SouleMama

Hello, October!

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Hello, October!

And Welcome to the newest SouleMama Sponsors! Please take some time to check out and support their wonderful offerings...

Hoot Baby - a children's clothing line featuring classic and modern handmade clothing for little ones

Bones of a Poet - a photography e-course by Madelyn Mulvaney of Persisting Stars

Sew Liberated - Sewing patterns for women and children brought to you by Meg McElwee

Natural Parenting Center - Providing support for parents and caregivers through consultation, coaching and workshops

BeeBee Mod - Something special for Little Ones (BeeBee Mod is currently for sale, read more here)

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celebrating autumn :: in wool

Hip, Hip Hooray - it's time for wool! Well, really it's always time for wool...but now it's really time for wool! Wool tights, wool socks, wool sweaters, hats, and scarves. Blankets and diaper covers. Wool on my needles. And this week, the ceremonious washing of the winter woolens.

Thank you, sweet sheep. We love your wool.

celebrating autumn :: in color

And it's only just beginning....

celebrating autumn :: at the fair

Another year, another wonderful Common Ground Country Fair!

Each year, the ritual of 'going to The Fair' serves as one of our family's favorite, most definitive markers of the autumn season. The drive full of beautiful foliage, the food of the harvest season, scarves and hats brought along for the first time, the gathering of a community, and running into old friends. It's a treasured event.

What marks this season's change where you are - for you and your family? Whatever your season may be!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Raglan Guld ~

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Today's featured Sponsor is Raglan Guld! In their words:

"Raglan Guld is a Boutique based business based in the Australian Bush. Leonie Guld creates Fisherman Pants from natural fibers that are edgy, flattering and easy to wear. The velcro waist makes them perfect for dining, traveling, and pregnancy. You will love them!!"

About Leonie:

"I am an Aussie Mrs working from home and looking after 2 free-radical kids. I love textiles and edgy designs. Living in the Australian Bush I had difficulty finding clothing that was funky and fun. With a passion for home grown food, I wanted some super comfortable pants that allowed me to enjoy the 'menu'. I also have a Blog where you can come and say hi. I hope you enjoy the view!"

(You might have spied my own pair of Raglan pants this summer. They've become my  most comfortable, go-to, favorite  beach (and beyond) pants!)

For today's giveaway, Leonie will give away one pair of pants from any selection in her Raglan Guld store. ("A Fabric collectors and designers pack" is also available if the winner would like to send some fabric from their own collection.)

To enter, simply leave a comment in this post. I'll close comments and announce the winner by 8am EST on Monday.

Thank you, Raglan Guld!

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Comments closed! The winner is...

Those look fantastic, and would be great for my soon to be postpartum waist.
Posted by: Cinnamon

Thanks to all for playing, and thanks to Raglan Guld!

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SouleMama Sponsor ~ Satch & Sol ~

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Today's featured Sponsor is Satch & Sol! In their words:

"For the love of family and earth, Satch & Sol partners with fair trade artisan cooperatives worldwide to offer a handmade collection.  Satch & Sol strives to be eco-friendly through product selection and business practices.  

Satch & Sol slippers are handmade in Mongolia by a fair trade artisan cooperative practicing traditional felting skills.  A soft suede sole is hand-sewn to each seamless felted wool slipper.  The Satch & Sol collection offers sizes for infants through adults.  In addition to slippers, Satch & Sol offers handmade felted wool hats, mittens, gloves, purses, animal ornaments, and more."

(You might remember me talking about our Satch & Sol slippers last year!)

For today's giveaway, Satch & Sol is offering one winner a pair of children's slippers (size US 3 baby/EU 18 to size US 3 youth/EU 34). The winner may select from any pair available in the online boutique at Satch & Sol. To enter, leave a comment in this post. I'll close comments and announce the winner by 9am EST on Sunday.

In addition, Satch & Sol is offering a 15% discount to all readers on items in their online boutique (excluding gift certificates). To redeem, use the code soule15 at checkout. (Discount is good through October 3rd.)

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Comments closed! The winner is....

