A Very Good Place to Start

"Let's start from the very beginning / A very good place to start / When you read you begin with ABC / When you sing you begin with do re mi..."

The moment I decided to open this blog (and actively maintain it *fingers crossed*), the first few lines of a song from "The Sound of Music" immediately popped into my head. And into it, I'd like to add - When you scrapbook you begin with research, planning and budgeting. *LOL* I know, it sounds too serious for all the fun that scrapbooking represents. But then, I think those activities are something that I just have to do if I want to keep on scrapbooking for the next many years. Because I plan to. Oh yes I do. And it's an ultimate understatement to say that I'm SOOOO giddy at finally deciding to do this! Yehey!

SO.. as I happily, excitedly, enthusiastically go on my way to becoming Martha Stewart III (my friend April of Artisan Design Studio gets Martha Stewart II since she's been doing this for a much longer time hehe), here are a few rules I've set for myself. I'm writing them down to make my rules more binding.

1. Invest in a good desktop computer. This has to come later when Hubbs and I have finally moved to our new house. No space for it in our tiny cubbyhole of an apartment. *sniff*

2. Paper first, digital later! Though I've been addicted to digital scrapbooking for a couple of years now, I think doing things manually would give me a better hand at going digital in the future. PLUS I can learn to combine both, print something then add more embellishments. Cool huh? Just writing the word "embellishments" sends a shiver of excitement down my spine! I know. I'm a self-confessed addict. Moving on..

3. Have ALL the tools and machines!!! Oooh, I just L-O-V-E every tool in scrapbooking! From the stamps to punchers to cutting machines! You name it, I love it. And I would so love to have them all. *sigh* Of course, this is where the budgeting comes in. No sense in having everything when you won't have money left for food, ayt? Slowly but surely, my bosses would say.

4. No more comfort zones! I'm letting go of all my comfort zones as far as arts and crafts are concerned. I'm going to learn it all: photo editing, die cutting, stamping, engraving, embossing, stitching.. the list goes on and on and on.

and lastly..

5. Have fun, get all the more creative and just go for it!


Here are a few pages I've done with digital scrapbooking eons ago (that's what it feels like)..

I did these at www.scrapblog.com, a wonderful scrapbooking/blogging website that just feeds my imagination with beautiful digital graphics, backgrounds, and embellishments! My pages are nothing compared to all the beautiful designs I've seen on the internet and I know I've got a lot to learn what with all the developments in scrapbooking lately but.. well, it's a start right? And no, this is not my wedding. This is my tito's. Maybe I'll get around to making a scrapbook for MY wedding one of these days.. If I do, you'll be the first to know for sure!

So this is my "very beginning".. For my next post, I'll go into details on what I've done for my research-planning-and-budgeting stage. If you've got any suggestions or additions to the rules I've set for myself, please do tell! I need all the help I can get and I would SO appreciate feedback.. Well, here I go. Wish me luck!