Weekending

This weekend was...

a trip north for a 40th birthday party. We asked a lot of Silas (patience with a long car ride, interrupted schedules, an unfamiliar bed, and rooms full of noise and strangers) and he showed better spirits than we could have hoped for. He was shy and clung to me like a baby koala. His uncle entertained us with guitar and song, much to Silas' delight. This little one can't get enough of live music. He danced and danced and howled when we tried to take him inside out of the cold and rain. After much merriment, the best homemade wantons ever, and lots of cousin love, we headed home and were glad to have all of Sunday afternoon to ourselves to wind down, reconnect over waffles and tea, and fine tune our monkey noises.

Joining Amanda at The Habit of Being.

Weekend Review: Parenting for Peace by Marcy Axness

Our children are not really ours. They are not given to us to keep or to own, but entrusted to us for an all too brief time in which to nourish their bodies, set their feet on the path they will walk to adulthood, and teach them what it means to be be human. While the day-to-day moments of parenting are fun and can be silly, the work that is being done in those moments carries a weight of the highest importance. Marcy Axness, in Parenting for Peace: Raising the Next Generation of Peacemakers (2012, Sentient Publications), calls upon us to make good on the oft repeated claim that "our children are our future." If this is so, and it is, then it's time that we  parent our children in a way that prepares them to engage with the challenges of the future -- environmental and social -- with peace rather than conflict.

This is not a parenting "how-to" book. There are no lists of things to check off in order to raise a member of Generation Peace. Rather, it is a neurobiologically-based approach to and a philosophy about parenting with guidelines to help in the implementation of its ideals at each stage of your child's life from pre-conception through the early school years. In the simplest of terms, what makes for kind, caring, peaceful adults is an internalized sense of trust and security. This comes from having a close attachment to a primary caregiver, mom, when young. It is this secure attachment to one person in childhood that allows an individual to then generalize feelings of empathy and love to humanity as they mature.

For each stage, Axness discusses the important neurobiological milestones that are occurring and describes how to best work with nature to nurture these developments. This is followed with a helpful "Principles to Practice" section that gives practical advice in each of the six areas that she has identified as key to healthy growth: Presence, Awareness, Rhythm, Example, Nurturance, Trust, and Simplicity. It is very clear that these are not rigid rules that you must follow, but rather a list of suggestions to assist in implementing the ideals explored.

The key take-away point is that we are all either in "growth mode" in which we feel safe and our minds and bodies are free and open to grow, or we're in "protection mode" in which all of our energies are redirected towards shielding ourselves from external stress and harm, stunting the development of our minds and bodies. The more we can do as parents to maximize the time our children are in growth mode, the more secure, and therefore peaceful, adults they will become. She gives us many ways in which to do this, but the most obvious (not necessarily the easiest to implement) is to live a life of example. In short, we are to be the change we want to see in the world, to use that old Gandhi entreaty.

Axness draws from Attachment Parenting, Montessori and Waldorf philosophies, and for those who are already familiar with them, this book will surely resonate, but her guide is not limited by any one of these systems. She doesn't mince words and she refuses to bow at the throne of political correctness when what is biologically called for runs counter to popular culture. This is a book full of powerful ideas and Axness is calling for nothing less than a revolution in how we raise our children. It is a call that resonates with me. This is a book that I will return to often as I navigate the choppy waters of parenthood.

The review was first published on Blogcritics.
My review copy was provided courtesy of Sentient Publications).

This Moment

Playing along with SouleMama today. In her words: {this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Yesterday I inadvertently dressed Silas and myself in matchy-matchy outfits; turquoise tops and gray pants for both of us. I think my need for mother/child clothing is bubbling dangerously close to the surface!

Two giveaways to enter this week! Enter to win a bentwood headband from Bentwood Bands and a bamboo iPhone case from OpenSky!

Thank You, Bound For Home!

