And that time of the year is? The time to update the kids' school albums, as seen in that compelling piece of literature, Clean&Simple, Pt. Deux. It's the one album project (or rather, two) that I absolutely love because all of the guesswork is removed from the equation. I go to my cabinet, I pull out the appropriate materials file (where i keep all the bits that go into each four-page section) and then, i pull out the photos I've saved from the school year (that don't have to be directly related to "school" at all), print out the page title strips that I've saved on my computer, and within a half an hour or so, I'm ready to put it all together. (And yes, I realize Cole's first grade pic is a bit frog like, but God, I adore that little froggie.)
I'm going to work on Aidan's in the next few days. These are the only albums I feel any obligation to, really. And that's because these albums are truly for them, and they get to keep them.
Scrapbooking. Man. I don't know what to say about it right now. I love it in theory. The whole idea of documenting stuff that matters to you. Kind of like blogging, in a way. Taking little bits and pieces, putting them down, putting your creative spin on it, and maintaining a record of life. But right now, I really don't practice what I preach.
Meaning, I used to be the girl who scrapbooked in every free moment. I would scoff at those who said things like, "I just don't know how you have the time for that sort of thing." Gee. I don't know. I make the time. I mean, you can always find time for the things you love. Excercise? Not so much. But for the things that really make you happy? There are always ways.
But right now? I walk through my to-DIE-for dining/scraproom, and think, "Hey. How's it goin'?" And just keep right on walking because there is a couch and an episode of Top Chef with my name on it.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not entering therapy over this. I'm just trying to figure out how I want to document life.
Personal expression has always been important to me. I've kept journals and been writing since I learned to hold a pencil. Right now, it's this blog. This blog has fulfilled that need for me. It's really all about telling stories, being relatively truthful, and the occasional REALLY GOOD sentence that nails what it was that i was trying to say. Like the one about running over the box of puppies. That's golden, baby. Just golden.
My point is that I love this hobby, even though I'm not truly immersed in the day to day of it.
And that again, it's not about pictures.
(Except maybe this one, which comes with a gratuitous chest hair warning.)
Peace out.
GlennaB says
I think Cole looks like dh in that picture!!
Sheryl says
Love the pics of Cole and Dan!
And it’s great to hear that I’m not alone in taking time off of scrapbooking. I haven’t made a layout since January and the first couple of months I felt really guilty about that. Now I’m just going with it and have gotten back into reading like I used to. Two or three books a week. Speaking of which, I just finished Snowflower and the Secret Fan. I *highly* recommend it. And, also, Water for Elephants.
Stephanie says
I never really thought Dan was sexy before….then came this picture. Hmmmm…
Christine says
This picture just proves to my why Dan is your lobster.
You know what, it’s ok to not love sb’ing everyday. Took me a long time to figure that out. But really life is full of stuff we have to do and stuff we want to do and stuff we need to do. Scrapbooking can and does fall into all three of those categories depending on the day.
And sometimes the other stuff be it going to watch Hairspray with your cousins from out of town or cozying up on the couch to watch Grey’s or doing your taxes, it’s all about moderation. And I’m finally ok with that.
You’re a doll, thanks!!!
Christine says
This picture just proves to my why Dan is your lobster.
You know what, it’s ok to not love sb’ing everyday. Took me a long time to figure that out. But really life is full of stuff we have to do and stuff we want to do and stuff we need to do. Scrapbooking can and does fall into all three of those categories depending on the day.
And sometimes the other stuff be it going to watch Hairspray with your cousins from out of town or cozying up on the couch to watch Grey’s or doing your taxes, it’s all about moderation. And I’m finally ok with that.
You’re a doll, thanks!!!
CarrieB says
You kill me. You really do. Personally speaking, I find a do far less scrapping now that I have a blog. I feel like the moments and memories ARE being recorded (even if I don’t have perfectly color coordinated Bazzill or the new Primas to make my point.
I love your expression Cathy. Your words, your designs and your stories. I am grateful you share your gifts with the world…be it in the form a new book, published layouts or a daily read of your always entertaining blog. Thank you!
Christine Villacarlos says
Oh wow! I thought that was Dan’s grade school photo! 🙂 Wouldn’t have guessed it was Cole if you hadn’t said so!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cathy! I sometimes feel too lazy to scrap, too, and I guess that’s OK! 🙂 I don’t want to feel like I am burdened by it, so I scrap whenever I feel like…
Have a nice day!
michelle says
can i just say….that pic of dan is just fliping HAWT!!!
