A happy St. Nicholas morning

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

This is one of our favorite mornings each year, and today was quite sweet. We had a St. Nicholas party earlier this week, and so we already read our St. Nicholas stories, ate our St. Nicholas cookies, and found coins in our shoes once - but I couldn't resist doing a little something again this morning.

The girls put out their shoes last night, and found them this morning filled with quite a lot of gold (chocolate) coins, and a few stickers - each girl got stickers just right for them - ocean creatures and pink ponies. There was even spontaneous sharing! It was a simple treat, but enough to remember the secret kindness of the real St. Nicholas, the joy of charity and gift giving in this frantic season.

So we spent this quiet St. Nicholas morning coloring pictures for the stickers, nibbling on chocolate [and coffee], while listening to the last few chapters of The Lion the Witch and The Wardrobe. We picked up on the joyous chapter where the stone creatures come back to life:

Everywhere the statues were coming to life. The courtyard looked no longer like a museum; it looked more like a zoo. Creatures were running after Aslan and dancing round him till he was almost hidden in the crowd. Instead of all that deadly white the courtyard was now a blaze of colours; glossy chestnut sides of centaurs, indigo horns of unicorns, dazzling plumage of birds, reddy-brown of foxes, dogs and satyrs, yellow stockings and crimson hoods of dwarfs; and the birch-girls in silver, and the beech-girls in fresh, transparent green, and the larch-girls in green so bright that it was almost yellow. And instead of the deadly silence the whole place rang with the sound of happy roarings, brayings, yelpings, barkings, squealings, cooings, neighings, stampings, shouts, hurrahs, songs and laughter.

This is a bittersweet day for me: reminding me of the joy of children and life, saints and loved ones in heaven, and the kindness and goodness that connects us all. This reading from C. S. Lewis seemed just right. Life, color, laughter returns with the king.

And I had my own little St. Nicholas Day miracle! I've been wanting an out of print book for a few years, but used copies are listed on Amazon for ridiculous prices in the $1,000's. I set up a saved search thingy on Ebay. Occasionally I get an email saying the book is for sale for something like $100, and I just delete the email. Last week, I got an email saying the book was listed for $5.98! I snatched it up before someone else did! A nice thick book arrived in the mail just in time for St. Nicholas Day, so this morning, I'll settle in with my coffee for some reading.

I'll share our The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe studies soon! In the meantime, wishing you all a happy St. Nicholas Day.

Find activities and stories at the St. Nicholas center, or read my other St. Nicholas Day posts.

Happy Crowns

I'm off to put the last of the crowns in the mail this morning, and I just wanted to say thanks to all of you for participating in my little project.  We gave away 130 crowns and met some amazing kids.  Have a look at the crowns, and be sure to scroll down and down and down.  It's like a happy little rainbow - it always makes me smile.  The crowns are in the order that they were given, so you can see how my color and style choices changed, as well as my photog skills. (And maybe you can spot the donated chunk in the middle, thanks Mom!)

Assorted reflections: 

• When you do something nice for others, you just can't help but be blessed by it yourself.  I feel a bit selfish because I think I got more out of this than anyone.  I really can't say thank you enough. 

• Everyone needs compassion.  True, not everyone's needs are equal, but sometimes little things feel just as dire, especially for children.

• A charitable project probably runs more smoothly when you have a clear recipient in mind.  I ended up hunting down kids to give crowns to.  :)

• I can find much more time to sew than I ever thought I could.  Sometimes a challenge is all you need.  

• "Joy comes, grief goes, we know not how." - James Russell Lowell 

Maybe I'll have some reflections on turning 30 later.  This seems like enough for one day.  I'd love to hear yours. 

Crowns

There is one month left for the crown project (and subsequently, until my 30th birthday).  I've been busy with my other projects, so I've gotten a bit behind on sewing crowns.  I'm spending today catching up, so if you've requested one recently, it's coming!  I promise.  :)

If you haven't seen the gallery lately, go check it out.  How fun are all those crowns together? And if you'd still like to request one, please do!

