SouleMama

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Stubby Pencil Studio

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Stubby Pencil Studio. In Kate's words: 

"Stubby Pencil Studio offers eco-friendly art supplies and creative products that are healthy for children and the environment. We stock crayons made from soy and beeswax - not petroleum; sketchbooks made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper - not virgin trees; and pencils made from sustainably harvested wood and recycled newspapers - not dying forests. You will also find a terrific selection of books, classic toys and games, stationery, party favors, and more.

Follow us on Facebook to catch the latest news and specials. You can also find us on the Stubby Pencil Studio blog and Pinterest."

SouleMama: How long have you been in business? 

Kate: 8 years, I started Stubby Pencil Studio when my girls were two.

SouleMama: What inspired you to start your business?

Kate: In 2006, I was looking to buy art supplies for my toddler twins and like many parents have learned, finding non-toxic, sustainable, artisan made, and eco-friendly art supplies is not so easy. What's a mama to do? Start her own company, of course.

The premise for Stubby Pencil Studio is straight forward, we source art supplies that minimize toxicity to keep kids safe and provide a high level of quality to ensure the products perform and last longer so that kids can enjoy them and they don't end up in the garbage. We won't sell anything we don't believe in or would not give to our own children. In fact, our kids heavily influence the product line - if they don't like it, chances are yours won't either. Our goal is to provide safe art supplies and minimize impact and waste. We try to avoid plastic and stock items that are well made and long lasting. We match good stuff up with people that want to inspire creativity in kids and realize that sustainable purchases make a difference. By offering products that are unique and not overly distributed, we can work with other small businesses and artisans that are committed to responsible manufacturing and we strive to offer a unique selection of items that are not found in other stores. 

Shopping at Stubby Pencil Studio, you'll find a wide array products, from 100% recycled stationery and soy crayons to bamboo rulers and colored pencils made from FSC-certified wood. Looking for recycled sketchbooks, beeswax crayons, art and drawing books, organic chalk? We stock those and many other creative supplies, too.

SouleMama: What's the one thing you can't live without? 

Kate: Coffee and kisses.

 

For today's giveaway, Stubby Pencil Studio is generously offering the following gifts to TWO lucky winners:

~ Winner #1: $100 shopping spree

~ Winner #2: $50 shopping spree

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In addition, Stubby Pencil Studio would like to offer Soulemama readers 15% off your order through the end of 2014 by entering discount code: MAMASAVE15 at checkout! Free shipping on domestic orders over $100.

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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 8:00 am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...

High quality makes all the difference! Thanks so much for this great giveaway!
Posted by: Fiftymilemama

Now this would bring some holiday cheer!
Posted by: Rebecca

Thank you, Stubby Pencil Studio!  

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Imagine Childhood

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Imagine Childhood. In Sarah's words: 

"Imagine Childhood is a family owned and operated company specializing in earth friendly goods, craft and activity tutorials and educational supplies that support and nurture the magic of childhood. 

Visit the Imagine Childhood blog."

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

Sarah: We are very excited about our new Lookbook! With more than 170 pages of inspiring and thoughtful gifts for the holiday season, it's our largest collection yet. We’ve spent the last seven years combing the globe for unique heirloom quality toys, tools, games, and craft projects. This new Lookbook is packed with the results of our search, many of which are $25 or less + we offer free shipping on orders over $100. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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

Sarah: Since it is a family business composed of two generations, working on Imagine Childhood has actually created many more opportunities for family creativity, collaboration and communication. From the projects that we create for the blog to the products we source for the shop, everything that goes into and comes out of Imagine Childhood is the result of the collective efforts of many diverse perspectives with similar roots... which can be a pretty amazing thing to experience together.

SouleMama: Is there a special place that inspires you? 

Sarah: I’ve been getting up early lately and, with the light changing the way it is right now, that means it’s pitch black outside when I roll out of bed into a sort of dream like state. I’m fairly certain that I’m not fully awake as I move through my morning tasks on autopilot. Usually when I’m up that early it’s because I have a lot to do and those precious extra minutes will make my day go much more smoothly. But lately, instead of charging through my long list of tasks, I’ve been taking a moment, that specific moment when the sun begins to rise, to just sit outside. That is the space that inspires me right now. Those fleeting minutes in the morning when everything is open and full of potential. Those seconds when the light changes so dramatically that the world tries on different shapes before settling into the ones we know and recognize. That space inside the early sketches of a day where anything is possible and everything can be fixed or mended if need be. It may only be five minutes, but when I really give in to it, it can change the course of my entire day.

SouleMama: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

Sarah: Right now it’s:

"It takes time to live. Like any work of art, life needs to be thought about." ~ Albert Camus 

For today's giveaway, Imagine Childhood is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:

~ $150 gift certificate to the Imagine Childhood shop!

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In addition, Imagine Childhood is offering 10% off all orders placed between now and December 3rd, as well as free shipping for orders over $100. Use code "soulemama" at checkout. Discount expires 12/3/14.

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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 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

This would be wonderful. I totally agree with her inspiring place. That early morning time is so incredibly wonderful! It is my most favorite time of day, a time of possibilities and excitement and joy. (I just wish I could enjoy it more often!)
Posted by: kim t. 

Thank you, Imagine Childhood!  

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Alewives Fabrics

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Alewives Fabrics. In Rhea's words: 

"Alewives Fabrics is a family-owned business located in a big red barn in Midcoast Maine. The shop has been open since 1978, but for the past decade has been owned by the mother/daughter team of Barbara Neeson and Rhea Butler. We opened our webstore about 4 years ago and now we sell fabrics from our carefully curated selection to sewing enthusiasts from all over the globe!

Alewives Fabrics can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Rhea keeps a blog that is equal parts shop and family life at www.alewivesgirl.blogspot.com."  

SouleMama: What inspired you to start your business? 

Rhea: I began working at Alewives Fabrics for the shop's previous owner when I was just 19 years old. The motivation to turn my part time job at Alewives Fabrics into a full blown career came from my desire to work in an environment that was fun, friendly and offered a lot more freedom than a traditional job. And if I'm being honest, from pure stubbornness as well. A lot of people asked what I was going to do after leaving Alewives, because there was no way I could make a career out of owning a fabric store. Not only has it become a career for me, but it's a living that supports my family financially, allows me the flexibility required to be a mother and wife, and nourishes my creative side as well. To be able to do all of that in a state like Maine is as good as it gets; I just can't imagine anything more fulfilling than being right here in this big red barn, so full of history, surrounded by beautiful fabrics in a beautiful neighborhood, working with women (and men) I respect and admire.

SouleMama: What inspires you?  

Rhea: What continues to inspire me are the gorgeous fabrics that can be found nowadays. The designs are so much fun, you don't have to do much with them to create something gorgeous. When I first started working at Alewives, fabrics were very traditional. In the past few years, fabrics have gone from unassuming calico prints to provocative, edgy, modern designs. Fabrics are so much fun nowadays and all the new designers and companies are creating amazing things. I could have TWO stores the size of Alewives and still not carry all of the textiles I love, but what a fun challenge to pick and choose what I do want to reflect my store's style!  

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

Rhea: I'm a big fan of vintage machines, and at home I stitch on my Great-Grandmother's 1961 Kenmore. Most of our customers have at least one trusty vintage "work horse" machine in their collection, but these are getting harder and harder to find and maintain. This fall, my husband Oliver took a leap of faith and left his full time job to come join our team here at Alewives Fabrics as our vintage sewing machine sales and service division! Ollie is a wizard at fixing machines and he's assembled a terrific collection of vintage machines for sale at our shop. If you have an older machine that isn't computerized he can fix it or even just maintain it with a proper cleaning and oiling. If you're in the market for a vintage machine, he's got a great collection to choose from or he'll track down and fix up a machine that you've got your eye on. It's been so much fun for me as a fabric lover (and wife) to watch my husband develop a whole new set of skills that pairs so perfectly with what I do. Welcome on board, Ollie!

