it all started while watching hope floats

i know. cheesy.

it's how i spend a saturday night after selling all of our extra junk in a garage sale and some of the partial remains of my vintage clothing business {k8tykat} that i closed 6 months ago... of course that's another story i'll have to share very soon.

so there i was, drinking some pinot, watching hope floats, and of course, not watching hope floats, and i started thinking about scrapbooking. it sort of started earlier when i sat down during the garage sale and opened catchy zielske's book {that i've had for over a year} and i read it. i didn't just looked at the pretty pages, which is all i usually do with a scrapbook magazine or book, but i read it.

and slowly words sank in, and it all started with the title on page 128 : everything counts.

i got it.

this thing we call scrapbooking. for the first time in the past year and a half i can feel it. the why. the how come. the purpose. the reason why i should scrapbook. not just because i want to cut up pretty paper {and believe me i love the pretty paper!} but it shouldn't be the only focus. i don't want it to be the only focus. the product is just a tool of the trade, albeit a beautiful & fun tool, but i mostly want the pages to say something real. document something real. show something real.

i want to scrapbook to document and record. i want to scrapbook to put it all down. everything. every little piece and facet of my life that i get an urge to do so. every thought that passes through this head of mine that i censor. the little minute details of the day, the life i am living. now.

like the fact that i love volunteering in maddie's classroom once a week.

like the fact that my hubs is the best soy latte maker i've ever had the pleasure of receiving a cup of joe from, each and every morning.

like the fact that getting involved in another online message board makes me all jumpy and jittery and shy because i still feel hurt and betrayed.

like the fact that i relish monday, wednesday and friday from 9am until noon because it is me time and peaceful because both littles are in school.

like the fact that the littles and i got food poisoning at chili's on sunday night.... yea. ugk!

like the fact that i have so many thoughts and feelings swirling in this head of mine but i feel like there are never enough pictures or the right pictures to do them justice but i still need to get them down on paper.

like the fact that i strongly feel that art and craft are symbiotic and that you can be a mama who records the life you live and be an artist at the same time. you don't have to choose one over the other. one isn't better than the other.

like the fact that i want to scrapbook to create something with my hands that began with the feelings in my heart.

so. like she said. everything counts. and i have decided to put it all down.

starting today.

Comments

[Ingunn]

Hear hear! You managed to say what I've been feeling lately so much better than I ever could!

I'm so sorry about the food poisoning - I hope you're all better now!

[Sharmaine]

Oh another book on my I wanna read list!
Thanks for sharing!

[Nicole]

Woohoo! Couldn't have said it better myself! :) That's been stirring in my heart for a bit now. Time to start acting on it! :) Thanks for the reminder.
So sorry to hear about the food poisoning, kl. Hope you're all recovering fast.

[Heather Prins]

very cool words! And brave too!

[Katie W.]

OK, did you JUST read my mind? Seriously...I love everything you said. There are many more things behind scrapbooking then just scrapbooking, it has taken on more then that in my life. It is my luxury, my friend, my artistic expression and my safe place.

[cortney]

Yes. YES! You are so inspiring, and right on. I will continue to defend the time and resources I spend on this amazing craft! {cannot wait for my kr box!} xxoo, cort

[metrochic]

i so totally love those moments. thanks for the text, sweets. miss you and sending you love today!

[jennie]

Thank you for sharing this. I am with you on a lot of that. The now. Not just the pages I think people want to see. Thanks for the mini wake up call.

btw- 4 of us got food poisoning at Chili's and 2 of us had to be hospitalized for it.(me included)that place is baaad.

[debee]

i'm so ready for this too
hope you are feeling better!
:)
giving you a hug,
d

[Cami @ Heart-Shaped Rock Cottage]

I've felt like that for a long time. The little things. My Mom died @ 54 a few years back and I realized I would never be able to ask her questions about vacations taken, or did she freak on her 40th birthday, or was she happy... All those questions. The big ones and the little ones and all the one in between. I never want my kids to wonder. I want them to know I loved them beyond heaven and earth. I want them to know I was a woman w/ hopes and dreams and I was rowdy and hysterically funny and insecure about her body (still). I could go on because your post touched me. About ten years ago I watched Hope Floats and ate nachos and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl a few hours later. I may need to rent it for my 40th birthday tomorrow. Thank you... I wish you peace and love and all things heart warming.

[elizabeth rosemond]

that's really fantastic. i LOVE breakthroughs and aha(!) moments :)

[Erin B]

I so love reading this. I want my future children to know all the bits and pieces of me and my life.

[Beth Perry]

beautifully, wonderfully stated...

[ania]

Hear hear :) :) *hugs* :)

[angie b.]

all i can say is... yes.
to all of it.
except the food poisoning @ chili's part. eww. and awwwwwwwwww. so sorry, sweets.

and thank you again, for the inspiration. but also for helping to put things into perspective. i SO wish you lived closer. i could use a dose of KL & coffee right about now.

xoxo

[julie(lalscrap)]

beautiful and poignant,kl!!
so wonderfully put!

[Holly Hanks]

That's a fabulous reminder about what this hobby is really about. So perfectly put... thanks for that. :0)

[raesha]

Beautiful words!!! Did you watch Hope Floats on cable?? Cause I watched part of it on Saturday night too on cable:)

[Julie]

Ok....sooooo U weren't REALLY watching Hope Floats.....but but but when I read the title of this entry.....do U know where it took me??? :):) It took me to this past June U & me sitting at a table in TN....talking about THIS movie....talking about our kids....talking about how EVERY scrapper makes beautiful pages.....talking about LIFE......do U remember??? It is a MOMENT I will cherish and hold in my heart forever.....I love U girl! :):):)

Julie :):):):)

[Michelle Clement]

Dude!! Love it! :) Happy heart-pouring-out via paper, itsthe bestest! Happy day to you!

[MARILYN NIMMO]

Thanks - we Do get caught up with the products, making the perfect page, etc. and forget about the REAL reason we are doing this. Thanks for the reminder!

[diana]

thanks for this post!