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I was a stamper first but in a small way, way back in the the '80's, but it was scrapbooking that brought me back to stamping and fueled my addiction, lol!
__________________ Proud Member of the Fan Club My Gallery
I was (and am) a scrapper! I started making cards as a way to use up my paper scraps....then it turned into much more....STAMPS! I love scrappbooking....but also enjoy card making, because to me it is faster to see the finshed product!
One day in January, 2004, I was home sick from work and spent the day on the couch in front of the TV. There was a marathon scrapbooking show on the shopping channel, and I sat there mesmerized all day. I had vaguely heard of "scrapbooking" and had passed the aisles in Michaels, but hadn't really paid attention until that day, lol.
I ordered several scrapbook kits that day, and dived into scrapbooking for about a year or so. I accumulated quite a few supplies and had a good time, making a couple of scrapbooks. But, I started so late in life, I soon decided I would never, ever catch up with all my photos. It was such a time consuming process to dig out the pictures, decide which ones to use, and make the layouts for them.
Then I found a blog belonging to an SCS'er which led me here. One look - that's all it took!
I had found the hobby of my dreams! Making cards combines all the elements of other hobbies I've had through the years, and it provides instant gratification compared to making an afghan, sewing a dress, or needlepoint on a canvas.
It's a hobby with many rewards as well as a creative outlet. I've reconnected with many old friends by sending them an unexpected card in the mail. My family members and friends tell me they love receiving handmade cards.
One of my daughters-in-law told me she has kept every card I've sent her, which touches me very much. Another, who lives across the country, said it's like getting a little piece of art in her mailbox.
We have a large family, with 5 grown kids, 18 grandchildren, and 4 greats, so I stay pretty busy just with birthday cards! I also have a list of people I don't see often, but send cards to "just because."
Making cards is definitely more fun for me than scrapbooking.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I started as a card maker. I love the idea of making something that can encourage someone else. I agree with buggainok. I enjoy the instant gratification as compared to other crafts that take weeks to complete. (Although quilts, hopefully will last longer.)
But if you go way WAY back to high school, I guess I sort of "scrapped" if you could call it that. I took photos and put them in albums with ticket stubs and other memorabilia in ways I thought was attractive. Then displayed the pages on my walls and what-not.
I am a scrapper first - started around 18 years ago, and still going - just came home from a 2 day crop, and finished my 2012 pictures to date (April 15th). But, I was introduced to card making around 4 years ago, and have embraced that as well, to the point that I make and donate 300 cards each year to our church's annual Christmas bazaar.
Unlike the original poster though, DP doesn't scare me - I love it for both scrapping and card making! You would be hard pressed to find a card that I have made that doesn't have DP featured prominently in it somehow.
I do enjoy the instant gratification that making cards brings, but I also get as much gratification when my teenagers and my DH look through the scrapbooks - we all get enjoyment laughing at my earliest efforts too! My how my style has changed!!!!
__________________ Elizabeth
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Hand over the chocolate, and no one will get hurt!
I was a scrapper first, then became a stamper and am now a prolific card maker. I still scrap, but I make more cards than anything using all my tools that I picked up along the way. It helps justify the cost, right? LOL!
Cards first. Over 20 years ago. Didn't want to start scrapbooking because I knew that if I did, I'd be spending as much $$ on it as card making supplies.
I guess I sort of "scrapped" if you could call it that. I took photos and put them in albums with ticket stubs and other memorabilia in ways I thought was attractive. t.
Have you seen the SMASH books. It reminds me of the way I did this kind of "scrapping" too back in the late 70's and 80's.
I started with scrapbooking, but never had a lot of time or space for it, so my scrapbooking could best be described as episodic (special anniversary, 50th bday, graduating from high school, etc.) whereas my foray into card-making has become a way of life ;). Now that I have a dedicated space, albeit in an unfinished basement, I'm able to do more of both, but I'm still way more of a card-maker. The two hobbies dove-tail nicely and I use all my equipment for both.
I am a cardmaker first and foremost. I started out scrapping (my late hubby's nick name for me was "Scrappy") But I haven't done any scrapbooking since he was ill. I should pick it up again... It is always a great joy to see the pages people do.
