P. Kelly Smith
Welcome to Freebie Friday! Can you believe there’s only six weeks left in 2009? This realization hit me like a ton of bricks this week. Immediately I began to make a mental list of all things I haven’t done this year. Then I added all the things I still need to do. Sandwich two major holidays in there that each require travel, gift preparation, baking, decorating and, of course, exercising (pie is so not kind to the waistline) and you’ve got one busy schedule.
I enjoyed reading all of your comments from Brandy’s These Are the Days of Our Lives post. Who knew 341 people would have such strong opinions about the “right” time to decorate your home for Christmas? And while there were a few eager beavers out there, most of you said you must first give thanks the proper and traditional way. Once the turkeys have been carved and the last piece of pumpkin pie has been served, then you begin to wrap your heads around Christmas trees, shopping malls, busy airports and Santa’s eight little reindeer.
Can you tell I’m a little bit of a Scrooge? Don’t get me wrong…I love everything about Christmas. The sights, the smells, the hustling and bustling to get every present wrapped, every card signed and mailed. I just don’t want too much Christmas. I want to live in the now and enjoy the “gifts” that are ready to be unwrapped and savored today. Here’s a few of my favorites from a few of my favorite “gals”…
Happy Fall Card by Teri Anderson
November Card by Maren Benedict
Thank You Pumpkin Card by Kim Hughes
Glittered Pumpkin by Kim Kesti
Give Thanks Card by Betsy Veldman
Fall is in the Air Card by Jessica Witty
Aren’t these cards gorgeous? Isn’t it amazing what you stumble across when you’re not even looking? An unexpected gift. Our Paper Crafts Go-to Gals continue to inspire me with their unlimited creativity. If you’d like to learn more about these fall-themed cards, make sure to visit each of their blogs. (You’ll find links under our team blogroll.) To read more about these talented ladies, we just posted their bios and new headshots on our Paper Crafts web site. Click HERE to find out who moonlights as an movie extra, who has hand-illustrated over 50 stamp sets and who used to be a floral designer. I bet some of these gals will surprise you. They continue to surprise us every day.
Ready for today’s giveaway? I swear by my planner, my desk calendar, my little notebook of reminders and lists. They keep me sane (well, at least semi-sane) in an increasingly insane world. I believe organization is the key to enjoying the now and fitting in all the other stuff that can sometimes weigh us down. Leave a comment telling me your secret for juggling a busy life and how you make time to live in the now. I’ll pick two winners to receive Karen Foster Design’s Desktop Flip Calendar Kit AND their Calendar Creations Creative Kit. Why not paper craft and get organized at the same time?! All comments must be received by midnight (MST) on Sunday, Nov. 15.
Two lucky winners will take home this prize package from Karen Foster Design!
Happy Friday!
Kelly
P.S. Here’s another freebie for everyone! This holiday, we invite you to share the inspiration of paper crafting with a friend or relative–at a GREAT DEAL! Subscribe or renew your subscription to Paper Crafts at our special low rate and we’ll give a one-year gift subscription to a friend absolutely FREE! That’s two subscriptions for the price of one! This special holiday offer won’t last long…so click on over today! Offer valid in the U.S. only.
P.P.S. Make sure you stop by Moxie Fab World for the final day of Cath’s blogiversary celebration. She’s sharing some milestone stats, pictures of the team and some inspirational landscape photos that are oh, so moxie fab!
This one is hard for me because of trying to keep up not only with Thanksgiveing and Christmas so close add about 7 birthdays in those two months alone. A couple of years ago my daughter made me a holiday planner so I can keep track of all that needs to be done. So help myself relax from all that needs to be done I take the evenings to just sit back and watch a little TV to calm everything.
such great cards, i love teri andersons clean and simple look, very classic may have to copy it
So you want to know my secret for juggling a busy life and how I make time to live in the now? I don’t sleep. No really, I am a list maker and I often give myself permission to be less than perfect (but don’t tell my mother that).
Love the Fall cards. I need to add that to my list of to-dos, more cards. I have a couple of notebooks I write stuff in and I also add things to my cell phone so the alarm will remind me of things. I would love to win this prize, I love Karen Foster designs. Thanks for the chance to win.
My iPhone… calendar and to-do list via google. They finally sync together so I can stay sane!! Thanks for the chance to win!!
My trusty pink Blackberry and google calendar…I’d be lost without the two! I’m still a big fan of a giant calendar at home as a visual reminder, but its the reminders at 5am from Gmail that keep me goin!
