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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Apr 25, 2017 10:02:49 GMT
Especially if you are a long time scrapper, what time in your life were you the happiest scrapper?
I've been scrapping since 2004.
I would definitely say the years between 2004 and the middle of 2009 were my happiest. I was a stay at home mom, and had time to scrapbook just about every day. Life felt very happy and complete. There were scrapbook stores near me. I knew other scrappers IRL.
I hope to someday reclaim that feeling.
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Post by anonrefugee on Apr 25, 2017 10:22:33 GMT
2002- 2006 a variety of products and techniques began to surface. I also had two groups of friends who scrapped, one just because but were very CM oriented. The other were into the art or product side.
The CM types eventually have it up, especially as a group. I loved scrapping with the more creative group but it eventually got strange. There were several scrap teachers and minor published in the group. They became too aggressive to be fun for me. One of the teachers wasn't very original, yet she felt the need to offer suggestions on everyone else's layout. Those in the group with graphic design and other art backgrounds would visibly cringe, but she didn't get it. The drive to be published became a competition for a few. As expected those with design professions got their validation elsewhere.
i scrapped with them almost ten years, and am surprised how little I missed them after I stopped. Haha, apparently I'm still a little bitter though.The CM types I still see, we were bonded over kid and lifestyle choices.
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Post by anonrefugee on Apr 25, 2017 10:30:57 GMT
I apologize if I made this negative. I'm very thankful for the role scrapping has had in my life! The process keeps me sane. I especially like the connections it's helped me make. I admire so many with talent and appreciate seeing it evolve. This board has been good to learn more about the skills and motivation of others. There are so many, but Patter comes to mind as an inspirational example. I also appreciate friends I would never have met, who often seem to be on a parallel path, like ScrapsontheRocks.
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Post by LisaDV on Apr 25, 2017 11:21:36 GMT
I started becoming obsessed late in 2002. ...but...If I had to pick one time period, I'd say right now. Last year and this year! This place provides my scrappy social network and does a darn fine job of it. Although I miss 2peas, I really like this place so much better. But more than that, my kids are finally old enough to not need constant supervision and some of their school is done by video (no mom instruction){obviously we homeschool}, I feel like I have more time to scrapbook. My craft room is also right off the main living area, so I can pop in for 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there. Last year I finished 140 layouts and I'm already up to 144 layouts for this year.
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Post by myboysnme on Apr 25, 2017 11:41:11 GMT
The happiest time of my scrapbooking life was probably 2000 to 2005. There were so many scrapbook stores that when my friend, who I met at a crop, and I travelled to the north in in our state for a convention, we stopped at 10 scrapbook stores along the way. There was always a crop to go to at a store.
There were so many magazines and it was possible to get published a bit because the process to submit was totally manual - no digital anything in terms of submitting - from stitching a layout to be copied at Kinkos to mailing it in a priority box. A scrapbooker like me could win a big contest because things hadn't gone so far off the grid yet. Off the grid is not negative, but it was definitely when tearing a piece of paper was avant gard and inking the edge was really going out there.
Scrapbooking was in its hey day. And 2 Peas was really taking off and everyone who scrapped was on there.
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Post by sarahbee on Apr 25, 2017 13:12:46 GMT
Great question I would say that the best point up until now was probably 2007 or so. There was a LSS 30 minutes from our house, plus I didn't keep up with any trends or lines, so I was content with whatever was available at Hobby Lobby. I also feel like I was more easygoing about just getting things scrapped - less of a perfectionist. That being said, I was still a teenager at that time. Now as a new mom, I prefer to think that my best scrappy years are still ahead of me.
