Naturally-Sweet Spa Party :: Book Review & Giveaway!!

When I was growing up, birthday parties were simple and sweet… a small gathering of friends came to the house, mom made a cake, we’d have a dance party in the living room and open presents. Now, kids’ parties are more complicated, more commercialized, and less, well, personal. So I was thrilled when I read Naturally Fun Parties for Kids by Anni Daulter & Heather Fontenot. This book beautifully brings eco-conscious, homespun style to simple seasonal celebrations kids will love!

Perfect for little ladies, the “Natural Spa Party” inspired my daughter’s 8th birthday celebration this summer. A small group of girls was invited to join her poolside for a homespun little girls’ spa day. They were pampered head to toe with homemade, natural spa products – from a Lavender and Rose Petal Foot Soak, to a wildly-popular, edible Chocolate Facial. (Six naturally-sweet spa recipes are included in the book.)
In addition to a dozen creative celebrations presented in Naturally Fun Parties for Kids, the authors offer easy-to-follow timelines, projects & materials lists, tutorials, and recipes for each party. This made planning and preparation simple; and the suggested ideas allowed plenty of opportunity to involve my birthday girl. Together, we hand-crafted the invitations, the spa product signs (as well as the products themselves), and a banner to hang above the spa table).

After looking through the book, which is full of stunning photography, my girl decided upon making a fabric banner like one featured in the “Egg-Dyeing Spring Garden Party.” We tore thrifted pillowcases into strips, tied them to a jute string, and added a homemade “Girls R Beautiful” sign. The fabric strips were also tied to the invitations, the party favors, and around flower arrangements. Colorful tablecloths and garden-fresh flowers completed the party décor.

For nibbling, my daughter selected easy-to-eat foods inspired by the book, including cheese quesadillas, blue corn chips and salsa, Sweet & Savory Strawberry Apricot Tarts, and Garden Cooler Lemon-Mint Ice Pops (another idea pulled from the spring garden party). We also served fresh sweet cherries, veggies with ranch dip, pink lemonade cupcakes, and fresh strawberry & lemon infused “spa water”.

After a few hours of poolside pampering, water play, snacking, backyard exploring (complete with tadpole catching!), and present opening, the girls went home with a Rosemary and Mint Sea Salt Bath Mix, handmade by my daughter. Guests tucked their bath salts into provided goodie bags, along with a small, pretty manicure set and a homemade sugar cookie. A simple, sweet ending to a naturally- fun spa party!

Garden Cooler Lemon Mint Ice Pops from Naturally Fun Parties for Kids

4 cups fresh lemonade (juice of 8 lemons, mixed with 1 quart water and 4 tablespoons raw agave nectar)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup grated lemon zest

Pour lemonade into blender, add mint and blend together. Pour mixture into 4-oz pop molds and add lemon zest for texture. Add sticks to pops & freeze. (If using paper cups, you’ll need to let the mixture freeze halfway before adding the stick.)

Makes 8 (4-oz) pops 

(All images courtesy of Christy Tozzo.)

 

**Giveaway** (comments closed)

 

Congratulations to WINNER:

Muffin Mama! 

 

Thank you to everyone who participated... I know you still really want this book!  You can order it on Amazon right now for $12.03 (limited copies available)!! It's worth every penny!  

http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-Creating-Earth-Friendly-Celebrations-Occasions/dp/1416206566

 

 

 

Want your own copy of Naturally Fun Parties for Kids? The authors are giving one away to one lucky reader! Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win; stop by and "like" A Natural Nester on Facebook for another chance (be sure to leave another comment here and let me know!). While you're at it, "like" Naturally Fun Parties for Kids too (again, leave a separate comment here to let me know) for yet another chance at winning. A winner will be announced next Friday, September 7th.

Wholesome Snacks and Cinnamon Apple Chips

I'm just finishing up a piece for Bamboo Magazine about creating an after-school snack ritual for your little loves (look for it in the fall issue, coming soon!). After-school snack is a much-looked-forward-to time here in my nest, and I strive to keep the offerings healthy. My girls also have to a bring a snack to school each day, which must be a fruit or veggie (I LOVE that!). So, I've been thinking a lot about wholesome, yummy snacks over the past week, which lead me to try out a recipe for baked cinnamon apple chips that's running around on Pinterest.

