JUNO winter issue 26 ~ giveaway

I am so excited!!! The postie has just been and brought me 2 copies of the winter edition of JUNO. I love this magazine, it is just filled to the brim with everything I like: recipes, craft ideas and tutorials, really interesting articles and debates. It is all about the natural family, it discusses so many issues that I face as a mother and that we face as a family. It is a truly great resource and one of those wonderful magazines that I dip in and out of again and again, going back for a recipe I remember or to look at a book review.

I was so delighted to contribute to the Summer Issue, I did a tutorial for little play people, a tutorial I will post here at some point too. I was so delighted when the editorial team asked me to contribute again for the winter issue.

And you will find me here:

and here...

I'm particularly proud of this piece about slings and evolution. (I also want to point out to my dear Dad that I used some of the paleoanthropology that I studied at Uni...see it wasn't a complete waste lol)

As I mentioned I received 2 copies. I have a subscription to JUNO (this is such good value for money and I urge you to treat yourself) and I also got a complimentary copy as a contributor, so I am going to give away a copy here.
All you need to do is leave a comment.
For extra chances you can follow my blog, like JUNO on facebook or twitter, buy a subscription to JUNO or blog about this giveaway (remember to leave a comment for each action so that you get all your chances, each comment counts as only one entry).
I am very happy to post overseas :-)
The draw will be made on Friday the 22nd of December, please check back in then to see if you won, or make sure that I have a way to contact you.
And what is even more exciting is that I've been asked to contribute again so keep a look out for me in the Spring edition :-)

Now I'm off to sit with my mug of barley cup and read the afternoon away :-)

and the winner is....

Firstly let me thank you all for the wonderful comments you left. I love the names you have chosen and I am so overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted this wee dolly to come to live with them.
Using Random.org the family chosen to win this wee man is.....
onegoldensun and they said...
Oh, what a cute little guy he is! I think I would name him Giuseppe. It just seems to fit. :) And such an amazing and generous giveaway

Well done!
Please contact me laura.whalen@yahoo.ie an we'll get him posted off to join you :-)

Thanks again everyone so much
hugs x x

waldorf doll giveaway

*****The giveaway is now closed****

On the 9th of October 2010 I very tentatively opened my Etsy shop selling Waldorf dolls. It has been an amazing year and I have been bowled over by the response to my dolls. To celebrate Under Rainbow's birthday and to thank you all for the support and encouragement you have given I am having a give away:He is a 16 inch Waldorf doll. He is made of cotton interlock and stuffed with clean carded wool. He is very cuddly and sweet. His eyes and mouth are hand embroidered and his expression is left neutral to allow your child to project any emotion onto him making him the perfect play companion.

His hair is of really soft brown mohair boucle. This is knitted into a cap that is then firmly stitched onto his head. Each strand of his hair is then hooked into that.He is wearing a very sweet button down shirt with a green check. This is made of upcycled cotton, his trousers are made of upcycled brown corduroy with little knee patches to match his shirt.

Over this, as it is autumn and there is a chill in the air, he has a little knitted jacket buttoned at the side with autumn leaf buttons. He also has a striped knitted pixie hat and little woolie socks to keep his toes warm.

(Please keep in mind that mohair can shed a little and that there are buttons on this doll, it is your parental choice whether you think your child is old enough to play wiht this doll)

****The giveaway is now closed****

So here is how you can win this doll:

All you have to do is leave a comment, tell me what you would call this wee man if he were to come to live with you .

*each comment counts as one entry

For extra chances to win :

*Like Under Rainbows on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/UnderRainbows

*Like Under Rainbows Face book page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Under-Rainbows/171652652869706

*Become a follower of this blog

*Blog about this giveaway (feel free to use a picture of the doll)

*Spread the love, tell people about this give away on forums or fan pages

Be sure to come back and tell me about it by leaving a comment, remember each comment is one entry so leave a comment for each action.

If you don't have a blogger account, fear not you can still enter by leaving a comment on face book and if you don't have that either then you can email me laura.whalen@yahoo.ie and I will leave a comment for you.

I will close the giveaway and will randomly select a winner on October the 9th 2011.

Good luck and thanks for all your support over the last year.

hugs Laura x

a wee spikey craft tutorial

Yesterday the children and I sat together in the afternoon and made little hedgehogs.

Here is how to make one for yourself... First, cut out two pieces of brown felt in the shape of a raindrop. Put them together and sew the edges leaving a little gap for stuffing with clean wool. (Isn't Rebe's sewing getting really neat?) Sew up the gap.

Next knit a little rectangle for the back. Any kind of spikey yarn would work well like mohair. I have no idea what kind of yarn this is (possibly for rugs?!) but it certainly makes lovely hedgehog spikes (If you'd really like some to knit some hedgehogs I have a whole ball and if you send me a SAE I will post you enough to make a couple :-) you can email me laura.whalen@yahoo.ie). The rectangle we knitted was: CO 8 st, knit SS (1 row knit, 1 row purl) for about 10 rows or until it would cover your hedgehogs back. BO

Sew the spikes onto the hedgehog leaving the little face/head free.

Sew on beads/buttons/scraps of felt for eyes and nose and any other embelleshment required (Rebe's needed a bell - of course)

I sewed a little scrap of brown felt over a safety pin on Benny's so he can wear it as a badge.

Here's my poorly wee boy wearing his hedgehog. He called it 'Enemy', although I am pretty convinced he meant Henry, but 'Enemy' it is :-)

I've also been working away on this wee man...

Watch this space for a chance to win him :-)

I have another couple of dolls I would love to make right now, but I can't seem to find any wool roving anywhere...

but all these little kittens keep appearing ...

Oh look and there's another one :-)

What autumny crafts have you been working on?