The Constant Scrapper

If I'm not scrapbooking I'm thinking about scrapbooking!

Janice Daquila-Pardo

Stash strategy

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I have realized that most of the time when I buy new scrapbook supplies I hold on to them for a long while until it feels like the “right time” to use them. I bring them home from the store and stare at them for a while, absorbing their colors and design and envisioning using them to create a glorious layout … someday. Someday, not today. And usually not next week or next month, either.

After I let them sit out in my craft room for a time and inspire me to dream of future artistic achievements, I dutifully file them away in their proper place in my organization system. Then I turn to my stash and pull out some older (and often less expensive) paper to use on my next layout.

What am I doing? It’s as if these pieces of paper need to mature like a bottle of young wine! Why can’t I just enjoy using these brand new supplies while they’re still brand new?

I’ve been thinking about the psychology of this for a little while, and what I’ve decided is that for me it’s about perceived value. I place a higher value on new supplies because they’ve just come out so they are “on trend” and being oohed and ahhed in online discussions.  So, because they seem more valuable to me when they’re new, I feel more intimidated by using them.

Now, there are two situations in which I will pull out my newer, cooler supplies to use earlier than my usual strategy dictates. 1. When I want to enter an online contest. 2. When I plan to scrap a photo that is more special than the everyday snapshot (vintage photos, for instance). I guess the value of those scenarios is in balance with my perceived value of the supplies. Kind of crazy, right?

Or are you just like me in this regard? Do you hold on to the cool stuff, thinking that your everyday photos don’t deserve them? Do you wait for the paper you purchased in 2009 to “mature” a bit so that when you pull it out in 2010 it doesn’t feel so special and intimidating any more? I happen to think that most scrapbookers hoard product in one way or another. When do you use your supplies—right away or down the road? I would love to have you leave a comment about your stash strategy!

This is a layout I did recently where I tried to buck my own strategy. I bought these Basic Grey papers and used them on a layout right out of the Archiver’s bag. And it felt really good. So I’m raising my glass to a little less maturity in my scrap stash!

So thankful

So thankful

Scrapbook advice written on the back of a business card

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I recently heard about a book concept that struck me as applicable to scrapbooking (Though really, what isn’t? Am I right?). The book is Advice Written on the Back of a Business Card: Leaders share their most valued words of guidance by Roger Dean Smith.

Mr. Smith’s idea was to ask hundreds of successful business people in various industries this question:

Imagine that you are about to give your business card to a young person entering your profession. But first, you turn that card over and write a short piece of advice to help them get started in their career. What would you write on the back of your own business card to help them?

Do you see where I’m going with this? I think we as a scrapbooking community are full of lessons learned—about photography, telling stories, buying products, combining colors well, etc.—and the advice that comes from learning those lessons.

And we’re certainly a generous bunch. I mean how many hobbies do you know that like to give as much as us? After all, I don’t hear anything about the American Hunters and Shooters Association pulling their resources to help sick children feel loved by sending them fresh venison (à la Jennifer McGuire’s Cards for Kids drive). Or about members of the Dumpster Divers’ Association who donate the antiques and CDs they find to the homeless (like all the scrappy groups that collect and donate supplies to homes for the elderly or women’s shelters). But then, maybe they do and I missed hearing about it. Nonetheless, people in our hobby love to share not only what they have or what they make with their supplies…but also what they know.

So, I would like to urge you to take out your virtual business card, flip it over and jot down a short but vital piece of advice to the new scrapbooker. In other words:

Imagine that you are about to give your business card to a person just starting to scrapbook. But first, you turn that card over and write a short piece of advice to help them get started in their hobby. What would you write on the back of your own business card to help them?

And by business card I mean the comments at the end of this blog post. Please take a moment to participate. I would love to compile all your hard-won wisdom and make it available to those just getting started (or who feel stuck and uncreative, for that matter). Thanks so much for sharing.

