through my {eyes}

[scrapbooking l journaling l my views]

warning: it's just the way I see it...

Style. Trends. What's in. What's out. It can drive a person crazy. Or not. Like my husband Don. He likes what he likes and that's that. Period. Doesn't matter if you say it's in or out, he likes it so that's all that matters.

Wow. I wish I could look at my sofa that's now *out* and say the same thing. But I can't...I'm too aware of style, trends, the *in* thing. And it drives me crazy. Plus, I'm an eclectic and I love a little bit of this and a little bit of that and love to mix it all up. Yes, new and trendy is good.

BUT. And yes, there is a but...let's talk about scrapbooking. And trends and style and what's in and what's out...as it applies to scrapbooking. But wait. Let's take a step further...let's talk about how it applies to those who want to get published or continue getting published in the magazines.

Remember...this is through my eyes. It's just the way I see it. It's based on my own experience and my own views and hey, I'm just trying to keep it real...

   

So here it goes...the day I won Hall of Fame from Creating Keepsakes, I was elated. I was beyond elated. I was on cloud nine. It was very surreal. It was as if I had been handed a pile of gold. And...I felt validated as a scrapbook designer. Not to mention that I could now talk about my *geeky* hobby (geeky through the eyes of non-scrapbookers, that is) in a new light, because hey, "I'm gonna be published, now, you know!".

Fame? Glory? Riches? Um...no. Well, I have signed a few autographs, and it does seem glorious to other scrapbookers, and I do get several *extra* checks a month for publications. But here's the thing. And remember, this is *just* through my eyes:

Getting your pages published is really awesome...but it's not what scrapbooking is all about.

There. I said it. Remember, this is just the way I see it and it's the view through {my eyes}.

Don't get me wrong. I love being part of Creating Keepsake's Hall of Fame. I love and will continue to do assignments and submit my pages to the magazines and page calls that appeal to me and my style. I love seeing my pages in print. I love the whole process. I love the days I get emailed-assignments/requests for pages. I love the days I get the call that a page is being requested. I love it all.

But here's what I've learned this past year: it's very easy to get wrapped up in it all and lose sight of why we started doing this in the first place. It's easy to forget the real reason we do this. It's easy to get your priorities all messed up when you have deadlines looming and pressure to get the perfect page back to the magazine. It's easy to get obsessed with it all and it's easy to forget that it's really just about preserving precious memories in a very artistic, creative, beautiful way.

And this is where the issue of "style and trends" comes in to play. We'll never get away from the fact that styles and trends change. And they are, as history has shown, cyclical. The good news? What's NOT hot today will most likely be the HOT thing tomorrow. The bad news? If your style is NOT what's hot as far as what the magazines are needing for calls today, you will find it difficult to get your pages picked up.

So...if you LOVE shabby-chic, but the trend is for clean, graphic, simple pages, what do you do? Well, if you're eclectic like me, you'll probably do a "cleaner" shabby. But what if you aren't eclectic? What if you're just plain shabby-chic and you can't do simple for the life of you? Do you change your approach and try to fit in to what's hot right now?

Yes. and No. That's where your priorities need to be examined. You need to decide for yourself what matters most. IF *getting published* is more important to you, then you need to try to "fit the call" for the style at hand. You work it. You play with it. You adapt to what's hot right now. You use the latest and the hottest and the hippest products and papers and techniques (or, lack of techniques if that's the trend of the day) so that you have a better than average chance of getting your pages picked up.

And guess what? Assuming that you've adapted well and you've created an awesome page, you just might see your name in lights.

But does it feel good? Are you happy with your *new* style? Does it *feel* like you? Did you *enjoy* the process? If yes...great. That's how you should feel.

I've learned something that I'll just go ahead and throw out here.

 

If you change your comfort zone to fit in with today's style regarding page-calls, TOMORROW you are going to be out of style again! Then what????????????????????????

So here's the point of this entry. And there *is* a point.

I've learned that the reason I do this incredible thing that's called scrapbooking is because I love taking photos. I love the subjects of my photos. I love making beautiful *keepsakes* with my photos. And I have my own, individual style that will be *hot* one day but *not* the next. But who cares?

Should I change my style to fit the *flavor of the day* so I can get more pages published? I've tried that. I actually succeeded. But it didn't feel good. (I have a page in circulation right now that...just doesn't feel like *me*...I can't even stand to look at the page. Won't tell you which one...but you're welcome to post your guess here!) BECAUSE I'M NOT A SIMPLE, GRAPHIC SCRAPPER! I forced myself to do what I felt needed to be done. And I hated the process. I hated the feeling. I hate the page. Is that what scrapbooking is all about? No. Not to me.

I LOVE looking at the clean, graphic pages. They are so classic. I love reading them. Some of my best inspiration comes from the likes of the *best-of-the-best-of-the-best* simple scrappers out there (do I even need to name names? You know who I'm talking about...they're fabulous)! But when *I* sit down to create a simple, clean, graphic page, something *else* comes out. That's just my style. I would suggest that we all need to just...love our own style and embrace it.

Seems to me that too many scrapbookers are trying to fit the trends of today instead of preserving their memories and doing it the way they *see* it.

Seems to me that too many scrapbookers are letting the styles and trends of today dictate to them the way they *have* to design their pages to be validated and feel like they've created a *good* page.

Seems to me that too many scrapbookers are allowing themselves to feel down and bad about their work, just because they didn't get "the call".

Seems to me that too many scrapbookers are forgetting that it's all about our families/pets/important events, and if it's today's style than *cool*! Submit away! But submit away anyway, regardless of your style!

Seems to me that we all get too hung up on *winning* a major contest to feel like our work is validated.

And, might I just add here, if you WANT to head down the fun, wonderful, fabulous road of getting your work published (and it's been a blast...I do love this side of scrapbooking), learn to develop a tough-skin. Because not ALL of your pages will get picked up. You'll go in spurts of getting some, not getting others. It's just the name of the game. Remember that...but whatever you do, don't let it get you down to where you think you aren't *good-enough*. That will lead to disillusionment and possibly a distaste for the *hobby* all together. And that would be a sad loss.

 

The day that Don said to me "Teri, you just don't seem like you're enjoying this anymore. It seems like work to you" was the day I realized that I had lost my sense of priorities. Not intentionally. Not consciously. I realized that I had started scrapping to meet deadlines and to get published. I had lost the *joy* of it all and was not doing it for the love of creativity.

After being in various issues of various magazines for the past 11 months running, I've come to realize this: the joy and love comes from creating a page with photos that I just adore...getting published doesn't validate my work...it's just a separate *hobby* that I've adopted! It doesn't *change* anything...it just *adds* to the fun!

I guess my case-in-point is this: if you want to do this to get published, YAY! Do it! Have fun! Create away! It's an awesome experience!

But the day you lose the joy and start getting down on yourself because you aren't getting as many calls as you had hoped for is the day you need to re-evaluate why you want to "be in the movies" in the first place, so to speak! At that point, create a page *just* for you, *just* for your family, *just* for your album. Create it just because you love the photos. Find your favorite photos and create a beautiful keepsake, without the intention of submitting it! Find the joy again! Reconnect with *why* you started this creative craft in the first place!

I can't say that I'll never change my style because I *am* eclectic...I love lots of things! But I can say that I refuse to fret that I'm eclectic and shabby and kinda-clean-but-not-really in a VERY clean *season*.

Because, this is, after all, a *season*. Seasons change. And something tells me that there just might be another shift in the winds in the near future. It's called...history. Remember? It's cyclical.

Embrace your style. Love it. Accept it. Have fun with it!

And that's just the view...through my eyes.

Comments

[Ashley G]

This is totally right on Teri... I'm a firm believer in doing my own thing. If I like it, I'm going to do it. If not, I'm not going to. If the mags like it, sweet. If not, no biggie. I'm not about to run out and buy the product of the moment just because everyone else is using it. I want my albums to look like me... Even if it ends up being totally uncool.

You have beautiful eyes by the way! :)

[Nancy Nally (ScrapNancy)]

Teri, this is beautifully said and a wonderful reminder of the need for establishing priorities and then acting upon them.

[Catherine]

This post was so right on for me right now. After spending the last 2 months it feels like doing only pages for calls (BH sketch & ss Schemes were 2 big ones) I feel totally burnt out on scrapping. I have spent the last few weeks shopping for supplies trying to get motivated but I just bring them home and look at them. I worked so hard and then the calls went out and while I got 1 page picked up I had done so many it just felt like, what was that all for. I like the pages mostly but more pages than I like were geared for the calls so much that they are outside of my style to much. Thank you for putting out what I was feeling into words. I need to get back to my love of scrapping.

[Cherie]

Wow! Thanks for the reminders! Very well written and it has given me much to think about!

[Doris]

very well said. thanks. :) Doris

[Shannon]

Hmm... yup, I believe I know exactly the page you're referring to, although I haven't seen it yet.. ;) ..wanna hear something funny? When I finally really dived (dove?) into sb'ing, it was with the intent of getting published. I hate saying that because it seems so..um..contradictory of the whole concept behind sb'ing.. :p ..but I love creating stuff, and I've always wanted to channel that creativity into a career. Even so, the one thing I'm afraid of is that I'll turn it into "work". I love eating chocolate, but if I did it every single day without fail for the rest of my life, eventually I'd come to hate it (perish the thought!).. ;) ..anyway, your post is pretty well spot-on.. :-)

[Denise]

Love your perspective on this, Teri! Can I guess which layout you're talking about? Was it one for a CK cover? I just remember it was beautiful, but it surprised me because I am used to seeing such different pages from you. You do beautiful work.

[Heidi Z]

Truly awesome! It is true of what you say...I love getting the call...It is a challenge, it is fun, in fact, I think it is more fun than seeing the page in the magazine in a kinda sorta way!

I didn't get a call for HOF or for PKPT, and sure I know how some people feel - being bummed out and all, but what I have learned is...pick yourself up right away and do NOT let it get you down, because if you do...then you are only hurting yourself! Get that thick skin and scrap what you like!

I keep hearing over and over again "your work is stunning Heidi, your work is great, you need to submit this...(etc)" and I do, I have, but Teri, you are right! What makes me the happiest is when my kids look at their page! I watch their eyes bright up! They get so excited!

Okay, I need to rephrase that...my 3 kids do NOT get excited! Only my daughter! She gets all giddy and giggly! It is so cute! My boys??? Their reaction is always the same..."You aren't gonna submit THAT one are you Mom??? That would be really embarrasing!!!"

Great article sis!

[heidi - again...]

I wanna guess the page....

BBBWWWAAAWWW!!! I know, I know...that wouldn't be fair because I KNOW which page "we" are talking about!!! :)

[Shelley R.]

You know you are so right on with your post Teri! And having won HOF this year I know what you are talking about. It is the fear that "OMGod I may not be what they are looking for tomorrow". Because my style is more eclectic and yes I have changed my style over the past year.. but more because I feel it change out of loving the new looks I see, influence of styles. But then my style changes in my clothes and home decor. So a little change is fine. But I don't feel good about doing a "style" that is completely removed from mine... and ultimately can not do it. My style is still me.. I can see it and I can't do "clean" to save my life. So I will enjoy this year as an HOF... but will try not to fret when my style and pages are not what they want any longer. Because as you said... I try to always remember why I began this hobby... and it wasn't to get published!

Shelley

[Melissa]

Well put, Teri. I have had to step back a bit and refocus on really *why* I scrap. I will always enjoy the thrill of seeing my work published, but I CANNOT let that determine what and how I scrap.

