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Moms Know Moms Interview: Tammia Prottsman

October 8, 2012 by | 0 comments

October is Moms Know Moms motivation month at Little Kids Grow. If you have a unique perspective to share or just want to encourage other moms, there’s still time to participate. Click here for the original post and more information.

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ICEBREAKER: If you could live anywhere in the world and make a good living doing whatever made you happy, where would it be, and what would you be doing? Hmmm…well, it would definitely involve a beach with the option of traveling often to all sorts of different places. Maybe a beach studio where I could sew—overlooking the ocean and sand.

Tell us a little bit about your blog’s name “Red Thread Love” and its significance to you.

“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.”
(adapted from an ancient Chinese proverb) My blog started out as a way to update friends and family during our adoption process, hence the basis of the title. But it’s really a great way to think about love and life in general…an invisible, unbreakable bond and connection between those we love.

I know that you’re a crafty mom. I’ve seen everything from clothes, to quilts, to home décor on your site. Is sewing your only creative outlet or do you have others? Sewing is my creative outlet of choice because of the low time to completion ratio. I enjoy knitting and crocheting (I have a granny square afghan in its final, struggling stages) and even some embroidery, but all of those things only get done in the car on road trips. Time consuming, slooow completion. I choose simple clothes to sew for my kids and sometimes myself, simple quilts, things that give you that “yay-I-completed-it feeling” with not a ton of invested time. I love to thrift, too, which is a different creative, hmmm-what-could-I-do-with-that outlet. But we live in a tiny, stuffed-to-the-gills house, so….really no need for me to bring more things home.

Your oldest daughter is learning to sew. Is this something that she gravitated toward on her own or did you encourage her? My daughter is definitely a creative little girlie…with her specialty being creative play and funny little drawings. My sewing machine is in the play room, so she’s definitely grown up listening to the hum of the machine. It’s probably a combination of her interest and my hoping (and a suggestion to her grandmas to get her a machine for her birthday). While I’d like my kids to pick their own interests, I definitely have an influence (and you bet I’m going to encourage sewing!). I’m curious to see if my son will pick up sewing…he’s more interested in how the machine works, so you never know!

While you share some of your crafty adventures on your blog from time to time, you originally set your blog up to document your adoption journey. From the beginning of your journey until now, how has your life and that of your family’s changed?

Enriched is the first word that pops into my head. It has been a growing experience, most definitely, which means things have been complicated at times…and painful and confusing. But adding this 3^rd little child to our family, with a completely different heritage and life story, has been a whirlwind combined with a new kind of love I had never before experienced.

As an experienced mother prior to adoption, was there anything with regard to parenting that you felt you weren’t prepared for or anything in the experience of growing your family that you didn’t expect?

I’m a researcher and a googler and I like to be prepared. I felt like I went into our adoption experience with my eyes wide open…I’d read so many attachment books, articles, blog posts, yahoo groups, etc. We attended a mandatory weekend class put on by our adoption agency which discussed how attachment is affected for hurting children. I had talked extensively with my adopted brother and sister to get their adult adoptee experience. I was aware of and embraced the potential challenges and unknowns.

But still.

It is one thing to read and think and accept ahead of the fact, but it is another thing altogether to be living the challenge. To be slapped in the face with feelings and emotions and challenges which come out of nowhere and leave you reeling with questions. Just as each biological child has their own unique birth and life story, I feel like people’s experiences with adoption vary widely. Speaking for myself, it was a somewhat confusing and where-do-I-fit feeling when I entered into motherhood with a colicky newborn. But many/most things came easily and the fierce mama love and desire to protect was there from the beginning. I’m realizing how perfect God planned everything from conception to pregnancy to birth to feeding and meeting every need of a helpless, dependent, adorable baby. Your own precious, miraculous baby.

