never fear all can be cleaned. With a little care your natural toys will last many lifetimes.

Unfinished Wooden Toys:
Regular care: Clean with a damp sponge, but do not soak unfinished wooden toys as they will absorb water. Alternatively, wipe gently with a cotton ball moistened with rubbing alcohol. Wood needs to have its natural moisture replenished in order to prevent it from drying out, warping or cracking. The best way to keep your wooden toys hydrated and well-nourished is with a natural oil or wax, like plain mineral oil or beeswax polish. Periodically rubbing with oil or beeswax will help refresh the wood and provide some protection.

Stains/Discolorations: Fine-grade sandpaper may be used to remove any discolorations/stains (from food, crayons, markers, etc.).

Water Damage: Fine-grade sandpaper may be used to restore the toy to its desired smoothness if the toy has been exposed to water and become rough.

Finished/Painted Wooden Toys:
Regular Care: Wash gently and quickly with soap and water. Please do not soak them.
Stains/Discolorations: Spray and wipe with a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water.

Play silks

Recommended care: Hand or delicate cycle cold wash, hang or air dry.

Felted toys

Care: Spot clean with a damp sponge do not soak in water. Best kept indoors.

There are other great items from our team members on the NaturalKids Team website:
http://www.naturalkidsstore.com/cat_tables.html

Please leave a comment and share with us some ways you celebrate spring!

Article by Beccijo, The Enchanted Cupboard