 

For today's giveaway, Alewives Fabrics is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:

~ A selection of 20 different fat quarters of quilting weight cotton, chosen especially for Soulemama readers! 

The "Goldenrod and Thistle" fat quarter set has a neo-colonial vibe; prints pulled from historical textiles, then reinterpreted in modern colors. Fun shades of purple, cream and mustard from designers like Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett and more mix and mingle quite nicely in this collection.  

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In addition, Alewives Fabrics would like to offer Soulemama readers 15% off all fabrics (including yardage, fat quarters, fat quarter bundles, pre-cuts and kits) through Monday, December 1st. To receive the discount, enter the code SOULEMAMA into the promotional code field at checkout. We will manually change the cost of your order on our end, so the discount will not be reflected in your shopping cart or your confirmation e-mail. Discount does not apply to shipping charges. Local customers can also enjoy 15% off their fabric purchases at the shop: just mention the Soulemama promotion when you are checking out.  

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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 8:00 am EST on Saturday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

What stunning fabrics...such vibrant colours. Thanks for the chance.
Posted by: Wendy

Thank you, Alewives Fabrics!  

thanks & {this moment}

Thanks for all the support you offered our lovely sponsors yesterday! And thanks to the sponsors for all their lovely updates and discounts offered! A quick note that the coupon code for Craft South has been fixed. And a head's up that my regular posting schedule for the coming days is a little funky, as we dive into celebrating this holiday. I'm posting my {this moment} today, and welcome you to do so anytime in the coming days if you'd like.

Whether or not you are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday, I wish all of you a most blessed day spent with those you love!

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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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in gratitude

 

Dear SouleMama Readers,

During this week of gratitude, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for spending some of your own precious time here reading. It is a pleasure and a joy to spend my time working on SouleMama, this space that is a part of the work that nurtures and feeds my soul and supports my family. Thank you!

I also want to say thank you today to the people and businesses who support this space as Sponsors. Their goods, wares and creative tools fill my home and hands often. I am proud of each of them and the ethical, creative and thoughtful work they do.

Today, I want to highlight all of our current sponsors. Many of them have graciously offered special discounts for the coming weeks that you can read more about below. I encourage you to check out their businesses as the coming holiday gift giving and craft-making season begins. 

Thank you, friends!

Amanda 

 

44 Clovers

Rachel draws on her deep passion for natural color, vintage textiles, local sheep breeds. Creating truly unique eco friendly hand-spun treasures for her etsy shop, 44Clovers. Rachel also provides natural dye education with a particular interest in foraging for dyes with an ecological context through workshops and online tutorials.

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Alena Hennessy

Alena Hennessy is an artist, author of several books, and mermaid living in the mountains. Take an online class many have called their 'best online experience ever' and tap into your full creative self once again. 

Save 20% off any e course offering with code CREATEWITHSOUL until 12/25.

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Alewives Fabrics

Alewives Fabrics is a family-owned business, offering a carefully curated selection of fabrics in our online store and also in our brick and mortar shop, located in Midcoast Maine.  We carry many different types of fabrics, from quilting weight cottons to voile, vinyl laminate, linen blends, flannels and lawn.  We've got lots of kits and bundles of coordinating fabrics that are wonderful for giving (or for receiving!). Last but not least, we offer gift certificates that can be purchased at the shop, sent via snail mail or even e-mailed to the lucky recipient. 

We would like to offer 15% off all fabrics (including yardage, fat quarters, pre-cuts and quilt kits) through Monday, December 1st with the code SOULEMAMA.  To use online, enter the code SOULEMAMA into the promotional code field at checkout. Discount is on fabrics only, and will not appear in your cart nor in your confirmation e-mail, but we will manually change the cost of your order on our end.  To use the discount in person, please mention this promotion when you are at the checkout counter in our shop.

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Arterro

Artterro.com features our Eco Art Kits (assembled in the US with natural materials), Creative Gift Sets, quality crafting tools and gorgeous art materials to inspire your next family craft project!

For our brand new Art Journal Gift Set, we gathered the essential art journaling starter materials. Along with the Art Journal Kit, which includes Strathmore fine drawing paper, handmade collage paper and several pages of ideas and instructions, the set also includes high-quality colored pencils, a drawing pencil and pen, a great sharpener and a rainbow of washi tape to embellish your pages like a pro.  Give someone the gift of art journaling this holiday season!

Use coupon code NOVSOULE for free shipping and 15% off your order of $30 or more at Artterro.com, through 12/3.

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Aurora Shoe Company

The Aurora Shoe Company was founded on the idea that a good pair of shoes should be made well and fit comfortably. We use American made materials and create all of our shoes in house and by hand. Assembled organically, using simple cuts of leather and minimal stitching, our shoes mold to their owners’ feet the way that only natural materials and careful design can.

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Bamboletta Dolls

Here at Bamboletta we are a group of women creating all natural one of a kind dolls for your little ones. Lovingly handcrafted, these dolls become special friends that one day your child will pass along to their child.

For our Soulemama friends we are offering a free shipping coupon, enter in coupon code 'SOULESHIP' thru December 15th. US and Canada only.

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Bee's Wrap

Bee's Wrap is a sustainable, reusable alternative to plastic wrap for food storage made of beeswax and cloth. Wrap bread, cheese, veggies, snacks or cover a special dish to take to a holiday gathering.  Made in Vermont.

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Brooklyn General Store

Enchanting supplies for the inspired maker.  Handmade goods for the home, the soul and the body.  Join us in the making.

10% off all websales valid until Dec 10th, 2014 with this code:  Soule2014. (Does not include classes, or gift certificates.) 

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Conscious Clothing

Hand made and hand dyed natural fiber clothing- specializing in hemp, organic cotton, and bamboo.

My recent favorite is my Winter Wrap Dress. Made from my hand dyed hemp and organic cotton fleece with a deep hood and extra long sleeves, this wrap will keep you cozy and warm this winter! Layer it with a dress and leggings and you're all set to brave the polar vortex! 

Please enjoy 10% OFF THROUGH DECEMBER 5 with coupon "THANKS" at checkout.

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Craft South

Craft South is a retail/studio project founded by Anna Maria Horner offering workshops, beautifully curated supply, quality tools, and Janome sewing machines for sewists, quilters, knitters, and needleworkers of all levels in a gorgeous space designed for gathering, making, shopping and sharing. 

I launched Craft South this summer as a series of maker workshops in a temporary studio, and in four months we hosted more than a hundred women from around the country/world.  The energy, beauty, talent and friendship that each of them contributed to this project is something that is still inspiring our direction as we stock, design and prepare the permanent brick & mortar location which will be open in Spring of 2015.  As a designer who adores many crafting disciplines, I am so personally gratified by learning new things in this venture and getting to share it all with kindred spirits."

As we are still busy working on our online Craft South shop, we are happy to direct you to my own shop and offer 20% off my limited edition 2015 Calender Prints and Fine Art Prints with the coupon code soulemama2014 through Dec. 15th.

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Grasshopper

Books, toys, and art to spark your child’s imagination.  

Soulemama readers receive 15% off orders of $50 or more with code “souleholiday” (valid through December 31)

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Imagine Childhood 

Imagine Childhood is a family owned and operated company that specializes in earth-friendly goods, craft & activity tutorials, and educational supplies. 

