~The Keeper Of Home Series:Homemaking, As an Artistic Process~

Today I want to talk about the artistic side of homemaking.  For me, keeping our home and running our family, is something I feel very blessed to do.  At times I am in awe at how much I get to create with this job.  I have always enjoyed the arts, and even though when my four children were little and my time was never in abundance, I could create by making meals, and keeping our home organized, decluttered, neat and tidy.  I also was able to create by coming up with systems, or ways of keeping our items that were customized to our needs at the time.  This is a dynamic process and we must be able to change our way of keeping a home as the years go by and our lives change.  Homemaking requires that we are able to wear many different hats, so to speak.  Homemakers come in all forms, and even if you have a job outside of your home, you are still a homemaker.  What I would like to suggest today, is that you let yourself get excited about creating a home that works for you and your family.  I have to say that everyone is on a different path in their journey of life, so don't beat yourself up if you don't have as much time as you would like right now, just do the best you can with what ever you have to work with right now.   Turning a house into a home just takes a little heart and a lot of cozy.  

If you feel like a robot when caring for your home, just make a game of it.  I like to learn to make different drinks that my family enjoys.  With this hat I am kind of like a barista, I make our family's iced tea, Chamomile tea, coffee, hot coco, Italian vanilla cream sodas and such.  Lauren loved Italian cream sodas, but they were very expensive to buy.  One day, I looked on line and found a recipe to make our own.  I tweaked it to her taste, and now she can have them a lot more often.  We need to not be afraid to create in our homes.  A long time ago, people had to be a lot more creative than they do in our times.  We live in a time when most things are pre-made and this not only cost a lot more money wise, but stifles our creative processes.

Christmas is almost here, and I truly think it is a sad thing that people feel they have to go into debt at Christmas time.  Christmas time is about Christ's birth and in my opinion, should not be made into a materialistic, how much can I get event.  Not that giving gifts is bad, I just think it should not be a time where family's go into debt. It should not be mandatory for attending a family Christmas celebration, this can cause unneeded stress on family's, and can rob them of quality family time and memories.  It breaks my heart that Christmas has become a time of materialism.   My side of the family has never exchanged gifts with all the cousins and such, and I truly think that is a blessing. Tasha Tudor said that the only gift to give should be a gift from the heart.  Time is one of the greatest gifts that we can give to one another.  When giving a material gift, it is nice for it to be well thought out for the person you are giving it to.  I don't like to just give some random thing that may just create clutter in someones home.  Consider learning to make items that people you know may like.  With Youtube and places like that, the information is in great abundance.  I learned to make these bath bombs on Youtube.  I will share the link in case anyone would like it.  There are two videos that I suggest you watch before making these. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-smJt9j3aQ&t=905s&list=PLt5DPa9YXP-PI-tMu3EisUuWgclipj1Q5&index=1



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lx6jqcmFsk&t=3s&list=PLt5DPa9YXP-PI-tMu3EisUuWgclipj1Q5&index=3


I also suggest that you watch this third video on how to wrap them using Glad wrap.  I have shrink wrap, and was not too impressed with it, but I love the Glad wrap method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WABLMy_NyY0&index=4&t=54s&list=PLt5DPa9YXP-PI-tMu3EisUuWgclipj1Q5

Candles are a passion of mine, I love to burn them, and give them as gifts.  Consider learning to make something that you love and like to give to people already.  Like I said with Youtube and the internet, learning new skills is easier than ever.  I like to purchase my supplies from Amazon, and with prime membership you get free shipping.  Prime is something I add when I know I am going to need to purchase quite a few online items.  

My hopes is that the next time you feel burdened from having to keep your home, try to view it in a different light.  It can go from hum drum to an artistic, dynamic and creative process if you will just train yourself to view it a little differently.   I always remember my wonderful mother's advice to me when I moved out..."work as hard for your self as you would for any job you get a pay check for."  Very wise words and have truly helped to shape how I tend to the care of our home.  I hope you all are having a very blessed Christmas season, and are not letting it be a time of stress.  If it is, then change things up, and perhaps simplify your Christmas time,  whether it be with your plans, your gift giving, or just adding some little touches such as playing Christmas music from time to time.  Thank you for visiting my little space.  Hugs and Merry Christmas!!!