SouleMama

Alewives Fabrics {a soulemama sponsor}

 

Greetings from Alewives Fabrics! 

Our shop is housed in a three story red barn in the tiny little village of Damariscotta Mills in beautiful Midcoast Maine. For over 11 years, Alewives has been owned and operated by the mother/daughter team of Barbara Neeson and Rhea Butler. We offer a carefully curated selection of contemporary textiles including quilting cottons, linen/cotton blends, chambray, Liberty Tana Lawn, double gauze, vinyl laminate, cotton voile, flannel, rayon and much, much more.

We run a busy webstore that sends fabric all over the globe, offer long arm quilting machine services, and hold workshops & events in our spacious classroom. Alewives has a dozen employees (in fact, Barbara and Rhea are just one of three mother/daughter teams working at Alewives Fabrics!) and we're very proud and blessed to be a locally-owned, family-run business!

Alewives Fabrics can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.  

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

Rhea: Since our last Soulemama feature, Alewives Fabrics has become a Quince&Co. Flagship store! We now carry a huge selection of Quince&Co. yarns, including all 5 wool yarns (Finch, Chickadee, Lark, Osprey and Puffin), plus linen yarn and wool blend yarn (Sparrow, Tern, Piper, Owl and Owl Tweet). We also carry a full line of knitting notions, along with lots of the Quince&Co. patterns and knitting books. We've had an amazing customer response to the Quince yarns, and who wouldn't love a shop that carries delicious fabrics and delectable yarns, too? Customers say that we are deadly to their wallets, and I have to confess, we try to be as "deadly" as possible!

 

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

 

A Liberty of London charm pack! 

 

Liberty Tana Lawn is known for its wonderful hand and its timeless designs. Use this charm pack in quilting projects of all sorts, or incorporate into garments, children's clothing, or any creative sewing endeavor! Fabrics are 100% cotton and include 42 5" squares (7 of the fabrics are repeated: total of 35 different designs in each charm pack). 

In addition, Alewives Fabrics would like to offer Soulemama readers FREE SHIPPING on all domestic orders and $10 OFF INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING through Saturday, November 7, 2015. To receive free shipping, enter the code SOULEMAMA into the promotional code field at checkout. If you are local, please mention the Soulemama promotion at the register and choose a free fat quarter (up to $3 value) from our selection of pre-cut fat quarters through Saturday, November 7, 2015.  

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

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...

Would love this! Love Alewives!
Posted by: lauren

amaranth & elderberry

I have grand sugarplum visions of handwritten dye cards (in cursive, please) with strands of my homegrown shetland fiber attached to each of them, marking the plant and details of the dye session. I admire very much, organization like this and this and oh, isn't this one dreamy? Additionally, all the formulas and details that I read about and see evidence of in other folks' dyeing experiments and natural dye books inspire me. Someday, I'll do that. I know I will. But for now, all my dyeing experiments are a bit of, well, a hack job, I guess you could say. Squeezed into moments of time in my days when I stumble across fading amaranth in the garden and think, "I wonder what color this would make on Charlotte's white fleece or Emily's gray one?" and then proceed to add another pot to the stove while making dinner. But this pot, the dye pot, is full of yarn, not soup. It's not precise and it isn't technical, but it does get the job done and I love doing the job. 

With twelve fleeces carded and ready to spin, and with twelve sheep out there ready to be sheared again, I'm realizing that I needn't be so protective of my skeins of hand-spun yarn. They are precious, yes, but not too precious for experimentation and play. Hence, the reason I grabbed five skeins and tossed them into the dye pot a few nights ago. They were mordanted with alum and cream of tarter overnight. Then I let them sit for a day with the amaranth. When that wasn't showing much color, I threw in a few bags of frozen elderberries (why not?), and then, a little bit of washing soda as well. See? Embarrassingly not precise. A little of this, a little of that, letting things sit longer rather than shorter amounts of time (simply due to finding the moments to work on it in the day). 

So, it may be that I'll never exactly replicate what I did in the dye pot this week, and I have no notes to show for it (except these here!), but oh, I'm thrilled with the results. It's a much more 'green' yellow than anything I've made before and I really do like it. The color was just the inspiration I needed too, to get it onto the needles and soon, onto someone's head. From pasture to studio to wardrobe, with a stop in the kitchen along the way. 

why dinner was late last night : the autumn edition

In the summer, it was flowers. And in the autumn, I supposed it's the invasive, but ever-present bittersweet to blame! 

I really did just go out there for one thing. Parsley, for the fish chowder on the stove. But on my walk there, garden scissors in hand, I noticed all the bittersweet and the twisty vines, and well....they called. Soon my arms were full of the stuff, and after that the kitchen table was covered. I did remember the parsley. Though dinner waited just a little bit longer to be finished. Easy peasy bittersweet in a mason jar in the entryway, and a quick little wreath. Ah... such joy in the making.

