SouleMama

soulful mothering ~ with meredith winn

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I am thrilled to introduce this series of guest posts that will appear hear in the coming weeks, as I take a little extra time to settle in and soak up my family and the new life among us. "Soulful Mothering" will be a series of written words, photographs, craft projects and thoughts on mothering from some of my favorite ladies on the web. I'm so grateful to each of them for sharing their time with me, and their hearts and words in this space. I have been inspired by the gifts they've shared, and I'm sure you will too. Enjoy!

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Mother Love by Meredith Winn



Mother love: The flurry and chaos; the fluttering of heartbeats like a hundred bird wings.

Sometimes words flow from lips to ears at just the right speed. They hang in the air between us, little sparkles of loveliness. This {what we create here between us} is a sacred space. An anything is possible space. A take on the world space. Sometimes we need to catch these words and thoughts and bits of shinyness mid-air and slap them down on paper. To allow ourselves the beauty of holding them in our hands as the gentle reminders that they are.

You are loved. You are loved. You are loved.

These words are the equivalent of looking into another set of eyes and speaking the truth. From one heart to another. And hoping that the love is received, believed, swallowed whole to remain inside of you … you know, for those days when it’s not so sunny. When you forget the goodness that is around you. For the days that are every day busyness of making lunches and wiping noses and wiping butts. For those days, I want you to remember this sacred space we create and let it live inside of you.

I am the child of many mothers.  Women of the neighborhood.  My mom’s best friends. The recipe clubs. The book swaps.  The mustard yellow kitchen phones with stretched out cords.

I find myself fluctuating between being someone’s child and being mother to my own son.

This middle place is not mid-life. It is merely space in time, a mathematical equation of birth-life-death. We spin in orbit in this middle place. We spin out beyond ourselves, past freedom and invincible youth, but not yet to a place of rest.

I have moments of great strength.

I have hours of great weakness.

He comes home from school with Spanish words for sweet and rude. He comes home with snippets of hair gone from a scissor incident. He comes home. He comes home. He comes home.

I am his home.

I am the enforcer. The bummer of a mom who trims nails and combs out tangles despite the protests. The one who says no more than I would like. I am the provider who enforces clothing and shoes and schooling and bedtimes. What a drag. I am that mom who knows we all have to face things we don’t always want to. I am all that there is, and so I am the bad guy.

He’s holding my hand underwater. His grip is tight and my legs are sore from swimming us out to the center of the pond. He floats and spits and smiles in goggles that are all fogged up. He holds my hand underwater, I turn onto my back under the leafy shade of tree that overhangs the blue green water. He dips his face down under and holds his breath. He watches for fish or turtles or magic or mermaids. I float on my back with my eyes in the trees and my ears echoing the rhythm of the water and breath. We are tethered underwater, unseen, sharing a secret. He in his world, me in mine. One and the same. We float and I smile.

“Are you Wonder Woman?” he asks as I hoist him to my hip. I smile and nod. Yes, I am. 

I am the tugboat, the mermaid, the water taxi. I am the shoulder to collect the tears. I am the safety net, the confidant, the one who says yes as much as possible. I am the receiver of whispered secrets shared just before sleep comes. I am the promise keeper. I am the laugh track, the rickshaw, the piggyback ride. I am all these things. I am all there is. And so I am that mom, the good guy.

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Meredith Winn is a sometimes writer and an everyday photographer. Meredith’s creative nonfiction has been published in various magazines including Midwifery Today, Motherverse, Literary Mama, Hip Mama, and a forthcoming issue of Mothering Magazine. Her photography has been on exhibit in TX, VT, and NYC. Meredith is a contributing editor and photographer to Shutter Sisters and is also a contributing photographer for Getty Images. Her photography portfolio can be found online on her website Meredith Winn Photography. She is a somewhat elusive (and sporadic) blogger found at the~spirit~of~the~river. Meredith drinks chai tea, parents mindfully, embraces this human existence, and will always be a camera shy momma.

:: right now ::

right now, I am...

:: feeling so very grateful for all of your well-wishes for our family and the kind words of welcome for Miss Annabel.

:: healing and feeling well, with the help of some wonderful people around me.

:: holding this baby girl in my arms, always.

:: making room for all the siblings who want to give/take some love too.

:: remembering how to type with five fingers, eat with one hand, and speak with a little bit of cloudy, sleepy new mama brain.

:: marvelling at how big the rest of my babies seem...in comparison.

:: smelling lilacs in every room.

:: finishing last minute preparations for the newest arrivals soon to be buzzing here at the farm.

:: hearing a new chicken coop being built, vegetables being planted, new pigs in the pasture...and so much more happening all around our little world as Annabel and I begin to wake up (a little bit) from the fog of the first days.

:: wondering just how it is that my sweet husband is doing so much right now...with such grace and humor.

:: relishing every minute of this magical babymoon time in our family's life together.

:: hoping, on this Memorial Day, peace for those who serve and their families.

:: preparing to share this space for the coming weeks with some very special mamas I know and love. I think you're going to love what they have to say and show.

:: wishing you and yours a lovely day and a beautiful start to your week!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ MEADOW YARN ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Meadow Yarn. In their own words:

" Meadow Yarn is a small on-line yarn store with a love of artisan yarn, fine tools and fancy notions!"

