Toward a Personal Philosophy of Scrapbooking

When I created this little blog at the start of the new year, I was trying to explain to Katie (and, sort of, to myself) what I wanted to accomplish with it, and all I could really come up with was this:

"Don't you think there are plenty of scrapbookers like us out there who don't feel like they fit in with regular scrapbookers?"

And I still don't know what I mean by that, exactly. But I do know that whenever we're among stereotypical scrapbookers, we're keenly aware that there's something different about us and our approach to documenting our memories.

It may be because we don't have kids. Or because the vast majority of scrapbooking products amuse us more than they inspire us. (I mean, is anyone really buying handcuff stickers and using them in a non-ironic way?) Or maybe it's because we think up zany projects like making a scrapbook of all the boys we've ever kissed. But whatever it is, I hope this blog can help to explore and define it so that I can help begin to carve out a little space in the scrapbooking world for those of us who dig papercrafting but reside somewhere at the margins of crafty culture.

Ten Things I Love Sunday

The Young Victoria:




Colorful 10-inch computers:



Netflix Oragami:



My new QuicKutz Fork and Spoon die:



Pi-Shaped Ice Cubes:



Kittens in sombreros:



Apple Cozies:



The classic Gameboy:



Shelves with brightly-painted backs:




And transparent toasters (or, at least, the potential for them to exist):

A Camera-Loss Prevention Awareness Message:

Back when I used to work in the security department of a museum, lots of lost digital cameras passed through my hands on their way to the lost and found. Since someone in our department inevitably ended up looking at the photos on each camera (mostly out of curiosity, but justifiably, in case we happened to spot someone we recognized in the photos in order to return it), I am completely in love with Photojojo's tutorial for bringing home lost cameras. It's simple! On your digital camera, just leave a few images like this:



Probably won't work if your camera gets stolen, but if it's lost and it falls into the hands of a kind soul, it may just find its way back to you.

Ten Things I Love Sunday

Ali Edwards' square-punch-all-your-Christmas-cards-and-put-them-on-one-layout trick:


The "Yay" Scale, which tells you how great you are instead of how much you weigh:


The Muppet Show:


Stuff Resembling Cassette Tapes:



My Elsie Flannigan-designed 2010 Calendar:


New Super Mario Bros. Wii:


Ikea Chairs:


My Mom's Chocolate Chip Cookies (not the ones pictured here, but they look similar):


Plus-Sized Models:


And the idea of living in this Blob House:

One of the benefits of keeping your desk mostly empty

is that curious housecats are more likely to come and visit you while you scrapbook:





Just keep a close eye on your paper and ribbons, unless you want them torn to shreds.

How do you know when you've scrapbooked for exactly five straight hours?

When you do it while watching the A&E/Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice.



You also end up speaking in a haughty British accent for most of the night.

Five hours. Nine pages. A great birthday.

Pictures coming soon.

Happy Birthday to Me and David Bowie!

I'm 28 today! And David Bowie is 63!



After a rather rough first week back at school, I am so relieved that all I decided I wanted to do tonight for my birthday was to invite a friend over to scrapbook in my new scrapbook room. More on the room later when I have pictures, but in the meantime, this is the desk I picked out:


The perfect size for one or two-person scrappin'.

For fun today, check out the Bowie Bonanza going on all day at Sleeveface.com:

Oh, to be this cool.

This picture makes me wish we wore attention-grabbing shoes at our wedding.

(Via Once Wed)

And a Scrappy New Year

I need another blog like a fish needs a bicycle, but the fact that I have a brand new beautiful craft room and started off the new year with a highly productive 20-hour scrapbooking marathon makes me hopeful that I'll have enough scrapbook/craft/inspiration-related material that I'll want to document it somehow.