Craft The Story: Ali Edwards - Tough

Hey all! I'm back to share another pocket page spread from my 6x12" album. For this one, I dug into the "Tough" Story Kits from Ali Edwards. This was actually the first kit that I wanted to work with, and one that I knew exactly what I would use it for. Well, the first project I would use it for, since there's still plenty left for some other stories. Which is good, because I have quite a few stories that come to mind that will really fit this theme. 

I really went back and forth on my plan for this project, going from doing a pocket page spread, to maybe a one page layout, back to a pocket page spread, and so on. I knew I wanted to include a good amount of journaling, and I finally settled on doing a pocket page spread, with one side being a full 6x12" page.

I used a 6x12" layered template from Ali Edwards (found HERE) to type up my journaling in. This made it SO much easier to know just how much space I had to journal in, rather than using Word and a text box (those 2 things and I do NOT get along). The template I used had space for a 4x6" photo on it, and I knew I would be adding a 4x6" card from the kit, so it worked perfectly.

I knew that I wanted to use the "tough" acrylic word in one of the 4x6" pockets. I picked out one of the 4x6" cards, and adhered the word directly to it using some mini glue dots. 

I don't have a ton of photos of myself, but I do have this one that I took of myself at the beginning of the year. I was actually working on my tax stuff at the time, but the look on my face felt fitting for what my journaling was about. And turns out, it was taken right around the same time that so many things really started changing for me. 

I knew that I wanted to include this 3x4" card with the quote "she stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails". I'm not a big one for quotes (meaning I don't pay much attention to them sometimes), but oddly this fit my story. And it's exactly what I did. Adjusted my sails so to speak.

My journaling took me way longer than I thought. I had a lot of words I would have loved to let spill out onto the page, just to get it off my heart (is that a saying, because it's what keeps coming to mind when I talk about it). I consider myself a pretty good writer. And while sometimes my writing can read more like ramblings, I think there are other times where my writing says everything I'm thinking, in a clear and concise way.

I tried to sum up some of what I've gone thru this year (and leading up to this year, if I'm being honest), and the lessons I learned thru the experience. It's real. It's honest. I think I've always been very truthful in my writing and in how I interact with people, and I don't try to sugar coat anything, just to make others happy. It's what happened. It's what I've gone through. Basically, it is what it is (my life motto).

After I printed out my journaling, and trimmed it to 6x12" in length, I adhered this 4x6" card to the bottom of the page. I had intentionally left room right above it to add a chipboard strip from the kit, and added one of the little plastic strips (which I totally thought was washi until I went to use it), adhering a few enamel dots to either end of the strip. 

In some ways, it felt very therapeutic to work on this spread. I needed to get some of these thoughts off my heart. Off my chest. However you want to put it, I just needed to get some words out of my head and onto the page. Sometimes, when things happen, when things change, you are able to get a sense of closure and turn the page, close the book, or whatever it is you need to do to move on and put it all behind you. Other times, there's absolutely no closure, nothing to make you understand why things happened the way they did. So it's a little harder to just move on and forget about it. That's where the "it is what it is" comes in, I suppose.

Comments

[MelindaSpinks]

I bet that felt good to put down on paper! Sadly I don't think you are alone in the way you feel within this industry. It's can be very cruel at times and I know I've felt like I've been chewed up and spat out several times over. Very proud of you for making the stand against what you thought wasn't the best thing for your own self-worth... which in the end is the most important thing we have.
x

[Tracey]

This spread is amazing Laura!! Good for you for getting your feelings down on paper! Sometimes those are the most satisfying pages to do! And good for you for doing what you needed to take care of yourself!

[Theresa]

Amazing!! I love everything about this!

[Dolly (scrapthat)]

This is an amazing page and perhaps one of the most important pages for your books! I think the words that you spoke were true feelings. I think as scrappers we do alot of happy moments, which is also important and awesome but I your girls will remember and learn from your words and hopefully they will never let things go long enough that they feel "walked upon". I hope you will remember your own words also and KNOW you are strong enough to speak your mind when you need to :D don't wait until you feel worthless because you definitely are AWESOME :D

[Deneen]

I know this has been tough (that kit was so fitting) but I also know you made the right decision for you even though it was tough. You are very talented and I know so many people would agree with me there. You are amazing in my book. The way you can do daycare, keep your house spotless, attend to whatever your family needs and yet still have the time and energy to make beautiful layouts and keep up on blogging too. You ROCK my crazy talented super hero BFF!

[Brenda]

I'm so sorry this happened to you! You are AWESOME and should never let anyone make you feel otherwise. I'm so glad you were able to get out of the situation but so sorry that you were hurt and made to feel less than the valuable, talented and amazing person and scrapbooker that you are!

[Ruth Gauss]

You are awesome and have always been a huge inspiration to me. I'm sorry to hear that you weren't treated with the respect you deserve, but I'm so glad to hear that you have taken care of yourself by moving on (and getting your feelings down on paper!!!) Sometimes just venting can help us recover, but when things are truly toxic to our self-worth, it is definitely time to pull the plug.

I know you have so much to give and that you continue to share and inspire and I just want you to know how much I truly appreciate that!

I'm thankful for you!

[Victoria in OHio]

Laura
You have been my internet friend for years and I do so admire your work. Your style is more like mine than anyone I have ever encountered. I love your work, your honesty and your integrity. I am sorry you were hurt. I am so glad that you made a change and you will move forward on to something else better and more affirming. I just know it! Thanks for being my "friend inside the computer" as my family calls my blog friends. I have had to stop reading blogs mostly. I went to work full-time as a Realtor, but I still read yours often.
♥♥♥ Victoria

[Melissa]

I'm just a fan. I admire your work and can't wait to follow you and see what you do next. Some one out there suffered a great loss when you chose a new path. Kudos.