Annie Adams says
I know what you mean!
patti says
WHAT A FOX!!! snork…again-you have a way with words that is just incredible…
Tess says
I think I get it – I went on a year-long scrapbooking strike. The thing is, I wanted to do it, but just couldn’t. (Lost my mojo.)Thankfully, I’ve bounced back.
My mom has always warned me that when you make your hobby your living that you’ve essentially lost your hobby. The effort takes on completely different connotations.
KZ, if you never did another scrapbook page again it’d be OK. JUST DON’T STOP BLOGGING AGAIN! I don’t think I could take it. 😉
Yvonne says
Where’s the porn star mustache???!!!
Gina says
I completely understand where you’re coming from. I go through “Death Valley” dry spells with scrapbooking, too. For me, though, the blogging has jump-started my desire to create and I often end up using my posts as journaling.
None of us will pressure you to produce, though when you do, I get a little thrill up my spine and hurry off to try to “top that”. Sorry, it’s the competitor in me…
katie scott says
A few things:
1. My benevolent crush on your husband is official. He is so cute!
2. You should go through your scrapbooking supplies & get rid of some stuff (hey you could give it away on your blog/ what a great idea is that!) and I bet you’ll find something in your supplies you want to play with.
3. If you really don’t feel like scrapbooking then don’t but you should print out your blog entries and put them in a notebook & then you’ve got a hard copy of your blog which is just as good as a scrapbook.
Melissa says
cathy…your posts never fail to make me smile and sometime to even chuckle out loud. Thanks for being a happy moment in my day!!!
Holly says
Is he working the camera or what!!?
thanks for your insight, totally agree. Getting ready to work on school albums too.
Kelli Kemmerer says
It is a real treat for me to read your blog everyday! Thank you for your honesty about this hobby!It is reassurance for me to hear you say that. I have backed away from it this summer because I want to still LOVE this hobby.I have purchased YOUR FIRST book which has given me a lot of insight on how to change the way I do things in scrapbooking. Now I am off to go get The Sequel. No pressure or anything, but your third book should just about ready to go the printer right???
thank you again!!
jen says
Oh Cathy…
Dang. There really aren’t words. I love you!!
I go through the same thing. I have this unreal office, and it’s organized. And the only way it stays organized is if I don’t take anything out. Summer months= a constant stream of company that will want to see how organized my room is. (that’s why they come over, right? To see that I’m superwoman?? LOL)
I just got done having a houseguest over for 8 days, and we got out all of my books. All at once, I’m overwhelmed by how much I’ve created for my family, but also by how much left there is to create. I *literally* took over 2000 photos in this 8 days. Yes, a lot will be deleted (the beauty of digital!!!) but I will have several layouts of this week with my favorite people.
How do you document it ALL? For now, I know it’s comfy and safe on my hard drive. Someday I’ll get the mojo back. Like when my 8 month old sleeps through the night. Yeah….
Christy says
Top Chef rocks! Makes me & my hubs huuuungry and man-o-man that one dude–I think CJ is 7 feet tall!!
Tess says
Yeah, had to apologize. I realize you’re cathy with a C. Oops.
caroline says
Do think that maybe you’re getting that “need to doucment/be creative/write” fulfilled with your blogging? When you think about it, your blog is very much a form of digital scrapbook. Lots of pictures, great journaling on all kinds of things that are important to you, that you find amusing and/or entertaining/or that just plain moves you and makes you go “hmmmm”…not as “design-y” as a scrapbook, since the layout is more-or-less chosen for you… Just throwing that out there because I find that I have a need to be creative on, say, a weekly basis — but that doesn’t mean that I need to scrapbook every week.
And don’t even get me started on the “don’t have time” comment. Just be honest and “eh, it doesn’t really appeal to me on a personal level.” and then add, just to be polite “but I truly appreciate the time and effort that goes into it and the fact that scrapbooker’s family’s doings are so well documented.”
Kris with a K says
Um….yeah. Nice shot of Dan. Yowza.
Oh, and Cole is cute too.
But dang. Yeah.
miley says
meow kitten. meow. 🙂 miley
PS…I love reading your blog..:)
Martha M. says
CZ: I totally get what you’re saying. I am entering my second year of blogging, and it has really made me feel less urgency in the scrapbooking arena.
