Beneath the Rowan Tree: 2017

Monday, 2 October 2017

Birthday Crowns :: Creating Meaningful Family Traditions

Celebrate your child's birthday with a very special, handmade birthday crown!

Birthday crowns are a tradition dating centuries and across many cultures. A crown marks the child as the centre of our joy and celebration! A birthday crown can be the heart of creating meaningful and lasting birthday traditions for your family.

Historical record suggests that the first birthday celebrations emerged in Germany ~ where a 'kinderfeste' (children's celebration) was held on the anniversary of a child's birth. This was marked with candle lighting, feasting and often, with the wearing of a special birthday crown.

Why a crown?

Perhaps it reaches back to the earlier tradition of marking the birth day of kings and high persons with parties and feasting and dancing ~ often done in early times in order to surround the leader with people in order to dissuade evil spirits who were thought to prey on them particularly on the anniversary of their birth.

Today, when we mark the day of a child's birth, a special crown may be worn (in the Waldorf as well as other, such as Israeli, traditions) by the child to identify them as the focus of our joy and celebrating! This is not to 'raise them above' or make them 'king for a day' but rather to instill a sense of belonging and being treasured, and having this experience be part of the family's yearly rhythm and traditions.

Making birthday crowns is one of my favourite creative endeavors.
Each crown made at Beneath the Rowan Tree is all natural, and made especially for a particular child.
Combining wet and needle felting, dyed silk, embroidery, beading, applique and other techniques
the crown takes shape (and is adjustable in size, lasting a lifetime!). All materials are ethically sourced and eco-friendly. Each crown heirloom quality to last a lifetime.

It is a delight to work with families to create something personal for their child.
Match a birthday theme.
Capture your child's favourite colours or animals or hobbies...
Some families choose one crown to be worn each year, others do something new each year...

Please visit the Crown shop at Beneath the Rowan Tree HERE

and the Gallery HERE.

Contact me today to plan your special crown!♥

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Thursday, 23 February 2017

Easter Toys are Coming! First Stocking of 2017

Every Easter we offer a selection of handmade, natural Easter/ Ostara/ Spring gifts that are ready to ship and one of a kind.

This year we will be stocking on Mondays throughout March.
Each Monday, I will upload new items for sale.

There will be Sweet Somethings, *new* Rhythm Eggs, hollow eggs, egg decorating kits, playsilks and silk toys...

The first stocking is at 3 pm (est) on Monday, February 27.

This first stocking time is being shared with the wonder-full Lisa from Simple Gifts Toy Shop
her wooden toys are magical~ all handmade made and naturally created for little hands and hands on learning.

Both shops will upload new listings at 3 pm.
Beneath the Rowan Tree HERE
Simple Gifts Toy Shop HERE

See you then! ♥

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Thursday, 2 February 2017

Big Changes at BTRT

For 10 years, Beneath the Rowan Tree has offered dyed-to-order playsilks, silk toys and canopies in a rainbow of colours and over 50 distinctive colorways for open ended imaginative play.

This week, we discontinued these items in the shop.
It has not been an easy decision, but costs continue to rise and the rising costs combined with importing silk to Canada (weak dollar, high duty) have made it impossible to earn a living wage dyeing and selling these products as we have done for a decade. It is time for a new approach.

We will be offering a variety of our most popular silk items and colorways on a seasonal, ready to ship, limited stock basis. We will also offer one of a kind Motif playsilks, hand painted silks as well as pillowcases and other hand dyed home goods. And lots more felting!

Motif Silk ~ Ponies

Motif Silk, Polar Bears

I'm a dyer at heart, so there will be lots of colourful things!

If you are interested in a bulk silk order, wholesale, or hosting a co-op with a group, I am happy to work out details to dye up your playsilk order. I'm not quitting dyeing... I just cannot continue to sell on a single piece basis. Drop me a line at loribtrt@gmail.com.

Please don't be a stranger! Check the shop often for new items and unique silks.
I will announce stockings on Facebook (http://facebook.com/beneaththerowantree) and Instagram (http://instagram.com/beneaththerowantree)

Your years of support are so deeply appreciated~ what a privilege to be part of so many years of play ~ and we look forward to continuing to serve you with original, creative, natural items for home and play! ♥

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