This is the archive for Scrapbook Obsession Blog.com with posts from 2013-2017.

Scrapbooking in the Media: “We Are Called to Rise” and the Importance of Memory Keeping

I like to take note when our lovely hobby is in movies, TV, books, on the news, etc. Scrapbookers, memorabilia, and memory keeping were mentioned in a novel I’m reading, “We Are Called to Rise” by Laura McBride.

we are called to rise novel laura mcbride

Okay, I’m already going on a tangent but I was so intrigued by the title. It’s based on a quote by Emily Dickinson:

We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise;
And then, if we are true to plan,
Our statures touch the skies —

The English major (poetry) in me just loves that <3

Anyway, it’s a great read so far. It’s made up of the stories of several different people in Las Vegas whose lives intersect in the climax of the novel.

One of those characters is Avis, a 50-something mom who is on her own when her husband leaves her for a younger woman from his office. They end up selling their long-time home where they raised two children, a daughter they lost when she was a child and a son who is now struggling with PTSD after returning from military duty in the Middle East.

As she cleans out and packs up their home, struggling with what to keep and what to let go of, she says:

I’m not a scrapbooker, not somebody who tries to organize what I will remember. After all, there are a lot of years I want to forget. Nor did I want to shape something after it happened. I didn’t even like to write things in a baby book. It seemed like my interpretation of what had happened would get in the way of the actual experience. I wanted to remember things as they were, and not as I created them, by choosing certain photos, or saving certain items, or labeling certain moments.

Of course, I had that all backward. It turns out that most of what I remember are the things that accidentally did get labeled, or pulled out, or sorted. How is it possible that I can forget the dearest moments of my life? I never wanted to forget Nate’s first word, the silly tune Jim sang when he changed either baby’s diaper, the look of the sun glinting off the lake in Idaho. I never wanted to forget those things; I never thought I could forget those things. Turns out, forgetting is easy.

At least until I come across something that brings the memory back. A lopsided teacup from the pottery shop at the lake, an overheard melody that happens to be almost the same as Jim’s jingle, a baby repeating “ball” from a nearby grocery cart. Or this house. This house as I pack it up and decide what should be tossed, what should be given, what should be kept (pp. 156-157).

Do you ever think about what she says in the first paragraph? Whether as a scrapbooker you’re arranging your memories the way you want them at the time, or think you do? By writing memories down, especially right after they happened, are you creating the memory narrative (for you AND your family) or merely recording it?

In the second paragraph, I was happy to hear her say that she had it all wrong, that she wishes she would’ve recorded those memories – those ones that were so important at the time, she was sure she’d never forget them. That’s one of the main reasons I scrapbook – because I don’t have the greatest long-term (or even short-term, lol) memory. I’m not like Avis, where a random item or tune experienced out of context will unearth a concrete memory from my past.

If I didn’t record them – with photos, journaling, or memorabilia – those special memories would go *poof* into the ether, never to be seen again, at least by my conjuring them up. So I’m very grateful to have discovered scrapbooking fairly early in my adult life and to have recorded so many times that are special to me. I feel strongly that I *want to* and *must* remember these things. It’s important to me and important to my family.

blonde-629726_1280
Image courtesy of Pixabay

A little bit later, she says:

So, damn, I do have to pack up this stuff. I do have to sort it all out: the precious from the unneeded from the still useful. What am I going to do with Nate’s baseball uniform from the seventh grade? Or the box of cards his first-grade class made for him when he broke his elbow? Or the plastic bracelet the hospital attached to Emily’s newborn wrist?

If I don’t save these things, I have lost something. It’s not just that objects release memories, it’s also that they keep them in check. As long as I have Emily’s plastic band, I know the actual diameter of her wrist, not the one I’ve come to imagine. Which doesn’t matter, except that somehow it does. If I just have this one life — if I made all these mistakes in it, felt all this joy and all this pain — I want to know what it was. I want to know what it really meant (p. 161).

Both sections were so beautifully written but I especially loved the last paragraph. Avis acknowledges that all these objects from her past that create a hassle for her to deal with in the midst of all her pain are also necessary to her life. They’re proof of the life she lives and help give meaning to it all.

What do you think? What did Avis say that you most identified with? I’d love to hear everyone’s deeper thoughts on these things we spend so much time doing – scrapbooking and memory keeping. Is your “why” inside Avis’s words – or somewhere else?

Please click on Comments under the title to this post and let us know your thoughts please :)

Scrapbook Challenge: Are You a List Luvah?? Have I Got a Project For You!

Are you a list maker?

As you know, I adore Layle Koncar and all her work for one of my fave brands, SIMPLE STORIES. So I follow her blog and saw THIS POST from her recently. Since April (2015), she’s been doing the “Listers Gotta’ List” challenge – which you can find out more about HERE.

Here’s a video Layle made of her Listers Gotta’ List album so far:

Okay, now you want to do this challenge, don’t you? Seeing her awesome little album sure made me want to jump in! I’ve been too busy with work and life to do much scrapping at home these days, but this seems like a do-able project. I know I can’t do a list per day like Layle does but even if I do 1 per week, I’d be getting something done, right? Maybe I can catch up on weekends.

“Listers Gotta’ List” Challenge

The challenge is totally FREE – although the organizer The Reset Girl does have kits for sale if you like right HERE :) Super cute.

So I just went and downloaded all the challenge files that have been posted so far, April through July 2015. Here’s what the first sheet looks like, to give you an idea:

April List_Headers_2015

I love the font she uses for the list titles. You can either print her titles out on stickers or re-write or re-format/print them yourself. The sky’s the limit, really. There are some lists I won’t do (Favorite Non-Planner Instagrammers, for instance) so I’m thinking about – for continuity sake – just using her master list each month, picking out the ones I want make lists of, and handwriting them myself.