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Post by Patter on Apr 25, 2017 13:13:05 GMT
I apologize if I made this negative. I'm very thankful for the role scrapping has had in my life! The process keeps me sane. I especially like the connections it's helped me make. I admire so many with talent and appreciate seeing it evolve. This board has been good to learn more about the skills and motivation of others. There are so many, but Patter comes to mind as an inspirational example. I also appreciate friends I would never have met, who often seem to be on a parallel path, like ScrapsontheRocks . Agh, you are too sweet. Thank you SO much. And I am not sure when the happiest scrapping period was in my life because I have loved everything since I started in 1997! Mixed media is my passion now but I still love scrapping though I don't do it as much. I just love all of the paper arts and crafts. It's what keeps me happy
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amom23
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,329
Jun 27, 2014 12:39:18 GMT
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Post by amom23 on Apr 25, 2017 13:26:54 GMT
I started scrapbooking in 1998 after the birth of my 2nd child. Those first 6 years or so where so fun. There were lots of crops to attend and I had lots of friends who scrapped. My kids were little so no activities to run to, early bedtimes and naptime. I loved my new hobby!
Fast forward to today and all that has changed.
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Post by anonrefugee on Apr 25, 2017 13:35:34 GMT
Great question I would say that the best point up until now was probably 2007 or so. There was a LSS 30 minutes from our house, plus I didn't keep up with any trends or lines, so I was content with whatever was available at Hobby Lobby. I also feel like I was more easygoing about just getting things scrapped - less of a perfectionist. That being said, I was still a teenager at that time. Now as a new mom, I prefer to think that my best scrappy years are still ahead of me. The best photo ops are for sure ahead of you! Have fun and enjoy it!
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msliz
Drama Llama
The Procrastinator
Posts: 6,419
Jun 26, 2014 21:32:34 GMT
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Post by msliz on Apr 25, 2017 14:01:26 GMT
My favorite years were 2005 and 2006. I'm really specific about those two years because that's when my neighbors and I decided to have rotating crops at each other's houses. We'd open a couple bottles of wine and have the greatest time! My DDs remember that time fondly too because they saw me having fun with my friends instead of just being mom.
The worst thing about moving away is saying goodbye to friends.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Apr 25, 2017 14:50:47 GMT
1999-2002. I started scrapbooking in 1998, but 99 was when I found scrapbooking message boards and started making a lot of new friends. And LSSs were abundant! And I had some work published, which was really fun.
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Post by psoccer on Apr 25, 2017 14:57:22 GMT
I would say around 2005, and for a few years after. I got to be a stay at home mom, money was good, and everyone I seemed to know scrapped. I seemed to have more time.
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Post by Linda on Apr 25, 2017 14:57:58 GMT
it's hard to say...I started scrapping in 2002 and 2003-2010 my best friend lived with us and we would scrap together and shop together and go to the occasional crop together and that was great...but I've hit my stride lately and am content with my style and my supplies and...while I wish I had someone to scrapbook with sometimes...this board is great so...
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Post by grammadee on Apr 25, 2017 15:31:22 GMT
Scrapbooking is my happy place. I jumped in with both feet in 2002, and took on the challenge of making my own embellishments, finding supplies and glue that worked for me, getting my stories into this new form.
Over the years, I have met wonderful people IRL and on line and I have learned so many different ways to create pretty things. Some of the styles I attempted were definitely not ME, but I moved on. My stash grew from one little tub to an overflowing room.
I don't think I could choose a time when this hobby was "best" for me. It seems that as one favorite phase receded, another one took its place. Paper magazines were replaced with Pinterest and other on line inspiration. Choices in patterned paper were augmented with the techniques to create my own from plain cardstock. Premade embellishments can be done with dies and electronic diecutters. And I can still bring into play my paper piecing skills from before all this was readily available if I want to.
I like having a room dedicated to this craft. Because I am retired, I have the time to play. I have a camera and a kick*ss phone to take photos when on the go. I love that my kids send me photos to include on my pages if I can't be with them and the dgk's for a period of time or a specific event. I love sharing my pages here, and with family and friends IRL.
I am lucky enough to have a LSS within just over an hour's driving, and a few more less than 3 hours away. But I am comfortable ordering on line as well if I see something I like that these stores don't stock. I get one monthly kit, which I tend to use for "special" pages. For the regular ones, I know where to get what I need, and as I said I have a huge stash to "shop" from.
So, I guess, it's ALL good!
