Sponsor Giveaway: Mama West Wind

Today I welcome Becca and her amazingly cute gnomes here with me today. Becca blogs over at Chocolate Eyes, and is the crafty Mama behind the scenes of her etsy shop, Mama West Wind. Becca has been creating all types of waldorf inspired peg gnomes and generously sharing their goodness with people all over the world.

Welcome Becca (aka. Mama West Wind)!

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Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Becca: I am wife to my high school sweet heart and a Waldorf-inspired, homeschooling, stay at home Mama of two, sweet, little “chocolate eyed” boys. I am an artist. I went to art school in Ohio and grad school here in New Mexico. For a long time I shunned crafts of all sort because I thought I didn’t need yet another creative pursuit. After becoming a mother it seemed I just could not contain my crafty ways. I began to learn how to sew, needle felt and knit (still working on that one). I love working with all types of fibers, especially wool and upcycled wool felt. To me, making Waldorf style peg dolls is my perfect blend of motherhood, arts & crafts.

How does Waldorf and Waldorf philosophies play into your home life?

Becca: When our eldest son was around three years old I happened upon a copy of “You are Your Child’s First Teacher” by Rahima Baldwin Dancy, at our local used book store. As I read, I just fell in love with Waldorf. I had been searching for an arts integrated home school curriculum and, at that time, had found nothing. In Waldorf I found a naturally arts integrated way of learning. Waldorf’s well rounded philosophy of head, heart & hands as well as it’s focus on nature & imagination drew me in. It struck me that I would have loved to learn in this manner as a child and I knew my imaginative little boy would love it too. As I learned about Waldorf I began incorporating as much as I could into our daily lives. A daily rhythm, scaling down toys and incorporating simplicity, natural materials & imagination into our toy selection were my first steps. Now, we home school Michael, our eldest son who is now seven, using a Waldorf inspired approach.

What inspired you to start making gnomes and open your shop?

Becca: When I found Waldorf I began making simple toys for my little boy. I decided to try to make some gnomes for his Easter basket one year. Ideas kept flowing to make more of them and our little community of gnomes grew & grew until finally we could contain them no more! And so Mama West Wind was born.

I also love the idea of delighting the innocent, little souls that are gifted my gnomes & creations. I think of the way my kids react to hand made, imaginative toys and I imagine these other little children reacting in the same way. It thrills me to no end to send a toy off to Australia or New Zealand or any of the other distant (from me) places I’ve sent them to. My dolls are like my little representatives, traveling the world for me!

How did you decide on the name MamaWestWind for your shop?

Becca: One of our favorite story books of all time is “Old Mother West Wind” by Thornton W. Burgess. We have a copy that is illustrated by Michael Hague. It’s a beautiful story book and really captured our hearts & imagination. I love the idea that “Old Mother West Wind”, being the wind, the very air around us, would know every creature in the forest. She would know the animals, the gnomes, fairies, etc. I also feel like my husband and I caught the “west wind” moving out to New Mexico & across the country from our family in the East. And since I didn’t want to be called “Old Mother”, I decided I would use “Mama”, which is what my kids call me. So MamaWestWind became my alter ego, my friend, my creative outlet.

Do you have a favorite gnome that you make?

Becca: I adore making them all. What I love most is seeing who wants to show up or come through in the creative process, often unexpectedly. Sometimes I begin with an idea for a doll and the materials take me in a different direction. I don’t use patterns for my hats, (except for the Math and clothes pin gnomes). I free-hand, cut out the hats and so I’m always excited to see what kind of character comes across. I especially love my two “eared” hat. It’s just cute and unique.

Lately I’m having fun making doll ornaments. My “Star Child” doll is inspired by the Grimm’s fairytale, The Star Money, or Star Talers. Her story is inspiring to me. It’s one of faith in good and she represents an innocent, giving spirit.

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Becca is generoiusly offering one lucky winner one of her Valentine peg gnomes, pictured at the very top of this post! She is adorned in adorable felt clothing all handstitched by Becca.

To enter simply leave a comment below!

For a second entry, hop on over to the MamaWestwind facebook page and hit the “like” button.

For yet a third entry, hop on over to Etsy, and mark MamaWestWind as one of your “favorites”.

(Please make sure to enter each entry separately in it’s own comment below.)

**I will be closing the giveaway this a little early this week, on WEDNESDAY, to ensure that this special valentine gnome will safely arrive at someone special’s house in time for Valentine’s Day.**

Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to stop by here, and thank you to Becca for sharing your gift with us.

And the winner is: Monika Klein who said, “These are beautiful!”