QOTD - December 14

[angiatcokiepop]

Happy Tuesday everyone! Here's another question for ya.

So many of you scrappers are on several design teams. How do you manage your time to keep up with making & posting all of your projects? How do you balance craft time with family and work obligations?

[Kristina]

Great question!

I really try to work ahead by at least a month of projects at a time. I do all of my posting at the same time too, that way I'm not worried about it the day before. I work from home so that does make it easier for me to sneak some time on the computer or in my craft room here and there (when no one is looking)
It also helps that my kids are not little anymore and don't "need" my attention every minute. I can only imagine how hard it would be if I still worked outside of the home in an office and had small children.

[♥Jan♥]

Yup, once you get older and the kids are not needy any longer, you have a real life once again. I too try to work pretty far ahead, and I also post my stuff immediately so I don't have to think of it again. The organizational skills you developed as a younger you, working and/or taking care of your children, almost become magical. Plus, I don't cook or clean. Hardly ever any way. Ok, only if someone is coming over .... maybe ....

[Beth Moore]

Because I care for my two young grandsons all week, I spend more time crafting in the evenings than during the day. I like to work in advance as often as possible...but sometimes... once in a while... I find myself behind the gun... but not often. I write supplies list as I am working typically and take several photos... when I am ready... I do groups at a time, typing up the blog posts and supplies, etc.

[Kimberly Anne]

Love the question, Angi! My kiddos are still pretty young and I work full time away from home. Since I am on two design teams I work ahead of my assignments on the weekends and try to have my kids get involved my making their own crafts alongside me. It's good time to spend together and they don't really notice that mama is working on assignments because they get to have fun too!

[angiatcokiepop]

That's a good idea Kim....to have your kiddos work beside you. I work outside the house too and am so super tired lately. I'm a teacher so I have the next 2 weeks off. THANK GOD.
I hope to get caught up and work ahead on all of my projects.

[emoradesigns]

As of late I have not been doing such a good job at this. I feel like I am leaving my kids to play by themselves during the day so that I am able to keep up. With the two design teams, the house, hubby & kids, the move and I host a swap on my blog... I have a lot to do! I also had a couple extra "gigs" to do this month along with a few mini album orders from people I know! But... usually I try to scrap during nap times or after dinner when the hubby is home. I try to work ahead as much as possible and do my blog posts ahead of time. I also do my supply list either during or right after I am done with the project. I am hoping after my move I will be back into my routine and be ahead of the game!

[tracy]

I can't really say I manage my time. I just squeeze everything in somewhere. Being on multiple design teams takes a lot of time. Besides your projects you have commenting duties and that adds up, plus I try to keep up with all my bloggie friends(something I've failed at miserably lately ).
I try to work ahead as much as possible. As soon as I finish a project it's photographed and uploaded to my blog. I might not type the whole post up, but the supply list goes on before I put all the stuff away.
I have a planner where I keep track of what I need to make, when it's due and when it will post. That helps a lot! I highlight what's completed.
If my daughter was still in school there's no way I could do this. I homeschooled her and would never have had the extra time for my hobby. Now that she's a college grad and hubby has just accepted that I'm obsessed, I have the time. I have to be honest and say that I don't cook and clean like I used to. I still do it, I just don't put as much time into as I used to.

[liz]

I have a monthly planner where I write what project is due when and another planner for wen the project has to be posted on my blog. I try to wrk ahead of time on my project. My children are both young so they take up a lot of time. Most of my scrapping is done late at night, I sometimes end up staying till 2 or 3 am to finish something off.

My hubby isn't always happy if I spend every evening scrapping but that's life and I just tell him to deal with it and usually he stops whinging.

I also go to an all day crop at least once a month and get a lot done then.