I Am An Artist

I have been digitally scrapping for over 7 1/2 years. I have learned a lot of techniques, but know I still have so much to learn. Every year the program changes and adds new features. However, due to me being on a 2 year hiatus has caused me to be a bit behind on everything. It has been a slow process to get to where I am since September 2014. I have had to relearn certain techniques, and which program functions create it.

Even still, I am happy. When I create a LO (layout), I usually have an idea in mind before I add papers and elements. The moment I see a kit, a mask, a splatter, a template or a border, ideas have formed. 95% of the time what I end up with exactly what I've seen in my mind before I've started.

Years ago, I participated in a challenge called 40 Days of Scrapping Purpose. It was hosted by my friend Royanna Hohl Fritschmann at Divine Digital. I managed to create 9 of the challenges until real life got in the way and I put it aside with the hopes of one day of finishing. (Sadly, that day never came and now I've lost all of the prompts.) ::sigh::

Day 1 was called: The Artist Within Me

I titled my LO: I AM AN ARTIST

My journalling said:

Creating a layout goes beyond the decals and swirls,

it's a way to express the thoughts I had

when I was a little girl.

Each of the items on the page

were chosen with the utmost care.

Every paper and every element

has a reason for being there.

It's not about how the page will look

filled with flowers, doodles and bees,

But how well I've been able to recreate

all of my memories.

It was and still is one of my favorite LO's. I poured my entire heart into it. I wasn't limited to a deadline. I didn't have rules and regulations placed on it from a designer or a website. I just had the freedom of expressing myself. And because of that, it was a stress-free process. It's how I'd like to create all of my layouts.

This has placed a hard decision before me. I am truly grateful to have been asked by two awesome designers to be a part of their CT (creative team). But the rules and regulations and trying to remember deadlines and where to post, and keeping up with links and creating documents is too much for my mind to grasp while still dealing with my everyday life. My mind doesn't work the way it used to...and me trying to remember everything has only caused me stress. I just want the freedom to create a page and know it was a true expression of me. And so, it is with deep sadness that I am removing myself from all CT duties. I just don't have it in me. I used to look forward to creating LO's, but now am so stressed over it that it is no longer fun or filled with my entire heart. That's not fair to either one of us.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with your designs...
My time is now up and I must rush off again...