We are very excited about our new Lookbook!  With more than 170 pages of inspiring and thoughtful gift solutions for the holiday season, it's our largest collection yet.  There are hundreds of unique heirloom quality toys, tools, games, and craft projects, many of which are $25 or less + we offer free shipping on orders over $100.

SouleMama Readers can take 10% off all orders placed between now and 12/3/14. Discount Code: SouleMama

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Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company

Kelbourne Woolens is the distributor and design arm of The Fibre Company yarns. We create custom spun yarns which are then hand-dyed in a lovely array of tonal, natural colors. We design knitting and crochet patterns and also, recently, have begun making craft accessories.

Use the code "HOLIDAY" at checkout for 10% off your online order through the Kelbourne Woolens site. Available through 12/17 12 am EST.

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Lavenders Blue Homeschool

At Lavender’s Blue Homeschool I work with families who are looking for a holistic homeschooling method - one that nurtures their child’s creativity, spirit, and intelligence. I offer tons of free resources for the early years on the blog as well as complete Waldorf-inspired curriculums for Kindergarten and First Grade. Lavender’s Blue curriculums are designed to help you thrive as a homeschooler, with detailed lesson plans and all the information you need to feel confident and prepared.

Please use coupon code HOLIDAYS20 for 20% off any curriculum purchase through Dec. 31st.

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Mata Traders

Mata Traders is a fashionable, contemporary, and ethical alternative to fast fashion. Our garments and jewelry are handmade by fair trade artisan groups in India and Nepal, and if you're looking for gifts that give back this season, check out our new holiday collection!

Receive 10% off your order with code SOULEMAMA, and be sure to check out our upcoming promotion, 25% off $25 or more, running 11/28 through Fair Tuesday (12/2), the fair trade community's shopping day alternative to Black Friday.

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Monaluna

Monaluna is an organic fabric company specializing in modern, whimsical prints on premium, 100% organic cotton. We love to inspire your creative sewing and crafting!

Our new Marrakech Collection is made from plush, GOTS-certified organic interlock knit, perfect for cozy clothing for the whole family. 

Please take 20% off your order using the code GRATEFULSOULE through December 1st. 

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The Nourished Home

The Nourished Home is proud to present it's third annual FREE From Hectic to Harmonious Holiday Challenge. Laura Thompson Brady, Ph.D. & founder of The Nourished Home, designed this program to help you transcend holiday anxiety and create what you most desire for yourself and your family this holiday season. This is a time for like-minded women to come together in community and embrace this sacred time of celebration so we can show up bigger and brighter for our families and our world.

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Nest European Toys

Nest aims to offer a curated selection of *Made in Europe & North America* housewares & furniture, children's toys & baby products, and arts & crafts, that are so practical, aesthetically appealing, and of enduring value, that people may delight in shopping from our selection of over 5000 products, knowing that environmental sustainability and safety are both just givens.  A perennial favourite we offer is Ruskovilla organic merino wool and silk long underwear.  Besides being the most comfortable, healthy feeling garments to wear all winter as a baselayer, and for pajamas at night, we also value them for their ethos in sourcing and production.  In Ruskovilla's words: "Our choice is an ecologically and ethically more sustainable world, and we are not alone. Numerous energetic people around the world make this same choice every day, the choice for sustainable development, for a healthy planet and mankind."

Nest welcomes SouleMama readers to shop online using discount code SouleMamaNest for 10% off most regularly-priced items from now through to Dec 2nd.

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Nova Natural Toys + Crafts

We sell toys and crafts that inspire and encourage children and families to learn, share and play together. By selling toys made in Europe, the U.S. or in fair trade businesses, we ensure that our products are as good for the people producing them as they are for our customers. Because our products are made primarily of natural materials like wood, cotton, silk and wool, we ensure that they are renewable and safe. It goes without saying that they are also fun!

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Oak Meadow

Oak Meadow's flexible, progressive homeschooling curriculum can be used independently or by enrolling in their fully accredited distance learning school.

Child-centered and nature-based, families love Oak Meadow's organic approach to learning. High school students will find exceptional course selection and options such as dual enrollment, Advanced Placement and technology courses, and life experience credit.

Use coupon code GreenFriday  for 10% off any item in the Oak Meadow Bookstore Friday, Nov. 28 through Monday, Dec 1

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Ottobre

OTTOBRE design® is the hottest European pattern magazine at the moment.

OTTOBRE design® subscription is perfect gift idea for someone who loves sewing. We publish four OTTOBRE kids magazines and two OTTOBRE women magazines per year. Write "SOULEMAMA gift" on the message box while subscribing and we'll send a tiny surprise gift with your magazine. 

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Quince and Co.

Quince & Co. works with US mills to spin soft, natural hand knitting yarns. Our core line of 5 wool yarns, all spun from American wool, comes in over 50 colors. The picture below features our two newest shades, Caspian and Audouin, which are made from blends of natural brown and white fine wools. Available in Chickadee (sport weight) now, and soon in the rest of the wool line.  

Enjoy 10% off from Thanksgiving day to December 1 with the code “SOULEMAMA14.” 

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Silk Oak

Hand Printed Eco-Friendly Clothing and Accessories for the Whole Family. Made with Love in Ithaca, NY.

These organic Tea Towels are my favorite! They're useful, make lovely gifts and cheer me up when I see them in the kitchen.

10% off your next order with the Coupon Code “GIVETHANKS” thru Dec 7th.

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Stubby Pencil Studio

Stubby Pencil Studio offers a unique selection of eco-friendly gifts and creative products to inspire and delight young artists. You’ll find art materials, classic toys and games, art books, craft projects and more.

Enjoy 15% off your order through the end of 2014 by entering discount code: MAMASAVE15 at checkout! Free shipping on domestic orders over $100.

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The Vintage Pearl

We create meaningful handstamped jewelry and keepsakes in our Tulsa, Oklahoma studio. Our jewelry is custom made just for you and is so unique- makes the perfect gift!

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urban baby bonnets 

hip, mod, sun caps & bonnets for boys, girls, kids, teens, tweens & mamas too!  our hats are fun and stylish while providing absolutely fabulous, chemical-free sun protection.  they're reversible, machine-washable, flexibly-sized & best of all, a snap closure means babies can't get 'em off!  handmade with love in ohio.

give one a try!  we're offering soulemama readers 10% off any one hat of your choice! just use soulemama102014 at checkout.

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Woolen Moss

Welcome to Woolen Moss, where you’ll find a lovely selection of custom made organic wool and cotton apparel. Right now you’ll find a fantastic new selection of 100% organic wool rib, in the most stunning colors. It is perfect for pants, sweaters, dresses and skirts. 

 

I hope you’ll find something you like, in addition to my regular selection of organic cotton and bamboo. And please take advantage of 15% off your purchase through the end of November with coupon code SOULE14. Enjoy! 

Goods in the Shop

I have more Taproot goodness to share with you today. And that's with the very exciting news that our shop is now full of Taproot Goods, those pictured above and more. We had a blast earlier this year, brainstorming as a team and dreaming up all the fun and useful things we could make together. Phoebe Wahl is behind a lot of these great things, and we're so glad for her ideas, collaboration, and of course talent. Growth Charts! Paperdolls! Our Calendar! TShirts! Notebooks! Recipe cards and boxes! It's been like Christmas every day these past weeks as samples of all of this has arrived at my doorstep, and watching them fit right on into my home and our hands perfectly, as though they were always meant to be. Seeing these things come to fruition as they have has been such a joy. Goods like these in our shop help us to continue in our committment to keeping the pages of Taproot advertising free. And we hope in the process, bring something into the world and into your home that is useful, beautiful and well-made. 

