Falling Behind on My Scrapbooking

I was all caught up with my scrapbooking. That is, until we took our 10-day Disneyworld trip this past December. Since then, of course, we've taken lots more photos. So, I'm quite a few events behind...the Disney trip isn't even completely scrapbooked yet.

Ok, so I can't live with that. I made a date at a Wisconsin Archiver's store for a Scrap Mania event. Basically, that means I get to scrap my stuff for 5 hours at Archiver's, dinner included, with absolutely no interruptions, and access to all the paper, embellishments, etc. I could possibily need.

To make the evening extra fun, my girlfriend Sue is joining me. I'm looking forward to this and I know I'll at least be able to finish my Disney scrapbook pages while I'm there.

Anytime you find yourself falling behind, whether it's scrapbooking, reading, writing, etc., make an appointment for at least a few hours of uninterrupted time. Even if you have to get someone to babysit your kids (if applicable) or if you need to stay at work after hours or if you need to DVR your favorite programs instead of watching them live, quiet, focused time can help you catch up.

10 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips

Ah, spring! My 5 year old daughter came home from school today and announced, "Mommy 4 -- yes, count them -- 4 days left until spring!" She had 4 fingers raised and a very 'pleased as punch' expression on her face.

Today in Wisconsin, with the weather at nearly 60 degrees, it actually feels like spring is here. After the winter we've had, it's definitely a welcome change.

Along with Spring comes thoughts of crisp, fresh air, newly budding flowers, singing birds and a sense of renewal. Getting organized and doing a bit of spring cleaning, helps to bring that wonderful fresh feeling into your home and office.

In celebration of the new season, here is a link to my 10 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips article.

How Old is Your Mascara?

Our Organizing Challenge this week was to clean out the medicine cabinet. One reader, wrote and asked about the shelf life of cosmetics.

According to Beauty and Wellness Expert Dayle Haddon in an article written by Brian Bernbaum for CBS News:

'Cosmetics aren't required by law to have expiration dates, so you can't just look at the label to know when a product has expired.'

A solution to this problem? When you purchase cosmetics, label the container with the purchase date so you'll know when it's getting old. Here are some general guidelines.

Liquid Foundation: 3-6 months (Cream foundation can last 4-6 months)

Foundation in a bottle should last 3-6 months, but wide mouthed jars can expose the product to more air and should be tossed sooner. You'll know it's time to purchase a new bottle, when the ingredients begin to settle or separate, the texture thickens or thins, or the smell changes.

Concealer: 6-8 months

Powders: 1 year

Pressed powder, eye-shadows, blush or mascara: 3 months (Note: You should never keep mascara for any longer than 3 months (air pushes bacteria back into the tube). Never 'pump' your mascara.

Lip gloss and Lipstick: 1 year

Eye and/or Lip Pencils: 1 year (Note: Eye and lip pencils should last 1 year or more, but you should sharpen pencils at least once a week to prevent bacteria from being transferred to your eye area. You'll know the product has gone bad if it dries or crumbles).

Organizing for the Shamrock Shindig

On March 15th, my church (St. Bernard's Church in Watertown, WI) will be holding an event called the Shamrock Shindig. It's going to be an evening of Irish dancers, a jazz band, hor'dourves, beverages and a silent auction. I am one of the volunteers helping out with this fundraiser event.

Just like any event, small or large, organization plays a vital part in ensuring the evening is a success.

Several brainstorming meetings have been held with key people. Duties were delegated. Each team (decorating team, silent auction team, etc.) will meet individually to get their parts worked out.

This morning, I met with my friends Melissa and Ginny over cups of hot chocolate. We're in charge of layout and decorating. We came up with a rough plan and are now in the process of making necessary contacts, diagrams, purchases, etc.

Any event that is tossed together quickly without attention to detail is not going to be as successful as it could be. That's why it usually helps to have a team of people thinking and working together.

A friend of mind once said, 'I'm a take-charge person, so I have a difficult time delegating. Then I end up doing everything myself.'

Not a good strategy if you want to keep your health and your sanity.

Next time you're involved in a similar effort...

1) Take notice if one person is trying to do everything, or if the duties are divided evenly. If it's only one person doing all, it's time to start divvying up tasks.

2) Get everyone's input to ensure your bases are covered and to spur new ideas.

3) Have written plans that include duties, people responsible, financial info (budgets, goals, etc.) and deadlines.

4) Take notes before, during and after--so you can improve anything that didn't quite work out.