SouleMama

Barn Owl Primitives {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Barn Owl Primitives! 

While I never imagined my passion for crafting would blossom into a real business, I am so thankful for this amazing journey we’re on, and still can’t quite believe how far we’ve come. I started out in late 2009. I was a wife and full-time mother of two. Money was a little tight around the holidays and making handcrafted Christmas gifts seemed like a good way to make a little extra income. I started making hand-painted, door-hanging snowmen for my friends and family. They were well received and friends of friends started placing orders. That demand snowballed into Barn Owl Primitives and a little shop on Etsy was born.

Over the last few years we have had the great fortune to sell our signs to some pretty amazing companies and people. My We Can Do Hard Things sign is hanging in the Etsy Corporate Office in Brooklyn, New York and in the MTV Office in London. When I received an order for my Playroom Rules sign from Brené Brown, I screamed out loud and almost fell off the couch. But by far the orders that we are most proud of are from people you’ve never heard of. The daughter who purchased a sign for her dad’s 70th birthday with all the sayings he’s been repeating to her for the last 46 years. The mother who allowed me to see and paint the special and private poem that she repeats to her autistic son each night before he goes to sleep. The grandmother who ordered my Strength of My Love sign for her granddaughter, who spent almost a year in the NICU before finally coming home. My friend who lost her 12-year-old son to an unthinkable accident during a flood. These are just a few of the accomplishments that we are most proud of and the ones that make what we do so rewarding and worthwhile.

shop • facebook  • instagram

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

Kristi: Since the last time we were featured, my husband Sean has joined Barn Owl Primitives leaving his Vice President of Operations role at a very successful start-up to help me grow our business. We recently launched a new website and blog. We still have a shop on Etsy, too. We couldn’t be more excited about the future. Our sole focus is to continue to bring our customers new and better designs, and produce the highest quality products in the market. Words matter is not just our mantra, it’s our mission. Being granted the opportunity to craft products that memorialize our customer’s most important values, principles, memories, and sayings is a gift. And why we get up everyday.

This weekend, Barn Owl Primitives is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

a $75 gift certificate to our shop

In addition, Barn Owl Primitives is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 15% off in our shop through 3/8/15. Enter code soulemama15 at checkout.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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...

It is so amazing how these small companies have grown. It is the sign of our dollars mattering! Would love to win!
Posted by: Katie Ward

{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.

. . . . . . . . . . 

a warm and wintry day

Yesterday, the sun appeared, the wind quieted down and the temperature reached an amazing thirty degrees fahrenheit. Thirty degrees! We took full advantage - the big kids and Papa hitting the slopes, while the two little ones and I spent the afternoon having our own adventure. We built a snow fort, made a fire, and toasted a few marshmallows. Thank goodness Mama keeps a secret stash of those (I'll never tell where they are) for just such a special occasion. It felt so good there, sitting still in the sunshine, by the warmth of the fire, with my babes. Ah....what a gift such a day is.

one day of play

Lots of you have been asking for indoor screen free activity ideas of late. I get it. This can be such a challenging time of year. My kids spend a lot of time outside - skiing, sledding, building forts, visiting the animals. But on days like yesterday, when the temperatures are so low, and the wind chill so high, a half an hour was the most I saw anyone outside. And that leaves a whole lot of day inside! There are the normal everyday things that keep everyone occupied - making music, reading books, drawing, playing with the farmhouse, playing dolls, building blocks, cooking, helping with chores, and on and on. But this time of year, some of that - even our most beloved activities - can feel monotonous and tiresome day after day if there's nothing else. This is the time of year I start to dig deep - for all of us. I'm digging deep for the furniture rearranging that gives us a fresh perspective on things. I'm digging deep for a soup recipe that doesn't include potatoes or squash. I'm digging deep for a colorful project to keep my hands busy and my spirit bright. And I'm digging deep for things that will keep the kids actively engaged, happy, and the house as peaceful as it can be this time of year.

A comprehensive list feels intimidating to try and come up with - so how about one day? Above and beyond our favorite toys and standby activities....these are the things that yesterday, kept us all in good spirits. (With just the two littles at the house, mind you, as the others are off on an epic ski adventure of their own). 

The recycling bin. So classic. The kids hit up the recycling bin (or rather, corner of the barn) looking for something good, and therein found a large box (hello new luggage for Mama's trip to Bali!). Oh, what a child can do with a box! It's wild, isn't it? And so fun. They made a house, a cave, a trap, and the perfect nesting spot for snuggling down into while Mama read a story. Good fun.