(All of these things are now in the Taproot Shop. As some of you read in the pages of BREAD and in our email, on December 3rd, we'll also be opening a holiday pop-up shop on our website. That will be a limited time, and limited run selection of handpicked, handmade goods - things that are favorites in our own homes, from some very wonderful small businesses and artisans. We think you'll find something there for everyone on your holiday list!) 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Quince & Co.

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

"Quince & Co. is a handknitting company featuring thoughtfully conceived yarns spun from American natural fibers or sourced from overseas suppliers who grow plants, raise animals, or manufacture yarns in as earth- and labor-friendly way. In addition to our lovely yarns, we design and curate an extensive line of modern knitting patterns, from socks, to cardigans, to cowls.

For the past year+, Quince has been developing a sister company, Twig & Horn, which will feature a line of hand-knitting accessories dedicated to the same principles as Quince & Co. The line is coming together, and we will be talking about it more over the coming weeks."

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

Pam: I launched Quince & Co. in 2010 in partnership with a historic mill in Maine. I worked in the handknitting industry as a freelance knitwear designer, editor of Interweave Knits, and creative director at Classic Elite Yarns. I started Quince & Co. because I wanted to bring yarn manufacturing, an industry that once had a venerable tradition in the US, back home to America.

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

Pam: It always varies. We’re such a small outfit that we all wear a lot of hats. Over the past few weeks I’ve been buried by “Home,” but going forward I hope to get going on designing a new collection for spring with our linen yarns, Sparrow and Kestrel.

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

Pam: Learning. I’ve been designing knitwear for a long time, and I love it. I suspect I always will. But I’ve been working a lot on the graphic design and photography end of things recently, and it’s been really invigorating to be learning new skills. Not easy, mind you, but it’s given me new perspective and helped keep me inspired.  

SouleMama: How do you keep yourself motivated, and avoid burnout?

Pam: When I’m feeling overwhelmed I like to go hiking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire with my dog, and Quince mascot, Hunter. I’ve hiked all the 4,000+ foot mountains in New Hampshire – I’m in the “4,000 footers club.”

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

~ We are getting ready to release our newest collection, “Home,” very soon. This collection, which I designed and photographed, features cozy, modern knits that are good for lounging on your couch, but that you’ll actually want to be seen in. We’re giving a free copy away to three lucky winners. 

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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 8:00 am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after.  Comments closed! The winners are...

hoping....
Posted by: emily a

love quince and company _ their colors are a dream :)
Posted by: crystal

I've loved their clean and simple designs from the very beginning!
Posted by: Evonne Wee

Thank you, Quince & Co.!  

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Artterro

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Artterro. In founder, Forrest Espinoza's words: 

"Artterro Eco Art Kits are fun, convenient and affordable art projects for boys and girls ages 8 to 108, assembled by hand in Madison, WI. Using natural materials like wool felt, recycled handmade paper, we make it easy to unplug and enjoy art with family & friends! Plus, Artterro.com now features Creative Gift Sets, crafting tools and art materials, to complement our kits and make holiday and birthday gift giving easier than ever.

We created the Spark blog to be a great resource for families that would like to inject more creativity into their daily lives. It’s full of simple DIY craft tutorials, art & sustainability inspiration, and behind-the-scenes insights into our creative company. You can also follow us on Facebook and Pinterest, where we share even more arts and crafts ideas!"

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

Forrest: We just relaunched Artterro.com with a much-improved and expanded store. We now sell Creative Gift Sets, quality crafting tools and beautiful art supplies along with our regular line of Eco Art Kits. Plus our new and improved blog is full of art inspiration, DIY tutorials, sustainability tips and creative ideas for your family. I’m incredibly proud of how it turned out, and I can’t wait for everyone to check it out this holiday season!  

SouleMama: Tell us about your customers.

Forrest: Our customers value quality, sustainability and creativity, and they’re looking for an alternative to the typical arts and crafts kit you can buy at any big box store. I hear from parents, grandparents, art teachers and crafters who tell me that it’s a challenge to find gifts that don’t feel wasteful, “cookie-cutter” or overly commercial. I think of our customers as being a lot like us!

SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business.

Forrest: I was inspired to start my business after a frustrating shopping experience. I wanted to find a fun arts & crafts kit that I could do with my young son. I had always loved making art with beautiful natural materials and wanted to find a kit that was affordable and easy so we could make gifts together. After searching everywhere (I really mean everywhere), I thought, if I'm having this problem then there must be other parents with the same issue. I created my first kit soon after. A couple years later I found my business partner Jen, who shares my passion for art, creativity and family life. We now have eleven products that we assemble by hand here at our Madison, WI office. We sell them to specialty stores all over the US and Canada, and directly to customers from our web store.

SouleMama: What advice do you have for people wanting to be more creative?

Forrest: We write about this a lot on the Spark blog. My advice boils down to setting aside a little bit of time and space in your home and life, just for art. So, setting up a little art station so you have a special place where you can create (or a mobile art station if space is limited), and making 5-10 minutes of art per day a set part of your schedule. It can be difficult at first, but gradually art will feel like both a daily habit and a reward.   

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

~  The following sets:

The whole family will be making gifts and decorations this year, with Artterro’s Holiday Craft Set! The Collage Decoration Kit includes everything you need to make ornaments for your tree, decorations to hang in a window or on a mantle, or gifts to give to grandparents, friends, or teachers.

Create your own cards, gift tags, wrapping paper embellishments, and more with the Bookmaking Kit.

Explore the fun and relaxing art of needle felting with Artterro’s Needle Felting Kit—the four canvases you’ll end up with make wonderful gifts and ornaments! The Holiday Crafting Set is full of paper and felt in all sorts of rich, vibrant colors (not just red & green).

We wish you a colorful and creative holiday!

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In addition, Artterro would like to offer SouleMama readers a free pack of handmade Artterro paper with your $20 order when you use coupon code PAPER20, or get a free Collage Decoration Kit with your $50 order when you use code DECO50. Both offers are available today through November 30th, 2014.

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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 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...

So fun! My fingers are crossed!
Posted by: Sara

I have been wanting to try these for awhile now - my crafty kiddos would love them!
Posted by: JennC

Thank you, Artterro!  

{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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SoulePapa Blogs :: A Line of Work

One morning last week I shook Calvin out of his heavy thirteen year old sleep at 4 am, to join me on a little work trip. We drove north in the dark and fog along the back roads, to meet up with our friend Carter of Gray Ghost Productions. We were on assignment for none other than Taproot Magazine and headed to visit the Knapps at Koviashuvik Local Living School in Temple, Maine just outside of Farmington. Our charge was to capture enough video footage to then turn it into a knife sharpening ‘how to’ segment that would complement Chris Knapp’s article in the newly printed Bread issue of Taproot.

“Why are we going so early?” inquired young Calvin, “can’t we sharpen knives at any time?”

A legitimate question I suppose and certainly age apropos.

“Because wouldn’t it be a bummer to be driving up there in the most amazing early morning light and watch it wash away before we even got a camera out?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” The budding photographer in him understood even if the rapidly growing teenager in him was ready to sleep a few more hours.

I was reminded of the outings with my dad as a kid, always up before the sun and on the road making the most out of the day.  I remember traveling to Boston to go see the Red Sox at Fenway. We always drove down and back in the same day to keep the expenses to a minimum so we'd get home late that night. It always blew my mind how much we fit into that one little day and how, when I thought back to that early morning, it seemed like a totally different day.

We met Carter on the road and drove together the rest of the way into Temple.  By the time we arrived it was misting a little and the fog was still hanging around all of the beautiful nooks and crannies and buildings of Koviashuvik as the days first light began to filter through the trees. We said good morning to the Knapp family and went right to work outside while they woke up and got breakfast and headed into their morning routine. It took a few minutes but I think Calvin was inspired by Carter who was already moving his cameras around and starting to gather images. He got his camera out too and began snapping stills. We had promised him that this was a fun trip and there was no pressure for using his pics publicly in any way unless they met his own rigorous, self imposed standards (first child syndrome, no?).

