Registration is closed for Into the Woods! Stay tuned for more details about a future gathering. And if you've sent a registration request this morning, we will be in touch today just as soon as we sort everything out! Thank you!!!
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Thursday, February 4th to Sunday, February 7th
Sunapee, New Hampshire
“The woods are lovely dark and deep.”
~ Robert Frost
We are so thrilled to be offering this intimate gathering, celebrating the things we love most of all – sewing, fiber arts, good healthy food, yoga, and the beauty and adventure that can be found out of doors in a New England winter. We believe that early February is just the moment of time in which we are all in need of a bit of connection with like-minded folk, a retreat from the everyday, and a reminder of the beauty that we can find all around us. It is our hope that you will leave our time together feeling refreshed, infused with energy and inspiration, and ready to greet your loved ones with a ‘full cup’ once again (and some new craft love and recipes to boot!).
Your Hosts:
Amanda and Sarah have known each other since their lives before children, working on the wild rivers of Maine (Amanda will have you know that she was busy being boss in the ‘office’ while Sarah was the brave one on the actual whitewater of the river!). We share a passion for family, health, and adventure, and have been together through the ups and downs of life, and traveled to the other side of the world together (and have plans to do so again and again!). We are so glad to be partnering to host this gathering. It’s going to be a blast!
Amanda Blake Soule is the blogger behind SouleMama.com, author of several titles with Roost Books (alongside her husband, Steve Soule) and editor of Taproot Magazine. She lives in Western Maine in a two hundred year old farmhouse with one amazing husband, five lovely children, a dear mother-in-law, twelve Shetland sheep, two goats, three pigs, a pup, some ducks, and more chickens than anyone can count. There, she tends a large garden, shuttles children to and fro, and finds any and every opportunity to sneak in a bit of crafting wherever she can. She loves nothing more than filling her house with the people she loves – feeding them, making music, laughing and loving (and sometimes dancing).
Sarah Davidson is the founder of Lotus Path, LLC a business dedicated to improving the lives of individuals through yoga and wellness programs. She is a mama to two little ones, yoga instructor, holistic health coach, and former attorney. She is committed to sharing the gifts of yoga and nutrition and helping her students achieve their optimum state of wellness. She lives in the Mt. Washington Valley of New Hampshire and believes that a good day starts with hugs from her littles, a large smoothie and a few moments on her yoga mat to connect body, mind and soul.
Also joining us, is Meredith Winn, who will be leading a photography and journaling workshop. Meredith Winn is a freelance writer and photographer. Her passion lives in the space between creative nonfiction and creative imagery. Meredith writes for a variety of print publications and her photography has graced art gallery walls in NYC, VT, TX, NH and Maine. She weaves stories from truth and optical illusions from images. Balancing the fast paced digital world with slow photography, she is happiest in her darkroom creating tintypes from silver and light. Meredith calls the western Maine foothills home, where she lives off-grid in a trio of yurts with her sweetheart and a flock of rambunctious boys.
Location:
We are blessed to be sharing with you a very special and personal space to us – an old New Hampshire family cottage, tucked deep (deep!) into the woods. It is a beautiful spot, remote and private, with a lake and trails that will have you feeling the peace and quiet of the woods (though there is sometimes reception, expect not to have any and enjoy that! We will give you an emergency contact number upon registration). The lodgings, however, are modern and comfortable and you’ll be plenty warm and cozy, no matter the weather outside! Located near Sunapee, New Hampshire, we are roughly 50 minutes from the Manchester, NH airport. Please let us know if you’ll be flying in, as we can arrange for affordable transportation on Thursday. Depending on the weather at the time, the one mile road into the cottage might be a bit tricky if you don’t have all-wheel drive. No worries – we’ll help you out with that too.
Activity/Schedule:
Our days will have a leisurely flow, with plenty of opportunity for rest, solitude, and connection in whatever ways you need it. But a healthy balance of structure is also happening too. On Thursday, folks are welcome to begin arriving at 3pm. You’ll have time to get settled in and acquainted with your space. We will gather for a 7pm welcome dinner, and a fireside hello. Friday and Saturday will include morning yoga, and two organized workshops (see below). Sunday will include one last yoga session, followed by a leisurely brunch that will give you plenty of time to finish up your projects, say goodbye to your new friends, and be on your way home by 2pm.
Yoga (and Snowga!):
“Just feel the magic in the air and the power in the breeze, feel the energy of the plants, the bushes and the trees, let yourself be surrounded by nature at its best, calm yourself, focus and let magic do the rest.”
~ Sally Walker
Each day will start with yoga appropriate for all levels. The class will mix flowing sequences with relaxing postures aimed at calming the nervous system and releasing tension from the body and mind. The morning will begin by flowing through basic sun salutations, standing postures, and twists, connecting breath with movement to warm and open the body. Class will then move into longer-held, restorative postures to allow for deeper stretching and calmness throughout the entire nervous system and end with a deep savasana, complete with guided meditation. Mats and props will be provided.
There will also be an opportunity to take our yoga outdoors for Snowga (yes, that is an official term) during the day for those interested. Snowshoes (see below) and a sense of adventure are needed.
Snowshoewing/Skiing:
“When there is snow on the ground, I like to pretend I’m walking on clouds.”
~ Takayuki Ikkaka
The privacy of the woods and remote lake provide for an excellent backdrop for showshoeing or cross country skiing. The lake is both scenic and peaceful allowing your mind and body to wander. There will be plenty of time for those interested in trading the indoors for the opportunity to walk on clouds. Please let us know if you will need snowshoe rentals and we will have them waiting. Cross country skis will not be available, but you are certainly welcome to bering them along.
Sewing with Rope:
“Art is a harmony parallel with nature.”
~ Paul Cezanne
If you haven’t tried it yet, sewing with clothesline rope is entirely addictive, incredibly easy, and enormously fun. We’ll have several sewing machines set up on the sunporch and plenty of rope (and paint!) to get you starting in making your own baskets and rope vessels to return home with, as your start your own collection (because we know you’ll be hooked by the end of your first basket!). We’ll get you started on this right away during our time together, but you’ll have plenty of time during the weekend to continue working on it to your heart’s content.
Log Cabin “quilt-as-you-go” Squares:
A most fabulous and not-so-fussy way of quilting, it will be a joy to introduce you to the fun of making these log cabin squares. Great for making pillow or small projects, as well as piecing together to make a larger quilt. Materials will be provided from Amanda’s fabric stash, but we encourage you to bring your own special fabrics and materials to make it your own. (If you’re flying in from away, we can receive packages ahead of time to ease your flight travel. Just let us know.)
Winter Walk Photography and Journaling:
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks”
~ John Muir
Sometimes words flow from lips to ears at just the right speed. They hang in the air between us, little sparkles of loveliness. Word by word and image by image, we lay these pieces down like cobblestones that later become the path we walk. Join Meredith for a photowalk in the winter woods and journaling session around the fire. Bring your dslr or smartphone as we venture across a frozen lake in search of winter magic. Then cozy up with pen and paper to document the day.
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Master Bedroom
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Adjoining Master Bath
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Upstairs Bedroom
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2nd Upstairs Bedroom
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Dorm Style Lower Level
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Sunporch - sewing room
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The Great Room
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The Cottage, NH
Lodging:
(Click on thumbnails above to see larger images of the cottage.) The cottage, while tucked deep in the woods, is full of comfort and hominess! You’ll be plenty warm, have lots of space, and all the modern conveniences you are accustomed to (with the exception of the internet - which, we think you’ll enjoy a break from as much as we do when we visit this special spot). All linens and towels are provided, and prices listed below are all-inclusive - your meals, supplies, snowshoes, etc are covered. (Travel to and from the cottage is not.) The shared sleeping options are as follows:
Master Bedroom: Just off the kitchen, this room is perfectly suited for two close friends, partners, sisters, or a mother/daughter who are happy to get a little cozy.This bedroom, with a full-size bed, includes a private bath with a luxurious soaking tub as well as as shower. $925 per person. (If you are someone who wants extra privacy or space, this would be the spot for you. For a single person, this space is $1600).
Upstairs: On the top level of the cottage, there is one room with two twin beds, and another with a full bed and a twin bed. Both adjoin a shared full bath. $850 per person.
Lower Level: Downstairs, there is space for five in dorm-style accommodations (bunk beds) and a 3/4 bath. $775 per person.
Meals:
We will be feeding you as we feed our own – from the favorite meals that Sarah and I make for our loved ones, friends and family. Expect homemade, homegrown and healthy hearty meals, as well as instruction on how to make them at several stops along the weekend. As well, (each guest will leave with a “recipe box” of all the things we made throughout the weekend). Vegetarians and gluten-free folks will find plenty to eat and enjoy. If you have food restrictions beyond those, please be in touch with us ahead of time so we can discuss how to make it work. All of your meals will be provided for you during your time with us, though if you have special snacks you’d like to have on hand, please do bring those. And of course, a bottle of wine or two if you’re interested in that as well (we will not be providing alcohol, though you are very welcome to bring your own).
Registration:
Registration is closed for Into the Woods! Stay tuned for more details about a future gathering. And if you've sent a registration request this morning, we will be in touch today just as soon as we sort everything out! Thank you!!!
Registration opens on Monday, November 16th at 9am EST. If you are interested in attending, please send us an email at that time, letting us know your lodging preference. We will notify you by the end of the day with confirmation and to send you an invoice, as well as a packing list and schedule. Please note, as this is an intimate gathering, there are limited spaces available. 50% of payment is due at the time of registration, and the remainder due on January 1st, 2015. Registration fees are non-refundable, though as Mamas and women we do know that life happens! Be in touch with us if something comes up and we will do our best to fill your spot from our waiting list.
For registration information and any questions, please email: [email protected]
