Over the few years that I have been scrapbooking I have made lots of pages that portray all the really fun, playful and romantic episodes in my life. In the reading of many scrapbooks, newsletters etc the idea that we need to scrapbook the good, the bad and the ugly of our lives too so that there is a "real" record of our lives has been buzzing around. I'm not really sure how I feel about this idea. I don't necessarily want to look back at a page and see the grief I experienced when my grandmother died or we lost our cat that had been with us for twelve years. I know those moments are part of life but I already carry them in my heart and I'm not sure I am up to a visual reminder that tugs at those deeply embedded strings. However,  I do feel sometimes that my pages are a little too rosy....so the decision what to scrapbook still rages within me. For now I look through my materials, look through my pictures and see if anything inspires me. It works for the moment so I guess I'll keep at it.

So I woke up this morning (late) and as I was rushing around the house getting kids up and off to school and myself ready for the work day I noticed the bag of recent scrap supplies I had bought at our local scrap store (TOM). Although the supplies were for one specific project they sat forgotten in the brown paper bag leaning up against the leg of my desk.

I've passed by that bag so many times in the last month I can't even count them but still those supplies sit there waiting for me to make time in my crazy schedule to pull them out, admire them and turn them into a memory of an event that happened over a month ago now. (I bought the supplies before the event fyi)

I have to laugh at myself for although I have good intentions it seems like scrapbooking doesn't happen for me unless I designate an afternon or evening with my friends to do it. Sad but true and also one of the reason's I love GYSO. I feel the itch to get out my supplies, take over the dining room table and be creative but when I look at all my "to-do's" it doesn't seem very realistic to me to give up a couple hours for scrapping. All that being said, the itch will build up and before long I'll find myself ignoring the "must do's" in favor of the "just for me" time of scrapbooking. Until then I expect the brown papr bag with new scrap supplies will sit, patiently waiting for me to come to my creative senses.

He's here! He's here! Our very first grandson has been born into the family today. Iain Alexander Chalmers. I'm still waiting on all the details but my son-in-law emailed me a picture of him moments after his birth. Who says you can't have love at first sight?

As I stared at his little round face all I could think of was how excited I am to get to scrapbook his life. Followed closely on the heels of the fact that I won't get to see him much since he lives so far away. So my new mission in life is to get my daughter interested in scrapbooking or at the very least photography.

Wish me luck!

One of the things that I love best about scrapbooking is looking at what other people have created. It never ceases to amaze and inspire me. Every page is fresh and different. Pages can be simple or over the top in detail but all of them are true works of art. I think that is one of the reasons I was so excited to start this network with my two partners. I believe there is something dynamic about the creativity of groups. It helps to bounce ideas off other people. (do you like this ribbon? what about those brads? should I add a touch of blue?) Part of scrapbooking is about developing your artistic style and part of it is about cherishing memories including those made around a scrapbook table where other friends are gathered. For me the journey into scrapbooking started as a way to embrace and befriend a group of women beyond just working together. Then it became a way to share photos with family and friends that wasn't boring. It became a way to give gifts to people that really had meaning for them and me. Then it became a way to develop my own creativity and now, well now, it is a passion. Something I love to do for multiple reasons but mostly for the joy it brings me.