It’s a whole different sort of gestation with adoption…seemingly endless paperwork and waiting and who-knows and unanswered assumptions. Much, so much, is out of your control, and that was hard for the planning and googling side of me. You see a face, a sweet little sober face in a picture (or a few, if you’re lucky) and after the waiting and crazy amount of miscellaneous necessary paper trail is completed, that little face is a reality and that child is placed in your arms. It becomes one of those surreal moments, much like childbirth, where you remember many of those immediate details. But this isn’t a newborn and this child has faced things you may never know. Most importantly that perfectly planned cycle of conception to babyhood is interrupted and broken.

While I was prepared for the attachment difficulties in my child, and knew many of the red flags to look for in her, I was completely caught off-guard by the nagging “I’m babysitting this child” feeling. It scared me and stressed me and the words of other adoptive parents, “Don’t worry, it feels exactly the same” kept ringing in my heart and made me feel inadequate and lacking. Because it didn’t feel exactly the same and I felt like there was something missing and I was shocked by the grief I felt. I strongly took on the feeling of loss my little girl was surely feeling…loss of a birth mother, several foster mothers, a country, a language, delicious food, and a culture. I cried when our plane left Hong Kong because I somehow felt like I was intentionally leaving an important piece of my daughter behind. The brokenness side of adoption hit me full force and I cringed every time someone said, “she’s so lucky.”

But as with many hard things, there is beauty in redemption and brokenness. I looked at my little girl and was humbled with gratitude for her little life and her addition to our family. Every child deserves a family and while adoption isn’t rainbows & butterflies, it’s the complexity and depth of love which stretches the heart to new depths. It took my daughter almost one year before she called me “mama.” A couple days ago we surprised her and showed up at her preschool. Her reaction: a great big breath and a loudly screamed “mama” as she flew into my arms. We’ve come a long way in almost two years.

How have you managed the changes and adjustments?

Frequent prayers of desperation mixed with thankfulness. Patience with myself and my daughter when things aren’t going so wonderfully smooth. There are many behavioral challenges we deal with at home, which most people don’t see. Things that worry my mama heart and I’m not sure I’d even notice if I didn’t have two older children. I have been greatly encouraged by other adoptive moms who have openly shared their heart on their blogs—posts which made me vigorously nod my head with tears streaming. Talking to my mom, my sisters, and my friends helps me process and make sense of my emotions. But in the almost two years since our daughter has joined our family, there has been a slow and steady depth of love that has taken root and our family rhythm has been re-established and the changes and adjustments melt away into our new normal. And life is richer.

For families considering adoption or going through the process now, what advice would you give them in preparation for the journey ahead?

I highly encourage everyone considering adoption to read, read, read. Read everything adoption-related you can get your hands on, research attachment & bonding, and talk to as many adoptive parents as possible. If you are adopting internationally, be aware and read up on racial identity, racism, mixed-race families and how it impacts you and your child. Realize how important heritage is on a developing self-esteem—and how that self-esteem may be affected by a loss of heritage. Trust and love take time to develop and deepen. Be prepared for challenging behavior but above all, be patient. With everyone involved. It’s an honor and sometimes overwhelming responsibility to love and nurture a child born to someone else. Accept that tension, remember the birth parents, and love and cherish the precious child you’ve been entrusted with. Be prepared for a new kind of love, unique in its complexity…a depth I’m only beginning to understand.

Thank you Tammia!

If you’d like to learn more about Tammia or just say “Hello”, follow this link to her site Red Thread Love.

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Moms Know Moms: Week 1 Recap

October 5, 2012 by | 0 comments

Happy Friday everyone!

We’ve made it to the end of our first week of the Moms Know Moms interviews and it has been a great success! I’ve heard from so many of you who’ve said you love the idea of real life moms, sharing real stories, and giving real advice, and I couldn’t agree more. While every mom in this interview series has their own experiences, backgrounds, perceptions, and even life focus, there’s a great common denominator among all of us moms, and that is, we get it! Raising children, running businesses, developing our families and remaining true to ourselves is not easy. It’s kind of nice to read about other moms who’ve shared our frustrations but have found a way to create their own path, one that works for them.

