Saturday 5 July 2014

Changes Afoot

Well, what do you know... the most popular scrapbooker website has shut down! Yes, Two Peas in a Bucket is no longer, but it left a lot of people in the lurch. Quite a few designers who were in a working relationship with them (known as "Garden Girls") were apparently taken by surprise, although I don't think anyone was really shocked. Rumours had been circulating for some time, but most of us just didn't think it would really happen.

So where is everyone going now for their scrap gossip, information, tips, advice, and friendly chatter? Well, so far, I've found a few: "2Ps Refugees" is an interesting title and they seem to have a good bit of traffic, but I haven't found out who is behind it. Quite a few people have gone over to another long-time forum, Scrapbook.com. Then there's always SplitCoast Stampers, a huge board mainly for stampers and cardmakers, but they do have a healthy scrapbooker presence also. Luckily we have one of the best in the world forums here in the UK: UK Scrappers, with members from all over the world.

Frankly, however, I haven't had time to follow any of these boards for a few months. Since starting my Project Life album and renewing my interest in photography, those have more or less consumed me. That's in addition to all the Women's Institute things I do, like the blog and the newsletter and the website and on and on. It all takes time and energy. I could make more time, I'm sure, if I just had more energy!

At the WI Craft Fair in June, I displayed a lot of my scrapbooks, mini-albums, circle journals, and Project Life album. It all generated quite a lot of interest and comments.
 I made some little cards to explain each of the types of scrapbooks, etc. I also showed some ATCs and some general cards I'd made. I've been feeling more than a little guilty for the past six months or so, because I have that gorgeous craft cabin that many crafters would love to have --- but I seldom have time to even go out there! So sad. I do think that having a cabin versus another room inside the house has stifled my crafting slightly. It just seems awkward to have to go to the end of the garden to do any crafting, although once I'm there I can really concentrate and get some serious work done. It's all about trade-offs/compormises, I suppose. It's just easier to pop into another room.

My next project is to use my PL pages to display all my very, very old photos that I've inherited from my grandmothers and mother as a sort of family history scrapbook. Project Life makes it so easy as you can move the photos around as it develops. I want to try to identify and do some journaling about them while I can still remember.... and my children won't have a clue who they are. Of course, right now, mine are not the least bit interested but some day they will be. I wasn't at their ages either. If they do or perhaps my grandchildren do, and if I'm not around to explain who these people are, it will at least be ready for them!