Does anyone scrapbook for non-memory keeping reasons?

I'd say I scrap 50% for memory keeping and 50% for artistic purposes. It's therapeutic for me.

Min is always been for creativity. I'd make pages with no pictures etc. I just like to play.
Art journaling to me has been what I've been doing just didn't have a name for it. I use all my scrapping supplies and just have fun

Remember there are no rules. Everyone thinks there are. But there isn't. It's what you want it to be.

Now most don't understand what I do when I go to a crop. But that's them.

So many things appeal to me. I don't do PL because I love the artistic side of scrapping. However, it's the memory keeping that keeps me going.

Years ago, doing DT work, I created many layouts to meet a need to display product. I used "pretty" pictures, and would allow titles like "wonder".

I now dislike those layouts.

My style has changed, product has changed, I've improved as a scrapper...so they look "ugly" to me, plus have no story-saving purpose.

The layouts from the same time period that are memories - those are precious!!!

So now, when I scrap, I make sure to fulfil BOTH my artistic and story needs.

Actually, I've been thinking a lot about how scrapping has changed. It all started with stories, memories, need to preserve. Remember early layouts on 2 peas? All the double-pagers?

From there, we've gradually diverged into 2 camps: art/beauty versus traditional/story. The online world seems heavily populated with the artistic because we're the ones who are on the lookout for new products/new techniques/new designs. My acquaintences who scrap "traditionally" (and I consider their work inferior to mine. Shame on me. Like old-style CM.) have no interest in the online world!!!

I feel like I have a leg in both camps (I must keep up with beauty and technique, but am strongly drawn to event scrapping. I think we're the ones who "complain" the most about trendy layouts populating you-tube and DT offerings. But we need to remember that those DTs are likely the artists of our population!!! I find I can take a LOT of lessons from their designs and then just apply it to my own work.

I find the "canvas with a tiny picture" layout GORGEOUS...but less satisfying if I create it for my album (see above )

Wow, don't know where all this scrappy thought is coming from, but it does actually help me when I scrap because I give myself the approval to stay true to my own style and not just "keep up with the Joneses".

(I like "quotation marks" apparently )

Well, I do scrap for the memories, but just for me and DH. I don't think anyone will care about my albums after we're gone.

I also like the creative outlet, and making fun, pretty, custom things as gifts for people. Whether they really like them, or not (Which I REALLY hope they do), it makes me happy.

I'm a memory keeper but feel that scrapbooking is what you want it to be and I love looking at super creative, artsy layouts even though I don't make them

It is nice to see you hear playing with us @susefish ! I hope you feel welcome and join in often with our online chatterbox community!

I find scrapbooking to be the perfect mix for me of many things I find pleasing and important in life: photography, writing, art, collage, pretty paper, pens, memories.

As a child I was a passionate journal keeper and writer. My parents did not have a camera when I was small, so those few pictures I do have our precious to me. I liked to draw and paint as well, but my father steered me towards writing saying that I should focus on that as it was my gift. I found photography in high school and I remember him saying to me:
"These photographs are wonderful! They are almost as good as your writing!" Sigh...

Now I have children of my own and my love for all of these things still flourishes...and makes a happy home, together, on scrapbook pages.

Nothing to do with memory keeping for me. I don't have kids and I know nobody will be interested in my albums when I'm gone.

I am a trained graphic designer, I worked in advertising until the recession in 2008 and I haven't worked since (it's ok, I don't need to and seriously, who works if they don't have to?). So to me, it's a way to use my design skills and be creative. When I was working, it was great to be able to do something without someone saying the words needed more emphasis, the logo needed to be bigger, add another photo, put this ugly strapline here etc. I could please myself and bollocks to the clients!

I sometimes scrap the same photos over and over again because I don't take that many and I don't journal much either cause it's not for any purpose except to make me happy!

I think it's difficult to escape the memory keeping aspect, even if the creative expression is the main reason for my scrapping. Even if nobody wants to keep the albums of my cats, of the daily life of me and my husband (PL) or the December Daily albums when I'm gone, they are memory keeping for ME as long as I'm here, and that's enough for me. I have no kids and when I take cute photos of my adorable nephew and nieces I send the files to the parents, so basically I see no need for them to keep my scrapbooks with the same photos on layouts. I do it only for my own pleasure. That also takes the pressure off me, creatively. I am free to do as I please.

I have to confess I don't journal much either. Writing is my profession so it's much more fun to play with pictures and and pretty patterns in my free time.

Probably the same for me. I find scrapping relaxing and I think it's important to have that down time.

I'm in it for the creative, crafty outlet. It's the main reason I won't go digital. It's the tactile part I enjoy. Memory keeping is a great side benefit, but not the driving force.

I don't have kids either, and I'm sure my niece won't be interested in most of my albums when I'm gone - but the memory keeping aspect is still important to me. It helps me process/understand things.

Lots of interesting viewpoints here. Thanks for getting the discussion going, @susefish

I scrapbook because it's fun. I record the milestones and good times and try to find the twist that makes each experience I scrap a positive memory. I also love to play with pretty things, and to challenge myself to find ways to use colour and texture and design to capture the mood and action in my photos. My journaling is there to reflect on people's reaction to the various experiences, not just to provide an archivable account.

I love to play with new techniques and products, getting them to fit into the story I am telling at the moment.

And like others have said, going through my albums helps me remember the good times

I went through my 2nd divorce almost 4 years ago and my 3 daughters and I really struggled for quite. I was actually homeless. My now fiancé didn't know. My kids stayed at their dads and my oldest hated my guts because she couldn't understand why I wasn't Th ere more for her. I still tried to do things with my youngest and keep up a positive attitude and took her to McDonald's and stuff.
All these years later I've printed the pictures off my phone and have been scrapping them. Because they are part of my story. I don't go into full detail but I want my kids to grow up and see that I did try and I did love them and we made it through. Especially my youngest because there were times where she would find a dollar and offer to buy me an ice cream and I took a picture and now that sentiment is in my album.

I went through extreme post partum depression with my first born daughter and it took me a long time to process that (she's 17 now). I've journaled that for her in her baby album.

Not everything has to be sunshine and roses. And that's why I document the tough stuff--it's very healing for me. It helps be greatful for what I have now.

Hugs.