Nature Table, part I

Long story short - we've started a kind of preschool homeschool cooperative (last week was our first week), and our story last week was one from the Enki kindergarten curriculum Nature Tales called Old Maple. A tree-branch was used as the old maple prop, and because the Coop is at my house right now, Old Maple got left here.
So, I got to thinking . . . why not use Old Maple (not really from a maple tree, there aren't many of those around here) as our Eostre tree for our Nature Table/Seasonal Altar (which I sort of keep up a bit from time to time and really want to start making a priority)?
Niesha (my 2yo) and I mixed together some salt dough to hold her up in, and as soon as it dries, we can decorate the tree. I'll be asking the other Coop moms if they want to participate in "Nature Table" and, if so, we can all decorate the tree together next week.

Natural Fiber Dying, Part I

9:34 am - added 35" undyed playsilk to crockpot with 8 cups water, 2 cups vinegar. Turned on high. In a half hour or so, I plan to add 10 tbsp finely and freshly ground coffee.
10:00 am - added 10 tbsp coffee grounds. Stirred.
11:30 am - added 5 tbsp coffee grounds, sprinkled on top of parts of silk bubbling on top. Did not stir.
1 pm - turned off crockpot and removed lid. Will let cool to lukewarm and then wash in sink.
2pm - washed/rinsed.
2:26 - removed from rinse water, squeezed excess out, put in oven in glass dish and turned oven on to 350F.
2:36 - oven reached 350, turned oven off. Turned silk - must be pulled out in a couple minutes.
2:38 - removed silk from oven, opened up. Noticed interesting effects.
2:39 - retwisted and replaced (cool and still damp) into oven.
2:44 - removed from oven.

Conclusion - looks good, but there is a little spot that's heat damaged toward the center of the silk - next time I would heat the oven only to 250.