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Back to the basics

September 6, 2010

Back to the basics

IMG_4965

This past weekend found me and my fourteen-year-old without any males in the house so we did what most moms and daughters do on solo girls' weekends: we shopped, saw a concert (Crowded House!) and took pictures of each other.

I took this of Aidan:

Date 

And she took this of me:

Me 

(I used a Totally Rad Action on both photos, Pool Party, for inquiring minds that need to know.)

Even though the shot of Aidan is adorable, I think the shot of me is just plain cool. Her framing is better. Her focus is sharper. Her personal style stamp is stronger. The kid's got some mad photog skillz. True that.

With all that lovely open space in the frame, I decided to make a simple layout to mark some of the progress I feel I'm making this year in my life. The page looks a bit like this:

IMG_4969 

Progressflatpage 

Cardstock, patterned paper, a photo, and a simple text box with an outline.

Every time I sit down to make a page, a funny thing happens. They all turn out like this. A few papers, a photo, some words and nary an embellishment to be seen. And every time I do these pages, I'm reminded of exactly what it is I love about scrapbooking: I get tell a simple story in a way that feels right to me.

THE JOURNALING READS:
In my 44th year, I’m making progress. Progress in how I move and eat and how I think about moving and eating. Progress in how I relate to the people that I love. Progress in how to try and live a better life. Who says this old dog isn’t learning anything new?

God knows I try to come up with new things all the time in the realm of scrapbooking. I really do. The thing is, I don't usually succeed. Then, I fall back on the basics that have made my hobby easy, fun and ultimately stress free.

I'm going to start remembering my whole "thou shalt not reinvent wheel" philosophy a little more often.

A reminder for me to get back to the basics and feel the love.

 

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Comments

  1. Kate says

    September 6, 2010 at 5:07 am

    Lovely page Cathy! Aidan sounds like a really cool kid!

    Reply
  2. Maricel C. says

    September 6, 2010 at 5:30 am

    Aidan’s photo of you totally rocks! Love it.

    Reply
  3. Delia says

    September 6, 2010 at 5:46 am

    And that’s why we love you. Please don’t stray from your tried and true- it’s what makes you one of the Gods of this wonderful addiction.

    Reply
  4. Beth Sutton says

    September 6, 2010 at 6:02 am

    Gorgeous, lovely and so simple. My favorite kind of layout.

    Reply
  5. Barb says

    September 6, 2010 at 6:11 am

    I’m right there with you. In fact, I’m currently sorting through my heaps of papers and embellishments, wondering why I’m not giving 90% of it away. 😛

    Reply
  6. Diane Herman says

    September 6, 2010 at 6:20 am

    seeing this simple page reminds me to stop thinking and just scrap…thanks for doing the basics perfectly 🙂

    Reply
  7. willimena says

    September 6, 2010 at 6:57 am

    I so get you! I’ve been wondering whether my style is too simple due to the lack of embellishment. You are an inspiration and encouragement as per usual.

    Reply
  8. helena c says

    September 6, 2010 at 7:02 am

    please keep doing it that way – you are my touchstone for the fabulousness of simple that I need to remind myself of after time in blogland seeing site after site of heavily embellished layouts. I know that whatever makes me happy is fine, but seeing it reflected in blogland is affirming too

    Reply
  9. Jennifer Larson says

    September 6, 2010 at 7:21 am

    This is just amazing–and Aidan is rally good at capturing the pathos in an image! Did she do a page about herself?

    Reply
  10. Jennifer Larson says

    September 6, 2010 at 7:22 am

    Sorry, really good.

    Reply
  11. Teresa says

    September 6, 2010 at 7:46 am

    That kid does have some mad skillz. Bring her down to Dubuque – I’d hire her for a family photo shoot!

    Reply
  12. Aliza says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:06 am

    I also sometimes worry that all my pages are similar and plain. But then I look back through my albums and decide I like them that way.

