Tonight we held a free mini album class for the ladies in St. Bernard. The theme of the album was, of course, reconstruction and recovery, and I think it came out quite nicely. Everybody appeared to be having a good time, and I was very happy to be able to provide them with a creative activity that was different from what most of them have been doing on a day-to-day basis (rebuilding their homes and lives). As they were putting their albums together, I overheard a lot of them telling their friends exactly which pictures they were going to be putting on which pages. We used the Karen Foster "Wet Paint" papers, and construction stickers. We got to see a lot of our friends that crop at the store, as well as to make new friends. We welcome them all to Scrappersaurus and look forward to helping them get back into scrapbooking and papercrafting. Having a hobby is not just a luxury--it is an absolute necessity if one is to try to stay sane. We all have so much to do and so much to take care of, and it is equally important for us to take care of ourselves by allowing ourselves to relax and create things just to balance everything out. We hope we helped do that tonight.
Felix and I got lost a few times trying to get to the Community Center! It had been quite a while since either of us had gone to "Da Parish", and we couldn't remember where to turn. And when we remembered, there weren't any street signs to tell us which street we were on. It was quite entertaining. It was a good thing we had left early, and since we had extra time, we were able to go up and down each street until we found where we were supposed to be. A note to the St. Bernard Parish Streets Department--PLEASE put up street signs, especially on Lebeau, so people can find the Community Center more easily!
We were surprised at how much traffic there was in the city, and at just how many people have returned. It was sad driving through the 9th Ward and seeing all of the destruction still so evident, but every now and again you can see people rebuilding and it is good. It's going to take a while, but I think New Orleans is going to come back stronger than ever.
We have a few people signed up for the Love Coupon Book workshop on the 31st. Please call now if you're planning to attend so I can get the kits ready.
Purchasing from an independent retailer is an investment in your local community and ensures that the local economy stays strong. It also ensures that you will have a scrapbook store to go to for classes and crops. Buying from the big chains is like mailing your money out of the city, and the few dollars you saved now will not ensure that you will get proper instruction in the product, have refills for it, or be able to get the most out of it. We have talked to so many people about the Cricut, and you would be amazed at how many people see and purchase it at the larger chain stores and they don't know what they are getting, they just see that cheap price. Purchasing from an indepent retailer assures you getting the latest and most up to date item out there AND someone that actually knows what it is and how to work it if you have problems or questions. It might cost you a few dollars more, but let's face it, is it really worth saving 10 bucks to have the stock lady at the big chain answer you, "what is scrapbooking?" Shop local. Shop from a scrapbooker.
TIP OF THE DAY
When papercrafting, we need to put away our inner critic and allow things to flow. Remember that there is no right way, nor wrong way to papercraft. Don't worry if your project doesn't look like some in the magazines! It's not supposed to! You want to make sure that every project you create is a little piece of your individuality. You want people to be able to look at what you've made, and see your personality expressed in it by how you put it together. It isn't supposed to look like it came off a printing press. The stuff you see in the magazines are beautiful, but those people who created those projects are designers that do that sort of thing for a living and it is their work. Yes, you can create things like that, but you don't have to! Just relax, enjoy putting your project together, and just have fun! That's what it is all about. It's not about who has more evenly spaced eyelets or whose borders are exact. It's about creating something that will help you and others to remember things and events in your life, while having fun doing it. It's supposed to be a stress-reliever, not a stressor!
Until next time, happy scrapping!
Dee
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