What To Say?

...Or, where to start? Well really it started with Julie. Maybe you know Julie? She's a friend and a blogger I like and admire very much; and I'm regularly to be found hoovering up whatever she has to say over at Notes On Paper. Now, Julie recently launched herself on a campaign: a 300 Comments In 30 Days Challenge.

She wrote about it; and then she wrote about it again, just to double check her readers understood she was on a course of discovery and investigation herself and not on a mission to lever comments in her own direction. Because what she felt like she'd started, she said, was a "Mexican wave of guilt"..

...actually, you should read what she wrote for yourself. If I quote any more I'd probably start breaching copyright law; and that's guilt of a different kind, in a librarian. Worse, even, than that time I tied a knot in a bow. See, Julie? Worms, snails: we've all done it.

I've done that other thing too. I've read, and hugely enjoyed, many posts; but I haven't said so. I've pinned pretty pages; but I haven't said "Thanks. I'd love to keep this pinned so I can look at it again." But that's one I'm going to make an effort with. (Solidarity in numbers, Julie! 300 in 30 days? I'm up for that!). Because the reason I started this blog in the first place was to meet other scrapbookers. I couldn't fine anyone round here who liked cutting and sticking. I had to search further afield; and when I discovered the cornucopia of scrapbooking talent spread across the internet, I decided the only way to make contact was to say hello. And it's a delight when someone replies. It really is.

Why I'm writing and not sticking. Or decluttering. Where to start?

Years ago on a forum I saw a thread about blog commenting. Someone said something along the lines that, although she had a blog, she had never understood why a reader would stop in to write "Hi. I like your layout today." Frankly, she said, she wasn't interested in that kind of bland comment. That brought me up short (-er than usual) because I did - and,yes, still do - write that if I mean it; because I'd always thought that, if I am short on time, a quick friendly hello is better than nothing . Maybe it isn't, though? That was a lightbulb moment for me, when I realised that we don't all put the same interpretation on, or look for, the same thing in someone else's reaction to what we write. I thought about it again recently when I joined Instagram. Until I started posting there myself, I had never, I have to admit, understood why so many erstwhile bloggers had converted. Now I get it. Now I see how easy it is and, with that information, I can understand why someone might comment there but not here (or any other blog). It's just a different way of doing the same thing. We aren't all the same, even in our little scrapbooking world. It would be reductive and silly to think so. But even so, even if you always take milk in your coffee while it makes me gag, maybe we're still - mostly - coming from the same place?

I came looking for a community and I found one. I wanted to be somewhere where others understood what I enjoyed doing. That's important, we're alwys hearing these days, for our mental health. Joining in, being a part of something bigger. We know it's good for us. That's why we encourage our children to sign up for school clubs, why we put our name down for swaps and that's why I hope to keep on saying hello.

Oh look: there's more. It's everywhere..

And why I want to thank Julie for generating the great discussion on her blog (seriously: read it if you haven't already); and thank anyone who has ever helped me to feel part of something bigger by leaving a few words here for me. Julie discovered that there's a measure of shyness out there, and even a little belief that whatever you have to say isn't worth the time it takes to type. Believe me, I think it's worth it. Some bloggers use comments as market research ( so in the spirit of Julie's put-it-right-out-there ideal, I'm just going to come right out and say I get fewer comments on my scrapbooking posts, so does that mean you don;t like my scrapbooking?) ; or as a bit of cheer on a grey day (yes, I've felt cheered too). Mostly, though, it's back to that community thing. If you like being part of it, then what you have to say is worth the hearing.

Now, if you have kept going to the end today...I'm delighted! Yes, of course I'd like to know what you think! But if you gave up halfway through or skipped to the end...no worries. I have only one thing to say about guilt. You can read as many blogs as you like without saying a word. Just never tie a worm in a bow. It won't thank you. And you'll be haunted by the look on its face for the rest of your life. Probably.

Me? Look out for me! I'm taking Julie up on her challenge. I'd like to try some investigation and discovery for myself. I could be coming your way...

My Reading Habits

Today I'm happy to be picking up a tag passed on to me by friend and fellow reader Helen of the blog I Will Bloom. She  answered some questions about her reading habits and asked me to do the same. So with thanks to Sandals & Sunnies for sending it to Helen, and to Julie of Notes on Paper, whose answers encouraged me to start thinking, here are my reading habits:

I like quirky books. This is my growing collection of Japanese doll pattern books. I work the instructions out by looking at the very lovely pictures

Do you have a certain place at home to read?

I dream of a sunny window seat, with an enticing view, just in case I want to glance up to rest my eyes, or daydream, or admire next door's new curtains. But as that's unavailable, I almost always choose the bed, if I can creep away to find it without being noticed: pillows at my head, the sun on my back, and a handy shelf for my biscuit (see below) beside. In the evenings it's not as good a spot as it was once; bit I'm hopeful a good new lamp will return reading before sleep to its top spot as the best part of the day.

