Amy over at The Paper Life has been so kind to feature me in an interview today on her blog. Head over and listen to our little interview about blog design, scrapbooking and more. And, the best part…enter to win a $25 credit to my digi graphics shoppe or a design of a twitter page, blog button or business card!

Over on the Tip Junkie Community on the BlogFrog, there’s lots of great discussion going on about digital scrapbooking. Join in the conversion and enter to win a $35 credit to my digi graphics shoppe.

Saturday I went to Mesa, AZ with some of my scrapbook “chicks” to attend the Creating Keepsakes Convention. It was a scrapbooker’s playground…

There were a plethora of vendors, but here were some of the ones I visited:

Best Craft Organizer (sweet paper storage solutions)
Dollar Scrapbooking
Embellish It!
Eyelet Outlet
Itscheaperthantherapy.com
Lickety Split Scrapbooks
Melissa Frances
The Paper Loft
Picture That Sound
Pioneer Photo Albums (my favorite albums in the whole wide world)
Queen & Company (cute felt borders)
Red Bee, The
Rusty Pickle
Scrapbuck.com (the best deals around)
Scrap-Mart.com
Scrapperz Outlet(Sizzix)
SEI
Strictly Scrapbooking
Tami Potter/Wish in the Wind (a cool photo mosaic tool)
Tattered Angels
Technique Tuesday

Take a look at my loot…

Yummy.

I didn’t take any classes this year (because frankly, they are too expensive and I haven’t had the greatest experiences in the past with CKC classes) so this year it was all about the vendor faire.

After a couple of hours of that, we got some lunch, and visited two scrapbook stores in Mesa… Mystic Paper (A. Mazing.) and Scrapbooks Etc. (a lovely overload).

I was gone from morning to night and it was simply a spectacular day. Wonderful company, good food, sweet deals and new ideas.

Maybe one of these days CKC will come to Tucson so we won’t have to drive to Mesa (show some love CKC!) But until then, its worth the 2 hour drive.

Your turn…have you attended a CK convention?

Can you relate? Is it a woman thing or a mom thing or a poor-planner thing? I have so many things I want to do…

write posts for the Cropaholics in Training series

create more digi graphics

sit and watch my new found love, Netflix on Wii

review products

take a walk

And there are the things I need to do…

laundry

spend to much money by saving money at Costco

clean up the sticky spot in the kitchen

finish that blog design for my client

answer emails

sign that permission slip

return those books

call my sister back

Oh, my head is spinning.

And then there’s scrapbooking. Scrapbooking! Scrapbooking?

Seems its always pushed to the bottom of the list.

But I’m holding out hope that this is a season. There will be more time later (when I’m dead, most likely). My kids won’t always be young and going in 35 directions. There won’t always be a struggle between being with them, working, blogging or enjoying my hobbies.

So for now, I’ll do my best. I’ll drive to the practices and do the shopping and clean late at night. I’ll post when I can and try to keep my clients happy.

And I’ll hug and kiss on them while they still want me to. I’ll treasure their crackling voices and their little drawing and the yellow weeds flowers they bring me.

Because, right now?

They will always win.

So what about you?

(Warning: A bit of a rant below…)

I tend to focus on the big picture sometimes. Probably to a fault.

I also don’t have the luxury of spending however and whenever I want on scrapbook supplies.

Its interesting to me that the scrapbooking industry ranks right up there with the fashion industry when it comes to marketing. Us ladies love our loot, and we’re suckers for girlie, sparkly, pretty things. Its the same pattern as everything else in retail-land. And to be honest, at times I tire of the frenzy.

You know the routine…

…the new iPod that comes out every year, 1/4 inch wider and 5/8 inch longer than the one before

…the new minivan with heated seats and cooled cup holders

…skinny jeans as opposed to boot cut

…the 12×12 distressed polka dot paper rather than the plain polka dot

Now, I’m a consumer like everyone else. In fact, I do a lot of product reviews of some wonderful products. I enjoy newness and advancements and a new spin on the so and so and the such and such.

But really? Is it a must to buy every. single. product. that comes out just because I’m supposed to? I mean, if I don’t, I’ll be left behind, right? Doesn’t it seem that companies are replacing their own product lines at break-neck speed? Especially in the craft industry, there’s not even enough time to use the product before the newer, better, greater, prettier, brighter one comes along. Is better synonymous with new? Do I really buy the latest thing because I love it, or because…I somehow feel I’m supposed to?