I’m missing my Monday Motivation talks with you because of the series this month, but I think that’s more than okay, because the moms that are sharing this month are super fantastic! Let me share a little bit of what I’ve taken away from the interviews so far – feel free to share your own thoughts in the comments.

From Anne del Rosario who talked to us about Family Unity, I learned that cultural awareness doesn’t have to divide us, but that it can actually bridge the gaps between communities. Our children are a product of their heritage regardless of whether or not we choose to share it with them. If we teach them to love and respect where they came from, and balance that with the love and respect for the uniqueness of others, then we’re in a good place.

I am still floored that Michelle Griesel moved from Alaska to Nevada with a toddler and is still in one piece (Ha! Ha!). This just demonstrates (to me) the internal strength that we carry as moms and how when it comes to our families, we’ll do whatever is necessary to make things work. Change is not always easy. This was such a positive affirmation of the quality of our character as moms, as women.

Crafter extraordinaire Susan Yates has really got me thinking about how I define balance. I’ve always thought of balance as being able to juggle all of my balls without dropping them, but reading her interview responses has changed my perspective. Balance is not so much about keeping all the balls in the air as much as it is knowing which ones to put down.

And finally, my Australian friend, Kathy Mumford. She’s such a sweetie pie, and what encouragement! She has influenced two generations of boys with love, support, dedication, structure, and prayer. If you REALLY want to know how to do something, look for someone who has done it, and done it well. Life moves by quickly, and our children grow up just as fast. If we don’t take the time to thoughtfully prepare them for what lies ahead, we could easily be setting them up for failure. It’s not about the stuff, it’s about the substance. Our children deserve substance.

Please come back next week for more interviews. You can subscribe by RSS feed or sign up for an email subscription in the sidebar so that you don’t miss anything.

Also, tell your friends about this great series. I’m still looking to fill up some spaces this month, so don’t be shy! Jump in and get your feet wet. Your experiences are just as valued as the next. You never know who might need to hear your story to help them along the way.( Click here for the original post and more information.)

Have a fantastic weekend!

Keep doin’ what you love!

Shannon

Moms Know Moms Interview: Kathy Mumford

October 4, 2012 by | 1 Comment

ICEBREAKER: Did you have a nickname growing up? If so what is it, and how did you get it?

My dad often called me ‘Gasoline’ as he wanted me to be called Kathleen, but my older brother and cousins couldn’t pronounce the ‘th’; then by the time I could walk – I mostly ran! My school nickname was ‘KK’ for Kathy Kennedy and Kathy was a popular name in those days and KK separated me from the others.

Q: You sew, craft AND you’re a phenomenal cook. How long have you been doing each of them and which is your favorite?

A: I joined 4-H when I was 10 with cooking, food preservation and sewing as projects that were continued until I left home at 18 for university/college. By the time I was 12, I cooked almost every week night meal having been left the menu and page numbers of cookbooks by my mother. I learned to sew on a treadle sewing machine and commenced making most of my own clothes. Until college, craft would really have been related to sewing. In college, I did a Craft unit where each week we choose a different craft and had to put a minimum of 10 hours to it. I did weaving, embroidery, knitting, crochet, tapestry, patchwork/quilting – some others that I can’t think of right now.

Kathy Mumford Baby Quilts

My husband bought hand woven Irish wool for me to make him a suit since I had a tailored a coat for myself as a senior in high school and another when in college. But I didn’t cut the fabric for almost 10 years, working up the courage by making him pants, shirts, and a cotton suit. That was probably my biggest challenge until my younger son was married and I made the wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, and my son’s suit – as well as my own dress – all in ten weeks while working full-time. There have been many times that when looking back, I’ve said, ‘How did I do all that then?’