You can follow along with the Meadow Yarn blog, making things with beautiful yarn.

SouleMama: Tell us what you envision and dream for the future of your business.

Anj: Now Meadow Yarn has been up and running for 18 months we're getting a much better feel for the products we love to sell and the products our customers love to buy. We're going to be spending the next couple of months reworking our range so that we're much more focussed on the amazing artisan yarns that we love working with so much. Because the business is a family one and we also home school our children we're very excited about the day our work and home lives become properly combined. As wonderful as the Meadow Yarn 'barn' is our hearts are really set on engineering that perfect live/work balance that is so elusive! The future of Meadow Yarn will require us to mould the business to fit our lives as perfectly as possible.

SouleMama: What artists/crafters/teachers have inspired your work?

Anj: It's not hard to stay motivated when there are so many inspirational people around. We're lucky to live in a rural part of the UK which attracts artists and makers across all disciplines, from painters to potters and textile artists to photographers so there's always something going on to inspire and amaze. In the on-line yarn world it's been amazing to see the success of British designers like Ysolda. I love Kate Davies' designs and her blog is truly inspirational! One of these days I am finally going to get to grips with crochet and this will in no small part have been a result of the work of Lucy of the Attic24 blog! All British crafters/bloggers who have made a big impact in the US as well.

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

 Anj: When I'm not being motivated by blogs there are always our amazingly talented customers to amaze and inspire! There's nothing nicer than getting an excited email telling of the wonderful uses our yarn has been put to and there is a wonderful local 'Stitch & Sip' group where surely some of the most prodigious and talented knitters around meet to while away an evening and get excited about making things!

 
 
For today's giveaway, Meadow Yarn is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~ We're offering 3 x 100g skeins of yarn from small UK
    companies that are close to our heart and epitomise the quality
    and creativity we love!

(You'll get : 100g  Natural Dye Studio
    Precious Lace weight yarn, 100g  Babylonglegs Sock yarn & 100g
    Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky yarn - all in the shades of your
    choice from our current range)

In addition, Meadow Yarn is offering SouleMama readers 10% off orders placed by the 30th of June. Use code 'soulemama' in the voucher code field when checking out. Offer expires June 30, 2011. 

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Thank you to Meadow Yarn!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Monday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments Closed! The winner is...

Love their yarns!! And the books!
Posted by: Karen in PA

SouleMama Sponsor ~ PLAYFUL LEARNING ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Playful Learning. In Mariah's own words:

"Through the Lens: Exploration in Photo Journaling is an e-course that has been created for children (and their grown-ups) ages six through twelve. Participants will gain a new understanding of themselves and the world around them by exploring a variety of photography and writing techniques while creating and adding to their own photo journals. All sessions will be led by educator and writer Mariah Bruehl."

You can follow along with Mariah on her blog, and be sure to see her new book coming out in August, also titled Playful Learning.

SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to where you are today?

Mariah: After receiving my master's degree, I spent many incredible years as a teacher and then administrator in elementary schools.  I was one of those students who would sit at my desk in school and think about how I would do things differently if I were the teacher. As a teenager, I was always attracted to jobs that involved spending time with children, such as being a camp counselor. However, I did not decide to go into education until halfway through college. I was originally a political science major because I wanted to “change the world.” Yet the more I studied current issues within the world of politics, the more I realized that true change could only take place through education. I became fascinated by human development and human potential. I changed my major to child development during my junior year, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I later went on to receive my M.S. in elementary education. 

  Playful Learning started in June of 2008, after I made the decision to stop working and spend more time at home with my daughters. It seemed like a wonderful way to continue doing what I love, spend quality time with the girls, and to become a part of the amazing online community of mothers and educators. It turned out to be an incredible journey—one that has helped me to find my voice and to create a life (and livelihood) that is fueled by and built around spending time with my family. I am so grateful for the opportunities that the Internet is creating for women. I feel like we are just starting to tap into the potential that it holds for all of us. It is so wonderful to be a part of a community of extraordinary women who are able to create, connect, build, and share their ideas in ways that have never been seen or done before.

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Mariah: I feel very blessed to have numerous sources of inspiration in my life. First and foremost are my daughters. I am always trying to think of ideas for projects and activities that will capture their hearts and minds. I developed Through the Lens with them in mind, as a way to channel their desire to experiment with and express themselves through technology. I simply love being with them, listening to their latest fascinations and theories on life; they never cease to amaze me. 

Last year I opened a local retail store and workshop space that serves as an incubator for new ideas and projects. I love connecting with the parents and children who come in and enjoy sharing ideas about new products and experiences. The classes that I teach keep me in tune with the learning process and bring me so much joy as I witness firsthand many splendid "aha" moments.

Finally, I find tremendous inspiration from reading a wide variety of blogs. Mainstream media would have us believe that today's parents are disconnected and disenfranchised. Yet I see hundreds (probably thousands) of examples of families that are thoughtful, loving, and creative sharing their experiences within the blogosphere; this gives me such an optimistic view of the world. I love peeking into the homes and classrooms of so many dedicated people—these days, inspiration is just a click away! I also love that blogs offer a platform, which validates the work that women do at home. In the past women were isolated in their homes, without many opportunities to connect with others who were going through similar experiences. In no other era could a photo of a well-organized kitchen pantry go viral and receive countless accolades! Now we are not only able to share and celebrate our experiences, but are able to form a collective voice that wields true economical, societal, and political power. 

