No more hoarding--check in

I was going back over some of the posts I wrote in the first month of this blog today to see what goals I had for myself at the beginning of the year and whether or not I followed through. I have been really determined to use up my stash this year.  I started two big family history projects (one for me and one for my husband), joined 3 design teams, completed my first LOAD, attended True Scrap 5, and started making cards.  

In the No more hoarding post.  I shared two of the first cards that I ever made.  Let me just say that I'm more than a little embarrassed to look at them now.

It's not that there's anything wrong with them per se, but the distressing isn't really my style, there aren't many layers, and the composition of the first one is a bit bizzare--I'm really not sure what I was thinking with that one (I think I even actually sent it to somebody. Yikes!)  I think I've definitely improved as a cardmaker since those first projects.  Here are some recent ones I did with the 3 Scrappy Boys April 2013 Add on kit.

How's that for improvement!?!  I'm going to call my goal of making cards accomplished, and I think there are a lot more cards in my future.  The big question is, "Did I stop hoarding?" I think the answer is yes.  I started out the year looking at my stash, thinking that I had plenty and shouldn't need to buy more for a long time.  It's true that there was a lot there, but there were plenty of things that I either wouldn't or couldn't ever use.  In May, for the first time since I started scrapbooking in 2005, I purged my stash.  I was ruthless in my purging.  If I didn't love it, it was gone.  At our NSD event, I gave some of it to my scrappy buddies, and the rest was donated to the local library.  It is so much easier to get projects finished now that I don't have to wade through all of those supplies that I don't love.  I have made quite a few scrappy purchases this year, but the stash is definitely smaller than when I started the year, I have hundreds more layouts, and a ton of cards (I've even sold a few!)

I'm happier with my crafting than I've ever been.  I would really encourage you to look at your stash, and think about what you use (or don't), and how to get more of your supplies out of storage and onto projects.

If you're dying for some more, I also have a post up on the blog at 3 Scrappy Boys today about getting your family on board with your scrapbooking.

Happy Scrapping!