In My Haven: October 2022
This October in my haven I'm thinking about sharing. How we share our time, talents, abundance, and even our burdens with others can make a profound difference. In this month's journal I'm reflecting on how sharing is at the heart of Haven Handmade. I also have some ideas for crafts, recipes and stories that are great for sharing with others.
My Thoughts: Sharing What I Know
In the Haven Handmade Shop: Kits & Patterns
Make it Yourself: Giving Plates
In the Kitchen: Treats to Share
To Read: Stories of Sharing
Sharing What I Know
In addition to being the owner of this small business, I am also a teacher. Because of this, I think I have a natural inclination to share what I know with others. Seeing others learn something new brings me so much happiness. It doesn't matter whether I'm helping my daughter with a new piano song, encouraging a shy student to overcome their nervousness to give a presentation, or casually sharing a sewing or cooking technique with a friend, I just get so much satisfaction from being a part of others’ learning process. Because I know that I derive so much joy from sharing the learning process with others, I made it a goal to share my love of sewing and my unique free motion appliqué designs by releasing my first free motion appliqué kits. I am so excited to be announcing that Haven Handmade is adding kits to its offerings and can't wait to see how others interpret my designs and make them their own. Sharing how I sew my free motion appliqué designs combines my love of sewing and of teaching, and I could not be more thrilled about that!
Kits and Patterns
This month I want to highlight the first Haven Handmade kit design, as well as a few designs I just added to the patterns section.
Rose Garden Appliqué Kit
This incredibly special rose design is the first kit I'm offering and it will give you a chance to learn to sew free motion appliqués. It includes all the supplies you need, as well as video instructions.
Oak and Acorn Welcome Wreath
This design is available as a PDF pattern or as an SVG cut file so that you can make it yourself. If you don't sew, you could also use this template to create projects out of felt, paper or other materials. (If you aren't in a making mood, you can also have me sew up this design for you.)
Pumpkin Trio
These three pumpkins just make me so happy, and I can't put into words exactly why! If you feel the same way, I hope you try making your own project with this pattern too. (This design is also available from the appliqué buffet, if you want me to make it for you.)
Giving Plates
I just have one simple craft to share with you this month, and that's because I love the idea so much! It can be as simple or as complex as you want, it can be done with children if you choose, and it prompts us to share our abundance with others. This month, I encourage you and your family to design a “giving plate”. Have you heard of these? They are basically a decorated plate that you fill up with treats to share with another family. Once that family is done enjoying the treats from you, they are supposed to refill the plate and pass it on to another family. If you decide to give this idea a try, please let me know. I'd love to see what your giving plate looks like and what treats you choose to share!
Treats to Share
Once you've made your Giving Plate, you're going to need to make some sort of tasty treat to share. Here are three ideas that I'm considering.
Cranberry Pecan Bread: This recipe is great for breakfast, a snack, or dessert and evocative of fall without being ubiquitous pumpkin-spice flavored.
Oat Flour Blondies: Classic chocolate chip cookie flavor with extra toasty-ness from the oats makes a wonderful choice for sharing.
Cream Tea Scones: Simpler to make than biscuits, but just as homey, these scones are a delicious treat.
Stories of Sharing
Stories are better when they are shared, don't you think? Here are three stories with sharing as a central theme.
The Giving Tree (Shel Silverstein): If this isn't the first book that comes to mind when you think of sharing, then I think it's time for you to revisit this story (or visit it for the first time if you've never had the pleasure of reading this touching picture book).
Porcupine’s Pie (Laura Renauld): Sharing is a very common theme in children's books, and this one tells a very sweet story of friendship and selflessness. Joanna loves this one!
The Elegance of the Hedgehog (Muriel Barbery): This novel tells the story of three individuals who find out that sharing their true self with others is worth it when they meet kindred spirits in unexpected ways. It's been several years since I read this and now I want to go reread it.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your time with me. It's a gift to be able to share what I love doing with other people.
From my haven to yours,
Beth
Disclosure: The links in this post are not affiliate links. I do not receive any compensation for the recommendations I make in my journal. It's just a place where I can write about what I like and think you might too.
