I used to work at a scrapbook store. For nearly eight years. And during much of that time, I wished I didn't work so much. I thought of all the things I could be doing if only I didn't work two jobs. I loved that store and could never bring myself to quit (except once, but it was only for a month). Almost one year ago, it close down. At the time I thought, finally, I will have time to myself to do what I want to do!
[insert maniacal laughter here]
I first decided to begin concentrating more on my fitness and health. I decided that I would spend every spare waking minute scrapbooking. I thought I could get my yard in order and actually grow plants and flowers instead of weeds. I thought I'd be able to clear out that "spare" room downstairs that is storing boatloads of crap. All the wallpaper in the house? I'd get it all down and repaint. I would read more books, write more blog posts and dabble with drawing and art journaling. I promised to cook more and weed through my recipes, saving only the ones we loved.
[insert exhausted laughter, bordering on near-hysterics, here]
Well, I have scrapbooked more. But not enough to feel I have accomplished anything... for myself. I have read more books (yay!) but most of them have been in the past 2-3 months! I have ripped wallpaper down from my bedroom and repainted it, with the help of The Hubs, but we haven't 100% finished it (hence the no "after" photos posted here yet). I have made those recipe books, but haven't done much transferring into them.
That spare room downstairs? You can only walk one foot into it before encountering junk. (Very, very sad confession time coming up...) I have blankets and linens waiting downstairs by the washer and dryer to be cleaned... from LAST spring cleaning!
[covers my eyes and shakes my head]
What have I spent my time on? Working out... that I can say I have accomplished. Spending time with friends. I have done many an outing that have created wonderful memories with friends and family. Selling tea... not a lot of time and that's only recently...
And yet, even though I feel I haven't spent enough time "doing what I want to do", I still say "yes" when people ask me to do things. I seriously do not know how to say "no".
Hi, I'm Kai, and I'm a chronic over-committer.
Would anyone else out there want to join my one-person self-help for over-committers group? Because I'm seriously thinking of starting one.
Except.... hmmmm...
That would mean I'm committing to one. more. thing.
(please share with me... if you are not a chronic over-committer... how do you do it?)
May 30, 2012
May 15, 2012
Online Crop Opportunity
Hey all... want to join in some fun this weekend (and beyond)? Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is hosting a cyber crop beginning this Friday. It's full of fun, games, prizes, challenges, chats and more. No need to be a kit subscriber. Just sign up for the community forums (it's free!) and hop in. Hope you can join us!
May 14, 2012
Hello?
Tap...tap...tap...
Is this thing on?
*brushes the dust off and blows away the cobwebs*
Well, hello there! How have you been? I have so missed chatting with you. I think of you every day, actually.
My goodness, where did I disappear to? Well, let me see. I have been working very hard lately at my fitness foibles, and will be updating that page soon. I have been more focused on eating healthier choices and putting more effort into my workouts with the sadist. I hope to continue my Zumba endeavors, but had to take a break when I hurt my ankle. I don't know what happened, but it became a "trick" ankle, only causing me pain every once in a while when I stepped down on it a certain way or twisted in one direction or the other. It's much better now.
I have spent a bit of time on my new tea business and finding that this tea is so very different than any others that I have tried in the past. The last party I had, there were several women there who emphatically did not like tea, and by the end of it, they actually purchased some of this brand. It's quite delish. Just as good are the scones and dips. Very yummy. I hope to try them all so if anyone has any questions, you can just hit me up in email!
I've been a traveling fool, spending time at my parents' house at the beginning of May. This was a great trip with a lot of fun surprises and time spent with some family members who I have not seen in 8 years! More recently, a group of friends traveled on a "Girls Road Trip" to the Great Lakes Mega Meet scrapbooking expo in Michigan last weekend. Ooooh, boy, did I drop a pretty penny there. When I get it all unpacked I'll be back to share photos. I promise!
Last, but not least, I was commissioned to create a scrapbook for a friend for Mother's day by her partner. It was a little short of notice for my comfort level, but it was done in time, with photos left over that I can still create pages to add later. She also said she'd commission me to create more as time goes on, so this was a nice little project on the side.
