I have been talking to some ladies about the new Creative Memories company. And it has come to my attention that the word scrapboking is actually a scary word for some people that associate it with long hours, too costly, and too messy. I have introduced the new Ahni & Zoe product as being faster, easier, and more cost effective. It can be used in so many ways making it the best all-in-one product for scrappers of all degrees of interest and skills. I even found a way to use it with digital scrapbooking. As this new company continues to grow itself I am finding more and more possibilities for Scrap Happy Girls and Ahni & Zoe products. But I am also finding that I may need to update my approach to the subject. It is the goal of Ahni & Zoe to bring our photos off of our devices and into our life to be celebrated. I adore this concept! In truth the purpose of a scrapbook, even before the age of photographs, was to tell the story of its owner and to preserve those things most treasured by its creator. These could have been trinkets of affection, letters, notes, bits of papers or pictures the musings of the owner herself. Even men kept a scrapbook. It was seen as a way of recording your family history. For woman it was the only way they could preserve their own identities and history.
Scrap Happy Girls has built itself on these foundational principles. I tell people that we all have a story to tell and that each one is unique. We may all be wives, mothers, and daughters, but our personal experience as such is different from any one else’s it is unique to only ourself. I once heard it said that you can have 20 people all looking at the same picture and everyone of them will walk away with his or her own take on it and no two will ever agree. It’s the same with a photo. You can have a box full of beautiful pictures but they will only be truly significant to you. This is why we include journaling in our album so we can tell the viewer exactly what that moment was about for you. You are telling your story and telling those who come after you who you are and what you want to be remembered for. I want one made for me later in life so that it can be shown at my memorial service and people can remember me for who I really was.
Scrapbooking has evolved over the years with all the extras that come with it. You can walk into any craft store and quickly be overtaken with the multitudes of choices. There are stickers of every kind. Papers of every fiber, color, size and texture. Blank ones and patterned ones. Glitters and sparkles. Embossing tools and so much more. It is easy to see how one can be scared of scrapbooking. But I have also always told my groups to keep it simple. Decide on the story you are trying to convey and pick just a few embellishments to compliment your photos and help tell your story. I have explained the importance of a good layout or page composition so that the eye of the reader is not confused but gently led through the pages of your album as the pictures primarily tell the story. Remember from one of my earliest post, Your pictures are the stars of the show and your embellishments are the supporting actors. Perhaps we have been too caught up in the many options and newest latest gadget to appreciate the art of scrapbooking. What Ahni & Zoe has done is to give us a quality all-in-one product that returns us to this organic simplistic beginning of scrapbooking. I was trying to explain how I don’t want to sell another scrapbook tool. I want to be able to return to simplicity and the teaching of scrapbooking as an art form. I want to connect with people on a more personal level by experiencing their photos and hearing their stories. There are people who walk past us on the sidewalk daily that we have our presupposed ideas and opinions of without ever actually hearing their stories. I feel privileged when one of those people steps in from the sidewalk and shares their story at one of our crops and then even better, they see their own life in a different way than before.
So going forward I will resolve to sharing more of these types of posts And less about the selling of product. I want to make this craft more accessible and less intimidating to people. You may have noticed that the blog now looks more like a website. I have done this to separate the blog about scrapbooking, photo tips, and story telling from the products. If you are interested in the shop associated with this site you can find it under the product tabs. Also for those who are local to the Nashville area, you will find a place for our classes and events posted on the homepage. I hope that you will continue to enjoy this site and find it helpful in whatever season of life you are in!
Scrap Happy Girls 