Thought Of the Moment

[sarah]

As I was driving in through the swirling snow, I had scrapbooking swirling through my mind. I thought about how I got to the point where I was loving this hobby - me who is not artistic in the sense I never thought I had the patience and heck, I failed art classes all the way through Middle School.

What was that aha! moment that got you into scrapbooking?

For me, it was prepping for my wedding. I had dabbled in crafts before that - using the flowers from my fiance's casket arrangment to make a swag that hangs above my doorway, the making of a Christmas wreath one year, even flyers. But my wedding - that was the catalyst. DH and I did a complete DIY wedding - invites, thank yous, program fans, decorations, centerpieces, cake topper - favors - EVERYTHING! As we gathered supplies and made stuff (he is a painter), we found ourselves getting familiarized with Joanns and other LSS. The more I looked in the scrapping section, the more I was amazed. I was going to do a scrapbook guestbook, but went with a wish bowl instead. However, I did purchase a beautiful scrapbook to scrap my wedding (nope, did three pages - it's not done), but here I am now. That was the hook - I've been reeled in and am sinking in shopping and supplies. I LOVE this craft.

So, tell me, WHAT WAS IT FOR YOU?

[Emily]

I have always been an artsy person. In High School, I made cool work, but I hated art class. Then I later found myself going to school for Art. And I actually enjoyed it! I've always made little scrapbooks from those spiral bound cardboard books that you can find at walmart and I embellished with construction paper cutouts. It was just simple scrapbooking. One year Rebeka and I decided we wanted to make our own Christmas cards. I thought it would be a fun idea, so I started going dow nthe scrapbook aisle at Michael's and Hobby Lobby. As I started buying little things, I noticed the craft more and more and had to buy more and more! I feel that since then, my work has improved a lot because when I REALLY got started was Christmas of 2005, so I've only been REALLY scrapping for a little over a year

[Ms. Shop-a-lot]

In 1996 I found an album at a hallmark store. It was an actual 14 x 12 or some other dumb size like that. I cut out photos, glued pics, ticket stubs, postcards. To "embellish" I painted, used colored pencils - you name it. It was a scrapbook true to form! Looking back it was hideous! I also had my memory book from senior year that I had stuffed SO full of mementos. .. everything from tags to my ice passes from when we went Ice Skating a lot as teens...it was another "scrap" book.

I stopped SB'ing for a long long time. Then in 2001 a friend came over who had done creative memories. She kept trying to get me to SB (by telling me over the phone) but at the time I didn't want any hobbies I could not afford. When I saw her album I was HOOKED. I HAD to scrapbook. Here, 5 years later I've never finished one album, never been to a convention, never been published but I am having FUN. It's turned out to be more of a creative outlet for me but one day when I actually start to scrapbook I'll be really happy w/ my LO's! I do LO's but very few. I need to put a stop to all the swapping and get back in the groove!

That's why I'm doing the 1-48 class w/ Hillary! I think it's going to really motivate me. Seems like whenever I scrap anymore I find products that I FORGOT I had. That means I have too much nugget and not enough work is being done.

Why must we TALK about SB'ing and BUY SB'ing supplies - we should just SCRAPBOOK!!!

Great question - my aha moment was seeing my friend's album and going WHOA - it was just so different from the ugly album I had done...heheh

[Ms. Shop-a-lot]

OH, actually I HAVE finished ONE album. It was an album that I did for my hubby while he was away. Gosh I swear I need to get an album done. I'm OCD with ADD. God help us all - but mostly start with me please!!!

Sarah - you're so great! I read what you wrote about "making a niche". You're so brilliant! Thanks for the comments. I love ya'll!