BLOG

Springtime is here and at the wildlife center we have baby opossums! They are so adorable! The even better news is that all of our baby animals come from captive breeding facilities (these facilities are set up around the country to support a diverse population of wild animals in captivity and prevent extinction of a species) and are not orphans.

In fact, did you know that 80% of wildlife babies that are brought into rescue facilities are not orphans? This is because the mothers (or parents) leave the babies and sit somewhere else to watch on purpose. They want to make sure they are not near the babies if any predator comes and if a predator does come they will run away to lure the predator away from the babies.

And who is the biggest predator? You! So, if you find a nest of baby rabbits, squirrels, possums, raccoons or even birds on the ground this spring PLEASE remember to leave them for 24 hours before turning them into a wildlife rescue facility or trying to adopt them yourself. Most likely the mother was around and ran away when you came to lure you away from the babies. She will come back as soon as you leave and move the babies so you can't find them again!

My kids are really enjoying learning about all the different animals at the center and as volunteers we even get to bring some of them home with us at night! Do you have a local wildlife center, animal rescue or wildlife rescue facility near you? If so, they may need extra help this spring with all the baby animals. Take advantage of this wonderful learning opportunity for your children and give them a call!

The Apple Blossom

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there stood in a large orchard a beautiful Apple Tree. All through the long winter it had held out bare branches. The March sun had whispered to it that spring had come. But the cold March winds were not a bit polite, and would answer: "No, it hasn't."

At last, however, Apple Tree began to feel so nice and warm that she thought the March sun was right, and she began to think about getting a new spring gown. The warm April rains helped her, and her buds opened and grew; first into tiny leaves, and then into larger ones, until Apple Tree was wearing a beautiful green dress. All through April she wore it, and was very happy. Then, as the trees about her put on bright colors, and she saw Peach and Pear Tree in pink and white, something seemed to tell her to try what she could do.

So, with the showers, the gentle winds, and the warm sun as dressmakers, Apple Tree's green dress was soon covered with lovely pink and white flowers. And the air all about seemed as sweet as if she carried a great many handkerchiefs with some lovely perfume on each. The Apple Tree felt very glad and proud, and very much pleased when every one who passed said: "Oh, how lovely!"

But, only a week or two later, a damp wind and cold rain came and beat down on her spring suit, until it was quite spoiled. Then Apple tree was so sorry that she let her tear-drops fall with the rain. Her kind Mother Nature did not scold her at all, but only said: "Don't cry about the blossoms, dear; some time you will see them again."

So, all summer long, Apple Tree looked and waited, for she knew that Mother Nature always told the truth. Her arms grew full of apples, and sometimes they seemed too heavy to hold any longer. Always, when she was very tired, came the whisper: "Wait a little while. Your time is coming. You will see your blossoms again."

And, at last, one sunny September day, one yellow apple after another slipped from her hold and lay in the grass beneath. While Apple Tree wondered what would happen, a lady and a little boy came through the orchard and stopped to pick and eat some apples.

"Robert," said the mother, "did you ever see the blossom in the apple?"

"Oh, no, mother. Please show it to me!"

Apple Tree bent her tall head so she could hear and see. Could it be that, now, she would find the blossoms that she had lost last spring? The lady carefully cut an apple all around, half-way between the blossom and the stem. And as she laid the halves before her little boy she pointed to the blossom, which showed plainly in both ends. And Apple Tree held the rest of the fruit tightly in her arms undefined sure that in each one of her apples lay a blossom she had loved months before.

If you are a parent or have been a parent or caregiver I am sure you can understand my excitement when I find that I can do something enriching for myself that I love that ALSO enriches my children! My ongoing work at The Red Rock Wildlife Education Center has been such a wonderful experience for the entire family. My eldest daughter, Mosi, is taking a wildlife education class with me and in November will be a certified wildlife educator - at only 16-years old! My son is enjoying interacting with the animals and Sofi has been learning about so many different animals, the environment and our local wildlife.

