SouleMama

A Year of Popcorn: Breakfast Popcorn

As promised, and just in the nick of time, today I bring you our February Popcorn! This one has been a special treat around here lately, just right for the darker days of late winter when indulging in such things as extra bacon feels good and right, dare  I say - necessary.

But, bacon in popcorn, you say? Why yes. I am of the belief that bacon belongs with most things, truth be told (most especially in chocolate)....but even those who do not share my passion for bacon anytime anywhere, agree that this is a tasty place for it to be. The basis of this 'recipe' is really the lard, for that's where all the deep flavor comes in, as well as a rather marvelous texture. The bacon is just a bonus, and really could be (and sometimes is) left out just as easily. But lard? Oh, that's magical superfood stuff. (Some more scientific thoughts on the benefits of lard.) Since keeping pigs, and rendering our own lard, and since discovering a coconut allergy in the family, thereby saying goodbye to our much-loved coconut oil, I've been using lard often in the kitchen. I hardly ever reach for the olive oil anymore - and head for lard instead. 

(And if lard and bacon are not your thing, remember January and stay tuned for March, right around the corner! Twelve recipes in total coming your way...hopefully your perfect popcorn will be found along the way.)

(Bacon) Breakfast Popcorn

The Makings:

1 lb of bacon (of course, I recommend a pasture-raised bacon, on the thick side)

1 TBSP - 1/8 cup (depending on the size of your pot) lard*

1/4cup - 1 cup (depending on the size of your pot) popcorn

cast iron dutch oven with a lid**

The Method:

Slice the bacon into small pieces - approximately 1/4 - 1/2" in size. (This is really easy to do if it's partially frozen). Cook the bacon in whatever way you prefer until it's crispy. Set aside on a cloth. On the stovetop, heat the dutch oven, then put enough lard in so that it covers the bottom surface of the dutch oven completely. On medium high heat, let that get very hot, almost to the point of smoking. Add in enough popcorn kernels to cover the bottom of your dutch oven, and give a little stir so that they're all coated a bit with the lard. Put the lid on, lower heat to medium and let it be. When the pops begin to slow, remove from heat. Mix in the bacon pieces. And, enjoy! (It won't need butter or salt or anything else. The lard carries it all.)

Upon diving in, you may find yourself needing to institute same rule as in our family: no mining for the bacon. And no, I have no idea who that rule was created for. 

*For extra flavor and texture, you could use the drippings from the bacon, though in our house, Adelaide snatches that up for the chickens before anyone has a chance to do anything else with it. And I find that it makes the popcorn, a little too bacony (if such a thing is possible, I'm not sure).

**This Staub - well worth every penny I saved for it - is used and loved daily around here, but of course there are lots of cast iron dutch oven options out there! 

{Last time, in popcorn love: Cheesy Herb Popcorn.}

in my kitchen

This week, in my kitchen, I have...

:: watched the empty mason jars pile up before my eyes.

:: enjoyed, and then mourned the end of most of the preserved tomato goods, save for the all-important ketchup and salsa (thank goodness).

:: cooked up a family favorite - smoky corn chowder - more than a few times, with much thanks to the bacon supply that feels neverending (in the best of ways).

:: appreciated all the garlic! and the soap! Both piled so high on my pantry shelf and sure to last as long as I need it to. Perhaps I should just become a soap-making garlic farmer?

:: celebrated, belatedly, a birthday with a gaggle of very hungry twelve year old boys (is it a gaggle? a herd?). 

:: made our pulled pork twice for two different potlucks. Shh.... (I do it kind of like this.)

:: helped Harper perfect his oatcakes. 

:: made a great deal of popcorn and hot cocoa for those returning in from the cold. 

:: prepared February's popcorn of the month for you (coming soon, I promise. The month isn't over yet.)

:: photographed (and ate) the delicious ferments and beautiful handwork of friends for our upcoming Gathering.

:: was inspired to get out my crock and put it to use once again. 

:: walked around - and have not stubbed my toe yet on - the two fifty gallon drums sitting in the middle of the room - thawing out, getting cleaned up and ready for sap storage. 

:: danced, sang, laughed, cooked, cleaned, and shared many moments of family togetherness - loud and quiet, both.

It's a busy place, this kitchen of ours! 

What's happening in your kitchen this week?  

It's Time

For weeks now, it's been the topic of conversation at the feed store, at the gas station and from the rolled-down windows of the pick up trucks passing by. You tapping yet? The question itself a harbinger of the end of winter days. There's a short window of time - 3 weeks or so - once a tap goes in before the hole begins to close up and the tree begins to heal. Trying to predict precisely when those best three weeks are going to be - when the nights are below freezing and the days above (so that the sap fully cycles through the tree and 'runs') - is everybody's guess. A careful survey of the weather forecast, a little bit of watching to see what the neighbors are doing and saying....and then you just go for it. Or at least, that's the "science" behind our tapping date. 

We got a start this weekend, in a light snowfall, on our own trees. With a new (to us) evaporator to step up our game a little bit from years past, more taps in than we've ever done before, and a good winter behind us, we're hopeful about a good run this year. I am mostly proud to report that (so far) I did not tap a single oak tree. Ahem. Still learning, I am.

We'll put the rest of the taps in over the next couple of days, and then...then it's on. We empty the buckets each day on a walk through the woods that gets our blood pumping (that's a lot of sap to lug). When the storage drums are full, the boiling begins - which involves friends, warm fires, popcorn and cocoa while watching the sap boil. At the end of all of that, there may just be a decent stash of maple syrup on the shelves to last us through the seasons to come (or at the least, until honey harvest time). There's a whole lot to love about maple sugaring time! 

