Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I am constantly running, or so it feels and when I'm home I am to tired to do much of anything. I WANT to stamp but I feel I don't have enough time to sit down to start AND finish a project. I've so many unfinished projects, it makes me nuts. I've so much I want to learn, to try, ideas in my head. I know I lose many of them because I don't tend to them soon enough.
I work full time, attend school online in an accelerated program so that takes up A LOT of time, my own cat, and a dog and DBF that are high maintenance and we don't live together and I always seem to be the one away from home but even at that rate, I'm not at his place that often.
I am attempting to take the 3rd week of January off work, I'll be out of school too. I've a day of pampering scheduled at the spa, well 1/2 day (my fav Christmas gift) and the rest of the week I fully intend on doing MY thing. DBF did inform me that he scheduled some tests for the 19th that he'll need me to take him to but other than that, I hope to have all kinds of time to stamp and rest.
Huh. You mean there ARE folks out there that actually find time to stamp?! :rolleyes:
Hee, hee! I have the same "issues". Full time job, dog, dbf, house I'm renovating, Christmas just here, etc. I just try to sit down a couple nights each week and finish one/two projects at a time, depending on the amount of time I can set aside. It's a hassle dragging everything out, then putting it all away (I still live at home, so don't have a designated room/area to leave it all out), but I at least feel like I accomplish something every now and then!
I make time for myself...and part of that is stamping. BUT I have to say, when I don't feel like it, I don't stamp. I find that if I try to force myself go in and sit and stamp, I get nothing done, or I don't like the result. So I do it at night before bed to wind down, or on Saturdays, or sometimes not at all! Don't stress about it...otherwise it's just another part of your busy "Have to do" list!
Maybe my problem is I feel like I can't sit down and do it for only a half hour or something. Mostly, once I get started, I keep going. I actually had/made time yesterday and I kept telling myself I'd stop and get something to eat at such and such a time and kept moving it up. But I had fun yesterday.
I'm supposed to be finishing projects from yesterday but I'm finishing laundry and on the computer.
I think I get frustrated that there's so much I want to do/learn/try, and I'm out of cards that is works against me and I don't end up using my time wisely, the few minutes I do get.
I did challenges for the first time on WCMD and I've wanted to do more of them. I finally think DBF has realized he needs to let me be home more often. I'm not ready for the move-in thing. So maybe I'll end up with more time.
As an empty nester with full time job, it doesn't get any easier. What does work for me is to plan/organize so that I can work in stages. I might spend an hour or two one night in my craft room stamping images or cutting paper but the next I am in the living room with DH and while he watches TV I color or design or something. When I arrive home from work, if supper isn't already in the crockpot, I put something quick together and work on my projects until he comes home. Then I finish up the meal and so forth. We have no pets and I am not a white glove housekeeper so generally if I want to work on stamping projects I can. Since I love swaps, many of my evenings are spent prepareing/planning for them and since they involve multiples I can also usually work on them in the living room too. Not much help to you I am sure but you can make time work for you.
__________________ c-mouse-If you can't say nuttin nice--don't say nuttin at all. Thumper. Pansy
Card Sketch Challenge 1-227 done only 396+ to go to be caught up!!!!!
I do try that, stages. I find then I get too far behind in getting it done and want to move on or forget where I was simply because every night or other night isn't an option for me. I'm not a white glove house cleaner either, you should see this place right now. Ok, it's not filthy but there is certainly stuff, a lot of it, out place. I just finished up a few household things that needed to be done and the laundry is drying so I'm going to attempt finishing last nights projects. Waterfall cards, who knew how easy. Love them! The magnets will be another story I can tell.
I can't wait till school is over, I'll have so much more time (or so I think). I am not taking dance over the winter so that frees up (sorta) another night for school/stamping and who knows maybe the gym I don't have time for either. Ahhhh............if only I didn't have to work! Right ladies!?!?!? :mrgreen:
I have a room that I can leave projects in progress which helps. If I had to take everything out and sift through and put it all away afterwards, I'd never get anything done!!
I find if projects are out, they are on my mind more so I may fiddle with it a little more in small chunks ... work on the journaling ideas on my breaks at work, see how a different embelishment looks, find sketch ideas in mags while I watch tv.
That all being said, my best time is late at night when noone is up so I can concentrate ;) When I'm on holidays and we're home that's every night. On a regular week it's usually Friday evening once dh is in bed.
For the record, there's not a lot of "must see" tv for me, but I do have a 3 year old, a dh, work full time and taking 2 night school courses per term ... I figure if it's important enough to do, I will make time!! Besides - I love it!
