Monday October 20th 2014.
I have planned today for a week now,
I have wanted to do this clean up for 6 months now,
I am tired of fighting to get to or find what I know I have,
I am disgusted by my own self indulgent behaviour when it comes to scrapbooking,
I just did not have the will power to STOP, ORGANIZE and GET RID OF anything.
I changed that today.
Last night Judy helped me by putting up an 8' table in our tv room. The room has a door and enables me to work on this project for many days without interfering with the normal routine of our house.
This photo is all the loose paper and kits I have collected during my "no purchasing past year".
I am mortified. Some of the stuff you can see is STILL in the store bag. I found 3 paper PADS (60+ papers each) I forgot I even bought.
Hoarding. That is what I have been doing.
A year ago, I did organize and systemize what/how I bought, and I declared a buying freeze for all scrap paper. If THIS is a freeze..... well then I must not understand the word! So now, how to fix the problem. My way of buying has changed. I am not buying to "store" the paper! I want to use it. So let me share what I have learnt:
If I am done with a "kit" is there enough paper left to make a 2 page layout?
No? Either throw it away, OR quilt a one page layout together. My thought is to take all these single layouts and put them in an album. INSTANT gift when needed! No waste. (unmatted never put matts on the layout without having the pictures there - they are always the wrong size or orientation)
(see: https://www.google.ca/search?q=scrapbook+quilting+layout&espv=2&biw=888&bih=512&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=CGhFVLHsHoOoyATYi4HwBg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.9 for ideas)
If I see beautiful paper, but none of the co-ordinating items make me happy.
*admire, smile, walk away, take a picture if it helps"
If the whole line makes me happy, and I have to own it,
I look at it again after 15 minutes. Do I have pictures in mind? How much will I need?
not necessary? *admire, smile, walk away, take a picture if it makes me feel better".
It will be there tomorrow if I really really need it or was supposed to have it.
If the paper is perfect for the picture of XXX at XXX.
and I have decided this paper has to come home.
I match the card-stock right then.
I buy the alphabet right then.
I grab the matching embellishment right then!
******Colors in the mind ARE NEVER the same as you actually have.
For me, a lot of time, the "sale" paper is no sale ESPECIALLY if I never use it.
Buying it because it is pretty and on sale - but never using it is false value for my money.
A paper PAD can be the same problem. If it is pretty and on sale.
Is the "weight" of the paper worth the money?
How many patterns will you actually use?
If it is for 1 birthday photo, why do you need the whole 60 page pad?
Have they got co-ordinating solids to buy with it?
The only reason I buy a PAD is if I have the perfect big event to scrapbook.
I now choose to purchase paper as a kit from ANY store.
min 2 background card-stock
min 2 card-stock for matts
2-3 co-ordinating patterns (and not always from the same lines)
1 alphabet
ribbon (or washi tape or die cut borders)
It can also include tags, buttons, bling and stickers but those are not mandatory to my original kit purchases. I have lots of that stock at home.
If I cannot make a kit from what I like right there......... then what will happen is this!
A wonderful space for storing my scrap stuff that is STUFFED with items I .....
**was going to kit
**was going to finish
**was sure I had something to match at home
So it needs to stay where it is.
What is worse I find, is most of the time, I can't find what I bought (especially if it is small). OR it gets damaged (which breaks my heart).
Another truth. THE NEXT MORNING with coffee, those purchases I made NEED to be kitted and bagged with what I have at home. I WILL NOT remember my thought process 2 weeks or months from now.
I love watching Charlotte with this new way of thinking. She carries scrap paper to make notes for herself as we shop...... sometimes the inspiration is at the store, make sure to take a picture AND PRINT IT for your kit (computer paper works just as good as real photos). I now try to carry kit bags if I know I am going scrap shopping.
I am writing this in my blog because I want to remember how ashamed I feel right now.
I have a beautiful area for storing my toys and I do NOT use it so I can scrapbook.
I do not use all the beautiful things I already own but I want more
I use the are for storage
and that storage won't tell my story to my grandchildren when I am gone.
