I've said many times before that I think of this blog space here as my living room in many ways. When I thought about how I wanted to share the news and release of HANDMADE HOME, that's what kept coming to mind for me. I wished there was a way we could all sit around my coffee table with wine/tea and chocolate/ice cream (or all of the above) to chat all about it.
With that in mind, and right in line with the 'behind the scenes' peeks I've been sharing these past days, I thought it would be fun to invite you in for a living room chat, so to speak, via a 'conversation' with a long time reader, and friend.
Make yourselves cozy, and come on in!
Many of you know Heather, of beauty that moves (the name deriving from an ani song...we're kindred, I tell you!). Heather's a sweet mama, alternative education seeker, yoga mama extraordinaire, mindful and sustainable life liver, and so much more. Her work and her energy fits right in line with the values in HANDMADE HOME (did you see her cash budget pouches? I love those!). She is also the keeper of two shops - beauty that moves shop for her handmade creations and mayberries vintage for her fabulous thrifty finds. I had the pleasure of meeting Heather and her sweet family at a book event last year - she was ever so lovely and warm as I had imagined her to be.
Heather graciously agreed to be part of this conversation here today. She's also got a whole lot of her own going on today, too! So when you're done reading here, hop on over to beauty that moves for Heather's own words about HANDMADE HOME, a peek at some of the projects she's made, plus a chance to win copies of the book.
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Heather: Hi Amanda! It is a pleasure to be visiting here today as you celebrate the much anticipated release of your second book, Handmade Home! If I may, I'd love to ask you a few questions...
In your beautiful new book, Handmade Home, you speak of many things; women in history, resourcefulness, getting by with what you have, treading lightly, and so much more. At the same time you have filled the pages with many, many inspiring earth-friendly craft projects! What is the underlying message you hope to convey with readers through this book and why is that message important to you?
I think the message I hope to convey most is that we all have the ability to create a "handmade home." That thrifting isn't just 'luck', and that making things isn't just for the 'artsy'...but that if we are so inclined, each of us has the potential to craft useful and beautiful things for our family and our home.
And by doing so, we have the opportunity to express and nurture ourselves creatively; make a beautiful, comfortable home; nurture our homes and our children; conserve resources - environmental and economical; and have a whole lot of fun together as a family to boot.
{Most of the writing of HANDMADE HOME took place right next to a sewing machine, naturally. But for longer stretches of writing, my childhood library ended up being my favorite place to go!}
Heather: While your two books, Creative Family and Handmade Home, are companions, they are different in many ways. When Creative Family was released, there were thousands of people who scooped it up and put your projects and ideas right to work in their own homes. There were also others who said "Oh, I love this book! I only wish I had it when my children were little!" or "I will be saving this book for when I have my own children!"Would you say Handmade Home will appeal to a wider readership? Who is Handmade Home written for and what do you hope readers will get out of it, regardless of the season of life they are in?
I hope it will appeal to people in "all seasons of life" as you say - families of all ages and sizes, and of various sewing/crafting levels. The projects are quite varied in skill level from the very beginning sewer to more advanced. There are also several projects that include no sewing at all.
All of the projects - to varying degrees, of course - can be done both for children or with them. That's really important to me, as nearly everything I make somehow involves little hands (and is all the better because of it, I might add!).
There's a whole "Thrifting Guide" in the book - I think
there are so many people wanting to incorporate some of that into their
family buying practices, but unsure of where to start. That was an
important (and fun!) piece for me to write.
{You've seen this image before! But now I can tell you that this was
some late night painting/crafting to finish the Art and Hooks Board - a project in HANDMADE HOME. It was incredibly fun to work in a few non-sewing projects through the book. Who knew I could love a power drill so much?}
Heather: Recently, your blog readers were treated to a glimpse of the latest incarnation of your craft/sewing studio, which included a small writing space. You explained that most of your writing these days takes place at another location in your home, the family computer.
Would you be willing to share a photo (or two!) of your current writing space? How has your willingness to remain flexible, and adaptable to the changing needs of your family benefited you as a woman, mother, partner and artist?
Well, here it is (below). Just a little table with our iMac (the yellow table that was my grandmother's wedding present, her dining room table for many years, and last seen in my studio!).
In an ideal world, I'd prefer for our living space to be free of screens (we don't have a television), but the reality is that there is no more room in this wonderful, but wee little house of ours! And actually, it works better here than I thought it would. I tried to create the space so that the chairs and sofa are facing away from it, separating the room a bit. We're mindful of turning the computer off when it's not in use. On a regular 'home' day, we're on it a bit in the morning, or later at night when the kids are sleeping, etc. The kids use it a bit, though they don't have a whole lot of interest in computer time.