They were so yummy, and super easy... just slice Granny Smith apples thin (using a mandolin if you have one).

Dust them lightly with cinnamon and brown sugar, and bake them on parchment-lined trays, at a low heat, for a couple of hours (see the full recipe here).I made mine after the girls went to bed one evening, and stored them in a parchment paper bag overnight... they were still crispy the next morning. And according to my taste-testers, they stayed crisp until snack time. One loved them; one thought they were too "sour," so I'll be trying them with a sweeter variety of apple next time.

What are some of your family's favorite wholesome snacks? I'd love to hear from you!



Thoughts on Birth

My girls were both born at home. My niece was born in my home too. (All this once prompted a family friend to ask, "What kind of place are you running over there?" Ha!) Recently, my oldest daughter (having attended the birth of her sister and cousin) "educated" a neighbor girl about birth ... which I later discovered from the girl's mother. Ahem. This prompted a discussion with my gal about what's appropriate to talk about with other kids and why. During this conversation, my daughter was surprised to learn that most babies aren't born at home in the U.S., and that most kids haven't witnessed a birth!

My daughter and nephew, with the midwife, attending my niece's water birth at home.

Besides babies, my girls have been privy to the births of lot of butterflies at our house, and several Platies in the aquarium; and this week, we hatched our very first baby lizard! Selby brought a lizard egg home from the playground a of couple weeks ago, and on Tuesday, he came wiggling out of his tiny egg, all wet and scrawny!

Currently, we're awaiting the birth of some black Mollies in our aquarium. The mama fish is so big she looks like she might explode. I actually googled her condition out of concern and learned we ought to purchase a "birthing tank" for when she delivers her babies (so nobody will eat them!).

My girls are delighted and excited by birth. A few years back, on a kindergarten field trip to a local dairy farm, Selby and I witnessed the birth of a baby cow! It was so amazing we happened to be at the farm at just the right time. They allowed the school kids to gather a ways back and quietly watch. I was surprised that some parent chaperones were uncomfortable, pulling their kids out of sight of the birth.

It seems our society has, by and large, forgotten that birth is a normal physiological process, not a medical event. This disheartens me so, as the births of my children were such important, empowering and beautiful experiences. Every woman deserves an empowered birth, regardless of where she births and how. I just finished writing an article about this subject for the premiere issue of Sacred Pregnancy Magazine, which will debut this fall.

My friend, Liz, who had an empowered, informed c-section birth, is featured in my upcoming article in Sacred Pregnancy.

It's in our power to change our country's current birth culture, and it starts with educating ourselves about birth, our choices in childbirth, and our legal rights to accurate, evidence-based medical information about childbirth. It also starts with informing our children  - especially our daughters - that birth is a natural, normal, and magical process. Let your kids witness a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, an egg hatching, a new life emerging. Talk with them about birth (it happens to everyone and everything!). It's an exciting, beautiful thing, and nothing to be afraid of.

Garden to Pantry :: Hot Pepper Honey Mustard

As you know (since I've been bemoaning it here all summer) it's been only herbs and hot peppers in my little patch of earth lately. This morning, I transformed my harvest of Santa Fe Grande Peppers into Hot Pepper Honey Mustard.

I had exactly 20 usable peppers, all in different stages of maturation - aren't they gorgeous? After removing the seeds, I popped them in the blender and processed until smooth. Then, they went into a large pot with yellow and dijon mustard, raw local honey, organic cane sugar, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and a bit of sea salt. Once boiling, a mix of flour and water was stirred in to thicken it.

I ladled the hot mustard into 4oz. canning jars, and processed them in a hot water bath for 5 minutes. This is a thick and sticky treat, folks! I couldn't stop scraping off what was stuck to the side of the pot with pretzel sticks... hmm! It's sweet, tangy, and not too spicy - just a nice kick.

