Don't Kill the Scrapbug!

Jodi told the funniest story yesterday! She and Mike had the exterminator over for regular preventative spraying. Her three year old daughter was following him around as he sprayed for bugs. "Are you killing the bugs?" she asked, to which he replied yes. "All the bugs?" she queried, to which he replied yes. This must have been cause for great concern for our little scrapbooking prodigy - her simple reply tells the rest of the story. "Don't kill the ScrapBug!" she cried out. Heaven forbid he kill the ScrapBug!

That got me thinking about how happy I am that the ScrapBug lives at my house. Without him, paper would be reduced to a mere utilitarian object rather than a minor work of art. Without the ScrapBug, our memories would fade much quicker, and I'd be left with way too much time on my hands. What would the world look like without the ScrapBug?!?

There are a few minor drawbacks to having the ScrapBug in your home. I know my husband preferred our bank account before the ScrapBug moved in (but I am quick to remind him that the ScrapBug inspired gifts he receives for Father's Day are far nicer than the drawer full of ties he accumulated before hand).

The ScrapBug does have a ferocious appetite. At first he requires very little, a sheet or two of paper, and some eyelets for a snack, but be aware that his appetite will grow (and grow, and grow, and grow, and grow). Some ScrapBugs even begin eating large items, like electronic die cutters and computer printers! Fortunately, there is a cure for that - it is called the 'clearance sale'. Those simple words are worth their weight in gold for they carry with them endless justification for purchases that might otherwise be considered frivolous.

This enormous appetite can (and usually does) lead to a secondary problem - space. When you first get your bug, it is likely you will be able to contain him in a shoe box in the closet, however as he grows you will need more space. Most people find that a suitcase, or closet or two, or the room across the hall, or the entire second floor will suffice. In extreme situations, he may require a reconfiguration of the entire house (he could even facilitate a move), but remember, the space your ScrapBug requires is minor accommodation when compared to the countless hours of pleasure he will bring.

So in conclusion, I am happy that the ScrapBug lives at my home, and I look forward to the day that I can sit with my children and grandchildren and reminisce about all those happy memories he helped me preserve. In the meantime I will do what I can to protect my ScrapBug from careless exterminators! I have invested way too much time (and money) in mine to let him waste away. How about you?

Have fun with your ScrapBug today, and remember to feed him!

Lisa