I was the lucky winner of this adorable little clutch from the Etsy shop Bound for Home. They sell romantic vintage finds and handmade items, like this pouch, with beautiful, clean lines. As soon as I read that I'd won, I started to think of what special purpose this pouch could serve. Something for my knitting basket? Small this-and-that for the diaper bag? A little purse for some future occasion when I go out without the diaper bag? Well, I've been in need of a special home for a small notebook and pen, to jot down ideas and such when we're on the go, and I think this clutch is perfect for that purpose. I can't think of a more lovely home for my thoughts than this little treasure.

Thanks to Amanda at Bound for Home and thank you to Amanda at The Habit of Being for hosting the giveaway!

Kanoko Pants

Still huge, the cotton Kanoko Pants are off my needles and on Silas. When I cast off the second leg and held them up Steve asked, "Did you knit Hammer Pants for our son?" Why, maybe I did. Maybe I did. The dryer did much to help the fibers bloom, but nothing to size them down at all. The length and the legs are okay, it's the waist that is a bit comical. That weird fold in the crotch is where it bunched when I pulled the waist tight enough so they would stay on him. They would also benefit from some short rows to give some shaping to the bum, but that's outside my ability at the moment. Overall, I think they're really cute and totally functional. Perfect for playing outside during these spring days.

Joining Ginny at Small Things.

Maple Seed Mobile

It was last year that I first noticed the clusters of maple seeds that would fall to the ground after a good, windy day. I had really only seen them as individuals or pairs before. They were so beautiful that I have been thinking about them since. After our first storm of this spring, Silas and I woke one day to find a beautiful scene. Individual maple seeds had fallen during the night and arranged themselves into a poem on our yard, with clusters of seeds punctuating the verses.

We did a little bit of gathering and then made this simple mobile to hang above our spring nature table. I re-purposed some string by tying it to an 8" embroidery hoop. Then, I used thread to tie the clusters to the hoop. It hung this way for awhile in our dining room, in need of something. Silas came up with the answer. He found some bark from our maple tree that had been shed and he helped me gather it up. I hot-glued them to the hoop and our little project was complete.

I've always had a love affair with maple seeds, and now they are one of the first things that we see when we make our rounds around the house, pulling curtains and waking everything and everyone from their slumber. Their delicate, but strong, veins silhouetted by the rising sun, reminding us of new life and new beginnings.

Weekending

This weekend was...

spotting our first hatched bluebird eggs,

new additions to the spring nature table,

WALKING,

a little bit of toddler-proofing (we have a new obsession with the computer mouse),

bread baking,

Earth Day celebrating,

lots of drawing,

remembering to slow down and savor,

and 

new lawn mower purchasing.

I've always felt so shy about sharing our weekends in this thread. For us, weekends aren't about "doing" much of anything. We've never been much for going and doing, even when it was just Steve and me. But now since reading Parenting for Peace, I'm making a very focused effort to be present in each moment for Silas and to not only be comfortable with the not doing that comes with running on toddler-time, but reveling in it. There's been a bit of a blog meme going around of sharing a sample daily schedule. I've gone back and forth about whether or not this is something that I want to participate in. No schedule that I've read looks quite like ours and I'd love to provide some solidarity for others who might run with the same flow that we do. But, it's also such an intimate thing. I think it would be interesting to chart on of our days if for nothing else than for Silas' baby book.

Linking up with Amanda at The Habit of Being.

A Life Sustained Sponsor: Bentwood Bands

Please welcome A Life Sustained sponsor Bentwood Bands!

Ian handcrafts wooden headbands for adults and children. In his words:

I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania with my wonderful wife, Julie, and 3 noisy and beautiful children. On our quarter-acre we chase rabbits from our large vegetable garden, squirrels from our nine fruit trees and birds from five blueberry bushes while Daisy, our beagle, enjoys the show. Last year we added a few chickens to the mix, just for fun. We dream of a homestead, where who knows what will happen. And when I’m not in the yard with the family, I make stuff: Bentwood headbands, wood toys, furniture, drawings, oil paintings, music, poetry, and most recently bentwood rings. 

Tell us about your journey to becoming an artist/maker of things.

