This Week on Scrapworthy Lives: September 3, 2011

Posted on 09/03/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 25 of 47 in the series This Week on Scrapworthy Lives

Each Saturday, I provide a compilation of links from the week’s posts.

Ten Ways to get more out of Scrapworthy Lives:

  1. Get a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking by subscribing to my newsletter. You will receive no more than two emails a week from this list. Subscribers will be the first to learn about any new products and promotions at Scrapworthy Lives.
  2. Subscribe by RSS. Click on the RSS button (in the upper right corner) and you can receive all of Scrapworthy Live’s posts in your RSS feeder.
  3. Comment. I would love to hear from you! Join the discussion by commenting.
  4. Become a fan of Scrapworthy Lives on Facebook.
  5. Follow scrapworthy on Twitter.
  6. Subscribe to Scrapworthy Lives on your Kindle!
  7. Show your love for Scrapworthy Lives. Visit my store at Skreened.
  8. Email me your questions and suggestions. Email me at stephaniemedleyrath at gmail dot com and let me know what you’re thinking, what you’d like to see, and any questions you might have. I will personally respond to your emails and may use your questions in future articles.
  9. Share a great article you find with your friends. Tweet it, facebook it (is that a real expression?), email it, save it and so on. Just look at the link at the bottom of each article to share it in the way that suits you best. I appreciate it!
  10. I joined the crowd and am now on Pinterest. Follow me if you’d like. If you want an invite, email me at stephaniemedleyrath at gmail dot com and I’ll send you an invite.

Stephanie

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My August Scrapbooking Expenses

Posted on 09/02/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 17 of 37 in the series Minimalist Scrapbooking

Time for another installment of my monthly scrapbooking expenses as part of my minimalist scrapbooking project.

I only spent $14.03 on scrapbooking in August! Here is what I bought:

I am very pleased that I spent so little in August. This brings my monthly average down to $96.81 a month. I’m still working on reducing this average. In September, I anticipate purchasing prints and I don’t anticipate any large purchases in September. I think my monthly average will be reduced.

Related posts:

How much do you budget for scrapbooking each month? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Uncategorized, Minimalist Scrapbooking | Tagged | 4 Comments

Scrapbooking Gender

Posted on 08/31/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath

One way that sociologists understand gender is that gender is something one does. In other words, we do things to indicate our gender (e.g., clothing selection or our interests)–a bit of an oversimplification, but I think you get the idea. (Hopefully.) Scrapbooking is one thing people do that communicates gender.

It might be easier to focus on how scrapbookers indicate gender of those they scrapbook. Every few weeks, someone in the blogosphere writes a post about scrapbooking men or boys:

There are even entire books on the subject:

I think it is safe to say that the industry promotes traditional gender norms.

Perhaps this is changing? The Digi Show had a recent episode about scrapbooking gender. While listening to the episode, I was almost ready to unsubscribe until I heard their perspective: that the focus should be your perspective rather than trying to create “masculine” layouts for boys or “feminine” layouts for girls. Kudos to The Digi Show.

In my study, I found that the media messages in the scrapbook industry surrounding gender are not lost on scrapbookers. For example, one respondent recalls reading a scrapbooking magazine article about how one should scrapbook little boy’s pages differently than little girl’s pages. In particular the magazine says that for boy’s pages it is okay to use ribbon, but “resist tying a bow.” A man scrapbooker thinks this is ridiculous especially once one considers the fact that every little boy has bows on his shoes (i.e., shoelaces tied in a bow).

Gender plays a role not only in who scrapbooks but also how scrapbook pages get made depending on the genderedness of the subject on the page. Scrapbookers do things like use gender appropriate colors on scrapbook pages about girls (i.e., pink) and boys (i.e., blue). Captioned stickers are often gendered and may say things like “chick’s rule” or “100% man.”

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be discussing how scrapbooking is a site where gender is done. I hope you’ll stay tuned to see where I go with this.

In the meantime, how do you think gender and scrapbooking intersect? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Dissertation, Findings | Tagged | 6 Comments

Spiritual Masters

Posted on 08/29/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 43 of 66 in the series My Scrap Happy Project

Each Monday, I discuss my Scrap Happy project based on Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.

