SouleMama

all the stuff

Thanks for all the sweet words yesterday! Many of you wondered where all 'the stuff' went. Ha! Yes, that room did indeed have a lot of 'stuff' in it, didn't it? Now, it's all scattered a bit more - carried into other spots in the house for storage and hopefully, easy access (much of it now lives in one half of our sunporch, pictured below). There's a quiet, pretty little corner for writing by a bedroom window. And in the dining room, where so much other activity happens in the house, sits this corner (above) for sewing.

And the rest? Oh, there was some serious purging that happened from that little room. I had to quiet the Yankee, resourceful, 'waste not, want not' in me with a voice of attempted simplicity. That was the biggest challenge of all, but each and every bag that I filled up and carried outside of my house, I breathed a little bit lighter. Success. (Coincidentally, True Up just posted a great 10 Steps to a Decluttered Stash.)

Itchy to see how this whole new set up will work, last night I had to make something. I found a few things really helpful - keeping a large empty basket in the storage area for carrying project supplies to the machine (you know, the whole 20 yard journey that it is). The cutting mat can be easily slipped onto the dining room table, and on and on with little things like that, intended to make sewing not such an obstacle to have happen in the new space.

A half an hour later, in between making dinner and with lots of help from my helper, we had a new skirt. She happily twirled her way around the house and then right on outside...where I could still spot her as I cleaned up. Ah... While certainly I will look forward to and plan on once again soon having my own space, for now, I think this is going to be just right...

you could call it Nesting

A few weeks ago, we settled into the reality that this baby of ours will be arriving far sooner than we could ever sanely find, close on, and move into the house we envisioned finding and being in before its arrival. I won't say that I embraced this change in The Plan gracefully (I do love myself a good plan)...but accept it, I did. Because, really? Life, so far, seems to always send things our way when the time is right, and not a moment sooner. There's no need to stop trusting that now. (And this, I repeat until I believe it.)

But the problem was that this little space of ours wasn't flowing right for us as a family anymore, and the thought of entering the fall and winter months like this? Oh my. And, so...I made Plan B. A multi-phased, totally-Virgo inspired, IKEA trip-requiring, seriously nesting-induced Plan B for the house. Want a visual?

How about...my studio. One week ago today.

And the same space...this morning.

My 'restructuring' plan involved a big change in every room in this house of ours. Any sadness about letting go of this studio was quickly balanced by excitement of what was to come. New bedrooms for all, a bit of a break from work, my creating 'things' in our family space once again, and excitement about the next studio I'll have...soon (just...after baby).

With all the moving of furniture finally complete, and everyone settling nicely into their new rooms, I feel inspired by all the 'new' spaces we've made here for everyone, and a little bit more in love with my home right now. We feel a little more ready for all the family-focused cozying, loving, playing, learning, creating, birthing, and baby-loving that we'll be doing here in the coming season.

Making room, getting ready, settling in, and looking forward....it feels good.

days of summer :: 21

All feels right with the world at sunset on the beach. Oh yes.

Last week was just the week I needed to get a little more grounded in the here and now. I feel refreshed and a little bit reinspired. It's amazing what comes when we leave a little extra room for quiet and peace. I must remember to do that more often.

Huge thanks to Steve for filling in here so beautifully last week...among all the many other things he does. I'm a very lucky girl.

A happy Monday morning to you all!

SoulePapa Blogs :: Loose Change

I saw some of my oldest and dearest friends recently.  I've known them since I can remember knowing anybody.  They've always just been there...even when they're not there.  Like family.  We've blown and scattered, our communications few, even in this golden age of electric text.  With a little effort we reunited,  spent a couple of days together like the brothers we always were, and went home.

I watch my children grow.  I remember being five years old.  I wonder what they will remember from this time in their life.  I wonder if they have met any friends that they will have as adults. 

I remember my grandfather always taking pictures.  Taking pictures and telling stories from his past.  Later, as he was suffering from alzheimers, I wondered if he had been trying to preserve all that he knew...so he wouldn't forget.  I wonder what I will forget.

