The 'Defining Moment' that catapulted me from the world of magnetic photo albums and word bubble stickers and into the realm of scrapbooking began 12 years ago when I visited North Carolina to see my one and only lovely sister Alethea who was scrapping her first pregnancy at the time. She shared her "album in progress" with me and with each page I became more excited and inspired to try my hand at creating an album that would share the legacy of my children's lifetimes.
I returned to PA with a scrapbooking magazine (snagged from my sister-not really she gave it to me...) and raced to Wal-Mart to print pictures and buy an album. I planned to take our students (Middle School Girls) shopping with me. I imagined they would enjoy helping me buy supplies of adhesive, paper and stickers so I could embark on the venture of creating a masterpiece like I saw in the magazines I had drooled over at least a dozen times.
Much to my chagrin the girls had misbehaved and were put on restrictions -unable to leave the student home. I was instantly crushed not only because we wouldn't learn to scrap together but because restrictions meant we could go no were and do nothing fun together. Restrictions were as miserable to me as it was to the students.
I sat pouting for nearly an hour adding insult to injury by looking through the magazine over and over and creating a shopping list of things I desired to have by post-it noting each page donned with beautiful papers and embellishments. Although at the time that meant flat stickers, die-cuts and ribbon if you weren't a novice like me. After my fourth trip through the magazine I had an 'aha' moment. I would scrapbook this weekend one way or another.
I grabbed my photos fresh from the printer at Wal-Mart, the funny edged scissors out of the student home art bin and with the white sheet of 12x12 paper that came in the sleeves of the album and some scotch tape I went to work! Twenty-two minutes later, viola! I had made my first scrapbook page ever!
How in the world did I make a page with those supplies? Well, I'll tell you all those magazine pages that were adds for all the amazing products that were available back then that I had marked with a post-it note became my products. Huh? I cut them out. Yes, that's right I cut out the papers in the ads and used those clippings to create a background for my page. Yes, there are 4 elements that are dimensional, (2 butterflies, a heart and a crown) but they were added after a shopping spree once we were off duty and had arrived home. The rest of the items you see on this page are from the magazine.
So, thanks to October Afternoon for inspiring this blog post. Are you inspired? Make a card, layout or altered item using supplies or a supply that wasn't originally intended for crafting and share it with us!
Blessings & Happy Scrappin',
Shantih @ The Zebra Files
I like your first page! How far we've all come from the specialty scissors and Mrs. Grossman's stickers. I don't know if I have a first page...I think I made my dad a book for his birthday or father's day. I do know on one page I used a box of Chef Boyardee spaghetti that I had cut up because it was one of the first meals he made my mom. I have to check with him where that album is! :) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, thanks for sharing and definitely post again if you can find the book you gave your Dad. I would love to see the Chef Boyardee ...lol
DeleteSince you're local we should scrap together soon. PLEASE don't let the summer go by I wanna see you before our Scandal Season Opener Party! :P
Great Job! I didn't know I was the inspiration for such greatness! I think my first page was at a scrap booking party. I think it was an album for Kiran. It's probably in storage. Kudos for starting something new :)
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me in more ways than you know. I'm so grateful ...hugs
DeleteI am truly flattered that my silly post about a redo page (and corn on the cob) inspired you (or anyone). I'm actually just pleased that someone is paying attention. I will have to share this with my daughter, Allison, the cutie in the pictures. She is now a towering 16 year old ballet dancing beauty. She will get a kick out of this. Thank you for being a fan. Ann
ReplyDeleteOh my when I think back of my first page, well yes I am proud but excited to see where the world of scrapbooking has brought me to. So much fun and meeting so many friends is my favorite part! Love your new page Shantih, here's to many more and many more times scrapping together! ~Kelly Peters
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