Saturday, March 10, 2012

DHD Blog Hop


Finding Time to Scrapbook
I'm not even going to go off on what a bad blogger I am - Let's just get to the point of this post. You are here as part of a blog hop for Design House Digital and I am glad you stopped by. I have a goodie to share with you if you scroll to the bottom of this post you will find a link to grab a template I created for you. I don't know about you but I LOVE templates. They are one of the greatest tools to help you scrap more quickly. Lately I have not b
een scrapbooking very much and that makes me kind of sad. I thought I'd brainstorm

for a few minutes here with you about ways to find more time to scrapbook. We all know that there are just 24 hours in a day and that we can't really create more time but what we can do is choose how we manage that time. Hopefully, we will spend our time on what matters most. Sometimes there are crises in our lives and that will completely shift how we spend our time. Let's talk about "normal" life though - the regular day in and day out life. Is scrapbooking really important to us? Do we really want to scrapbook? If we do, then we will make time for it.


Schedule: It may require that we actually schedule it into our life routine. Perhaps there is a certain day of the week when we can actually plan on some quiet, down-time where we can get some scrapbooking done. Or does your family have a habit of watching a movie together at home on the weekend? If your family doesn't mind, maybe you can use your laptop to scrapbook while you are all together "watching" a movie. I know that often my family doesn't really choose a movie that appeals to me and so just being with them in the same room to "listen" to the movie rather than actually watch it can often be an option for me. So take a minute to look at your schedule and routines and see if there is a time where it would be natural to do some scrapbooking.

Streamline: Perhaps you really do have a super tight schedule and feel like there is just not enough time to scrapbook. This is when you look at what things in your life are taking up all your time. Is there anything that you can let go of? Is there a way to streamline some of the things that are keeping you from scrapbooking that will then create a window of time for you? See if you can free up some time and then don't let something else claim it. You created this time for your scrapbooking so use it for that!

Stay focused: How many times have you sat down to the computer with every intention of scrapbooking only to loose track of your time and not have any time left to scrapbook? You know the drill - you check your email, look at your Facebook, read a few blogs, do I even dare mention Pinterest? click one hyperlink and then another and before long you have spent all your free time. If you have scheduled this time for scrapbooking, then use it for that and then when you have completed your page or project you can allow yourself to stray from photoshop and check out the goings-on elsewhere on the computer.

Motivation: Maybe what we are lacking is inspiration or creativity and that is what is keeping us from scrapping but then we just blame it on not having the time to do it. If you are like me you don't like to admit that you have lost your MOJO. Sometimes I am able to pull myself out of my funk by joining in a challenge like the ones we have at DHD. Sometimes I will just browse the gallery and find a LO that I like and use it for inspriation. Sometimes all I have to do is browse the shop and see all the great products and then I just can't wait to get started.

Shortcuts: Find ways that make scrapbooking easier for you. Use quick pages or templates. I am giving you a template just for stopping by today and hopefully you will enjoy it. You can pick it up HERE and if you need a password use tiffanyqp


Here is my layout I based my template off of.


Collect your letter for the hop..... Mine is "E"

And if you made it this far reading the post.... Want to win a $5 Gift Certificate to DHD? Leave a comment on this blog post and I will do a drawing Wednesday, March 14. You can share your favorite way to make time for scrapbooking or just say "thanks" for the template or whatever. Winner will be posted and notified Thursday morning, March 15.

Your next stop is the blog of Wendy Betz.
If by chance you missed where the blog hop started go to the DHD site HERE.
Pssst... I may be just a tad ahead of the blog hop so if you don't see the other postings live yet be patient and please check back.

65 comments:

Yam said...

love the DHD blog hops!thanks

CBH said...

Thank you so much for this post. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in CBH Digital Scrapbooking Freebies, under the Page 4 post on Mar. 11, 2012. Thanks again.

Tiffany said...

I'm actually lucky to have a couple hours each day when my son is in preschool, and I can do a little scrapping then. And I've been avoiding Pinterest for exactly the reason you mentioned!! Thanks for the chance to win!

Katherine Bley said...

LOVE DHD blog hops!

meagan43 said...

thanks!
My was to get scrapbooking time in is to participate in Challenges. If I plan to do 6-10 challenges a month, I continue to get pages done.

Deloris said...

Fun hop! Thanks for the chance to win!

Tammy said...

Thank you so much for this gorgeous template! I will have time to scrap again once I get taxes done. I will work on taxed once I get through this blog hop! Got to have priorities!

LindaHAZ said...

My favorite way to make time to scrapbook is to schedule it in my dayplanner and to include a friend. Even if its only for an hour or two at least I have that time set aside! posted by Linda H Phx AZ

Beatricemi said...

Like Meagan, I use the challenges as motivation. Thanks for the chance.

Jennybean said...

I just finished reorganizing the basement to be a play room and craft room.. that way the boys can play right next to me while I scrap!

Jen said...

Thank you for the template!

idahorhodes said...

tHANKS!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the chance to win.

Melanie said...

Thanks for the template!

JanFRN said...

I like to do my scrapbooking while I'm watching TV. Right now, it's difficult for me to do anything on my laptop in the afternoons because of where the sun is - right in my face! But being a shiftworker can be an advantage in this situation because I have time when I'm home all alone!

sts2000 said...

Scheduling a specific time is helpful - otherwise life happens and it never gets done. Thanks for the template.

Liz said...

