Scrapbooking: A Grandma’s Hobby No More
May was national scrapbooking month, but I swear it still lingered in the air this early June. Tuesday morning I visited a scrapbooking store here in the Burlington area to do some research for an upcoming presentation. Wednesday, there was an article in the New York Times about how much the pursuit has changed. Finally, that same day, my afternoon lollygag in the front yard with neighbors and their kids included a conversation about how one mom has started a card-making business that she got into by way of – you guessed it – scrapbooking.
Now, mind you, this topic has been in the back of my mind since I started to learn more about the photo retailing industry a few years back, but wow – it’s time has certainly come. And, the devoted scrappers are getting ever-more efficient and sophisticated in creating their memory-keepsakes.
A few quick stats from a 2004 Scrapbooking in America study:
are 4.4 million new scrapbooking households since 2001, for a total of
over 26 million households and 32.1 million scrapbookers.
But, let’s go back to Tuesday morning. Into the store I walked, and my non-scrapbook-oriented brain was overwhelmed by the shelves and displays, ribbons, stickers, background papers and more. My mind was calmed, and became more intrigued, thanks to the store’s owner – who, as is typical of these shops, was a mom and avid participant when she realized she could make a business from all her knowledge and talent.
During my forty or so minutes there, I found my eye drawn to a display of what I thought were just regular greeting cards in very hip colors with fun shapes (polka dots and squares – my favorite). Turns out they were actually the foundation element for card creations (to which ribbons, stickers or buttons might be added) that scrapbookers either used within their books or as standalones.
Within, say, twenty minutes, my mind went from "whew, this scrapbooking thing is for people with a lot more patience who are a lot more creative than me" to "hmmm, maybe it would be fun to add a few stickers and a ribbon to that card…" Now, that’s what I call an accessible entry point to an industry that would otherwise seem to have a very high learning curve (and time expenditure). And, that’s part of the reason this industry has seen such growth among women. There are multiple levels for entering into the craft – exactly what any other industry with a high learning curve (financial services, home repair, car repair, etc.) might need to guide customers/participants along the way to more full engagement.
The NYT article, interestingly, got into how the industry is going to the next level, and becoming digitalized. Many a software developer and kiosk or printer manufacturer are getting into a game they may never have considered before, making the photo manipulation and creative possibilities for craftswomen endless.
Scrapbooking devotees are becoming a much more technologically sophisticated group, because their passion needs to take less time from their busy lives. So, they are demanding the tools to help them transition smoothly to the next stage of their craft. As part of that process, women are also looking for more education and support. That’s where books like Digital Photography for Busy Women come in. Written by long-time photo industry journalist, Laura Oles, it uses a non-techy, conversational style to address one crucial element of scrapbooking that non-scrappy women might also find very helpful: taking and archiving digital photo files.
Here’s what I love:
What may have been a smattering of passionate, under-the-radar craftswomen in extra bedrooms across the country years ago has grown to numbers that have forced change and inspired the development of software, technology and digital kiosk/studios in retail locations everywhere.
Grandma never thought she’d see the day.
