How do you find the time

Michelle - posted on 08/07/2009

Every night I take a bit of time for myself after the children are in bed. Whether that be 30 Minutes or 1 Hour. I then get out some things for a small project, (enough supplies for either 1 page or 1 card) then also it can be done in a timely fashion and clean up is easy. Hope this helps and Good Luck!

Aynsley - posted on 08/07/2009

About once a month 2 girlfiends and I get together for an hour. We rotate houses. It's only an hour, usually scheduled on a Sunday afternoon during naps. It's great because we all do a page, so you can do whatever happened that month that you wanted to scrapbook. I would never make any progress otherwise. And a great way to see friends.

Holly - posted on 08/07/2009

It's easier for me now that my sons are older and in public school, but when I was in your shoes, I had to get really creative with my time...sometimes I would scrap in a corner of the living room floor while they had their evening t.v. time (I'd have to give the toddler something to occupy his hands!); sometimes I'd give them supplies and photos and we'd all scrap as our afternoon craft-time (boy, you should see what 4 little boys can come up with in a scrapbook!); and sometimes I'd just hide in my room and scrap when they went to bed. We always had a very scheduled bedtime, and it was never later than 8pm when they were elementary age, so that helped TONS! Good luck, Tammy! I remember the days of homeschooling and running a home business (now I just run the business!) and it can be very frustrating to find time for yourself. But where there's a will, there's always a way--you just really have to think outside the box on your time and places!

LouAnne - posted on 08/07/2009

I like a variety of crafts. When my daughter was really little and inquisitive about everything, I put up my cross stitch, just too many little, sharp things. Concentrated on simple crochet, so she could "help". Then as she got older and her own artistic side came out, whatever we were working on, she had her work area and I had mine. Plus side was all of the conversations we had about what was going on in her life. Things she probably wouldn't have shared otherwise.

Allison - posted on 08/06/2009

Why not try short intervals if you can't devote a full hour or to to scrap? For example, if you have 15 minutes free take that time to select your photos, choose your paper and embellishments the next time you have free time and so on. I have been doing that lately and it seems to work fairly well for me. Of course, there are just some nights that I tell my hubby he's on baby duty and I get a couple of hours to myself - they are few and far between but much appreciated!

Stephanie - posted on 08/05/2009

Retreats on a weekend are a great way to take some time for yourself, some social time, and you could get a lot done!!

Katie - posted on 08/05/2009

my 4 year old loves to try and "help" too. so i give him a little projest to do beside me while i scrpbook. sometimes i let him cut out shapes r use some of my embellishments to make cards fo other family members. There are days i would love to do it on my own, and on those days i let him watch a movie and to make sure he watches it i quiz him in the end to see if he learned anything. that keeps him glued and me free to scrapbook. Also because i stay at home with my son, my husband and i have made arrangments that sundays are my days off that way i get a day to recoup from the week (our jobs are hard too) and i can shut the door and scrapboo by myself then. i hope those ideas help. =)

Ashley - posted on 08/05/2009

I am just getting one started, and doing classes as well. I'm expecting some to pick up a little, but here there have been massive layoffs in the aircraft industry and it is finally starting to hurt here.

Debby - posted on 08/05/2009

Are you guys doing any club's, I am having some luck with them but I think things will really pick up in the fall. I HOPE!

Ashley - posted on 08/05/2009

I go to a crop at least once a month to try and get a few things done. I am a mother of 13 month old twins and if I didn't put it on the calendar when I was going to a crop, I would never get anything done. I'm sure there are many venues where you live that have crops every so often. I'm a close to my heart consultant and have crops about once a month, and so do others where I live.

Debby - posted on 08/04/2009

You have to get in the mind set that you too deserve some time to do what you like! Not sure of your childrens ages, I keep my grandson 2 days a week he is 3, I am a scrapbook instructer and Close to My Heart consultant so my job IS scrapbooking! When Tyler is over I still have to get some work done, I have a box of special toys that I keep in my scrapbooking studio that he can only play with when I am working, it is a very special occasion box, nothing expensive just special. I also have a small table for him with scraps, stickers and such when he wants to help me. Also check around locally and see if you have local crops, they are wonderful for meeting people and getting lots done, most Close To My Heart consultants have monthly clubs that are very resonably priced and you can get up to 6 pages done in 2 hours, cool deal. You can find someone localy by going on the website and give your adress, most of us have a website so you can take a peek at the layouts, workshops and clubs to decide if it would work for you

Lynnette - posted on 08/02/2009

I love to scapbook and I also work part-time mostly nights and some afternoons but I try to squeeze some time in every week to do it. I am a night person at best so sometimes this is when it gets done. I am now done homeschooling our three boys and now also have signed up to be a scrapbooking consultant with Close to my heart so this gives me more reasons to do what I love.

I know of some ladies who get their husband to look after the children for awhile so they get some time for themselves, like a spa day but not out.

Some other people join groups that gets them out of the house once of month so they can scrapbook. I don't know the age of your children but do your children help with the chores so that you have more time for you. Have things organized together like pictures, papers, stamps, ribbon, embellishments so that you don't hunt for things when you do get the time.

Make your self a busy box, anything that needs to be cut out, coloured, etc that you can take with you and do it while you wait for your family at their different things that they participate in.

Keep a journal handy and write in it some of your journaling that you need to do.

But don't stress out too much Soon time will come when you will have the time and then you will know that it was worth the wait.

Diana - posted on 08/02/2009

I love Mary's answer! Kids (of all ages) have moments of creativity. While my son (13) prefers to digi scrap, my daughter (10) just loves hands-on creations. Whether or not I am scrapbooking, I usually just let her raid my supplies. She loves it!

Mary - posted on 08/02/2009

depending on the age of your children you could involve them with your craft. set up some paper, stickers, etc. and let them do their own "scrapbooking". it might not be the quiet craft time that you want, but your kids will love being involved with you and making something of their own.

Sara - posted on 08/02/2009

I have to schedule time and put it on my calendar or it just doesn't happen. I try and do a trip to visit some friends and scrap a couple times a year, and then inbetween I host a crop about every other month or so. Everyone can get together and get some scrapping done. When I travel to meet the girls, we to to Archivers for one of their "manias" and work until they kick us out.
I have small twinges of guilt when I schedule this - especially if I need to get a sitter for the kids, but I know that I deserve a little me-time, and I'm so happy with my books when I get to work on them. And then usually after a crop, I get the scrapping bug in me again and sneak off to my work area during nap time to knock out a page or two. And by work area I mean the small desk in the basement - the only area of the house I could find space. It's not a "nice" place to work, but I'll take whatever I can get. :-)

Diana - posted on 08/01/2009

That's very good question! For me, it's usually late at night. With working part-time out of the home, going to school myself, and taking care of the family, it's very hard to scrapbook anymore. I like to do both hands-on and digital scrapbooking. When I have more time, I hands-on scrap. When I have less time, I digi scrap.

Sharon - posted on 08/01/2009

Depending on the age of your kids assign more chores to them. Get some of the house work off you. Make one day of your homeschooling a half day & take the kids to a friends house or baby sitter. Mark it on your calender of appointments so everyone will know you mean to do this.