Love love love those sweet slippers. I've been coveting them so long it is beginning to ache. Please enter me in this super cute competition and thanks for hosting.
Posted by: mrmonkeysuit

Congrats! And thanks to all for playing! Remember that the discount code applies through the week (see above for details).

Thank you, Satch & Sol!

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YOUR projects from Handmade Home

Now that Handmade Home has been out there long enough for you all to get stitching, I can't tell you what fun I've been having spotting projects. It's so fun to see what you've done with the book - in your hands, in your homes. It's one very sweet reward for the work of writing a book, and I'm so grateful that because of blogs and Flickr, I can see it all so easily!

I thought it would be fun to show you just a few of the projects I've been spotting out there, and to introduce you to the makers behind them.

(Clicking on the photos will take you to their individual blog post featuring the project, and below the photo is a link to their home page.)

Ezra's Letter Satchel
made by Heather at Shivaya Naturals

Heather made this sweet letter satchel as a gift for her parents 40th wedding anniversary. So much love bundled up in there, it's amazing!

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Bath Towel Mat (as dish drying mat!)
made by Heather at Seams of Life

I love this adaptation of the Bath Towel Mat as a... dish drying mat! A perfect case of using what you have to make what you need.

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Beach Blanket To-Go
made by Mary Beth at Salt and Chocolate

There are so many great Beach Blankets I'm seeing out there - you have no idea how thrilled this makes me. And I'm loving seeing them in so many places - your places - not just the beach. This 'everyday' backyard scene with one from Mary Beth feels so familiar to me!

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Millie's Hot Pads
Made by Jessica at Turkey Cookies

The soft pretty yellow combinations (vintage bedsheets!) totally grabbed me here - or maybe it was that yummy looking bread? Hmn. (There are some wonderful recipes on Jessica's blog!)

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Treasure Bag
Made by Kate at The Clean Plate Club

And...the Treasure Bag, made out of repurposed window screening, just right for keeping the sand out, and the treasures in. I love how Kate perfectly styled the bag for the beach!

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Thanks so much to all of the lovely and talented women above for so kindly letting me share their projects here. It was such fun to poke around finding these and put this post together today. So perhaps I'll do it again from time to time. (Be sure to visit, and add your projects to the Handmade Home Flickr pool!)

Have a great weekend, friends!

home

It's that time of year. The shift 'in' has begun ever so slightly. It's barely noticeable yet, really - most of our time is still spent out of doors, loving the beginnings of fall. But, the shift is present, and we're finding ourselves beginning to be inside a bit more than in the days of summer. I can feel the anticipation of more of those days ahead as we welcome the coming seasons.

And so, I find myself cleaning, purging, rearranging furniture and moving things around. Making room for coming 'in' once again. Carving out little pockets of space for the things that are most important to us right now. Letting go of the things and spaces that no longer work for us.

It feels so good. The house feels so alive like this, when an old space becomes 'fresh' - when we have room for the projects, activities and things most dear to us in our days.

I recently took a little time to think and talk about 'home' with Jen at Indie Fixx. Today, she has that interview and some new photos up as part of her A Peek Inside series. Take a peek!

Thank you, Jen! And thanks to you all, for stopping by our 'home' today, and always....

Carefree Clothes for Girls (and this boy)

Carefree Clothes for Girls is the latest in the Make Good: Crafts + Life series of Japanese craft books to be translated into English. This one is due out next week, and now available for pre-order on the publishers website as well as from Amazon.

I got an early peek at it, and promptly fell in love. With each of these books, there's been a silly moment of excitement opening them up and seeing - get this: English! - in the pages and on the patterns. It makes reading and sewing, um, easier when you can understand the language. You know? Yeah.

Rather serendipitously, some gorgeous wool jersey (thank you, Megan!) arrived on the very same day as the book. And with the coming cooler season approaching, the White Melton Hat popped out as something I wanted to make right now. (There's so much more I'm looking forward to getting to soon...) Harper requested the hat too, as you can see. Though he may have wanted to just eat the book's pages, I can't be certain.

