guilty, much?

What is it about this great hobby of ours that produces so much guilt?

I’m pondering this question following a Paperclipping Roundtable podcast that I just listened to…and I had some thoughts I felt led to share…

You all know that I’m a huge fan of Ali Edwards. Why, you ask? There are so many reasons to be a fan, really. I love how her focus is telling the STORY. Getting the words down to describe our life. Passing on the rich history that is in our everyday. I love her simple and yet perfectly embellished approach to her layouts are so inviting…so that you are dying to read the story behind them. I love how she is so intentional about documenting the everyday so that her kids, grandkids, etc will know her through her scrapbooking. She has rocking handwriting and a great eye for the perfect accent. Big fan. I don’t often scrap just like her…but I am inspired by her for sure. Of course, I also feel a kindred spirit as I do with all moms of special kiddos.

So back to the Roundtable. What is it? It’s an hour or so show where they talk about a subject in scrapbooking with a guest. They usually have some scrapbooking celeb (hence, Ali’s appearance) and they chat about a topic. It’s fun to just listen to while I scrap or drive around town. They chat about current trends, hot color combos, new technique and product. Just some scrapping fun.

And now…GUILT. What is it about scrapbooking that causes so much guilt? In the course of her guest spot on Paperclipping Roundtable, Ali mentions the guilt associated with scrapping. Am I scrapping the right moments? Am I behind? Did I scrap the last birthday? Did I scrap as many pages for my first as I did for my youngest? Is my design good enough? Did I choose the right embellishment? Do I feel so guilty for not scrapbooking that I force myself to do something I don’t like? It’s all a bit ridiculous to the outsider, don’t you think?

But it’s real. Guilt does come with the territory of scrapbooking…unless you choose to not go about it that way.

One of the things I love about this hobby is that there is no right way. Really. Just because Ali does something one way, doesn’t mean I have to. Just because Becky does it another way, doesn’t mean that is the one right way. When Donna creates this work of art that I don’t even know where to start emulating…I don’t really have to. This hobby is so very personal. I’m telling stories for MY kids…not YOU, my blog readers.

Granted, I do desire to please others with my layouts. I do want others to like it and get inspired by it. But really, at the end of the day, it’s about ME.

In 2007, I was on Two Peas in a Bucket and this question was posed…Why do YOU Scrap? I created this layout to show and tell why I do this crazy hobby. Here is the journaling:

“Why? Oh sure, I could come up with all the ‘right’ answers…my (soon to be) 3 sons, to document family memories, something fun to look at, a creative activity…all would be equally true, equally important. But seriously, why do I scrap? For ME! It’s my outlet, my therapy, my mark on the world, it’s the proof of who I am…wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend…Kristen”

So I think I’ve left the guilt of this hobby behind a long time ago. Sure I question decisions I’ve made on layouts. And yes, I get antsy when I haven’t finished a layout I should. Of course I am annoyed that I haven’t scrapped the last several birthdays of the boys. But I don’t feel guilty. I’ve taken the pictures, I’ve documented a lot of stuff so far and I’m going to continue to do it. But I refuse to add the stress of guilt over it. It’s a conscious decision I’ve made…because I ENJOY scrapbooking. The minute I feel guilty about it is the minute I step back from it because that’s not what it’s about for me.

What about you? How do you deal with the guilt?

Now…if we were talking about the guilt I have for not videotaping my kids enough…that’s another story. ;)

Kristen

p.s. If you search Paperclipping Rountable in iTunes you can subscribe to the podcast and have it download new episodes automatically. You don’t have to have an iPod/iPhone to get iTunes on your computer and you can listen to it from there. Super easy.