This month's craziness isn't coming to a halt yet, but it is slowing down. This week (Thursday) and the weekend I will celebrate my birthday but beyond that? I have some breathing room. I hope to be back here more frequently.
Yes, yes, I know I've said that before, but I mean it! I have so many things to share, to talk about, to show you. I have missed so many 10 things on the 10th and Storytelling Sundays. I have so much to get caught up on!
So... I will see you soon!
Is this thing on?
*brushes the dust off and blows away the cobwebs*
Well, hello there! How have you been? I have so missed chatting with you. I think of you every day, actually.
My goodness, where did I disappear to? Well, let me see. I have been working very hard lately at my fitness foibles, and will be updating that page soon. I have been more focused on eating healthier choices and putting more effort into my workouts with the sadist. I hope to continue my Zumba endeavors, but had to take a break when I hurt my ankle. I don't know what happened, but it became a "trick" ankle, only causing me pain every once in a while when I stepped down on it a certain way or twisted in one direction or the other. It's much better now.
I have spent a bit of time on my new tea business and finding that this tea is so very different than any others that I have tried in the past. The last party I had, there were several women there who emphatically did not like tea, and by the end of it, they actually purchased some of this brand. It's quite delish. Just as good are the scones and dips. Very yummy. I hope to try them all so if anyone has any questions, you can just hit me up in email!
I've been a traveling fool, spending time at my parents' house at the beginning of May. This was a great trip with a lot of fun surprises and time spent with some family members who I have not seen in 8 years! More recently, a group of friends traveled on a "Girls Road Trip" to the Great Lakes Mega Meet scrapbooking expo in Michigan last weekend. Ooooh, boy, did I drop a pretty penny there. When I get it all unpacked I'll be back to share photos. I promise!
Last, but not least, I was commissioned to create a scrapbook for a friend for Mother's day by her partner. It was a little short of notice for my comfort level, but it was done in time, with photos left over that I can still create pages to add later. She also said she'd commission me to create more as time goes on, so this was a nice little project on the side.
This month's craziness isn't coming to a halt yet, but it is slowing down. This week (Thursday) and the weekend I will celebrate my birthday but beyond that? I have some breathing room. I hope to be back here more frequently.
Yes, yes, I know I've said that before, but I mean it! I have so many things to share, to talk about, to show you. I have missed so many 10 things on the 10th and Storytelling Sundays. I have so much to get caught up on!
So... I will see you soon!
April 23, 2012
Getting Old(er)...
Wow. The weekend was a rough one. Some major life events going on. While I did have a scrapbooking crop scheduled for Saturday, it was interrupted with a few things.
First, the youngest Girl tested for her driver's license. Yikes! This is my last "baby" and she's trying to drive? Well, I got a reprieve, much to her tearful dismay. She did not pass her first time 'round. That gives us a few more weeks to work on the finer details in the car she's testing in. This is my first child (of three) to be EAGER to grow up and want to do the things that "normal" teenagers typically want to do. The older two had to be brought into adulthood kicking and screaming.
I'm not sure which is better. The over-ambitious desire to grow up or the complete reluctance to grow up.
Another major part of my Saturday was spent looking at studio apartments for The Boy. He will soon be 23 and I think it's time for him to try his wings out. This place is AWESOME. It's actually a sort of communal living setup. It's for artists (of all types - music, theatre, painting, photography, etc.) and it's set up in an old school building. The school was built in the 1800's so the original part of it is just beautiful. They have kept many of the features of the school in the studios... original wood flooring, chalkboards, brick... and the ceilings are 14 foot high with nearly floor to ceiling windows. We were able to look at many of the studios - those that are already occupied and those that are still under construction. If I were 23 I'd be jumping through flaming hoops to get a spot there!
Check it out (these are just two samples of the different varieties of studios there):
Of course, The Boy is not as eager. Dragging his feet is an understatement. We found a vacancy there at the beginning of March and he didn't contact them until last week to express his interest. Of course, the vacancy was filled the Day Before he contacted them. Can you say "internal screaming"?
