The Day The Music Died...

Let me start this post by thanking everyone for their kind notes during my internet absence.  I assure you, we're all doing fine. I've just been dealing with hormones and nobody really wants to read about how many times a day I vomit.

Now, onto other things....

Waaaaaay back in the Spring of 1998, my best friend Carrie dragged me to a Creative Memories party.  I mocked her endlessly for her suburbanite ways.  And then she opened her scrapbook and I was sucked in.  Completely.  

After that, Carrie and I would regularly hit up scrapbook stores and get excited when new stickers would come out (Come on people, this was 1998.  Cut me some slack...) .  "Oooooh!  Picnic stickers!  We should have a picnic!"

And then scrapbooking really took off.  Suddenly there were more things to buy.  Embellishments!  Chipboard!  Those genius little things called eyelets!!  We bought & bought & bought.  And we scrapbooked a bit.

Once a year, Carrie & I try to get together to scrapbook for a weekend.  She lives in California & I live out here, so it's a bit of a challenge, but we've managed to make it happen.  It used to consume a good chunk of our Monday morning "Coffee Talk" phone calls -- we'd actually go through our Creating Keepsakes magazines together ("Did you see the new paper on p. 46???")

Carrie called me on Monday to let me know that she's made a decision.

She's giving up paper scrapbooking.

For good.

She's selling off everything.

I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. 

Now, I understand her reasons (too much stuff/not enough time/not enough space) and I fully support her in her switch to digital scrapbooking.  But, I kind of feel like it is the end of an era.

Scrapbook stores are closing all around us.  My favorite paper lines are stopping production (farewell Daisy D's...  you were a good friend to me).  Even internet scrapbook shopping isn't what it used to be. 

And now Carrie?  Et tu, Brute?

I, however, am digging in my heels.  I'm re-committing myself to my hobby.  I'm going to try to re-start the old "Layout A Day" challenge from January this October (anybody else want to join me?) and I'm going to wade through the 30+ unfinished projects I have stashed in my studio.  I'm going to start a new tradition called "Finish It Friday" where I finally finish up all of the half completed books/layouts/gifts I have accumulated over the years.

Who's with me now?

Comments

[Chrys]

oh, I like that idea of Finish it Fridays!!!! May need to add that to my weekly to do list!

[Carolyn from Texas]

I so need to make a commitment like this! I have been scrapbooking for 32 (yes 32) YEARS. I remmeber the days when I would get my photos from the lab and get them into books with all the stuff from my adventures, but for the last 10 years (and with the advent of all this great stuff), it seams that I've been doing more collecting that croping.

It doesn't surprise me that so many places are closing and ceasing operation - this isn't the first time in history that scrapbooking has been a popular pastime. I'll miss them when they're gone and then maybe I'll actually get a few more pages in the books.

I'm glad you came up for air.

[Dana J]

wow, what an idea!!!

[Cenia]

I just need to get through the fall and my kids birthdays? Okay who am I kidding, I am horrible when I try to jump on the bandwagon:( but it is a great idea

[Amy S]

I like it. I'll do it.

[Jean]

The trend is now towards digital scrapping. I'm slowly going digital now and as I use up my paper supplies, I'm trying not to replace them.

[Louise S]

I am with you on Finish it Friday (except Saturday may be a better option for us workforce drones)and recommitment to paper scrapbooking (if for no other reason than I'm too lazy to sell off and not digitally ennabled.) As to a layout a day - I'm reserving judgement - something I'm darn good at!

[Leslie]

Glad you have you back! I need to adopt your "Finish it Fridays" idea. I may give it a try - my room may be cleaner!

[Jennie Gift]

She's Alive!!!! I am totally on board with you on the 30 day challenge... I better clean my scrap room.... glad to you hear you are feeling. Jennie

[karen]

Perfect - but I agree it may become a "Finish it on Saturday or Sunday" for me...now just to get my craft space put back together. I love the hobby and I am sorry to see the down-turn of it all, but everything ebbs and flows with the ways of the world...and this will give me an excuse to stop buying and start using...I love the fact that maybe I will actually use all my paper up!

[Jennifer Sizemore]

Hmmm... I do need a kick in the rear to be scrap :D My supplies are very lonely!
It is good to have you back!

[Jeannette]

Glad to have you back. I've been slacking too but have been organizing my scrap room for quite a while. I will definitely jump on board with Finish It Fridays.

[CarrieB]

Awwww....now you make me feel like I might want to recommit.

On second thought, I still sell off the clutter, and bring my laptop out and still come play on your coast each year!

[Danielle Barton]

I'm with you!!!

[Marlynn]

I may surprise myself and be in the Oct page scrapbook challenge. I remember at our Summer in Paris you said you might do it in August - and so I believed you and fniished my London photo sleeve album that I started in Summer in Paris! Thanks Korie, for inspiring me to get this baby done. Now onto the Paris album.

[Becky]

I'm with you on the layout a day goal! Lets do it!

[Suzanne]

I'll re-commit to paper scrapbooking! I need to! My daughter's SB is about 3 years behind and don't even ASK about my son's! I'm with you on this!