SouleMama

another kind of handmade

This was the 'other kind of handmade' beauty that I referred to a few weeks back. A gorgeous cedar-strip canoe, built by Steve's father and his partner twenty years ago, and just recently gifted to us. To say that we're happy to have this is a huge understatement - we're thrilled, honored and much more. And at a full 18 feet in length, it's just perfect for our family of five. This past weekend was it's first trip in the water in years - a short little trip in which we confirmed that the youngest among us is not such a fan of the water - not this year, anyway. (And I can now add paddling to the list of odd times and places in which breastfeeding has proved to be a lifesaver). Nevertheless, we were happy to be in this special boat and on the water, and are greatly looking forward to next weekend when we can get back out there (and Adelaide can have a very special solo date with her grammie).

Naturally, all this talk of how it was made and by whom has greatly inspired the 'makers' around here. Once I talked Calvin down from his grand plan of a canoe big enough for all of us (at least for this year), he shifted to a little bit of a smaller scale. After a visit to the woods, and then our art cabinet, we now have a little birch-bark canoe production happening. 

The future for these little handmade beauties? Inspired by the fabulous 2000 mile adventure in one of our very favorite children's books - Paddle-to-the-Sea - these boats be headed down-river soon. We can only imagine what kind of adventures they'll have on their journey out to sea. All three miles of it.

more birds, and by the seashore

So the bird embroidery does have a 'purpose' after all. It seemed only natural to share it with Adelaide - my little bird girl. So this is the start of her Corner of Birds, a space we are making for her to have of her very own - in addition to her forever-space in our family bed. She is very excited about her new 'bed' - even though for the past two months her 'bed' has consisted only of a frame while I decide on a mattress (I'm waiting for a magical, affordable organic mattress to somehow appear - it hasn't yet), and finish a quilt. Soon. 

I found this mourning dove drawing of Ezra's in the serious pile of bird drawings around here - it's one of my favorites. I know there are other ways to transfer drawings to embroidery, but my favorite is to tape the drawing to a window, tape the linen over it, and trace it lightly with a pencil. Easy. Calvin started a bird embroidery piece of his own that he'll add to the wall soon.

And continuing the embroidery ride that's happening here this week, I finished this piece this weekend as well. This one - inspired once again by the book (ISBN 4834724212) and the shore - now hangs on our sun porch wall amidst all the beach treasures that make their way home with us.

all i need

Looking at last friday's works in progress post, I realize that I still haven't finished any of those things I photographed and intended to complete. I suppose it's been that kind of a week. The kind of a hot summer week in Maine where: I'm psyched I bought a seasons pass to the state parks - which paid for itself in this week alone; the bathing suits, and favorite beach skirts are given a quick rinse at the end of the day and dry just barely in time to be worn again in the morning; dinner and 'big' meals fall by the wayside of all-day snacking and playing; and at the end of the day, we all crash in a big pile of sticky, sandy tuckered out and happy bodies. Good stuff. All I need, really.

I started this little embroidery piece at the beach yesterday morning - inspired by my favorite embroidery book (a perfect beach read, yes?) and some of the lovely beach around me, while my little ones covered my toes in the sand and water. In the good busyness of the beach, there was only the tiniest bit of embroidery actually done - but it was just enough. I finished it in a state of happy exhaustion (from the day, not the embroidery) at the end of the night - sinking into the couch with my sweet while we waited and watched our babes use up the last bits of energy they had left catching moths in the dark. The embroidery has no 'purpose' and I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it - I just felt like making it, and that was enough. There are plenty of things on the crafty to-do list these days that are full of 'purpose' - quilts for my little ones' beds, Etsy shop updates, holiday craft planning, a gallery show to prepare for, and writing projects (book 2 is officially in the works, my friends). And while all of that is important, and very exciting and definitely fun, sometimes the most important thing to do is to toss the list aside (I'm a firm believer that the ability to toss a list is sometimes essential to the completion of said list), and head to the beach to play, sometimes again and again. A little gathering of inspiration, a little refueling, and a little bit of letting go.

I hope your weekend involves just a tiny bit of list-tossing, too. I'll see you here on Monday.

what i love :: family art

instead of dinner ...
snacks and family art night outside, with the day's beach treasures as inspiration.

