I've been asked that question too, and luckily, I have an understanding and supportive husband, that allows me to 'play' every evening, after we spend some time doing what he enjoys, which is watching tv. TV isn't my thing- never has been- and to fill my time, I'd rather be doing something productive. Hence my scrapbooking obsession.
But, the question is, how does one make or FIND time to scrapbook? I'm here to help. I've got a few tips and suggestions that will hopefully free up some of your time, and make things a bit easier for you!
I turned to Google to help me organize my thoughts and points, and a website I came across that you may find helpful is www.organizedscrapbooks.com. The author shared 17 helpful tips to make finding time to scrapbook easier. I only adopted a few of her tips, and I'll share them with you here.
1. Make scrapbooking a priority
Yes, that's right. Just like cleaning the house, taking care of your kids and husband, getting to work on time, hitting the gym, and everything else that's priority in our lives, if you love this hobby, then make time for it. Make it a priority. If that means ditching the tv two evenings a week, or getting it done while your kids are out at play school, make time for it. Schedule it into your daily routine like you would going to see the doctor or having your hair or nails done. We all deserve some 'me' time. The housework will be there later on; treat yourself to something that you enjoy. Its ok; you are entitled to it.
2. Make it manageable
Time is precious, and as moms and working adults, there's very little of it when its got to be divided between family, self, and being social. So, as you find time, such as 10 minutes here or 5 minutes there, break your scrapbooking 'time' into smaller, more manageable portions. For example, when you've got a spare 15 minutes, edit or print out the pictures you want to use on your next layout; later on, when you have a few more spare moments, pick the patterned papers you want to use; choose the embellishments you want to use, read a magazine for inspiration (or surf the net!!), etc. Do what you can with the time that you've got! Not everyone always has the time to sit and complete an entire layout from start to finish in one sitting. So, make it work for you! (I especially love that reading magazines, searching Pinterest, google, online forums, etc. is considered scrapbooking. I just love the thought of it- not only does sitting at a table or a desk, physically putting together a layout constitute scrapbooking, so does the overlooked aspects of it, too!) How encouraging is that?! (The source I used for the inspiration portion of this point was found at www.write.click.scrapbook.com)
3. Designated Scrapbooking Area
Whether or not you have a room dedicated to your hobby, designate a spot as 'your' work area. That could be the kitchen table, the home office desk, the picnic table outside, or the kitchen counter. Claim it as your own! Once you've found your space (or haven, as I like to call mine), try to keep it tidy. Not only is cleanliness next to godliness, it also frees up more time for you to PLAY!!!!! If you have to worry about putting tools and such away before you begin a new project, you're taking away precious time that could be used to create. (If you're using your kitchen table or counter, that probably isn't an issue!!) Get creative with your storage solutions, too, if you don't have your own scrapbook nook. Use a kitchen cupboard that isn't used for much, or part of your china hutch, a kitchen trolley cart- whatever you have on hand, or whatever works. Maybe its a closet somewhere in the house. Use whatever room you can find!
Another small tip is keeping the tools that you use most often right at your fingertips. Keep them stored in a caddy that's easy to carry around with you, or that neatly stores everything in one handy place. I just a glass jar for things like scissors, pencils and paint brushes and a small office type storage device with drawers, to store my adhesives and Staz On solvent ink. They're both stored within reaching distance of my work table.
4. Snap Happy!
Always be prepared. Keep a camera close at hand- either a disposable camera, your cell phone, or your digital camera- whichever you find handiest, and leave it in your purse, on your kitchen counter, slung around your wrist. You'll want to catch those candid moments, too! Not every picture needs to look like it was professionally taken. Just look for opportunities to capture a memory and record it forever!
5. So Noted
I'm not sure I've mentioned it before, but I keep a journal of small notes related to whatever pictures I've taken on any given day. To ensure you don't forget what that obscure picture was about, write yourself a little note, so that when you are able to get around to scrapbooking that picture, your thoughts, feelings, and the story will come to the surface again. This works well for me. There are other techniques out there too, such as keeping your photos and memorabilia (and notes!!) sorted and divided into folders for quick and easy reference. Google it, search online, and find something that works for you! Use whatever size notebook you can find- or pieces of looseleaf, to record your thoughts and feelings on. Keep that with you wherever you go, too, so that you can record what happened or what you were feeling when its still fresh in your mind. I don't personally do that- I write down my thoughts when I am near my notebook, but you may find you like this method.