Also. In all of these years, I don't know if I've ever explained exactly what The Dares are. The Dares started in 2005 and I've followed these extremely talented ladies from the very beginning. In 2007, I was invited to join the gang and it's been such a cool experience. Honestly. Anyway ... what are The Dares? I'm going to take this straight from the book so I don't mess it up. (And no, I didn't write this.)
"You may be wondering 'Who are these girls?' and 'Who do they think they're daring?' We're daring you... if you're game for a bit of a challenge. A scrapbooking challenge. Put aside your preconceived notions of what you think a scrapbooker is. Our scrapbooks are powerful storytelling tools. We graphically record our lives. We collect visual evidence. We are graphic designers, photographers, paper crafters, storytellers, mixed-media makers. We are artists. Anyone who is willing to go a little deeper, get real, get a little messy and be inspired will enjoy the challenges we offer. If you're never one to back down from a dare, this is for you. Get ready.
The Dares were born in a very organic, simple way... just a few girls looking for something different. They stumbled into the world of scrapbooking but hadn't really found a comfortable place to dwell, a place they fit in. So they made their own place. When the challenges began, the girls welcomed others to join and share ideas through their online blog. The Dares allowed people to do more than simply scrapbook. They invited people to create art and tell their story in whatever way they saw fit. Each Dare was fully open to interpretation. Everyone's take on the Dares was different. Some were smart-ass and quirky, others were serious and tear-jerking. The book you are holding in your hands right now is the evolution of what began on the internet.
There's no need to follow the Dares in order or start at the beginning. All we ask is that you think. Look at life a little differently. Go beyond the birthday parties and the die cuts ... the obsessively chronological and whatever other stigma that has come to be associated with scrapping.
Art is art, no matter what form it takes. Make what you want out of every challenge. We're here to encourage you to get to the heart of the story. Your story. It's just as important as any other in your life. Experiment, dig deep, keep it real and have fun.'
So there you have it. Just in case you were wondering.
The Dares have definitely evolved over time. Our last two Dares have been photo/Instagram-based and our topics are always open to whatever you want to do with them.
Would you like to join us? Start with this Dare! It's an easy one. Snap a pic of your before/after creative space and tag it on social media with #efferdares. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.