I'm just a cardmaker and the occasional 3D items. Only scrapbook page I've done to date is to stick a photo of our previous kitty in a mini album. I want to make the album of all the kitties I've had to date, but I need to scan old photos and I'm lazy. I'm not interested in layouts, I like a picture to tell the story more than what's surrounding it. Plus, I don't have the room to store bulky scrapbook albums, pages and all the stuff to make them.
When scrapbooking first hit the scene years ago, I decided I didn't want to even go there, my main hobby is needlework and I didn't want another one. Of course, cardmaking has made me stick my foot in the stream, LOL!
Cardmaker for sure!! After going to my first ever SU workshop; having never made a card in my life...I signed up to be a demo and began happily playing with inks, stamps and paper!
I only started scrapbooking when a customer requested it for a workshop. I was intimidated by the size as well. At that time, SU's help and support for demos taught that you could start with one photo, and do a 6 x 6 page; then add that onto a piece of 8.5 x 11 with another smaller photo and maybe some decorative paper and journaling, then finally lay that all onto a 12 x 12 adding a title and one more photo. Going at it that way helped me do quite a few pages!!
It's been a few years since I scrapped anything though. Last one I did was Halloween when my son was 4 years old, he'll be 11 in June! Better get moving! :-)
Actually, I started out as a digital scrapbooker, went to paper scrapbooking, then card making and stamping, and now I'm back to digital with digital stamps. Gone full circle I guess. I still do some scrapbooking every now and then, but not nearly as much as I make cards. I love colouring the images with my copics.
Started out as a scrapbooker... I had a couple of friends that scrapbooked, and thought their pages were so pretty! When my cat Mr. Kitty died (pic in my avatar) I was heartbroken and scrapbooked his pages, and it was very cathartic. I had him for fifteen years; we were so close. He was a very special cat. Scrapbooking his pages helped me to remember all the good times with my sweet kitty and gave me an outlet for my desire to craft. That along with cardmaking has been wonderful therapy for me; helps me take my mind off how my body is feeling and makes me feel like I have accomplished something unique! For a bit I scrapbooked with friends, but life has gotten more hectic for everyone, so now, we just do it on our own.
Great question, I love hearing how everyone got started and which they prefer.
I started as an enthusiastic scrapbooker, working primarily with Creative Memories. My friend Valerie took me to an event and I loved it! Fast forward, another friend has a SU event and I invited myself! I say that scrapbooking is like working with an old-style camera, waiting to develop the film and seeing what you got. Lots of prep time for the beautiful results. I was so jazzed to go to a stamping workshop empty-handed and leave 2 hours later with 6 completed cards. No prep involved. The instant gratification is like a digital camera where you see the photo instantly and can even print it at home. I am sad to say I have not touched a scrapbook for years, since I got the stamping bug. That's one of my resolutions this year to spend one day a month working on my daughter's books. That's my story.... what's yours?
I never have done scrapbooking. As a matter of fact, when I was first invited to a SU! party, the whole idea of even doing a card was very overwhelming.
But, because I came to a friend's party, I felt obligated to buy SOMETHING. I ended up buying one Christmas stamp set and told my friends (and myself), that I'd try to make something simple like bookmarks, but that card making wasn't for me. Well, that lasted about 2 months.
I've been making cards since 1999. Still haven't gotten into the scrapbooking thing yet though!
I have always been a card maker. Out of all my "craft" outlets, it's my favorite! I don't know why, but scrapbooking has just never really appealed to me - maybe because our DD's were adults by the time I started making cards.
Card-making runs deep in my family as my parents have made their own Christmas cards since they married in 1950. I personally got into big-time card making myself in the late 90s.
I scrap only once annually for our progressive family Christmas scrapbook and my husband's family's annual Christmas cookbook. We all create the same two page layout to include in everyone's scrapbook/cookbook. I also do the two page cover pages for my family's scrapbooks. With the size of our families, that makes for a total of 78 pages and a very hectic December for me.
The rest of the year it's card making for me! I love it.
Interesting to see the different paths we have taken. I attended one Creative Memories party back in the late 90's, bought a few tools and did one album, but it was not my thing. Got back into crafting when we moved and I became "underemployed" seven years ago - first sewing home dec projects for the new house, then returned to crocheting which I had learned as a teen. My sister does card making, and she came up to visit with a gift of lots of SU toys last September and hooked me! I figured I'd be buying so much stuff, I became a Stampin Up Demo, and boy have I. The previous posters are so right about instant gratification compared to sewing and crocheting - a few hours compared days or weeks.
