Goooooal: Me So Crafty

It’s no secret that, when you become a mama, life changes dramatically. “Free time” becomes a laugh-so-you-don’t-cry, nonexistent entity. At least for the first few months. But then, like magic, you find yourself with a millisecond here and there and a DIRE need to do something other than the housework that has piled up all around. By this point, it’s been so long since you even thought about doing anything other than taking care of a baby, you don’t even know where to start. Surfing the internet is a valid option, as is reading a book, but neither of those things are very active. There’s always exercise if you’re feeling really motivated. But if you’re looking for something a little more interactive than reading and a little less intense than working out, there’s an awesome option you’re sure to run across in about 17 seconds if you so much as test the waters of the mommy blog world: CRAFTING.

If you’re like me, you haven’t crafted anything since elementary school. (Well, other than that beer can angel tree topper you made for your pathetic excuse for a Christmas tree in your college apartment? Does that even count?) But if you enjoyed making turkeys out of tracings of your chubby little hand as a kid, it’s highly likely that you would enjoy the grown-up crafting too. It’s cheap and easy, fun for one or with a group of crafty friends. (I even know one super cool lady who hosts a craft night at her house each week that I CANNOT WAIT to attend once we’re back in North Carolina. Check ‘em out at Copy Cat Crafters.) There’s something so soothing about wrapping yarn around a wreath form and, as an added bonus, crafting is a process that can be set down if your teething baby decides that sleeping through the night is for the birds… and picked up again in a few minutes, hours, days or *gulp* weeks. (Hey, life happens, okay? Don’t judge.)

So, a couple of months back, I busted out my old, measly craft box. I started small with my craftiness, mastering felt flowers and a few yarn crafts. I made a few trips to Hobby Lobby and Michael’s to build up my stash of supplies, and I added a few crafting blogs to my Google Reader.  Now, I have more bookmarked ideas than I can count. Case in point: these A-DORABLE T-shirt pom poms from Craftaholics Anonymous for Emery’s new room in North Carolina.

What’s my point, right? Well, in 2011, I aim to set aside some time for myself to make my way down the list, tackling projects big and small. I look forward to the sense of accomplishment that comes along with each pretty little thing I create... and the me-time that every new mama desperately needs.