My "Potential" Phobia Challenge (to myself)

I like to scrapbook. I really enjoy it. It's fun, creative, crafty, and it's a great way to preserve and capture the moments in my children's lives and capture life in general -- as these moments seem so fleeting these days. But, it takes a LOT of time and a lot of space. At least, for me.

This layout below took me most of six hours. I go back and forth a lot before I make anything permanent:



(I did not shrink the size of the pics, in case you want to click and blow them up.)

So, I've found myself in the rut where I haven't "scrapped" a thing. With exception to the 2 page Layout I did in early November to submit for a contest at the local store in town here (which, by the way, I won.) :) I credit this "rut" to the fact that I really don't like starting something I can't finish -- or at least get to a designated stopping point I have pre-determined.

And, there is really no reason for this since I now have a room [the office, workout, guest room] with my table in it and the closet basically full of and designated as my "crap scrap center." Formerly, in our old house, I only had my table at 2-1/2ft x 5ft. And, although very organized it obviously was lacking for space. So, there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to start a project and "leave it" to return later, without worrying about little piddly hands disheveling my work.

And, yet, I haven't scrapped a single page. Because I am inhibited and developing a phobia. And, knowing me, if I let it progress I will eventually be completely in-efficient because we all know we can't actually finish everything we start, every time, with children in the house. So....

Today, among other things I challenged myself. I challenged myself to just "jump right in" and scrap a two page layout. BEFORE, I picked up the kids. That only gave me two hours. That is not a lot of time for me because, I am very...very, detail oriented and as previously mentioned I like to go back and forth a million times before I "commit." So for now, here's what I got:



I know. It's not much. It's actually still kinda in the "draft" stage. It is very, very plain. I usually have TONS more ribbon. Typically, I use at least two patterns of paper for a one page layout. And, I like to use more brads, some stitching and add lot more dimension. (I love those foamy sticky doo things that actually "lift" your pictures off the paper.)

But, they are framed. They are placed. And, the journaling cards are made. It isn't finished -- it's a start. I met my challenge and I kicked that soon to be all consuming "phobia" out of my mind. I "jumped right in." And, when I had to stop ubruptly to pick up the kids....I left it...still unfinished. And, I'm [almost] okay with that. Happy Scrappin'

My "Potential" Phobia Challenge (to myself)