SouleMama

Soulful Escape to Bali {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Soulful Escape to Bali!

Soulful Escape to Bali is a retreat dreamed up and hosted by Em Falconbridge and Nicole Lawrence - two creative friends with a love for nature, making things with their hands, and Bali!

Our retreat is held in a beautiful private resort outside of Ubud ~ in a small village where Nicole has lived and been traveling to for the past 20 years ~ where as a group of women we can connect, restore, be creative and immerse ourselves in the Balinese culture. 

Each morning we will gather in our open air living room to make nature mandalas, dye with organic indigo, hand stitch, paint and wet-felt. In the afternoons, group outings include the local silversmith to hammer jewelry, sacred holy springs, meditative walk through the rice paddies and forest, shopping, and an afternoon in a local family home making offerings, music and dancing!  

There will be plenty of down time for yoga, meditation, relaxing by the pool and massage. Ubud is a mecca for raw and organic food, amazing health drinks, yoga centers and spas. The ultimate week of self-care awaits....

Find out more by visiting our website, following us on Instagram or Facebook! 

SouleMama: Tell us about the beginnings of your business and how you've come to be where you are now? 

Em & Nicole: We can remember the exact moment we decided to turn our dream into a plan ~ while floating in the ocean looking up at the clear blue sky in Fremantle, Western Australia ~ giddily we planned out what we wished this week to be, and then went home to nut out the details and put it out into the world! It was scary, and exciting, and in January 2014 we hosted our first Soulful Escape to Bali ~ with a beautiful group of women from around the world. It was magical and everything we hoped it would be, and so we offered it again in October...again Bali cast its magic and brought an amazing circle of women to share the week with. Bali has a way of casting a spell on you...healing energy and beauty abound ~ many of our participants have shared that it was a transformative and life-changing time for them, and we feel this to be true about experiencing this beautiful place and culture. A highlight for many has been the trip to the holy springs where we participate in a traditional Balinese purification ritual, cleansing under a sacred waterfall deep in the jungle. It is a gift to have Nicole's Balinese friends take us to non-touristy places, and into their homes to be able to witness their culture like this.

 

This weekend, Soulful Escape to Bali is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

An indigo cotton voile scarf, hand-dyed in organic indigo by Em & Nicole while in Bali last October!

In addition, Soulful Escape to Bali is offering a bonus Balinese massage to anyone who signs up for the March retreat, mentioning SouleMama at registration.

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 9am EST on Sunday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.  Comments closed! The winner is...

I would love the scarf, & hope to save my money & visit your retreat someday. Needs to be soon since I am 70 years old!!! I deserve a retreat!! Thanks for your offer & hope to hear a lot about Amanda's adventure! Posted by: Mary Ann

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

blizzard quilting

 

I spent a good part of our storm time quilting. I thought I'd just get started and stop when we lost power. But we never did, and so I kept quilting, diving into Ezra's quilt. You might remember I finished Calvin's, made from his baby clothes, a few months ago. I have the fabric for everyone's quilts cut up into piles of 4 inch squares, at the ready. I think I'll end up adding more to Harper and Annabel's, but I feel like the older three kids quilt piles are really 'done' and ready for what comes next. I realized, as I got started with the top piecing, that I'm going to have to get creative with the way I use those four inch squares. While it would be fine for them to all have a similar looking patchwork quilt, I have a feeling I'm going to be incredibly bored making essentially the same quilt over and over. Since I had already started putting Ezra's into strips before this realization, I decided to just add a piece of sold fabric between the rows, and put it a bit on the diagonal. For Adelaide's, I'm considering making triangles out of those squares and coming up with some blocks. I've got time before I need to sort out the last two.

Once again, I am loving this sentimental, memory-lane process of this kind of quilting - the memories that come flooding back as I see each piece of fabric, the thought of them growing as they are. I was showing Ezra the state of his and remarked on the presence of so much plaid. "Yeah, Mom....I'm a plaid kinda guy, don't you know?". Well, I guess I did, but now I really do. While some pieces everyone certainly shares (the slings I cut up, the clothing that got passed from one down to another), I'm really excited to see how differently these quilts end up looking from one another. Just like my kids themselves, - from the same place, with the same materials, and yet as unique and different and individual as they can be. Oh, this is so much fun....

that was something

 

Well, now. That's some serious snow! My skiers/sledders/skaters are beside themselves with excitement. So much so, that the promise of a day on the slopes today motivated them up and out of bed and out into the snow to shovel, shovel, shovel....all before I even woke up. Though the winds were so high, we never lost power, amazingly. And everyone stayed safe and snug and perfectly fine through it all. Especially those sheep, they didn't mind a thing. It must be the wool sweaters...