There are a lot of pictures in the album below of my own family interacting with the bear so I included one of Sofi's best friend here when she came to visit the bear.

There are so many things you can learn, retain and connect with when you actually touch and care for an animal instead of just reading about it. In past weeks we have enjoyed learning about skunks, cougars, snakes, wolves and frogs. This week we start care of a baby bear and have been amazed at some of the things we have experienced. Here are some of our favorite experiences:

1. Did you know baby bears cry like human babies? They also make the most adorable "happy bear" sounds.
2. Baby bears love to be held - attachment parenting is very strong in the bear community.
3. Baby bears are the size of a stick of butter when they are born.
4. They are born with their ears closed and eyes closed. "Our" baby bear still has her eyes closed.
5. Baby bears are born with very sharp claws. They cannot retract them like cougars and other cats can. You cannot trim them because the blood vessels go all the way down to the end.
6. Baby bears need to drink a high fat content milk like lamb's milk.
7. Baby bears knead their mamas when they drink so you need to hold their front paws when they feed from the bottle and let them knead you.

So many things to learn!
You can see our photos of baby bear visit at: Baby Bear Visit You can see my photos of going on a 35-hour road trip with my fiancee and the center's director at: Baby Bear Road Trip

If you are interested in more detail about what our "first night with baby bear" was like this is the letter I sent to the other volunteer staff:

We took "baby bear" home at 9:30pm. Sofi, Hannah, Mosi Sunii and I all oohed and ahhed over her, took an indorinate number of photos and then it was time for bed.

I was worried about my other pets so baby bear and I slept in the apartment downstairs. We have what is called a "mother-in-law" apartment in our home. I originally rented it out but decided to leave it empty for some time now so baby bear had a lot of privacy LOL! It was nice because I was able to close off the apartment from the rest of the house and not have to worry about any of my other pets getting into the room.

Still, I was very careful. That bear can move! If I left the room to get a drink of water I made sure to put her in the carrier or bassinet and not leave her out because she can actually move very quickly when she wants to - just by scooting on her belly.

I also wanted her to be warm. She seems to like warmth and snuggling. So I turned on the fireplace in the bedroom and made it nice and toasty warm. I figured the more comfy she was the better I was going to sleep ;)

After that I made her a little make-shift bassinet out of a plastic tub covered in a sheet with a pillow in the middle. She looked very comfy on the pillow and she loved it. But me, being a typical mother, went ahead and put the lamb-skin over it before I slept because I was worried she would suffocate in the pillow LOL ;) The reason I made the bassinet was because I know, having raised three babies already, that when a baby wakes up at 3am I don't want to be unlatching anything and finding things in a box carrier. Access is the key to happiness for mama and papa bear. Plus it looks cuter in photos - right ;)?

I placed the bottle and paper towels near the bassinet and put everything right next to the bed where I was sleeping. So I was ready for anything!

So guess what? Since I was ready for anything Baby Bear didn't wake up at all.

She slept straight through the entire night from 10pm to 8am. Ironically I didn't. I woke up every hour sure that I had killed the poor little thing because she was so darned quiet! But each time I peeked in her little bassinet she was making happy bear sounds. Reminds me of when I had my own children. I used to worry in the same way - checking on them every hour or so LOL!

Once she woke in the morning I helped her remember to do her "morning duties" and then fed her. Mama bears lick the babies so they can go to the bathroom. As a substitute mama we use wet paper towels. Because the milk is such a high fat content it tends to clog the top of the bottle so I made sure the nipple was cleared and propped her up to feed her. She was crazy hungry so it was a bit of a challenge but once she clumsily managed to get in a few sips she calmed down and was able to focus. It probably took about 10 minutes to really get her awake and really eating.

She drank about 1.5 ounces. I was glad I had practiced feeding her a lot already because when one is woken up at 8am by a whimpering bear and is half asleep one does not feel very up to a challenge.

Hope this helps the next person who gets her.

