Like most people, I have a hard time fitting in time to be creative. Between all the household chores and other daily activities, it can be hard to justify putting aside time to make something for someone else, let alone myself. And most days, waiting until everyone has gone to bed, doesn’t always work, because by then, I want to go to bed too!
So, how do you fit time in to be crafty without sacrificing a tidy home? Sometimes, you have to break up the time into segments. For example, I love to do paper piecing. You know, gluing pieces of paper together to make something grand. I use an electronic cutting machine to cut the pieces out and then I glue them together and add additional embellishments. It can include card making, scrapbooking and for me it definitely includes making wonderful 3D paper creations. For any of these types of projects, you have to take time to select the theme, or paper you want to use. Cut out the elements needed to make the project. Gather the supplies needed, and find a place where you can work. I have a room in my basement I can go to on the rare day I have time to spend in there. But most days, I really need to be in the main part of the house to monitor what’s going on.
If I break up the steps into separate activities during the day, I stand a better chance to get more projects completed during the week. Having a place to organize your project pieces and supplies seems like a must have to make this a reality. It can be different for each person, and each type of craft you are making. For me a 12×12 scrapbook box should fit my needs. It would handle the largest piece of paper I would need to use, and has plenty of space for the glue, and additional embellishments. It should keep my paper tidy and safe until I’m ready to assemble my project. It’s portable, so I could take it with me to practice, or the doctors office, or anywhere I might find myself waiting on someone. And then, the final touches could be added when you get back home.
Try making a list of 2 or 3 projects you might want to complete this week, and then break them down into 20-30 minute segments you could complete during the day. By weeks end, you might just have a couple of projects completed instead of just thinking about it.
papercre8tions 