Cardmaking can cover 3-D stuff, jewelry, wire work, sewing, yarn- it can all fit together. Such a fun creative craft where the sky is the limit on what you can do. I have a short attention span, so this is perfect because there is always a new technique (or old) to learn. I still have not gotten back to scrapbooking, but now I 'll never say never...
I was a scrapper first, during my college days - that was decades ago. Then I was a "small time" stamper decorating church mailings. Sometimes making cards using church clipart. Then after our sons were born back to scrapping, they are in the early 20's now. Then I attended a SU workshop my SIL hosted a year and a half ago and truly got hooked. Now I'm waiting my youngest to move out to attend college so I can take over his room for my craftroom at least part-time. LOL
I was (and am) a scrapper! I started making cards as a way to use up my paper scraps....then it turned into much more....STAMPS! I love scrappbooking....but also enjoy card making, because to me it is faster to see the finshed product!
I did a little stamping 20 years ago. A few years later, I tried Scrapbooking and didn't care for it. That's when the only scrapbook stuff available was odd size Creative Memories pages that were decorated with markers, stickers or solid cardstock and there was a lot of pressure from Creative Memories consultants to buy stickers and stuff when getting together with others for scrapbooking time.
Fast forward about 15 years ...
I got back into scrapbooking, met a few new friends. Some of us try to met every couple of months and we get together once or twice a year for a long weekend of scrapbooking. Loads of fun!
Then, last year, after getting into Copics (for scrapbooking) I decided to dabble again in stamping and card making. I've come full circle but I don't expect to stay here. There will be a time that I'll hang things up a few months as life or other hobbies consume my time. But I'll likely not give it up forever ... at least not until my Maker tells me that He has a better adventure for me.
What a wonderful thread. I would say I am a card maker first and wannabe scrapper. A friend at work introduced me to SU 9 years ago. She invited me to join a club that met once a month. One month and I was hooked, but in all truthfulness...never met a craft I didn't love. Cards are smaller and for some reason its easier for me to be creative. Scrapbook pages are intimidating, but I am determined to scrap more since I do love it. Just need to get over my fear of ruining my pictures and/or having something that looks silly at the end. I have a bit of analysis paralysis...so just gotta get the pictures on the page. :-D
Cardmaker all the way. I've done a few scrapbook pages for challenges or for special albums where I was requested to contribute a page, but just as the OP says, all that space intimidates me! In fact I think I've only ever done one 12x12, anything else has been smaller.
But I do love the look of cards that are made by people who are primarily scrappers rather than stampers - freer and artier, I suppose is what I'm thinking of. And some stamps make me think far more of scrapping - a lot of the Unity stamps, for example.
I was a card maker first, starting about 20 years ago. Then I noticed that all my photos that were in magnetic albums were starting to discolor so I took them all out and started scrapbooking them. There were photos going back almost 50 years and it took me over 2 years to get them scrapbooked. We used our dinning room table only for Thanksgiving dinner and I hated to put away the photos for that day!
Our daughter got married 7 years ago and I did a scrapbook for me of her wedding photos and when she saw it she wanted one too [originally she said she didn't want the photos scrapbooked].
My mother had a massive stroke 6 years ago and is now in a nursing home. My sister sent me 2 huge boxes of all the photos Mom had. There were photos going back to the early 1900's of grandparents; plus my dad was a amateur photographer who took photos for years and did his own enlarging, cropping, etc. I sorted all the photos, made copies when needed, and made "heritage type" albums for my mom, sister, daughter, 2 nephews and a niece.
I thought I was all done scrapbooking; we don't take many photos, 1 grown daughter & son-in-law and no grandkids. Then noticed that our professional wedding album was starting to have discolored photos. It was interesting that the album with 8 x 10 color photos was starting to fade but a smaller album containing the 4 x 6 color proofs was fine. So I took them all out and did a scrapbook of my 46 year old wedding photos. So much more fun to look at the photos now but I hope I never have to do another scrapbook again! From now on I only want to make cards!! Sorry for the long post.
Card maker first & always! Never scrapped a page in my life & have no intention to. My pix are just fine & dandy on the computer or packed away in their original drugstore envelopes :O.
I love the *almost* instant gratification I get from whipping out cards. It brings me so much joy & creative satisfaction to make & send cards. Been at it for over 15 years & don't see that changing anytime soon.
__________________ Randa Trying to be a Breast Cancer Survivor Follow me on Twitter @craftjunkiesc
Have you seen the SMASH books. It reminds me of the way I did this kind of "scrapping" too back in the late 70's and 80's.
Thanks Gail. I had heard of Smash books, but never seen the video. They actually look fun, but a lot of work. I like the idea of single (or double) page layouts better. I don't save many do-dads anymore. I think that phase of my life has passed!
[QUOTE=craftjunkiesc;19386308]Card maker first & always! Never scrapped a page in my life & have no intention to. My pix are just fine & dandy on the computer or packed away in their original drugstore envelopes :O.
I love the *almost* instant gratification I get from whipping out cards. It brings me so much joy & creative satisfaction to make & send cards. Been at it for over 15 years & don't see that changing anytime soon.[/QUOTE]
This is me exactly! You phrased your answer with me in mind...
I was a scrapbooker for about a year before I started making cards. I enjoy doing both, though I don't enjoy scrapbooking quite as much as I used to because it was much more fun to scrapbook pictures of my kids when they were little. Now they're 14 and 12, and just not cute anymore.
__________________ Julie my gallery
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Phillippians 4:13
I began as a card maker over twenty years ago. Several years later, I discovered scrapbooking with Creative Memories. I don't really love scrapbooking.... I love the finished product. I wanted to chronical my son's life and preserve my family history as well. I hate how long scrapbooking takes and I'm not all caught up with son's photos. I have about 4 years left to do. I keep procrastinating, cause I love making cards.... there is more art involved at least in my view.
I started scrapbooking around 1995-96. Was huge into that. Had all the supplies I needed and more. We had a stamp store in town and went there to see what it was like. Thought to myself I DO NOT need another hobby. Then a friend invited me to a Stampin Up party and I was hooked. Went from a kitchen table to a room full of supplies. And the FUN continues.
Scrapbooker first. My grandmother and I would scrap the old fashioned way with the black photo corners, and hand journal-ling. I was about 4 or 5 years old, and I had my own scrapbook in Grandma's closet. I loved crafting with her! She mad it so much fun. Then life got busy and I never thought anything of it until my first son graduated high school. For a graduation present, I scrapped his life until graduation. I simply went to a scrapbook store and bought everything I needed. It was fun, and it turned out pretty good for not knowing much or ever cropped before that. That was 2002. Then for about six years I did nothing until my second son was in high school football, and another football mom took me to a Stampin' Up stamp camp. This lady's basement was an entire really knock-out craft area. It blew me away, and it brought back that love I had for crafting when I did it with my grandma. That's all it took! I became a card maker. I didn't find SCS though until a few years ago, and that's when this thing really took off. Now I have a rather nice craft area myself. My creation space. I make all my own greeting cards and Christmas cards every year. I made my second son a similar life scrapbook too. Now to make my third son his life in a story scrap book. It takes longer to scrapbook but I enjoy it just as much. Both things just suit my hobby girl needs to a T. Neat thread!
Scrapbooker first. My sister-in-law became a Creative Memories consultant in another state and sent me an album and a kit for Christmas one year. It sat here for about a year because I had no idea what to do with it until a friend of mine invited me to a CM crop with a couple other women I knew. Then I scrapbooked for a few years like a maniac and as my kids got older and I took fewer pics, I kinda just fizzled out. Then a friend gave me a TON of SU stamps, and I became a card maker. Loved the instant gratification of card making and the relaxation of coloring. Haven't touched my albums in a long time (and I DO have pics sitting here making me feel a bit guilty, lol).
I met a CTMH demo almost 20 years ago and fell in love with stamping.
I have boxes of pictures and mementos to scrap - I've been married for almost 11 years and haven't scrapped that yet. DS is almost 9 years old and I've been hit and miss with his stuff too.
Good thing is my twin sis has gotten the scrapping bug now! She makes cards too but now she is content to scrap and just have me make enough cards for the both of us to use.
And since she's my sis, it's easy for her to do the journaling since she knows everyone in the pictures :p
__________________ Lorraine
Wife to an awesome DH, Mommy to an adorable DS who is on the spectrum for autism, and Twin Sister to Linda
Were you a scrapper or card maker first?
Scrapper - stamper - scrapper - STAMPER