 

midwinter

This weekend found us celebrating a 14th birthday in the house (really, now? oh my, oh how wonderful), greeting a storm that cancelled all the activities - and even the performances - of the day, and soaking up all kinds of wintry goodness with friends both on the ice and off. Not to mention all the regular winter activities that keep us occupied - handwork, card games, music, books, and curling our hair, of course! (My Adelaide has a little thing right now for hot curlers. One of these days, I'll surely get a photo of her with rollers in her hair, and a half a bale of hay hoisted up on her shoulder as she does chores. It's a beautiful sight to see.)

And now, we find ourselves preparing for what promises to be the biggest storm of the season in the hours and days to come. The barns are battened down, animals tucked in, skiis are at the ready, children are more than eager, and we are, I think,  prepared. Not ONLY do we have pantry storage full of plenty of food to get us by, but oh my goodness, have I got some quilting plans! And the fabric stash to support it, thank goodness. If we lose power, or rather, when we lose power, I'll switch to kniting. All should be well. More than well, I must confess. As being "stuck" at home with all my peeps for a while? Well, that's kinda my favorite thing of all. 

Wishing you all - especially those in the path of this coming storm - much safety and warmth in the coming days! 

Bamboletta Dolls {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Bamboletta Dolls!

We make natural, one of a kind dolls for your little ones. We work with stay at home moms to create beautiful companions that your child may one day pass along to their child.

 

Follow Bamboletta Dolls on facebook and instagram.

Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed?

Christina: We are really excited to be entering into a new chapter here at Bamboletta and that is Doll Kits! I've taught countless people and held workshops and I can't explain the joy it is to witness someone making a doll. From bits of wool and fabric and yarn this little being is born - it's quite incredible. We did a pre release of Piccolina (our smallest doll) Kits and they sold out quite quickly. We will be offering kits again soon and if you are interested you can sign up for our newsletter on our website to get an email of when they will be available.  

This weekend, Bamboletta Dolls is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

This is one of our Piccolina Dolls and her name is Ella (pictured above). She needs a new home and we are teaming up with Soulemama to find her one! Good Luck!

In addition, Bamboletta Dolls will be offering our Soulemama friends Free Shipping until Feb 14th with code SOULESHIP.

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 9am EST on Monday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.  Comments closed. The winner is...

So sweet! My daughter would love to give her a home!
Posted by: Sonya

Monaluna {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Monaluna!

Monaluna is an independent organic fabric company that I run out my home in Walnut Creek, California. I started Monaluna almost 5 years ago out of a desire to bring more earth-friendly and non-toxic fabric options into the marketplace, and to support organic cotton farming all over the world. When I started, I had many years of design training, but very little experience in running a fabric business. However, I knew that I wanted to create beautiful, whimsical and modern prints, and that I wanted to inspire creativity in others while building a business that would support sustainable practices and healthy farming and manufacturing communities. 

 

Almost 5 years later, Monaluna has grown and we now offer organic knit fabric, canvas and (soon!) cotton lawn, as well as sewing patterns and our original cotton poplin. I design all of our fabrics here, and they tend toward the whimsical and modern, with hints of Scandinavian influences (I was very affected by a year living in Copenhagen) and nature-inspired graphic elements. I'm still mostly a 1-person operation, but I get a lot of help from my husband and our 4-year old daughter (who has already decided that she wants to be my "partner") and I'll be looking for more help soon. 

 

Follow Monaluna on facebook, pinterest and instagram.

Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed?

Jennifer: There are some big changes coming this year! I'm getting ready to move Monaluna to a studio outside of our home at the end of the month, where we will have the chance to really expand and grow. It will also have a small brick and mortar retail space, which will be new and exciting for me. As much as I love my business, there is a quietness to being online-only, and I'm looking forward to being part of the community and seeing my customers face-to-face.  

Also, in December our new Westwood Collection arrived, and for the first time we're carrying Canvas! Our Westwood Canvas has been really popular, and is a great weight for items like hats, bags, pillows and table linens as well as structured pants and skirts.

This weekend, Monaluna is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

A fat quarter bundle of all of the Westwood Collection as well as our Westwood Canvas. 

In addition, Monaluna would like to offer ALL Soulemama readers 15% off all orders through the end of January with coupon code SOULEMAMA115. 

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 8am EST on Sunday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.  Comments closed. The winner is...

Love the new Westwood prints! Good luck with your new space! Thank you for the discount and giveaway!
Posted by: Elizabeth

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

a lainey cowl

(Above, the hat I'm wearing is my Rosa Hat, the mitts my just-finished Wabi Mitts, and pretty mug by our dear friend Jess Teesdale.) 

