Autumn arts and crafts - autumn lanterns - pumpkin lantern and silhouette lantern for your nature table or seasonal display.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,And when we find ourselves in the place just right,'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.When true simplicity is gained,To bow and to bend we shan't be…

Sheet music for lantern festival songs.

Autumn arts and crafts - autumn lanterns - pumpkin lantern and silhouette lantern for your nature table or seasonal display.

Here in New England and in many parts of the country, the temperatures are beginning to dip and the leaves are beginning to change into new and glorious hues. This changing landscape brings us a reason to celebrate autumn in all its glory! Steph Green, the creative visionary behind Waldorf Family, has created these lovely autumn verse cards to help your family celebrate the changing of seasons. Print and place them on your nature tray, dinner table, or any spot that needs a little autumnal magic. Autumn Yellow the bracken, Golden the sheaves. Rosy the apples, Crimson the leaves. Mist on the hillside, Clouds grey and white. Autumn, good morning! Summer good night! Fall Verse Let's go walking through the woods This windy Autumn day Through the leaves, all red and gold We'll dance and sing and play "Come little leaves," said the wind one day. "Come o'er the meadow with me and play. Put on your dresses of red and gold. Summer is gone and the days grow cold." As soon as the leaves heard the wind's low call, Down they came fluttering, one and all. Over the brown fields they whirled and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew. Dancing and whirling the little leaves went, Autumn had called them and they were content. Soon they will sleep in their soft earthly beds Waiting for winter to cover their heads. “Little leaves, good night!” Leaves at Play Scamper, little leaves, about, In the autumn sun. I can hear the old Wind shout, Laughing, as you run, And I haven’t any doubt, That he likes the fun. So run on and have your play, Romp with all your might. Dance across the autumn day, When the sun is bright. Soon you’ll hear the old Wind say, Download and print our Autumn Verse Cards! Windy Weather Like a leaf or a feather, in the windy, windy, weather We will whirl around and twirl around, And all fall down together. Red in Autumn by Elizabeth Gould Tipperty toes, the smallest elf,
 Sat on a mushroom by himself,
 Playing a little tinkling tune
 Under a big red harvest moon;
 And this is the song that Tipperty made
 To sing to the little tune he played. “Red are the hips, red are the haws,
 Red and gold are the leaves that fall,
 Red are the poppies in the corn,
 Red berries on the rowan tall;
 Red is the big round harvest moon, 
And red are my new little dancing shoon” Explore Waldorf Family Introduce number concepts, letters and seasons the Waldorf way! Steph Green, who made these beautiful autumn verse cards for us, is also the artist and visionary behind Waldorf Family. We are proud to be one of the exclusive retailers for this whimsical line of wooden learning tools. Have you decorated a fall nature table? Learn how to create one in your own home in our latest blog post. Share how you bring Waldorf influences into your home. Follow us on Instagram and share by tagging us @BellaLunaToys or using the hashtag #BellaLunaToys.

Learn the Winds of October song for fall; you can hear it sung in a round and played on recorder. Sheet music and lyrics, too.