A bookmark or a random piece of paper?

Now, I do own bookmarks. I'm sure I do. It's just that I'm in the habit of leaving them inside books. I acquire a nice new one, I use it diligently, and then when I get to the end, I toss that book aside and grab the next one, leaving the marker behind in the tossing. I'm perfectly happy to grab any piece of paper and use it instead: often a postcard (usually from a blog friend), a note from school, an appointment card..

I like books which tell me how to do things. This is a small selection. It leaves out the knitting, the cross stitch, the curtain making..you get the idea..

Because I never, ever, ever turn down the corner of a page. I couldn't. I'd be a liar if I said I'd tried. Even the thought makes me cringe. Funny, I don't mind battered books at all: ones with loose pages and crumpled covers and a history, I love them all. But still, though: not the corners.

I like magazines and I find it very hard to throw out the old ones 

Can you stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter or number of pages?

Yes. I can stop reading quite easily. I'll even stop in the middle of a paragraph, because I'm perfectly sure the rest will still be there when I get back. Similarly,  I'll lift a book and find my place even if I know I only have time to read a couple of sentences. Because there isn't anything else I'd rather be doing while I wait for everyone to find their shoes, or for the kettle to boil, or for the glue to dry.

Do you eat or drink while reading?

Ah: a contentious one, this. You've caught me out. It's my guilty little secret. I'm a librarian who likes to read while she eats, or eat while she reads. Both, anyway. If a good sandwich is a pleasure, then the enjoyment is more than doubled by the simple addition of a few words to cast my eye over: book, magazine, paper, all are good. And many of you will already know that if I get the chance I choose lunchtime to catch up on my favourite blogs (or making the dinner time, which is almost the same thing). Occupational hazards include crumbs in my keyboard, chocolate chips down my front, and icing sugar hands with a further layer of newsprint.

I like books for children, even if my retro collection now make me look more than a little retro

Do you watch TV or listen to music while reading?
Not books. I would never try to read a book and watch TV at the same time. But I do read the paper and watch TV and carry on a conversation all at once all the time.

One book at a time or several at once?

Define "several". Are we talking two or three extra? One in every room? A spare in the car? which? I have books I've been reading for several years, several books I reread every year, books to tell me what I need to know, books to make me laugh, to think, all on the go at once. I will even read one for ten minutes and then dip into another, especially at bedtime. I'm an incurable dipper.

Reading at home or everywhere?
I'll read anywhere, given half a chance. I look forward to piles of magazines in the doctors or dentists; and I have little time for the killjoys who work to have those piles banned for hygiene reasons. Have you ever heard of anyone catching their death from a comic? No, I haven't either.

Reading aloud or silently in your head?

Now I'm a silent reader. But I grew up doing a lot of reading aloud. Teachers, grownups, seem to assume that a good reader is a good out loud reader. I don't think that's always true; but for me it translated into a lot of narrating of school plays and reading round the class and standing up in church. Later, when I was doing A Level English, I used to wait until everyone else was out before I opened my set texts and heard them speak. I remembered it by listening to the rhythm of it and in time I discovered this was how I should revise any of my school work. I read it out loud. 

And I like my books a little bit mixed up. What? another book secret? I'm a librarian who doesn't shelve properly. I like the fact that I know where every book is on the shelf, even when it hasn't been classified...

Do you ever read ahead or skip pages?

All the time! Is that guilty secret number two? I can't seem to stop myself. I can read the end, and then go back and read the rest, and not have my enjoyment of the whole spoiled in any way.

Do you ever write in books?
No. Never. Couldn't do it, wouldn't do it.

So that's me: what about you? If you'd like to share, please consider yourself tagged!

What to Scrap About When There's Nothing to Scrap About

What to scrap when there's nothing to scrap about?

Thirty journaling prompts right here on my list are ready and waiting to go!

Pin it. Print it out. Pass it on. Take it to a crop and talk about it. Use it to start a new Book of Me. I hope you find something here to inspire you.