SouleMama: What's the product or offering you are most excited about right now? Tell us about it.

 Mariah: After launching my e-course on Playful Learning Spaces, I became very excited about the potential of online learning. I loved the sense of community that was created by the participants. Through everyone sharing and discussing their work, we created an amazing collection of ideas and inspiration. It was a wonderful example of how a collective can became so much more powerful than any one individual.

While Playful Learning Spaces is geared toward parents and teachers, I received many requests to create online workshops for children. My first offering is Through the Lens: Explorations in Photo Journaling. I feel that engaging in interactive classes online is a great way for children to channel their natural attraction to technology in a positive direction. The goal for Through the Lens is to nurture positive self-expression through photography, writing, and art—to discover and develop a strong sense of voice. This course will be dynamic and offer many ways for the participants to showcase their work and interact with one other in a safe and protected environment. It is also a wonderful opportunity for parents and teachers to join in on the process and to connect with their children or students in new and exciting ways.

 

 
For today's giveaway, Playful Learning is generously offering the following to TWO winners:

~  a spot in the upcoming Through the Lens: Explorations in Photo Journaling E-Course
(course begins on July 6 and runs for four weeks)

In addition, Mariah is also offering a 10% discount for all SouleMama readers who register by Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Use code SOULEREADER. 

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Thank you to Playful Learning & Mariah Bruehl!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Sunday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments closed! The winners are...

This is a fabulous, creative idea - I have a 9-year-old for whom this would just fit the bill. Thanks so much!
Posted by: meg

this would be perfect for my son. he's loving discovering the world thru his camera at the moment
Posted by: grace

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{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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SoulePapa Blogs :: The First Days

Wow.  We would like to thank each and every one of you that took a moment out of your own day to  welcome baby Annabel.  I imagine all of those kind thoughts and words soaking into her body like warm rays of sunshine, filling her with the very building blocks of love itself.  We return this love back to all of you and give a most sincere thank you for all of the wonderful support.  

We are spending these first days as quietly as possible, all of us, watching her hands open and close.  We snuggle up to Mama and take in the soothing vibe of a sleeping newborn.  We take turns holding her preciously light being, whispering to her and taking in all that she is...

A New Soule

Annabel Edrie Soule
Born 5.20.2011

At home, surrounded by her brothers, sister and Grammie she arrived.
Mama and baby are healthy, happy and resting comfortably.
So much love.

~ The Papa

 

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

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these days ~ outside::inside

outside::inside ~ enjoying what is, making what's missing

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outside::inside ~ watching and waiting

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outside::inside ~ seeking pleasure and color

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outside::inside ~  seeing things grow, grow, grow

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outside::inside ~ working through the chill, nourishing with warmth (a new love - Baked Oatmeal from Super Natural Every Day)

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outside::inside ~ marveling at how time passes (family pennant banner from Lisa Leonard)

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outside::inside ~ tending the new arrivals, preparing for a special one

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"Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."
~ Lao Tzu

a quilt, inspired by the shore

When I first dreamed up this little quilt last summer, I knew (or hoped rather, at that point) that this home would be ours. That we would be trading our proximity to the beloved shore for so very many other things we had been longing for (and yet, it still really isn't that far away, and for that I am most grateful indeed). With all of that in mind, this quilt was always intended for this very room. And it was from these half-done quilt squares that I found the wall color for this room (paint post here), and this comfy family couch, and nearly everything else I've gathered here.

The one thing missing has been the quilt...which for one reason or another, while we were busy doing other things, sat patiently waiting this winter. I'd do a square here and there...but for the most part it has waited until this week, when I pulled all the pieces out, laid them on the floor and realized just how close it was to done. At which point, the thought of 'checking something off the list' - even a silly fun list in my head like 'making things' - well, that was just the motivation I needed to wrap it up.

The throw-size quilt (it's 60" square) - was made using the log cabin quilting method in Patchwork Style. I described that process just a little bit at the end of this post. I'm thrilled that besides the backing and batting, all the top pieces came from my shelves, and are remnants of other projects/clothing in our lives.

This was the first time that I've followed the end quilting instructions exactly by just adding the backing (rather than adding a second layer of batting, which is what I do when using this method on larger, warmth-providing bed quilts, like Adelaide's). That makes it all quite thin, but I think it works well for a throw that will be tossed and dragged around the living room as this one surely will. Again, following the pattern closely this time, I quilted 'in the ditch' and hand-tied in the middle of each square.

While I had all the pieces for this quilt still gathered, I threw together some quick pillow covers for this room full of funny little mismatched chairs (that are in line for reupholstering). A little tired of the log cabin, I pieced and quilted them differently, and added envelope closure in the back for easy removal and washing. (I use Bamboo for the pillow forms.)

I have a few more handmade treats and thrifty plans in store for this room to brighten things up and make it all just a little bit more (subtly) shore-like. But for now, I'm quite happily enjoying seeing this project done...and best of all, in use.

(purple) bliss

Adelaide and I found ourselves playing a(nother) game of Memory on a(nother) rainy afternoon this weekend. With a house full of sniffly, resting, and otherwise occupied boys, she sighed and I sighed as the rain pitter-pattered outside, neither of us terribly invested in the game in front of us, and both tired from our own sniffles.