I'm such a fan of the knitting designs of Carrie Bostick Hoge - she's been in nearly all of our Taproot issues and I've loved every pattern she's shared with us. Just this week, her latest collection Anthology 2 was released. I jumped on ordering it, and promptly picked two things I wanted to make. I have no shortage of yarn, obviously....and no shortage of knitting projects going on right now. I think I counted five sweaters last time I checked the basket. But all of those - in sport weight or smaller - are plugging along at a slow pace. That's all fine and well, but sometimes it feels good to crank something out. A big, squishy, fluffy cowl on size 13 needles? Yes, please! I chose the Lainey Cowl, knit with Quince and Co's Puffin. Ah...what a treat to start something in one day and finish it the next. And to have something to cozy to wear at the end. 

Tuesdays with Ani

We sat at the breakfast table, catching our breath after the flurry and frenzy that is getting everyone out the door on a ski day. She was more than happy to say goodbye, and didn't waste a moment of her own breathe in silence (she's not a fan of silence, this one). "Well...." she began, issuing our tasks for the day, knowing that on this special day she really is in charge, "first let's make dresses, then make playdough, and sing The Sound of Music, and make cookies, and...." she continued, rattling off a list of her favorites. We are only a few weeks into this year's ski season, but she knows exactly what to expect - and what to ask for - on those rare days when it is just us three ladies at home together all day, Annabel, Gram and I. She is not shy in relishing it, and honestly neither am I. I've watched four others go off to join the crew on the mountain and I know just how quickly it goes. These solo days are so precious and I treasure them.

Breakfast was brought into my studio because she had to get started right away on those dresses - "so many dresses, all the dresses, Mama!".  Okay, baby girl, twist my arm? Delightful....one on one time in my studio making something. I pulled out a few new fabric purchases that I was excited about working with, but she went to the shelves, poked around, and pulled out this vintage velvet floral. Honestly, I'm surprised it was still there - each and every time I purge my fabric shelves this piece ends up nearly in the donation pile but something about it always makes me put it back. I guess I was waiting for this dress. We got to work, as she helped me with every step of the process and kept a constant dialogue going the whole time (that's my Ani). 

A few hours later, she had herself a new dress. The fabric vintage, the pattern Geranium, which I've made several times now, but this was the first time I did it with pleats and pockets instead of the gathers. (And below, the hat is one I made for Adelaide from Amy Karol's first book Bend the Rules Sewing and the sweater is Little Buds.) We made our way through a few more things on her to do list, including an impromptu jumping on everyone's beds (because they weren't home to say no) and then she said "Oh! let's go show all the animals my new dress!" Ah....such a nice time in the sunshine in the pasture we had! And we both agree that they all loved her new dress too, especially Jane.

Late in the evening, when the crew arrived home - happy, tired, and filled up from their day of powdery fun - she presented herself at the door, awaiting their attention to her new dress. Thankfully, despite everyone's tired and hungry feelings, they noticed, and gave her just what she was after. Beaming, she told them she made it, and that I helped. As we sat around the dinner table reconnecting after a day apart, I looked around to see everyone shiny and glowing from their day. And I started to think about what we could do next Tuesday....though I'm sure Ani has some thoughts of her own and she'll be more than glad to share them with me. 

a winter quilt

It's done! My wintry quilt, begun with some gifted dyed tea towels, mixed together with a whole lot of white fabric, a lightweight batting, and quilted with sashiko stitches. I love, love, love the finished result - it feels, as some of you mentioned when I first shared it, like the winter snow and sky.

The sashiko stitching was incredibly fun and meditative. Until, that is, I misplaced both the sashiko needle and leather thimble. After scouring the floors on my hands and knees and enlisting everyone else to help too, I even went so far as to dissect the vacuum cleaner bag in hopes of finding them (now that's a fun task). No luck. And there was nothing meditative about it after that. Lesson learned - the right tools for the job really matter! I eventually did find that needle (guess where I put it? In the pin cushion! Oh golly....), and made myself a make-do thimble out of a scrap of leather and some elastic. I got back in the groove of stitching, and finished her up late last night. I haven't washed it yet, and I'm a little worried about doing so. All that white fabric, and dyed towels and blue cotton thread. Maybe some dye fixative would be a good idea? Hmn.  

Until I sort that out, this wintry quilt is now in the mix of throw blankets all over the house - dragged from room to room and lap to lap for some extra cozy where ever it's needed. And each time I see it, I'm reminded of the sweet gift that started it all, the meditation of those stitches, and the beautiful stark, fresh white winter landscape outside our door.