DREAM & Gather

Our latest issue of Taproot, DREAM is flying out into the world this week. It's just begun shipping from the printer and will be in the hands of subscribers and on the newsstands soon. After our first year with Jennifer Judd-McGee creating beautiful cover art for us, we're now blessed with the work of Nikki McClure for 2013. A dream come true, indeed. And inside the pages, all the good stuff I hope you're coming to depend on and enjoy from Taproot - food, farm, family and craft - and some new surprises too, with so much good art and life tales along the way. And as is our new rhythm, we're releasing two prints from this issue in our Print Shop. (Phoebe Wahl's Bedtime is pictured above, happily settled into Adelaide's room.)

{Top photograph of Squam Lake by Elizabeth Duvivier.}

There's an extra something special that is announced within and around this issue. Since the inception of Taproot, we've been passionate about nurturing place - about community - as the ways we can deepen our connection to one another, the earth, and our selves. Taproot Gatherings has been an idea I've been holding onto since the beginning - dreaming up all the many ways in which we could gather in different places to learn from one another and deepen those connections and sense of community, in person. From afternoon classes to five day retreats, family oriented, east coast/west coast (and in between)and so on and so forth with endless possibilities for learning and nourishing.

I am so very, very pleased to see it beginning to be realized this year as we've partnered with Squam Art Workshops to create a Taproot Gathering at Squam. This September, we'll gather for five days in the woods and along the shore of Squam Lake of New Hampshire. From the community of talented Taproot contributors, we've pulled together classes, food and feast, celebration and conversation that will, in essense, bring the pages of the magazine to life. 

It's been such a delight to work with Elizabeth these past months in the crafting of this Gathering. It feels rather like standing in my kitchen with a very dear friend before a party. Scheming and dreaming about who will come and how we can make it fun for them, mixing this new ingredient and that old favorite one into the food we make, fluffing the pillows and pressing the dinner napkins (yes, really) for our guests, and giggling in anticipation all the while for this celebration to just get started, already! It's just like that, really. And I'm so happy with what is on the table to offer - packbaskets, spoon carving, natural fiber dyeing, poetry, photography, thrifting, sewing, knitting, flower arranging, herbal first aid, fermenting, cheesemaking, papercutting...and oh so many more good things. (I truly want to take each and every single class.) Add in the delicious and locally sourced food that will be created for us by Josh and Katie of Bread and Butter Catering (creators of Pocket Brunch and One Fifty Ate - yes, those bagels)....and well, I think I best be making myself an old-fashioned construction paper chain to count down the days until September. As you can see, I've been a little bit bursting to tell you all about this, but perhaps now I best stop and just direct you to a Taproot Gathering at Squam where you can find all the details. 

Oh, it is a treat to see this particular little dream taking flight. And I hope that some of you can join us ... in September, or for whatever comes next!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Wooly Moss Roots ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Wooly Moss Roots. In Taryn's words:

"Wooly Moss Roots offers handmade wooden buttons, herbal goodness, and wooly delights. We love making high quality artisan buttons in a variety of reclaimed woods for knitters, sewers, crafters, and creative people of all kinds: to make your handmades, that you pour so much time and energy into, even more special. And we enjoy creating herbal goodness to nurture body and spirit, and wooly delights for wool lovers.

We'd love for you to join us on our blog where we share daily inspirations from our life on our small homestead in the Oregon coastal range. You'll find simple joys, real food recipes, gardening, knitting, and flowing with the seasons, along with a celebration of gratitude every week for our Gratitude Sunday tradition.

Our facebook page is another great way to stay in touch!

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

Taryn: All the ideas for our herbal products come from what our family needs around our own house. Salve is something we always wanted on hand, so we made our own with organic herbs from our garden and that's how our Magical Healing Salve was born. Our once-baby, now adventurous two year old son Bracken, inspired our Blissful Baby Balm. I wanted a simple herbal lip balm with peppermint (I love peppermint!) so we came up with our Peppermint Lip Balm with Calendula. Then I had a vision of lightly berry stained lips and after much experimenting in the kitchen, created our Tinted Lip Balm. We wanted a natural, healthy alternative to toothpaste which inspired the creation of our Peppermint Tooth Powder. And recently, I needed some mama pampering time and made a heavenly Lavender Clay Face Masque.

Our herbal ideas come from the little things in our daily life that we would like to make to enjoy ourselves and sharing them with others who enjoy them too is the best.

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Taryn : Seeing our handmade buttons on other people's creative projects really inspires us. We love it so much we decided to create a WoolyMossRoots Buttons group on Ravelry where people can share their projects. If you are on Ravelry, we'd love for you to join our new group! And if you have any knitting/crochet projects on Ravelry that you've created with our buttons, we would be delighted (and greatly appreciate it) if you took the time to add them to the group for everyone to enjoy. Every time I visit there and see a new project added, it makes my day!

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

Taryn: The favorite part of our job is making stuff! Being creative brings our spirits so much joy. We love getting in a creative flow and being completely immersed in what we're doing. On the days when my husband Jeff and I get creative time, we feel more peaceful and centered.

Hmm... most challenging? I'd say one challenge is keeping our prices down since we put so much time and energy into everything we make. To offer quality handmade items that are also affordable, we continue to learn better ways of doing things and get more and more creative in how we make them. We are learning so much all the time.

Another challenge is distractions while working from home. I'm sure many others who work from home are nodding in agreement to this one. We have to stay very focused on "work time" in the midst of all the things that need doing around the home. We love working from home though and feel so grateful to be able to do so!

