The Homesteady

Gender (stereotype)-free toddler clothes, v.4

Tie-Dye Hoodie / Two-Pack Tank Tops
Quilted Jacket / Cotton Shorts
Suede Sandals / Terry Geo Sweatpants

These are all affiliate links.

Family Photos at Apple Orchard in Bloom

One of our favorite photographers Kim of Time Bandit Photography offered special mini sessions on Mother's Day weekend, and I signed us up right away. Kim has such a talent for making people (especially kiddos!) feel relaxed and at ease in front of the camera. I adore these photos, which were taken in the apple orchard at Quonquont Farm in Whately, where Kristie and I got married eight years ago.

(Just a note: We don't share pictures of Miles's face on the internet, but Kim made sure we got plenty of snaps of his smiles for our family. This is a small selection of the dozens of gorgeous images she captioned.)

My romper is from Target (and currently on sale) [affiliate link], and my sweater is Gap via ThredUp. (Use this link for $10 off your first purchase.)

C is for Caffeine (A Free Printable For Teacher Gifts)

I designed this printable for Miles's preschool teachers' Teacher Appreciation Day gifts last month, and wanted to share them here too in case you're looking for something a little extra to go with a coffee gift card for the end of the year! 

I kept the design pretty simple so that Miles could add his own decorations with markers and stickers. I printed them on thick cardstock, trimmed the edges a little, and taped the gift card in the middle. 

Find the printable right here!

Free Punch Needle Pattern: Sun Pillow

When we moved to our new house, I knew I wanted to update the decor in Miles's room a little bit. It really hadn't changed since we'd set it up before he was born. He's definitely a woodland-loving kid, and is also really into outer space and constellations. I decided to do an outer space theme in his new room, with soft colors like purple (currently his favorite).

I made two new throw pillows for a reading area in his room. Punch needle is a new craft to me – in fact I'd only done one kit [affiliate link] before making the pattern and punching this pillow. It's so fun and satisfying! Read on for a list of what I used and how I made the pillow – plus the free pattern so you can make one too if you like.

I used:

• Pattern
• Monk cloth [affiliate link]
• Oxford #10 punch needle
• 16" round pillow form
• Scrap fabric
• Worsted weight yarn in light yellow, dark yellow, light pink, and black
• Large embroidery hoop

The pattern is designed to print on four separate pages. Once they've printed, arrange and tape them together to create the smiling sun design.

After the printed pieces have been taped together, use another piece of tape to hang them in a window. With one hand, hold the monk cloth over the printed pattern so that the light from outdoors shines through and the pattern is visible through the fabric. Use a pencil to trace the pattern onto the cloth.

Use your embroidery hoop to keep the fabric in place, and start punchin', switching yarn colors and rearranging your hoop as necessary. If you're new to punch needle, please check out Sallie Dale's Instagram story highlights for tips and techniques. 

When you're finished, measure the size you'll need to fit the pillow insert, and cut out a circle around the punched piece, leaving room for seam allowance, too. Cut the same shape from scrap fabric to serve as the pillow's back.

Pin both pieces right side together, and sew almost all the way around, leaving an opening wide enough to insert the pillow form. Turn the piece right side out, and insert the pillow form. Use your preferred method to stitch the opening closed.

The pillow is definitely a sunny spot in Miles's new bedroom, and he even sleeps with it in his crib some nights. I haven't done any punch needle projects since finishing this in January, but now I want to pick it up again! Do you punch needle?

Chair [affiliate link]
Fabric used to sew other pillow
Rug [affiliate link]
Wall decals in antique violet [affiliate link]
Cloud light [affiliate link]
Bookshelves

Make a Kids' Doctor Bag

Miles got a play medical kit for Christmas, and he loves giving us check-ups (or coming limping in saying, "I'm siiiick" and demanding pretend medical attention). We didn't have a bag or case for the tools, though, so I decided to make one for him!

It's a simple zippered pouch stiffened with iron-on interfacing, and a knitted red cross applique stitched on. Here's how I made it...

I used bulky yarn and size US 10.5 knitting needles.

1. Cast on 4 stitches
2. Knit 6 rows
3. Cast on an additional 4 stitches at the beginning of the next row, knit across, cast on an additional 4 stitches (12 stitches)
4. Knit 5 rows
5. Bind off 4 stitches at the beginning of the next row, knit across
6. Repeat step 5 for the next row
7. Knit 6 rows
8. Bind off remaining 4 stitches

I cut two pieces of fabric and two pieces of iron-on interfacing to fit the biggest piece in Miles's kit (a stethescope) and attached the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. 