Modeling beeswax (like this or this). We always have a bowl of this in the library, of pieces that we've used over and over. But there's nothing like a fresh new box, and thankfully, I tucked one away several months ago for just such a day as this. Warming up the pieces in our hands calmed a chaotic moment, brought us all together, and resulted in a lot of great making (and experimenting, from Ani). If you've never worked with beeswax before, take a peek at Sarah's video for some great suggestions on getting started with little ones. 

Audiobooks. After all the energy had settled and we nestled into the work of the beeswax, I put on an audiobook. I use Audible on my phone, and just plug it into a dock with speakers. Right now we're listening to Children of Noisy Village, though there was a request made for Wizard of Oz (narrated by Anne Hathaway), one of our family favorite audiobooks that we've listened to over and over (and quote over and over). 

Sequence! Our game cabinet is a big and deep one, with so many great games. And the rotation of them from the cabinet to table is constant. But sometimes, a game gets buried in there for a long time - a favorite game, even. And that's the case with Sequence. In a desperate moment of everyone nearly pulling each other's hair out last week, I dug deep into the cabinet and spied it. Sequence hasn't been played in a very long time, and lo and behold, everyone just needed a reminder of it. It's been out non stop since then, and we've picked up a new player in Harper, who loves this one. 

And of course, fiber. While Mama knits and Ani makes mermaid tails, Harper has recently discovered the knitting tower. We bought one for a young friend recently, and I picked up another for Harper (because Adelaide is a bit protective of hers). (I got mine locally at Circa Home and Vintage, though I know that Nova Natural carries them) It took just a minute to get him started and he's been having a blast making necklaces for everyone he knows. So great.

And that was yesterday! Today it's a whopping 10 degrees (above!), so I hope we'll be able to get out there for some cross country skiing (pulling Ani in the sled will be my workout for the day). It probably won't be for terribly long though, and so we'll come back in and see what kind of fun we can find for today. Surely it will be some of the above, and something new....

I'll be right here

It was negative 20 degrees this morning when we first checked. Even the skiers amongst us aren't out skiing yet. I, for one, have no plans to move beyond this spot unless absolutely necessary (I suppose the children will need to eat at some point). I'll be perfectly cozy right here - with yarn, books, and music. Yes, please!

Stay warm, all!

the snowy state of things

As the snow piles higher and higher outside, the wood pile continues to go down, down, down. We wake up each morning and wonder which magical winter festivity will begin this day - thawing the frozen pipes? clearing the latest ice dam and the corresponding leak into the house? or, if we're lucky, chasing livestock who have decided to laugh at the silliness of those 'fences' - covered so high on both sides with snow that they really are but merely a step to cross over?

But....the goats and sheep don't seem to mind it a bit. Chickens and ducks are hunkered down inside, steering clear of all snow. Greta, with her most fabulous Great Pyrenees blood and fur keeping her warm, is in heaven with all this snow - rolling, digging, taking all her naps in the snowbanks. And so too are the kids. An entire terrain park has been constructed near the half pipe that was built last summer for snowboarding but is now for skiing and sledding on. There are pipes and rails and barrels and oh so many things that will make a really interesting backyard display come thawing time. Whenever that might be. We are wondering about Maple Syrup season - it seems such a long ways off yet before that could possibly happen. And will we have to use a ladder to reach the buckets by the time the snow melts, if we place them at any visible level before then?

Ah, but it IS a magical winter, it really is. It is as much snow as I ever remember having as an adult, and reminiscent more of the winters of my childhood. We will all remember this wild and cold winter - full of winter adventuring ... and cozy fires with lots of handwork and plenty of hot chocolate. All the best that winter has to offer. And well, seeing as how it's only mid February - the month in which snow seems to be falling each and every day - I'd say we've got a ways to go yet. 

Conscious Clothing {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Conscious Clothing! 

Conscious Clothing embodies the spirit of hand made and hand dyed clothing for men, women, and children.

We specialize in hemp and organic cotton fibers, as well as bamboo and organic linen. We hand make each piece with care and attention to detail from our original designs. We strive to always be sustainable in our materials, inks, dyes and practices. We hire local and believe in supporting our community.

Conscious Clothing is made to mix and match and layer. From silky bamboo dresses and warm fleece hoodies to linen smocks and hemp overalls, there is something for every shape and style!

Conscious Clothing is on Etsy and Instragram.

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

Rose: Conscious Clothing has a new website and blog! Along with the Etsy shop, you can now find us at www.consciousclothing.net. Its been super fun reorganizing the shop, letting go of some older designs, and adding updates and news to our blog.

We will also be getting a new home starting this spring! We are building a studio with enough space to dye, to print, to cut and sew, and a small showroom as well! As we go through these growing pains and take the big step of moving to a second location, I feel so blessed that I’ve been able to be an at home mom for all of these years.

The change will open up many more opportunities for us including being able to print yardage! We hope to be able to offer hand dyed and printed fabric by the yard in the coming year! You can watch the building process as I chronicle it on the blog this spring and summer!

