Month: November 2017

Autumn, Nature Study, Our Nature Journals, Phenology Wheels

Our Phenology Wheels: November

by raisinglittleshoots6 Comments on Our Phenology Wheels: November

Here are our phenology wheels for November. I can’t quite believe that they are almost complete! This has been such a delightful project.

Rose sketched a fallen leaf, I sketched dried Ragwort that is plentiful in the meadow right now. We both chose to represent Stir up Sunday in the liturgical sections of our wheels.

Stir up Sunday is a much-loved day in our year. It’s the day that we make our Christmas cake and pudding.  It falls on the Sunday before Advent, and its name comes from the the collect for the day which begins “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”

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Autumn, Exploring Nature With Children, Nature, Nature Journaling Videos

Weather Week: Exploring Nature With Children

by raisinglittleshoots2 Comments on Weather Week: Exploring Nature With Children

Weather Week

This week in Exploring Nature With Children is ‘Weather Week’.

Here are some helpful links to get you going:

Happy exploring!

Autumn, Calendar of Firsts, Nature, Our Nature Journals, Phenology Wheels

My Calendar of Firsts: Week 47

by raisinglittleshootsLeave a Comment on My Calendar of Firsts: Week 47

 

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There is still lots of beautiful colour around this week, though it is beginning to fade, as so many of the trees have now lost their leaves. I found a huge hall of Oak Galls, which I collected in anticipation of dyeing some wool. I have no idea what I will knit with the wool, yet, but do let me know if you have any ideas. I did think perhaps some colour work mittens.

Happy exploring!

Advent & Christmas, Uncategorized

Nature-Themed Advent Calendar ~ Supplies

by raisinglittleshoots3 Comments on Nature-Themed Advent Calendar ~ Supplies

Here is a list of supplies you will need to follow along with the nature-themed advent calendar, which begins on December 1st.

Week One

  • A journal in which to record your thoughts & memories about this season of Advent.
  • Ingredients to make hot chocolate.
  • Candy Canes
  • Your nature journals, or heavy paper for sketching, plus your sketching materials of choice (watercolours, coloured pencils etc)

Week Two

As for week one, plus the following:

  • Secateurs, or robust scissors
  • Old newspapers
  • PVA glue
  • Small paintbrushes (ones that you do not mind using with glue; the glue will spoil them somewhat.)
  • Lots of glitter! **I have received a comment from a reader asking me to remove glitter, due to the effects of micro plastics on the environment. Here is a biodegradable option, for those who would like to consider it as an alternative**
  • Cotton thread
  • Garden wire
  • Garden twine
  • Large sheets of paper: I like to use brown wrapping paper, lining paper is another option.
  • Poster paint
  • Small cookie cutters (festive ones will be extra special!)
  • Potatoes ~ you can see where this is headed 😉
  • A selection of Christmas books to read aloud

Week Three

As for week one, plus the following:

  • Bird seed to top up your feeders
  • 300g salt
  • 360g plain flour
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 250ml warm water
  • optional extras:
    • Cinnamon & ground ginger (1 tsp each)
    • Peppermint essence (a few drops) and red food colour dough
    • Glitter & food colour
  • Dark-coloured crayons
  • White paper (printer paper is ideal)
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Metallic marker
  • Blank cards and envelopes (or make your own cards from folded coloured cardstock.)
  • Ingredients to bake your favourite Christmas treat

Week Three

As for week one, plus the following:

  • A pencil
  • Felt-tip markers or poster paints
  • Metallic marker
  • Varnish or PVA glue & a suitable brush (non-essential)
  • Ingredients to make a favourite mulled drink (If you wish to follow my recipe, you will need a bottle of apple juice, a cinnamon stick, a couple of cloves, and an orange.)
  • Wild bird seed, suet balls
  • A favourite Christmas film

We’re almost there! Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog, so as not to miss a day!

Autumn, Charlotte Mason, Knitting, Spinning & Dyeing

Raising Funds To Support The Charlotte Mason Archives

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Dear readers, I recently shared with you of my visits to the Armitt Library in Ambleside, the English Lake District, so that I could make available to you a PDF of the Nature Notebook of Monica Watson; a student at Miss Mason’s House of Education.

The library is responsible for the conservation of the archives from both Miss Mason herself, and the House of Education, and, as a charity, relies solely on donations to keep it open and functioning.

It is with this in mind that I share with you this rather unusual post for the Raising Little Shoots blog: I have been busy knitting some wee bonnets, which I am offering up for sale, the proceeds of which will go entirely to the Armitt Library and Museum.

I do hope that this would be pleasing to Miss Mason. She was a believer in the art of creating meaningful items with our own hands, and taught us to dress our children appropriately for the weather, so we could spend as much time out of doors as possible, so I do believe that she would somewhat approve!

Details are for each bonnet are below. Please do share this post with anyone who may be interested in supporting the Armitt Library and its work.

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Meadow Orchid Bonnet ~ 0-3 Months, possibly up to 6 months. Dusky pink. 

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Forget Me-Not Bonnet ~ 0-3 Months, possibly up to 6 months. Sky Blue.

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Wild Angelica Bonnet ~ 1-2 years. Sea foam green/blue. *Sold*

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Lichen Bonnet ~ 2-3 years, possibly up to 5 years. Deep forest green. *Sold*

A huge thank you to Martina for allowing me to use her lovely Maude Bonnet pattern to knit this lace beauty.

The bonnets are £24 each, payable via PayPal. Each one is hand-knit from soft, pure wool. Hand wash only. I have done my very best to represent the colours accurately. Please be aware that the colour may appear slightly different on your device.

Postage will cost £2:40 for 1st Class Signed For within the UK

£4.75 for International Standard (Approx 5-7 working days) to the US

Please contact me for rates to other countries.

If you are interested, please email me directly at: lynnseddonhs@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! The Armitt is very dear to my heart.

The Armitt Library and Museum Centre is a registered charity, number 1054762

You may donate here at the Armitt website: Armitt Donations

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Autumn, Exploring Nature With Children, Nature

Lichen Week: Exploring Nature With Children

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This week in Exploring Nature With Children is ‘Lichen Week’.

Here are some helpful links to get you going:

Please note that lichens are a very delicate structures so should be collected responsibly.

Happy exploring!