And well, they're all quite used to dinner being a little bit delayed for one silly thing or another. With bellies full of chowder that I dare say was rather extra delicious for all that long simmering time, all was forgiven.

magic beans

The garlic is in! I've been intending to get out there for some time now, into the garden, to clean up a bit and plant the garlic. Yesterday was the perfect day for it - sunshine and warm temperatures, a driving schedule a little less hectic than usual, and happy kids. How can you not be thrilled on a beautiful fall day like that? We all were, really. And all the work of the garden became a fun game for us all, lasting hours longer than I realized. The sunflower stems we were pulling and putting into the compost became scepters. Piper, the cat who followed us, because a familiar. All that garlic helped keep the vampires away. And the beans we pulled from the plants left hanging on the vines were magic beans, of course. 

I didn't get everything I wanted to done in the garden, but that's okay. There will be more time, I'm certain. And the garden doesn't really ask a lot of me this time of year anyway. It feels as though everything I can get done now - cleaning out the beds, tidying up, etc - just makes the springtime work easier. It's a gift to myself, really, not a timely demand from the garden. I rather like that. 

And I definitely like rambling around out there in the garden with my favorite people on a warm autumn day. Doing the work of a fall garden, and searching for magic beans. 

perspective :: all in a day

Sometimes, when I reflect on it, I am bewildered by all that happens in a day around here, and goodness if you make it a 'weekend' time capsule then we've really got a full spectrum going on. This one included no less than some fiddle rehearsal, a photo shoot involving fiber, a cross country regional championship, butchering of sixty-five chickens (and four turkeys), and then a theatre opening to boot. It's SO MUCH, this life with a family of eight living under just one roof. And there are moments, I must confess, when I feel as though all that I do is drive those folks around, and hustle about to figure out what's going to be for dinner because half of us aren't going to be home until far too late for the others....and when is it precisely that Steve and I are supposed to these paid gigs of ours done? In the midnight hours? Oh, but we haven't even stacked all the wood yet! And can we talk about that gas bill? Because there's a lot of driving. Sigh....

But you know....it just takes a shift. A moment. The moment when I see my boy walk out onto the stage in a lead role that he's worked so hard at (may I be so biased and bold as to suggest that anyone with littles in the Portland, Maine area go and check out The Witches at the Children's Theatre of Maine? You should do it.). The moment when I watch another one kick it into high gear at the last fifty yards of his regional cross- country championships, setting his personal record in this sport that is new to him, but one in which he's given everything he has (who knew I could be such a yeller? I am, by golly!).  The moment in which I watch my eldest girl present a critical piece of her little sister's halloween costume, one she's been working on in secret for surprise and love - a gift, I think, to both her little sister and her Mama. Or the moment in which I watch that youngest one of mine dive in fully to the harvesting of the animals we raise and eat, understanding it in a different way than she ever has before - with love, respect and kindness. 

And then there's the walk in the woods I took with Harper. In between bagging up the turkeys for the freezer and driving Ezra to theatre and picking Calvin up from a sleepover with his freshman class. "I'm kind of sad all the trees are falling off the trees! They've been extra pretty this year, don't you think?" I say. To which he replies, as though I am missing a most obvious point that everyone else can see, "Um, Mom....they're right here. You just have to look down when you're walking!"

But, of course. Oh, how so very glad I am for these teachers of mine. All five of them. I learn so much in a day.

Fabula Nebulae {a soulemama sponsor}

 

 

Greetings from Fabula Nebulae! 

Fabula Nebulae is a small, family collaboration, and we make all natural products by hand for body, baby, and bath. We chose our ingredients carefully and deliberately, and use only all natural, straightforward ingredients - organic and fair trade whenever possible.

Every recipe is carefully thought out, researched, tweaked, and well tested by us, our children, family, and friends before it becomes a part of our product line.

Salve to Quiet the Storm, our all purpose skin healing salve, was our first and only product for a long time. Now it is the base for all our creations, except the sugar scrubs.

Fabula Nebulae is 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?

Pasaka: We are delighted to be here, as this is where it all began more than five years ago! We began using cloth diapers, and spent a lot of time searching for a cloth diaper safe bum salve. A longtime reader of Amanda’s blog, I was excited to read about a natural body product company featured on SouleMama. It turned out that their salve contained an ingredient that causes allergies in our family, but this is what encouraged me to make my own. I never imagined that *our* shop would someday be featured here! 

My husband and I were both working full time in healthcare and research at that time, and our first product, Salve to Quiet the Storm, was born from much searching, reading, tinkering, testing (and tossing). The final result ended up being a terrific, healing and calming concoction, well-loved by our own family and those we shared it with.

Today we live in Maine, are raising three littles, and Fabula Nebulae has expanded to include a full product line. We opened our online shop in August, and our products have been welcomed to the shelves of a local natural food store. Our business has expanded to include extended family, most notably my brother. He and I work side by side - every single step of the process is touched by our own hands.

We’re thrilled to be sharing our products with you!

 

This weekend, Fabula Nebulae is generously offering the following gifts to TWO lucky SouleMama readers:

A collection of products!

A tin of Quiet the Storm all-purpose skin calming salve, a tub Desert Rain skin hydrating salve, a stick of Chapped Cheek balm, a stick of Natural Deodorant, a tin of aromatherapy balm, and two sugar scrubs. The winners will get to choose the scents/flavors they receive.

