I was a relative newcomer to the scrapbooking club. Im seated to a woman, possibly only a little older than me. She turns to me and says, "So Mommy, were you here during the April meet?"
Last month, near Mother's day, I brought pictures of cats with their kittens. I dont get along with my mom is the reason. I was speechless when someone instead remarked, "So you're single?"
Really? It's just a mom thing?
Here in Brazil they think that scrap is a rich ladies entretainment, only for people that traveled around the world and whose husbands buy them everything they want. But not necessarially people think they are all mothers. They think it´s something people do for "having not important to do".
Of course, it´s not like that, although even some scrappers think so. Here in Brazil mommys usually are more into party-making then in properly scrap.
Yes, I would definitely say that there are some biases, but it really depends on who you are around as to whether or not you'll feel any effect of those biases. (A LOT of scrapbookers around my home are indeed mothers, so that is often the stereotype.) I wouldn't let it discourage your hobby, though - a good group shouldn't make you feel alienated for your differences. If you feel uncomfortable with a scrap group, then I would suggest seeing if there are any others in your area and trying them out.
Sorry they made that awkward! I would definitely say around here that the bias is that scrapbooking is something not just for moms but specifically for stay at home moms who (like Lorien said) have nothing better to do. This is clearly not the case since I have been scrapbooking for years, and I am only now just becoming a mom! Hopefully this won't turn you off to scrapbooking or getting together with others again. It would probably be good for those people to meet someone who doesn't fit their cookie-cutter expectations!
I am new to scrapbooking but have always thought of it as an art form. My sister in law does some gorgeous stuff. She has made a lovely scrapbook for all the females in our family who got married. I look at scrapbooks as memories and definitely keepsakes. As Lorin said mommies are usually busy with other pursuits. I know I didn't even have time to organize photos until after my kids were grown.
well i dont have kids and lead a busy life, and I scrap
I've often thought about starting a "No Kids Allowed" scrap club. It does often seem to be moms making scrapbooks for their kids, which makes sense, but can make you feel a little weird if you're making books for yourself. Because of this tendency I've never had any friends who scrapbook, I'm still waiting for them to have kids so maybe they'll join me! But now I have DigitalScrapbook.com and lots of scrapping friends, so I don't feel so lonely any more.
LOL at "No kids allowed" scrapping club...
Hugs! While scrapbooking is for *everyone*, some people think that only Moms with lots of free time scrapbook. When I was single and went to paper scrapping workshops, I had to change tables a few times due to thoughtless people asking me why in the world I was scrapbooking when I wasn't married with children. Argh!
Scrapbooks are for preserving memories. I happily scrapped during my single days and still love those albums! I know people who only scrap Disney trips. Others scrap for their entire family, including the furry, scaly and feathered family members. One friend has a scrapbook for each of her animals - they're gorgeous albums. Another friend is a collector and has albums of her collections, all lovingly photographed and painstakingly paper scrapped, and absolutely beautiful. I don't scrap enough everyday activities and tend to only take photos during trips. (I'm trying to mend my ways!)
Scrapbook and enjoy it! Ignore the thoughtless people who think it's only for one group or another.
@Lorien Haha, I love that. Next time I'll pretend to be a Brazilian rich matron with nothing to do but scrapbook.
@Sharron Amen about art. I didnt think so before I started. It seemed to be just throwing things together. Now I know differently.
@Everyone It's nice to know Im not alone. But dont get me wrong, everyone at the club made me feel welcome. The preformed bias was just surprising. (especially with the way I dress) My idea of scrapbookers are teens using glitter and perfumed ink. (We did get a few preteen newcomers recently though.)
@Fran Maybe start a group on facebook for your area? You might be surprised.
well said susan
Where I have problems is in a photography or any challenge in forums where it has to be about your children. We never had children (by choice I had a career instead). I scrap all the time because I have nieces/nephews and grand nieces/nephews. They bring me great joy although most are over 200 miles away. We go on a lot of cruises also and I come back with usually over 500 photos so I have lots to choose from. I love the capability of digi scrapping!
I do lots of things about children/mother´s day layouts with cat´s pictures, lol. The fact that my mother hates taking pictures don´t help. I even made a mother´s day digital layout called "the Earth is also a mother - and sometimes is good to visit her". I have no shame on saying that my cats are the babies I still haven´t head and I´m not sure if I´ll have the human ones...
Any art teacher will tell you that digital scrapping is definitely creative, certainly art, and something we are proud of. Maybe the Mom thing came into play because they wanted a better way to display the pictures of their children who they were proud of. But it has definitely come alot further than that. Creative scrapping does not even need pictures. It could be a motivational quote, a funny story, there are no limits.
Funny how people just sterotype. I got interested in scrapping when I was a kid, I was inspirted by some of my grandmothers books that she made growing up. I worked at JoAnn Fabrics while in high school part time and I knew this was going to be an expensive hobby for me when I only worked part-time. I didnt get into it until I got married because I knew it was going to cost me money to pick up such an expensive hobby! Today I am getting all my papers out and copies of some photos and I may actual do a hard core scrap book with my boys instead of doing a digital one. I am in the works of a digital one for my grandmother that I am making for her birthday. I may make one for my little sister next. I am just happy I found this website for other people who share an interest in this with me.
I've always considered scrapbooking and digital scrapbooking just another form of graphic design. I think that when you look at it that way, it takes the "you must have kids" stereotype out of it. I think it is fantastic that scrapbooking is so kid-friendly, but it certainly isn't fair to exclude people that don't have children. I truly believe to the depths of my core that art is for everyone - any art, all art!
But it is human nature to make groups, make biases and stereotypes, and also to exclude others. I think it makes people feel better or feel special. Most of the time, though, I don't think it's a conscious thing. People are just brought up thinking something and they don't challenge it until they're faced with something different. And that's just the way that many people are.
That being said, not everyone gets hung up on stereotypes. When I started paper scrapping, I was lucky and the group I was with was really accommodating. They asked a lot of questions when I first started, but it was more getting-to-know-you stuff. I explained that I didn't have any kids yet and I scrapped a lot of pictures of my cats and reptiles, vacation photography, and adolescent memories. After that, when they interacted with me, it was usually to discuss layouts and designs and stuff like that instead of the "how are your kids" stuff they discussed with everyone else. And that was fine with me. I liked listening to their stories. (But, then, listening to the stories of other people is kind of my secret pleasure.)
And, from what I have encountered in my short time here, I think it's pretty obvious that 'round here the common stereotypes don't matter.
I wish I could "heart" all your comments!
Hey, I have an idea! who wanna make some of that Pinterest/Facebook posters saying "Yes, I am a scrapper" and then, with smaller letters "No, I don´t have children", the same for "Yes, I am a digiscrapper" and a third with "No, I´m not rich", lol. Here, a series called "Yes, I am brazilian" is very popular, with pre-concepts people from all over the world have about brazil, like this: