Wait, What Did I Just Discover?? ~ A Blog Giveaway

I swear, I did not chicken out :)

No, I discovered something that was just too neat to pass up trying. Have you ever heard of Intense Debate? Bernadette introduced it to me, and I have to say that it just seemed like such an incredible function for the blog, that I at least wanted to give it a try before I made a switch.

Last week, so many of you left comments with well wishes and prayers and blessings, and it saddens me that are those that I can not find an email address or a website for to say thank you. So, perhaps there is an alternative. I already have the new blog, (and I will most likely still choose to switch to it in a few weeks) but I think that it would be neat, for many of us, to see if this might work. I have no idea how I haven't heard about it before now, but I want to give it a shot, and maybe it will be something that works for some of you as well.

So, here is where it gets good. I need to test to see how well the new comment system works over the coming weeks, and I want to start today! I am holding a giveaway for a secret box of collected goodies from me to you. For every comment that you leave, I will enter your name into a hat, and draw a winner on Sunday morning. Now this will be no ordinary box of prizes. Nope, this is going to be a collection of some of my most treasured vintage goodies, and a little yarn goodness to boot.

I know, I can be really fickle some days, can't I? Here I got you all ready to see a new blog, and now I am trying something new. My kids could tell you a thousand similar stories. What can I say, it is just in my nature :)


As a parting shot for this almost weekend day; my son, eating tea and toast in bed. Really, I want to be a child again. I mean, tea and toast, and my blanket and pillow, a few good books and a nap. Is this anyone else's perfect day?

Happy weekend everyone

Tea Party for Three

When I was growing up, tea time was a very special time for my mom and I. I loved tea parties, especially when my mom would get us dressed up to go out to an actual tea house. Scones, breads, pastries, tiny finger sandwiches that made me laugh, those were the moments I cherish.

Having boys, I never really stopped to think of the value and joy of having tea time together, but the other day I sat down for a quiet moment with a cup of tea, and GF scone, and my book. The boys eventually joined me, and I fixed them a cup of blueberry tea and we just talked. It was quiet, and it was such a nice break in our day, and a great way to transition into our evening routine.


As we sat down again yesterday, spreading a gorgeous hand embroidered table cloth that was recently gifted to me, with bread and apples and oil to enjoy (the olive oil pictured above is infused with lavender, a recipe by the amazing Imene), we decided that this was a much needed part of our days.



The process began at 5 am, when I woke to let the dough rise on the peel, then to bake and infuse the house with it's warm smells. Hand made, hand kneaded bread. Something that we have been so excited to enjoy. Do you remember the Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day that I mentioned in an earlier post? Well, the authors have a new book out, titled Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day, that includes a gluten free section. The first bread that we made was the Gluten Free Crusty Boule, a recipe created by Shauna of Gluten Free Girl. The bread is mind blowing, and I can not believe that we were able to enjoy something so delicious, with a true taste of artisan bread.


Baking bread together was such a joy, gathering our ingredients and creating our dough. Letting it rise, refrigerating, and then having 3-5 loaves ready for the coming days ahead.

Quilted coasters for each of our tea cups

There are quite a lot of GF recipes in the book, and I just can't say enough about the joy that it is bringing to our table.

So, this is my last post for the week. We are moving the blog late tonight, and then hopefully (please cross your fingers :)), we will be back up over the weekend or Monday morning at the new blog.

With Hope

A soft baby sweater that was started a few weeks back, and now is finished and set in a hope chest with the wish that one day it will be worn by a new little one.


Knitting through the sadness was wonderful. I knit in my hopes and my wishes, and my blessings and my prayers. There will always be a lot of rememberance and emotion in this sweater, and a whole lot of love.

Thank you all again for your words of comfort through this time.

Pattern: Boat-Neck Sweater: Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Shivaya Naturals Aran Cashmere

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I wanted to let you all know that my blog is actually going to be moving tomorrow night after 9, but it will not be up and running correctly until sometime towards the end of the weekend. I will have a normal post tomorrow, and then I will resume posting on Monday. Since I am trying to move the entire blog,while keeping everything in tact, this is going to take a few steps that I was not aware of.

Thank you so much for hanging in there with me, and once I get this done, I will do a tutorial about how we did it, since many of you have expressed that you are interested in doing the same.

Rhythm of The Home

Bernadette and I are so excited for the December 1st release of our quarterly magazine, Rhythm of The Home. This project is something that we have been working on for many months, and as the release date gets closer, the joy of this project is really beginning to take shape.

We originally had a release date of November 1st, but after much discussion, we chose to create a quarterly magazine that will release on December 1st for Winter, March 1st for Spring, June 1st for Summer, and September 1st for Autumn.

Each edition will consist of projects, articles, interviews and recipes for seasonal celebrations. The magazine is based on Waldorf and Montessori rhythms, and is created for the entire family to enjoy.

For this edition, we are so pleased to have many amazing contributors, including Meg from Sew Liberated, Julia from Adirondack Mama, Eileen from Little Acorn Learning, Shelley from Waldorf Mama, and an interview with Amanda Soule.

