Recently a sweet friend posted a comment on my blog stating she did not know how I had time to do the layouts that I do. She knows how utterly busy I am these days with five children in tow, one being a precious yet needy infant. What she does not know is how much I have pared down my creative schedule. Don’t get me wrong, I do take time to get creative. But I challenge myself to get the components of a project done in small increments of time. It’s almost a game for me.
So today I want to share my list of eleven things done in eleven minutes or less in 2011. (Did you like that?) They are listed in no particular order.
1. Upload photos to computer from camera. I have to admit, I can hang on to a bucket load of pictures on my memory card. But I have a need to get better at doing this on a timely basis. That said, it still does not take but a little bit of time to get them uploaded and in their proper folders.
2. Make a cup of coffee on the Keurig. {wink}
3. Clear project table from last project. This is a must. I simply can’t think with scraps leftover from a previous creative party.
4. Brainstorm. I am on the couch a lot nursing that baby. The ideas can flow if I purposely think about what I want to do next. Helps to keep sketch books or pads all over the place to house those ideas as they fall out of the sky.
5. Make a sketch. I have become more dependent on these as my time is more limited. A creative binder is always handy to place my visual inspirations as well as graph paper for the actual sketch. Always a great source of much needed inspo.
6. Read a blog post. For me I have honed down several must see daily blogs to just a few. I really try not to wander too far off my list. Setting a timer can keep me from loitering for too long.
7. Write a blog post. Again, I feel redundant here, but this has changed over the past several months too. And it is a way for me to stay connected to the creative world by taking a little time to share some thoughts via a few words and a photo or two.
8. Take inventory of supplies and keep a running list. Keeps me focused when I do get out to shop, or see sales. And too I know what I am low on.
9. Take a photo of yourself in the mirror. Cause we the family photographers do not do this enough. Just sayin’.
10. Declutter inspo board. You know it can get out of hand sometimes, and it just takes a little bit of time to discard the old and clean it up a bit.
11. On the subject of declutter: I set the timer and declutter supplies. It might be paper, letter stickers, chipboard, whatever. I don’t try to do all my supplies, just a section at a time. Keeps things in order and updated, and ready for me when there is a larger portion of time to create!
Hoping these ideas of how to use little bits of time are helpful to you and your artistic pursuits. Now go forth and create!
For each album, I used a some past Work In Progress kits. Picked out my favorite pattern papers, covered the front & back covers, used my favorite border punches & even stitched together. I kept with the same design for simplicity & I LOVE how they turned out!!!
I used the January add-on kit for my 2010 album. As you will see, 2009 is not pictured. I'm not sure what I did with those cards, but now, I'm on a mission to find them so I can complete this project!
I couldn't resist using this pretty mix of brown & blue together...love the feel of the cover, so soft! These papers are from the November kit.
The December kit was used for 2007, which I just LOVE LOVE LOVE to death!!!
Here are a few images of what the cards look like inside. For each year, I placed our Christmas card at the beginning of each album.
I added an envelope at the back of the inside cover to store all the newsletters received as well.
I love how they all turned out & using past kits for this project. You really do get a lot of product to spark your creativity!!
This idea 