I can’t remember when I was not creative. It’s just part of who I am, and my parents were always encouraging. My grandfather though, was a huge influence. I don’t think anyone (himself included) would have considered him an artist. But he was. A machinist by trade, he was a perpetual creative problem-solver, very inventive. He also instilled in me a deep respect for nature, which probably influences every decision I make. 

What inspires you?

The old ways of doing things are truly inspiring. I am quite taken, not only with the manual skill people exercised, but with the deep understanding of the materials with which they worked. As a result, power tools are growing more and more silent in my workshop. I am beginning to understand that what we gain by “doing it faster” is hardly significant compared to what we lose. 

What do you like most about the Waldorf philosophy?

What I like most is that it gives great weight to the importance of relationships. And not just among people, but between the Earth and nourishment, or caring for sheep and spinning wool which will yield clothing, or between our own heart, head, and hands. With attention to these relationships, I feel one is less likely to take things for granted and truly appreciate the work that something required to be here in our world. 

Tell us about your favorite item in your shop and describe your process in designing and making it.

I made a steam-bent maple ring a while back to replace my wedding band which I lost somewhere in the back yard while playing with the kids. It is far from perfect, but not bad for a first try. I have recently begun to give this craft a lot of attention and can say these rings are my new favorite creations. Designing has been a lot of fun – there are so many different woods, there seems to be no end to the ways in which to combine them. Some rings have liners, some have wood inlay, some stone inlay, and some have designs carved into the surface. And they’re all done by hand, without power tools.

Ian has a second Etsy shop, called The Acorn Cap, in which he sells Waldorf-inspired wooden toys. Both shops are eco-friendly businesses. All the woods used are sourced from a local "Mom and Pop" sawmill that obtains its lumber responsibility from a small 25 mile radius of the mill. Bending the bands uses steam -- just heat and water -- and an eco-friendly finish, derived from whey, is used.

Ian is generously offering to one lucky A Life Sustained reader their choice of a Bentwood Band! All you have to do to be entered in the random drawing to win is leave a comment on this post. Comments will be closed in the evening of April 28 and a winner announced shortly thereafter.

Get two additional entries! First, you can add Bentwood Bands to your Etsy favorites. Second, you can share this giveaway via Twitter or Facebook. Be sure to leave a comment for each "extra" so they can be counted.

And the lucky winner is...

Baby by the Sea
"Thank you so much for the introduction to this creative maker and his amazingly-creative products. Wow, could the bunnies (and their hutch) be any cuter in the Acorn Cap? My husband is a lineman, so he can't wear metal to work. I've always wanted to get him a wooden ring. Lovely.."

Thanks Bentwood Bands!

A Life Sustained Sponsor: OpenSky

Please welcome A Life Sustained sponsor OpenSky.

OpenSky is a new online shopping resource that offers an alternative to the experience that one might have with a site such as Amazon.com. Although you do have the option to browse all available products, what makes OpenSky different is the use of "curators" who select products and brands that might be of interest to you, based on your interests. In their words:

On OpenSky, you create your own experience. You decide, based on your personal interests and passions, which people to connect with—we like to call them “curators.” They’re a growing group of tastemakers and experts who are deeply passionate about what they do and what they love. You’ll discover what they discover: the most amazing products and brands you’ve never heard of and the stories (and the brilliant designers and artisans) behind them. You’ll be surprised, delighted, engaged.

When one is mindful about shopping, it can be challenging, as I'm sure you know, to find things that fit into the criteria that we set for ourselves. With OpenSky, you can connect with like-minded individuals and then follow their leads to products that might be helpful for you. For example, if a vegan lifestyle is something that you prioritize, you can "connect" with Alicia Silverstone and see her suggestions for products that are vegan-friendly. Mariel Hemingway has some great suggestions of products that are organic and natural. Sophie Uliano has eco-beauty covered. And on and on. 

In celebration of Earth Day weekend, OpenSky is calling upon their vegan and earth-friendly experts to handpick items that can help us all live a little bit more lightly on the earth, like this collection of cruelty-free fashion.