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Post by scrapcat on Apr 25, 2017 15:35:48 GMT
Hmmm..not sure I really correlate it to happiness?!
I think in the beginning, about 2001, was fun bcz it was new and I was getting new stuff! And I used to do the QVC all day papercraft and all that.
And then I would say when I started going to CKC about 2006/7? And then I started going to more crops in 2008/9.
My most favorite years to scrap tho, is hands down when my nephew was born (2008) through his little years, like up to age 5 or so. One bcz he was just so cute and I would scrap about the funny things he said/did, and all the fun things like carnivals and theme parks and the beach. Which I guess is sort of ironic, bcz personally those were hard years for me going thru divorce, total changes, etc. But my pages from then are happy with him in it!
I still like scrapping him, but now it's all "cool dude" type stuff.
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Post by myboysnme on Apr 25, 2017 15:36:20 GMT
There were several scrap teachers and minor published in the group. They became too aggressive to be fun for me. One of the teachers wasn't very original, yet she felt the need to offer suggestions on everyone else's layout. Those in the group with graphic design and other art backgrounds would visibly cringe, but she didn't get it. The drive to be published became a competition for a few. This was a rough time because scrapbooking got very competitive unless you were insulated from the LSS, classes, magazines and message boards. It was hard to resist the pull to 'be someone' in the scrap world because everyday folks were becoming admired and acknowledged outside of their personal sphere. In fact, this is when a big split started to develop among those who wanted to scrap for fun and those that wanted to scrap for money, prestige, acknowledgement, ... Product was so abundant that people started to acquire more than produce and many people bailed on the hobby because it became too overwhelming.
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Post by DawnMcD on Apr 25, 2017 15:39:42 GMT
I love scrapping still and it is my go to hobby but I think the best time for me was 2000-2006 or so. I had more time to scrap and there were crops and expo's often. A good friend and I scraped into the night every couple weeks. I had some active message boards I was on and online friends who I cropped with over messaging aps. It was a fun time. I still have a few scrappy friends IRL , most of my online communities are gone and the online friends drifted apart. We just don't have the time we use to. But I have been enjoying the pick up of the GS board here and look forward to more online crops and things.
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Post by Prenticekid on Apr 25, 2017 16:34:35 GMT
Always and now. Always because scrapbooking is my happy place in whatever evolution it is in. And now because my kids are grown and I have more time and space. It is crazy to me that people think there is nothing to scrapbook after your children have become adults. I am scrapbooking now more than ever. I have grandchildren. I can scrap whenever I want. I have more disposable income. I have children and grandchildren who love to spend time with me in my scrapbooking room. My DGD is my best scrapbooking buddy. Products, people, stores, styles, "new" - they've never driven my scrapbooking. I still love telling stories with scrapbooking and it just makes me happy.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 18:11:35 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2017 16:38:39 GMT
Now. Always learning. Always new things to try. Better, easier pix thanks to improving phone tech. Long live scrapping.
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Post by lisacharlotte on Apr 25, 2017 17:27:08 GMT
When I rediscovered it through Smashbooks in 2011 and Project Life in 2012. And we had an Archivers. I still love it. I'm an ADD crafter. I like to try new things. Consistency is an issue for me. Card making and PL are the only things i've continued and kept up.
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AmandaA
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,501
Aug 28, 2015 22:31:17 GMT
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Post by AmandaA on Apr 25, 2017 17:30:28 GMT
I don't know if there was a "best". They have all been different and had their own special highs and lows for me
Late 1990's to early 2000's- found the hobby as I was finishing college. Went to weekend retreat crops with my friend/CM consulant. I was in a discovery period of what the craft would mean to me, what my style was, what techniques were out there.., and which ones I was good at or not.
Mid 2000's- loved this time because I had found my groove and how I liked to work/what my style and method were. I was single and then newly married. We traveled quite a bit and that was all I scrapped. We didn't have kids and I had no pressure to "keep up". There were several LSS's. My best friend and I found a neat scrapbooking B&B nearby and spent several weekends there. It really was a hobby for me, not a chore or something I felt obligated to do.
