What Andrea Creates

Hi. I'm Andrea, a mother, a wife, an educator, a maker, a gardener, and a birth support person.

My family enjoys discovering our local landscape and devouring delicious local food. I often cook and bake with alternative ingredients. 

I write about local experiences and recipe revelations on my blog.

I also create clothes, dolls, and wool animals that encourage imaginative play. I will be including some simple patterns here on my blog.

My background is in Horticulture, Waldorf Education (a type of education that's goal is to educate the whole child, head, heart and hands) Gardening, and Storytelling.

I have created and worked in a series of gardens over the country and many in my own back yard.

I enjoy incorporating my Waldorf training and teaching experience, my love of gardening, sewing, and baking, and my love for my children into our days.

Engaging children in meaningful activities can be rewarding and challenging. I like to share ideas that are enriching.

I would love for you to come along on our journey.

I write this blog for the same reason I create art, soft sculptures, and food. It enriches me. Doing something for myself is very important.  It is easy as a parent to go through the day's tasks of work obligations, feeding, transporting, and caring for others, without spending time for you.  When I create, be it a little knit chicken, a large crocheted rug, a blog post, or a simple lemon curd, good energy is created for myself.

Just the other morning I awoke early.  The house was quiet. I tiptoed over the creaky spot in the hall. I delicately reached for my coffee supplies to brew a pot undetected. After updating a few things, checking the weather, renewing an etsy listing, and peeking briefly at a favorite blog, the house remained quiet.

I looked below my desk.  There was a basket of items that did not sell at the Holiday Craft shows.  I intended to photograph them once the sunshine came in the window.  I picked up a kit of a rug hooked heart, found the right size embroidery hoop, and spent a half hour making a sweet little wool heart.

My boys awoke as I was pulling the last loops through to the surface.  I was happy, having created a little piece by myself in the early hours, alone.  I was able to greet my children, to be present with them, my time alone was done, but complete.

Doing things for myself helps me to be more present with others.

This is a little piece of who I am, why I continue to create whenever possible, and the juggle that must exist to do so.  

Thank you Dear Readers for coming along.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and insight on this voyage.

Andrea's Education:

Associate degree in Horticulture.

BA in Education. Her Bachelor's thesis was titled “A Waldorf Garden Curriculum”.

M. Ed. in Waldorf Education.

Her Master's thesis was titled, “The Benefits of Teaching Mythology”.

Andrea has worked in two different Waldorf Schools, in gardens over the US, England and in her own backyard. She has no culinary training, but loves reading cookbooks and making nourishing home cooked food for her family.