We had a little clean-up in the scrapbook room today...we being my mountain of supplies and I. What it really needs is an intervention but this will have to do. I've seen enough episodes of Hoarders to know I need to be more ruthless in what goes out the door but I can't quite do that yet. I look at things and ask myself if I love it enough to use it or find inspiration in it and when the answer is yes, it stays. The paper isn't stacked to the ceiling yet and no animals are making their homes in the baskets of chipboard alphabets so I don't think I'm a candidate for reality TV just yet.
I did say no to a few things so out they went; the room feels a little lighter this evening. A big stack of old idea books landed in the recycle bag and there's a pile of odds and ends waiting to see if someone else can make use of them. I must admit, however, that it was hard to let go of Becky Higgins first book, The Art of Creative Lettering. No one had thought of Thickers in 1999 so a lot of title were made by hand. Thumbing through it, I could even remember what layouts I'd created using which of these alphabets. It was the first book I took to Kinkos to have them cut off the spine and bind it so it would lay flat. Good times, good times. But there are too many other options now so out it goes.
These went too:
That's all the paperwork I generated for EasyPatterns, a book and monthly column I did for Creating Keepsakes. The stack was probably 3" high including the little baggie of cardstock templates for various photo sizes.
There wasn't really any good reason to hanging onto them this long; after all, I have the printed book as well as each of the magazines in which the column ran. But I'd held onto them, giving in to the little voice that kept saying but look at all the work! Each set of patterns consisted of three layouts and two cards or tags plus the graphic of how the cut the papers to assemble them. And for each set of patterns I penciled a set of sketches to scale on graph paper, went over the pencil lines with ink, traced the sketches onto plain paper, scanned them into the computer and inserted labels for all the pieces using Photoshop. Add in there a lead, a supply list and the instructions and you have the sum and substance of my life while I was doing this.
I created a bunch of layouts that I still love and I met a lot of scrapbookers who embraced the EasyPattern concept and created layouts they loved...and those are both good things. And the fact that I never have to create another pattern again might be the best thing. I'm an eyeball-it kind of scrapper so all those requirements and measurements made me feel like I was scrapbooking with one hand tied behind my back. It was an experience I am glad I had but even more glad is over.
So why was it so hard to throw away the paperwork generated by it? I'm still mulling that over in my mind looking for a good answer. In the meantime, I'm glad to have room in my cabinet for things to slide around. The room looks a little tidier now...time to get creative and mess it up again.
I still have the Easy Concept book. It purchased it because I loved your work. I did not cut out the pattern pieces but just used them as I guide. Great layouts in that book, maybe I need to revisit.
Posted by: Linda | October 10, 2012 at 06:29 AM
I could use with a little intervention myself! And I totally understand your need to declutter and your hesitancy of parting with things. I have to be in the right frame of mind to accomplish this task myself, but perhaps it is time for me also. Wish me luck!
Posted by: Sue H. | October 10, 2012 at 06:45 AM
I still love and use your pattern book, pulled it out just the other day. I so love to scrapbook and thank my good friend, oh yea you, for getting me started. Love ya, Bonnie
Posted by: bonnie cook | October 10, 2012 at 08:44 AM
I also still use your easy patterns from the CK magazine. Your book was never offered in my local scrapping haunts. I keep meaning to clean out my scrapping supplies but every time I start I get lost in all the possibilities besides if I use the paper I will not have it to use in the future. I need help :0
Posted by: Mary-Lou | October 10, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Oh, I need to take your lead and PURGE the s'CRAProom. I know I won't handletter like the Becky book anymore, but it is so nostalgic, so iconic. I can't yet. My favorite excuse for saving paper I don't totally love? "But it could be used on a CARD!!!" Feel free to quote me when necessary.
Rhonda in AR
HONK HONK
Posted by: Rhonda H | October 12, 2012 at 07:05 PM