Imperfect Scrapping

It's very easy, when you're scrapping, to get caught up in making sure each page is "perfect." After all, this is our craft, our form of art, and in many cases, our expression of love for the people we're scrapping about.

But sometimes, that desire to ensure each page is perfect can be paralyzing. I think all of us can recall a time when we picked out a beloved picture, grabbed a piece of cardstock and then froze. What coordinating paper? What stickers? What title? What embellishments? Sometimes, the surge in popularity of scrapbooking has led to so many choices, so many options, that narrowing it down can be downright impossible.

Your pages don't have to be perfect. They don't have to be complicated or like anyone else's work of art. They just have to reflect you.

I have a friend who loves scrapping, but she's absolutely terrified of screwing up a page. I've seen her throw out entire pages, all because of one slightly askew mat.

Don't be afraid of that crooked picture or the slightly slanted title. Embrace it - it's part of your craft, and one day, you'll look back and see how far you've come - or think about changing your vision for the page to minimize your "mistake." Try using a page map or scraplift a layout you admire if you need inspiration for covering up an error.

There are some products you can use to minimize the imperfections, however. Repositionable adhesive might be a godsend if you have the habit of adhering a photo or embellishment and later deciding it would look better somewhere else.  Don't be afraid of layering - I once corrected a terrible, terrible rub-on incident with a few well-placed pieces of cardstock and a couple of embellishments.

Many of us contemplate going back and "fixing" our early work to better reflect the scrappers we've become and the styles and techniques we've perfected. My advice? Don't. Our early pages show how far we've come, and there are always more photos to scrap. Look back on those first simple pages and smile, remember your mistakes and laugh about them with your scrappy friends and move on to the next project.