I was recently at a second hand shop and bought an old table loom. My mind says that I should be able to continue weaving after I can no longer thread a needle! I don’t know but I will not spend my old age watching TV!

My current craft is patchwork/quilting. I Love handquilting. I primarily make baby quilts but with my mother moving into assisted living care, I now have 27 boxes of fabric and 9 boxes with the quilt pattern and all fabrics needed to make up the quilts of double/queen size. And I’m making a ‘two needle’ quilt with a friend, of pattern and fabric of her choice. I have my older son’s designed quilt top for his 21^st birthday to quilt but that should be started to finish when he is 40 or 50 years old!

Cooking has been a great creative outlet. I love cookbooks and trying recipes. The Mumford Chocolate Cake is a favorite with Fudge Icing and/or 7 Minute Boiled Icing.

Q: You have two adult sons and now 4 grandsons (All boys!). It must be amazing to have 2 generations of boys grow up right before your eyes. How old are your grandsons? Are your concerns for your grandsons, now, any different than what they were for your own boys growing up?

A: 2 generations – I wonder if my sons, 36 and nearly 34, think they are still growing up….But they must be if their father is still maturing. (Have never used LOL but just did that!!! ) Grandsons are 2,4,7 and nearly 9. It is amazing watching the sons – they’ve picked up good and bad habits from their parents – both of us! And because my mother lived with us from the time they were nearly 7 and 4+ until they left home – some of her too (but I don’t see that as much).

CONCERNS:

TV –[too much of it]

Becoming responsible, kind, truthful and compassionate – these morals were hard to teach in the past and just as hard now.

No bullying – be kind! Practice this with your brother(s). Bullying includes ignoring and not including them when they ask to join in. God gave us family to learn how to treat all people.

Be a brother to all. Brothers protect sisters and look out for each other. Brothers are safe to be around.

Q: I have 4 boys of my own who will be teenagers in a couple of years? What was the biggest challenge for you as a mom when your boys were growing up? How did you handle it?

A: A thought provoking question! Was it how to get their father to spend more time with them? How to get my mom from scolding them so much? Building a ‘fence’ to constrain amazing creativity and energy without quelling the spirit? Was it the boat accident with friends when our son lived and their’s died and all the related questions of a 6 year old and 4 year old, let alone a range of other repercussions? Allowing our older son to travel alone from Australia to Canada through the US to represent Australia in a sailing competition when he was 18, knowing he would possibly fail that year in school, knowing this is the one who forgets/doesn’t pay close attention…..? Being considered strict parents by most everyone and yet wanting our sons to grow up to be men who were safe for our friends’ daughters to be with; strong to resist the temptations and seductions of girls and boys of any age; respectful, accountable and honoring of all people no matter how different; inquisitive, resourceful, and open to learning, even if only for understanding?

I think it helped a lot that my husband and I talked a lot before we were married about what we didn’t like about how we were raised and what we wanted for our children. We knew that our parents did what they thought was best from the experiences they had and how little they communicated with one another. We prayed together, with our sons, over our sons after they were asleep, before – during – after every life stage.

Because we talked out so many things and many of the ‘whys’ before they were asked, because we expected increasing responsibility as the boys grew up, the high school/teenage years were far better than we imagined they might be. We had ‘family’ time almost every morning – Bible reading and discussion over breakfast. Sermons, movies and the newspaper (especially history and social studies were discussed. Many people lived at our house over the years – usually from church but also university music staff and/or music students, summer schools with usually another 10 people crammed in our home – tutors, interstate/international conductors, students. Musicians who would come for after rehearsal snacks and really need dinner. Music students who would come to talk at all hours of day/night. as well as Japanese girls learning English. Many of these people have no idea the influence they had on our sons. We also traveled – both as parent helpers for scouts, and as a family. And to do that, many things that friends and cousins had, our sons did not and they knew why.

