Tuesday 24 May 2016

What's the point of scrapbooking?

Product: papers, rosettes & flowers: Pebbles' Spring Fling, alphas: Bella Blvd, doily: Studio Calico, glassine bag: Creative Packaging


I was teaching a card class this past weekend and a lady I had not taught or met before asked me the following questions, one after the other, bang, bang, bang - "What is scrapbooking? Why do you do it? What's the point? What do you do with them?"

I just stared at her. What do you mean? Why wouldn't I scrapbook! It's my thing. The point? I actually felt a little stumped. 

I answered a generic answer- "For the purpose of memory keeping and as a creative outlet."  I then continued on with instructing my card class. 

However, I didn't just let it go. Why do I scrapbook? What am I going to do with them all? She obviously, unknowingly- hit a nerve. I felt like I needed to defend myself. My feelings were a little bizarre actually. 

I came home from that class and felt compelled to create, to scrapbook and to tell a few stories. I scrapbooked for 2 days straight, only stopping to eat. The whole time answering the burning question- "Why do I scrapbook?" 

Product: paper & stickers: Doodlebug Designs, cardstock: American Crafts

I scrapbook because it makes my happy. It lights me up and is there really any other reason that matters?

I scrapbook to preserve our memories, to  tell a story, to freeze moments in time. To jump back into the past and touch those memories. I scrapbook because beautiful pattern paper sends endorphins to my brain that make me giddy! If you don't love pattern paper then you won't understand but maybe your thing is new bake ware or paint or fabric. Everyone has a thing. I scrapbook because that happens to be my creative outlet, my space to express myself and recount a story.

As for the other question- "What am I going to do with them all?"

I honestly don't know. Will Anna want them all? I don't know.

What I do know is that I don't think about it much, it's not important. What is important is that for right now, in these moments- creating makes me happy, it brings me joy.  I do hope that as the years go by and aging takes over that we will have these pages, these albums full of memories, albums full of my touch and full of my words to go through. I can't see the future but I know that they will matter, all of it will matter and I will be so grateful that I have a love of memory keeping.

2 comments:

Jennifer Shaw said...

A beautiful post Nadine. I sometimes think about the accumulation of stuff (albums) but I know that scrapping makes me happy and gives me a beautiful escape that no other activity does. My girls say that they don't want my albums after I'm gone and I respect that. Millennials don't collect stuff. I scrapbook for me and don't really care what happens to my albums after I'm gone. Patterned paper gives me that rush too!! Beautiful pages. :)

Formerly.Lisa.S. said...

I definitely struggle with the space that my layouts and albums take up, especially as a person who enjoys living a minimalistic life, and strives to be better to our environment. But I just can't get over the same feelings and thoughts you describe - the joy in creating, and the memories captured. Great post Friend, and LOVE YOUR LAYOUTS!!! Dude, those flower clusters in the top layout are SO FRICKIN FABULOUS!