This time of having children so young, is so busy and moves so fast that I fear it will be gone before I can fully realize what it is that I have.

I remember my good friend Darby.  I would bring people to meet him at his house in the woods and he would always jump up to embrace them and say, "welcome home!".  I loved that. 

Wherever he is now, I'm sure it is home.

I hope my children always feel connected and loved and embraced no matter how far away they may be.

SoulePapa Blogs :: Days of Summer :: 20

Wake up early.  A quiet walk on the trail before work.
Warm.
No talking.  No being talked to. 
Listening.

SoulePapa Blogs :: An Autobiography of Sorts

Here we are.

We're on a ball hurtling through space and spinning.  Spinning at around 1000 miles an hour if you're an equator dwellor or essentially 0 miles an hour at the poles (I can get you a formula if you want to calculate your own areas rotational speed). 
Steady now, don't stop reading.
I think I might be going somewhere with this but I didn't plot it out all the way through before I started typing.  0 mph at the poles or 1000 mph at the equator but hurtling nevertheless, hurtling in an orbit around a big fiery ball of mass or gas, or what have you, that we call the sun (el sol...cool.).  About  18.5 miles per second we go in that orbit or...66,000 miles an hour.  I'm not an astrology guy I had to look these numbers up.  Correct me if I'm way off here but I gather that our little personal solar system is on the edge of a spiral arm of our galaxy.  We're buzzing along, in orbit, around the center of "our" galaxy, the Milky Way, at like 155 miles per second.  We'll complete that orbit in a mere 200 million years give or take a cuppy million.  It goes on and on and on.  Galaxies and groups of galaxies...

Still with me?  Let me bring this back home.

We're born. 

We're born, if we're extremely fortunate, into the loving arms of our mothers.  More fortunate still if there are more arms there that love.  Fathers.  More mothers.  Excellent mothers. GRAND mothers you might say.

We grow.  If healthy, we grow and grow and develop our own patterns of movement.  Irregular orbits around those mothers and fathers in a little personalized version of the solar system.  But they have their own orbital patterns that they must follow.  We try and keep up but it's tiring, very tiring.  Often we get scooped up and carried.  Now we're like a moon.  Not a dry and distant, cold looking moon.  But a living breathing drooling stooling crying sleeping wailing hungry moon that needs nourishment.  Nourishment of all imaginable sorts.  So, we're nourished and we grow and grow some more and in a few short orbits around the fiery ball in the sky we're set free.  Those arms that held us so tight and warm and rocked and spun us around our world give us the loving cosmic nudge into our own space. (Sidenote:  Some cosmic nudges are more loving than others.  Harder nudges can be referred to as the cosmic boot.)

Here we float.  Adrift in a sea of possibilies.  The infinite. 

Some float here for many revolutions around the fiery ball. 

Others prefer and seek more defined orbits. 

I floated...    And floated.

I found something to help me float.  Water.  I found water.

I floated on water for many fiery trips around the sun.  I stayed with her as she froze and remained at her side as she melted again.  Whether she was fierce and overpowering or gentle and placid.  I stayed with her.

Adrift.

Eventually though... eventually,  I slipped out of the water onto the ground. 
It wasn't as dizzying as I'd remembered.  I felt stronger in my orbit.

Just when my thoughts and feelings and rotation and orbit were at their strongest I found the most amazing and dizzying concept of all...Love. 

Love that never leaves.

It held me with all of its' force and told me this was good.  This was the place.

Love grew and grew and grew and spun rapidly into family.  Family that supports and nourishes and spins around itself.  We practice the nudges into orbit and relish the sweet and messy gravity of the moons.  We forget and must remind ourselves that we're spinning through space.  Together.  Of all the moons and stars and galaxies across the universe.  We are here.  Together.

SoulePapa Blogs :: In the Corners

There I was on the journey toward mindfulness screeching through the parking lot in a desperate attempt to get past the auto doors and into groceries before closing time.  It's 9:47pm. 
I recite the list in my head and grab a cart.  Wheeling it nimbly around I'm happily calling Amanda to pronounce myself king for making it in time and to ask her what was the other thing she wanted me to get besides milk. 

