Distressed Scrapper

Unlike my other entries, I’m not posting my lastest creation, I’m not posting a giveaway opportunity I came across and I’m not quite posting a product review, though it might seem like it in places. A dear friend of mine suggested that I should take a moment before my next review to explain how I got hooked on scrapbooking, as I know it now, and papercrafts in general.

I put together my first scrapbook nearly 6 years ago with a paper kit I found at Walmart. They didn’t have much of a selection and I do not remember the brand. All I know is that there were plain, basic pastel solid papers (not cardstock), a few simple patterns and coordinating diecuts in the pack. Since I was creating a baby album for Alex (my oldest bio son), I felt they were perfect at the time. I also picked up some ribbon and stickers while I was there. I thought I was being sooo creative when I added the ribbon to my pages. Ha! Little did I know that people have been doing that for ages! lol I’d wanted to make an album for my oldest (not biological) son, but I couldn’t get anyone to gather baby pics of him for me, so I wasn’t able to at the time. Anyway, though I loved the experience, I put scrapping on the back burner for a while since I was busy with my 2 boys, had just had a daughter and was pregnant with baby #4. I thought I didn’t have time for a “hobby.”

Years later, my M&M’s as I call them (Madison and Matthew to the rest of the world) kept asking me to make baby books for them like Alex had and I was finally able to get baby and toddler pics of Taten (he was 4 when Larry and I met, so I had zero photos of him from before that age). I finally agreed to this huge undertaking last fall and silly me decided they would make great Christmas gifts! An album for Taten with the early photos through a couple of years ago for his first album, M&M would have 0-1 yr albums, and Alex would have a big boy album that picks up from where I’d left off to a couple of years ago. Four 20 page albums in less than 3 months is what I’d agreed to! My extremely understanding Alex was told his would be made last just in case I couldn’t get them done in time. He was fine with that, as I knew he would be. 😀

Well, my local Walmart did away with the crafting section, so that was no help. I had just had baby #5 in June, so I didn’t want to drag him around the local stores for hours trying to figure things out. I turned to ebay with their wealth of sellers no longer scrapping and trying to unload their “stashes.” I purchased a huge lot of papers and supplies that someone was getting rid of that simply stated the quantity of papers, with no images of the papers just because of the tools it included. They most likely listed the manufacturers/designers, but I didn’t know one from another at the time anyway, so it wouldn’t have mattered. What I received was a treasure and I’m so thankful that I came across this fabulous lot. The package included many different designers and manufacturers, but most importantly, it introduced me to My Mind’s Eye. Some of their older papers were in this lot. Papers from Tres Jolie and Bohemia and even a couple pages from their Signature Suite. I was in love. I had no idea such beautifully distressed papers existed! I loved the look of the papers, but I also LOVED the feel of the papers in my hands. Their heavyweight, textured cardstock appealed to my senses and I was in love!

I then started researching online and discovered so many techniques, products, tools and manufacturers I never knew were out there! From a few pages of MME’s papers, I found Basic Grey, then Cosmo Cricket then OMG I found Webster’s Pages!!! If you haven’t already guessed, Webster’s Pages is my all-time fave manufacturer! As soon as I found them, I knew I was hooked.

I’ve since discovered the joys of Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants, Graphic 45, Glitz, Echo Park, October Afternoon, Pink Paislee, PRIMA, Teresa Collins and soooo many others…all thanks to My Mind’s Eye. 😀

You know what else I discovered? I’ve been papercrafting all along…just not scrapbooking. What I thought was just arts and crafts with the kids where we were “playing” with paper, scissors and glue and piecing together cards for family members or creating animals with paper plates and paper and glittery paints or inks and coffee filter snowflakes in the winter…was all in actuality papercrafting! You’re probably thinking…um duh?…but for me this discovery opens up a whole new world of creative expression and I look forward to seeing what other ventures this knowledge opens up for me. 😀