I have always loved paper.

*LONG POST ALERT*


I have always loved paper. It started from, well ok. I don't know when but I always have. Maybe it's because as a kid we never had much. We actually never wanted for much either. We lived in a small, weenie, weenie village (which has since grown to a huge size...) and we either played outside all day long or I was inside drawing, making with flour glue and cutting. In fact pretty much like Emily is now. As soon as Ben goes up for his nap she asks to 'do making'. :)


Anyhow. Maybe thats why I love paper so. I'm pretty sure it's where my love affair started. I was never one to be bored when it was rainy. I loved it. It was a perfect excuse to lock myself in my bedroom and draw.


And then along came these:

These are little books full of teenage angst dating and dilemas. Oh my. They really do make me giggle, blush and justwant to cringe in a corner. You know, it's weird the whole take a teenager has on the world and the peeps around them. They are full to the brim with notes, piccies and little bits i'd collected that we used to call 'justice'... huh??? Don't ask!

These books are to special to me. They are semi-scrapbooks of my former self, someone whom i'm sure none of you would even recognise and I know I don't even know if i'd recognise myself either. It just has really made me realise how potentially special my scrapbooks will be to Emily and Ben; but only if I scrap all of those photographs which aren't perfect and the memories which aren't perfect too. The tears, tantrums and trials of todderlerdom and beyond. It's important. It really is them.

So I guess it's opened my eyes to scrapping me alittle more, not just for them and their kids (Emily just loves hearing about 'Grannie' (my mum) and me telling her stories) but for me too. For my sanity and for how I actually am. And I don't just mean the fluffy stuff either. I mean everything. Warts and all. It's all me. I am after all only human (I know alot of you think otherwise *ha ha*) And i'd really like to be able to include these little books full of my life in there somewhere... it's just how. How to fit over 7 books of little memories and little snippets into a scrapbook LO or mini book... hmmmm. I'm thinking hard on that one.

But I started a cool little book. Remember 'fake' wood patterned wallpaper?? Yes? I'm sure you do. Well, when we lived at Babbington Road ~ the whole of our lounge was covered in it (and i'm pretty sure we had this whole fishing net thing going on too on the ceilling) ... So yesterday I get the cutest little kit from SoML (www.story-kits.conm/store) and it has the cutest sheet of woodgrain contact paper in. Honestly. It looked as if it was just right there from our lounge wall in the 80's. I love it :) And the 7gypsies journo it came with is just super perfect too. I started to work on it. I guess part of me just would quiet happily forget the first seven years of my life. But it made me strong and so I feel it's time to bare all and get it down on paper ~ free therapy ;) 'Cept not tonight as i'm working :( and Kevy is off to see Ben Folds and Nannie is babysitting... which worries me because she has never ever put the kids to bed before. Not once. Not ever and I know they will be fine (except everyone has had sleepless nights cause we have this terrible cold and temp that is going about) but you know how we worry. And boy, do I worry.

P.S. If you got to the end of this post well done on you! Give yourself a gold star/smiley face/sweetie... God, I can natter :P