{Ask Elizabeth}

I always get excited when Wednesday comes around. I particularly love the Ask Elizabeth posts because depending on the question the post can go so many ways.

This week, I am answering a question posted by Karla. 

Karla asks:

Right now you are wearing so many different shoes, I am curious as to where you see yourself 10 years from now if everything along the way goes as you have planned?

This is a great question {and who doesn't love talking about themselves?}

You're right, I am wearing so many different shoes. I have so many goals, and those goals are constantly changing as life comes my way. Right now, I am in school, working part time, and running Hoot & Bumble, all while being a full time Mommy, and wife. I explained a little about my life here.. 

In 10 years, I don't see us being able to slow down at all {does life ever slow down?}. Life may even get a little crazier first, if everything goes as planned.

I'd love to be at a point where I can work on Hoot & Bumble closer to full time. It has always been a dream of mine to have a handmade business. My life won't feel complete until my handmade business is thriving enough that it is my full time job. It has also been a life long dream of mine to write children's books, and I fully plan to make that happen some day. I've even been thinking about writing a book from the content on this blog. But I'm not close to there yet on that one.

 We will have another child some time in between then too, and hopefully, both children will be in school by the time 10 years comes around. I would also love to be teaching at a University, teaching the classes I am taking now. 

So you see, I have big plans for the next 10 years, and even beyond. I'm looking forward to the journey of making all of my goals happen. 

What are your goals for the next 10 years? How are you planning on making them happen? All it takes is some hard work, focus, time, & you can do anything.

{Ask Elizabeth} Reader Question

This weeks reader question is one I get asked quite frequently. 

"I have 3 kids and at the end of the day I'm exhausted. You have a child, and nanny as well, when do you find time to sew?"

I love sewing. I love almost all crafts, and I go through these spurts of crafting a lot {and ignoring everything else in my home}, to not crafting at all for days or even a few weeks. I stay up late a lot because our days are so busy, and I don't get to start anything until after we put our son to bed at night. I used to also use nap time to get stuff done and sometimes craft/sew, but he barely naps anymore. Sometimes he will do quiet time, but other times not. My free time is unpredictable at the moment, so it has been harder to find the time. One way I find time to do my crafting and sewing is because I don't watch TV. I am pretty good at listening to what my husband is watching, though :)

In a few short weeks when school starts for me again, I am not sure how/when I am going to find time for anything other than working and school, and taking care of our son. The school year takes so much out of me when I also have to work part/full time. But I am determined to keep blogging, and running Hoot & Bumble. I have a big vision for this new baby of mine, and I am going to make it work.

I would love some tips and tricks from other moms who have a lot on their plate, and how they handle the day to day hustle of life with kids. Whether you're a stay at home mom, a working mom, or somewhere in between, I want to hear from you. How do you do it?

I also need questions for upcoming weeks. What topics do you want to see discussed here at Hoot & Bumble?

You can comment below, email me at HootandBumble@gmail.com, or find me on Facebook.

Until next time,
Elizabeth
xxxx

{Ask Elizabeth} How to Set Up a Craft Table

Welcome to my first Ask Elizabeth Series post. As I may have mentioned before, I am so super excited about this series, and to start off, I have a great question sent in by a reader.

Susana asks:

"I've been wanting to set up a craft table for myself at home. What are the essentials that I need on there and how could I get it well organized?"

Great question, Susana. I first want to start off by saying, a craft room is one of my biggest dreams. Right now I have a corner of our basement set up for all of my craft supplies. I lug all of my materials for one project up the steps when I need it, and then back down the steps when I am finished so we can eat meals. When setting up a craft area, it is very important to consider a few things. Here is my dream craft space {more like a craft room. Maybe someday.}

Found on Pinterest

What do you need to consider when setting up a craft room?

- How much space do you need?
- How much space do you have available?
- What types of crafts will you be doing in the space?
- How much time will you be spending there?

Personally, I would want a space near a window, with lots of natural light, and not easily accessible to my 3 year old. I spend a lot of time crafting, and would want something comfortable, relaxing, and with enough space that I don't feel cluttered.

After you decide where you will set up, you should decide which type of work space you need. Do you need a table? A few tables, that can serve as different types of "stations"? What else does your space need to inlcude? For example, most of my projects are sewing related. I typically set my kitchen up with 3 different work stations when I sew- a cutting/pinning/prepping station. an ironing station, and my sewing machine space. If I were to set up a craft area, these are the 3 must have spaces I would include.  

Now you can move on to getting set up. I like to keep the things I use a lot right in my reach. My scissors, rotary cutter, pins, pencils, etc. are usually on top of my table. You can use decorative cans or cups to hold your supplies {maybe even some aluminum cans, that have been painted or covered in scrapbook paper}.

Found on Pinterest

One of my favorite ways to store craft supplies is in clear jars. Either mason jars or even cleaned out glass sauce jars or pickle jars. They are so pretty, they can be left out on a shelf, and the supplies can be the art. Storage for craft supplies doesn't have to cost money.

Found on Pinterest

If you have the wall space, peg boards are a great way to organize craft spaces. They are completely adjustable, cheap, & they look great too.

Found on Pinterest

 

For other supplies, like paper or fabric, I like to have cubbies, or drawers to hide them in. I believe that everything should have a place. If not, it is hard to keep things organized. There's nothing worse than needing a certain pair of scissors, or a particular ribbon to complete a project, and not being able to find it.

Found on Pinterest

Setting up a craft room can be fun. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and you don't have to have a lot of space either. If you spend some time thinking and planning it out, you can make it a place you want to spend your free time, and the possibilities are endless! Have fun with it, and make it the creative space a craft area should be!

{If you have any questions about this post, or want to submit a new question for next weeks Ask Elizabeth post, please comment below, find me on Facebook, or email me at HootandBumble@gmail.com}


Elizabeth
xxxx

{New Series} Ask Elizabeth

I'm excited to start this series.
I love answering questions.
It will be fun.

Here's how it will work:

Email, Facebook me, message me, or comment below your questions to me.
I will choose one or a few of your questions to answer and post the answers the following Wednesday.
Your questions can be anything you want answers to- personal questions about my life, questions about my business, my blog, sewing, crafting, nannying, mommyhood, or even advice! If you wish to remain anonymous when I answer your questions, no problem, just please let me know.

You can email me at HootandBumble@gmail.com. Find me on Facebook here

I am REALLY looking forward to answering your questions. Ready? Go :)