Monday, January 23, 2012

The Reason I Scrapbook And 1,000th Post!

I have been trying to think of what to do for my 1,000th post. I thought about making some great elaborate project, but let's face it folks...we know I am too lazy for that! I thought about doing some kinda of giveaway, but I like all my chit and want to keep it. So instead I have decided to share the reason I scrapbook.

I have been quite busy the last few days with making some layout kits. I have a swarm coming up the middle of February and I wanted to get my kits done so I could be prepared and not just sit and get nothing done, which I have done a few times.

I remember my very first swarm...it was disaster! Linda, aka LGuild, and I decided we would attend a Swarm in Norman. We weren't sure what to bring or what we wanted to make. I think we both packed up about half our supplies and paper. We wanted to make sure we had everything we needed to work with and get a lot accomplished. All we accomplished was feeling overwhelmed, wandering around the scrapbook store, visiting with everyone and being tired from lugging all that chit in the store and then back to the van! Now we both try to be much more prepared. I make layout kits to work on and Linda gets together card kits for her to work on. It really does make it so much easier and the supplies we take can easily fit in our scrap totes with some room to spare!

As I was putting the layout kits in the holders I got from Michaels I noticed that 3 of them concentrated on my daughters father...or my ex for all intents and purposes. I got to thinking about a few years ago my daughter asked me "Mom why do you keep scrapping pictures of daddy?". I told her "because one day you will appreciate having these pictures". Of course my daughter being who she is rolled her eyes and mumbled some rather not quite so nice things. They have never had a close relationship for various reasons, but mostly because he was never around. I got pictures of him when he and I started seeing each other again a few years ago and then he lived with us for a year and I kept hoping for them to build a relationship. Things didn't work out between the two of us and it came the time for me to tell him it was time for him to go, and he did *okie smiles a little thinking that he didn't have much of a choice*. My daughter and her dad were able to build a better relationship but of course not perfect. I am not sure my daughter will ever completely forgive him for not being there when she was growing up but at least she no longer questions if he does love her. Anyway, about a year after he moved out she was looking at the layouts of her dad was talking about when he lived with us and some of the happy memories she had of that time. She turned to me and smiled and said "Momma, I'm glad you have these pictures of  daddy that you scrapped".

I know a lot of people think scrapbooking is for old, boring fat ladies that have no life. I even heard people on the radio making fun of the stereo-typical scrapbookers that most people think of. I will admit to being fat, but I am not old, nor am I boring by any means *okie cracks up laughing and thinking what people would think if they really knew just how NOT boring okie is*. But what these people who make fun of scrapbookers don't understand is that I do it, WE DO IT, because we want our families to cherish the memories of our lives and help them keep those memories close and dear. So while my daughter might have some bad memories of her father she will always be able to look at those scrapbook pages and remember happy times with him and it can bring a smile to her face and even a laugh from her heart about some experience they shared together. To be honest I don't know if this would be possible if she didn't have those scrapbook layouts to look at and jog her memory of the happy times. And that my dear readers is THE REASON I scrapbook!!

27 comments:

  1. AWESOME Story! LOve the story. I'm kind of in the same situation right now. I'm catching up on my Great-Niece's album, she's 4 and her father (my nephew) says he wants nothing to do with her and that she was a mistake in his life. I'm getting heck from some family members about putting his pictures in the album. Like the ones of him holding her in the hospital. But as I see it that is part of her history and as my mom says we all have things in our history, family, background that we would like to change but it all is part of who we are. While she doesn't see him often because he is in the Army and deployed right now she does know who he is, talks about him and calls him "my own" daddy.

    Thanks Okie for your story it was what I needed. :)

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  2. Okie,
    I think this is a wonderful reason to scrapbook! Thanks for sharing.

    *Okie boring,bwahhhahahahahahhahaha!!!!

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  3. I can vow to the fact that you are NOT boring!!!!! Love you, and nice story.

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  4. Okie all I can say is - Beautiful - the true reason for scrapbooking (not for ourselves but for future generations). Thank you!

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  5. Couldnt have said it better myself! I do the same thing for my boys!

