Third Thursday Blog Hop: Balance with Scrapbooking

Which weighs more 100 lbs. of feathers or 100 lbs. of bricks?

They weigh the same they are both 100 lbs.  It doesn't matter the contents or size of the weight, 100 pounds is 100 pounds.  Who does more work a stay at home mom or a working mom?  They are both busy from 8-5 with extra work overflowing in to the evening and a laundry pile that never goes away.

Balance, one of the greatest challenges of motherhood, your job is to serve your family and the list of tasks is never ending and the number of interruptions is endless.  Whats important is to make time for yourself and your own interests.  

One interest I have is scrapbooking.  I was hesitant to jump in to scrapbooking because of huge amount of stuff that comes with it.  Then a friend introduced me to a new trend digital scrapbooking.  Its genius!  You have your pictures digital and you download JPEG papers, and PNG elements, in kits to make your pages using either digital scrapbook software such as My Memories or a photo editing program like Photoshop. I use GIMP, an opensource photoshop like program, its free!  When you are done with the pages you can print them at one of several digi-scrap printing stores, my favorite being Persnickity Prints.  

ABCs, Digilicious Designs

My Life, Nibbles Scribbles

What helps me guard this "me time" is that I work for 2 designer on their creative teams.  I make pages and promote their products in exchange for free products.  This gives me a schedule to make sure I'm getting some "me time" to scrap.  I get my books caught up and they get their products promoted.  Its also let me gain practical skills I can transfer for other graphic design projects as well.  Now if only I could turn it in to a paying work-from-home job...

I share my scrap pages at CyScraps!

Pretty as Peacocks Digilicious Design

Check out some of the other Hearts at Home bloggers 

as they share about finding balance in their lives. 

Scrapbook Saturday: Whoo you looking at?

Its exciting to watch Caleb grow up and for Lydia to interact with him more.  Its more common now form them to giggle back and forth in the car while we drive somewhere and even at home they are playing together and sharing toys.  If Caleb is unhappy Lydia will find one of his baby toys and bring it to him to make him happy.

Credits: Page Kit- Digilicious Designs Giggles and Hoot, Template Scrappy Cocoa

Scrapbook Saturday: Lydia's First Year

Today there is a bonus I have a 2 page spread to share.  Scroll Down for Close-Ups of each page.

In Decemeber I happened upon this kit, that you downloaded a section everyday and at the end you had enough to scrap an entire year. I was excited to use it for annual highlights. Not long ago I found this template that was made for annual highlights and had the months labeled. So enjoy Lydia's first year. I started in Feburary and went through her 1^st birthday instead of starting at her birth.

Credits: Devine Year by Digilicious Designs, Template Year in Review by Mandagirl