In fact, I did a blurb “slurp” of my Typepad blod in January and had it printed in soft bound book format. And, honestly, when I look through it, I realize that the blurb.com book of my blog is actually what I’ve always envisioned my scrapbooks should be like. It’s about the everyday; the here and now. And I realize that I didn’t feel the pressure when I was blogging that I do when I sit down and try to scrap the everyday. Know what I mean?
And I must say, Dan is so darn cute!
Stephanie says
You make me laugh. Out loud. As I sit here by myself. Thanks for that Ms. Cathy Zielske.
julie says
I say go with it…scrapping can wait but, Top Chef on the other hand can’t! 😉 Loving Top Chef right now, too. Hey, would you mind posting pics of your kid’s school pages? I’d love to see the continuous lo design you’ve chosen for these albums. I was just filing stuff in my kids “School of LIfe” files and was thinking that I needed to get going on these very albums. Thanks much.
Maria says
CZ…this is why I love you. Okay, I confess. I worship thee…and I say that with the humblest please-don’t-think-I’m-a- stalker kind of tone. But I do. Thanks for keeping things real. I’ve been feeling a bit guilty lately for the lack of scrapbooking mojo…this post just made my day! And yeah, those pics are fabulous too 😉
jes says
i agree with tess up there.. once your hobby becomes your work, it kinda takes the fun out of it. but you haven’t given up completely, you’re still blogging and essentially recording memories. it’s all good. when the time is right, you may pick it back up again. and if not, then it’s really not a big deal. 😉
and how’d you get so lucky with that handsome boy and hottie hubby?! hello?!? 😀
jes says
i agree with tess up there.. once your hobby becomes your work, it kinda takes the fun out of it. but you haven’t given up completely, you’re still blogging and essentially recording memories. it’s all good. when the time is right, you may pick it back up again. and if not, then it’s really not a big deal. 😉
and how’d you get so lucky with that handsome boy and hottie hubby?! hello?!? 😀
Renee says
Oh my. That picture of Dan is practically pornographic. Hope you have an enlargement hanging in your room.
Anita says
Scrapbooking: “I love it in theory.” You nailed it, Cathy, that SO describes me.
Love your blog, love your attitude, love your generosity in sharing of yourself.
Rock on.
Deborah P says
You paint pictures with your words, so you could print out your blogs (as others have suggested) and have a wonderful scrapbook of what is happening in your life with including any photographs. As you and others at the 2006 Scrap, Etc. Inspiration Event so vividly demonstrated, it is ALL about the story you have to tell, not the pretty embellishments (though I LOVE me some pretty embellishments).
Nicole says
Cathy…will you pass along to Dan that I am seriously starting to question his intentions with you? Back to that whole ‘mustache’ thing and cheesy poses…hmmmmmm.
wink wink
Barbara says
Did you photoshop Dan’s head onto David Hasselhoff’s body? He looks like he should be on Baywatch.
🙂 Barbara
Crystal says
Me too!
GOing through a dry spell. Doesn’t help that I broke my arm in January, or that I tried to start some crafty sales in other areas, or that my teeny tiny desk is covered and I can’t work on the kitchen table (family of mine would be a teensy put out that they can’t eat at the only table like piece of furniture in the house just because mommy’s in the middle of something and it can’t be moved!)
Someday I’ll get back to it. Someday I’ll finish that vacation album that tells the hilarious story of my husband getting caught up in a street performers act and wearing a cod-piece. Someday I’ll record the story of my daughters brave shoes and the trip to the dentist. Some day…but not today. Today I crochet a vest for my DD.
Thanks for your continued insights!
Bluii76
p.s. that pic of Dan made me LOL! (I just imagine in the background there were like a hundred screaming kids)
Ann says
Thanks for your usual honesty. Scrapbooking should not drive life as life should drive scrapbooking. I’m glad to hear that you’re trying to figure out what you want to do. I just let myself do what feels good — at least in the scrapbooking realm.
Ann
Nitty.Gritty. says
I love that you labeled that pic ‘nice.jpg’. =)
For real.
lori says
Okay Cathy, the whole scrapbooking drama…”to scrap, or not to scrap”…yeah I am a devotee but would give it all up to be the #1 fan for Jermaine and Bret full-time. Oh, and I blame you…THANK YOU for the heads-up on the best thing! The Flight of the Conchords is just…I don’t have words. I’m sure Bret would be able to say what I mean and with the perfect melody. In the same vein, have you seen the “fake Steve Jobs blog?”