The pattern was clear and the hat came together smoothly in little time at all. With the wool jersey on the outside, I used a soft organic hemp/cotton fleece on the inside (I think it's this stuff from NearSea Naturals), and a vintage wool blanket scrap for the strap. And then I put it on my sweet boy and it nearly made me want to gobble him up whole. See for yourself. Look at those silly faces  he gives me, and then imagine all the sounds associated from such funny faces, add the soft cheeks...and please tell me how I was to resist eating him up?

Impossible, I tell you. Impossible.

(We love the hat, too. And the book is lovely.)

the colors this season

Such a change going on these days - in the air, in our home, from the earth, and in our bones. Autumn is coming. We saw signs all weekend long. And even for a true-blue summer girl, it's impossible not to be in love with what I see coming...

weekending

enjoying the tastes of late summer...

SouleMama Sponsor ~ DRESS ME UP ~

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  {Bronwyn & Enid enjoying an Organic Rabbit Rattle!}

Today's featured Sponsor is Dress Me Up! In their words:

"Dress Me Up specializes is beautiful, organic toys for young children that are gentle and safe, and always art-inspired. Mama-made, not factory made, Dress Me Up is an independent cottage industry located in Victoria BC, Canada."

top photo: Organic Burp Cloth Set - Handmade from certified organic USA cotton, finished with one of a kind embroidery stitches. 12x12 inches in size. 

bottom photo: Organic Rabbit Rattle - Each Dress Me Up Organic Rabbit Rattle is hand made one at a time from organic and sustainable materials. The cotton shell is made from certified organic USA cotton, embroidered with one of a kind, free form stitching. The rattle inside is hand made from wooden beads housed securely in its own padded casing, and the entire rabbit is stuffed with Canadian lamb’s wool.

For today's Giveaway, Dress Me Up is offering The Ra Ra Gift Set, which includes  the Organic Rabbit Rattle and the soft Organic Burp Cloth Set (in carrot colorway), both shown above. To enter, simply leave a comment in this post. Comments will be closed, and the winner announced by 9am EST on Sunday.

In addition, Dress Me Up is offering a 20% discount off any order, valid through September 30th! To redeem, enter SouleDMU as a discount code (International customers can email the shop directly to receive the discount and determine shipping cost). 

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Comments closed! The winner is...

Just lovely and simple. Perfect.
Posted by: RhubarbSky

Thanks to all for playing! Remember that the discount (see above for details) applies through the end of the month.

Thank you, Dress Me Up!

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little bits

How much do I love pulling handknit sweaters out of the baby clothing storage bins to put on my littlest baby? Um, a lot. This is the Baby Crossover Top from Debbie Bliss' Easy Knits. I made it for Ezra - he wore it, then Adelaide, and now Harper. This pleases me to no end.

A few little bits of news today:

~Have you seen the Vintage Swap going on, hosted by Heather of Shivaya Naturals? It looks enormously fun. Sign ups are open until the 26th.

~NESTMaine is still accepting submissions for this coming winter! I hope to share an update from them soon. I also just heard about Warmth From Washington - a similar project on an opposite coast. Check both groups out - crafting for good might just be some of the best crafting around.

~And lastly, so many of you asked for this so kindly! So here it is - my simple and easy broccoli soup recipe, as requested by my girl on her birthday. It was originally based on the broccoli soup recipe in Apples for Jam (a major staple in my kitchen!), but it's been altered over time enough so that I think I'm legit in sharing it here. Enjoy!

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Broccoli Soup

6-8 cups broccoli, chopped
4 medium sized potatoes, cut into chunks
1-2 leeks, sliced
1 onion (red), peeled and cut into chunks
1/3 cup heavy cream
water or stock
1 teaspoon salt
ground pepper

Place broccoli, potatoes, leeks, salt and onion in a soup pot. Fill with water (or stock) until everything is just barely covered. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, until broccoli is very tender.

Puree until smooth. Add desired amount of cream. Add pepper. Adjust salt, if necessary. 

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Have a lovely weekend!

in the bags

Well, that idea completely backfired on me! All your fabulous guesses now have me thinking I need/want a bag for all that good stuff - apples, nature kits, swimsuits, beach wear, sketching, knitting and more! But indeed, many of you guessed correctly too. Miss VanDroo was the first to get it right...

