Happy Pride Month! Are you getting ready to head to the nearest Pride parade? Hold on, I have just the accessory to help you jingle all the way there…! Don’t just SHOW your support – make it heard! – through…
The world has really been…something lately, hasn’t it? On top of all the usual stresses, it feels like the past few years have tossed quite a few extra worries at us collectively. I’m lucky to be well-aquatinted with an incredibly…
My ever-growing library of small world play accessories received a huge upgrade this week in the form of a DIY’ed community of multicultural peg doll friends. Though the project was a quick one for me to make on my own,…
One of my goals for barley & birch has always been to make creative learning projects with simple, earth-friendly supplies that are accessible to anyone. Over the years, I’ve developed a few green-crafting habits that have completely changed the way…
It’s unseasonably cold in the Twin Cities today. The VERY chilly breeze blew in a thick fog, the dog is back to curling up under the blanket on my bed, and I’ve just stuffed the fireplace with logs for tonight.…
Do you remember the first conversation you had about race? Do you remember who it was with? How old you were? What set it in motion? Earlier this month I ran across the Ted Talk below, given by Dr. Beverly…
The iconic image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. leading the March on Washington for Jobs & Freedom – hopeful people as far as the eye can see – is one that’s so familiar, but never fails to inspire. Using…
For the past 7 years (7!!) fun kid crafts and parent DIYs have been a favorite feature on the barley & birch blog. As a graphic designer (and general tinkerer) putting together new projects and experimenting with materials is honestly one of…
In the grand tradition of all those activists and artists who have challenged, changed, and inspired before us, we decided to LITERALLY take our messages to the street today! We have been guerilla art-ing love and equality all morning with…
