By Crystal Miller
Creativity is a vital element of being a homemaker, well I think actually in being a human being! We were created in the image of God and our God is a creative God. This just can not be denied if you have ever looked at peacock spread it feathers, watched the sun set over the ocean, prairie, or mountains, or viewed pictures of the multitudes of created birds, fish and animals that all carry the stamp of our Gods creative side. Within each of us I believe is a need to exercise this God given creative side.
For homemakers we have generally enjoyed the “womanly arts” as our creative outlets. These arts are things such as sewing, quilting, crochet and knitting, embroidery, and more. I believe the reason that women have been drawn to these arts is because in the past they met a multitude of needs. They were practical and served a purpose. The family needed clothes to wear and quilts to keep warm with and mittens and hats for the winter.
Today we do not need to make many of the items. Most of the time we can go to the local Wal-Mart and buy clothes and blankets for less than we could be able to make them. And most often this is more practical. But one of the costs of this modern day way to meet our needs is that we forget or minimize the value of our need to exercise our creative abilities in these areas.
We also often forget that many of these womanly arts were also made and used to add beauty to the home. This in turn would help to “make a home”. You can not always buy hominess. Sometimes what makes a home your own haven is the creativity you bring into it. It is your stamp on your little spot!
There is nothing wrong with desiring to create something for the beauty that one can receive from it. This in turn blesses those in your home. I know I look on my one of my homemade quilts that I put on the back of my loveseat with much more joy and pleasure than what I get from my fleece throws that I bought at Costco that now lay on my recliners. I get many more comments made about my quilt than I do about my throws! I have a dear friend who loves flowers and has had made absolutely beautiful silk flower arrangements for her home. They add beauty to her home that is unique to her and a blessing to her family and all those who come into her home.
Aside from exercising these womanly arts, don’t forget to pass them down to your daughters as well. They are becoming lost arts! I feel it a high priority to pass these arts onto my daughters. My oldest two daughters sew quite well, my 3rd daughter is learning to read patterns and my 4th has learned to thread the machine, make a bobbin and last night with help from one of her sisters had a fun time making a whole bunch of bean bags to use to play games with their younger brothers and sister. They loved it. They are discovering the joys of exercising their creative side. I am teaching my youngest daughter to crochet and she is thrilled at every granny square she makes. We are thinking of sewing them together for a scarf for her. Her effort has even more value to her now because it will be used to make something useful. Too many young women today have no clue how to use a sewing machine, knit a scarf, and add some pretty embroidery to a pillow case or any of the many other creative skills out there. They just have not been taught. So do take the time to share these creative arts with your daughters!
If you have not been taught these skills yourself, don’t despair! Today there are more books, videos, websites, classes and information out there then ever before. I encourage you take some time to learn one of these womanly arts. Visit your library for books and videos, search websites for “how-to” directions, ask knowledgeable friends to help you, and if possible take a local class. If you know how to do some of these skills but have not sewed in years or done embroidery or knitting in years then consider starting a project and be blessed by exercising your creative side and perhaps bless those around you with what you create!