24 July 2007

2Peas Blogging Challenge: What's Your Style?

Monday's 2Peas blogging challenge has to do with scrapbooking style. What's your style?

I know the answer to this question, but just to be 103% sure, I thought perhaps I should do some further analysis. So I looked through my digital photos to find something that would be indicative of my style, when left to my own devices. (I say this because I often make things in different styles as store or class projects.) I came upon this set of thank you cards I made from some old KI Memories and Paper Salon product. These cards are typical of my personal style.

So based upon Exhibit A, what do you think the answer is?
A. Clean lines
B. Graphic
C. Eclectic
D. Classic
E. Shabby or Old World
F. Hip and Trendy
G. Anything Goes


OK, for those of you playing at home, here are some hints:

* I cannot tilt anything. I recently decided that I could POSSIBLY (only on a good hair day) tilt an entire layout so that it sits diagonally (a current trend), but I cannot tilt a single element such as a photo. You will almost never see anything tilted on my pages, unless it is for a class or store project. In those cases, I tilt just a *tiny* bit because I know that most people do so. Because I don't tilt, the answer to "What's My Style?" cannot be C, D, or G.

* I have determined (and those who know me will vouch for this) that I do not like to tear paper. Yes, I CAN tear paper (and have taught many people to do so successfully), but I find it somewhat upsetting to do so. I am all about straight lines. Tearing paper is visually distressing to me. (No, I have not yet sought therapy for this.) Because I do not tear paper, the answer to "What's My Style?" cannot be E.

* Although it may be hard to believe (NOT!), I am not hip or trendy. I could quite happily scrapbook with only cardstock, photos, and my computer or black pen. My scrapbooking pals know that it takes me YEARS to get through a package of embellishments or line of patterned paper. By the time I use up it up,the trend will have gone out of style and come back in. Because of this phenomenon, the answer to "What's My Style?" cannot be F.

So, friends, the answer must be A or B. In fact, the closer you get to choice G, the farther you get from my style.

Here's way too much analysis about why both A and B are acceptable answers:

* I like clean lines, clear colors, and geometric shapes. Striped paper is my idea of perfection. Especially KI Memories striped paper. Especially, especially the old "My Guy" KI striped paper. *sigh*

* I love simple, airy layout designs like those found in some magazines and catalogs. I often borrow layout ideas from the text and photo designs in Martha Stewart Living and Pottery Barn catalogs. I hoard both of these, even though their layouts look pretty much the same every month.


* If I owned a scrapbook store, it would be completely filled with cardstock. There would be an entire section of Bazzill Lily White (the WHITEST of whites, in my opinion). I would feature Bazzill criss-cross and orange peel textures (although certain pastels would be banned). I would have an entire day of activities devoted to the Bazzill color KI Olive. I would allow Parakeet and Lakeshore, along with a few other canvas textures, on an exception basis. AND I would bring back the discontinued Bazzill color, Tanner. In my store, I would have paper/embellishments from only a few manufacturers, such as KI Memories, American Crafts, Arctic Frog, and SEI. Oh, and patterned paper would be sold by the 4x12 strip, not the sheet. Just imagine it....*sigh* (Yep, there's a reason I'm not an entrepreneur...)

* I'm completely obsessed with fonts and their use. I spend way too much time playing with fonts on layouts, cards, and other projects.

* While most people add things to layouts, I spend a lot of time actually removing elements. I like a clean, functional, "spare" look, like IKEA is to furniture.

So,do you agree or disagree with my answer? What's your own style?

Now, a la Linda Richman from "Coffee Talk" fame, discuss amongst yourselves.

5 comments:

Maureen said...

Now, you see I was right. I guessed "Graphic" right off the hop for you. I tend to be that way as well, although no matter how hard I try, I, for the life of me, cannot get ANYTHING perfectly straight on my LOs or cards.... so I just tell people it's SUPPOSED to be 'slightly askew'...

Colleen said...

Love the cards! Inspiring! Looks pretty graphic to me!

Lynn said...

Right off the bat I picked Graphic but then kept going to Clean lines. So I guess I'm absolutely right! I don't think I have a style. My style reminds me of a "mutt" a little bit of everything.

Mandy said...

Too funny! Great analysis.

Jill said...

Well...I can't argue except to say those spots & colors look like "hip" to me! At least they're all kinds of in with the three year old set. :-)