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speakup

Ah, scrapbooking -- that wonderful hobby that sounds so darn appealing in theory.

And when I see the results of other's labours, this creative outlet appeals even more.

The challenge, however, is finding the time to do it. That is especially embarrassing for me to admit after talking to some incredibly busy moms who manage to do just that.

I'm a single woman with a relatively undemanding dog. Where does my spare time go? Your guess is as good as mine.

Between work, attempts to exercise, time with friends and family, reading, writing, too much TV and the regular chores of life, I seem to have a pretty full plate.

And yet, others do much, much more in the run of a day.

Plus I have this ginormous pile of photos from trips taken over the past few years that need a home.

When I travel, I gather more than photos. I also mix in postcards, brochures and any other bits and pieces of interest. These are hard to place in some photo albums, but they would be perfect if I decided to give scrapbooking a try.

Actually, I wrote about scrapbooking a few years ago and at the time sat down with three wonderfully talented scrapbookers.

Though their work was detailed and creative and, to be honest, downright intimidating to a newbie like myself, they happily took me under their collective wing.

They shared tools, supplies and tips, and before I knew it, I had a page put together. Surprisingly, it was a great page. It still is. And I give all the credit for that to the ladies.

While I was riding high on a sense of creative accomplishment following that session, once I was left to my own devices it quickly faded.

That poor scrapbook page still stands alone, placed between a couple of old photo albums on a shelf in my home office.

By itself, it isn't much of a book, but I remain hopeful that the scrapbooking bug will bite again.

Chatting with Leanne Haines and Yvonne Nye, I began to realize what I was doing wrong. Actually, it was Leanne who said it -- scrapbooking on your own just isn't as fun as scrapbooking with a group of girls.

I'm sure my lack of scrapbooking supplies and tools and all the cool things that make scrapbooking fun had something to do with it as well, but I digress.

I view scrapbooking get-togethers as the ultimate in multi-tasking -- you get to be productive, get those creative juices flowing and socialize with friends, all at the same time.

Though I enjoy some solitary pursuits, such as getting lost in a good book, I also love spending time with my friends. And I don't do it nearly often enough. Life is busy, for all of us, and even squeezing in the occasional lunch can be a challenge.

I think Leanne, Yvonne and the others at their church have the right idea. That once-a-month scrapbooking session allows these busy women to touch base with others with similar interests, while giving them time to relax.

There's no pressure. You can make your scrapbooking pages as simple or elaborate as you like. You can finish one page or five. It's all at your own pace, in your own unique style. The ladies share ideas, while checking out each other's work.

If you can't make it to the monthly Friday night session, that's OK -- but I have a feeling that most of those involved do their darnedest to make time for those scrapbooking evenings. Talking to them, I was inspired all over again. Suddenly it seemed possible that I could do another page to go with that poor lonely scrapbook page that has been patiently waiting to be part of an actual book.

Maybe a monthly scrapbooking night is what my girlfriends need. We could scrapbook, chat and spend a bit of quality time together. And I'd finally be doing something useful with all those photos.

Lori Gallagher is a staff writer at The Daily Gleaner. She can be reached at gallagher.lori@dailygleaner.com.