Scrapbooking - Pleasure Beyond Measure

By:Laurie Johnston

Before I began scrapbooking, pictures were something you looked at when they came in, and then were stored for later discovery. Since I have begun scrapbooking, my picture are always out. My children love to pull their scrapbooks out and see what new wonderful pages have been added. My 7-year old is always asking me when I will work on her book again. I love how it helps my children remember things we've done, like going to disneyland, or the dinosaur museum. It helps them remember that we have done some wonderful things together as a family, and reminds them how much we love them. Sometimes, my girls come up with pages on their own, and having them working on pages with me just gives us one more way to do things together. I love how scrapbooking has brought my family closer.

I also enjoy the friends I've made through scrapbooking. I have gone on weekend retreats with a group of ladies. We have laughed, cried, been silly, eaten too much, but through it all, we've become better friends. We share Ideas, scrapbook "toys", and we get a lot accomplished on our books. It is overall a wonderful girls weekend.

I think most of all, I love the feeling of accomplishment I get, and the fact that I am taking time to do something for me. Even though I am working on something to give my kids, I get time to do something I enjoy. I run my kids to all kinds of different activites, and back an forth to their friends all week long, every week.

Scrapbooking is my outlet to release myself from the stress of the world, while still doing something positive. I can release anger, frustration, and/or hurt, without causing anyone else undue stress. While some people go out and drink themselves into a coma, or contemplate revenge or any number of terrible things. I am doing something positive. Even though I know it's a never ending project, I know that I am doing something that will be around for generations to enjoy. What a great feeling that is!
I am definitely hooked. I find myself taking pictures now to go with stickers or papers I've seen in the store because they are just so adorable.

Thanks to scrapbooking, I can spend time with my family, spend time with my friends, release stress, and all the while be doing something I am loving to do! And what other activity can offer all that?

Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: How has scrapbooking changed your life?, by Kimberley B.