GONE for Christmas!

take care out there and have a Great Christmas filled with family and food.
until next year!
xoxoxo


enjoy the BEST christmas song eva!

Juan de Fuca - xmas 2010

I was thinking about last year's Christmas trip and upon looking, realized that I didn't post at all about it!  

We had a glorious time with Stevie's family in Chilliwack!  

Then we went to Vancouver Island.  

 Where everything in nature is huge.  Huge trees, huge beach, huge ocean...

Huge Love.

Atlin playin' with some bull kelp.

We spent a really nice day on the trails on the Southwest side of Vancouver Island.  

The Juan de Fuca trails.  They are good for day trips because there are a lot of hike in beaches. 

This particular beach is Sombrio Beach.

There had been a small community of people living/squatting out there very happily... until the ones in charge decided thats ENOUGH happiness.  and they told them to leave, chainsawed their homes in half and burned them.  here's the link to the documentary .  Sad.

there's still a swing back in the bush.  

and their spirits are there too.  

If you see any redhead girls working in Port Renfrew, with surfboards on their car, thats them!





my Drift wood collection.

A lot of these are still a part of Atlin's toys! They are used as percussion instruments.

Two hardy chunks of driftwood have a really good sound actually!

Happyest daddy.  

He spent a lot of time out here before we met.  

He worked on fishing boats all around Van. Island so he's connected to that area.

Littel Attie. bein' an sea babe

I have spent some good time on these beaches. the more the merrier!

I really had moments just watching and listening to the full sound and feeling of the ocean waves.

It is so powerful. 

I could spend hours and hours just watching and listening.

The ocean gives meaning to the yogic breath/meditation:  Ujjayi breath

It is a great meditation. and using during asanas creates heat and groundedness.

I can still smell the salty air, feel the humidity.  soft skin.

THis is what she thought of that day trip to the Juan de Fuca!  loved it.

BC Ferrys is a wonderful place to spend time and dream.

Its nice to think:  the ocean is turning RIGHT now...

as we breath.

Felted (kid friendly) christmas tree ornament!

BRing out the felt!

heat up the water!

find the soap!

time for Christmas wet felting!

 

 Form a tight ball, 

add a bell if it pleases you!

  a little needle felting helps the ball stay together during the water phase

Add some other colors

Make the water as hot as your hands can handle!

and hold the ball all around as you dunk it in the water.

Keep it under the water until all the bubbles are done and its wet thru

Add some dish soap

and the fun begins!

Start slow and Very gentle, then just go round and round for about 5-10 minutes

until a ball is formed!

option:  for a tighter ball, place it in nylons, tying a not right above the ball and

 throw it in a very hot washing machine.

Also, when its all done, if you have a felting needle, 

you can felt some designs into your ornament.

I cut a tiny hole on the top and needle felted this wool yarn onto the top for hanging.

One could also sew it in of course!

since its made of felt, you can put these guys at the very bottom of the tree 

so IF the little ones get em, they won't break them!

see that hand going for it!!

 yeppers! That will happen.  

Merry christmas making!

New computer

A few days ago, the purolator truck showed up in front of our hose and bestowed upon us a brand spankin new computer!!

Its a Mac...  so this means that instead of writing fun blog posts, I am spending my computer time trying to figure out how the %$@# this thing works!!!  I've been running PC all of my computing life.
This is fun.  hehe.

I fee lucky to have this problem.  see you soon!

Meet Madison Violet

   Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac are Madison Violet.  They are originally from Eastern Canada (Lisa Farther East then Brenley) but met in Toronto to form this band.  


The two rock it out and if you ever get a chance to see em, do it!!  One of my fav's.

how to infuse oils

This day some more Calendula-Chamomile oil infusion is in order.  

This will be used to make more Calendula Salve, lip balm, and Soap! as I did for the Santa Supermarket. Which went pretty good. 

Although there was lots left over, so I am doing another craft faire and need more supply.

  Today, I am using heat to infuse the flowers.

How to infuse oils with heat:

- fill an oven proof bowl/ vessel with the herb - calendula, chamomile and Chickweed used here

- completely cover with olive oil  - or jajoba, coconut, sunflower, sweet almond,...

- put in oven preheated to about 225 degrees for 4 hours- too much heat will make the oil turn rancid

- let it cool a bit until you can handle it, then strain with a cheese cloth.

- enjoy the glorious smell.  I just WISH I could send you the sweet scent over this blog post!

This is how to make a solar oil infusion:

- Fill a mason jar with calendula (chickweed, comfrey and chamomile are also good for skin)

- cover with olive oil (or sweet almond oil, sunflower, grapeseed...)

- let it sit in a sunny window for 3-4 weeks.

- Strain the oil out of the herbs with cheese cloth.

straining with the cheese cloth

this is gets messy and the smell is WONderful!   AND your hands will be baby soft for days.

oil.

I am using most of this today for my calendula skin saver salve:

Here is why to use calendula oils on your skin.