Although it is already November 3rd, if you are interested in contributing projects and articles for this edition, as well as for all subsequent editions, we would like to invite you to visit our submissions guidelines. Since we have extended the date of release for the Winter edition, we have also extended the date of submissions to November 20th. The magazine will always be a collection of projects and writings from this amazing community that we all share, and Bernadette and I are so excited to showcase the talent of so many of you.

Also, if you are interested in advertising with us, we have a very special rate for this first edition. Please visit our advertising section for more information.

Finally, my blog will be moving this Friday night to the new Wordpress blog (so excited!). The blog address has already changed to www.shivayanaturals.com, so if you currently link to this blog, you will need to change the link address for it to work :). The move is such a good one for me, that even though I am a bit freaked out by doing it, it will allow me to directly respond to each of you when you leave a comment. There is something that just feels disconnected about not being able to respond when someone takes the time to leave a comment, or a question for you. I am hoping that this will be a positive transition.

I am really thrilled to have so many positive and joyful projects coming to completion. Doesn't it always feel good to see something we love come to life?

Feeling Spooky

Halloween is just a happy, fun holiday, especially with little ones. Since my kiddos can't eat any kind of Halloween candy, it makes for a bit more of a relaxed and calm day (GF candy bars are kind of hard to find).



My mom and dad kept the boys and I at their house for all of last week, and took incredible care to make sure that we had a lot of support while my husband was away. We did not come back home until late Friday evening, so Halloween decorating was a bit late this year. We had a nice time getting ready for the weekend, and we still managed to get a lot up to enjoy.

I had so many fun plans for the boys, but I wasn't able to get to all that I had hoped. I was planning on making Elwood's costume, but instead used the shark costume that the boy's Aunt Stacy gave to them a few years back. Jacob was an X-Wing Fighter Pilot, and even though they have never seen Star Wars, it was fun to see him Trick-or-Treating with friends who were also dressed as Yoda, Darth Vader, and Princess Leia (props to that girls mama, she did an amazing job).


I did still finish the boys halloween blanket that Jake and I had been working on (he sewed each of the blocks together, and I completed the bunting and backing. It is a warm and fun blanket that they are still enjoying curling up in.



I also got to their pajamas and pillows as promised. I had this crazy idea to fabric paint bats onto orange fabric, and then make their pants to go along with a fabric painted black turtle neck. I really had no idea just how many bats I would have to create in order to get enough fabric for both pairs. Let's just say that after cutting out 58 bats, sealing the freezer paper and painting them on, it was 2 am on Saturday morning. They were worth it though, and the only thing that I would change next year is to make smaller bats. I did not get to painting their shirts, but oh well, so is life.


They each got one pillow that was simple as pie to make. Two fat quarters cut on a 16x16" square ruler, sewn, and stuffed with pure wool. A nice decoration for their bed and a compliment for their blanket.

The sewing and decorating kept us all busy, and gave us a lot to smile about. The boys were able to enjoy an all day Halloween party on Saturday at a friend's house (these people go all out!!), and I got a chance to finish up everything I could. We had a light amount of trick-or-treaters this year, so the evening ended quietly, with two little ones collapsing into bed. The Sugar Plum Fairy visited them in their sleep again this year, and when they woke, there were a few gluten free treats, and a vintage lunch box waiting at the feet. Since the boys love to trick-or-treat, we allow them to visit a few houses with their friends, but when they get home, they leave the candy by their bed for her to take.

Lot's of smiles, and the first holiday enjoyed, with two fun filled months ahead.
I hope that each of you had a great Haloween, and I would love to know what your kids (and you), dressed up as.

With Gratitude

It feels impossible to tell all of you how grateful I am for the kind words that you have left or sent. I wish there were a way that I could reach through the computer to hug each of you and let you know how much you all mean to me, and to my family. Your words gave me true comfort, and there is no way to describe how much that helped.


The week is over now, and a new one is beginning, and that is the only place to start from. New. My family came together for the first time yesterday (my husband had been traveling through last week), and it is good to have a small cocoon to enjoy each other in. We have decided to stay in our bed, under the covers, play games, read and get ready for the week ahead. We had a really nice Halloween yesterday, and I have lots to share for tomorrow.

I hope that you all had a great holiday weekend, that you are enjoying some quiet time and that your weekend ends beautifully.

Again, thank you. Thank you for your love and friendship and care. You are the most amazing Circle of Stones

Moving Through It

I am not really sure if I should be writing this post, and I already know that the words will not come out well.

I had so hoped to share with you in a few weeks that we were expecting our third child. But yesterday we found out that I had lost the baby. I know that it was early, and that I should know better to not have gotten my hopes up as high as I did. I have had two miscarriages before each of my other children, so I knew the risks, but we had convinced ourselves that this was the one.

I am having a harder time than I thought that I would moving through this, so I am going to take a few days to allow myself to just be sad, and then I will get back up and remember how blessed I already am.

As my son said "It is life mom, it happens."


Since Wednesdays are for WIP, this is mine. A boat neck baby sweater that I was making for the little one, that I will finish, and that someday a little one of mine will wear.