On Being a Homemaker and the Art of Homemaking Revival

Awhile back I started a little homemaking experiment. And then I started posting about it on this blog. But then I started posting other things and the homemaking posts disappeared until Jessica from Sew Home Grown contacted me. She gave me the opportunity to write my feelings about homemaking on her blog.

That post (which is pasted in below) reminded me how much I loved and needed my experiment. So now, every Saturday there will be a post about our adventures in the art homemaking or some sage advice from homemakers I adore. This is going to be fun.

***
For a few minutes today I get to share my feelings about one of my favorite subjects: Homemaking. Oh, I’m not an awesome homemaker but I’m working on it and while I’m working I have some seriously cool help along the way.

You see, recently I’ve been obsessed with reading books written by homemakers from generations past and then doing my best to follow their advice. I love the complete coolness of the 1950’s house wife and dream of one day absorbing all their loveliness but….I haven’t always felt this way.

In fact, here are some facts and feelings from my former self:
#1. The whole idea of motherhood—er, not appealing. Seriously? Who wants kids?
#2. Me, a stay at home mom? Not in this life.
#3. I will be educated.
#4. I will have a career.
#5. I cried several years ago on Christmas when my mom gave me a sewing machine.

Oh yea, that was me.

But here are some more facts. (And these ones are current.)
#1. I am a mom.
#2. I am a stay at home mom.
#3. I am educated. I graduated from 2 different universities with degrees…in art, history, and special education.
#4. I have had two careers. I taught public school for my first career. But that only lasted for 7 years. Right now I’m working on my second career. I’m a homemaker and am confident this profession will last much longer than my first one did.
#5. That sewing machine has been worn out…as have it’s two successors. (Who knew that I would like to sew?)

No one could be more surprised than I am with the direction my life has taken. I adore being a mom. In fact, I can’t think of a word powerful enough for the feeling of love I have for my little family. It is better than any life I could have dreamed up.

And yes…that includes the part where I am a homemaker (and not a sleek career woman wearing totally awesome power suits paired with fantastic shoes and amazing earrings).

And while I am convinced of the coolness of my job as a homemaker it also wasn’t always so. I’m embarrassed to say that when I first quit teaching I was almost ashamed to let people know that I was going to be “just a mom”. For some reason homemaking didn’t seem important. But as time passed I came to realize just how wrong I was to feel that way.

Then one day I ran across a book that literally changed my life. It validated my growing feelings of the importance of being a housewife and helped me better articulate why a being a full time homemaker is such an important and powerful profession.

Here’s the book:

Not what you expected? Me neither.

In fact, I bought it for the kitchy illustrations and the hilarious one liners I read as I thumbed through the pages (like “beauty is a duty” and “if it isn’t pretty, put it away”). I laughed and laughed. Then I put it on my shelf and forgot about it until one night when I couldn’t sleep.

That night I started reading and I couldn’t stop. I loved how dedicated this mother was to her career as a homemaker. She literally saw homemaking as an art. I couldn’t get enough of her matter-of-fact attitude about the importance of running a clean, lovely, and efficient home. When I finished I needed more.

Soon I was buying up any homemakers guide from decades past. Ingrained within their corny writing styles and their complete political incorrectness are themes of dedication, pride, craftsmanship, and the importance of raising a truly happy family. These women were anything but apologetic about being “just house wives”. They were passionate about homemaking and I have found their zeal not only refreshing but irresistible.

Let me share a few of my favorite books and quotes with you.

I love Heloise, she is my current favorite, but I also love Daryl, Mildred, Laura, and Dorthy…some of my favorite housewives from days gone by. Sometimes I think how awesome their blogs would be if they were around today. I’d definitely be a follower.

Which brings me to this: I love Jessica’s blog. I love her dedication to being the best, most creative, thrifty, housewife she can be. I love that she invited me to share some thoughts with you. I love that somewhere out in cyber space another homemaker is reading this and will leave a comment sharing with us her thoughts and ideas.

I love the give and take…this exchange of information. We all want the same thing–to create a safe, wonderful, sanctuary of a home that is perfect for our own individually unique families. And how cool is it that everyday as a homemaker I get to dedicate my time and energy into creating that environment? I love it.

Being a homemaker is important and powerful and wonderful and I will never be ashamed of it ever again. Ever.

Here’s to being a homemaker—and for wearing fantastic shoes while being one!
****

So that was it…the post that reminded me to kick it back in gear. Being a homemaker is awesome…I think it is the best job in the world (and if I didn’t think so you best be believing I would have another job).

I want to make my home the perfect sanctuary for my family. I want it to be a place of love and safety and learning for my children. And I want it to be a place of love and peace and comfort for my husband and I. That being said, how could I be employed in any better occupation?

So I’ll work during the week and then be here on Saturday with my thoughts, my successes and failures and some real advice from women who were master craftswoman in the art of homemaking.

See you then.