I spoke to someone on a casual basis today about their ailment. I mentioned some solutions for them but their response was "I have tried everything". They seemed very worn out from all the effort as well and didn't seem enthusiastic about trying to heal anymore. They had accepted their "state of being" and had moved on to "dealing instead of healing". I have seen this in so many people before so I wanted to share some tips that can keep you going. There IS a solution to your problem. The "trick" is just to find it and sometimes that can be a bit like being a detective. Here are some tips to renew your enthusiasm and hope:

1. Write down on paper what you have tried in the past. Have you really "tried everything"? Sometime people will try an herb for two weeks (not long enough at all) or will try a method that was not suited to them (aromatherapy for someone who dislikes scents) and will feel discouraged from a few bad experiences. Be honest with yourself - write your past trials down and be honest about which ones can really count as "trying". You may even find your increased awareness will cause you to see these past efforts in a different light. Perhaps you tried an herb three years ago but since then you have learned more about how herbs work and you realize that you didn't use it long enough or use enough of the herb.

2. Using this list start another list so you have a checklist to work from. It is often much more satisfying to have a check list and be able to check things off than it is to just keep following different ideas, magazine articles and random suggestions for the next "trial". Be sure to include accupuncture, reflexology, at least four different herbs, aromatherapy, IET, Kinesiology, Feldenkrais, nutritional therapy (are you still smoking, drinking soda or a lot of coffee?), and more.

3. Have you only worked with one or two health care practitioners? In serious cases the minimum recommended (by doctors themselves) is three. You need to consult with at least three people. Sometimes you can actually get part of the picture from each person and their help together is what will make the difference.

4. You CAN use alternative medicine and your doctor together. Just make sure you tell each of them what you are doing and that the alternative therapist is aware of what medicines you are taking.

5. It is OK to say "I am taking a break - I am worn out trying things". This is valid. Sometimes seeing different practitioners, being poked, prodded and questions can be stressful. Sometimes a person just needs some time to "be". Give yourself some time but don't say "I am giving up". When you feel rested again go back to your list and try again.

6. Sometimes it takes a long time for a deep-seated ailment (like fibromyalgia) to heal. You could actually be slowly healing and not know it and one day you would wake up and realize you feel better for the first time in years. If you have found a therapy or herb that seems to be taking you in the right direction don't give up on it because it is not working instantly.

7. You need to use two therapies - one for the short term and one for the long-term. So, for example, if you have asthma you need to do something to help you through your attacks but you also need to do something to heal your body so the problem goes away. Modern medicine, some herbal therapies and OCDs often focus on the short-term solitions. Some herbal therapies focus on the long-term solutions only. You need a little bit of both.

8. Talk to someone new who will listen to all your past experiences and help you do some detective work. Even I go to someone else when I am looking for help. An outside opinion is the best way to see a situation. I work with a lot of clients online at www.HerbnHome.com who send me their past records and lists. By taking all of this into account we are able to design a new direction for them and refresh their options.

9. Take a look at your ailment. It may be hard to admit, but a lot of people become comfortable with their ailment and in some ways they don't want to heal. Before you knock yourself off this list I will share with you that I have done this before and didn't want to admit it myself. Sometimes having an illness or disability (through illness) can help you gain more sympathy, will inspire your husband or wife to help you more or be more sympathetic, will enable you to work at home or will gain you special treatment or be a convenient excuse for a number of overwhelming responsibilities. To find out if you may be preventing yourself from healing ask yourself this difficult question - "despite my pain and suffering, how is this illness actually bennefiting me?" Once you can answer this question you can move beyond the situation.

10. Do something completely new in your life. Often we get into a routine that is comfortable and it is only by changing that routine that we can "spark" our inspiration and energies again. Some routine changing ideas - go to a new restaurant, try a new recipe from a different country, take an online course, travel to another town (even one next door) to see something unusual there (even if it is the largest yarn ball in the world ;), take a nature walk at a park you have not been to for a long time, get a pet, visit or contact an old friend...

