Working Moms and scrapbooking: A space and time dilemma

HIYA!
The last friday of June! Aeeee!
Where did my favorite month go?
It's been so CRAZY here!
I'm working 10 hour days and on my days off I have to do the laundry, the grocery shopping, the last minute scrapbook assignment finishing(not a good way to work AT ALL) and squeeze in Mom and wife time as well.

A page I made for the Gauche Alchemy newletter.
New washi prints are in at the Gauche shop! Thereare also new individual rolls available.
Swing by and check out the offerings! Gauche Alchemy on ArtFire.

I had NO IDEA how organized and truly amazing some of my favorite bloggers where till I tried working full time myself.

WAIT! Before I annoy a lot of people- being a Mom is full time but my two year old naps twice a day. I used nap times to do the chores so my evenings and weekends were free.
Well no more!

I'm on my feet most of the day- when I get home all I want to do is lie down and feel sorry for my poor exploded feet.

THANK YOU Aerosoles! I found shoes I can stand on for hours.  Soft soled, comfortable leather
and the color is awesome- yes they still look sort of grandma like but WHATEVER!
I need my feet TILL I am a grandma! :)

I'm having so much fun it's hard to admit I'm letting people down. The work I'm making could be better, the family wants me to PAY ATTENTION, my friends are all wondering where the heck I went.
Something has to give.
I salute the women who "play this game" every day- you are AWESOME! You are MORE than AWESOME!
You are heros.

AAAA!!! LOVE!!!! From gifbin.com

I'm currently working on a schedule of ALL my time and how I spend it.
I can't believe how much awful tv I watch and how much time internet shopping eats up!
The click through time and the waiting for photos to load is also telling me I need update my computer.
And my shopping was already a problem so it's getting cut off from the schedule entirely! (Except for Two Peas newsletters. I need to keep up somehow!)

I'm a hard worker but even scrapbooking can turn into a chore if you have to schedule it in.

Chevron paper is from my LLS- I believe it's intended for invitations.
I used my Smash tape for the first time- the machine is kinda flimsy but I love it anyway.

Is that the world's smallest violin playing JUST for me?
I take that jammy and SMASH it on the floor! Like THIS: SMASH SMASH!!!
No. self. pity!
I'm gonna WIN at this working Mom stuff!
All I need is a better schedule and I must admit- a strict routine.
Instead of seeing that as a bad thing I will remember I don't HAVE to scrapbook- that I love it and that  routine will enable me to keep doing it and getting better at it (which was my goal with this blog and with joining DTs in the first place)

So wonderful friday readers- what do YOU do to ensure you create consistently? Any hints on scheduling or organizing your space for most efficiency? Let's chat!!

So this is why I got myself into the busy mess I'm currently in.
Family.
The number 1 priority.

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Punky Scraps Get Picky Challenge

The Punky Scraps Challenge this week is AMAZING! A beautiful sketch by fellow punk scrapper Marie  Misson means you have a great chance to create something truly unique- see?

This sketch can be taken into all sorts of directions. I took a quick peek at fellow Punky Scrapper Elin's page and it's GORGEOUS!!! She used lots of misting and paint. I wish I were more brave on that front.  I wanted to take advantage of the negative space and wanted to use two simple photos with stitching all around the border but then I realized there was just one photo I wanted to use right away- this one:

 My Mom laughs and cracks jokes left and right but rarely smiles for the camera. She actually grimaces as if the camera really was going to steal her soul. She was ready to throttle me during our trip because I kept reshooting group shots hoping her "Lets get this over with" look would go away. It never did except for this photo.

Happiness is... Anticipation.
MATERIALS: Sassafras Lass Sunshine Broadcast paper and circle stickers, Crate Paper and Studio Calico border stickers,  American Crafts alphas, Maya Road calendar transparancies, Elle's Studio circle journaling tag and 2011 banner, & Gypsies ticket

Here's the set up. We were on our way to Letty's wedding ceremony. There is a boat involved and the waves are cresting so naturally Mom's FREAKING OUT. Mom hates boats. Mom hates new places. Mom hates having all the people she loves traveling through water in the same small boat in a foreign country. Yet somehow I captured the smile. Insert grateful prayer here.

The journaling is an allusion to the days she has left before she retires. The number is totally wrong since I have the memory of a punch drunk fruit bat but I wanted to capture something she said to me recently which really affected me. She came over during her lunch break to visit Lola and declared: "I sat down today and made numbers. I am happy to say I only have-insert actual number here- left of work!"
"WOOO HOOO!" I said. All the while worrying- will she reach her retirement dream of buying a house in Puerto Rico? Will she finally be happy and at peace there? Will she be lonely or have problems driving in the twisty country roads? How will I know she's safe? I was looking forward and getting anxious instead of being happy for her right now.

The future- as Shakespeare said- is the undiscovered country. Well, perhaps he meant death. But as death awaits us all it is the future we worry over and the future we should leave be.

Been meaning to join favorite scrapper Margrethe (Papirdiva) on this challenge.
Since I'm late to the party I will start today on the prompt for day 12 and keep going
 until September 11th- a day where I could use the prompt to focus on "something fun".

MuChoS SmOoChEs!
Michelle

Teething, Flu shots and separation anxiety- OH MY!

Impatience runs deep within my family- why wait when you can get it all done NOW so you can get back to reading "Emma"?? (For the 5th time!) Knowing Lola had that particular string of letters within her genetic code I should not have been surprised to see not 1, not 2, but FOUR new teeth. Add three "12 month" vaccinations, her rising separation anxiety and you've got THE PERFECT STORM. 

I've heard Moms talk about it but being an ignorant firsty, I always thought they were exaggerating. Silly human!!! My normally quiet, smiley and self soothing tot is now a nexus of dissatisfaction and seething rage I didn't think I was going to experience till AT LEAST year 12. Put her down- CRY, Pick her up- CRY. Bottle? CRY. Raisins? CRY. Beans and avocado (her fave)- CRY!!!!! CRY CRY CRYYYYYYYY!! What kind of of Momma am I? DO SOMETHING!!!! Sing! Dance! Cry along? Pass out in terror? 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

It's been hard but I don't have 4 teeth cutting my gums to ribbons so I don't get to complain. WOMAN UP chica!!!!

Then Grandma visits and thank goodness- SILENCE. Giggles, pitter patter- peace.

So this entry was SUPPOSED to be about my newly invented BEEF STEW but I've decided to give a huge HUGE shout out to my FABULOUS Moms instead. My Mom Teresa and my Mom Reyna. These women are awesome Abuelas. Patient, gentle, accepting, FIERCE defenders of Lola in ways I can only aspire to match. I watch in awe- women who don't smile at my cheesy antics LOVE my baby- love her wholly and unconditionally. It's such a blessing to see that and know that they looked at my husband and I that way too- once- before we cut school to hang with our boyfriends (me) or came home puking drunk with our high school buddies (him). So last week, (before THE EVIL happened) I made a page for each and I tried to include things I knew they would like- lace, flowers, and the colors pink and blue. Love you Mom. Love you Reyna!!!!

3 bellas Nietas. Para Reyna- una Grandma sin igual.

Just The 2 of Us. For my Mama whom I love and appreciate with all my might!!

Thank you- gracias!!

AAAAAAAAAND MUCHOS SMOOCHES!!!