In addition, Fabula Nebulae is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers a 20% discount, valid through November 14th (just in time for the holidays!), with the code SOULEFAM.

Today would be our beloved Grandmother’s 102nd birthday. Our customers become part of our family, and we would like to share our celebration of her life with you. Every order placed this weekend (Oct 24th and 25th) will receive a sneak peek sample of a product that we have not yet released! 

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

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...

My kids already need some of the chapped cheek balm! Looks like great products.
Posted by: Susan

What s fantastic giveaway! I'd love to try these lovely products!! Thank you for the opportunity !
Posted by: Summer

Pumpkins in the Smoothies

Where would we Mamas be without our friends? I can't even begin to fathom the answer to that question. And that ranges the whole entirety of life - from the person I call when the world around me seems to be crumbling (but really I'm just needing a reminder that I'm tired, I need a walk in the woods, perhaps a good cry, and/or maybe a long night out with the ladies too)..... to....the person who helps me figure out what the ever-living-daylights I'm going to DO with all this pumpkin coming out of the garden! It's a miracle and a blessing when we find friends who can help us sort out both kinds of life problems, and I certainly have one of those special friends in Sarah. 

She paid me a visit earlier this week, because she and I are cooking up a plan for something fun and fabulous in 2016 together (more on that soon), and as she was walking out the door, I said, "but wait! You can't leave without a pumpkin....or three?". And while that may sound generous and thoughtful of me, it really was nothing but selfish I'll have you know (she knew it too, she's no fool. That's the lawyer in her, I say.). For around here, we call her the Smoothie Queen. And I knew that if I handed her all of that pumpkin, it would only be a matter of days before I had a text from her with the perfect smoothie recipe. One that included pumpkin puree, of which, well, I've got a bit of. And well, here we are, just a few days later, recipe in hand. Tested and tried, loved and adored by her family and mine. And I'm ever so glad she let me share it here with you today. It's like pumpkin pie in a cup, but without any kind of post-pie feeling. And no guilt at all. Pure yum.

From Sarah:

When fall comes along most people do not think about adding pumpkin to smoothies, but it is actually a really nice addition. You can use raw, cooked or even canned pumpkin in your smoothie. Pumpkins are are high in vitamin A and contains almost all of the B vitamins. As for minerals, pumpkins are rich in copper and a good source of iron, manganese, phosphorus and potassium. And with several antioxidants, you have a powerful ingredient to add to your smoothie. Pumpkin makes a wonderful base and blends well with apples, pears, coconut, carrot, and sweet potato. Spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and allspice are excellent in pumpkin smoothies where pumpkin is the dominant flavor. The flavor of raw cacao also mixes well with pumpkin. Lastly, if making a green smoothie with pumpkin, mild-flavored greens, like organic baby spinach are great. You can use raw, cooked or even canned pumpkin for making a smoothie.

Pumpkin-Gingerbread Smoothie:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 banana

thumb size piece of ginger, peeled

2 T maple syrup

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 T chia seeds

1 T molasses

2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

. . . . . . . . . . 

(Note - for our largish family lunch size - served with popcorn, apples, and hard boiled eggs, of course - I doubled everything but the molasses. And....if you'd like to check out more of what Sarah does in good food, yoga, health and wellness, do pay her a visit!) 

Did I mention the guilt-free, pumpkin pie in a cup part? Yum. Thanks, Sarah. For everything. 

 

Wednesday Work

The crafty works in progress are out of control around here right now and slightly tipping towards chaos. Or at the least, a great big mess. There's something drying over here, some glitter over there, and this and that everywhere else. 

Of course, I couldn't be happier about that.

frost on the pumpkin

Quite late on Saturday night I remembered the cold that was coming and the promise of our first real hard frost. The squash! The potatoes! With just a little bit of panic in my voice, Adelaide and Harper jumped to task, eager to help out. By headlamp, those two little ones carried every last bucket of potatoes, every last (and big) pumpkin and squash still left in the garden shed. How grateful I am for their help - they saved the day! Or the squash, rather. 

With the kitchen table full and overflowing with all of that, plus all the apples that have been coming in (thanks to our amazing neighbor, whose orchard is years ahead of ours), much of the weekend was spent working on clearing that table. Finding a place for everything and preserving what I could. And of course, making some yummy treats to eat along the way. 