Lastly, it can be challenging for Jeff and I to have patience because we have so many ideas and inspirations for things we want to make, new items we want to add to the shop and our progress takes longer than we'd like, because in our enthusiasm we'd like to make it all happen right away. But it all happens in it's time, just as it should.

For today's giveaway, Wooly Moss Roots is generously offering the following gifts to TWO winners:

~ 1 set of 5 Buttons in reclaimed Black Walnut Wood.
- 1 Woodburned Button (Tree or Mushroom.)
- 1 Peppermint Calendula Lip Balm (Choice of Tinted or Regular.)

Plus, 

1st winner gets: 1 Magical Healing Salve. 

2nd winner gets: 1 Peppermint Tooth Powder.

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In addition, Wooly Moss Roots would like to offer SouleMama readers 15% off through February 28^th, in both our Wooly Moss Roots Shop and our Mystic Orb Shop. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code " SOULEMAMA15 " at checkout.  

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  Comments closed!  The winners are:

Oh goodness how I wish for a set of these buttons to "knit for"...thank you thank you!
Posted by: Starfuldolls

thank you for this opportunity.
Posted by: camille

Thank you , Wooly Moss Roots!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Dropcloth Samplers ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Dropcloth Samplers. In Rebecca's words:

"Rebecca Ringquist is a Brooklyn-based visual artist and designer. Her stitched drawings on fabric explore issues of identity through thinly veiled metaphors utilizing old fashioned imagery and double entendres. She learned how to embroider in college in a feminist art history class, and has been inspired by the history of American needlework ever since. Approaching the technique of embroidery as a way of drawing, Ringquist has taught hundreds of people new ways of making marks on fabric through classes and workshops around the country.

Her design company, Dropcloth, sells Ringquist’s hand drawn designs that are printed as embroidery patterns, all ready to hoop and sew.

Please do visit my blog, you can find me there posting about artwork, embroidery, and NYC." 

SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business

Rebecca : A few years ago, when I was headed to Squam to teach for the first time, I decided to draw an embroidery pattern and print a few for the annual Squam sale. That design, the Original Sampler, was really popular, and has continued to be my best seller.  From there, my small business was born, and I’ve been drawing an ongoing collection of samplers ever since..  I’ve always loved sending out mail (and receiving mail!) and I love that I now have a reason to everyday…..

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

Rebecca  : I try to spend a bit of time drawing everyday. Sometimes it’s the same design over and over until I get it just right. I cleaned out my studio in January and organized all my fabric, and the littlest scraps ended up in a bowl on my drawing table.  Lately I  have been having a great time gluing them into my sketchbook and doodling around them to come up with new patterns.  I think a few different samplers will emerge from all those sketches, and I can’t wait to introduce more color into this year’s collection.

SouleMama: If you could spend a day with any crafter/artist who would it be and why?

Rebecca: I would LOVE to spend the day with Maira Kalman. Whenever her drawings show up in the New Yorker I clip them and stick them to the fridge and feel like I’ve won the art lottery.  I love the dedicated way that she seems to draw everything in her world.  Reading her books is a great lesson in looking.  She has written about making her best work on the NYC subway, and I am always on the lookout for her.  I would love to ride the train next to her and watch over her shoulder as those beautiful drawings emerged. 

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

Rebecca: The thing that I am most excited about these days are the Sampler Subscriptions.  These were born out of noticing that I myself only end up using a handful of stitches in my artwork.  Students are always asking me what my favorite stitch is, and it seems so mundane to keep telling them it is the backstitch.  I decided to design a collection of twelve samplers, each based on a different family of stitches.  Each month subscribers get a new sampler, and by the end of twelve months we all will have stitched most of the embroidery stitch lexicon.  Here’s to breaking out of our ruts!

For today's giveaway, Dropcloth Samplers  is generously offering the following gifts to TWO winners:

~ Winner #1: Six Month Subscription to the Sampler of the Month Club

~ Winner #2:  Collection of my three favorite samplers: Original, Paisley, and Summer Lines 

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In addition, Dropcloth Samplers would like to offer SouleMama readers 10% off through February 28^th. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code "SOULEMAMA" at checkout.  

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are:

These look beautiful -- thanks for the chance to win!
Posted by: Deidre

Lovely, colorful and fun way to practice new stitches!
Posted by: ddavies

Thank you, Dropcloth Samplers!

{this moment}

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{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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wintry dress

Annabel got a new dress this week. I actually made it late last year, but it ended up a bit larger than I expected. No matter how many times I've made a pattern - this one in particular, many, many times - I seem to always make everything a little too big. So the dress has been waiting in my studio while she did a little bit of growing. (And that she has done.)

The pattern is the bubble dress by oliver + s, a very favorite pattern of mine. I always think of it as a summery, beachy kind of dress though, perhaps due to the summers in which these dresses were what Adelaide wore constantly (look at her, tiny little thing that's now almost eight years old, oh my!). But we recently had a little friend visit here wearing this same dress layered for winter - with tights and in flannel. Brilliant! My favorite baby girl summer dress could be a wintry dress too. With woolen underthings and knit longies, yes! This one is made with Anna Maria's flannel and no doubt will fit her now all the way through spring and be ready to go for next fall and winter and maybe even the one after that.