Here’s my business card’s worth:
Just start putting pictures, stories and paper together, and don’t feel that you have to know a lot about design concepts before you begin. Seek to learn the theories behind good design as you go. And don’t feel at all guilty about scraplifting; it’s a great way to learn and to explore different styles.

Something wicked this way comes

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Matt has taught me to be an animal rescuer. He grew up in a family that over the years rescued at least one of just about every type of animal that was loaded onto Noah’s ark. So I’ve become quite sensitized to noticing wildlife in need or in danger, and I kick into action quickly.

The other night I went out late to take a few photos of the beautiful full moon. As I was setting up my shot I perceived something in my peripheral vision that startled me. We live on a rather busy street in suburbia, so it was a huge surprise to see a tarantula crossing the street toward me!

I ran into the house and screamed, “There’s a tarantula crossing the street right out front!”

It took a few seconds for what I said to register with Matt, but then he ran out the door while I ran in to find an empty jar to catch him* with. When I returned Matt was “escorting” him to safety before more cars came by. We caught him with the jar and put him in a small terrarium we have from a time when we used to keep Emperor scorpions several years ago (a gift from one of Matt’s employees, no less).

The next day we drove our new friend at least 10 miles out of town, deep down a nice unpopulated country road. We found a perfect spot and tipped him out of the terrarium and into his new neighborhood.

So, maybe he wasn’t really wicked at all, but his timing was certainly impeccable!

*In point of fact, we never determined the sex of our tarantula friend. We decided to respect “his” privacy.

Something wicked this way comes

Wicked or wicked cool?

Been a long time coming here to meet you—a long time, on a crooked road.

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Sweet baby

Baby Janice Lee

This has been a long time coming, really. I have wanted to blog—and have been encouraged by family and friends to start a scrapbooking blog—for a few years. In fact, I have owned theconstantscrapper domain since not long after The Constant Gardener came out. Though I didn’t much care for the movie, I did like the idea of showing constancy to a passion.

And while I loved the idea of blogging, I worried about putting myself out there that way. I am a seasoned veteran of online lurking. Oh, I’m really good at “lurning” from others’ writing and artwork. But how to find a way to add value to the online scrapbooking community? Not an easy task, considering all the inspiration-, tutorial- and contest-rich blogs out there already. But I think I’m finally ready for the challenge.

Here’s a little information about me. My name is Janice. I’m originally from Willoughby, Ohio, a bedroom community to Cleveland and a sweet place in which to grow up. I was raised lovingly and in a wonderful home by my dear parents, Tom and Sandy Daquila. We lost my beloved father to lung cancer in 2004, and my beautiful and brave mother—who is a savant when it comes to children and teaching them—continues to substitute teach in Chapel Hill at the age of 70.

My only sibling (but with the value of several) is Phillip, my younger brother by 13 months. He has always been my best friend. We started first grade at the same time and have shared many of the same interests ever since (although he doesn’t scrapbook … sadly). Phil teaches media writing and web publishing courses at the beautiful Elon University in North Carolina as well as produces documentary videos for Success Story Videos.

I live with my husband, Matt, and our pets in Austin, Texas. We have owned a business together since 2002. Called VelocityStorm IT, it provides technical support to local small businesses (5-50 computers and at least one server). I met Matt while working at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and we married in October 1997. He completes me … really. But you’ll learn more about him through the scrapbook pages I share here.

As soon as I found scrapbooking in 2003, I dived in. It includes everything I enjoy! I mean, who can resist an activity that involves storytelling, photography, creativity and pretty, pretty products? I want to use this blog to share my layouts, wax poetic about creativity in general, provide useful resources as I find them and present occasional challenges and freebies. I’m happy that you found my blog and really look forward to hearing from you. Please let me know what you think (but be gentle!).

Adult Janice Lee

Adult Janice Lee

By the way, that quote in my title is from my husband’s favorite film, Joe Versus the Volcano. It’s a darling movie, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, that’s just full of symbolism and deals with learning to live life fully. I highly recommend it, even though the critics don’t!