Simplifying IS NOT That Easy

I get emails, posts, Facebook updates of all sorts of scrapbook and greeting card layouts. They come to me in droves. One thing I notice is that the projects are so elaborate, time consuming and over the top I know I'll never even make one of them.

I have to face my lifestyle facts; my time is limited. Your time is probably limited too! You get up with the intentions to take the day rolling. You wake up in a great mood, you get all your chores done and then you head out on your day. Some guy starts honking at you half way between where you are and where you want to be. He just doesn't seem to quit. You stare at him wanting to think something or say something you shouldn't and you notice he's pointing down at YOUR car. He's pointing at YOUR tire. YOU have a flat. Thankfully you are just a stone's throw from the Wally World tire center. Can you make it? Yes, you make it, but your schedule is just shot to pieces. The guy tells you it will be an hour before they can even LOOK at your tire. What are you going to do? You're going to walk the store and use that hour for something productive. Wait a minute you're thinking. What happened to the elaborate card we were discussing. That's my point exactly, the lovely card designed by Ralphed Lorenzo went the way of all overly ornate decor. Time is not on our side. But, you argue. I want to make that overly elaborate card. Go get digital software and create and print. All the bells and whistles are there and you simply print it out to look fancy and fru fru.

Reality speaks so loud some times. I'd like to give reality a virtual kick in the hiney. I want to have time to sit for hours (without the neck strain and back aches associated with scrapbooking) and create. I want to make memorable albums that are dug up centuries from now and displayed proudly in the Lourve or the Smithsonian. I have come to the conclusion that the extent of my creativity will have to depend upon small snippets of time I steal from other work I am supposed to be doing. Within those snippets of time I choose projects that look lovely yes, elaborately sewn, embellished, carved, and covered with calligraphy of the Victorian ilk, well not so much.

Simplifying is more like eliminating about half of what I would like to do and then carving about half of that away. I'm left with time for the occasional nap. Yah, that's what I'd like to do. There I have all the time in the world. I can dream of making that card that causes women to gasp and men to wipe their eyes. Yes, the Lourve wants it. It never does reach it's intended recipient, but it does hang proudly in the Smithsonian for all to see. It never reaches the bowels of the museum where about 90% of all they own decays in storage. Like the Mona Lisa it inspires future generations of artists. Ok, who I kidding. I am going to cut some cardstock, maybe a little ribbon, add some heat embossing with rubber stamps and maybe add some glitter. Wait, I have to wake up first. No, I better finish my nap. I have a whole list of things that didn't get cut from my "Simply This" list.

So if you're feeling condemned for not making that unbelievable card, know this. The gal that made it has no life. She never gets out of the house. She sits at her desk, cuts, sews, embosses, die cuts, glues, tape runs, embroiders and never talks to a human being. She just sends out nasty emails full of projects that the "real" women has little chance of ever making.

I will be content to be the real woman who visits the elderly, feeds her chickens, pets her dog, makes pancakes for hubby and plays Webkinz on the computer with her grandchildren and other kids she knows and loves. I will be happy to post reality checks for you here on my blog. Those who can afford to spend $15.00 on a card will make those kinds of cards. I am budgeting myself, my time and my life. I'm worth more than that and so are you. Simplify by doing what you can in the alloted time you're given. If you made that $15.00 card would you want to give it away? I have difficulty giving any of mine away because I know what my time is worth.

Enjoy the cards you get. Most folks go to the local Haulmark store, find one that makes them happy and sign their Juan Henrique's on them. They invest another couple quarters in stamps and woosh it off in the mail. It took them probably a total of 10 minutes to cover their bases and to get that card to you.

Do what you can. That is my newest motto. I'm doing what I can. I'm praying for the gal who is stuck at her desk making Baroque inspired cards. She needs to simplify her life.