OpenSky is generously offering to one A Life Sustained reader a bamboo iPhone case! In America alone, 150 million cell phone cases are thrown away each year. A bamboo alternative is a great opportunity to make a conscious decision about the environment. The pliable bamboo of this iPhone case is stronger than most plastics and will stand up better to scrapes and falls. And when a newer phone hits the market, the bamboo casing is 100% biodegradable.

All you have to do to enter the random drawing to win is leave a comment on this post. Comments will be closed on April 27 and a winner will be chosen shortly thereafter.

And the lucky winner is...
Donna
"How Cute! I'd love to win this."

Thanks OpenSky!

This Moment | Walking!

Playing along with SouleMama today. In her words: {this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Two giveaways to enter this week! Don't forget to enter to win a Personalized Birthday Book from I See Me! and a $30 gift certificate to The Handmade Classroom!

Pets Are Not For Hitting

Silas is in the tail-pulling, fist-of-fur-grabbing stage of animal interaction. There is lots of, "No, gentle pets, please...like this" going on in our house. He'll get it eventually, I know, and we are very fortunate to have such tolerant animals in our lives. If he ever gets to be too much for them, they just get up and walk away. I feel for Nikita, though. She's a very sensitive soul and I know that that all the poking and prodding wears on her.

It seems as if everyone in our little neighborhood has a dog or two. We see a few of them and hear several more every day when we take our walk. Nikita usually ignores them, unless they're outside and are barking at her aggressively. To be honest, I have been absolutely shocked by how many people hit their dogs. It happened earlier this week when a dog was barking at us and the owner just started hitting her, trying to make her stop. I felt guilt, because she was barking at us and if we weren't there it wouldn't have been a problem. I felt sadness, because I know that animal doesn't understand why she was being hit. And I felt frustration, because it happened in front of my son. I guess I knew that in my quest to teach Silas kindness and compassion to all living things I would eventually have to address the fact that there are people in the world who do hurt each other and animals unnecessarily. I just wasn't expecting to have to come up with an explanation so soon. 

Yarn Along

Knitting: The Kanoko Pants are finished. Finally. Proper photos forthcoming. So, I'm searching for something to cast on. I have 83 yards of this gorgeous orange baby alpaca. Any ideas of what it should become?

Reading: I'm dividing my time between The Paper Garden and Parenting for Peace. The former is a biography of an 18th century woman. Married off at 17 to a slobbering drunk who died leaving his fortune to his niece instead of his wife, Mary has been enjoying the incredible freedom of being a widow in society. At 43, she has just married a second time, entering into the match of her own free will and is incredibly happy. It will be another 30 years until she invents multi-media collage. She is one busy lady.

The later is about the incredible power that we as parents have to shape the future generation and how the choices we make even pre-conception can have far-reaching impacts on raising children who are hard-wired for peace rather than conflict. Right now, it's discussing the importance of cultivating gratitude and positive thinking in order to live a life that is open to growth, rather than being closed because we're in defense mode. It's pretty powerful stuff.

Linking up with Ginny at Small Things.

I Am Not My Car

Steve spent most of yesterday doing all of the running around that is necessitated when one buys and sells a vehicle. We traded in his car and got a new (to us) mode of transport with a little more room. After a bit of musical cars, mine will become the commuter vehicle that Steve takes to work and I'll drive "The Wagon" (as I've dubbed it -- just now). Previously, no one could sit in my passenger seat because it had to be pushed all the way up to the dash to make room for the car seat in the back. So, this is a good thing. All around. And yet, I felt prickly and anxious all day yesterday. Have I mentioned that I don't like change?

Steve had his car for 12 years. It's what he drove up to my door when we first met and what he picked me up in during our courtship. Seeing that green Jetta pull into the driveway triggers a Pavlovian response in me. It means Steve is home and that is happiness. But, there's so much more to it. That snapshot image -- Steve in his car -- is like a song that makes my chest tighten because it makes me remember the old friends and laughter of a specific time and place. In so many ways "Steve" has equaled "Jetta" in my mind and letting that go has filled me with such sadness.