Tap shoes, tap shoes, tap shoes, jazz shoes, ballet shoes, and ballet shoes (there's one pair missing from the lineup above - someone must have been dancing)!

The bags themselves are simple drawstring bags, lined. Everyone has their own, and I'm hoping keeping them packed and by the door will cut down on the last-minute before dance class scramble. I hope. (Many of you asked - I don't use a pattern, but I do recall  seeing one in Heather Ross' Weekend Sewing, and maybe online somewhere too?)

 
{The boys had no interest in stopping for a first-day-of-dance-class photo!}

I find that a fabulous and funny thing happens for us as a result of homeschooling. The living and learning we do pays little attention to age. Often, an interest grabs a whole lot of us at once and we follow that path together. It happens so naturally, and it's a lot of fun that way, I tell you. A lot of fun.

And so it is that almost all of us begin a new little adventure this fall (though we've all taken dance in the past, this is the first time we've done it with such camaraderie and vigor!).There's been excitement building all summer, and You Tube dance videos requested like mad. My boys have grand plans of taking their dance duo on the road; Adelaide is just as thrilled as can be to able to hang on the 'ballet monkey barres' each week; and if the state of my stomach muscles - from all the laughing - after my first tap class is any indication of what's come, then I think I'll never stop.

I firmly believe  - and hope to always remember to practice - that no matter our age, we all need something in regular rotation in our lives that is nothing but pure, silly, FUN.

And don't you think I need to make myself a pair of those pants?

Oh yes. Good times.

sewing with Family Cottage

{Photo from Betz White}

Have you seen Betz White's new fabric line - Family Cottage? I love the colors, designs, the weight of the fabric (it's a home dec weight), and perhaps most of all....that it's organic! Betz is printing this line on demand (eliminating waste), with organic cotton and hemp blended fibers. And it's all printed in the US with non-toxic pigment dyes. I love it.

In both Handmade Home as well as Betz's book Sewing Green - you can find each of our favorite sources for organic and natural fabrics. Some favorites - NearSea Naturals, Organic Cotton Plus, and a favorite of mine for diapering materials - Very Baby.  I've been so grateful to have those sources handy for basics. But now it feels like the 'design' world of fabric is really opening up to organics, Family Cottage among them, and it's just thrilling, really. 

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Betz at Squam this year, and ever since our chats there about her new line, I have been anxious to do some sewing with Family Cottage myself. After I finished Adelaide's quilt, I finally found myself 'free' to play with a little pile of it this weekend. You'd think, though, after all that quilting, that I'd move onto something other than log cabin. But, no. That's just what I did! Momentum, I suppose. And the fact that I couldn't bear to separate these yummy prints from one another.

Using the same method I did for the quilt, I made one log cabin square for the front; and on the back, a green linen with bits of the leftover fabrics. I lined it, and made just a simple buttonhole and drawstring tie (with bias binding). It's a super fun little bag with a very specific purpose...just for me.

When it was done, I made three more...just for my babes (three of them, anyway). And this week we're putting them into use for the first time with much excitement. Here they sit by the door waiting for action (the print above is Maine Summer by the lovely Jennifer Judd-McGee).

So, anyone care to venture a guess about what's inside those bags? Hmn...I'll be back to share tomorrow.

her shirts

{As an aside, the Chocolate Cake from The Art of Simple Food by is quickly becoming my new stand-by. Yum.}

You'll have to bear with me for just one more birthday post, because I have to share with you these ridiculously fun shirts we made. I mentioned last week that the boys had seen Amy Karol's new book, Bend the Rules with Fabric and pleaded to make something in there for Adelaide- the iron-on transfers (with Amy's design). And so we did - with the easy online PDF's from Amy's site, a tiny bit of Photoshop (you needn't use that - her project is designed well for literal 'cut and paste' as well as digital), two white tees, iron-on transfer paper and a crazy-fun photo shoot with pets. In the amount of time we scooted she and Papa out the door to the grocery store and back, we were done.

She loooved them. They may have been the highlight of her birthday gifts, honestly. Really though, who wouldn't want to walk around with your favorite beings proudly displayed as stars on your chest? Indeed.