Oh, Summer...

a trio of birds for a little one

Apparently I still have birds on my mind. It's no wonder with the way my sweet babes are so bird focused - this summer we started a family project of photographing, drawing and learning about each bird that visits our backyard feeders. Now, several months into it (and countless drawings and photographs later), they still get just as excited each time a bird comes, begging me to get the camera "with the YellaPhoto lens!". And I have to very gently say, "honey. we have 25 photos of the robin. Really - we've got the robin covered".

So I suppose it was only natural that birds would work their way in when I was thinking about what I'd most like to make for Eireann's auction for her sweet Mama - one in ten. A trio of birds for a little one - a linen smock (in a larger size than I usually make - this one is 3 to 6 yrs), a felt crown, and a linen tote bag. The auction will be on Ebay, and will begin August 19th. I'll remind you when it starts (or you can visit one in ten for details).

I haven't sold this style of smock on Etsy before - they've always gone to friends or Edith & Edna. It's a traditional pattern - this one is reversible, and crosses over in the back to attach with snaps. (As a completely random aside, when I was putting the snaps on the smock last night, I had a little moment of thanks for my snap press. When I bought it, I wasn't sure I would ever use it enough to justify the cost. But just a year and a half later, I can say that it has already been worth it. Between cloth diapers and pads, and smocks and bibs, it has more than earned it's keep around here, and makes the little end detail of putting a snap on a breeze. So yes, a little moment of love for the snap press.)

I had such fun putting this set together, it got my brain spinning with fall-time goodness for the shop. It feels like my Etsy 'summer vacation' might be nearing an end!

corners of my home: a table

It probably isn't a huge surprise that the family dinner table holds a lot of importance to me. We had been eating on the table above since Steve and I met - it's one that my grandfather, whom I never met, gave to my grandmother as a wedding gift in 1945. It's a beautiful pine under there somewhere, but it's been painted every color under the sun, starting with this awful thick black that made it impossible to ever strip (I tried. many times). It's been in every apartment and home we've shared, and we've shared a meal here every evening - with friends, family and curious toddlers climbing up on top of it. But it's small, and it's been getting smaller quickly this year. We squeezed around it while I continued the search for something we loved, something priced just right, and something that was 'old and beautiful'.

And then, as these things happen, this table came into our lives and right on into our dining room at the perfect time. A table from a very dear and gracious friend - a table with it's own family history and past. I'm honored to continue it's life as a place of gathering. The first evening we ate on it, we were so happy at the 'just right' feel of it - old, big and beautiful, and the kids were amazed that there was room for us and all the food on the table. Ha! Imagine that.

I knew just the fabric I wanted to use to cover the chairs - it's from the Joel Dewberry collection (which I got from Reprodepot, where it appears to be out now, but it is available at Sew Mama Sew). I do realize that I'm putting white fabric on the chairs, but I'm too stubborn and love the fabric too much to change my mind now, so I purchased a few extra yards for the future changings I'm sure they might need. I love that orange in my green dining room, and the birds seem just right for us.

The yellow table made it's way upstairs to my studio, where it continues to be used and loved everyday as my cutting table. And our new table is serving us well - family dinners, games, art and craft, reading, writing, and lots of talking - so very much of what we do happens at this table. Thinking about all of those moments of life lived at this table  - and the ones yet to come - makes me very happy.

More Corners of My Home on Flickr - (with nearly 20,000 photos of inspiration now. Wow.)

comfort clothes

Would it be so wrong to have my wardrobe consist entirely of shirts made from this pattern? Hmn...I wonder. Because each time I make it, and alter it just a tiny bit more to fit just right, I fall in love with it. It's so easy, and soooo comfortable of a fit. It's the perfect shirt - really, I think it is. And this recent version - in a silky soft cotton - makes me so happy with it's tiny white flowers and little green dots, and leaves me happily pondering - red shoes? or green shoes? Oh, I like those kinds of decisions.
{For those who might ask - the fabric is by Maywood Studio - I got mine locally at Marden's - a discount fabric store among other things- and don't click on that link or you will forever have that jingle etched in your brain. I warned you.}

{special thanks to my favorite six year old photographer, who caught me off guard on this one, but it will do}
And speaking of comfort clothes - I have a vintage wrap around skirt that I adore, and therefore wear, um, far too much. So this weekend, I finally got around to tracing it to make another one - just like it. Because I'm all about finding something that works and rehashing it over and over. The grey fabric (it's former life was as a bedsheet that just wouldn't stay on my mattress) is just the right cotton weight for wearing this summer, and I went with a simple bias binding for the waistband and ties. Oh, and lots and lots of topstitching - love the topstitching.