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

Hemp Denim Overalls – choose your size and inseam length.

In addition, Conscious Clothing is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 15% off your entire purchase through 3/1/15 with coupon code SOULE15.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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...

Great company, thank you for the chance!
Posted by: Robyn

{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.

. . . . . . . . . . 

how to make a mermaid tail

She calls it Feet Knitting. And in case you didn't know, it's how ALL mermaid tails are made.

clothes for mom

As you probably have noticed, I've done a lot of sewing these past few weeks. Traditionally, this time of year is so focused on knitting for me - in front of the fire, staying cozy. But as my grandmother - the very one who taught me how to sew - was fading, I felt myself pulled to the studio and my machine almost constantly. I spent an afternoon with my Nana last week, and in a moment of amazing lucidity, we had a conversation that I'll never forget as long as I live (and I can only hope and dream to have similar clear and real conversations at the end of my own life). I was able to not only tell her I loved her, but to thank her for all the things she taught me. That moment was such a blessing, such a gift. And I went home, tearful and happy and sad too, and straight to my sewing machine once again. It has been the way I've been able to connect to her, remember her, and comfort myself, in these past few weeks. Sewing day and night whenever I had an extra moment - with children at my feet/on my lap/in my ear, and sometimes without. Just the thing I needed to be doing.

And as a result...I've got a whole lot of newly stitched clothing around here. A lot for the kids, some of which you've seen. And some for me too, which honestly is more needed than the clothes for the littles, who have plenty. My body - as many of you might well understand - is changing of late. After fourteen years of pregnancy and breastfeeding and carrying a baby or a toddler on my back or in a sling or on my hip....my body is, once again, all my own. The thing is, it is quite entirely a different body than before all that, because nearly forty years old is very different than the early twenties. I've been thinking about this a lot, and talking about it a lot with friends as well - of the same age and in the same position. I'm currently reading Women In Clothes and fascinated by it. I think it truly reflects the diversity of thought that we, as women, have about our clothing and our changing bodies....and interestingly, other women's bodies too. A similar diversity of thought, opinion and emotion is reflected in the comments here each time I post a photograph of something I've made for myself. Flattering, gentle, kind, opinionated, and sometimes emotionally charged. We do have strong feelings about clothing, don't we? Or rather, the bodies that the clothing is covering? Why do we care so much what other women wear? What we wear, even? And what exactly does 'flattering' mean, anyway? So different for us all - and I have to believe our opinions on the matter are as beautifully different as we all are. 

Forgive my all-over-the-place thoughts about this rather huge subject, but this is something that has been on my mind a lot of late and I don't think I'm done thinking and talking about it quite yet. I don't know precisely where I'm going with all of this today, except to say that recently I made myself some new shirts. The tanks are Wiksten Tanks and the shirt is a Scout Tee (lengthened a bit). I like them all very much. The fabrics feel good, and I chose some of my favorite prints. I am comfortable wearing these. And just like the dress I made last week, I feel like 'me' when I wear them. And sometimes, well, sometimes it's just as simple as that. 

a weekend just right

Thank you so much for all of your sweet words to Friday's {this moment}, at the news of my grandmother's passing. I am touched that so many of you had remembered me writing about her and her role in my life in the years past. I hadn't realized just how much I had done that, but how could I not have? She taught me so much. 

We are just back from a long weekend family getaway - we think it was our first overnight with all seven of us since late in the summer of 2013. But with a farm sitter secured and long-ago-made plans in place, we got ourselves right out of dodge, thinking we were leaving behind an epic snowstorm. Turns out, we weren't leaving one behind (we only got an inch here at home), but driving right into one! A foot or more landed where we were - deep in the woods - on top of the already enormous piles of snow that have come down this winter. And a snowed-in weekend with dear old friends commenced, a day longer even than originally expected (thank you, snow). A total number of children that far outnumbered the adults, a ridiculous amount of good food and drink, and I do believe a touch of every possible winter sport that can be found deep in the New England woods with Moms and Dads who once were (and some still are) outdoor adventurers of every kind. Ice fishing, sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, and more - ranging the spectrum from entirely benign and completely appropriate for all ages to....slightly sketchy, but wicked fun. Or so say my teen boys. And Papa. And Adelaide too (she's a brave one, that girl). All of the above resulting in blissfully exhausted children crashing into bed each night - full of good times with friends they've known since they were babies, and new adventures shared. 