All told, I "work" - craft/write - three days a week at the moment (though the 'days' get broken up in lots of creative and funky ways through the week!). During those times, I work some in my studio space, and some in this space. It involves the whole family working together when quiet is what's needed (I can do a LOT with background noise, but writing I really need quiet for), and most of those Steve will take everyone out on some adventure or another.
The right space to work and create in will be lovely - I'm definitely look forward to that day. Until then, though...this works!
Heather: Every experience in life has something profound to teach us. What has the process or achievement of becoming a published author taught you?It’s going to sound unbelievably cliché and perhaps a bit naive, but without a doubt it has taught me – more than anything else – to be true to myself. That only by being authentic will my words have any value or any meaning to anyone reading them, and just as importantly – to myself. It means pushing aside fear, working through insecurity, letting go of expectation (mine and others), and especially...being okay with feeling vulnerable. I’ve felt this to be true in publishing books, but also in ‘publishing’ posts on the blog each day. It never works to write for someone else, or to do something because it's something I think I should be doing.
These lessons, of course, carry into other aspects of my life, too. It's all given me just a bit more confidence and belief in myself, and taught me to listen closely to that inner voice we all have. Important life lessons that I'm grateful for...
Heather: Aside from the accomplishment of writing two books - your daily blog receives unbelievably high traffic each day, reaching and connecting all corners of the globe. Looking back to the beginning of this entire SouleMama journey, what would you say has been the greatest blessing thus far?
On a day-to-day level, this journey has led my family to live the
kind of life we want to live. And by that, I mean that publishing books, selling things I make, writing the blog (with the help of sponsors and affiliate programs) has placed our family logistics in such that we are living/working/playing/learning together most of our days. Kind of like the old family farm (ahem), where the spheres of 'school', 'work', 'home' are brought together into one whole. This has always been a really important goal of mine, I just never knew how we were going to get here, you know? Of course...in retrospect I see that it was by doing what we love and believe in, and keeping our eyes on the path ahead.
On another level, the greatest blessing has been the opportunity to be a part of a really spectacular movement that I feel so deeply about. This movement of people trying to live a more responsible, mindful, slowed-down life with appreciation for the earth, simple things and everyday moments. People wanting to place more value on handmade, everyday moments, creativity and family connections. I joke that I live in a bubble with people ‘just like me,’ but the truth is that the thousands of emails and comments I receive do not lie. We are all trying … and I am incredibly honored and incredibly grateful to be playing a small part in such a movement of positive change in the world.
{February 2008: Almost ready to 'let go' of the first manuscript draft. If writing a book is truly like having a baby - and it is, a little - then I am ever so grateful to be blessed with the gentle arms of a kind midwife, in the form of my editor, Jennifer.}
Heather: I know you will spend a great deal of time staying present to this exciting time as your second book is born into the world, but while I have you here... do you mind if we look ahead, just a little bit? Do you have any hopes, plans, or dreams you could share with your readers? It's been a very busy in the best of ways few years for you, perhaps now there will be time for that little family farm to reveal itself on the horizon? What is next for Amanda Soule and for Soulemama?
As for the little family farm, things always happen just when they are supposed to – I have enormous faith in that. (Even though sometimes I wish I could just hurry it up already!)
In the meantime, we’re going to keep on keeping on as we do here. Spending our days together living, learning, playing and working. It seems as though “dance” is coming up to be a big theme in our life this year...just you wait! Alongside lots more wilderness work, and music exploration. As homeschoolers, our whole family travels together in learning, which is so fun.
In ‘work,’ Steve and I are thrilled to be working on a third book project with Shambhala Publications….but this time, together! Truly, both THE CREATIVE FAMILY and HANDMADE HOME included his influence in so many ways, it's lovely to have a project that we're so formally and closely working together on. And I am thrilled to have his gentle Papa voice in the world.
When we first met, we spent many evenings together writing - I fell in love with his writing then, and those are some of my fondest memories of our early years together. It's amazing to be doing the same thing - in a very different way - a decade later. One beauty (for us) of this book project is that we're truly writing it 'as we live it', rather than at the pace of a short deadline. So for that reason, it will be a while yet before this one is in print.
We'll do our best to keep you entertained here until then!
Heather: Thank you Amanda, for taking the time to share with your readers and with me. It is always wonderful to chat with you, I wish you well.
Thank you so much, Heather! I wish you well too, sweet friend!
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If you're still cozy right where you are, let's take the conversation to the comments, shall we?
