Saturday, October 13, 2007

Scrapbook Musings...

I’ve come to see [once again] that there’s a ton of scrapbook info out there that I really know nothing about! – Products! Design Teams! Instructional Books and Guides! Celebrities! Contests! Forums! [Full of good faithful women!] Now, I’ve never really believed I knew it all – although I have had thoughts that I was somewhat knowledgeable… but as of this month I’ve officially lost that illusion – there is so much info available – out there – [websites- books- forums- magazines- groups- stores- ETC!] that I now know I will never be able to pursue it all! So just today I’ve asked myself – do I really want to? And the cold hard truth is --- No.

  • No, I do not want to sit in front of a computer for hours at a time following threads of conversation that does not concern me...
  • No, I do not want to have my pages reflect the scrapbook style de jour;
  • No, I do not want to read every available scrapbook magazine or special edition;
  • No, I do not want to take the time to search out each and every scrapbook ‘celebrity’ and know everything there is to know about them;
  • No, I do not want to search and search for the new and trendiest products and always try to have my pages be ‘ahead’ of the game;
  • No, I do not want to attend every crop available;
  • No, I do not want to take the time to submit layout after layout to every magazine, contest, or design call;
  • No, I do not want to know everything about every store in my region;
  • No I do not want to join every forum / group out there that is full of knowledgeable scrappers – both non-believers and believers;
  • No, I don’t want to take the time to read every post on every site –no matter how great it is;

Well, maybe I do… and I think it’s wonderful for those who have the time to pursue all of the above [I learn so much from the things they share!] but I’ve come to see that even if scrapbooking was my full-time job there would still not be enough time to even learn about all of the little nuggets of information out there, and there is no way that I will ever have the time to know it all. I sooo enjoy this craft – hobby – therapy – art and I’ve come to see [once again] that I need to reign myself in and set parameters and let the Lord lead me…

  • Yes, I want to be a part of select communities that uplift each other, share together, and grow in scrapbook information and in the Lord;
  • Yes, I want my layouts to be timeless and classic with a little whimsy thrown in for fun;
  • Yes, I want to take the time to stay ‘in touch’ with a few select celebrities whose style or philosophy I admire;
  • Yes, I want to read the magazines [books, etc.] that best reflect my ‘style’ and the direction I want my scrapbook layouts to go;
  • Yes, I want to take classes, try new ideas, and have some knowledge of what’s ‘on trend’ so as to not be totally ignorant –lol;
  • Yes, I want to attend those select crops where I can relax, work on my pages without scrutiny, and enjoy being with friends;
  • Yes, I want to focus on a couple of design entries each month – not every single one, and trust the Lord to guide me;
  • Yes, I want to become more familiar with my local scrapbook community and take the opportunities given to share with others how to put their faith on their pages; and
  • Yes, I want to be a part [as in participate daily] of a few active groups where the members take the time to know each other and give support in many areas of our lives….but most importantly –
  • Yes, I want to LIVE LIFE and be a part of the things that the Lord leads me to do.

And to quote Ali E – it’s okay…so there we have it – I’ll be unsubscribing to some groups and changing directions in my own life so that I can enjoy creating art once again. I don’t mean to imply that any of the above ‘Nos’ are wrong – they just aren’t for me – right now – during this time in my life. There are so many great ways to pursue this hobby, so many wonderful groups full of women with excellent ideas, and so many new ways to go with things, but I’m making the conscious decision that I do not have the time to be a part of everything and I’m not going to be on the fringe…

I’m staying with the direction I’ve taken during these past few months during my parents’ illnesses – scrapbooking just for me, as the Lord leads, – not for others’ expectations. I’ve loved this. But in preparing for a recent convention I’ve been sucked back into the whole mad scrapbook world again…so as of today I’m saying: not again, not now.

I look forward to sharing with those in my life in a more intimate way as we grow together...

2 comments:

Lisa J. said...

I respect you for knowing your limitations. Great willpower! May the Lord bless you!

Lisa J. said...

I respect you for knowing your limitations. Great willpower! May the Lord bless you!