Gnomes from the Waldorf on Etsy Team

Those in Waldorf education love gnomes!  Many stories are told with gnomes, math is taught with gnomes, parent handwork groups make gnomes and children craft gnomes from beeswax.

Members of our Waldorf on Etsy Team make gnomes in a variety of ways and I will feature a selection three shops in each post over a number of weeks. Each post will showcase shops from different countries and gnomes crafted from varied materials.  I will also share the item on my Pinterest, Tumbler, Twitter and Facebook page.

LaLutine in Canada crafts in wood, wool fiber, beeswax and kite paper.

Seasonal Gnomes from LaLutine Etsy Shop

Sandra Mill from LaLutine makes gnomes that are sweet and functional in Waldorf homeschooling.
She writes: "This charming set marks the passing of each season. Each gnome is adorned with a seasonally appropriate apple tree and a coordinating colored needle felted cap. This set includes 4 wood burned and hand painted gnomes. The are 5/8 of an inch wide and will fit into a birthday ring. They are handmade from all natural materials. Trees and faces are wood-burnt, their bodies are painted with non-toxic, AP certified water-colors and sealed with wonderful handmade beeswax polish. Their hats are needle-felted from 100% wool. Height of the gnomes with a hat is 4 1/2 " (11,5 cm)."

She is on Facebook




KatjasFlowerFairys is a German shop, crafting small dolls of natural materials.

Busy gnomes from Katjas Flower Fairys Etsy Shop.

Katja Bantel makes exquisite gnomes, angels, fairies and seasonal items.  She writes: "The Gnome is made of 100 % wool-felt, fairy tale-wool and tricot material. The doll is approx. 11-12 centimeters high.  The filling is sheep wool.  The offer covers one Gnome.  Not suitable for the under 3's.  Your doll will be unique!  Made to order.  Manufactured in careful manual work.  

Go to her website.




BrambleHedgeCottage from the United Kingdom crafts in natural fibers and polymer clay.

Fimo Gnomes from Bramble Hedge Cottage Etsy Shop

Maxine from Bramble Hedge Cottage makes appealing traditional Waldorf dolls and small dolls in fimo and natural materials.  She writes:  "These little Rainbow Gnomes are hand sculpted from Polymer Clay/Fimo.  They stand approximately 1.5 - 2 inches tall.  Their eyes are tiny seed beads and cheeks are blushed and highlighted with water colour paints.  Each little gnome is individual, with his own little character, complete with a tiny red heart on his chest to show how much love he has to give.  These are for display only, they are not toys and should not be given to children under three. "

Visit her on Facebook.




Check out the Waldorf on Etsy Team Shop HERE

The Importance of Nature to Children

Connecting the Seasons in Waldorf Education 

by Claudia Marie Lenart

Waldorf Seasons Needlefelt Painting by Claudia Marie Felt

In Waldorf education, we celebrate the changing seasons in the classroom, in the community with seasonal festivals, and in the home.  Waldorf classrooms always include a beautiful season’s table that is decorated with gifts of nature, handmade animals, and items that reflect the present season.  Inspired by the beauty of the classroom, Waldorf parents often find a space in their homes as well for a seasonal nature table. 

Spring Flower Root Children by La Lutine

The awareness of the seasons and celebration of seasonal festivals has meaning in the Waldorf curriculum.

Recognition of the seasons establishes rhythm for the child and the natural rhythm of life is central to Waldorf philosophy.  Rahima Baldwin Dancy, author of You are Your Childs’ First Teacher, says that rhythmic activities provide children with a sense of security. 

Blue Bird Brooch By Lavender and Ladybugs

“The slower rhythm of the natural world with its changing seasons can provide the “content” of our experiences, as well as a powerful healing influence,” according to Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America.

Autumn Family by Soft Earth Art
Awareness of the changing seasons allows children to better appreciate nature and to feel at home in the natural world.  For Waldorf children, daily outdoor play is essential, through the heat of summer and even on the most frigid winter days.  Of course, Waldorf parents send their children to school with boots, hats, scarves, wool mittens –well prepared for the weather.  If the schoolyard has the slightest hill, you will be sure to see the children sledding daily in the snowy months. 

 

Observation of the changing seasons in early childhood provides a foundation for later scientific study.  As the child progresses through Waldorf school, teachers will take hiking trips where students will study and draw the anatomy of a plant or observe weather patterns.  The seasons are a perennial subject for Waldorf watercolor paintings as well. 

Original Watercolor Painting by Waldorf Teacher Dr. Rick Tan of Syrendell

Feeling at home in nature throughout the seasons, provides a child with a sense of wholeness and belonging to the world.  This sense of wholeness is at the foundation of Waldorf education and observation of the seasons instills a greater sense of connection to the natural world and to all life. 

Silk Butterfly Wings by ziezo

Claudia Marie Lenart, Waldorf parent, volunteer, and longtime writer about Waldorf education is a needlefelt artist on Etsy.  Her shop is ClaudiaMarie Felt.

Happy New Year!

The Waldorf on Etsy Team of artists and craftspeople wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!  

Winter Fairy made by Peach Creations

January is full of the birthdays of many wonderful people who have enriched our lives.  People like Martin Luther King Jr., Woflgang Mozart, Joan Baez, Anne Bronte and Lewis Carroll.
Did you know that Charles Perrault, a Frenchman born in January over 300 years ago collected folk talks and wrote them down in a book called, Tales of Mother Goose?

A Golden Family of Bees by The Magic Fairy Lady

January is a great month to snuggle up with your kids and read some fairy tales together.    A fun activity for both parents and children is to get out paper and pencil, crayons or paint and create pictures from of the stories you just read together. 

Jumbo Triangular Pencils by ziezo Designs

Another fun activity is dressing up and acting out some of the scenes from these stories.  Or using little peg dolls or finger puppets to do the same.

The Princess and the Pea Peg Doll Set by Toadstool Forest

Peace and Prosperity to you in 2014!

The idea to celebrate the birthday of Charles Perrault as well as some of the play ideas are from:  

The Early Childhood Teachers Almanack by Dana Newmann - it's a great book full of activities for the whole year to enrich your child's life!

Waldorf Toys that Promote Learning, Naturally

Open-ended play is a most important part of learning in the Waldorf kindergarten.

Waldorf Playsilk Children can turn a blue silk into a river, a green silk into a grassy field, a yellow silk becomes a cape.

Felted Acorns

Natural materials like felted acorns can become food or even currency.

 Waldorf Doll

Simple Waldorf dolls allow children to nurture; and felted or wooden animals feed a child’s imagination.

Stacking Toy

There are also simple, Waldorf toys that can teach children more specific lessons, such as the fire, water, air, earth stacking toys from Simple Gift Toys.

Matching Game

A wooden memory game from Petals and Sunshine can help build cognitive skills. 

 Waldorf Math Gnomes

Math gnomes from LaLutine make first grade learning so much more fun.

Gaia's Garden Game

Older children can learn about permaculture with Gaia’s Garden cooperative board game from Living Earth Games.

Visit the Waldorf on Etsy Team shops for more toys and learning games.

A Hippie With A Minivan

Today we meet the artist and owner of the Waldorf on Etsy shop:
A Hippie With A Minivan
 
 Needle Felted Babywearing Mama
My name is Melissa and I am a mom or four wonderful children.

Though we unschool our children, I have always had a love for Waldorf education as my years spent in a Waldorf school as a child were some of the most memorable and peaceful of my childhood. Even though we don’t follow a Waldorf curriculum, it still is part of my children’s lives. 
 

Needle Nelted Woodland Scene

I am a mom, a blogger (paxye.com), a photographer and a lover of the fiber arts. I sew and quilt, crochet and knit a tiny bit and have now found needle felting which has quickly become a passion and maybe even an addiction. There is something about sculpting with wool that just amazes me.

 
Needle Felted Billy the Black Bear

My creatures and characters are original.  Many times I start felting without knowing what the result will be. Their personalities arise when I start creating their faces or the scenery that will be around them and they inspire me. My love of natural parenting, including breastfeeding and baby wearing, have also come to life within my creatures. I spend hours on each creation and love the small details. 
 

Needle Felted Dragon at Rest

Many of my creations are pose-able and they are all made with play in mind. I use mostly merino wools because I love the colors and the softness. Though some creations are a bit more fragile then others I want them to be handled and cherished and hopefully be allowed to come alive in a child’s (or inner child’s) imagination. 
 

Needle Felted Bluebird Earrings

I started my Etsy shops because we have a dream of converting a bus into a home, living on the road and living off our talents. One day, we hope to do just that. 
 

Needle Felted Vegetables

In addition to needle felting, I love photography and have a photography shop on Etsy :  Melissa Bellemare Photography
 All of the prints and greeting cards available from my shop are from original images taken by myself. Some are from here in Quebec, some are from majestic British Columbia, and a few were taken in the friendly Maritimes.

 
Photo Greeting Card

To see more of Melissa's sweet needle felted creations please visit her Waldorf on Etsy shop:  A Hippie With A Minivan

For more of her beautiful pictures visit her photography shop on Etsy:  melissabellemare.etsy.com

To learn more about her visit her blog, A Hippie With A Minivan at:  paxye.com

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird Greeting Card
ENJOY!