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3.14.2012

Creating Balance

People sometimes ask me how I find time for crafting.  Before Iris was born, the answer was pretty straightforward - I worked on my projects after the kids were asleep.  But, after Iris was born, finding time to sew has become infinitely more challenging.  Iris is a baby who has resisted settling into a routine from the start.  Even now, she isn't on a consistent nap or sleep schedule.  Many days, she only catnaps and she often goes to sleep at night at the same time as we do.  Now, instead of finding time I've had to be much more intentional about making time.



We are in a busy season of our lives, no doubt.  But it seems most people feel like they're busy, if too busy, regardless of family size or season of life.  I want to consciously resist the urge to claim to be "busy" and instead think in terms of choices.  Right now, I need to be particularly careful in the way I choose to spend my time.  That means avoiding things that leave me feeling drained and seem to suck time.  For me, these include - tv, facebook, pinterest, and other forms of social media.  I prefer to frame it as having lots of time for the things I love - spending time with my kids, spirituality, photography, cooking, baking, and a little sewing.  I prefer to think of my life as full, not busy



Sewing and spending time alone energize me.  In this more demanding stage of life, I find I need to prioritize both as part of practicing good self care.  Dan and I take turns holding the baby while the other spends time doing what we love individually.  That works for us.  We both understand the need for that time.  I've also found it immensely helpful to work on small projects that sew together quickly.  I feel a sense of accomplishment... and always love getting something done that stays done.



So in honor of this season, I plan to share three simple projects for beginner and expert alike.  Projects that are practical and add some handmade goodness to your home.  Coming soon...



{My niece and I made this lotion together while she stayed with us last week.  The recipe was from this lovely little book.   My niece designed the label.}

2 comments:

  1. Love this post! It's like you're speaking from my heart. I've not been great about prioritizing these last few weeks, and I'm feeling the pain. Will your simple crafts be good for sharing with antsy preschool boys? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such true words! I prefer to think of my life as full also :) Thanks for sharing this.
    -Jaime

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