Wet Felted Wool Jingle Balls

I love having toys made of natural fibres for my children, especially my babies.  They are beautiful, durable and often safer alternatives to the regular plastic stuff.  But.  They're also pretty expensive.  Luckily, there are a lot of toys that you can make yourself...like Wet Felted Wool Jingle Balls.  These are a great gift for babies.  They're soft and perfect for chewing on, they're visually appealing and the muted jingling sound is pretty soothing.  As an added bonus, they're super easy to make so you can involve your children in the process.  What better way to get kids excited about giving than to have them give a gift that they made themselves?

Supplies Needed:

• wool roving (in many colours if possible)
• 2 large bowls or a double sink
• dish soap
• small bell
• small towels (for each child's work space)
• felting needle (optional)

Step 1:

Wrap wool roving around your bell.  Make sure to wrap it in different directions as this will make it easier for the fibres to grab on to one another (which is what felting is).  It should be quite large when you are done because as it felts, it will shrink down significantly.  Go for at least double the size you want your finished ball to be.

 Step 2:

Fill one bowl (or sink) with hot water and the other with cold. Set out towels (these will minimize the soapy water that inevitably makes its way out of the bowls and onto the table, floor, cat, small children, etc.) 

Step 3:

Put a little bit of dish soap on your wool roving.  This make it easier to handle without ruining its shape. 

Step 4: 

Dunk the ball in the hot water.  Bring it back out and start rubbing it in your hands.  You want to encourage it to take a round shape so treat it sort of like you would a snowball when you're rounding it out.  Start with lighter pressure until the outer layer of roving starts to felt.  Once that happens, you cam be a little rougher without worrying about the roving coming unwound.  

Step 5:

Dunk it in the cold water then continue working at it with your hands.  The drastic change in temperature will encourage them felting process.

Repeat steps 4 and 5 (adding more dish soap as needed) until the wool has shrunk down significantly and you have a hard, round ball.  

When this is done, I like to tie it into the toe of a pair of pantihose and throw it in the washing machine for one cycle.  This can felt it down further which is helpful when kids have been doing it.

Optional Step 6:

Use a felting needle to add embellishments to your jingle ball.  You could also sew ribbons to the bottom to make it a fun throwing toy.  I decided to needle felt pictures on ours.  This is something older children might enjoy trying as well.  Just make sure you supervise and warn them that those needles are SHARP (ask me how I know!).

Give it to your baby and watch them enjoy!

Day 5: Give Gifts that Don't Require Buying Anything

Gifts seem to be the theme that dominates all Christmas discussion.  I get it, it can be a big part of the whole experience, especially where kids are involved.  Maybe that's why gifts add so much stress to the season.  Trying to find the perfect  one, braving the overcrowded malls, trying to find the money to purchase all of these gifts.  It can be super stressful.

But what if it didn't have to be that way? 

In our family, gifts are not the most important part of Christmas but they certainly do play a part.  We love to give gifts to each other.  I love watching my kids excitement grow as they unwrap their presents.  I love watching my husband enjoy the gifts I've given him.  When my kids buy, wrap and give gifts all on their own? Heart melting.  And let's be honest here, I made no complaints when my parents gave me a Kitchen Aid mixer last Christmas. Gifts are fun.

Why not try making gifts this year?  Do you knit? Sew? Work with wood? Paint? Make jewellery?  Even if you aren't a real crafty person, there are so many simple things that you can make for your loved ones.  And a lot of these gifts can be made out of things you've already got at home!

For example: do you have old wool sweaters lying around?  Throw them in the washer to felt them down and you can make cozy wool pants for the baby in your life!

Or turn an old pillow case into a sweet little girl's nightgown.

You could  also make your own knitting needles to give away. 

Check out my Pinterest board for more homemade Christmas gift ideas. 

Follow Kalista // When We're at Home's board Homemade Christmas Gifts on Pinterest.