Boho Chic Fiber Co. {a soulemama sponsor}

 Greetings from Boho Chic Fiber Co.!

Annie: I started my journey spinning yarn in 2012. I saw some of the early blog posts on SouleMama and was inspired to deepen my love of knitting by learning how to create my own yarn! I started on a drop spindle and only made a small amount of yarn that first year. In 2013 after the birth of my second daughter I mustered up the courage to take a spinning wheel 101 class in Portland, ME and that is when my real love of making yarn was born! In the year that followed I experimented with different dyeing techniques, wools and fibers, opened up an Etsy shop online, and started attending craft and fiber festivals as a vendor. I am so grateful for other dyers and spinners out there who have helped me along the way. Most of my spinning community has been found through Instagram and on Facebook groups, it is such a great way to interact, learn from, and be encouraged by other fiber artists.

I have always considered myself an artistic and creative person but never felt fulfilled in my creative pursuit until I began spinning. What I love about my work is the creativity and variety; from the fibers chosen, how they are dyed, which technique is used to spin, and the different methods used in making fiber products (blending batts, carding and rolling punis) that I am constantly learning and never feel bored when I am working. I like to work by inspiration, sometimes I will dye with a color scheme from nature or a photo in mind, other times the fiber has other plans and happy mistakes are made creating color combinations or textures I wasn't planning on but usually still love! There is really an art to preparing fiber as each kind has different characteristics and absorbs and showcases the dyes differently.

People who have never used hand spun yarn may wonder what is so special about it. I like to tell them that I love hand spun yarn because it adds so much character to a knitted piece, you can make a very simple pattern look much more interesting and complex by simply using hand spun over commercial yarn.  Most of what I spin is considered traditional yarns, a balanced 2 or 3 ply usually from sport to worsted weight. I also occasionally spin mini skein sets, chunky and thick and thin or textured yarns as well. When a product is finished and ready to be listed in my shop I choose a fun fitting name and package and prepare everything I make with care. Currently in my shop and at shows I offer products for knitters and spinners as well as handmade gifts featuring my yarns. My shop is full of hand dyed and hand spun yarns, smooth and textured Boho Batts, Spinning Punis, and hand knit Boho Chic shawls and weavings featuring my yarns.

I welcome you to follow Boho Chic Fiber Co. on Instagram or on Facebook for giveaways, coupon codes or just for a little colorful inspiration! 

This weekend, Boho Chic Fiber Co. is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

Your choice of either 2 skeins of hand spun yarn OR 3 spinning fibers (batts, punis, or roving) from my shop.

In addition, Boho Chic Fiber Co. would like to offer ALL Soulemama readers a discount for the next month (through February 17th) in my shop of 15% off orders placed when you use coupon code “SOULE15"

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 10am EST on Monday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.  Comments closed! The winner is...

What gorgeous colors! Would love to win some of this yarn. Thank you.
Posted by: Penny

Woolen Moss Farm and Studio {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Woolen Moss Farm and Studio!

I grew up in the mountains of Pennsylvania spending my time drawing, making and building. I chased those ideas through the mountains of Virginia and then to Colorado where I completed my sculpture degree. In 2004 I moved with my family to rural NY where Woolen Moss began. During the first few years, the vision of raising all my own wool from the sheep on my own farm evolved into a pursuit of relationships with other wool growers and textile producers, sourcing only high quality organic fabrics for my clothing.

Knowing that cotton is the most highly sprayed crop in the world, I also began carrying organic cotton fabrics blended with bamboo for summer garments. This step propelled me into a year round handmade clothing business. Today Woolen Moss continues to be a one woman operation, but with fast approaching intentions of providing living wage jobs within my small community. 

Being a good steward of your planet means taking good care of yourself too. The idea behind Woolen Moss is that feeling good and looking good are tied together. I believe that moving freely, feeling good about who you are and "being the change you wish to see in the world" can all start with taking good care of yourself and your family. Good, clean, flattering garments are a lovely way to start.

Follow Woolen Moss on Instagram for shop updates along with farm and family goings on. 

Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed?

Kate: I’ve got some exciting news! I had milled some of the dreamiest organic merino wool fabric for the next round of Woolen Moss garments. It is thick, buttery soft, does not suffer from any pilling, and will come in 100% wool for dresses, sweaters and skirts, and with a touch of lycra for pants and leggings. I am so excited to be able to offer this to you in the coming months. And to add to the excitement, I will be collaborating with a long time dyer to produce a new array of colors, all from 100% natural plant dyes. My hands may occasionally be an indigo blue, or madder red, but I truly can’t wait to introduce this new line of garments to you. I’m channeling patience, so I’ll ask the same of you as this has turned into quite a process! But hopefully well worth the wait.