 

Wednesday Mosi (my 16-year-old) and I taught Arabic calligraphy to a class of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders. Upon hearing this one may wonder how we could teach an advanced writing technique in another language to a class of students who had never seen the Arabic language before.

I was initially a bit apprehensive as well but I remembered how I had felt the first time I saw the Arabic language - I didn't even believe it was a language. I thought it was some kind of art. Recalling my first experience with Arabic I had faith that the freedom of Arabic calligraphy would combine with the artisic inspiration of the children and result in something wonderful. The results went beyond my expectations. What the children were able to create after only 20 minutes of introduction to the language would have impressed my college Arabic teacher! In fact, there were a few students who may even have a future in Arabic calligraphy ;)

Mosi and I started the class by telling the children "you already know Arabic". This captured their attention as they were quite sure they had not studied Arabic before. We read a list of words (in English that had Arabic origins) to "test" them. When they passed the "test" we talked a bit about how Arabic was different from English, how important writing was in the Arab world and how important calligraphy was. One point that impressed everyone was that the only name found inscribed on the Taj Mahal is the name of the calligrapher. The architect and his team are not remembered on the building at all.

After we explored some history, calligraphy samples, language, art, culture and even a bit of math we all created a calligraphy piece together to establish everyone's confidence in their abilities. Once everyone completed their first piece we gave them a copy of the Arabic alphabet and some simple instructions for writing their names in Arabic calligraphy.

You can see some of the amazing results in our photo album on Flickr. Remember when you browse the album - none of these children had ever seen the Arabic language before doing this activity. Wow!

We can't wait to do the workshop again. It was so much fun and the kids were amazing! If you would like a copy of our lesson plans (I created the plans so you don't even need to know Arabic to teach the class) you can download them from the bottom left hand column at:Arabic Calligraphy E-book

A new arrival at the Red Rock Wildlife Education Center left Sofi and I wondering what to do. We didn't have any information about skunks in our Earthschooling curriculum! We had studied mammals and animals in general and we had touched on information about skunks. We had also read a number of fables and fairytales that had a few skunks here and there but an actual skunk? We didn't know a lot about these creatures! Here is a picture  of Sofi with Thumper sleeping on her lap :)

To the rescue came an Earthschooling member Kimberly S. Earthschooling members are so full of amazing ideas and resources! She sent us a list of her favorite nature books and authors. She knew I didn't want just ANY nature book! I wanted a nature book that was compatible with Waldorf principles, that honored the beauty and magical nature of the skunk. I didn't want diagrams and glossy photos and skunk statistics ;)

Thus we discovered the wonderful Sam Campbell and his story Sweet Sue's Adventures. This story lead us through six hikes with the skunk and taught us so much about "our own" skunk, Thumper, in the process! We even learned that skunks like to eat frogs, rabbits and butterflies and that the papa skunk will even eat his own babies if the mama does not protect them.

As always, to use this resource, we printed it out and made a "small folder book" from it. With stories like this Sofi and I usually read them together during a quiet time or before bed. I don't want to lose the magic of the author's style so we read it instead of me telling it. Children in the older grades of Waldorf need this mixture - a mixture of the teacher/parent telling stories and reading directly from good literature. I have included a picture here of us making our book. We print out the pages, punch holes in them with a three-hole punch and then put each book in a small folder.

This sweet story, intended for a younger audience, was actually perfect for Sofi (age 11) and I! We learned so much, in a beautiful way. We loved the descriptions he gave about the hikes. One really felt they were there with him. And now we are passing along that information to people who come into the wildlife center and ask about Thumper, "our skunk". But sweet Thumper...I just can't imagine that snuggly sweet doll of a mammal would eat a butterfly! LOL!

This poem is a winter tradition. Pass it on but be sure to include my name and website as it is listed below. Thank you!

Twas the Night Before Solstice
By Kristie Burns
http://www.earthschooling.com/
http://www.TheBEarthInstitute.com

'Twas the night before Solstice
and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even our pet mouse

Knitted wool stockings
were hung with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there

The children were tucked
in organic cotton sheets,
The air filter blocking
pollution from the streets.

