playful.productive.present

Q + A: Where do I start?

Hello Stacy.

I’m not sure why I’m writing but I’ve finally gotten on to your website and blog after watching your part on Scrapbooking Memories. First, I want to tell you that I just love to watch your part on this show. I love how down-to-earth you are and how you are so encouraging for those of us who are “stuck”.

I’m a mom of two-step boys (24 & 19) and two smaller kids girl-10 and boy-8 and I have a great husband (fireman) and two sweet doggies and one very independent cat.  So needless to say I have tons of stuff to scrapbook about.  At least you would think so!  I watched you the other day and you were talking about how it is so easy to get too much stuff to scrapbook with and then not be able to do anything….that would be me!  I have enough stuff to open my own scrapbooking store and unfortunately most of it has never been used!  I could be the poster child for Scrapbooking…Where Do I Start?

I hope to look through the website and read your blog and hopefully get some ideas.  In the meantime, I’ll keep watching you make it look so easy!

Shauna in Wyoming

Dear Shauna,

We all have a life that we appreciate enough to want to scrapbook and in an effort to "get started" we generally start buying and eventually collecting stuff. You are NOT alone!

Here's the deal. It doesn't matter where you start. Just start. Start with two photos or 10 photos and put them on a big 'ole piece of cardstock surrounded by your thoughts and feelings and some pretty paper and then do it again and again. Each time you do it, you'll learn something and each time you do it, you get better at doing it.

Now, I realize this is NOT very specific, so here are three additional assignments for you:

1. Register at Big Picture Scrapbooking.

2. Sign up for my FREE class, called Start Here, with Stacy

3. Join in our annual August Promotion. It is very fun and also FREE.

I feel confident that after you have taken advantage of these resources, you'll have a much better idea of where to start.

Thanks for the email!

Stacy

Anyone relate? Grab your timer, set it for 15 minutes and come check it out. Then come back often throughout  August. There are so many wonderful ideas to soak in and try. We have AMAZING teachers who are dedicated to your scrapbooking success and they've generously donated their time and talents this month, so you can get to know them better.

Friday, I'm staying home ...

and kicking off this event. The Inspired Creations Extravaganza is a collaborative effort by three friends (Sheryl, Crystal and Bonnie) with a vision to spread the FUN of scrapbooking. I figured since it is Teach A Friend to Scrapbook month over at Scrapbook.com, I'd better jump at the chance to join them. Seriously, the venue is 10 minutes from my house and Sheryl extended a personal invitation, so I'm there.

If by chance you live in Spokane and need something to do this weekend, there is still room for about 10 or 15 people. The cost is $50 dollars for two full days of cropping. You can come and go as you like and you'll receive $35 dollars worth of product with your registration. There are a variety of technique demonstrations planned for both days. Most importantly, there will be potential friends and lots of space to spread out.

I'll be attending tomorrow (Friday) from 11:00 to 3:00. I'll bring BPS goodies and a handful of other giveaways.

I'll be speaking to anyone and everyone who wants to listen at 11:00. We're going to talk about color inspiration and finding your own happy colors. My hope is that I'll convince you to check your "matchy matchy" tendencies at the door, so you can be more playful and more productive (WARNING: You'll have a lot more FUN too)

If you have any questions at all, feel free to call Sheryl at 991-5393

So sorry for the short notice.

While I've got your attention, we've open registration for our 4Experts workshop with the amazing and talented Jenni Bowlin. Twelve weeks with Jenni will prove to be invaluable in your ability to find and use inspiration in the world around you. I hope you'll check out the details and listen to Jenni talk about her plans.

And then ... stop by Tip Junkie, a delightful blog dedicated to excavating and sharing tips for creative ideas. Laurie is highlighting a mini-book I created for Father's Day last year. If you're new to my blog, you just might want to have a peek!

I also had the GREAT opportunity to write up a little article for Mermaids of the Lake a super-cool online community based right here in Liberty Lake, WA.

In fact, when you Teach a Friend to Scrapbook, tell her NOT to leave her love of photo albums behind. Designing layouts inside a big, beautiful 12x12 album is an amazing opportunity to play with personal expression, but it is NOT a realistic approach for scrapbooking the vast majority of the photos you choose to scrapbook. Yes, I just said that. Once we've been enlightened with the possibilities that blank pages hold, we sometimes we take on a "never look back"  attitude that is often borderline snobbish. Please tell your friend that anytime you pair photos with memories, you are scrapbooking. And when you start with the easy and inviting format of a photo album you can get focus on the memories and still have lots of fun!

I'll be sharing more tips and ideas for Photo Album Scrapbooks, very soon. In the meantime, the next time you see some of these ...