While we're on the subject of time management (she says, as if it hasn't been a week since the topic was last raised), I have realised that I make things very difficult for myself.
Standing in the newsagency, waiting to buy my sneaky copy of the UK Country Living magazine so I can keep dreaming The Dream, I glanced over at the three racks of birthday invitations booklets. 'Come to my Rainbow Party' a book of 25 urged me.
'That's funny,' I thought. 'I was just now thinking that I need to get onto designing, proofing, printing, cutting out and glueing the 25 Rainbow Party invitations we need for Capper's birthday.'
And I bought my magazine and I left the shop.
Why, oh why (oh why!) can't I be the person that buys the book of invitations?
Do you also like to make things as difficult as you possibly can for yourself?
[Image by Bob Davidson]
55 comments:
ahhh, I had this exact same moment on the weekend with little Bloss at a birthday party. Mine went like this...
'Oh why can't I be the one that takes the Ice cream birthday cake from the freezer and pops a candle on it'
It was seriously more enjoyed by the kiddies than any of the ones I have slaved over in the kitchen.
I'm the one that makes it hard for myself - I've just finished making a gazzillion rainbow party invites consisting of 6 seperate sheets pf paper that needed to be cut out, one at a time & 'arranged' to make a rainbow. Yep, I'm just nuts!
Yes I make the invitations, but I do really enjoy it. Even if it keeps me up to midnight!
Aah, but yes. There was a good reason. You were going to make them, weren't you?
Go with your gut. There was a good reason why you didn't buy them. You just don't know what the reason is yet.
Well, that's what I say to myself when I do the exact same thing!
So... when are you going to fulfill this dream?
It is a great post Bron and I was so chuffed you shared it with my readers. I think we will always find something to feel guilty for or worry about.
Before the blog etc became my part time work, I worried about what impression I was giving my daughter on her options. Now I am working from home, I worry that I am less available to her (her dad is there though!). See - always something to worry about!
Somehow I have added this to the wrong post Bron - sorry about that!
it is kinda good to see I am not the only one that does that!
I wish I could be the type to just buy the invites. I have created a rod for my own back though. My kids now insist that we make their invites and usually all the associated party decs etc.
Yes, I do. I am not good at time management for sure. But I always make the kids birthday invos, the cakes and handmake the lollie bags. But I love it.
That's me exactly. It was actually brought up this weekend at a friend of Bluey's Macca's birthday party. I was saying how I personally would do a home party. Even when it was brought up how much cheaper a macca's party is, I was still thinking, but all the homemace goodness and fun party games you can do at home?
I also just finished making 30 invites to my own birthday party when really I plan to put up a facebook event in a week to make sure there is that way people can RSVP too.
absolutely. i do it to myself every single time. xx
ah - but if things are worth doing they're worth doing properly (as my gran would have said!)
xx
Compromise, get creative on the computer and print and embelish with fancy paper etc....win/win for me :)
Yes I always do things the most difficult way. Easy Street doesn't contain the same challenge that apparently I must always set for myself.
It's not that I like to make them, it just so happens I choose the harder way. I guess it's my personality to blame!
Gosh no, I tend to head towards Easy Street. I will look forward to seeing your finished product though!
x
Nope. I buy the invites. In fact, I'm lucky if there are invites. Life is too short. Kids don't remember. They just remember you had the party and it was fun. The invites are for other parents and I don't have time to make a big impression there...
NO, I would have bought the invites. Actually I would have been really slack and emailed out invites. Patting myself on the back for having a party.
Ha ha ha ha!!!
I'm cracking up - with recognition.
I've actually bought the perfectly good pad of invites once.
Then chickened out and went the whole hog and some instead. They're still in a drawer in the study mocking my patheticness!!
Happy party planning!!
:-)
YAY you're back (are you back?)
In answer to your question - I LOVE to make life too hard for myself ... but in this situation, I would have totally bought the invites.
Actually no, I take that back. I would have got my sister (who works for me) to design custom rainbow invites.
But then we would have just printed them. No cutting and glueing. Meet yourself in the middle Maxabella!
Oh yes I am that person. I just can't stop myself from trying to make them even if I do stress myself out sometimes but secretly I do really love it, weird I know. xo
I am all about a simple life. I buy the invites every time!!
