Hello! It's Leanne again, or Leanie as most of you know me.
I wanted to talk about those times when inspiration strikes, but we don't think it might be appropriate - you know the times, don't you? Sometimes you'll want to create a layout for a moment that hasn't happened yet, for many reasons - it might be the perfect motto for an upcoming family event, or the fact you've just bought papers to match a 12mth size dress for your 6 week old... And you feel so inspired to create something right then, even though the photos aren't going to exist for a while!
I had such a moment over 3 years ago - and it's finally come to fruition, and I really wanted to share:
I attended a breast cancer fundraiser crop, which I now help run - many of you will have heard about Pink Booby on UKS and beyond! - where we had to bring a 12x12 layout kit. Literally a couple of sheets of paper, a piece of card, a few blooms, brads, buttons, blingy bits and ribbon. Everyone's kits then got swapped around in secret, and I ended up with one that I was dreading using the second I opened the packet. Don't get me wrong, everything was good quality, but nothing that I was into at the time!
Eventually, after adding some stash of my own, pushing things around, and letting my train of thought wander (believe me, the tracks are a maze!) I went from wondering what I would do to frantically working. I believe I was able to cut right in and stamp onto the main piece without fear, because it wasn't my stash, and that gave me freedom. I started to create a page for something I knew I would get around to, rather than for right now. My table partner was bemused, but went along with my scheme.
I realised I could ink everything to tone it down, which then gave me vintage, and reminded me of my grandmother. Then I got thinking of all the wonderful stories she and my grandfather had shared of their life over the years, some of which were hilarious - and they'd known eachother since they were 4, so there were quite a few, I can tell you! I wanted to create an envelope page to collect them all in. I bought some gorgeous journaling cards, fitted the pocket around them, and planned on taking the cards next time I visited so we could talk and Grandma could help write a story on each one (Grandpa was no longer with us by then). Here it is, in it's anticipatory glory:
Of course I never got around to it, the cards stayed in the layout, in the back of my album, where it was forgotten. Fast forward 3 years and we were having to move Grandma to a home for 24hr care after several severe falls, operations, strokes, and vascular dementia. It was so hard going through her house, clearing it out as if she was gone. But then I found these in her bedside table, in a little brown paper bag:
Pages and pages of love. Letters, some long , some short, poems, cards, clippings... all from Grandpa, professing his love for her, referring to incidents I'd hear about many times before. We cried our loss, laughed with them, smiled over the innocence of it all back then. Priceless, utterly priceless, because I thought I'd lost half of them with Grandpa in 2006, and the rest when Grandma became ill.
They did make our task a little easier that day and, when we were done, I took them home, knowing that I had the perfect spot to keep them safe. They're not acid free, but I don't care. I'll remake that layout a hundred times if I need to - the important thing is that the letters will last, and the love will endure.
The (near) finished article. I still haven't found the perfect picture of them both for the front yet, but I know I will when I go through the boxes and albums of photographs we found that day.
So when the inspiration strikes, take it, use it - Because you never know when you'll need that page, that cardigan, that necklace, that canvas... You won't jinx things, you won't be foolish - you'll simply be prepared, and that's a rare gift for a crafter, right?
Thank you so much for reading, and I'd love it if you would leave a comment if you have done this - and links to your work, whether finished or not, please? I know I'm not alone in this!
Leanne x
That's a precious story and I am sure that your finished album will be beautiful. You are not alone in crafting out of season I am sure.
Posted by: Doda | May 21, 2012 at 12:57 PM
What a great story, I had never though of making a layout in advance. I will have to have a go as I have a layout in mind.
Posted by: Helen T | May 21, 2012 at 01:19 PM
This doesn't just apply to crafting. I used to try not to plan too much in advance because it always seemed that my plans didn't work out from one reason or another.
But now I would say, do plan and enjoy it too. You never know when things will change and then some things may never happen. Take care and enjoy all you have. Val x
Posted by: Val | May 24, 2012 at 01:40 PM
Great story. Hugs Erika.
Posted by: Erika | May 30, 2012 at 07:11 PM