Ideas are easy...

...it's the execution that's difficult! My head is FULL of ideas but once I sit down and try to accomplish something, my brain stalls. It's so frustrating. I wish I could just place a photo in a book, jot down a few details and be on my way. This summer I took "Finishline Scrapbooking" with Stacy Julian at the Creating Keepsakes Convention in PA. The concept is interesting...don't concentrate on the layout, concentrate on getting the photos down on the paper, Cut your photos...don't analyze where you put them or what embellishments will go with them. Go from page to page...do NOT look back! Here is your book...and some paper...and a time limit... just get it done..."GO"! What? Huh? NO WAY! I sat examining my photos, refusing to cut haphazardly, refusing to slap any piece of paper on the page...I simply couldn't do it! My friend Kim was sitting next to me, a witness to my (semi) silent nervous breakdown. It just wasn't going to happen and here I sit with the project in a baggie, five months later.

That night I realized something. I realized that I'll always have a "to-do" list. I realized that there will never be enough hours in the day to accomplish what I want. I also realized that I LIKE staring at a blank piece of paper or tin or chip board cover and thinking of a plan of action. I LIKE sorting through my beautiful paper and embellishments and carefully deciding what will look best together. I LIKE taking a ready made kit and somehow making it my own. Although it may take a while, I LIKE holding the finished result in my hands and feeling proud of what I accomplished. While I know realistically my kids will just want to see photos and read my journaling, I want to give them more. I also want to give myself more...it's my creative outlet and the process is what keeps me sane...in spite of the frustration

For the record, Stacy Julian is one cool woman and I know her concept works for so many scrappers. It's not her...it's me...but I'm OK with that. :)