Morning, Noon and Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday.

 Morning, 10:30am

 Noon, 1:45pm

Night, 7pm

  ***If you would like to play along leave your link in the comments section so I can stop by and visit.***   

Lest We Forget

With love and gratitude, I will never forget.

Mountain Girl Yarns {Giveaway}

Today I am so happy to share Mountain Girl Yarns with you. I wrote about the lovely purchase I made a few weeks ago of beautifully hand dyed artisan yarn from Mountain Girl Yarns. It is beautiful, and that fact that it is made lovingly by a dear friend makes it even more beautiful. Join me and get to know the person behind Mountain Girl Yarns.

Tell us a little about Mountain Girl Yarns. 
There is something about soft, warm beautifully colored yarn that makes my heart sing. Going to yarn shops and buying what they had to offer, I thought one day I could do that. I can come up with my own color way and fiber combinations...and I did it. After studying interior design I have a pretty good base for design and color so dyeing yarn came quite natural...I studied fiber artists that I admired and read books extensively on how to dye.  

What inspires you? 
Nature- all the colors that mother nature offers. Never ending beauty to be found in Montana where I live, the blue of the winter mountains, golden fields of wheat and the multi-colored rocks in the glacier lakes.

Oddly enough music. I am big into music so when it's dye time I crank the music and it inspires me to let go and just allow the colors to happen naturally.

How did you become a knitter? 

My grandmother taught me when I was 6 - growing up in Scandinavia it was just something you did. Past down for generations. In school I knit under my desk- as long as my eyes were on the teacher I didn't get in trouble.

If you could spend a day with a crafter/artist who would it be? 
Georgia O' Keefe she holds a special place in my heart- her sense of color and space- she was a pioneer and great great, strong woman. Her way of life, seeing beauty in nature I admire greatly and has made me fall in love with New Mexico. Her quirkiness and the mystery that surrounds her draws me in- she is a beautiful soul.

Is there a creative pursuit you haven't explored but would like to? 
Where do I start? Yes! There is so much I want to explore- very interested in Metal Arts- rustic style of jewelry with turquoise and big stones. I also fascinated with Finnish jewelry design...one day.
 

I used to be a maternity photographer which was wonderful and exiting but with all my children I couldn't stretch, now that they are older there is more freedom to explore. I have another photography project I am working on for the future...I like to have many things going on at once.

What is your favorite knit? 
It will always be fair isle because it is in my Norwegian heritage. I used to knit lots of Norwegian sweaters- but they take a long time. Now I am obsessed with fair isle mittens using either Latvian yarn from Riga or my own hand dyed- so fun and very satisfying.

One thing you can't live without? 
Not 1 but 4...family, nature, my animals and ice cream.
 

What is your favorite quote? 
"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is none alive that is youer than you."

Dr. Seuss

Tea or coffee?

Both
Coffee in the a.m. - tea in the p.m.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself with us. It was wonderful getting to know you a little better Camilla.

You can connect with Mountain Girl Yarns, and Camilla a few ways:

Etsy 

Blog
Facebook
Pinterest

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Camilla has generously offered one skein of yarn in the colourway 

“Alpen Fleur”

to one lucky Mothering with Mindfulness follower.

To enter, leave a comment, one per person, below.

Giveaway is open until Friday November 14, 2014 at 7pm.

I will draw a winner after this time and announce it in this post.

Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only.

Thanks so much Camilla! 

And the winner, chosen by Justin, is:

Ducks in the Pond:
 "Oh, my goodness! I would love to win! I'm so glad I didn't miss the chance to enter. I have wanted some of Camilla's beautiful yarn for a while! Thanks Kim and Camilla!"

Congratulations!

45/52

"A photo of my little man, once a week, every week, in 2014"

 

Reece, you turned six this week, I still can't believe it. This photo was taken last week at your birthday celebration, but I wanted to share it here today so it becomes part of the 52 Project album I put together at the end of this year. 

Joining Jodi for the 52 Project

Making Memories

Over the years, Justin and I have made Reece's gifts, for both his birthday and for Christmas. As we sat down toward the end of summer to think about gifts for Reece this year, we realized we had pretty much made everything we had wanted him to have. We were stuck on what to make, and the more we talked, the more we realized there was really nothing more we wanted to make, at least right now. So we have moved to experience gifts, and for his birthday Reece decided a trip to the Butterfly Conservatory of Cambridge would be a great way to spend the day.

We packed up after breakfast yesterday morning, loaded Reece and his little friend into the car, and away we went. We arrived in good time, and headed in right away to check out the butterflies. It was a slow day, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves...it was delightful. We wandered, followed butterflies, looked at chrysalises, watched a turtle and some fish at the pond, and just soaked in the goodness of butterflies fluttering around everywhere you turn. It was a truly magical way to spend the day, and the perfect way to celebrate my little man.

Dear Reece

Six years ago your dad and I were snuggled up in our bed staring at you, a beautiful little being who came into our lives in the early morning hours, after a very quick and intense labour. We laid in bed all day, just staring at you, a little oblivious to the journey ahead. We had no idea just how much you would change our lives, how much you would challenge the thoughts and beliefs we had, and how much we would grow, as individuals and as a family.

The last six years have been pretty darn amazing. Yes, they seem to have gone by much too fast, but I have done my best to soak up as much of it as I possibly can. I hold in my memory many moments...your first smile, first laugh, first step, first word, our nature adventures and camping trips, our road trips, our good times in the kitchen baking and cooking, our days in the garden planting seeds and harvesting foods, your gentle nature with the baby chicks the day we brought them home, your smile when you rode your bike without training wheels, and so, so many more. They are all there, tucked neatly away, making me smile whenever I think about them. There are no regrets. Yes, there are some things I wish I had done differently along the way, but in the end we are here because of the path we walked, and I think where we are right now is a really great place.

When I look back over the last six years I am filled with gratitude for you. You have rocked my world little man, challenged me to my core, made me rethink so much about life and what is important, and became my greatest teacher. You make me want to be a better person, you bring magic to my days, you fill our home with love and laughter, you keep me in the moment and you have made slow and simple our family motto. You have made being a mother the most amazing journey I have ever taken.

You are an amazing little man. I am honoured to be your mother, to walk your path with you, and watch as you discover the world and your place in it. I am looking forward to the year ahead, and excited to see where your next trip around the sun is going to take you.

I love you.

Meet Miss Maggie Rabbit

I am pleased to introduce you to Miss Maggie Rabbit. She was a joy to make, and I hope she brings a big smile to the face of a very special little lady this Christmas.

How is your Christmas making coming along?