SouleMama

paint face

When Calvin was a toddler, he couldn't quite say 'beautiful' in the way that the rest of us do, and so it came out something like "bucicle". And that is precisely how you'll hear it said in our house, from time to time. It stuck. There are countless other 'family words' that have come in this way, and then stayed....and just as many, I suppose, that have gone and been forgotten. Quite without realizing that it was happening, I see now that we've been building a family vocabulary all these years - a language that only we understand. Words that evoke giggles and laughter and memories amongst just the seven of us. With our last and youngest, I find myself holding onto those precious words even longer, and feeling bittersweet when Annabel's mistaken words are eventually replaced by the proper ones. And maybe - just maybe - I don't rush to correct her on much at all in that regard. 

And so it was that yesterday, all through my day in the garden, and in the kitchen, I was followed by a little girl paint-facing. Not face paint. But paint face. And somehow - either everyone in the family agrees with my feelings on the subject, or they know me well enough to honor my feelings - but no one did correct her all day long. What are you doing, Annabel? someone would ask. "Paint Facing!" she'd reply. Which was only met with a smile from each of us. 

urban baby bonnets {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from urban baby bonnets! 

modern little sun hats for all the lovely littles in your life! perfectly hip fabrics and a totally updated design make our sun hats perfect for today's parent! no more slathered chemical sunscreens that inevitably get eaten… just pure, classic, gorgeous shading from the sun. our hats feature big brims that can be folded back if necessary… but when they’re out, you get sun protection that cannot be beat and a look that’s guaranteed (really!) to turn heads. invest in life-long skin health & cancer prevention— go UB2 this Fall!

we're on Facebook, google+, instagram and twitter! share your photos with us in one of those places or via email at [email protected]. We post everything we receive... but if we choose to use your photo on our website or in promo materials, we will give you a gift certificate for $25! keep the submissions coming!

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

Colette: since our last soulemama feature, we have started work on a whole new kind of hat! the ear flap-cap! called our wildThings flap-caps, they're a mod take on vintage aviator caps... with long, rounded ear flaps... and there's a hint of 20's flapper hats to the fitted back and rounded front... and of course, we've added a sun visor so they're just as functional as they are cute! oh! AND THEY HAVE EARS! the ears are interchangeable, too. we'll have extras available for purchase once the hats are officially launched. here are a couple of pictures, just to give you a taste. they'll be fully available just in time for Holiday gift-giving! and, really, are there ANY little kids who don't want to play animal dress up? getting the littles to wear their hats has never been easier! available in 3 sizes (baby, kid & grown-up), they'll retail for $44 and $46, and will be available in conventional and organic fabrics.

This weekend, urban baby bonnets is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

$36 gift certificate — choose the hat you love best!

In addition, urban baby bonnets is offering all SouleMama readers free shipping in the US on any order of $36 or more until 9/30/15. Simply use the code "lovemysoule" at check out.

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

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...

I have loved these forever! Thank you for the opportunity :-)
Posted by: Ashley Mccorkhill

in the garden, August 28

There are signs of the season changing everywhere I look in the garden. Pumpkins turning orange, beds a wee bit overrun with weeds, new beds for next year in the beginning stages of progress, and tomato plants looking more than a little bit tired - all while still producing plenty of fruit. I'm bringing in flowers each day, noting that we're onto the sunflowers, hydrangeas and the last of the staggered gladiolas now. There isn't a lot to follow for flowers (note to self: plant more fall-blooming flowers next year), and I'm soaking up the pleasure of bringing them in while I can. 

It goes so fast, doesn't it? These garden seasons? At least here there do - it's a short season and so much happens from the beginning to the end. I'm beginning to take some notes that I haven't done all summer long, for next year's garden planning. More late-blooming cut flowers, yes (any recommendations?). A few less green beans (a lesson I seem to never learn). And a big, loud three cheers for row covers - my squash are bigger and healthier than they've ever been. Meanwhile, the experimental 'non row cover' squash plants a few hundred feet away are covered in squash bugs. More row cover next year, yup.

And of course, the garden isn't really done yet at all. There's still so much more to harvest, so much more to preserve. I'm deep in the land of tomatoes at the moment - salsa (or Soule-Sa, rather - from the recipe in our last book The Rhythm of Family), tomato passata, and maybe today - Harper's precious ketchup jars. All of that will get done, and there will be some lovely September days in the garden to be sure. But for today, I'm noticing the slight shift in energy - the call to stitch and knit, and tidy up inside. And feeling grateful for the way the season works around here - the excited flurry and energy and productivity of the summer garden, and the reprieve and rest from it that follows.

Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead in your own green spaces!

. . . . . .

During the growing season, I share a garden update once a week. If you are doing the same (on any day of the week) in your own online space, please leave a link in the comments section below so that we can take a stroll through your garden! Or simply, in your words, share what you've been up to in your own garden. Be sure not to miss the comments of these posts, as the garden wisdom shared by all of you is such a beautiful thing to see - I learn so much every week! Thank you, friends. And blessings on another year in the garden!

stitching in blue

Two rainy days in a row meant we couldn't get back out to that beautiful vat of dye. But we did manage just a little bit of sewing with all that blue that's coming in. After washing all the pieces, we enjoyed ourselves a little bit of oohing and aahing over a sort of show-and-tell - everyone so proud of their work and their beautiful indigo pieces. What fun. And then, we set to work on some sewing. Annabel got a quick skirt from one of the pieces - it was once the bottom part of a vintage cotton slip skirt. With a simple elastic band and that fun indigo pattern, she's got herself a twirly skirt now. One can never have too many twirly skirts.

