I've been a big fan of Freshly Picked moccasins (and an ardent admirer of founder Susan Petersen's humble beginnings and keen business sense) for a little while now. So it was quite the happy mail day when my daughter's pair of Freshly Picked moccasins arrived in our mailbox! Her pair of Raspberry colored little-people moccs arrived in a drawstring bag with the gorgeous Freshly Picked logo and pin on it. I'm big into details like that.
First of all, I was honestly (and very pleasantly) surprised that the moccasins are available in toddler sizes up to size 10. My daughter measured right at a size 8, so I opted for the 9's because when I was growing up my mom wouldn't buy a pair of shoes unless there was a thumb's width of space in the toes. When we slipped the moccasins on they were very roomy on her foot. I CANNOT stress enough how impressed I was that they, nonetheless, stayed on her feet without any slippage! That hidden elastic around the ankle sure does it's job.
The moccasins are beautifully made (in the USA!), and the leather is soft and supple. The colors are really, truly, gorgeous. I've been limiting wear to the house and backyard because I'm a bit of a priss, and can't bear the thought of scuffing the gorgeous leather too much just yet. After a week of wear, the leather is beginning to mold to her feet. They're so comfy that once she's wearing them she often forgets that the moccasins are even on her feet. Unless she catches a glimpse of them. She's a big fan of the color she chose. And the fringe. Definitely the fringe.
Disclaimer: a big thank-you to Freshly Picked for sending me a pair of moccasins to review at no charge. I was not monetarily compensated in any way for my opinions as stated in this blog post: all opinions are my own.
I apologize for how quiet the blog has been the last few weeks. We started our homeschool year on August 16th, and much of each day is now consumed with learning about science, grammar, history, math, reading good books, and journaling. By the time all that fun is over, and the not-as-fun housework list has been nicked, I'm pretty pooped. Once we find our groove things will normalize.
This year, mixed in with boxes full of school books, I received another really exciting package in the mail. I had never really thought about buying a decent pencil sharpener until I heard about the Classroom Friendly Sharpener. Electric sharpeners don't appeal to me: they're too loud, tend to be ugly, and have bothersome cords. As much as I like manual sharpeners, I've just stuck with the cheap wee plastic ones. Not any more.
Shipping was quick, and when my sharpener arrived I immediately opened the box and got to work sharpening every pencil I could find. This thing is addictive! There is something very satisfying about cranking the handle and feeling the blades shave the pencil. The graphite of the pencil comes out very, very sharp, sharpened to a long point. At first I was suspicious of it, and thought it was likely to snap with a little pressure. On the contrary, I've discovered that the point is strong, and that the graphite is very secure at the base.
To operate the sharpener, pull out the metal plate and pinch the black tabs together; this will open the clamp to hold the pencil in place. Feed the pencil through the round opening on the font of the metal plate and into the sharpener unit. When the black tabs are released it will hold the pencil firmly in place. Apply pressure on the top of the sharpener, and turn the crank with your other hand. There will be a release of the graphite when the pencil is fully sharpened. It's easy to use, and even my kids think it's great fun! To empty the shavings, simply pop out the clear tray. The pencil shavings are lovely, aren't they?
Standard pencils work best with the sharpener; if you opt to use it with colored pencils be advised that just a few turns of the handle are recommended as opposed to a full sharpening. The unit comes with an optional mount, but I don't find it necessary. Also good to note: since the sharpener stops when a fully sharpened tip is achieved, it will not eat your pencil. If the graphite does happen to get stuck in the blades, the unit is easy to dismantle. The sharpener is available from Classroom Friendly Supplies here.
I'm pleased to say that the
design of the pencil sharpener is such that I don't think it needs be
tucked away; placed on a shelf it adds a little modern yet old-school
charm to the space. I'm in love!
// Classroom Friendly Supplies provided me with the product for this review; I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