I am a single Mom with a full time job, 7 kids, two dogs, a cat, and two girl scout troops that I'm the leader of so I know what you mean about being busy. I have a corner of my garage set up as my scraproom so I don't have to put things away. I think I would get more done if my computer wasn't out here too but many of my friends live in my computer so I need it to visit, lol.
I usually get off work, pick up the kids at their daycares (they are in two different places), and then depending on what night it is we eat quickly and get on with our activities. We have girl scouts on mon. and tues. unless I work late on Monday. Wed. is our night off so we do home stuff, Thur. one kid has basketball practice plus that is stamp club night once a month, friday is dance class for two, basketball for one, and on weekends we have basketball games right now (baseball in the summer), and girl scout events. Every night before bedtime we have snuggle/movie time. We all lay in the living room cuddling (I usually have both babies snuggled up with me and at least one kid sitting on my feet). I love having a big family, if I didn't make some time for "Me" I would go nuts. My two oldest kids help out a lot and I'm not a perfect housekeeper so as long as it is neat and not filthy I'm okay. The laundry area is in another part of the garage (I don't park in here as you can imagine!, plus it is heated, sort of) so I can do laundry, watch tv and scrap/card make or play on the computer all at the same time. I don't sleep much, maybe 5 hours a night so I stay up late to play. I usually go to bed around 1 and get up at 6:30am. I make it downstairs most nights but some nights I'm just too tired and I go to bed when the little ones do. My best friend comes over on most Saturday nights to scrap with me until the wee hours.
Am I the only one that HATES it when people say, after seeing a card or scrapbook that I've made, "you have a lot more time than me. There's no way I'd have time to do that". AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG, that usually makes me want to slap someone and say" do you watch tv? read books? sit on the phone chatting? shop, go to the movies, hang out with friends? Well, then you do have free time, you just choose to use it differently from me". I do all of those things too, I just squeeze in some scrappy time. Just remember how great it makes you feel to do it and you'll find time when you can. Even a few minutes here and there is better than no time at all.
Now, I'm going to get off the computer and do a little scrappy stuff.;)
__________________ Scrappinmominky-Heather
Mom to Elizabeth (29), Sabrina(23), Nick(16), Toti(14), Sarah(12), Cathy(9) & Patrick( and grandkids, Maddie (3) Gwen (3), DJ (10 mos). Give a child a forever home, adopt. There are so many children needing a family of their own.
My craft area is upstairs in the study where DH's computer is. The laundry room is on the 2nd floor as well. Usually I spend Saturdays doing laundry and stamping......It works out well because I can keep an ear out for the washer and dryer if I'm sitting at my desk. I'll go up there and stamp when he's up there working as well.
Well, mostly I just do enough cooking and cleaning to keep social services from taking my kids away. Also, I don't watch tv. I have my priorities.
I don't watch much either. I don't have kids, but I do have family obligations as I live with my mom, fiance and 5 dogs. I am a full time college senior and SU demo so I am pretty busy. I just make sure I set aside a time that I can go to the scrap room and play for a while. My #1 distraction is forums :rolleyes: LOL
It's okay to start a card, make a little progress, and come back to it when you make another segment of crafting time. However, you do have a FT job as well as school ... so just remember that you block time for the job, you block time for classes and homework, and it's common for some of us to block times for stamping. ;)
Well, mostly I just do enough cooking and cleaning to keep social services from taking my kids away. Also, I don't watch tv. I have my priorities.
snort... Me too!!! :lol: Although my landlord did tell me my house is too cluttered. Well duh ~ It's me & my 2 kids in a 2 bedroom apartment with no room for all my scrap & stamp cr*p...Life's too short to worry about housework!
I always just remind myself that the stamping stuff is not perishable and it will be there when I get to it. It is actually a hobby that can be ignored but is always there when you have time.
I don't watch much TV either, there are 2 shows I like each week. My laundry is right by stamp area too so I tend to try to do both at the same time too, when possible. I think my biggest issue is my not being at my own home enough. Even today when I left DBF's he was like I don't like it when you're not here, mind you, I'd already stayed 3 hrs longer or more than I planned because he talked me into staying while he made brunch and watching "The Bucket List" which I've been wanting to see. He did let me have all day Saturday to stamp so that was nice. College being online and accelerated it is 16 wks of class crammed into 5 wks. There tends to be A LOT of work to it, a lot of reading and writing papers. So the next problem in mind is usually exhausted and lets face it, when you're measuring paper, etc., you kinda gotta be on. I wish I only needed 5 hrs of sleep, I'm up to late tonight! Forums, yeah, a little distraction too but I can read them at work most the time.
I did make 8 cards, magnets, AND almost finished another project (I leave them out too as I can) I've been working on, some Frosty cards. Only a lil more to do to those and they'll be done. One more week off school so next wkend I plan to do more of the same, hopefully the types of cards I NEED though!
