Weekly Awareness: Creating in a Place of My Own

I have always love to craft.  That was easily my favorite part of Girl Scouts, and I always relished art day at school.  My mom was a crafter, too, and I remember many hours spent spread out over the kitchen table, sharing scissors and glue and ribbon and yarn.

As an adult, I've gone through my craftier times...I was on a huge Christmas ornament kick for a few years.  I've done needlework and I've made jewelry.  Over the past 10 or so years, though, I've leaned much more towards the realm of stationery and scrapbooking.

I tend to work in the kitchen...but that largely means I'm working at night, after the girls are in bed and my chores are done.  That's all fine...but the downside is that I have to pull everything out, and then put it all away at the end of the night.  I tend not to get my goodies out very often, unless I have a large chunk of time I can dedicate, as it's not been worth the spread-out and clean-up hassle.

I finally decided this week to act on something I've been thinking about for a long time.

I moved my scrapbooking supplies (which are nicely organized in several flat-bottomed totes [31 brand]) to our upstairs guest room.  We have an antique dresser there that sits low to the floor...about the height of the bed...and I'd been dreaming about spreading out there, working on my knees.

While I have missed having all my paper and punches downstairs a time or two, during crafting with the girls, I've gotten so much scrapbooking done this week!

My goal has been to finish my BFF's scrapbook from the baby shower I hosted for her...almost 2 1/2 years ago...gulp.  I'm so proud to report that it's DONE!

For the first time in my scrapbooking career, I was able to do multiple layouts at once, so that everything would tie together.  Instead of having to pack everything away, though, risking the loss of my groove, I could leave the layouts, ready for final assembly.

I feel so accomplished at FINALLY having finished her book.  (I'll admit it was a big undertaking...I scrapped all THREE of her showers.)  Just as importantly, I had such a blast CREATING.  It's good for my soul, and -- given my new set-up -- there wasn't an undertone of dread at the process.

This is a good reminder to me...to be AWARE of the things that make me happy...and find ways to make those things happen.

I'm linking up with Marcia today for her CREATE challenge.  Thanks, Marcia, for the crafting inspiration...but even more for the constant inspiration to do things that make us happy.  :)

And of course I want to share a couple of my favorite layouts!

This is the shower I helped host.  The decorations were clothelines, strung with bibs and mittens and booties.  I love the clothesline I made of twine for the bottom pic, strung with miniature baby clothes!

I love the top left page, with the circular "belly" picture...Alison's hands, along with her mom's and sis's.  I also love the "tags" I made on the bottom left page, to note a couple of special foods / drinks.

Another clothesline on the bottom left page, and a nod to sock monkeys -- a special surprise gift -- on the bottom right page.

From Alison's family shower...she got an Alabama plate and cup set.  That inspired the houndstooth corners against the pink gingham.  LOVE!

Can you tell I had fun???