In the spirit of Martinmas, I've come up with something to share with you . Now, I've never written a tutorial...so, bear that in mind as you wade through this long strand of mediocre photos and murky instructions. Hopefully by the end, though, you'll have enough clear information to create these lovelies for your own. So, you begin with watercolor paper that has been painted (and dried)...this size happens to be 11x15 and makes a lantern that is roughly 6" tall and 4" square. Any size rectangle will do, but using paper that is much smaller than this won't leave much room for a candle! To make the paper more translucent, use a soft cloth or paper towel to gently rub oil over the entire surface of the paper, front and back. I just used canola oil, and I've used olive oil before, too. You can hold the paper up to the light to see where the translucency has occurred and where you may have missed a spot. Wipe away as much excess oil as possible. If you feel like there is still alot of oil on your paper, lay it between sheets of clean newsprint, then between layers of newspaper and weight it down with a big book for a while. This will blot away extra oil. When I am making several lanterns at a time, I oil all the sheets of paper and store them like this. Skip this blotting step if you feel that you were able to wipe enough oil off and your paper no longer tacky with oil. On the back of the paper, mark a line about 1/2" from the edge. Fold the paper along that line To make the crease very flexible, fold first to the front, then to the back, then lay the paper flat again. Now fold the paper from the right, all the way over to the 1/2" mark. Again, crease the paper sharply, folding both to the front and back. Every fold we make must be creased in this manner. Fold in half again, up to the 1/2" line. Does your paper look like this? Now fold it horizontally in half. (Don't forget to crease it to the back and the front). Fold again horizontally into fourths. When you open the paper flat again, you should have 4 equal rows of 4 equal rectangles with that little 1/2" strip running down the left side. Next, use a straightedge to draw pencil lines diagonally across the rectangles from corner to corner...do this only for the 8 rectangles in the center rows as shown. Do the same thing going the other way, dividing those center rectangles from corner to corner. Crease the paper along these diagonal lines, folding to both the front and back as usual. This is tricky to explain, but not difficult to do. Here is another picture of the same action. Just fold on all the diagonal pencil lines that go one direction, then fold on all the lines that go the other direction. You paper should be looking rather like this. Go up to that top row of rectangles and fold it into thirds...like you are hemming fabric; fold it over a third of the way, then fold it over again. Now use scissors to cut along the folds that separate the 4 rectangles in the bottom row. Also, let's trim away a couple of bits that we won't be needing. Can you see that I've snipped away a portion of the 1/2" strip down on the bottom left? And also up at the top left? Here's a closer look at the top left corner...don't snip away too much! Now the fun begins! "Hem" the top edge of paper by turning it down and gluing it along the folds you made earlier. Depending on what kind of glue you are using, you may need to wait for glue to dry between steps from here on out. Bring the right side of the paper over towards the left. Glue the 1/2 strip (or tab, or flap, if that helps make this clearer) to the back of the righthand edge of the paper. Here is a closer look at that step...I like to slip the very top of the1/2" tab/flap/strip in between the folds of the "hem" to make a neat finish. Do you have something that looks like this? Let the glue dry before going on. When the glue is set, you should have something that opens into a rectangular tube-like shape. Here's another look from a different angle. This "hemmed" edge is the top of the lantern. The flaps at the other end fold in to form the bottom. Glue these as you fold them on top of each other. I like to cut a square of card stock to glue to the bottom. It makes it sturdier and gives it a more finished look. And here is another square of card stock glued to the inside to finish that, too. A heavy can or jar can weight things down while the glue sets. (That is the pasta sauce that I'm going to have to feed my family tonight because I've spent all afternoon goofing around with lanterns). Once all the glue is dry, you can begin shaping the lantern. This is why we folded every crease both to the front and the back...so we could get this awesome shape. Beginning at the sharp corner edges of the lantern, press the diamond shapes so that they pop inward. Work your way from diamond to diamond...all the diamonds should curve inward at their centers and point outward at their points. Just keep manipulating the paper until you are able to achieve this. And there it is! Just the right size for a centerpiece or mantle decoration...or a Lantern Walk! You can make a string or wire handle to thread through holes punched in the top edge if you like. A tealight candle can be glued to the center of the bottom of the lantern...it is quite safe. Happy Martinmas! Welcome Season of Light!

Here are some ideas to help you model the energy of Michaelmas so that you and your family can celebrate authentically together.

Get Crafty this Fall with Waldorf Kite Paper - Learn How to Make a Stunning Kite Paper Pumpkin - The perfect pumpkin craft for kids!

Today, I spent a rainy afternoon in the warmth of the beautiful Berkeley Rose Waldorf School learning how to make Waldorf dolls from dollmaker extraordinaire, Christine Schreier. As many of you know, Christine is the proprietor of the wonderful Puppenstube. She also shares her incredible expertise with others in her dollmaking workshops. Christine started the workshop with a candle lit in the middle of the table. In her own work, it is a practice that she does to invite the spirit of the beings that she is creating and to hold the focus of what she is doing in the highest intent. It reminds her that she is creating not only for her own benefit, but that the work she is doing is going out in the world representing something, in the case of a doll, a human being. She strives to put her best intention out towards that and it reminds her that creativity is a sacred gift. She had brought pre-made bodies made out of velour for the Nicky dolls and wool for the Bunting Babies. One of the truly unique and wonderful aspects about Christine's methods of making dolls is her use of recycled materials when possible and normal every day items. It was nice to know that it's not necessary to buy specialty doll making supplies. I love that repurposed sweaters, skin colored knits (like t-shirts) and dental floss (for strong thread) are items that can be found locally and inexpensively. We learned forming the body comes first, so that the dolls head can be made proportionally I had been intimidated for quite some time on how to make a Waldorf doll head, but through Christine's teaching, found it to be not as daunting as I had feared. (Though I still was uncomfortable with sticking such a long needle into my "baby's" head!) Adding features to our dolls Christine's wonderful pincushion made from a recycled sweater. Christine gave us a little peek into her basket where she keeps the dresses for her flower children in progress. We're hoping that can be another workshop in the future :) I snuck off for a few moments to take a picture of the lovely space that is the Berkeley Rose School. ...and here is my new baby she's very tired after a long day of being birthed :) When I arrived home, Matteo instantly hugged the newest member of our doll family and asked if he could care for the new baby. It was as if he could feel the love that I had poured into making my first Waldorf doll. It was a magical day, getting to know some really lovely women, spending time with a dear friend and learning a new handwork skill to that instantly brought my child joy. With much gratitude for the sacred gift of creativity, Marina

Autumn arts and crafts - autumn lanterns - pumpkin lantern and silhouette lantern for your nature table or seasonal display.