    Reply
  13. Jody says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:26 am

    “Why fix what ain’t broke?”, I always say! 😉

    Reply
  14. Denise says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:35 am

    There’s nothing wrong with plain, it’s the story you’re telling that’s most important. At least that’s how I see it.

    Reply
  15. mel says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:35 am

    I echo what everyone else has said. We love you the way you are and the fact that your amazing style gives us permission to leave all that bling behind is just a bonus. You are you. Thank goodnes. End of!

    Reply
  16. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:38 am

    ha! i will tell her that!

    Reply
  17. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:43 am

    why thank you, Helena!

    Reply
  18. Tammy M. says

    September 6, 2010 at 8:58 am

    Beautiful pics and another awesome layout! I think we need that reminder that some people can embellish, embellish, embellish and really rock it out, but for some of us we can just take the simple basic things and still rock it out and make it look amazing. And that’s what you do Cathy…you keep it simple and it always rocks. That’s why we all love you! Thanks for being true to yourself!

    Reply
  19. dawn says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:06 am

    I love this Cathy! The title is what I love it’s perfect for what your going thru this year and I think it’s great for me to so I’m going to borrow that idea, thank you. Both pictures are great but your right your’s really is sharp and I like the angle of it. It’s so true that simple is better and it’s always ok to go back to the basics.

    Reply
  20. Pam says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:20 am

    Classy, elegant and simple. Just beautiful.
    I love your style Cathy.

    Reply
  21. Kay Gregory-Clark says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:26 am

    Cathy, you are my anchor! Way back when I discovered your “simple” approach, it gave me permission to do what I had always liked, a throwback to simple newsletter & brochure designs. I just didn’t get all the embellishments, tho they are sometimes tempting & fun. My passion for scrapbooking blossomed when I began scraplifting LOs from your books & SS’s pages. Now & again I stray, & I begin getting frustrated & confused—until you post a layout like this one & I’m brought back home. THANKS!

    Reply
  22. Kay Gregory-Clark says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:29 am

    p.s. You just can’t beat Basic Grey, either!

    Reply
  23. kerri Macdonald says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:31 am

    Great layout, and great pictures!

    Reply
  24. katie says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:59 am

    I love your style. And yes Aidan’s got some mad photog skillz. How fun to have a girls day.

    Reply
  25. TracyBzz says

    September 6, 2010 at 10:16 am

    I hate you for influencing me with your style Cathy. Or rather my scrap area full of embellishments that I spent good money on and are now sitting since Cathy has ‘forced’ me to love her clean style so much, they hate you. Me, I really like you.
    Crop the left side of Adian’s photos and I love the angle and the way she’s tilting her head.

    Reply
  26. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 10:56 am

    I am always a little envious of people who can rock the embellishments, and really layer it all in there. Still, you have to be true to yourself! : ) Thanks for the comment, Tammy!

    Reply
  27. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 11:02 am

    Here here to the simple, classic newsletters! : )

    Thanks, Kay.

    Reply
  28. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 11:05 am

    LOL! Tell them not to hate, but to LOVE. ; )

    You should see all of my stash! It just sits there. In my dining room. Mocking me. ; )

    Reply
  29. Pedroza says

    September 6, 2010 at 1:15 pm

    Thanks for your great layouts, I love your work. I have learned so much from you from a design standpoint and getting me started with photoshop elements, thanks you so much.

    Reply
  30. JoLynn says

    September 6, 2010 at 1:20 pm

    Clean. Simple. CZ. That’s what keeps me coming back. I have to learn some of these actions, though. ‘Cause I love the effect on your photos. Rock on, Aidan. It’s so nice to have someone around who can take a pic!

    Reply
  31. Aknancy says

    September 6, 2010 at 1:42 pm

    Aiden…. You have a wonderful “eye” Simplistic but making a statement all in one. You go girl

    Reply
  32. giselle says

    September 6, 2010 at 2:47 pm

    “Thou shalt not reinvent the wheel”…I need that pasted LARGE on my scraproom wall! Thanks Cathy 😀

    Glad you & Aidan had some girly time together this weekend, the apple has not fallen far from the tree!