August has been focused on contemplating the heavens. I’ve already considered childhood dreams and gratitude. Today’s focus is on imitating a spiritual master.

This is tough.

Do I just select a scrapbooker that I admire or that inspires me?

Do I select someone outside of the scrapbooking culture?

I’m not sure if I would say that Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, is my spiritual master, but I love her TED talk:
[ted id=453]

Who is your spiritual master? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

If you want to read more about Scrap Happy project based on Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun or my Scrap Happy Project, check out the other posts in the Scrap Happy series.

Are you doing a happiness project? Are you doing a scrap happy project? What’s stopping you? Join me today!

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Contemplate the Heavens, Scrap Happy | Tagged | 2 Comments

This Week on Scrapworthy Lives: August 27, 2011

Posted on 08/27/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 24 of 47 in the series This Week on Scrapworthy Lives

Each Saturday, I provide a compilation of links from the week’s posts.

Ten Ways to get more out of Scrapworthy Lives:

  1. Get a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking by subscribing to my newsletter. You will receive no more than two emails a week from this list. Subscribers will be the first to learn about any new products and promotions at Scrapworthy Lives.
  2. Subscribe by RSS. Click on the RSS button (in the upper right corner) and you can receive all of Scrapworthy Live’s posts in your RSS feeder.
  3. Comment. I would love to hear from you! Join the discussion by commenting.
  4. Become a fan of Scrapworthy Lives on Facebook.
  5. Follow scrapworthy on Twitter.
  6. Subscribe to Scrapworthy Lives on your Kindle!
  7. Show your love for Scrapworthy Lives. Visit my store at Skreened.
  8. Email me your questions and suggestions. Email me at stephaniemedleyrath at gmail dot com and let me know what you’re thinking, what you’d like to see, and any questions you might have. I will personally respond to your emails and may use your questions in future articles.
  9. Share a great article you find with your friends. Tweet it, facebook it (is that a real expression?), email it, save it and so on. Just look at the link at the bottom of each article to share it in the way that suits you best. I appreciate it!
  10. I joined the crowd and am now on Pinterest. Follow me if you’d like. If you want an invite, email me at stephaniemedleyrath at gmail dot com and I’ll send you an invite.

Stephanie

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When Scrapbooking on the Road Doesn’t Work So Well

Posted on 08/26/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 16 of 37 in the series Minimalist Scrapbooking

I took a work-related trip this past weekend. I attempted to do some touristy things, too. The problem was that I was in Las Vegas. This was my first Vegas trip and found the whole place overwhelming. I just wanted to sit down (and not in front of a slot machine). Even where my conference was held, there was very little seating outside of conference rooms. Scrapbooking on the road was a challenge.

I created the framework for my album ahead of time just like on my last trip. I used many pretty things from my stash including a sticker that reads “Nevada” that was one of my first scrapbooking purchases. I bought it because I had been to Nevada and knew I would scrapbook the trip, but then forgot to use the sticker. I’ve been moving and storing that sticker for the better part of eight years.

I was under the impression that since I was traveling without the kid, it would be even easier to scrapbook on the road. I failed to take into account that I would be working on this trip and trying to be a tourist and I would be exhausted because you are literally walking around a desert in August without resting. I journaled my Friday stories but have yet to journal my Saturday or Sunday stories. I thought that I might do some of this on the plane, but fell asleep shortly after take-off (we wouldn’t be getting home until 4 a.m. and I had to teach later that day, so I had to take any sleep I could get).

I wasn’t even as inspired to take photos. I struggled to get decent photos of the strip at night. I was tired so I opted to leave my DSLR in the room a few times or I took it but left all my accessories. I took a lot of photos on my iPod Touch.
I’m not sure how this scrapbook on the road is going to turn out, but just wanted to share with you how challenging it can be, since I found it so easy to do on my last trip.

Have you ever scrapbooked on the road? What were your challenges? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Minimalist Scrapbooking | Tagged | 6 Comments

The Family Album is Like a Resume for a Man

Posted on 08/24/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 23 of 86 in the series Scrapworthy Lives Results

Each Wednesday, I write a post from my dissertation.

That family album was a record of my accomplishments! It’s like what a resume is for a man.