But then my dimpled girl suddenly sat upright, looked across the game pieces with a glimmer in her eye and a smile, and said, "Wanna make somethin'?"

Um, yes.

And that, my friends, is what my bliss looks like. The rare and precious opportunity to share this studio of mine for an afternoon with just one little lovebug of mine. Working alongside each other, chitchatting (as she says), and yes, making something along the way. It's nothing short of magic, as far as I can tell.

She calls it 'magic' too. Like "how it just isn't anything at all and then it's SOMETHING!", or how a quilt top really can be the perfect cape for a little while, or what happens when you turn a blanket right side out and voila - it's all done! Magic abounds in the making.

This little bundle of vintage purple feedsack fabric  is what she chose to work on - it's a bundle that's all her own and came from a very special lady.  Adelaide (and her Mama and brothers too) had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Eren and her amazing trio of boys on a lovely day at the shore last summer. Of course, Adelaide fell in love with Miss Eren (how could one not?)...and has been treasuring this bundle of purple bliss. When we headed to the studio this weekend, she declared that she wanted to make something 'for the baby' with the purple goodness, and a simple quilt was decided upon. We cut 4" wide strips of varying lengths, added a few strips of unbleached muslin, added a back and layer of batting, and made a simple, quick and easy little hand-tied quilt. When it was complete, and washed and fluffed, my little girl took it with pride to her room where she's decided it should live...for 'when the baby visits my room'.

Or...until then, for snuggling up under with "Sally," the "favorite" kitten (who I have a feeling is not leaving this house). 

A little bit of (purple) bliss for everyone and anyone. It's magic.

today :: tending

A week of cool temperatures and rain has arrived, and with it to our house, the sniffles and fever chills. So Today, I'm Tending. And chasing away the unpleasantries with tea, fever spray, popsicles, books and snuggles.

I'll be back in this space tomorrow. Until then, wishing you all a lovely and healthy start to your week!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ MAGPIE PATTERNS ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Magpie Patterns. In their own words:

"Magpie Patterns is an online pattern boutique where the loveliest knitting, sewing, embroidery and crochet patterns have been collected. Talented and creative designers from all over the world contribute to the collection, so there is always something new and lovely in stock."

Follow along with Amy on the Magpie Patterns blog, Crafty Bird!

SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to where you are today?

Amy:  I come from a long line of crafty women. My grandmother ran a yarn shop out of her house (and could knit while reading!) and my mom sold handmade bears when I was young. So naturally I fell for domestic crafts with a particular fondness for knitting and sewing. But that feeling of potential, when a project is just an idea, or I'm looking for the perfect pattern—that's my absolute favorite part. Even more than when the project is completed! So when I looked around one day and realized that I had far more patterns than one women could ever complete in a lifetime, I dreamed up the idea for the pattern boutique. So now I get to search out the perfect patterns and share them with lots of other talented crafters, which is way more fun than hoarding them in my craft room!

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Amy: Color! Yarn, and fabric of course (I can't count how many times I've bought something delicious without any idea what I'd do with it!). I love to look at other people's projects, and although I haven't ever copied anything outright, I've definitely paid homage with my own spin at times. Sometimes something random inspires me, like a pattern in a gate or an illustration in a children's book!

SouleMama: Is there a special place that inspires you?

Amy: Before starting our family, my husband and I lived on a nature preserve on the Oregon Coast, one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I was lucky enough to be a director at an art and ecology center tucked into the coastal woods with a phenomenal view of the ocean. We had a small cluster of rustic buildings where students would come to learn art and craft and where artists and writers would come to work for a few months. It was a place where the immense natural beauty inspired us to be richly creative. I still think of it that way, and go there to recharge and reconnect whenever I have the chance.

     
For today's giveaway, Magpie Patterns is generously offering the following to TWO winners:

~  a $25 gift certificate to the shop!

In addition, Magpie Patterns is offering all Soule Mama readers a 15% discount on all patterns and books for one week. Use discount code Spring15 at checkout. Offer expires May 22nd.

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Thank you to Magpie Patterns!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Monday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments closed! The winners are:

Love this wonderful pattern store! Fingers crossed!
Posted by: Carmutxa

delicious! thank you!
Posted by: Lucy

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SouleMama Sponsor ~ BABYBEARSHOP ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor BABYBEARSHOP. In their own words:

"BABYBEARSHOP is a purely organic skincare line just right for mothers, babies, and grown-ups alike, who care about their health, the environment, and having lusciously soft and healthy skin. We select each flower, herb, root and plant oil for its inherent healing properties to nurture the senses and soothe baby's delicate skin.

Our cruelty-free and organic baby soaps, creams, cheeky baby butter, shampoo, oils for stretchmarks and massage, and lip balm are created for pregnancy, baby and those with sensitive skin and allergies. We plant a tree with every order and all of our products are made in the USA."

You can follow along with BABYBEARSHOP on their blog, BABYBEARSHOP Confectionary, and follow along with their Facebook page for specials and updates.

SouleMama: How long have you been in business?

Diana: BABYBEARSHOP was born july of 2005.

SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business.

