It’s been a crazy week.  Lots of deadlines, a week off for the kids, a party hosted over the weekend and beginning the process of moving each of the kids into a new bedroom.  Yet somehow, on Sunday, the house began to wind down and everyone kicked into “relax” mode.  The kids settled into playing quietly, hubby was happily reading the paper, and all was good in the world. Yes, of course the to-do list was still long and alive.  But then, that’s life isn’t it?  There is always something responsible that needs to get done- something that “ought” to be started or finished. But, I think it’s just as important to
do the “want-tos”  The fun stuff. You have to stop and recharge with activities that have no purpose other than they make you happy.  Put you at peace. Center you.

I have found however, for me, the secret is you have to make a to-do list to be able to not-do.  If I want to be able to take a creative time out- I need to plan for it. A Blueprint for Creative Free Time. So, here’s what’s on my to-do list so I can really enJoy my free time:

First, I need to have my scrap room in some sort of order so I don’t get side tracked into “organizing.” Actually, sometimes I just enjoy the organizing- and that will be my creative release.  Just rearranging and organizing and displaying all my pretty things…  sometimes that in itself is fun.  But no matter what, I always try to have my room in order.

Having my photos uploaded onto the computer and in a file is on my running to do list. I have a file of photos “to order” so that when a sale hits at one of the online shops like Shutterfly or Snapfish- I just have to upload and not spend the night hunting for photo before the sale ends.

Having my inspiration close at hand- so if I need a spark- it’s close at hand.  I have a big board i post photos that are inspiring me right now and a few notebooks as well.  One is home to photos that get me thinking of projects i’d like to do.  Layouts, designs, color combinations.  it’s a big book of eye candy.  I also have Pinterest Boards that fill me with ideas-  some of the the scrapping layouts there are just jaw dropping. And I have a notebook of stories from my everyday life I’d like to capture in a layout.  That is my favorite “go-to” resource- and I work hard to keep it full.  Not that it’s hard to write the sentence or two- but it is something I make a conscious effort to do by carrying the little book with me in my bag.

Now, truth told, after a week like I had, when free time presented itself, as much as I wanted to scrap- I also just wanted to veg in front of the TV. And I thought about it.  But then I thought, what would I be happier at having done at the end of the day?  Watching some reruns or spending time creating?  Capturing? Remembering? Going into my little craft room was an easy choice because I planned for this spontaneous time.  All was in place for me to just sit down, turn on the tunes and get right to enjoying the process of creating.  The planets were aligned- not by some miracle- but because of effort on my part. And that made it possible for me to  do what I wanted to do. Scrap happy.