dolls (part 2)...

well, i'm not sure how it happened...but somehow i left out a very special baby of maya's, sleepy baby, in my last post.  maya quickly pointed this out to me.  so i decided to retake pictures of our cherished doll family again (since the last picture was a bit dark anyway)...

hazel, penny and special baby...

hazel (and her little orange doll friend from aunt boo)

penny (and her little pink doll friend from aunt boo)

special baby (and her little blue doll friend from country cait)

sleepy baby and nova

nova

sleepy baby

maya and her sleepy baby

yours in doll love,

shelley

dolls...

inspired by my friend lizz's post the other day on her blog, i wanted to take a picture of the dolls that share our daily life here.  meet nova, hazel, penny and special baby (the little doll babies that hazel and penny are holding were made by my dear friend and fellow etsy shop owner, aunt boo)...

(from left to right) nova, hazel, penny and special baby

as lizz so eloquently shared in her post, dolls and our play with them is so very important.  it truly is a time to imitate daily activities, pretend, nurture and express feelings...which comes instinctively to children.  it certainly is a part of the daily rhythm here at our house.  tending to them, knitting their clothing, dressing them, keeping them warm, sharing mealtime, taking them along on outings, etc...is a sweet pleasure for both maya and i.  and waldorf dolls are especially endearing in that they have simple facial features that allow for the imaginative play of the child to express a myriad of feelings and emotions.  likewise, when such simple dolls are made with natural materials (such as wool and cotton), the child experiences a positive sensory connection with the living world.

maya with special baby from about a year ago

all three of the bigger dolls have been with us since my older ones were young.  maya became very attached to 'special baby' (who was my son's doll when he was little) when she was just learning to crawl and she has been much loved and cared for.  hazel and penny are her 'sisters' and they all share a special bond.  we recently welcomed little nova into the family.

yours in play,

shelley

valentine hat...

here's a new valentine red hat i just finished in size 12-24 months, in the most delicious malabrigo merino wool yarn...

if you've never experienced this yarn before, you won't believe it. it is incredibly soft and warm! and i just love this variegated colorway. for some special little someone to enjoy...

yours in valentine warmth,

shelley

heaven...

i'm in heaven!  just look at this big bunch of beautiful yarn that i recently received from my friend, rachel-marie, over at her awesome etsy shop...

gorgeous handspun, handdyed wool.  isn't it just heavenly?  i can't wait to get knitting with it! can you tell i prefer the warmer side of things when it comes to color?  i love sunshine and sunsets and oranges and pinks.  that's me.

and here is my sweet maya, drawing her rainbows...while i was organizing my yarn.  she has a definite artistic side...

after drawing and organizing, it was dress up time.  here is maya wearing her baby in a sling (notice we still have our christmas tree up! - she loves it so we haven't taken it down yet)...

and lastly, the latest custom order hat i had the honor of making for my friend cadi, using some beautiful yarn from waldorf friends at dreamincoloryarn.com...

yours in sunshine and rainbows,

shelley

my gnome...

i love gnomes.  there is something sweet and wondrous about them. here is a very special gnome that i received the other day from my new friend, orit, courtesy of her beautiful waldorf-inspired etsy shop...

photo courtesy of orit dotan dolls

each morning when maya and i awake, he is here on our nightstand to greet us with his sweet and smiling face.  with such a happy gleam, i find i cannot look at him without smiling myself! this is a very particular style of gnome that is typical to waldorf education, and i have a very special memory of a gnome just like him that my dear friend, christiane, showed to me long ago when naomi was in the waldorf kindergarten.  orit says that 'legend tells that in the winter time we can see them, and if we behave nice to them...they can be our helpers in creating our crafts'.  how magical is that?  thank you, orit!

yours from gnomeland,

shelley

keeping warm...

dear friends ~

welcome to my little blog.  i hope to share little bits of myself with you here and hope that you visit often.  i wanted to start by letting you know about my passion for knitting and waldorf philosophy.  and about my little shop on etsy.com where i sell natural fiber hats for children...

knitting is a daily rhythm for me, as well as a creative inspiration.  and, indeed, it gives me a great sense of joy and comfort.  but more importantly, i feel very strongly about keeping babies and children warm.  young children do not have a fully developed sense for temperature (their own or that around them) so they are dependent on us to dress them appropriately.  and since the majority of warmth leaves via the head, this means keeping their head covered.  rudolf steiner, the founder of waldorf education and it's inherent philosophy, believed that one of the most critical gifts we can give a child is to ensure they have sufficient warmth by keeping their head covered...which 'keeps the inner soul warm'. and that natural fibers should be used, as they hold living properties and are comforting and soothing to the young child. whether it be warm and cozy wool in the fall and winter months, luxurious silk in the spring, or crisp cotton in the summer time...nothing protects more or feels as good as natural fibers.

pastel rainbow alpaca/merino wool pilot cap, size newborn

the pilot cap or helmet style of hat that i offer in my shop is my very favorite.  and i find it the most protective and easy to use.  a simple tie under the chin keeps it secure and little ears covered.  i offer these handknitted hats in a variety of the highest quality natural fibers.  and in sizes newborn to age 3-4 years.  if you are looking for a particular fiber or size, please feel free to inquire.  i welcome custom orders!

yours in warmth,

shelley