SouleMama

dreaming of the prince*

I am without a doubt quite biased, but I have such a soft spot in my heart for boy ballet dancers. 

Spending time backstage in the 'boys room' as I have and do these days, I look from face to face of those sweet boys and young men and marvel at their stories. In a culture where those boys are very much in the minority amongst the tutus and tiaras, I am fascinated by the ways in which each of them find their way to dance. For some, bored with waiting for their older sisters in classes, they join in...for others, a gentle nudge from parents who spy a certain kind of energy in their little one ...and for many, their journey to the ballet studio was led by something deep within their hearts. Something in the dance that spoke to them strongly enough so that despite many odds against them or obstacles that some of them find along the way, they find their way there to the dance studio.

And there, they dance. In classes where more often than not they are the only boy amongst the girls, and the cultural ribbing they hear (outside of the studio) on the baseball sidelines or school hallways is irritating, if not downright awful and bullying...they dance and pay little attention to all of that fuss around them. In the kitchen, in the studio, in the wings waiting to go on stage. Dance, dance, dance.

These are the things I think about as I'm waiting and knitting in the dressing room, while a gaggle of pre-teen and teenage boys play card games, tell jokes, wrestle and then stop it all to don their black tights and ballet slippers, apply makeup and head out onto the stage. These are the questions I can't stop myself from asking them about as I safety-pin a falling costume piece on, or ask them to close their eyes just so for the eyeshadow they begrudgingly wear.

This Nutcracker year, at their studio, there's been a bit of a generational shift, as several talented young men fill some mighty big ballet slippers. They do it well, and I am deeply moved and inspired to see them dance. But even more inspired, is the room full of younger boys (mine included) watching closely, practicing their pirouettes anywhere and everywhere they can, loving every second of stage time they get, and dreaming with starry eyes of someday being...the prince.

(*with a reminiscent nod to this post. Adelaide - while a very happy student of modern dance these days - never lets an opportunity go by to remind those ballet boys of hers that she was the first one in the Nutcracker. 'Tis true.)

our harvest table

I will do my best to restrain my over-the-top excitement about this for your sake, but the plain and simple truth is that I LOVE THIS TABLE. I really, really love this table. I walk into the kitchen, even when I don't have to, just to look at this table and be reminded that it's here. I'm inspired to make every single snack an elaborate full-family sit-down affair so that we can sit around it. You get the idea. Love. 

This would be our new table, built by Steve (the man who claims he doesn't know how to build things. Yeah, that guy). With a self-imposed deadline (who can work without a deadline?) of Thanksgiving Day, our dinner guests arrived and were directed not to the kitchen (where I was cooking with a baby on my back and four children underfoot for the sake of getting.the.table.done!), but to the workshop, where this table was still being constructed. Oh yes.

At 1pm, it was brought into the kitchen at just the moment I pulled our turkey out of the oven. Final assembly happened, with a table-setting crew following closely behind. (With final staining saved for later that night.) There's nothing like a little deadline to keep things exciting, get the blood pumping, and get something done, now is there? 

It was modeled a bit after this table, with modified plans from here. We stained the table top with a few clear coats of Vermont Natural Coatings. The apron and legs were built with rough-cut 2x4's, while the top boards and the bottom foot board came from an old barn of some friends. 

It's everything I hoped it would be and asked for - simple, sturdy, made out of something old, and big enough for a crowd (it's nine feet long), but not so big that the seven of us can't sit comfortably and closely. But what I love just as much as all of that, is the way this man, who certainly never grew up building things, just dove on in and gave it a go one step at a time (with at least one child underfoot at all times). That inspires me, and I dare say, I think he totally rocked this project. 

The old barn boards on top are full of grooves and knots and twists and axe marks and oh-so-much character and history. Each time I sit down at it, I imagine the past of this wood, while dreaming about the future stories yet to come around this table. And oh, the right now is very good too. It's lovely.

:: right now ::

Right now, I am...

:: living in the world of The Nutcracker (it's a lovely place to be). Five more shows to go... 

:: feeling rather motherly and proud of my not-so-little guy who suddenly looks so little to me on that big stage.

:: thinking often of his days, years ago now, dressing up and performing. Performing always. Performing still...with confidence and grace.

:: looking outside at the Thanksgiving Eve snow that seems to be sticking around. I'm thinking we may not see green till spring!

:: letting go of all the other garden beds I wanted to create before the snow fell, and the extra garlic I wanted to plant. Oh well...next year.

:: holding onto the memory of sweet Harper's third birthday, in which he happily stayed in his pajamas all day, ate cake, and was showered in love and gifts. What a trend to set, yes?

:: wondering how many games of Sorry those two can play today. (Mama reorganized the game cabinet. Everything feels new again - just in time for winter.)

:: eating the very last of the Thanksgiving leftovers this morning. Yes, cranberry sauce on my oatmeal! 

:: writing this post today from two different computers - photos on one, working colon key (ahem) on the other. I think it's time for a visit to the apple store.

:: listening to Aimee Mann Holiday on Pandora. It's time!

:: treasuring the first date night - in a very long time - that I had with my honey last night. Grandparents are the best.

:: savoring the sound of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings in my head and heart this morning after hearing them in concert this weekend. I have never seen anyone play guitar like he does, and her voice fills me up. Amazing.

:: preparing for another trip to the city, for another day at the theater.