Now for the format . . . hmmmm. What should I do?

Travel Planner?

I like the little travel planners that both The Reset Girl and Layle used. They’re slim, affordable, have a non-intimidating space to fill up, etc.

Project Life Style?

I’m also thinking about doing this using Project Life supplies. Lawdy knows, I have enough cards to use, LOL! . . . and page protectors . . . and albums, both 12×12 and 6×8. That would make it easy to include photos in with my lists. Oooh! Or maybe even use one of these Project Life slim mini albums. Say what? The Cherry album is only $4.43 on Amazon right now!

cherry project life mini album

Simple Stories Sn@p Album?

Mainly ‘cuz I have this gorgeous “I Am” line to use and this project seems perfect! A little birdie told me that Simple Stories has a new line coming out in the fall that matches “I Am” very nicely. So I can keep going with the look even when I go through my “I Am” supplies.

Decisions, Decisions!

Well, I’ll be thinking about how to approach this but I don’t want to think too long or I won’t start. Which approach would you choose?

Have you done a listing challenge before? I’ve seen others and they seem like so much fun. I’ve attempted them way in the past and never stuck with them, unfortunately. Maybe all the support for this one will keep me going. Are you going to try this one? If you do, let me know!

Scrapbook Obsession: Update 07-03-15

It’s Friday night of a holiday weekend and, yes, I’m working. Sigh. But I wanted to do a quick update and say HI.

HOLLAH!

So first of all . . . HIIIIIII!!!! I miss you. I hope you’re enjoying your summer and have fun plans for the 4th of July tomorrow (those of you in America). We’re keeping it low key as usual. I think being a 9-1-1 dispatcher all those years kinda’ soured me on going out for July 4th. Lotsa’ baaadd things happen – plus I feel sorry for my doggie, LOL. Fireworks aren’t allowed in most towns around here and, especially with the severe CA drought, we have to be so careful. Do you set off fireworks, go watch a fireworks show, or what?

Where You Been, Guuuurl?

I’m still doing behind the scenes stuff when I have time between working. Everything’s headed in the right direction, even if it doesn’t seem like it when it’s so quiet here, LOL. I’ll give some specifics in a newsletter soon so sign-up if you’re interested (in the top right sidebar). Why not just share everything here on the blog, you might ask? One thing I’m loving about the newsletter is that I can get more personal and share more ‘real life’ details. Because I’m writing directly to you and just you, not to the whole world wide web. Does that make sense?

Team Lisa’s (Un)Official Song: “This is My Fight Song”

One exciting thing is that we’re gearing up big time for Lisa Bearnson’s new line, Anthology, that’s coming out later this summer.

lisa bearnson anthology

It’s getting closer and closer! If you’ve thought about – or want to know about – being a rep for her products, e-mail me, k? (address is below). The way to go BIG TIME with it is to become a CEO like I did. When I signed up in May, it cost me $500 (I’ve already made $100 of that back with very minimal work, btw). Lucky you, until 07-31-15 it’s $100 off – and you get all the same stuff I did! I’m not bitter or anything. I’m happy for you. R-E-A-L-L-Y! But seriously if you decide to do it or are just curious, please contact me. I’ll answer any questions and tell you how to sign up so I get credit and you’re on MY team! I want you to myself, girlie.

Noted: My New E-mail Address

Check it out . . . my new email is: erika@scrapbookobsession.com!

In business school this Spring, one thing I learned is that a biz lady looks more professional if she ditches the gmail address (I’ve always used scrapbookobsession@gmail.com) and gets one related to her domain. Always Sometimes one to follow directions, I did just that :) Now I’m all pro-like and stuff :P

Aw, Time to Go :(

In closing, I just wanted to say thank you to Ashley for becoming the 120th subscriber to the Scrapbook Obsession Free Newsletter! Love hitting those “tens” milestones and welcoming more peeps to the family.

PS:

I can’t leave you without sharing something scrappy so go get your FREE June 2015 printables from Simple Stories RIGHT HERE! Warning – the blog entry they’re a part of deals with loss and is sad so if you’re not feelin’ it right now, just go straight HERE.

Love you, luvs!

Online Stamping Classes: True Stamp 2015 Available a la Carte

The classes that made up “True Stamp 2015” are now available for individual purchase. Sorry, this has been going on since 06-15-15 but I forgot to post about it. I know scrappers and stampers look forward to these classes going on sale individually – and now there’s only 1 day left to purchase, ack!

From Lain Ehman @ Layout A Day.com, the organizer of True Stamp 2015:

• The classes include both the project-only video (around 30 minutes)
and the full, “Like You Were There” video (around 60 minutes).

• We’re running a kick-off sale from 6/15 through Monday, June 22,
making
these inspiring video classes only $9.95 through midnight on
6/22
. AND if people are really in love with the event, they can get
all six for only $39 (that’s $6.50 each) with the code “SUMMER” at
checkout through 6/22.

• After 6/22, the price will increase to the regular $14.95 per
class. [bolding mine]

Here are the 6 classes you can choose from – or take all 6 for the even-more-discounted price:

I’m not much of a stamper but that 2nd class about using stamps and die cuts together looks pretty cool!

You can see more information on these classes and order them if you like RIGHT HERE.

Scrapbook Obsession Weekly Round-Up 06-21-15

Hiya! Hope you’re able to enjoy and honor your fathers, brothers, husbands, and other men in your life on this Father’s Day.

