Seems to me, there are two schools of thought when it comes to scrapbooking.
There’s the Got To Get My Pictures In An Album Quick…Because I’m So “Behind” sickness.
Then there’s the “I Can’t Decide Between The fuchsia, Periwinkle And Chartreuse Background Paper Because This Page Has. To. Be. Perfect!” syndrome.
First off, who started this whole idea of being “behind”? Hello. If were talking about being 100% on top of everything, then my whole life will be “behind” until the day I die.
So you probably think I’m one of the Behinders, huh? Wrong. I’m one of the Caught Uppers. When I first got into scrapbooking (13 years ago), I had a two year old and was out-to-here pregnant and not working. Glorious. For a few months straight I scrapped every night, going through every picture, organizing, cropping, adhering, creating.
Maybe I was one of those people caught up in the silly sickness. But I think just as bad is the idea that you must create a masterpiece every time you sit down to scrap. Honestly, I get caught in this trap too. There are so many talented scrappers, papercrafters, and artists out there that there’s a kind of pressure to create magazine ready layouts. What results is unfinished pages, books and projects because they’re just not going to be perfect…enough.
So what’s a scrapper to do?
When I was in college, a very wise professor taught me the idea of the Golden Mean. Its the idea that says the balance found in the absolute middle is golden. Like finding balance between being neurotic about keeping your kitchen floor clean, and mopping once a year whether it needs it or not. Or between never letting little Johnny play sports because he might just get hurt, and letting him play in the middle of a busy street because he wants to. Or slapping pictures down because your freaking out about being “behind”, and never committing to anything because its not going to be perfect (can you say perfectionist?)
I say…find what works for you, whether it be chronological, all mixed up, 12×12, or minis…and work on finding the Golden Mean.
I’m still looking for it, myself.
I do not work chronologically I do not want my art to be perfect I even cross out and move on when I am journaling. not worried about perfection just love to create my art and love how it makes me feel to accomplish my projects . love art and creating. find my muse thru mistakes too!..
I like to work on whatever suits the mood I’m in. It may be a recent vacation, or something from years ago. It may be paper and glue, or digital. What I love is watching people’s faces when they look through my books, usually randomly put in order, and they realize I would rather do a swimming page covering multiple years instead of by specific event in chronological order.
In the end they are my memories and I enjoy looking at a wide variety of them at a time. It works for me:)
Ha! I love it! I don’t think I will EVER reach the “golden mean” as you say. I’ll let you know if I do!
I’m so glad you said this. I didn’t realize why I can’t scrap 12×12 until I read this. I don’t want to because I can’t make magazine-ready layouts as you put it. So I do chipboard books instead.
Maybe I’ll have the courage to give it a shot. It’s for the kids anyway, and we know they don’t care if it’s a masterpiece. They just like seeing themselves.
Thanks for the comment Sally. I think we limit ourselves with the fear of “not measuring up”. I know I’m guilty of it! But you’re so right…our kids love whatever we do!
Very liberating thoughts indeed!
[...] Start with now. This was the best piece of advice I got when I started scrapbooking. Don’t try to be a hero and start with your birth pictures. Start with the last special event or your favorite photos of your son or your Project 365 photos. Get started and comfortable with scrapbooking and if you want to go back through old albums, then do that. But don’t get caught up in the trap. [...]