It's a way of life...

Today I wanted to talk about why I do what I do. Why I scrapbook. Why it's important to me. Why it's so much more than a glorified photo album. There a few things that really make this worth it to me and I want to share those with you.

The People
All of this thinking stemmed from listening the most recent episode of the Scrap Gals podcast (I highly recommend it. This episode, but also the podcast in general!).  Tiffany and Tracie started the show by talking about how they got into scrapbooking and how they met. They were both so passionate about the subject and it got me to thinking about the amazing people I've met through scrapbooking (Tracie being one of them) who have changed my life for good. There is something so magical about connecting with people who have the same passion for memory keeping. I don't know if I've met anyone in real life that is as insane about scrapbooking as I am and that's why I'm grateful for the online scrapbooking community and all of you! The people make this a great hobby.

It's more than a hobby. It's a way of life.

I truly believe that. For me, scrapbooking is so much more than pretty paper. It has changed and affected every aspect of my life. In a good way, I think. I am more aware of the world around me and how it affects me and my family. I'm conscious of the little seemingly insignificant moments and I find a way to document them. Through scrapbooking, I come to realize my blessings. When I sit to write the journaling for a layout it causes me to reflect on the moment and think about how/why it influenced me and why it's important to me.  Ultimately, I am a better person because I scrapbook.

Telling my story is important.
I don't keep a journal. I've always been bad at that. Except from ages 8-15 and all I talked about was which boy I was in love with. For me, scrapbooking is my journal. It is my perspective on events and everyday moments from my life. No one else can tell that story. It's mine. I would love to look back and see my mom's perspective on life at 30 (my age now), and I hope that my daughter will feel the same way.

Words + Photos = Magic

Photos are amazing. We've all been told that a photo is worth a thousand words. Well, sometimes those words don't convey the story I want to tell. I love Ali Edward's idea that there is something special where photos and words meet. So true. All of that patterned paper and all of those embellishments are just the cherry on top. They are a fun bonus to this memory keeping.  Again, words + photos = magic.

I love it.
Simple as that. I scrapbook because I love it. Everything about it. All of the stuff I said above and more. I love the process of finding papers and embellishments to reinforce my story. I love sharing my layouts and I love sharing my ideas with all of you. I don't feel like this is an obligation. I feel like I just don't know any other way. It truly is a huge part of my life. Not a day goes by that I don't think about or do memory keeping in some form and I'm so grateful for it!

Why do you scrapbook? There are no wrong answers. :)