She "wore" Banjo all day...until it was covered in dirt, broccoli soup and candy. And then she slipped into Nellie just in time for some chocolate cake. That about fits for my little animal-lover - every other critter is wonderful, but there's no one that comes as close to her heart as her Banjo Kitty.

 

Especially with a grip like that.

 

her quilt

It was a very fun birthday. All requests were met - the playground, broccoli soup, a wee bit of candy and of course, so much more. She smiled all day long. I love birthdays.

And she got her quilt!

Thankfully, I finished it on the 10th, with a rockin' 12 hours to spare. (Because sleep is nice, too.) Said miraculous feat would never have been completed without the help of not only Steve who made dinner for the entire week, but my parents as well, who whisked three of the kids away on an impromptu (and Adelaide's first!) overnight adventure... so, thanks to them! 

I'm so glad that I set such a deadline for myself, however. It was just the push I needed to finish this project that I've had going - literally - for two years now. In the final stages of making, I had lots of time to think about just why that was. Certainly, I could blame a lot of factors for the delay. Babies. Books. The House. The Kids. and on and on....

But the reality is that I was putting it off. That "quilting" intimidates me. Even though I've completed a few (Ezra's is going strong!), I'm still intimidated by the concepts of color contrast, design, and execution when I think about it too much.

Silly me, though....I should know better. Stop thinking and start making, you know? I should know that love, a bit of thought, and good intention are all that it would take to make something that my daughter would love, that I would love making, and that would keep her warm at night. And really? That's what it's all about. For me, anyway.

And so...with that little hurdle out of the way, it really came together - in the end - faster and easier than I thought it would. The fabrics have been lying in wait - picked out and piled up for two years now. They're a collection of vintage and new. Almost all of them are pieces I've used in other project - many for Adelaide. A baby dress, birthday dress, smocks, her birthday book, skirts, and so much more (Whoa - those links were a trip down Mama memory lane). She recognized so many of the prints, which made me so happy. Naturally.

Also with that two years of time, though, has come a furthering of 'Adelaide'...and oh, there needed to be some purple worked in! So the whole thing has a purple binding, and purple yarn for the ties. She was sufficiently satisfied with the 'purple' factor. (Phew!)

I've had gobs of questions about the quilting process on this one, and I'll once again refer you to the source that I used - Patchwork Style, the amazing Japanese craft book that was recently translated into English. I followed the quilt instructions in there - more or less.

A lot of you have been using the phrase 'quilt as you go' in reference to this one, which I'm not sure is so accurate (then again, I'm no quilting expert). Indeed, each log cabin square is 'quilted' as you go. In the end, I had 30 squares, which I then needed to back, machine quilt and tie, and then bind. So I eliminated the batting in the last step, but otherwise, there's still quilting to be done.

The 'quilting' in the first step allows the use of various sized pieces of fabrics, so there's no precise measuring (love that). And in the end, it makes for a really light-weight 'tight' quilt. I love it. It will be perfect year-round, with some extra layers in the cooler months.

My sweet girl had just a few words to share about her new quilt, but I treasure them dearly. Just as I treasure the time I spent working on this quilt and thinking about my girl in the time leading up to her fourth birthday.

 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ FEELEEZ ~

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{The Feeleez crew!}

Today's featured Sponsor is  Feeleez - Toys for Emotional Intelligence!

Feeleez is created by the Natural Parenting Center. Also check out the Feeleez blog - Talk Feeleez. Some words from the folks at Feeleez:

"Feeleez are designed to teach children about feelings and in turn raise their emotional intelligence and awareness. Children who develop an understanding of their own feelings and the feelings of others are much more likely to experience successful and fulfilling lives. Furthermore, cultivating emotional intelligence is a vital part of creating a humane, peaceful and sustainable world."

 

For today's Giveaway, Feeleez is offering three sets of the Feeleez Game & Poster! To enter, simply leave a comment in this post. Comments will be closed, and the winner announced by 8am EST on Monday.

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Comments closed! The winners are...

