Skills and Crafts: Having Fun While Being Productive
Why Having A Hobby Will Save Your Sanity
Ok, so I know you young wives and mothers, and even those of you who have been around for a while feel bad about taking time out to do something for yourself. But here is a super cool way to have some 'Me Time' while still being productive and doing something for your family.
Learn a skill such as knitting, crocheting, loom weaving, scarp booking, card making, quilting....etc... there literally are thousands of relatively cheap hobbies you can take up that will give you time to yourself for something fun and yet still feel like you're accomplishing something. I cant tell you how happy I was when I learned how to knit socks. I was so excited about it in fact that I made a pair for almost everyone on my side of the family. That was 6 pairs of socks that I knitted between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. I also crocheted a thick scarf for my brother Jacob who is going to Alaska this summer, a cap for my littlest sister Emma, and my brother Matt's son, Hayden. Oh yeah, and I also made a slouchy beanie for my bestest friend :) John has even commented on how much happier I am when I have a project to work on. In a heated discussion he once told me to 'go knit something' because he thought I was being crabby!
The best and easiest way to learn how to learn any of these skills or crafts is to buy a pattern or project book, many of which can be found at Micheal's or similar craft stores. I taught myself how to knit by using YouTube videos and knitting pattern books. The one I used to learn how to do the socks was Patons Next Steps Four: Socks and Slippers. You can find it on http://www.123stitch.com/cgi-perl/itemdetail.pl?item=P500861 and at Micheal's. If you don't know what an abbreviation means or need help finding a good YouTube video that will teach you how to do it, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to help you out.
Learning a new skill is an awesome way to feel accomplished, even if you don't have a degree, or are a stay at home mom (SAM). I know as a SAM it can be easy to feel like you're not doing enough with your life, but I can assure you there is nothing better you can do for your children than to be there for them, especially while they are little. If for financial reasons you have to go back to work, that's fine, you can still be a super awesome mom without staying home with your kids. Be sure to learn a keepsake craft, like quilting, knitting or crocheting and make things for them as often as you can. If they don't fall in love with the item when they are young, then they will certainly cherish them when they are older. Some of my dadda's most treasured belongings are afghans that his mother crocheted for him.
I also find that, just like doing dishes by hand, or sitting and folding laundry, a hoddy can be very theraputic. Once you get familiar with the skill and are comfortable with it you can sit and mindlessly work on your project, freeing you up to either clear your mind or contemplate and meditate on whatever may be going on in your life. Having time to quiet your mind is a great way to reduce your over all stress level, making it easier for you to be emotionally and physically available to your husband.
Having a hobby also makes gift ideas MUCH easier on your husband and family. If you absolutely love to quilt that gives him the idea to get you a gift card to your favorite quilting store, he could buy you that embroidery machine you keep drooling over, he could finally finish clearing out the back bedroom so you have a place to keep all your quilting supplies, he could even buy you some new pattern books. Not having to worry about what awful new gadget your husband will bring home thinking you'll be stoked about it will help reduce holiday and special occasion stresses.
Side Note: A great way to make sure you get what you want for birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, is to start a word document with a list of things you want. You can even go the extra mile by including links to websites featuring those items. I would also highly recommend that you have all immediate family members make a list as well. This way if you cant immediately thinks of something to get them, you always have that list to fall back on.
Learn a skill such as knitting, crocheting, loom weaving, scarp booking, card making, quilting....etc... there literally are thousands of relatively cheap hobbies you can take up that will give you time to yourself for something fun and yet still feel like you're accomplishing something. I cant tell you how happy I was when I learned how to knit socks. I was so excited about it in fact that I made a pair for almost everyone on my side of the family. That was 6 pairs of socks that I knitted between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. I also crocheted a thick scarf for my brother Jacob who is going to Alaska this summer, a cap for my littlest sister Emma, and my brother Matt's son, Hayden. Oh yeah, and I also made a slouchy beanie for my bestest friend :) John has even commented on how much happier I am when I have a project to work on. In a heated discussion he once told me to 'go knit something' because he thought I was being crabby!
The best and easiest way to learn how to learn any of these skills or crafts is to buy a pattern or project book, many of which can be found at Micheal's or similar craft stores. I taught myself how to knit by using YouTube videos and knitting pattern books. The one I used to learn how to do the socks was Patons Next Steps Four: Socks and Slippers. You can find it on http://www.123stitch.com/cgi-perl/itemdetail.pl?item=P500861 and at Micheal's. If you don't know what an abbreviation means or need help finding a good YouTube video that will teach you how to do it, please leave a comment below and I will do my best to help you out.
Learning a new skill is an awesome way to feel accomplished, even if you don't have a degree, or are a stay at home mom (SAM). I know as a SAM it can be easy to feel like you're not doing enough with your life, but I can assure you there is nothing better you can do for your children than to be there for them, especially while they are little. If for financial reasons you have to go back to work, that's fine, you can still be a super awesome mom without staying home with your kids. Be sure to learn a keepsake craft, like quilting, knitting or crocheting and make things for them as often as you can. If they don't fall in love with the item when they are young, then they will certainly cherish them when they are older. Some of my dadda's most treasured belongings are afghans that his mother crocheted for him.
I also find that, just like doing dishes by hand, or sitting and folding laundry, a hoddy can be very theraputic. Once you get familiar with the skill and are comfortable with it you can sit and mindlessly work on your project, freeing you up to either clear your mind or contemplate and meditate on whatever may be going on in your life. Having time to quiet your mind is a great way to reduce your over all stress level, making it easier for you to be emotionally and physically available to your husband.
Having a hobby also makes gift ideas MUCH easier on your husband and family. If you absolutely love to quilt that gives him the idea to get you a gift card to your favorite quilting store, he could buy you that embroidery machine you keep drooling over, he could finally finish clearing out the back bedroom so you have a place to keep all your quilting supplies, he could even buy you some new pattern books. Not having to worry about what awful new gadget your husband will bring home thinking you'll be stoked about it will help reduce holiday and special occasion stresses.
Side Note: A great way to make sure you get what you want for birthdays, holidays and anniversaries, is to start a word document with a list of things you want. You can even go the extra mile by including links to websites featuring those items. I would also highly recommend that you have all immediate family members make a list as well. This way if you cant immediately thinks of something to get them, you always have that list to fall back on.