Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Finding My Scrapbook Voice

I have been a scrapbooker most of my life. I've always wanted to capture the journey of life and all of it's special moments.

I still have a book from when I was a teenager. The pages are brown and curled. Photos are faded to that comfortable shade of sepia now known as "retro". (How and when did I become retro?)  The tickets and other memorabilia cling to the pages for dear life with Scotch tape and a prayer. The book is careworn but the memories it provokes remain sharp and true.

This thirty-year-old book is why I scrapbook. I scrapbook to preserve the memories. I use archival products as much as possible in hopes that my pages will last a few decades longer. I scrapbook as a creative outlet. I love the process of creating a work of personal art from a pile of paper, stickers, adhesive and other bits.

It's the "other bits" that have caused me to lose my way. I scrapbook to preserve memories. Unfortunately, shopping for my scrapbook "bits" has kept me from telling my story. It's almost as if a voice in my head has said, "that day/event/trip/memory won't be special until you buy those new and special 'bits' (that everyone has -- except you)." The crazy part is that I listen to that voice! Sometimes, by the time I've accumulated all of my bits and papers, I've forgotten the details of the event. At that point, I convince myself that "the bits" will tell my story. Talk about denial!


Last week, I spent three stressed-out days in my scrapbook room trying to put a small birthday album together. I have so many birthday "bits" that I didn't know where to start. There were actual tears on Saturday because I didn't know which "bit" really captured the right happy birthday tone. (Sad, but true.)

Monday, I tore the book apart and decided to just make what I liked.







I really like how it's coming together. Most importantly, I'm enjoying the process. All the base pages are laid out. I'm adding my "bits" and smiling all the while. I feel like a new woman and I'm going to have quite a cleansing spree in my scrapbook room.

Monday, April 6, 2015

A Blog Update (No, Not An April Fool's Joke!)

2014 is long gone. Three months into 2015, I am left a better woman. Stronger. More self-aware. More determined to be whole, healthy and authentic.

I continue to struggle with issues from last year's auto accident. I am home from work (on medical leave) in order to heal properly. There is no exact timetable for my return. Apparently soft-tissue injuries "take as long as they take". This has been difficult to accept; but I am determined to turn my lemons into lemonade.

The good news it that I have healed enough to craft. Scrapbooking has been my best friend and constant companion through the long winter. Spring is here and I'm inspired to create and to share.

This morning, I cleaned my desk from my last project and decided to make tags and Project Life cards from the scraps. I've seen blogs and videos of other ladies who had done this and I promised myself that I would try it as well. (The idea of tossing paper away is almost a physical pain for me)

I gathered some of my punches (why do I never use these lovely tools?), a pile of  cardstock pieces, any misc items laying around my desk and went for it. 
 I'm happy with the results and I hope this will help me build my layering skills as well. I have made six so far and I think I can get about a dozen completed before I put things away.

Thanks to anyone who stops to read this. Have a great week and Stay Scrappy!