– If you need a last-minute printable card, check out Etsy:

fathers day printable card

– Have you seen that Layle Koncar is offering a new monthly Class Kit on her blog? The first one is super cute and uses the new Simple Stories “Summer Vibes” line. My newsletter subscribers received a coupon code good until 06-22-15 (tomorrow!). If you’re interested, hurry and sign up for my newsletter, then email me so I can send you the discount code (scrapbookobsession@gmail.com). She only has a few kits left.

– Say what you want about Studio Calico but they give away some massively cute free printables.

studio calico free printables

studio calico free printable

– I made some small changes to my blog sidebar on the right. I condensed some titles to make more room and used a new Bloglovin’ icon they just offered. I also changed the little ad for Scrapbook Steals. Now instead of a static ad, it’s a text ad that automatically updates every day with their new deal. I thought you might find that helpful – you can just click if it’s something that intrigues you :)

miss your daddy

I lost my dad many years ago – we were both way too young. So this is always a bittersweet holiday for me. He was not a perfect man but he was mine and I miss the adult relationship we never got to have. As crazy as your Pops drive you at times, please give him a big ‘ol hug, breathe in his Dad smell, and cherish the moments you have left together.

Scrapbook Obsession Weekly Round-Up 06-14-15

Here’s a round-up of some cool scrappy things I saw this week and thought you might like:

– Isn’t this a super fun card by Emily Spahn for October Afternoon??

october afternoon card

Love, love, love the color combos and happy feel.  She uses the “Summertime” line – which reminds me that I need to snap some of that up!  I can’t find it many places and nowhere on sale.  I might wait and see if Scrapbook Steals gets it.

– Are you looking for some new blogs get addicted to? Check out this list by Ali Edwards of ‘blogs that fill her up.’ But if you’re going to check out those blogs, I just have a little message for you:

– Father’s Day is coming up next weekend (6/21). If you need some ideas for a handmade papercrafted gift, check out my Father’s Day Pinterest board.  Hope you find some fun inspiration there!


*LAYOUT BY BLUE STAR DESIGN via SCRAPBOOK.COM

– Call me late to the party (just don’t forget to call me! LOL) but I just noticed there’s something called “self-adhesive sequins“. Uh, game changer! They’re by WRMK:

The main reason I’ve never used sequins on my pages is because I just don’t have the patience! Pick one out of the baggie or jar, flip it backside up, put liquid glue on the back, c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y put it on your page, somehow deal with the excess glue, and pray the sequin stays glued down. Okay, now you’ve got 1 done. Repeat 15 times. Yeah, um, NO. But I could get into these!

– Need some journaling tips or inspiration? Love this from Emily Pitts for Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine.

Have a great week!

Scrapbook Obsession Blog: Newsletter Update

What’s the saying . . . better late than never?

Yeah, that would be me. After all my excitement about reaching 100 subscribers for my new free newsletter in May 2015, I followed it up immediately with !!! A bunch of nothin’.

My sad story is that my work website was hacked so, while doing my usual freelance work gigs and starting a new one, I had to deal with that whole mess. Aye yie yie. However, I have a fabulous web host and all is right with the world again – with even more precautions in place.

So then what happened?

Well, today I finally had time to finish the Welcome to the Newsletter e-mail for all the lovely subscribers AND figure out how to send it … uh, kinda’ backdated … to everyone who signed up. Feels so good to have that signed, sealed, and delivered.

Annnnd what’s next?

I’m nervous, that’s what. What do I send out first? What if I have typos? What if y’all don’t like it? Just being honest – it’s nerve-wracking for a non-pro like me.

Then God spoke to me . . .

Well, sorta’. I get a daily e-mail and this is what today’s said:

On this day of your life,
Erika, I believe God wants you to know…

…that the next step is the most important step. Take it
now. Do not wait.

Life is not going to come down there and sprinkle
glitter dust on your shoulders to let you know that you
are Good…or that you are walking the Right Path…or
that you are making the Best Decision.

Take the next step. Right now. Stop waiting for a “sign”
from the “gods.” Your sign is your intuition, wrapped
in your desire.

Hesitation is not a stopping place on the road to heaven.

And since I always listen to God when he takes the time to speak to me, BLADOW! Another newsletter will go out soon. I have a cool coupon code lined up for you on a brand new product by someone you lurve. It won’t be posted on the blog so – if you want it – you gotta’ get the newsletter, chick!

PS: I have to say I *am* disappointed there will be no glitter dust sprinkles. Shoot.  I was looking forward to those.

Where, oh, where is that sign-up form?!?!

Oh, HELLO.

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First name
Email

 

Talk to ya’ soon.

Scrapbook Deals & Steals: WRMK 12×12 Leather Albums TODAY ONLY

Wow, I can’t believe my scrappy eyes! Today only, Scrapbook Steals has WMRK Leather 12×12 albums for only $12.99 each!! They’re regularly $29.99.

These are the 4 colors they have – Turquoise Blue, Black, Cherry Red, and Brown.

Here’s a close look at the red.

I have a story about red WRMK albums actually :) I bought a “red” WRMK album in person once way back and was using it for my Disney pages. When that was full, I wanted another and couldn’t find red in any local stores so I purchased one online. However, I failed to notice they had more than 1 shade of red. So what showed up in the mail was a bright cherry red, not the muted dark red I was looking for. Oh well, there’s a happy ending . . . I loved the bright red color so much, I kept it. Now I use dark red albums for one of my kids’ school albums and the cherry red for Disney pages.

Moral of the story: Make sure you’re ordering the right version of the color you want. They also have more than 1 version of brown.

