Handmade Toys

Alice at a number of things is hosting a Homemade Toy Fair tomorrow. Since today is Felix's birthday and we only start school tomorrow, I have a little bit of time to play on my blog. I could write about many neat things that happened in the last two months (and I will later), but since today is a milestone day for one of our boys (officially a teenager now!), instead I am going to look back at much older days. It seems a fitting day to spend in reminiscences.

Creativity is something at the very core of my being. Give me raw material and I delight in their possibilities. Many years ago, I received my very first Heart Song Catalog. I couldn't afford much, but it awakened in me a desire to surround my children with beautiful toys made with natural material. So I made my own. I only wish I had taken more pictures of all the toys, dolls, and puzzles the children and I made, but in those days, without the convenience of a digital camera, pictures were sparse.

The picture above is about twelve years old! Inspired by the halfpenny dolls sold then by Hearth Song, I made Peter of Blueberry Land and a Cranberry Girl. A few years later the wires from the pipe cleaners broke and the dolls fell apart, but they had been well loved! Here is a picture of the table setting that Easter, more than a decade ago. I had also knitted a little rabbit, some gnomes, and a few balls. My husband used to work for a company which made felt for the paper industry. The huge felts were made with carded wool, he would bring me bags of it. I dyed it (with natural dye stuff), made felt with it, and even fashioned puppets out of my homemade felt. Sadly I do not have any pictures of those.

And yes, I kept my first catalog for inspiration!

Another Easter table of long ago.


This picture is even older. I made this little doll for Sara's birthday almost twenty years ago!


Many of the projects were from the book The Childrens' Year. Much more than shown here. Sara and I made gnomes, slippers, dolls, knitted animals, window stars, and gnomes' hats to name a few.

Three year old Lydia with one of these dolls.



Sebastien wearing one of the gnomes' hat Sara knitted. Oh, how I wish I had pictures of those lovely knitted gnomes Sara made for each of her brothers one Christmas!



The boys also made toys. We made and sold puzzles, wooden animals, and cut wood silhouettes backed with colored transparent paper. We still have this pig Gabriel made with a scroll saw ten years ago. I drew the pattern, he did the cutting. The boys got to be very good at it!



Here are Lydia, and Raphael on a homemade swing. She was about four and Raphael two.

Hetty (Lydia) and Hank (Raphael) are looking at their bag of turnips in front of Augustin's log house. We were rowing Down Down the Mountain a Five in a Row title. Augustin built this log house when he was in his teens.

There was and still are plenty of costumes for playing dress-up .

The Holy Family.



St Joan of Arc praying before her martyrdom.



Burning "behind" the bonfire.



Lydia wrote a play on St Thomas Aquinas. It was a great success.

Sweet Dominique has been seen asleep at the tea table, all decked in his Dominican habit, with his head resting on his folded arms.

The always popular crowns!

Sara made these for two little girls she took care as an au pair in England.

Remember my hobbits?

Frodo four years ago!

I am sure you will not be surprised to hear that Felix asked for a new cloak for his birthday. With his homemade bow and arrow he is ready for battle.

Happy Birthday dear Felix!

National Apron Day

and

Feast Day of St Matthias

Today is National Apron Day! Friends are sharing pictures of their aprons. I am a big apron fan, so we have aprons for every seasons. Just recently, I made some for Spring. I just love the way they hang in the kitchen near the dishes.

Mine is reversible.

Here is a close view of the lace at the neck. I feel so feminine wearing it!

I used Simplicity 4282, Lydia and I both want to do some of the other styles. They are all so lovely!

Here are the little boys' aprons. I didn't use a pattern for those, they are very simple.

Lydia still has to put hers together.

Today is also the Feast Day of St Matthias.

A special day for our own Matthias.