Wips and labels.

Which to talk about first? Labels, I guess... :)

I've been hung up on labels lately. Well, one label - or variation thereof. See, I've been trying to figure out some stuff, and part of it came down to labels. Living up to a label, or down to a label, or whether one should put so much into a label....

Sometimes, a label can be a bad thing. It can limit one - make one live down to the label. It can also inspire one - to live up to the label. Sometimes, it can define one - again, for better or for worse. In my case, I felt/am feeling a need to be defined....

So - "They" - whoever the heck "they" are - have decided that some labels are not good. For example, "They" have decided that a woman should not call herself a "housewife" because it is demeaning. If a woman chooses to not work outside the home, she should call herself a "homemaker" because "housewife" implies she is married to a building. Now, I can understand and appreciate the need for some "politically correct" terms, and I even make an effort to remember to use them. However, I think that there is nothing wrong with being called a "housewife". I can't really call myself a "SAHM", or Stay At Home Mom. I mean, I am a mom, and will be for the rest of my life. But, a SAHM implies that I am actively partaking of the motherhood role, which I'm not. My one child is grown up and has kids of his own. I *do* call myself "Mom" when talking to the animals. But that really isn't the same thing.... That would not be fair to all those wonderful women out there who are SAHM's. So. I'm back to what to call myself...

Personally, as I mentioned, I don't have a problem with "housewife".

What I really need to do, is to stop letting other people's opinions influence me. If there is someone else out there, who does the same basic thing as me, but doesn't want to be called "housewife", then that is their right and priviledge. However, I don't have a problem with that label. What I need to do now, though, is to stop fretting so much over the idea of the label, and get on with being proud of what I do, and getting on with DOING it. :)

I mean, I think that has something to do with my lack of enthusiasm for doing a lot of housework.... I've gotten too hung up on the idea that by being a housewife, I should be ashamed of myself for not having an outside job, for not contributing financially to the household, for not aspiring to have a career. I mean, really- - - - Recently I heard a thing on the radio, about the value of a SAHM - probably put out by one of the insurance people, that if a SAHM were to suddenly be removed from the picture, the costs for daycare, homecare, maid service, cook service, etc. etc. etc. - and again, it put value on the SAHM, but not the "plain old housewife".... Even though I'm not actively a mom, I still do many of the same "chores" - cook, cleaner, laundry, shopper, seamstress, accounting, minor repairs, scheduling, etc. etc. etc.

I have value. I'm a HOUSEWIFE, and I'm proud of the great job I do.

Ok. Now that I've gotten that off my chest....

WIP pics: The projects I mentioned in my last post. Well, all except the sweater. Haven't taken a picture of the sweater back yet. First up, the tiger latch hook UFO, along with the inevitable helper...

Also shown here, the stack of granny squares. 19 centers, and 11 with the second round done.

Next, socks - Started the new 6 Sox group pattern, a Victorian Lace, and the Easter Egg Dyed yarn sock (my own pattern):

Now, a picture of the punch needle embroidery - I know, it isn't the cat picture, but it *is* my practice piece :)

And finally, it has been a while since I shared pics of these two characters:

Now....

I think that covers everything. I hope :)

I do have some other nature type pictures, but I'll save that for another post. And I have no idea why my sidebar stuff is not on the side bar anymore. It is way down below the recent posts.... *sigh*.... Maybe I'll get that fixed one of these days.....