The Fun of Failure

As I was reading Gretchen Rubin's book, The Happiness Project, I came across this phrase: 'the fun of failure.'  Well, I have to admit I have never thought of failure as fun. It is more something to be avoided at all cost. Failure, rejection, disappointment. They all fall under the same category in my book - Things That Are NOT Fun. So I was intrigued to read on in Ms. Rubin's book to see what fun she finds in falling on one's face.

Basically, she feels a sense of freedom in failure. At least she tried something new or difficult instead of just sitting on the sidelines wishing she had had the guts to try.  Her failures include lots of rejections in her efforts to be published as an author. But there are also successes which might never have come if she hadn't first tried, and failed, and picked herself up and tried again. (As you can see by that last sentence, I will probably never have to worry about being a published author.)

Her words prompted me to think about some recent happenings in my life, small and insignificant to anyone but me. One of the goals I have set for myself this year is to apply, and hopefully be accepted, for a position on the creative team of one or more digital designers. Shortly after deciding on this goal for myself, two of my favorite designers posted CT calls. So I applied. And was rejected, very kindly rejected, but rejected nonetheless. I was bummed. 'Maybe I am not good enough,' I thought. 'Maybe I am the only one who really likes what I do.' Yeah, it was a pretty good pity party.

Then I took some time and thought about why I was not chosen, and I could see that these designers were right in their decisions. They need creative team members who are kit scrappers, who can work within the constraints of a single kit and make beautiful layouts that showcase the designer's product and make other scrappers think, 'I have to have that kit.'

I am not a kit scrapper.  I can kit scrap, and do...sometimes. But it is not the way I do my best work.

I like to pull supplies from lots of kits to mix and match on my pages. I have a system in place for myself that enables me know what I have in hundreds of kits and therefore be able to pull from many kits to make a single layout where everything works really well together. My system is a simple three-ring binder with page protectors into which I put sheets I have printed out with the previews of all the digital kits I have. Most are listed according to store and designer, but I also have sheets of each Digi File I have from the Daily Digi. One day I will take the time to separate the Files according to designer, but for now I just print the Digi File preview, stick it in the Daily Digi section, and call it good. This way I can see at a glance which kits have  the colors or elements I am looking for. I flip through my notebook often just to savor all of that digi goodness, and to stay familiar with all that I have (and I have a lot.) This helps me to quickly know what I am looking for as well, and which kits might fit with whatever idea I am working on.

One day I am going to create a folder on my computer with my go-to products (the ones I always find myself reaching for - like that gem I like by Captivated Visions when I want a little bling, or the glitter set by Studio Flergs I always seem to use for a bit of sparkle.) I saw the idea for a go-to folder on a post at the Daily Digi and have filed it away in my head as a be-sure-and-do-this-some-time-soon project.

Anyway, I am not so bummed now that I have realized why I would not make the best CT choice. Possibly I would be a good choice for a template designer, but then again, maybe not. I haven't given up on the idea of being on a creative team, but before I apply again I am going to challenge myself to do quite a few one kit ONLY layouts and make sure that is the way I want to scrap a set number of layouts per month. If I decide its just not for me, well, that's okay.

On another note, I have been keeping up with my LOAD 211 project. I think so far this month I have completed 25 layouts. I tell myself that I am using this project to increase my creative output (make lots of layouts), but in reality I have to admit that I am really competitive and am trying to stay in the top five contributors category. Currently I am in third place, in case anyone is wondering.

While I am busting my tail trying to get lots of layouts done, I am also using this LOAD as a chance to explore different scrapping styles.

 I do some layouts in the clean and simple style.

I do some layouts in the layered, clustery, playground style.

I am exploring some retro, artsy styles.

As well as trying my hand at a minimalist style.

So far minimalism is kicking my butt ( I haven't yet embraced the concept that sometimes more is just ...more.) I am going to keep trying and see what I come up with.

I would also like to try more of an artsy, blended style, but that will be later in the month.

That's it for now. I would like to say that no child's school lessons were neglected during the writing of this blog post, but that would be an out and out lie. I am fixing to corral my kiddos and hit the history and science books. Until next time.