I am so intrigued, that I have to enter. I am just getting to the point where my 3 year old doesn't always tell us why she is upset or crying.
Posted by: Tonya

This is a great give-a-way and could not come at a better time. My husband and I were just talking about how we need to help out daughter express her feelings/emotions in a better, more constructive way. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed! Thanks, Tricia
Posted by: The Orchard

Sign me up! Sign me up! -These are just too cool!!!
Posted by: Myshell

Thank you, Feeleez!

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SouleMama Sponsor ~ BIRD AND LITTLE BIRD ~

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Today's featured Sponsor is Bird and Little Bird!

Bird and Little Bird is the work and play of Annie, a teacher, Mama, and maker of sweet stuffed creatures.  Annie's shop, Bird and Little Bird is full of handmade stuffed toys and patterns, with an emphasis on natural materials. Annie also blogs at Bird and Little Bird Blog.

For today's Giveaway, Bird and Little Bird is offering three prizes:

• one custom animal of the winner's choosing! The winner can choose a Mostly Marvelous Ms. Rabbit or a Semi-Fantastic Mr. Fox. Annie will work with you to choose the fabric and details to make your ideal animal.
• two PDF Sewing Patterns for Mostly Marvelous Ms. Rabbit, including all the information you need to make your very own.
  

To enter, simply leave a comment in this post! Comments will be closed, and the winner announced by 8am EST on Sunday.

In addition, Annie is offering a 15% discount to all readers, redeemable by entering 'soulemama' in the notes to seller (valid through September 20th).

Thank you, Bird and Little Bird!

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Comments Closed! The winners are...

for the custom animal -

I cannot tell you how much I LOVE the tiny carrots in his pocket!
Posted by: Amy P

for the patterns -

What a wonderful giveaway...and just in time for my baby's first birthday:-) Thank you for the chance!!! ~Michelle
Posted by: earthycraftymommy

adorable critters!!
Posted by: cloth.paper.string

Congrats to the winners!
Thanks again to Bird and Little Bird!
(And remember that the discount is valid through the 20th! See above for details.)

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f o u r

Wasn't it just yesterday that I was here to tell you of her arrival? I remember the details of her birth day with every bone in my body - like most Mama's do of their baby's births, I'm sure.  The very moment I met her was so full of a sense of absolute knowing of her, at the same time as being just so surprised to see her here.  I still feel that way about this little girl of mine - just as I did on her birth day four years ago.

I feel certain as though that was just yesterday.

And yet - time tells me otherwise. And more importantly, she tells me otherwise. Where "Three" was declared with a careful counting and shy showing of three fingers, "Four" is declared with a strong and clear voice. She is four.

{The Quilt! I'll show and tell next week.}

She's a strong, sweet, feisty, funny and fabulous four, this one.  She is at my side - or Papa's side - from morning till night - she is our handy helper and a constant conversationalist with a big  spirit and an oh-so-tender heart. I am so honored to share my days with her.

Today...we are all so excited to celebrate all that she is! Her request was for "the playground, ice cream, broccoli soup, and a little bit of candy." And that's just how it will be...

a quilt report - the day before

I'd love to stay and chat with you all today. But I can't. I've got a quilt to finish! I'm having far too much fun making this - sneaking away bits of time here and there whenever I can get them away from the almost-birthday girl.

One day to go!

 

 

 

a very good day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

kid-made fabulousness, breakfast bagels at the shore, farm flowers, a quilting break, sweet wishes from you, dinner on the beach, melty yummy chocolate brownies, a sunset swim in the ocean
+
my five funny, silly, sweet loves around me all day long
=
a very good (birth) day.

delightful

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh goodness, that was perfect. A blessed stretch of days with dear friends and family, and so many  wonderful earthly delights.

And now...to the beach we go for a little celebrating. I can't think of a better way to kick off my thirty-third year than breakfast on the beach with my loves.

Oh yes.

we're off

{summer of 2006, I believe}

Into the woods we go! I'll be back in this space on Tuesday.

Here's wishing you all a truly lovely stretch of days!

the Quilt report

Progress is being made! (A lot of you have asked - yes, I'm quilting the squares as I go, then I'll add backing and binding, per the Patchwork Style instructions. It's the first time I've done it this way, and I'll give a full report once I'm done).

Here's where I'm at...

:: This is seriously distracting me (the birthday girl needs a dress, right?).