And then, after everyone was tucked into bed, I eagerly slipped right on into my happy place in my studio - at the machine, audiobook on the speakers, and scissors in my hand. Almost all of these pieces are former pieces of clothing - some of my beloved linen and hemp skirts and dresses that just didn't fit anymore or were ready to otherwise move onto a different incarnation, and thus were deconstructed before dyeing. I wasn't sure where the sewing with all of these random pieces would go, and even after two log cabin squares, I still wasn't certain I should keep going. Was it too "tie-dye"? Too blue? Would a quilt of it be too much, and maybe I should go with pillows instead? But the third square, with the pop of that sweet pink 'moon'? That sealed the deal. I think I'm onto the start of a quilt now, and I'm excited. If I'm to make this the size I'm thinking about - for a Queen size bed, I'll need 30 of these squares. And in that case, I'm going to need to just a bit more blue to make it happen. It's a very good thing that the sun shines brightly this morning, and that indigo vat is at the ready. Now, for a quick search through my closet/fabric stash/linen shelf and I've got myself a quilt in progress.

turning everything blue

Last week, Annabel and Adelaide came to me with their sketches for Halloween costumes. Yes, yes....Halloween (I did remind them that it was still mid-August, to which I was met with a blank stare. As if Halloween shouldn't be prepared for all the year long?). Once I saw the drawing, I realized that what I had been interpreting as a KNIGHT Princess in conversation for weeks, was actually a NIGHT Princess. The both of them - flowing blue dresses with yellow stars all over. Oh!! Fun!! And I quickly became just as excited as they were. A search through my fabric shelves revealed not enough blue fabric, and not of the right color. But! I remembered an indigo kit (this one), tucked away for testing out a future Taproot piece, and a whole big pile of linen, ripe for becoming the color of night.

There's nothing like a good old fashioned messy craft project to bring the kids coming in from all corners of the farm and house. And that's just what this project did - as each of them scoured their bedrooms for 'something white,' set to experimenting with elastics, rubber bands and clamps, and handed me the pieces to watch transform in front of their eyes. It was as fun for me as it was for them, of course. After we spent a full day working on it, stopping only for snacks, the 4-load laundry line of mine was full of our creations. I promised them we'd use up the rest of the dye vat for as long as it lasted, and they haven't forgotten that promise. Last night found us out there by headlamp as dark set in but we weren't quite yet done....and this morning, Harper came to me with a white handkerchief in his hand and sleep still in his eyes, and declared "tiny rocks, I think!". 

It'll be a wonder if there's anything white left in our house by week's end! 

 

why dinner was late last night

I went out to the garden for just one thing to add to the dinner I was making. Carrots. That's all I needed. But....I got a little bit distracted along the way - it just couldn't be helped. The flowers! Everywhere! Some needed to come back in with me. And be arranged, and then spread through the house.

I hope that someday, my children forgive these foolish thing their Mama does, these things that don't make a lot of sense but that are a part of our days. The nights when dinner is late because Mom was cutting flowers instead. And maybe even - in my wildest of parental fantasies -  that they do the same themselves, as the grown ups they'll someday be.

 

every last drop

Scenes from a weekend spent with dear and old friends in the woods of New Hampshire - where conversations sometimes twenty years old are picked up and started right where they left off; where memories are relived, retold, replayed, all while new ones are simultaneously being made; where sandy toes and exhausted, blissed-out children who have known each other their whole lives fill the beds each night; where fish are caught and canoes paddled and each year brings another child old/big/brave enough to jump off the rope swing; where there is far too much fabulous food and drink; and where all of us, in all the ways we best know how, soak up every last drop of the best of this summer season we all love so much in the good company of each other. What a full-up beautiful way to usher this month out, and begin what comes next. How grateful I am.

Friends, I wish you a most wonderful start to the week that lies ahead for you and yours! 

 

In the Garden, August 20

You know, I must admit to feeling a bit of neglect for my garden these days. So little time is being spent in there at the moment, and so much MORE time is being spent bringing it all into the kitchen and puzzling out just how best to preserve it all. It is a good and wonderful feeling, of course. And today, as I pack for a trip into the woods, I have to confess a bit of pride in that little garden of mine. All the effort of earlier in the season is paying off in the form of delicious, fresh, and gorgeous sustenance. I'm so full of gratitude.

Wishing you and yours a most lovely weekend ahead! 

. . . . . .

During the growing season, I share a garden update once a week. If you are doing the same (on any day of the week) in your own online space, please leave a link in the comments section below so that we can take a stroll through your garden! Or simply, in your words, share what you've been up to in your own garden. Be sure not to miss the comments of these posts, as the garden wisdom shared by all of you is such a beautiful thing to see - I learn so much every week! Thank you, friends. And blessings on another year in the garden!