We don't have a great root cellar food storage solution at this point. With a bit more work, our cellar will hopefully be up for the job in a few years. For now, it can handle squash and potatoes, apples and the like for a little while, but certainly not as long as we'd like. That means the best way of keeping these things longer is by canning, of course, and freezing. As such, nearly all the pie pumpkins (something like thirty? Oh my) were roasted, pureed, and then put into the freezer in 3 cup increments. These will be perfect for pulling out and quickly thawing to add to a stew, or baked goods, or whatever the case may be. Plus all the other squash now lining the cellar stairs! What a bountiful year it was for the squash and how glad I am (row covers, I'm giving you all the credit for keeping those squash bugs at bay). So squash it is, on the dinner table more often than not these days. A few pumpkin favorites that have made their way onto the table of late: 

• pumpkin mac and cheese (which I made not exactly but a little something like this)
• these Oatmeal To-Go Pumpkin muffins have been a huge hit, and I've been freezing them as well for a quick breakfast snack as my high schooler heads out the door in the morning
• Heidi's Pumpkin and Rice soup made its first appearance of the season, with more to come
• By combining the two very things that are plentiful in the kitchen these days, I made all the bellies happy with this Autumn Apple and Pumpkin Galette (I tripled the recipe and made tiny ones, so we had them for days!)
• smoothies! I've been experimenting with pumpkin in my morning smoothie (more on this soon!)
• And of course, there have been pumpkin seeds and all manner of variations in spicing and flavoring and much snacking

And some things I've got my eye on to try in the coming days:

• Salted Pumpkin Caramels (seriously???)
• Honey Pumpkin Biscuits, which just sound like the ultimate in comfort
• and with a freezer full of pork now, this Pork and Pumpkin Stew most definitely will be made soon

Though these days of roasting, pureeing, canning and freezing are long....I know that they are short-lived. That soon enough all of this will be tucked away for the season where it belongs. Those on the cellar stairs that can hang in there a little bit longer. The shelf full of squash in the vegetable freezer. And what a satisfying feeling that is, and comforting to know it's there at the ready for us in the long wintry season to come. And while we may not be bringing fresh and new treats in from the garden anymore, we're finding fresh and new ways to enjoy that which is already put by. What a blessing that is.

 

wooly goodness

There's been some knitting! Of course there's been some knitting - it's October! I'm sure this is something that Casey at Ravelry already has a chart for, but I do wonder if this isn't the biggest knitting month of all. The start of autumn, before the holidays, and with all the excitement of a new (knitting) season ahead. But then there's the quiet of February and the need for knitting then. Hmn...I do wonder. 

Yes, so the knitting! I've been freshening up the hat collections with some new things. Hats (if you're not a sock knitter, which I really don't think I am) really are the ultimate project in portability, ease, and instant gratification. And so useful in the end! I cast on for this one for Harper during a Parent Night at Calvin's high school. And I nearly finished it there too, if only I had thought ahead to bring double pointed needles for finishing the job. I thought about reaching for some pencils from the teachers desk, but then remembered I'm new to this school and that might just be a little too kooky of a thing to do (then again, it's Waldorf, so perhaps I'd have earned bonus points). Anyway, it's the City Hat from the Comfort Hats collection by Quince (the same collection has Weekend, the hat I made for Calvin last week). The yarn is Osprey - fabulously thick and squishy and just right for my little guy. 

 

And then, I cast on for another. This one for Adelaide, in some Woolen Rabbit WW Kashmir I had stashed away (the dreamiest of yarns, oh my goodness). 

And while we're talking about Adelaide, I thought you should know that she got the shawl. She loved it so, and how can a Mama resist the love of handknits? Not to worry, she's told me that we can share it (how fun is that? Sharing clothes with my growing girl. Love). That is, if I can pry her out of the sheep pasture with it.

 

w e e k e n d i n g

Sunday chores are so much more fun when you're wearing a tutu with sequins, and a handknit sweater. Don't you think? 

I hope you're all enjoying this day - chores, play, crafting or hopefully all of the above.That's my plan, as inspired by Miss Annabel.

Conscious Clothing {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Conscious Clothing! 

Conscious Clothing all began in 2001 with the birth of my second child. Finding myself concerned about the baby products at the time I began sewing my own diaper covers, blankets and clothing. Realizing just how important organics were to the health of my children and the planet, Conscious Clothing took full form. Since then, we’ve moved mainly into women’s clothing all the while continuing to specialize in natural fibers, dyes and inks using my very own designs.

 

Everything you find in our shop is hand-made with sustainability in mind. Our highest priority goes into finding and using sustainable and low impact materials while maintaining our love of fashion and comfort. Most items we offer are hand-dyed with low impact dyes in small batches right in our very home in Rockford, MI! Employing local labor whenever possible, our little team is supremely talented and dedicated to growing this company and bring you Conscious Clothing for the conscious consumer!

 

Conscious Clothing is on Etsy 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?

Rose: Since our last feature on SouleMama, I am excited to fill in new followers and long time Conscious Clothing lovers about our new studio and showroom which is to be completed by the start of the new year…fingers crossed! We are so close to the finish line and are thrilled to have the opportunity for more space and creative flow. Having all the extra room we are hoping that business ramps up on our wholesale end as well and we are looking forward to getting our hand-made, hand-dyed designs in more shops worldwide. Our once little team and little company is growing steadily and having a larger workshop will open up many possibilities for us!!

We also just launched our fall line of cozy hemp fleece jackets, skirts, and dresses. The perfect attire to get you through the fall and winter months in warmth and style.  