(Photos by Calvin and Papa)

The Knapp homestead, which is Koviashuvik itself, is a place where work and play, teaching and learning, love and life all mingle and flow together in a calming sort of elixir. It's infectiously peaceful even when you're carrying around audio/video equipment and asking people if it's okay if you get really close to them and record what they're up to. We moved about the grounds, working, talking about our project at hand and their projects at hand. Much of their summer and fall involved them starting construction on their new classroom/school building. A lovely structure which, when complete, will consist of a large multi-use classroom, a bunk area and a library.

We interviewed Chris and had him walk through his knife sharpening talk a couple of times over. By the time we left we had about 3 hours of footage for what eventually needed to be a 9 minute segment. Carter, being the professional that he is, worked hard under a short deadline to edit it all down into something that we feel is representative of both Koviashuvik and Taproot. It's pretty, easy going and it just might have some useful information in there as well!

It was nice to have a rare couple of hours alone with Calvin on the way home. He chatted about all the things he noticed, from how Carter set-up, how much and what he shot to how big the Knapp kids are getting and some of the funny things they said. He noticed how happy everyone was even though it was "kinda like work". "It was exactly like work," I said, "and it was also pretty fun...like hanging out with friends". I let that moment sink in slowly for me and for Calvin. I think he got a glimpse of how his own future could be shaped. Working hard with people that you care about, doing something that you love. What could be better?  

Knife Sharpening at Koviashuvik from Taproot Magazine on Vimeo.

Issue 12::BREAD

Taproot's Issue 12::BREAD is hot of the press and begins shipping to subscribers this week! Issue 12? How can it be? This wraps up our third full year, it's so hard to believe. And each issue gets better and better (in my humble opinion, that is). This one takes the cake. Or the bread. Or the fruitcake, perhaps (no really, read on). A peek inside...

A visit to the magical Bread & Puppet Theater in Vermont, the cob oven inspiration and instruction that I'll be following next year when we hopefully build our own, so many amazing bread - and cocktail! - recipes, and a fabulous gluten free bread baking guide and recipes too. Wintry cowl patterns, and lip balm recipes (just in time for making and gifting), natural dyeing with red onion skins, and a wood carving primer (for all ages!) that I'll share a lot more about with you tomorrow.....and, and...so much more. 

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"Need any help?" My question is mostly rhetorical. I know what the answer will be.

"Nope." (whack!) "I'm (whack!) all set, Mom."

And with that, I do what I've learned is the best thing I can do to help my kids learn how to cook. I back away slowly and I get out of the kitchen.

- Alana Chernila from her piece Dinner With Sadie, about encouraging children in the kitchen

The spectacle (because that's what it is) happens in a barn, which is a theater, and isn't. What is a barn but a place to fill up the stomach and get warm? This barn meets the requirements. It is theater that does what our food should do: go deep, deep into us.

- Schirin Oeding, from her piece The Stars Reach Down to Bless You, a reflection on her time with Bread and Puppet Theater. 

"Carving is a synthesis of two spirits, that of the wood and that of the carver. The wood can tell the carver what to do. "Look at the wood - what does it want to be?" I ask.

- Chris Knapp, from Letting Wood Speak: A Carving Primer

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Ah...I am so grateful for what these contributors share. Their words and art stay with me long after each issue is 'complete' and the skills I'm learning and the recipes I'm learning from within the pages have become a part of my daily life. I do hope the same happens for you when you read the pages. That is our hope.

I want to give a huge thank you to Gennine Zlatkis who was our absolutely amazing 2014 cover artist. We were so blessed to have her lovely work grace the cover of our magazine this year! And we are just as thrilled to announce that our longtime contributor and friend Phoebe Wahl will be moving her work from inside the pages to the cover to be our 2015 cover artist. Hooray! 

We have so much more Taproot news to share with you in the coming days and weeks. If you follow us on Instagram you've likely seen some of the peeks we've shared there - we are busy bees behind the scenes right now getting everything ready for a big holiday shop update! Do check in, follow us on Instagram or join our mailing list to know when it all goes live. Until then, I want to thank you for your continued support - as subscribers or patient readers as I give these updates for these three years year. It is work I am proud of, a community I am grateful for, and something I truly believe in. We thank you for joining us on this ad-free, independent publishing adventure!

Issue 12::BREAD .... in the shop now! 

 

really, really hooked

(Thanks for the photos, Calvin!)

Really, I'm not obsessed, really I'm not. I'm just....well....diving into the deep end, or something like that. A mere month after I picked up the hook for the first time, it seems I've committed myself - both financially and space wise - to rug hooking. First I moved from burlap to rug warp cloth for a backing material. I loved the utilitarian and affordable nature of the burlap, but did not love the mess I was making all over myself and the house each time I used it. This rug warp cloth, though? It's so dreamy to hook through. On? With? (So new to the craft I don't even have the right lingo!) Anyway, it's an entirely different experience with this backing. And I'm hopeful that it'll make a higher quality, and more durable rug when finished. (You'll see above that I started this rug on burlap, but quickly stopped and moved onto the rug warp cloth when it arrived).

Then, just yesterday, I took a little drive to pick up my new (to me) favorite toy - a cheticamp rug hooking frame. Ah! I'm so very thrilled. Upon arriving home, I quickly put it together and stitched my current rug onto it and got right to it. How amazing to be able to see so much more of what I'm working on at once! And to have my lap free. And a space on which to lay out the colors and tools. So so good. I was a little surprised at how large it is - between that and my spinning wheel and everything else, this studio of mine is getting a wee bit crowded! But crowded in good fibery mess, so all is well.

I've heard from so many of you these past few weeks asking about getting started hooking. I highly recommend checking out the inspiring work of Deanne Fitzpatrick, starting with this lovely video.  And yes, I do think this could be a great children's craft. I just picked up this kit for Adelaide for Solstice (shhh!!!), which looks to be a great first project. 

Forgive my Pollyanna perspective, but isn't it just amazing to think about all the things out there that bring us joy, some of which we might not even have discovered yet? To think about all the surprising things we can make and create with our hands? It's exciting, I think. Finding new loves and knowing there are only more to come in this life.

Our November flurry

Every once in a while, I get bogged down in the perceived (by me) drudgery, especially this time of year. Because, oh....how happy I would be to just stay home for days upon days upon days at a time (especially this time of year)! Truly....there are many family jokes about how Mama wins the prize for the most number of days spent happily at home without seeing another soul besides a Soule (ahem).  I do so like it here. Warm and cozy by the fire in my pajamas with the ones I love, plenty of good food and wine, and maybe some fiber. Definitely some fiber. Yes, yes.

And yet! This is the busiest time of year for my loves. There are theatrical plays just wrapping up, and ballets just kicking into high gear (can you hear that Nutcracker music? I certainly can!), and holiday concerts and SO much good stuff that they are learning and exploring and discovering in that great big wonderful world out there. We are on the go right now, to be sure. And every once in a while, Steve and I look into each others eyes (as one or the other of us heads out the door with half of our family) to reminds ourselves - and each other - about just how flipping awesome this time is. To be helping to fulfill the dreams of our little ones, to see them soar in their community and individual talents and pursuits.....and perhaps most importantly, to watch them return and sink on into home when day is done, finding all the comfort, peace, and security we hope they will in this place we've crafted for us all. 

Ah. It is a wonderful time of year. A full one. And a beautiful one. It's got a bit of magic about it, don't you think?

