Quitting Scrapbooking???

I read a post on Two Peas today Quitting Scrapping? where she asked if anyone had thought about giving up scrapping. I've been scrapbooking now for 16.5 years and I love it now more than I did at the beginning. When I started scrapping (said in my best old timer voice), there was Creative Memories and only a handful of scrapbook stores with a limited inventory that included Mrs. Grossmans and Frances Meyer stickers, diecuts, cardstock and some really horrible printed papers. Those were the days of the "sticker sneeze" where you cut your photos into horrible shapes and then decorated every white space with stickers.

It's hard to believe how much scrapping has evolved. I was introduced to scrapping at a women's conference where I heard a Creative Memories consultant talk about preserving memories. I was in the process of needing to make a "Dear Birthmother Album" and the cute trimmer and stickers got me hooked. Ten years ago, my husband and I opened a scrapbook store and for the four years that we owned Scrapbook Sanctuary, I scrapbooked very little, but when I did scrap, it was chronological. That changed in 2003 when I had a major health issue and didn't know what my future would be. I wanted to give Shanna an album that encompassed her life - from her adoption to the present time and with an overview of special memories, activities, etc. with lots of journaling and memories. So I grouped photos by "theme" rather than in order of timing and became an unknowing follower of Stacy Julian before she even wrote her book "The Big Picture".

Scrapping, for me, is more than a hobby, more than photos and cute embellishments - it's capturing our life...the memories and emotions...it is my creative and therapeutic outlet. To say that scrapbooking has changed my life would not be an understatement. I derived a career from this "hobby" and met most of my closest friends through scrapbooking. Russell and I share a craft room and when we were looking at condos, we looked specifically for one that could accommodate our hobbies. I will have to say that the person on Two Peas who posed the question, part of her dilemma and reasoning for abandoning scrapbooking is because of all the stuff.

When we sold our store, I came away with so much "stuff", and most of it, I haven't used. After selling our home and moving into a very small apartment for eight months before buying our condo, I learned the necessity of simplifying. In the last two years, I have sold, donated and thrown away more than half of my stuff and now am very deliberate about what I purchase. We are a nation of excess, and scrapbooking - or any other hobby - can become more about the stuff and less about the actual hobby. When that happens, it's easy to become overwhelmed, riddled with guilt at having spent so much money on things that you won't use (I'm guilty of going into debt for this hobby as I'm sure many other women are). When you lose sight of why you are doing something and it becomes more of a burden than a pleasure, then it's time to re-evaluate.

Simplifying my home and my life has been absolutely wonderful and so freeing. We are crawling our way out of debt and should be debt-free within the next year, so before I buy anything (including scrapbook supplies), I ask myself if I really need it, will I use it and do I have the cash money to buy it? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then I don't buy it. How about you...have you had to re-evaluate the time, money and space you spend on hobbies (or anything else) in your life? Have you discovered the beauty and freedom of simplifying?

Comments

[Sue Carter]

Great post today. I have so much stuff too (not as bad as some) and have not bought a thing in MONTHS. I agree with the whole simplifying your life thing. I just finished Stacy's BPS class and loved it. It's so freeing. Take care!
Sue

[bonnierose]

wonderful insight! I am like you... had way too much stuff.. now it's time to focus on what really matters.. me! Will i ever stop sbing? Never. it's that much a part of me.

[Sarah C.]

Wonderful post! I scrapbook and craft in general for a multitude of reasons. All of the "stuff" can become overwhelming if you let it get out of control. I work to keep my stash to a minimum and not buy to buy. Definitely will not give up scrapbooking. It's too much of a joy for me. :)

[Staci]

Excellent post! I find it harder to scrap now that my son is a teenager and doesn't want mom taking pics. I can't imagine giving it up completely though.

[gayle olson]

I found your blog through Bonnierose and know I am going to enjoy your words! I just returned from a trip to my Mom's and did some scrapbooking with pics of hers. I had a cutter, some adhesive and a small number of papers and embellishments. It was fun to see how creative I could be and alot less stressful! Gayle