Wild Cherry (a shawl)

I've had fun working on this shawl (shawlette?) this month in pockets of time here and there. The yarn, purchased on my trip out West, is HazelKnits, and absolutely love to work with. The pattern is Wild Cherry. (The shawl pin - and hair pin, coincidentally - are from Wooly Moss Roots/Mystic Orb.) 

The very same afternoon I cast off on this shawl, I cast on for another. How many shawls does one Mama need? Well, I don't know but I don't think I have too many yet and so I'll keep going. Because truly, there's something so incredibly comforting about wrapping a bit of wooly goodness around one's shoulders, no matter what the season, and no matter where I am. Having that piece of wooly, warm goodness also be a pretty thing? Well, I'd say I could use a whole rainbow of those. (The next one is a yet-to-be-released pattern by Courtney Spainhower that you'll find exclusively in the pages of FOLK, our next Taproot issue.)

 Are you feeling it too? That pull towards wool and knitting? While I may knit all year long, I am feeling the acceleration pick up as we head towards autumn days. I wouldn't want to wish summer away, but oh it does feel good to have my hands - and my lap - full of wool.

the things we almost say

Thank goodness. Thank goodness I stopped myself and actually thought before the words in my head -"Please don't eat all the carrots out of the garden!" - escaped my mouth. Because really now. How ridiculous is that of a thing to say? And second of all, with two bottom teeth missing and two wigglies up top, if carrots right from the garden are what he really wants to eat, not a soul on earth should stop him, least of all his Mama. Eat all the garden carrots you want, my love. They're yours. 

. . . .

Thank you, all, for so kindly receiving my words and thoughts yesterday and for sending back so much love, gentleness, and righteousness too - for that's what I hope we feel about the issue of our bodies. Protective and proud. And what a gift we have in that we can encourage each other too. Let's always do just that.

a pretty frock

I had the great and unexpected pleasure of meeting Miss Dottie Angel (Tif) this spring, when she came out to our knit night while I was in Bellingham, Washington. I've long admired her work, her writing, her everything, since first introduced to her - way back in the day in the when we both had just begun our blogs. Witty, clever, smart, funny, beautiful, kind and everything in between. Meeting her? Well, that only increased my adoration for her tenfold. She's a pretty special one, that lady. And I'm so glad to have made her acquaintance in the real world too.

Her dress pattern, sold now by Simplicity Patterns, is out in the world for all to enjoy a bit of that style she's so loved for, and I was ever so glad to pick up my very own copy recently and get sewing. This is a dress style I love - sweet, comfortable, farm-girlish, totally adaptable and oh-so-versatile. I chose a Cotton + Steel fabric (in lawn) for the dress, and some scraps of Liberty and vintage cotton (from an old 1800's dress shirt) for the pockets. A few old buttons at the top (the lace collar, in the end, just didn't feel right - maybe next time). The pattern came together quite smoothly, and fits - I think - just right for me. (That said, I had some trouble with the sleeves and ended up improvising a bit on my own. Erin has a really great pattern review here that's helpful.) I love this dress. I really do. It feels like a dress I can wear everyday and feel comfortable and pretty in, and for that I am glad. I have more planned. A whole lot more, actually.

I know when sewing a pattern, I love seeing photographs of it actually being worn, and you'll notice a lack of that above. Ah! What a struggle. I've addressed this here before in bits and pieces, but oh boy, it's a hard one for me to wrap my words around. I am quite accustomed to criticism - it is the nature of the beast in this writing format that I use. It's easy to hide behind anonymous words on the internet, and after all these years I am quite adept at letting it roll. It is never really about me.  My parenting, my food decisions, my choice in music, the way in which I earn a living, whatever it may be - criticism is someone else's feelings about those things being voiced and in general, I'm able to remember that. But body snark? Oh my. While it still may be true (that it is never really about me) it's one of the most unkind forms of snark, I'm certain, and  I'm simultaneously repulsed, saddened, heartbroken, hurt and angered about it each and every time I see it happening - to me or anyone else. As for me, it happens each and every time I share a photograph of myself. Truly. Don't we have enough of that in our own heads?  I am not exempt from feeling the sting. I am, after all, a woman living in this time when each day there are thousands of messages about how my body, as it is, is not enough. That I should stop the aging that is happening. That, despite being healthy where I am, I should lose weight. I definitely need "toning". Or maybe I should paint on some eyebrows? On and on. And while I think we need to work hard to erase those sources of cultural pressure and criticism, and seek out body-positive messages for ourselves and our children...there's also an element of protection that we must give ourselves. This body of mine - the one that has birthed five human beings, and treated me with good health and much joy for 38 years - is one that I want to cushion in love and acceptance. And for me, for today at least, that just might mean not putting myself - or rather photographs of myself - in a space which doesn't feel safe. I guess it's as simple as that. And I bring all of this up, not for sympathy or reassurance, but so that you know precisely why that dress is photographed on a hanger up above. And so that I may say - let us never, ever - never, ever - say unkind things about each others bodies, shall we? Not about a celebrity, a friend or an enemy - or ourselves. Not in person, not behind someone's back, and no, not even on the anonymous internet. 

Well now, I fear I ruined a perfectly good pretty frock story with all of that chatter, but I hope you understand. And I hope today, you too are wearing something that makes you feel as beautiful as you are (because, of course, you are beautiful). 