Those words were spoken by Marge Simpson when the Simpson’s family album is destroyed by fire. Daughter Lisa agrees with her mom and adds

But we’ll have to move on. It’s not like we can restage all our family photos.

In the next scene, Marge is seen restaging Bart’s baby photos. This scene from The Simpsons illustrates how important family photographs are to women and mothers in particular.

So what do you think? Is the family album like a resume is for man? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Home is Wherever I’m with You

Posted on 08/23/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath



Does music ever inspire something you create? I’ve used song lyrics on scrapbook pages before, but I’ve never heard a song that has made me want to create something just to showcase the lyrics until now:

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros “Home” from Edward Sharpe on Vimeo.

Home is wherever I’m with you.

Love this line.

My husband and I have moved several times. We moved from Illinois to Atlanta, GA and now are back in Illinois. We haven’t really changed geographical areas as much as just moved residences. We are finally in a home that feels like ours. A home that I feel we will be here for the foreseeable future. I doubt we will live here forever, but we have no timeline to get out of this home like homes in the past.

As soon as I heard this song, I downloaded their whole album, Up From Below (Deluxe Edition) (all of which is awesome), and I started brainstorming how I could use that line in my home decor.

We had family portraits taken a few weeks ago and I decided to incorporate the lyric in that display.

I decided to add the lyric to a copy of a road map of Illinois. The frame I used is the perfect size for me because I was able to cut the map to include three cities in which we both have lived (and my hometown). I decided to use my foam stamps for the lyric. Well, three maps later, I needed a different solution. I found clear sticker paper for a printer and printed the words on that. Then I added the giant sticker to my map, framed it, and hung it up.


I thought I would share the document with the words with you here. It’s not fancy and you are perfectly capable of doing it yourself, but if you want the word portion already done, just download the file.

How have song lyrics inspired your own scrapbooking or home decor? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

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Stephanie

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Posted in Inspiration | Tagged | 2 Comments

Gratitude

Posted on 08/22/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath
This entry is part 39 of 66 in the series My Scrap Happy Project

Each Monday, I discuss my Scrap Happy project based on Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.

A second aspect of contemplating the heavens is keeping a gratitude notebook (first aspect: Childhood Dreams). I’m not sure I want to keep a daily gratitude notebook. I have enough daily commitments. But as a scrapbooker, I could strive to create layouts based on gratitude. Sometimes I feel like part of the reason I am scrapbooking is to show gratitude…thankfulness for my daughter, my husband, my family, and so on. What do you think? Do you communicate gratitude through your scrapbooks?

What role does gratitude play in your scrapbooking? Do you keep a gratitude notebook along with scrapbooks? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Other Resources about Gratitude and Tools to Track Your Gratitude:

If you want to read more about Scrap Happy project based on Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun or my Scrap Happy Project, check out the other posts in the Scrap Happy series.

Are you doing a happiness project? Are you doing a scrap happy project? What’s stopping you? Join me today!

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Scrap Happy, Contemplate the Heavens | Tagged | 2 Comments

Color Combo Blog Hop: Clementine Color

Posted on 08/20/2011 by Stephanie Medley-Rath

Welcome to the color combo blog hop!

You should have arrived from Adventures in Pickle Land.

The Inspiration


The Interpretation



Your next stop is Pie for Breakfast.

And here is a list of all participating blogs:

http://amysoto.blogspot.com/
http://www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com/
http://www.MichelleRoycroft.blogspot.com/
http://www.snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com/
http://scrapyourlife.net/
http://sugarandscrap.blogspot.com/
http://1200somemiles.blogspot.com/
http://suealthouse.blogspot.com/
http://craftygoodies.blogspot.com/
http://adriennefalzon.blogspot.com/
http://alyssephotographs.blogspot.com/
http://digipage-blog.everything-digital-scrapbooking.com/
http://scribblesstickingstitchingstroking.blogspot.com/
http://spud-pickle.blogspot.com/
http://www.scrapworthylives.com/
http://www.vsws.typepad.com/

What colors are inspiring you? Comment below or join the conversation on facebook or twitter.

Want a free copy of The Scrapworthy Lives Guide to Minimalist Scrapbooking? Sign up for the newsletter and it is yours!
Stephanie

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Posted in Blog Hops, Color Combo Blog Hop | Tagged | 4 Comments