4 on a Friday ...

"It takes me so much time to produce each LO (spend too much time deliberating) that I am all scrapped out for now". (Miche's Niche)

"I can completely understand how designing them takes it out of you. I'm exactly the same. It's incredible how much time goes into producing each one." (The Artsiders)

(Reflection and comment on Michele's blog, 15th July - and thank-you, Michele and Paul, for allowing me to reproduce them here).

Now, I am right with them both. Amen, Ditto, Me Too. Ever found yourself thinking or saying any of the following? 

Reasons for not finishing - or even getting going with - a scrapbook page:

• I've lost my mojo.
• I haven't time.
• I can't find the right papers.
• This page needs something and I can't work out what.
• It's taking too long.
• I don't know what to write.
• I can't think of a title.
• Don't like those photos, now I come to look at them.
• I just need an embellishment. Where did I put that/those ...?
• This is the third time I've got out this page and I am losing the will to live.
• I don't like it now.
• I can't think of a good design - I'll just have a look at a book/magazine/PageMaps/etc.

The first and the last are the ones I hear myself saying most often. I started to ponder, and realised they are related. I think it's something about choice.

But Choice Is A Good Thing - isn't it? Well, I'm beginning to wonder. Perhaps too much choice fazes us: freezes us into not making any because to make one is to exclude others. Watching small children playing, it's astonishing just what they can do with so little. It's as if a smaller range of things actually enhances their creative flow rather than diminishing it. Less results in more.

So I've set myself a challenge. I'm calling it 4 on a Friday. This page, from an old and rather crumpled Homes and Gardens magazine, will be the basis for the design:

Each week, I'll use the this same basic template to make a scrapbook page. It might be traditional or hybrid or digital (although it will always be printed out):

The photo/journalling spaces may perhaps change size, one or more might be replaced by a stamp or embellishments an embellishment (let's not get carried away here), there may be patterned paper or even (gulp!) some handwriting. Possibly the odd doodle.

4 things I'll be exploring:

• How much creativity and variety can be brought to one simple design?
• Does it simplify the process of putting a page together?
• To what extent does it enhance or hinder enjoyment?
• How does it affect the reasons above for not finishing, or getting on with, a page?

Anyone wondering for how many weeks I'm going to give it a go? 40. Let me try that a bit louder. 40. I know: forty lots of 'Theme and Variations' is quite a challenge. So now that I've nailed my colours to the mast, I am committed. No bailing out allowed. You are very welcome to come and watch, or even join in if you like. :) I will be setting sail next Friday, and there will be some further thoughts on the Variations bit on Monday. (There might even be a pdf.)
Until then! Hope you all have a happy and creative weekend ...

Comments

[Karen Cass]

Mmmmm wondered what we were going to see on here today. I totally agree with you. We often say that we don't know what to do first because we have so much and therefore too much choice to be able to make a decision. Things get left unused simply because there are other things that become more appealing, more exciting and the to-do list changes. Every now and then you will hear 'that's it-not buying anything more until everything else has gone'. It lasts from one CHA release to the next when we are tempted, yet again, by the manufacturers/designers desperately trying (and succeeding) to sell their new wares in a bid to laugh all their way to the bank. The new goodies replace the old favourite 'will deffo be used this time' stash. What is just around the corner? The CHA Summer 2010. I think I'd better run and hide. Mmmmm the new Wendy Vecchi products are good though as are a couple of the new Tim Holtz dies. Maybe just one or two treats this time and nothing else all year. We'll see.

[Alexa]

Thanks for such a thoughtful comment, Karen; even for someone as minimal as me, I could just feel the temptation to go and google 'Wendy Vecchi products'!

[Karen Cass]

Don't Alexa. You may well be tempted although one could hardly use the word 'minimal' for Wendy. She is far from it and veres more to the dark side with distress inks grungepaper and metal.

[Michele]

How true! The list shown below my quote is the reason I spend too much time deliberating. I think 'overwhelmed' sums it all up. Too many papers; too many photos ( I have 7000 on my computer and can never decide which one to scrap!); too many embellishments; too many links on the original blog that you looked at for inspiration, that five hours later you wonder where the day has gone, and can't remember what you were looking for in the first place! I think when you reduce the choice, it makes things so much easier. I have recently had a purge of my stash and found it so therapeutic. Although I feel guilty about the money I have wasted, I have learnt a big lesson - less is more! This week, as you know, I decided to use up the backlog of kits I had accumulated and it made it so much easier, as the task of picking papers was eliminated ( although it still took me ages to decide how to arrange them on the background!) and to some extent, the choice of photo, as I just picked a photo that best matched the papers! I love your '4 on a Friday' challenge, as a way to test your theory and I think I might even join you (did I really say that out loud? - lol)

[Amanda]

I love your 4 on a Friday idea. As you know I'm taking part in a project trying to use up scraps and reduce my stash pile. It has been quite liberating not worrying if things match but just using them - shock horror! Imagine no tracking down that perfect paper or embellishment. I may even continue in that vein and join you in 4 on a Friday and challenge myself to use up even more.

[Alexa]

Gosh, I so know that where-has-the-time-gone-chasing-rainbows feeling! It'd be lovely to welcome you aboard, Michele - whether you want to experiment on a regular basis or from time to time!

[Alexa]

Love the sound of your word 'liberating', Amanda! You're already ahead of me here. :) Very happy if you'd like to try out the 4 on a Friday too!

[lin thomas]

I hear what you are saying Alexa and like this idea I might even play along myself, I’m trying to get in the hang of putting more photos on my layouts rather than just one! I’ve found myself turning, just lately, to templates and sketches just to get me half way there. I agree that less is more as well and sometimes we are really spoilt for choice. Reminds me of when the boys used to get birthday money and couldn’t wait to get to toys r us to spend it, only 9 times out of 10 they would come away with nothing – too much choice! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

[Alix]

this is a super idea....i'm totally with you that the amount of choice can be crippling...at least if you're super indecisive like i am! and there is no need to recreate the wheel with every page...i'm using the sample 2 sketches for the whole of my wedding album...its 2 years now and i just need to get it done! lol

[claireliz]

Like the idea & a good sketch can be recreated lots & lots of ways, may have a play with idea Alexa, thanks for the inspiration :)
C
xx