making a crown of rose petals

:: we continued enjoying the beauty of our roses by making a crown of rose petals. this crown is very easy to create, all you need is some wire, rose petals and maybe some ribbon. we removed the petals from the flower and strung them through wire. after we filled up the wire, we twisted the wire together and covered the closure with ribbon. 

this would be great for a summer solstice celebration, in addition to these ideas, including fairy baskets filled with moss, shells, rocks and gemstones for fairy gardens, fairy wands and sun candles.

anniversary love

:: my husband and i celebrated our anniversary of 8 years. this year has been the most challenging by far, deep intense feelings that don't always bring out the best in us, but none the less bring us closer together in the end. we had served chocolate covered strawberries at our wedding and it's always nice to enjoy them this time of year.

treasure basket, part 2 - heuristic play for toddlers

please note, the following text and images are taken directly from the website, little acorns to mighty oaks ... In Heuristic play part II we will look at how toddlers interact with and explore objects during heuristic play, and ways in which we can enrich these play opportunities for them, engaging their curiosity to enhance their cognitive development.

As babies grow they develop further curiosity about the world around them, and as the question of 'What is it?', is fulfilled with the exploration of the treasure basket, they are no longer content to simply hold, feel and mouth objects, they want to know what they can do with them! For toddlers, the question posed when participating in heuristic play is 'What can I do with this object?'. Toddlers have a natural curiosity to explore, and experiment with the different ways that objects interact with each other, a toddler will investigate with all the physical possibilities of an object, by rolling, filling, stacking, dumping, fitting things inside each other, balancing and manipulating an object in every possible way. Toddlers who are able to freely explore in this way can make satisfying discoveries about how the world works, by exploring area's such as gravity, spacial awareness, density, and simple physics, which builds their cognitive development, hand/eye co-ordination and fine and gross motor skills.

As with the treasure baskets, it is important that children are able to engage in heuristic play without instruction or interference. The role of the adult in this type of play is to support and observe children during their play. The types of materials that an adult will provide to children during heuristic play, differ slightly to what was offered to babies during the treasure basket phase. During this phase when a toddlers primary question is 'What can I do with it?' it is important to provide a range of objects that can be used together. It is a nice idea to make up a range of 'activity kits' with a purpose in mind, but then to let the children explore them and use them as they would like to, remembering that there is no right or wrong way to engage in this type of play. Try and think of all of the different ways that objects can interact with each other, and provide objects that allow your child to experiment with these different ideas:

Stacking
Boxes, tins with lids, cotton reels, cones, coasters, pieces of wood etc.

Posting
A box with a small slit in the top, tubes, pegs, shells, stones etc.

Balancing
Dolly pegs to peg around a box or a stainless steel bowl etc.

Threading
Curtain rings, paper towel holder, cup tree, bangles/bracelets, lengths of chain/beads, ribbon, scarves etc.

Rolling
Balls or different sizes and textures, tubes, a ramp made from a cardboard box, cones, pompoms, wooden door knob, cone shaped shells etc.

Pattern making
shells, stones, pine cones, leaves etc.

Matching
Containers and lids, pairs of objects etc.

Collecting
Baskets with handles, large jars, bags, containers with small and large openings etc.

Nesting
Baskets that fit inside one another etc.

Making noise
Metal objects, small objects to put in jars and be shaken, a wooden stick for banging etc.

By being able to use their imagination and explore without interference or direction, through sequencing, manipulation, anticipation and rearranging of objects children can discover concepts such as same and different, spheres roll in all directions, tubes roll back and forth and cones roll in circles. Shiny reflects, metal resonates, flat objects can be piled up, heavy and light, little and big, things of the same shape/size can have a different weight, floating and sinking and many many more basic scientific and mathematical concepts. Through this experimentation and exploration children develop their imagination, problem solving skills, concentration, fine and gross motor skills and overall cognitive development.

As with the Treasure Basket, other important factors in a successful Heuristic Play session include the when/where/how long and how often. Make sure that the time of day that you choose to implement an heuristic play session, is free from disruption from visitors, when your child is well rested and has eaten. It is important that the environment that this type of play takes place in is free from distraction and interruption, so it is a good idea to put all of your child's toys and books aside, and switch off the t.v, make sure it is a time that you can sit down calmly and observe your child during play and be available to them. A child will happily engage in this type of play for an hour, but try to limit the sessions to this length of time to keep your child interested in the contents of the heuristic play kit for future play sessions. It is a nice idea to have a couple of place kits which you rotate around to keep your child fascinated and engaged (if you can't afford the space to keep two play kits, try swapping with a friend week about). Offer this kind of play session 3-4 times a week, and ensure that you check over the play materials every time you use them to ensure that they are safe (a good time to do this is when you are putting everything away). 

i hope you found something interesting here to bring to your home.

treasure baskets, part 1

making birthday ring decorations

 

:: the new summer edition of rhythm of the home is out. i am very excited to show everyone how i made our butterfly birthday ring decoration over here. i have so many crafty mama visiting my blog. if you decide to make a decoration for your birthday ring, i'd love to get see a pic or link.

sunflower houses and more

:: a while back, we were lucky to have won a book, sunflower houses by sharon lovejoy. there is so much inspiring projects and stories shared throughout the book, it was hard to chose which one we would start with. remembering our trip last autumn through a sunflower maze, i knew a sunflower house would be wonderful. i reacall a mention of 8x8 but ours may be smaller as i am still trying to figure out where we could plant it, until then we are tending to the seedlings and have some morning glory seeds ready to sow in the soil, which will fill in the canopy.

a fairy garden

:: we gathered materials around the house for the past few days for our fairy garden. she gathered some beach rocks gifted from great grandmother for our walkway, a larger shell to hold water, gems, painted mushrooms rocks, marbles, acorn caps and wind chimes. i love hearing her imagination take flight. 

we also headed to the nursery for a shade flower and an accessory (or two). lastly, we gathered some moss from around the yard and the finishing touch was some mica chips that my little one ground down. i had no idea what she was doing but i sat back. and a great lesson and experience unfolded in time. 

i originally thought i would buy a fairy house like this, or make one like this or that, but my little one really enjoys making fairy houses so leaving it open allows her more opportunity for play. another lesson for me, to sit back and let things unfold.

what things do you children put out for the fairies?