Then I pinned the cross in place on the right side of one of the fused pieces. 

I stitched it in place with red embroidery thread. I think fabric glue would work too. And by the way, the cross could also be made out of felt, or painted on with a stencil! I just happened to have this chunky red yarn left over from my sister's sweater.

Next, I pinned the 9" zipper face down on the right side of the fabric, and stitched in place.

That little bump in the stitches! I lost my zipper foot, so I tried to make do with maneuvering the pull around while I sewed.

Then I pinned the right side of the zipper onto the right side of the other piece of fabric (so that the right sides were facing each other) and sewed it in place.

Next, I unzipped the zipper a little more than halfway open (this is important because it leaves you a way to turn the bag right-side out!) and pinned and stitched around the remaining three sides.

Then I turned it right side-out, and...

...ta-da! (Or "ta-zaa!" as Miles says.)

Simple, cute, and used supplies I already had on hand. I think that's a win. Next time there's a pretend-emergency, we'll know just where to find the right tools.

New Antiracist Magazine for Kiddos

Hi friends! I wanted to tell you about a new antiracist magazine for kiddos ages 3-11: Ditto Kids. 

From their Kickstarter:

Ditto Kids magazine is a print publication whose mission is to empower and guide kids ages 3-11 on their journey to becoming actively anti-racist. Ditto Kids help parents, teachers, and community leaders have the important but tricky conversations with kids about racism and injustice in the world. These conversations can be done in a way that doesn't scare kids, but empowers them and equips them with knowledge, love for themselves, and love for others! 

I'm excited. Miles is turning 3 in November, right around when our first issue of Ditto Kids will arrive. Alexandria Scott, the magazine's creator, has surpassed her funding goal of $40,000 and is now trying to raise $80,000 to get Ditto Kids issues into 200 classrooms across the country. Join me in supporting this project, won't you? 

PS - An introductory essay by Scott.

Myths & Magic-Themed Play, Books & Activities

A week(-ish) of magic- and myths-inspired play, projects, and reading! This was a fun introduction to fairies, knights, dragons, and magic.

PLAY

• I put together a fairy-themed sensory box with rainbow-dyed rice, pom-poms, sparkly things, and two clothespin ballerinas that Miles made at daycare last year (I taped feathers to their backs to make wings).
• I created another box with the supplies necessary to make our own magic wands. I partially stitched and stuffed felt stars, glued them to paper straws and cut yarn lengths ahead of time. Then when Miles was with me, we finished stitching the stars shut (he even helped with the needle!), and tied on the yarn to make the wands. (Inspired by these wands, now sadly sold out but maybe they'll be restocked. [affiliate link])
• One more box was full of supplies to make "fire-breathing dragons" out of toilet paper rolls. Miles and I painted them green, attached googly eyes, and I cut strips of red tissue paper and glued them inside one end of the roll so that when you blow into the other end, the strips wave. 
• One morning while I was upstairs working, Miles and Kristie built a very cool drawbridge for his castle toy using scrap wood and a hinge.
• I followed Kate's tutorial to make a batch of glittery fairy dough. It made the whole house smell like Pantene, I loved it! 
• I also sewed a pegasus/rainbow quiet book [affiliate link] that I gave to Miles during our drive to Martha's Vineyard.

ART

• I set up Miles with construction paper, our favorite sparkly markers [affiliate link], and super glittery unicorn stickers from High Five Books.

BOOKS

Here are four faves from Myths & Magic Week. Two are from the library, one was a gift, and one I bought because we'd borrowed it before and loved it. The links below are affiliate links – mostly to Amazon, but please consider checking your local bookstore for these titles – and the first two are especially LGBT-friendly! 

• Prince & Knight
• The Different Dragon
• Not All Princesses Dress in Pink
• Children of the Wood: A Child's Book of Spells (I actually can't find this on Etsy anymore! But if you see it, snap it up. It's enchanting.)

How to Stitch a Felt Campfire (Free Pattern)

Miles has been fascinated by fire-building for a long time. My parents have a fireplace in their home, and in the wintertime he loves helping my dad tote sticks inside, crumple newspaper, and feed the flames. He was also often invited to help stoke the wood stove at daycare, so it's no surprise that fire-building has entered into his play, too. For awhile I was finding little piles of twigs and balls of construction paper tucked away around our house! So I decided to sew him a little felt campfire set –– which, so far, he couldn't care less about! But it's cute anyway, and hopefully he'll warm up to it soon.

Scroll down for the tutorial and printable pattern...