Freya Toys {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Freya Toys! 

Our nursing necklaces, teething toys and crochet baby rattles are made completely by hand. All our products are unique and full of warmth and love. They are made from natural materials (cotton and wood) and are absolutely safe for kids! The main goal of FrejaToys is to give joy to kids and their moms and to make the world around happier and kinder! 

Visit us on Facebook and Instagram.

This weekend, Freya Toys is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

5 crochet toys and of 1 nursing necklace (of winner's choice)

 

Crochet baby rattles: they have a "parent friendly" sounding small bells inside, are made of 100% cotton yarn and can be filled with hypoallergenic polyester or ethically sourced pure wool (of winner's choice). These toys are great for indoor fun, photo props, motor skill development. The set includes: apple, pear, strawberry, plum, watermelon.

 

Nursing necklace: is eco-friendly, vegan and 100% natural and made of juniper are apple wood and pure cotton yarn. It's intended for moms to wear and babies to play with as they nurse. The necklace is completely safe for baby to chew on. Nursing necklace catches baby's attention while breastfeeding or bottle feeding, stimulates a little one to look and explore, helps to evolve baby's fine motor skills.

 

In addition, Freya Toys is offering all SouleMama readers 20% off with the code FORFRIENDS20.  Discount end date is August 24th.

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

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 love hand made crafts... especially ones for the young ones. I will be an aunty again in december and these would be such a wonderful gift sent over for the wee-one! Thank you for the opportunity xxx
Posted by: Angie

Beautiful things! I know a mama-to-be who would love these!
Posted by: kt

Perfect for teething, much better than those plastic necklaces!
Posted by: Natalie

Crafting Connections {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Crafting Connections! 

At its' heart, Crafting Connections is two women. Together as mothers and friends, they share their enthusiastic love of creativity with anyone who will listen. Their sole objective is to inspire families to live the creative life of their dreams by providing the practical tools, creative inspiration, and a bit of cheerleading along the way.

Andrea and Danielle post frequently on their blog and on instagram, but their favorite place to share is the tiny little corner of the internet they've carved out in their newsletter. There they send essays, photos and other lovely stuff all with the purpose of inspiring creative families. 

SouleMama: Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed? Is there anything new you'd like to tell us about?

Andrea & Danielle: Since we were last featured on Soulemama (hello, again, waves!!!) we haven't changed all that much with one exciting exception. Just today - yay! -we released the newest publication in our lineup - the very first issue of our essential guides.

With each essential guide we'll be trying to make creativity just a tiny bit easier and more accessible. To do so, we'll be helping readers to break down a particular barrier, something that is standing in their way.

 

Issue one of our essential guides is all about getting gauge in knitting. Measuring and getting gauge is often enough to leave beginning knitters feeling more than a tad confused. Well, we can take care of that! Issue one has a full length article (along with lots of maths!! - don't be scared) teaching you the ins and outs of getting gauge, a pattern to practice your newfound gauge getting skills, a tutorial for involving the little ones in knitting differently, an essay, beautiful and inspiring photography, and more. Really, we could go on and on. We're just that excited to share this.

This weekend, Crafting Connections is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

A free issue of our newest essential guide to getting gauge. In the comments, tell us what creative barriers or struggles you face, something that you might like us to tackle in a future essential guide.

For everyone, we've got a promo copy of our latest creative notebook, all about creative strategies for coping. (full issue available only to our newsletter subscribers) 

In addition, Crafting Connections is offering all SouleMama readers 50% off for our shop - all back issues and the newest essential guide. Use the code SOULEMAMA.  Discount good until 8/21. 

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

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...

Thank you...this looks interesting.
Posted by: Bloomingheather

Now THAT is the thing....gauge. I would appreciate any help I can get with this!!
Posted by: sageandspirit

Oh wow! Thank you so much for the discount code and giveaway! I have two big(ger) challenges: 1) Choosing colors. I believe some people have an innate eye for color and others do not ... and I am in the latter group. Somehow my color projects just never look quite right. 2) Project burn-out. For some reason by the time I finish a knitting project, I hate it. I can only see the mistakes, or it doesn't fit quite right, or it's not quite what I envisioned. For me this is happens more with larger projects than smaller ones, maybe I have knitting commitment issues?
Posted by: mollysusie

in the garden, August 14

Oh, August garden, you give SO much! There are piles and baskets and handfuls and buckets of food coming in from the garden these days. Headed to the kitchen for preserving, and for eating. And the pigs, as you can see, are rather enjoying all the leftovers and garden surplus. So handy that they're positioned in the pasture just a fence over from the garden, it's as simple as tossing it over the side. 

Some fall things have gone in - turnips and parsnips are planted, and a bed is being prepared for garlic (though that won't go in the ground for a while yet). I never did find the culprit of the tomato thief, though I am picking tomatoes just before they're ripe so as to get them before the culprit does (I do think groundhog or woodchuck). On the other side of the garden, it is voles, I believe, eating so many of our potatoes. It was a little heartbreaking to start digging a few up and find that most were eaten, at least in that first outside row. I need to explore more today. This has never happened before! But, interestingly, this year has been free of the usual pests we encounter in the garden - hornworms, squash bugs, potato beetles, etc - and instead full of bigger critters - woodchucks, groundhogs, and voles. The garden is just too big to fence deep enough to keep those fellas out, so I'll have to get creative next year about adding some deterrents to the plants most vulnerable. Always something new, in the garden to learn, isn't there? SO many things to learn.

