playing with paper

I used to be a scrapbooker. When my boys were babies, I would do a layout almost every night after they were asleep (seriously.) I'm so lucky that something I loved so much led me to Two Peas and BHG and all of the opportunities after. Early on, I had three scrapbooking goals: to be a Garden Girl, to be on the BHG Creative Team and to have an article published. I've been fortunate enough to have accomplished all three goals thanks to the support and encouragement of friends and simply being in the right place at the right time.

One of my earliest GG pages...and a good reminder for me right now.

These days, I am so happy to be a contributing editor for BHG and a digital designer for Two Peas. I love writing, I love designing. I really enjoy digital scrapbooking and have done it exclusively for the past couple of years. Most of my paper supplies are packed up in storage waiting for the day that I finally figure out what to do with all of it (the school can only handle so many donations!)

Lately though, I just haven't had it in me to scrapbook at all. I have been designing though and that's something that comes in fits and spurts - I have to take advantage of the momentum when it finds me. And I've been doing some journaling cards and such that seem to work well with project life. And that has me *thinking* about project life. Which is something I haven't done ever before.

Of course I've admired some of the incredible pl projects that have been shared - Glue, of course, for her ingenious technique, and organization and ideas for filling your pages with memories. And Liz for her amazing aesthetic and ethereal photos that make everyday moments seem like magic. And Kelly for her funkiness and enthusiasm and ability to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you can be single and childless and still document an amazingly fulfilling life (oh how I wish I scrapbooked in my single years!) And Cathy, for always keeping it real and honest and being a design goddess. And all of the others that I've seen in passing but never really studied because, you know, I was never going to actually *do* pl.

But I've been craving paper lately...so I indulged myself by making those journals I mentioned in the last post (by the way - congratulations Janneke - you are the winner :) Please email me your address and I'll get them in the mail asap!) and putting together little embellishments for etsy. It's not enough though, I need to scrapbook again. And record actual stories again.

When I look back in my gallery, the layouts I did years and years ago are still, and will probably always be, my favorites. Cardstock. One or two embellishments. And the handcut titles and accents. Oh - I miss the handcutting! I really want to get back to that because I love those simple  stories and designs most of all.

Enter project life. I resisted because like Nicole, I am resistant to all things current and popular. Be it scrapbooking or books or music or TV. I'm stubborn as a mule and though I realize that sometimes, things are popular because they are GOOD, it's a hard habit to break.

I'm going to give it a go though. I'm not saying it here because I plan to share every week or even to hold myself accountable but simply because like scrapbooking, this blog was intended to be a place to record stories and thoughts. And right now, I'm thinking that this project is a good way to satisfy my paper craving and get some stories recorded. Because it will never be 2012 again. And because my kids will never be 9 and 7 and 3 again. And even if I peter out halfway through, halfway is better than nothing.

If you need to find me, I'll be neck deep in playing catch up for the two weeks I'm behind.