Friends, I wish you a most lovely start to your week! 

 

 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ 44 Clovers

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, 44 Clovers. In Rachel's words: 

"44 Clovers creates eco friendly treasures for you and your home with locally raised fibers and foraged plants. She also offers plant dye education within an ecological context. 

Visit Rachel's blog and shop: both can be reached through the website."

SouleMama: How has your business changed over time?

Rachel: I have always enjoyed working with textiles and I get super excited about all the possibilities. However, I've also been good at taking on too much. Over this past year, I've taken stock in what really means the most to me when it comes to textiles. Learning more about the Fibershed model where ethics and sustainability are taken into account on every aspect of how a product is made. I've been inspired to also hold my business to the same standard when it comes to sustainaility and ethics coming into how I create my pieces. I have recently made a commitment to use up what I have instead of buying more of what I don't need (i.e. more fabric-which I love) and to in the future when I run out of a material such as cotton cloth to either get it used or find a fair trade and sustainble cloth. To me the price does not mean that much to me. Not when I know I am contributing to a healthier work environment of others and helping to stabilize our planet by not buying cloth that is polluting our air and harming others. I do my best to educate myself on where my materials are from and how they were made. Something that has come to mean a lot to me. 

SouleMama: In your mind, what is that one thing which makes your business different?

Rachel: My process for creation is very slow, there are many steps, and creating say a pair of mittens starts with the whole raw fleece. From there I wash it by hand, forage for the dyes myself (i love that sense of discovery, I spin the fleece by hand and then I come up with a one of kind design. Many people have asked me over the years why I bother with all these steps instead of buying my yarns wholesale, getting my fleece processed at a mill, or using much faster acting dyes. I'd say one half of it is because I LOVE the process of working with my hands through each step; my hands in the fleece washing it, dyeing it, spinning it and knitting. And the other half is I enjoy staying connected with an age old tradition of creating pieces completely by hand and from what is available around me. Though two aspects is what makes me thrive with my business. 

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

Rachel: I day dream a lot and am often inspired by objects, lyrics, quotes, ideals, films and people who mean a lot to me. A small percentage is paid to what is trending and then I try and so something different. The only way I can think to describe this "thinking of something different" is like when Anne from the Anne of Green Gables series says to Marilla when explaining how she prays, "I imagine going out into a field and just feeling a prayer." That's kind of how I wait and figure out what to make next. It ultimately comes from inside of me as inspiration is passing through.

 

For today's giveaway, 44 Clovers is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:

~  The Mayo project bag. Made from fabric from Ireland. And a 70 yard center pull ball of Maine raised handspun wool dyed with foraged purple loose strife. 

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In addition, 44 Clovers would like to offer a 20% discount on orders from Sunday November 16th & Monday November 17th, with the code "autumnlove." Please enter the code at check out. On the "Proceed to Check out" page, first look for the small blue lettering of "apply shop coupon code" just below payment types. Scroll over this and then enter the code in order for the discount to happen automatically. Otherwise, Etsy will not know to give you a discount. 

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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 9:00 am EST on Monday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

What a beautiful giveaway! Please pick me!!
Posted by: sage and spirit 

Thank you, 44 Clovers! 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Bee's Wrap

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Bee's Wrap. In Sarah's words: 

"Bee's Wrap is sustainable, reusable alternative to plastic wrap made of beeswax and organic cotton. Wrap cheese, the end of a cucumber, half of a lemon, a loaf of bread or a sandwich.

Bee's wrap is on Facebook and Instagram."

SouleMama: How long have you been in business? 

Sarah: I started Bee's Wrap 2 years ago this October. It has been a very exciting couple of years with many changes. Bee's Wrap spent its year in a workshop connected to our home. This past spring we moved into the nearby town of Bristol to a great workshop nestled between the mountains. Our business has grown bringing in more employees and exciting changes to our production and design. 

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

Sarah: Our most exciting change that has happened at Bee's Wrap is our new fabric print, logo, and package design. We worked for almost a year to make the changes come to light and finally it is here! We now have a new honeycomb print on our wraps that comes from my original hand drawn combs from our first logo. Each honeycomb cluster in a large pattern repeat was chosen and placed with intention. Creating this print, choosing the fabric and printing method was a very fun and educational experience. Our fabric is 100% GOTS certified.

The look and feel of our new simple packaging was also a long process to get it just right. Our packaging is minimal and made of 100% recycled material. It is sturdy, holding up well in the mail and the envelope can also be reused as storage for your wrap.  

 

We hope you like our new look as much as we do!

For today's giveaway, Bee's Wrap is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:

~  A set of 3 small wraps and a set of 3 medium wraps.

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In addition, Bee's Wrap would like to offer a 10% discount on all on all orders received through November 23, 2014. Please use 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 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

Ooh! I would love to win a set; I've been wanting to try these for some time now!
Posted by: Hannah

Thank you, Bee's Wrap!

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

 

better late than never

 

Sometimes....we find ourselves in the middle of another busy day in a very busy month, I hear myself answering the same question I've heard for a string of days in a row with, "No, no. We can't do that today. Maybe tomorrow."  It's too messy, we're too busy, I don't want to manage all of that right now. 

And then "tomorrow" turns into Halloween and I hear, "Mom! We never carved our pumpkins!" And that tiny twinge of Mama guilt we all know so well sneaks in.

But then, weeks later, in the middle of a sunny November afternoon, as we sit on the bench watching the kittens play, pumpkins still whole and at our feet, it's remembered and asked again. Yes! Of course! is the answer. I do nothing, but let them go for it. Having a blast carving and scooping right there on the ground. The insides go to the chickens with much laughter, and the shells are prepared for nighttime lighting, then scattered around the house. It becomes the unplanned on thing they spend the afternoon doing, happily, together, and with a remarkable amount of peace. 

Sometimes....it feels so good to turn a "Not now" into a resounding "Yes!" And to be reminded that it's never too late.

the first of five

It's finished! Calvin's quilt, the first of five in my adventure to do something special with all those baby clothes I've been saving. Each and every square has a story, or a memory. His favorite dress up play clothes, clothes that I made for him, some clothes he even made himself, and bits of the baby sling we carried him in too. Ah, so many memories in this hodgepodge of a quilt! 

(The quilt in progress here and here.) The squares are four inches, and together, it makes a decent throw size. I wanted something that could be cozied up with on the couch, or dragged from room to room, and definitely not precious or fussy. Special in the materials, but comfortable in the use. 

I had talked about saving this for his fourteenth birthday in January. But late on the night I finished it, I pulled it out of the dryer, brought it upstairs, and put it right on top of my lanky, grown up sleeping baby. And that seemed like just the right thing to do with it. I woke in the morning to that stretched out kid at my bedside, with this blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "Thanks, Mommy!" he said sleepily. Not Ma, or Mom....but Mommy. Ah! And that's the best kind of payment I could ask for making such a thing. Now....onto the next.

this time, with yarn

So maybe I misspoke last week when I told you I wouldn't have time for rug hooking until after the new year. I hardly put the hook and hoop away. I really just meant to experiment a little bit - wondering how it would feel and what it would look like if I gave it a go with yarn instead of the wool strips I had been using. I cut a piece of burlap, drew a design on it, promptly set about to ignoring that design, and free ranged this little thing. Besides the blue background yarn, the rest of it is my earliest of handspun yarn - thick and thin in places and very irregular. If I enjoyed hooking with wool strips (which I did), I am absolutely in love with hooking with wool yarn. My little experiment quickly became the only project I wanted to work on, and by the end, I was so wishing I could supersize the whole thing into a rug. Another wall hanging, I do not need. A rug I definitely do. But a pillow? Sure! Fresh ones are always welcome. I backed the piece with linen to make the cover, then made a quick inside pillow stuffed with raw fleece. I like it (and so does Piper the cat).

