365 days to an organized life - Day 7

I really enjoyed my time yesterday to craft uninterrupted. It was so nice just to be able to leave the iron on to press my seams and such. I was able to finish a medium size Christmas gift and cut out the pattern for three more. It's going to be so hard to keep the secret from the kids til next year.

I also found an old quilt block and decided to make a hot pad out of it. It was just stuck in a trunk. Now it has a purpose.

I also started these this morning. I love buttons and will really enjoy wearing these.

A lot of what I have made over the past week, I can't share because I'll spoil the surprise. But here's the tally, 11 embellished felt gift bags, 2 medium size gifts and 5 small gifts. I've cut out three more medium gifts. I've made heating pads and coaster/cozies for our family. Plus the hot pad and earrings. I'm also two rows away from finishing a crocheted wrap.

I have a big trunk full of craft supplies. I have a box in there holding the gifts. My goal is that by the end of the year, the trunk will be emptied of craft supplies and full of gifts instead.

I've listed my tasks to complete craft projects in my scheduler. I hesitated doing it because my crafts are artistic expression, not simply a list of to do's. One day, I scheduled four things, thinking it would take all week to complete. That day, I completed 6 things. Getting the stuff out of my head and into my schedule, keeps me on track. It keeps the plan from flying out of my head when the next great idea pops into it. And frees me up to think of new projects.

So today, let's think about activities to add that we enjoy and that our family enjoys. I read a book called I Love You Rituals which is basically songs, fingerplays and rhymes to have fun with your kids. I try to do one of those a day. I have it listed as a daily task. I wish I sat down to play more board and card games with the older boys. So I'm going to list that as a weekly goal.

So look for enriching activities to schedule. It doesn't turn your lives into robotic following of the schedule. It just makes it more likely that it will actually happen.