Diana: I started the business to give children a natural and pure alternative to chemically-laden products available mainstream. We had a very peaceful, beautiful water birth in England where my first daughter was born, when my husband was finishing his degree. We realized quickly that she had many food allergies, even though we don't have any. I began the journey of an elimination diet for our whole family that we are still on, eight years later, that sources the purest food and ingredients that I can find.

I have been reading ingredients on bottles since I was a child and I think I have always had chemical sensitivities. I can remember being very small, but refusing to walk down the detergent aisle of the grocery store with my mother. I can remember an early fondness for Suave Strawberry shampoo but wondering why my hair would itch so badly after using it that I'd want to rip it out.

My mission was originally going to be an organic, whole foods based cookbook for families with allergic children, but the more I learned about ingredients that we use in the USA that are banned elsewhere, the more I became interested in finding products that were holistic. I was making a very simple soothing balm in my kitchen that I would put on my newborn to soothe her skin. When I returned to the USA, my friends with babies with eczema were asking me for the balm. My background is in art direction and design, so my presents are always packaged well.  ; ) For my friend, Astrid, I created the original Cheeky Baby Butter label. By the time my second daughter was born (a home water birth),  Spa Nordstrom had discovered the line and was interested in sourcing organic. I quickly had to ramp up and at that point, it become official. I began working with chemists and created products that were pure enough to obtain USDA organic certification, but that are designed beautifully enough to be given as gifts. I wanted to offer gifts that were healthy for a new baby. I want parents to use only pure, organic ingredients.

SouleMama: What artists/crafters/teachers have inspired your work?

Diana: My daughters attend the only Waldorf school in TN and I'm inspired every day by the innocent rhythms of their day and the absolute magical beauty that surrounds them. The parents and teachers are artistic and crafty and the school doesn't allow processed foods and sugars or media. They practice kindness to all things and work with their friends to compost and garden and create art and music out of natural materials. There is a conscious awareness for the environment and for our children that often brings me to tears. I feel as though I almost get a chance at a second childhood just by being a part of the school. It keeps me grounded and allows me some room during the half days that my little one is there, to work on my vision.

SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Diana: "Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life." - Buddha

SouleMama: How are your children incorporated into your business?

Diana: My children, like all children, are chock full of ideas!  Fortunately, I have a warehouse, but there was a day when they had to help pack boxes and apply labels. Other than product testing, and the occasional outdoor festival, I strive to make their time at home completely free of my work. I shutdown the computer and we play.

  

 
For today's giveaway, BABYBEARSHOP is generously offering the following to one winner:

~  a $50 gift certificate to be used as you wish and we will plant one tree for you!

In addition, BABYBEARSHOP is offering all Soule Mama readers 20% off all orders over $50. Please use 'soulemamasolstice' for 20% off your entire order over $50.

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Thank you to BABYBEARSHOP!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Sunday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments closed! The winner is:

That lip balm container alone is a trip down memory lane for me ;-)
Posted by: 10a

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{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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SoulePapa Blogs :: As the World Turns

She careens down the dirt drive, hair blowing out from under a ski helmet which she much prefers to the bike variety.  A slight bit of bruised knee showing between sundress and mud boots, Ada hits the ramp with growing confidence and speed then jams the brakes to skid into the corner and pedal uphill for another run.  Heading for the pasture, I have a saw in one hand and Harpers boots in the other as I try and catch up to the barefoot giggler that thinks it's so funny to outrun his old man.  I hear the older boys up above the barn, banging out some sounds on the drums and keyboard.  I finally track down my speedy toddler and sit him down on the chopping block to attach some footwear. 

"Papa, chop?" he asks with the accompanying hand motion.

"Yup, time to work on some wood.  Sound good?" I ask.

"Papa, CHOP!!" he replies with even more vigor to his simulation.

We carry on toward our overgrown and long neglected fields where I always have to stop on approach and reaffirm our big picture.  From back here I can visualize how the brambles and slash have been cleared by pigs and goats and the trees thinned and shaped into a healthy grove, giving ample shade to the livestock.  The underbrush is gone and a lovely post and rail fence runs along the perimeter.  I lay napping in the hammock with an icy lemonade at my side as the birds of song whistle me an afternoon serenade...Back at reality ranch, I swipe at the black flies gathering to feed behind my ears, take a deep breath, and head past the empty hammock into the thicket to make it happen. 

I get my short and energetic sidekick onto a project straight away.  He will usually fall for anything that involves his pint sized hammer and some nails or, better yet, climbing around in my truck after I give it a quick, child proofing once over.  Eventually, he will see that Mama has made her way into the garden to plant onions and then he's off like a rocket in her direction 'cause...well, he's a Mama's boy that Harper.  I quickly take advantage of having no children in my radius to run the chainsaw in a duel effort to gather firewood and reclaim that pasture from the hands of Mother Nature.  Yup, the snow is barely off the ground and wood must be sliced, diced and stacked to dry as we prepare for the drift back away from the Sun in a few short months.  I select carefully and cut trees to free them from overcrowding or those dying with disease.  A job that would occur naturally, over the course of decades or centuries but, for our present needs, it is beneficial to help nature along.  The work is physical and rewarding although I certainly grow weary of the incessant roar from the saw and decide to relieve the ever so pregnant Mama of her exuberant two year old.

