I used to scrap.. Dediicated to Toya and Adriene

I'm a very crafty women. My mother was a very crafty women. I remember the whole time I was growing up my mom would be doing some type of craft or another. She took potery classes and did macrame, she knitted and painted, decoupage, she probably tried whatever was "in" at the time. Other things came and went but she always sewed. Usually late at night. We didn't have alot of money when I was little. My mom was 18 when she had me, my Dad 19 so she had to make my clothes and hers but I always had the latest fashions. I never considered sewing to be a craft or a hobby it's something everyone does just like cleaning your house or doing laundry. That's what I thought anyway untill I got older and found out not everyone sews.

I guess I learned to be be crafty and try new things from my Mom ,obviously I learned to sew from her. In high school I made jewelry. I made necklaces and braceletts for all my friends and the females in the family. After high school I learned to quilt. No one in my family knew how to quilt so I thought I'd try it and my Grandmother loved quilts. I fell in love with quilting even though it was "an old lady craft" I got teased and was treated porly in a few quilt shops but I continued to make quilts. When my daughter was born scrapbooking was the "in " thing and since I was taking tons of pictures of my very pretty baby girl I tried it.( I also tried to knit at this time because I thought pregnant women should know how to knit it didn't go well ) I was hooked ON SCRAPBOOKING. I loved scrapbooking and it was quieter then sewing and quilting. I talked my Mom and Aunt into helping me make a 40th anniversery album for my Grandma Virginia and Grandpa Kenny. I got them hooked too. We used to get together and scrap. The album was a huge hit. I continued to quilt and sew especially during the holidays because I was making quilts for Christmas.

I scrapped school events, holidays, vacations, pets, everday stuff, girlscout events and my quilts. My daughter and I put together the best scrapbook from our trip to Savahna Georgia with her Girlscout troop. It took us several months to finish the album but its so perfect. I took it to show everyone. My Grandma Virginia loved it. Then I stopped. No more pages. The paper was put away, embellishments packed in drawers, albums on the shelf some not even done.

Today while listening to Inspirational wed, I started thinking about all the scrapping I did and I tried to figure out what was the last thing I scrapped ,why did I stop ? Adrienne said she can't imagine stopping, I did, why. I have tons of quilts that need to go in my quilt scrapbook. G is almost done with Middle school, did I even finish 6th grade ? All day I've been thinking about it.

I decided to pull out a few scrapbooks and take a picture. Just for fun. Then it hit me. I know why I stopped. In Sept of 04 my Grandma Virginia ( Mom's Mom)was diagnosed with cancer. I named my daughter after her. We were planning our trip to Goergia at the time. My Grandma gave us extra money for the trip, she was so excited for us.

I knew I was going to make an album from the trip when we got home but I also

decided I was going to make an album with the 5 Generation pictures in it. When I was born we had 5 Generations ,then not long after that we had 4. When my daughter was born we had 5 again. My great Grandmother, who just had her 94th birthday is at the top and my daughter 13 is at the bottom. I started pulling out pictures that would work in the album. I had several 5 Generation pictures. It was a tradition that my Grandma Virgina insisted on that we take a 5 generation picture every year or more.

I never started the album my Grandmother passed away from cancer on January 21 2006. Toya talked today about how we scrapbook to rememeber. I didn't want to rememeber. It hurt to much. I haven't done a layout since.

My Grandfather passed away this year but he was on my Dad's side it was hard but not as hard as losing my Grandmother. She loved my quilts and all the things I ever made.

I may not be ready to put together the 5 generation album but I think it might be time to scrap again. Thanks Toya and Adriene for reminding me that I used to scrap.