This weekend, Woolen Moss Farm and Studio is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

To get through these cold winter days, I’m offering a pair of black wool jersey leggings to one toasty warm winner. They are thin enough to be worn under just about anything, but warm enough to make it on their own, too. Custom made to fit just you.

In addition, Woolen Moss Farm and Studio would like to offer ALL Soulemama readers 15% off their order through January 24th with coupon code STAYWARM. Please enter the code when selecting your payment option.

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 8am EST on Sunday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.  Comments closed! The winner is...

Oh my. My Wisconsin legs would thank you!
Posted by: Pamela R

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

Staying Warm

My studio, unfortunately, happens to be the coldest room in our house. It's just around the corner and around another corner from the woodstove - our source of heat. I am, by nature, also the perpetually coldest person in the house (you've seen my kids barefoot in winter for years - it makes no sense to me, either!). The combination of those two things - coldest room, coldest person - well, brrr.....that's all I have to say. Especially during this very frigid week we are having here in Maine. I do have an electric space heater in my studio which is effective in keeping one side of my body warm at a time (have I ever told you about the first winter we lived here when I developed a strange 'rash' on my legs, only to discover that it was just a result of sitting too close to the space heater and that I had effectively burned myself while trying to keep warm? It's called Erythema ab igne. Yeah. That was ridiculous.)

Now that I am in this space for good, we are investigating connecting a teeny woodstove into the chimney that is inside the walls of my studio. And thinking about opening up the bathroom in here, and putting in a claw foot tub in place of the shower. (woodstove plus claw foot tub? In the same room? Oh my gosh, sweet heavenly day!)  I've learned to adjust for the time being, for the joy of heating with wood, and living in this house I love so much, and really have made improvements in this little space of mine - so close yet SO far away from the cozy woodstove as it is. My chair is lined with a sheepskin, I just added a rug beneath my feet, I keep a lap blanket around always, and I am quite a fan of my longjohns and of course the wool. All the wool - from head to toe and shoulders and lap. Ah, wool! But it wasn't until this very winter that I discovered my hands were more cold than anything. I can't type fast enough to keep them warm, and I can't keep them warm enough to type as fast as I'd wish! 

Enter my new handwarmers. Simple little handwarmers made from the free pattern Wabi Mitts from Fringe Association. They're knit in a fingering weight yarn, held double at times and singly at other points. It's a sweet and quick little pattern, and just the right result for my studio hand warmers. The yarn is from Shivaya Naturals many years ago now, and is the very last bit leftover from the baby surprise jacket I made while pregnant with Annabel (would you look at that wee little thing? Ah! My baby!). 

A simple and light layer of wool on top of so many more layers of wool. I think it's just the right amount now to keep me cozy and warm in here. And how delightful that wool is the answer to what I need? Because yeah, I've got that.

a new quilt for the new year

This project began with this lovely set of tea towels, a hostess gift from a sweet and talented 13 year old friend of ours. I was hesitant to put them into our cycle of kitchen towels, knowing just how quickly they'd get trashed. Too pretty for that, I thought. And so, instead, I started cutting. I didn't know exactly where I was going with this when I started cutting. I had originally thought pillow covers, but then headed towards a quilt. A simple quilt with lots and lots of white. Lots of white. Really, unlike me, this quilt. But oh, once the top was done I was happy with the decision.

A layer of batting and a backing of all white, without any binding. Oh the white! And now I'm moving onto the quilting part, by hand, with sashiko stitches. It's my first time ever doing so, and everything I've heard about this method of stitching true. It is deeply meditative. And just the very best way to spend the last hours of a day, unwinding and settling down....with a warm quilt on my lap, no less! 

about those intentions

Twelve days into 2015, and here, we are all still feeling the wonderful pull and energy of a new year. It is so amazing to see it manifesting in many different ways, and so varying between the eight of us in this house. I am finding myself surrounded by a burst of creative energy from everyone here around me and it's completely inspiring. We are clearing out closets, and making lists, and brainstorming new projects. Imagining all the many possibilities that "high school" could possibly look like for those who will greet it this year. And "kindergarten" too, for that matter. The game cabinet is tidy and neat. Harper has sharpened every pencil in the house. Adelaide has sorted her yarn stash. The art supplies are purged and cleaned and organized and ready for all the making that is to come. Around the fire, we are plotting chicks and turkey poults and the corresponding new shelters that need building. Looking at the seed catalogs, thinking about the garden and the orchard. A new found dedication to certain instruments and hobbies is thriving. And in the late night after-bedtime-for-kids moments, Steve and I are concocting our own plans and dreams and putting them into motion. I made a wild and crazy decision, with the full support (and gentle nudging) of my family, to say YES to a big adventure this year, and just this week booked a flight to Bali. Bali! I can hardly believe I did it, but every time I think about it I get goosebumps of nerves and excitement in the very best of ways.  It is an adventure unlike any I've experienced before, or that I've ever even wanted before, and yet this gathering called to me in a way that I had to honor, and did. And so, I am going, and counting my blessings, and counting the days!

