Your Scrapbooking Addiction Isn't Your Fault!

At last, conclusive proof that your scrapbooking addiction isn't your fault! Blame the ScrapBug...

There has been much talk of late about the elusive ScrapBug. As anyone affected by this bug can attest, there is little doubt of its existence. The current dispute seems to center more around what the ScrapBug actually is rather than whether or not it exists. In this piece we will explore two prevailing theories in this debate.

The first theory is that the ScrapBug is a virus, and a particularly contagious one at that. This is justified by the fact that no one has actually seen a ScrapBug and there is no known cure. Particularly susceptible to this virus are women who are mothers or grandmothers (though anyone who is passionately sentimental can easily contract this disease regardless of age, sex, or station in life).

If it is true that the ScrapBug is a virus, a name may be difficult to derive for it. Many who live with this condition object to it being referred to as a disease. The very term disease implies that there is discomfort or suffering associated with it. Most prefer the term disorder, for there does seem to be a great deal of disorder that comes with the ScrapBug.

Of course, all this talk is based on the supposition that the ScrapBug is indeed a virus - there is an alternative theory we must look at, that the ScrapBug is an actual bug or parasite.

If the ScrapBug is indeed a parasite, it is a rather elusive one. There have been no documented sitings of 'the bug', though the effect on its host is well established. The primary effect of ‘the bug’ is a total restructuring of brain function. A severely infected carrier may be incapable of performing everyday tasks, such as housework and grocery shopping. They seem to become fixated on scrapbooking and tend to spend every waking hour talking or thinking about the hobby. Other characteristics may include (but not be limited to) a compulsive need to document everything, aggressively collecting paper, products, and tools to scrapbook with, and a gradual expansion of their scrapbooking domain (from a shoebox, to a closet, to a table, and eventually an entire room or wing of a house – some may even begin their own store). At first, the infected party may actually produce completed scrapbook pages, but studies show that as time goes on, the severely infected party tends to become completely obsessed with hoarding supplies and actual productivity drops severely or even stops completely (I am an excellent case-in-point)!

There is still much exploration to be done into the ScrapBug phenomenon. Research is in its beginning stages, but as more families become affected in one way or another by this hobby turned obsession, the spotlight on the ScrapBug is sure to grow more intense. Since there seems to be no known cure, the best advice for treatment at this point is to indulge the bug! It will not cure the disorder, but it will make you feel better – at least until the MasterCard bill comes ; )

In an effort to increase public awareness about this phenomenon, www.ScrapBugLane.com is proud to declare the month of May, not just National Scrapbooking Month, but National ScrapBug Awareness Month. As a public service, we have compiled this list to help you diagnose the disorder in yourself or loved ones:

* IMPORTANT * If any or all of the following symptoms describe you or someone you love, you or your loved one are most likely infected with the ScrapBug:

• Your heart rate speeds up and/or you experience shortness of breath at the mention of the latest greatest scrapbook collections. Trigger words could include, but are definitely not limited to, ‘Prima Marketing’, ‘Basic Grey’, ‘Daisy Bucket’, ‘Fancy Pants’, ‘Clear Acrylic Stamps’, or any endless number of products or tools;
• You arrange your living room as if it were a scrapbook layout;
• You’ve thought of saving your favorite papers to wallpaper the bathroom with;
• You save or hoard paper, products and tools just in case they stop making them;
• If you were on Survivor #81, you would Mod Podge a water-proof hut with all your favorite papers (this one is for Jodi);
• You’ve considered having yourself ‘committed’ in order to procure some uninterrupted scrapbooking time – after all, you aren’t in any of the photos anyway;
• Your kids think that the term ‘paparazzi’ refers to you.
  

If you have any of the symptoms described, we recommend you purchase more product immediately! Your health may depend upon it – trust me, I know!

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Happy National Scrapbooking Month!

Lisa