I, for one, feel as though I did very little these past few days. I brought work, and edited - I kid you not - one sentence. I brought knitting, and only a few rows were added. I brought my camera and all my favorite lenses, and came home with a nearly empty camera card. I did take a two hour walk. And I must have done a lot of cooking. Definitely a lot of eating. Maybe a little bit of drinking. And without a doubt - a whole lot of laughing, talking, crying, hugging, listening and all that good stuff that happens when loved ones gather. When we began packing up the car to leave - even with our extended stay - I thought it couldn't be possible that three days had gone by. It was, I realize now, just the weekend I needed, just the very pause and slowness, and peace that I've been craving. 

Today, we return to farm chores and daily work (SONG goes to print this week- stay tuned!), and our regular at-home - oh so good but very busy - rhythm, plus a lot of time spent with extended family celebrating the life of a very special woman. I'm ready for all of that, but holding onto and honoring a long weekend that was just right, and full of the very moments in life that make it all so special....whether with the family we are born into, or that we have chosen. A blessing, all of it, and deep and nurturing breath with which to proceed.

OTTOBRE design {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from OTTOBRE design! 

OTTOBRE design® is a fabulous, inspiring, sewing and pattern magazine for creative people! 

 

The company behind OTTOBRE design® is Studio Tuumat Oy – a bright and energetic design company from Finnish Lapland. We are located in Rovaniemi, a small town on the Arctic Circle. Lapland provides an inspiring and peaceful environment close to nature, which is ideal for creating fresh Scandinavian design. In addition to the OTTOBRE design® kids and OTTOBRE design® woman magazines, we produce pattern series, small DIY kits and e-patterns and we have a lovely fabric and sewing supply shop on Etsy. 

 

Our magazine celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. It is a respectable achievement for a magazine to survive in this age of digitalization when hard-copy magazines are being closed down almost weekly. We owe our success to our wonderful readers because our magazine wouldn’t exist without women bitten by the sewing bug.

 

The last three years have been especially exciting for us. We have launched three new language versions of the magazine and opened new markets in Europe and on other continents. OTTOBRE design® clothes are now being sewn using the patterns in Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Spanish, Swedish and Russian versions of our magazine.

Please visit our editorial blog and Facebook page. 

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

OTTOBRE design® is for sale at well-stocked fabric and sewing supply stores, newsstands, bookstores and online shops in almost 140 countries. Starting from our anniversary issue 1/2015, the magazine will also be available nationwide in the United States at the bookstores of the well-respected Barnes & Noble chain.

 

With our anniversary issue, we wish to welcome all our new readers to the fascinating world of sewing. Our desire is to produce a magazine that offers wonderful ideas for sewing enthusiasts. We love straightforward, simple designs that leave room for the sewer’s individual inspiration and creativity. 

 

A creative sewer picks up one piece here and another there and combines them into an interesting, individual end result. Be yourself, have the courage to experiment and do whatever you think is best – this is our ideology for the current year. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes because the best learning often comes from mistakes. Celebrate with us and let your sewing machine whirr.

 

We wish all SouleMama readers an inspiring spring!

This weekend, OTTOBRE design is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

A bundle of OTTOBRE design® magazines. The winner can pick five magazines they wish to have and we’ll ship them for free. 

In addition, OTTOBRE design is pleased to offer all new subscribers a bonus magazine for free, from now until February 20th. Please add the text "SouleMama bonus magazine" in the message field before submitting your subscription. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 winners are...

I have never before had a sewing magazine, a special treat it would be! Thanks!
Posted by: heidi

Thanks for the inspiration! Great patterns.
Posted by: jenn

Wonderful!
Posted by: Caitlin

Aurora Shoe Company {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from 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.

We enjoy using our blog to feature the travels and adventures our shoes have been on. Close to home, or around the world, we love them all. We invite you to submit a photo by email along with a description.  Of course, photos are also always welcome on our Facebook page as well.

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

Aurora: We had been putting off making some needed pricing adjustments to make up for the increasingly more expensive American leather that we use. We've been successful at cutting other expenses by switching to wood for heat and streamlining processes at the shop, but we weren't quite able to find that balance.  At the beginning of January we added a modest increase to all of our regular shoe styles to make up for this expense.  Wanting to be completely open with our customers, especially those who've been with us since the beginning, 24 years ago, we shared the news and explained our reasoning in a blog post which you can read here. It's always hard to make decisions like these, but at the end of the day we realized it boiled down to a question of quality, and when it comes to that, there really is no question.

This weekend, Aurora Shoe Company is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama readers:

One pair of shoes, any style, any color.

In addition, Aurora Shoe Company is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 2014 pricing until March 1, 2015. Customers can enter code "SM2014" at checkout to receive this offer. This code applies to all styles EXCEPT our new North Pacific boot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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...

