Leap Blog Day -- Why I Don't Scrapbook

Not that long ago, I was learning this whole blogging thing (yes, I am still learning, but look how much I've learned in this short time!) and stumbled upon Leap Blog Day.  I decided to try it, and for your reading pleasure today, I've got a guest post from my new bloggy friend, Marianne.

Marianne is pretty awesome.  She's Irish Catholic, lives in Chicago, is married to a fireman, has three school-age boys, and blogs for Chicago Parent Magazine in addition to her own personal blog, We Band of Mothers.  If you're wondering how I knew I'd like Marianne, well, first of all, go check out her blog.  But here's a hint:  her tagline up top says, "One Chicago mom's attempt to keep an accurate log so her kids will have something helpful to show the therapists."  Seriously.  How could I not like Marianne?!

Here's here guest post today -- enjoy!  And then check out her blog at We Band of Mothers!
(Here's another incentive for my family who reads this:  later this week, I'll have a guest post on her blog, too!)

--Jen

Why I Don’t Scrapbook

Jennifer, the genius behind Redheads Plus One, was kind enough to offer me a spot on her blog for a guest post today.  A chance to write for a new audience!  An opportunity to meet new blog readers!  A gift from the blogosphere!

You have no idea how quickly the panic set in.

I started reading through Jennifer’s posts and realized yet again just how very un-crafty and useless I am.  Jennifer has martini olive ribbon.  She’s going to make something with her own two little hands using martini olive ribbon.  Imagine the possibilities.

I can’t glue, sew, or even be-dazzle.   And to top things off, Jennifer also has red-headed children.  In the predominately Irish Catholic Southside neighborhood of Chicago I call home, red hair is basically a sign of God’s favor and also a fast-track ticket to heaven.  None of my kids have red hair.  Not a strand.  Not even if you shine a red flashlight on their unsuspecting little scalps in broad daylight. 
 
All of my shortcomings got me thinking about that moment in time when I actually did try to do something crafty.  I had found a little garage sale chest that I decided to paint and personalize for my sons.  Given that I had never once visited a craft store before that point, I thought my chest turned out not half bad:

Yet as I was throwing out the bottle of glue I used to add the animals, the warning label caught my eye:
 
Do not use this glue on any item that comes in contact with children.  Do not use if you have children.  Do not use if you ever plan to have children.  Do not use if you are human. Because this stuff will KILL you.My little blue chest was immediately relegated to the back corner of our spider-infested basement.  It has resided there for four years – unused and unappreciated.   I know I should probably just throw it out, but I can’t bring myself to do it.

It represents my best of intentions combined with the worst possible execution.

Story of my life.

(If you are interested in reading more from Marianne, please visit at either webandofmothers.blogspot.com or her Chicago Parent Magazine blog, Failing with Gusto (link to  http://www.chicagoparent.com/community/failing-with-gusto).

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