So last month I took part in an online Studio Calico class called "This is me"with Lexi Bridges. She is awesome, just go check her out!
For some reason, I feel almost wrong scrapbooking about myself... like I'm saying... "Hey, I think I'm cool!" or something. It's like a selfie on facebook, you just don't do it unless there's some good reason or you have something ridiculous on your face that covers most of it. I don't know, but I think you all agree, it feels weird to move the direction of the focus off of our family, friends, and pets and onto ourselves. And if you're a mommy, it's always all about the kids.
What intrigued me about this class was that the goal was to make a mini album. This is something I've never done. Like cards, I had little interest. But I can't lie, I'm now hooked. I love the idea that you don't have to pick out a cover (you can), but you can create the entire thing from scratch.
I cut some chipboard, covered it in fabric and vvvv wwaaa laaa I had the beginning and the end. Now I just needed to fill it. To do the pic on the cover, I used printable fabric and then sewed it on the cover fabric that I chose before I modge-podged it to the chipboard.
The whole process was pretty dang enlightening. What was I going to include? That was tough... I feel like there are so many things that can be part of someone's life.. things that affect them on a daily basis. Though I felt like cleaning the house was not something that particularly touched me on an emotional level. Though re-organizing does have a way of setting free the endorphins of inspiration!
No, but seriously... I pretty much have to re-arrange my peg board or something before every craft session to get the juices going. It's like magic!
So anyway, I narrowed my book down into a few catergories:
1. Family: ok, I know... but that's what makes me who I am. My family. And they're the most important. So of course, there's a big spread of my favorite little lady as well as the Hubs and the fuzzys.
The big swingy pic of Roo was also printable fabric. 2. Interests/hobbies: Basically my crafty adventures using paper and a collection of sewing machines that each have a strength and weakness.. one with the fatal weakness of not working! Yikes!
3. Music: Besides giving piano lessons, music is a big part of my life. When I was making this book, I decided to collect a handful of artists that I admired and just make a little pic collage. By no means did this include all, but whatever came to mind or what I've been listening to lately. This is where I really got sad... and happy at the same time... because I couldn't remember the last time I just sat and listened to an album... just for the sake of enjoying it. Granted, there's been a lot of disney and nick music blasting in my car due to Roo, but in-between audiobooks, there hasn't been a recent "GOD I CAN'T STOP LISTENING TO THIS SONG!" So I'm on a mission to change that. To make an effort to just listen like when I was a teenager with a new Belinda Carlisle cassette on the bed following along with the lyrics. 
4: Some random current interests/likes.
5: Goal. Yes one goal. To cure my headaches.
6. A short note to my Grams. She's the one person I think about everyday. She was awesome and I miss her.
It's not over embellished... some pages are down right messy! But I decided not to over-think it and just let it be what it was going to be. So it ended up longer than I imagined, and much more journally than I imagined. I felt like I had so much to say about every page... and in the end I was re-introduced to myself and I'm now kinda itching to pick up things that I put down throughout the years.
To not do things because I care what people think, or don't think... or say or don't say... but just to do them because it's fun and enjoyable. To share for the sake of sharing and not worry about who will make fun of me tomorrow... After all, does it matter? The most important things are the simple ones. So ENJOY them! And don't forget to take pictures!
I know ... I keep saying I'm going to do a workshop and never follow through... but I will! And I think this would be a great first project. So if anyone's up for finding yourselves in June, I'll make it a point to set something up.