You can also check out this post for gift ideas that don't involved "stuff" at all!

Do you like giving homemade gifts? How about getting them?

Day 4: 25 Ways to Create Christmas Memories without Spending a Dime

I don't remember gifts that I got for Christmas as a child.  I don't remember fancy outfits or big, expensive trips.  What I do remember is spending time with my family, doing things together in our home.  Those memories are happy and peaceful and warm.

People often complain about how expensive Christmas time is.  But it doesn't have to be that way.

Sometimes the best memories are the simplest.

Creating Christmas memories is important but you don't have to spend a ton of money to do it.  Here is a list of 25 Ways to Create Christmas Memories without Spending a Dime.  We have done most of the things on this list at one point or another and every year the kids talk about many of them.  They don't cost anything but these memories sure do last a lifetime!



(technically, some of these things do technically cost money...but I'm assuming that you already have the materials required in your home.  So you don't need to spend extra money.)



Get the kids in jammies and pile everyone into the car with popcorn and travel mugs of hot chocolate.  Take a drive to see the Christmas lights in your neighbourhood.

Make popcorn strings while listening to Christmas music (preferably sitting in front of a fireplace if you have one!). Hang them in the trees around your house for your animal friends.

Make your own egg nog.

Go Christmas carolling.

Find ways to serve others.

Go tobogganing.

Watch your favourite Christmas movies.

Make your own wrapping paper.

Make Jesus a birthday cake.  Better yet, throw him a birthday party!

Bake LOTS of Christmas cookies.

Make hand/ thumb print Christmas paintings.

Make salt dough Christmas ornaments.

Climb into a big bed with lots of warm blankets and read Christmas books together.

Make your own natural Christmas decorations.

Write letters to Santa.

Host an ugly Christmas sweater party.

Drink hot chocolate with candy canes in it.

Make snowman replicas of your family.

Make and eat snow ice cream.

Cut out paper snowflakes and hang them in your windows.

Make snowman pizzas.

Make your house smell like Christmas with these homemade simmer pot recipes from Apartment Therapy.

Make your own advent wreath and light the candles each week.

Send you kids a personalized video from Santa.

Take funny Christmas card photos.

To see more clutter free Christmas Traditions, click the image below.

Day 3: 20 Ways that You and Your Children Can Serve Others this Christmas Season

My favourite part about living simply is that instead of focusing on stuff, we are able to focus on people.  There are so many simple ways that we can serve others and its a tangible way to share Christ's love.  What better time to do that than the Christmas season?

Here is a list of 20 Ways that You and Your Children Can Serve Others this Christmas Season.

1. Attend (or organize) a carol sing at a nursing home.  I guarantee your children will put a smile on the residents' faces.
2. Bake and deliver cookies to people in your neighbourhood.

3.  Offer to host play dates so parents can go shopping without the kids (the bonus here is that your kids have someone to play with and you can maybe get some laundry done. Or sit around and check Facebook on your phone.  Whichever.)
4. Shovel an elderly neighbour's driveway.
5. Deliver hot chocolate to police that are outside directing traffic on busy shopping days.
6. Donate clothes and toys to a women's shelter (this would be a good place to bring all of the things you chose to get rid of during your Annual Christmas Clean Out).
7. Bring extra hot chocolate to the skating rink and share with strangers!
8. Offer to help bring groceries to shopper's cars.
9. Volunteer to man one of the Salvation Army Christmas Kettles (with your adorable kids there, imagine how much more money will be donated!).
10. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen (this is dependent on the age of your children and the soup kitchen's regulations.  Call and check.)
11. Make cards for people who aren't able to get out much due to the weather.
12. Invite people that you know don't have family nearby over for supper.
13. Leave a card and gift in your mailbox for your mail carrier.
14. Volunteer to help pack Christmas hampers (boxes packed with everything a family needs to have a Christmas dinner as well as gifts for the Children) at your local Salvation Army.