Kathy Mumford Family Pic

Q: There are so many questions that I’d like to ask, but so little space. How did you get involved with the Somali immigrant/refugee public school in Minneapolis? That’s a long way from Australia where you currently reside?

My husband retired in 2003. His college roommate called, left a message on our answering machine that there was a music position vacant at a private college he was teaching at and maybe they could teach a few years together if my husband was successful in the application. He was successful, I retired and we moved to Minneapolis. After a year and a half of temporary administration positions, I was successful in securing a Personal Assistant/Executive Officer position for the Principal and later the Director and Assistant Director of the school. My previous position in Australia was as the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer for the University of Tasmania and the school was looking for a basic skilled and minimum experienced secretary. I had skills they didn’t imagine they could get for the offered pay, and I got a very flexible secure position in an environment that for me was a dream (most of the time) to work in. I had experienced on a small scale the racism and discrimination these people were experiencing. I had advocated for better working conditions and led equity focus groups to propose changes to university policies and practices. I had chaired, set agendas, taken minutes at high levels of accountability. I had dealt with questions and complaints of harassment and discrimination, and had accompanied staff when they wanted to raise issues with their supervisors as well as speaking on behalf of students regarding harassment by other students.

Q. You seem to have fond memories of the experience. How long did you work there and what type of impact did this have on your life?

I worked there for three school years. Impact? It was great being able to talk freely about the differences I perceived in the 21 years I had lived outside the US. There was the ‘free speech’ which I argued did not mean you could say whatever you wanted about another or call them or their family members names nor harass or bully a person. I understood that knowing English does not mean that the words mean the same between cultures or ethnic groups. I understood that poor student behaviour is often a reflection of poor teaching skills. I understood that these immigrants/refugees were educated but not accepted by many of the Americans they were in contact with. I understood the need to keep their culture, their religion, their way of doing things.

When I gave my farewell speech that I was asked to give to the grade 8 students, I talked about how the school had enabled me to be valued for putting into practice what I had advocated to the University staff and students – fairness for all: dignity, courtesy and respect. That these are basic human rights which we should all model. And that here at this school it was possible for staff and students to develop and practice these social skills.

Q. You mention “home management” on your site. As a mom of young kids, I find managing a home well can be a great challenge. What advice would you give to moms who are looking to develop their home management skills?

A. I should ask my daughter-in-law mom for a picture of her refrigerator! She has posted there : a calendar with everyone’s activities (this year’s includes weekly Bible memory verses), chart of chores for each day and child, as well as her own chart of house cleaning/maintenance and time with each family member and a list of non-routine jobs.

Both my sister-in-law and I did something similar. I still make lists and find that most management – home or business – have that as a key feature of being organized.

Also develop a realistic budget to be, and remain, out of debt, give the Lord (be generous) 10%, and learn to save 10%. Do without, make do, use it up.

Learn to cook, clean and garden. One doesn’t need to be a gourmet/chef nor a professional cleaner. Basics – one step at a time. Its quite amazing to eat veggies you grew yourself or strawberries!

Q: Best mom advice?

A: Love, honor and respect your husband, the father of your children.

Thank you, Kathleen!

If you’d like to learn more about Susan or just say “Hello”, follow this link to her site KMum’s Mutterings.

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Moms Know Moms Interview: Susan Yates

October 3, 2012 by | 4 Comments

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ICEBREAKER: You’re a craft super hero on the planet CraftALot. What’s your Crafty Weapon of choice?

I like to make something from nothing and I most often use an X-acto knife to do it. But I feel mean saying that I’m flinging X-actos around. Maybe that’s because I’ve had two trips to Urgent Care places (as a teenager) related to their use, and I’m still such a fan. Hmmm… that might indicate some sort of illness.

Q: Crafty mom extraordinaire! How long have you been crafting and how did you get started?

