Scrapbooking for the non-scrapper

For those of you who have been afraid to start scrapbooking, I wanted to share this great article I found  in the January issue of Stampin' Success,

a free magazine for Stampin' Up demonstrators. Over the next couple of

blog posts, I will give you some excerpts of this awesome article.   

 

Here's the first scrapbooking myth:

(by Lisa Mabey)

Now, I realize that everyone scrapbooks differently, and that stereotypes

are not universal (thank goodness). However, scrapbooking “rules” still

exist, and they sway some people into believing that scrapbooking is not

for them. But it can be. So let’s debunk a few scrapbooking myths

(in a not-so-silent rebellion) and break free from these so-called rules

that you or your customers may feel bound by.

Myth: Scrapbooking is too overwhelming, so I might as well not even

start.

Truth: I have one word for you: Simplify. Scrapbooking should be fun, inspiring, and a way to tap into your creative energy every time you see scrapbooking supplies (doesn’t seeing a new Designer Series paper make

you want to just create something stunning?). Start simple and take your scrapbooking one page at a time. Having a few meaningful scrapbook

pages completed is a lot better than never  scrapbooking because you

think you can never be “done” or don’t know where to start. Here are a

few simple ideas to get you started. 1 Get creative! Take pictures of (and scrapbook) the mundane, everyday stuff you do. Make a “day in the life”

page of your or your kids’ average day so that the page expresses a cross-section of who you are. This would be a perfect introduction to your

album!  Think of scrapbooking a favorite memory (instead of broadly focusing on all the photos you’ve taken). What would you need to

capture that memory? Say you go to the park with your children

frequently. Sum up your park visits with one or two well-planned pages

that capture your thoughts, feelings, and the delight your children feel.

Once those pages are complete, you’ll no longer feel compelled to

scrapbook each outing to the park, because the important story and

memories are already recorded. Of course, if something really special happened on your latest trip to the park, feel free to scrapbook the event,

but you’ll be able to move on to other memories and other stories more easily. If you take away the pressure and overwhelming size of

“scrapbooking your whole life,” it can become creative and pleasurable

like it was meant to be. Scrapbooking isn’t a chore—it really is fun!