15. Pay the bill for the car behind you in the drive thru.
16. Go Christmas carolling in your community.
17. Donate blankets and towels to your local animal shelter.
18. Send letters or care packages to soldiers serving over seas.
19. Take home made soup to a sick friend or relative.
20. Write and mail (not email!!) letters to loved ones telling them your favourite memory of them from this year.

There are only twenty ideas here and there are 25 days in the advent season...I think it would be so fun to come up with 5 more and challenge yourselves to do one each day.

What other ways do you and your children serve others?

As an aside...if you're looking for volunteer opportunities and don't know where to find some, contact your local Salvation Army corps.  They do a ton of community service work this season (and all year around) and I am sure they can find something suitable for you!

For more minimalist Christmas traditions, click the photo below!

Day 2: Annual Christmas Clean Out

I know people usually start purging and organizing in the New Year but why wait?  An Annual Christmas Clean Out is the perfect way to start the Christmas season.  Less clutter = less stress and we could all use a little less of that at this time of year, yes?

We like to do a clean out at the beginning of December.  We go through closets and dressers and all of the kids toys.  Its such a big relief to clear the house of the clutter that inevitable gathers throughout the year.  It serves as a sort of reminder that we should do the same with our time during the holiday season.  A cluttered calendar can make it difficult to focus on what this all is really about.

So here is how we do our Annual Christmas Clean Out.

We sort everything into three piles.

• Things to Keep
• Things to Give Away
• Things to Throw Out

Things that are actually used, played with, add value to our lives get to go in the "keep" piles.  Things to give away are clothes that have been outgrown or toys that are no longer played with.  Things that get thrown out are those that are broken, stained or ripped beyond repair.  

I think its important to get the kids involved in this process (Although its extremely tempting to do it while they're all in bed.  It would go SO much faster!) because it does involve their stuff.  Its good for them to make choices about what stays and what goes.  I've found it has taught my kids to evaluate why we have things in our home which has made them much smarter consumers.  

We always feel much better once this is over.  Our house is clutter free and messes are easy to pick up.  AND we've made room for new toys and clothes that the kids will receive at Christmas.

So what about you?  Do you like to clean stuff out before the holidays begin?

Click on the image before to see more posts about Minimalist Christmas traditions!

Day 1: How Minimalists Decorate for Christmas

I've written in the past about how we do a minimalist Christmas but the focus was on gifts since that seems to be the big issue for people trying to live a simpler life.  This year, I'd like to dive a little deeper into other areas that might be adding to the excess.  There are so many areas of our lives that can end up being too much and taking away from what is really important.  So let's take a look at the other areas that need trimming.  Today, we will start with how minimalists decorate for Christmas. 

Minimalism doesn't have to equal blank white walls and empty bare table tops (unless you like that sort of thing...because that's cool too!).  I think its possible to make your house look festive and inviting without compromising your ideals.

The nice thing about decorating the minimalist way is that it doesn't involve going to the mall (less stress), it costs nothing and you get to make memories with your loved ones in the process.  Also, my husband is happy that he doesn't have to drag zillions on boxes out of the crawl space every year!

As easy as it is to go overboard, with a few good strategies in place, it's easier to keep things simple.

Identify what parts of your home you want to decorate.

Think about which areas you spend the most time in and where decor will be best enjoyed.  A Santa themed toilet seat cover may be cute but how much enjoyment are you really going to get out of that?  Try to choose areas that won't interfere with your everyday life.  For example, it's probably best not to put a glass bowl of temptingly beautiful Christmas tree balls on the coffee table, right at eye level of your toddler.  Ask me how I know.

We chose to focus on the areas of our home where we gather most often as a family and when we have friends: the living room and the dining room.  I chose a few areas of those rooms that I thought could use a little extra flair and that's where we put our decorations.  In our living room we put up the tree and decorate the mantle.  In the dining room we have a centrepiece on the table and our nativity display.  This way we have added some holiday cheer to our home without over doing it.

