What's the point of Scrapbooking?

Ok, pop quiz today--

What's the point of Scrapbooking?
A) To have an socially acceptable excuse to play with paper and paste as an adult.
B) To have a outlet for creative expression.
C) To preserve photos in a safe manner.
D) To be grateful for the moments in our life before time slips away.
E) All of the above.


Last week I attended Creating Keepsakes University (CKU)-Houston. It was a 3 day total immersion in scrapbooking education. I learned so much and relished being in the company of so many others who were just as enthusiastic as me about scrapbooking. I was even more impressed at the genuine emotion and enthusiasm that the instructors (many of them are big names in the industry, some of them the bigwigs at the scrapbooking magazines) still had for scrapbooking.

Two of my instructors stood out for their "real" attitudes about why we scrapbook, and what is really important about it. One, the editor in chief of Creating Keepsakes magazine, was very earnest about her struggles with weight and depression, and how all that is a part of who she is, and that it is important for that to be represented in her scrapbooks. I think that it would have been a challenge to find a dry eye in the room when she talked about how as women, we are often the historians of our families, and yet our stories and identities aren't always represented in our scrapbooks because we are usually BEHIND the camera, not in front. And that it IS important, not vain, for us to record who we are. For ourselves, and for others we may share our books with.

The second very inspiring instructor was the founding editor of Simple Scrapbooks magazine, and she set out to remove the guilt and the "shoulds" we all feel when it comes to scrapbooking. She was able to really boil down to the essence the most important reason for scrapbooks. We create them in order to be GRATEFUL--to take the time to be mindful of what is significant in our lives, before the time slips away and these moments and thoughts are forgotten....lost.

So the answer to the pop quiz is--E--All of the Above. The moral of this very looong entry is that scrapbooks can be more than a "fake" and "incomplete" representation of only the happy events in our lives. It's not just about cute embellishments and fancy papers (though those are certainly fun). For those of you who find that the idea of scrapbooks seems cheesy--they do not need to be. They can be honest. And they are our opportunity to recognize our blessings, our struggles. Our reality.

Can your photo album do that?

Scrapbooking or Home Decor?

Just a quick entry to share a shadowbox I made for someone celebrating their 40th birthday last weekend. The photo in the box is for demonstration purposes--while I've been told numerous times that my wedding was fabulous, I am not quite so vain as to insert my wedding photo into gifts meant for someone else! I left the mat empty so she could put in a photo of her choice.

This was a fun challenge to come up with something "grown-up" and sophisticated, yet stylish and fun--something that could be displayed in a well appointed home, yet look unique with a twist of unmistakable femininity.

See, this ain't your grandma's scrapbooking!

Back to Reality...

I have a hard time reconciling the fact that I was at the above place just last week, and yet now I am sitting at home with piles of laundry to do, and the food does not just magically appear in front of me anymore...

Steve and I went on a cruise in the Western Carribean last week for his family reunion. It was so great just getting away, spending time with family, eating ourselves silly, and soaking in the sights and sun. We did 3 things we'd never done before:

1. Climbed a 650+ foot waterfall and lived to tell about it
2. Went swimming with stingrays
3. Went snorkeling in an underground cavern

It was so very cool! The above picture is of a public beach in Grand Cayman. Definitely a place we'd like to visit again sometime. It was one of those few places I've been where I looked around and thought, "I am walking around in a postcard."

I am so glad we went--it really refreshed me and gave my creativity a boost. Can't wait to start creating!

My First Scrapbook Layout

So as I mentioned in my previous post, there's a guy about to premiere his documentary about scrapbooking. He's invited scrapbookers to submit layouts talking about their first ever scrapbook page, and he will be displaying them at his premiere and future screenings. This is the page I sent--it documents my first layout (completed in 2002) and how I didn't have any supplies back then, so I used a white pen to doodle a design on the page. Greatest irony--now doodling is this "hot" and trendy technique! So who knows...perhaps coming to a theater near you...my scrapbook page!

It's so interesting to see how my scrapbooking style has developed over the years. The craft as a whole has grown a lot--it used to be all cutesy paperdolls and bright stickers with white borders, and simple patterned papers, and now there is a lot more variety and sophistication--even my glamorous friend who has lived in all the cosmopolitan cities of the US and has a highly developed fashion sense (so the opposite of me) found some of my scrapbook paper super cute! I hope that more people will start seeing scrapbooking as relevant to them--scrapbooks aren't just for some stereotypical dowdy moms--they can even be for fashionistas!

