Monday, September 1, 2014

Coming Together for the Joy of Scrapbooking

Hobbyists of all sorts enjoy congregating to socialize and share the stories and admire each other’s work. Scrapbookers are no exception. Early this year in South Maryland, though the number of participants wasn’t remarkable, thirteen women participated in a potluck scrapbooking event to socialize and compare notes.


Fondly called “The Crop”, the gathering takes place four times a year and is sponsored by the Charles County Department of Community Services. Young and old partakers alike arrived with duffel bags filled with scrapbooking supplies for wholesale buyers to take part in the event which lasted from 2pm to midnight.

While some of the scrapbookers joined to learn the hobby, others possessed experience amounting to decades. More than anything else, it’s the camaraderie that draws these women together.  They swap stories about their scrapbook subjects, which include chronicling their children's growing years and their spouse’s career. Some members have found it so addicting that they bond weekly at a designated venue. The joy these people experience comes from their passion for paper craft which serves a purpose, and not merely for art’s sake. 

Using their creativity and self-expression to capture personal historic moments has turned scrapbooking into a billion dollar industry. Scrapbookers are typically female who spend anywhere from four to eight hours a month indulging in their hobby. It requires a deft hand and a sharp eye, and is not suitable for the impetuous or the reckless. After all, works of art this intricate couldn’t be built in a day. 
                       

No comments:

Post a Comment