I’m a WRMK album junkie and have … erm … SEVERAL? Okay, that’s a big fat lie. I just did an inventory to see if I needed to order any of these colors and I have . . . coughcoughover30coughcough WRMK albums. I’m sorry. I know that’s excessive. Well, for most scrappers it might be but I do pretty much exclusively pocket pages these days and they gotta’ be housed somewhere, people! Plus I’m using pocket pages to “store” ALL my photos in divided page protectors so we can enjoy them before I have time to scrap them all – which ain’t gonna’ happen until I retire years down the road. When there are sales, I stock up. I don’t think I’ve ever paid the full price for a WRMK album. {Gah, Erika, defensive much??}

I love using WRMK albums because . . .

– they are very good quality from cover to spine label to D-rings

– they come with page protectors

– they come in so many colors and I use different colors for different themes (black for weddings, turquoise for Project Life/year in review, kiwi green for family albums, etc.)

– all my albums look so pretty lined up on my shelf and that makes me happy {eat your heart out, Stacy Julian!}

Anyhow, ScrapbookSteals tends to sell out quickly and, especially with this great of a price, I’m shocked that as of 1pm PST today they still have all 4 colors in stock. But if you want any of these albums, I wouldn’t wait any longer.

Do you use WRMK albums & are you planning to take advantage of this amazing deal?

Scrapbook Obsession Blog: Almost to Goal . . . Just a Little More

Hey peeps! Hope you’re having a wonderful Sunday fun day. Around here, it’s catching up on work and housework after a crazy week.

In this post, I talked about setting a goal to reach 100 subscribers to my new Scrapbook Obsession Free Newsletter. As of that post on Wednesday 05-27, we were at 80 subscribers and I asked for your help in getting to my goal by the end of today. Boy, did you come through! As of now (Sunday noon PST), we’re at 88 subscribers – whoo hoo!

Y’all were kind enough to sign up and/or spread the word via social media and it worked. Thank you, thank you! Thanks Donna, Tracey, Teri, Gail, Kat, Machelle, Sherrie, and Kathy for signing up :) Newsletter goodness coming your way soon . . .

Just 12 more . . . can we do it today by midnight? Would creating fake e-mail addresses myself and signing them up count?? Nahhh, that would be cheating. I want real friends not fakies, LOL. And talking to myself would be no fun. I want to reach out and connect with YOU.

SBO fnl 2

So if you haven’t signed up yet, I hope you’ll do so today. And please share this post via social media, too, using those handy share buttons at the bottom. Or hover your cursor over the image above to easily Pin it!

Talk soon!

ETA 05-31-15 1:55pm: Monica and Hollie, thanks for signing up!
ETA 05-31-15 6:45pm: Terri, Kelli, Cathy, and Linda, you rock! Just 6 more to go . . .
ETA 05-31-15 8:00pm: OMG, you guys – we’re at 97!! Thanks so much Ilene, Maria, and Shirley :)

ETA 05-31-15 8:43pm: Yep, we did it!! Reached 100 newsletter subscribers before midnight PST. YAHOO!! Don’t you just love when you set a goal and meet it?!?! Me too! I “literally” could not have done it without you. Wow. I’m so stoked. Thank you, friends ❤️ Now keep your eyes peeled for some newsletter fun :)

Online Scrapbook Classes: “True Scrap 2” is Being Retired 05-31-15

So this weekend is your last chance to grab it!

TRUE SCRAP 2 is the second in a very successful series of online scrapbooking events held by Lain Ehmann.

Miss Lain says …

This event, from October 2011, includes an incredible lineup of
classes from papercrafting luminaries such as:

-Jennifer McGuire
-Nic Howard
-Shimelle Laine
…and a dozen more!

Over 20 hours of video instruction all at a very special price.

Here’s the scoop:
-True Scrap II classes will no longer be for sale after May 31,
2015.
-They can be purchased in a bundle for only $47.

In addition to all the cool classes, there are virtual make-n-takes with Maggie Holmes & Kelley Purkey – and a fun interview with Cathy Zielske. Love them!

For the scrappy business-minded like me, check this out:

All this for over $100 off the original price. I think I’m going to get this one! You?

You can get all the details here.

October Afternoon, #TeamLisa, and a Quick Favor :)

Hey, checking in from the front lines of “OH MY GOSH, is school over yet??” Every year, I seem to have blocked out how stinkin’ busy it gets as school winds down. Sheesh. I work from home so summertime can be a mixed blessing (keeping the kiddos busy while I work) but at this point, I’m ready. Stick a fork in me, I’m DUN.

As for scrapbooking, I wish I’d seen this layout from the October Afternoon blog in time to share it for Memorial Day:

It’s a beautifully done page and the journaling breaks your heart :( So many veterans deal with these issues and I love the honesty.

Speaking of OA, if you’re lucky enough to live near them, don’t forget that their warehouse sale goes today through Saturday!

Someday when I’m rich, I’ll charter a private jet just to attend this event, LOL. Hey, a girl can dream . . . If you get to go, have super fun!!

Thought I’d share these fun photos posted today by Lisa of her and her grandbaby in their new “Anthology by Lisa Bearnson” tees.

I love the #TeamLisa hashtags they’re both sporting and how the baby’s says Anthology “by my nana.” Too stinkin’ cute. I scored me one of these tees, too! “Late summer 2015” is getting closer and closer . . .

You know I have all these crazy new plans for this blog, right? Well, step one was getting the Scrapbook Obsession Free Newsletter started and getting sign-ups so I can keep y’all in the loop. Well, I noticed that as of Wednesday there are now 80 subscribers, whoo hoo! I’m kinda’ goal-oriented and I dig round numbers (don’t you?) so I thought I’d ask a favor. I’d love to reach a milestone by getting 100 newsletter sign-ups by 05-31-15, which would be within the first month. Please sign up if you haven’t already, up there in the top right sidebar :) If you’d please share on social media, that would be so sweet! In case it helps, there are share buttons at the bottom of this post. Thank U 🌸

Well, that’s all I got for now. Back to Crazyville for me. Why, yes, I AM the mayor! Who’s askin’?

