A few weeks ago a friend came over to split a Project Life kit and of course, to scrapbook. We chatted, had lunch, and then set to work. She made two pages and I made just one.
You might be surprised to learn that was the first time I scrapbooked with anyone else in the room. By the time I came to the hobby, there were no local stores left in my town and thus no crops to attend.
I’ve done fine scrapping solo and truthfully it suits my personality. However, I always wondered if the energy of a group would feel different, in a positive way.
It totally did.
Almost immediately I noticed an ease from being able to talk about scrapbooking with someone who gets it. While my dear husband totally supports me, he doesn’t have a lot of interest in discussing which holiday lines are the cutest.
More importantly, being in a scenario where the objective is scrapbooking forced me to focus. I couldn’t escape to the computer and get lost in a sea of business emails and Pinterest inspirations before I even got started.
I had to face the blank page and simply begin.
While I do often use sheer force of will to start, it was actually easier and more pleasurable to set myself up for success in this way. Much to this introverted girl’s surprise, being around other people was (dare I say it) fun and actually made me far more productive!
The thing is, if I really looked deeper I already knew this to be true. It just took seeing it in real life to acknowledge what was already, actively happening online.
I witness the energy and power of groups every time our members come together for a chat or meet in our private Facebook group. I observe the capacity for rapid, dramatic progress and breakthrough moments every time I lead events like Start Fresh and Stash Bash.
People coming together – online or off – can be transformative and empowering. Choosing the group experience over going it alone all the time can make accomplishing your goals even easier.
Today is the last day to register for Stash Bash.
I too am much more productive when I scrap with other people. I usually attend two weekend crops a year which is when I get the majority of my scrapping for the year done. On my own I end up feeling guilty for not doing other household chores, or get distracted by one thing or the other and then don’t accomplish much. With someone there – or more importantly, if I’m not at home – I focus on the task at hand. I also think that when I’m at a crop I have my tools right there in front of me. At home they are spread out over my large scrap area. It’s an area I need to work on – setting up a good workspace at home – but I have struggled each time I’ve attempted (I’ve set up various configurations but nothing has worked).
LOVE! And I agree community accountability and inspiration has made me way more productive and inspired to scrap. I’ve done more since joining simple scrapper than I did in the years prior to having kids.
I am truly blessed with a wonderful group of fellow scrapbookers/crafters and usually get to attend two day crops each month. I also co-host a four day retreat three times a year. Most of my scrapbooking/card making gets done at these events. I do some crafting at home when time allows but, like Jennifer, tend to lose focus easily. The camaraderie shared at crops has formed life time friendships that has gone beyond just attending crating events.
I am completely off topic of the post but i just wantedto say how much i enjoyed The Art and Science of Scrapbooking at BPC. I am far behind on the challenges but being more right brained when it comes to scrabooking, i don’t mind. I’m doing the challenges as the mood striks me. Fabulous class.
It’s so cool to be able to scrap with someone who actually “gets it”!