I'm considering giving up SB - I'm so Behind!!!

[HotsyKotsy]

If it makes you feel any better, I am about 8 years behind...that is because I only started scrapping about a year ago and my oldest child is now 9....but, it gives me security in the fact that I will NEVER run out of projects! :) I have a friend that has 3 kids and is COMPLETELY caught up.....she is debating NOT coming to my get together this weekend because she will have NOTHING to work on! How boring is that:) Stick with it.

[CDscraps]

I've felt like giving it up, too, because I was feeling like I just didn't have the time to spend on it. Then I thought to myself - I really love making pages so why should I quit. I don't chronological scrap because I knew it would turn into a chore rather than a fun hobby so at least I wasn't putting that pressure on myself. I really want to do this. So I decided that whatever amount I do is more than I would have had if I didn't scrapbook.
Also, I look at each page as a separate project so I never feel like I haven't finished. I have finished that page and I have a sense of accomplishment.

If you love it I would keep doing it, but don't put any pressure on yourself to "catch-up" and scrap when you want, don't force it or you won't enjoy it and just have fun.

[pootsie]

I just want to add to what Scrapatrick said. My mom died ten years ago. She never did any kind of scrapbook for me (she was a great mom though). I would trade ten boxes or photo albums of pictures for just ONE little album with her thoughts and memories written down by the pictures. I'd love a few pages that expressed what she loved, who she was, how she felt about her family, what was a great trip or experience or accomplishment in her life, my life etc. I do have a recipe book she did for me with recipes of my favorite dishes that she or my grandmother made and all our traditional feasts. I love that book. Its all in her handwriting and she added pics to it. It is a treasure.

Don't worry about documenting every moment in yours and your family's lives. Just hit the high points or the special moments. Do some pages about you.

I have a friend that has two children. She did a book for each about their first year. Everything else she just does one page. Like if they go on vacation, she doesn't scrap the vacation for each kid. She just scraps it once. She said when all is said and done, they can divide the pages and they will still each have plenty. I thought that was a good idea.

[kathgar]

I hope you are coming back to read more.

I agree wholeheartedly with this poster:

GREAT book, kind of changed the way I looked at things - Stacy Julien's The Big Picture - if you havent already read - I highly recommend (just dont get too hung up on all the categories of "albums" she does ) But her suggestions on going about scrapping the important things in life - I think are sooo great - truly helped me re-think my scrapping and picture taking...

Stacy Julian is my idol. I LOVE her thoughts on how to scrapbook and NOT feel behind. I'm going to admit something here that I've never admitted. I did not scrap one single layout in 2007 and yet, I don't feel that I am behind (I completed altered projects, just no actual layouts). It was just an off year for various reasons. I've got 3 projects that MUST get done by June of this year (136 pages in 3 albums) so I know I will be scrapbooking this year.

I put Stacy's mantra up on my wall to remind myself that...

[CKReader]

It doesn't look like you need anymore input but here we go anyway....
I have no husband, but I scrap.
I have no kids, but I scrap.
I'm 60 years old, but I scrap.
I scrap my sisters kids, her grandkids, my friends, pictures from the 60's, whatever I feel like and whenever I feel like it.
I send scrap pages to my niece across the country.
I make albums for my sister.
Until this Christmas, I hadn't scrapped a page in almost a year....then I made 3 mini albums as gifts, scrapped three pages to send across country and bought tons more stuff to scrap with.

Bottom line, scrap when you feel like it. If you don't scrap for months at a time don't let it bother you. We all have hobbies that we don't do ALL the time....

Like you, I'm a lurker...and seeing all of these great LO's and posts everyday makes me feel like a novice, but I'm not. I've been scrapping for years, I just don't have the same motivation as others do, i.e., kids. I do it because I enjoy seeing what I've created. Well, okay, buying all that great stuff is fun too!

[Devons Nana]

I to felt for awhile of giving it up .but mainly as silly as it sounds because I felt my lo;s where not good enough then I came to the realize they are me and how I like them some are way simple and others have so much on them its hard to find the pictures ..someday someone will treasure them be it a child or a great great grandchild...but for now they are my treasures and I love them so please rethink giving it up

[Oreosmom]

I haven't been able to read all the answers yet, but I wanted to tell you that you are not alone. Even though I have basically all day to SB, I get overwhelmed sometimes too, but please remember that a hobby is supposed to be fun, not stressful. I have a child, but I truly SB for myself. I love everything about it, it takes me away!!!

Just think that one day you may want to look back at your live and it'll all be there for you in pretty paper...

I agree that you shouldn't pressure yourself to scrap every picture. I do lots of pictures LO's because that's the way I like to do them, but I have the pictures I KNOW I'm not going to use in picture boxes and the ones that I haven't done yet on inexpensive pocket albums. This has helped a lot. I don't keep seeing the pictures of subjects that I have already scrapped, but I have the ones I still need to work on close by.

I don't know if you have nieces and/or nephews, but I had an aunt who I dearly loved and it makes me sad that I only have ONE picture of her. I'd have been glad to save all of her keepsakes had she saved them.

Hang in there!!!

[Royce]

I know completely how you feel. I was at the point just a few short months ago. But then I realized that not every picture needs to be scrapped. y nephew also asked me if he was getting another ablum because he wants to take it to show n tell at school. He wants to show his classmates his vacation to WA. He also said he would rather read the things I put in the scrapbook than a book. He HATES to read. And that is when I realized it was all worth it.

What an opportunity you have to help teach your young nephew -SO awesome!!!