Sunday, January 4, 2009

Wow, scrapbooking is fun?

Yesterday I spent all day in my scrapbook room again, this time not organizing but actually putting pages together. And I have to say, it's the most fun I've had with this hobby in a long time! I had become too much of a planner-scrapper, only doing pages which I had specifically picked papers for. I had made it into such a process of particulars that I think I'd really taken the fun right out of it. This is one of the reasons I'd had such trouble scrapbooking since leaving Scrapbook Garden, because I was no longer able to go in and match up every single thing. So when I would try to put a page together, I would just sit in my room, befuddled. I couldn't even scraplift someone else's idea as a springboard anymore. I was just completely over the whole thing. 

Well after going through all of my supplies and looking at new ideas, yesterday I was just really inspired to get started. So I whipped out some photos, found some papers I already owned...EVEN incorporated some SCRAPS! *gasp* And it was so much fun. If I had to describe it, I would say that it felt like the days when I first started scrapbooking. Back when I didn't care about "the rules" that have been imposed on me...back when I just created what I wanted to because I liked the way it looked. It was so exciting and enjoyable, never stressful as it had recently become. It didn't need to look "just so," or meet anyone else's approval. It was supposed to be FUN! Remember? Maybe the rest of you have never fallen out of love with scrapbooking as I had...and I'm not expecting to never have another moment of scrap-block, but it was a wonderful feeling to rediscover that joy and creativity. 

This page features my adorable Livvie and some of the cutest pictures EVER taken. My Mom took these and I stole them. *haha*  She's turned into quite a talented little photographer! Thanks Mom! :) 
The paper and diecuts are both Fancy Pants. I bought them on clearance because I saw this particular phrase and KNEW that it had to go on a page about miss Livvie. I think it sums up the page quite nicely. :)

I've never done any 12x12 layouts of dog pictures. MoJo's puppy pictures are in an 8x8 album and I've done a few for Wrigley's 8x8 book as well. (Sorry Cubby. I'll get to it eventually. *haha*) I really love the way this layout turned out. And I have to say, I was pretty pleased with myself mixing old and new papers together. Might not be a big deal for the rest of you, but remember I've been such a planner there wasn't much room for that kind of thing. :^/ 
The apples and grid (background) papers are from an October Afternoon kit that I got from 2P's a while back. I LOVE it! I actually set out to use more of that paper set on this page but there's a lot of red and dark blue in it that just didn't seem to fit. So I dug through my monstrous stacks of paper and found the teal with polka dots. (It's from a clearance My Mind's Eye Kaleidoscope line that I bought who knows when.) Oh and the letters are from my Cricut with the Alphalicious cartridge.

And since poor Cubby didn't have a single page dedicated to him yet, I put this one together in is fuzzy honor. :)  I accidentally cut the title off in the photo. It says "Snuggle Puppy." 
I think this is my favorite of the batch. It's scraplifted but man it fell together so easily I felt like I really knew what I was doing. :) The papers are a mix of Basic Grey lines, mostly Blush but the blue with tiny polka dots is from Blitzen (I think. Not that it really matters, it's all been discontinued. *haha*)

I just reread this post and realized...almost all of the stuff I used on these pages was bought on clearance!! *haha* Guess I shouldn't beat myself up too badly over shopping the sale racks.
Thanks for looking! 

3 comments:

Michelle said...

They're all very cute! I can't pick a favorite so it's good I don't have to!

And isn't it kind of fun to "shop" from your stash? Sometimes I really like unearthing forgotten treasures but I'll admit there are sometimes I miss my days at the garden and being able to not have to dig to find the right paper!

Sam wanted to try to "purge" my stuff for me last night after we talked about your blog. I reminded her I purged before the move and told her to get her grubby paws away from my stuff!

Nikki said...

I know your pages are always great. I am jealous! I too have somewhat lost the love of the hobby, but maybe that is because my room is trashed and I need to purge and unearth great treasures. See what the store did to all of us, made it work and not fun.

a chick named Toni... said...

I love your style chickie! I completely understand what you are saying about being in a funk after you left SBG. I had the exact same feeling. I just kept thinking what am I going to do? How am I going to match my stuff. It is a mind set that you get in (actually almost a sickness) and really all we needed was time to deprogram ourselves! HA! Funny but so true!

We need to scrap together soon! Maybe you can rub off on me!