How This Chick Fell in Love with Paper: My Scrapbooking Story & Creative Journey
- This Chick Loves Paper
- Oct 11, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 2
🧁 Who Am I?
I’m April—a memory keeper, crafting firecracker, and the chick behind the paper.
What started as a “maybe someday” hobby turned into the creative heartbeat of my life.
And it all began with one gut-punch moment—and one huge realization:
Without me here to tell the story… they were just photos on my phone.
And that? That was not okay with me.
So I grabbed my paper, my scissors, and my heart—and started telling the story that matters most: ours!
📸 Meet the Chick Behind the Paper!
Crafting, storytelling, and making memories—one scrapbook page at a time.
Hey hey! I’m April—flooring rep by day, scrapbooking addict by night.
I'm also a:
✔ A chef
✔ A chauffeur
✔ A referee
✔ A coach
✔ A cleaning crew
✔ A cheerleader
✔ A memory hoarder
✔ A glitter enthusiast
Yep, you guessed it, I'm a full-time mom to one amazing, endlessly hilarious little man.
For the longest time?
Scrapbooking wasn’t even on my radar.
Like so many of us, I kept saying:
✔ “Maybe someday I'll have time."
✔ “Maybe someday I’ll scrapbook.”
✔ “Maybe someday I’ll get creative.”
✔ “Maybe someday…”
Then May 2022 happened....
💥 A Diagnosis That Changed Everything
This wasn’t the story I planned on telling…
But it’s the one that launched a new life.
What started as a minor health concern turned into a full-blown wake-up call.
One appointment. One test. One moment.
And suddenly, a doctor was telling me:
“You need to get your affairs in order.”
Excuse me, what?!
It was terrifying. It was earth-shaking.
And weirdly… it led to the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done.
💡 Why I Started Scrapbooking: The Moment That Sparked It All
A single conversation. A phone screen full of photos.
And a heartbreaking realization—without me here, these were just pictures with no stories. That had to change.
One night, not long after that diagnosis, I was scrolling through photos, laughing at memories, telling stories in my head.
My little man walked in and asked, “What’s so funny?”
I showed him a photo and asked, “Do you remember this?”
He paused. Squinted.
And then said, “Nope.”
I laughed out loud. “Are you serious?! This was a hilarious day!”
So I launched into the story—every ridiculous, laugh-out-loud detail.
And as I talked, he started laughing too.
That’s when it hit me like a glitter bomb to the face:
Without me, these are just pictures. No captions. No context. No memories. And I wasn’t okay with that.
✂️ My Secret Scrapbooking Project (and Why It Mattered So Much)
One of my first scrapbook projects… created in secret, but filled with love. 💕
I didn’t even tell my little man at first.
I started scrapbooking secretly, calling it “my project” and hiding it under a huge stack of paper on the coffee table whenever he walked in.
At first… it was just for him.
But then… it became for me too.
With every page, I realized how healing, joyful, and powerful scrapbooking really is.
I wasn’t just playing with paper.
I was giving our memories a home.
More importantly, I was telling our story!
I was finally taking time to celebrate the little moments that make life beautiful.
🎨 From One Page to Passion: My Scrapbooking Journey Begins
One page turned into two… then ten… then a full-blown obsession.
And let’s be honest—I’m NEVER looking back! 🎨🔥
At first, I created to leave something behind.
Then I created to feel alive again.
Now I create because I can’t imagine life without it.
Scrapbooking isn’t just a hobby—it’s my healing, my joy, and my connection to every moment I never want to forget.
✨ Pretty Pages with Purpose: Why Storytelling Is My Style
Scrapbooking isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling good.
Every layout tells a story, captures a moment, and keeps our memories alive.
Yes, I love pretty paper.
Yes, I love layered titles.
Yes, I love a good stitched embellishment.
But my real style?
It’s personal. It’s intentional. It’s quirky, emotional, and full of heart.
My layouts include:
✔ Scene-building to relive the moment
✔ Journaling that sounds like ME (bad grammar and all!)
✔ Misspelled words on purpose—because that’s how my son said it
✔ Humor, heart, and a whole lot of real life
Because for me?
It’s not about perfection.
It’s about preservation!
📚 This Chick Loves Paper: Why I Started This Scrapbooking Blog
Why paper? Why scrapbooking? Why this blog?
Because I don’t want these moments to fade.
Because I want YOU to remember yours too.
This Chick Loves Paper is more than a blog—it’s a celebration of storytelling, a safe place for creatives, and a home for crafters who love heart over hype.
Whether you’re new to scrapbooking or ten albums deep, this is where we create together, learn together, and tell the stories that matter most.
🚀 Your Scrapbooking Story Starts Here—Let’s Make Magic!
Let’s turn your favorite memories into something you can see, touch, and relive forever.
Ready to make magic? Let’s do this! ✂️✨🔥
If you love:
✔ Disney (because, SAME.)
✔ Personalized, meaningful scrapbooking
✔ Card-making that WOWs
✔ Laughing, crafting, and making memories
Then you are definitely in the right place!
This Chick Loves Paper is not your average crafting blog.
This is where creativity meets storytelling, where memories are made with ink, cardstock, and a little bit of magic.
✂️ Explore More, Laugh Harder, Scrap Smarter!
Wondering where to start? I’ve got layouts, cards, Disney magic, and a sprinkle of sass to keep you inspired!
👉 Need Scrapbook Layout Ideas?
🧡 Browse my blog for step-by-step inspiration, 12x12 sketches, and storytelling tips!
👉 💌 Want Handmade Card Ideas?
Check out some of my favorite seasonal and Disney-inspired card projects!
👉 📖 Want to Learn More?
Dive into tutorials, Cricut tips, and behind-the-scenes magic inside the blog archive!
📸 Share YOUR Story—Because It Matters.
Have you started scrapbooking your own story?
Made a card you’re proud of?
Created a layout that made you laugh (or cry)?
🎉 Post it in the Members Gallery and share it with a community of crafters who get it!
Let’s celebrate each other. Cheer each other on.
And craft like our stories depend on it, because they do.
🎉 Final Thoughts: From “Maybe Someday” to “Can’t Live Without It”
💖 Scrapbooking isn’t just about paper—it’s about the moments that matter most!
My greatest masterpiece? Being his mom. 🥰✨
This Chick Loves Paper isn’t just a name.
It’s a love letter to the stories I refuse to forget.
Scrapbooking changed my life—and I believe it can change yours too.
Because this isn’t just about paper.
It’s about purpose.
It’s about laughter, healing, and legacy.
It’s about finding joy in the little things… and gluing it down forever.
So grab your paper.
Grab your story.
And let’s do this—together.
April – This Chick Loves Paper
🛒 Grab Your Supplies & Start Crafting!
Please note:
All photos and projects are subject to copyright
Images @ Stampin’ Up!©️
Images @ Close to My Heart©️
The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of April Raine - This Chick Loves Paper as a Stampin’ Up!® Independent Demonstrator. The use of and content of classes, services, or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!®
Discover the story behind This Chick Loves Paper—how a life-changing diagnosis led to a passion for memory keeping, storytelling, and scrapbooking with purpose. This blog introduces April’s journey and the heart behind her creative mission.
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