All around me is the pull of a new year, of new adventure and fresh opportunities big and small. And a chance to look at things with fresh eyes. Oh, it IS a happy new year indeed. Simply by turning the calendar page? Sometimes that's all it takes, isn't it? We are enjoying that so. And hope you and yours are too!

 

 

The Nourished Home {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from The Nourished Home!

Laura Thompson Brady Ph.D., master coach and founder of The Nourished Home, believes that life is meant to be a joyful, soul-stirring adventure throughout the inevitable ups and downs this journey brings. Laura helps women step into their power as Mamas on a Mission: powerful change-makers and leaders in their families, careers, and communities who love and lead with courage, clarity, and grace.

Laura works from the belief that when you get clear about your core values, desires, and purpose in this life, you're empowered to do your part in creating a more nourishing home for the ones you love as well as the whole human family. Through both community and private coaching opportunities, The Nourished Home’s mission is to help you heal what’s holding you back and step up and into leadership as a Mama on a Mission. Laura invites you to claim your space in the Mama on a Mission Community where we are collectively making this planet a more nourishing one through love and leadership in our families and life’s work. 

Laura’s annual flagship community e-course, From Hectic to Harmonious begins January 26th and is designed to help you make space for what you most desire this year by simplifying, slowing down, and creating rhythms and rituals that bring greater ease and joy to your family's everyday life. Laura teaches you to parent with greater intention and confidence, create a more harmonious home, raise joyful, calm, and thriving kids, and have more time and energy for your passions and purpose in this life. The From Hectic to Harmonious process helps you lay the foundation for a centered and supported life so that you have the energy, space, and time to fully show up as the Mama on a Mission that you are.

Word of the Year ~ a FREE community tele-class on January 13th where Laura will guide you through choosing a single word you want to live by this year so that you can love and lead your family and life with greater courage, clarity, and grace.

From Hectic to Harmonious ~ a 5-week community e-course beginning January 26th in simplifying, slowing down, connecting to your core values, and making space for what you most desire for you and your family in 2015.

Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed?

Laura: At this time last year I led my first annual complimentary Word of the Year call. My word of the year for 2014 was mission, which I announced to my community on that call. In the same way that I guided the listeners on the call to connect deeply to a word they wanted to live by, I used my word “mission” as a guidepost for how I showed up in the world over the past twelve months. The result has been profound for me and my business. This single word led me to expand the scope of my coaching practice from solely focusing on how we love and lead at home with our families out into the realm of women’s leadership in our larger communities. We are at a unique point in history where we have the opportunity as women leaders to be the medicine that our planet needs to heal and thrive. I fully honor the quiet courage, profound love, and fierce devotion we are capable of through the private work of motherhood and public work of change-making at the community level. The Nourished Home is becoming a hub for women who have humanitarian and activist spirits, who are creative entrepreneurs, healers, and artists and desire support in their journeys as Mamas on a Mission. I’m hosting my Word of the Year call again on January 13th where I’ll reveal my word for 2015 and guide you through the process of choosing your powerful word of the year. I invite women who feel called by this to join me for this free call here.

This weekend, The Nourished Home is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

Enrollment in From Hectic to Harmonious: Make Space for What You Most Desire, The Nourished Home’s annual Flagship community e-course where you simplify, slow down, and create rhythms and rituals that bring greater ease and joy to your family's every day life.

(When you register for this 5-week E-Course, you'll receive weekly transformative audio teachings, gorgeous action sheets, an invitation into a private community forum with like-minded Mamas on a Mission working on the same goals at the same time, 5 live group coaching calls with Laura, and inspirational, actionable e-mails from Laura over the 5-week journey.)

In addition, The Nourished Home would like to offer ALL Soulemama readers $50 OFF From Hectic to Harmonious: Make Space for What You Most Desire if you register between now and next Saturday, January 17th at MIDNIGHT EST. To receive this special discount, please enter "SOULE50" at checkout.

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To enter today's giveaway, leave a comment below (one entry per person, please). Comments will close by 9am EST on Monday. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced in this post shortly after.   

Comments closed! The winner is...