1. The first poster you ever put on your bedroom wall and where it came from
2. The first gift you ever bought all by yourself and who you gave it to
3. Your favourite kind of crisps and what you think they say about you
4. The most evocative smell you know: not your favourite, but the one which best conjures up a picture or story
5. A shop you miss from your childhood
6. The highest place on earth you have ever been
7. The worst meal you have ever eaten
8. "Today is worth remembering because" - and it can be anything, large or small
9. The last time you grabbed an opportunity and how it turned out
10. The first book you remember being able to read all by yourself
11. Something you are frightened of
12. Your favourite kind of weather and how it makes you feel
13. "I've never told anyone this before..."
14. If you had to leave home, disappear and never come back, which five things would you take with you?
15. Your favourite catalogue. Do you buy or just enjoy looking?
16. Are you good at mending things? What's the last thing you fixed?
17. A cooking utensil you can't do without and why
18. "I never leave the house without..."
19. What would you like to find at the end of the rainbow?
20. If there could only be two brands of cereal left in the world, which would you choose? Healthy or not?
21. A dream which came true
22. The teacher who made the biggest impression on you. At what stage in your life?
23. Choose one favourite song from each decade of your life
24. What did you buy with your very first wage packet?
25. Do you believe in ghosts? Ever think you have seen one?
26. If you could be a fly on the wall anywhere, where would it be?
27. If you found a banknote in the street what would you do? Have you ever found something valuable?
28. A bad habit you have managed to break
29. What do you think about in the dentist's chair?
30. Sweet or savoury? What's your pleasure?

..and then, what's next? A big pile of pages, all waiting to be lovingly filed away. Happy scrapbooking!

If you are interested in printing pages, my recommendation since joiliprint closed is Printfriendly.com

It's Wednesday

It's Wednesday and I'm in my favourite blogging spot, sitting on the bed with my laptop. I like the view from the window and the one I see beside me, my bedside table with its little collection of treasures. Here's one:

The lovely little cube Rinda made and gave to me when she visited in the summer. It's one of the first things I see in the morning and one of the last when I turn out the light. I like that. It reminds me of how much this hobby of ours continues to give me.

And it looks like I'm not the only one who feels like this. Thank you to everyone who has expressed an interest in contributing to So this is Scrapbooking. It's all starting to take shape and it's going to be a good read. Starting soon! Maybe before December...did I just say that? December?

I'm definitely ready for it. The (Not So) Small One and I made Christmas Bark on Saturday. It's all gone. We ate the lot. Just a layer of milk chocolate, then a layer of white (which we tinted pale green and flavoured with peppermint) and then a sprinkle of crushed candy canes. Yum.

And I've started my shopping. I've found a cuddly Henry Hoover for Little E and - oh, no, I can't tell you about Uncle Dave's gift. It'll have to stay a surprise.

So, on to cards. Got a few ideas going for making my own. And because it's Wednesday, I'm going to let that lead to my Thinking Out Loud thought for the day. I thought it would be a good subject for debate because I'm guessing opinion is going to be strongly divided on this one. In fact, you don't even have to be a Pinterest fan to have a view on this one....if you pin, do you have a board of things you have made? do you pin from your own blog? Yesterday, I was making a start on a board of card inspiration and it suddenly made sense. For cards, at least: if I added my own favourite designs, then I'd have the patterns together where they were easy to find. Maybe one of the new secret boards would work for this? Mmm..secret boards: another question altogether, maybe/ what do you think? any musings for a Wednesday?

I'll be back on Friday at 6.00pm because I'm taking part in the Frosty Festivities Blog Hop. You can find out more about it at Jennifer's Jumbles here - there'll be prizes!

Oh, and a quote from my mother to finish with? Take your coat. It's cold out there..

Then and Now

Aren't we gathering up a wonderful collection of stories for Storytelling Sunday this month? I had expected it to be a little quiet this month, over the holiday, but it's shaping up very nicely! And, of course, by the end of today, we will all have gathered a tale about watching the boats go down that rainy Thames, or seeing Madness play on the roof of Buckingham Palace, or observing from another  country..there is still plenty of time to join in and share your link here or check out the Pinterest Board here.

I'm only sorry I didn't collect up my stories from the Silver Jubilee at the time. I know some of you were there - I've seen the photos! What has changed, do you think?

- then we coloured in our own paper flags and stuck them together with sticky tape. Now we shopped for retro toned prints and sewed yards of fabric bunting.

- then we watched the Jubilee clustered round our black and white television (and rented a colour one after the event because we realised what we had been missing). Now we have tv's all over the house, all shapes and sizes

- then our Dad bought us a kitten (who lived until way after I'd left home). Now we talk about getting a dog when the kids leave home.

- then we sent off Stamped Addressed Envelopes so that Blue Peter would post us instruction leaflets for the "Makes" they had featured. Now we browse Pinterest.

- then we watched Abba on Top of the Pops and hoped for something new. Now we watched the history of "Punk Britannia" and the next day went trawling charity shops for old albums.

- then we ate corned beef hash and drank watery orange squash. Now we BBQ'd chicken kebabs and drank G&T with plenty of ice.

- then we pestered our Mum for cheap souvenir tshirts from the bargain shop in town. Now we wonder if buying a 1950's "New Look" inspired dress with a splashy navy print and a full skirt is a good idea..

..but some things do stay the same. .

- then I scrapbooked. A book of newspaper cuttings for a Girl Guide project. Now I - you know the rest!

Enjoy the rest of the holiday!