Upon thought, perhaps all this making things too big could be my way of getting the longest use of the handmade clothing.... or it might just be how I trick myself into thinking they're not growing precisely as fast as they really are. Hmn. There may be something to that, but I'm going to roll with it. Oh, sweet baby girl.  Growing is all wonderful - every step of the way - but we needn't rush. You just take your time filling out that dress, okay?

from sheep to shawl

(My Lark Rise to Candleford shawl Ravelry project notes. Adelaide's wearing her Tea Leaves. And my dress in Nani Iro fabric is by My Rebe.)

Oh friends. I don't think I have the words to describe how I feel about this - my humble and oh-so-rustic, just off the needles shawl, knit with yarn I spun from Cinnamon, our ewe. From sheep to shawl, from pasture to wheel to needles to shoulders. Blessed and grateful yes, I feel that for certain. But mostly, I'm just so very happy.

on ice

We're just back from a wintry weekend away with dear friends - a cabin full of adventure-seeking adults and the more than eager children that outnumbered us. Full of all the winter sport - on ice, on sled, on ski - to put butterflies in our stomachs, and thrill the daylights out of us all. And the perfect ice complement - fire - to return to for warming, games and just a little bit of knitting, of course. All in all, just the dose of winter medicine needed to remind us all of the possibilities - and the magic - we can find, when we look for it in Winter.

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Nest European Toys & Home ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Nest European Toys & Home. In Lisa's words:

"Our goal is to carry products that are high quality, sustainable, timeless in their charm, and that are lots of fun! We offer a large selection of European (and North American) made wooden toys, waldorf toys, arts and crafts, organic baby products, and natural products for the home. We work with companies like Ostheimer, Grimms, Sarah's Silks, Engelberger, Ruskovilla Woollens, and many others.

Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest."  

SouleMama: Tell us about your background.

Lisa: We're a husband and wife team, each with German connections.  I've been going to visit my family in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany since I was 12, and did some of my university studies in Germany, including my grad studies in physics & renewable energy engineering.  My husband, John-Paul, worked for a year in Switzerland before university studies.  Our backgrounds are different and neither in retail, but we share a love of German culture: their appreciation for quality and aesthetics, for nature and the outdoors, work-life balance, and ecological stewardship.  And the food & baked goods :)

SouleMama: What path led you to the work you do today?

Lisa`: After we came back from a year together in Germany, and I was working in an engineering firm, I was feeling the physical strain of intensively working long hours, sitting at a computer, indoors throughout the summer and daylight hours year-round.  It was hard to leave the sciences, but I knew that I had to make a change for my health.  I got my teaching degree, as science education is a passion, and I opened the shop in the same year.  (Not recommended, lol).  John-Paul too, had been working in an office during the day.  At first he told me that he'd help with heavy lifting and such, but by Christmas the first year, when I walked into the shop, and he excitedly told me "Toy trains!  I've been researching toy trains!", I knew he was fully into it.  When it came time to start our family, we could see that the store offered a lot of flexibility for us to do it together. It's still long hours and a lot of work for sure, but now we're able to spend more time together as a family.

SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business.

Lisa: The shop was born out of a vision that living more sustainably in a North American context need not be such a sacrifice - whether we be homesteaders or urban dwellers (or some combination thereof).  We like to offer people a selection of toys and home goods so delightful and aesthetically appealing, that they first see these qualities, and the sustainability, biodegradability, and health & safety aspects are all just givens.

 SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Lisa  : "Hope for the best, and manage the rest."  (A customer taught me that one when I was expecting our first).

 SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Lisa: We have amazing customers!  When we closed our storefront, and went online-only this past summer, I worried about missing the contact with people, and getting to know them.  Incredibly enough, over the internet and phone, we still get to know some of our customers, which we really appreciate.  Some of them send us photos of things they've made with crafting materials, or the new baby in the home.  It's all really special for us.  We care a lot about each order going out, as we know the package is going to the home of another family or people just like us in ways. 

We have a lot of customers from Waldorf and even Montessori or Reggio Emilia communities or homeschoolers, but then we also have 'aesthetes' who simply like the products.  Sometimes it's a grandparent who wants their grandkids to have more traditional wooden toys.  Actually, we hear both situations - where the parents are encouraging the grandparents to buy wooden toys, or the grandparents are encouraging the parents. ;)

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

Lisa: Our new wooden castles are simply beautiful. They're made of solid adler wood...you have to see them.

For today's giveaway, Nest European Toys & Home is generously offering the following gift to THREE winners:

~$100 Gift Certificate!

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In addition, Nest European Toys & Home would like to offer SouleMama readers 10% off regularly-priced items through Easter Monday, April 1^st. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code " SouleMamaNest " at checkout.  

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  Comments closed!  The winners are:

What an adorable store!!!! I love the snails:)
Post by: Tiffany Parkin

Stunning! Crossing my fingers...
Posted by: Rita

What wonderful toys! I would love to have one of everything!
Posted by: Bee Girl (AKA Melissa)

Thank you, Nest European Toys & Home!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Conscious Clothing ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Conscious Clothing. In Rose's words:

"Conscious Clothing features handmade and hand-dyed sustainable clothing for men, women, and children. Specializing in hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, organic wool and linen.

Visit our shops for adults and children."  

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

Rose: I began Conscious Clothing when my second daughter was born. I wanted to find organic cotton diapers, clothing, and onsies and it was very difficult. That was almost 11 years ago!

I started sewing baby blankets and pants, diaper covers and jumpers. Soon I was making all of my own clothes as well as the girls' and finding a lot of interest from my friends and other young mothers.

The idea of Conscious Clothing grew very organically and soon I had a shop on Etsy and a summer full of art markets and festivals. I'm so happy that the demand for sustainably produced clothing has grown as people make more informed choices about what they buy.

