Keeper of the Scrapbook

Google Trends Continue Downward for Scrapbooking

I just read that Google searches for "scrapbook/scrapbooking" are down. You can read the full blog article at Scrapbook Update. This is something I've been thinking about and discussing with my scrapbooking friends. So here is my question have those of us who enjoy scrapbooking as an art as well as a hobby created a vision of scrapbooking that is too hard to live up to? In other words, have we made the simple concept of sharing pictures/stories so overwhelming to the general public that they simply gave up?? Could another possible reason for the downward trend be the sheer volume of tools and stuff that major retailers and magazines suggest is required for scrapbooking? I enjoy scrapbooking as a means to record my family history and as a creative outlet. It makes me sad to see the industry struggling so much. 

So what's the answer? I think Stacy Julian has taken a step in the right direction with her Photo Album scrapbooking concept. Stacy's point is that in this digital age we have entirely too many pictures to actually scrapbook in the traditional sense. So what is Photo Album scrapbooking? It's simple really. Just use any type of photo safe photo album and  insert your pictures but leave a couple of slots blank and add journaling or decorations. You have now completed a photo album scrapbook! What are the benefits of this type of scrapbooking?? First - you have a finished album of pictures to share with your family. Second - since you have an album with some of your pictures in it you are now free to make a page or two about your favorite pictures from the photo album scrapbook. Finally, you can let go of the guilt of too many pictures to scrapbook in a lifetime. Want to read more about Stacy Julian's photo album scrapbooking? Check out her blog Altogether Too Happy or visit the Big Picture Scrapbooking classroom.

I would love to hear what you think about the future of scrapbooking.

Marcie

3 layouts in 3 days!

Come join in the fun at Jessica Sprague's website! We're doing 7 layouts in 7 days! I've completed the first 3 and it feels good to be creating again! On my 3rd layout I used a new technique that I learned for creating torn edges.

Come join us!
Marcie

Here are my layouts for the challenges...
1st challenge - use the template (Supplies: Template by LivEDesigns, Paper by Anna Aspnes - FloraArt

2nd Challenge - follow Jessica's Photoshop Friday tutorial (supplies used: Papers by LivEDesigns, Clock brush by CGibbons)

3rd Challenge - Make a layout about something special to use that is a "thing" and not a person. (Supplies used: Papers by M.Terasawa EverdayInspiration 21Dec08, KPertiet Bracket Paper, KPertiet - Fastner)

free_high_res_texture_126

free_high_res_texture_126, originally uploaded by calebkimbrough.

It's Free Texture Tuesday at BittBox! Check out this amazing Experimental Grunge texture by Caleb Kimbrough. Here's a link to the original post. http://www.bittbox.com/freebies/free-texture-tuesday-experimental-grunge/

Why do you take pictures?

This morning I read an interesting blog post by Seth Godin about why we take pictures.
"Kodak created a billion dollar industry by giving people a tool to feed their nostalgia. We don't take pictures because we want to know what we're seeing now... we already know that. We take pictures because it makes us feel good to know that years later, when nostalgia for that moment comes around, we'll be ready." You can read the full post here.

After reading the article I realized that he captured the essence of why I scrapbook and why I take pictures. I do these things in order to create a visual history of our family.

I recently took an online photoshop class with a CreativeTechs and it was amazing. Jason and Craig did a fantastic job teaching and leading the class and I highly recommend the class if you want to learn photoshop. In addition to the photshop class I am participated in the Retouch Tuesday classes. I submitted a picture of me with my younger siblings from 1964 that was badly in need of a restoration. In about 40 minutes Jason took my original digital image from distressed to restoration. I love the way it turned out. I wanted to restore the damage but keep the look of a 1960's picture and I think Jason accomplished that.

Have a safe and fun Memorial day weekend!

Marcie

Here's a copy of the original and the restored version.