While the days of summer are winding down, and our schedules are beginning to shift to the fall activities to come, I am comforted by the garden. Comforted by the knowledge that there is a whole lot of September goodness yet to come. September in the garden is just delightful - still so full of giving produce, and so much cooler and more comfortable to work in. I look forward to it all...

. . . . . .

During the growing season, I share a garden update once a week. If you are doing the same (on any day of the week) in your own online space, please leave a link in the comments section below so that we can take a stroll through your garden! Or simply, in your words, share what you've been up to in your own garden. Be sure not to miss the comments of these posts, as the garden wisdom shared by all of you is such a beautiful thing to see - I learn so much every week! Thank you, friends. And blessings on another year in the garden!

 

 

to do, today

Much of my day will be spent looking at this, and working on that. It's an exciting issue, FOLK...so much beauty in these pages! And off to the printer it goes very, very soon. But just as soon as I'm done with that, or just as soon as my eyes bug out from staring at it too long, or just as soon as I just can't stand the temptation of other things...

I'm moving onto this.

Or this.

Or this! 

There are so many things I'm excited about making, it's hard to choose which one to spend those precious available moments in the day working on. Eeny, meeny, miny, mo....

berry breakfast bar

**Well, my goodness, thank you!!! It appears that I have no fewer than one hundred and fifty ways to try to love rutabaga now, thanks to you all. I will keep you posted! I'm excited to get started!

Yesterday morning I found myself with the three littlest ones hovering around me in the kitchen, eager for something to fill their bellies with. Obviously a frequent occurrence (though usually Papa is on breakfast duty), but this time it was me feeling uninspired by the oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and granola options. Plus - the sunshine was calling and I was ready to get out there and in it, and I thought they were too. 

"Breakfast Bar!" I called. And filled up a glass of milk for each of them, handed them a basket each (and a hard boiled egg), and sent them out the door. "To the berries!" I told them, once outside. And that's just where we went, together. We are in that blissful period of time right now where blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are all producing. And with all of them right in the same corner of the orchard (though I hear this was a bad idea in planting terms, but so far we're doing okay), we set to work. Eating, eating, and eating some more. Right from the bushes, skipping the baskets, for the most part. And the most beautiful thing of all? When bickering began (early morning grouchies), the three of them each got their own berry from the trio of offerings, until I called 'rotate!' which then of course became just the perfect game full of giggles. 

I like it. Berry Breakfast Bar: belly on up and eat your fill. I may be onto something here. 

bigger than their heads

This is one of the things I love about gardening. (And of the things that makes me fear farming/admire farmers on a commercial level!) The unpredictable nature. I can guess, and with each year, the results become closer to what I expected. But there are always surprises. Big ones. Sometimes....literally. 

I'm sure I've told you before that Steve and I laugh about becoming burdock, thistle and dandelion farmers, for that's what seems to want to grow here by the field full. And while I wish it were tomatoes that I could grow with ease and happily fill baskets with by the bushel (maybe someday...maybe with a greenhouse), I do appreciate the things that grow easily for now. Beans, you may remember (and I dare say we're on the same trajectory this year). Beets. And in general root vegetables. Which should have given me pause, perhaps, when I decided to grow nearly a whole bed of rutabaga this year. I've never grown them before, and had no idea how they'd do. 

How are they doing? See above. And imagine an entire bed full of them - all bigger than a human head! Rutabaga, rutabaga, rutabaga! Which is great, but here's a little secret, please don't tell my children, for I am about to launch a 'rutabagas are awesome!' campaign in my house in preparation for all the eating of them that we will be doing- I don't really love rutabagas. Or turnips. But surely that's just because I've never really had them prepared well, right? Yes, this must be true. 

So - fans of rutabaga and turnips (um, I planted just as many of those, and they're doing just as well!) - I need your help! Rutabaga! Turnip! What magic can be made with them in the kitchen?

And on the topic of garden beds overflowing, gardeners, what crop are you feeling a bit, surprised, by this season? 

lazy days of August

The lake water is cold! I'm telling you, it happened August first, it always does. And do you see that red leaf just up above? Amazing. I feel you, cold lake water...I see you, red autumn maple leaf. I know you're coming, and as a result, we're doing all the things we should to be present and enjoy what is here, before we nestle on into the next season to come (and all the goodness that one brings). 

Being present and enjoying for us right now means standing still, and staying at home. We've had many traveling adventures this summer - at least more than our family is used to. But just the very second we pick up the last two travelers from the airport tomorrow, we are headed straight back home, do not pass go. Family lockdown, I call it, but it is meant in the best of ways and no one thinks it a punishment. After a lot of adventure and the normal excitement of summer camps and parties and food and outings - I can start to see some moods fraying, a little bit of discord weaving its way through the house and the people living together in it. Yup, just like after the busy holiday season, or directly after a vacation, I'm thinking this is a familiar feeling at this point in August after so much good and busy. Time to touch ground, check in, and be together. At home.