Late 2000's to early 2010's- this is by far the least favorite period. Our computer crashed and I lost several years worth of photos (goes along with no pressure to be caught up I suppose). Then we built our new home and had our first child. I was away from the hobby long enough that I felt lost in terms of my style (CM was on the way out) and how to get back into a groove when taking care of a child and generating photos faster than I could ever imagine documenting them. But I am so thankful I didn't give up on going back to the hobby. I just never imagined it could be so difficult to do.
Around 2012 to present- it is so different now, but good in so many ways. The LSS are gone & my bff gave up on scrapping years ago, but somehow I managed to have a little personal renaissance. I have an amazing camera on my phone, I can print my photos at home with a few taps, and I discovered pocket scrapping. I have found message boards and kit clubs to keep me inspired and connected. I manage to keep up, for the most part, with 3 kids and feel like I am actually doing a little something that I enjoy at the same time. Who knows what the future will hold but for now it is looking pretty bright!
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Apr 25, 2017 18:40:19 GMT
The happiest time of my scrapbooking life was probably 2000 to 2005. There were so many scrapbook stores that when my friend, who I met at a crop, and I travelled to the north in in our state for a convention, we stopped at 10 scrapbook stores along the way. There was always a crop to go to at a store.
There were so many magazines and it was possible to get published a bit because the process to submit was totally manual - no digital anything in terms of submitting - from stitching a layout to be copied at Kinkos to mailing it in a priority box. A scrapbooker like me could win a big contest because things hadn't gone so far off the grid yet. Off the grid is not negative, but it was definitely when tearing a piece of paper was avant gard and inking the edge was really going out there.
Scrapbooking was in its hey day. And 2 Peas was really taking off and everyone who scrapped was on there. ^^^ I agree with the bolded text above. I've been scrapping since sometime in the mid-late 90s- ?? (not really sure) but it was definitely best when everything was new, and fresh, and exciting! Oh, I know they always come out with new things, but it really seems like some the ideas are recycled from ideas and trends that were popular before, or just a new take on a tool, a twist on something already existing. But back then? it was ALL new! My sister lived in Milwaukee and I lived in the Chicago suburbs, so we would get together and go to crops, stores, and conventions, all over the area- we even drove to Madison for a day crop once! We were packed in the convention center ballroom like sardines, and we both carried our supplies in laundry baskets (LOL!! it's funny to even think about that now, considering the amount of crafting supplies I have) but the creative energy and buzz in the room was just an amazing feeling. Or the feeling of walking through a HUGE scrapbook expo with ALL the vendors selling and demonstrating their new stuff, taking classes when EVERY technique or project was totally new to me, different, and exciting-- that was definitely the best feeling. Walking into a scrapbook store- just think of it! The idea of a WHOLE STORE, ALL devoted to that hobby was so amazing! With its wall of sticker rolls, the themed paper displays, all the colorful markers, page decoration templates, alphabet templates, decorative scissors, etc. It was great! The feeling of wanting to read thru the magazines the minute they came in the mail, poring over them again and again to get different ideas, marking half the pages with paper flags to find something later... <sigh> Those were the days. And back then, the internet wasn't around or at least nearly as popular, so the conventions, magazines, stores, and classes were the only places you COULD get the newst ideas and see the new products. Scrapbooking (and papercrafting in general) is still a really fun hobby for me, and I won't ever stop doing it in some fashion, but I guess I'd say I've 'matured' as a scrapbooker now so the excited 'new, fresh, and different' feeling just isn't the same any more. It's like any long-term relationship; the infatuation and new relationship feeling has changed over time into more of a comfortableness.
