Time for stamping---frustrated!

[Gladys Beth ann]

I'm wondering if many of you feel like you NEVER get enough time for stamping? And when I do have a block of time (two hours is the most I can ever hope for), it just flies by. I've 'thought' about getting up earlier before work just to have some stamping time (haven't done that so far). I even find I get crankier when I haven't had time to stamp. This is all still really new to me (I never got cranky when I didn't have time to cross-stitch or crochet!).

how do you find time to stamp? Will you sit down & stamp even if you only have five or ten minutes?

Betsy

[jpmayo]

For myself I do find quite a bit of time for stamping. I do it when I get home. I get home about an hour before my husband and daughter and then I stamp at about 9:00 pm when daughter is in bed and husband is watching ESPN. I also stamp on the weekend when they are off golfing or at the pool, I just stay home and stamp all by myself. I also go over to my sisters house sometimes to stamp.
I am sure that my family is A-OK with this because I am a much happier/nicer mom/wife when I have lots of "me time"! In fact I have never been a happier person then since I started stamping!

[Gina K. Designs]

Oh, I hear ya'! I get so frustrated when I don't have enought time! These next two weeks are crazy with the kids going back to school. And, what's with the parents needing to go on the first day?
Hmmm? Well???

Even my daughter said to me, "Mom, this first day stuff is a waste of my time!" That kid cracks me up and the apple doesn't fall far, ya' know what I mean?
Anyway, I will schedule time everyday to stamp. Since this is part of my job, I better make time!

I heard that some people schedule it in just like any other appointment. That seems to be what you have to do.

Gina K.

[LSN]

Time for stamping? What's that?

I work a full time job and have two little ones (ages 4 and 3). My husband works a full time job and is also trying to get a business started of his own. So between his regular full time job and his business, he's pretty much never home (even on weekends). That pretty much means that between the kids, work, and maintaining the house the only time I get to stamp is late at night (and by then I'm wanting to crawl into bed myself).

I'm thinking that I'm going to be taking a much needed sanity day from work and leaving the kids with the babysitters. If I can manage to not feel guilty (i.e. use my time off to tackle deep cleaning jobs, weeding, etc.) I will use that time to stamp (ahhh....8 blissful hours of stamping). Hmmmm....better get started on the Christmas cards early this year.

Linda

[stephaniemangus]

Yes, even if I only have time to cut a few pieces of cardstock, I use it. In between loads of laundry, making dinner, etc, any 5 minutes I can get. Now that means my stamp area is usually a mess, but that's ok. If I can get something done I will.

There is never enough time and something else always butts into the time I "plan" for stamping. Sigh...

Stephanie

[kalela]

Lately, this has been frustrating for me also. I work full-time with a hour commute each way & I have four kids (11, 8, 5 and 2). Our family is very active in sports and church. On weekdays after work, I'm usually running around to my three older kids' practices and then I go home and start dinner, supervise homework & fit in a 1/2 hr workout (DH works in the evenings.) Weekends, we have church, games, shopping & piano. I am football team mom also. This leaves me with little time for stamping. I get a few hours on Friday & Sunday nights but I am usually too pooped to stamp more than a few cards. I get grouchy when I don't have "me" time to stamp. Anyone have a secret to balancing this all out?

[thecardpixie]

I do find that I get cranky when I don't have time to stamp. I blame work alot as the reason I don't stamp enough, but the truth is - sometimes the reason I don't stamp after work is because I managed to spend huge chunks of time here!! Yes, Splitcoast has made me a better stamper...but only when I actually get off and stamp!

[triciastampinVA]

Quote:

Time for stamping? What's that?

I agree.