While mama stayed up
to make handmade gifts
I co-slept with the kids
and watched auras shift.

When out in the herb garden
arose such a clatter
I sprung out of our futon
to see what was the matter!

Away to the solar panels
I flew like a flash.
They took me hours to install,
I hoped they hadn't crashed.

The crystals we'd laid out
to absorb the moonlight
Sparkled like fairydust
and blocked my sight.

When, what to my
wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh
without any reindeer.

At that moment I knew
that the little old man
Had received my last letter
so bold and so grand

Could you stop using reindeer?
Last year I wrote him,
And enclosed
with the note a PETA pin.

As he neared the house
in his all-wooden sleigh
I noticed it was powered
by wheatgrass and hay.

Ostheimer! Kinderkram!
Stockmar! Fair Trade!
Don't bother landing
if the toys aren't handmade!

"Hey Arriana," I called
to my wife with chagrin,"
With that body mass
do you think he's vegetarian?"

She paused only a moment
from her crafting and said,
"One moment dear!
I'm shaping this gol-darn Waldorf doll's head!"

On our roof I strained
to hear the ole boy
But I'd recently
insulated it with soy.

So I drew in my hand
and was turning around,
When in through the front door
came St. Nick with a bound.

The Advent wreath
had caught in his hair
As I said, "Why in the world
did you enter from THERE?"

The soot in your chimney
contains poisons galore.
You should consider
the environment more.

But he was dressed in fur
from his head to his foot
So I said, "Look whose
talking about my soot!"

A bundle of felt he had
flung on his back.
"I hope you like handiwork,"
he said with a laugh.

His eyes - how they twinkled!
His dimples were treats!
His cheeks reminded me
of when I dye silk with beets.

He must be of the
choleric type I mused.
It's a good thing with
lavender the stockings I infused.

With his fur boots
he slipped on the bamboo wood floor.
I offered him Arnica and
then closed the front door.

After all that I'd paid
to the energy company this year
I didn't want one bit of
that cold air in here.

He had a broad face
and a little round belly
I asked him,
"Have you seen your naturopath lately?"

He was so chubby and plump
I worried for his health
But I laughed when I saw him
in spite of myself.

He spoke not a word,
but went straight to task,
Needle-felting dragons
and weaving a mask.

He knitted a pure cotton sweater
and two pairs of mittens,
Then picked up a knife
and carved 2 wood kittens.

He finger-knitted
an entire nativity scene.
With the most amazing skill
I'd ever seen!

When he sprang
from his seat on the floor and arose
I yelled, "Arianna - watch -
there he goes!"

With the unfinished doll
she was struggling to sew,
Arriana went to watch
him out the window.

And I heard him exclaim
as he drove out of sight!"
Arriana, my dear,
the stiches are too tight!"

Flower Birthday Hats were part of my daughter's 16th birthday party ;) (no picking of flowers required)

I've been planning birthdays with my children since they were five! It is hard to believe that my eldest just turned 16 now yesterday! WOW! I really enjoyed sharing her birthday with her yesterday. It brought back memories of some of the first parties we planned together and I realized how the thread of all these co-planned birthdays is a bond we will always share. Most years we would sit down together and plan something together.  It was always together so I never went into it knowing what we would come out with but I always had a lot of fun (you can hear more details about my birthday planning techniques from a lecture I have at the Waldorf in the Home conference 3 years ago at:
Waldorf Birthday Parties)

One of the first parties we planned was based on our Advent stone circle that we still had in the yard from our Advent lantern walk. We lived in Saudi Arabia at the time and we had to use stones instead of pine branches to make the Advent circle (that's all they had in the desert LOL ;) It took us FOREVER to cart all those stones to the circle so we left the circle there even after the lantern walk was done. It was Mosi's (then age 7) idea to turn the circle into something magical with fairies and the party progressed from there!