Some proper linen backing has just been ordered, more of each of these yarns is all queued up, and I'm spying floor frames. I'm ready to make something bigger of it all. This time, with yarn. My yarn! Oh, this is fun....

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company. In Leah's words: 

"Kelbourne Woolens is the distributor and design arm of The Fibre Company yarns. We create custom spun yarns which are then hand-dyed in a lovely array of tonal, natural colors. We design knitting and crochet patterns and also, recently, have begun making craft accessories.

We blog regularly. We also have an online shop where customers can purchase notions, books, patterns, mill ends and one-off dye samples. This is new territory for us, but we have been making and dyeing yarn now for so long that we're overrun with sample skeins! We're adding new things all the time, and it's been a fun work in progress."

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

Leah: I'm constantly knitting on the go, and trying to find different solutions to constant problems along the way. For example, for the holidays my family and I travel to rural Kentucky to visit my father's family farm, which is a seven hour car ride through the hills of West Virginia, aka perfect knitting time. While admiring the beautiful countryside I finished two sleeves for a sweater I was working on at the time. However, when we finally arrived at the farm I checked the gauge and my relaxed vacation knitting was completely different than my swatch. As any knitter will tell you, gauge is important, especially when knitting a sweater. So we designed and created the keychain knit check for on-the-go gauge checking. 

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

Leah: One aspect of my job that I love is finding sourcing and working with different craftsmen and women to create unique products for our customers. Ironically, it is also one of the more challenging parts of my job as well. Hunting for sourcing is like playing a weird game of hide and go seek with manufacturers. On top of that is the production tango with countless prototypes and samples all leading up to the final product. However, the best feeling is holding the final product in your hand ready for the public. 

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

Leah: Wow, this is a tough one! I follow a ton of artisans through their instagram accounts and they all seem so inspirational and connected to their art. One of my favorites, however, is Maryanne Moodie, an extremely talented tapestry weaver who creates one of a kind wall hangings. Her exploration of fibers, color, and incorporation of fringe is breathtaking and truly inspirational. She holds workshops around the United States, and I plan on taking one of her classes in the future.  

For today's giveaway, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:

~ The Kelbourne Woolens Notions Gift pack.

This amazing prize features all Kelbourne Woolens notions including our locally sourced knit checks!

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In addition, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company would like to extend a 15% discount on all online orders placed in their shop, using the code: SOULEMAMA during checkout. Available through 11/17/2014 at 12 am EST.

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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 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...

Great giveaway! Perfect timing since fall always kicks my knitting into high gear!
Posted by: Leah C

Thank you, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre 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.

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SoulePapa Blogs :: Yarn Shepherd

As Amanda continues along so proficiently at the back end of the fiber cycle from the handling of raw fleeces right on through to finished knitted loveliness, I have been chugging along on the front end of the process. This was the third summer with our sheep so we’ve been growing the herd slowly and steadily from two to four and now up to ten beauties, nine ewes and a ram. 

Some of you may remember our very first foray with keeping sheep ended quickly and harshly as we unknowingly took on a couple of very sick ewes from a Craigslist ad a couple of years back.  Well, the trauma of being transported in their condition caused an immediate and unstoppable slide which ultimately ended with both sheep dying within a couple of days. We were pretty rattled by the whole experience but took comfort in the wise words of the local livestock vet and, after a bit of deliberation, decided to keep forging ahead with our plans to be shepherds. First we moved away from private dealings with unknown parties and toward established farms with a track record and reputation for square dealing and healthy animals. This was the beginning of a couple of relationships that have served us well over the last few years. For advice on everything from worm prevention and inoculations to hoof trimming, shearing and proper food and housing they have been an invaluable, local resource. For, as you probably have all realized by now, as wonderful as the internet can be it can also be utterly maddening in its myriad of conflicting information.  When we’ve gotten bogged down in that virtual mess it’s been nice to listen to the experience of others in our own neighborhood. Like many of the farmers I meet, their wisdom is completely humble and authentic as it comes from years of doing and trying, with numerous successes and failures alike. We soon got two more healthy ewes, Emily and Cinnamon, and we were back on track. Emily was already bred and within a few weeks she gave birth to Anne and Charlotte right here on our land. We were kinda green and a little bit nervous when those little lambs came but they survived and even actually thrived.

“I guess we’re really doing this” Amanda said as we stood by our makeshift lambing pen that first year, made out of pallets, and watched those little lamb girls latching on to their mama for the very first time.

"Yup, looks like we are!" said I in my best old Maine farmer voice, "So, what do we do with them now?"

"We feed them and then we make sweaters!" the mama said with a smile.

"Well good, that sounds pretty easy then."

They are pretty simple really, for the most part, the needs of the sheep. But seeing how we were starting from scratch there were a couple of things to be done to get them from lambs into sweaters. So, I built them a little shelter that was kind of semi-portable which is to say that you couldn't really move it very well but it was rugged and I could drag it around with my truck.  We got a great bargain on about a hundred cedar posts and 1200' of woven wire fencing, from a local friend that had sold all of his sheep, and we were well on our way to being able to rotate some livestock.  Of course, a hundred or so cedar posts don't just dig their own hole and on more than one occasion I went to bed with the repetitive motion of the post hole digger jarring away at my brain. But, as they say in these parts about good, honest, hard labor, "It's cheaper than therapy."

Over these last two plus years we've fenced in about two acres in five different sections which allows us to constantly rotate the sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys and pigs through each area in a healthy way. Meaning each section gets time to "rest" and grow without animals on it in between times of activity. We've written before about how overgrown our land had become in the decades that passed between when it was last used as a working farm and when we purchased it.  Continuing to reclaim areas of pasture for the animals to graze has remained a priority. The benefits of that effort are many, including; the constant supply of firewood that comes from thinning out the trees in the pasture, the trees that remain have adequate room to grow healthy and large and, of course, the grasses quickly fill in the void where the trees once stood and provide more food for the animals.  

(* sidenote * The pigs deserve huge amounts of credit here for their ability to turn over land and fertilize it to allow for new growth.  Some of the areas where we've cut had no grass growing because of the heavy tree canopy.  Just rolling the pigs through those spots had grass popping up the very next spring.)

The grass grows and they graze, they grow and their fleeces grow and grow until it's time to be sheared and then that happens.  I've been slowly learning to how to shear our own sheep.  I have a stand which totally saves my back when it revolts from being bent over a squirming sheep like a complete rookie (it's all in the footwork!). After a couple years of going it on my own I'm bringing in a professional shearer this fall to take care of that task and perhaps teach me a thing or two about technique...did I mention this tended to be humbling work? 

So how much are those skeins worth? A lot. Maybe even priceless. For beyond the effort and the hours and the failures and the successes is a bigger picture. A picture that maybe isn't always clear at first. It's vague and sort of blurry but it feels good and it has substance and intrigue and ...heart. Financially speaking we know how much raising our own food saves us. Particularly, when we consider the benefit and cost of buying food that we know exactly where it came from. But, with the sheep, it feels more like an investment in our spiritual well being. The satisfaction of seeing the cycle all the way through, from birth to garment, is an enormous payoff in its own right and over time the actual cost will drop as well. The fences and structures are built now and only require a small amount of maintenance.  We have shears and a stand and an emergency sheep medical kit!  Amanda has her spinning wheel that soothes her mind after a busy day of balancing work and family. And we all have a pasture full of sheep that we can sit with on a crisp fall day and enjoy that feeling that you get when things just seem to fall into place... 