I say, its ok to stop, take a breather, ask myself “Do I really love this or need this?”, and possibly pass on it and use the 37 polka dot 12×12 papers I already have in my stash. Then, when something comes along that I truly love, there’s no guilt, no hiding bags from the Mr., and room in my stash for the new addition.

I purchase

because I create

because I want to preserve

because I want to remember.

I want to keep it in that order…not the other way around.

Ok, off my soapbox. How about you…ever feel this way?

1. Its good for my mental stability.
2. It affords me time with some good girlfriends.
3. I get to play with blingy, shiny things.
4. Its a fun and meaningful way of journaling.
5. Its an artistic and creative outlet that almost anyone can do. (…and don’t mumble under your breath “but I’m just not artistic” at this point because I WILL hear it over the internet tubes.)
6. It preserves memories that I thought I would “never forget”.
7. My boys future daughters-in-law will appreciate it someday.
8. When I die.
9. And they pry all 137 albums from my cold dead fingers.

If you are a scrapbooker, you’ll understand completely. If you don’t scrap, maybe I’ll convince you that you just might need to give it a try with this little blog of mine. You’d be surprised how fun and easy and purely addicting it is.

In a good way…

Originally posted on Apron Strings Aflutter, June, 2008:

It’s a Pioneer scrapbook, which I still buy today. The pages are yellowed, half the stuff is ripped out (a casualty of the fickle and tumultuous teenage years) and its probably not acid free.

But flipping through the aged pages, I relive some incredibly meaningful memories and defining moments in my life…(some of which I had forgotten):

the baptism when I was 10
the freehand drawings
kindergarten graduation
ribbons and awards
the homerun in high school softball
first date tickets

and on and on and on.

Someday my kids will relive the same memories from their lives. And even if my handwriting isn’t perfect or my photos aren’t always trimmed squarely, the memories will be perfect for them.

And that is why I scrapbook.

UPDATE: The winner of the giveaway is #112, Nicole (not me, the other one ). Congratulations, Nicole. I will contact you shortly!

Hello. My name is Nicole. And I’m a cropaholic.

Oh yes, its true. For 13 years now. It used to be Mrs. Grossman stickers and oval templates. Now its cute little brads, glittery things of all sorts and paper. Oh…the paper.

Let me tell you a little bit about me.

I’m not a scrapbook designer or professional artist. (Short caveat here…I am a graphic designer, turned web designer, turned blog designer. But trust me when I tell you that scrapbooking…in the traditional manner…and digital design are two different animals. And a professional scrapbooker I am not.)

I scrap as often as I can, many times neglecting laundry and opting for ordered pizza over a home cooked meal.

I probably buy hide invest in more stuff supplies tools than I really need.

I sometimes cut crookedly.

I have no problem cropping photos.

I scraplift. A lot. Oh, the degradation.

Like scrapbooking, blogging is another passion of mine. I started blogging in 2008 and blog at The Pixel Boutique, sharing tips, resources and design services for other bloggers.

My goal with this here little blog is to combine both of my passions. You can expect some honest opinions on products, maybe some giveaways, hopefully some guest posts and probably some tips and tricks along the way. How’s that for concrete?

So to kick things off right, I’m hosting a giveaway. Here are a few scrapbooking treats I’m thrilled to be able to offer one lucky winner!

$50 credit to SnapFish!

Making Memories Spiral Journaling Notebook

Colorbok Bubble Stickers

“My Hero” Scenic Route Chipboard

K & Company Tag Pad

Custom Business/Mommy card design by the pixel boutique

Entering is simple: Just tell me what kind of scrapbooker you are:

• Obsessed – I’m just like you. Its a condition.
• Frustrated – I WANT to scrapbook much more than I do, but life has another idea.
• Reluctant – Someone drags me to crops against my will.
• Clueless – I want to be a scrapbooker but have no idea where to start.
• Lurking – I just happened upon this blog and have no idea what you are all so hyped up about, but the giveaway looks pretty cool.

Entries must be made before Friday, October 16 at midnight. For extra entries, you can tweet up to once a day. Be sure to leave a comment for each tweet.

So thanks for stopping by. Looking forward to exploring this think called “scrapbooking” with you, my friend!