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Summer
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These are the ones my kids loved! They sharpened them down into the tiniest stubby pencils and they STILL try to use them!
Okay, I have to stop checking in. This is a little addictive and fun! 
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Waverley
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For paperback lesson books has anyone used these from Dick Blick? Although they come in a pack of 20, I know I would use them all eventually. The price at a little over $1 a piece is nice.
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Waverley
wife to Dh for 19 years, dd (16), dd (11), dd (8), ds (6), dd (4), dd (9-13-1996)
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JennGM
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We love the Faber Castel pencils here. Even the smaller triangular grip colored pencils are the ones we opt for, adult and child alike.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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JennGM
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| Posted: March 08 2010 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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I find so many options in journals and sketchbooks.
There are wire bound sketchbooks galore.
For watercolor wirebound pads.
And we're quite fond of our Mead Primary Journals for everything.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Cindy Mac
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| Posted: March 08 2010 at 2:51pm | IP Logged
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I also posted this on the Resources thread, but thought it might be helpful here as well since the topics are so closely related. (Edited by moderator of the forum to say that in order to keep conversation in one place, the post on the other thread has been deleted as a duplicate post. Thank you.)
My job on Serendipity is to take care of the more technical aspects so that the other ladies can go ahead and do the more creative writing. All this said, I'm used to doing the research and I have been trying to figure out this supplier issue as well, so I was happy to see this thread come up.
With just a little bit of research, I have found that the Prang pencils aren't going to serve as a safe haven for those of you wishing to stay away from anything to do with Waldorf.
Prang is owned by Dixon Ticonderoga and if you check out the About Us page, they start to sound a little New Agey (is that even a word?  )when you read that
"Dixon Ticonderoga is a company that empowers
people to take conscious and subliminal thoughts, facts, ideas and dreams,and preserve them using tools that are simply extensions of themselves."
Further research shows that Dixon Ticonderoga is a subsidiary of an Italian company, FILA-Group, who back in July of 2008 acquired Lyra Pencils as part of their company. Now for anyone who is not aware, Lyra Pencils are unquestionably linked with Waldorf education.
So I guess this begs the question...how far are we going to go to ensure that anything the we do or purchase has NO connection whatsoever with anything Waldorf?
The more I research this, the more I become convinced that when you try to boycott in a fallen world, you're likely to encounter yourself. For instance, I would go so far to say that none of us that home school are not affected by the work of Bill Gates. And yet, Bill Gates and The Gates Foundation are clearly proponents of Waldorf and Waldorf education. Surely the small contribution that a cottage industry can make when we buy doll forms pales in comparison to the money that Bill Gates is investing in furthering Waldorf education in America.
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Cindy - wife to Chris, mommy to my 4 sons!
Kellys Klassroom Korner
St. Anne's Academy
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12stars
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I agree Cindy, it is almost impossible as a consumer to be able to buy only from Catholic friendly, non New Age, and whatever else agenda people might have companies.
Everyone has a agenda, and most are anti- catholic and as long as you can boycott whatever you can because of that, then my hat is off to you.
I do agree though that it is best when we can try and buy from companies that don't have a set sytem of beliefs that we don't agree with.
Almost all companies fund Planned Parenthood, one way or another.
let alone our internet services, computers, and many of the software programs we must use to be online or to homeschool, they fund anti-life agendas.
That to me is much more sinister than buying crayons.
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Claudia in Southern California
Wife to George,
Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
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CrunchyMom
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12stars wrote:
Almost all companies fund Planned Parenthood, one way or another.
let alone our internet services, computers, and many of the software programs we must use to be online or to homeschool, they fund anti-life agendas.
That to me is much more sinister than buying crayons.
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It is excruciatingly hard to buy with a conscience in all respects. However, that doesn't mean it is wrong to be as mindful as we can when we are purchasing. I try to avoid buying things made in China, but sometimes it is impossible. At least the habit, though, makes me *mindful* of what I DO buy from China, and often I will reconsider and decide I don't need something afterall.
The same is true of all the other boycotts. It doesn't have to be all or nothings, but that doesn't mean it is a waste of time to be mindful of what we purchase and buy alternatives if we are able. And for some things, maybe we will decide that we don't need the items afterall. 