It's very import to me to maintain a small footprint by employing local members of my community, using sustainably grown fabrics, low impact dyes and inks, and sourcing as much material from the United States as possible.

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

Rose: My favorite part of my job is designing! I love the creative process of coming up with new designs. I have notes and sketches all over the place, and sometimes I'll find something from weeks or months ago and decide that now is the time to experiment with this or that.

We have a round table in the middle of the living room where the kids and I can always find paper and pens, colored pencils, paints, and brushes. The more time I spend at the round table, the more time the kids spend creating too!

One of the most challenging things about my job is working from home. I know many mamas struggle with this as it is obviously a blessing and a curse! I'm so glad to have been able to be home with my 3 kids since they were born!

I'm always available for them which means that work doesn't always get done. Its a tricky balance to keep yourself focused and set a schedule you actually adhere to. Sometimes I'm up at 6:00 just to answer the emails before the kids wake up. Sometimes I sneak back into the studio at night to cut out a few more orders. Now that they are all in school during the day, I have a solid 6 hours to be uninterrupted in the studio. But when they get home, whether I'm ready or not, its time for homework, dinner, nerf guns, dance contests, monopoly, dishes, showers and bed..... phew!

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

Rose :   Right now I'm most excited about making smocks and aprons from my hemp linen. I've taken the idea that women these days are extremely hard workers! From the garden to the kitchen to the classroom to the studio, we hardly ever stop moving and creating!

I thought the idea of a work apron or smock that can go over your everyday clothes would be  practical and, when made from hemp, durable. I've been designing and sewing like crazy to get a whole new line of hemp and organic linen smocks, dresses, and work aprons ready for spring!

The smocks and aprons have plenty of pockets and are very versatile and adjustable. Its the kind of clothing you won't find anywhere else, but you'll want to wear all the time.

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

Rose  : I'd like to see Conscious Clothing with a larger children's line in the future. I love how fun and playful baby clothes can be. All of my organic fabrics are the natural choice to put against your child's skin, and so I hope to expand this side of my line.

I also really love the Intimates line. I hope to expand this in the next year as well by adding some funky mixes of patterns and colors. Oh la la!

For today's giveaway, Conscious Clothing is generously offering the following gift to ONE winner:

~Hemp Element Pocket Skirt

(Made to measure and in the color of your choice!)

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In addition, Conscious Clothing would like to offer SouleMama readers 10% off through February 23^rd. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code " soulemama " at checkout.

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.   Comments closed!  The winner is...

My wife would look great in this skirt!
Posted by: tom

 Thank you, Conscious Clothing!

{this moment}

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{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 winter

If you've been around these parts for a while, you know that the month of February and I have a bit of a history not always so pleasant. Yesterday's post and comments reminded me of the intentions I once set for myself and my family, and the work I did in those darker winter days that were sometimes a challenge. I remembered the Winter Manifesto that I shared here in 2009, and that then made its way into The Rhythm of Family in 2011. I hadn't looked at it in likely that many years, but thought it would be fun to do so, and to compare them with the reality of today.

So, below...the words from the original Winter Manifesto with photographs from this week.

1. Follow the sun wherever you find it. Rejoice in the slowly-growing-longer days.

2. Make stuff.

3. With gratitude for the labor of summer and fall, do everything in front of the fire. Morning, noon and night.

4. Get out there every day, no matter how cold or quick the visit may be. Through crunchy snow underfoot and breath-warmed wool on your face, remmeber the magic and wonder of it all. Try not to take it for granted.

5. Shake things up, change the scenery, and 'get out of dodge'.

6. Wool. Flannel. Capilene. Know them, love them, layer them.

7. Gather often with friends. To commiserate. To laugh. To warm the spirit.

8. Savor the memories and bounty of past season's harvests. Plan and dream for the one yet to come.

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Perhaps my Vitamin D intake is at last where it should be, or perhaps my chakras are magically aligned (I say with a grin), or perhaps these years are going by so fast that I hardly have time to notice the calendar month at all anymore. It doesn't matter if I know the reason - February has been growing on me in recent years. The slow pace, the winter lethargy feels fittingly reflective of many of the wild animals outside our door in their own state of slower, only-the-essentials winter activity (oh, I must give one of my favorites, Winter World, some air time as a read aloud this month for the kids).

As I look ahead to the busy days of spring to come, I know that our time will soon be full of hard work and extended energy from dawn to dusk (and earlier and beyond). This period of rest that is my February is essential preparation for what is to come next. And the inevitable restleness it creates, becomes the very thing - the very essential fuel - that gets us up and moving for what good things comes next.

I hope you, too, are enjoying this season just as you intend to! 

 

doing

One of my very favorite and most helpful ways to walk through February - the sometimes funky winter month that it can be - is to do just that - walk through it. Keep moving, wake ourselves up just a little bit from the sleepy part-hibernation we've been under in recent months, and start planning - moving and shaking - for what is to come. Looking around me, I see evidence of just that from everyone in the house. Projects in the making, works in progress, at every corner. A few things on my plate...

...making decisions.

....diving into those things which have overwhelmed me for a little too long (following the theory that there's no better place to start than where you are right now).

....planning for what is to come.

...playing with someone else's fun fiber. 

...making a little something with my own.

...sending this out the door to the printer.

....and delivering these to the mill.

And you? What are you working on these days?

dance

(That pile of beams is a work in progress. Please ignore them in the middle of my kitchen. That's what I try to do.)