:: knitting a whole lot these days. 

:: moving as slowly as I can, as mindfully as can be, through this blur of lovely days.

:: wishing you the very same.

SouleMama Sponsor ~ SPARKLE STORIES ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Sparkle Stories. In their words...

 "Sparkle is an online resource for high-quality audio stories for children and families. Each week Sparkle Stories delivers original audio stories to subscribers around the world.  Our stories inspire a sense of wonder in the world, nurture the imagination, and even offer a spark of healing and support, while still being completely delightful and entertaining."

"You can follow along with Sparkle Stories on The Sparkle blog where we blog about parenting, storytelling, education and inspiration."

SouleMama: What inspired you to start your business?

Lisabeth: Our idea for Sparkle came in a flash of inspiration right here on SouleMama one night.  (Really!)  You had put out a call for suggestions for quality children's audio.  In the comments that followed, there just didn't seem to be a wealth of amazing options.  It's tricky when you're a media-cautious parent -- say you're screen-free or mostly media-free -- and you're not sure what you can trust of what's "out there."  But, like so many, I wanted to find something for my boys that I could trust to be both nourishing and entertaining -- so I could enjoy a moment's quiet while they were totally engaged.  

And I had a spark: DAVID and I COULD CREATE THE VERY THING WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR.  David is a Waldorf teacher and an incredibly gifted storyteller who can spin-a-yarn at a moment's notice.  And his stories are the sort that can bring a crowd of children and adults to a rapt, awestruck stillness.  I suddenly saw his gift as a resource that could be tapped to create a small business.  And then I took stock of my own skills:  my training as a playwright, and my love of production and management.  And I realized it could be a perfect collaboration.  So we mapped out Sparkle, and launched about 7 months later, in December 2010.

SouleMama: Where do all the stories come from?

Lisabeth: So many different things!  Moments in our day-to day-lives with our boys, the challenges we meet in our own family life, delightful scraps of stories we find here and there in the world, and also the great canon of classic tales and great children's literature from around the world!  Those can't help but inspire what we do. 

Inspiration also grows from questions that come up in our community, as well as from our subscribers.  Now subscribers email and ask for a story about a certain theme or challenge, or they simply tell us a story from their own home , and that has inspired many stories in the last year.

David uses a process he calls Intuitive Storytelling, where he starts with an idea, and then uses specific tools to open to the flow of inspiration.  For example, we play a story game where our boys give David a few words-- say "a mouse, a traveling circus, and a missing ring" -- and then he'll weave an incredible story by being attentive to what pulls him in the story.  Intuitive Storytelling is something he teaches now in schools and workshops, and believes everyone can access.

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Lisabeth: Sparkle subscribers come from all over the world: England, France, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S.  In a recent survey we learned that children as young as 3 and as old as 12 listen to Sparkle, and that in some homes, whole families are making a ritual of sitting down each week to listen together, almost like the radio-days of the 30's, 40's and 50's!   Some parents save Sparkle for travel, some children listen in the car on their commutes from school, and some families Sparkle as part of a quiet time during the day.  Recently a subscriber from France emailed to tell us how her older daughter loves Sparkle, and how thrilled she is because it's helping her maintain her English!   We love hearing about how Sparkle lives in people's homes; it's just such a gift.  (We started recording the emails we receive here:  www.sparklestories.com/testimonials .)

SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Lisabeth: Mary Oliver: ““Said the river: imagine everything you can imagine, then keep on going.”   

For today's giveaway, Sparkle Stories is generously offering the following to TWO winners

~ a 3 month subscription to all four Sparkle Stories series!

In addition, Sparkle Stories is offering a special for SouleMama readers -Try Sparkle Stories for $1!   First month of the full Sparkle Story series for $16 off the regular subscription price. Use the magic code "6BC4" when you sign up for all four stories. Offer valid through December 31st, 2011.

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Thank you to Sparkle Stories!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Monday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   

 Comments closed! The winner is...

Sounds so fun!! What a wonderful concept! Can't wait to listen to a story with my daughter.
Posted by: oriana 

I have actually almost bought a membership to that website 3 or 4 times and have always talked myself out of it. I have heard wonderful things about them. Great giveaway Sunday! ~ Barefoot Mama
Posted by: barefoot mama

 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ BANBERRY PLACE ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Banberry Place. In shop owner Corie's words:

 "KNIT fabric, fun novelty ribbon and trims galore.  These are a few of our favorite things … that just happen to be found, in abundance, at Banberry Place!"

Follow along with Corie's blog Stunt Sewing for a mix of sewing projects, inspirations, and family life!

SouleMama: What inspired you to start your business?

Corie: I went looking for unique patterns and fabric to sew for my own children and stumbled upon Farbenmix patterns, trims, and European fabrics.  I knew I was on to something!  That was 6 years ago and the selection of fresh and modern sewing supplies available just keeps getting bigger and so does our selection.  

We’ve branched out from exclusively European fabric and now offer Japanese fabrics, some quilting cottons and oodles of stretchy knit fabric.  Trims are another area of our shop that just keeps getting larger.  With about 200 different novelty ribbons, ric rac, stretch trim and the like, there is certainly a trim for every project!

