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3 February 2013

Candlemass, Vikings, and Arty Stuff

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My beautiful journal prompt cards from Daisy Yellow came yesterday (Etsy shop here) and Jenna and I spent some time earlier playing with them.  Art materials - and journalling inspiration - are a great favourite to grab when life has been very up and down and I'm feeling a bit lost.  We made these pages from some paintings Jenna half-finished when she was much smaller.
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The budget this month is going to be *so* much tighter than last month (planning ahead not being my strong suit, and the car needing work doing to get it through its MOT) but I did so enjoy spending the extra money from my fledgling indie dyeing business on art and craft bits, books, and one new outfit for each of the bigger girls.  Rowan's dress came yesterday too, and of course she absolutely did NOT want to save it for Easter (and who can blame her):
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We are definitely in a period of high-tide learning here, too, and in spite of me attempting to prod them towards Candlemass/Imbolc crafts and activities, I instead still have a house full of little Vikings.  One of them pinched my drop spindle, and demonstrated again that she is considerably more proficient in its use than I am.  They also baked their ancient-recipe loaf, insisted on eating period-appropriate foods all day, and did some weaving once I finally sat down and set up little lolly-stick looms for them.
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Oh, I did persuade them to make candles with me.  And they took very little persuading to eat candle-shaped snacks (though they were very annoyed with me that they "weren't Viking" - I pointed out that Vikings certainly would have eaten chocolate wafers if they could get them, and anyway, watching Muppets From Space after lunch wasn't a really Viking activity, either)!
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Also, I have no logical reason for finishing this post with a picture of yarn.  I just love the colours.  :)
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8 comments:

  1. what a cute dress!! i am not surprised she did not want to save it! bet she has been living in it. where did you get it from? I ordered the un schooling books you mentioned last week and we are really enjoying them. Thanks xx

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    1. Oops I meant to link to it! It was from Wild Things Dresses on Etsy. http://www.etsy.com/shop/wildthingsdresses First time I've ever spent that much on an outfit for a child (and the only comparable spend for me would be my wedding dress!) but I'm glad I could fit in the extravagance last month. :)

      Inspiring books are my favourite kind of resource. Followed by new art and craft materials, of course!

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  2. Man, I totally missed candlemass. If I re-posted last years post do you think anyone would notice haha.
    I guess that's what happens when the snot takes over your household.
    You know I have a viking fertility symbol tattooed on my arm? Just a little bit of trivia for you lol.
    I am in love with that dress, if only it came in UK XXL haha.
    V
    xxx

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    1. Oh I had rather intricate day-long Candlemass plans, which I forgot all about until the morning by which time I had children with plaited hair and tunics and bed pallets and Viking meals planned out... Ah well! You could always celebrate late, I know a fair few who celebrate Candlemass or Imbolc on the first day they see a snowdrop. :)

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    2. Aww that is cute, kind of more seasonal really, because according to Gardner's World (in 2011) we are approximately 3 weeks behind the south of England seasonally, as a planting guide.
      V
      xxx

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  3. I remember teaching myself runes as a child, sadly information now replaced in my brain with something terribly boring like how to use the washing machine; I can understand the girls' fascination with all things Viking though, plus of course the slight deviation for Candlemas. We celebrated Candlemas with glow sticks; the idea of our wonderful vicar who wanted even the littlest children involved without having to worry about them setting light to one another!

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    1. Lovely idea. <3 I was always more interested as a child in how people lived than memorising "facts", so I'm quite sympathetic with their desire for period tools and so on! :)

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  4. Loving hearing about your high tide learning! It's depressingly low tide here waiting for the move! Nice to read about your days :) xx

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Penny for your thoughts? :)