Interesting perspective

Hi all,

I went to my first scrapbooking class last weekend. It just sounded fun. We created an 8x8 album with 10 pages, All about Me. It was the new SEI albums. LOVE them! Anyway, I found it very interesting that the other 10 ladies in the class wanted to copy the instructor's book EXACTLY! She went step by step as to how to set up each page (no pics, just setting up the pages). The woman next to me even pointed out to me several times that I was "doing it wrong" because I did things my own way.

That got me to thinking, I think I approach things very differently than a lot of people. I never sketch a lo, I never see someone's lo and say wow I want to recreate something like that. I don't look at scrapbook magazines and get ideas for lo's.

I like to look at techniques. I'm interested in the how's, the short cuts, new materials.

When I do a lo, I select the pictures for the page and it just goes from there.

I spoke to a few scrapbook store owners and they said it seemed to be very common with scrapbooking for people to scraplift ideas or get lo ideas from magazines and each other all the time. They sell form templates to make creating the pages easier.

I just find this all to be interesting how everyone approaches their scrapbooking in their own way.

Just thought I'd share my mental ramblings.

I have definitely "scraplifted" before, but my layouts are never totally identical to the one I got my idea from. I don't think there is a right or wrong way to do things either.

Lisa

That tends to happen in classes. One of the things I like about the classes that I go to is that the instructors are fine with me doing my own version of whatever technique she's teaching.

Well, I definitely like the sketches and getting ideas from other places. But I would never tell someone they were doing it wrong!

And I like to make my own sketches too. Helps the analytical side of me to be more creative.

I'm another "start w/the pictures/items and go from there." I love to look in the gallery to get new ideas for materials, embellishments, techniques, etc. But I have no interest in copying a lo. I know some people scraplift, and that's fine--it's just not the way I enjoy scrapping.

I scraplift and create my own! It was a little wrong that the lady told you that you were making it wrong. Scrapbooking is an art form to me and each person makes it there own whether they lift or not. You can't be wrong cause it is your own work!

Wendy

I have scraplifted and have created from scratch. Both work for me. I have noticed though that even when I scraplift, the lo does not look the same as the one I am lifting. Most of the time I use totally different colors so it changes the look completely. I look through all the magazines for ideas, and may use them or not. I sometimes will even use three or four ideas from various layouts. It all depends. I don't work off of sketches much though. Most of the time, if I do get an idea...I'll jot it down as a sketch, but haven't worked off of a real sketch yet.

There is no right or wrong in my opinion.

I've never scraplift, but I do want to try to see what happens. (Becky Higgins or something) I do it just how you said. Pick out photos and try new techniques and products. Most of the time I end up pretty satisfied and I learn something new. I enjoy seeing different peoples interpritations of layouts.

I love scraplifting. Not re-creating a layout exactly, but using ideas from other people's work. I like it b/c it gets me to try new things and think of different ways to put a page together or whatever. I find that when I'm stuck for ideas if I use someone else's LO for inspiration I can almost always get going again.

But I really can't imagine telling someone she was doing it wrong LOL. Maybe she was assuming that you had the same goal as she did-- to recreate the instructor's album.

Yep - I think it's pretty cool that everyone finds what makes them happy and what works for them in this hobby. I was in a class once - sitting very close up front - and I really wanted to change what the teacher was showing on my own layout. So, I asked her - "do you mind if I do this a little different . . ." and she was psyched and didn't mind at all.

None of my friends scrap the way I do. They just don't get the way I do it and that's ok with me. I do what makes me happy and I'm so happy for them, that they are doing what makes them happy, too.

I love doing things 'my own way' and although I have scraplifted once or twice it was only ideas and not the layouts itself.

There is definately no right or wrong way to scrap - half the fun of scrapping is to show your individuality!

I love to look at others works/mags for color combos, techniques, thematic ideas but have never and probably will never copy a lo exactly.

My mum is a kindergarten teacher and she used to hate it when she saw other teachers telling children that they 'had' to cut out a particular shape and they 'had' to stick it in a particular place and 'had' to colour using a particular colour ... you get the idea. Mum always let the kids (4 year olds after all!) do real creative craft at kindergarten. I've always been that way in my craft too ... I never use patterns for sewing and I don't scraplift (although I can get inspiration from layouts and sketches) and I never follow recipes to the letter. I've found though that not everyone is like that and that's ok too ... for people who don't call themselves 'creative' or who are just learning to be creative then I think it's good for them to scraplift and get a good page as a result ... it will encourage them to keep going!

I always get weird looks in classes too. I take what the instructor shows us and try to put my own little spin on it. I also scraplift all the time. They never come out exactly. I usually like what I do so I'm fine with the dirty looks.

I also find it strange that the ladies have to have everything perfect (lines straight, stamp fully inked) or they whine and complain about what a bad job they are doing. Isn't scrapping supposed to be relaxing and fun?