Would love to win a pair of these shoes! Thanks for the giveaway!
Posted by: Sheri

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

Something a little different today....a moment I want to remember from last summer. One of the last big family gatherings we had with my Nana, who we said goodbye to early this morning. I have so much more to say about the amazing woman who first taught me how to sew, knit, cook, and garden. But for today, I'm holding onto moments like this that we shared, and feeling so much gratitude for her long life and peaceful passing. All of it, a blessing.

the shirt dress

(Thanks, Calvin, for the photos!)

Sewing for Mama is an entirely different matter than all those adorable dresses, pants and skirts that - no matter the shape of the garment - look adorable on the little bodies of children. But still, I stay determined to keep giving sewing for myself a go, even if I hit a few fails along the way. I'm not calling this one a fail, exactly. Not really at all. Though the very first I tried it on and looked in the mirror, I thought, huh....I just made a hospital johnny! Then I walked out of the room and Annabel excitedly asked if I was going to play Annie with her. As in orphan Annie, from the original movie, wearing, um, rags. So yeah...not a great start in reception to this dress I was so excited to have made. But then....I kept it on. And, oh, it just might be the most comfortable thing ever! 

It's The Dress Shirt by Merchant & Mills (with a Robert Kaufman chambray, purchased from Z Fabrics). "The dress shirt is relaxed, loose, and absurdly comfortable. Its signature silhouette is inspired by a classic gentleman's shirt." says the pattern envelope. I made only slight tweaks to the pattern - french seams and a blind hem because I love them, and I lengthened the sides of the hem to make it more dress-like and less shirt-like (I'm not sure about that decision and might go back and redo the hem, actually). I was extremely pleased with the pattern - the instructions were just right and it all came together smoothly. I do regret not adding pockets. Next time - and I do think there will be a next time - pockets, for sure (and then it would be the perfect garden dress!).

I thought about adding some shirring to the back, to pull it in just a bit around the waist, or maybe a belt, or a button band or something to avoid the shapelessness of it, but then again, that's the point of this dress. And truth be told, after wearing it for just a little while, I'm perfectly pleased with it as is for the moment. "Absurdly comfortable." Yes, that exactly.

Tuesdays with Ani (but warmer this time!)

All these summer dresses on my Tuesdays with Ani have been lovely in the making, but gosh, they make me cold when I see her wearing them - usually sans sweater or socks, as many of you have pointed out, and I know very well! There are plenty of long sleeved dresses and woolen tights and cute slippers to be found around here, but amazingly, that's not what she prefers. And the reality is - all of my children have done that - the cold really doesn't bother them, and she'll be just fine. Even if it makes me want to put another pair of socks on myself (on top of the two I already wear under my slippers each day) just by looking at them. I blame/credit their Papa and his Scandinavian/Northern Maine blood! 

But still, a Mama can always keep trying, can't she? And so, last Tuesday morning, I laid out the pattern for some pajamas (K157 by Ellie Mae Designs, a McCall pattern) and all the flannel I had on my shelves. I pitched this as a 'night dress'....and she was into it. We had to get a little creative about the fabric pieces, as I didn't have enough of any of the flannel to make it in just one fabric, but I kind of like the contrast and combination of fabrics (it's an old Munki Munki red print and Anna Maria Horner in the floral). 

This one took a little more time and effort than the dresses we've been cranking out in a couple of hours. But no worries, she was happy to help along as much as she could, sing The Sound of Music over and over, and stop for frequent breaks of milk and popcorn. And mostly - as she likes to do - to talk a non-stop constant stream of dialogue with the full attention of Mama (have I mentioned that this girl does not stop talking? Ever? Surely I have.) A ladybug button was carefully selected, and at the end of the day, this little one had a new dress to show everyone (and I felt a little warmer looking at her). First to Gram's room with a grand announcement of "ta-da!" followed by a demonstration of the twirling effect. And then, to the rest of our family as they arrived in the door later that night from skiing. Though this time, she was tricky and tried to disguise herself. Oh, my girl. She's something. 

on repeat

bake. shovel. knit. ski. sew. spin. draw. cook. shovel. read. play. build. sing. shovel. make. plan. eat. drink. shovel. write. dream. repeat.

I am enjoying these snowstorms so fully this year (and there have been so many!), more than I ever remember doing so before. All of the above things fill our days, together the eight of us, at home. And I'm loving it all - even the shoveling (says the woman who does the least of that task of all the bigger people in the house - I should be careful what I say). I don't know what's changed - maybe I'm getting more patient with age, or maybe I'm just getting more tired and grateful for the chance to move slowly! Or maybe - as my family is growing up and my children are reaching out, spreading their wings and spending their time out of the house and into the wider world more and more with each passing year (all good, wonderful things, of course)....I'm appreciating more the moments when we are all 'stranded at home together. As the snow falls down and it feels as though nothing exists besides what's inside the walls of our family home (and the pasture fence). I'm treasuring these days, and though I never thought I'd hear myself say it - I'm grateful that there's still more February to go, and most definitely another storm or two in which to enjoy them. 

