As requested by one of our Facebook Fans, I've decided to write a post on using natural substances to dye Fabric. Given that this is a parenting site, I've also decided to stick with using fruit - as it's entirely non toxic. You will be working with Alum, which shouldn't be consumed, and you'll be working with boiling water - so supervise children carefully. When using natural dyes to colour fabric there are a few steps you need to undertake to prepare your fabric. The process of prepar
-
Should We All Go And Live In A Village?
I wake up on a Sunday morning. It's a nice summers day and some gardening is in order. I make breakfast for the kids and my wife and proceed with the usual morning routine. Out I go to the shed, get the lawn mower and off I go. I wave to a car coming down the street. It is a guy I know lives
Read Full Story -
A Must Read For Any Parent – Naturally Better [REVIEW]
It isn't often I would recommend a book to every parent but this one is just the inspirational story we all need to hear. It started in 2006 when Kristen Morrison gave birth to a beautiful baby boy Gryffin, who was later diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Instead of accepting that her son would h
Read Full Story -
The ABCs of Modern Cloth Nappies
This is a guest post written by Elle Hilyard for BubbleBubs (Australian Cloth Nappies) Battling a health issue with my 9 month old son, Ethan, resulted in more nappy changes each day than I ever thought possible. I started to think about the effects all the disposable nappies we were using were h
Read Full Story -
7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Breastfeeding
I'm an old hat at nursing now, having been doing it for nearly 3 years non-stop. But those earlier days could have been a lot easier with hindsight. 1. Breastfeeding is natural, but a learned skill. If someone had told me, before I started nursing that while breastfeeding is the most natura
Read Full Story -
Your Child’s Report Card [Discussion]
As a child, my school report card was either something I triumphantly took home to my parents, or stashed in my school bag, hoping it might disintegrate unnoticed with the rotting banana and soggy sandwich. If I had performed well, and my card reflected this, I was so proud to show it to my parent
Read Full Story
This is a project that you can make using new fabrics or, as I've done, up cycle an old pillow case. You will need: A rectangle of COTTON fabric (A fat quarter is ideal, or an old pillowcase) A 1kg bag of rice And if you like, some lavender flower heads. Method: 1 - If you're using an old pillow case, cut off a bit from the bottom, as big as you'd like your heat pack to be. Turn it inside out. 2 - If you're using a fat quarter, or square of fabric, fold it in half right sides
I've spent a lovely afternoon with a lovely friend up-cycling some of my old baby gear. After seeing two children through muslin wraps, singlets and onesies, all of my once beautiful white and pale gear was looking a bit worse for wear. So, we decided to give it a new lease of life with some tie dye :-) You will need: A bucket per colour dye you're using Permanent Fabric Dye Water Salt or Vinegar depending on if you're dying wool or cotton Old wooden spoons to stir your buc
I was watching a feature on the news recently about the number of children who have no clue as to where their food comes from. When asked where beef came from, the standard answer was "The grocery store" (usually citing their local outlet) This struck me as being a bit of an issue as our global population increases, so too does their demand for food. And it's more important than ever for us all to recognize the impact of our farming practises. How can a child who doesn't know where beef com
In many countries around the world, we hold a traditional celebration for mothers. In the US, it was thought to begin during the Civil War, to bring together bereaved mothers, but Mother's day has been celebrated for millennia, with the Ancient Greeks and Romans holding festivals of the mother, to celebrate birth and fertility. These days, it's hard to miss Mother's day, with virtually every commercial opportunity being spent on promoting expensive gifts and things that show "Mom just how m

![A Must Read For Any Parent - Naturally Better [REVIEW]](http://www.naturalparentingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/naturally-better.jpg)

![Your Child's Report Card [Discussion]](http://www.naturalparentingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/reportcard.jpg)