As I near the garden, I see Ada has been joined by her big brothers and they are all riding bikes together.  Amanda has somehow taught Harper how to walk between the rows and he is barefoot, once again, and enjoying the feeling of soft, fertile Earth under his toes.  A moment of harmony.  Another chance to stand back and remember the big picture.  The picture of a family being shaped and growing and learning alongside each other.  A family eagerly anticipating the arrival of their baby.  Inside the belly of this beautiful Mama a tiny life waits patiently for their time to arrive.  They will be greeted in a swirl of love and affection and they will grow alongside their big sister and brothers. 

Adelaide laughs hysterically as her bike slips off mid ramp and she is re-routed across the grass and ultimately ends up falling softly into an exhausted heap.  Lungs heaving to catch a breath, the entire world beneath her, holding her up.  The shape of life.

Still Sitting. (And knitting.)

{Baby Booties knit in Colonia 140. More details on the Ravelry page.}

Were you expecting something else today? Um, I wasn't really kidding. I'm still Sitting. (And knitting.) And hanging out in my pajamas happily reading for the thousandth time our very favorite (home)birth children's book, Welcome With Love (which was more recently reprinted with the new title of Hello Baby).

Blue yesterday, pink today. Let's get crazy and go with green tomorrow, shall we?

Sitting. (And knitting.)

{Baby Booties knit in Fibre Company's Terra. More details on my Ravelry page.}

Oh, there is so much to be done right now. My Before-Baby List fills a legal piece of paper and takes up a great deal of real estate on the refrigerator right now. There are seedlings to plant, bee boxes to put together before the bees arrive, recital costumes to finish hemming, meals to freeze, writing deadlines I'm behind on, housework that I've fallen way behind on too.....and I sure could use some of that wonderful pre-baby nesting energy I've come to rely upon in pregnancies past to get some of these things done.

But what am I doing instead of ticking things off that list of mine? I'm Sitting. (And knitting.) Booties, naturally. The all-important baby bootie. I don't dare tell you what number pair this makes for this little one's 'collection'...but rest assured that this summer babe will have his or her tootsies well covered each and every day in a new color and style. These things are important, you know. Oh-so-important.

That Terra just feels so good in my hands, and the thoughts of baby in my mind while knitting are lovely. And, perhaps most importantly, there is that powerful act of Sitting that acts as a magnet drawing those I love close by for a snuggle, or a book read, or a check-in and a chat. Which, now that I think about it,  perhaps, is the most important thing I could be doing Before Baby, after all.

Which means I should just keep right on Sitting. (And knitting.) Right? I think so...

on mamas day

My family spoiled me in just the way I was hoping for this Mother's Day - there was nothing but mellow home and family time on the weekend schedule. (They know me well.) Two days full of snuggling, playing and eating together....sprinkled with planting potatoes, the gift of a clothesline in place, and lots of very active baby preparations by all.

I've been thinking a lot about this role of motherhood of late. Of course, it's something that's always on my mind - as I breathe and live it minute by minute and day by day. But there's something especially drawing my mind to it all this very month of May with the 'holiday' of Mother's Day, and particularly as I  prepare for the both intense and beautiful earliest of days of birth and babyhood that are approaching. I feel full, and blessed...and humbled by this life I have chosen as a mother. And ten years into this gig,  both the challenges and surprises together with the beauty and the magic...well, it all just keeps coming. Fresh and new in many ways - day after day. And year after year, I find myself growing braver, stronger, and more confident in my skin...as a Mother.

I've got a little something for you up my sleeve that I've been collaborating on with some dear Mama friends. For there would be far less joy and far less laughter would it not be for the tribe of Mamas - in the flesh or virtual - that we must draw around us to do this job with compassion and kindness for both ourselves, our partners and our little ones. I'm excited to share this little project with you here soon.

But not quite yet. For today and right now, I want to linger just a little bit longer in the world of handdrawn Mother's Day cards and gifts of sticky dandelions...and snuggles and "I love you's" in the four little voices that most melt my heart. Of course, all of that lovely lingering and all those magical moments will be sprinkled in between the dinner preparations, the laundry, bum and nose wipes, bandaid applications and trying to keep the peace among squabbling siblings. For that is just precisely how we Mamas do it.

With Mother's Day on my mind...I wish for all of us a community of people to support  and nurture us, the patience and grace we need to move through our days with these precious little ones, the room to forgive ourselves when that's needed, and the eyes to see the blessings and the beauty all around us in our days as Mama.

Happy Day to you, friends...

SouleMama Sponsor ~ FRESH-SQUEEZED FABRICS ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics!  In Randi's words:

"Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics is thrilled to be entering their 4th year in business!   Customer satisfaction is our #1 goal and we love to match sew-ers with the right goods for their projects."

You can follow along with Randi on her blog i have to say...and you can find some of her handmade creations for sale in the Simple Things Etsy shop.

SouleMama: How are your children incorporated into your business?

Randi: Since it's Mother's Day I figured that sharing about my kids and their involvement in my little business would be perfect!  We are a homeschooling family and the running of my shop fits nicely into that set-up.  One of my oldest daughters is my creative eye, and she helps me with selecting products for my shop (I consider her to be my youthful eyes) as well as a project designer.  She has a natural knack for pattern design and she is great at fabric combining.  My 14 year old son is in charge of packaging and shipping.  His perfectionist tendencies lead to nicely folded goods as well as envelopes that are stuffed to the max, but that arrive neat and tidy.  I love this about him!  My youngest, at age 9, loves to be crafty.  We like to sew together and our latest project was a chair pad for her desk set.  She always picks the liveliest color combinations!