Writing all that makes me feel a little guilty about the shoveling. I'm headed out to forge a path from barn to the chicken pasture. Just as soon as I finish this row...

Nest European Toys + Home {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Nest European Toys + Home! 

Nest is an online webstore, with a curated selection of 'Made in Europe & North America' housewares & furniture, children's toys & baby products, arts & crafts, and textiles. Our focus in sourcing is on sustainability - almost all of the products for sale on our site are completely biodegradable, and from companies manufacturing in a sustainable manner. We aim to offer a selection of products that are practical, aesthetically appealing, and of enduring value, such that people may delight in shopping from our selection of over 5000 products, knowing that environmental sustainability and safety are both just a given.

Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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

Nest: Our biggest change is the constant change of our kids growing, and how that affects how we view our products and the shop, and what we can offer to best support families. Our kid's are turning 2 and 4 in a couple of months.  

 

We brought in new items from Germany just before Christmas. Opening every box, JP and I were oohing and aahing, especially when we opened this one. For Christmas, we gave our kids the playkitchen. We are still big fans of the Simple Hearth from Camden Rose, but this playkitchen is a perfect size for our kids at the ages they are now. Both of them play at it, and we have one of these cube chairs, being used as a little table right next to it. Sometimes, the table serves as food prep or it's in chair position with a piece of cardboard across the top and acts as the fridge, or most times we set the table together and the kids serve us a little pretend meal. These cube chairs and the bench that goes with them are used by us every day.  We usually have the bench set up separately as a snack table, but it often does double or triple duty when we have visitors: as another children's dinner table or a second craft table. The chairs are great, as very young ones can sit so safely in them, but even my tall almost 4 year old still sits comfortably (they can be flipped over so that there are two options for the seat height). Also, of all the little stools and seating cushions in our house, flipping this one over as a table makes for my favourite stool for me to sit on. I know it's also soon going to make a great little nightstand in my son's room. Other favourite new items are this dollhouse and fairy tale cottage.

 

We have a lot of other new products, but last one to mention. As it's February in Ottawa, we're getting out in the sunshine and snow as much as we can. The daily challenge to stay on schedule and have early bedtimes helps us to get outside prepared for snow play the next morning. We put on our Ruskovilla woolly layers and snowpants, and this past week, we've been into making snow sculptures, like a snow ghost and kind of sea snake rising up out of the ground in our front driveway (at my son's request, inspired by this awesome book), and at dusk we put little tealights in spaces for the eyes. We think we've found a new family tradition with this!  Magical winter-warming. Today, I'm completing the 'snow campfire', a large circular built up fire pit, at table height in the middle, about a metre diameter, with a circular path around it for walking, and then circular built in snow benches concentrically around it. And we're going to use this fire bowl in the middle for our hot dog and marshmallow roast with friends.

 

Other big changes: The American/ Canadian currency exchange has changed a lot in the last few months. So, American customers should know that shopping Canadian now is equivalent to a 25% discount on your credit card bill. And Canadian customers, save by shopping Canadian. :)  

 

We're working on our new website which will feature pricing and checkout in Canadian or American dollars, with option to have your credit card charged in actual American dollars, as well. The new site should be ready in a few weeks, and it'll be smoother overall. It's Ottawa-based software, compared to the Montreal-based software we've been using.

This weekend, Nest European Toys + Home is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

"It's February" package: a board game of people's choice, box of pure beeswax tealights, and paintset.

In addition, Nest European Toys + Home is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 10% discount on all orders, except for sale items or the learning tower, from now until February 18th. Enter promo code SouleMamaNest at checkout.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 winners are...

Beautiful gift! It would fit perfectly in our home.
Posted by: Kelly Strine

Nice!
Posted by: allison

Great idea for February!
Posted by: Elizabeth

Mama Bliss Coaching School {a soulemama sponsor}

 

Greetings from Mama Bliss Coaching School! 

Mama Bliss Coaching School is a twelve week coaching training program for moms wanting to coach other moms toward deeper self-care, creativity, a values-led life and more simplicity in their days.

This certification process prepares students to launch an online coaching practice by training them in the ten Mama Bliss Coaching tools, the Mama Bliss Coaching approach, as well as provides an outline for leading live workshops.

The Spring 2015 session begins February 16th and applications are being accepted until Tuesday, February 10th.

 

Visit my website for information on all available programs.

 

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

 

Kathy: For mamas who are just starting to explore how they might merge their creative passions with a work from home business idea, I have recently created couple of new ways to work with me one on one. These new packages include the Creative Bliss to Biz Six Months Mentoring Program and a 90 minute strategy session called Three Creative Bliss to Biz Steps to present you with your first concrete steps to take to discover your own unique offering to the world!

