The Emotion of Memories

The second day of spring - calls are all done for the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest, as well as honorable mentions. My phone was quiet - no surprise really. I even surpised myself at my lighthearted mood. I was in good spirits, so much so that friends gathered for Bible study on Monday night wondered why I was so happy. That was strange. Why was I exuding happiness, when in the past I was nervous, and on the verge of tears? I had prayed over my entry. I asked God for His will. He knows what is best for me in His great plan, and having "2007 Hall of Fame" tagged behind my name is not a part of His plan. I guess that is what made it okay. I think much of the happiness came from all the well wishes and private messges I had received in the last week before calls went out. I came to realize that there are people out there who really enjoy my work, and as one sweet soul said to me Sunday night, I have made her realize what really matters.

Even though I had my most solid entry ever, and I had raised the bar on my own photography - I knew that my entry lacked ONE consistent style. I had a simple, elegant layout allowing my photography to take center stage in my Joy layout - which fulfilled the assignment for exceptional photography.

Other layouts were inspirational, philosophical and metaphoric, and then there was a layout that made me and everyone laugh. It was different, it had lots of details - but it created the mood of the child in the photo that was dancing and laughing. Some recommended not to enter it as it did not match the rest of my entry, others said it was too precious and made them laugh, so I had to enter it. I loved that layout, and knowing that it would throw any consistency out the window I entered it anyhow. It was a true representation of who I am as a memory artist.

I don't scrapbook to be trendy, or try to gear my work towards the perception of "what's now" for the editors - I scrapbook my life - and that of my family. I have been musing over my style these past 48 hours... and I have decided that I am an artist of emotion.

My layouts are all about moods. Each its own creation, a reflection of the photogaphs - the moment, the event, the memory. Some are clean and graphic, others are fun with lighthearted doodles. There are pages that make me cry, pages that make me laugh. God has had a hand in every one of my layouts, for He created me to create. He gave me the gift of words, an eye for color, and a heart filled with passion for Him, my family and the world I live in. I am able to see things with my heart, take an empty 12x12 canvas, and fill it with emotion.