Giving it Away

We had an excellent time at Arts in the Alley last night.  I'm thrilled that my little town is full of creative people who developed an Arts Commission that is so active.  It's fun to find new crafts people and musicians in your own town.  And, can I just say, that giving away stuff at a craft fair is exponentially better than selling.  The little word "FREE" on my table let me interact with so many more people and immediately made people smile.  Which speaks to me on a level beyond simple consumerism.

And a shout out to my mom - who sent me a package of 30 crowns that she and a friend made.  I had about 20 of my own, making a slew of crowns, as mom would say.  We gave away 31 last night (so I've got some ready to mail if you want one!). It was a blast seeing all the kids running around wearing crowns, for me and L both.

No matter how much love you give, you never have less. In fact you discover you have more — one ruble becomes two, two becomes ten. - Mother Maria Skobtsova




All of the diverse facets of my life, including the crown project, seem to be criss-crossing in surprising ways, causing me to decompartmentalize.  That feels good.  It is helping me give up some of the unhelpful ways I define myself.   Specifically, I realize I am not defined by what my friends believe and do, rather who I am a friend to.  That also feels really good.  And it is a lesson I needed to learn.

Apparently, I also need to learn to iron my tablecloth. :)

Love in Stereo, Whip Up and, Arts in the Alley

I'm so late in telling you about my guest blog post at Whip Up last week.  I interviewed my college friend Brad Montague about Love In Stereo: a movement of artists, fans and friends united together to make a global impact.  I've been so moved/impressed/amazed/excited by all that I've seen Brad and his friends accomplish this year through Love In Stereo, so I'm thrilled to get to help spread the word about this great organization.

I was especially eager to interview Brad because I've been wondering "what can I do?"  I don't have any superhuman skills or a vast fund raising network, but I'd like to help impact people for good, too.  And I knew Brad would point me in the right direction.  Since I've been working on my Nicholas Crown Project, I've begun to understand the truth of what Brad said:

It’s about addressing a need and building a community around that need.

Real impact happens when artists do more than giving and raising money for an immediate need.  It's about building a community that will continue to support that need over time. 

I reached out to all of you, my online crafty friends, first because you are the community I interact with most as a Work at Home Parent.   I treasure the connection (sanity) and inspiration (motivation) I get from all of you.  But, I realize that I need to push myself to be more a part of my real world community, too.  My compassion for children shouldn't be limited to the abstract and distant, but also for my own children, my friends' children, and the children in our community.  Especially in such small acts of compassion, like reminding a child that they're special.

As the number requests for crowns have been declining (you can still request one for a child you know!) I've been looking for more children to reach out to, and I realized perhaps I should start at home, you know?  Next Thursday, March 17, is Arts in the Alley, hosted by the Henderson Arts Commission, and I'll be there with a basketful of crowns to give away.  If you're in town, come by and pick up crowns for your kids, or take one to give to a child you know.  

Compasio

Have you seen the updated crown gallery?  Maybe you noticed a pair of pictures of crowns that are headed to an orphanage in Thailand.  Watch this video to learn about Compasio, an organization that's reaching out to the women and children who are living on the streets in Thailand.  Be sure to check out ways you can get involved.

"Seeing a need, feeling compassion and acting with practical love on behalf of those who are poor, needy and at risk -- this is the heart of Compasio."

A Few Items

1.  I updated the crown gallery to show all 49 of the crowns I've put in the mail.  It's a fun scroll, so check it out!  The last crown I made came from my orange curtain fabric, and paired with blue bobble trim - it just made me so happy on many levels. 

2.  I'm anxiously awaiting Whip Up's new mini-mag, which I think could be a great homeschooling resource.  It's loaded with crafts, cooking, and outdoor activities for kids, with busy parents in mind.  It sounds lovely, and it will be available to download on March 1.  Don't forget to get yours.

