Slowly, but Surely...

I'm working through the Pretty Paper.True Stories challenges Shimelle posted on (Inter)National Scrapbook Day.  I still don't expect to get all done as some are just out of my reach, but we'll see what happens.

Got a comment yesterday(?) that made me want to address my scraposophy during this time that new and different people come visiting.  I am a firm believer that scrapbooking is all about stories.  This is actually what started scrapbooks way back when I was a kid (and I do mean waaaaay back) and I believe that it still holds true.  Stories told through photos, journaling and sometimes mementos; but especially through pictures and words.  I believe that if you were to flip through my albums, it would take little more than glancing at a photo to see the basis of what the story is about.  Sometimes you have to read the words (title and/or journaling) to actually understand it, but you would definitely get the gist at a mere glance... because that's usually how I rummage through them.  I know that it's easy to get caught up in the papers & embellishments (and I still have a firm belief that it is perfectly fine to use lots & lots of papers on a layout) but I am a believer that first and foremost the photos and/or journaling should always be front & center and embellishments should be just that - an ornament or decoration to enhance the story.  I understand that people love to use their craftiness to add pounds of embellishments to a little, bitty photo - I'm just not that crafter.  I scrapbook a variety of albums - individual family members have albums, there's the yearly album, and there's the heritage albums.  And yes, I even do a 'this & that' album that contains various layouts that I have done just for fun (mostly in response to class or challenge projects) - but even those pages have photos and/or stories front & center.  (When I first started doing challenges, etc. I did a lot of those layouts where I just love the photos - especially of my granddaughter - but there really wasn't a story; but even though it was 'fluff' the photos still came first.)  And sometimes I scrap a layout using 2 lbs of embellishments - but I try to make sure they never become the centerpiece.   I know I'll never make the Prima design team (and I absolutely understand that they must use 10lbs of stuff on their layouts) but that's okay with me; just like it's okay with me if people prefer to use the photo as embellishment to the flowers, ribbon, etc. on their page.  That's what I love about scrapbooking the most - that everyone has their own interpretation.

Speaking of embellishing layouts, I am still under the weather somewhat and my scrapping mojo just isn't up to snuff.  Still I'm making every effort.  But when I look at today's layouts, I just have to smile a little bit.  I was thinking sitting at my desk today that I have thousands of dollars worth of scrapping stuff in my little 6x6 spot... really, look around your spot and start adding up what it would cost to replace what you've accumulated with paper at about $1 a sheet - the $42 of sprays because I only have 7, the $75 of tape because I don't buy too very much, the gems, stickers, Thickers! (at $5 a pack), diecuts, chipboard, flair (love!), wood (fave!), brads (way too many), buttons (oh my!), punches, stamps and 100 +/- rolls of ribbon, etc. etc. and so forth and so on.  Yet, with all that sitting literally at my fingertips, I nearly forgot to add any embellishments at all to these pages... fuzzy-headed scrapping is not for the masses! 

So my first one is Scrap Yourself:

Cardstock: Coredinations; Thickers: American Crafts; Wood: Studio Calico; Everything Else: October Afternoon

 

I have to say that I purposefully placed my clusters as far from my photos as possible (while still connected) because my embellishments were large and the photos are small so I wanted to make sure nothing overpowered them. 

 

And then my cold medicine started wearing off while I worked on this on for Gratitude:

 

Cardstock: Coordinations; Patterned Paper & DieCut: Crate Paper; Thickers: American Crafts; Other Stickers & Spray Ink: October Afternoon; Mistables: Studio Calico; Tape: Glitz; Wood: Freckled Fawn; Punches: EK Success

 

I'm so proud of myself for using blue cardstock for my background!  Now this is what I'm laughing about... the little pictures with big embellishments and this big picture with little embellishments!  Note: After uploading these photos I did go back and move the glitter 'star' on the left down to the left of the hearts just above the camera.  (And no, my layout is all put together crooked, but my photography certainly is!) 

 

So two more off the list! What have y'all been doing today?  (Hopefully, I can check up on everyone in the morning.  GiGi uses my computer at night for homework (like right this minute she's come to get it) and when I woke up this morning it was completely dead.  So I've gotten to use it for exactly 30 minutes today - yay me!)  I hope everyone is doing okay with all this crazy May weather and is in their scrappy place!

 

Until tomorrow...

Cheerio!

 

"My aim is to put down on paper what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way." - Ernest Hemingway