Basically my business allows me to run a small business and be creative, as well as allowing me to stay home and school my children.  It's a perfect fit, really.

For today's giveaway, Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~  a $35 gift certificate to the Fresh Squeezed Fabrics shop! 
This can be used on any goods the winner chooses. 

In addition, in honor of Mother's Day, Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics is offering the discount code "mothersday20" at checkout for a 20% discount on your entire purchase.  The discount code is valid through Wednesday, May 11th.

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Thank you to Fresh-Squeezed Fabrics!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Monday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments closed! The winner is...

Oh I would so love some new fabric :)
Posted by: Crystal@GreenMittens

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SouleMama Sponsor ~ APPLECHEEKS ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor AppleCheeks! In their own words:

"AppleCheeks is a Canadian-made, mom-owned line of really awesome cloth diapers. We offer unparalleled customer support and a quality of cloth diaper that is second to none! THIS is how cloth diapering is meant to be."

You can follow along with AppleCheeks on their blog too!

SouleMama: How long have you been in business?

AppleCheeks: AppleCheeks just celebrated its third birthday on April 1, 2011.

SouleMama: Tell us what you envision and dream for the future of your business.

AppleCheeks: Our goal is to be able to make cloth diapering attractive and accessible to the portion of the population that doesn't believe that cloth diapering and the modern lifestyle can co-exist. We will realize this goal by continuing to provide a super high level of customer support and by producing products that outperform all other diapers.

SouleMama: What inspired you to start your business?

AppleCheeks: As cloth diapering moms ourselves (we have seven kids between us), we were unsatisfied with the level of customer support available to cloth diaper consumers, and we were also unable to find a cloth diaper brand that really did all it promised. So it just made sense to take on both challenges ourselves and realize them through AppleCheeks! The feedback and the reviews have been so incredibly validating and it just feels SO amazing to be able to offer what we offer and know that we are standing by our values. As well, we are so excited to be building a business that promotes a realistically sustainable lifestyle. And of course, we LOVE it that we are raising little eco-warriors :)

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

AppleCheeks:  Our customers are AMAZING! We just cannot say enough about how wonderful they are. They are loyal, they are supportive, they are full of amazing feedback and ideas, and they are moms just like us so we speak the same language. We just adore them and are so so thrilled to have each and every one!

  

 
For today's giveaway, AppleCheeks is generously offering the following to TWO winners:

~  an AppleCheeks Little Bundle!
consisting of an AppleCheeks Envelope Cover and a super soft, super absorbent rayon from bamboo/organic cotton insert

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Thank you to AppleCheeks!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Sunday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments closed! The winner is....

Oh, cloth diapers! How I and my little one love you! And how you love us back! Apple Cheeks are new to us -- we'd adore a chance to try them out!
Posted by: Laurelin (A Life In Season)

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{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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in the studio

In progress in my studio right now are...

:: a pile of costumes to hem, tuck, adjust, and fit. It's recital time for my dancing boys!

:: a pinwheel baby blanket that's growing not-quite as fast as the belly housing the baby its intended for. (Knit in String Theory.)

:: summer sundress sewing plans for and with my girl, and the summer dreaming that comes with that. (Loving this season's new Seashore Sundress Pattern from Oliver + S.)

:: plans percolating for something for baby with a favorite yarn (Terra by the Fibre Company). No more sweaters are needed, so what should it be? Hmn...

:: the exciting near-completion of a quilt top, just in time for the beach visits it was inspired by.

As always in life and craft, stitch by stitch and row by row...slowly but surely, and with much love, these things are made.

What's going on in your workbasket these days?

four little kittens

There's been a little action in my studio this week. Not from me.

And there's been a birth here this week. Also not me.

As Adelaide tells the story, her cat Piper marched into the house on Easter morning, on a mission. Heading straight to my studio, and a soft and cozy basket full of precious fabric scraps (naturally), this cat cozied herself in, stretched, "breathed funny and meowed and out came a kitten!" And really, that's just about how it went...three times more. Then she licked them all clean and took a nap.

(And this soon-to-birth Mama was inspired.)

(Before I continue....I know, I know. All of our house and barn cats and dogs are spayed and neutered, except for miss Piper, who was next on the list. It appears that we may have an extra boy cat lurking somewhere around these parts. Please be assured that just as soon as her body can take it,  and before she goes back outside, she'll be headed to the vet. Same story with her kittens, who we'll care for, and who we will be certain are spayed/neutered just as soon as can be - as early as eight weeks.)

Mama Piper and and her four little kittens have since been relocated to the foot of Adelaide's bed, where they can be kept out of harm's way (in the form of toddling brothers), read to and sung to every hour, waited upon hand and paw, and otherwise doted upon by their loving grandma, Adelaide, who hasn't left their side. Except to periodically report to the rest of us on the adorableness of the kittens.

Adelaide's own mother decided that holding them should wait until they opened their eyes, giving them a week of bonding extra close with their Mama cat, a change to grow just a little bit bigger, and also giving Mama cat just a little bit more breathing room.