10 Homemade Laundry Soup Detergent Recipes

I had been searching for a recipe for a homemade laundry detergent recipe without borax and someone on the mothering boards gave me this wonderful link to tipnut. The following is taken directly from there site. If you try or have tried a recipe, please leave a comment with your feedback.

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

First Some Tips:

• For the bar soaps required in the recipes, you could try Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote. Don’t use heavily perfumed soaps.
• Washing Soda and Borax can normally be found in the laundry and cleaning aisles.
• Some people with really hard water or well water may have to adjust the recipes if the clothes look dingy.
• Although several of the recipes have the same ingredients, the measurements are different–some contain a higher soap to water ratio. Test and see which works best for your laundry needs.
• You can make huge pails of this at once, or smaller quantities. Also if you can get your hands on a few empty liquid laundry detergent bottles they work great for storing the detergent. Just make a big batch and pour in bottles, cap then use as needed–shake before use.
• Some of the recipes call for large amounts of water. Check with a local restaurant to see if they have any empty large pails from deep fryer oil–that’s how many restaurants buy the oil. See if you can have one or two of the pails after they’ve emptied it–just wash them out really well before using. They’re big, heavy plastic and very sturdy when stirring the soap and hot water.

 

10 Homemade Laundry Soap Detergent Recipes

Recipe #1

1 quart Water (boiling)
2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Borax
2 cups Washing Soda

• Add finely grated bar soap to the boiling water and stir until soap is melted. You can keep on low heat until soap is melted.
• Pour the soap water into a large, clean pail and add the Borax and Washing Soda. Stir well until all is dissolved.
• Add 2 gallons of water, stir until well mixed.
• Cover pail and use 1/4 cup for each load of laundry. Stir the soap each time you use it (will gel).

Recipe #2

Hot water
1 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1 Soap bar

• Grate the bar soap and add to a large saucepan with hot water. Stir over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
• Fill a 10 gallon pail half full of hot water. Add the melted soap, Borax and Washing soda, stir well until all powder is dissolved. Top the pail up with more hot water.
• Use 1 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Recipe #3

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated)

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use (will gel).

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #4

2 cups Fels Naptha Soap (finely grated – you could also try the other bar soaps listed at the top)
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

• Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
• Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

Recipe #5

Hot water
1 bar (4.5 oz) Ivory Soap – grated
1 cup Washing Soda

• In a large saucepan add grated soap and enough hot water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is melted.
• Fill a large pail with 2.5 gallons of hot water, add hot soap mixture. Stir until well mixed.
• Then add the washing soda, again stirring until well mixed.
• Set aside to cool.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, stirring well before each use (will gel)

Recipe #6

2.5 gallons Water (hot)
1 Bar soap (grated)
3/4 cup Washing Soda
3/4 cup Borax
2 TBS Glycerin

• Melt bar soap over medium-low heat topped with water, stir until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2.5 gallons of hot water, add melted soap mixture, washing soda, borax and glycerin. Mix well.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load.

Recipe #7

2 cups Bar soap (grated)
2 cups Washing Soda
2 – 2.5 gallons hot water

• Melt grated soap in saucepan with water to cover. Heat over medium-low heat and stir until soap is dissolved.
• Pour hot water in large pail, add hot soap and washing soda. Stir very well.
• Use 1 cup per full load.

Recipe #8

2 gallons Water (hot)
1 bar Soap (grated)
2 cups Baking soda (yes baking soda this time–not washing soda)

• Melt grated soap in a saucepan with enough hot water to cover. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently until soap is melted.
• In a large pail, pour 2 gallons hot water. Add melted soap, stir well.
• Then add the baking soda, stir well again.
• Use 1/2 cup per full load, 1 cup per very soiled load.

Powdered Laundry Detergent – Recipe #9

12 cups Borax
8 cups Baking Soda
8 cups Washing Soda
8 cups Bar soap (grated)

• Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub.
• Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load.

Recipe #10 – (Powdered)

1 cup Vinegar (white)
1 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Washing Soda
1/4 cup liquid castile soap

• Mix well and store in sealed container.
• I find it easiest to pour the liquid soap into the bowl first, stirred in the washing soda, then baking soda, then added the vinegar in small batches at a time (the recipe foams up at first). The mixture is a thick paste at first that will break down into a heavy powdered detergent, just keep stirring. There may be some hard lumps, try to break them down when stirring (it really helps to make sure the baking soda isn’t clumpy when first adding). I used 1/2 cup per full load with great results.

Liquid Detergents Note

Soap will be lumpy, goopy and gel-like. This is normal. Just give it a good stir before using. Make sure soap is covered with a lid when not in use. You could also pour the homemade soap in old (and cleaned) laundry detergent bottles and shake well before each use.

*If you can’t find Fels-Naptha locally, you can buy it online (check Amazon).

Optional

You can add between 10 to 15 drops of essential oil (per 2 gallons) to your homemade laundry detergent. Add once the soap has cooled to room temperature. Stir well and cover.

Essential oil ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil