did you know the word “CROP” can be used as a noun and a verb? yup, thank you crazy english language!
we can go to a crop or we can crop or cut our photos… or we can crop or scrapbook. i don’t make this stuff up…it’s true! (i’m not tell you what my husband’s take on this is…very inappropriate!)
so, what i’ve got to tell you today can be applied to those of us that have to “scrapbook on-the-go” in our own homes, and for those that are headed out to a crop.
first and foremost, have a plan! if you have a plan you will take what you need instead of everything you own. promise, it’s a huge time saver!
take time to sort out some pictures you want to use. fifteen minutes here or there should do the trick. then shop or go through your own supplies to find what you need. always pick more than you are going to use. not to break the bank, but to give yourself several options. i’m talking about putting together some ribbon, brads, stickers, cardstock, etc. in coordinating colors/themes. put all of these things together in a 2 gallon ziploc or a plastic tote. do this for layouts, mini-albums or even cards. then when you are ready to scrapbook you will have them ready to grab and go.
okay, so maybe you don’t have time to prep like that. what should you do then? well, if you are going to crop at a place with supplies to buy, then bring the essentials you already have so you have a basic stash to look through – cardstock, basic ribbon colors, letter stickers – then allow yourself to shop in the store for a few additional items for your project.
now you are telling me that you are going somewhere in the mountains to crop with your friends and there won’t be any place to buy extra supplies. well then, make sure you have enough Tombow adhesive for all your needs…(you know you have to have them all!) and then get a few of those plastic tote boxes and a good rolling bag and pack yourself up. (don’t buy the biggest bag you can find. once you pack it with all it can hold you won’t be able to pick it up!) really though, if you are doing a weekend like this, it is much better to be prepared with the pictures and paper and embellishments already semi picked out.you’ll get more done, spend less time searching for the perfect something that isn’t in your bag and you’ll have something else to work on if you get scrapper’s block. you can also coordinate with your friends. swap, trade, however you want to work it out…but set up your own “store”.
i really enjoy the social aspect of crops, and i know when i go i am going to get out of the house, spend time with friends and have fun doing my thing. but don’t stress yourself out to get lots done. if that truly is your goal and you get as distracted as easily as me…bring a pair of headphones!
okay, now raise your hand if you are like me and don’t have a place to scrapbook and leave it out. if you saw my previous post about my scrapbook space then you know my office is a terrible mess and i have to scrapbook at my kitchen table. having projects pre-picked out is a huge help. at home i use those plastic tote boxes for the big ongoing projects, like disney trips, halloweens, school albums. and for smaller projects i use open baskets. i bought them at the dollar store. i have three of them, so supposedly i can have three projects going on at a time. usually end up with more than three and those are in those 2 gallon ziplocs. but theoretically, if i have time to scrapbook i grab my mini-tool tote with one of each Tombow adhesive, my Tombow Dual Brush Pens, scissors, corner rounder, paper piercer, crop-a-dile, and ink pads and i grab one of the baskets (ziploc or tote) and camp out at the kitchen table.
keep yourself packed up. your large tote for taking to a crop or a mini tote or tool box for home….whatever it is, keep it packed and available.
as the boy scouts say “BE PREPARED”
i hope this helps any of you that are trying to venture out of the house with your scrapbook stuff.
i you have specific questions please post them and i’ll respond as soon as i can. i’m not an expert, but i’ve had a little bit of experience moving my scrapbook stuff around.
here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what i am talking about….
plastic tote boxes are from Iris
black baskets i found at The Dollar Tree
little purple tool tote is from archiver’s
black rolling scrapbook bag stays packed and ready to go (yes, this means that i have double the tools. not the expensive ones, but i do have more than one pair of scissors, one of each Tombow adhesives in both this rolling bag and my little purple tool tote, and 2 paper trimmers)
happy scrapping…. or cropping…. or whatever you’d like to call it!
Thanks! (n. & v.)