You will need:

• Pattern
• Felt (red, orange, yellow, black)
• Embroidery floss
• Embroidery needle
• Stuffing

Cut out your pattern pieces. I did a mix of red, orange, and yellow for the flames, and black for the charcoal/stones. 

Attach the small flames to the large flames as pictured using the applique stitch. Sew two large flames together using the blanket stitch, leaving one small section open to insert stuffing. Once you've added the amount of stuffing you'd like, close opening with blanket stitch.

Use the blanket stitch to attach two charcoal pieces to one another, leaving a small opening through which you can insert stuffing before stitching closed. Stitch finished charcoal pieces together until a ring is formed, the right size to hold your flames.

I left my flames somewhat understuffed, for no particular reason I can put name to. It just seemed right. 

Lunar cycle toddler tees

I stamped a tee like this one for Miles early on during quarantine using a small potato. I liked it so much, I made more and put them in my Etsy shop [affiliate link]. They're only available in 4T for now, and I only made six. Might save some for craft fairs this fall too, though who knows what those'll look like!

Farm-Themed Play, Books & Activities

Two weeks ago Kristie and I were visiting my parents' house and while Miles played, the four of us casually brainstormed a few different themed "weeks" of play, books, and activities that might be fun to put together for our two-and-a-half-year-old. It's a relaxed way to give our activities a bit of structure. (And oh boy do I love a theme.) 

The first one we did was Farm Week! Here's what we made, played, read, visited, and supported...

(I also saved everything under a story highlight on Instagram.) 

PLAY

• I prepped a couple of farm-themed activity boxes. (These sit in a stack in our kitchen, easy to grab when we need a distraction or quick activity for Miles. I put them together with fresh play prompts usually once a week when he's napping or after he goes to bed. This system was inspired by The Mama Notes!) One sensory box with oats, measuring tools, a few plastic farm animals, and yellow pom-poms, and one box of dried chickpeas with pieces of one of his farm puzzles hidden in it. 
• I made a mini felt garden where he can plant and harvest his pretend fruits and vegetables, inspired by this tutorial. I cut up a pool noodle and covered the pieces with one length of brown felt, tucking it in around each noodle and hot-glueing in place.
• Inspired by Happy Toddler Playtime, I put together a farm-themed sensory discovery bag. I cut out animal photos from an old Grit magazine and laminated them, then "hid" them in a big Ziploc bag along with birdseed. 
• Another prompt to get him engaged with puzzles he's tired of: I wrapped pieces from another farm puzzle in streamers so that he had to unwrap them before putting the puzzle together. (Another Mama Notes hack!)

ART

• I cut pig shapes out of pink construction paper, and let Miles get them all "muddy" with brown paint.
• I made horses out of toilet paper tubes and popsicle sticks (loosely based on this tutorial) and we painted them together (and added googly eyes). 

OUTINGS

We're so lucky to live in a part of the world where we have easy access to all kinds of farms. We spent one day visiting Quonquont Farm (where Kristie and I got married seven years ago!) to pick blueberries and cut flowers from their garden. Each of us picked a bouquet to bring home, and quoted lots of Blueberries for Sal while we filled a pint. I caught a teeny-tiny frog in my hands to show Miles, who aww-ed a bit before saying, "Put it back where you found it, Mom." (My budding conservationist.)

That afternoon we visited Flayvors of Cook Farm, where we often go to visit the cows and eat ice cream. His favorite flavors are vanilla and black raspberry.

BOOKS & TOYS

[Affiliate links]

Two farm-themed toys that Miles has loved for awhile and gave some new attention this week are this plush horse set and this flower garden kit. And just a couple farm books that are always in rotation around here...

• Big Red Barn
• Click Clack Moo (great for introducing civil disobedience :)
• The Animals of Farmer Jones

GIVING

I finished listening to the New York Times podcast the 1619 Project this week, and I recommend it SO strongly! It’s shattering and beautiful and horrific. I felt especially impacted by June and Angie Provost’s story.

Since it was Farm Week, we'd been thinking and talking a lot about farming and land. I think Miles is not old enough yet to really grasp the centuries of land injustice and theft that underscore this country’s history, but he is constantly watching and listening to what the adults in his life are doing.

Please join us (especially if you’re having Farm Week for your family too!) and support an organization like the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust, which works to resituate Black and Brown farmers, earth workers, and land stewards. (Even if it’s just by giving a little, little bit every month.) Let your children see you prioritize this work. Tie it to themed play like Farm Week. Make it normal for them to hear you to talk about equity and reparations.