So glad to see you back :) I'm a mixture - one year the whole home made extravaganza, the next year - Maccas.
I do that with Christmas cards every year and the last couple of years the cards didn't happen. My daughter made her own invite out of collaged words and pictures, like a little ransom note. It looked great and all I did was scan it!
yes, yes, yes, and always realise halfway through that there is an easier way, vow that next time i'll buy pre-made then forget my vow and do it all over again...
Yes - says she who spent a day baking things for the party goody bags, rather than buying stuff like everyone else. Sigh.
Even though buying the invites may be the easiest and cheapest way, I'd probably go the handmade option. There's just something so personal and wonderful about handmade invitations where you've put your time and thought into crafting something beautiful for someone you love. It's the first glimpse of a party and the culmination of lovely ideas :)
Glad you're back xx
Ps. I spent 6 weeks making Lyra's first birthday invites - hoping your creations are much faster!
x
I'm with Alison - life's too short, buy the invitations and tick it off your list :)
Having said that I'm guilty of exactly the same thing...just not with invitations!!
Just to add, It maybe depends on what you are into. I do the invos with my kids and decorating with my kids as a creative outlet, its fun and interesting and I think they do remember these parts. They are certainly not flashy or made to out do anyone else. I think life is too short to miss out on these opportunities to create with your kids.
but thats just me.
Everyone knows a party with a handmade invitation is going to be more fun...
Oh seriously Maxbella, buy that book of invites! Do it, do it. Kids don't care.
I make life hard on myself by making very elaborate dinners involving many steps and too many dishes some days. Why why WHY, when the kids are really happy having spaghetti bol?
i for whatever reason simply cannot live unless i make life as difficult as possible for myself. which means making everything and doing it the night before it needs to be done.
Oh Bron, I was only thinking this same thing when I was looking at the list of things I need to do for Baby H's 1st Birthday in December. Make Paper Bunting, print out wording for invitations, make party favours. If only I was not so OCD and could just let Hallmark send out my invitations and have crepe paper streamers!
I am so very good at taking the hard road even though I would love to be able to take easy street. The thing, amongst many, that immediately jumped to mind was breastfeeding ella fiasco. Remember that? 6 months I put myself and her through hell determined to breastfeed...we got through it but nearly killed me. I should have just put her on the bottle...I know that now and I knew it then but do you think I could do it. Nope. So I 100% get it. xxx
When faced with these dilemmas I always ask myself who am I really trying to impress - if the answer, no matter how oblique, is other mums then I put on the brakes. I bought an ice-cream cake from the supermarket last week for my 8 year-old son's birthday and the kids loved it! And I was happy and less stressed.
Zigsma - I know the answer to that question. I'm definitely trying to impress myself!! I absolutely love making these things and planning the parties and all that stuff. I know it's not for the kids - they would be happy with a balloon and a streamer and a turned out tub of ice-cream with smarties on it (note to self - ice-cream cake for Cappers' party!).
I think I just wish I had more time to do these things. And when I don't, I wish I would chillax and just shortcut some of it.
No matter. You know the party will be huge and I will be in love. x
Yes - happens at our place too! Sometimes I think it's the overachiever in me - "yes I'm a working mum but I still have time to do these lovely things for my kids!". I don't do it to show-off to other parents - I just like unique, handmade stuff! Although I enjoy the making process for kids parties it can also be pretty stressful and it makes very little difference to the level of enjoyment of the kids at the party.
You could be that person..but you would miss the opportunity to be creative and do rainbow invitations in your very own sweet way! Buying other people's stuff is great though, when we don't want to, or can't make them ourselves.
Yes, hello. I married a man who was never going to make much money (damn good looking though), had 4 children in 4 years with said poor man, used cloth nappies, never used a bottle of formulae in my life, never hired a babysitter, never outsourced a thing, had all my children 4500km from nearest family member . . . but you know what it gave me - privacy, freedom, amazing ability to be independent, get a billion things done at once & done well, pushed me beyond the limits of my wildest dreams & guess what, i still make my children's birthday invitations - we still invite the whole class too!! Oh at said parties, i provide the entertainment, cook all the food, do all the decorations & insist on a home baked cake. Why, i just like things done the old fashioned way, from the heart, by my own hands, yes, including handmade nappy liners back in the day.
