Back to Basics

Show me a scrapper and I'll show you a person who's really into gadgets. And maybe trends? When a newbie scrapper dives into the craft of scrapbooking she'll need the essential tools: scissors, adhesives, cutter & ruler, most probably purchased from the neighborhood bookstore. She hurries home in gleeful ecstacy with the precious stash and gets right down to serious business. After delving deep into the creative process as evidenced (hopefully) by a handful of layouts, the newbie then decides that her tools need to be upgraded. And pronto! The perfectly good pair of scissors will be exchanged for one with a pointed tip, non-stick blades, spring action and comfort grip for ergonomic comfort. How else can she precision cut through the intricate design on the patterned paper? Never mind if it costs an arm & a leg. Besides, at the last crop she went to at the LSS everyone was using it!


And don't let me get started on the cutter. When I started scrapping in 2005, everyone brought along the single-bladed portable paper trimmer to crops. Then it quickly evolved: self-sharpening blades, multi-shaped blades, magnetic surfaces, foldable, etc. Now there are guillotine cutters which guaranty to effortlessly cut through wads of paper, including your fingernails & fingers if you're not careful....OUCH! The downside? It's humongous, weighs a ton and takes up all the surface space of your cropping area. Oh well, you'll argue with anyone who dares that it's STILL a good buy and hence takes up a special corner in your already crowded scrapping nook.

Scrappers can't get enough. They continue about their merry way creating art with their new-found tool. Until a new product comes along. They'll curiously look at it, investigate, then maybe try it out. Whoa! This is fantastic!!! I just have to have it!!! Then they'll fret, whine, obsess and justify the latest acquisition. Happiness is getting the new IT product! Well, for some....

In a perfect world (and a recession-free economy) it would be great to be able to continually upgrade one's gadgets and stash as new (and better) ones come along. Besides, it's all for the scrappers' good, right? Some may agree and quite a handful will argue with this. Who needs a new cutter when the old one works perfectly well? And what's the difference between your high-tech scissors from the ones your Mom used for all her crafts? Engaging in a discussion will be endless and arguing about it is pointless. To each his own, I always say.

Scrapbooking is a billion dollar industry and the last few years has seen its rise to stellar heights. Manufacturers and their design teams were falling over each other to offer the latest and the "best". And we, scrappers were only to willing to embrace these trends. But right now everyone feels the pinch and the scrapbooking industry is not exempt. When income is tight, the first to go are leisure & craft activities. And if consumption falls production quickly follows suit. At present, the industry is facing a major shakedown. Some major players have already closed shop or simply merged with other companies for survival. Rationalization is the name of the game. Just recently, one of my favorite magazines, Simple Scrapbooks, closed shop. Making Memories will follow suit by the end of the year. Wonder who's next?

So where to now, scrapper? Are we finally free from the manufacturers' "trends" and go down to the essence of scrapbooking? Don't despair because as long as there are memories, there'll be something to scrap about. One doesn't always need to have the newest product to be able to complete a beautiful layout. To each his own, again I say. And we can always go back to where we started: some talent, a lot of chutzpah and a good pair of scissors from the neighborhood bookstore.