Fifteen jars are now cooling on the kitchen windowsill. Some will stock our own pantry, some will go to my next homemade food & craft swap (perhaps with some homemade soft pretzels for dunking!), and some will be tucked away for hostess and holiday gifts.

After tasting it, I believe this honey mustard will not only be delish for dunking pretzels in and spreading on ham sandwiches... it would also make a zesty glaze for pretty much any kind of meat (think chicken, pork, salmon, shrimp kebabs...) and would give winter root vegetables (like carrots, potatoes and parsnips) a nice zing. Any other ideas?

~

Hot Pepper Honey Mustard (Mild)

20-30 hot peppers, depending on desired level of heat (I used homegrown Santa Fe Grande)
2 cups prepared mustard (I used about 1 1/2 cups yellow, 1/2 cup dijon)
2 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
1/2 cup raw local honey
2 cups organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp. sea salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water

Remove the seeds from the hot peppers and place them in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour into a large pot and stir in mustard, sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar and salt. Bring to a hard boil.

Whisk together flour and water until smooth. Pour into the boiling mustard mixture and continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Ladle into sterile canning jars and seal with new lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your altitude.

Makes 15-16 4oz. jars; or 7-8 half pint jars.

First Day Follow-Up, and a Morning Rhythm

I woke this morning to find this post-it note on our chalkboard... yay! I'd say the first day of school was a success. Both girls came home all smiles, which made the transition back-to-school, at a new school, so much easier (especially for mama).  

Jitters behind us, now we can focus on getting back into our school days routine. Remember the morning rhythm sign I posted last year? It's back! This really helps keep my girls focused in the morning. I can't say enough how important having a simple routine is in helping what can be hectic mornings and afternoons run a bit more smoothly. (I also lay out clothes, do some lunch prep, and set up coffee the night before.)

So, the first item on the list is breakfast, and I've been searching for ways to make this time go smoothly too. My girls tend to linger over their food, especially the morning meal. So finding wholesome and appealing breakfasts that they will gobble right up is a challenge. This morning, they had banana-chocolate chip muffins, half a banana, and a cup of milk. Served up on pretty china saucers and teacups, it was a hit. Anything with chocolate is a sure thing though - and a special treat, perfect for back-to-school, Day 2.

I'd love to hear from you... what are your favorite easy-to-make, kid-loving breakfasts?

A New Beginning and Letting Go...

For the first time in 8 years, both of my babies are at school... all day... every day. Selby started the third grade this morning, and Sage pre-kindergarten. As we arrived, the sun was shining bright above the campus, marking the beginning of a fresh start. This is a new school to all of us... new methods (Montessori), new hours, new friends, and new teachers. So there were plenty of jitters all around. But in my heart, I know it will be very good for everyone.

It's hard to let my littlest go, knowing mama-Sage days at home are over. No more mid-morning bike rides to the park, no more afternoon playdates, no more baking sessions by ourselves... And it's hard to watch my eldest walk into a whole new environment and not be able to be there with her to hold her hand and guide her through. But most of all it's hard to accept my babies are growing up; not at all babies anymore.

I look forward to welcoming them back into our home this afternoon, hearing their stories, grabbing some extra snuggles and holding them just a bit closer... while I still can.

A Good Morning

The girls helped me make gluten-free blueberry cornbread this morning, following this recipe. Sweet and moist, it is a delicious treat. I think next time I'll try adding a little lemon juice and zest for a blueberry-lemon cornbread good enough to be dessert!

But we had it for breakfast today, along with some uncured bacon and medium boiled eggs (following my friend Rose's recipe - a long-time favorite). A good start to a slow, nothing-planned weekend... my favorite kind!

Happy Saturday!

HOT!

Whoooweee it is HOT outside. It's so hot, I can't even think straight. All day, I've been sitting at my computer trying to work, but my mind won't focus. I keep looking out the window.... daydreaming of cooler days to come, the fall garden...  Right now, my garden is nearly deserted. Only three things are still growing despite the heat... herbs, hot peppers and flowers.