A: I don’t remember ever not crafting. My parents are both tinker-ers with serious can-do attitudes. Somewhere in the family genes I picked up an interest in Art and Design. My first non-crayon projects were put together in our garage with bits of scrap wood and whatever Testor’s paint I could sneak away when my Dad wasn’t looking. Did you know that that stuff isn’t washable? I’m pretty sure I had a bath in paint thinner at least twice. I learn (and re-learn) the hard way. I love that my parents encouraged me from early on. One of my proudest memories is of my parents framing something I’d made at an art camp– a monoprint of a duck made by “carving” the styrofoam from a meat tray. They put it into a real frame with a real mat! It was a vote of confidence that still makes me happy.

Q: It looks like there’s no limit to your creativity from designing and sewing clothing to making bracelets out of Washi tape. To date, what’s been your favorite creation?

A: Definitely my first I Spy quilt. The things I love most are beautiful and practical, and we still snuggle up under that one year-round and have conversations about what we see. For an item to qualify as “favorite”, in my book, requires that it be lasting or over-the-top memorable. This one is both of those for me.

Q: Your blog Crafterhours is a great source for tutorials, recommendations and reviews, etc. How have you seen the blog change over the years?

A: On one hand, I like to think that it hasn’t changed. We’ve always shared the things we’re working on. But the things we’re working on have changed– because our tastes evolve and our kids are growing up! We’ve learned a lot about photography which sure makes the posts easier on the eyes. As far as writing style, Adrianna had a personal blog long before our joint blog, so I think she had her voice together early on. I think mine took more time– I had only been reading blogs for a few months before I became a blogger, and some bloggers find their voices faster than others. Which is to say that I felt slow. And I continue to be amazed that anyone reads anything I write.

Q: You have a blog following with over 3000 subscribers to Google Friends alone. How does this affect your daily posting? Do you write for yourself? Your audience? Or a combination of the two?

A: I definitely write for both. If I were just writing for myself no one else would care to read it. If I were just writing for others *I* wouldn’t care to read it, let alone write it. So it has to be a combination of the two. The number of subscribers is just a number. While I appreciate that the number tends to go up, rather than down, it doesn’t affect the blogging. It’s the comments, e-mails and interactions with readers and with other bloggers that influences what I write about– and how.

Q: I know from experience that running a website, crafting, and posting regularly can be a challenge. Outside of collaborating with a partner, how do you find balance when it comes to keeping up with your blog, outside responsibilities, and spending quality time with your family?

A: Well, I still craft and sew when kids are in bed, but now that they’re older I can do more during the day. When I added the shop to my plate I realized that I needed some uninterrupted quiet time and found a flexible day care provider so that I can have two days a week to concentrate on the shop and also run errands. I’m so grateful for that time. As much as I love my girls, I love that I know (barring sick kids or school volunteer stuff) I’ll have about 12 hours a week to focus. I also do my best to avoid taking kids to the grocery store with me.

As far as “balance”– I’ve stopped looking for it. I heard Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home) speak at a conference earlier this year and she suggested that we think about our days in terms of filling them up with the things that make us happy. Balance feels elusive and out of reach because of all of the things that are dropped into our laps that throw us off-balance, but looking to do the things that make you happy is more reachable. If we’re choosing to do the things that make us happy first, the things that don’t can’t fit into the day. That’s not to say that I love doing dishes and laundry. I don’t. But I do know that seeing an empty sink or a drawer full of clean clothes makes me happy, and approaching tasks from that perspective makes me… happier. And when I’m faced with a decision I now think about it in terms of whether it will make me happy. If it won’t, it’s a “no”.

Q: Your girls are now 3 and 6. Do they have the crafty gene like mom? If so, how do you encourage your them to express themselves creatively?

A: They do. Which means we’re a whole family of mess-makers. They have their own crafting supplies in a cabinet next to my desk, and their own work table. Their work often spreads out all over the kitchen table. They have a whole wall to display their masterpieces. I don’t have to do a whole lot to encourage, at least not consciously. They see me working on my own projects and they ask questions about them, and then they take off with their own.