Fast forward 9 years later! Mosi had been going "back and forth" about what she wanted to do. Being 16 she thinks a lot about what her own needs are and really knows herself very well for a 16-year old! She realized after a few weeks of agonizing over the idea of a "party" that the real problem was that she didn't want a party at all. She relates to a diverse group of people and she likes to spend one-on-one time with people rather than be in large groups (for the most part) so she finally concluded that she wanted to spend individual time with each friend for her birthday. But then the quandary...it was her 16th! How could we afford to have an individual party for each friend without it being "everyday" (hey - let's go out for ice cream at the mall) or without it being too expensive (hey - let's take everyone individually out for dinner! Yikes!) And how to find something that each friend and Mosi would enjoy? And what about family? Brother? Sister?

We were both stumped...until I received an e-mail that the botanical gardens were selling the opportunity to release one's "own" butterfly for its first flight into the garden - ON her birthday! She agreed that it was the perfect beautiful and symbolic activity to do on her birthday DAY (because she still had the rest of the week to plan with other friends) and that the perfect friends to enjoy it with her were "the sisters". These two girls had been friends with the family for many years - the elder sister a good friend of Mosi and the younger sister a good friend of Sofi, Mosi's younger sister.

So we planned her first "party" with the sisters - four sisters releasing butterflies for their first flight into the garden! Each received a certificate with their name, date and the name of the butterfly. We walked around the garden afterwards and even found some PARTY HATS ;) After that we went to Mosi's favorite natural cafe that always carries a wonderful selection of drinks, sandwiches, treats and cakes. LOL but only one girl wanted cake. The rest wanted smoothies! So Mosi got to enjoy a birthday Mango smoothie with her friends.

Simple, lovely, intimate, symbolic, affordable and beautiful!

Just found a bunch of un-matched slippers from the "old days" and it inspired me to start knitting some of these again. My kids LOVED these and so did all the friends and family I knitted them for - even the guys! They are SO super easy I almost felt guilty for the thank-you's ;) And, I wish I had a picture but once you make this a couple times you can easily adjust it yourself (for different sizes) and I was able to make my friend's little girl matching slippers with her DOLL! The doll slippers took me about 30 minutes. I wish I had a picture but it was just one of those spur of the moment things I did when I was wanting to entertain the kids out on her farm one sunny day. No pictures :(

But I do have a picture of the regular slippers (take note that these were a random pair made from synthetic yarn that my daughter found and loved but natural is best for comfort. Also take note that I have my daughter is modeling a pair that fit her two years ago ;) and a nice pattern to share. Note that the size of these slippers is size 10-13 (women) so you need to adjust the pattern accordingly.

You need: About 130-150 yards light bulky or heavy worsted weight yarn

Use: Size 10 needles.

Hint: If you want to easily adjust this pattern for a smaller foot you can use thinner yarn and smaller needles ;)

Repeated Pattern: This is the "pattern" you will be using over and over...
Row One: Knit
Row Two: Knit 2, Pearl 2, Repeat for rest of row

Instructions
CO 52 (56, 60) sts.
Knit in pattern stitch for four inches (or less for smaller sizes)
Bind off four stitches at the beginning of the next 6 rows.
Knit four rows even until the slipper measures six inches.
Knit one, pearl one for TEN rows (or 2 inches)
Knit one, pearl one for an entire row
Repeat

To finish (this is magical fun)
Cut yarn & leave a long tail.
Thread through the stitches on a needle and pull tightly.
Fold in half.
Sew toe closed
Sew back seam.

Welcome to my post for the Des Moines Area Frugal Blog Tour! Julia McGuire, who is leading this tour is a Homeschooling leader in my community and has gathered together some amazing local Bloggers for this tour. I'm the first stop :)

When someone says "My child made me a gift for the holidays" one might imagine something made from a recycled toilet-paper tube, some glue and paint. However, when given the proper guidance even a young child is able to create a quality gift that is not only beautiful, natural and affordable - but one that the gift recipient will truly cherish forever. There are a few rules to keep in mind when looking for these kinds of hand-made gift instructions:

1. If the craft is age-appropriate it will be beautiful. However, if you ask a child to create something that is too difficult it may turn out poorly.