This weekend, Mama Bliss Coaching School is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

My Mama Blog to Mama Biz Online Workshop. If you've been blogging for at least a year and are ready to explore the first steps toward earning an income from this rewarding creative pursuit - this is the 90 minute workshop for you! Includes a primer ecourse where we strengthen your four pillars to Mama Bliss so you can navigate your exciting options to work from home with true passion, purpose and not to mention blissful flexibility!

In addition, Mama Bliss Coaching School is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 15% off a Three Creative Bliss to Mama Biz Baby Steps session with me by using the discount code: soulemamabiz at checkout until February 28th, 2015.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 winners are...

Very interesting.
Posted by: Molly

As a mama of 4, I'm just beginning to take steps in a direction where I can contribute financially, and gain personal reward from work I am passionate about. I could really use some guidance!
Posted by: sheaffer

This is serendipity - - I could use some guidance. Mostly it is tech related and planning I need help with. Finger and toes crossed I'll win!!
Posted by: Nichole Goff

{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.

. . . . . . . . . .

back-to-basics

I've been sneaking in a lot of little sewing in the past few weeks. Some simple skirts for Adelaide, and simple pants for both Harper and Annabel. Simple being the operative word in all them. I love this kind of sewing - so utilitarian, not fussy, incredibly useful and very satisfying. Adelaide was reading The Creative Family last week (I know, a funny thing!), and came across the instructions for a pair of baby pants (for her) made from the fabric of an adult's tee shirt. "Mom, look! These look just like the ones you made for Ani yesterday!" 

Yes, yes. I have been making simple pants for a very long time, and really, I think they were my introduction to kids sewing. I love a fancy dress every now and then (wait till you see what Ani and I made this week on ski day!), and I think it's rather remarkable what's happened to the children's sewing pattern world in the past ten years - so many options and so much beauty! All of that is lovely, but I really think this kind of simple kids sewing is my favorite, and the one I am happy to keep returning to so long as my children's closets still require it. Quite frankly, it is the kind of sewing that fits just right into my life and my days. Pulling a piece of fabric off my shelves, pulling out an old and familiar two-piece pattern drafted long ago, stitching it all together in the moments between laundry or as I'm waiting for the chicken to roast or whatever the case may be, and having something fresh and totally functional at the end. Something that isn't too precious to wear in a pile of dirt or a chicken coop, or painting in the library. Something I won't be sad - but rather excited - to see coming out of the laundry with stains and tears and signs of wear. While my older two boys are past the point of Mama made pants (it's okay...I have memories of their whole childhood running around in them!), I'm happily stitching away for the three littles who still will let me. 

Another Tuesday, Another Dress (or two)

Last week's ski day (for everyone else), during which I was home alone with Ani, we went right to the studio after breakfast. The night before, I had laid out a few options for her.  She - being the girl I love and have come to know - decided that she wanted to mix things up well beyond those simple choices. She chose two fabrics and one ribbon. And so it was. (The pattern, again, is Geranium from Made By Rae.)

On this day, our sewing time was interrupted frequently and often - by animals in need, meals to be prepared, other projects that she wanted in on. That meant that sewing her dress took the better part of the day. It was a lovely day, a special day, a day with my baby girl that I hope I never forget. And when everyone walked in the door, tired after a day on the slopes slugging through all the fresh powder on the mountain, she had something new that SHE had made to show them. And true to form, they were good sports and honored her excitement by showing theirs. She went to bed happy as a three year old could be - a three year old, the youngest of five children, who had just spent a day alone with her Mama and her Gram. Happy girl, indeed.

But me? I had a lovely day, I really did. It was delightful. But somehow all that sewing - interrupted as it was - only served to make me want to sew more. Just the very second that I had the youngest tucked into bed, I went right back into my studio. And all alone, with the door closed and an audio book playing, I cranked out a another dress, start to finish. The exact same pattern that I had made earlier in the day, but without the interruptions. It felt so good. So good. And when that was done, I could finally crash into bed feeling a little more satisfied. 

And my little girl? She woke up to ANOTHER new dress (that SHE had somehow miraculously made in the night, while she slept!). And well, it doesn't get much better than that. Success for all.

February Days

As I walked through the house yesterday, flipping all the calendars to February, I looked around at the evidence of our days that I found in each room. Yup, it's February, I thought, as I saw reflected - on the floors and on the beds and in the couches and by the entryway - all the things that fill our days this time of year. It is the time of year where there's time to learn a whole new song in a day, sitting in front of the fire and breaking only for meals and to rest one's fingers. Craft books are being scoured for the next greatest thing we should do. And the projects started in the evening stay on the table and are jumped right into after breakfast again. Game marathons happen on every level from poker to Sorry and a very modified Go Fish that only one knows the rules to. And there is time for all-day-long imaginative play, acting out our favorite imagined or known stories (currently Ani playing the role of "Annie" is working out very well for the cleanliness of my floors/windows/and banisters). There is napping - if only from the cats, literally - but a certain kind of winter resting from all of us. And daydreaming too as we plan what's to come in the seasons ahead. 