3.  I've added one more little thing to my crown project:  A coloring page for the kids!  If you're making crowns (to send to me or give away on your own) - get your kids involved!  I was having L color each child a whole picture, but after awhile she lost interest (49!  you can imagine).  So remembering the wild success of Inchmark's valentines, I created a similar template of a head and crown that she can doodle a face and hair and other goofy details onto (like a goldfish).  There's also a note and a space for her to write her name (plus space to add a more personal note from the adults).  I'm adding the link to the main Nicholas Crown page, but you can also download it here.

4.  And I made a new twitter account to separate my craft tweets from my local tweets.  So if you do twitter, join me @wewilsons.

Call for Compassionate Crafters

I've been thinking about what I can do to make my Nicholas Crown Project more impactful.  The connections I've made have been such blessings, and I want you to share in that experience.  I've come up with three ways to make this better.  I need you to join me! 
 
1.  Spread the word.  I caught myself hesitating to share my link, worrying that I might get too many requests.  But this is the opposite of what I'm hoping to learn.  Compassion is a muscle that gets better with use.  I want to share as much joy as possible: Help me spread the word!  Feel free to use any of the pictures in the gallery, and link to the Nicholas Crown Project. 

2.  Learn about children's ministries.   I also want to share some of the good works I've learned about through those of you who have contacted me.  Several people who have submitted names have introduced me to organizations serving children in very big ways.  Their stories are so moving, and I want to share them with you.  I'd also love to find ways to work together with these organizations.  I'll be posting about some of these groups in the next few weeks. 

3.  Join me!  For me, the most amazing part is the way that people are letting me be a part of their lives, their struggles, and their healing.  I want to share that opportunity with you!  I promised some friends and family that if I got overwhelmed, I'd send out a call for help.  But now I realize that with more people we can reach more children, and more of you get to exercise your compassion muscles. 

So you want to help make crowns?  Here's what you can do:

1. make crowns. 
2. email me at wilsonlauralynn {at} gmail {dot} com for my mailing address.
3. send me crowns. 

I'll photograph your crowns and add them to the gallery.  And as I receive requests, I'll send the crowns.   I'll also create a linky list of compassionate crafters as my way of thanks. You don't have to use my tutorial, the only thing I ask is that you make each crown unique as a way to remember each child is unique.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or ideas.  This is a work in progress - so help me progress!

Postal

John took some packages to the post office in town for me today.  They told us the postage we'd been putting on our domestic Nicholas Crown packages (the amount our local country post office said we needed) wasn't sufficient, and the recipients might be charged when they received the packages.  I'm so frustrated and heartbroken about this.  It shouldn't be more than 70 cents, but still. 

We're correcting the postage immediately, and international and larger packages shouldn't have been affected.  But if you received a package and had to pay for it, I'm so sorry!  

Nicholas Crowns

Give a crown, share some joy.

Whenever I sew, L always asks, "What are you making for me?"  It always makes me smile, because this is how a three year old thinks.  So this weekend, when I was sewing some dress-up crowns, I told her, "I'm making crowns like yours.  But these are for some other kids.  Other kids who don't have crowns."

"They don't have crowns!?"
"Nope." 

And then I realized maybe this was a chance to teach her about something bigger than sharing.  Maybe it was a chance to teach her compassion.

L likes to dress up in her crown (and tutu and mittens) and pretend she is a princess, because it makes her feel special.  I wondered if there were other kids who might need to be reminded that they are special too.  So I asked you guys if you knew any kids who might need a crown.

By the end of the day, you introduced me to three beautiful families with children who might like a crown.  Two children who are very sick, and one little boy whose mommy is very sick. It reminded me that life hits us hard sometimes, and it doesn't show favoritism.  Children suffer and grieve like the rest of us, and this is harder to bear.

As we packaged our crowns to put in the mail, I was telling L about the children.  She asked about one girl, "why is she sick?"
I told her, "I don't know."
"But this crown will make her feel better."
My heart sank.  Will this crown really make any difference for that very sick little girl?