I made the skirt reversible - this side with some IKEA linen that I haven't been quite sure what to do with. I'm happy with it as a skirt.

And for those of you keeping score, this officially makes my skirt count equal to the boys hat count. Which means we're even, and I cannot make myself another summer skirt. Dang. But the good news is that since Adelaide has decided she is done with diapers (oh yes, all on her own, my little miss is quite a determined little gal), skirts are the easiest way for her to manage on her own.

So, you see, now I must make some more skirts.

once a year

{Yarmouth Clam Festival}

weekend planning :: works in progress

There's been a bit of a nutty pace and flurry (in the best way) of creative projects around here lately. Lots of ideas, lots of starting new things, and lots of mess - all good stuff, of course. But it's just about at the point where I could either explode with all of it in my head, then lay down and get lost in the mess of fabric in my studio (tempting)....or, pause, do some cleaning, and take stock of what's going on in here, what's due when, and finishing up a few things before complete chaos strikes my studio. This weekend will be all about that. Well, that, and (hopefully, with some sun) some canoing (Oh! I can't wait to show you this handmade beauty next week!) and summer playing and all that good stuff.

First up: Find my cutting table. I seem to have misplaced it.

Here's wishing you a weekend with at least a little bit of play and a little bit of creating, too!

family classics in the making

I was doing a clean up this morning of our 'coffee table' which clearly should be renamed Book Deposit Table. As I was putting some of the books away to start fresh for the day (it will look like this again by 6pm), I was thinking about our 'system' of books, how they're organized and how we use them. I know, not deeply profound - but still, I'm interested in these things. I was so shy as a little one, and the school library - with it's quiet and gentle librarian - was one of my favorite places. At home, I made pockets and due date slips and had a recipe box as a 'card catalog' and insisted that my sisters 'check out' any and all books in the house through me. My favorite part was sending out late notices (ironic, given my late-fee problem?), which I would slip under their bedroom door very officially. Some of my kids' books that were mine still have their cards in the back, along with the "Property of the Blake Library" bookplates that I made.

I don't think I'm over the top about our book 'system' now (sadly, half of our adult books sit in the musty basement, having their shelves taken over by picture and board books) - but there is just enough order to them so that, hopefully, we'll know where to find something when we look for it. They're loosely organized by theme, and on shelves in whatever room we'd most likely read them: the most frequently read books close by and at the ready; The vintage bird book pile that I'm amassing? Always within reach - and right next to the window; And we always have a basket of seasonal books handy too; A basket of library books (not that keeping them all in one place helps me actually return them); An always-rotating basket of frequently read - usually 'new' to us - books right next to the couch (these are the titles I usually share in the sidebar); and on and on.

The point to all of this (yes, there is one, I'm getting there), is that as I was putting the books away, I realized there was a small pile that had no 'home' at all. Meaning that they are so often read by my little ones right now, that putting them away on a bookshelf even for a few hours, is futile. This pile hasn't changed much in a year or so - these are the books that the boys pick up several times a day, nearly everyday, and just look and look and look. When things are getting a little out of control around here (that happens), the kids will plop down (sometimes on their own, sometimes on my suggestion) with something from this pile to chill out. They're their 'comfort' books, in a way. And I suppose, they're becoming our family classics.

Do you have one of these piles too? Or did you as a child? The go-to, must always know where they are, books in your home? I'd love to hear what's in your pile. (though I'm torn between fear and excitement about ours growing at your suggestions!)

