I’ve been pondering this question lately to myself: who are you when nobody is looking? It’s a hefty question to be sure. So wait, how does this relate to scrapbooking, you ask?
Who is your audience when it comes to scrapbooking? Is it yourself? Your family? Other scrapbookers? There is no right or wrong answer to this. But I’ve discovered something about when I scrapbook… my most favorite pages of all time are the ones where I look at it after some time has passed, and I love it because it was honest and authentic, and true to myself and the stories I told.
It’s so easy to be caught up in popular trends, latest products, creative teams, or doing pages so that other scrapbookers admire us. There’s nothing wrong with those things per se. I like trends and products as much as anyone else. But ultimately, what you spend time working on should matter to you and who you are. When creativity and meaning intersect, it’s a beautiful thing.
So what are some ways we can be authentic in our scrapbooking?
- Tell stories that would otherwise be untold. If you have trouble journaling, say it out loud like you’re talking to a friend first. Then jot it down.
- Document the good and the bad. It easy to only document the good parts of our lives. But documenting the hard parts will enable personal growth. You will be so proud when you look back on these pages, how strong you were, and how you got through it all.
- Pick and choose what you want to scrapbook about, based on its importance to you. You don’t have to scrapbook chronologically. I give you permission not to. :)
- Scrapbook the little things that you appreciate, that you might not remember in the future.
- Include yourself in your pages. Never feel guilty about scrapbooking about yourself. Even if you have children, they will really appreciate the pages you made about yourself. I can almost bet that those would be their favorite pages to look at as they get older.
- Create as if nobody’s looking. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in how pretty your pages look, or whether you’re using the latest products. Or maybe you’re making pages for your creative teams, but they aren’t offering as much meaning for you. Silence the voice of criticism and create for yourself.
- Keep a journal of life happenings and creative inspirations. I find that when I have a notebook full of ideas, it’s easier for me to create my own way.
Where are you in your scrapbooking? Does it feel old and tiring? Being authentic in your scrapbooking can be very inspiring. It just may be the kick in the pants you need to get scrapping! :)
Christine (listgirl)
Christa (cfile) says
Christine- loved your blog post.. so true. Thanks for the simple reminders that we so often forget!
melrio says
Fabulous post! That is one of my focuses this year.
mirjam says
Great post Christine!!! I always try to also scrap the little things. You know the ones that make life interesting but are easily overlooked. i mean who forgets the big events but those little things….ah!
heathergw says
YES YES YES!!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this post Christine, it’s something I’ve been thinking a ton about lately too
Debra says
Thanks Christine! Important words!!
Julie says
Wise advice and suggestions. Also, you don’t have to share layouts in online galleries; journaling doesn’t have to be shared, either.
:-D
Christi says
Great blog post!
Ashley Brown says
Christine-awesome post! Thank you for the important reminders and sharing your pages with us!
Laura G. says
Love this!! Thanks for reminding us the little–the important things!
simplypearl says
YES! thank you for the reminder.
Patricia says
Excellent post and reminder!
Tammy says
What a great article, Christine! A great reminder to focus on the important things!