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Corie: I am continually finding inspiration through my own children and our adventures.  Also, being surrounded by so many great fabric and trims definitely ensures I always have a boatload of ideas for sewing… if I could only find a few more hours in each day.  Outside of that, my “go to” Internet inspiration comes a handful of blogging sewists, the Kickundblick gallery, and of course, flickr and pintrest are filled with amazing talent.

For today's giveaway, Banberry Place is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~ a $40 gift certificate to Banberry Place!

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Thank you to Banberry Place!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   

Comments closed! The winner is...

Love her shop!
Posted by: mamajen

 

{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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this week

These days, whether with all seven of us, or one of us, or the three girls as this documented case may be, a walk in our woods is not complete without:

~ blaze orange and lots of it

~ handknits, handknits, and more handknits

~ the clippers, for gathering

~ a basket (or bucket, as the case may be), for bringing in

~ a stop by the old farm 'dump' for Mama to scout treasures

~ a stop by the Forest of Four Forts, created by and for my little ones, and as unique as they are

~ a cat (or two or three) following a girl

~ crunchy leaves, fresh autumn air, and golden light

I am hopeful there will be many more walks in the woods in the coming days - in the moments-in-between a whole lot of excitement this week. Birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Nutcracker, oh my! Busy days to be sure, but a wonderful time in which we are all gathered together and celebrating all that is good and beautiful right now.

I'll see you back here on Friday for {this moment}. Wishing you all a most wonderful week until then!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ FINNS & FLOWERS HANDMADE TOYS ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Finns & Flowers Handmade Toys. In the words of owners Melody and TJ: 

 "Finns & Flowers Handmade Toys is a small, home-based, family business run by Melody & T.J.  We handcraft our wooden toys using only locally sourced wood with three principles in mind: they need to be safe, they need to be durable as well as beautiful and they need to engage the child's heart, hand and head."

You can follow along with Finns & Flowers on Facebook.

 SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business. 

Melody: Finns & Flowers grew out of a desire to provide our daughter, Lily, with safe and natural playthings.  There is something so special about gifting someone (especially your children) something crafted with your own hands and knowing how much love and heart and soul you put into it.  We loved it so much that we decided to try to make a living doing it.

SouleMama: What's the product or offering you're most excited about right now?

Melody: We're really excited about the addition of our all natural, plant-dyed playsilks!  Our family has always loved using silks for imaginative play.  T.J. uses plant dyes to dye organic wool by day and we thought silks would be a great addtion to our shop.  We love the rich colors that the plant dyes bring.

SouleMama: How does the balance of work and family play out for you?

Melody: We are constantly trying to find a balance that satisfies our family life and the need for sleep.  Family always comes first and we usually find ourselves up at all hours making toys.  The kids do love to help and we can usually find a good job for them, like applying beeswax polish, and they love it.  So, balance is tricky, but we're gettin' there!

For today's giveaway, Finns & Flowers is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~ our small wooden barn!  
(It's the perfect size for a few of your favorite animals.  Costructed of solid northern white pine and finished with an environmentally and kid safe linseed oil, this barn will still be around for your grandchildren to play with.)

In addition, Finns & Flowers is offering SouleMama readers 10% off your entire orders by using the code: SOULEMAMA. Discount valid through November 26, 2011.

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Thank you to Finns & Flowers!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  

Comments closed! The winner is...

Beautiful toys. Thank you!
Posted by Paganmama 

 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ SARAH JANE STUDIOS ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Sarah Jane Studios. In Sarah Jane's words:

 "Sarah Jane's shop is filled with sweet yet sophisticated art, play things, paper goods, gifts and embroidery patterns. Sarah Jane takes you to a world of childhood whimsy with her fresh, vintage inspired designs. Her products are meant to inspire you to make and create your own lovely spaces! 

Sarah has just created a new online space to see her fabric designs, children's books, and keep in touch with all that is going on! 

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

Sarah Jane: I envision creating more options for parents to create with and for their children. I have never intended to create products for the sake of creating a product...but rather to inspire creative living amoung parent and child: fabric for making, books for reading together, paper dolls for playing together, stationery for writing together and art to inspire children's spaces! I love seeing mothers and children creating together, and I hope to continue to create products and designs to inspire that further!

SouleMama: What does a typical day at work look like for you?

Sarah Jane: My typical day starts at 6 am with a cuddly two year old telling me she wants to play horsies. I tell her it's still dark out side. Then she tells me she's hungry, and my day starts! Cuddles, family breakfast at the table, dressing for school, finding missing gloves and hats, family prayer, off to school, errands with the baby, laundry, email, dishes, email, laundry, phonecalls, lunch time, attempting to nap my toddler, art time, blog post, give up on nap time and let her have quiet time instead, prepare dinner, make after shchool snacks, pick up the children, snack time, homework, play time, welcome my husband home, make dinner, feed family, family time together reading, playing, wrestling, get ready for bed, read out loud from the current chapter book, bed time, check off some to-do's while the kids fall asleep, work out at the gym, come home...get as much art done as I can before I crash in bed...tired but oh so happy:) 

SouleMama: How do you come up with new designs and ideas?

Sarah Jane: For me, coming up with new ideas isn't the hard part. My head is constantly spinning with colors, characters, stories, patterns, and designs all the time! But to captivate the essence and create a collection of work is what takes honing and working and guiding my creative thinking and feeling. Many times I'll see something that triggers and idea, or experience something that makes me want to capture the essence of that on paper. But if I'm ever stuck in a rut, I have a bulletin board in my studio, hundreds of books, pin boards on pinterest, playlists on my ipad, children to play with and a gorgeous plot of land with trees and a garden that usually will get the juices going to create! 

