Each New Day

Velvet Pumpkins from Victorian Trading Company

This is a lovely time of year, and in some places, the weather is still very warm. I have been experiences temperatures up in the 90's, and am still hanging my laundry on the line.

It it easy to let the day escape from you, leaving you feeling that nothing has been accomplished, so, today, I suggest read Cythnia Berenger's Thirty day homemaking challenge, where she lists some interesting things to do to lift up homemaking to the glory it can be.

And, here are some of my own ideas that I've been trying to put into practice:

Don't begin any kind of home keeping until you are showered and fully dressed and looking dolled up enough to face everything that comes your way. Many women have said that the day they decide to run in to town just to pick up one item, is the day they are not at their best and seem to see everyone they know. They always wish later they had been more presentable. It is always best to look your best.

 Men who work from a home office say they do better with customers on the phone when they are showered and dressed liked they intend to do professional business.  Ladies at home can do the same, but vary their clothing so that it is home friendly, yet somewhat dressy.

 

When you feel overwhelmed with housework, at least clean the front room so that you will have something nice to look at and feel encouraged. If you have children, they can be taught to do a lot of the work, leaving you free to plan meals, cook, sew, or do things that you never get around to doing.

Send something to another homemaker or aspiring homemaker to encourage here: a novelty tea item such as a strainer, tea cozy or something to do with tea, a book of some kind with cheerful illustrations (cooking, decorating, sewing, or something for leisure time), something nice for her home, or something you have made.

Phone or email someone to talk about some pleasantries or share some humor.

Do one extra thing, such as clean a closet, a drawer, a shelf in the bookshelf, or some thing besides dishes, laundry and meals.  If there is a corner of a room that is bothering you, or if you have been considering a special table setting or recipe, or sewing pattern, try it.

Listen to familiar and soothing music, if it helps you pace your duties in the home,  such as Chopin's "Raindrops," or, if your children play piano, enjoy listening while you attend to something.

If you are home teaching your children, include life's lessons in the mix, and enjoy learning something about polite speech, manners and pleasing behavior. The Bible says that even a child is known by his doings.

Test out when is the best time of day for your personal quiet time, Bible study and prayer and slip away for a few minutes to a pleasant place. If you have a window seat or a little desk of your own, or even a special rocking chair and a table, this is good.

Try to make some little thing each day, to tap in to your creative side.  When the table is cleared and the floors are swept, and there is a space of time between the next thing you must do, get out a few things and sew something or make a scrap card, write a letter, or whatever you prefer.  It has to be something that makes you smile. I've had my eye on those velvet pumpkins from Victorian Trading Company, and am exploring ideas of how to make something like it, of my own pattern, so am sharing my project from last night, here. Patterns are not necessary but I will add one to the post, later.

My inspiration for these cloth pumpkin centerpieces is the fairytale pumpkin, which has a gossamer, frosted look first thing in the morning, where the aqua greens and peach colors of the ridges glow.  To make this, I folded a scrap of white muslin and dipped each fold in a different dye color: teal, yellow, rose and brown. Then, I hung it out to dry.