It was his job to follow up with them with a thank you and an expression of interest in being put on a wait list for one of the studios still under construction. I don't know if he did it. He won't tell me. I guess I'm being too nosy. But Inquiring Moms NEED to know! *sigh* It's killing me to pull back, but pull back I must.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me... both with the apartment situation and the driving situation. I'm split down the middle on how I feel about all of this, and my emotions are roiling... one minute I'm frustrated with the lack of progress, and the next minute I'm teary-eyed because I can't handle the inevitable changes.
Through all of that, I did settle down some on Saturday evening (scrapbooking) and Sunday (visiting with a friend and then warming the couch for many, many... many hours).
But I'm really starting to feel... as the kids get older... that I'm just getting old.
First, the youngest Girl tested for her driver's license. Yikes! This is my last "baby" and she's trying to drive? Well, I got a reprieve, much to her tearful dismay. She did not pass her first time 'round. That gives us a few more weeks to work on the finer details in the car she's testing in. This is my first child (of three) to be EAGER to grow up and want to do the things that "normal" teenagers typically want to do. The older two had to be brought into adulthood kicking and screaming.
I'm not sure which is better. The over-ambitious desire to grow up or the complete reluctance to grow up.
Another major part of my Saturday was spent looking at studio apartments for The Boy. He will soon be 23 and I think it's time for him to try his wings out. This place is AWESOME. It's actually a sort of communal living setup. It's for artists (of all types - music, theatre, painting, photography, etc.) and it's set up in an old school building. The school was built in the 1800's so the original part of it is just beautiful. They have kept many of the features of the school in the studios... original wood flooring, chalkboards, brick... and the ceilings are 14 foot high with nearly floor to ceiling windows. We were able to look at many of the studios - those that are already occupied and those that are still under construction. If I were 23 I'd be jumping through flaming hoops to get a spot there!
Check it out (these are just two samples of the different varieties of studios there):
Of course, The Boy is not as eager. Dragging his feet is an understatement. We found a vacancy there at the beginning of March and he didn't contact them until last week to express his interest. Of course, the vacancy was filled the Day Before he contacted them. Can you say "internal screaming"?
It was his job to follow up with them with a thank you and an expression of interest in being put on a wait list for one of the studios still under construction. I don't know if he did it. He won't tell me. I guess I'm being too nosy. But Inquiring Moms NEED to know! *sigh* It's killing me to pull back, but pull back I must.
Please keep your fingers crossed for me... both with the apartment situation and the driving situation. I'm split down the middle on how I feel about all of this, and my emotions are roiling... one minute I'm frustrated with the lack of progress, and the next minute I'm teary-eyed because I can't handle the inevitable changes.
Through all of that, I did settle down some on Saturday evening (scrapbooking) and Sunday (visiting with a friend and then warming the couch for many, many... many hours).
But I'm really starting to feel... as the kids get older... that I'm just getting old.
April 17, 2012
I Bring You Proof...
Hello!
I have been mentioning for quite some time now that I have spent time creating this year. Lots of creative crops and time spent in my scrapbook room. And I have failed to show you anything of what I have been playing with.
So today, I present to you, my Recipe Project.
It is a goal of mine to use this year to weed out recipes that I, and my family, really love, and then keep them in one location instead of spread out in various recipe books, on Pinterest, on scraps of paper, etc. So, I decided to create some homemade recipe albums that eventually the kids can fight over.
Hah.
I like 'em, anyway:
I'm very excited for how they turned out. Now I just need to get off my duff and get the recipes IN them... and get rid of the rest of the recipe "clutter"!
I have been mentioning for quite some time now that I have spent time creating this year. Lots of creative crops and time spent in my scrapbook room. And I have failed to show you anything of what I have been playing with.
So today, I present to you, my Recipe Project.
It is a goal of mine to use this year to weed out recipes that I, and my family, really love, and then keep them in one location instead of spread out in various recipe books, on Pinterest, on scraps of paper, etc. So, I decided to create some homemade recipe albums that eventually the kids can fight over.
Hah.
I like 'em, anyway:
I'm very excited for how they turned out. Now I just need to get off my duff and get the recipes IN them... and get rid of the rest of the recipe "clutter"!
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