:: This post by the Yarn Harlot is making me cry my eyes out fearing/hoping (at the same time) that my little girl, for whom I am making this four-year-old birthday quilt, might someday - very soon, in fact (because it's going entirely too fast!) - move all the way to Australia. And as wonderful as that may be, it is just much too far from her Mama in Maine. Oh, goodness. I can't think about that.

:: This is fueling me (can one live on Green & Blacks, Cabernet, and Maples Organic Gelato? I wonder and I certainly do try).

:: All told, 17 squares of 30 have been completed for the top (8 of which were done prior to this week). Popcorn has not been served once for dinner. Clearly, I'm still in the overconfident stage of this here project. Especially given that four of the next eight days are to be spent in the woods. With no electricity and therefore no sewing machine. Yeah, there's that.

Must. Keep. Quilting....

some new reads

"Everybody in their bedroom for an hour! It's rest time!" shouts the town crier, Ms. Adelaide, with hands on her hips as she runs through the house and the yard rounding up the crowd.

It's a new thing around these parts, but one we are all love-love-loving. The objections have been so minimal (if any at all), and the rewards so great. For everyone, as we all re-enter the afternoon hours together more centered, calm, and energized. In the past, such a daily rest seemed to happen naturally - a quiet lull in the day, often after lunch. But as the kids have gotten older, I've been finding that some clearer routine about it is helpful for us. And so, there's now Rest Time. It looks different for everyone - there's some reading, some writing, some quiet playing, some dreaming. And for Mama - there's a whole lot of catching up on reading (alongside a whole lot of nursing).

I thought I'd share some of the lovely new books that have been coming my way, and therefore - 'across my bed' during Rest Time! A few today, and more to come soon...

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bend the rules with FABRIC
by Amy Karol

Another beautiful book by the lovely  Chicken (I know and love her well - she's not Angry). It's full of many different techniques for playing with fabric - truly making it your own. And all shared in the perfectly funny and fun "Amy" way. And also? Totally approachable. I love how she can break down what could be complicated into simple doable terms that make me want to drop everything and get dyeing. Or stamping. Or whatever. There's lots I'm excited about trying out in here, but the boys saw the book and are begging to make one particular project for their sister's birthday. Overt sibling love like that? Well, I can't turn that down. So that one is first up (I'll share it here when we're done!), and more will follow. It's a wonderful book - Congrats, Amy!

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Blogging for Bliss: Crafting Your Own Online Journal
by Tara Frey

I am incredibly honored to be featured in the pages of Blogging for Bliss (thank you, Tara!) amongst some very dear blogging friends and 'neighbors'. So, of course, I was excited to see how all of that was laid out and presented. But what I wasn't prepared for was how completely thorough Tara is in the guidance and wisdom she shares with bloggers of all levels. I often have people ask me about how to get started blogging, or how to 'grow' a blog, etc...and until now, I haven't had anyplace to direct them. But Tara totally covers all of that. All with the most important (in my mind, anyway) message of 'finding and following your own voice' which I think is the most essential piece in making blogging a success for both the blogger and readers. So I'm thrilled to now have this book to recommend as one that covers the technical, the creative, and the 'heart' of creative blogging. It's comprehensive and inspiring at the same time.

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Let's Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature
by Jennifer Ward

By the author of I Love Dirt (which I wrote about last year here), comes another title on sharing the outside world with our children. But this one is for older children. Yay! It's geared towards ages 8-12, though I think the range is a bit more than that. It's organized just like I Love Dirt (with more great illustrations from Susie Ghermani), with short descriptions of projects/activities that are open-ended, totally doable and fun. My kids hardly need any inspiration to get outside, but this book will, I think, inspire them with new ideas for what to do once they're out.

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More books coming soon (I'm saving all the kid & FOOD books for another day!)...in the meantime, what are you reading?

September

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Well, hello there September!
And a warm hello to the newest Sponsors here at SouleMama. I'm excited to introduce their goodness to you - check them out!

Le Papier Studios

Guld Raglan Fisherman Pants

Ida Pearle

Bird & Little Bird

Feeleez

Dress Me Up

Welcome!

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