Digging deeper....

I have been giving allot of thought to my scrapbooking (or lack there of) lately -Thinking about how I have to make more time to get more done (don't we all) and how I have been doing more journaling that reflects how I am feeling in the here and now. Observing things around me, life as it is happening and writing about it. Living life and telling about it.

I have always been a huge advocate of jorunaling, and using your own hand writing in your albums. Journaling is probably the easiest thing for me to do when creating a page ( I know I am the oddity out there) I often have the journaling done before I even have the page idea. Lately I find that I am journaling then finding a photo when I create a page. This is backwards to most people. Most will take their photos, and create the layout and journal at the end if they journal at all. I am wanting to take my scrapbooking to a deeper level, to truly leave a mark of my heart on the pages I am creating.

Journaling for me is the key to going deeper. I have several journals (books to write in) around the house, in the glove compartment in my van, in my purse so that I can write when the desire hits. Scrapbooking is more than getting the photos into albums for me, since day one scrapbooking has been a creative outlet for me. I love the creative process, the paper , stickers, embellishments, ribbons etc.. I know the importance of documenting life and events, recalling the things that are important in our lives. I want my albums to reflect who I am as well as what I do, all aspects of life, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Telling about the good the bad and the ugly so that when others look at my albums they see a well rounded person, not just the happy times. I want others to see the true me, my true family and how we deal with life. Not just the posed photos of family vacations and happy birthday photos.... Life is full of ups and downs, good times and bad, happy celebrations and not so happy ones. I want my albums to reflect all aspects.

I am on a new journey in the process of scrapbooking - not quite sure where it will lead but I will keep you all posted along the way. In the mean time here is a question to help you on your own deeper journey ( I would love to see your answers if you are willing to share post a comment if not journal (answer the question) just for you and your own scrapbooking journey......

This question is taken from a book I picked up at the Seattle airport recently called "IF. . . " by Evelyn McFarlane & James Saywell. It is a book filled with questions that start with IF... it is a great jumping of point for journaling when you are stuck.

IF you had to choose the single most valuable thing you ever learned, what would it be?

For me. . . I think the most valuable lesson I ever learned was that how I treat people is how I can be expected to be treated in return.
(The golden rule) I have found this to be true. If you treat people with respect you will be respected, if you mouth off and are rude, it will come back to you the same way (if not worse) If you care for people when they are hurting, they will in turn care for you when you are hurting. Being nice will get you a long way in life, it will see you through the good and the bad times.