Scrapbooking and dreams

I have blogged about many things, mostly NOT related to my love of scrapbooking, but that is changing as of today!! I LOVE to scrapbook. I consider it my therapy. When  I can get  in my scraproom and lose myself in my projects, sometimes my family will have to come in to check to see if I am still alive in there! To me, scrapbooking is so much more than just preserving pictures, it is all about the memories. That's why I believe you can make a layout that preserves memories about an occasion even if you don't have photos. If you have the memory, that is what you scrap. You utilize other items that remind you of that memory, a menu, a business card, paper clip, button, coaster, ANYTHING!!! I am one of those people who believe that anything can be put in a scrapbook if it is done correctly. If it is something too bulky, there is where you get your picture. Take photos of the bulky items and include them on your layout.
People ask me how to learn to scrapbook and I tell them, there is no wrong or right way to scrap. If you put two pictures on a piece of cardstock or patterned paper and some sort of journaling and you are happy with it, that's all that matters! It is, after all, your memories being preserved. YOURS is the only opinion that matters. Sure you want others to look at your albums and ooh and ahh, who doesn't? But if they don't, and you look at those photos and pages and YOU ooh and ahh, that is what is important! You have to enjoy what you do, and be happy with the outcome yourself. Once I tell them that, they seem to relax and typically come up with some gorgeous layouts!!!
And don't tell me "I'm just not creative". Fooey on that. Once you get that photo on some paper, ideas  start flowing from who knows where, but they do. I can't draw a decent stick person, but I have learned to make some really cute tear bears!!
The main thing about scrapbooking, in my opinion, other than preserving memories, is you have to have fun at it. If it gets to the point of feeling like work, then it's time to try something different. Try a different technique, make a card if you have never tried that. Or, try an altering project!!
Altering project you say? What is that? Look around your house, usually in the kitchen, and find something that seems like it should have some other use instead of throwing it away when it's empty. Let's take a cereal box for example. If you take that empty cereal box, cut an angle off each side making it look similar to the magazine holders, you have altered that box. Now decorate it!! Do whatever feels right to you in decorating that box! When you get through with it, noone will believe you made it. They will swear you bought it at some fancy boutique!! And these kinds of reactions will boost your confidence to a whole new level!
There are so many different things you can do with your everyday scrapbooking supplies. And many of us have our supply addictions. I have several actually. I have yet to find an effective 12 step program for scrappers, but, I haven't looked very hard either! lol
I am addicted to paper, patterned, solid, textured, vellum, transparency, who cares!!! If it is paper, I love it! I am also addicted to flowers though my collection is nowhere near where I want it to be. I'm getting there though! Then, I also have this addiction to brads and eyelets.
In my younger years, I used to say there wasn't a roller coaster made that I wouldn't ride. I would still say that but my back doctor would not agree! Now I say, there is not a brad that I can't find a use for!! Or fall in love with!
If you want to learn to scrapbook, grab a magazine. It doesn't have to be a scrapbooking magazine either. Just thumb through and look at the pictures. See the mixture of colors and patterns. Notice the placement of all the items on the page. That is design and with scrapbooking, that is pretty much what you are doing, a form of graphic design!
Try it. You will LOVE it!!! If not, call me. I will help you learn to love it, or be glad to take your scrap supplies off your hands!!! LOL
Happy scrapping everybody!!!!