My poor husband.

By:Michele R.

This year for the essay contest, I decided to be original and UNIQUE! I decided to look at my scrapbooking addiction through the eyes of my husband's. My poor husband.

When I first started scrapbooking, seven years ago, my husband thought my new hobby was cute and sweet. He enjoyed looking at my pages of our first born son. He was encouraging me to buy supplies and create beautiful works-of-art. This was the honeymoon period. It really was awesome. Since scrapbooking was so new and we were on the East coast, where there were NO scrapbook stores (except a small section at MJDesigns), he felt relatively safe that this new hobby was going to be inexpensive and un-addicting. I mean all I needed was paper, maybe some stickers and diecuts.....that stuff was cheap. So, we cruised along in this honeymoon period.

A new addition in our family kept me busy for hours at night. I stared in awe at the beauty I saw. The addition was a computer! A whole new world opened up for me! I found scrapbook supplies online!!! WOO HOO!! What a find. Now, I didn't have to buy the measly supplies from the local craft store. I shopped at dmarie. My friends and I made big orders online to get the latest supplies.

So, my husbands wallet was getting skinny and my hobby was growing. He was losing money and next he lost his Thursday nights. My scrapbook friends decided to get together every Thursday night. My poor husband now spent Thursday nights babysitting. Instead of me being home, I was out scrapping. He was cool with it, however, was so surprised that us girls got together to "cut pictures".

Then came another baby...now I had to go buy all of the pink things, for her scrapbook, of course. My friends not only gave our first girl clothes, but scrapbook supplies for her book. (They were my true friends). The scrapbook necessities began to grow and grow. We barely had room in our small townhome for a family of four and all of my scrapbook supplies.

Thank God we moved. Now, there was room for more supplies. In fact, my husband let me keep them in the dining room! He gave up on buying me jewelry and clothes for Christmas and my birthday. Instead, he got me my hearts desire, scrapbooking supplies. He even has his account at dmarie. What a guy. We still had half of the dining room for the computer. My table only took up a small space.

Now, three and a half years later, our dining room is the official scrapbook room. My poor husband has rearranged the room several times (with all of the new scrapbook supplies, it had to be done)! I have four tables and several storage containers full of scrapbooking supplies. Our computer is in a tiny desk in the corner of the room.

So, my husband has lost his dining room and a little money (don't tell him any different). But the good thing is, now I am home on Thursday nights. Along with up to eleven of my scrapbook friends. Now, I host the gathering every week. Since I have the most supplies (don't tell him that either), I thought it was only fair that I share them with my scrapbook girls.

My poor husband. He has an addicted scrapbooker for a wife. I am sure that you all know the reality of this. I have expressed several. There are more I could name. If there is a support group he could join, please let me know. I will be scrapbooking in my dining room.

Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: How Scrapbooking Has Changed My Life, by Susan Mela