How do I explain?

[*DH*]

I was chatting to some old school mates over the christmas period and we ended up talking out our wifes hobbies etc. I tried to explain what scrapbooking was and after 5 mins the others just what scrapbooking is?

So the challenge is - how to competently explain scrapbooking in lets say 10 words?? It is much harder than you think!

Please help me - so that I can get off the subject of scrapbooking (and not look so sad) next time!!!

I look forward to your expert opinions....

[scoobiesue]

I don't think you can explain it with words it is very much something you need to see, I know from personal experience when I have said 'Its a way of combining photography with art so that each photo tells a story and is preserved for future generations' etc etc and I have gone on to explain further about embellishments/ journalling...I might as well say I dance naked in the moonlight and decapitate goats - people just don't get it! get the albums out and show them and GASP 'ooh they are not what I thought you meant at all'.
the word 'scrapbook' for most people conjures up memories of those horrid sugar paper books from the 1970's I think

[__TJ__]

keeping photographs/memories in a creative and archivally safe way

[jani d]

Yeh you're right i remember when i got my last job as a tutor/sales assistant in a craft shop. I was telling one of the mum's at school(who is lovely but does say the first thing that comes into her head)

The look she gave me and said "you are going to teach people to scrapbook" with a dry smile.

What you have to remember is that some people cant visiualise any thing. I use to have a balloon business and we would do bridal fairs. The colour we would use would be the 'in' colour. But we would get people come over to us and say " oh i love your balloons but my wedding is lilac not gold-it a shame as i would of loved you to do them for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" On more than one occassion!

It is a thing that needs to be seen to be believe and anyone who has seen your books knows that. Maybe in future we should all carry a brag book so we can show a mini version which will stop them in their tracks (and no smart comment) and that would only be "let me show you". 4.

[noctrl]

With out the back up of examples you can't!!

[Jane]

Why bother - they are just blokes

[greyparrot]

Why bother - they are just blokes

amen sista!
sue you make me wet myself! Stobbit!

[Emma Jane]

Why bother - they are just blokes

Lol Jane - too true.

If I was explaining to a bloke - I would say in less than 10 words:

"Its like making a photo album but more decorative"

and if they were still following at this point "and you can add titles and wording"

[SMAX]

Scrapbooking is the same as a divorce. It costs you a fortune and you never see your wife again

Oh and I am using the Female version of 10 words. Of course its really 19 words but because the word shop had a sale on, it really only cost me 10 words

[miss_sixty]

LMAO Smax!

[Emma Jane]

Lol Smax

[Louweasel]

Lol Jane - too true.

If I was explaining to a bloke - I would say in less than 10 words:

"Its like making a photo album but more decorative"

and if they were still following at this point "and you can add titles and wording"

That's almost exactly what I say when people ask!

And Smax - you forgot "plus it was worth it as these words are better quality and make me look really thin!"

[Jane]

Smax! Nice one

[Elin]

I explain it by saying that if you were'nt there no-one would be able to understand the who/why/what of your photo album. After a couple of years no-one would know even who the people were nevermind the where & when. Scrapbooking is preserving the photos with the story in an artistic way.

A lot more than 10 words I know!

[Fairysparkle]

I think I SMAX