What an amazing course! Just what I need :)
Posted by: Eva

Pipsticks {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Pipsticks!

We recently launched Pipsticks, a company to inspire kids, crafters and sticker lovers - and, to help parents, grandparents and gift givers. Pipsticks is a sticker subscription company that provides a selection of curated stickers to its subscribers every month. Stickers - like the ones many of us used to collect, trade, and obsess over as kids - sparkly ones, puffy ones, scratch n’ sniff ones. Pipsticks sources stickers from manufacturers all over the world in order to give its subscribers a gorgeously packaged, affordable, and awesome stash of stickers when they need them (because I find my family ALWAYS needs them).

As a mom of (almost) four, I really appreciate hands-off (and non-tech) projects for my kids. The sticker packs arrive with loads of stickers as well as a paper and postcard so that kids can use the pack completely on their own. The whole pack, from packaging to sticker selection, is designed to a fun and sophisticated standard, and totally child-friendly – giving parents a chance to take a break (or just cook dinner in peace and quiet) once in a while.

Pipstick can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Please tell us about the beginnings of your business, and how you've come to be where you are now?

Maureen: I am a graphic designer and worked for years as a corporate brand manager managing large-scale projects and a team of designers before having kids. Once my first son, Atticus, was born, I took some time off and eventually started doing part-time free lance work when I found myself missing a creative outlet. I worked with many "mom start-ups," developing their brands and identity which was fantastic, but I found that I missed the big picture responsibilities of my corporate job. I come from a family of entrepreneurs and had always felt drawn to the idea of starting a business, but realized that it needed to be something flexible that would allow me to spend the bulk of time at home with my kids. 

About a year ago, we were invited to join one of those sticker club chain letters. Like all chain letters, it was a bust: after loads of time and energy to find friends, write letters, enclose stickers, address envelopes, find stamps, etc etc, my kids received one measly response. Though maddening for me, they went absolutely bananas crazy over that one sheet of stickers waiting in our mailbox. Having been a sticker obsessed little girl of the 80’s, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to combine my love of stickers and design and start a company that could support and inspire not only sticker lovers but parents. 

 

As the owner of Pipsticks I have the perfect combination of creative challenge – we maintain a very high standard when it comes to design and quality – and business operations. I love connecting with other makers and crafters, finding new and exciting suppliers and curating and designing each month’s sticker pack with my own children and artistic interests in mind.

This weekend, Pipsticks is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

A 3-month Gift Sticker subscription. One Pipsticks sticker pack will be delivered to the happy recipient every month for three consecutive months. The pack includes loads of different stickers (of course!) each month plus a stamped postcard and a few fun extras that will keep the creativity flowing.

In addition, Pipsticks would like to offer ALL Soulemama readers one month free when you sign up for any 6 or 12 month Club or Family Pipsticks subscription. Offer good through February 2015. To receive this special discount, please enter "MAMA10" at checkout.

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

Comments closed! The winner is...

This looks AMAZING.
Posted by: Jody

{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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a visit to Harrisville

This week I had scheduled one of my frequent trips to Hardwick, Vermont for a Taproot meeting. But rather than take the regular route, I decided to make a trip of it, discovering a new close-to-me place along the way (remember that New Year's Intention to seek adventures? Yes! Big and small!). And that's how I found myself this week in Harrisville the most lovely little New Hampshire town I ever did visit. There is the home of Harrisville Designs, makers of yarn and handmade tools for fiber crafts. It's a two hundred year old woolen mill, revived forty years ago. Given my recent acknowledgement of the flood of fiber in my own backyard, I can tell you that I was remarkably (impressively!) restrained in the showroom and shop. (Oh but those looms are calling me! Someday, someday. Just not yet. I've got to save some hobbies for my fifties and sixties, yes?)

But after the showroom, I was spoiled with a most delightful private tour of the mill, by none other that the charismatic owner himself, Chick Colony. Ah! What a treat for this lover of sheep and yarn and spinning and knitting, albeit the novice that I am in all of those categories. On one level, a great deal of the operation was beyond my understanding, and I marveled at the skill, expertise and finesse required to make the beautiful yarns that we buy in the shops (Brooklyn Tweed, and others alongside the Harrisville brand itself). But on another level, having a basic understanding of the process from sheep to sweater, it was an amazing treat to see it enlarged onto such a bigger scale, but yet still a scale at which everything is touched by human hands and requires such care and attention to get just so. It was fascinating to walk through the mill from raw fleece to finished product, labeled and ready for shipping. And inspirational to see a family working together, and maintaining a community around the work of textiles.

Ah, it's enough to make one want to get knitting, isn't it? 

