Traditional Homemaking Skills - Page 7

[rhiandmoi]

Originally Posted by takebirthback

So I was wondering if any of you have given thought to why it is you tend towards traditional homemaking skills?

I am definitely called to be a homemaker. But I am also called to be a bread winner. So, I don't think that being a lover of home arts means you need to SAH, just like if you SAH you don't have to love the home arts.

I feel most like myself when I am cooking or knitting. It is how I share my love with my friends and family. I'm also a lover of history, especially historical food and gadgets so that drives me to learn more traditional methods.

[1littlebit]

Originally Posted by takebirthback

So I was wondering if any of you have given thought to why it is you tend towards traditional homemaking skills?

For me I feel it is innate. It just feels right to keep the home as my center and to focus on all things within it, including (and especially) my family. Part of what I feel is that things in this millineum have gotten so far from the home and it's disturbing to me. I think it is a big part of a lot of problems in society. I don't wish to debate this I'm just stating my personal reasons for why I feel home centered. I hope that by being home and being efficient and handy and always available to my children that I will raise them right. And btw, I have two boys. So my hopes are to raise them to be kind, loving, helpful, responsible men. I think all those things go along with traditional homemaking.

What are your reasons?

this is me exactly. i have never felt more centered and grounded then i do now. i don't think homemaking is valued like it used to be and thats really a shame. with the exception of one person my closest friends have all said they have no interest in being a stay at home parent... let along a homemaker in a more traditional sense. literally direct quote 'i would get bored.. i need to use my brain more' : i do use my brain thankyouverymuch!!

that, to me, stands out as one of the biggest changes in out society. for some reason i have always wanted to be a stay at home mom.. probably because my mom was... but she was anything but traditional lol.. that part is mind boggling.. it is just a part of who i am i think. i love to cook, have a pretty house, decorate, organize. i used to hate to clean but i just stopped thinking about it as cleaning and started thinking about it as one of the tasks involved in making a home (which it is.. go figure) and it has given me a lot more joy since then. I just really love taking care of my family and out home. I gives me joy, purpose, and fulfillment like nothing else has yk?

i have noticed the little things matter. like the aprons.. if most of the people i know saw this conversation about pretty aprons and frilly kitchen gloves the would confiscate my feminist card. But those things make me feel pretty and are just one of the little joys of my day lol. i always get excited about pretty dish towels... and i like it when i can repurpose something we already have. i don't know why it does.. lol it just does.

I like to do things slower too. i am not much for boxed or TV dinners.. i don't get as much satisfaction from stoeffers lasagna as i do from the lasagna i make myself you know? For me this carries over to produce to.. i prefer fresh produce to canned if possible.. i just enjoy cooking more when i use fresh ingredients.

maybe I'm nuts.. this is entirely possible and not terribly unlikely lol.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by takebirthback

So I was wondering if any of you have given thought to why it is you tend towards traditional homemaking skills?

For me I feel it is innate. It just feels right to keep the home as my center and to focus on all things within it, including (and especially) my family. Part of what I feel is that things in this millineum have gotten so far from the home and it's disturbing to me. I think it is a big part of a lot of problems in society. I don't wish to debate this I'm just stating my personal reasons for why I feel home centered. I hope that by being home and being efficient and handy and always available to my children that I will raise them right. And btw, I have two boys. So my hopes are to raise them to be kind, loving, helpful, responsible men. I think all those things go along with traditional homemaking.

What are your reasons?

Basically all you said here! Took the words right out of my mouth.

[1littlebit]

Originally Posted by rhiandmoi

I am definitely called to be a homemaker. But I am also called to be a bread winner. So, I don't think that being a lover of home arts means you need to SAH, just like if you SAH you don't have to love the home arts.

I feel most like myself when I am cooking or knitting. It is how I share my love with my friends and family. I'm also a lover of history, especially historical food and gadgets so that drives me to learn more traditional methods.

i think this is very true. I couldn't do it (i have terrible time management) lol. but I know people who do and they love it. does your job incorporate the history and such or is it completely different then the things you enjoy outside of work?

[marimara]

For me, I felt drawn to it, even though before I had children I considered myself a working woman feminist kinda a person. Not that feminists don't stay home with their kids and clean toilets but I was young and naive and didn't know any better.