2. If the craft is made from all-natural materials it has more of a chance of being treasured, appreciated and something the child can be proud of. For example, which would you be more likely to wear - a string of glass beads arranged with a pendant in the middle or a string of plastic beads? Both take the same amount of skill level. However, one will appear much more professional than the other. It may cost slightly more to purchase the glass beads instead of the plastic ones. However, you are investing in something that will be used instead of something that will be thrown away or packed away in a box. Part of being frugal is realizing that buying the cheapest is not always the best. Any time you purchase something that is not going to be used you are throwing away your money.

3. If a piece of artwork goes with the decor and is framed it will be more likely to be used by the recipient. Try to find out what colors the gift recipient has in their rooms. A beautiful abstract or child-created painting may look like "art for grandma's fridge" if it is done in many colors and does not match the decor. However, the same piece of art can actually look like it was done by a professional if the colors are chosen according to the decor of the room, it is done on large paper (11 x 14" or 20 x 30"), it is done with quality materials (beeswax crayons result in much more vibrant colors than crayola and high quality watercolor paints do the same) and is framed. Michael's and other stores often run half-price ready-made frame sales. You can also purchase old artwork or posters from Goodwill, throw out the artwork and use the frame.

4. If the gift is useful it will always be appreciated. Think about things you need around the home. Ready-made soup or cake mixes are always useful when days are busy or guests stop in last minute. For some reason I always need hot-pads and guest towels and bags and holders of any kind are always appreciated. However, I have probably only really needed a paperweight once in my life and I don't really need any more clay sculptures, bowls or vases. Everyone's needs are different.

You might be surprised what kids can make that people will really appreciate - not simply because they love the child - but because they also admire the gift itself. Here are two sample gifts from my book "Natural Gifts that Kids Can Make", "First Grade Crafts and Stories" and "Second Grade Crafts and Stories":

Festive Tea Bags
Cut these in a holiday shape (snowflake, leaf, acorn, snowman, tree, etc...) and fill them with loose tea for health or enjoyment. Put them in a handmade bag or recycled glass jar with a ribbon and a label.

To make the muslin tea bag, you will need unbleached muslin, a hand sewing needle, heavy sewing thread, and heavy paper or card stock. It is important to wash and dry the fabric before using it as there could be residue on the fabric. Muslin is 100% cotton so it will also need to be lightly pressed after it has been washed. While it is washing print out the pattern for the leaf and cut your fabric in sets of two leaves each. You will need two of each leaf for each muslin tea bag. If you have pinking shears, use them because it gives a decorative edge to the muslin tea bag and will help prevent raveling of the fabric. If you don't have pinking shears, cut the muslin with scissors being sure to cut as straight as possible. Pin two squares together and sew around three of the sides of the muslin tea bag, leaving one side open. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end to secure the stitches. Place about one tablespoon of loose tea in the muslin tea bag, and sew the last side securely. Using card stock, cut out small "tags" to use on the muslin tea bag string. This is also a great time to cut up some of those water-color paintings and use those! On the tag, write the flavor of the tea and/or a nice message. Then, using your hand sewing needle and heavy thread, place a few stitches on one edge of the muslin tea bag, securely knotting the stitches. Leave about 4 inches for the tea bag string, and sew the tag on the other end, again securing the stitches with a knot.

Tree Stringing Beads
This is a wonderful toddler gift that any child can make!

Slice up a small log with a saw.
Hand-drill holes in the middle.
Sand these pieces and provide string and you can “lace beads”.
Ideas
This can be made by older children and given as a gift to a younger toddler.
This can be made by older children and sanded by the younger children.
This can be cut by an adult and sanded by younger children.

Purchase one of the e-books above for more holiday gift-making ideas ;)