Summer Mama Reading

I received an early copy of the book, Finding Your Inner Mama: Women Reflect on the Challenges and Rewards of Motherhood, edited by Eden Steinberg, which is available this week. Beyond loving the cover by Susie Ghahremani (of Boy Girl Party), the book itself is pretty fabulous too. I'm not really a fan of the 'how to' parenting books. I've never found a whole lot helpful in those. I think it's that many of them focus on the 'act' of parenting and not the 'heart' of parenting. The action without heart just doesn't really work for me. The hard "work" of being a Mama (for me) doesn't come from the structure of our home or the discipline 'method' we use or any of those actions, but rather on the inner work that we do to be the kind of parent we want to be. And so the "Mama" reading I enjoy most is hearing women's stories. I really want to read women who like being a parent (even if that's not the case every moment of the day. trust me. I get that.). Finding Your Inner Mama is a collection of essays by women just like that - smart, funny, and thoughtful women who like being a Mama, but are realistic in their sharing of the challenges and struggles as well.

There are many in this collection whose writing has inspired me greatly in the past - Ariel Gore, Myla and Jon Kabat - Zinn (whose book Everyday Blessings is my all-time favorite parenting book), Adrienne Rich, Andrea Buchanan, and Anne Roiphe, as well as many others that are newer to me. The diversity of not only the women, but also their writing styles and experiences, makes for a full, rich picture of motherhood. The circumstances of my own mothering may differ greatly from some of the writers, but the common thread of thoughtful mothering is truly inspiring and connecting. And I think honesty, inspiration and connection is something all of us can use a little more of as we find our way in this sometimes-seemingly-solo role of Mama.

Friday Night Sewing

Going out in the Old Port hear a friend's band on Friday night required two things: a serious amount of coffee all day long in order to stay awake long enough to even hear them start; and... a new clutch. Naturally.

Last minute crafting is so very messy, isn't it? It is. The clutch I made is quite like the one in Amy's Bend-the-Rules-Sewing, except I didn't even have enough time to look for the book before making it. But very similar, or nearly identical, I think - I used a layer of cotton batting in the middle of the lining and the outer fabric. The outer fabric is one that I found a few months ago at a rummage sale and haven't even put away yet - I love it so, and desperately wish there were more of it.

Apparently I was going for the look of June Cleaver (for whom I'll gladly leave the social context and happily take the clothes - Hannah, I think we'd make a fabulous duo).  Circa 1962. Or something like that.

Ezra's Quilt

 
Oh, I'm so happy this is done. So happy. Or, rather, Ezra is really so happy that it's done. I don't think I moved that slow on it, but to a four year old -who asked a couple of times a day, 'is my quilt done yet?' - my production rate was s-l-o-w. All is forgiven now that it's done, though, because now I hear several times a day, "thank you for my quilt, Mama. I loooooove my quilt, Mama." Be still, my heart.

I chose a simple patchwork for my daydreaming Ez - I was envisioning him finding lots to look at and dream about with these fabrics. There's lots of our old favorite Munki Munki prints in here, and a few newer Superbuzzy bits, too, as well as one special fabric that Ez picked out on his own (can you guess?) - it was the only fabric purchased for the quilt. I really, really struggle with color - I was trying to stick to his favorite color of blue, with some greens and yellows too. But that brown? I have no idea why I put that in there - it stands out more than I thought it would. Oh well.

For it's simple patchwork design and easy piecing, the rest of the quilt got a little complicated. I kept getting stalled out on boring details along the way - no tape in the house just when I needed it (what?), a broken walking foot (seriously. not cool.), the wrong batting purchased (super high loft, and not the right size), and some seriously awkward wrangling of the quilt through my machine. I was a quilting sailor mouth, I tell you. But thankfully, I had some help along the way - Deborah gave me some fabulous advice that saved me from even more bumps and cursing. Thank you!

So yes, the puckers and flaws abound, but of course, they were never noticed by Ezra and completely forgotten by me the second it was placed on his bed. I borrowed some words from Blair and told him that with his quilt, I was hugging him all night long. He loved that thought as much as I.

works in progress: life and craft

{life}

Days like that require a few more things too - like some adult connection and a recharge (see above - the recharge being the guy not the drink, though a mint julep doesn't hurt). Because really and truly, we do all have those days, and there is comfort to be found in that. There are plenty of ugly moments around here, I assure you, and there are plenty of times that I lose sight of the bigger picture (so easy to get caught up in those little moments of parenting - so much happens in five minutes worth of time). But I think the lesson I want my little ones to learn is that crummy days happen. And we might as well let go and sink right on into them. It's the only way I know how to get on through them and to the other side.