SouleMama: What's your favorite part of your job? The most challenging?

Sarah Jane: My favorite part of my job is creating. sketching. doodling. marking down ideas. finalizing art work. Hands down, I'm an artist. The hardest part of my job is how to get it "out there" so that we can live off my work. It's hard. very hard. And can often use up a lot of my creative energy...the creative energy I need so much to create my illustrations. But so far, things have gone well. And I've learned that as long as I'm loving my work, others do too! Love must be in all that you do when making a business of your creative hobby!

 

For today's giveaway, Sarah Jane is generously offering the following to ONE winner:

~ 1 signed copy of her newest picture book entitled, A Christmas Goodnight
AND
a $100 gift card to the Sarah Jane Studio Shop!

In addition, Sarah Jane is offering SouleMama readers 15% off your entire orders by using the code: iheartsoulemama. Discount valid through Midnight EST on November 24, 2011.

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Thank you to Sarah Jane!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   

Comments closed! The winner is....

I just love Sarah Jane!
Posted by Grace

{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.

. . . . . . . .

Our pumpkin muffins

It was a good squash year for us. 

The pie pumpkins we tucked away in the cellar are coming up almost each day, without seeming to make a dent so far in the stash. This is good! And so is all the fun we're having playing with all those pumpkins in the kitchen. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins and of course, pumpkin seeds (do you do yours this way? Perfect, I tell you). Some favorites have made their way to the top of our list, and this pumpkin muffin recipe (tweaked and changed up from this original starting point) has become a go-to snack for my peeps. I thought you might like it too.

Our Pumpkin Muffins

Wet Ingredients: 

1 cup pureed pumpkin (confession - I don't even puree it, just whisk it at this point when it's all baked and mushy from the oven)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 eggs
3/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt 

Dry Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking powder 

1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together wet ingredients until smooth. Add dry ingredients until the mixture is combined. Fold in nuts. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins, and bake in the center of oven until they are puffy and beging to brown on the edges. (15 minutes or so for the mini-muffin tins, or that fun acorn muffin pan.)

Cool on a wire rack. Eat and enjoy!

Note: Best enjoyed over tea with your best friend and a few favorite animals. Matching dresses not required, but we're certain they add to the flavor.

~ ~ ~

For your future reference, a link to this Muffin recipe can now be found on the Tutorials, Recipes, and Patterns page.

beginnings

Meanwhile, across the hall from the library where all sorts of kids seasonal crafty goodness is beginning....sits my studio, where those little ones of mine have clearly inspired (top secret) beginnings of my own...

I do believe the elving has begun!

In your home too?

gathering

My little ones are making plans. I overhear ideas being tossed around in quiet corners. I see things tucked under beds. I am sweeping up a LOT of little pieces of paper everywhere. It's that time of year -  I love it so - when the bustle of holiday making just begins. Autumnal and winter celebrations are coming! It's starting to happen here, and my babes seem to be leading the way this year. Adelaide might be the leader of us all at the moment, as each time she comes in she carries with her an armful (of pinecones, acorns, berries, chicken feathers, rotting front porch pumpkins and more), and says, "I had an idea...." before launching into some elaborate and beautiful decorative plan she's got. 

"Decorate first", Ezra advised her, "then make presents after we're in the spirit."

Of course.

She's planning on starting with her bedroom "It'll be the most beautiful room in the house, Mama, really, just you wait."

I hear talk of glue guns, and beeswax, and requests for glitter, glue sticks and more tape (always more tape). 

But right now? We're all still in the gathering stage. Yes, there's lots of that. Those armfuls of pinecones and acorns and rocks and dirt (aka "brown glitter") were beginning to make this mama a little nutty what with all the sweeping. And tables that were quickly overtaken. And did I mention those rotting pumpkins? Hmn.

 

With Maya's buckets fresh on my mind, I quickly made a few to contain some of that goodness coming in. Excited with the opportunity to organize all her materials (oh, sweet Virgo child, I understand you), Adelaide cleared a spot to set it all up in her bedroom, and has declared it her 'ingredients table.'

The two buckets (two medium, one large) were made with a very old (in internet and fabric line years, anyway) Heather Ross Little Red Riding Hood print that I've been holding onto for a very long time. The buckets come together so smoothly...and quickly too. Which might be quite handy, because I anticipate a whole lot more 'gathering' before the 'making' begins. 

with gratitude

Sitting around the fire after dinner last night, after a long but wonderful week, and a busy but beautiful weekend, I said out loud as I realized it, "I'm not sure what I'm going to say tomorrow."

Adelaide, sitting on the hearth in front of me, without missing a beat or even looking up from her reading, shrugged her shoulders and said, "You could say Thank You."

And good gracious, she is spot-on, that girl. What a beautiful policy, don't you think? When you can't think of what to say...to say 'thank you'? I'm going to do my best to remember that always. And right now. And so....

Thank You...to the beautiful friends whose home we gathered at this weekend, deep in the woods, to share family stories and dreams and the tasks of autumn.

Thank You...to the beavers for mowing a path to the pond for us to gaze upon and admire.

Thank You...to my husband for driving all the way there and back. (Always.) So that I can knit.