Q: I saw your recent nod in Parenting magazine, congratulations! Is product development something you considered from the beginning or was this something that just occurred naturally as the blog developed?

A: Thanks! I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit (I even took an Entrepreneurship class in college) but I had no idea how blogging would relate to it. It happened organically. I had written a tutorial post and then got a bunch of requests from non-crafty people that wanted me to sell the item, and it took a while for me to convince myself that it was worth doing. In order to sell anything online I have to really, really love making it. So I’ve toyed with all sorts of ideas, but I’m not willing to put in all of the effort of marketing an idea unless I really believe in it and love it. I’ve finally come to that place, and it’s been both frightening and exhilarating.

Q: As it relates to the business of crafting, where do you see yourself in 3 to 5 years?

A: I wish I knew! So much of my life relates to my husband’s work– we tend to move every 3 years or so. But blogging and online shopkeeping are a good fit for a mobile life, so I imagine I’ll still be doing those since it makes me happy and it helps me through transitions. This work keeps me in touch with the crafty blogging community that’s conveniently available 24/7 from anywhere and helps fill the gaps while I find my new local community. I can’t imagine my girls are going to be much less demanding in terms of asking for costumes and dresses and toys that mom makes in 3 to 5 years. I’m expecting the requests will only get more complex!

Q: Finish this sentence, “If I had known years ago that blogging would be _______ then I would have done _______ differently.”

A: I had no idea how much blogging would challenge me. As a reader, it looks so simple to make something and then talk about it. But sharing something you’ve made– explaining how it started, your decision-making in the process and especially turning that into a tutorial– is a big challenge. What would I do differently, knowing that? Nothing significant. Really, it’s a process and an evolution, one that has bent and shaped me. I’ve learned from every step. I’ve made mistakes, but they were mistakes I had to make. As a small example: blog swaps. You’ve really got to looooove the blog you’re swapping with. And if that’s the case, I think it’s simpler and smoother to readers just to post about the blog I like. “Hey, I love this, take a look!” is what feels best for me. Or I’ll ask that blogger to guest post, without asking them to post about me. That’s not to say that swaps aren’t beautiful and amazing for other bloggers. It’s just a matter of deciding what’s best for you. If you’re not sure, keep moving forward and be willing to take risks. There are countless ways to run your blog, and you’re the only one who can decide what feels authentic and beautiful for you.

Q: What has been your greatest challenge as a mom? How have you handled that challenge?
A: Patience. For sure, always my issue. I really have a hard time with repeating myself, and that seems to be requirement number one at my current stage in parenting. Am I deluding myself in thinking that that will change at some point? I have to remind myself (constantly, and I don’t even like repeating things to myself!) that whatever is happening in this moment will pass.

Q: What’s the best mom advice you ever received?

A: That not every day has to be amazing. Some days it’s okay to have “survival” as my primary accomplishment. If we’re breathing at the end of the day, we won. The biggest battles I fight are with myself, so if I can remind myself to breathe, we succeed.

Thank you Susan!

If you’d like to learn more about Susan or just say “Hello”, follow this link to her site CrafterHours.

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Moms Know Moms Interview: Michelle Griesel

October 2, 2012 by | 3 Comments

The month of October has been set aside as Moms Know Moms motivation month. If you’d like an opportunity to share your mommyhood perspective, there’s still time. Click here for the original post and more information. Come back TOMORROW for another great Moms Know Moms interview.

ICEBREAKER: You’re one of 2 final contestants on the new game show “Make It or Fake It” For the 1 million dollar prize, you’re given two empty soda cans, a stick of gum, shoe polish , and 1 bowling pin. What do you make?

A: I’m so bad at these kinds of questions! Hmmm…okay, I’m going to cheat and say art.

Q: Michelle, you have an impressive list of crafting skills (seamstress, hand embroiderer, and knitter). How long have you been crafting, and which one is your favorite?