Update 05-28-15 1:42pm: We’re up to 84 now! Thanks Donna, Tracey, Teri, and Gail :)

Scrapbook Deals & Steals: Heidi Swapp Misc Products Up to 55% Off Today Only

Just thought I’d let you know that today only you can get up to 55% off Heidi Swapp Mixed Media at ScrapbookSteals.com!

There are a bunch of items but these are the 3 that are tempting ME:

Clear Printed Words – reg. $3.99, now $2.00

I’m a sucker for anything in Heidi’s gorgeous and fun handwriting <3
Enamel Stickers – reg. $4.99, now $2.50

Hexagons? Hexagons!

Mixed Media Stencil Set – reg. $7.99, now $16.96

You know how I feel about hearts, right? And I love using stars on sports pages.

Here are some of the projects you can make with the sale items:

Pretty!

Happy Monday & Happy Scrappy Shopping!

“Scrapbook Magazine” Has Ceased Publication . . .

. . . or so I hear on the interwebs :(

This was one of the very few (hard copy) scrapbooking or papercrafting magazines left, if not THE last, and was published in the UK. I would buy it sometimes if I could find it at Barnes and Noble but that had become more difficult lately.

It was hard to confirm this rumor online because everything on their website and social media looks like business as usual. But a message board poster from the UK stated on 05-07-15, “I have been on the phone with the publishers this morning and they confirmed that Scrapbook Mag has ceased publication and the current issue on sale (no 89) is the last one!!”

Of course, this leads to the cries of dismay and sadness, followed by the realization that we as scrappers bring this on ourselves. Yes, the internet is an amazing and wonderful source of inspiration. But if you only or mostly consume free content, those who provide paid content can’t make a living from it and have to fold. I think it’s a very interesting discussion to have.

It seems that in turning the reins over to the everyday scrapper we are almost shooting ourselves in the foot (or Tiny Attaching ourselves in the foot? paper piercing ourselves in the foot?). So many of us are now providing scrapbooking content and inspiration for free via blogs, YouTube videos, and even free classes. Which is awesome! But in turn – and over time – all that free content takes away the ability for others (who may be providing superior content, more organized content, magazine content we can hold in our hands, etc) to provide paid content.

It’s something that shifts and moves every day like the sand under your feet at the waves’ edge . . . one of those Catch-22s of life, I suppose.

What do you think? How do you feel about the whole issue? And, no, that wasn’t meant to be a pun but if it makes you smile, I’ll claim it :)

Scrapbook Obsession Blog: Last Chance to Sign Up, Win a Prize . . . and also Lisa Bearnson :)

First off, I just wanted to thank every one of you for reading and being so super supportive. One of the many reasons I decided to make a go of this as a business is because scrapbookers have proven to be the nicest, most caring, and thoughtful group of people I’ve ever spent time with. You ladies RAWK!!

Update on the newsletter contest: There have been 35 sign-ups so your odds of winning 1 of 3 gift cards ($10 to the place of your choice) are still pretty dang good! You only have until midnight PST tonight (Sunday, 05-03-15) so hurry! If you’re reading this via e-mail or a blog reader, you need to come to my actual blog to enter, k?

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First name
Email

 

I didn’t get any scrapping done yesterday, did you? I did however work on the Scrapbook Obsession membership sites – whoo hoo! It’s going to be so cool, peeps. Can’t wait to get started later this month. I also watched a livestream of the Anthology event Lisa Bearnson held in Utah yesterday. She’s such an amazing woman and I’m honored to be working with her. Here’s a video – I was watching it live and haven’t tried the recording yet so I hope it works for you; if not let me know:

https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/61812685 (Sorry, I can’t embed the video here; you’ll need to copy/paste the link into your browser)

Now I’m off to the movies with my kids. I smell some popcorn in my future . . . mmmmm.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Scrapbook Obsession Blog: The Big Announcement!

If you’re in a hurry today, please scroll to the bottom . . . PRIZES! If you’re ready to settle in for a long read, get on with your bad self.

Thuh Announcement

As I talked about in THIS post . . . after writing this blog for 8 years, I’ve decided it’s time to take it to the next level. And what better time to make the announcement and share my over-the-top excitement than on interNational Scrapbook Day?!?

So what I’ve been wanting to tell you is:

– Scrapbook Obsession Blog will continue providing scrapbook industry news and gossip, enabling, Deals & Steals, etc. but will be more active, with posts more often!

– A NEW free Scrapbook Obsession Newsletter will be delivered to your inbox with special deals, fun stuff that won’t be on the blog, and all the news that’s fit to print (and maybe some that’s not? heh).

– There will be two NEW Scrapbook Obsession Memberships, both Free and Paid, where (depending on your level) you can enjoy things like exclusive content, a members forum and community, free and paid classes, interviews with people YOU want to hear from, and more! As a Paid Member, you’ll have some pretty special perks that I know you’re going to love.

– And, finally, did you notice the new item in the right sidebar? -> It’s a Pinterest board highlighting a new site I’ve started called “Organized Scrapbooking” where you can be inspired by organized crafting & scrapping spaces, research how to organize specific crafting items, receive special offers, and then some. (Sorry, I didn’t want to say “and more!” again). If nothing else, go visit it today and see the Papermint entry; it will blow. your mind.