Thank You...to a sweet and funny man named Mr. Rick who showed my boys a marvelous time at Circus "School" last week. (We love Circus Smirkus.)

Thank You...to the wonderfully organized homeschooling mamas around us who so graciously and gracefully pull such good things together.

Thank You...to the generous makers who fill my mailbox with special things, like that there pretty knit sweater Ms. Annabel is wearing. (Even though I am quite 'behind' on thank you notes, please know how much cheer such thoughtfulness brings our way!)

Thank You...to my (big) boys who, much to my surprise and mama-delight said, 'thank you' to me at the end of each day last week as I played their taxi driver/chauffeur between classes, lessons, and rehearsals.

Thank You...to Adelaide, for gently reminding me in that moment last night of just how grateful I am.

Thank You...to you, for stopping by here today, sharing your precious time to connect in this space as you do, and for supporting me in doing creative, connecting work that I love, love, love.

Thank You.

 

w e e k e n d i n g

{Photos by Calvin}

I hope you're having a marvelous weekend!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ SILK OAK ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Silk Oak. In Jan's words:

 "Silk Oak offers original design cotton clothing, hand silkscreened in our studio in Ithaca, NY since 1977!"

SouleMama: What's inspiring you these days?

Jan:  I was recently part of a panel at my local credit union, Alternatives Federal Credit Union. AFCU has an innovative business development program called Business Cents (Community Enterprise Networking and Training Services). The cornerstone of thier services is a 10 week class called Getting Down to Business which takes you from idea through business plan, financial feasibility, marketing strategies, and all of the confusing details that go into building a successful business. It's an amazing class!

As I sat in the final session of the series, I was struck by how much the world has changed since I first went into business 34 years ago. There were no books to be found on running a small business (small business was defined as under 100 employees!), no "Marketing for Dummies", social media, Etsy... In short, I felt like I was on my own. On top of that, most businesses were run by men and I was a young mother with 2 small children in tow.

My marketing class was my real world business, which had been financed by taking out a second mortgage on our house. Wow, that puts the pressure on!

In contrast, I could see that the students in the AFCU class, who ranged from their 20's to 70's, were going to leave with skills that took me years, thousands of hours of work, tens of thousands of dollars and lots of hard earned lessons to acquire. What an amazing resource!

At the end of our panel session, we were asked if we had any last thoughts, lessons learned, something we wished we had known then. Here are our seasoned words of wisdom:

~ Create the vision of what you want your business to be in your mind and live into it. Remember that everything, no matter how grand, began as an idea. Just as a house begins as a drawing, create the blueprint of your business and build it from there.

~ Let your passion inspire you. Always make time to fill the well, renew your excitement, take time to enjoy the present moment. Don't allow the busywork and details bog you down so that you lose sight of the passion that pulled you into your business to begin with. 

~ Be open to ideas and suggestions from mentors but, ultimately, be true to your own instincts. We all have different styles, needs and levels of tolerance for risk. Some of us jump right into the water, while others need check it out, dip their toes in and get used to the water more slowly. It's all good, there is no "right way". (I'm the jump in first and check to see if there's water later, kind of girl!).

~ Remember that you're on a journey. It's not a straight path. There are detours, wash-outs, unexpected pleasant surprises and helpful tour guides. Be prepared to add some extra stops, pick up some new maps and be willing to make changes. 

~ Enjoy your journey, you get to choose!

 

 

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

~ A $50 gift certificate to the Silk Oak Shop!
 

In addition, Silk Oak is offering SouleMama readers a 15% discount on all orders placed in the next two weeks. Use coupon code SOULEMAMA at checkout. Offer expires November 26, 2011.

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Thank you to Silk Oak!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   

The winners are...

Just gorgeous - and those words of wisdom are so inspiring!
Posted by: Christine @ little red clog

so fun.. love it!
Posted by: farmingmama

 

{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 :: Down to Earth

By November in Maine a majority of the harvest is far behind and tasks shift to prepare for the winter ahead.  Pulling posts and fences that helped the garden grow.  Coiling the hose to store away before it freezes stiff on the rack.  Warm hats and gloves resting on their shelves, ready to be called into duty.  The brilliant mix of foliage we get to enjoy so briefly, now lays spread across the forest floor.  Only the bronze of the rugged oak leaves remain hanging, in contrast to the towering green of the pines.  We follow nature and strip the yard down to the bare essentials lest it be crushed under the weight of winter snow or frozen, cracked and ruined by its cold.

The Sun peaks quickly and falls even faster as shadows stretch before our eyes like time lapse film and are absorbed into the encroaching darkness.  I stand in the field and watch a truck roll eerily past, the blaze orange of hunters vests and caps aglow across the cab.  Trying to catch a glimpse of an elusive whitetail, they move slowly and disappear down the road.  Smoke whisps lazily from the chimney as a slow burning fire flickers just enough to beat back the chill.  

The days wear along and the crisp air hangs quiet like just before the storm.  The pantry shelves are lined with our stores which sit still until called upon to nourish and fill hungry bellies.  Autumn.  Deep Autumn holds intrigue like the mysterious adventure that is death itself.   Death and life and survival all colliding and intertwined and one scarcely discernible from the other.

Recently, we entered into that realm and had the privilege of holding that life in our hands. The hide of a deer gathered quietly by a friend, where it lay motionless on the side of the road.  He understood how we might use such a find and we stretched it with all that we had. 