 

hooked

I guess it's official - I'm hooked (and the puns with such a hobby will never end, it's just too easy). I just finished my second hooked rug piece - this one was a kit, Hollyhocks from Etsy seller Harwoodhookedonewe. It was a pleasure to work on this in front of the fire each night, though goodness I do need some better lighting if I'm going to continue hooking. I've resorted to a headlamp, which makes everyone around me laugh. So there's that.

I think I'm ready for a project of my own design, and maybe even perhaps - a rug! Instead of something that ends up on the wall, or as a cat mat, or on the floor of a dollhouse. I think I'm ready. But first up, tomorrow we start shearing, and then I will be swimming in fiber. Oh, and the holiday making must get wrapped up soon, as we are in the thick of another busy Nutcracker season occupying so much of our time. It's such a good thing there is a long winter still ahead - there will be plenty of time for all the things we want to do. Hooking included. 

in November

We did not get the unseasonably wintry weather we thought we might get, though our friends to the East and North (and South!) certainly did. Here in our little corner of the world, there was some light sprinkling of snow, very high winds, and temporary loss of power. Just enough of all of that to remind us of exactly what time of year it is, to cement us in this season of unpredictable weather and the resulting plans that might change, and most importantly - to reintroduce us, in a way, to the comforts of home. And each other. We spent a good deal of our weekend time inside, together, doing the things we love. Making music, making art, making food, and certainly - making messes. Being a family of seven (eight, counting Gram) living all together and schooling and working all together every day all year round, we see plenty of each other....but still, there is an element this time of year of reacquainting ourselves with one another. At least in the sense that we are all - at the same time - together in the same space. No longer do we have quite the same spread of some outside, some in, some back in the woods, and others in the pasture. Instead, our circle of play gets a little bit tighter for much of the day this time of year. Cozy fires, new corners in which to create, meals to make and share - we do these things now while weaving paths around and alongside each other, while trying to keep in mind each others wishes and sensitivities, while remembering the steps to this dance we do together as a family. Of course, that's in the best of moments - the harmony. But it is the feeling we strive for this time of year, and so appreciate when it falls into place - as we embrace the change in season, as we reacquaint ourselves with our place in the family being together, and as we enjoy all that happens when we come inside. 

SouleMama Sponsor ~ Alena Hennessy

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Alena Hennessy. In Alena's words: 

"Alena Hennessy is an artist, author of multiple books, and devotee to beauty found within and all around us. She guides people through art-making and the painting process as a way to experience more love and wholeness in their lives.

Follow her Blog."  

SouleMama: What inspires you?  

Alena: I like to notice the small details in life, like the way the sun filters through the leaves in my bedroom windows, and how the light changes its hue and saturation both an sunrise and sunset. I get especially moved by color combinations, patterns, light, along with gestures of kindness and generosity of spirit. A really good beat or song moves me to no end, along with the rolling sound of the sea, looking up to the infinite sky, and coming together with my sister kin, my art tribe, and partaking in a little magic making and wildness. 

SouleMama: Is there a special place that inspires you?  

Alena: Globally, Italy rocked my socks off. The little towns of Cinque Terre on the Riviera were so dreamy I almost floated right off the Earth! Its a wonderful place to hike and it has probably been the most beautiful physical place I have ever experienced. Diving off cliffs into the Mediterranean in the island of Greece is not so bad either... and I also loved traveling to India and taking in the colors, kindness of people, total overwhelm and culture shock -- it was all good for the evolution of my soul. As far as a place locally, I live in Asheville, NC which is always inspiring. Just walking through downtown and taking in the people, music, little shops, and lively atmosphere is very inspiring. This may sound strange but I also love to walk in a graveyard here on top of some hills, the trees are so tall and you can walk the whole cemetery on concentric circles. It has the most peaceful feeling and also reminds me of the temporariness of life. Everyone who I have brought up there has also loved it... I sense there is a special energy there.

SouleMama: How long have you been in business?

Alena: I have been making art for as long as I can remember, but have been in business as a full time artist since 2005. It has been a beautiful journey for which I am incredibly grateful. All through out my 20's I never gave up on it, although never truly believing I could ever make a living as an artist either, but then one day it happened. I tried many different art-related careers, mostly in education, and one day I knew I had to start my own line of work as an artist and things magically broke open. It was not without its challenges but it also carried a grace.

SouleMama: What advice do you have for people wanting to be more creative?  

Alena: Court your muse, fan her flames... what truly turns you on? Do that. We are all unique onto what inspires us. When you feel your well, do it for you, and then look, receive more input for your being, and let it come out. Create without judgment towards yourself, be ease-full and graceful, and let it be authentic and true to you. I believe there is no wrong or right in art-making, just a desire to express our soul longing. 

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

~ Winner #1: A copy of my new best-selling book, entitled The Painting Workbook

 

~ Winner #2: A spot in the popular A Year of Painting online class, which begins with a whole new world-wide group of participants (both new and experienced to art) starting January 2015. This class is a wonderful way to stay inspired and supported in your creative work all year long!

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In addition, Alena Hennessy would like to offer SouleMama readers 20% off online courses (including A Year of Painting) with the code celebrateart! Ends at the end of this month. 

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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 8:30 am EST on Monday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...

Woah. This would be so ace!
Posted by: Karen Vermeer

The online class sounds amazing!
Posted by: Heather

Thank you, Alena Hennessy!

SouleMama Sponsor ~ The Vintage Pearl

Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, The Vintage Pearl. In Erin's words: 

"We create meaningful handstamped jewelry and keepsakes in our Tulsa, Oklahoma studio. Our jewelry is custom made just for you and is so unique- makes the perfect gift!

Follow our Blog."   

SouleMama: How do you keep yourself motivated, and avoid burnout? 

Erin: Motivation comes and goes in waves. For me, owning this business means I eat, sleep, breathe it 24/7, it's constantly on my mind and can get wearing. Sometimes I feel close to burnout and I have to take a step back and spend time alone or with my family to rejuvenate.

SouleMama: In your mind, what is that one thing which makes your business different?   

Erin: I absolutely love how truly custom and personal our pieces are-- we have many fonts to choose from, birthstones and custom designs that are unique to us that we design from scratch. Our customers can pick out a piece that is so special and close to their heart! Plus, we are handmade in the USA only, mostly by women -- a lot of us are Moms and have become great friends!

SouleMama: If you could eliminate one thing from your daily schedule, what would it be? 

Erin: Checking emails. I'm terrible at staying on top of emails and would prefer to be designing something new!!!

SouleMama: What's your favorite thing you've ever made? 

Erin: This changes often but right now I am LOVING our new christmas ornaments!!!

For today's giveaway, The Vintage Pearl is generously offering the following gift to TWO winners:

~ Lucky winners will win their choice of any Christmas ornament and a $25 gift certificate! 

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In addition, The Vintage Pearl would like to offer SouleMama readers 15% off your order items from now until 11/15/14. Use Promo Code 'soule15' 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 8:30 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winners, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winners are...

Such a nice giveaway- thank you!
Posted by: Justine

The ornaments are beautiful. It would be fun to choose one as a special gift.
Posted by: Kathy

Thank you, The Vintage Pearl!

November 1

Hello November! 

And welcome (and welcome back) to the newest Sponsors here at SouleMama...

Brooklyn General Store

enchanting supplies for the inspired maker

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From Hectic to Harmonious Holiday Challenge

a free holiday challenge ~ slow down, simplify, & connect to what matters most

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Stubby Pencil Studio

eco-friendly gifts and creative products for kids

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Check out all of their handmade, natural, and creative offerings - and those of our other Sponsors - in the days and weeks to come. I thank them and you both for your presence and support here. And if Sponsorship is something you're interested in for your own business, please be in touch!