Just Play!

When I was dreaming up this layout, I was really excited to play around with some new things, like the diagonal orientation and painting the edges of the pic and journalling box. This layout did NOT turn out as cute as I had envisioned it, but I really had fun putting it together. And it's such a funny memory that I'll definitely treasure it!

The card beneath is another example of just playing. I made it with scraps from the layout and a fun felt flourish I cut with my Cuttlebug and a new Sizzix die that followed me home from Washington. I love cardmaking because you can try out all sorts of fun new things and just goof around with your supplies, without committing to a whole scrapbook page that is supposed to last forever!

I've noticed a shift in my paper-crafting lately -- I used to be in get-'er-done mode, where I wanted to get as many pages as I could done in as little time as I could so I could "catch up." Or I'd do cards in big batches so I'd have lots in my stash. But the more I learn about this craft -- all the different, fun techniques and materials -- the more it's become as much about the art as anything else. I love creating! I love using all the different techniques and feeling creative. So who cares if I ever get caught up as long as I am having fun creating and preserving the memories I want to preserve? Down with scrapper's guilt! :)

And that reminds me: Another great thing about doing this layout is that it's another break from chronological scrapping for me. I've been wanting to do a layout with this fake engagement pic of me and my hubby (then just a friend) since we got engaged 5 1/2 years ago. Seriously. But I felt like I had to get my family scrapbook caught up before I could go back and do the just him and me scrapbook I'd been planning, so this had to wait. No way, jose! I'm scrapping whatever I want from now on!