But what also came up was making sure we stay focused on what we love about scrapbooking. I love the creative process and the challenging of myself, and I need to make sure I'm not getting distracted by the pressure to create something amazing. When I sit down, alone, and CREATE, I learn something about myself, I relax, and I find some fulfillment. I reflect on the photos and the people in them; the events and the way life has changed since then. I gather my ideas and I create something that reflects not only who I am, but the values and interests of my family.
If I'm scrapping for others, this is going to change.
Practical Scrappers was started because scrapbooking is a great hobby that can help us find meaning when sometimes it's buried under housekeeping, busy schedules, bills, and daily frustrations. Christine knows how great scrapping is and wanted to challenge people to use what they have - their own materials AND their own ideas - to create something for their families, and for themselves.
I'm so thankful I've gotten to be a part of this, and thankful that we can help keep each other focused on what this hobby is all about. Take away the blogs, take away the followers, take away the magazines, I'd still be scrapping. It brings me joy and IT helps me stay focused on how great my life is. And I don't want that to change.
I love what you wrote. I'd been feeling that the blogging initially was great fun for me; getting to meet people I might not otherwise meet with the same common threads. Some of the blogs have a way with challenges that make you feel yours might not be good enough and then it all becomes so competitive. Mind you, I have a good competitive spirit but like you, I don't want it to no longer be fun. I was creating more to take away the emptiness from not working while I looked for employment. I love the challenges because it takes me out of the usual processes for me and I push myself to be more creative. THAT is fun because it's me pushing me. I can see my own progress and I'm proud of that, so I've promised myself to stay within those boundaries of the challenges because it's not about the blog candy for me. It's about the learning process and how I can continue to grow. The few people that have been genuine and nice is an extra added bonus. Thanks Angie Jean for this thought provoking commentary. Hope you're having a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Terry. I'm glad to hear someone is in the same place I am. I agree about some of the blogs being out of reach, and I don't want ours to be that way. It's a hard line to balance. Either way, for me it has to stay about the growing as a person and the fulfillment I get. I love that we are challenging ourselves!
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