{craft}

Perfectly timed, this week I've been hand sewing the binding on Ezra's quilt. It's a slow-going process for me - I'm a slow hand stitcher, to be sure - four movies, countless puzzles, books and chats and I've still got inches to go. But that's okay - this week that kind of pace is working out just fine for me. Sitting and stitching, in and out, up and down, over and over - the rhythm is soothing and comforting and like a slow, but steady tick of a clock passing the time - but not too fast.

We're headed to the lake, where I imagine there will be plenty of hand stitching and plenty of 'sinking into the moments' too. Maybe I'll see you on Monday with a quilt. Or maybe not.

Have a lovely weekend. 

some days

When the day starts at 5:45am with: three children who are up far too early for having gone to bed far too late; rain that thwarts the day's beach plan; no coffee in the house; a full on meltdown from each child by 7:30 am; a simultaneous three-person meltdown a half an hour later; far too much frustration and not-so-quiet 'talking' from me; no game, hug, snuggle, book, or snack that seems to help; and it is abundantly clear that no matter what happens, or what I do to try to change it, today is just going to be one of those days....there's really nothing left to do but to call upon the Plan of Action for Desperate Days:

1. Go straight to the professionals for the tools required for such a day. Maine Coffee Roasters and Standard Baking Company, that is.

2. Go out for ice cream, at 10:30am. Call it lunch. Pajamas optional. (Me? I went in slippers - and I'm going to pretend that was entirely intentional.)

3. Make it a movie day. Do my very best to keep my big-eyed babes (who have never been in a movie store) from getting sucked into the horror section, or the video game section, or for that matter, anything besides the two movies in the entire store that I think are 'okay' enough to rent. (a little picky? yup.)

4. Spend the rest of the day in the bathtub. Playing with ice. Why not?

And throughout the day, snuggle my babes close, let a lot of things slide, let go of the idea of getting anything 'done', do my best to stop looking at the clock, wait for the sun to come out, and know that tomorrow will be better. (Fuzzy photos? Yeah, I busted my camera lens too.)

Some days are just like that.

Today? The sun is shining.

dinner, interrupted...

...by the supposed sighting of a red-tailed hawk out the window...

...which turned out not to be.

But did turn into:

a laughing run through the woods;

the spotting of snake, squirrel, moose tracks, mouse, robin, crow, cardinal and thrush;

and a field of wildflowers at the end, with a small bouquet coming home with us. Back to dinner.

over-the-top cuteness from bend-the-rules sewing

Way back when (eons in internet years), in early 2005, I befriended a certain not-so-Angry Chicken, when we began our blogs in the very same week. Our conversations revolved around babies, breastfeeding, homeschooling, homebirthing and a little bit of interfacing and fabric thrown in for good measure. Very good stuff. Over time, our conversations grew to include books and publishers and literary agents, as first she began her book, and then I followed. It felt much like being pregnant at the same time as a dear friend, except of course, Amy actually was pregnant too. It's a tricky balance - finding the time to write (or work or play or do anything else, for that matter) while still maintaining the most important role of all - Mama - but Amy does it beautifully. I watched my sweet friend closely in her own process, and learned so very much. I'm incredibly inspired and also incredibly proud of her.

So you know, I truly loved Bend-the-Rules Sewing before it was published. But a few days after it's arrival here - when I was still carrying it with me everywhere I went to look at the amazing photography and Amy's super-cute illustrations - I realized I loved the book for more than just being my friend's book, but also because it just happens to be a fabulous sewing book (that's my completely unbiased opinion). So many people ask me for a good beginner's everything-you-need-to-know-but-stylish-too (really, that's just what they ask for), and until now, I've had nothing to offer them for a suggestion. I'm so pleased that Amy's book fills those shoes and more. Amy's fun, light, smart and quirky voice shines in this book and makes reading patterns a blast. And the sewing tips in the beginning of the book are full of info for beginners and more experienced sewers alike. That girl knows her stuff.