I see now in my high schooler that she is like this too, likes to do things by hand, with love.
As for the poor husband, well, promotion after promotion, he gets paid better now, we save like crazy & we're building a gorgeous lifestyle without a mortgage, did not see that coming, yahoo!! Slog away, take pride & it comes down to 'is your time money' & clearly for this housewife, my time is worht the savings.
Oh like my essay?? Love Posie
You must get a kick out of making things otherwise you wouldn't want to do it - the pride and joy and sense of achievement. I get the same thing when I see the Xmas cards reduced to 50c but no - I will not buckle - I will spend $20 buying blank cards and embelishments and making my cards with love! Because everyone appreciates the thought and effort that goes into it, and you get joy out of it too, you know you do :)
I'm sooo hearing you! I always make things FAR harder than they need be..and even still now with a giant belly! Crusty eyes, ear infection, hacking cough and razor blade throat sure put me in my place though! I bet your invitations will be gorgeous. And you'll be super chuffed....even if you go a bit batty in the interim :) x
We are 'spirited' people with hight expectations. It makes life hard- but so rewarding.... or just hard. ;)
Hey Maxabella - I too am party planning a rainbow party (for December) and found these recently.... http://paperglitter.blogspot.com/2010/05/free-rainbow-party-kit.html
Seen them before??? I think they are super cute!
Oh, yes. Same here. The kids WILL have hand made birthday cards each year. They WILL have handmade game props each year. They WILL have a mummy decorated birthday cake. I do love the creative side of it but with 3 kids and 8 years down the track, I do wish that I wasn't this type of person sometimes...
I probably would have bought them in a moment of brilliance and then found something I didn't like about them and never used them x
I probably would have bought them in a moment of brilliance and then found something I didn't like about them and never used them x
I probably would have bought them in a moment of brilliance and then found something I didn't like about them and never used them x
Unfortunately yes I am!
I would then lament the fact that I didn't give myself enough time and be disappointed that whatever I set out to do the hardway didn't turn out as perfectly as I had envisaged.
OH MY GOD- I hear you!!!!
I too, would have left with the mag (one of my fave by the way!!) and not the invites....
Errr- life could be simpler...why oh why don't we just buy the flippin invites!!!!!?????
Love that you are on my page!!
Even though we are MAD!!!
Melissa- Miss Sew & So...
xx
Yes, you are not alone. I have my hand up. I am one of 'those' types too. I curse myself during 'all nighters' - why did I have to make a red riddinghood outfit for my 2.5year old's kindy dress up day when every other child came dressed in a $2 polyster fairy costume?! I don't know why either, but it feels good and is always worth it in the end.
ahhh spoken like a true crafter! LOVE it! xx
I always take the difficult road with wonderful intentions and then overload myself. Eeek!
Yes, I always do that! If there is something super easy to do, I always complicate it so that I can feel the urge. That's strange, isn't it?
Oh yes. I always have to hand make everything, bake from scratch, write personalised notes, buy American Country Living, etc, etc. I'm learning to cut corners, but still be original and thoughtful. Maybe I'll buy the invites if they're cute!
So glad you're back, Maxabella! I was cool with you staying at guesthouses for a while and even though I'm not a big contributor here, I did find myself checking the reader more often the longer you were away. As for this post, it's freakishly relevant right now. Party season for the turning 3 set in our hood right now and yes, I've been so focused on trying to think of all the homemade things I can 'whip up' for our daughter that there's a good chance there will be no snags for the BBQ. But as you said in your most recent post, it's about getting creative and loving it. Besides, original work looks better in the photos :)
i am soooooo with you on this one! I ask myself this same question all of the time! Why the hell can't I just buy a packet of biscuits to take for morning tea. why do i have to bake, when I couldn't care less if others do that! Stupid standards that I have put on myself to make it as difficult as possible. But I honestly wouldn't enjoy it any other way - just like you - I LOVE it! Gotta challenge myself and push the limits I think. There's a lot more fun in the process then. For me anyway. I am soooooooo looking forward to seeing your rainbow party! You've probably already seen them, but these are my favorite rainbow parties on the web...
http://hiphoorayblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/real-hip-hooray-rainbows-n-ruffles.html
http://giggleberrycreations.blogspot.com/search/label/rainbow%20party
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