Tag Archives: Scrapbooking

A distressing end to a love affair

A distressing end to a love affair

The first time I walked into a an Archiver’s store, I was in love. I had been in scrapbooking stores before, but this was something different.

Archiver’s was classy. Archiver’s offered scrapbooking options beyond those cutsey stickers–you know, the ones I told you reminded me of Precious Moments figurines. This in itself is why Archiver’s was, at least in my eyes, something extraordinary.

It probably didn’t hurt that I fit perfectly into their niche target market. I was middle-class mom with a two-year-old son and a daughter on the way, who yearned to express my creativity in some way other than Duplo structures and pudding painting.

My stash of bargains

My stash of bargains

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Love is not in the air, it’s on my table

Love is not in the air, it’s on my table

Ok. I promise. Tonight’s the night. I’ve had all my valentine paper and ephemera on my side table since December 26. What you see is just a tiny portion of it. But I keep getting side tracked.

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Tonight, I swear on my last pink doily that I will create something for Valentine’s Day.

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The fact that it is now 1:16 a.m. doesn’t deter me in the least. I’m sure it wasn’t me that you heard yawning. It was my dog, Annie Lulu. Yep. Definitely my dog.

I am a greeting card hypocrite

I am a greeting card hypocrite
I am a greeting card hypocrite

So you think someone who painstakingly handcrafts cards for a hobby would have the best holiday cards. Nope.

Last year I managed to send out one of those picture postcards of my kids in their Thanksgiving finery doing circus tricks. This year? Nada. I have not made cards, I have not ordered photo greeting cards, I have not run out to Target and bought 75% off Christmas cards. Nothing.

It’s one thing to not send a humble/show-off card/autobiography to all your friends, college roommates from a previous life, and second cousins thrice removed. It’s an entirely different matter when you postally neglect elderly relatives who have faithfully sent you Christmas and birthday cards your entire life. People! The guilt is eating me alive! Read the rest of this entry

End of Era

End of Era

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Archivers–Not pms*–has made me bitchy

This morning Archiver’s announced it was closing all of its doors. Forever.

Archiver’s and I started scrapbooking around the same time. In the same city. I’m not sure who was first. But we were catching a wave that had already gained momentum.

Now it is time to switch metaphors. Why? Because although Archiver’s and I both have our headquarters in the Land of 10,000 (wavy) Lakes, it is winter here 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME. It is pretty darn hard to catch a wave when all the water is trapped under two feet of ice.

Anyway–continuing my metaphor switch from warm waters to winter wonderland–there was soon an avalanche of people who were interested in capturing life’s memorable events with photos, cardstock and embellishments.

Really? Soap-on-a-Rope and scrapbooking?

For many, the art of scrapbooking in those early years entailed putting eight, nine or 107 photos on a page and adding a couple of stickers. Usually the stickers reminded me of Precious Moments figurines. Guess what–I never liked Precious Moments figurines. (Disclaimer–In case you are one of my very first blog readers and you like Precious Moments, I’m actually lying. I have Precious Moments figurines in every room in my house. I love them so much I even have Precious Moments Soap-On-A-Rope hanging in my bathroom.**) Read the rest of this entry