Why Do You Scrap?

[okblues]

Since I have been digi-scrapping, I've often wondered what motivates each of us to scrap. Chime in and share your reasons with us.

I have a couple of reasons why I scrap. One reason is the huge box of photos passed on to me by my mother. Most of them are damaged in some manner, few are in albums and even fewer are marked with dates or other important info. There are photos of family members that I don't even know and probably will never track down.

The most important motivation for me is to create a memory for my children and hopefully grandchildren later. Our children are adopted. Prior to our home, they spent almost 3 years in foster care. When they came to live with us, the foster mother gave me the one and only picture that they had, the one you see in my avatar. This explains why you won't see any really cute baby photos in my gallery. I'll have to wait for grandbabies to scrap those. I realize I can't make up for those years of lost memories. I can however make sure I preserve the remainder of their childhood memories in the best possible way.

So, I don't scrap for recognition, or to get published, (although praise is nice). It doesn't matter to me if my layouts look "right", or if I'm following the latest trend. I am scrapping from the heart, for my family.

Now let's hear your reasons.

[steph]

I scrap for a few reasons too. First, it is an outlet for me. When I'm having a really down day, scrapbooking happy memories is a real pick me up. Secondly, I scrap to keep those happy memories tucked away some where safe, which is a scrapbook. I want to try to remember all the neat, funny, and even sad things my son has done, and scrapbooking is the perfect way to do it. Finally, I scrapbook because, simply, it is a very attractive way to display my photos. I love how my pictures look in scrapbook pages. So that is why I scrapbook.

Great question, Alice... it made me think!!!

Steph

[Debra]

My wonderful Grandmother passed away a year ago in October. She died in her sleep quietly and my mother was by her side. She had been diagnosed with Alzhiemers approximately 10 years earlier and as she deteriorated she lost her ability to speak and among many other faculties, she lost memory of who her family was, who I was... and most devastating to me... who her children were.

But her life was not about the tragedy of her final years. See, my Grandmother didn't have friends, she didn't run around with a ladies group or have lunches out with the girls... My Grandmother's Life was her family. Her parents had 10 children and when my Grandmother was young they put her in an orphanage which is where she grew up. I often wonder if that's why her family seemed the only thing that mattered to her. And she was funny! She laughed and was playful most of the time. She loved to dance and was a fabulous dancer at everyone's weddings! And if you moved.. there'd she'd be.. coming in with new kitchen dish towels and spatulas and helping you get yourself set up.

Anyways, whew, guess I got a little carried away. My childred know her... They have some memories of their Great-Grandmother. But as my kids have grown, it her last 10 years that they have most forefront in thier minds. And that's not what I want them to remember most about her. Or any of the rest of our wonderful and precious family. I scrap to preserve our lives for them and for our future generations... In some ways in an outlet to express feelings I have for them that are hard to convey or roll right off of them in passing.

Most of all, I want my family to remember us and from where they came.

[okblues]

Steph, a lot of great reasons. And you are so right about it being a pick me up. I'm almost as bad as the kids about liking to look through the pictures.

Debra, So sorry about your loss of your grandmother. It sounds like she was a wonderful lady & it is a shame she had to suffer with Alzhiemers.

Thanks for taking the time to answer ladies.

[CrayonQueen]

this is a great question Alice. I basically scrap to preserve memories. My children are still pretty young, (6,4,2) and yet when I find my self looking through their baby pictures, I constantly find myself saying "Oh yeah, I forgot that they used to do that".....I don't want to forget that, and I want my children to be able to look back and see themselves as they were when they where younger. I also want to preserve memories with other family members and friends as well.

[twirlyjoy]

I also scrap for a number of reasons. My Mum died 4 years ago, aged 54, from a very rare type of cancer, so my girls only knew her for a very short amount of time, but they certainly crammed a lot of good memories into that short space of time. I scrap for them to be able to remember those memories forever. Losing my Mum also reminded me how important our memories are, and also how short life can be and that the memories we make are very important - I want my girls to remember their childhoods and to help them to share their memories with their children too.

[steph]

What a wonderful reason to scrap, Joy! The importance of memories seem to be a common thread in all these posts, and I truly believe it is the reason we all scrap!!! I think it is a truly beautiful hobby, and I, for one, I'm proud to be a scrapbooker!!!

Steph

[Debra]

Originally Posted by twirlyjoy

I also scrap for a number of reasons. My Mum died 4 years ago, aged 54, from a very rare type of cancer, so my girls only knew her for a very short amount of time, but they certainly crammed a lot of good memories into that short space of time. I scrap for them to be able to remember those memories forever. Losing my Mum also reminded me how important our memories are, and also how short life can be and that the memories we make are very important - I want my girls to remember their childhoods and to help them to share their memories with their children too.

Thanks for saying what I was trying to say without being so long winded...!

[okblues]

Joy, so sorry to hear of your loss. I lost my Mom in 1994, she was 58. Unfortunately, she never had the opportunity to love our children or them her. I am working on an album for my 2 nephews so they will have memories preserved of their limited time with their granny.

You're right Steph, it seems like we share a lot in common. And like Patty, I also want to be able to remember all those little things that over time seem to get pushed to the recesses of our busy minds.

Thanks all of you for sharing so openly! Another reason why I love this hobby, the great, caring people I meet!

[Xaria]

For me it is a creative outlet. I have never been too creative, too much of a perfectionist I suppose. Digital Scrapbooking is perfect for me.

At the moment I am scrapping some of my grandmothers photos for Christmas, which is why I have flooded the gallery today, my mother is on dial up and it is easier for her to see my pages online than to try and download them.

All finished with that project though so I am sure I will find another project soon :)