Heart and soul

It’s strange sometimes how you can be influenced and inspired by a person you’ve never met. For me, that person is Rebecca Sower. I have adored her work since I laid eyes on it in the Creating Keepsakes 2000 Hall of Fame Idea Book. I remember being fascinated with her paper piecing patterns and so thrilled when I was able to purchase her Bumper Crops pattern book (which I still have to this day).

Sometimes when I am scrapping, I become overwhelmed. There have been times when I have rushed through layouts just to finish them and get them done and over with. This is just plain wrong. Why should I ever feel that scrapping is a chore? This is the hobby I enjoy, the hobby I love, the one that relaxes me and takes my mind off life’s little worries. This is not something I should be loathing and hurrying through. When I find this happening, I quickly become discouraged...bitter almost...at the whole scrapbooking world.

And then, like a beacon of light, I look up and see on my shelves, Rebecca’s two idea books and some of her art that I purchased from her Etsy shop. I grab the books and scan the pages, soaking up all that I can. I go through these books as much today as I did when I purchased them years ago. They are just pure eye candy and pure relaxation to me. I feel that she allows me to be non traditional, gives me permission not to have to match everything, allows me to let go and just enjoy the process for what it is. She encourages me to go ahead and tell a story (my favorite part of scrapping) and not just state the obvious about the pictures. And just like that, I am renewed.

The thing that I love the most about Rebecca’s work is that you can literally see her heart and soul through her art and that’s so inspiring to me. I’m sure if I can see it, others can see it to. Isn’t this something worth striving for? I don’t want albums full of pretty pages if there’s no substance to them, I want albums full of pages that show me, shining brightly through them. Now don’t misunderstand me, Rebecca’s pages are as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as any. She has uncomparable talent, and an enviable style that’s not easily duplicated, but she also has that whole soul thing going on and I simply adore it!

So Miss Rebecca, you will most likely never see this post on my blog (and maybe that’s a good thing, I don’t want to frighten you!) but I wanted to sing your praises today for you have blessed me and inspired me with your talent and I am most grateful!