Good night.
I have planned today for a week now,
I have wanted to do this clean up for 6 months now,
I am tired of fighting to get to or find what I know I have,
I am disgusted by my own self indulgent behaviour when it comes to scrapbooking,
I just did not have the will power to STOP, ORGANIZE and GET RID OF anything.
I changed that today.
Last night Judy helped me by putting up an 8' table in our tv room. The room has a door and enables me to work on this project for many days without interfering with the normal routine of our house.
This photo is all the loose paper and kits I have collected during my "no purchasing past year".
I am mortified. Some of the stuff you can see is STILL in the store bag. I found 3 paper PADS (60+ papers each) I forgot I even bought.
Hoarding. That is what I have been doing.
A year ago, I did organize and systemize what/how I bought, and I declared a buying freeze for all scrap paper. If THIS is a freeze..... well then I must not understand the word! So now, how to fix the problem. My way of buying has changed. I am not buying to "store" the paper! I want to use it. So let me share what I have learnt:
If I am done with a "kit" is there enough paper left to make a 2 page layout?
No? Either throw it away, OR quilt a one page layout together. My thought is to take all these single layouts and put them in an album. INSTANT gift when needed! No waste. (unmatted never put matts on the layout without having the pictures there - they are always the wrong size or orientation)
(see: https://www.google.ca/search?q=scrapbook+quilting+layout&espv=2&biw=888&bih=512&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=CGhFVLHsHoOoyATYi4HwBg&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=0.9 for ideas)
If I see beautiful paper, but none of the co-ordinating items make me happy.
*admire, smile, walk away, take a picture if it helps"
If the whole line makes me happy, and I have to own it,
I look at it again after 15 minutes. Do I have pictures in mind? How much will I need?
not necessary? *admire, smile, walk away, take a picture if it makes me feel better".
It will be there tomorrow if I really really need it or was supposed to have it.
If the paper is perfect for the picture of XXX at XXX.
and I have decided this paper has to come home.
I match the card-stock right then.
I buy the alphabet right then.
I grab the matching embellishment right then!
******Colors in the mind ARE NEVER the same as you actually have.
For me, a lot of time, the "sale" paper is no sale ESPECIALLY if I never use it.
Buying it because it is pretty and on sale - but never using it is false value for my money.
A paper PAD can be the same problem. If it is pretty and on sale.
Is the "weight" of the paper worth the money?
How many patterns will you actually use?
If it is for 1 birthday photo, why do you need the whole 60 page pad?
Have they got co-ordinating solids to buy with it?
The only reason I buy a PAD is if I have the perfect big event to scrapbook.
I now choose to purchase paper as a kit from ANY store.
min 2 background card-stock
min 2 card-stock for matts
2-3 co-ordinating patterns (and not always from the same lines)
1 alphabet
ribbon (or washi tape or die cut borders)
It can also include tags, buttons, bling and stickers but those are not mandatory to my original kit purchases. I have lots of that stock at home.
If I cannot make a kit from what I like right there......... then what will happen is this!
A wonderful space for storing my scrap stuff that is STUFFED with items I .....
**was going to kit
**was going to finish
**was sure I had something to match at home
So it needs to stay where it is.
What is worse I find, is most of the time, I can't find what I bought (especially if it is small). OR it gets damaged (which breaks my heart).
Another truth. THE NEXT MORNING with coffee, those purchases I made NEED to be kitted and bagged with what I have at home. I WILL NOT remember my thought process 2 weeks or months from now.
I love watching Charlotte with this new way of thinking. She carries scrap paper to make notes for herself as we shop...... sometimes the inspiration is at the store, make sure to take a picture AND PRINT IT for your kit (computer paper works just as good as real photos). I now try to carry kit bags if I know I am going scrap shopping.
I am writing this in my blog because I want to remember how ashamed I feel right now.
I have a beautiful area for storing my toys and I do NOT use it so I can scrapbook.
I do not use all the beautiful things I already own but I want more
I use the are for storage
and that storage won't tell my story to my grandchildren when I am gone.
Good night.
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