For centuries women have used cloth as a tool of comfort and as an expression of beauty within their homes. Creating cloth for warmth, cloth for shelter, our female predecessors embellished these linens with hand stitch using laborious and time consuming techniques thereby enhancing the functional beauty of objects which enveloped and protected their families. Inspired by these women I hope my creations pay tribute to and recognise the devotion expressed in cloth by our female ancestors .
''the use of traditional often time consuming process alludes to the devotion of a mother''. c K. A. Ruane 2007
When I was rummaging around I also found an unused purse frame, so a purse, buttons, definitely a change from books! These are both in the shop now so we shall see how it goes.
Now a question. I no longer have a day job. It's great, scary but great. Trouble is I keep thinking, ''I should bake cakes'', ''I should have a sparkly clean house'', ''I should morph into a domestic goddess'' ''I should sort everything out, be organised, know where this thread is, know where that fabric is''. Sorry, the more I think about it the more I know it won't happen. Now the question, should I beat myself up, feel guilty and be constantly stressed? I would be interested to hear how all you domestic goddesses out there do it, tips and hints gratefully appreciated!
23 comments:
I can only offer my own solution... I bake cakes because I enjoy it and I find it a useful distraction when I'm stuck with something else, I do not have a clean house and I tidy up on a needs must basis (as in I can't find things)... so in short keep sewing!
I'm a stay at home mum and whilst, yes, I do bake cakes, it's only because I'm greedy and like to eat them! As for the housework? Don't stress about it. I don't think I do any more housework now that I did when I worked full time, I would much rather be sewing (or blog hopping!)
Rachel x
The purses are absolutely divine!! Just think that for all the time you spend cleaning the house/feeling guilty, that's time you be creating. Guilt also, in my experience, NEVER actually changes anything. It just cripples you and stops you moving on. Enjoy the time!
"To thine own self be true." If you feel like cleaning or baking today go for it!
Love the purse!
I clean the kitchen floor when I notice my slippers start sticking to it. Dusting is futile: the dust doesn't get any worse after a week or so. OK, I exaggerate slightly, but not much. Time's too precious. Love the purse!
When I worked, my house was always clean and organized. Since I retired in 2002, I clean only when I must. I'm too busy creating. I have started organizing all my fabrics and crafts stuff. I do much more creating when I can easily find what I'm looking for and I TRY to put things away at the end of the day but I haven't quite mastered that yet. I'm working on it.
Love the purses.
Just keep stitching doll...it was what you were born for...and don't beat yourself up with the cobwebs...figure out a way to use them in your art.
Generally speaking you will find that domestic goddesses have loads of help (of one sort or another) behind the scenes.
You didn't quit the day job to become a domestic goddess, you quit to give your creative work all your concentration.
So do that.
Bake the occasional cake, by all means, spring clean the house if you want, but remember why you stopped doing the day job!
Life is short
East dessert first
Create daily
Housework always can wait
Love the purses too.
Oh, and I read the *entire* post on books.... Fantastic...your mind would be wasted on housework.
What can I say, I clean under protest-the boys! Actually, I've never been that house proud, I clean when I have to, keep the washing and ironing under control and the rest takes care of itself. The boys are fantastic, they wash up and vacuum through every day, and they even bake the cakes! I'm either very lucky, or else they are well trained.
That purse is absolutely gorgeous, fantastic
Oh no I disagree with all these posts, you simply must clean and bake cakes and cook full meals for your family. You can spend your life ironing and sorting out but will it earn you any money or give you any enjoyment. You might as well go back to teaching so quit worrying or feeling guilty and live the dream. Its truly scrumdiddlyumptious (yes that is the correct spelling cos I said so
Love the work]Jill
Karen I LOVE that purse,I hurried over to etsy but it was gone.......
I can se why:-)
to me cleaning is so overrated,so relax and create:-)
That little purse is gorgeous! The buttons are fun as can be. how wonderful that your books sold! Yea.
As far as your house (not mine ;-})
focus on what is most important to you. If it is getting your business going, make it the priority. You will figure it out.
Yes, you could spend your time baking, or cleaning the house, or going for long walks for inspiration, but I think that's just your inner critic trying to waylay you in your purpose, and your work. I think when one works for themselves, they must 'go' to work, even if it's just going into a different room and closing the door, otherwise all the distractions of being at home can mean that none of the work is being done. It's easy. What's hard is being disciplined enough to set work hours aside for work, and nothing but work, and not allowing other things to interrupt the process. But, that's just my opinion.
Who told you that stuff that you 'should'? I have a mother who rates cleaning above godliness and it did NOT pass down the gene line and you know - I have never killed anyone yet. Tidyiness and cleaning is over rated. I have a full time job, a cleaner and a tidy househusband mind you, so what do I know? But I do know that there is NO need to beat your self up. Use all your non day job time to be creative- otherwise what do us working women have to be jealous and dream about when stuck behind our desks? You should be a role model to us all on how to enjoy life. But the cakes? I'd go for the cakes. Even I do that - they take about 10 - 15 min and taste yummy. And its all you need to make people think you must do the rest of the domestic stuff!
As the many other comments here I am the same way. I am also a stay at home mom and only clean when the mess is too much. I do regularly do laundry, clean the kitchen and vacumm, but that is out of necessity really... besides that my time is spent of entertaining a 1 year old and sewing! So focus on what you need to do when you need to do it. If it is sewing then focus on that. You make beautiful things so please do not stop!
the purse captured my heart!!! such a glorious colour combo!!! & i really love your book embellishing!!! gorgeous, always so!!! lots of loveliness
puiku, labai patiko rankinukas
super, the purse is beautiful
I live in a pit of filth= 'tis the only way I can fit in the essential sewing. When friends come I just turn the lights off and make sure they keep their shoes on so nothing sticks to their socks!
O the purse is amazing! I am not surprised that it sold so quickly!
Your buttons are adorable! I Love them :)
Beautiful work!
A movie quote to live by:
"Home is not for 1st impressions. Home is made for self expression"
I work nearly 7 days a week at my business so cleaning is done at a minimum - Days/weeks turn into a blur with this type of schedule and I DID have to learn some tricks so I my house doesn't get so bad that it crowds out my creativity though...
We do dishes together as a family after dinner so nobody is stuck with the hated chore and I clean from 5-6pm on Wednesday or Thursday, with just a little pick-up/maintenance on Saturday. I split the grass mowing and cooking 50/50 with my husband.
~ Kim
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