It seems that question is being asked a lot this weekend as we celebrate National Scrapbook Day. I've been thinking about this and realize that it all boils down to the same thing: I scrapbook to connect.
To connect with my family. I like it when my kids look at a page and say "I remember that! Do you remember when....?" Journaling on my pages allows me to say things to them that I'm not able to say face to face. I do notice the smile on my husband's face when he reads what a wonderful man I think he is and how much I love him.
To connect with my past. Scrapping my parents and grandparents reminds me of their struggles and helps me to be more forgiving of their faults. Scrapping my childhood is theraputic and reminds me that there were a few bright spots among the darkness. And that it all contibuted to the person that I am today.
To connect to the future. I hope that future generations will look at my pages and learn a little about my family and I and what our lives were like and what our hopes and dreams were.
To connect with myself. Scrapbooking allows me an outlet to express myself. It gives me a voice and an identity other than someone's wife, mother, or employee.
To connect to the outside world. I don't get out much and, believe it or not, I'm very shy. Scrapbooking message boards allow me to meet people with a common interest. Sharing my pages and viewing their's lets us share our lives a bit and see that, wherever we are in the world, we aren't so different after all.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
CyberCroppin'
Hey! The NSD cybercrop is already in full swing at ScrapLovers! Won't you join us? Just click the link over on the right there ---->
We've got card and altered art challenges as well as page challenges for paper, digital, and hybrid scrappers.
Here's a sneek peek at samples for one of the challenges I'll be posting tommorow.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Only In My Mind!
I have come to the conclusion that the perfect scrapbook page exists only in my mind. I keep coming up with these wonderful (I think, anyway :P) ideas for scrapbook pages but, when I try to create the page, I just can't bring my vision to life!
Usually it's the embellishments. I'll envision something only to discover that I don't have that embellishment after all or it doesn't look quite the way I remember it. So I make do. I adapt the design to what I have on hand or can make myself. Most of the time that makes me stretch my creative muscle and I still come up with something that pleases me.
A few days ago I was looking through an online gallery and read another scrapper's touching journaling about her handicapped daughter's lack of self-confidence. That made me think about my own daughter's fearlessness and how that has enabled her to overcome so much. I wanted to do a page celebrating her fearlessness. I have the perfect photo of her- all smiles and leaning toward the camera as if she is ready to take on the world. The problem? That photo is about seven years old and I've scrapped it at least twice already.
Another page I've been planning in my head for a few days now is for my older daughter. I have the journaling all written out about how her boyfriend is soooo much like her dad! LOL I wanted to use a phto I took of her and her boyfriend last fall from behind when they weren't looking where she is sitting on his lap and his hand is resting against her back. I wanted to inset a smaller photo of her sitting on her daddy's lap as an infant. So I went to print out the photos this morning and discovered that photo wasn't nearly as great as I remembered it and no amount of photo editing was going to make it usable. The 25 year old photo with her dad wasn't so hot, either.
So now I'm trying to figure out how to scrap these pages without those photos and without the "perfect" embellishments. Because I have stories to tell. And sometimes life doesn't come with illustrations.
Usually it's the embellishments. I'll envision something only to discover that I don't have that embellishment after all or it doesn't look quite the way I remember it. So I make do. I adapt the design to what I have on hand or can make myself. Most of the time that makes me stretch my creative muscle and I still come up with something that pleases me.
A few days ago I was looking through an online gallery and read another scrapper's touching journaling about her handicapped daughter's lack of self-confidence. That made me think about my own daughter's fearlessness and how that has enabled her to overcome so much. I wanted to do a page celebrating her fearlessness. I have the perfect photo of her- all smiles and leaning toward the camera as if she is ready to take on the world. The problem? That photo is about seven years old and I've scrapped it at least twice already.
Another page I've been planning in my head for a few days now is for my older daughter. I have the journaling all written out about how her boyfriend is soooo much like her dad! LOL I wanted to use a phto I took of her and her boyfriend last fall from behind when they weren't looking where she is sitting on his lap and his hand is resting against her back. I wanted to inset a smaller photo of her sitting on her daddy's lap as an infant. So I went to print out the photos this morning and discovered that photo wasn't nearly as great as I remembered it and no amount of photo editing was going to make it usable. The 25 year old photo with her dad wasn't so hot, either.
So now I'm trying to figure out how to scrap these pages without those photos and without the "perfect" embellishments. Because I have stories to tell. And sometimes life doesn't come with illustrations.
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