- Lately I've been trimming up my stamp sets while the little ones watch Dora or Little Einstein and that's only after I've started a load of dishes and put in two loads of laundry. It's the 'me' time I squeeze in before switching over the laundry to the dryer.
- During lunch at work I'll sketch up a card idea including measurements, so when I can get to the stamp table after the kids go to bed, I can start cutting cardstock.
- Then the next stamping opportunity, I stamp the key items.
- Once all the pieces are done, I bring all the completed pieces in a ziploc and use lunchtime to adhesive everything together like an assembly line.
- Or on the weekends our oldest son (7 yr) will help adhesive things together while our little one (21 mths) takes his nap.
- Or I'll stamp while our 7-year old does his homework or reading within viewing distance.
- My hubby has been taking the boys for a ride (to get milk) and that gives me time to stamp or at least set up the stamping table.

I'm learning to multi-task or at least sneak in time here and there ;-)

[speale]

I only get to stamp after my kiddos go to bed. Then, I only get an hour or two before I get tired myself!

[CarriedAway]

I have a few opportunities during the day to stamp but I mostly use that time to clean up from the previous nights stamping mess. The majority of my stamping time comes at night when the kiddo's are in bed. I never get as much done as I'd like though. Seems like I get sleepy when the house quiets down.

[amyboomboom]

I have to have time to stamp...not just five minutes. I do find I stay up way too late stamping!!!

[Geneal]

I agree that I need to stamp to satisfy my creative urges, and I get cranky if I don't. I believe as someone else said that you have to block out some time just like you would a doctor appointment or any other commitment. As a demo, I have to consider it time spent for my business. I have a full-time job too, so I stay busy.

I would say that for young mothers it is so hard to find time and to justify that time spent stamping. It truly is a juggling act.

[vbcaser]

I am a late night stamper. I need to know I have at least an hour to stamp. I often think if I wake up and stamp first, I would have a better day b/c I would have started it so well. BUT I am not a morning person so I have not tried it yet!

[vbcaser]

PS - school starts tomorrow and one will be gone all day long starting next week, so I am looking forward to some afternoon stampin!

[Mothermark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gladys Beth ann

I'm wondering if many of you feel like you NEVER get enough time for stamping? And when I do have a block of time (two hours is the most I can ever hope for), it just flies by. I've 'thought' about getting up earlier before work just to have some stamping time (haven't done that so far). I even find I get crankier when I haven't had time to stamp. This is all still really new to me (I never got cranky when I didn't have time to cross-stitch or crochet!).

how do you find time to stamp? Will you sit down & stamp even if you only have five or ten minutes?

Betsy

Well, speaking of getting up early in the morning!!! I am a major morning person. Every morning, weekdays or weekends, I get up between 3:00 and 4:00 depending on if I am tired. I stamp early in the mornings pretty much every day. I don't have to get ready for work until about 7:00. I absolutely love it. My husband gets up every morning at 3:00 am, he does his thing (reading) and I do mine (stamping) and it is our quiet time......By the way, did I tell you after both of us working a full 8 hours each, we are pretty much history by about 8:30 in the evening. We are trashed at night, boring people....oh well....

I really like the weekends because I can keep right on stamping, don't have to stop and get to work! Try getting up earlier, you will love it and your body eventually gets used to the schedule.

[Gladys Beth ann]

I think it'd be easier for me to get up early to stamp than it would be for me to get up to exercise (one of those 'wouldn't it be great-to-do things)! A couple times when I've known ahead of time that I actually could have a full hour for lunch at work, I've taken stuff in & played for about 20 minutes or so. BUT I really have to watch the clock when I do that or I'll lose track of time...

my stamping space is on our dining room table...where we eat supper, so I have had to figure out how to consolidate stuff so I can clear it off pretty easily. The 'up' side is that my family doesn't seem to mind my clutter at all (in fact I think I worry about it more than they do).

sometimes having 20 minutes or so to stamp really relaxes me...and sometimes I find myself getting frustrated because the time is so short. I guess it's one of those 'do you think the glass is half empty or half full' situations.

[Langaroo]

I sit at work and think about all the great cards I'm going to make...and then I'm too tired when I get home to make them. Sundays usually turn into my stamping days because it's the only day that is totally mine