cant help but feel like this is an end of an era

Posted byTara 46 Comments on cant help but feel like this is an end of an era

i have failed miserably as the guest designer for SIStv this month.
failed.
miserably.

it has nothing whatsoever to do with ashley’s amazing collection. hand drawn designs and funky finds. but entirely to do with the fact that i am just not that into scrapbooking anymore. and its painful to attempt. and i have ended up hating it, and everything i create.

which is so unfair to ashley, who has always been funny and sweet to me. i wanted to give back to her by doing this. and i feel terrible that i havent been able to pull it off.

this is the one measly layout i pulled out of my head. look beyond the pathetic attempt at the super cool stuff used to make it. that date stamp paper is my favorite thing ever right now! and her label stickers have phrases that feel like home to me. i used the orange chopstick to break the page up and for the title. adhered with a line of glue.

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my love for the stuff hasnt waned. i love this stuff!!! its the love for doing it that is the problem.

and just to help make it up to her, a public proclamation of my love: I LOVE YOU MISSUS ASHLEY WREN! BURNER OF COOKIES AND LOVER OF RAINBOWS! (forgive me?)

46 replies on “cant help but feel like this is an end of an era”

  1. Oh Tara, I went through that phase…where I bought and bought and bought and it sat and sat and sat. Then about a year later, I picked it up again and if I do one book and don’t scrap for another year, that’s fine with me.
    Don’t stress yourself out. You make memories your own beautiful way.

  2. I’m in the SAME boat. I think, for me anyway, is that I’m burned out on photos. I take so many for other families that the LAST thing I want to do in my spare time is work with my own photos and SCRAP them.
    Oh well, my joy is now creating amazing photos for other people. And raising my three kids. I’ll come back to this hobby, I know it!

  3. I hate that feeling when I hate what I make!
    If you are not ready to forget about scrapbooking, try taking a class…….that always gives me new ideas to try or just a refreshed excitment for the hobby!
    I think your LO is cute…….I like the date stamp idea!

  4. Wow, I am with you. Right now I am packing my stuff to give to friends who want to scrapbook. I loved it for five years, but I am spread too thin among too many things. I understand about loving the things. But what good is a thousand sheets of beautiful paper going to do me? I think I’ll use it to make some covers for paper books for the kids.
    Your layout is great, by the way!

  5. well i just love the layout anyway!!! and the photos of kenna are so CUTE! hey, did you ever post photos of your new scrap area? i thought being in the new “pad” would inspire you to scrap!!! i HOPE You love it again sooN!!!!!!!!!!!! cause i miss your yummy layouts!
    tara

  6. Exactly when did the love die?. Was it sudden or gradual? Because I haven’t been feeling it for a long time now either. I don’t have a particular reason, because I still love to shop for stuff, but it is painful to make something!!

  8. yes, yes, yes. I feel your pain. I have been there for a while. I will squeek out a page here and there and CRINGE at it. I can’t find the love i used to have. I think all my creative energy is going to photography and there is none left for Scrapping. I don’t know. I even stopped shopping for a year in attempt to use what i had, and I just did nothing. I feel so silly cause I have this huge scrap studio and I dont’ use it. It is all set up and full to the brim and I do what…NOTHING! I am starting to get back into it. I found that scrapping with pals helps. It makes it more social. ANd if I get one page done…atleast I did something. Maybe you will find your mojo again one day. :)

  12. YOUR SCRAPPIN IS AWESOME I HOPE YOU DONT STOP FOREVER. YOUR HOUSE IS AWESOME TOO I LOVE THE WAY YOU DECORATE PLEASE SHOW SOME MORE PICTURES WITH GLIMPES OF THE HOUSE ITS SO INSPIRING AND MAKES ME WANT BLACK CABINETS AND A BEDROOM JUST LIKE YOURS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOUR LIVING ROOM, SCRAP SPACE, AND THE REST OF YOUR BEDROOM. I JUST KNOW THE REST IS BEAUTIFUL JUST LIKE THE KITCHEN!

  13. Hang in there…it will come back…I have been in a slump for a long time – I felt guilty scrapbooking until I got the house cleaned, laundry done, etc because I am a stay at home mom and work from home as a Graphic Designer. It doesn’t help my hobby and job are similar – can make you get burned out. It’s starting to come back….just relax, create something small like a mini album. That’s what got me going – making gifts for others – small things I could do quickly – to feel like I got something done since I have that typical “I feel behind” on my scrapbooks feeling. I like your page – the chopstick is a neat idea!

  14. Not to belittle scrapbooking, which is in fact artsy, cool, chic, hip, whatever, but do you ever feel like your photos need to be displayed in a more sophisticated way? The better I get at photography, the less I feel like scrapbooking…and I am totally fine with that! I haven’t continued to shop for supplies, I’m relieved I never built a scrapbook room into my home, and I refuse to be frustrated. I have files and files of good, quality photos on my computer and cds. If I want to scrapbook them sometime, hey, I’m going to do it. If I don’t want to, which is the case right now, I’m going to find my joy in the photos I take. I’m spending my money not on supplies I won’t use but, rather, on cool ways to display my photos in my home, ways that do not involve me scrapbooking.

