Cathy Zielskes Clean & Simple: The Workshop (Week 3)

Well I did it!  I was away in Wellington for the weekend celebrating 8 years of marriage with my Knight and didn't think I would have the time to complete my assignment for week three before it would be time to start on week four!  But, lo and behold, I did manage to do it!  I had a great afternoon, blissfully child free so I could concentrate in relative peace.  Oh. so. good.  Really must do it more often, heehee.  Actually, I should do more Big Picture Classes and then I would have the excuse to need more child free time.  Anyway, here is my page.

The above is the web photo of my page.  It should be a bit easier to read the journaling than the average photos that I take!  Being a hybrid scrapbooking class (focussing on using Photoshop Elements) we had to create and then break down the various components that make up a page and put them together again on cardstock for our 12 x 12 albums.  Here is a photo of my completed page...

It really is clean and simple which is right up my alley.  I love to see the creative genius that goes into so many of my friends (and others) scrap pages, but I always feel the pull back to the simplistic, minimalist way of scrapbooking.  I don't like too many things competing for my attention in one space.  I also love to journal and so it plays to that side of my nature too.  As much as I love to see embellishments made with love and care I really hanker for the story.  Why have photos if you are not going to have the memory to go with them?  One day the person in the photo either won't be around to tell the viewer about their (often fleeting) moment in time, or they won't recall it at all (especially if they are little).  I guess I agree with the Creative Memories creator in that respect.  But my thanks go out to Cathy Zielske - you have given me a valid reason for scrapbooking the clean and simple way without feeling like I am in some way inferior to those that choose not to.  We all have our own 'artists voice'.  Art is just another way of speaking for the creative souls in the world, and it comes in many shapes and forms, each as significant as another.  Something to bear in mind I think.

Since I mentioned the journaling I better point out that the 'story' I wrote about Harri-Hedgehog had absolutely nothing to do with the photos!  Go figure, right?  It is funny though, how looking at a photo can awaken so many feelings and emotions.  The photo at the bottom right of my page is one where Harri-Hedgehog bit the camera lens hood just as I hit the shutter button.  I love love love it!  It really exemplifies him through and through.  Cheeky to the max!  And I can't help but smile every time I see it.  The thing is, when I set aside these photos to scrap I thought I would write about the amazing holiday we were having, and in particular this day.  But as I looked at the photos I couldn't help but write what came to me.  It was just bursting to get out, and so there it is.

I hope you like my page, and that you check in again!  Leave me a message so I can check out your pages too!

Steph