Playsilks- Winter 08

Arrr... we be the playsilk pirates!!

So, most of you have probably heard me talking about one of Ro's favourite toys- playsilks! They are pretty self-explanatory: pieces of silk dyed pretty colours that you play with. I like them because they foster open-ended imaginative play, unlike many of the battery operated toys you see in the market. However, if you look for them at a fancy organic toy store or at one of the many places online you would be shocked at the price tag. Fifteen dollars for a piece of silk? No thank you!! Luckily, they are one of the easiest natural toys you can make for your child. No sewing, no sawing, no experiece required. All you need are undyed silk scarves (found at dharmatrading.com), vinegar, and kool-aid.

Because there are already wonderful tutorials out there, I won't reinvent the wheel by going through the steps myself. If you're curious, and want to try it yourself go here. These are my results:

Ambrose stirring the kool-aid soup.
Yes, I made him wear a matching shirt so he wouldn't stain! ;)

Cager's job was to rinse the silk.

Here are the silks drying in the laundry room.

The boys showing that kool-aid can stain things other than silk.

Once dry, the play begins!

Ambrose dons an apron/skirt. Cager is trying to tie on a diaper.

The blue silk ninja.

It's amazing how vibrant the colours came out! Just imagine what the dye does to your stomach ;) Of course, for those who want an even easier method, you can always go to your local thrift store and scour the scarves for playsilk fodder. But it is fun to make your own and it gives kids something to do while they are stuck inside during the winter!

Rowan's new favourite thing

I have no idea what this is, but it is the first thing that has made Ro laugh all day!

I don't know how to embed it here, but this is the link : http://sieni.us/?id=30

Some may call me a hypocrite- I won't let Ro watch Baby Einstein, but flying Russian space dildos? Sure, we'll watch that all day!

No sleep + cranky baby = Art!

I want to chew the camera!

Ro is teething, we both have colds, and C has left us for warmer climates this weekend. What to do when you're stuck indoors with a sleepless, cranky baby? Listen to Verdi, drink boxed wine, and experiment with watercolour (oooh, fancy!) Here are the results:

Day number 1: Obsessed with dandelions

Day 2: Longing for Spring...




Rowan making his 'tooth face':
Today it snowed. I miss the south...

Mmmm... what's that smell?

I found a great new diaper system- thought I'd share it with you guys! It's easy to do, and eco-friendly...



Spicy lentil is my personal favourite.

Happy (belated) New Year!

Why yes, that is a martini glass on my son's bib.
And yes, I'm that kind of mom.

Since I gotta start somewhere, I might as well start with January! I celebrated my first parental New Year's Eve this year, which I found to be very different than those sans children. No going out to clubs, no drunken taxi rides home, no scrambling to decide who to kiss at the countdown. It might sound a little dull, but I thought it was quite relaxing!

We started the evening by going out to a tiny family-friendly restaurant. They make their own pasta and offer a salad as big as a serving platter, so it satisfied both Charles and I. The three of us had dressed up for this rare outing, and the owner/hostess/waitress (like I said, tiny restaurant) asked us where we were going to celebrate the evening. I laughed and said "Here! Being at a place with tablecloths and real glassware is a celebration for us these days!" I was pleased to know we looked festive enough to be seen at a *real* party.

After dinner we went home and drank wine til we were schnokered. To placate my superstitious earthy side we lit a candle and wrote down anything we wanted to leave behind from the past year, then burnt the little paper bits. I don't care if it's psychosomatic; it makes me feel better to perform these little rituals, and Charles was nice enough to play along.

We also made a New Year's video to post to YouTube, with the lofty goal of alerting all of our friends back home so they could watch it a la Wine and PJ's Party. Alas, that did not happen, but I saved the video so I could post it after the fact. (edit: No, we did not let Rowan flop around like that all night! He fell asleep as we were setting up the camera, and after we finished he was put to sleep. I mean laid in bed. You know what I mean!)

I don't remember what time we finally went to bed, but I recall feeling satisfied with the way the evening went. No drama, no headaches- just being with my little family and kissing the two most important men in my life. (Yeah, I'm being mushy. Cue the sappy music.)

So, from the frozen tundra of Michigan, we wish you a Happy New Year, a little late!

Bad Blogger... again.

I'm terrible, I know! Depriving you of new pictures of Rowan- 'cause I know that's all you want to see ;) It's been over two months, so I guess it's about time for some new posts. Look for a new, improved (or at least more prolific) blog to begin in the next week! I've got a lot of things to catch up on.

But before I go, here's a pic:




Rowan- who will be banished to the laundry cage forever if he tears yet *another* key off the laptop while mommy's blogging. Let us mourn the recent loss of Left Alt. He will be remembered.