  15. Hey..don’t sweat it! I bought tons of sb supplies, albums, etc. & even signed up to sell them. But, I am in love with photography not scrapping :). Enjoy life in your non SBing way. If it comes to you later, heck you’ll have awesome pics in awesome layouts!
    Smile.

  16. It is good to know that I’m not alone….
    I too love to buy it but not so much on the doing it….feel bad that my daughter’s book stops at two mouths old & she is eight…I like the photos on your page…

  17. oh t, don’t be so hard on yourself! this layout is a perfect reflection of your precious girl – focus on the photos – that is what counts after all. your photography is what evokes brilliance right now. that is your true love. take a break and come back to it. HUGE hugs and hope to see you at cha again soon, rach

  20. Preaching to the choir here, too. Since I started my little photography biz, I too have been so turned off on scrapping. I have so much $ invested in scrap supplies that the guilt is building. Finally I just finished a mini book from our Disney trip last year (we are leaving in 4 days for this year’s trip to Disney and I promised myself I would get last year’s done first). I am really happy with the way it turned out but it was HARD getting motivated to do it. It helps also that I am now BIG into scraplifting from my fav designers. I’m not trying to get published anymore and I figure no one is gonna care that I copied an Ali Edwards layout to finish a page. In fact, a great deal of the disney mini book is lifted directly from Ali’s travel book. (its’ the KOTM from Lisa B). If you want to see it it’s on my blog at http://www.bsquaredphotography.typepad.com
    Your photography is so awesome. I hope to be like you when I “grow up” (yeah, nevermind that I;m 38). sorry this post was so long…it just struck a cord with me.
    beth

  21. Tara, sounds like maybe you should try digital scrapbooking! I started out paper scrapping and loved it, but then I found digital scrapbooking, and now I can’t go back to paper. If I try to paper scrap, I get frustrated because there’s no “undo key”. And it annoys me when I can’t find the color of paper that I need. With digital, I just click my eyedropper on my photo and get the exact color I need for my layout. Something to think about!

  22. I am the SAME way. I took a year off of scrapbooking and just this last month went and bought a bunch of new stuff and then blah…hating it. The stuff is cute, but there’s zero motivation.
    I’m all about photobooks now. Super easy.

  23. I think your layout is awesome. It provided inspiration for me. As I’m sure it did for others. I think we all have a love hate relationship with scrapbooking. Sometimes we feel it and sometimes we don’t. But we’re always in the mood for buying. :) No worries.

  24. I’m feeling the same way about my paper scrapping. I have no more creativity. I can only scraplift. On the other hand, I’m really starting to rock with digital scrapbooking. I’ve even learning how to design elements. Maybe you should give digi a try.

  26. Hi
    give yourself a break, its just paper and tape,, but oh so pretty… my precious (Think Lord of the Rings voice) sorry am a bit psycho today my DD first day of school….
    my creativity often when i push it is not to be found…
    hope you feel better
    Deb

  29. The fact that you shared your heart so honestly counts for something. The fact that you love and PRAISE the fun-loving, too-cool Ashley Wren is another. SO, as far as I see it…You’re forgiven. =)
    Now. Don’t lose sleep over it. And who knows…you just may feel like you want to ‘scrap’ about all this. You’re too talented and down-to-earth not to love. xoxo

  30. A few things:
    1.) You are waaay too hard on yourself.
    2.) I tried to scrap. I really did. I loved looking at what others did, but I could not do it.
    3.) I took Renee Pearson’s digital class. Loved that! If I were going to scrap, I’d be digital. Totally. But that’s not what I want do with my photos or stories, either.
    4.) The more my photo biz grows, the less desire I have to scrap anything. Don’t know why, but that’s just the way it is.
    5.) Lately, I like my thoughts in a journal and my images on the wall. But that’s just how I roll.
    6.) To everything there is a season…

  31. I stopped scrapping for two years, I have always had a simple approach and have only the last two months got back into it.and even still it’s only here and there when mood strikes me. Totally know where you are coming from. My photography gives me more joy, just sad I can’t do anything with it right now.