"Tea"  she says after giving props, "I REALLY need some good tea".  Oh yeah, tea.

I pop a cart wheelie and drive promptly into the auto doors which don't budge but make quite a loud sound when rammed with a metal box.   A man with no soul is tapping on the glass and pointing to his watch, "We close at 9:30, sir", his eyes shifting to inspect the doors for damage. "It's Sunday"  he says.

I can't speak as I walk shamefully back to the car and consider how miserable a Monday morning could really be with nothing to feed the kids, no tea and, worst of all, I'm leaving early for work and laying it all at my dear wife's aching pregnant feet.
How is my world of part time stay at home Papa, so dialed in just moments earlier, tossed this easily into disarray...chaos.  Driving home I realize how unfit I am to be charged with rearing children...educating children!!  I can't even manage to get food for breakfast.

I wheel into the driveway. Radio off. Driving slow.
The headlights illuminate my yard in all its' neglected beauty. This sight does little to boost my spirits.
Hoping to do something of benefit before leaving I set the alarm an hour early.

I wake determined to dent the formidable wall that is my list of chores.  Chores that must happen before the weather flies south for winter.  I grab my camera on the way out and begin documenting what i see.  Unruly  wisteria,  leaky shed roof,  wood pile,  randomly strewn objects.  At first I'm framing shots like an insurance adjuster, just the facts.  Soon, the morning air loosens the tension from my face and I'm enjoying myself.  No worries. No hurries. I walk through the wet grass.

Grinning, I snap a few more pictures as the sun rises over my shoulder... That's better.

Now I need to find a store that's open this early.

"All you do is head straight for the grave, a face just covers a skull a while. Stretch that skull cover and smile." - Kerouac

days of summer :: 19

I'm feeling the pull to embrace some quiet this week. The sounds and sights of summer and my family are so very full and alive right now, and I want to spend some time just really watching and listening. 

Thankfully, SoulePapa is feeling more chatty - he's going to step in for a bit!

Have a lovely week!

days of summer :: 18

It appears that the five hours of bliss we had for the birthday celebration were all the sun we're going to see this week. Sometimes - even in my precious sun-filled summers - we get thrown a week like this: one full of so much rain, cool and dark days, and life events and moods to match.

I wanted to share a Mary Oliver poem today, but couldn't find quite the right one. As I was sitting here uploading this photo, I overhead this breakfast-table conversation coming from downstairs that felt more fitting for me today than any poem I would find:

Calvin: It's raining AGAIN. I don't want to get wet today.

Papa: Well, when it rains like this you have a choice. You can stay inside all day. Or you can just go outside, know you're going to get wet, plan on getting wet, and enjoy the day anyway.

Of course. Sometimes it really is that simple. Thank you, my loves.

Happy Weekend to you!

days of summer :: 17

My least favorite household chore becomes so much more pleasurable once it's taken outside. I love the silence that comes with hanging clothes on the line, especially in the morning when my time is shared with the chatting birds, and my chatty helpers...one who insists on dragging out a stepladder to 'do it my ownself'.

days of summer :: 16

A perfect night at the ocean with dear friends - complete with melty, slippery cake topped with snowmen. In August. It all seems fitting for the guy we celebrated - wonderfully balanced, very sweet, and so much fun. Happy Birthday, Steve!!

days of summer :: 15

There's been a flurry of knitting happening here this summer. Some for Nest (submission deadline at the end of this month!), some for me (in an overambitious urge, I cast on for February Lady, which might, coincidentally, be finished just about in February...of 2010), and of course - there's been lots of knitting for baby (in the photo is the beginning of a February Baby Sweater - because I figure it's only fair to right away introduce this little one to their fate of a Mama-matching handmade once in a while).

I love the way the wool feels such a sharp contrast to the needs and carefree nature of the summer moments. And the way it keeps me focused in the moment, and also preparing for what is to come. Providing balance, and always a little bit of peace - no matter what the season may be. It's amazing what two sticks and some string can do.

days of summer :: 14

An inside tent made of bedsheets, a thunderstorm outside to break the humidity, and a fresh stack of picture books from the library (thanks to all your wonderful comments, we had a fresh list of illustrators!).

