Wednesday 22 April 2015

Scrapbooking With a Reflective Story Style

Can you make a page in a reflective style? Get It Scrapped asked. Something which shows "an examined life"? And it just so happened that I had spent time, that weekend,  in the town where I grew up. So I made this:

Sian Fair for Get It Scrapped

This is how it is as a teenager, if you live in a little country market town. It rains a lot. The street lights are low and the pavements are slick with slippery leaves, most of the time. The shops aren't right. They sell nothing you want to buy: not the clothes you see in the magazines, not the books you have floating round in your head. And nowhere opens on a Sunday. There is nothing to look at except everything; all at once, all crammed together. Doctor, dentist, Fire Station, Library, ten steps away, almost, in any direction. Peeled paint, green moss crawling up old stone.

And this is what it becomes, in your head, over time: crisp air,, woodsmoke and turf. Horses and green fields on the way into town, the cattle market on the way to the swimming pool. The sawmill right beside the shops, the coal merchants, the showgrounds, the old cinema. Cinema? Feels like an opening scene from an old film. In a good way.

Details, Details



  • The stamp is from a Christmas set by Stampin' Up and the wood veneer by Studio Calico. I'll be sorry to see the end of those farm animals: who'd have though adding wooden roosters would have been so much fun?
  • Using a photo of the town itself would have pulled this page out of my imagination and into the real world. I didn't want that. Does that make sense? I wanted you to imagine the cinema and the sawmill instead of looking at a photo of double yellow lines and boarded up shops (maybe) and other things no child bothers to notice. When I found the photo of the tree stump and remembered our discussion about how we'd remove the roots, I knew I had my title, too. It's all about the roots.
More reflective scrapbooking on the blog at Get It Scrapped

24 comments:

alexa said...

Wonderful post and page. And your words have brought it to life in its different perspectives more than any photo could ...

Julie Kirk said...

Great stuff Sian ... really making me think [although, at first, the 'examined life' topic did terrify me a bit ... it was v.similar to a question on a 'Special Paper' exam I took with my A-Levels! Flashback!!]

Anyway ... I've never given much thought to the fact that - I guess- where I lived as a teen was a 'small town' too. I just took it for granted that there was *nothing* to buy there once I'd gotten over my strawberry laces addiction as a little kid!

That said ... I don't think we're as rural as yours sounds. No sawmill at least ...

Fancy your reflections having a reflective effect on me!

Eileen T said...

I really like your approach to the page and understand why you chose to exclude any photos - I agree that they would have changed the 'feeling' completely.

Lizzy Hill said...

Being a bit of a journaler - adore it!!! The circle in the wood pattern .... The whole story resonates sooo much. Just as well we romanticize our past I reckon!!!!

Karen said...

Another fabulous page and such evocative journaling. I grew up in a small town much like that---probably smaller. I noticed those wonderful houses and wood veneer animals right away. So perfect for this page!

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

Definitely the right decision to omit a photo. I grew up not far from the rural market town I live in now. It took a bus ride to reach that selection of shops, which didn't sell anything much we wanted when we got there! I think many of us will identify with your reflective post today.

Unknown said...

Your reflective journaling gave me a lump in my throat. I like the details at the bottom of your page (will be scrap lifting this). Growing up the weren't too many photos taken of where we lived, so your layout inspires of how to capture a memory without photos & the idea of taking a photo of something now to represent the memory - another scrap liftable idea.

debs14 said...

Isn't it strange how your perception of a place can change as you get older? Fab layout.

Lisa said...

Your layout is gorgeous and immediately pinned. These are very often the sort of pages I'd like to make but your execution is so much better than mine ever are! I shall refer back tot his next time I want to make something similar

Miriam said...

This is such a wonderful page Sian, your journaling is beautiful.

KraftyKaren said...

Such a great page, love your journalling

Jo said...

It's a great page and so much nicer to see the town through your eyes rather than a photo, in fact I'm glad there's not a photo because it probably won't look like how I imagine it :)

Maria Ontiveros said...

I love reflecting on where I grew up. What a great job you did.
Rinda

Sheena said...

Having grown up in a city reading your journalling is fascinating to me & reminds me of some rural places we have visited on holiday when I was small x

Alison said...

Love the picture you chose...and of course the journaling! Xx

Lou said...

Lovely words and layout. I grew up in a town with everything at my finger tips. Opting now for village life!

Susanne said...

Yes, the images conjured up by your story are more interesting than a realistic snapshot in this case. Nicely done.

Julia said...

I love this page. Your journaling is beautiful x

Anonymous said...

Oh, Sian, what beautiful writing (I continue to long for you to write several books - I know of no-one else who can turn a phrase and evoke a time/place quite so well as you).....the LO is stunning, such a good way to present the journaling...I've never been quite so brave as to put the journaling *so* front and centre, which is weird because, as you know, I'm all about the journaling in my scrapping (gggrr.....now I can't get that 'All about the bass' sone out of my head, LOL!).......love love love your post (as always) xx

Sandra said...

Such a beautiful page, I love this layout and your Journalling

Barbara Eads said...

This may be my favorite layout/story of ALL time! I love how you tied the title and photo together with the story but allowed the reader to use their imagination to really see what you were after. Just great!

Melissa said...

What a fabulous reflective page. It's interesting how reflection and perspective change what and how we remember the place(s) we grew up, isn't it!

Sandie said...

Beautifully written Sian, and I do know what you mean about adding the photo. Your words have conjured up such a vivid image that no photo is needed, it would take rather than give to the page. I love the use of the tree root, and it makes for a great title. I only live a few miles from where I grew up as a teenager and I look longingly at the old photos in pubs and the museum. The horse I used to go and visit in the stable yard off the High Street has been turned into offices and small business units, and the tea room and milk bar are restaurants. In fact the High Street is overrun with restaurants and estate agents, it makes me quite nostalgic thinking about how it used to be. It's good to write it down so memories can be shared and passed on.

Gail said...

Wonderful post Sian. Love how you've shown how are memories of places change as we get older.

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