    Di&Co

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  6. Beautifully said, as always Okie. Here's to the least boring person in blogdom! hugs, eileen

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  7. What a direct hit. I have been
    trying to make a receipe scrapbook
    for my daughters. the books are
    from my Mother in laws receipe and to keep it short =she chose to have
    a not so positive relationship with
    them So I felt this would be a
    positive as she is a great cook
    You are correct and I need to
    get "them done" Thanks

    fergie

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  8. Wonderful Story Okie! And a great reason to scrapbook.... Heck anyones reasoning for scrapbooking is good enough for me... I think we all have a reason to do it and it means something different for everyone.... I'm happy to be apart of that group that does scrapbooking and My kids LOVE looking at their albums... And they're not that old.... :o) They know that it will be nice to have that book someday... Not now cause I still own them books! LOL But it will be nice to give the books to them so they can share those memories with their spouses and children and so on and thats why I do it... Cause of the memories.... I have tons of pictures of my childhood and know very little about those pictures and who was in them.... I don't want that for my kids... I want them to know who those people are and what they meant to us and them growing up... It's important to have apart of your families history even if it starts with us... it's still history! :o)

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  9. I rarely comment on blogs, but felt I must. I made heritage scrapbooks for my girls (who were already in their late 20's) from photos from my parents and my husbands parents. The books went back as far as I could and went up to when their father and I married. I thought they would think they were silly, but gave them to them one year at Christmas. To my surprise, they both began to cry! It was their best present as it gave them a look at their history.

    So, girlfriends, scrap those memories, the day will come when your children will cherish them!

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  10. Thanks for sharing. Your daughter will treasure those forever. Great way to celebrate your 1000th post. Congratulations!

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  11. Thanks for sharing the reason you scrapbook. Just this morning I had an opportunity/experience where I had to do something similar.

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  12. Amen Sista!

    Your life is life. Good and bad. Memories are so much better when you can flip through a book and laugh! I've had a few people look at me and give the the "OH, you do that scrapbooking thing" and I turn around and tell them it's part of my job of being a mother. I'm also the family historian and I'm putting the memories down in a pretty and organized way so when I'm gone, my son has something he can look over and remember and a little piece of my artistic side as well.

    Kathy Wyatt (No one belittles my scrapbooking anymore!).

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  13. Congratulations on your 1000th post and thanks for sharing your story. What a wonderful gift yo your daughter and future little "okies". Scrap on, girlfirend!

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  14. Great story ! I agree. The reason I scrap is mainly for my kids . . . although I like looking through them remembering special memories too. (I'll have mine for when I do get to old to have my memory any more. HA ! )
    Anna

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  15. What an incredible story. And you are right.. I get the same thing too, "Why do you spend so much time scrapbooking?" Now my boyfriend understands because he enjoys looking at the LO's as well. keep on scrappin'

    Hugs!
    Jennifer
    http://paperthisandthat.blogspot.com

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  16. Well, said!! Congrats on your 1,000th post! Thanks for your commitment to keep us enabled and entertained!
    LynnV

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  17. Love the story! Congrats on 1000 posts. Love coming to your blog everyday!

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  18. I agree, well said. Sometimes it is looking through those photos of the good times that allows us to make it through the not-so-good times. Congratulations on your 1,000th post and keep up the great work!

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  19. LOVE your story, you remind me so much of my Cousin Terry she is a firecracker lol but i love her and she is my firecracker.

    I think that's why we all scrapbook and make cards!

    rosiemini@gmail.com
    www.scraplovingminis.blogspot.com

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  20. I COULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT ANY BETTER

    KAT

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  21. Congrats on your 1,000 post! Here's to 10,000 more!!!!

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  22. I think you said it best for a lot of us, Okie.
    I also do it for the memories. I took care of my oldest Grandson from the time he was 6 weeks old, up to the time he could stay home all by his self. He is a senior this year. I want to have his book ready for him from all the times and things that happened at Nana's house over the years with PaPa and him. Also have 2 great nephews that I took care of from the time they were babies until they were in school full time and old enough to stay alone. They also called my sweetie PaPa..... I have the paper and the books and the pictures....but just to make my self get busy is the hardest thing ever..

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  23. Exactly the way I feel, thanks for sharing. Mindy

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  24. PS just wanted to let you know I saw some of your cowboy cards on pinterest! =)

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  25. I hardly ever comment on a blog but I have followed you for a long time and you always touch me with your "words of wisdom" whether it makes me laugh, cry or just say "amen". I had to tell you that you hit the nail on the head on what scrapbooking is all about..and I feel exactly the same way. It's your family's history, a story about them...proof you were here. It's love... Thanks for doing such a good job "representin'

    Flippincreative

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