Ah, summer peace and comfort for everyone (especially the mama on the couch).

Have a great weekend, everyone!

days of summer :: 13

There's so much flotsam and jetsam to be explored at the sea!

Artist to Artist :: inspiration & a giveaway

We've been hugely inspired of late by the book Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art. I had originally picked it up at the library a year ago and loved it, but never quite had the time to share it with the kids as I had hoped. And then, my attention to it was diverted once again when our plans to visit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (and purchase this book) were thwarted earlier in the year (oh, those silly brakes).

But no longer. A copy is happily in our hands. Not on our bookshelf, but literally in our hands...and often. First it was me inspired by it's pages. A visual feast, the book includes a letter from each illustrator to children, a self-portrait, a photograph of the artist (sometimes as a child), and a sampling of their work. I love that the letters to the children are as diverse and varied as the artists themselves. And yet - there are common themes, and recurring messages that shine throughout. Childhoods spent full of freedom to play and explore, an early love of art and drawing, creativity as an expression of self, etc. I find my ideas of children and art confirmed as I nod my head at each artist's thoughts on the subject, such as Ashley Bryan who says:

"In our earliest years there's no how? to our plunge into art. The doing gives the answer. There is no one way. Your work in art is original and there is no end to the adventure...HURRAH!"

Perfect.

It wasn't long before the curiosity of the little ones in my house was piqued by this book - largely by recognizing so many of the illustrators from books on their own shelves - Eric Carle, Tomie dePaola, Quentin Blake, Mitsumasa Anno, Maurice Sendak and so many more. I suggested we take the book on as a project - reading the section on each artist, and then search our bookshelves (and maybe the library) for the books illustrated by said artist - to give a closer look to and study their style.

We began, and quickly, they came up with an idea much better than my own. They decided that after reading about each artist, and finding books by them, they'd make their own book, inspired by the artist. Ezra chose Eric Carle to start with - entirely inspired by the photo of Carle in his studio - surrounded by scraps of paper on the floor. Creative chaos just like his own - yes, indeed.

After a trip to the art store for a new pile of blank books (we like to make our own, but we're also big fans of Bare Books for this sort of project), the reading, the studying, the painting, the cutting and writing commenced.

And thus, book #1 in this artist-inspired series by Ezra has begun. Mister Cook (different from his previous titles, "Mr. Cooker", "Restaurant Man," and "Farmer Cook" - the boy's inspired by food, clearly), a story in which a restaurateur prepares for a crowd, presents a feast, unleashes a giant spider on the crowd and then wonders why no one understood his practical joke. Ah. And all in the 'style' of, and with great inspiration from Eric Carle.

While I definitely can't take credit for where Artist to Artist has taken us, I do think it might be a great project other kids would be into as well. I can see it working at home, in a homeschooling plan, or in a classroom as well. And even if it doesn't become a grand project such as this, there is much to be inspired by in it's pages for young and old alike.

******************

The generous folks at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art have given me a copy of Artist to Artist to give away here. If you're interested in the book, leave a comment in this post, and if you have a favorite children's illustrator, I'd love to hear who that is! I'll select a random name from the comments on Friday, 8am EST.
And if you'd like to just purchase the book yourself, it's here on Amazon, and also available at the Museum's Shop, in addition to your local bookshop or library, of course!
 

Good luck!

*****************

Thanks to everyone for playing along and for sharing your suggestions! The random number generator found the winner, Maya.

Mo Willems is our favorite!

I lovelovelove this book! Fingers crossed, but even if we don't win, I will buy this book. It looks fantastic.      

Posted by:maya | July 30, 2008 at 10:59 AM 

days of summer :: 12

Random little things from the antique stalls this weekend. The pickings, admittedly, are much slimmer in the high-traffic, and higher-priced summer months. But regardless of how much or how little I come home with, there's nothing like a day spent with dear friends laughing and wandering the aisles full of old, lovely, sometimes bizarre, and beautiful things at the flea market.

