Queen of the Castle: Week 5

We're back near the beginning of the book.  We started on week 17 of Queen of the Castle: 52 weeks of encouragement for the uninspired, domestically challenged or just plain tired homemaker HERE (in April of 2010).

Since Valentine's Day was last week we switched chapters around a bit so last week was chapter 6 and this week we're on chapter 5:  "Celebrating Creativity in Small Snatches".

Sometimes I get frustrated that I'm so busy with this and that that I don't have time to finish the creative activities that I start.  I have a tote full of them; projects meant as gifts, clothing that needs patches, embroidery started but never finished.  I have to remember that I have other things more important that require my attention.  Sometimes, though, I need a little creative outlet.  Carving out time for little creative things has to be done...well, creatively.  Stitching while watching a movie with the family, making a card while listening to a book on my mp3 player, working on the blog while the kiddos are in bed, embroidery while chatting with hubby.  I have to enjoy the small-scale creativity.

As writer Valerie Schultz expresses in her essay "Reckless Abandon", "Jump into the life-medium of the moment, whether it's oatmeal or beach sand or Dr. Seuss' rhymes or the soup you're making for dinner.  Schultz, a mother of four, says, "You will have no greater manifestation of the creative urge than your child ... Give your all, freely, wholeheartedly, and unconditionally.  You will get it all back.  Your child will grow up confident of your love.  Your child will be so secure that his or her gradual but oh-so-quick independence will shock you.  And again there will be time for essays or stories or pitchers or pots, all of them bursting with fresh insight and raw creative power."

As much as I love being in my craft closet and creating something I try to remind myself that cooking and cleaning, folding laundry, baking a cake are the most important creative endeavors in my life.  I'm nourishing my family.

Here are a few creative ideas for nourishing your family:

*Grab a sketch pad and draw with your children.  Color a picture in a coloring book with your toddler helping beside you.

*Take pictures of the every day things in life that your family enjoys. 

*Finish half-done projects that are taking up space in your closet. Like patching those knees in your son's jeans, hemming your daughter's skirt, or finishing Christmas gifts (you'll be ahead for this year!). 

*Start a blog to record your family's happenings.  (Blogger.com is free and easy to start!) It can be kept private if you like and you can even turn your blog posts into a printed album!

*Learn a craft along with your children.  There are a lot of videos on youtube.com that you can learn from!

*Read a story to your kids dramatically.  Our kiddos love this and you'd be surprised how "creative" you feel when you're reading aloud with funny voices and all!

*Try a new recipe with your kids helping along. (Use the search option at the right hand column to find something on OHK that peaks your interest.)

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"He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what god has done from beginning to end.  I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live.  That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God."  

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13