I don't know.  But I am learning that compassion is the beginning of love, and without love we are nothing.  Will it make a difference?  Let's find out together.

For the next three months, you can submit the name of a child who has an extra need to feel special, and I will send them a crown. (Now closed, thank you everyone!) That's it.  A silly, simple, dress-up crown, that they can put on and become a Princess or King, Victor or Olympiad, Superhero or Fairy, or whatever special person they imagine.

Read the details below.

_______________________________

About the Nicholas Crown project:

1.  What is the goal of the Nicholas Crown project? 

(a) With your help, to give away as many crowns as I can to special children,  (b) spreading a little bit of joy to those who most need it; and in the process, (c) to learn about compassion together with my children. 

2. How can I participate?

I need your help!  Here's what you can do: (the project has now ended.  Thanks so much to everyone who participated.  You can still make crowns yourself to spread a little joy.  The free tutorial is here. Or if you know someone who still reeeally needs a crown, send me an email.)  

3. Who can receive a crown?

No one will be turned down. 

4.  What information do you need?
All I must have is the child's name and a mailing address.  You can give me the parent's email address and I will contact them for permission, or your own address and you can deliver it.

5.  Who has received a crown already?

I'll be keeping the recipients anonymous. However, I've assembled a gallery of crowns.  This way, we can all enjoy the cheerful crowns, and remember that each represents a special child.

6.  How long will it take to get the crown?

I will try to mail the crowns within a week.  We'll see how it goes.

7. Why is the deadline on May 4?

May 4th is my 30th birthday!  Help me celebrate by spreading joy and compassion.

8.  Who is Nicholas?

I learned this year about the Kindness Project.  The idea is to perform acts of kindness in the name of a loved one who was lost too soon.  In this way you create a legacy for them.  This is for my Nicholas.

A Request and Other Things

1.  When I was making crowns last weekend, L asked, "are those for me?"  I told her "No, they are for other kids who don't already have a crown."  She's reminded me of this several times.  The bugger thing is that it sounds so charitable.  They're for my shop.  Not charitable.

But then I thought maybe there really are some kids out there who have a extra special need for a crown.  Maybe a kid who really needs to feel special.  Do you know a child like this?  I get that this is a weird request.  But if you know someone, L and I would love to share a crown with them.  Send me an email and we'll work out a way to get it to them. 

2.  I usually do some kind of handmade valentine for John, but I haven't got any ideas yet this year.  I'm loving this from fabric card with change-able button on messages from Sew Mama Sew.

3.   I've added an "About" page to the sidebar, with some faq's for the blog.  It's pretty standard.

Dress-Up Crown Tutorial

I made birthday crowns for my girls last year.  I had intended for them to be a special birthday thing, that we got out only once a year, so they would be extra special.  But, as these things go, the girls loved them, and they found a permanent home in our dress up basket.  I had no idea how much the kids would love them.  They are a regular feature around here.

I decided to make a bunch for an art fair coming up, and put together this tutorial while I was at it.  I have to add, there are a million great tutorials out there for crowns.  My version, as usual, just keeps it simple (I've left the elastic exposed), made use of what I keep on hand (sorry, not felt), and allows for fun use of trimmings.  And the trimmings are the best part, right?  I love dumping out my fabric and ribbons and sifting through to find just the right match for that funky ribbon, or finding a surprisingly lovely combination of fabrics.  Ah, that's what sewing is all about. 

I digress.  The directions are below, but you can also download the templates I used.  I tried to make a couple that were boyish, too - they're angular and not pink. My crowns have about a 17" circumference that will stretch quite a bit, so they're one size fits most - just use a bit more elastic if you have a big head. :)

Update:  Be sure to check out the Nicholas Crown Project that this tutorial inspired!  I'm giving away dress-up crowns!  Come help me out!