I keep reminding myself that we are not our possessions and all the happiness and memories of the past are still with me. The only thing I've lost is that one physical reminder of them. Isn't it funny how much importance we can place on the "stuff" in our life? I am guilty of this all the time. I get teary-eyed over old family heirlooms and am an avid thrifter, collecting all sorts of "stuff." Like everything else, it's all about balance, I suppose. And every once in awhile we have to make room in our life for the new by passing along the old.

Weekending

This weekend was...

my best homemade loaf of bread to date transformed into the best French toast ever,
a health expo with friends, which was wonderful even if we did miss the much anticipated keynote speaker,
an evening out for Steve, which meant an evening of reading and writing for me,
pretty severe storms and tornado sirens while he was gone, but all was well and he made it home safe and sound,
 a very relaxing walk complete with the sighting of a weasel...I hoped against hope that it was a black-footed
ferret, but alas...
cleaning out Steve's car, which we are saying good-bye to today in order to say hello to
our own little Family Truckster.


Linking up with Amanda at The Habit of Being.

A Life Sustained Sponsor: The Handmade Classroom

Please welcome A Life Sustained sponsor The Handmade Classroom!

Aly designs and makes whimsical cloth teaching tools. In her words...

Greetings! I’m so happy to be featured here. If I may, I’ll introduce myself...my name is Aly Parrott, and I am the founder, production manager, marketing director, book keeper and lead inventor here at The Handmade Classroom, a small studio in rural upstate New York dedicated to creating whimsical and imaginative art, toys and tools for classrooms, homeschool families and...well, anyone looking for unique ways to learn and teach.

I’m a recent graduate of The Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, MO, where I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to integrate my interests in literature, creative writing, art history, science and education into a unique studio practice. I enjoy searching for the best Mexican food in any town I travel to, long walks on the beach (no, really...), long walks anywhere, having every color of things (thread, markers, hairties, socks, etc.), hiking, teaching, playing board games, reading (usually in the form of listening to audiobooks), and inventing things...like Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

My mom, my brother, Colton (he has the tattoo), and my boyfriend, Tom (he has the beard). 

A robin's nest in the works...now you know how I sew the magnets in!

Tell us about your journey to becoming an artist/maker of things. 

I’m trying to think of a way to say this that doesn’t echo the standard “I’ve been creating things since birth,” answer but it really is true. The dependent variable in my life has been making...the purposes, inspirations and methods have evolved, but the making itself is a constant. I remember when I was in eighth grade, and the Twin Towers had just gone down...if anything really solidified making as a form of therapy and raw expression, it was the week or so following that mid-September day. I think I, and many of my peers, as New Yorkers, were looking for a way to express feelings with no name...I think a lot of poets and artists emerged that day. From then it’s been about focusing, experimenting, learning, and living as much as possible (because you have to have something to make art about, right?).

Walks are a nightly ritual...for my family and anyone else who happens to join us!

Art school was a time of abandon...I think everyone goes though the best and the worst time in their life in art school. It’s a strange place, but if you have great teachers (like I did) they will see you through to the other side, and you will have picked up a few useful things along the way. You also get the opportunity to do things you thought you would never do...I took a performance art workshop that allowed me to find a raw means of expression that was just amazing. Long story short...it’s all been a subtractive process. Chipping away at the things I don’t want to do, or don’t really work to find the things that I’m absolutely in love with. 

I've been lucky enough to be inspired by moments like this one in Paris. 

Sherlock Holmes, Star Wars, Virgina Woolf, and science books...gotta keep things interesting!

What inspires you? 