Here is a quick guide to tell you how to make this fun craft for your window. I have included a pattern of my above design at the bottom of this page, but you could most certainly make up your own …

*Updated* School has started again, and that has got me thinking a lot about our homeschool space. One thing that needed a little revamp was our seasonal wheel calendar. I made this a while back, and it had started to flop and bend over time. So I implemented a few minor changes, and put it back on the wall (for another go-around!). Detailed below is my original DIY/ Tutorial, with the addition of the newest changes and improvements. Also, here is a photo of where it is in our homeschool room this year. The seasonal wheel is tucked into a cozy corner above one of our work spaces. *Side note: I love the desk pictured above, because it folds up to save space! Enjoy! Thursday, May 28, 2015 For many people the time to start an new calendar is at the start of a new year. But the neat thing about this calendar is that you can start using it anytime! In the spirit of Waldorf Education I wanted to create a seasonal wheel calendar for our homeschool space. In addition to this, we do use a traditional calendar. But, my goal with this was to use the wheel format to illustrate the circular nature of the yearly rhythm. I chose only to include the months and the seasons, so that I could continue to use it year after year. But, you could make an even more elaborate version that included days and/ or dates by simply adding another inner circle. I don't know if this is a "traditional" aspect of Waldorf Education, but it has the general feel. *Although I love Waldorf education and am heavily influenced by it, I am not a Waldorf purist, or expert. To make this project I used the following materials: -2 sheets of Bristol Board -White Glue -Scissors -1 Mini Brad -Colored pencils (my favorite brand is Prismacolor, but Lyra makes a nice set too). -A compass -A standard pencil -An eraser -A long straight edge or ruler -1 piece of cardstock or cardboard (at least as large as your pieces of Bristol Board). The back of a pad of drawing paper, or even part of a cereal box will work well. I gathered my supplies, and on one of my pieces of bristol board, I begin constructing my wheel. Bristol Board is similar to cardstock, but it is a little heavier and (if you get a smooth version) is lovely for drawing with pencil. I also like that it holds up well to lots of erasing and gluing (unlike traditional drawing paper). The first step was to create two circles. Using the compass I made one outer circle that would serve as the edge of the wheel. I didn't measure and exact width. Rather I just made it as wide as the size of the paper would allow. The I moved the compass in about 1/2"-3/4" (again, this measurement can be flexible). I placed the point of the compass in the exact same place in the center of the circle and lightly drew an inner circle. This would serve as my guide for writing the names of the months around the edges. Then came the challenging part. This might be easy for you if you're good at geometry, but it took me a few times to get it right. So if you're like me, draw lightly! First I divided the circle into 4 equal parts, starting from the center. Each of these triangular sections would be the space for a seasonal tree illustration. After that I divided each of those sections into 3 equal parts, creating even spacing for the names of the months. This then left me with 12 equal pieces marked off around the perimeter of the circle. Then it was time to add some color. I started by writing the 12 months around the perimeter (in the 2nd circle I had created). Before I "committed" anything with colored pencil I wrote it all out lightly with regular graphite. Colored pencil will erase a little bit, but not entirely, and not as well as graphite. I also lightly colored in the area with the colors of the rainbow, using cooler colors like blues and greens for the winter months, and warmer colors like reds and oranges for the summer months. I used this image as a reference guide: photo credit As one color transitioned into another I faded them together. The easiest way to do this is to use a lighter touch where the colors will blend together, eventually fading lightly into white. Then, pick up your next color and lightly draw over the last one, gradually increasing the pressure to make add more pigment to the paper. Next, I went over the names of the months with a dark brown colored pencil. Then it was time to draw a tree, four times (once for each season). The good news is that you don't have to be an artist to do this! A simple Google image search (seasons tree illustration) will reveal a wealth of inspiration and references. You could use these as references for your own drawings, or even just print out an image and glue it onto your wheel. For my project I was inspired by this lovely image: photo credit Using the image as a guide, I freehanded four basic trees with my colored pencils. I started by drawing the trunks and branches. I added dark blue shadows to the "cold" season trees, and dark brown shadows to the "warm" season trees. Then I chose colors that represented each season and simply made circles of various sizes over the branches. In the center of the circle I drew a combination sun/ moon for added interest. It would also be neat to draw a star, or a compass rose in the center. Then I cut out the entire circle, and also cut out an identical circle from another blank piece of bristol board. For extra strength I glued the blank circle onto the back of my calendar wheel. I fashioned the pointer from a scrap of paper, colored it, and glued it to the background. Over time, this did not prove to be strong enough, and it started to flop, and bend. So, I added the extra circle of (thin) cardboard to the back. I just used the backing from an old pad of drawing paper and glued it to the reverse side of the wheel. Make it spin! Lastly I pushed a small brad through the center of the wheel and through the back of a brown piece of card-stock paper. I simply stapled it to the wall in our homeschool area. We enjoy turning the wheel slightly every couple of weeks as the months go on. It serves as a great visual reference for learning about the months and seasons of the year! Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Crafting! If you are interested in Waldorf, nature crafts and/or related topics, you may enjoy these posts: Backyard Labyrinth and Compass Natural Materials Playground Lazure Room Homeschool Room Tour Thanks for stopping by! Linking up to these fun parties: http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/ http://livelaughrowe.com/diy-footstool-and-candles/ http://www.artsyfartsymama.com/ http://staceyembracingchange.com/2015/05/28/creative-inspirations-linky-party-140/ http://bloomdesignsonline.com/2015/05/lovely-little-link-party-28.html http://www.acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/ http://thecraftyblogstalker.com/create-link-inspire-linky-party-78/ http://strangersandpilgrimsonearth.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-art-of-home-making-mondays-please.html http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/2015/05/doggone-dirty-craftin-linky-party_28.html http://www.posedperfection.com/2015/05/creative-ways-link-party-55-and-features.html http://frontierdreams.blogspot.com/2015/09/keep-calm-craft-on-crafting-on.html

