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: Table Time

Lydia has hit a new milestone, she has an imagination.  She has named her animals and plays little scenes with them.  Before EQUIP she emptied her backpack and arranged the things on her table to play with and then proceeded to ask mommy to play with each thing with her.  First we colored in her coloring book, then we each read a board book, and took turns on the mangna-doodle.  Mommy even surprised her with a new activity, Play-dough!  

Design Credits: Nibbles Scribbles Primary Mini Kit & Apples to Zebras Kit, Template #162 from Tiggconn's Scrap Designs, and Alphabet Sunshine Sticker Alphabet from Sahlin Studio.   

Scrapbook Saturday: Names

I"m working on making special book for each of the kids.  I"m including their birth as well as other special and significant things.  These pages explain why we named them what we did.  I wanted to use the letter paper from their initials.

One of the Scrapbook Designers I like is having give aways and goodies on her blog right now because its her birthday.  She is offering a coupon for every 5 layouts posted made with selected kits.  I made these 2 pages using Nibbles Scribbles From Apples to Zebras Kit.