The scrapping experience

So off I went to Scrapbookland over the weekend. I thought it might be a little difficult, because the first album I was going to work on was the half-done book of my last trip with Christopher. But it wasn't tough at all. It was remarkably simple, and quite matter-of-fact, like turning the final page of one book, eager to get on with the next. Awesome.

And on to the EIU book. Before going to the hotel where the weekend was to take place, I stopped by my dad's house, and my sister Jenn was there. We all talked about the scrapbooking, and what I was working on, and Jenn says I have to go to her house to look through the letters I sent to here while I was at school. Holy crap, I was funny! Those letters will definitely get integrated into the album.

The album itself is a total labor of love. Most of the pictures are from my last semester, although I have none from spring break. But the memories absolutely crack me up on every page. I'm probably only a third of the way done, because there are a lot of photos of graduation, but that's okay. I'm taking it slowly, enjoying the process, and just really having a blast.

As the weekend was drawing to a close, a woman I had just met on Friday night held up a few sheets of scrapbook paper and asked me if I would use them. They had words all over them, phrases about joy and loving life and stuff like that. "It reminded me of you," she said, "so if you'll use it, I'd like you to have it."

Wow. I made that kind of impression in just two days? That's pretty amazing. Made me feel pretty good, that someone I hardly know thinks of me as someone who loves life.

So I returned home with renewed energy for working on my albums. I love my photographs so much, it would be a shame to let them sit in a box, waiting for someday. I'll be carving out a space at Chez Mags to serve as my craft spot. And why not? I deserve a space to do the things I love.