It may very well have been the longest week of my little girl's life.

Much to her delight, there were open eyes yesterday morning, and the gentle, periodic 'holding' has begun. I'm certain that they are all quite safe in her hands. And just as certain that they might just be some of the most loved kitties in all the world.

beginnings

(all photos above courtesy of Calvin)

While long drives in a pick up truck are generally a good time, this very pregnant mama decided that all those bumpy back roads of Maine were just a little more than I wanted (though I know it could be done, a birth on the side of the road is not my idea of fun). But oh - I wanted to be at the plant sale this year! (The FEDCO tree sale, open to the public this coming weekend!) The annual kick-off to spring and state-wide social event that it is. We had such a large tree order to pick up, and there was so much I wanted to see and share in. What to do, what to do? Why, send in a substitute, naturally. My ten-year old photographer-in-his-own-right happily took Mama's camera for a little assignment. And when he came home and shared all he saw, I felt as though I were there too.



At home, with a big pile of trees, shrubs, roots, berries, bulbs and crowns to plant...we've been working all day every day to get everything we brought home into the ground. What joy it is to walk all around now and see these tiny little beginnings of ours. It will be a while - years in most cases - before we see the results in the form of asparagus, rhubarb, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pears and more.

Oh, but we will do our best to nurture and care for them right now with the promise of their harvest later. For as I know from watching these little ones of mine, those years will go by in the blink of an eye. Growing more than I could imagine, year after year. (Though, quite unlike the plants, I wouldn't complain at all if these children of mine slowed down on all that growing just a little bit.)

may table

barefeet, bicycles, bruised knees, sandals, backyard camping,  tea parties with dolls and cats, plants in the ground, sunshine, sandals, spring peepers, and marshmallows toasted over a fire...oh, now that was a spring weekend!

This first May weekend also brought about our first "it's too lovely to go inside for dinner!" evenings. Except that...we didn't have a table upon which to eat (one was left behind in the move and my dream wrought-iron table has yet to manifest itself on a thrifting hunt...but it will).

That problem was solved with a quick search in the barn for an old and not-in-use barn door (but not so old so that I needed to worry about lead paint), a layer of fresh white exterior paint (leftover from the floors), some tree stumps for legs, and we had ourselves a cozy little low-level sitting table just a few hours later. I made a few mismatched slip-on pillowcases (for easy washing) out of vintage tablecloths for ground cushions. And I dare say, we had ourselves a simply marvelous first outdoor spring dinner. 

Ah, sweet, sweet May!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ BARN LIGHT ELECTRIC ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor Barn Light Electric. In their own words:

"Barn Light Electric Company is an online lighting company specializing in all different styles of light fixtures. Most of our indoor and outdoor lights can be completely customized to fit your home’s style. Some of our most popular styles are gooseneck lights and ceiling pendants, but most recently we’ve become known for our line of porcelain enamel lights and industrial furniture.

We’re always updating our blog with customer photos, new product introductions and everyday inspirational remodel projects. We also love to have fans join us on Facebook."

SouleMama: How did you get your start?

Barnlight: We have only been in business for about three short years. The company in general started as a hobby for our owner; he enjoyed creating and restoring old lights on the weekends. When a few friends started placing orders, word of his work caught on and soon enough he and his wife left their full time jobs to pursue a full time business - now known as Barn Light Electric Company. One employee led to two, which eventually led to almost 30 today!

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Barnlight: We have the best customers! They come from all across the country and even around the world. No order is the same; each customer has a unique story and use for their barn lights. Recently we’ve begun receiving more and more customer photos which is a definite treat. It’s both rewarding for our sales team to see how they’ve helped each person and also inspiring for future customers to see our products in actual applications. We will show off the photos any chance we get – check out our Photo Gallery to see the endless amount of ways our lights can be used!

SouleMama: Tell us about the product or offering you are most excited about offering right now.

Barnlight: We’re still most excited about our line of porcelain enamel lights, mostly because they can only be purchased from us - they’re exclusive! They have a great universal design appeal that lets them fit into so many styles of homes – farmhouses, cottages, lofts, you name it!

 

 
For today's giveaway, Barn Light Electric is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~ the Ivanhoe™ Sinclair OR the Ivanhoe™ Sky Chief
The winner can select all of the options so it best matches their home!

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Thank you to Barn Light Electric!

To enter, please leave a comment in today's post (one entry per person, please). Comments will close on Monday by 8am EST. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced here in this post by Monday evening.

Comments Closed! The winner is...

I bought a barnlight electric light for my kitchen renovation recently, and i really love it. i would jump for joy to win one as we complete our remodeling project and have approximately way too many more lights to purchase in the next two months, and a rapidly dwindling budget! :)
 Posted by: jen

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May 1st

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Welcome (and Welcome Back) to May's newest Sponsors here on SouleMama...

The Little Travelers~ a travel series made by, with and for families

Pleasant River Soap ~ all natural and handmade in Maine

Unravelling ~ enrollment for the next e-course by Susannah Conway opens may 7th

Dirty Girl ClayWorks ~ one of a kind slipware by Faro Annie Sullivan

It's such a pleasure to have them joining us!
Do check out their handmade, crafty, creative, and beautiful offerings and look for giveaways from them in the coming weeks and months.

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