The Scrappin' Moms Idol Experience

I know! It's been three weeks since the Finals and I'm still thinking about it? Talk about obsessed. Hahaha. Yes, indeed. Well, not that I am obsessed with whole Idol experience, but I can be obsessive-compulsive about trying to wrap things up neatly so I can move on to the next adventure. I did promise earlier on that I would share my thoughts on my Idol experience redux.

First: I would have to give it to the Scrappin' Moms. After the first Idol, hindi na sila nadala. LOL. Which, for the growth of the local scrapping community is actually a good thing. I hope that Pia was just joking when she kept repeating during the finals that Kookie is the second and last Idol. It's never easy to run or organize a contest, but for the Scrappin' Moms to do it at that scale, for that length of time, and with limited woman force, they deserve awards themselves. So Scrappin' Moms, thank you, congratulations and more power.

Second, pagkatapos ng sipsip (hehehe), I would have to say that my social experiment is a failure. Remember I posed the questions:

Why was the first Idol competition so intense? Was it because it was the first-time that such was conducted in the Philippines? Was it because it was my and many other participants' initial foray in the world of these challenges that last for weeks? Would I still be all hot and bothered as I meet every challenge? Or, having gone through it before, would I be quite blasé about it?

I simply cannot compare last year's Idol experience to this year's. The participants are different, with varying styles and approaches. Comparing this year's lot with last year's would be like comparing chalk and cheese. While there were many familar faces, there were also "newbies" who may be new at scrapbooking but who made us "oldies" go "how did she come up with that?"

The weekly challenges are also different from last year's. While I think last year was more material based, this year concentrated on design elements and principles. So that even if I had done this last year, every challenge was as new to me as to this year's first-timers. So I really cannot say this year was more difficult than last, or vice versa.

But, I can honestly say that I am less stressed this year than last. And no, it's not because I'm inured to the pain. It actually has nothing to do with the actual challenges and processes. My being offline (I didn't have steady internet access) worked to give me peace of mind. I wasn't chatting online with friends as to who did what or not. I really didn't have the opportunity to scrutinize every entry and thus compare myself unfavorably. I didn't haunt the forums waiting for clarifications. I just looked up the final instructions on Wednesdays, then worked on my layouts. No second-guessing.

It also helped that I went into this with the simple goal not to be eliminated until the 5th round at least. And in accepting that there is no embarassment in being eliminated early. I don't have to prove anything to anyone, and most importantly, to myself anymore. The time for that has past. So I wasn't striving to reinvent myself. I just scrapped photos I had, using materials I already had, and had fun. Well, as much fun as you can have trying to finish a decent LO the night before the deadline.

Third. I also learned my lesson from last year when I made it to the Finals also, but didn't prepare anything. We were given the themes beforehand and I just brought my photos and every possible tool to the event. No journaling, no sketch, no nothing. I assumed inspiration would come when I saw the papers. It doesn't work that way. With only three hours to scrap, you have to have a plan, and you have to make the materials given you, to fit that plan.

The funny thing is, I had a plan last October 4. And I almost didn't finish in the allotted time. I remember last year, my table mates and I avoided each others' eyes as we waited to see who would be brave enough to submit her LO first. Most of us had finished even before the organizers said "Time's up!" I blame this year's nick of time submission to the unexpected brownout. Well, at least it was easier to submit in the dark. Hehehe. I don't think anyone was more surprised than I was that I actually made it to the Top 5 (and that is my cue to post a photo in this word-intensive post.)


But this is the best reward - our Idol Post Trauma Party at Italliani's where we relieved every hardship, oopppss...every moment of the six week challenge.


Oh, wouldn't you have wanted to be a fly on the wall as we discussed all the juicy details about SM Idol 2 during dinner. Promise, I will share some with you later. If no one slaps me with a TRO first. Hahaha.