Badminton, knitting, swimming and swinging? Canning, and drawing and reading and eating? Yes, please. Home, all together, for a good long stretch, is just the thing.

 

Colorhouse {a soulemama sponsor}

 

Greetings from Colorhouse! 

We believe in breathing clean air.

In the goodness of homemade and making a home.

In happiness through color.

And making the world more colorful and less volatile!

Colorhouse paints are gentle on people big and small. Perfect for nurseries, kids’ rooms and play rooms, Colorhouse paints don’t have any of the “stinky stuff” like conventional paints, so you and your little one can breathe easy when painting with Colorhouse.

At Colorhouse, we are proud of what’s NOT in our paint:

NO VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

NO Toxic Fumes/HAPs-Free (hazardous air pollutants)

NO Reproductive Toxins

NO Chemical Solvents

Colorhouse is a resource for simple and inspiring DIY projects. Check out our MAKE THIS series on our blog for inspiration and how-tos for painting the perfect striped wall or create a chalkboard headboard for your little one’s room! 

Join our Community on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

SouleMama: Welcome to sponsorship on SouleMama! Please tell us about the beginnings of your business, and how you've come to be where you are now?

Colorhouse: In 2005, Colorhouse was founded by two artists who were looking for a premium paint that was safer for people and the planet. Out of this need for greener paint and more beautiful color, Colorhouse was born.

We strive to make the world more colorful and less volatile everyday by creating products that stay true to our core values of:

COLLABORATION.
We are connected to our community as artists, environmentalists and a woman-owned business.

CREATIVITY.
The world is more fun in color – we are committed to inspiring the artist in you.

SUSTAINABILITY.
We are passionate about finding a greener way. We bring environmental and social values to the workplace.

INTEGRITY.
We strive to create quality products, respect people and the planet, and are committed to what we do every day.

Read more about our commitment here.

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

3 gal of Colorhouse paint, 1 qt of chalkboard paint, and 1 fandeck of our 128 interior hues

Due to international shipping regulations about paint, unfortunately this giveaway is limited to US addresses only.

In addition, Colorhouse is offering all SouleMama readers a special rebate - buy 3 gallons of Colorhouse paint get 1 free during the month of August 2015. The rebate can be downloaded here.

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

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. The winner is...

I am really impressed with what Colorhouse is doing. I would love to use their paint in our house.
Posted by: Tricia

Nova Natural Toys & Crafts {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Nova Natural Toys & Crafts! 

Nova Natural is a small, family-run business based in Vermont. Our goal is to create a trusted source for toys and craft supplies that allow children to follow their imagination. To that end, we offer a carefully chosen selection of products that encourage creativity and truly engage children—head, hands and heart. We are concerned with the effects our lives and business have on the environment and make every effort to ensure that our toys are made in accordance with the the principles of Fair Trade, as well as working with companies, workshops and individuals who use renewable resources. We hope you find beauty and wonder in our toys!

Visit us on instagram! We're @novanatural

SouleMama: Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed? Is there anything new you'd like to tell us about?

Nova: We have our first ever fall catalog coming out next month, featuring lots of dress-up attire for Halloween, including two new costumes: a Woodland Fairy and a Sorcerer. To our excellent selection of knight's garb and fairy clothing, we've added a new face-painting kit—so we're gearing up for a spook-tacular Halloween this year! Sign up to receive the fall catalog here.

Also new in our shop are outdoor hammocks—now you can set up your hammock outside and leave it out, rain or shine! 

This weekend, Nova Natural Toys & Crafts is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky SouleMama reader:

$100 gift certificate!

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

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. The winner is...

What a wonderful hammock! I'm definitely going to head over to your website to check it out (and the face painting kit!)
Posted by: Valerie

in the garden, August 7

Greetings from the garden! Where all is fine and well. The house, on the other hand, has had some bumps in the past few days, as evidenced by the silence here. My apologies! During a wild storm, one of the big maples next to the house was struck by lightning, as well as frying our modem, router, and some external drives. Ah! Thank goodness, of course, that all is well and everyone is safe, and that surge protectors spared the computer and freezers - those things would have been far more stressful to lose/replace. Still....it took a few days of logistics to get this operation back up and running.

Two days disconnected though, was very, very good for the garden! Or rather, the kitchen, which really is where most of the garden energy is spent these days. We're definitely on the flip side of the garden season where things are far more wild out there, but the work in the kitchen of preserving all of that takes most of the time. Let's talk more kitchen stuff next week, shall we? Until then, a few things happening out there in the garden...

Beans! Oh goodness, did I not remember last years crazy overflow when I planted this year? I thought I was mindful of that but now I'm doubting myself. The beans have started coming and I don't see them stopping anytime soon. Good thing we love them so (until about February, that is). 

Tomatoes! They are happening, and I'm so thrilled! Harper is waiting patiently for there to be enough to make his fabulous ketchup, and I've already done some canning and fermenting, with salsa on tap for this weekend. Unfortunately, there is some kind of a pest that's getting into the tomatoes, and I can't for the life of me figure out what it is and how to stop it. Whoever it is, is getting all the low lying fruit - and only the ripe or nearly ripe ones. Each morning I go out to discover another ten that are nearly gone. Racoon? Skunk? I don't know....seems to be bigger than a mole or vole (and it isn't the chickens). Guard dog Greta seems to not mind whoever it is, so I'll have to have a word with her about that. Tomatoes! I don't want to share them!