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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12stars
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I did not say not to be mindful and just go out and mindlessly be a consumer.
I do agree with you on the latter. I just wanted to point out that some things are out of our reach.
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Claudia in Southern California
Wife to George,
Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: March 08 2010 at 3:27pm | IP Logged
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I apologize, Claudia, if I seemed to imply that. You did say
12stars wrote:
| I do agree though that it is best when we can try and buy from companies that don't have a set sytem of beliefs that we don't agree with. |
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which I agree with. I see how my response may not have seemed that way, though.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Helen
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Cindy Mac wrote:
So I guess this begs the question...how far are we going to go to ensure that anything the we do or purchase has NO connection whatsoever with anything Waldorf?
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I think a better way to phrase the issue is:
How can we avoid a *direct* connection to Waldorf?
Some companies and catalogues are *directly* connected and others aren't. From what you write Cindy, I don't think Prang would be considered *directly* connected to Waldorf.
Would you agree?
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Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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Helen
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I think I wrote *directly* with the asterisks too many times.
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Ave Maria!
Mom to 5 girls and 3 boys
Mary Vitamin & Castle of the Immaculate
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Summer
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The way I see it is that every little bit helps. This applies to China, eco friendly, or strange religions. However, as a mom to six little ones, I only have so much time to worry and research. I try to be a mindful steward of my resources and my time. In the end, I would rather support a little cottage industry which is new agey than pro abort China. However, even then, it would be incredibly time/resource consuming stay away altogether.
I am so very thankful for the moms on this forum who do the research and then let us all know through their posts and blogs. It is such a helpful blessing to anyone trying to be mindful. And then... every little bit helps.
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MicheleQ
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Summer wrote:
| I am so very thankful for the moms on this forum who do the research and then let us all know through their posts and blogs. It is such a helpful blessing to anyone trying to be mindful. |
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It is helpful but we, all of us, still need to be cautious and discerning on our own. One mom's research is helpful and sharing ideas is great (and I have been blessed by it countless times!) but we have to realize we're not an authority and few if any of us have the time to research and authenticate sources. This is, after all, what got us started down this road in the first place.
Someone respected posts on an idea --people trust that a person has done the research and weeded out the bad stuff and they follow the advice and recommendations. Later they may come to find out that their view on what's OK doesn't really mesh with the person they were taking advice from and/or there's some problems and suddenly what looked OK to them really isn't.
My point is that it's great to share ideas and what we know, but in the end we are responsible for ourselves and our children and we should put our ultimate trust in no one but the authority that has been placed over us.
I hope this makes sense and that I haven't offended anyone. I am running out the door to take my daughter to dance. . .
God bless!
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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12stars
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CrunchyMom wrote:
I apologize, Claudia, if I seemed to imply that. You did say
12stars wrote:
| I do agree though that it is best when we can try and buy from companies that don't have a set sytem of beliefs that we don't agree with. |
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which I agree with. I see how my response may not have seemed that way, though. |
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No need to apologize at all. Really it comes down to what we let in our homes and for what reason.
But I do agree with you Summer I just don't have the time to weed out what I should be weeding. I look at prices and s/h and if they are a small company trying to make ends meet.
But truth be told this whole thread has opened my eyes to reconsider the above much more.
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Claudia in Southern California
Wife to George,
Mom to DD 14, DD 10, DD 7, DS 4, DS 2, 1 in heaven, and now due 5/11.
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cathhomeschool
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Texas Bluebonnets
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| Posted: March 08 2010 at 5:23pm | IP Logged
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Cindy Mac wrote:
"Dixon Ticonderoga is a company that empowers people to take conscious and subliminal thoughts, facts, ideas and dreams,and preserve them using tools that are simply extensions of themselves."
Further research shows that Dixon Ticonderoga is a subsidiary of an Italian company, FILA-Group, who back in July of 2008 acquired Lyra Pencils as part of their company. Now for anyone who is not aware, Lyra Pencils are unquestionably linked with Waldorf education.