Oh, and lots and lots of sledding and skiing and skating and all that good snowy stuff that happens this time of year too. And the corresponding hot chocolate and popcorn, piles of snowy winter gear that block the doorway, and vying for the spot closest to the wood stove upon returning back inside. 

We woke up to more snow falling this morning that doesn't look as though it plans on stopping or slowing anytime soon. As I sat down in my studio to do my morning work the emails came in right after another - fiddle is canceled! dance is canceled! riding is canceled! And so, we find ourselves starting another February Day. This is good. 

Craft South {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Craft South! 

We launched Craft South Summer 2014 as pop-up shops, one-day workshops, kids workshops, and weekend workshops in a temporary studio. We were joined & taught by lovely designers like Amy Butler, Liesl Gibson, Natalie Chanin, Heather Ross and Rebekka Seale.  Their gift of sharing made their involvement with our Summer series very special.  They, and many more talented souls, will continue to join and be part of the Craft South story.

 

Our permanent home for Craft South will be located at 2516 12th Avenue South in Nashville. Once open this spring we will provide all the same creative excitement as last summer's inaugural events combined with an expertly curated selection of craft supplies, Janome sewing machines, and an open sewing & crafting studio. Here we will offer a full calendar of creative workshops & classes for all ages.

 

Visit us online!

Our Shop

Our Workshops

Our Instagram

 

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

 

Craft South: As of TODAY, we have launched our online shop where you can find a tidy selection of beautiful supply and view our 2015 workshop & class calendar. We have already made a few of the workshops live with spots for sale, and we will gradually open registration for all of our events as the year unfolds.

 

SouleMama: Is there anything new you'd like to tell us about? 

 

Craft South: Our exact opening date for the brick & mortar shop and workshop is a bit of a moving target as we are awaiting new construction to be complete. It has already been such a long road to building this dream, but we are pouring into the exciting tasks of choosing and displaying all of our inventory. This kind of building from scratch with just inspiration and an immense passion for several crafts has proved to be good fuel. We have been continually humbled by our community's excitement and encouragement for this project and have already worked alongside some amazing folks to help make Craft South special and welcoming both locally and worldwide. We can't wait to open our front doors.... a day we hope will be in late April or early May.

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

One winner will receive our soft and comfy Craft South logo tee, a sturdy and useful Craft South cotton canvas tote, a skein of gorgeous Alpaca Merino Silk DK hand-dyed with marigolds from Camellia Fiber Co., our custom-made Craft South straight knitting needles made from renewable birch wood in NC, a stack of fabrics from the incomparable Heather Ross and a lovely little set of embroider-able cards from Red Gate Stitchery.

In addition, Craft South is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers $10 off all orders over $50 at our online shop using the coupon code soulemama. This offer is good through February 7th! 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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...

This is an awesome giveaway. Thanks ever so much for a chance to win
Posted by: Suzanne mooney

February 1

Hello February! 

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

Barn Owl Primitives

Home of Typography Word Art ~ Barn Owl Primitives artfully designs and hand paints meaningful and inspiring word art signs. Each piece is distressed and antiqued, giving each sign an aged, vintage look and feel. Because words matter, we take great pride and care to insure that our signs speak the truth.  

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Christopherus Homeschool Resources

We at Christopherus Homeschool Resources aim to serve those wishing to bring a full Waldorf Education into their homes as well as those homeschoolers wishing to blend elements of the Waldorf approach into their children’s education. We feel that Waldorf education is a living, breathing approach to the education of children, based firmly on the teacher (or parent-teacher’s) creativity, resourcefulness, and efforts towards personal growth. The curriculum is based on an understanding of child development and is not set in stone. Rather, it is a rich tradition which can be adapted to differing needs.

 

We seek to empower parents to work with Waldorf education in a way that suits their particular circumstances and their children’s needs. Please visit our informative website to check out our rich array of educational materials including full curriculum (PK-5th Grade) and a growing range of materials and guidance in the form of FREE Rough Guides for grade 6 – 8.

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Upstream Field Guide

Upstream Field Guide is an eight-session e-course that leads you through the process of discovering who you are, what’s your purpose, and how to simplify the parts of your life so that it all makes more sense. Living upstream means paddling against the flow of culture, because it’s living according to how we were made. According to our life’s true purpose.

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

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!