As part of this ceremony, we walked as gently as we could across the crunching leaves and sticks and pretended to be that deer. We followed hoof marks along a faint trail and listened as quietly as we could for what we might hear.  What we heard in those moments was as unique as each listening ear.  Opening our hearts to understand this life.

Immersed in all that is real.  

As these days wear on and daylight wanes, I hold close to all that is truth.

 

 Like the mind of a child.  Free to think and wonder and fear and be brave.

These tasks of preparation we now undertake are a meditative fuel for what lies ahead.  Winter.

taking ten

There's something really beautiful about the process of writing (and therefore, blogging, for me) that I've come to value, love, and depend upon at this point in my life. Because sometimes writing is a recollection of where we've been, sometimes it's a reflection of where we are, and sometimes, it's a reminder of where we'd like to be. Usually, I think it's some sort of mish-mash of all three of those at the same time. 

And so it was that I hit 'publish' on yesterday's post, and began another day, set to be another one much like the day I described. But by the time I delivered my boys to their class for the morning, my baby girl was so very much 'done' with being in the car for the moment, and the sun was just too glorious to leave it to run errands or open a laptop, or...anything else.

With yesterday's published words fresh on my mind, I decided to shelve all of the things I had planned to do in the morning, and instead, we set out for a "quick walk" in the woods, my little Annabel and I. I walked, she talked. And I stopped along the way to snack, knit just a little bit, take these photographs...and then to nurse her as she drifted off to sleep. 

And that's when I fell asleep. I fell asleep! Right there at the edge of the woods in a really rather public place. I fell asleep! (I'm a light sleeper, and I felt quite safe there, regardless...) It was a glorious nap...the sun was so warm, the birds were quite cheerful, and oh those leaves are wonderful as they fall in the breeze. Bliss. 

After ten minutes, thirty minutes, an hour (I really don't know), I awoke to a thunderous stampede and saw coming towards me, a school bus full of elementary school children. They paid no attention to me, but I am quite certain that I saw an alarmed and rather concerned look from the adult chaperones, as they steered those little children away from the strange lady asleep in the woods.

I giggled a little bit (and so did Annabel), then we packed up our things, and set about to resume our busy day.

And that, my friends, is how I took my ten minutes of peace yesterday.

You?

exhale

Turning the calendar to November last week, I took a deep breath, knowing full well what I'd see. It was, well...as I expected. A month in which I cannot fly - as I usually do - sans calendar. We've entered the busy days of the year - days full of rehearsals, holiday making, holiday parties, and all the regular stuff of our days. Homeschooling, farming, working, living. This week, in particular, is a full one. Full of goodness that we quite carefully chose and are grateful for, but oh-so full nonetheless.

I find myself, especially at times like these, committing mindfully to moving slowly through these days.

Yesterday, in the midst of dropping the boys to and fro, and bringing Adelaide here and there, and delivering this and that, and cooking and writing and photographing this, that and the other thing...I put my baby girl down for a nap, and realized that all was quiet for what I anticipated to be approximately fifteen minutes before the next thing needed to be done. Of course, there was laundry to catch up on, and dinner to get ahead of, and blog posts to write, and phone calls to make...and for a moment I thought about doing one of those things. 

And then I reminded myself: Moving slowly. Breathing deeply. Being present. That is how I want these precious days of my life to be lived.

So I put the kettle on for tea. I brought my latest knitting project onto the front steps (but never actually knit anything). And there I sat, inhaling sunshine and fresh air. Breathing...alone....just like that. 

Ten minutes later, the baby woke up, and it was time to pick up the boys and the flurry of the busy day once again began. But my pace - it was slower. My feet many not have been, but my heart and breath were. And there is nothing I could have possibly "done" in those ten minutes that would have been more valuable for me, or my family. Of that, I am certain.

And so, I find myself once again, committing mindfully to moving slowly through these days. 

And you, my friends? You busy mothers, fathers, grandmothers, friends, farmers, caretakers, crafters and dreamers that I know you to be. Can you take ten minutes in your day today...for you?

I hope and wish that for you today. And always.

some baby things

This weekend, I was a very bad blogger. I did not take a single photograph of the pile of blankets I made my baby sister who's about to have her first baby (times two!), nor the sweet reversible newborn baby girl pants (thank you once again, Quick Change Trousers), nor the buckets (thanks to Maya's Nesting Burlap Bucket Pattern), nor a proper photo of the stack of bibs (the Liberty Bib template is perfect), or even the mountain of sweets that we baked for her baby shower (hello, my favorite macaroons!). Nope, rather uncharacteristically, there is a whole lot of blog fodder missing from the camera card this morning.

But sometimes, that's how these things go. Sometimes, despite all the forethought and planning and knitting....the sweaters are blocking the night before, and you're sewing the buttons onto the gifted knitted sweater on the way to the baby shower.

Yes, that's just how this went.

But I do have these! (Even if it's kinda cheating as the buttons are merely placed where they should be at this point.)

I wanted a little something sweet and lovely amidst the practical and utilitarian in my gift-giving, and so these two little sweaters made their way onto my needles. The pattern is in threes by Kelly Without A Net. I used Lorna's Laces Shephard Worsted - a superwash wool. And those sweet birdie buttons are from Bread and Buttons. A beautiful breeze of a pattern, the sweaters each came together smoothly, and relatively quickly. 

