Change...and Creativity

Earlier this year, the scrapbooking company that I've loved and worked with for years declared bankruptcy. Their albums, their tools and their core products made up the foundation of how I've created my precious scrapbooks for ten years! So, I took many deep breaths, stayed very calm and waited out all the proceedings they were going through with the court. They've emerged out from under their financial trial, and the entity that was Creative Memories is launching a new company called Ahni & Zoe. Their new mission is clear - they've simplified their product line, and are producing albums which will allow everyone to go from "click" to "print" to "finished album" with ease and speed. (In other words, they're giving us everything we need....from A to Z...to get some albums made.)

Now, at first glance, to me....this was not particularly good news. They've taken the scrapbook concept and pre-designed and pre-printed the pages. Literally all you have to do is adhere your photos and you have a completed 'scrapbook looking' photo album. My first reaction was..."Rats!" "They've taken the creativity out of the process!!" Having learned a long time ago NOT to trust my first reaction, I thought...ok...give this a try and see what happens.

Well...two things happened.

First of all, I realized that change often gives birth to creativity. I decided to take an album, with the pre-printed pages, and play with it. My first new idea - develop my favorite summer photos in black and white. I've never done an album of all black and white photos...so that would be new! And from there, I just took my time and let my creative juices flow. And I'm so pleased with the result! On some pages (like the one below) I simply added my photos to what was already on the page. Done. Other pages called for more - so I cropped a circle, or added a journal box...or punched shapes and added titles. I look at the album and I don't think - Oh, there are a million of these that are just the same. NO!! I think - Wow! This is really pretty!

The second, and perhaps the most important thing I remembered is.... Scrapbooking is all about the photos and about getting our story told. One of the things I loved about Creative Memories when I began scrapbooking was that fundamental message. While I can get lost in the world of ribbons, stamps, stickers, paper and punches as easily as the next person, I fight to keep my "style" all about the photos. What I do around the photos should enhance them....not completely distract from them! Because it's in the faces and places of our photos that OUR story gets told.

And there was something about this "simplified" version of scrapbooking that brought me back to that place. That reminded me to keep it simple, and tell the story.

So, I'm doing what I can to embrace this change! And while I am sure that my days of give-me-a-blank-page-and-a-room-full-of-paper-and-let-my-imagination-run-free are far from over, I'm thinking that having another option only adds to the fun!!

Joining Kim for

Little Things Thursday