Why buy it when you can make or find it?

Buying decorations can be time consuming and expensive.  Not too mention, you've got to store all of that stuff for 11 months out of the year.  Seems kind of silly, doesn't it?  We have some decorations that we use each year (Christmas lights, ornaments that have been handed down or that the kids have made, a Christmas tree skirt, etc.) but we try to keep it to one or two boxes.

Making decorations can be a great way to save money and its a fun way to spend time together.  What better way to spend an evening than stringing popcorn in front of the fire?

In true minimalist fashion, try to find ways to avoid buying materials.  Look around your house and in your backyard for things that can be used.  You'd be amazed at what beautiful decorations you can make without ever leaving your property!

Check out my Natural Christmas Decor pin board to get some great ideas!


Follow Kalista // When We're at Home's board Natural Christmas Decor on Pinterest.

5 Days of Minimalist Christmas Traditions

Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year.  There is so much to love about this season: the music, the happy children, the food, the family.  There's also a lot of hardship that comes with the season. Busyness. Stress.  Financial hardship.  I'd like to share a few of my favourite Minimalist Christmas Traditions that may help combat some of the not-so-nice parts of this holiday season.

A few years ago, I wrote about how we did a minimalist Christmas.  When we took our focus off of the "stuff" that usually comes with this season, we were blown away by how much better our Christmases became!

All of the Christmas traditions that I will talk about fit perfectly with simple lifestyle that we strive to live.  They are all budget friendly, consumer conscious, environmentally friendly and focus on the important things in life, especially enjoying the people you share it with!

Even if you are not a minimalist, I encourage you to check out these posts.  We can all benefit from a little simplifying and a lot of this stuff is just plain fun!

Click on the images below to go directly to the post!

 Day 1

Day 2: Annual Christmas Clean Out

Day 3: 20 Ways that You and Your Children Can Serve Others this Christmas Season

Day 4: 25 Ways to Create Some Christmas Memories without Spending a Dime

Day 5: Give Gifts that Don't Require Buying Anything

What are some of your favourite Christmas traditions?

20 Non-stuff Gift Ideas (for the Minimalists on your Christmas List)

A few years ago, I shared our strategies for having a minimalist Christmas.  This year we're having to scale it back even more since the kids and I (that's FIVE people) are living in one bedroom.  We're a little low on space and there just isn't room for more stuff.

I think we can all benefit from having less stuff but buying gifts that don't involve actual things can be difficult.

So for all of you out there struggling with what to buy for the minimalists on your Christmas list (or for those of you who are just looking for something different) here's a good list to get you going.

The gift of a new experience.  

• a trip to the zoo or aquarium
• an art class
• tickets to a play
• passes to a museum
• movie tickets
• dance classes
• tickets to a sports game

The gift of quality time.

I like to make coupons to give for this one.  At least they have something to open AND they can cash it in at their convenience. Just don't forget to actually make it happen!

• go to the spa 
• a day of baking cookies together
• take them out for dinner
• a sleepover

A gift of service. 

• bring them meals for a week. 
• help wash their car.
• help organize their closets or basement
• offer an evening of free babysitting

The gift of helping others. 

• make a donation in the gift receiver's name 
• volunteer at a local soup kitchen together 

The gift of prayer or good thoughts. 

• commit to pray for them for the year
• send them some warm fuzzies: write down all the things you love about the gift receiver and give it to them.  It's guaranteed to make them feel good. (There are tons of ideas on Pinterest for jazzing this up..like this, for example).
• "Open When" letters

This is just the beginning.  The possibilities for non-stuff gifts really are endless once you start thinking about it! It just takes some readjusting of the way you think about gifts.

The bloggers of iHomeschool Network have teamed up to bring you more great gift guides!  Click the image below.

Do you have any other "non-stuff" gift ideas to share?