Berries! We are in the blissful short period of time where blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are all going at once. I'm fielding requests for pie at least three times a day, and having terrible luck convincing them that maybe we should save some for jam to enjoy in the winter time. I get it. Pie is good.

Squash! So far (still knocking on wood), I think the row covers on all of my squash plants really did help more than anything else I've tried before, in terms of keeping the squash bugs at bay. I think I'm seeing the beginnings of them now, but I think there's enough time for the fruit to still make it. As for our little cattle panel 'hoop' for gourds and decorative tiny pumpkins, we are loving that as it fills in and becomes a shady spot to sit! The gourds sadly never really germinated, but the tiny pumpkins are plentiful, adorable, and very much enjoyed.

Flowers! We are bringing so many in each day. There were so many coming in that it warranted a whole thrifting trip this week for new vessels to put all the flowers in!  I couldn't be happier about that.

Friends, I wish you a most lovely weekend ahead in your own garden, and the kitchen too! 

. . . . . .

During the growing season, I share a garden update once a week. If you are doing the same (on any day of the week) in your own online space, please leave a link in the comments section below so that we can take a stroll through your garden! Or simply, in your words, share what you've been up to in your own garden. Be sure not to miss the comments of these posts, as the garden wisdom shared by all of you is such a beautiful thing to see - I learn so much every week! Thank you, friends. And blessings on another year in the garden!

 

because no is boring (though sometimes necessary)

Yesterday, in a moment of frustration that included a foot stomp, a pout, and perhaps some hands on the hips if I'm remembering correctly, one of my children said, "I am SO BORED with hearing no!" 

And well, I rather disagree with that statement. Because NO, it is not okay to eat only popsicles for breakfast and lunch. And NO, we are not going to get ice cream for dinner (again). And NO, you can't just push your brother when he's in your way or annoying you. And NO, you most certainly cannot watch a movie in the middle of an absolutely gorgeous summer's day. And NO, I am not driving an hour and a half on such a day so that I can drop you off at the skatepark and wait while you play, then drive you home again. And NO, tying a collar around the neck of the cats so you can walk them on leashes while they get tangled and frustrated is NOT okay. And No, no, no, no, no...to all of them, all the time.... is certainly sometimes how I feel. Don't you? It's impossible not to. Yes, I can change my language and redirect and find alternatives and positive solutions. But the reality is that life includes some limits, many necessary, important and good limits really, and those amount to a great deal of 'no' uttered from my mouth during the course of a day.

Which is all to say that I LOVE when I can say yes. And I seek out the opportunity to do so whenever possible. And I pause, I really do, before answering a question with a no, to see what other options we have. But oh, the easy yeses. They are the best, they really are. 

Such as....on an August afternoon when everyone is hot and spent and grouchy and cranky and not engaged in anything at all besides irritating each other and declaring their "boredom with the word no".....

In such a moment, when someone asks, "Can we please just go swim?" The answer, without a doubt, is ABSOLUTELY, YES!

Not boring at all.

 

August Morning

Oh these fleeting days. Can you believe we have turned the calendar page to August? I cannot. And I say that with a deep sigh. I have always believed - here in Maine - that everything shifts August first. That the air just feels different, that the evenings are not quite the same as July, that autumn is essentially at the doorstep. My husband laughs at me. My kids think I'm silly. And well, maybe they're right. Maybe I'm a bit oversensitive about it all. But really - August 1, I tell you, everything changes (says this summer loving gal). 

It's a precious fleeting feeling though. And it's echoed throughout my home and life right now. As I see the bounty of not just this season, but this season of our lives. The garden that is bursting and near to overflowing with so much goodness that every dinner feels like a feast of freshness and abundance. Or that oldest boy of mine just about pass his father in height (well, the man bun, or mun as we call it, helps a bit), as I watch him gracefully prepare for the next great adventure in his life at high school. I feel it in the moments we come together and gather with friends to celebrate the season, our community, and a blue moon. And see it as I turn the corner and find my girls curling each others hair with hot rollers once again, in preparation for the "show" that will be performed by the clothesline later in the day.

I suppose all of that is why I pay attention and notice that subtle shift come August 1st. It isn't so much that I'm terribly sad that summer will end, but more that I want to not let it slip by without noticing, and appreciating. Both summer and everything else - the abundance, the fullness, and the blessings of this time of year, and this time of our lives. I'm doing my best these days to do just that, inhale these little moments, and tuck them into my pocket for later. Yes.

Tall Earth {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Tall Earth! 

Tall Earth is a small, family-run company based in one of the most fertile regions in Canada, the Niagara Greenbelt. We’ve been in business since 1990, selling and distributing our line of eco-safe, non toxic wood stains and preservatives to businesses and agricultural users, and have recently started selling direct to consumer. Born out of our own family’s need for safer, gentler options, we’re committed to designing and manufacturing effective, affordable products for home, garden, construction, marine, and pleasure use. We believe in environmental stewardship, but we also want products that really get the job done. You won't find our name on anything that doesn't work and work well.

