| Every few years, the scrapbook industry tries to | | | | pictures on them at all. Just pretty paper and stickers. |
| change up the craft, so that trends and design don't | | | | Now don't get me wrong...I LOVE the pretty paper and |
| become stale. Sometimes these changes work | | | | stickers. In fact, I sell the pretty paper and stickers on |
| well...like the introduction of chipboard and glittered | | | | the website I co-own. |
| paper. But sometimes the changes don't enhance the | | | | However, photos and journaling should be the focus of |
| beauty or purpose of the craft...the beauty should be | | | | scrapbooking. |
| found in the meaning of our memories and the | | | | And as for trends...they should provide a meaningful |
| purpose should be found in the importance of our | | | | change in the way we preserve our memories. Trends |
| pictures. | | | | should help us to use our pictures, however imperfect |
| One such change with an unclear future is the new | | | | or unprofessional they may be, compared with the |
| 6x12 albums, introduced by American Crafts at CHA. | | | | perfect pictures you see in scrapbook magazines. |
| The new album size may highlight the current debate | | | | Trends should compliment the activities we |
| among manufacturers and retailers about the future of | | | | commemorate with our families, friends and pets. And |
| scrapbooking... | | | | trends should guide us to better design...to help us |
| I'm not sure I agree with the trend that the new 6x12 | | | | develop the creativity that lies in each of us. |
| albums may be following. And here is why: I don't like | | | | Trends should not dictate a wholesale change in the |
| the recent trends that have moved the industry away | | | | make-up and spirit of scrapbooking. |
| from the REASON for SCRAPBOOKING... | | | | We scrapbook to say the things that are in our hearts, |
| - From double page layouts to single page layouts | | | | for future generations. That's why we hope that, rather |
| - From using multiple photos to using one photo per | | | | than making our pages smaller, and less |
| layout | | | | "memoried"...we hope that the industry moves back in |
| - From sharing your thoughts through journaling to no | | | | the direction from whence it came. |
| journaling on a page...at all And with 6x12 pages...where | | | | Back to journaling (by hand!), back to showcasing |
| are our pictures and journaling supposed to fit? We | | | | beautiful designs on FULL double-page layouts. And |
| wouldn't be surprised if we open up a scrapbook | | | | back to it's purpose of helping all of us create pages |
| magazine and find some of the "top layouts" with no | | | | that future generations of our families will cherish. |