 

 

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

Hemp Winter Turtleneck Dress, Retails at $130

A gorgeous high turtleneck dress with long sleeves that falls at mid thigh. Stay cozy all winter in this effortless, comfortable and ultra soft winter dress made of Hemp and Organic Cotton Fleece. Shown here in Brick. More details in the shop. 

In addition, Conscious Clothing is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers 15% off an entire purchase on WWW.CONSCIOUSCLOTHING.NET using promo code “soulemama15” at checkout! Offer ends 10.24.15! Sorry, discount code not valid at Etsy shop.

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

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

What a dress!
Posted by: Anne Simpson

non-stop

We've all been under the weather this past week (hence my absence from the blog more than usual, my apologies!). It's been just enough to slow us down a bit, though not entirely. It's just the kind of change-of-season cold that keeps things a little more mellow than usual. And what we've found to focus a great deal of our energy on together in our days....is crafting. Surprising, no? It's been non-stop here. Papier mache, drawing while listening to audiobooks, and of course....the leaves. 

Supposedly last weekend was 'peak' foliage around here. I believe it - it's absolutely stunning right now. My twice-a-day drive to bring Calvin to and from school has honestly been nothing but a pleasure - driving through the riot of color that is the trees here right now. And of course, stopping more often than he'd like because "that tree is SO red! We need more really really red leaves!" 

At home, we've been simply dipping them in beeswax and then adorning every single corner of our home with them. Garlands (can one ever have too many garlands?), hanging in windows, and simply filling baskets on the table. This morning, as I sit in my studio to work for the first time in a few days, a drawing was slipped under my door (that's their subtle way of asking). A halloween costume made entirely of leaves. I think we can do that...

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

(someone's) Cicely

I'm so pleased with my latest knit, just off the needles. It's the Cicely Shawl, from FOLK, the latest issue of Taproot. Each time, early on in the editing phase, when a knitting project comes in, I can hardly contain my excitement about what's been shared with us, and almost always cast on immediately for whatever the project is. This one is by Courtney Spainhower (Pink Brutus Knits), new to Taproot, and I'm quite in love with not only how it turned out, but also the construction of it - it was surprising a bit, and fun. The yarn is Siidegarte ("Silky Swiss Gorgeousness" indeed!), and not exactly the gauge recommended for the pattern. But I fell so much in love with it (thanks to Suzie at Knitwit, who always knows what I'll love!), that I just had to go for it anyway. And being a shawl, of course, it works at whatever size, really. 

The trouble now is that I just can't decide who it belongs to. I love it so....and that green is just so scrumptious. But there's a little girl who has been eyeing it the whole time I've been knitting it, and I think it might just belong to her. Or maybe we can share. Hmn....I don't know yet.

But I do know that it isn't for the turkeys. AND, that the pattern for the next issue of Taproot just came in and I'm ready to cast on for that loveliness too. 

weekend vignettes

Sometimes, I am surprised by what I find on my camera card. My big camera still goes most every place with me, even though the phone is easy and handy too. But I've gotten quite used to hefting around the big one, and always so glad for it when can take just the photo I want. Though, there isn't a lot of thinking that happens behind the photos, as it's an appendage I'm quite unaware of using sometimes. Hence the pleasant surprise from time to time. When I know that my calendar tells me this weekend was a flurry - of driving and races, parties and gatherings, work and activity. But then the only sights on my camera are these above, and I am reminded that all of that beauty was present too, and I noticed it, and I am glad for the reminder.

Wishing you a peaceful, beautiful, easy start to your week, friends.

Anne Riggs Designs {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Anne Riggs Designs! 

Anne Riggs Designs is a small business based in Portland, Maine. In my home sewing studio, I design and create beautiful reusable products that will help you and your family lead a more sustainable lifestyle. I want to make it easy to replace one-use items, often made from paper or plastic, with ones made out of fabric that can be washed and reused many times. The way I look at it, when you buy a reusable product you benefit in three ways: you save money, you create less trash and you protect the environment.

I make a range of products for your home and your family. These include cloth napkins, bamboo cutlery pouches, clothespin bags, cloth baby wipes, breast pads, drain mats, bowl covers, and even cloth make-up pads that come with their own mesh laundry bag! New products include organic baby blankets and bibs. But my all-time best seller is the reusable “paper” towels. I have sold hundreds of these, getting very positive reviews from my Etsy customers and local buyers. These come as a set of 12 towels that snap together to roll up and sit on your paper towel holder. They are available in many different fabrics, something to suit everyone, from modern to traditional, geometric to floral.

In my work I get to do so many things that bring me joy and satisfaction. I love fabric and delight in all the beautiful colors and designs available. I love coming up with new product ideas, and then work out the design, choose the right fabric, moving from concept to reality. I love the peaceful rhythm of doing something many times, like cutting out a hundred napkins in an afternoon. And I love knowing that my products are making a difference in the world, helping people stay on a path that leads to more sustainable living.

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?

Anne: Here’s my story: three years ago, I had the chance to reinvent myself. After a teaching career that included working at an international school in the Netherlands for 21 years, I was retiring. I still needed to earn money, and honesty, I didn’t want a show-up job. I started making clothespin bags and opened an Etsy shop. No one was more surprised than me when I made that first sale! Over time I added more items, developing a line of reusable products of which I am very proud. 

