Stamping Ground

I am so happy to have this as mine...told you I'm spoiled! The frame and idea are from my Creative Memories consultant friend, Lisa. It's magnetic (the black blobby bits) so I can just change the LO to suit my mood; Lisa uses hers as a calendar and I just had to copy the idea. It's hanging already, although I appreciate that April isn't open till next week. Also I plan to utilise my Xyron with magnet cartridge to make other bits and bobs. Am probably big headed enough to show you the May page when it's done too; it's fair to say that I have the odd amount of stash that's waiting for a use!

This frame has reminded me of a short debate I've involved myself with on Paula Pascual's blog. Quite unintentionally, but if you've read this blog more than once, you'll recognise my need to have a say! (I strongly recommend you look at her fantastic work even if the debate leaves you cold!). I firmly believe that no matter what others think of your pages or cards, that you craft first and foremost for your pleasure, then for the pleasure of giving hand crafted gifts/cards/blah and then in scrapbooking, for the preservation of your memories. I really am at the stage where I know that after my death (and it will be untimely, even if I'm as old as methusalah), there's a chance that my albums and other craft stuff will end up in a skip somewhere. I'm totally over it. It's all about the pleasure I'm having doing it right now. Forget my cardmaking for now, I wanna focus on the scrapbooks. Part of me wants each LO to be a frame-worthy masterpiece, and when I am pleased with what I've done, I consider it so. Then it goes in a protective sleeve, I remove my head from my butt and move on. What's the point of doing it to impress anyone else? It's fab, just fab to see the work of others - all styles and types. It's so subjective; we gravitate to certain styles, colours and blah, and so the debate about who is better than who is not a fair one. The style of scrapping that you prefer may differ wildly to those on my list of faves. It's all about celebrating the diversity and admiring the work within the boundaries of the expectations of the person creating it. Some - many - people have formal training or understanding of design principles and colour theory. I don't, and you can tell that from my LOs. And for every one you see on here, there are 4 that you'll never see because although I like them, because although they tell the story, they aren't particularly interesting examples of either technique or graphic design! I agree with Paula that if your work is for publication or display then it shouldn't need to be tidied up digitally to remove fingerprints, splotches, bits of tape sticking out etc, but to be honest, if it's not for the public eye and you're pleased with it, does it matter? And as my very dear friend the Slipper Lady reminds us each time we talk about her ability to do a dozen LOs at a single crop - it's actually all about the photos. Lose sight of that and really you might as well stick your photos in regular albums and you'll have bags of time and money to do something else. I think as your scrapbooking confidence grows, you become increasingly fussy about finish anyway, and the more you see of other people's LOs the more you subconciously try to emulate the style and finish of those you admire. I do. That's why my framed masterpiece is a calendar, and not just a black frame waiting for me to do something with, as so many of my purchases remain! Thanks to Lisa.