Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... may day for mother's day: hearts and roses

Plant dyed wool and rayon felt in soft spring colors, felted rope, four french knots, three stitches, a gather and a May Day Cone appears. The wild rose with it's heart shaped petal and just four petals is an inspiration. Working with plant shapes it is always amazing how simple shapes repeated create such beauty.

Rose Hips filled with vitamin C and small paper packages.....

... four heart shaped felt petals large or small, have fun choosing...

... a bit of thread, not much...

.. and three French Knots, my Grandmother taught me how to sew a french knot, such beauty in a simple knot...

Once the three knots are in place roll up the cone and place one more at the bottom to keep it all together. Then half way up the cone three petals will need help in holding their place. Sew three stitches, one for each petal, and just for fun run a gathering stitch inside just below the middle, gather it up.  The petals will come alive with the structure that gathering stitch put in place.

 Attach the felted rope or ribbon and you are ready to fill your May Day Cone with your packages of rose hips, or...

... maybe a snip of a rose itself. To May Day and Mother's Day fast approaching, just around the corner....

 

As I write, chirping can be heard from the corner, all still in the incubator awaiting for the last chick to emerge from it's shell. Those eggs that arrived late, did still hold the miracle of life. 

Spring

~ Deb

*Last time in Crafts and Activities: Spring Finger Knitting

... tell me a story: happy birthday audubon

I often look at pictures like this and wonder, what is really happening here? Obviously it's a forest somewhere, filled with trees, bushes, moss and dirt. But what story is it telling us?

Perhaps the trees can't wait to tell you how old they are, and the things they have seen...

... or maybe the wild boar would like to tell you the story about the delicious mushroom he just dug up...

... or perhaps the starling would like to relate the amazing birds eye view he just got of spring coming to life.

 There is no doubt mother nature is beautiful to look at, but what is she really trying to tell us? Writers throughout the ages have tried to decipher just that message. Beatrix Potter and Thornton Burgess wrote many of our most beloved tales, full of wonder and adventure, but one man (who's birthday recently passed) we have much to thank for.

John James Audubon would have turned two hundred and twenty six this past Tuesday. Born with a love of nature, especially for birds, he created some of the most prolific illustrations of wild birds the world has ever seen, and inspired a new love of nature for an entire nation (not to mention inspired the namesake of one of the worlds forerunners in conservation).

So in honor of Mr. Audubon, and all he has inspired we would like to challenge you to tell us the stories nature tells you. Or better yet, what stories is nature telling our youngest generation? I would venture to bet the best stories are yet to come.

Here's to a great man and all he inspired, and to the stories nature tells us...

Happy Birthday Audubon!

~ Jordan

*Last time in Knowing Green: Signs of the Season

... barn stories: nest update

Several weeks ago we discovered eggs in a nest on our front door wreath. Since then we have not entered or left through that door. I have peaked out of the window and just that movement would cause mama to fly from the nest. So, we have now completely abandoned the front of the house to give mama bird her privacy.

Our weather has turned cold in the last few days, with snow visiting again ever so briefly. I wondered if all were alright. I climbed a column in front of the house and with camera in hand zoomed in to  take a peak!

At first I thought she had added additional feathering to provide warmth, then just in that moment the feathers wiggled so softly, so new to movement in this life...

They had hatched!  Mama bird and nature know what they are doing and all are alright.
My job is to keep all at bay until they take flight.

 

~ Deb

*Last time in Barn Stories: Split Ear

... knowing green: signs of the season

For most in this hemisphere spring is well on its way, and the beautiful signs are everywhere! From baby ferns unrolling their leafy stems...

... to sweet yellow flowers peeking out from stone walls...

... to lovely white blooms reaching for the sun...

... and unusual blosoms standing tall for all to see...

... it's hard not to notice a little something new everyday!

What does spring look like where you are?

~ Jordan

P.S. Click Here to see who won last week's Earth Day Giveaway!!

*Last time in Knowing Green: Mountain Mornings

... earth day giveaway!!!

From purple mountains...

... to purple mountain flowers...

... to majestic hawks...

... and adventurous walks.  The Earth has given us so much.  Let's give something back.

In order to celebrate earth day today we're giving away an adventure pack filled with goods to make your little explorer's treks in the great outdoors complete.  Because if you learn to love nature as a child, you'll take care of her as you grow.

Happy Earth Day!!

Giveaway includes:

1 Organic Cotton Backpack

1 Sturdy Metal Compass

1 Set Nature Study Cards

1 Wooden LED Flashlight

For a chance to win  these wonderful prizes, simply leave a comment on this post. 

More ways to enter the giveaway: Want to improve your chances?  You can leave a second comment by becoming a new Imagine Childhood Facebook  follower (simply leave a comment letting us know you "liked" us on Facebook) and a third comment by sharing this giveaway on twitter or your blog  (leave a comment with a link to your tweet or post)!   The giveaway will close next Tuesday April 26th at 8am MST and the winner (picked by a random number generator) will be announced later that day!

Good Luck!!

And the winner is  The Orchard who said:

"Wonderful prize! Thanks for the chance. Tricia"

Thanks for participating everyone!  Wishing you all many magical walks in the woods!