How About Some Background?

As I mentioned in the other post, I’ve been wanting to elevate things around here for a long time. I’ve recently been blessed by the most amazing experience: I attended on online business school called “Marie Forleo’s B School.” I was taught how to be a responsible and resourceful online entrepreneur.

I learned that you need to ‘start the right business’ and, as I completed the exercises in that module, I took ownership of the fact that I want to devote my time and resources to this industry and hobby that I love so much: scrapbooking. There’s no reason to start a business from scratch when I already have everything I want and need to get started right here :)

Is it crazy to start a business around the (ahem, declining) scrapbooking industry? Some might say! {Not that I care about the Negative Nellies. Do you?} But I have faith that there are still tons of obsessed scrapbookers out there who want to talk and learn about their beloved hobby, and new scrapbookers who will find their way to us if we provide what they need.

So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m so excited and hope you are, too!

Idea Overload

During the 8-week course of business school, I couldn’t stop the ideas from forming … oh, the things I want to share with you! It’s just massive, peeps. In fact, I had to start using a task manager called Things for Mac to keep track of all the ideas flying out of my head (well, there’s a visual!).

I want to be the first place you visit when you think of scrapbooking. I want to create classes you need but can’t find elsewhere, provide a community where you feel completely at home, and make a difference in the scrapbooking industry. We’re going to have so much fun! One thing that won’t change is my wish to make you laugh. Like, ’til you snork coffee out your nose and your dog looks at you like, “Guuurrrl. What is UP with YOU?”. Ohhh . . . is it only my mine that gives the doggy evil eye? Hmm.

What’s Next?

I’ve found an amazing online platform with which to provide you all this content. It’ll be hosted off-site but with super easy access and links from right here. Everything will originate from that one place – the newsletter, classes, membership site, forum, etc. – so I’m hoping that’ll cut down/eliminate any technical snafus that can happen when you kind of piecemeal all these things together electronically. Speaking of technical snaufus, this site was down for 2 days this week (did ya’ miss me?) because a plug-in I wanted to try wasn’t playing nice with WordPress (the blogging software). That’s the kind of stuff I have ZERO talent or patience for, so I think it’s best to host all the new shizzle off-site.

If you want to play along – in any capacity – your first step would be to sign up for the Free Newsletter. I want to keep Scrapbook Obsession Blog pretty much as it is and not flood it with that content, which is separate and different (in a good way, promise!). The newsletter is how I’ll keep you up-to-date on all the haps and stuff. I would never dream of selling your e-mail address (just so ya’ know!); I appreciate the trust you show when you share it with me too much. Besides, I like the idea of talking directly to you – and I encourage you to write me back. Ooooh, that way we can be SBFF’s and have SECRETS!! LOL

To you lovelies who already get my blog entries via e-mail, the newsletter is something NEW and you’ll need to sign up for it separately, please.

Did somebody say PRIZES?

Sign up for the free Scrapbook Obsession Newsletter by Sunday night and I’ll pick 3 lucky scrappers to receive a $10 gift card of their choice! Amazon, Starbucks, Target, Michaels, or any store you like – as long as I can find the card locally and mail it to ya’, or I can purchase it online for you. Even your local scrapbook store if you like! You must sign up for the newsletter by Sunday 05-03-15 at midnight PST. Winners will be announced – in said newsletter, ha! – within 1 week.

“I don’t know . . . I don’t think I want to sign up for a FREE newsletter AND get a chance to win $10 for anything I want.” Said nobody.

.

First name
Email

I’ll be rolling out the Free and Paid Membership programs soon! Updates will be in the Newsletter ;) Thank you for all the support you’ve given me in this new endeavor. I truly appreciate it!

PS: There’s a Newletter sign up in the top right sidebar too.
PSS: Please tell your friends! Share this blog on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, etc. Help me get the word out – I need you! There are social sharing buttons at the top and bottom of this blog entry. Thank you, friend 😘

{Inter} National Scrapbook Day 2015

I have something special of my own to announce on (Inter)National Scrapbook Day – Saturday, May 2, 2015 – so please stay tuned for that! I hope you’re gonna’ love it ❤️
{There will be chances to win prizes . . . is that enough to make you come back? Hee heeee}

Here’s a list of things going on around the interwebs this week and especially Saturday 05-02-15 in honor of I-NSD 2015:

BeckyHiggins.com

I’m on Becky’s email list and in her email of 04-27-15, she linked to a Youtube video where she tells of all the fun stuff going on at her site on Saturday 5/2. When I tried to share the video here on my blog, I got this message: “This video is unlisted. Be considerate and think twice before sharing.” So apparently I’m not supposed to share the video. Sorry, I’m not a rule breaker. Well, except for on my Junior Prom night but that’s another story*. Heh. Soooo – if you’re on Becky’s mailing list, get the linkee there, Google it up, or perhaps she’s putting it out on Facebook, etc. She did say that THE VIDEO is the ONLY place they’re posting online about WHAT EXACTLY will be happening Saturday. Take my word for it – you want to be there :)

*Oops! Mom? Are you out there? . . . . (crickets) . . . Phew! She doesn’t read my blog normally but I just had to make sure.

Team Lisa Bearnson

This is copied from the Team Lisa Facebook group I’m in (I recently signed on so I can sell her *NEW* “Anthology” scrapbooking products when they come out in late summer 2015!). Lisa is hosting an IRL event in Utah and part of it will be livestreamed if you want to take a peak! There’s a link below if you want to hear first hand from Lisa. Should be fun!

A Message from Lisa Bearnson & Wendy McGee:

We are so excited for our event TOMORROW and can’t wait to see you and meet each of you!!