That I should start a small business that involves being a “maker” is not surprising. I grew up in a family that always believed that handmade was better that store-bought. Even today, my parents, both in their 90s are still busy with their hands, my mother knitting and my father making grow nets. They are an inspiration to me.

 

This weekend, Anne Riggs Designs is generously offering the following gift to TWO lucky SouleMama readers:

$50 gift certificate

In addition, Anne Riggs Designs is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers free shipping on Etsy until the end of October with the coupon code: Soulemama.

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

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...

what an inspiring story! i hope my hands keep making things for years to come.
Posted by: monica

I love, love, love the bowl covers!
Posted by: Jennifer

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?

Alyssa: You know, we've seen a lot of growth since going online about five years ago, but when we look back on the past 25 years, not much has changed at all. We added a new boot style recently, but otherwise, we've been offering the same styles and colors year in and year out. We still use Horween leather from Chicago, Vibram soles from MA, and Coats thread from NC. Our small batch production process keeps our staff of 10 busily fulfilling orders from an international customer base and it's fun to see how the same classic pair of shoes can be styled in so many different ways. Our Instagram hashtag (#aurorashoes) gets a lot of use internationally and our Facebook page often features customer photos in addition to our own. We love to see our shoes out in the world, taking people on fun adventures, or just supporting them through everyday life.  

If you are reading this and you wear our shoes, please think about snapping a photo and sharing it. Or better yet, because it's hard to photograph your own feet, ask a friend to take a picture and add it to our growing collection!

 

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

One pair of shoes, any style, any color.

In addition, Aurora Shoe Company is pleased to offer all SouleMama readers free shipping until November 15, 2015. Customers can enter code "SouleMama" at checkout to receive this offer.

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

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

I love knowing exactly where every part of these shoes come from. I like the new boot style
Posted by: Kristen Wood

in the garden, October 9

 

Fading glory! My time in the garden right now is so much less than it was a month ago last time we checked in. I'm still harvesting a few things, but after a couple of frosts, so much is finished for the season. I have my garlic ready, and that will go in the ground soon enough. And I look forward to picking up some spring bulbs soon too! In the meantime, we're all enjoying the start of soup season with all the potatoes and squash coming in. I think I have one more big round of kimchi and kraut to make. And oh so many rutabagas to eat! 

My biggest task in the garden at the moment is keeping those foolish turkeys out of it! The season may be winding down to a quiet pace in there, but I'm still not ready to turn it over to the birds entirely. Not yet! 

And you? In your neck of the woods, has your season come to a halt? 

. . . . . .

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!

the county fair

When the sad decision was made to stay home from the Common Ground Fair this year, Papa made a heartfelt promise to the tearful, sick little ones. We'd take them to the County fair this year, where they haven't been before! Well, Papa was working on the day it worked out for us to go (oh, Papa!), and so I journeyed with some friends - just the younger three and I. It was the first time I'd been the Fryeburg Fair since I was a child. What a day! We all had such a good time, save for the rookie mistake Mama made of not bringing a stroller. It was far too much for Ani's little legs to keep up with!  Regardless of that, fun was had by all. We so saw many animals (and managed to come home without any of them - success!), tried a few rides, and indulged in fair food. It was the first time for both fried dough and cotton candy for the kids - the cotton candy was declared "just weird" and the fried dough "amazing!" And now there is talk that next year we must go to both the Common Ground Country Fair and the Fryeburg Fair. "Because really, Mom, they're so different, you can't just go to one of them." 

Well, then. A new tradition!

weekender

We dropped Calvin off for another adventure this week - camping on the coast with his freshman class. As has been the case of late, he hardly needed me in the preparation - he packed himself according to the packing list, finding the cool-weather camping gear in all the various places in the barn that it all lives. He did his laundry, he made some snacks. And I was beginning to feel a little bit sorry for myself in that all I was needed for was the actual driving to and fro. But then, thank heavens, he came to me declaring that he could not find a wool hat. Which, I suppose, is a bit of a ridiculous thing in this house. And truth be told, I knew exactly where the big tote of winter woolens was when he asked. But. Where's the fun in that? I saw an opportunity to get some 'emergency' love knitting in for my boy and grabbed the chance. 

The pattern is Weekend Hat by Quince and Co. It's a quick and easy waffle knit that is worked back and forth in rows. And the yarn is from Hope Spinnery. I have a tradition now of picking up some yarn from Bill while at the Common Ground Fair - it's such wonderful yarn, all created in a wind-powered studio with natural plant-based dyes. A few skeins of this one - in the perfectly-named colorway "tomato" - is what came home with me this year (dyed with madder and goldenrod). I was happy to share a skein of it with Calvin for this project. And even happier still for the opportunity to knit him up some love from Mama to carry with him.

ready to spin

It's here! My winter fun is here! Oh, I'm so excited. This weekend I traveled to the coast to pick up this spring's twelve fleeces, all cleaned, carded and made into the most glorious roving, ready for what comes next. I send my fleeces to NEWAIM Fiber Mill in Waldoboro, where Nancy does an impeccable job with them. I've always done this by mail, but was eager to see the operation this year. I'm so glad I did - what a fascinating process to see. And so incredibly satisfying to load up the car full of the fleece from our lovely ladies, dreaming all the while of all the making that is to be done. Oh, the making that is to be done! It's time to get spinning.....