Adelaide adores this book too (loving all the cute babies right up), so I let her pick the first project (sort of...maybe I encouraged her a little). It was kind of a tough choice - there are some really great kids patterns in there, which I think is really lacking in sewing books in general right now. Ultimately, we went for the Woodland Elf Hat - oh, so good. The pattern was super easy and fun to follow. It's generously sized so that I know it will fit Adelaide all winter. I used a felted wool blanket, and it's just the right thickness to not be too heavy. You know, for those July days when I convince her to wear it all day. Thank goodness she loves hats.

Thank you, Amy, and congratulations on yet another birth this month! Yay!

I heart film #2

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm (and preorders!) for the book!! Oh, it is so fun to share this journey with you here. I'm very eagerly - and as patiently as I can - awaiting March 11th when I can actually hold it in my hands. Until the book has it's own website (must figure that out soon!), you'll find book news and a link to the Amazon pre-order page sitting quietly over there in the right sidebar.

Last week on our little vacation (which ended up being more home-bound than originally planned, but when 'home' means the beach? There was little complaining.), I continued my little love affair with film. I brought the camera along with us on our fourth of July beach visit. Every shot in the roll was overexposed or otherwise funky technically. But I don't care - every single one makes me so happy. I can't stop fussing over the magic of film, especially when it's not my 'everyday' method of taking pictures. There's so much I love about it - the one chance, the waiting, even the sound of the clicking camera. Anyway...here are a few of my favorites. A few more are on Flickr in my film set, if I haven't over saturated you with beach photographs yet (oh, there are still months yet to go!).

Happy Monday, friends. It's nice to be back!

The Book! (almost)

Yay!!! I'm soooo excited to share this with you! Here it is: The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections. The cover is final and the book is on Amazon available for pre-order right now! (With a release date of March 11th, 2008). Amazon will probably have the description up in the next few days (do you think I could wait that long to tell you about this? Um, no), but until then, here's the deal, straight from the catalog of Trumpeter Books (an imprint of Shambhala):

Between work and school, music lessons, and sports practice, there is less and less time to connect as a family. Those few moments together are often spent making meals, doing homework, or watching TV. In this inspiring book, Amanda Soule, a young mother of three, presents simple ways to use arts and crafts and other forms of creativity to deepen family connections.
For parents of all backgrounds, The Creative Family offers unique creative activities for the whole family. The range of projects includes: imaginative play such as dress up, home theater and parlor games; arts and crafts such as family drawing time and knitting with children; nature explorations such as creating garden journals and making natural toys; and family celebrations that include making music and displaying children's art. These fun and engaging alternatives to television, video games, and the computer are meant to captivate children´s imaginations, celebrate their achievements, and express love and gratitude as a family.

So that's the book! I would add that whether or not you draw or sew or have never even identified yourself as someone 'creative', I do believe that we all have it in us - and finding that and nurturing it can be a wonderful experience for the whole family - child and parent.  My intent in writing the book was to fill it with activities, patterns, projects and ideas on how you can incorporate creativity into the lives of your family - in some small way - every single day. Throughout the book are my full-color photographs as well as beautiful illustrations by Portland, Maine friend and artist Betsy Thompson. The cover photograph is by the dear and talented Jessie Fields. 

Even after looking at this cover photo for a couple of months, it still gives me goosebumps. Could someone pinch me, please? Writing a book was always one of those silent dreams for me, and it rather blows my mind that it's really happening, and how it all happened to begin with. Looking at the cover fills me with immense gratitude for so very much - for the three amazing little people on it; for the bigger one just out of the shot; for the friends who contributed their art, love and support; for the people who made it happen to begin with (that would be you, dear readers...and a very lovely editor); and for those who will spend their precious time reading it. I'm very, very grateful.

And I'm sorry, but I think I'm also rambling...

{Have a lovely week, my friends. I'm going to slip quietly into vacation mode around here - some low-key local beaching and then to the woods we go. I might be on Flickr, but otherwise back here on Monday.}