Just like nearly every other trip there, I left with a vintage frock (or, um, three, this time). Someday, I realize, there's going to come a day when none of my babies will fit into or agree to wear my finds. It will be a sad day, indeed. And likely, it won't stop be from bringing them home (a little strange, perhaps, but I'm okay with that). For now, I'll keep bringing the treasures home, and cross my fingers that I can squeeze them in, and that they'll think it's as fun as I do. So far, so good.

days of summer :: 11

Friday night found us somewhere we typically avoid in the busy tourist rush of the summer season (only because of the busyness, not because of the tourists...you're all very lovely). But this baby belly of mine was calling out, 'Two Lights!". Or more acurately, "fried clams!", and so we obliged. The waves, the rocks to climb on, the mist on the ocean? Always the best icing on the cake. So good.

{You can find an interview I did - along with a chance to win a copy of The Creative Family - over on Simple Mom today. The rest of the site is full of great ' simple living' parenting information, so if you haven't discovered it yet, be sure to look around at her wonderful offerings!} hmmn...the site appears to be having some troubles this morning - thanks for letting me know, and do try it again later!

days of summer :: 10

My little ones have been waiting so very patiently to peek at what's going on below the surface, especially in the 'crop' in which they each took charge. Yesterday, we could no longer resist the temptation of those beautifully tall, now many-times-hilled potato plants. So, with much anticipation, they ever so gently peeked. And my gardeners were delightfully rewarded by what they found, in awe at the magic of the earth, and incredibly proud of their work.

Ah, that's just the yield I was looking for.

Have a lovely weekend, friends! Here's hoping that  - even if only for a moment, and for whatever reason - your hands meet the earth today.

days of summer :: 9

Summer Soup...eaten outside, of course. Yum. This one - a new family favorite - has the kids stalking the vegetable garden beds, hoping each day for more squash, carrots and potatoes to make it again. I think this weekend...

Summer-Squash Soup with Parsley Mint Pistou (Gourmet, September 2006)

days of summer :: 8

Just after filling three bowls with oatmeal - none quite the same with all the specially requested combinations of fruit, syrup, and cream - I step outside and away from the pre-breakfast, three-kid flurry - still in my pajamas. Walking barefoot in the wet morning grass with a mug of tea balanced precariously in my hand alongside an empty mason jar and kitchen scissors, I gather flowers from around the yard. When it's full, I slowly walk inside and place it and all its randomly colored beauty in the center of the already-messy, and waiting to be cleaned up table full of empty bowls. And so a summer day begins.

thank you!

You might have noticed a few tiny visual changes around here lately - and a few more little tweaks are in the works in coming months. (I'm hearing you all loud and clear that you miss the "Inspiring" list of links - no worries, it will return soon!) The first of these changes was the addition of the SouleMama BookShop. I'm asked often for my 'favorite' books on particular topics - unschooling, crafts, parenting, and on and on. So I've been looking for a spot to share such 'favorites' lists in an always-accessible way (while keeping it all seperate from the "Currently Reading" sidebar feature, which I like to keep to 'current' books). The Amazon storefront was the solution for me - as I can keep the lists, while also participating in the Associates program. There is much more I want to add there - I haven't even touched on bird books yet, for goodness sakes. Or favorite board books, or chapter books, or....oh my. We love books. So if those book lists interest you, check back there often as I'll be adding more of the titles most treasured in our home.

Another new thing you've likely noticed in the past month has been the addition of the "Sponsors" on the right sidebar. For so long (years, I dare say), I've thought long and hard, searched high and low, and explored so many options in regards to this. And I am so happy that it evolved exactly where I wanted it to be - a place where I can introduce you to small companies and organizations who I support and believe in - in a low-key, non-obtrusive and well, pretty way ("pretty" is important!). I'm incredibly grateful to those Sponsors, especially, who took a chance these first few months as I've been trying it out - Nova Natural, Lisa Leonard, and Mama Merit Badges. Thank you!