  33. chin up, girl..who couldn’t forgive ya after a post like that? And I will tell you that your mini book from about 1-2 years ago with paint and fabric tabs is one of my ALL TIME faves.
    so go easy on yourself…goin to ck out that kit…
    xoxo

  34. I think what Leah said is right on. I have been like this now for probably a year. I started a layout about 3 weeks ago and it’s sitting here – a photo stuck to some paper and that’s it. No words, no accents, no nothing. I just don’t feel anything any more.
    I think for me it’s been art school – I am learning so many new things and developing new skills…it feels like there is no satisfaction in the art of scrapbooking anymore. That sucks when there are so many great products around, but I have had to be realistic. My scrap supplies are now minimal and I am not buying more.
    I blogged about this recently too:
    http://kassjane.typepad.com/kassjaneart/2008/01/no-longer-a-scr.html
    Be happy being you – scrapbooker or otherwise. We love you either way :)

  35. Tara,
    You are so inspiring in so many ways. Just because you don’t have the scrapbooking thrill right now, doesn’t mean you were a failure to your friend. It’s because of you that I checked out the paper at SISTV. So you were helpful! Give yourself some slack, and remember the things you are inspiring all the time…it’s because of you that I have been trying all kinds of different ways to take pictures of my family! So “Thank you” for that.

  36. (hugs) i’m so over it. i don’t want to be. i tried to not be even. but i am. i love the stuff, but even my needyness of checking peas & the vendor’s sites for the ‘latest greatest’ has left me altogether.
    i decided not to fight it. it sort-of sucks that about the time my scraproom was just like i wanted it…(potterbarn project table, organization to the hilt…supplies and goodies to my eyeballs)…i haven’t touched a layout in almost 2 years.
    i’m having a blast taking & tweeking pics and keeping a couple journals and flickring :o)
    i’ve decided it will all be here when i need it…sometime in the distant future, when dh & i are empty nesting & i need something to fill the gap.
    enjoy what you enjoy & don’t guilt yourself!

  37. I feel your pain…I think that my photography has consumed me. I know I have scrapbooking to thank for that. I began my journey just wanting to doccumnet like many others, then realizing that the photos were most important. I have struggled with my lack of scrapping but the more I stress the harder it was for me. I just decided to scrap when I feel like it and if that is every 3-4 months so be it. I certainly hope you will still share layouts because I have always admired your tallent in both photography and scrapbooking. Scrapbooking or not, your family will be blessed with amazing photos of their life form the most wonderful photographer…YOU.

  38. I saw an interview with Annie Lennox a long time ago and when asked about reuniting with the Eurythmics she responded…”just because something was great once does not mean it should be revisited.” I agree. Maybe you’ll return to scrapbooking, maybe you won’t. Who knows, who cares. It was great once. I wish that I could say that about more things in my life. Stop kicking yourself. Now is the time to do something else that might just turn out to be…the greatest thing ever.

  41. I don’t know what else to say that hasn’t been said before me. But I feel ya. “I got nothin'” right now and that’s OK. If I never have anything again (scrapbook related) that will be OK too. You have talent galore (and that includes all the hats you wear as mom and wife and daughter and photog and artist and accountant and chauffeur and yadda yadda) and that is A LOT. Even for us superwomen (and we’re ALL superwomen!)

  42. I, too love the layout. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everyone has creative dry spells of some sort or another. You’ll find your scrapbooking mojo again or something else creatively rewarding to take it’s place. As always, I find you very inspiring-especially your home decor projects. Love the chalkboard paint on your kitchen cabinets-wouldn’t work for us, but love it in your house. But I did order Pottery Barn shelves and did a photo collage in our family room. A friend of mine is a budding photog and blessed us w/ some photos recently-Very California. Hang in!

  44. Tara~
    I sometimes feel the same way. I still want the stories to be told. I just feel like I am spending my creativity on the photos and my house right now. And when I scrapbook, I want simpler.
    May I ask…how do you have your beautiful photos of your beautiful kids organized (the ones you don’t scrap)? Are they in photo boxes, photo albums…how do you do it?

  46. I know this is MONTHS later….but I have been playing blog catch up on many blogs.
    I also have lost my scrapping mojo, yet I still go to the scrapbook isle in the craft stores when I am there. I still also love the “stuff”, but I haven’t made a single scrapbook page in over 1-1/2 years. I’ve made a few cards with some scrapbook supplies, but that’s it. Mine started when I started working 2 jobs 2 years ago, I just couldn’t keep up with all the challenges I wanted to do and this and that, then I had to get a second job to take care of the financial belt tightening, and then I just didn’t have time, and from there, I just have felt burned out, and when I try to create something, I just dont like it to even bother getting started, or I just feel like its all the same when I try to put things together. Even challenges dont seem to get my mojo going as much as I hoped. I hope that taking a break will do me good and that I can get back into it….as many pics as I take I hope there’s something to it. I was even more disheartened when a lot of the layouts I had completed about 3-4 years ago are now starting to fall apart! A sign of my tight budget where I couldn’t use as great of adhesive since I just didn’t have the money to put into it, its made me even more NOT want to do anything new just to have to re-do them again later. I hope to get my mojo going as right now I have no creative outlets at all and I’m needing something to outlet….
    at least you can take beautiful pics, and even without the scrapbook pages you used to do that I always loved seeing, at least you have the beautiful pics that you take!

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