Tuesday, June 5, 2012

The Hidden Art of Homemaking…

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Even as a young girl I fell in love with books rich in descriptive words about home, family, and food.

I wiled away hours imagining my future home and life as a wife and mama.

When those years did come,  the Hubs and I started our life together poor as church mice.

It was Edith Schaeffer’s book, The Hidden Art of Homemaking, that inspired and mentored me in using my creativity to make our house a home, not to wait for some far off day when we could afford it.

I think, while this book was written in 1971 and may have portions that are outdated, it’s premise makes it a good read for anyone who wants to decorate their home creatively,

( not cookie cutter, and catalog like), as well as economically.

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“It seems to me that, whether it is recognized or not, there is a terrific frustration which increases in intensity and harmfulness as time goes on, when people are always daydreaming of the kind of place in which they would like to live,  yet never making the place where they do live into anything artistically satisfying to them.”

Edith Schaeffer

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As the years went by, God brought real life women into my life, who helped to model this hidden art for me.

One was a woman whose single wide mobile home housed herself, her husband and her three children, teens and pre teens, in very limited space.

I loved visiting their home.

It was creatively, artistically decorated.

I still remember the vintage, round table used as a coffee table.

I remember the delicious, healthful meals we shared there.

I remember her, every time I enjoy the ink drawings she made for me, seen in the photo above.

 

Still following,

Elizabeth




15 comments:

  1. I spied those drawings the minute I came to visit today! What a sweet reminder of a dear place and time in your life. I'm trying to remember not to just wish for what will be but make 'today' a creative place that's filled with the peace and quiet it should be!
    ~Adrienne~

    P.S. - Part of my 'doings' these days is to find places and fill my home with things found when you and I spent time thrifting together. Lovin' it a lot! Will share soon.

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  2. Oh, that is a great quote. I think it's really easy to "dream" of what we want our homes to look like because we can be bombarded with so many images from HGTV, Pinterest, etc. Thank goodness they're are plenty of easy and inexpensive projects too! :) What a wonderful memory of your friend's home and lovely drawings. :)

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  3. I actually went for years with a house that didn't say "me" at all for a variety of reasons. I am slowly coming out of that.

    What a wonderful example you had. For me, it was the opposite. I was actually doing just fine decorating my little nest before I started hanging with a group of women (from church no less) who thought there was "one" style and "one" way and made me feel as if nothing I did was ever right. It still stings when I think of it today. We are no longer in that crowd. In fact, we're no longer in that church.


    I also loved the recipe on the previous post. I'm having a LOT of trouble with my computer and commenting right now so I have to do the best I can and combine comments. Believe it or not, I do not have a cast iron skillet. I need to remedy that, I know. My mom says it regularly.

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  4. I love your STYLE...
    Love the idea with the starfish & shells...
    Blessings to you this day...
    Lori ~

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  5. Through all the moves we had while my husband was in the Navy the best compliments I every received where about how I made our home so attractive with the same furniture and decorations, just rearranged from room to room in house to house. :)

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  6. The ink drawings are what caught my eye right away in the photo! Love them! What a beautiful gift!

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  7. Wonderful post with great principles in creating a lovely home. I remember enjoying that book when I was young.
    Mary Alice

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  8. What a great post! It is so refreshing to see the blog of a real person who gets it! The quote is excellent.

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  9. Elizabeth that is so very beautiful! It is so true!!
    Thank you for the precious reminder :)

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  10. The quote here is excellent.. I experience a very poor beginning too and since then it's been up the scale down the scale in very nice homes to not so lovely home and from large to very small home..but I learned as you have a little here and a little there and before long you have made a sweet lovely home..that is so Welcoming..And by the photos you share of your home it says Welcome and sit awhile.
    Hugs

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  11. I love this post! I was 19 when I got married, and didn't have Godly women to teach me this until I moved here to the Northwest! Praise God for church women who spoke into me as a young wife. I would like to find this book!

    And your home is lovely, thank you for the peek into it!

    Blessings

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  12. What a beautiful blog and home. I'm so glad I found you over at White Wednesday. As Tiara mentioned above, I too married yuong and thankfully had several Godly women in my life. One that stands out was a sweet neighbor friend whose children were several years older than mine. She was such an inspiration and helped me through many difficult times in the early years of my marriage. She has since moved but I will never forget that special lady. Thanx so much sharing :)

    x0x0
    jenny

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  13. That is so funny that you posted about that book today. Today I told someone on another blog to read that book when she expressed that she was conflicted about spending money on her home when there are so many needs out there. I hadn't thought about that book in years and then I see it here too! I love reading your blog--had lived in Sherwood, Or. when my kids were young--I am in Ohio now.

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    Replies
    1. So glad you love that book too! It's an old friend to me.

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  14. I really enjoyed both your words and your photos. Thank you for playing along today:-)

    xoxo
    Kathleen

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