I never could have imagined all the things that blogging would lead to when I began three and a half years ago. I never imagined the warmth, generosity, amazing friendships, and wonderful opportunities that have come into my life. And I certainly never imagined that this whole thing would turn into something that contributes in a small financial way to my family - and brings us closer to our goals of living, working, playing and creating together - as a family. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to continue writing and maintaining this blog and all that comes with it (the many joys and the many challenges) in a way that feeds my soul, and helps my family - rather than takes me away from it. So thank you, for your part in that particular aspect of blogging for me - for the things you've purchased in my shop over the years, for the Amazon purchases you've made through my links, through the support that you've shown my sponsors, for your notes and gifts of encouragement, and just for reading here each day.

What I'm finally getting around to, is a small token of thanks to you! In the left sidebar, you'll notice a new little feature "For You," and in there currently, you'll find two downloadable patterns (as PDF files - let me know if you find any kinks!). One for the Gratitude Wrap, and another for my favorite knit hat pattern (originally posted here a long time ago now, but reworked a bit as I remade it late last night! In yellow. Ahem). They're free and offered up as a little 'thank you' to you for being such nice readers. Because you are! You'll also find a link to all of the recipes I've posted here over the years - compiled in one place and organized seasonally (because I would organize everything that way if I could). My goodness, I make a lot of bread with berries, don't I? Hmn...

Well, anyway. Enjoy. and Thank You. Truly.

a Summer Shop Update!

The Shop is open!

In this Summer update, you'll find a batch of Embroidered Hoops - each with a bit of applique and embroidery, in the colorways that are inspiring me most of all this summer (see any yellow in there? Ah, that yellow). Each are backed, and ready for hanging as you may.

Also in the shop this time, area bakers dozen Gratitude Wraps! I had such fun not only putting the fabrics together for these, but gathering the supplies as well. In each wrap will be: a set of my postcards and envelopes, along with two of my favorite writing things - a small Moleskin notebook and the most perfect pen in the world - the Pigma Micron. All you need are the stamps!

A quick technical note about the shop: As some of you have figured out, there's a few-seconds delay between Big Cartel and Paypal, which can result in some overselling in the first few minutes. I'll be watching today, and should that happen, I'll quickly notify you with a Paypal refund (if you haven't heard from me now, you're all set!). My apologies in advance - I have yet to find the 'perfect' shop solution, but without this little glitch, Big Cartel works best for me and how I do these things. The only advice I have in avoiding this might be to move quickly through the checkout process. I'm sorry to add an element of rushing and disapointment to this! But I thank you for your patience.

Thank you, as always, for your support and interest in the things I make and sell! I'm incredibly grateful for it, you know. In fact...I've got a little 'thank you' coming your way tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Food & Family on Etsy

(Two posts in one day? Sure, why not!)

I just wanted to pop in to tell you about some happenings on Etsy's blog The Storque. They've got a great new feature - Handmade Kids - full of family-focused content. I was asked to share a bit about creativity, family and food. Ah, my favorite topics! You can find the article and interview, an excerpted project from The Creative Family, as well as some of my favorite "Food & Family" Etsy finds (there is so much handmade goodness out there!), here:

SouleMama's Creativity: Food & Family

Thanks for the invitation to join in on the fun, Etsy!

drying out

Oh my. That was a wet weekend. The camera mostly stayed tucked away safe and dry, but I did snap a couple, including this last shot above which might be my favorite summary of the weekend. Because when met with a camping trip in the rain, what would the kids do? Why, dance in the rain, and turn their eyes and mouths to the sky. Naturally.

In between the rain and the thunderstorms, though, we did manage to see some of the white mountains, enjoyed some much-treasured time with friends, had a really fun hike, and even had a surprise middle-of-the-woods encounter with a SouleMama reader (hello, Daniela!), reminding me of how small and sweet the world can be. All in all, a very good wet weekend. And... a very happy arrival home to our soft and dry beds. Soft and dry. Oh, I do rather like soft and dry when we're talking about beds.

Up next: Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be my summer Shop Update. I'll be going live with it at 12pm EST, and will post here when all is up and running!

Alright. Back to the drying out. I wish you all a lovely start to your week!