Smart and Scrappy: An Introduction

My name is Stephanie Joy and I am a Scrapbooker!

"What is a Scrapbooker?" you might ask yourself. Well by definition, a Scrapbooker is someone who partakes in the art of scrapbooking. I call it an art because the preservation of memories with papers, photos, embellishments, and journaling truly is an artform. There are many different definitions of what scrapbooking is, and that is the beauty of it. It can be whatever you see it as, a way to organize and display your photos, a chronicle of a child's upbringing, a way to journal your travels through life. Whether your scrapbooking is intricate or simple, physical or digital, scrapbooking is an amazing hobby, and anyone can do it!

I started scrapbooking when I was 12 years old. My cousins were both getting into scrapbooking because of their kids, and they thought it was something I would also like, so for my birthday they got me a kit and took me to a class and the rest is history! I'm now 22 years old and am pursuing my PhD in Cancer Biology and Molecular Therapeutics at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

If I had to describe my style I would say that my layouts are clean, smart, simple, with a bit of a collage feel. I love patterns and clean lines, but my two biggest weaknesses are paper and stickers. I am a Jolee's addict. I am a traditional scrapper and recently have dabbled in digital scrapbooking as well. Both kinds of scrapbooking allow you to create beautiful memories that will be cherished in the years to come.

This blog is to serve several purposes:

• To share my creativity, inspirations, and ideas with the world
• To provide those who are interested in trying digital scrapbooking with clear-cut tutorials using GIMP software
• To connect to other scrapbookers in the NE area, and share upcoming retreats, weekend crops with them 

I'm looking forward to beginning this journey with all of you and I hope that you'll see what makes me smart and scrappy!