Come Early and Meet Lisa, create your Make & Take project, meet new friends, have refreshments and mingle!!!

Team Lisa “The Wind Beneath Your Dreams” Event
Saturday, May 2nd
LOCATION: 2929 Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, UT
AMBER ROOM (located inside the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point)
1:30 Doors Open- Registration & Refreshments
2:00 Event Begins – Business Training and more!

We are planning for about a 3 hour event!! We have secured a larger room so please bring potentials CEOS, new team members who didn’t get a chance to register, spouses, etc.!! Have them come and get involved with Lisa and this amazing business opportunity!! *Make & Takes will only be guaranteed to those who registered by Monday, April 25th.

For those who can’t attend in person, please have them join us on the USTREAM Channel!! We will start at 2-2:15 and they can watch the entire event on their computer. Here is the link:

https://www.ustream.tv/channel/mcgee-dream-team

Have an amazing Friday and we can’t wait to see you TOMORROW!!!

Lisa Bearson & Wendy McGee

Basic Grey

 
It’s all very mysterious …

… but Basic Grey seems to have something up their sleeve.

Freckled Fawn

 
They’ll be posting challenges on their website – check out the NSD tab at the top for those and their sale items – washi, stickers, and clips.

Also, there’s 50% off extra kit items if you’re a subscriber.

Scrapbook.com

 

Simple Stories

 
Make sure to visit Simple Stories this iNSD. They just announced FOUR new collections that are due in April and May 2015! And they’ve got sumpin’ goin’ on for NSD, too :)

Cathy Z

Check out Miss Cathy’s thoughts on this fine {Inter}National Scrapbook Day – and get her super cute free printables.

Kaisercraft

They aren’t billed as being for NSD but I thought you might enjoy these pretty printables that Kaisercreaft just posted. Maybe you can use them in your scrapping this weekend?

Need something to listen to while you scrap the weekend away?

Here’s the latest episode of Paperclipping Roundtable.

If you need refreshment …

A Beautiful Mess has you covered! YUM.

There you go! Did you find anything fun or interesting? Hope so! I may add to this list if I hear of other fun stuff before the weekend is over; I’ll put new items at the top – just keep stoppin’ by if you like :)

Hey, am I missing anything?

I’ll be hanging around here on Scrapbook Obsession all weekend so if you want to chat, I’m around :)

Tell me about all the other amazing deals and fun stuff you’ve seen going on for International Scrapbooking Day . . . purdy please?

What are your plans for this, our finest of holiday weekends?

Scrapbook Deals & Steals: Last Day – Free Shipping for Scrapbook Magazines etc

This weekend only (through 04-26-15), you can get free shipping on anything in the Scrap & Paper shop:

They carry scrapbook magazines, idea books, and supplies – some of which are on sale and clearance, too.

To give you an idea of what they have, here are a couple items I just purchased with the free shipping:

scrapbooking boys and men

“Scrapbooking Boys & Men” regularly $14.99, now only $3.75

practical solutions for paper crafters

“Practical Solutions for Paper Crafters” regularly $14.99, now $3.74 (digital version $2.49)

I miss scrapbooking magazines SO much and at this price I’m getting idea books for even less than I used to pay for magazines. With FREE shipping. Sounds great to me!

I’ve ordered from Scrap & Paper shop before and I seem to remember they shipped pretty quickly. Can’t wait to get my happy mail!

Please let me know if you order anything; I’d love to hear :)

New Scrapbook Product: “Fun in the Sun” by Pebbles Inc.

We all have our favorite scrapbooking companies and although Pebbles Inc. isn’t usually one of mine – though their stuff is always super cute! – their new line called “Fun in the Sun” is definitely going on my Pinterest Wish List <3

Must have those Thickers.
And puffy stickers.
And enamel dots. Oh, those colors!

We have a swimming pool and this line is completely perfect for all those colors – turquoise, orange, yellow, green – that constantly show up my photos from the pool water, swim trunks, pool toys, etc. I can use the beachy and barbecue images, too. As always with Pebbles, the style is fresh and clean.

What do you think – any interest in “Fun in the Sun” by Pebbles Inc.?

Scrapbook Obsession Blog: Why Things Are Changing in 2015

So.

I don’t usually get too personal on this blog. It’s not a site about MY scrapbooking. It’s a site about SCRAPBOOKING. That’s how it’s been from the beginning and the way I want it to always stay. I want to be different from all the other scrapbook blogs out there. I want to be a place where we talk – not about my life, my scrapbooking, my photos, my family – but about this obsession called Scrapbooking.

The other component I believe in is being honest and transparent. I tell you my real opinion on scrapbooking topics, products, companies, “celebrities”, etc. And if I don’t have something nice to say, I try to keep my mouth shut, LOL. Unless I can be constructive :)

Even though the title of this post says “things are changing,” I want you to know that the plan is for this site to stay about scrapbooking and stay about honesty. That’s not going to change. What I hope IS going to change is that Scrapbook Obsession is going to become bigger and better and more fun throughout the rest of 2015 … and beyond.

I’ve been wanting to build this site up for SO many years. I’ve had plans in the past for various things that either didn’t work out or I had to abandon due to constraints on my time. I’ve also let fear hold me back: Fear that I’ll disappoint you, fear that because I’m not a fancy scrapper that I have nothing to offer, fear that I’ll drive away people who’ve been so supportive of this blog. But I’ve felt from the beginning that 2015 was going to be an awesome year and it sure is turning out to be.

Over the years, I’ve watched amazing women in this industry build their online, at-home scrapbooking businesses – Becky Higgins, Ali Edwards, Lain Ehmann to name a few – and been SO inspired. But I’ve always thought they had something special I didn’t, that they were doing something I could never do, that they knew some secret I didn’t for making their dreams come true.