Instructions:
1.  Draw or print template, cut out.  If you draw your own, the width should be about 9 inches.
2. Pin pattern to fabric and cut out fabric adding a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around. Cut 2 (I like to used different fabrics for the front and back).
3.  Cut out interfacing and iron to the wrong side of your back fabric.  Alternately, you can just cut a third layer of heavy weight fabric and put it in the middle of your sandwich - both work well.
4.  Topstitch trimmings onto your front fabric.  I used ribbon, bias tape, buttons, lace, and a handmade crocheted rose.  The possibilities are endless.
5.  Cut a 9" piece of 1/4"-1/2" elastic.
6.  With right sides facing, sew around the edge of your crown.  Leave openings on the bottom inch of both sides.  You'll turn right side out through one of these holes, and later insert the elastic in each side.
7. Clip slits in seam allowance, especially in the corners.  Turn right side out, poking out all the little points and curves with a chopstick/pencil thing.  Iron sound that all the points are neat, and the openings have their edges neatly tucked in.  Don't skip the ironing - it really helps.
8.  Starting just after the opening on one side, top stitch around the crown.  When you reach the opening on the opposite side, insert on end of the elastic (about 1/2"-1" from the base of the crown) and back stitch over it a few times.  Continue topstitching around the crown, and repeat the elastic insertion with the other end.  Be sure not to twist the elastic.
 Feel free to sell items made from this pattern; however, if you do, please give credit to me as the designer. 

(heart) Breaking

I will be extending my blogging break perhaps until the New Year. I'll be sure to post pictures of the Waldorf dolls when they are finished, and maybe I can get back into a good crafting rhythm in 2011.   I'm putting together some super easy doll clothes patterns to share.  (Maybe the girls' dolls won't be naked after all?)  And I have a preschool phonics coloring book in the works, if I can just come up with something for the letter "I" - John thought an Insect on Ice Cream was too yucky.

Hope you all have a blessed Christmas.

A Couple of Secrets

I'm returning from an unplanned hiatus.  I've been sick for the last 8 weeks with hyperemesis.  However, now I'm finding myself on the other side, and it's the holiday season!  I guess if you have to lose a few weeks, it's nice to wake up to Thanksgiving and Christmas plans. 

Since I haven't been posting, I wanted to offer my secret little link to make up for so much absence.  Okay, if you can google, you can find it yourself, but this is the pouch sling pattern that I have used for years.  It was the pattern that I used when I first opened my etsy shop, and when I first started having little ones, and perhaps I'll need a new one soon.  Back in the old days, I worried that if people new how easy they were to make, they wouldn't buy one from me.  So now you know.

Birthday

Being a parent on birthdays is so rewarding.  I can't believe how big and cute and sweet my kid is getting!

I decorated last night, so that it would be birthday time from the minute L got up.  I made a quick pink banner, laid out a table cloth, her birthday crown, and some nice flowers that John brought in.  I love these banners, and there are tutorials all over for them.  This is the second one I made, and I realized after my first banner sat on a shelf for 8 months, that it isn't really necessary to do all the fusing and hemming.  So this pink banner is just triangles of fabric with raw edges.  Hopefully I won't ever need to wash it, and it will be just as cute for the next pink occasion (ahem, in two weeks?).

I got the birthday crown idea from this sweet blog Skip to My Lou.  I just made mine up after seeing hers, but I love the shape of her crown!  After she put it on, L started waving her arms around saying, "Just like a princess!"  I'm not sure what these princesses are doing, but it was sure cute. 

We had a big breakfast followed by our little party.  We had birthday cookie instead of cake because I thought it would be more likely to get eaten.  The pink icing was a hit.  Who knew I could throw such a pink party?

The play food has been a huge hit, she's been playing with her kitchen and food all afternoon.  Along with John's super cute contribution of this sweet little wooden, rubber band, banjo.  It makes a neat, funny sound.  John thinks he might add some frets so you can make different chords, and just to make it even more banjo-y. Yeah, he's a cool dad.