The after dinner clean up/dance party tradition is alive and well here these days. And of late, the boys have had a little bit of help from someone who just can't resist moving whenever the music's on. Inevitably, when I try to snuggle up with her in front of the fire for a post-dinner, pre-bed story, she tries to settle in like Adelaide and Harper. But it isn't long before she hears the music, glances sideways to plot her escape, and makes a dash for the kitchen to hang out with these two. Sometimes I feel myself cringe a little on the inside at the music choices and her sweet little ears, as I remember the first songs that Calvin and Ezra knew at this age being by the likes of Woody Guthrie, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Pete Seeger. Instead of Grassy, Grass, Grass being the first lyrics I hear out of her little mouth (as I remember with Calvin), I heard just the other day, coming from this fifth baby of mine, Ice Ice Baby (it's retro cool, ya know). 

But oh, those dance parties. Dance parties with her big brothers, who pick her up and spin around the room with her, then show her a move or two she can do on her own. Dance parties with big brothers who adore her. That makes it all okay by me. Better than okay. It's nothing short of wonderful, really.

white winter

A blizzard, indeed! While the total accumulation here wasn't as much as that a bit to the south of us, it was still more snow than I think I've ever seen come down in one storm. And in true blizzard fashion, too - high winds, and blowing snow that went on through the night and day. Amazingly, we didn't lose power for a single second and besides a fallen tree knocking down the sheep fencing (which we noticed before the girls did, thankfullly), all on this little homestead fared quite well in the wintry weather. We were all especially happy when it was over and the labor of plowing and shoveling out (ahem), and work of building snowforts and sled jumps and forging new ski paths through the woods could begin. It certainly feels like a white, white winter out there now!

 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ High Mowing Organic Seeds ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, High Mowing Organic Seeds. In the President Tom Stearn's words:

"High Mowing Organic Seeds is an independently-owned, farm-based seed company dedicated to supporting sustainable agriculture and providing farmers and gardeners with the highest quality, non-GMO, certified organic seed.

 Our blog ~ The Seed Hopper ~ is full of articles and advice about organic growing."   

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

Tom: I was raised to deeply appreciate nature.  But beginning in high school I realized that appreciation wasn't nearly enough.  Through agriculture we have our greatest impact on the earth and unfortunately these days, it is mostly a negative impact.  It is not a given that we will just figure out how to live in balance with this beautiful planet.  We need new ways of thinking and acting and we need new tools.  Seeds are the first step in either the destruction or regeneration of our land, soil, air and bodies.  I started High Mowing in order to spread the message and tools of deep food system change that I believe will do nothing less than lead us toward the abundant and healthy future that is waiting for us. 

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

Tom:  I have always loved working with great people and right now at High Mowing, there is such a wonderful bunch of folks.  They are dedicated, passionate, smart and super fun.  My favorite part is getting to work with them everyday.  As we have grown since the start of my little seed saving hobby in 1996, my job has had to constantly change.  In that time I have also gotten married and had two children and my parents have gotten old.  Balancing the changing roles in my life certainly is a challenge, but it is also very stimulating and pushes me in all sorts of important ways.  I think that staying still would be worse.

 SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Tom: It is a huge honor to serve our customers.  They are gardeners and farmers that are on the frontlines of changing the way people think about food and farming.  They are the families that are raising their kids in the garden and teaching them about where food comes from and why they should care.  We provide this small but powerful first ingredient that allows so much to happen.  This year, over a million hands held our seeds and planted them in the ground - that inspires the heck out of me.     

For today's giveaway, High Mowing Organic Seeds is generously offering the following gifts to TWO winners:

~Garden Starter Organic Seed Collections

("With these easy-to-succeed varieties, you’ll be on your way to a bountiful harvest in no time! Direct seeded varieties can be sown directly into garden beds or pots, providing a great start to your gardening fun.")   

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  Comments Closed.  The winners are:

This is only my second time planting a garden, but I cannot wait for spring. I have heard great things about High Mowing, thanks for sharing. I plan to buy all my seeds from them.
Posted by: Jennie D

Today we close on our first house - and our first yard - ever. Can't wait to get planting this spring!
Posted by: Hope

 Thank you, High Mowing Organic Seeds!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Quince & Company ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Quince & Company. In Pam's words:

"We're a company that sells hand-knitting yarn. We source our wool from the US and have it spun in the Northeast. With a few other people, we recently opened a commercial dye house in an old mill in Biddeford, Maine. Our goal is to be a competitive mid- scale commercial yarn company--selling a yarn made in the US. We also source and import from Italy an organic linen yarn. We mostly sell on-line so we can be competitive with imports. But this year we're working with a number of stores who will carry our yarn on their shelves. We think shops that teach and support the craft are so important.

On our blog, we talk about the challenges and delights of producing a yarn product in this country, the challenges of maintaining a strong and predictable supply chain, and the joys of opening a dye house! Also, we preview and talk about new patterns, designers, etc."   

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

Pam : I'd love to see our business develop enough that we could employ more people in this area in both a mill and the dye house. I'd also very much like to source some special yarns from specific farms who raise sheep (or other animals) for fiber. This spring we'll introduce a lightweight alpaca/wool yarn made with American fiber and a mohair/wool blend, the fiber sourced from Texas merino sheep and mohair goats. The textile industry is almost extinct in this country. More and more plants close and their equipment and more importantly the expertise of the people who work there is lost. I'd love to hold onto some of that industry and help it to thrive. Anyone wanting to start a textile business, call me!