Hah! You might be sorry you asked, because the things that inspire me are endless. I try to be inspired by something at least once a day...twice on Sundays. If it really is just a day of short circuits, I watch something or listen to something to help inspire me...and this can be anything from 1970s miniseries to nature documentaries. If that doesn’t work, I take a walk. With myself, my dog, or another human. If I can’t find something after all of that, I do something completely meditative like spinning wool or crocheting...again, it’s all about chipping away. It’s in there somewhere. Here’s a list of the things that have been inspiring me lately: 

I try to keep things organized, but when I'm finished with a piece, things always end up looking like this. 

my sewing machine, my students’ artwork, the buds on my lilac trees, George Harrison’s music, my new Nikon, my rockstar baby brother (Colton Parrott...it’ll be a household name before you know it), the story of Persephone, butterfly life cycles, my Smithsonian encyclopedia of wildlife, Planet Earth, the Etsy community, Stephen King (seriously. the man has a gift for creating things that are 100% memorable), Ireland, polar bears, nursery rhymes, Joseph Campbell, Downton Abbey (oh, the costumes...), hearing about what my friends from school are up to, my Mom (an amazing fiber artist herself), The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries (which I was lucky enough to see at the Cluny in Paris), pomegranates, Icelandic myths...it really does keep going. 

Little Reds in progress...no two alike!

What do you enjoy most about teaching little ones? 

The stories I get to tell my friends on Friday nights. Everyone else is talking about who said what to whom in the lunch room and how many miserable customers they had to deal with, and I get to talk about the ‘royal ball’ we had, teaching the kids how to waltz, and the pirate-king costume I helped one of my boys make. Katie wrote her name for the first time, Max drew a rainbow (he made sure to ask which color came next each time), Nate learned how to do jumping jacks...it really makes you step back and appreciate the important things! Also (and I know its an ego-trip) it feels wonderful when a kid runs up to their mom or dad at the end of the day and says, “Hey...bats are nocturnal!” or “can we go get this book at the library?” It’s not that they know the information, it’s that they’re excited about it, and want to continue exploring the possibilities that come with it. 

Tell us about your favorite piece in your shop and describe your process in designing and making it. 

I think as far as design, I would have to say my pear tree. It’s my favorite color green. I love the cutout leaves and the overlay. I had it in my heard for a long time...it felt so natural in the making process. As far as bringing together my diverse interests and really personifying the possibilities of my shop, it would have to be any of the cloth fairytale pieces (Little Red Riding Hood, The Fates, The Little Mermaid). The genesis of those was really my junior year in college when I did a felt board installation at the Kansas City Public Library. It was a who’s who of western fairytales...Red Riding Hood, Snow White, the Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, among others, hand drawn and then transferred onto felt. I also made little pockets listing various archetypes (ie. the Prince, the Princess, the Evil Queen, the Orphan, the Servant, etc) so the characters could be placed into the pockets by the children coming for story hours. 

I loved making it, and it was well received by the librarians and the children...three years later, I went back to it and asked ‘Ok...how can I make this my own?’ I’m good with drawing...but nothing special. I wanted to figure out how to make these drawings something that was more unique to me, and something more visually and sensorially dynamic for children. So I drew a picture of Little Red on muslin and then ‘drew’ it with my sewing machine. What came out was like 7,000,000 times better than the drawings themselves because I had added something to it that I felt comfortable with and which came more naturally to me than drawing with a pen. 

I have a hard time explaining my process...on one hand, I’m all over the place with my sewing machine...like my students, totally carefree. On the other hand, I meticulously embroider the tiny faces and add painstaking details for hours on end. The fairytale creations bring those two things together in such a way that they are still playful enough for children to use, yet I’ve had several adults purchase them for themselves. Of course all of this description is afterthought...usually when I make something I’m so lost in it that I I do my last stich, step back and go “did that really just happen?”

If you would like to connect with Aly at The Handmade Classroom, you can do so through Facebook or Twitter.

Aly is generously offering to one A Life Sustained reader a $30 gift certificate to her shop! All you have to do to enter the random drawing to win is leave a comment on this post. Comments will be closed in the evening of April 21 and a winner will be announced here shortly thereafter.

Get two extra entries! First you can add The Handmade Classroom to your Etsy favorites. Second, you can share this giveaway via Twitter or Facebook. Be sure to leave a comment for each "extra" so that they can be counted.

The lucky winner is...
KC Pagano
"Her toys are amazing! Thank you so much for introducing us to her!"

Thanks to Aly at The Handmade Classroom!