Scrapping Gig

So back a million and 1/2 years ago when I was super into scrapbooking (and before I had these 2 cuties to keep me BUSY) I was very involved in the scrapbook industry. I worked in management at 2 different stores, taught classes and workshops, I was on several different design teams, I was one of the first 3 "Garden Girls" at http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/, I got to design some fun stickers for Kopp Design and later kept track of the design team, and I used to submit (and actually get published) to quite a few different scrapbook magazines. But alas, after my job with Kopp Design came to an end, I became a mother, we started our own business and it all kind of stopped.

I still scrapbook - but not to the extent that I did in my "prime". Now instead of saying I'm a "scrapbooker" - I guess you could say I scrapbook (there is a difference....). And I have gone from all paper scrapbooking to (almost) all digital scrapbooking. I love the mess staying on my computer, and not having paper scraps stuck to everything in our house.

ANYWAY - I haven't persued anything big with digital scrapbooking because I have decided I'm pretty simple/basic in my designs, and frankly I almost always use templates for my pages and think maybe people would feel I'm kind of cheating. Plus I guess I don't need that recognition (or can't handle the rejection - I'm not sure) like I guess I did before.

However - recently I was contacted by one of my favorite template designers - ChrissyW - about being on her creative team as a guest for the month of January. Know what - it was pretty fun to get that email. It reminded me of "back in the day" and was just that little pat on the back that we can all use from time to time. It's been fun to work with her products and have some "assignments" again. I like that part of the scrapbook industry - pushing my creativity just a bit.

When I was so into scrapbooking I remember being so bothered by mothers who would say, "I just don't have time to scrapbook now that I have kids." I hated that comment. I mean sheez - couldn't you just prioritize a little better? Woah is me - have I ever had to eat my words on that one!!! I totally understand the moms that I listened to before and agree - after having kids scrapbooking is SO much harder to get to. But in some ways - it's more important and more rewarding now that I have the boys. I love having Gabe look through his books, or browse through the pictures of layouts online and recount memories we have. And layouts of Hunter & Gabe are quite a bit cuter than any of the ones I did of Cory and I. I mean look at my subjects!