When I became pregnant, I knew instinctively I would stay home with her and provide her with a loving, wholesome home life. I did not have a stable home life a as a child and wanted above all to give her stability. Now I'm not saying those working moms who also tend towards traditional homemaking skills are not doing that as well, this is just for me personally. For me (I am a highly sensitive person, with some sensory issues, and came from an abusive, destructive childhood) I need to be home and not work in order to provide this order for my family. If I worked, I would not be able to bake bread, sew often, crochet, etc. I would be overwhelmed with work and not able to bring myself to do that. I'm amazed at the moms who are!


Plus, like a pp said, I, too, feel that society has got away from a home-centered life and I think it is a mistake and the cause of a lot of our troubles. Another reason I started cooking from scratch, baking, etc. because of the nasty ingredients in commercially prepared foods. Plus the cost I get migraines and have to monitor my intake of certain ingredients so cooking from scratch is easier for me.

I love gardening, always have, always will, it's just something in my bones. I actually feel like I "belong" in my garden. Which is part of my problem at this new house because I can't garden here, the ground is pure clay and back breaking work. I stick to containers here. I have felt that I don't belong at this house and gardening is part of why.

And as I said in the opening post, I feel that today's society, with our economy and all, I feel it is important to resurrect these lost skills for the sake our our families, communities, and society at large. We will soon have to depend on our local community cottage businesses to provide us goods, if the big box stores fail due to the crumbling economy.

BTW, my new skill I've added since starting this thread is crocheting!! I"ve made hats, neckwarmers, toys! :

Ok, so now that I've written a novel, I'll go and read the rest of the posts!

Originally Posted by takebirthback

So I was wondering if any of you have given thought to why it is you tend towards traditional homemaking skills?

What are your reasons?

[IntuitiveJamie]

Well I'm glad this take a turn for the worse due to my question! I worried about that later but couldn't come back and clarify. I am just curious to why other women like THS all across the board, sahm or wahm or wohm. I hope we can all be non judgemental here and appreciate each others differences and reasons. (no debating necessary) I was simply just curious ,as I have thought about it for myself often.

So thanks ladies for keeping it real so far and I would still like to know more womens reasons for their choices to be more "old school"

[phathui5]

I wanted to pop in on this thread and recommend checking out Mother Earth News magazine. I got an issue at the Green Festival and they have plenty of good homemaking, homesteading articles. They have articles about gardening, heating with a wood stove, alternative energy for houses, building your own tables and more, in just one issue.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/

[captain crunchy]

Thanks phathui5 -- my MIL was subscribing to Mother Earth News back when dh was a kid I love the website!


Takebirthback -- to answer your question, I tend toward homemaking I suppose in part due to my own childhood -- my mom is *not* the homemaking "type" -- in addition to that, she was a stressed out, single mom who was not around nearly as much as I would have liked at all -- when she was, there was no time or energy for home-cooked meals or all of the stuff I can do as a mama. Also, even if there *were* time, she wasn't interested. My grandmother on the other hand, was a total homemaker in many ways and I have such fond memories of being at her house growing up. That is only part of it though --

It has been a real evolution from hardcore feminist who believed homemaking was a patriarchal prison (not saying all feminists believe this, but I sure did when I was younger) -- to absolutely LOVING and embracing all things home, homemaking, mom-like etc. It is one that can't be put into words so much, but I have never felt stronger, or more "myself" than I do being a homemaker. Now, that doesn't completely define who I am in every way (people are far too complex for that!) but I do love it and it is a title I wear proudly.

I feel sad sometimes when women say they are "just" a mom, or "just" a homemaker, or "just" anything -- with a little embarrassment like it isn't enough or something. I call myself a domestic goddess (a tad tongue in cheek but mostly serious)

Dh laughs at me because I watch things like the Food network and HGTV like some people watch movies. I like it

[transformed]

I love Paula Deen crunchy!!!!!!!!!

I'd answer the "why do you tend towards homemaking" question if I wasant always nak.

[MyLittleWarrior]

bumping this back up because I'm loving this thread! I always invisioned myself as a career girl, but after DS1 was born, I knew I had to be home with him. Now that DS2 is here, it financialy makes more sense to have me stay home. I've always loved to cook and sew, and those thing are really fun to put to use in the keeping of my home. However, I've been severly lacking in the cleaning and organizing department. I want my home to be tidy and decluttered, and cozy and nice, but all too often it's disheveled and crazy making. Oh, and I like aprons too : I just made one out of a vintage sheet, and it's very pretty, but not as nice as the ones I've now been eyeing on etsy. I may have to see if there is enough sheet left to give it another go.