I have calendars and lists everywhere! We have a huge calendar hanging in our office, one on my desk, one in the kitchen, two in my purse (one for 2009 and one for 2010), and lists of “to do” things everywhere!
Tough question – I have always told people that I “manage”. Basically I do what I can, keep lists of things as best I can (includes a list of things when I put away the winter gear and bring out summer stuff – like need new boots for my oldest etc). I tell my daughters to “remind” me as I know I cannot remember everything. I say NO and don’t do some housework when it is more important to do something with the kids/family. I do try to plan ahead and do lots when I feel motivated. Keeping healthy and having good friends helps with the stress.
I take time for me when i can. I try to also schedule in away from the house time. If i stay home all the time i think i go crazy. Even if that away from home time is a day at the park with my son.
Have a big dry erase board to WRITE down notes.
I have learned to say NO to things I know I really can’t do. We can’t do it all and be sane. Choose things that you know you will have time for and not be stressed about doing it.
I try to take time almost daily for me. I am a sahm and have to have some days where i stay in pjs and crap. (like yesterday) I have a list and keep to it. I am a time freak. I have to be 5+ minutes early for everything or i am LATE. My phone with its alarms helps me a lot. I have about 4 that go off almost everyday.
I also put everything into my Outlook calendar. That way when I log in everyday it automatically reminds of anything going on.
Its hard: having 2 kids, working long days, crafting
, over due bills!! Yikes well I have little pieces of paper everywhere and amazingly they help me a lot!!
I have a Dayplanner and make lists. Just writing things down helps me remember them. I also tell my family to remind me. My son always wanted to know why I told him to remind me, because the things I asked him to remind me, I always remembered. I told him, it was saying it out loud to him that helped me remember. LOL
My planner and my lists are my best friends when it comes to staying organized. I also have a dry erase board in the kitchen that I started using a little over a year ago. At the end of a week I plan our dinners for each night of the following week and write it on the board. Then I go to the grocery (once a week) to get what I need for those dinners. It’s great because this way I only have to think about dinner plans once a week instead of thinking every night—Hmmmm…what should we have for dinner tonight?
My secret is just to live in the moment.. i keep just one date planner with me.. although I keep forgetting to add the stuff!;).. but that’s all!.. pretty unorganized i guess.. but, that’s life!
I keep a thorough calendar. Everything goes on it. Also, sometimes I follow the Flylady program. That’s about it.
As much as I love paper crafting, I rely on my iPhone to keep organized. I have 3 calendars at home, mostly for looks.
The best way to stay organized for me is for my hubby and I to have our calendars synced. We use Google calendar and we can see each others calendars at all times on our iPhones. When we see an empty day we use that time to have family bonding or a date night
I wish I was organized and on top of things! I write down everything in my planner and wall calendar and that keeps appointments in line. I attempt to plan menus and prepare shopping lists and that certainly helps. I always have plenty of time to spend with my daughters and husband when he is at home.
I am not an organized person at all. We frequently are late or miss something entirely because we forgot. I could really use this!
I have a hard time enjoying life in the now…maybe if I was more organized?
I have multiple calendars, yip, I said multiple. The main one is in my phone, but I have 3 others that get updated in multiple places.
I don’t particularly have a way to keep organized except that I don’t schedule too much. The best way to get organized is to learn how to say no and then you will always have some quiet, relaxing time for yourself.
Blessings,
Christine
I have daily calender with a lot of notes!!! Check when I’m done, different color if important!
I’m so not organized! I have to have it written on the calendar or it just won’t happen! I definately can be productive the night prior to a deadline/event/ etc… I try not to worry about it, and what gets done is great and what doesn’t…well, who knows about it and who cares? When I’m in a crunch – a LIST!
I need to go make one!
I use a combination of a white board for notes, iCal for all our different schedules (work/personal), iPhone and lists (lots of lists). Oh, and the word “no”. That one’s a lifesaver sometimes!
I’m old fashioned I guess. I used to do a planner when I worked full time. But now a days with kids still only in grade school and only working part time, I use a calendar on the fridge.
For my crafting habits (of swapping like mad) I use a weekly planner so I can write down when I mailed swaps and dc numbers, etc. You know that’s the important stuff.
I always get a calendar at the start of the year and mark all the dates like birthdays, etc on the new calendar and then recycle my old calendar pages into envelope.
