Why Do I . . .?

I have been asked many questions as of late that tend to begin with,
"Why do you . . .?"

These questions seem to be based, I assume, on the intent of following up with me about my quest to become more thrifty. I have addressed the two following questions in earlier posts.



Why do you use PaperbackSwap?

Why do you use/sell Mary Kay?

So, it is no surprise that I was asked the following question just last month - although not prompted by a blog post, but rather, a night of scrapbooking, for 5 hours.

Why do you spend money and time on manual scrapbooking when you can just create books electronically through several websites?

At the time, I struggled with my answer. A month later, I have figured out WHY.

Once a month, I gather with other women, to create scrapbooks for my kids. I've been doing this for about three years now, having jumped on the bandwagon a bit late (and am thus constantly playing catch-up). Harper has a book from Birth-2 years, 2-4 years, and a book for the Kindergarten and First Grade school years. Her Second Grade book will be up to date as of tomorrow night. Age 4? The year of Zane's birth? Nothing. I'll have to go back to that.

Zane has a book for the first year of his life, and half of his second. I have alot of back tracking to do with him.

All the books are missing brief journaling entries here and there, as I have yet to schedule a day where I just focus on journaling.

I digress.

Why do I do this? Afterall, photo stores and online photo developing sites can do this for me. I could simply choose the page design and the mattes, and then quickly upload my photos. In less time, and possibly cost, that it takes me to create a scrapbook, it can be done on a computer, and delivered to my door.

My answer, quite frankly is the following:

Scrapbooking is an offering of my creative handiwork for my children.

As everyone knows, I write. My children will both receive cd's of this blog when they are older.

I do not, however, sew, knit, crochet, paint, draw, sculpt, or create ANYTHING with my hands. There will be no treasured samplers to pass down to my children. No, "oh, my mother made this" when my children share our family heirlooms with their children.

I realize that I could save time and money by going the electronic scrapbook route, but if I did,
the finished product would be missing my personal touch: my handwriting, my unique page designs specific to each child, even my smudges and mistakes.

I realize that I could save time and money by going the electronic scrapbook route, but if I did,
I would miss out on valuable fellowship with my friends, as we sit around at these "crops" talking and sharing our lives (which are literally scattered all over the work space) with one another.

I realize that I could save time and money by going the electronic scrapbook route, but if I did,
I would wind up spending even more time in front of the computer, rather than with people. And let's face it, I already share many a cup of coffee with my computer.

• Scrapbooking is an example a my handiwork to pass down to my children.
  

• Scrapbooking is a form of fellowship.
  

• Scrapbooking insures that a computer addict, like myself, chooses "face time" over "screen time".
  

Are there any pieces of handiwork, items created by the works of your own hands, that you are planning to leave behind for your children?