Tiff's Scrapbook Philosophies

My last post got me thinking that if I'm going to have a scrapbook blog, perhaps I should let readers know how I scrapbook, what works for me, why I've stuck with it, and what I love about my hobby (actually it's more like an obsession :)

Here are some facts about how I scrapbook: I keep chronological scrapbooks, sizes 8.5 x 11 in 3-ring binders. My husband loves photography, so he takes most of the pictures and I do most of the scrappin. So far, I have 26 detailed scrapbooks of my life. Each of my children also has a scrapbook that I keep for them until they turn 10. (My kids can take over when they turn 10, although I still organize their memorabilia and keep their pictures in photo albums with labels and dates for every picture.) Two of my children are older than 10 now, so I consistently keep up on 4 scrapbooks- mine and my 3 youngest children.

I have decided to stick with 81/2 x 11 pages because all of my pages get scanned and organized in computer scrapbook folders and power point presentations. I burn them to DVDs and keep them in important document folders. I also have copies "out west" where my mom and mother-in-law live. That way, all pages I've made won't be lost forever if something happens to them.

I also have a "scrapbook corner" in my house next to the fireplace. I have tall skinny Billy shelves and white storage boxes from IKEA on all the shelves. My corner is in my living room and I sit facing the TV so that I can be with the family while I scrapbook (it wouldn't work if I wasn't.) I have to scrapbook whenever I get a spare minute, so my corner looks a bit cluttered 24/7. But...because my stuff is out, I don't waste much time having to take out and put away my supplies every time I sit down. My kids are finally old enough to know that they cannot enter the scrapbook corner, so I done away with the safes and locking boxes that I used to have. I am in my corner as often as possible, but my best scrapbooking time is in the evenings after my little ones are in bed.

I have stuck with scrapbooking because of the awesome tools, embellishments, and creativity involved in making each page. I love working with my hands. I also love collecting things. Scrapbooking definitely provides me with plenty of things to collect! I love the techniques, the magazines, the blogs and the scrapbook conferences too.

I think scrapbooking should be done your style and your way, or you will never stick with it. What works for one certainly doesn't for another. I also think that you should not be upset if every page isn't a magnificent masterpiece. Some pages are wonderful, others...aren't. But you will always be grateful that you made those pages. Your children and those of future generations will be grateful that you made those pages.

All in all, scrapbooking works with my life and is the perfect hobby for me. I don't waste time in front of the TV because I'm always making something. I can take scrapbooking with me when I go places. I am keeping a record of my family and our history. I have documented myself by recording how I feel and the many experiences of my life, so that others will know me through those books.

And scrapbooking even helps me to fulfill my philosophy that "my day isn't complete until I've purchased something" because I can get great scrapbook stuff for not much money to get my fix.

Thank goodness for Scrapbooking!