A: My mom had a sewing machine in the house growing up, so I watched her and experimented a bit with making Barbie clothes. But I officially started sewing in college and sewing will probably always be my favorite craft. I also do love the simplicity and relaxation of hand embroidery. My knitting has been extinct since my son was born almost 2 years ago! I should probably take that off my list…

Q: You have a two-year-old, and we all know that can be a very busy age. How do you find time to craft?

A: I don’t! Ha I try to work during naptime and at night when he goes to bed. I also cherish the mornings that I wake up before my son and can get that morning motivation going!

Q: Do you include your son in any of your crafting projects? If so, what types of project?

A: He is at that age where he loves to copy and do what Mom is doing, so in a way, yes. I’ve caught him under my machine putting his foot down on the pedal! My husband and I joke about putting those little hands to work. In all seriousness, I plan to teach him to sew someday. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy a girl, everyone should know how to sew a button on a shirt!

Q: What’s been your favorite project to date?

One of Michelle’s Wall Creations

A: Oooh, this is a tough one! When I worked at a quilt shop, I got more into quilting and have made a few really nice quilts and wall hangings. My favorite wall hanging was made using a technique from the book One Block Wonders. Probably my most favorite project are the colorful, patchwork curtains I made to brighten up our house during our first Alaska winter.

Q: You recently made a big move from Alaska to Nevada.( Talk about a huge transition!) How has the process been for your family? What’s been the most difficult part of the transition?

A: The first part of the move was a little overwhelming for my son (he will be 2 in December). We had a looong drive, hotel stays, ferry rides, fevers, lots of people to see along the way, big cities, Mariner’s baseball game, Seattle Aquarium, etc. That first 2 weeks we left our home, we were constantly on the go and over stimulated! So that part was the hardest, just being in the limbo in-between homes.

Q: If you had to make the move all over again would you do anything differently?

A: Yes! I would have brought different stuff in the back of our pick up truck. Because of the nature of our move, we packed what we thought we would want in the back of our pick-up truck and the rest got packed with the movers and shipped to a storage unit 3 hours away. We were set up with a temporary furnished apartment, and we would get our stuff from storage once we had found a permanent home or apartment. Well, the rental market in our new town is flooded with too many residents and not enough places to live. We are talking at least 6 month long waitlists. Long story short, we would not have packed all that camping gear (or that compass from WWII that flagged us at the Canadian border resulting in a vehicle search), or bicycles (which my husband flew over the handle bars coming home from his first day of work – that’s another story!), but maybe we should have brought our printer, or perhaps my sewing machine!?!

Patchwork Curtains

Q: We all experience transitions in one form or another (especially as moms). What advice can you give to someone facing a similar set of circumstances?

From a mother’s point of view, I would suggest be very understanding and extra compassionate when putting your child through so much change. All kids are different, of course, but you really have to stop and listen and take their cues. My son came from a pretty small town in remote Alaska. Not only did we just one day uproot him from our home and his routine, but we took him to all kinds of new places and visits with lots of family and friends. He was just so overwhelmed and confused.

Q: What has been your greatest challenge as a mom? How have you handled that challenge? What’s the best mom advice you ever received?

Now that my son is almost 2, he really is turning into a little person who absorbs everything around him. My greatest challenge is, and will continue to be, how to raise a kind and respectful human being. To do that, I really have to kind of “watch what I’m doing.” I never thought that being a mom would result in taking a step back and trying to be a better person myself. Right now, that is not easy as I’m dealing with toddler tantrums!

The best mom advice I ever received was to remember that all kids are different and you cannot compare your kid to other kids, especially in regards to developmental milestones. (I have lost several hours of sleep at night worrying about this!)

Thank you Michelle for sharing!

If you’d like to learn more about Michelle or just say “Hello”, follow this link to her site Sewing Rocks. Little Kids Grow is on Facebook!