Prepare thyself for merriment!!! ( that’s what the winches always yelled as we entered the Renaissance Faire here in Grapevine) Delight!
http://fakesteve.blogspot.com/
start with the Yoko entry…ahh heck, they’re all great!!!
ps…your
amy says
How funny that I’m sitting in MY to die for scrap room NOT scrapping but reading my fav blogs while waiting to watch the new episode of of….TOP CHEF !! Love it !!
~A
Carrie D. says
Cripes – that pic of Dan totally looks like he’s posing as a guest star for Baywatch! Too funny!!
kel says
can we super-impose your head on Pamela andeson frolicking in the surf?? LOL
thanks for the straight up honesty. i LOVE your blog.
rock on CZ, rock on sista!
cathy says
love your honesty, love your whit (wit?), love your cute self, and LOVE Top Chef! 🙂
Glad to know that Bravo is someone else’s vice too.
lori says
oh geez, wenches, not nautical equipment. What a dork!
nia says
oh my word that last photo made me giggle something fierce. I had another funky cathy z dream – that I was babysitting your two little ones and aidan couldn’t stop talking about some tiny hole in the wall of your dining room….i need therapy.
I just “rediscovered” your book the other day and spent a good chunk of time looking at it again. man, so stinkin inspiring. So, whether you scrap on a daily basis or no, you give so many of us out there so much gosh dern inspiration.
Thanks for that Cathy.
Corey says
Oh that picture cracks me up!
Thanks for being so honest about scrapbooking. I think it makes us love and respect you more. Really.
I don’t think I could scrapbook for a living. I mean it sounds all good in my head…but for reals I don’t think I could hang. I just couldn’t be THAT creative all the time…or have to be EXPECTED to be creative all the time. That’s a ton of pressure!
I really love your blog…I don’t think I’ve ever commented before. 🙂
MyEbella says
OMG … I love reading your blog, straigh forward, honest, to the point and hilarious!
What a hunk you have……
Sharon says
I am a bit over scrapbooking at the moment too – getting obsessed with my camera instead. I figure I will get back to it. Or not. Probably the former. Who cares as long as I am having fun and learning something. And as someone who (very) briefly met your other half on your trip to our part of the world, he needs no photoshopping. I say that in a totally “I am happily married but can’t help noticing” kind of way. Hope you don’t mind 🙂
melanie says
Hahaha!! YOu always give me a great start to my day. ;p
Btw, I LU-HUVED this school album when I saw it, and I thought, why not just lift it, and save myself a headache? So I did.. and I LOVE it. 🙂
Thanks for your inspiration- never ever tire of seeing your stuff! I loved your ‘Lucky’ page in this month’s SS too.
Mindy says
Any guy that will do what Dan does in front of a camera is one cool dude. Thanks for sharing him with the world.
Sharon Holesh says
Cathy, What kind of paper did you use to print the page title strips on? I did an album for my son and used rub-ons and it took forever! Did you use cardstock or photo paper? Thanks for your help! Sharon
Sussanah says
That is a Zoolander “Blue Steel” look if ever I saw one.
He’s a keeper.
jany says
Speaking of Clean/Simple/2… I handle mine like the Bible of scrapbooking, and lo and behold, a few days ago, pages start falling out of the spine like the book has alopecia. (Ironically, this alopecia comment ends up below Dan’s chest hair pic. Wonderful.) Any wire-binding services that you recommend? Why did this happen 🙁 Sad. So sad.
Loydene says
OH!
My!
Sorta makes one feel … tingley. Oops – sorry *Mrs* Z …. I mean in a far away, platonic sort of way — no wait — that’s kinda gross. I mean a *completely* non-threatening, non stalker… remote … imaginary …. sort of tingle. Oh ….. nevermind …..
lori says
ok
lori says
ok, just messing with my link page now
Trude says
I’m totally the same way – always kept journals (its hilarious to read the ones I wrote before the age of 10), and now my blog has really taken the place, since I can update it any time I feel like. Although I still have a physical journal in my bedside table for the more “personal” stuff. 🙂
And I’m glad I’m not the only one who has hot and cold periods about scrapping! 😀 I went a month with nothing really, and then 4 pages in a week. Crazy.