Thank you so much for your blog post. It's something that a lot of us have to deal with. Sometimes I find the time but no motivation. Most of the time, it's a lack of time. Thank you for the wonderful template!

Janet said...

Thanks for the template!

treasureBachs said...

Thanks for the template!

MamaBug said...

Great template! Thanks!

Janneke said...

Thanks Tiffany for the template and the tips on finding more time to be creative. My probablem is staying focused AND getting into the mojo. I will be using your tips.

kiala said...

Lovely template, Thank you!

Rarole said...

Thanks for the template. And thanks for the reminder that unless we plan to do it - we will never have time.

Andrea B said...

Thank you so much for the chance, and for the inspiration!

Demetria said...

Thanks for the template... I try to scrap during my free time. Im single, so there is typically alot of that

Unknown said...

Thank you soooo very much!!!!

xo,
Candi
candice1973(at)comcast(dot)net

Jan said...

Thanks for the template.

Bright Eyes said...

so much fun on this blog trip. Thanks

Else49 said...

Thank you so much for the template.

Rhadonda said...

Thanks tons for the template. I am still learning.

♥ Audrey ♥ said...

Thanks for the template~

Melissa L. said...

I really appreciate the template -- templates are huge time-savers for me. I'm new to digi-scrapping and find that if I don't do it at least a couple days a week, I "lose" what I've learned so far. It's not easy. We're all busy, but just need to re-prioritize sometimes. Blessings!!

Jennifer B. said...

thank you!

grannymike said...

Fun blog hop! Thanks so much for the nice template and the scrapping hints.

stampgram said...

I tend to be a night owl so I do most of my scrapping after everyone else is in bed. Thanks for the template...love it. And thanks for a chance to win.

stampgram said...

Tweeted it too. https://twitter.com/#!/stampgram/status/179357989784928256

auntbeffy said...

I try to find time to scrap (and everything else) after my 3 kids go to bed...maybe I'll get tons more done if my youngest goes to preschool this fall! Thanks for the adorable template--I think I could use this over and over with some minor changes on each one.

Teresa said...

Thanks for a chance to win! I have to schedule it in.

Mary M. said...

Love the hop.

Melanie - The Paper Retreat said...

Thanks so much for the freebie template! Love it!

Michelle said...

Thanks for the chance to win!

Kay S. said...

Thank you so much for the template and the inspiration.

Justine said...

i find being given a time limit like in speed scrap (that i impose on myself some nights because i can't always make scheduled crops), after a few minor blocks of planning time (pulling out photos and then a kit in between toddler activities as a SAHM) helps me - if i start looking through my stash for the perfect button or ribbon etc, pages take me hours but if i stick to a kit, it's a lot quicker and still a pretty good page

Anonymous said...

i do challenges at the different forums as a way keep my mojo and stretch myself in scrapbooking. thanks for sharing your wonderful template.
jg
moltenwavesatyahoodotcom

Nessa In Texas! said...

Thanks for being in the DHD blog hop!! Love your work!

ScrapperSkiNTX@hotmail.com

Vanessa Austin

Anonymous said...

What a pretty page! Thanks for the chance to win. If I'm not in the mood to craft then no amount of coaxing will help - I'll even clean bathrooms to put it off. Look - I could be crafting now but I'm reading about other people crafting *sigh* It'll happen when it happens. (bit like the dusting LOL) Maybe I should just unplug the internet!

Nadia said...

Thank you for the lovely template and for the opportunity to win!

Melinda said...

Time hasn't been too nice to me, so much to do and so little time to do it all! But you're right, if its really important, we'll make time for it! Thanks for the tips and motivation! Oh, and thanks for the template, too!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the tips :) - my favorite way to make time for scrapping is to break my scrapping work flow into 5-minute pieces, and scrap in 5 minute segments!

Paula said...

Thank you so much for the beautiful template! And also for this chance to win the GC to DHD!

Bernadette said...

Couldn't we all do with extra hours each day! Challenges usually keep me on track.

Soco said...

Thank you for the gift and for this chance!

Heather D. said...

Thank you for the freebie and tips! I really need to get back to scrapping...digital or otherwise :-)

Chalane said...

Thanks for the article/tips. Something that I try to remember with scrapbooking is ask myself, "which is more important? that it is PERFECT or that it is DONE?" So I constantly remind myself, "PERFECT or DONE?"

I usually come down on the side of DONE, though my A-type personality languishes for PERFECT!!!

THANKS also for the chance to win the gift certificate!

Chalane said...

I linked this post on my FB page and invited my FRIENDs to come on ova!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/mischalaney

THANKS again!

Tiffmc said...

Thanks Tiffany from another Tiffany for a great template and a chance to win!

Tiffani said...

Thank you!

tape said...

Great ideas! TFS.

Claudia said...

Thanks for the amazing tips. I struggle with finding time to scrap! This is definitely helpful. Thank you for the chance to win a GC!

Arielle H Gordon said...

Love your page - thanks so much for the awesome template!!!

Shay said...

Thank you so much for the tips and for the pretty template!

Phanti said...

Thank you for the template and the collab, both are awesome!

ScrappyMama said...

I'm not very good at focusing & I really, really wanna/need to work on that...I let myself get too easily distracted by...Blog Hops (for example!!!) EEK!!!!!

Lainie said...

Great advice and nice template. Thank you

Kait said...

Thank you for the great template and awesome tips!