Everything You Ever Thought Was True..

..about scrapbooking.

Oh. I'm feeling in a devilish mood today. Devilish enough to play - devil's advocate. So I'm throwing a few thoughts at you. Just for fun. I'm pondering instead of sticking...what if everything you've ever believed about the process of scrapbooking turned out to be wrong?

Let's see..

• "Coordinating paper collections make things fast and easy."  Oh, come on - you pull together an outfit every morning and it's fit for the day. Of course you can pull papers on your own!

or

• "Everything on your page has to support your theme." Mmm..maybe you should simply use it because you like it

or

• "Inspiration is all around and just there for the taking." What about - whatever is in your own head is perfectly you, perfectly fine and you are going to love it. Think of the hours you don't need to spend on the computer.

or

• "Every page needs a picture, every picture needs a story." How about - you want half an hour's relaxing with some scissors in your hand becasue you like cutting things up and sticking them down. And that's enough already.

or

• "Trends are pointless." In the grand scheme of thing I guess they are. nut maybe they're fun and something new is always worth a try. At the very least all the banners will give us something to smile over in five year's time.

or

• "Everything needs to be carefully preserved and acid free." Now, as a librarian I should be recommending deacidification spray and telling you to look out for foxing. But, know what? There are plenty of Medieval manuscripts still around. At the rate we keep buying kindles and sending emails we won't have any written words left to preserve anyway. So, you know - keep writing, keep sticking, don't worry.

And that's enough to get started! What scrapbooking rules do you think are made to be broken? Any rules you never follow at all? Any here you agree with or vehemently dislike? Let's talk..

Oh, and a photo for today? I couldn't find my devil horns, though I did turn the dressing up box upside down. Would Minnie Mouse ears do instead?

Five Quotes From My Notes

Five things I read. And then nodded my head.

1.

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou

2.

"The world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people." Henry Miller

3.

"Childhood is measured out by sounds and smells and sight, before the dark hour of reason grows." John Betjeman

4.

"Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and the pupil are located in the same individual." Arthur Koestler

5.

"My idea of hell is a very large party in a cold room where everybody has to play hockey properly." Flora Poste in Cold Comfort Farm. Was ever a truer word spoken?

We don't like hockey

Let's Talk About Style

Oh Happy Day. I found a coupon with my Big Picture account and signed up for Karen Grunberg's new class "Finding Your Way" at a bargain price. Because I do think I need help deciding which way to go with my scrapbooking.

Sometimes I think I have a style, sometimes I don't. I know I go through phases - painting on pages, sewing on pages, even knitting on pages. This year I've been trying hard to get the story on the page. And although I still think that's really, really important, I'm starting to realise that I'm missing some of the little details. I do so love the details. The bits which are fun to add, the bits which support the theme and let your personality leap off the layout.

I pulled out a favourite:

A page about a trip I made to an exhibition on the work of designer Vivienne Westwood

so I could remind myself of these details

Worlds End. Vivienne's shop.

and these

If it's punk, it needs a padlock, yes?

I did it for a challenge at Copy+Paste (in 2009! wow!) about "Flawed Works Of Art". Which is kind of a good theme to come back to when you are looking back at what you've made in the past and planning what you might make in the future.

 What about you? Do you have a style, do you think? Do you like to repeat favourite tricks or learn something new every time? What about that comfort zone? Are you in it, out of it, looking for it? Or laeving it behind? I'm still deciding..

Bringing The Background Forward

It's Thursday again, and that means another new lesson up at Yesterday And Today. Wow, it has me thinking, this one. Backwards and forwards, the "then" and the "now". It's all good, though.

I've been taking a closer look atlots of older photos, even found some I hadn't scanned yet, and it has brought me back to something I wrote about here a year ago. It's that tension we have today: the choice between cropping a photo to produce a beautiful image; and leaving in the background.

Still, to me, the background can be the best bit. All those little details we thought we'd never forget - the colour of the front door, the crazy wallpaper - I'm glad they are still there to make me smile.

Not that I have a picture of everything I'd like. Think about it. You might have photos of the people you want to remember; but do you have a photo of the little things? Is there anything you conjure up with your mind because the photo isn't there? I have a few:

• My Grandma's kitchen. Her "scullery" with its proud collection of china teacups carefully displayed on shelves built by Grandpa
• My last schoolbag. Blue, roughweave army surplus. My mum hated it. I loved it, with its pin on band badges and scribbles marker messages from friends
• My cereal packet puppet theatre I made when I was six. ...

I've been asking the rest of the family for suggestions and The Small One brought out her very first pair of glasses and asked for a picture. That's exactly the kind of thing I mean. Let's see what else we can find..

Gotta Craft Sale starts today...Gotta Craft sale starts today...Gotta Craft Sale starts today..Gotta Craft