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

Pam:  We work a lot with independent designers. We collaborate on projects, usually small books of their designs. We supply the yarn, they supply the designs. But we're ready to focus more on our own design work. We miss having dedicated Quince collections. So there'll me more of that in the upcoming year. Sweater trends cycle around. Nothing could be more inspiring, still, than traditional Fair Isle and Bohus patterns. But, drapey cardigans cut at strange angles are fun to think about, too. You can come at sweater design from many angles-- history, color, surface texture, fashion, etc.

SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Pam: Something my mother always said, "It's not what happens to you in life that matters, it's what you do with it." So applicable to anything. A car accident or a basket of yarns--some things are just a given. What to do with them. That's what makes all parts of life creative.

 SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Pam : Everyone! We sell yarn all over the world--to women in their 80's who know how to use a computer to kids in high school. They live in places as varied as Beijing, Ireland, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Korea, Tazmania, and Thomaston, Maine. 

 SouleMama: How are your children incorporated into your business?

Pam: My son, now 28, works for us. He's not a knitter, but he has much needed business expertise and a great eye--hope he'll assemble a collection of knits for men. We have a lot of guy customers. Really.

For today's giveaway, Quince & Company is generously offering the following gifts to THREE winners:

~ Winner #1: pattern and yarn for any of the projects in our Sparrow collection

~ Winner #2 & 3: pattern and yarn for the High St Cap. (in your color choice)

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In addition, Quince & Company would like to offer SouleMama readers 10% off through Wednesday, February 13^th. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code " soulemama " at checkout.

************ Apologies for the error this weekend in the discount code! It IS working now! **************

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  Comments closed!  The winners are:

I don't think I've ever knit with something so nice! I'd love to win
Posted by: Sarah

I've heard about this yarn for so long and would LOVE a chance to finally try it out!
Posted by: Christina

Pattern and yarn oh my!
Posted by: almentzer

 Thank you, Quince & Company!

{this moment}

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{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

(Photo by Steve)

the first knit

I spent a very long time thinking about what to make with my first handspun yarn from our very own sheep. It felt so monumental, I wanted it to be something meaningful. As the wheel spun, and my mind turned, I realized that the most monumental and meaningful thing I could make would be something of use, nothing too precious. Instead, something of use to the very hands that feed and care, love and nurture the sheep whose wool it was all spun with. When Steve - who so rarely, if ever, asks for handknits - mentioned a desire for some handwarmers recently, I knew that was the answer. Handwarmers for the farmer's hands. The hands who more often than not, do the morning chores both day and night. The hands who bring the hay, and break the ice on the water buckets, who shear the fleece and clip the hooves and go along with all the foolish plans his wife comes up with, like having sheep to begin with. Yes, yes...his hands were exactly where the first knit belonged. For all the work of this farmer - from gathering eggs to playing words with friends. Ahem. Warming for whenever.

I think I have just enough left of that to make my young shepherdess a matching pair. I think she'd like that.

(The pattern was an improvised one, but you can find the details on the Ravelry page.)

And now, my first fleece is completely spun and I'll have to wait patiently for shearing season for more (which will come soon enough). Until then, I have this to work with and to puzzle out what to make. Four hundred and fifty yards of worsted weight. While usefulness is good, I'm thinking this can be something of a more sentimental and pretty nature. A shawl (a Lark Rise-inspired shawl!), or a little toddler coat, or....oh, the choices! 

the print shop

One excuse for my Providence visit was to deliver art to be signed. Visiting with Phoebe Wahl in her space, it was a delight to discover these very creatures that I've come to know in her print artwork brought closer to life in three dimensional form. I wanted to tuck them into my pocket to bring home with me, quite frankly, and sprinkle some magic fairy dust upon them to bring them fully into being. Such sweet goodness. 

I did bring home that big box full of magical prints however, that are now headed to the shipping corner of our just-opened Taproot Prints shop. We're thrilled to be featuring a few of our most requested pieces of art from our first year, with the release of some Phoebe Wahl and Michelle Kroll art. Our hope is to create affordable quality artwork for our homes, and to support our community of artists by releasing a new piece or two with each magazine issue that we make.  

The only trouble, you see, lies in trying to decide which ones to put on the walls. Perhaps a rotating Taproot gallery of sorts? Yes, yes...I think that's exactly what I'll do.

the nature lab

I had the great pleasure of a getaway last week to Providence, Rhode Island, all by my very own self (as my littlest ones would say). I was there on Taproot business - to do a little scheming and dreaming with three lovely ladies who reside there - none other than Phoebe Wahl, Christine Chitnis, and Elizabeth Duvivier. But of course some time was made for play too, and I was so very spoiled by the three of them with meals at their favorite spots, snuggles with their precious babes, and tours of their fabulous city. There was so much goodness to take in, but I was particularly smitten with - and am still thinking about - the Edna Lawrence Nature Lab at Rhode Island School of Design. (Created for the students, I believe it is open to the public, with permission from a curator.) A hands-on natural history collection with shelves upon shelves of everything from coral to animal skeletons to fourty different kinds of birds nests, oh my. All preserved and stored for the purpose of studying and inspiring creation and art with - not too precious to touch or hold or manipulate. 

Of course, it reminded me a little bit of home and a certain little someone I know...

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Gleena Ceramics ~

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Gleena Ceramics. In Asya's words:

"“gleena” means “clay” in Russian. All gleena tableware pieces are porcelain and are handmade from scratch by Asya Palatova in her studio in Pawtucket, RI. Asya mixes her own porcelain and glazes using non-toxic and food-safe minerals.