I have several Santa Fe Grande hot pepper plants all flaming now in shades of gold, orange and red. I'll be harvesting them this weekend to make Hot Pepper Mustard, based on this recipe, preserving a bit of this summer heat!

I refer to my flower beds as "my cutting garden" - it makes me feel very proper and fancy! Right now they're boasting the same hot hues with Indian blankets, sunflowers, zinnias, and a even a few mini roses. Unlike me, these girls are loving the heat! I run outside with my clippers, snip off their beautiful blooms and retreat back to the coolness of the indoors, bringing a bit of the garden in with me.

I, myself, feel like I'm starting to wilt... I say it every year: August in southwest Florida is only fit for floating in water or holing up in some serious AC! (Look what I posted almost exactly one year ago today!) I can't wait to be back outside, digging in the soil, putting seedlings into the ground. For now, I nurture my seedling trays, which are all set up inside, under lights. A perfect reminder that fall is just around the corner!

Homemade Smudge Sticks & Blessing Kits

Tomorrow is our local Homemade & Homegrown Food and Craft Swap so I've been busy cooking and crafting! I'm bringing some sets of my orange-blossom calendula body cream and lip gloss, as well as some yummy edibles (watch for a post to come on these), and a few homemade smudge sticks and blessing kits that I thought I'd share here.

All summer, I've been drying bunches of my homegrown herbs for use in the kitchen. However some I set aside to make smudge sticks. Smudging is the name for the sacred smoke bowl blessing of the native North American tradition. This powerful cleansing technique calls on the spirits of sacred plants to drive away negative energies and restore balance. Smudge sticks are traditionally made with dried sage, and a selection of other herbs. Mine are a combination of homegrown sage (transforms energy and brings change), rosemary (a powerful healer that brings clarity) and lavender (restores balance and creates a peaceful atmosphere; also attracts loving energy and spirits).

Mt lavender (acquired at a previous swap) was already dried, so I put it in the middle and arranged a  bunch of fresh sage and rosemary around it, all trimmed into about 7 inch-long sprigs. I tied one end of the bundle with a long piece of cotton string and wound it up and down the bunch until it was securely wrapped. Then I tied of the end with a loop to hang the stick for drying.

After drying inside a vented paper bag for several days, the smudge sticks were ready to go. For the swap, my blessing kits each contain one smudge stick, as well as a found cockle shell from my inherited family shell collection, and a small bag of local beach sand (our Siesta Key Beach has 99% quartz sand!). The sand goes into the shell "bowl" to offer a safe place to rest a smoldering smudge stick, and extinguish it after use. I've also included a found feather for wafting the smoke, and a vintage match book from another inherited family collection (my father collected matchbooks for years during business travels!). Finally, each kit includes directions for a self-clearing ritual utilizing the items included.

Smudging is something I do regularly, both in my home and in monthly new moon ceremonies with my sisterhood. It's a simple and powerful way to cleanse the spirit, or a space, and it smells so good! That said, I think this is my favorite "craft" item that I've prepared for a swap to-date!

A Self-Clearing Smudging Ritual
Adapted from "The Smudging and Blessings Book, Inspirational Rituals to Cleanse and Heal," by Jane Alexander.

1. Light the end of a smudge stick and let it burn until the tip starts to smolder. Then extinguish the flame so the smudge stick smokes.
2. Call on the spirits of the smudge to cleanse and protect you saying, "Sacred sage, drive away all negativity from my heart; take away everything unworthy and impure."
3. First, waft the smoke towards your heart. Then take the smudge smoke over your head, down your arms, and down the front of your body. Imagine the smoke lifting away all the negative thoughts, emotions and energies that have become attached to you.
4. Breathe in the smudge, visualizing the smoke purifying your body from within.
5. Bring the smoke down the back of your body toward the ground. Visualize the last vestiges of negativity being taken back into the earth, and away into the air.
6. As you smudge, imagine yourself being surrounded by gentle, loving energy - breathe in positivity, courage and love.

* You can adapt this simple ritual to cleanse your space, or another person.