Jess
I am not organized. I just admitted that I need help. I us a calander and hand held organizer. I do good in some areas an not in others. Be incouraged. We can all do it.
I don’t have a secret and I’m not sure I’m doing a very good job of juggling my busy schedule. Right now we are harvesting so everything else takes second place to getting the crop in. One day at a time and a calendar for the rest (the calendar is on my desk but it is buried beneath bills, receipts and other misc. stuff). BUT….I would love to win some goodies so thanks for the opportunity!
Hah!! You make me laugh!! When I was working full time I could get things done and on-time!! But that all changed when I couldn’t work anymore. Without a day job, I can hardly remember what day it is! So I make lists. Lists for groceries, cleaning, laundry. Lists for my DH..altho he doesn’t like lists!! Too Bad! I make it through all the gift-making, card-making, shopping, gift-wrapping, baking, cleaning, and somehow find time for myself a long leisurely bath!!! All by Christmas Eve! I’m like a whirlwind! My DH says “Come to bed now, you’ve got to be tired”. I say, “I will”…on Dec. 26th. I used to be “Super Mom”..now I’m “Super Gramma”….can’t let the GDs down after all!!!
I use a calendar and remember OFTEN that if it all doesn’t get done, it’s not the end of the world!
I keep organized by writing everything down in my planner including household chores I need to do for the day! However, if something happens and my day doesn’t go as planned, so be it. I have learned that you can’t plan everything; life has a way of just happening!
I struggle with organization, but I do make sure to write down all kids’ activities, appts etc onto the calendar the minute I get them. Otherwise I forget!
Seriously, the only way I get things done is by using a calendar. And living in the here and now? I try to enjoy whatever I do (work around the house listening to music, books on tape, etc.).
I hope that I win the calendar and paper.
I need to write absolutely everything on a calendar (like wash the dog, grocery shop–even the little basics like this). I live in the moment by appreciating everything around me. Exercising–the trees and flowers. Gardening–the sunshine. Housework–the beauty of a clean house…..
I’m hoping to win the calendar and decorative papers…
I would like to win the calendar prize.
I stay organized by using my phone to list things.
I live moment by moment by moment by trying to make time for fun each day.
Huh organization. Everytime I reorganize my office and then make a project, I find I need to reorganize. Perhaps someday I’ll get everything in it’s proper home. lol
I try to juggle by staying organized–I keep an organizer/calendar in my purse that has room for lots of info and notes too–I also try to schedule hobby time in–it keeps me happier and healthier!
I have a calendar on the fridge w/ kid appts. and activities, a calendar on my iPhone to remind me of stuff, a running to-do list everyday…but to keep me really grounded?
That takes my 2 kids and my dear husband. They remind me of what’s important. They remind me to step away from the computer or put down the glue gun. So even if I never completely finish all my to-do’s, they help me live in the now.
What an awesome giveaway! Calendars are always a nice gift for anyone on your Christmas list. Thanks for a chance to win one of these great prizes.
I just found your blog from a blog I follow. I will be buying asubscriptions of you magazine soon. I will ask Santa. Your blog is wondeful. I can’t wait to look more.
Thank you for the nice giveaway.
Besides keeping two calendars on the go I find the best way to keep balanced is to learn to say no…..not to take on more than I can handle. That gets away from me at times. The key is learning what I can cope with and when I add too much to the schedule I get overwhelmed. Balance is the answer.
I love calendars and use them in each of the main rooms in my home. I also am a list maker, which helps me to accomplish the things that I need to get done.
Thanks for sharing the wonderful fall cards. They are beautiful!
ooh i keep a engagement calendar by my bedside and write things down or i forget EVERYTHING! Loved those cards by the way!!!
I live a little too much in the now, enjoying the moment and not getting the things done that I need to do for a smooth future! Mainly, nothing would get done if not for my Gmail calendar, which sends SMS reminders to my cell phone!
I keep a to do list daily and also have a wall calendar. If it weren’t for my calendar, I would probably forget everything.
I am one of those very organized, planner types. I do use calendars and lists to keep track. And I schedule things on certain days that have to be done, so I can schedule the purely fun times too and not have to worry about schedule conflicts.
I have to write down everything!!!! What we I do without a calendar!!! I would absolutely LOVE to win this calendar set….I LOVE your site!
Lori
I keep my life simple by not cleaning too much! I don’t work outside the home and spend time with my kids most. I say no when I have to so I can keep it that way!