Share why you do this.

There’s a very interesting discussion going on over here:

 http://blogher.org/scrap-booking-why

A couple of days ago, Debra Roby, who is a Craft editor for the BlogHer network (female bloggers, banding together, yeah!), posted an article about scrapbooking. Wondering why we scrap?

She located a post of mine from a couple months ago, and quoted it in her article as evidence that we think about this stuff. I know we do. She is wondering what the can’t-miss scrap blogs are? Wondering why we scrap? Wondering what we get out of this hobby? What keeps you motivated, and why you choose to spend your precious time doing this, instead of something else? She’s totally not condescending. This is not an argument, but an opportunity for us to explain why we scrap. She’s actually wondering where all the scrappers are. ;)

Go and register and comment. Let your voice be heard. :)

 

Comments

[Steph]

I am so on this! And BlogHer is a neat org!

[Tori]

Wow. I just read through the comments in this woman's blog. I couldn't have even come CLOSE to expressing why I scrapbook better than what you and the others have said. You said it beautifully and meaningfully...and RIGHT! Makes me proud to be a "scrapper" and to know of women like you who are so influential and brave and SMART that lead the scrapbook world. You are even more my hero than you were just 15 minutes ago. ;)

BTW-TOTALLY loving your U&R class! LivE said I have come over to the the "dark side." She is right, and I am proud to be there! (the dark side of digiscrapping that is...which is not really "dark." You and all others understand, I am sure) :)

[Ania]

Intriguing. Esp the Design Observer link in one of the posts/comments. It's actually very refreshing with a more sober look on scrapbooking imo..we tend to be so caught in our little world..so although I don't agree with what the majority seem to be saying - theres a lot of pretty "up and down" and shallow attitude towards scrapbooking - but it's still interesting to read :) So yeah. I guess I understand it's hard for outsiders to see the big fuss about this just as I don't get overly excited about quilting and stuff (although I can see there's awesome quilting out there but also not so "all that" quilting). Ohwell. Thanks for sharing :)

[Ania]

Oh and now I saw your comment on DO. Excellent and well put comment :)

[Ania]

Lol..and now I saw it's all old posts *blush* Still intriguing to read :P *off now - not gonna spam you more* :p

[Melanie]

I can NOT believe what some of those people said! I left a comment on her blog, I ended up saying: You asking me why I scrap is the equivalent of asking you why you quilt. You only need one blanket and you could buy that at Walmart!
Actually I said it more eloquently here than I did there, I was upset to say the least! Seriously some of those people don't even sound like artists at all!
Sorry, but it upset me. A lot. Can you tell?
LOL!

[Mandy]

Thanks. I added my two cents.

[Debra Roby]

Jessica,

Thank you for kicking this article INTO the scrapping world! Just what I needed. And they are giving me some really interesting blogs to read! Thank you, again.

And a point to Melanie: most of the earlier commentors are NOT artists. They are other editors or regular readers of BlogHer.

Now telling stories.. that I understand. But that's why I blog!

[Molly]

Thank you so much for the heads up on this. I responded too. I think her comments are about to explode. Interesting discussion. The comments are good reading.

[Karen (Karooch)]

I read that post too Jessica. It was a really interesting read but the comments below were even more interesting.
Unfortunately despite all my efforts I couldn't successfully register with the site to leave my two cents worth.
I have to admit I found it quite strange that there should be a requirement to justify why I scrap as opposed to any other hobby. But I think its because of the art/craft distinction that the issue was raised.
I get the impression that if scrapbookers would accept that it's a craft and not have pretensions to calling it art then that would be acceptable. Seems like a kind of elitism there. Pity.

[memoriesofus]

This is what I posted on blogher today.

I scrap for me because I have always been extremely artistically challenged. I can draw silly fish and smiley faces and that is where it ends. I am a digital scrapbooker and what this has brought into my life is the ability to create my own art. It is an expression of who I am and my view of the world. This has been powerful.

I scrap for my family simply because when I share my pages with my children or another family member I get to have that all important conversation of "I loved you on this day because..." I know I won't have that worry-"Did they know I loved them? Did I say it enough? Did I show them enough? Did I make too many mistakes? Did I let them know that they were special? Do they know how much joy they created in my life?" They will know because I will tell them and they will know because it will be documented on a glorious 8 x 8 page that I created and printed all by myself!

Maybe the question should be why don't I scrap?

[Jenn Bertsch]

Thanks for directing me that way! Went and added my thoughts!

[Jan Connair]

Thanks for posting the link to this blog. Coincidentally, I did a post on my own blog on Aug. 2 entitled, "Roses in Winter," which was about this very topic. So my comment was an excerpt from that post.

So great to read about why others are passionate about scrapping!

[Debra Roby]

Wow.. the comments ARE exploding.. and I'm loving it all!! I'm blocking out Sunday and Tuesday just to reading and responding to everyone there privately.

My questions to justify scrapbooking instead of any other craft. I questioned because I can find knitters, sewers, felters, quilters, tatters, recyclers who blog the process well. I understand their passion because of what they write.

I get in long esoteric discussions about the delineation of hand-craft, fine craft and art. Won't hijack this blog to do that here. Will admit that there are scrap bookers who do art and many who do craft. The divide for me is more of a sliding scale than any sharp point.

I am so enjoying this discussion!!

[Tracy]

Thanks, as always, for pointing things like this out. I tried not to go overboard in my response, but I did...a little!! I stopped short of "I learned how to use a clipping mask this week so now my parenthesis are plaid" :)