From the sheep, For the shepherd

There was hardly any knitting gifted from me this holiday season. In fact, this was the single piece. A hat for my love, knit from the fiber of the very sheep he feeds, grooms, shears and loves each day. It's a simple hat, with some ribbed edging, just right for the way he likes to wear it over his ears (he doesn't get cold easily, this fellow of mine). It's from the fleece of Cinnamon - two different shearings of hers, which is so interesting to me. THe color, as you can see, changed a bit from year to year.  Steve seems pleased with it - it's rustic and warm, but not too warm. And just what's need to cover that bald head of his in the coldest of wintry days around here. Which don't make him very cold at all. But that's a true-blue Northern Maine bred and raised boy for you.

So it seems, I don't think I've updated you, that we have become fiber-only sheep farmers. For now, anyway. The plan all along was that this year's lambs would be divided - that all of the ewes would be kept for fiber and that all of the rams would be sent to slaughter to fill the freezer - to round out the pork and chicken and turkey that we raise and eat. Truth be told, I was rather looking forward to adding lamb into our diet. But then the lambs were born - six of them, with just one ram in the mix. One ram, Clove, who was instantly everyone's favorite. One ram who has the most beautiful coloring of the bunch, and not only could provide an amazing color fleece for us each year, but who could certainly add a lovely genetic mix to our sheep or another farm. We kept our date for slaughter all year, considering which ewe made the most sense to accompany him, but when that day in mid December arrived, it was clear that we weren't getting any sheep in that truck. The kids had joined together and come to us with point after point of why it shouldn't happen, vowing that not a one of them would eat lamb chops. Using their voices, that we always encourage them to use, loud and clear. We heard them, and honor that, feeling grateful that we are in a position here where we can rethink our plan for the sheep, and adjust our intended path.

And so we find ourselves with a backyard full of sheep (who are, as you might guess, loved and adored by all)! Not to mention two likely pregnant ewes who were put with Clove in a separate pasture for a while before the final decision was made. Which means that come springtime, we'll have anywhere from ten to fourteen sheep. I've made great progress on spinning and knitting with the wool we've already sheared, but even so, it appears quite clear that no one we know shall ever be without a hat. So long as I keep knitting...

in 2015

Happy New Year, friends! I hope this note finds you and yours having enjoyed (and still enjoying) a most magical season together. This one felt special here, though I don't know if I can quite put my finger on why. But it did - it felt special and sacred and good. As has the passing from one year to the next. I'm always down for a great New Years Party (and do my best to throw that party every year!), but never have been one for New Years Resolutions or anything like that. This year, it's been different. I've been feeling a call to set new intentions, to make the changes happen in my life that I hope for. The light slowly returning, the fresh calendar pages of a new year, oh and a most glorious full moon last night - all inspiring. I have no hard and fast resolutions, per se, that I've made, but as I think about 2015...

 This year, I know - 

I will spend my last year in my thirties.

My oldest son will start high school. High School.

I will log a great many hours in the car, driving to and fro and here and there and everywhere as these kids of ours continue their own adventure seeking and self-discovery.

Our garden, farm, and home will be the place I always return to for centering, connection and peace.

There will be surprises and joys, and tears and sometimes anger living together as a family. We will continue to inspire, frustrate, encourage, and support each other in our days.

This year, I plan to -

Work on growing my patience - and gratitude - for all of the above, each day.

Find ways to care for my body with the same gentleness and care that I give to my children's physical well being. Likely involving less of some things, and more of others - oh, a daily yoga practice would be a beautiful thing. I'm working on it.

Say YES to a new adventure. (Or two!)

Have you been feeling the call to set intentions this time of year? Have you set goals or a guiding word for yourself to follow in the weeks and months to come? Do share if you feel so inspired. And I send you very Happy New Year wishes! 

{this moment}

. . . . . . . . .

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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January 1

Hello January! 

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

Soulful Escape to Bali

a juicy seven day creative and cultural retreat in beauteous bali hosted by em falconbridge and nicole lawrence ~ soak in the natural beauty, meet the locals, refresh and restore your soul...

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Standing Laurel

Natural gemstone malas for mantra meditation and yoga inspired jewelry

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Mama Bliss Coaching School

Mama Bliss Coaching School is a 12-week training program that instructs moms on how to coach other moms on deeper self-care practices, creative expression, and leading a values-based life that invites more simplicity.

This certification process prepares students to launch an online coaching practice by training them to use the ten MamaBliss Coaching tools, the Mama Bliss Coaching approach, as well as providing an outline for leading live workshops. Applications for the Spring 2015 are now being accepted until February 9th.

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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!