Our Story
ur story begins with two Orthodox convert mothers, both quietly laboring in their spare moments to gather beauty and meaning for their families. Two mothers seeking resources to help them live a life of Christian pilgrimage, celebration, and wonder.
When Muriel and I, Valerie, met, we instantly recognized each other as kindred creative spirits. It didn’t take long for us to decide to work together to build something better than what we could do alone. With the blessing of our priest, we began to create.
In the beginning, we believed we would make an Etsy shop with simple homeschool printables, but as we continued to collaborate, our standards of beauty and our vision of possibilities grew into something entirely new— not just a printable shop, but our own publication with three distinct imprints— WORD Press, WEAVE Press, and STONE Press.
Each press has a unique vision and goal. Each a driving question.
WORD press aims to create slow content, fully exploring a word from our Church Fathers and committing to living it.
Here, we ask, “How do I embody the wisdom that been given to me like the early pilgrims, rather than seeking more knowledge?”
WEAVE press to bind together the home and the church so closely, that the become one beautiful tapestry.
Here, we ask, “How do we become a little church?”
STONE press explores the lens of enchantment in the context of the everyday.
Here, we ask “How can I see God everywhere present, filling all things?
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Our story is just beginning and we are so thankful you are here as a part of it, shaping us as we go.
From your sisters in Christ.
~ Valerie & Muriel ~
Who We Are
Valerie Waegerle
My hot take (brace yourself) is that tattoos aren’t that cool. I’m Valerie Waegerle—wife, mother of boys, homeschool mom, dreamer, anthologist, and maker who delights in being a jack of all trades. I don’t believe an old dog can’t learn new tricks, and at 33, I’m learning violin.
My family and I are on a quest to hike all NC state parks, read all the colored fairy tale books, and memorize the entire book of Psalms.
Beauty, adventure, and community have always been my mother tongue—and the foundation of everything I build at Word, Weave, and Stone.
Muriel Manning
Home has always been my favorite place—not because it's perfect, but because it's where ordinary moments quietly become holy. I'm Muriel Manning—wife, mother, teacher, blogger, and maker.
I'm a nerd at heart, happiest gathered around a full table playing board games, rolling dice in a D&D campaign, cheering through a soccer match, or crying over a Latin American telenovela.
I love making beautiful things that help families bring the life of the Church into their homes. I certainly don't have life figured out—I'm simply another pilgrim learning to love Christ one ordinary day at a time.
“Weaving the life of the Church
into the heart of the home.”
—Weave Press