[Sharyn (Torm)]

Thank you! So wonderfully put!!!!!

[Sue (suetrav)]

Teri, you are so, so right!! Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the craziness of things and forget the real reason we scrap. I too have been swept up in SS Schems and PKPT madness and had absolutely no creative energy left after those two.

I am saving this for future reference!!!

PS - thanks so much for commenting on my blog :) You made my day!!

[Becky]

Couldn't agree with you more! I just recently was feeling a little disillusioned, so I took my pile of Christmas photos and scrapped them, just for my family...no intention of submitting. I think it worked to get me back on track and in the right frame of mind. Reading your entry just confirmed what I was feeling, thanks.

[courtney walsh]

I devoured this whole thing, Teri - I needed that right now. (Did you know that somehow??) - Divine connection, maybe! LOL :) You are awesome. And I think it's hilarious that your dog's name is Toby Mac. :)

Courtney

[Elizabeth]

Here, here, Teri!

I am a PROCESS scrapper. I love the DOING of it. So how I do it changes because I love to keep that fresh for me, to enjoy making each page. I hate to admit that I don't keep up with the trends. I'm not sure what the mags are even looking for right now. HoF is a huge huge honor! And I feel so validated by it. But now, validation isn't my main goal. Doing it, doing it and making ME happy is my new goal. In the end, process or product scrapper, you have to make yourself happy! -E

[Amy]

I agree with everything you've said. And this is what I've been going thru the past week or so. I created SO many pages for ST Vacation call, and let myself become overconfident I would get a call. I made 2 BH sketches, 1 SS, and 2 pet pages for the PK call. And in all those pages I suddenly made because that's what the mags were looking for, none of them were picked up. The realization of the quadruple-reject by last Friday evening was very disheartening. Almost devastating. I've had over 30 pages published in the past with some smaller publications, and I don't think any of them were made specifically for any one call. My heart wasn't in the pages I was making because it wasn't what *I* wanted to scrap at the moment. Sure I enjoyed making them, I enjoyed catching up on my vacation album and I covered a lot of ground, but there was a certain something missing in them. I missing the thrill of making a page because I *really* wanted to make that page then. So last weekend I decided to make pages for myself. No pressure. I scrapped about Easter, quirky personality traits, school, and being a mom. And I think that they turned out fantastic. It was almost as though the rejection of those calls had made me turn out some great pages. And the ironic thing? I only uploaded and submitted one of those. The other 3 I'm hanging onto. I might submit them in the future, or I might hold them for MMM. So it's almost like my own little secret I'm holding by holding those out from submitting. I'm going back to scrapping for me and my family. If something fits a call, I'll probably submit it. But no more making something specifically for a call. At least for a while.

[Kim]

Three (hundred) cheers for YOU!!! I have been preaching this for YEARS to all of my friends who are so consumed by allowing their art be defined by "publication." Blech! I love what I do and I do what I love! If/When it gets to the point that that EVER changes, even in the smallest way, I will not do it any longer.

I love this craft. I love it for the way it feels and looks and smells when my hands are inky and sticky and paint-covered. I love the way I can pattern just the perfect masterpiece to showcase the spirit or mood I have been lucky enough to capture through the lens. I love that what I create is mine - all mine - and just for MY benefit. I love the creative release I find in my craft. I love it ALL and refuse to let someone else define it's perfection to me.

Your words are brilliant and timely! A reality check for the masses and I applaud you for your sage advice!

Brava, Teri!

[Rhonna]

OHHH, SOOO TRUE, MY FRIEND..LOVE THIS POST!

[Susan]

Oh maaaan, was it the CK cover?! Oh well, I loved it anyway. ;-) I had a professor in college who said the quickest way to hate your hobby is to turn it into a profession. Isn't that sad? Shouldn't we all be allowed to make money doing what we love to do? I think of him, though, every time I dare to dream of trying to turn this scrappin' thing into a job. :-(