GardenMama

.: Embracing Life :.

.: Noticing my oldest son playing marbles while a very interested kitten looks on :.

As mothers we do not receive a standard handbook that tells us exactly what to do or not do. Rather we live alongside our little ones while our homes and our family organically becomes a reflection of who we are together.  

.: A moment later the kitten strikes and marbles roll over the wooden floor :.

There may be moments in our younger years that stand out to us. They may even serve as markers in our own lives with our own children today.

.: Noticing beauty in the ordinary, extraordinary part of the day :.

I can remember specific feelings of the warmth of home as a younger girl while babysitting-- a home filled with little treasures from nature and the harvest of the gardens sitting on the counters still flecked with soil. It had that beautiful mix of a lived in home - evidence of children and of life that reflected so much love.

.: Understanding math with smooth white stones collected at the ocean nearby :.

As a younger girl playing house for the day while acting as a mothers helper I remember dreaming of having children of my own as I grew older and what that would be like.

.: Appreciating my son's ear for music as he freely plays what comes to mind :.

I feel so grateful for the family that I now have and that we are able to live and learn at home alongside one another creating our very own life, following and creating our very own dreams, we get to choose just what our philosophy for our own life may entail.

.:Noticing a beautiful vignette while the music still lingers in my heart:.

This journey together as a family is rich and good, it is lived in and full with life.  There is beauty in the everyday - the small and big moments, the creative and organic vignettes that fill our days in both the good and the more difficult.

.: These sweet friends eat our veggies, create their own compost, create fiber for us to spin and most of all share their love :.

Clotheslines, composting, and backyard chickens.  Learning alongside one another at home and growing some of our own foods.  Trading in television for making art together, caring for one another, dreaming of having sheep and farm living, knitting and spinning and reading "Little House On The Prairie" at bedtime while creating our own little houses on the prairie or  apartments in the city or little houses on islands in fields or in the woods... wherever it is that your life inspires you to call home fill it up with love, mindfullness, and notice the life that surrounds you. 

 .: Noticing a sweet vignette left behind after opening presents on Valentines Day :.

We only live these days, moments and life once, just once never to be repeated in exactly the same way.

I am thankful to share moments of our family life with you. I also enjoy seeing moments of your own journeys. However vastly different or very closely knit our ideas may be lets all follow our dreams together. Say yes to life--to the life we always dreamed of for our families even when things may be placed in the way.. go for it anyway.

 

.:Appreciating bits of nature that creates this personal space we call home:.
 

Embrace this thing called life that sometimes gets in the way but continues to happen to us every day.  From the small and mundane to the great and profound lets say yes and embrace life for all that it gifts to us!

.: Creating A Birch Bark Frame :.

.: This birch bark frame was created to compliment this natural photo :.

Recently I received a beautiful photo in the mail from Nicola. I had been dreaming up the idea of creating a birch bark frame,  and this photo seemed just the right one to naturally frame!

I look forward to sharing my process for creating a nature-inspired frame. I am very happy with the results and hope you enjoy it too!

.: I knew right away this photo would have a special adorned frame :.

I knew right away this photo would not be placed in just any frame. I wanted to create something just as lovely to hold it. Now I will share the process of the birch bark frame I made to bring a bit of nature indoors!

.: A simple frame was used as the base. Its simple lines suit the birch bark that will be secured to it :.

I began with an inexpensive frame.  I made sure to pick out something that was low profile enough so that when the birch bark was adhered to it, it would lay evenly and completely from all angles.

.: I used these few pieces of birch bark I had stored away in the craft closet :.

Most of my creating is inspired by nature and by the objects we collect along our nature walks.  My craft closet holds stones, pinecones, shells, and birch bark (to name a few) so that during the winter months we still have access to these natural ingredients for our crafting.

.: An inexpensive frame, hot glue, scissors, and birch bark are the materials used to create this nature-inspired frame :.

I had a few pieces of birch bark that we had previously gathered from a fallen tree. Even if you only have a few pieces of birch bark, the rough look of pieced bark together on the frame adds natural beauty.  If you do not have access to birch bark, try looking for scrap book paper in a birch motif that you could adhere to cardboard before securing it to the frame.

.: Piecing together the birch bark to create a rustic and natural looking frame :.

I began piecing together pieces of birch bark along the frame, securing it with hot glue and cutting pieces to fit as I went along to create a rustic look.

.: The finished frame with photo inside! :.

I am quite happy with the finished result. I think this nature photo and natural frame complement one another very well!

.: I love the pairing of the birch with the flower print - it looks lovely at home! :.

We are enjoying the way the photo paired with the birch bark frame looks at home. I look forward to creating many more!

.: May the beauty of nature inspire your home! :.

.: Snow Girl ~ A Photo Journey :.

While my thoughts drift to the green of spring the snow drifts continue to rise...

When the snow finally ebbed into a gentle flurry, I told my husband  I was planning to set off into the woods with my camera to capture the energy of the end of the storm.  My daughter said: "Wait for me mama!" She always has her camera at the ready and creates her own beautiful places that she captures in her mind as well as on her camera.

This time spent capturing moments with my daughter was a memorable one. I watched her as she took her time along the trail in the woods finding beautiful spots on her own. Soon my own photos reflected her journey of enjoyment, entering into the peace of the woods and the mindfulness that nature brings.

This little one has such creativity swirling within her mind and heart. She has more talent and beauty in her mind's eye than I could ever imagine.  I am thankful to be on this journey alongside each of the children, watching them find meaning in their lives through their interests and mediums of choice.

I am thankful for this time with my daughter doing something we both love--walking together in the snowy woods finding beauty while bonding with one another.

This time for me in the woods turned from a time of appreciating nature to a time spent appreciating the beauty of a child appreciating nature. 

I am thankful for these quiet, unexpected, and unplanned moments.  They are cherished moments in time that will never be repeated in exactly the same way but will last a lifetime in my heart.

Children in our lives are remarkable creatures of light. I am thankful to be let into their world and to share these moments of seeing the world through their eyes, while watching them grow and learn.

 

I look forward to many more moments with each of the children--finding beauty in life together in quiet unexpected times that are truly magical.