I got Hobby Lobby money for Christmas and they're having a good sale so I'm going on my lunch tomorrow for the big punches, 50% off!! I've still so many other new things I've yet to use but shopping for the stuff is FUN!
I think that as women, we tend to have very busy lives. We are always taking care of others and making sure their needs are met before we take care of ourselves at all.
I actually schedule time for myself to "play" on my calendar and stick to that schedule. Nothing gets to override my stamp day unless it is an emergency and I always move it to another day so I still have some time.
The day that I seem to find that I can control my schedule the most is on a Sunday. I spend time with my family. I cook a fabulous Sunday dinner where we usually have company come over. I also take an hour or two - either in the morning or the evening to sit down and do something for me. I NEED to do something for me each week. I can chose to read a book, take a walk, cook, stamp, etc. Stamping keeps me sane and it also keeps me happy! I am a better person because I take time for myself. I can give more to others when my "cup is full" instead of running on empty.
Schedule time with yourself to stamp. It only needs to be for a short time if that is all that you have. Sit down and work on that project you don't have finished and keep going back and working on it during each session until you hae it completed. Don't start another project until the first one is done. That will give you more time to focus and less time to stress about unfinished projects. Have fun and enjoy!
I am another "empty nester" well sort of...Son #1 who is 27 is home again. It was only to be a 3 month visit and that was 14 months ago...we are planning to let him know he needs to set some goals and move on soon...My youngest is in College in Florida. My husband travels Mon-Fri for work so I get LOTS of time to do what I love. I dont cook much anymore and I have a maid so I pretty much spend all my time in my stamp room. I make thousands of cards for the troops, two swim teams for fund raisers, my husbands desk at work (when he is in the office) church card ministry and bookstore...I never have a minute to spare...lol
Many blessings to you busy moms...I was there once too and I wish I would have spent more time with my sons....hugs.
Location: Somewhere in the middle...closer to there, nearer to here...
Posts: 2,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by scrappinmominky
I am a single Mom with a full time job, 7 kids, two dogs, a cat, and two girl scout troops that I'm the leader of so I know what you mean about being busy. I have a corner of my garage set up as my scraproom so I don't have to put things away. I think I would get more done if my computer wasn't out here too but many of my friends live in my computer so I need it to visit, lol.
I usually get off work, pick up the kids at their daycares (they are in two different places), and then depending on what night it is we eat quickly and get on with our activities. We have girl scouts on mon. and tues. unless I work late on Monday. Wed. is our night off so we do home stuff, Thur. one kid has basketball practice plus that is stamp club night once a month, friday is dance class for two, basketball for one, and on weekends we have basketball games right now (baseball in the summer), and girl scout events. Every night before bedtime we have snuggle/movie time. We all lay in the living room cuddling (I usually have both babies snuggled up with me and at least one kid sitting on my feet). I love having a big family, if I didn't make some time for "Me" I would go nuts. My two oldest kids help out a lot and I'm not a perfect housekeeper so as long as it is neat and not filthy I'm okay. The laundry area is in another part of the garage (I don't park in here as you can imagine!, plus it is heated, sort of) so I can do laundry, watch tv and scrap/card make or play on the computer all at the same time. I don't sleep much, maybe 5 hours a night so I stay up late to play. I usually go to bed around 1 and get up at 6:30am. I make it downstairs most nights but some nights I'm just too tired and I go to bed when the little ones do. My best friend comes over on most Saturday nights to scrap with me until the wee hours.
Am I the only one that HATES it when people say, after seeing a card or scrapbook that I've made, "you have a lot more time than me. There's no way I'd have time to do that". AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGG, that usually makes me want to slap someone and say" do you watch tv? read books? sit on the phone chatting? shop, go to the movies, hang out with friends? Well, then you do have free time, you just choose to use it differently from me". I do all of those things too, I just squeeze in some scrappy time. Just remember how great it makes you feel to do it and you'll find time when you can. Even a few minutes here and there is better than no time at all.
Now, I'm going to get off the computer and do a little scrappy stuff.;)
All I can say is, "WoW!" I thought I was busy with 3 kids, a full-time time job that tends to suck the life out of me and a husband who works 60+ hours a week. You go Girl! Thanks for the inspiration!
I only work part time, but I stay constantly busy with volunteer work, children's activities, running the household, etc. I try to carve out an hour or two a week to craft something. I will often make gifts which will give me a much needed deadline, and somehow takes some of the guilty feeling away (that I should be doing something else instead of crafting.)
A few months ago, I made 6 altered spirals for the girls in my Bible study group, and one of them said, "You have way too much time on your hands!" Am I wrong to have had my feelings hurt? I spend no time watching TV, shop only when it's necessary, haven't seen a movie in years...
