I am the P and the T...

So Thursday night I was invited to join a small contingent of my fellow scrapbooking enthusiasts in judging the scrapbook competition of the PTA, a national organiation conventioning in Nashville this week. We browsed thru 28 huge (did I mention they were very large?) scrapbooks from school PTAs from all over Tennessee. It was very very interesting.

Before this experience, I had no idea that PTA was anything other than a local group of parents and teachers supporting their school. It is. It's a national organization. Very official.

Someone (I can't recall who) pointed out that I could be a one-person PTA organization, seeing as how I am the P and the T in my "school". LOL! I think that was after I asked if I could make a PTA scrapbook...Hey, I said it was a particularly inspiring evening. I was ready to get to work when I left. :)

It did remind me of several things:

--Scrapbooks are not about product. Since we were in a small room filled with very experienced professional scrapbookers (some would call us obsessed), the topic of conversation of course turn to product very often.

"Who makes this?"
"Boy, that's old."
"They must love thier x tool."

As much as we discussed product and style, every scrapbook in the room showed events and moments of kids lives at school. That makes each scrapbook very valuable in my opinion. The value is not what they spent (or didn't) or where they shopped or the quality of their cardstock...it's about the stories.

--The ability to follow directions should never be discounted. It's an important skill. Even if you are just entering a scrapbook contest.

-- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and contests are subjective. Don't base the value of a scrapbook or a scrapbook page on th opinions of others. Tell your stories and enjoy the process. Accollades are "gravy".

--Kids are beautiful!! Bright smiles, funny faces, fun activities...this is what being a kid is all about!

Thanks Michele for the invitation to be a "judge". I really enjoyed it.

PS. I'm now available for consultation if anyone is making a PTA scrapbook...I can be bribed with stacks of Bazzill. (LOL!)