Creating this Fall...

For a craft teacher, Fall is the busiest season.  Or, well, it is for me!  When Fall pops up, I find myself crazy busy with all sorts of different classes both in person and online.  But it's not just the classes that bring chaos to my life, it's the creating and keeping them all straight!

A few months ago, my friend Susan, bought me a 'Projects Notebook'.  It's set up so that you can list the things you need for each project and then refer back to them easily.  I tried to use the notebook and I think the set up is great, I just need it bigger and well, I need someone else to write it for me!!  I'm just not that type of crafter.  Although, I must say... when I do write directions (all my Copic in person classes come with directions as well as all my online classes have printable and downloadable PDF files)  I spend a good deal of time making sure they are accurate and step by step.  I have used the notebook on occasion to write something in it so that I remember to type it up later, so it's not all a waste.  And someday, I'm going to type the format of the notebook into a Word document so that I can use it more often. 

Anyhow, one of my biggest problems is how long it takes me to actually create.  First, it's finding the stuff.  Yes, I have everything organized but no, it's never clean!  And then the creative process.  For me, it takes a while to get started.  Like a cold car on a winter morning, it takes a little bit of time to warm up.  But once it's running, I can swoop down and run like the wind. 

OK, that is until the wind hits a brick wall - usually the brick wall is anyone or anything that interrupts me.  And when I say anyone or anything, I mean it.  I've got two sister's expecting their first babies in the next couple of months, so they have been known to pop by for a visit.  I have a Mom who works here in town and she's been known to stop by unexpectedly (well, sometimes she texts first but I swear sometimes she texts from my driveway!) and always visits on Friday's - most of the day.  I have my Weight Watcher's meetings, my Zumba classes (which I LOVE!), Thursday's belong to my hubby since he is usually home all day.  Monday morning's I signed up to volunteer for Caleb's classroom library time at school.  I LOVE to volunteer, it's so rewarding plus seeing my kids at school interacting with their friends, I just love the experience...  And the 90 minutes flies by.  All that plus whatever else happens leaves very little time to actually create.  Which frustrates, saddens and sometimes angers me.  I love to do it but I just can't seem to get to it.  Just like any other crafting Mom out there, it's tough to fit it into your schedule between laundry, dishes, homework, after school activities (my boys are currently just in scouts), keeping house, paying bills, groceries and whatever else needs doing.  No wonder I'm tired!

Over the next few months, I'll be planning two baby showers, hosting several Tastefully Simple parties and events (did I mention that I'm a consultant for them too? Yup, and this Fall's catalog is fabulous.  People are loving all the goodies they came out with this year!), teaching at the Scrapbook Cupboard, teaching online through MCC, being my Sister's birthing coach and so many more things I just can't wrap my head around it all.

Tomorrow, I'm going to post my upcoming classes.  I've got quite a few on the books and want to make sure everyone gets a chance to see!