My turn to share

I loved how Jenn titled her blog post yesterday. That's really the whole theme of this week...where'd you come from? Because I'm pretty sure all of us (except for those rare yet annoying people who do everything perfectly the first time) have seen our scrapbooking evolve over time. Change with not only the current trends, but also as our personal style develops. So, here goes. I started scrapping back in 2002 with a QVC kit of K and Co. papers. I had always put things in albums/scrapbooks using cut outs from magazines, brochures, etc...but this was my first time using real papers and stickers. I think these pages are from 2004-05. Be kind! LOL








It's kind of fun to look back at these pages and see not only the cute toddler twins (were they really that small?!) but also what about my scrapping has changed and what has stayed the same.

First....the changes. This one is easy! Today I'm way more into patterned paper in bolder colors and patterns. I think I favored more solid and subtle prints back then because they were easier to work with and less intimidating. I think I have a better handle on placement and how that can create a focal point on your page. I am more adventurous in design. I also use more products, more stuff on my pages now. But that could be because my stash is MUCH larger than it was back when I first started!

So, what's stayed the same? What has become part of my "style", my comfort zone? Well, I still like to have multiple photos on the page when possible. I tend to keep straight lines with my photos and papers. I like to mix up the fonts/style of my title words. I am still sort of anal about my colors on the papers matching the colors in my photos. eek!

I've taught a lot of classes at LSS's. Layout classes, minibook classes, altered item classes...lots of different ones. And class after class I've heard the same thing... "I could never think to do that on my page" or "How do you come up with this?" or "I can't do that kind of scrapping...I'm not creative at all" My response to these ladies is usually the same thing too... " YOU CAN LEARN IT!" I know I did! I never considered myself crafty or artistic or whatever you want to call it. I just enjoyed scrapping and loved looking at other people's pages in the mags. I used to really study them, read all the supply lists, scraplift the ones I loved, borrow ideas from others....until I started to come up with the designs and the ideas myself. It was a gradual thing, but eventually I started to be comfortable with my own style and knew what I liked and what I could do well. Then I hit repeat. :)

Thanks for taking a peek at these old pages. I hope they might cause you to reflect on your own evolution as a scrapper OR encourage you if you are just starting out and feeling a little overwhelmed! :) Jenn will be back tomorrow with a look back at another DT's work!