It seems every scrapbooking site you visit has got scrapbook challenges going on.
And not just a single challenge to mark a special event such as an anniversary. Scrapbook sites are coming up with challenges every second day. You can’t turn around without falling over a challenge. And the forums are pretty much full of threads relating to challenges.
I don’t know about you, but it’s all too much for me.
Now I should make it clear at the outset that I have never been really big on scrapbook challenges so perhaps I might be a bit biased in this. And I realise that many challenges are there to encourage scrapbookers to buy products in order to enter the challenge.
But I can’t help wondering if it starts to put too much pressure on many scrapbookers. A comment by Carol on an earlier article (Scrapbooking Today versus Yesterday) got me started on this line of thought:
“Sadly, I see the (digital) scrapbooking world as one event after another, one challenge, tons of little ‘freebies’ to get us to buy more. And we get caught up in it running for this event or that Download. In the end our HD’s and EHD’s are full to capacity – but with stuff we will never use. And all the while, it has taken our time and our photos sit getting older and buried by others. I think we need balance – and each of us needs to STOP – look at what we are doing and ask ourselves a lot of questions about what we are trying to do.”
Carol
I know that it’s your own choice whether you enter a scrapbook challenge or not, but sometimes once you’re in the middle of the ‘battle’ so to speak, you can kind of lose your perspective. And it becomes super important that you complete these layouts to meet the challenge deadlines.
And maybe after a while you might realise that you’re actually scrapbooking for challenges and magazine submissions instead of for yourself. And your topics are picked by the challenges and not by topics that you’ve decided on yourself.
So are you challenged by all the scrapbook challenges?
Do you enjoy participating in scrapbook challenges, or do you find they distract you from the scrapbooking that you ‘want’ to do?
Share your views on scrapbook challenges in the comments below.
Other Related Articles:
Scrapbooking Today vs Yesterday
Top 10 Scrapbook Ideas to Rekindle Your Scrapbooking Inspiration
Hybrid Scrapbooking – the Best of Both Worlds
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Karen I do agree with you, it is just too much hard work to scrap challenges I think. I just want to enjoy my scrapping. I think the industry is too thin these days, there are so many galleries, and forums and blogs (hmm I guess I cant talk .. lol), ok the blogs I actually dont mind as its fun to read and comment and learn .. but forums and galleries, it really does get too hard .. some you have to use 70% or more even of their product on a layout, sometimes you don’t get any comments, but the layout has been viewed 20-30 times .. that is a bit disheartening. So I dont really get into it anymore, there are a couple that I participate in, a new one that is about posting on your own blog and sharing .. I love it as it isnt about what you can get, or sticking to a deadline .. and it isnt very specific .. just a ‘theme’.
I love creating, and I love sharing, and I love seeing what everyone else is up to!
I know just recently I took a step back from all the forums, now I just check out one, and then I blog hop
Oh I don’t know, I guess it is like anything, it gets commercialised .. I love my little blog and giving away freebies, and leaving them up .. to be honest if I sell a little its all good .. but I just love it
hmmm ok so this is a little bit all over the place … lol .. but hopefully I have made some sense.
I know on the site I’m a contributor for (the Sketch Book), 99% of people choose to participate in the challenges because they need a little motivation or inspiration. So many times I hear people saying they have “lost their mojo” … well, a nice little sketch challenge or something can be just the thing to get them scrapping again. Sometimes people get “stuck” and just need a little bit of an idea to get them going. I guess it’s why scrapbooking magazines and idea books sell so well! People get ideas from them for their own original work.
For the challenges we run on our site, there is no need to buy any product or even use particular products. We’re not affiliated with any store or manufacturer. Also, our challenge topics are not too “tight”, so people can usually choose WHAT to scrap, but we provide some ideas/inspiration for HOW to do it (either by providing a sketch, a list of “ingredients” to use, or a technique to use).
Again, it’s all about choice. People don’t have to participate. There is SO MUCH demand for more challenges on our site, we can hardly keep up with offering them! If the demand is there, then it must mean that plenty of scrapbookers like/enjoy them.
Hannahs last blog post..WW: week 8
Wow, It’s good to hear that someone else feels like me. I’m a hybrid scapper and can’t do most of the challenges anyway. I feel like everyone is trying to get me to buy something. I check a freebie list quickly and then go to do my scrapping. I love looking at new ideas and layouts to inspire me.
Wow! Two great perspectives from each side of the fence. Thank you Hannah and Kylie for sharing your thoughts.
I also like to look for inspiration in the layouts that other scrappers create. And I have to admit, challenges can be a good ‘inspiration gallery’ for me too, Laura.
oo Hannah .. I just looked at The Sketch Book Site .. looks great and I am all for inspiration
I love that it does not have to be particular products. I guess I was also talking about DigiScrap Stores and their challenges in particular, but then I love browsing galleries 
I’ve entered a few scrap challenges, but only if I was allowed to use freebies. I can’t afford to buy graphics and most of the challenges ask for kits bought at the shop of that particular forum.
I would never enter a challenge if it doesn’t inspire me. If I don’t get an idea the moment I see the subject, I drop out. Scrapping should be fun and not worrying about what to do or what kits to use to get a higher ranking.
Antoinettes last blog post..Tagged
You’ve made me think, Antoinette.
It just occurred to me that my Step by Step Digital Scrapbook Mentoring Program is a bit like a challenge. Except I provide the digital scrapbooking kits and the video instructions on how to create each weekly layout. But I like to challenge my students to include the new techniques they’ve learned in each week’s class in their layout for that week.
Well, I haven’t scrapped in forever, so I don’t know that I’m the best to comment. I almost never participated in challenges unless they particularly appealed to me for some reason, and then I always enjoyed it. I had never scraplifted until one site had a lifting challenge, and it broke that barrier for me. I do enjoy challenges best that let you have a lot of leeway. I think that’s why I don’t do classes much either. When I do, I always end up with something much, much different than the template I’m shown. I have never been one to succumb to pressure when scrapping. It was a way for me to relieve pressure.
Bekas last blog post..Feline Cuteness
Good for you Beka. You sound like a scrapbooking free spirit.
Personally I love challenges — the more the better. I’m one of those people that gets motivated by challenges!!
I do however agree with the “buy” challenges and I don’t participate in those, nor do I participate in ones based on a particular brand or company.
For me it’s all about the pics, the LOs are to compliment the pictures, to make them pop, to give depth to what’s happening in them.
It’s nice to see how others feel, thanks for the opportunity.
It’s certainly interesting to hear the different perspectives on scrapbook challenges Bert. Thanks a lot for sharing them.