And now, we wait patiently for those two sweet baby girls to join the family. I cannot wait to shower them in love and kisses and, of course, a whole lot more knitted stitches.

SouleMama Sponsor ~ LINEANONGRATA ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Lineanongrata. In Julia's words:

"Lineanongrata sells beautiful prints, postcards, pinback buttons and other objects decorated with illustrations by Julia Freund. If you would like to learn how to draw and illustrate yourself, Julia also teaches an eCourse for illustration."

You can follow along with Julia on her blog, and find out more about her ecourse here.

SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to the work you do today?

Julia:  When I was a child I was an avid reader and sometimes, when inspiration struck, I painted or drew. My family has always considered me 'the artist', although I suspect it was more because I was such an airhead and less because I could draw a reasonably good sketch every once in a while.

After Highschool I knew I wanted to go to College but had absolutely no idea what to study. So I tried German, Philosophy and even Biology for a while. A very difficult endeavor for someone who counts to ten with her fingers and can't do any kind of complicated math (like additions and subtractions) if her life depended on it.

In the end and to a very loud sigh of relief from my parents I ended up studying graphic design and illustration in Aix-en-Provence and Paris. Since my graduation from design school I've been working as a freelance illustrator for magazines and newspapers and whenever my time allows I produce motives for prints and postcards.

At the beginning of this year I was also offered a teaching position at a design school here in Berlin. It's a job I love immensely and that has helped me a lot in preparing for the illustration eCourse I teach via the Internet.

SouleMama: What artists/teachers have inspired your work and life?

Julia: The people who inspire me most at the moment are my students. Those I teach here in Berlin and those I teach all over the world via the eCourse. My students here in Berlin are young college kids and becoming a teacher has been a great lesson. When to push and when to leave them alone. How to clothe technique into words they can understand and apply… there are so many things I learned and so many of them help me with the eCourse. My Internet students are mostly older then my college kids. Many of them were told 'only the stupid kids do art. The smart ones do science', or 'you can't draw. So don't even try', when they were younger. So they never dared to try again. But you wouldn't believe the progress they make in just six weeks! It's amazing. It just takes some tricks and kind words. When I teach them I never criticize. I always pick out the positive things and talk about how just a couple of changes might make an illustration that much better. All the groups I've taught were very kind and encouraging with each other and it's enlightening to see how everybody learns from the others. How even the more advanced ones can still learn a thing or two from the total beginners.

Really, teaching is the most inspiring thing I've seen or done in a good long while.

SouleMama: What's the product or offering in your shop that you're most excited about right now? Tell us about it.

Julia: The 2012 calendar is finally finished and I'm very happy about how it turned out. This year will be all about animals and their ambitions, secrets and jokes.

 

For today's giveaway, Lineanongrata is generously offering the following to THREE winners: 

~ a 2012 calendar!
(WIth the calendar, the winners will receive a selection of postcards, pinback buttons, and other lovely little objects.) 

In addition, Lineanongrata is offering SouleMama readers the following discount. For the purchase of each calendar, you will receive one free print of your choice. Use discount code "SouleMama" and please mention the print you'd like to receive with your calendar upon checkout. Offer valid through November 8, 2011.

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Thank you to Lineanongrata! 

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Monday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  

The winners are...

This would add beauty into anyone's home!
Posted by: Joy

i love julia's illustrations. such beautiful details!
Posted by: tinyhappy

So beautiful and whimsical.
Posted by: Cindy Baugh
 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ OLIVE SPOON STUDIO ~

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Today, I bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Olive Spoon Studio. In their words:

"Olive Spoon Studio is owned and operated by Michael and Erin Waite. Our shop features jewelry made from antique flatware that is rediscovered all over New England. We rescue these small pieces of history from dusty bins in the backs of little antique shops, boxes at flea markets, and scrap heaps at gold and silver buyers’. We find great joy in upcycling them into spoon rings, spoon bracelets, and hand stamped silverware."

You can follow along with Olive Spoon Studio on their blog, Facebook and Twitter!

SouleMama: Tell us about your background. What path led you to the work you do today?

Erin: My husband and I are both creative people, though in completely different ways. I studied ceramics and taught pottery classes at two art museums for many years, leading up to the birth of our second child. Michael is mechanically minded, and sees the potential in what others may think of as nothing but junk. He is the King of Repurposing, and many times has built machines out of odd bits and pieces. As he says, he loves to start with a pile of nothing and end up with something useful.

We have both always desired that our children would be raised and taught at home. The reality of that is, of course, financially challenging, and we had been looking for a side home business that we could work at together, for a couple of years now. Olive Spoon Studio came about thanks to a combination of my love of antique silverware, and Michael’s love of upcycling.

SouleMama: What do you envision and dream for the future of your business?

Erin: We would love to someday both work from home, where we could share the family responsibilities as well as the many aspects of living a more sustainable life. Currently, in addition to our Etsy shop, we also sell at craft fairs and farmer’s markets. We have many more altered flatware designs that we hope to slowly add to our shop over the next year. Eventually, we hope to grow this business to include other upcycled products.

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Erin: In today’s high tech world, there is a growing desire to reach backwards into the past, both in lifestyle and in spirit. We often hear from our customers how much they love wearing a real piece of history on their finger or wrist. In a throwaway society, to wear and touch something that was made a hundred years ago, is special.

