A crafty mom's crafts are dwindling

It seems like forever since I've updated on any of my projects. Scrapbooking has been put on hold for the time being - too much organization needed for that right now. By the time I organize, plan and do lay-outs, well, I just wouldn't get around to any actual cutting and pasting. Scrapbooking takes longer spurts of time than I'm able to snatch these days. I have a baby book completed for Thing 1 (running from birth to 18 months), and I'm nearly finished Thing 2's. I haven't decided whether I should do a real book for Thing 3, or if I should do a digital scrapbook for her. It seem ironic (or just wrong) that a self-proclaimed "natural" and "environmental" mom is working so hard at a pastime so paper intensive and bad for the environment. So it's very likely I'll be bidding my paper books adieu and foraying into the world of digital scrapping one crafty day in the very near future.

I'm very new to digital scrapbooking and just learning it . . . although I really do love it and can see myself becoming completely engrossed in it when I have more time. What I've been working with is the Creative Memories StoryBook CreatorPlus - it's fairly easy to learn and user friendly. Tricia at "One Stop Shop for All Things Mom" did some great pooling of information and resources on digital scrapping, especially some freebies and sites where you can get great downloadable templates and other elements. Check it out if you're interested, it's well worth it!

I've also not done oodles of stamping and card-making lately. I do try to create all my own cards for birthdays and other holidays though, because I just feel someone who owns such an insane amount of craft supplies really and truly should not be putting any more money into the Hallmark empire. So I trudge down to my craft room (which is half of our laundry room) and piece together whatever creative juices I can to make a card for X person on X day. I used to get pretty motivated when I was taking classes regularly, but since I so rarely leave the house these days, I haven't been able to do that in a while. I'll get back in the saddle yet, you wait and see!!

So, one would assume that I haven't been doing a lot of beading lately either - that's quite true! I was busily putting together mommy bracelets last year, and was even branching out to start making baby bracelets. I had sold quite a few but just basically didn't keep up. They're very cute though and I'd love to make more for anyone interested . . .


One thing I admittedly have had time to work on lately are my baby blankets. I'm no expert knitter, by any means, but I enjoy knitting and find it is something that calms me. Some of my readers know my mom, The Nova Knitter, who is arguably one of the best knitters in the world. (She would never admit that but her crafts are absolutely stunning and beautiful and her skill level is superb.) Well, I'm no Nova Knitter but I really love me some baby blankets. I find them fun to make, and even more fun to give as gifts. I've made at least twenty in the past couple years! I'm currently working on one for one of my best bud's, K, who had her baby H back in April - I swear it's coming and he will have it before he goes to college!!!! I said I could knit, I didn't say I was very fast!


That's about it for my exciting craft update. Tune in next time . . . when I may have more to share.

p.s. Leah did not drink from the jam jar today :-( She was having nothing to do with that baby-bottle-look-alike marmalade jar with a nipple on top of it.