How it all started...

Fun in Sun [August 2003]

It was four years ago, I was a new mom with a seven-month old, a ton of pictures stuffed in a box with an unused baby book, and a bad-mommy guilt complex the size of hippo. I knew the baby book was inadequate. I wanted something that I could customize. I had seen snippets of scrapbooking around, but didn't really know what it was about or how to go about it. A friend at work invited me to a class at local scrapbook store. (Yes, I do hold Lisa O. totally responsible for my scrapbooking affliction.) In the class we made a Christmas mini-album. It was a good time; we used four types of paper, a little ribbon, buttons, and stickers. I got a terrific overview of the basics and ended up buying quite a bit before I left the store. It was an awesome store, by the way. I had never seen so much fun paper and doo-dads. There were trays and trays of embellishments for sale individually. I loved that! I didn't have to buy a package of 25 pink baby footprint brads. Over the next couple of months I bought loads of stuff to put together my daughter's first year babybook. I signed up for many Friday night crop sessions and committed myself to trying a new technique or tool each month. By the time my baby Olivia turned 1, I was putting the finishing touches on the last pages of her book. No kidding! It was done one month after her birthday, everything from ultrasound pictures to her birthday party. I was hooked on scrapbooking and there was no turning back. I'm totally in. Now, a few years later, I'm still spending too much money and too much time with no regrets.

A few of my favorites from Olivia's first scrapbook.





Is That My Cracker [January 2004]

Easter Morning [April 11, 2004]