SouleMama: How does the balance of family and work play out for you? How has motherhood/fatherhood changed the work you do?

Erin: We love what we do, but we are constantly striving for more balance in our daily life. Balance really is a struggle, but one that is so important to achieve! Our children are both toddlers, so the majority of my day is spent with them. Nap time and nighttime is when I stamp silverware and run the shop. Michael has a more-than full time job, so he makes the jewelry on weekends and late at night during the week. This is both a tiring and a beautiful season of our lives – full of excitement and potential.

Our dream is to have our own little home, tucked into a few acres with plenty of room to garden, and chickens pecking in the dirt. Land enough for our children to roam and discover through all of their growing-up years – a place where they can know and experience the real world outside, rather than the digital version.  Olive Spoon Studio is the first step towards that dream becoming a reality!

For today's giveaway, Olive Spoon Studio is generously offering the following to one winner: 

~ a $40 gift certificate to the Olive Spoon Studio shop! 

In addition, Olive Spoon Studio is offering SouleMama readers 15% off your order total with coupon code "soulemama". Offer valid through November 30, 2011.  

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Thank you to Olive Spoon Studio!

To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner(s), chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   

The winner is...

I was planning to order a keepsake spoon for my baby girl & some jewelry for me...this would help! I looooove these creations!
Posted by: ELFMama

{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.

. . . . . . . .

 

these days, this girl

These days, this baby girl of ours is almost six months old. 

These days, I am knowing the expression "growing before your very eyes."

These days, she is passed around at gatherings from person to person, giggling all the while.

These days, she finds her thumb and falls asleep on that great big chair, all by herself, in the midst of the frenzy of an eight year old's birthday party. Or just the everyday frenzy of home. It's her background noise.

These days, she is both very entertained and very entertaining. 

These days, she has just about outgrown the last of her knitted booties.

These days, she watches our mealtimes with delight in her sparkly, bright eyes and we say, "not yet, little one, but soon!"

These days, she has dimples on her rolls. And she has many rolls.

These days, the only time she is unhappy is in the car, which makes our semi-frequent one-hour commute into the city not always fun.

These days, she stops crying (in the car) and starts giggling when we all sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. I don't know why, but it's true...and we do....and it's very silly.

These days, I wish would slow down just a little bit.

These days, I know will pass and more loveliness and good things will come.

Thes days, I treasure.

morning. noon. night.

1.11.11 ~ morning. noon. night. 

Utah Phillips is an often-quoted man around these parts, but these words in particular (from this much-loved album) fell in my lap yesterday. And it was just what I needed to hear at just the right time. (I love it when that happens.) Today I thought that maybe, just maybe, the same might be true for you.

"Time is an enormous, long river, and I’m standing in it, just as you’re standing in it. My elders are the tributaries, and everything they thought and every struggle they went through and everything they gave their lives to, and every song they created, and every poem that they laid down flows down to me – and if I take the time to ask, and if I take the time to see, and if I take the time to reach out, I can build that bridge between my world and theirs. I can reach down into that river and take out what I need to get through this world."
~ Utah Phillips

Wishing you a most beautiful day today, friends.

sandbox pants (for those too big for the sandbox)

It's become trickier and trickier in recent years to make pants for these older boys of mine. Pockets, sturdy seams, and zippers naturally take a lot more time to make, but are just the things that make for a strong pair of pants suitable for the hardy wear they give them. Plus there's all that fabric, which often makes thrifting a pair of pants much more economical when compared with quality yardage. Oh, and there's style too. Sigh. Somewhere along the way, some of them start to really care about that sort of thing, and Mama's homemade pants are traded in for skinny jeans (and, thankfully, a little bit of sewing themselves - that pants pattern gets a lot of use around here). 

But all of those things just makes it all the more fun for all when I do find a way to make something that they love...and wear! 

Ezra recently complained to me that he didn't have enough comfortable pants. My ears perked up. Comfortable, you say? Oh, I can totally do comfortable. 

{Owl shirt by Silk Oak}

The pants are Sandbox Pants by Oliver + S (which is still printing this pattern in the 4-8 size). I used a soft grey corduroy (I'm sorry I don't remember who makes it, only that I got it at Z Fabrics a while back). The pattern - like all Oliver + S patterns I've tried - came together dreamily and I'm so pleased with the results. I love that waistband, and all the pockets are super fun (though I did leave the buttons off the back pockets in favor of even more "comfortable" pants).

My not-so-little boy is happy with his comfortable pants - they're just right for him and all the wonderful things he spends his days doing - reading, playing guitar, dancing and other good stuff. 

There's something extra rewarding when I can successfully sew for these growing boys - when a mama-made piece works its way into the track pant/skinny jean/skater shorts repertoire. Given that they're actually choosing to wear them, it's kind of like getting a kiss from them in front of their friends. You know what I mean? Like a little parent reward for things like bows and arrows and electric guitars (oh yes, Ezra's gone electric too) in the house.

It's just a pair of pants. But oh, it really does feel good.

November 1st

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Hello, November!

And Welcome (and Welcome Back) to the newest Sponsors here on SouleMama:

Sparkle Stories ~ audio stories for children and families

Grasshopper Store ~ toys. books. art.

Alphabet Glue ~ activities and inspiration for kids who love books (and their grown ups)

Please check out their offerings in the days to come!

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