So, I realize that this will be posted the same exact day as the "A Picture of Your Morning" post, but I don't post these every day like I should, and I need to catch up with
my friends who are also doing this and are way ahead of me, even though I started before them.
I had a semi-difficult time with this one. Most of the things I need inspiration for are beyond my control. Inspiration won't help me achieve these goals. I do, however, inspire to keep a better household, which I often find difficult because the things I have no control over get in the way. My mom always managed to keep a nice household, whether she was at home with us or working a full time job. I haven't managed to find that balance yet, despite trying numerous organization and charting methods. If I keep up at this rate, I will never be able to handle children.
One person/industry who has inspired me for years is
Martha. People can say what they want about her and her personal life, but she has been instrumental in making homemaking a successful industry. I realize that there are others, including people and icons that lived long before her, but Martha has inspired me the most. Her staff comes up with the best recipes. I am an avid baker, and in the past 6 or 7 years, I have only had ONE recipe fail me (lemon meringue pie), and it was probably my own fault for not working with the curd enough (and if you're wondering, I have successfully made lemon curd). Everything else has turned out wonderfully and the recipes themselves were far easier than I thought they would be. For years before I discovered
this,
this book was my main baking companion, and I still rely on many of the recipes today.
J and I found many fall and Christmas decorating ideas from her website (see picture). I can remember growing up how my mom didn't buy into the industry, mainly because my aunts went nuts over her, but sure enough, my mom would receive issues of Living monthly. To this day, it is the only magazine I receive at my house and I was just remarking last night how much I could do at my own home with her staff's ideas.
My mom and her sisters (you should see their homes) are my real homemaking inspirations, and this anecdote explains it all. A few years back, two of my aunts visited NYC just to go to a Martha workshop. When they finally had the chance to meet her, all one of my aunts could exclaim was "I love you!" She is a sound-minded lawyer and was almost rendered speechless by Martha. If that isn't inspiration, I don't know what is.
While my home isn't perfect, and is instead usually pretty messy, especially during the work week, a girl can dream. Martha's industry has been my inspiration in pursuit of the "good things" in my life and home.