While I still don’t think I’ll ever be running a million dollar company like BeckyHiggins.com, I’ve come to realize that I CAN do big things. I can take this love of scrapbooking further – via this site i’ve been building for 8 years – and I can turn this passion into a business I love without “selling out” or letting you down or becoming some fake thing you don’t recognize.

The main thing that’s changed my attitude is that I’ve been attending an online business school. It’s geared toward female entrepreneurs who want to dream big and run online businesses. The education I’m getting has opened my eyes wide and also opened many doors. It’s all very exciting! The other women who attend are extremely encouraging, helpful, and we all cheer each other on. I’m using the teachings to improve and expand my virtual assistant business but I’m also going to apply these wonderful things to Scrapbook Obsession.

Business school has expanded my beliefs about all the things I have to offer, what makes my site unique, what a difference I can make, and has me so stinkin’ jacked up, I can hardly stand it! Finding time is still a challenge but I’m making it happen. Changes will roll out slowly as I can implement them but I have self-imposed deadlines I plan to meet. Wish me luck.

Hint: One of those deadlines is National Scrapbook Day 05-02-15 … yikes, not very far away!

I’m a reader, writer, scrapbooker, creative type. I gotta’ tell ya’, the technical side of all this online biz stuff is challenging! But I’m stubborn and will figure out whatever I need to. In the meantime, it might not be pretty but don’t worry. It’ll all be good in the end :P

And back to the fear thing: One thing I’ve learned in business school is that I can’t make everyone happy. “If you try to make everyone happy, you end up pleasing no one.” We all like different things and different aspects of scrapbooking. We all want different things from the sites we choose to spend time on. But I’ve come to realize that I can’t make “people” happy, I can only make “my people” happy. My people, my tribe, the scrappers who think like I think and like what I like. I do feel badly that I can’t cater to EVERY kind of scrapper but I also feel very blessed to have offerings for MY kind of scrapper. That’s all one person can do, right?

This new venture is going to require me to do something I’m not comfortable with: Asking for help. I’ll need to reach out to members of the scrapbooking industry and ask for things that they may or may not be willing to give. That’s scary! But, like mama always said, “If you don’t ask, you’ll never know!” Time to put on my Big Girl Scrapper Panties and get ready for rejection! And – maybe just maybe – some pleasant surprises, too. I’ll also need to ask some of you to help me behind the scenes so I can make this site super useful for you.

What I ask of each reader is to be open-minded, be excited, and join me on the journey!! It’s gonna’ be fun, I promise ;)

Yikes! Hitting “Publish” … no turning back now!!! YEEHAWWWW

Online Scrapbook Classes: “Truth Scrap” Now Available ‘a la Carte’ & On Sale

As I talked about back in December 2014, Lain Ehman held a first-time online event called “TRUTH SCRAP” on 01-31-15.

It sounded like a very interesting and different event that I’m sorry I couldn’t attend live. Oh well, the next best thing is to get the classes after the fact. I like when they go on sale “a la carte” and know that you do too. We can handpick the classes we want or, in the case of the sale I’m going to tell you about, get all 7 classes for a great price.

Here are the classes you can choose from – or get them all & reduce the cost per class:

“Hope Notes: Creating and Sharing Messages of Faith” with Stephanie
Ackerman

“Faithbooking: How (and Why) to Share Your Faith in Your Scrapbook”
with Erin Bassett

“Words to Live By: A Handmade Art Journal” with Andrea Chebeleu

“#ARTWORSHIP: Art Journaling Response to Jesus” with Heather
Greenwood

“The Art of Being HUMAN: A Creative Exploration of Our Basic Being
and Purpose” with Liz Hicks

“Illuminated Manuscripts: Illustrating Your Journaling Bible” with
Shanna Noel

“Cross-ology: Art and Heart for the Home” with Donna Salazar

You can see full class descriptions on the “TRUTH SCRAP” site.

So here’s the sale info:

From Monday 04-13 through midnight on Friday 04-24-15, you can get each class individually for $9.95 or all 7 classes for $49 (aka $7/each). To get the $49 price, add all 7 classes to your cart, then use the code TRUTH at checkout through 4/24. The sale price of $9.95 per class is also good through 4/24.

The classes include both the project-only video (around 30 minutes) and the full, “Like You Were There” video (around 60 minutes).

***After 4/24, the price will increase to the regular $14.95 per class.

The 3 classes I’m considering are:

– Erin Bassett – Faithbooking: How (and Why) to Share Your Faith in Your Scrapbook

I keep saying I’m going to incorporate my faith into my scrapbooks but it rarely happens. Maybe this is the inspiration I need.

– Shanna Noel – Illuminated Manuscripts: Illustrating Your Journaling Bible

I heard about journaling your Bible in 2014, I think, and have been intrigued ever since.

– Donna Salazar – Cross-Ology: Art and Heart for the Home

I’ve always loved crosses and wear a small one around my neck 24/7 (it says “Blessed”). In fact, my dad had a crucifix collection which passed down to my brother and I when he died but they’re packed away for safekeeping. I’d love to incorporate some crosses into our home deco and it sounds like this class will share economical and fun ways to do that.

Which Truth Scrap classes most appeal to you?

Just to recap re: “TRUTH SCRAP”
-Individual classes are on sale 4/13 through 4/24 for $9.95.
-Special offer: Get all 7 class offerings for only $49 with code “TRUTH” from 4/13 through 4/24.

If you end up purchasing any classes, I’d love to hear what you chose and also to hear any reviews after you watch them!

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