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But does the Italian company give money to a Waldorf foundation? The concern as I understand it (for those wanting to do this sort of boycott) is not to give money to those who directly fund Waldorf. If the Italian company doesn't, then who cares whether or not Waldorf uses Lyra? That's like saying we can't watercolor (or use x brand watercolors) because watercolors are closely tied to Waldorf (or x brand is the brand waldorf catalogs recommend most). If the Italian company does give money to Waldorf, then that's another thing. The boycotting issue has not changed. We've discussed it here many times before and have let members decide which way they want to go. This issue is no different. Some will choose to stay as far away from waldorf suppliers as possible. Others won't. Some go to great lengths to boycott Microsoft. Others don't. To each his own.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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SeaStar
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My mother (who is 75) has her own take on all this...
it makes her head spin to think about not shopping at Target, etc because of donations to Planned Parenthood.
What she does is this:
1. The best she can in discerning, given time factors and her age (she is not one to do hours of internet research )
2. Pray for those companies/countries that give money to causes against her beliefs
3. Keep in mind this: What money we give, whether to buy a product or to support a charity, is between us and God.
What companies and charities *DO* with the money is between them and God.
I always thought that was a sensible approach, especially when time is a huge factor (ie, you need a new blender today, right now, and can't drive all over town to five stores to find one not made in China, etc)
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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JennGM
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Cindy Mac wrote:
a little New Agey (is that even a word? )when you read that
"Dixon Ticonderoga is a company that empowers people to take conscious and subliminal thoughts, facts, ideas and dreams,and preserve them using tools that are simply extensions of themselves." |
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I think that's more artsy talk. It's a way of saying ideas and thoughts and dream are spiritual and intangible, but this company provides art tools to try to convey and express them in material and physical way. So the intangible becomes more tangible when translated into different art forms.
And to go on a tangent...although art is beautiful and tries to creatively transform these thoughts into a material reality, the artist usually falls short because trying to relate spiritual into material perfectly is pretty impossible. There are close examples, but all of on earth, created or co-created, such as art, is a mere reflection or glimpse of God's beauty, never the complete picture. We don't get that until heaven.
But Art, with music, falls into a higher plain than other more simple realities because it is a closer reflection of God and communicating the spiritual realm. I was reading ahead in Transformation in Christ by Dietrich von Hildebrand in our "True Simplicity" discussion and touches upon this.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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MicheleQ
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JennGM wrote:
Cindy Mac wrote:
a little New Agey (is that even a word? )when you read that
"Dixon Ticonderoga is a company that empowers people to take conscious and subliminal thoughts, facts, ideas and dreams,and preserve them using tools that are simply extensions of themselves." |
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I think that's more artsy talk. It's a way of saying ideas and thoughts and dream are spiritual and intangible, but this company provides art tools to try to convey and express them in material and physical way. So the intangible becomes more tangible when translated into different art forms. |
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I thought the same thing. In the context of what Dixon Ticonderoga sells it just seemed like "artsy" speak to me.
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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guitarnan
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In terms of the business relationship between FILA, Prang and Lyra, FILA owns Lyra and also owns Prang's parent, Dixon Ticonderoga. They are in separate "chains of command" on the Fila organizational chart.
I checked the FILA website and couldn't find any indication that the corporate offices contribute to any charity except Save the Children right now. (I read enough Italian to check in that language, too, and I did.)
Perhaps this information will help members make their individual decisions.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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cathhomeschool
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Summer wrote:
Back to blank books:
I could see using the hard bound books for little ones that are pasting their finished art work into one thematic keepsake book (this is what we did with the Alphabet Path) but I think it would be difficult for older ones working directly in the book. My older two are making a book based on the human body and its systems. Thus, all their drawings and essays are directly written in the main lesson book. The spiral bound ones would help, definitely something to consider. |
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We briefly tried main lesson books and it didn't work for us, so I don't have a good handle on what people are looking for here, but what about spiral bound art books? (Meaning spiral bound watercolor paper.) Would buying it at Hobby Lobby or Michaels when it's on sale or with a coupon be as economical as Bare books?
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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4Real Forums : The Arts in the Everyday
Topic: Alternative Suppliers