Scrapbooking Documentary

So, a few months back I heard that there was a man doing a documentary on the world of scrapbooking. He was going to delve into the whole scrapbooking subculture and share it with regular people. This was especially funny when you realize that he his a big ol' tattooed Harley riding guy whose early efforts at scrapbooking consisted of taking a shotgun to an album... You can see his site here and watch some promos: Scrapped. All silliness aside though, he has really made a sincere effort to learn about scrapbooking and scrapbookers and what we do and what inspires us.

There is a point to this...according to his blog, it turns out he was actually at the same GASC Arlington show I attended, but I never got around to the Fuji booth where he was. Also, in an even greater stroke of coincidence, he came down to Houston right after that and visited with the employees at the LSS (local scrapbook store) that I frequent!!! How'd I miss him?!?!? Did I miss my chance at becoming the star of a documentary??? Apparently, his movie premieres August 5 in Minnesota. Hopefully the rest of the world will be able to see it soon! Time to go submit a layout for the book he will be displaying at his premiere...

Buddy has a Friend!

Hope everyone had a fabulous 4th of July! We are watching our friends' dog while they are on vacation for 2 1/2 weeks, so Buddy has a new friend to play with. Buddy got a little jealous the first day and would come up and block Trevor whenever Trevor came up to lick my face. Funny considering Buddy is not the usual clingy dog that follows you from room to room--I see how it is...I'm only appreciated when some other dog comes up for petting and kisses! Hmph!

They have been having great fun jumping and romping with each other (and then they tire themselves out and sleep for hours). This pic is of them when they realized we were about to go on our walk this morning. SOOO CUTE!!! Trevor is the best dog to walk-after some initial excitement, he just trots alongside me enjoying the walk. The whole time I've had Buddy it's been a struggle--he tries to walk me! The walks have been going well though--I walk one dog on each side of me (with MUCH more tugging and scolding on the Buddy side). I may have trouble giving Trevor back to his parents when they come home!

A Furry Muse

So this is my muse--my silly dog, Buddy. Isn't he photogenic? The top picture is one of the favorite altered items I've made. It is a mini accordion album meant to go inside an altoid type tin, and the picture below it is of the piece that decorates the lid.

I designed these pieces for a lovely woman who has a business selling scrapbook supplies and kits. The exciting part was that I was able to see my work on display last week at the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, TX! Steve had work related training going on in Irving, so I decided to tag along on the trip and attend the scrapbooking show while he was in class. Crazy to think that hundreds and hundreds of people may have seen my little altered altoid tin!

When Steve and I got back and picked up Buddy from the pet resort, we tried telling him he was famous, but he was more interested in sniffing some pug's behind...

Buddy will never let his fame go to his head!

Anyway, if any of you are inspired to make one of these fun altoid tins, check out www.detailed-designs.com. I am not sure if she has them up on her site yet, but the owner sells the tins and precut plain cardstock inserts to go inside them, so it's super easy. You just decorate and embellish away! Tell her Anita sent ya! I just love these little projects because they're easy to start and finish--pretty much instant gratification!

See any Pigs Flying?

Wow, so here I am with a blog on this big ol' Internet. Never thought I'd see the day, but I realized even my friend's less-than-one-month-old baby has a blog, so it's high time I got one too. This blog is going to be a peek into the behind the scenes of Scrap Fancy and a place for my scrapbooking and other random musings. So, welcome everyone!

I thought I'd use my first entry to explain the 'what' and 'why' of Scrap Fancy, since as my DH Steve pointed out, many of my friends probably don't even understand what I do! First the 'what'--I am a scrapper for hire. That means I take clients' photos and scrapbook them. But wait, there's more (I've always wanted to say that)! I also scrapbook photos in digital format. I get asked a lot whether this means you'd have to sit down on the computer to view your scrapbooks. Actually, not at all. I print these pages either on photo paper to be displayed in a traditional scrapbook, or as a custom hardbound coffee table style book!

As for the 'why' of Scrap Fancy-let's just say in my previous life as a public accountant, creativity was not exactly encouraged (at least publicly)--can we forget Enron? And no, I was not a part of that--different firm and different city at the time :)

I love the two sides of scrapbooking--there is the creative expression side, which is fun and colorful, and appealing to the senses. Then there is the part that involves reflecting upon and capturing the moments and values that are central to our lives. I love that all of that comes together in this craft. I love the term that a well known scrap celebrity coined, “life artist.” I feel like that sums up what I am and what I do! And yes, you heard right, there are "scrap celebrities!"

So, scrapbooking for others allows me to share my creative energy. I love when I design something for someone, and they are thrilled with it. It's an incredible feeling when someone cries when I have created the perfect scrapbook for the apple of their eye. I am humbled that I can affect someone that much. This is a satisfaction I could never experience in my corporate job, so this business is the realization of a dream for me.

Tomorrow I am going to introduce my creative muse, so stay tuned!