OTTOBRE design {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from OTTOBRE design! 

We are the designer and publisher of OTTOBRE design® sewing and pattern magazine. OTTOBRE design® kids is released four times a year and OTTOBRE woman® twice a year. We also publish some men's pattern now and then.

 

Visit our blog and Etsy shop. You can also find us on 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?

Terveisin: Our 15th anniversary year is coming to an end and we have taken the time to reaffirm the values that were set for OTTOBRE design magazine right from the beginning. There’s no big publishing house behind the magazine; only one mom and her dreams. Fortunately she has been joined along the way by lots of other wonderful moms and women from all over the world. Our company philosophy is nicknamed the five E’s: Esthetics, Experiences, Ecology, Economy and Ethicality. 

In these days of fast fashion one question I get asked regularly is “Why sew?” This is a question that has so many answers that I have to stop and think about the person who is asking. Should I give them the long or the short answer? The long answer…well where do I start?

 

On a personal level, not only do I find the process of creating and sewing a garment extremely satisfying, I also love wearing one of a kind clothing. It’s great to have well-fitting clothes that are attractive, comfortable and suit my day to day life. Sewing is my way of taking some “me” time, even if I am making something for one of the kids. It requires a certain amount of concentration but it can still be stopped at an instant if an emergency arises. And of course there’s all that gorgeous fabric…and those clothes which could be recycled…and that really cool idea for a dress and…Why, oh! why, aren’t there more sewing hours in the day?

 

On a more general level there are also other wider reaching reasons for making my own clothes. As I control every part of the production process I can choose to make them from beautiful organic fabrics that use environmentally responsible production and printing methods. Using high-quality fabrics that will stand up to the test of time and laundering means that my clothes will have a longer “wearable life” and won’t end up in a recycling bin any time soon.

 

I know exactly how much sweat goes into creating my clothes because it’s my own. I know where and in what conditions each piece was made. I also know the amount of work involved. This means that I think more about whether I really need something, so my wardrobe is smaller today than ever before but the clothes I do own get worn regularly. Less is more. 

 

Of course, the short answer is simply because I enjoy sewing!

This weekend, OTTOBRE design is generously offering the following gifts to TWO lucky SouleMama readers:

Winner 1: A one year subscription to OTTOBRE design® kids

Winner 2: A one year subscription to OTTOBRE woman® starting from issue 6/2015 (released on October 20, 2015)

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

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...

Fantastic giveaway! Thank you!
Posted by: Melanie

I'll take either! Would love to make my little one some beautiful clothes, but also wouldn't mind some myself. :) thanks for the chance!
Posted by: Angie

Ida Pearle {a soulemama sponsor}

Greetings from Ida Pearle! 

"The Moon is Going to Addy's House" is Ida Pearle's first narrative children's book, published by Penguin. 

 

Ida has been creating cut paper collages for children for 15 years. You can find a line of personalized art prints for children, a set of alphabet cards, children's books and more at her website IdaPearle.com. She also creates bespoke collages for children's bedrooms. Ida played violin in a band with children's musician Elizabeth Mitchell for 6+ years and Soulemama readers may be familiar with the album covers she created for some of Mitchell's albums on Smithsonian Folkways. 

 

She is so thrilled to be able to share her new book with Amanda's lovely readership! 

 

 

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?

Ida: I've spent the last 5 years making a book very dear to my heart called "The Moon is Going to Addy's House". 

Created entirely in cut paper collage, it's a book about the universal comfort we find in the Moon's presence. 

 

It's the story of two little girls on a car ride from city to country and their fascination with the moon appearing to follow above. The moon is a metaphor for parental love, and is dedicated to my father. 

 

The other new development in my life was the birth of my first child 11 months ago. After all of these years of making art for children, I am happy to be able to share my art with my little daughter, Una! 

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

A copy of "The Moon is Going to Addy's House"

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

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...

Such thoughtful beautiful work, I would love to share this with my babies.
Posted by: melanie

while waiting

Oh, the waiting! As we head into another weekend full of cross country meets and theater rehearsals, I am refreshing my Bag of Tricks, as I call it, for the littles. Of course, we try to 'divide and conquer' as much as possible, and carpool, and all of those things....but the reality is that the life of these younger siblings most definitely involves some serious waiting around for their older brothers. I'm mindful that this isn't something that the oldest two really had to do much of, and wanting as much as possible to make all that 'waiting' something fun, pleasant and not dreaded by the younger kids. This takes just a little bit of planning ahead, but it's so worth it in keeping the peace and something of a rhythm in our days! Sometimes, the kids will bring something of their own that they're working on (Adelaide has been packing her knitting a lot lately, smart girl), but I always have, on standby and ready at the door, my Bag of Tricks which gets refreshed with a little something different each time. It's gotten easier of late to do so, as I realize the elements I always want with us. I thought I'd share today, in case it is helpful to you and yours too!