Originally from St. Petersburg, Russia, Asya spent her early childhood summers at her family dacha, a Russian country house. Surrounded by family, friends, and her grandmother’s carefully tended gardens and apple trees, the dacha is a source of endless inspiration for Asya’s organic shapes and colors. Here is a link to some of the photos from that time."   

SouleMama: How long have you been in business?

Asya : I started taking evening ceramics classes while getting an undergraduate graphic design degree in the early 90’s. After practicing graphic design in NYC for about ten years, I decided to get a masters degree with a ceramics concentration at RISD. I still took on graphic design projects for about 6 years after graduating RISD, but ceramics became my full time business in 2010. This is my third year running my own business, and it slowly gets bigger and better every year.

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

Asya:  When I began taking classes in ceramics back in the 90’s, I was making sculptural forms, large hand-built pieces. My graduate thesis was primarily sculptural, and I would love to find time in the future to get back to making those forms. It will be interesting to see what kind of pieces will emerge as I start hand-building with coils again. Though I love the slip-casting process I use on my tableware, there is something very meditative about building large shapes with coils. It is a much slower process.

SouleMama: What inspires you?

Asya: I am constantly inspired by petals, leaves, seeds, pods, shells, stones, insects, birds, animals. I am concerned about how much damage humans inflict on the natural world, and my pieces are my small way of keeping humans aware of the creatures and plants we share our planet with.

 SouleMama: If you could spend a day with any crafter/artist who would it be and why?

Asya: I would love to spend a day with Georgia O’Keefe in her studio, Ghost Ranch, in New Mexico. O’Keefe traveled throughout the southwest, and collected pieces of bone, stone, and plants for inspiration.

For today's giveaway, Gleena Ceramics is generously offering the following THREE gifts to today's winners:

Winner #1: pink giraffe tumbler: porcelain, holds 14oz of liquid, is great for coffee, tea or any other beverage, glazed inside and out, food and dishwasher safe.

Winner #2: blue hummingbird tumbler: porcelain, holds 16oz of liquid, is great for coffee, tea or any other beverage, glazed inside and out, food and dishwasher safe.

Winner #3: pink salt cellar: porcelain, glazed inside and out, food and dishwasher safe

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   To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed!  The winners are...

How perfectly beautiful .... i love the giraffe
Posted by: mamaWren

Such enchanting photos from Asya's childhood summers...obviously some of that magic has been infused into her beautifully crafted ceramic pieces.
Posted by: Trina-Lea Briggs

Oh, yes please. Yes, please!
Posted by: Notes From The Frugal Trenches

 Thank you, Gleena Ceramics!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ The Nourished Home ~

 

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, The Nourished Home with Laura Thompson Brady. In Laura's words:

"Laura Thompson Brady, MS, CHC, AADP offers pregnancy, birth, & Mama wellness coaching to women from around the world. She teaches women how to prepare their bodies, minds, hearts, & homes for a healthy, thriving baby, empowered birth experience, speedy postpartum recovery, & beautiful family life."

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

Laura: I'm excited to share a beautiful program I offer to expecting Mamas from around the world called the Cocoon Time Method Teleseminar. In this program, I help women prepare for a peaceful, restorative, and nourishing postpartum experience. This group coaching program offers four strategies to make your home a peaceful haven in the first six weeks postpartum, quickly heal your body, be well-rested, calm, & confident in yourself, stay deeply connected with your partner, and joyfully bond with your newborn baby. The program runs from February 26^th to March 19^th. To learn more, visit www.cocoontimemethod.com.

SouleMama: Tell us about your clients.

Laura: My clients are Mamas who want support in taking a natural, empowered, and intuitive approach to pregnancy, birth, and parenting. I support women who want to experience a peaceful, restorative, and healing transition into motherhood. Once women find themselves on the parenting path, I help them cultivate greater simplicity, ease, and joy in family life.

SouleMama: How are your children incorporated into your business?

Laura : My two girls, Laila, who is almost six, and Flannery, who is two, are my greatest teachers in my own mothering journey and they inform every aspect of my work with other Moms. My experiences birthing Laila at a free standing birth center with incredible midwives in Delaware and birthing Flannery at our home in Maine have made me passionate about empowering other women through natural birth. The Cocoon Time Method program was born out of my desire to help women enjoy a more peaceful, supported, and healing postpartum experience after I struggled during the early months with my first child. Ultimately, the lessons I learn from my girls everyday about the intensely beautiful and imperfect path of motherhood give me the compassion I need to better serve other Moms wherever they are in their mothering journeys.

For today's giveaway, The Nourished Home is generously offering the following gift to ONE winner:

One spot in the Cocoon Time Method Teleseminar Group Coaching Experience for Expecting Mamas!
(The program runs from February 26th to March 19th and is ideal for those expecting their babies in late-March, April, May, & June.)

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In addition, The Nourished Home would like to offer SouleMama readers 10% off registration in the Cocoon Time Method Teleseminar for Expecting Mamas through February 9^th. To receive the discount, please be sure to enter the code "Soule10" at checkout.

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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:30am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

 

Ooh, perfect timing! Due in late march with my first!
Posted by: Angela

Thank you, The Nourished Home!

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

1 February

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Welcome, February! And Welcome (and welcome back) to the newest Sponsors to join us here this month:

Kimberton Waldorf School ~ in Pheonixville, Pennsylvania

Bees Wrap ~ the beeswax and cloth food storage alternative

Bliss Beyond Naptime ~ scheduling model ecourse

Charlotte Lyons ~ handmade art, design and craft

I encourage you to check out their offerings in the days and weeks to come, and I thank them - and you - for the continued support of SouleMama!

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