Thoughts on becoming a Master…
When I first started scrapbooking, I bought my first copy of Scrapbooking Memories. I ooooed and ahhhhed over the layouts thinking one day maybe I would be “good enough” to be published. Then, with the release of the Masters issue, I thought WOW, imagine if I could be a Master. At the time it was a dream that I considered possible but huge, like man landing on the moon, it was a big dream and one I quietly and patiently set about trying to achieve. 17 years on and I still cannot believe it is now a reality, I’ve done it and I am a Scrapbooking Master for 2017!!
So what was different this year to the other years I had tried, well actually lots!
My first attempt was in 2008 and I was just too new to scrapping, I hadn’t figured out what was me and what was the latest trend and I was just finding my feet and trying new things, I didn’t think I would win, but really wanted the experience.
In 2015 I left my entry to the last minute – creating all tasks in only a few days, staying up until midnight to get them done. My initial thought was, I don’t want to over think my pages, so if I smash them out, I won’t be able to do that. I started with layouts I had already created and scrap lifted them with adjustments to fit the challenge. I would definitely NOT recommend this! Masters entries need to be considered and measured, not rushed. Having said that, the pages I cerated I loved and were very true to me AND, after all, they were “good enough” (and I totally mean that tongue in cheek) to land me the Creative Team position, but still, I would NOT recommend this strategy!
This year, I took my time, I really thought about having a strategy for each of the tasks and a point of difference – something that really showed how I put myself and my love of scrapbooking into the page.
Overall I think the biggest difference was actually within me, it had nothing to do with the products I used, the colours I chose, what I thought they would like. I simply created 4 pages that were the essence of me and my style. I was not going to send in anything that I was 100% proud of and loved. If something needed re-doing I had time for that, I was able to make them perfect in my mind. They oozed “Gwen” and the way I like to have things on my page. I guess what I’m saying is that I feel very comfortable in my style and what I like. I’m not trying to be like “Suse Fish” or “Paige Evans” or “Maggie” – I’m just doing the best version of “me” I can.
So when people ask me, how did you do it? How do you know what they are looking for? I simply say “Find your true YOU and be that – the best YOU that you can be, that’s what I did”.
This hobby is so much more than cutting up paper, and becoming a Master is more than winning the Scrapbooking Olympics (as Miss 9 calls it). It is part of who I am and I am so happy to continue to fall in love with this hobby of mine and the amazing peeps who are apart of it. I hope becoming a Master means that I get to meet more amazing scrappers and I am so looking forward to a wonderfully creative year ahead.
Thank you all so much for your love and support!
Gwen
xo