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Post by refugeepea on Apr 25, 2017 18:46:28 GMT
When my 2 oldest were young and cute. I have a hard time scrapping when there's hard things happening in my life. I've struggled with doing it often since 2009 when there was a death and issues with my kids were diagnosed. ETA: Probably 2004- mid 2009
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loco coco
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,662
Jun 26, 2014 16:15:45 GMT
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Post by loco coco on Apr 25, 2017 18:51:03 GMT
Thats a good question! In highschool, my bff and I would share a scrapbook. It was fun to see what the other one inserted, etc and pass it back and forth. Really just drawings, notes, and pictures we took. No embellishments. Thats the last time I scrapbooked with someone. I quit scrapping for awhile and in 2010 picked it back up. I had no idea scrapbooking had such a huge online community. I scrapped just by picking up products at Michaels or Hobby Lobby for about 2 years, I had no idea there were sketches online, blogs, design teams, etc. It wasn't until I was looking for more of a certain product that I saw how big scrapbooking was online. It was fun and overwhelming. I found so many stores, ideas, and at some point 2peas! I scrapped life with my DH from 2010-2015. In 2016 I had my daughter and it made scrapbooking so exciting for me. There was someone to pass these stories on to, someone else to talk about and of course I could now use the TONS of pink product in my stash. Right now is probably the most fun Ive ever had scrapping. I wish I could find a friend IRL who scrapped but most of my friends think its dorky (whatever) but I'm having fun on my own
sorry for the long ramble post!
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Post by jcm28 on Apr 25, 2017 20:13:25 GMT
A few years ago I decided to make albums for my daughter's first five years. It took me two years and three fat albums but it was the happiest scrap time. BTW, she is 45 now. I was recently at her house in SC and looked at all of them again. So happy with them.
Janet
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Post by jenr on Apr 25, 2017 20:31:48 GMT
@crimsoncat, you summed it up perfectly for me. Everything you said is exactly right, especially that last paragraph. It's not the same as it used to be, but I still love doing it.
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Post by artisticscrapper on Apr 26, 2017 2:15:39 GMT
Actually my best time is now. I've found my style and I'm dipping my toe into mixed media. I don't have kids so I just scrap vacations or random stuff that interests me. Oh, and my pile of family pictures I may never catch up on.
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Post by ScrapsontheRocks on Apr 26, 2017 4:47:45 GMT
I apologize if I made this negative. I'm very thankful for the role scrapping has had in my life! The process keeps me sane. I especially like the connections it's helped me make. I admire so many with talent and appreciate seeing it evolve. This board has been good to learn more about the skills and motivation of others. There are so many, but Patter comes to mind as an inspirational example. I also appreciate friends I would never have met, who often seem to be on a parallel path, like ScrapsontheRocks . Thank you so very much for a thought from afar, from a person whose opinions (on many topics) I respect. What a pity we will never meet. I am proud to be considered your friend. I have not read the thread, apologies peas, I will catch up soon.
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Chinagirl828
Drama Llama
Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 6,469
Jun 28, 2014 6:28:53 GMT
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Post by Chinagirl828 on Apr 26, 2017 8:54:35 GMT
I tnink crimsoncat05 has said it better than I can. I loved the mid 2000's when stores were plentiful and all the supplies seemed so new and exciting and different from what I had seen before (and from each other). Nothing quite compared to walking into a store and not really knowing how old anything was but getting to choose products based on the way they actually looked rather than an on screen representation which is not always accurate to what I receive in the mail.
But I really love it now too. I enjoy having a like minded community with whom I can share projects and accomplishments, and discuss the latest and greatest or the newest dramas.
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Post by trixiecat on Apr 26, 2017 11:11:10 GMT
I agree with everyone else about loving the hobby more when there were stores and so much plentiful product to actually get your hands on. But even more so than that I enjoyed scrapping more when my kids were in younger. I have teens now and they don't want their pictures taken or we don't spend as much time together and we don't have activities to attend (no family here, etc.). Plus I keep going back to something Cathy Zielski keeps saying...it isn't her story to tell. As an example, my daughter when to NYC with a friend recently. Even though she has some pictures she took of them and the trip, I wasn't there to experience what she did, so why would I scrapbook it.
I have so many supplies in my craftroom and I have been thinking how I can transition my chronological scrapbooking into something else. Maybe I continue to scrap important milestones after they are 18 (like going to college, etc). but then use my supplies for cardmaking possibly - but that doesn't really excite me a whole lot. And I feel like my life is boring enough that Project LIfe would get old real quick.
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