I'm a WHAT?

It happens twice a year for me. Pure time to myself, allowing me to sit and relax and do the things I want for two and a half days. There are no kids, no husbands, no cooking, and no laundry. That's right, I'm on a retreat. A scrapbooking retreat.
When I first heard of retreats like this, I thought women were surely nuts, I mean who would spend that kind of time sitting inside, cutting pasting paper, photos , and then journalling about them. I mean seriously, don't we all have better things to do?
Over the years I became a scrapper myself, and have asked many people why they do it. Some, it is to preserve their heritage, before they can't remember who is in the photos any more. It is a tedious process for them, record of who, what, where, when why, as they journal the information. Then there are others who dedicate albums to specific times or people. But all agree it is to help record history, whether it is done plain and simply, or with artistic flare.

The latter is how I approach it. I have a Fine arts Degree, so it make sense, and the process allows me to find the artist within me that unfortunately has lain dormant for a while. I find the scrapbooking, not only therapeutic, but fun, and it allows me to express what I was feeling when I took the photos, as well as record the historical facts. Finally I was able to express the artist in me that I spent 5 long years at university becoming. Sure, I haven't been painting, but at least it has given me something to work with with my photos. And to add ribbons, brads, eyelets, buttons, paints, stamps, inks to ad texture and color to my layouts, its all to much fun. But for me, the best part about scrappin', is the Paper.
I love paper. Card stock, patterned, double sided, white cored, glossy, mulberry, and not to forget handmade. I have quite the stash of it, There is the stash I have, the stash I'd like to have, and let's not forget, the stash that Carpenter knows nothing about.I get to literally haul it all out with all my tools, set up and scrap to my hearts content during a retreat like this one.
There were about 50 of us, and we are all there for the same purpose, to scrap and relax. We snoop at each other's work, feed off each other's inspiration and ideas. We stayat a Bible Camp lodge, there is someone make us food, and when we feel tired we climb on a bunk and snuggle into our sleeping bags. (Of course with this communal living it's is always best to pack a pair of ear plugs or two- I have unfortunately discovered this the hard way....)
By Saturday afternoon, most of us are hanging around working away, still in our jamas. I took a short walk around to snoop at other peoples work when I spotted a lady cutting up a sweet piece of patterned paper. I went over to take a second look.
"Cool Paper" I said, admiring the rest of her stash that was on the table.
"I love paper", she said.
"Ah, so you're a Paper Junkie, like me."
"She's a WHAT?" a lady named Bobbi interjected.
"You know, a Paper Junkie, she loves paper, like I do, " I repeated, I mean we're scrapbookers, who doesn't love paper?
'OH, no, she's a PAPER SLUT."
"Paper Slut?" I asked.
"Yeah, if you are a paper junkie, then she's a paper slut, you were just being nice about it," Bobbie replied and challenged me by the raise of her eyebrows.
This is when I seriously need to listen to that little inner voice that says,"walk away...walk away." But I could not be out-done. Looking down at the "slut's" hoard of paper and deciding that I definitely had more said, " If that's the case, then I'm a PAPER WHORE."
I spun on my heel, and went to walk away, when my bunk-mate Lady Laundry yelled from across the room " I think I read about you, on the bathroom stall!"
walk away... walk away... walk away...