We pledge to provide products that are gentle to Mother Earth, ethically sourced and ethically manufactured. We value our customers’ business and trust, and will work hard to provide a positive shopping experience and excellent customer service. All of our products are guaranteed, and we stand behind that promise.

Our online store is where we connect with our community of customers. We’ve tried to make it easy to navigate, rich in content and pictures, and accessible, with lots of live chat hours and a toll-free number. We love hearing from our customers and providing project-specific advice and tips. We ship from multiple locations in the US and Canada, and we offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders across the US and Canada.

Thank you for sharing our story and our enthusiasm for affordable and effective eco-safe products!

Visit us on Facebook and Instagram.

SouleMama: Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed? Is there anything new you'd like to tell us about?

Catherine: We've been fortunate to grow our customer base significantly, and much of our business comes from referrals - it's so gratifying to have satisfied folks that are willing to vouch for our products and introduce them to their friends and family! In particular, our international customers have tripled! We've now had our products used in a European castle, a Hollywood movie set, and a sprawling cattle ranch. As always, we appreciate that our customers are the lifeblood of our business, and we're very grateful for them.

This weekend, Tall Earth is generously offering the following gift to THREE lucky SouleMama readers:

The winner’s choice of one of the following Tall Earth products:

1. Tall Earth Eco-Safe Wood Treatment (1 Gallon) – a non-toxic, Zero-VOC wood stain and preservative.

2. Tall Earth Weathered Wood Finish – a unique artisan wood stain that provides a nearly instant silvery driftwood patina. Non-toxic, Zero-VOC.

3. Tall Earth Eco-Safe Wood Guard – a powerful yet eco-safe preventative and remedial treatment for wood-boring insects.

In addition, Tall Earth is offering all SouleMama readers 10% off of any of our products from now until September 30^th. Simply use the code SOULELOVE at check out, and don’t forget to send us pictures of your projects! Email them to [email protected] or post them on Instagram with the hashtag #tallearthprojects.

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

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...

So helpful. We're always looking for products like these!
Posted by: Rebecca

I'm excited that these products exist!
Posted by: Lisa

Lots of woodworking projects on the to do list still! Thank you for this opportunity!
Posted by: Diana

Silk Oak {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Silk Oak! 

At Silk Oak, we've been making our hand silkscreened, original design goods in downtown Ithaca, New York since 1977, having fun and making lots of friends along the way. In that time, we've printed over half a million shirts, sending them from our little studio in Ithaca, all over the world as goodwill ambassadors- from Galapagos to Katmandu, from Tahiti to Siberia. 

Silk Oak is more than just a way for us to make a living. We believe it's possible for business to help create healthier, more vibrant communities. We print on U.S. grown cotton, sweatshop free garments and choose organic when possible! We pay living wage or above and work to strengthen our local economy and keep more dollars circulating locally. 

We love color, cool design and the hands on feel of our traditional, low tech, eco friendly process. 

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. 

SouleMama: Since the last time you were featured on SouleMama, in what ways has your business grown or changed? Is there anything new you'd like to tell us about?

Jan: Ithacamade is my brick and mortar store, featuring Silk Oak and lots of other wonderful, locally made goods. After 5 years in our current location, we are moving! 

What has me most excited about the move is that we are moving to the Dewitt Mall. It's a historic, 100 year old brick building in downtown Ithaca that used to be the junior high school but was saved from the wrecking ball in 1971 and turned into apartments, stores and offices. It has been the home of famed Moosewood Restaurant for over 40 years and is dear to my heart as the site where I started my first business, a children’s store called The Cat’s Pajamas (which is still going strong). 

 

It feels like home, like I am returning to my roots! At the same time, it’s a big undertaking and a bit overwhelming. It seems fitting to begin this new venture by cycling back to my beginning!

 

This weekend, Silk Oak is generously offering the following gift to TWO lucky SouleMama readers:

$50.00 Gift Certificate!

In addition, Silk Oak is offering all SouleMama readers 15% off of any of our products from today until August 16^th. Please use the code SOULEMAMA at checkout.

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

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...

I love Silk Oak and Ithaca. Thanks for this generous opportunity!
Posted by: Bonnie Klatt

cute cute cute!
Posted by: sioux

August 1

 

Hello August!

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

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Alena Hennessy

online art classes for the spirit

 

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

 

 

Cobble Hill Farm Apothecary

 

Cobble Hill Farm Apothecary is a farm-fresh soap & skincare company based out of Upstate New York. From our farm kitchen at the foothills of the Adirondacks, we create our products in small batches to ensure quality. Our ingredients include fresh herbs and botanicals grown right here on the farm as well as local raw goat milk, honey, beeswax, natural clays, and butters and oils that are nourishing for your skin. 

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

Mama Bliss Coaching School

Mama Bliss Coaching School is a 12 week coaching training program for moms to coach and support other moms to their most peaceful, creative and blissful selves. Resting on the foundation of the four pillars of Mama Bliss -Self-care, Creativity, Values and Simplicity - this certification program will prepare you for a thriving online-based coaching practice with training in the ten Mama Bliss coaching tools and process as well as an outline to offer live workshops in your community. The Fall 2015 session begins on September 21st with spots available for 20 students.

.. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

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!