What it's all about... pt.1 (of 2)
I went walking with one of the ladies here at work today and we got on the topic of my scrapbooking because she asked if I could make a mini one for her cat who just had kittens. I had to decline and explain to her the hows and whys of my exodus from scrapbooking (don't stress, I'm not completely heartless, I did tell her that her project would be my first when I did go back... I love kittens). She was really shocked to know that the memory recording business could be so agregiously competitive.
You know what? She's right!
I used to read all of the editorials that complained that scrapbooking isn't about memories anymore and I would snicker because usually it was some guy who was looking at it from a store owner perspective.
Now, looking at it from the perspective of someone who has been gutted by the industry, I can honestly say that I owe some writers an apology. I have pie on my face and I wear it well.
If one wants to be considered one of the "to know" gals in scrapping, one has to be willing to lose a little bit of oneself for the sake of trends. The industry says that Elsie Flannigan's loose and free doodle-y style is in... so now we have doodling. The industry says that Heidi's handwriting mantra is the way to go, so now we have handwritten journaling (where there is journaling, I wish the industry would hurry up and say that heartfelt -not heart wrenching- journaling is in, lol!). Is it bad to want to emmulate the "greats"? Nope... it's the ultimate form of flattery, immitation that is. But that doesn't change the fact that in all of assimilation even the savviest of scrappers can lose their focus if they aren't careful.
You see, the Elsies, Cathys and Rhonnas are creating these cutting edge layouts with an emotional seed at it's core, it's from their hearts (not that they haven't tried their hands at following industry trends; Cathy writes about her journey in her new book infact). When Jane-Scrapbooker sees those styles, she has to get comfy with that style before the emotional connection to her photos and that particular style of scrapbook interpretation can mesh together. There is a miniscule disconnect. A period in which the focus is on the style and the pictures become a means to an end. Eventually the connection is made, the style is tweaked and made her own and all is right in her world... until the next trend and they it's step one again.
I can't speak for everyone, but I know that that is how it is with me. The only artist trend that I have not struggled with is Cathy Zielski's... I swear that woman speaks to my soul and my desire for sensible order and organized chaos... never will a bad word be spoken about my CZ (the good one... not the overzealous fraggle).
What am I getting at? Uh... oh yeah. It's not primarily about preserving memories for the majority. The purists, who stay of the internet or refuse to be influenced by trends, they have cornered the market on the memory preservation. I want to be like them when I grow up.
You know what? She's right!
I used to read all of the editorials that complained that scrapbooking isn't about memories anymore and I would snicker because usually it was some guy who was looking at it from a store owner perspective.
Now, looking at it from the perspective of someone who has been gutted by the industry, I can honestly say that I owe some writers an apology. I have pie on my face and I wear it well.
If one wants to be considered one of the "to know" gals in scrapping, one has to be willing to lose a little bit of oneself for the sake of trends. The industry says that Elsie Flannigan's loose and free doodle-y style is in... so now we have doodling. The industry says that Heidi's handwriting mantra is the way to go, so now we have handwritten journaling (where there is journaling, I wish the industry would hurry up and say that heartfelt -not heart wrenching- journaling is in, lol!). Is it bad to want to emmulate the "greats"? Nope... it's the ultimate form of flattery, immitation that is. But that doesn't change the fact that in all of assimilation even the savviest of scrappers can lose their focus if they aren't careful.
You see, the Elsies, Cathys and Rhonnas are creating these cutting edge layouts with an emotional seed at it's core, it's from their hearts (not that they haven't tried their hands at following industry trends; Cathy writes about her journey in her new book infact). When Jane-Scrapbooker sees those styles, she has to get comfy with that style before the emotional connection to her photos and that particular style of scrapbook interpretation can mesh together. There is a miniscule disconnect. A period in which the focus is on the style and the pictures become a means to an end. Eventually the connection is made, the style is tweaked and made her own and all is right in her world... until the next trend and they it's step one again.
I can't speak for everyone, but I know that that is how it is with me. The only artist trend that I have not struggled with is Cathy Zielski's... I swear that woman speaks to my soul and my desire for sensible order and organized chaos... never will a bad word be spoken about my CZ (the good one... not the overzealous fraggle).
What am I getting at? Uh... oh yeah. It's not primarily about preserving memories for the majority. The purists, who stay of the internet or refuse to be influenced by trends, they have cornered the market on the memory preservation. I want to be like them when I grow up.
posted by Essentially Jae' at Thursday, June 29, 2006
2 Comments:
BUT..on the flip side..I'm just trying to DEFEND me. lol Is that I doodled years ago..in fact..I just redid a layout this last weekend that I originally did in 2004...and you know what?? Yup...I kept the journaling box..with the doodling and all. I even began the whole circle/doodling thing BEFORE it became popular and I really think some of it has to do with ones style as I don't think that I'm a trend follower (call me out if you think otherwise). Seriously...I don't know half the big name scrappers...sure I met HS at CHA..but other than that my fav thing about her is her chipboard alphas. Rhonna...I know VERY little about...I had some papers a couple years ago I think. I think for the most part I have stayed true to me...I still scrap multiple photos...I still journal a ton...but I have noticed that I am under a crunch and my layouts have gotten much simpler..this is good...I'm getting way more done. And also I think it's because I did go through a little spell where I so desired to be published..and now...I know that I had lost focus on the meaning. So if we keep the meaning of what we are doing in the forefront of our minds...then the trends..they can come and go...but if you aren't submitting and submitting and submitting...really does that matter? Seriously...my kids are only going to see in their books that their mama went through a white ric rac phase (ummm..in that one now)...or a tag phase...or a mat every photo phase...but will they care?? Probably not.
And yeah...I've really made no sense here but well...whatever. :)
Just don't turn mean or greedy..that's a good ending huh?
I can see your point and ITA - what we are fed as being the "in" thing right now is not what comes for our heart.
However some of us take it and make it ours. Now I am not good on the handwriting thing a la HS (and quite frankly it doesn't appeal to me at all to see 87364 people doing the same kinda handwriting style as HS), or on the doodling, but some take to it like a duck to water.
I try all the trends - I am guilty of that - but I take little bits of them and make them mine.
Personally I think the big crime in this back-stabbing industry is if you DARE to say that you don't like the way how Elsie scraps or how HS. If you want to make yourself a name in the Scrapbooking world you HAVE to give up your identity and pretend that what Elsie, Heidi and Rhonna do is the best stuff around ever and you have to jump on the bandwagon by scrapping in the same style.
Look at the Effers - love their dares but if you don't scrap in the same arty-farty minimalistic weird style as they do, then you won't get a look in. I tried to scrap as it was dictated from the industry and you know what? Those LO's arethe worst ones I did, I hate them, because they are not me!
Now I scrap how *I* feel, that was how I started and that is how I want to finish. I want to look back at my creations and see that it really was me who did them and not a Pseudo Heidi-Elsie-Rhonna scrapper
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