Did you ever hear the tale of the shoemaker whose children had no shoes? The shoemaker was so focused on making shoes for his customers that he didn't make shoes for his own children?

I am that shoemaker these days. Christmas is a bit more than 20 days away and despite the friendly reminders I get in my mail from the U.S. Postal service I have not begun to make ( or even secure a photo for) my family card.

Oh,I've purchased the blank cards, envelopes,stickers, stamps and assorted stuff. I keep moving the bag to a prominent location to zing the guilt bone every time I walk by... but no movement yet.

Yesterday I got a thank you card from a birthday that took place a week ago. Forget that I haven't mailed the ones from my son's birthday party a month ago. Her's was a cute stamped and collaged card. Mine is the "Thanks for the______ for my birthday! I liked it alot. Love,___________" variety.

I simply cannot brag that I work in the scrapbooking industry any longer. People have expectations that I sit around all day and make cards and pages.

I wish.

Somehow I suspect there's a few of you out there who feel my pain.

I think I'll give myself permission and make the time to do what I urge scrapbooking consumers (and professionals) everywhere to do. To not do it all- but to choose maybe one project and enjoy the process.

For me Christmas=crafting (after the reason for the season of course!) as much as the tree and cookies.

I think maybe tags and paper ornaments with my son who will be decorating his own tree for the first time. Or maybe I should get a jumpstart on Valentines?

Now if I could just figure out how to use the digital camera so I could post photos here...- Beth