Scrapbookers learn new tricks share ideas at quarterly Cape meeting

Connie Laurentius was supposed to leave for a vacation with her husband July 25, but she pushed it back to participate in the scrapbooking event at Saint Francis Medical Center that day. Laurentius, who has been scrapbooking since 2005, always makes sure not to miss a meeting.

The group is run through the Saint Francis Auxiliary. It holds meetings four times a year, and the meetings are usually based on a theme. This meeting's theme was "Scrapper's Choice."

About 25 people attended the recent meeting, with people dropping in and out all day. Scrappers, as scrapbookers call themselves, can pay either $5 for all day or donate three homemade cards in order to participate. The money raised goes for breast cancer awareness.

This scrapbooking day attracted people from all over the region. Laurentius said people come from Sikeston, Mo., Bloomfield, Mo., St. Louis and Illinois to spend the day with fellow scrappers. The group will also be taking a scrapbooking bus trip in the fall to St. Louis to see scrapbooking techniques at shops there. Anyone is welcome to go on the trip, Laurentius said.

Regular attendee Ann Burns scrapbooks for her grandchildren. She got started a few years ago when someone told her to do something with all the old pictures she had around her house. Burns said she took that advice to heart and got busy organizing the photos she had.

Beverlee Hastings works on a scrapbook page Saturday, July 25, 2009, during a Saint Francis Medical Center Auxiliaty Scrapbooking Day in Cape Girardeau. (Kit Doyle)

Now when her three grandchildren come and visit her, she makes sure she captures that visit with her camera. Their trips to the Dixie Stampede, amusement parks and even downtime at home are captured with photographs that are then put into albums with handwritten captions and plenty of decoration. She said she sees these albums as ways to remind her grandchildren of all their memories together, even after she's gone.

Burns said she also loves the flexibility of the craft.

"When something messes up, you work with it," she said. "There are no mistakes in scrapbooking."

Sabrina McAllister of Thebes, Ill., is one of the organizers of this quarterly meeting. She is a secretary at WomanCare at Saint Francis Medical Center. She began scrapbooking nearly six years ago, when her cousin called her and said, "Grab pictures and come with me." McAllister said she had no idea what she was getting into but that it was worth it. She said is constantly amazed at the techniques and ideas she sees when she goes to the meetings.

"I have made so many friends," she said. "Scrapbookers are some of the best people in the world."