I only work part time, but I stay constantly busy with volunteer work, children's activities, running the household, etc. I try to carve out an hour or two a week to craft something. I will often make gifts which will give me a much needed deadline, and somehow takes some of the guilty feeling away (that I should be doing something else instead of crafting.)
A few months ago, I made 6 altered spirals for the girls in my Bible study group, and one of them said, "You have way too much time on your hands!" Am I wrong to have had my feelings hurt? I spend no time watching TV, shop only when it's necessary, haven't seen a movie in years...
What are your thoughts?
That's a tough one because on the one hand you want them to feel like you spent a long time on it (whether you did or didn't) so that they know you were thinking of them and it was special but it's not when they comment like that, hopefully they meant it differently.
I hate when people think you've all kinds of time to play too simply because I don't so when I do play, I certainly feel I'm deserving of it. Much like you I don't watch much TV, I've no time for it really. I'll catch a movie with DBF usually on the wkend but not every wkend and then I've 2 shows I like to watch during the week, Grey's and Brothers and Sisters. We all choose how to spend our little free time. They should actually be grateful you chose to spend it on them.
All I can say is, "WoW!" I thought I was busy with 3 kids, a full-time time job that tends to suck the life out of me and a husband who works 60+ hours a week. You go Girl! Thanks for the inspiration!
That's what I thought when I read that post. I don't know how she has time to go to the bathroom!! Guess I best quit feeling sorry for myself for not having time.
I had someone say that same thing to me and it really hurt my feelings. So no, you're not wrong to feel that way. But, remember that we are all different. What is a good use of time to her is definitely not a good use for me. This woman drives 1 1/2 hrs each way to get her hair cut (A colossal waste of time if ever there was! There are plenty of places between here and there that would do a fantastic job! I can stamp a lot in that 3 hr time frame!) and gets a manicure every other week (driving 30 minutes each way). Now if you ask me, SHE is the one with way too much time on her hands!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mpharis
A few months ago, I made 6 altered spirals for the girls in my Bible study group, and one of them said, "You have way too much time on your hands!" Am I wrong to have had my feelings hurt? I spend no time watching TV, shop only when it's necessary, haven't seen a movie in years...
I really wish that I had more time to stamp. Seems like it is hard to squeeze it in when working full time and usually my commute is an hour each way. I try to sneak in there on the weekends. But I tend to do pieces and little bits of art. Another day I do assembly. I'm looking forward to retirement in hopes that I have time to use my stash to my heart's content.
__________________ Have an awesome day!
Loretta Rathert~
I had someone say that same thing to me and it really hurt my feelings. So no, you're not wrong to feel that way. But, remember that we are all different. What is a good use of time to her is definitely not a good use for me. This woman drives 1 1/2 hrs each way to get her hair cut (A colossal waste of time if ever there was! There are plenty of places between here and there that would do a fantastic job! I can stamp a lot in that 3 hr time frame!) and gets a manicure every other week (driving 30 minutes each way). Now if you ask me, SHE is the one with way too much time on her hands!
Holy crap, that is a long way to get yer hair done. I'm glad I drive 5 minutes!! She seems very high maintenance, and that's her perogative but, wow, don't say you've too much time on your hands if you make something for her. To me, a biased stamp sister, your time was much more productive, kind, and unselfish. Everyone I give my stuff to is always SO grateful. I think they know how crunched my time is though too.
I really wish that I had more time to stamp. Seems like it is hard to squeeze it in when working full time and usually my commute is an hour each way. I try to sneak in there on the weekends. But I tend to do pieces and little bits of art. Another day I do assembly. I'm looking forward to retirement in hopes that I have time to use my stash to my heart's content.
I've an hour drive to and from too, well 45 mins but, if you have to run a quick errand or get gas, it's an hour. I too, am hoping and waiting for retirement to use my hoarded stuff. Will it all be outdated by then? Nah, it'll all just be coming back in style. HA!
i had the intention of doing christmas cards, making projects that i was going too(key word, WAS)give to some chick friends(fellow stampers) and never got to them. with the kids home(three) for school vacation for christmas, everyone getting sick, husband being mondo busy(we're self employed)...last but not least, the biggest kid(yes hubby) gets sick. ok ladies, we all know most of the men when they get sick are royal pains in the you know what!!! so needless to say, my house has been real hectic to say the least.....lets not forget everyone(and i mean this literally) has a form of ADD except me, so i have to bend in a way to their own different personality quirks.......i'm one tired puppy to say the least.....
How do you find time to stamp?
and grandkids, Maddie (3) Gwen (3), DJ (10 mos). Give a child a forever home, adopt. There are so many children needing a family of their own.