Nourishment - Food, of course, is critical, especially as it seems that so many of these activities fall in the challenging 'almost dinner' hours! We've been rocking these granola bars like crazy lately - they're so incredibly easy to make, store well, and make everyone happy.  Food, and of course, water. There's nothing worse than empty water bottles on a journey out from home! I fill plenty. 

Warmth - As we head into the cooler seasons, standing shivering on the side of race that you don't particularly care to be at to begin with, is no fun at all (I'm talking of the little kids here, mind you. I'm turning into quite a fan!). But more than just staying warm, I think there's something really comforting and securing to the little ones when they start to feel overwhelmed, overstimulated, or just plain tired and bored. Wrapping up in a cozy blanket and going inward is sometimes just the thing. Additionally, a blanket thrown down just about anywhere - a field or a waiting room - can instantly create a whole little world of space, creativity, and peace amidst the chaos around us.

Art - Always, always. It keeps our hands busy! I've been traveling lately with some coloring books - those that are just for this very purpose - and markers, which isn't something we use regularly at home. The specialness of these only being used when we're out and about makes them all the more appealing and interesting when the time comes. 

Story - There are always a few books in my Bag of Tricks, and I swap them out when I remember to do so. Elsa Beskow always is a standby that can reach the spread of my younger three - from four to ten - with joy. And an easy chapter book is always good too - short stories like Old Mother West Wind and the like. 

Action - And of course, something to do with each other, both in a physical way and a more quiet way, depending on the mental and physical space we're in. We keep a soccer ball in the back of the car always, and a frisbee too. But in my Bag of Tricks is always a game as well - Rat-A-Tat Cat has been coming along lately, or just a simple deck of playing cards. 

Such simple things, really, it hardly feels worth sharing here. But then again, the few minutes a day that I spend thinking about these things and planning for them makes a world of difference in our experience as a family. It can turn our time out there in the world 'waiting' together from something challenging into time that feels intentional and good, where everyone's time is valued. And of course, a happy family makes for the best cheering team of all - from the sidelines or the audience, whatever it may be.  

autumn walks

It's my favorite time of year for a walk in the woods. I enjoy a walk in the woods anytime of year, of course. Sure, winter is magical and spring is refreshing and summer is relaxing....but autumn? It's just perfect. There are no bugs, there is no mud, there is no uncomfortable heat, and there is so much beauty all around us. And, well, time to linger. Time to linger and so much to gather and bring back in with us. Mushrooms last week, pine cones and acorns this week, and surely leaves will be coming in by the basket full by next week. And then all those bits find their way into the library and onto the craft table and onto the shelves and dangling from the ceiling in all manner of creations. I've learned, in these years, to create the space for all of this to happen, to supply the tools with which to create, but to then sit back and let it unfold. To be the one ready to tie the knots, or trouble shoot, or thread the needle. It's a pretty sweet job, I must say. I love it so. To see what they remember from year's past. To see what they come up with new from books and stories and their own imaginations and inspirations. So much fun, I tell you. One of my favorite parts of being a Mama.....even when it means cleaning up glitter from in between the floor boards yet again. Totally worth it. 

(*A note about acorn crafting. I prefer to bake the acorns for an hour at 180 in the oven, to kill the grubs inside, rather than having them fall out as the acorns age. And we use a small drill bit to make holes in them, easy for stringing.)

Welcome, Sponsors!

Hello October!

I'm so pleased to welcome (and welcome back) the following new Sponsors for October, who are joining the existing Sponsors (see the right sidebar for more).

Winterwoods Tea Company

At Winterwoods Tea Company we're passionate about creating artisan, farm-to-table loose-leaf tea blends using the finest local and certified organic ingredients. We begin by sourcing our ingredients from small, sustainable organic farms and companies who support our values and we hand-mix each of our original tea blends in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. The result? The freshest herbs and spices that go from farm to tea cup.  Straight up all natural tea full of artisan goodness. Soule Mama readers save 10% on online orders with coupon code: SOULEMAMA.

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

WoolyMossRoots :: a haven for knitters, gardeners & creative spirits

At WoolyMossRoots, we offer handmade artisan buttons, wooden shawl pins, cedar garden & homestead signs, and more. Everything is made by our family in our woodland workshop, on our small Oregon homestead. Make your projects even more special with our unique buttons! We love making custom ones especially for you, and custom signs too. Join us on the blog! 

 . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . .

I'm so pleased to have them joining us this month as a Sponsor, along with our ongoing Sponsors in the sidebar. The support of these fellow small businesses helps me to carve out the time I love to dedicate to this space, and I'm honored they choose to spend their resources here. All of the sponsors I feature are carefully-selected and businesses that I am proud to support, and in most cases, am a customer of myself! I encourage you to check out their offerings in the coming weeks and months, visit their websites to learn about the inspirational businesses they all are. And if you think Sponsorship is something you might be interested in for your own ventures, please be in touch!