20 common North American leaves are featured in this book. By coloring in the leaves, children will become familiar with the similarities and differences from one species to another. This is a *digital product* and you can print it and use it (for personal use) as much as you wish! Some suggested ways of using this product: -Color in the lines practice! -Shading practice for more mature coloring skills. -Autumn decorations, seasonal decoration -Gain awareness of seasonal cycles and life cycles of plants. -Cutting Practice! The bold lines will help kids gain dexterity with scissors. -Tracing practice (apply tracing paper above these leaves). - Matching Game : go on a walk and see if you can find a matching leaf in nature! -Springboard for research learning : for instance, where do Shagbark Hickory trees grow? How tall do Eastern Redbuds grow? What are some interesting facts about each tree and its corresponding leaf? Children are enthralled with finding and identifying leaves. Kids also enjoy being artistic and "handsy" with their learning. These coloring worksheets (which can be used in so many ways) is a cheap, appropriate, and fun way to encourage creativity and curiousity. There are no returns on digital products but if you have any issues please let me know. You will have full automatic access to the sheets once payment is complete.

I find the morning warm up time to be one of the most essential elements of our day. It allows us to orient ourselves, arrive at school (mentally, as well as physically) and remember how to be at school and with our classmates. It also helps everyone to wake up a little bit! But even this […]

Festival life is the heartbeat of Waldorf Education. Festivals as practiced in Steiner schools and homeschools are linked to larger rhythms in the natural world, the meanings of which have been interpreted over time and passed down along cultural and generational lines.

Here are two traditional autumn fingerplays for you to enjoy! I know it can be hard to follow fingerplay instructions without a visual, so I've put them on video. Click the following links for winter , spring , and any season fingerplays on video. Please note my intention is

Are you looking for resources for Waldorf homeschooling? This extensive list includes curriculum, supplies, organizations, and favorite book titles. A comprehensive list of over 50 resources put together by Jean, a mother of three and longtime Waldorf homeschooler.

Pinay Homeschooler is a blog that shares homeschool and afterschool activity of kids from babies to elementary level.

Liz brought home her main lesson books yesterday and I snapped a few photos--they are a bit dark but I think they show her work for this ye...

Pinay Homeschooler is a blog that shares homeschool and afterschool activity of kids from babies to elementary level.

In my first post for this series ~ How to bring Waldorf into your home… I mentioned that I’ve spent hours seeking out Waldorf blogs. I’ve sought out these blogs because I wanted to know more about Waldorf. I wanted to know how families incorporated Waldorf into their days, I wanted to find craft ideas & patterns, and I wanted to find inspiration. And I wasn’t disappointed! So I thought I would share my reading list with you all… Now this is not a complete list, but rather those blogs that I go back to time and again. *** The Magic Onions This is where it started for me, and a great starting place it was. Donni’s series Discovering Waldorf is very informative, and I love finding inspiration at each Friday’s Nature Table. Beneath the Rowan Tree Another original favourite, here I discovered about the magic of play silks and other Waldorf toys. And found craft ideas for Dino Boy and I. Anna Branford The most amazingly beautiful crafts you will ever see. Anna also writes wonderful children’s books {which I am rather partial to myself} Hinterland Mama Aleta’s lovely space spoke to me straight away. I love the way […]

A popular request! Learn how to make your own adorable felt hedgehogs. Project includes template to make two different sizes.