[SharonAnne]

So, happy homemakers... I'm looking to start sewing clothes for me and my girls. Anyone have any great free patterns you'd like to share? (Amazingly awesome pay for patterns are welcome, too )

[holyhelianthus]

I'm wondering what kind of domestic/traditional homemaking books are out there. I have seen a few but I'd love some reviews!

[MyLittleWarrior]

Originally Posted by SharonAnne

So, happy homemakers... I'm looking to start sewing clothes for me and my girls. Anyone have any great free patterns you'd like to share? (Amazingly awesome pay for patterns are welcome, too )

Here is one of my favorite sewing blogs. She has some great tutorials, as well as lots of information on pattern drafting. I've used her ideas to sew some nursing tops, and to convert a few thrift store dresses to nursing dresses, and they came out great!

http://rowena.typepad.com/rostitchery/

[MyLittleWarrior]

Originally Posted by magstphil

I'm wondering what kind of domestic/traditional homemaking books are out there. I have seen a few but I'd love some reviews!

I had the Readers Digest "Back to Basics" out of the library for a while. It had tons of great information, from baking bread to choosing the land for your homestead and planning your orchard. I'd love to see some more recomendations also.

[SharonAnne]

Thanks, Amanda!

So, we were talking the other day about Thanksgiving, and my menu is finally finalized. It looks like we're doing two turkeys; I'll be brining and roasting one and DH will be frying the other. We'll also be responsible for the stuffing. I'm making sweet dinner rolls and pumpkin spice rolls (So excited I got a breadmachine for my birthday this year ), as well as pumpkin pie and possibly a pumpkin cheesecake. Everything else is coming from my family (SIL, MIL and mom), which alternately sends me into panic mode and makes me feel calm and relaxed :

Anyway, I'm having ten people (including dd1 who will be the only kid, so no kids' table option), in a dining room that can comfortably fit six. Creative seating ideas are welcome.

DD and I are going to go collect some pretty leaves, if it dries up outside tomorrow, and use them to make placecards

I have a pumpkin that I'm going to turn into a luminary for the centerpiece.

I'm thinking of using my grandmother's china... except that means I can't use the dishwasher to clean the plates afterward Also, I'm kind of petrified of using my grandmother's china till my kids are older.

[holyhelianthus]

We were sooooo sick this weekend and I am still feeling so weak so I am not doing the grand Thanksgiving I thought I was. I went ahead and bought pre-made dinner rolls, pie crust, and we're even using paper plates. *sigh* You know both of our parents are such... oh man I don't know how to say white trash nicely... that they wouldn't even care any which way but it mattered to me.
/whining

But now I am focusing on getting th house all in order for Turkey Day AND my aunt coming from Washington. She is a clean freak so my house really has to be spotless. *faints* Hey, at least my blog looks good now!

[transformed]

awww maggie

We dont have enough room at our table for everyone so we will probably have a really casual buffet style turkey day. We are having like maybe 5 courses.

I am having a heck of a time deciding on a desert because everyone likes something different. Any thoughts?

[captain crunchy]

Hope you are feeling better Mags -- As I said in the post above, we are having paper plates with cloth napkins so if that isn't "white trash" I dunno what is We don't have enough plates Damn simplifying! I knew decluttering would come back to bite me.

Transformed, apple pie is very easy to make, as well as pumpkin pie -- I made both today... made crust from scratch too. Not to brag, I am so not above store bought, but they all have lard in them and we are veggie so I kind of had no choice... but if you aren't veggie, get the store bought and whip up a couple of simple pies. Most people like those I believe and they are very "thanksgiving-y".

[JTA Mom]

Originally Posted by transformed

awww maggie

We dont have enough room at our table for everyone so we will probably have a really casual buffet style turkey day. We are having like maybe 5 courses.

I am having a heck of a time deciding on a desert because everyone likes something different. Any thoughts?

Are there 2 or 3 desserts that overlap at all? Like do some like apple pie, but it's not their favorite?

Ami

[Toolip]

Paper plates are nothing to beat yourself up about as long as everyone is using them

My grandparents had our family over for thanksgiving as well as some of the other kids. They served everyone else on paper but they (grandma and grandpa) ate on their nice china