    Reply
  33. RobynS says

    September 6, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    I love your page. I have not finished a page in so long – months – but am going for a girls sb weekend on Thursday. You are so lucky to have see Crowded House. Also, since I have to live through other people because concerts do not really come here, please go see Paula Cole for me on Nov. 18 @ the Dakota Jazz Club. She has a new album coming out on 9/21. – Then tell me how good it was – Thanks(wink)

    Reply
  34. cathy says

    September 6, 2010 at 3:24 pm

    Oh wow. I didnt know Paula was still out there. Ive not been to the Dakota since it moved locations. : )

    Reply
  35. Christina says

    September 6, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Well what can I say?? SIMPLY stunning. Please keep reminding us that the simpe pages are just beautiful. I wish I had someone to take a photo of me like that.

    Reply
  36. Shari says

    September 6, 2010 at 4:52 pm

    I LOVE this layout and the idea. I may have to ‘borrow’ that ‘P’ word for my MeTAV book. : )

    Reply
  37. Philippa says

    September 6, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    great photos i love TRA especially pool party

    Reply
  38. ale says

    September 6, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    i love your approach to scrapbooking, cathy! you show us that with just a photo, a story and paper is possible to create amazing layouts.

    Reply
  39. RobynS says

    September 6, 2010 at 9:31 pm

    I am so glad she is singing again. I think she was at home with her daughter for quite a while as she had athsma. But now she is back. Her voice is so good. Also check out the stages of a photographer graph here. http://jhnmyr.tumblr.com/

    Reply
  40. Jeanne Pellerin says

    September 7, 2010 at 5:54 am

    Me likey!

    Reply
  41. Maegan says

    September 7, 2010 at 11:29 am

    Both of the photos are great. I love your simple layouts. We have the exact same style. I too have tried to add a bit more umph to my layouts, but I always go back to the clean simple lines. I’ve just learned to embrace it.

    Reply
  42. Katie Pegher says

    September 7, 2010 at 11:43 am

    Ditto ditto ditto to all the great comments above. Cathy – you and your simple mantra – your books and blog totally changed the way I looked at this hobby about 4 years ago. Now, I’m more invested than ever in it – but less stressed. It’s layouts like this – great reminders that simple and clean is utterly beautiful and very communicative – that keep me jazzed about the whole thing. Go-on witcha bad self, goddess of scrapdom!

    Reply
  43. cathy says

    September 7, 2010 at 11:52 am

    : ) Thanks, Miss Katie!

    Reply
  44. dawn says

    September 7, 2010 at 11:55 am

    Hey Cathy,

    I forgot to mention yesterday that it’s awesome that you had to scrapbook this photo ASAP that tells us how much it meant to you and what you saw in it. I’ve done that a few times with my pictures and make a layout that day or the next day because I just loved it. Those are always my favorite layouts no stress!!

    Reply
  45. jakki says

    September 7, 2010 at 1:21 pm

    She took an AMAZING photo of you!

    Reply
  46. jesa says

    September 7, 2010 at 3:23 pm

    Cathy everytime you post a scrabooking layout a burst of inspiration just comes rushing through! Thank you!!

    Reply
  47. Jill S. says

    September 7, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    I LOVE your simple, no-embellishments style. Some people can make those embellishments work, but I prefer to stick to the basics. Your blog is such an inspiration to me. I can’t wait for your BPS class to begin in a few weeks.

    Reply
  48. 2hounds says

    September 7, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Love your layout! So totally agree that your DD has a wonderful eye!

    Reply
  49. Mary says

    September 9, 2010 at 9:43 pm

    basic grey is my favorite. and I love seeing how you and aiden spent the weekend! (and would love some tips on adding that great text block to the photo – you make it look so easy…..)

    Reply

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