Circle of Hands Crafts Series
with Mindy Upton of Blue Sky Crafts
Join us online for a warm and inspiring gathering of colleagues and friends as we explore the art of handwork.
Together we will experience the beauty of working with natural materials while weaving the meaningful stories, songs, using seasonal themes. Rooted in the Waldorf philosophy, each session nurtures our creativity, imagination, and connection through rich hands-on experiences that brings the rich connection that integrate craft, storytelling, and music. We will be able to record songs and handouts will be given for each class for your
personal files.
Throughout the course, we will develop basic sewing skills while exploring both dry felting (needle felting) and wet felting techniques. These timeless skills will open the doors for many
other crafting creations. Many of the projects we will create will be practical, beautiful, and invaluable for use in your classroom. You will acquire handcrafted resources that can be naturally woven into your teaching, helping to create a vibrant, living spirit in everything we do.
Please join Mindy whether you are an educator, parent, or lifelong learner, this online circle offers a welcoming space to create, share, and be inspired.
Come with your hands ready to do happy handwork, your heart open to stories, and your voice ready to sing as we celebrate the joy of creating together. See you at the Circle of Hands!
Participants of the workshop need to have basic handwork skills in sewing and wool felting.
Gentle hands can sew and mend
Shape and stitch, create and tend
Busy hands with hearts so true
Bring beauty into all they do.
About The Instructor:
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Mindy has been teaching Kindergarten for the past 40 years. She feels very fortunate to have been able to share her love of handwork, puppetry and fiber arts in the classroom with the children and families. She worked previously at her school, Blue Sky Kindergarten; and has recently opened Blue Sky Craft Studio in Niwot Colorado where she offers parent/child classes and art classes for children and adults. She has recently formed the “Three Wishes Puppet Troupe” that creates and performs Puppet shows for the Colorado community. This past summer, she was host to the Waldorf Association of Storytelling and Puppetry Arts Summer Conference. She is delighted to meet participants in our course to enjoy the art of handwork together.
Learn more about Mindy and her craft studio at blueskycraftstudio.com.
Program Details​​
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Each Circle meets over Zoom
once-monthly on Sunday afternoons,
12-2 pm Central.
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In order to create a lively “in-person” feel to the course, these sessions are not recorded.
A note about supplies:
Mindy strives to create beautiful crafts that suit multiple skill levels or levels of desire, with upcycled and simple materials that you may have around the house. Materials or supplies may still need to be purchased, if you are new to handwork, and each participant is responsible for procuring their own supplies. You will receive a list of materials for class via email well ahead of time to ensure you are prepared.
Also, consider joining Mindy for a special summer workshop to make Heavy Baby Dolls!​
Circle of Hands Craft Series
through the Year
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September 20: Mother Earth Standing Puppet
October 18: Root Children & Mother Earth’s Helpers
November 15: Heavenly Baby Boat & Baby
December 13: Star Child with pocket
January 10: Dancing Pixie Puppet
February 21: Peek-a-Boo Rod Puppet
March 14: Felted Caterpillar and Butterfly Rod Puppet
April 11: Circle of Spring Fairies
May 16: Little Bunnies & Bunny House
June 6: Felted Trees for the Nature Garden
*Save the Date!
June 20, 2027 - 10am- 4pm Central
Join Mindy for another special summer workshop
to make Hand Puppets
Details to come!
Tuition
$60 per session or
$500 for the whole year of school year workshops 9/20/2026- 6/6/2027
Continuing Education
Participants may earn 2 hours CE credit
by actively participating in the workshop.
​September 20
Mother Earth Standing Puppet
We will begin our journey together with creating a Mother Earth standing puppet. My Mother Earth has been “living” on my nature garden for many years and each season I can give her a hat, a cloak or a scarf to flow with the seasons. My standing puppet also helps me with table top puppet shows. Last year she had a little basket of seeds that she gave out to the children for spring. The technique of creating Mother Earth can also be used to make several other kinds of standing puppets.
October 18
Root Children & Mother Earth's Helpers
Mother Earth would have to do so much work herself if she didn’t have some helpers. In this class we will make some root children to accompany Mother Earth in her earthly domain. These little helpers are played with all the time in my classroom. They are an inspiration for play and
building and can stand up all by themselves! A beautiful gnome story and song will be shared in class.
January 10
Dancing Pixie Puppet
This finger puppet is quite special as it has hands and legs! This puppet has been a favorite in my classroom for leading songs and fingerplays all year long. This is an easy felt pattern for the body and includes a hat and boots! I sometimes made these for birthday gifts and I have had parents make them for the children at a parent night.
February 21
Peek-a-Boo Puppet
Children young and old love these puppets. The older children in my class would make these and sing lovely Spanish songs that will be shared in class. We will make the felted “vessel” for the hiding place and a little puppet character of your choice to pop up and down. These are so fun to have in the classroom. I have used them in so many ways- snack time, transition time, birthdays, holiday gifts and puppet shows.
March 14
Felted Caterpillar and Butterfly
Rod Puppet
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April 11
Circle of Spring Fairies
Children young and old love these puppets. The older children in my class would make these and sing lovely Spanish songs that will be shared in class. We will make the felted “vessel” for the hiding place and a little puppet character of your choice to pop up and down. These are so fun to have in the classroom. I have used them in so many ways- snack time, transition time, birthdays, holiday gifts and puppet shows.
May 16
Little Bunnies & Bunny House
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A sweet story for this time of year when all the little bunnies are looking for a Spring time home for their families.. I will teach how to make a bunny marionette and some “teeny weeny” baby bunnies. The story will be shared in class.
June
Felted Trees for the Nature Garden​
Children young and old love these puppets. The older children in my class would make these and sing lovely Spanish songs that will be shared in class. We will make the felted “vessel” for the hiding place and a little puppet character of your choice to pop up and down. These are so fun to have in the classroom. I have used them in so many ways- snack time, transition time, birthdays, holiday gifts and puppet shows.
A special gathering offered to you by Mindy Upton
Heavy Baby Workshop
Please join Mindy and friends in this circle of handwork as we create together, share our experiences, and bring beauty and healing into the lives of children, one stitch at a time.
August 30th 10am- 3pm Central
There is such a quiet language spoken through the work of our hands. A carefully stitched “baby” lovingly filled and gently weighted, carries more than wool thread and flax- they carry warmth, presence, and the possibility of comfort.
In this online workshop, we will create a Heavy Baby, a softly weighted companion designed to bring a sense of warmth, security, and belonging to the children in our care. Together we will learn the art of constructing these special companions while exploring the deeper intention behind their place in the classroom.
During our time together we will learn the complete process of creating your own heavy baby, including making a doll head, info of materials, construction, weighting methods, and finishing details.
We will also explore thoughtful ways to introduce these companions into your classroom or home, honoring the developmental needs of young children while supporting healthy emotional growth.
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Tuition
$125
$25 kits must be purchased directly from Mindy.
Contact Mindy at blueskycraftstudio@gmail.com
to make arrangements.
Enrollment deadline August 16th to ensure doll kits can be shipped in time for the workshop! ​​
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Continuing Education Credits
Participants may earn 5 hours CE credit
by actively participating in the workshop.