Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Packing for a Crop or Scrapbook Crop 101

We all have done it - signed up with high hopes of accomplishing tons of pages/mini's/whatever at a crop.  We start out thinking we need to take everything we own - or at least a good sampling of everything.

We figure out how to take everything, get it into the 32 totes/bags and organizers and finally into a vehicle.  Whew - what a lot of work.  BUT, I will be relaxing a the crop tomorrow, so it is worth it! 

NOT!

Been there, done that, still refining.  It is soooo easy to overpack, but is it worth it?  Maybe, if you have the additional items others forgot, but do you get very much done - not usually.  Or, at least I don't.

So, how do I pack for a crop?  Well, for starters remember this and you will be fine!

"17 Stacks of paper, plus the sizzix big kick, plus three iris containers do not fit into a small tote"

Well, maybe they would if you have a shrink ray handy, but as I don't, I am not taking them in that manner.  At this point, I try to avoid taking the big kick and cricut both as well.  Usually the crop house will have some type of die cut system, or I try to get parts I want from one all cut before I leave home.  No, that does not mean I cut out every die I have and require another tote!  It means I take a bit of prep time and make up page kits.  I have a wonderful bag from bolsa bag called Scrapbookbuzz.  Google has been unable to locate a mfg for me, so I will get some photos taken.  It holds 25 page kits plus room for a few extra items.  If I could find another, I would purchase!  I got lucky and found it at a scrapbook garage sale in Minneapolis, MN (visiting) for $5!  


Enough about the bag - on to the page kits!  I create page kits on days when I just don't want to actually create, but want to work with supplies.  Or, when new photos come.  So, once assembled (my assembly is listed on my blog back in June of 2014 - Page Kit Anatomy and there are lots of you tubes and such out there on kit assembly).  I either put the page kit into my Scrapbookbuzz bag (if there is an open page) or into a 2.5 gallon hefty bag and then into a cube designed for page kits!  I don't just use page kits for crops, I use at home as well.  It just helps me.


So, page kits assembled - I make sure there are 25 in my bag.  However, I want to be sure I don't run out of things to do, though keep with my plan to reduce the number of items I carry, so I have two projects that will go with me.  One can be done in an hour or so, the other I know will take about 3 days.  Both fit into the size of a single Iris container, with room to spare.  Can you guess what that Iris container is?  It is my space for "extra's" I just might want.  I haven't completely done away with a just in case set of items, but I now limit them to a single Iris container (or in this case, it is a Club Scrap Pizza box - but similar storage area) that fits into my medium tote bag that accompanies me to all crops.  Actual name, discovered via google, is Crop-n-Style Navigator.  I love it because it is light weight enough, when loaded, for me to move to above my waist for loading.


The medium tote bag is for anything that isn't in the page kit.  It could be some wooden stamps I want for a mini album, it includes my tape gun, cutter, scissors, and anything else I may want, tool wise.  I used to carry a photo box, but with my page kit arrangement, I don't take it all the time now.  I also have room in the medium tote for one pizza box of paper if I would like.  Not sure if it is going to the PA crop or not - I really like my page kits for this one.

The above isn't my baby bug, but it is what I carry - the Original Cricut Cutter.  It works perfect for small spaces at crops.  I just add the gypsy (rather than the  jukeboxes I used to take) and it works wonderfully for me.  No additional space with computer (or additional outlets) required.
 

I do take either my sizzix, slice or cricut.  More often it is the Cricut and gypsy.  Internet is unreliable at some crops and I want to be able to cut out my lettering.   So, the baby bug and gypsy travel with me (the large  cricut stays at home on its perch unless I feel there is a reason to bring along).  Why take a machine when so many locations have them?  I don't like to feel like I am hogging the machine.  I plan to cut all my lettering out at the crop, so unless no one else has anything to cut out, I like to have my mats and machine at my disposal whenever I want them.  Plus, the baby bug is small enough to sit at my table and be used and still lets me have space to work.  Unless I have less than 3' of work space, the baby bug travels with me.  I love the Sizzix to work at home, but those dies are too heavy to travel for short crops.  Plus, I have a great work space to precut lettering at home if I want one of the three sizzix letter sets.  

Packing time arrives - I take my Crop-n-style bag, my Scrapbook buzz bag and my Cricut bag.  I am ready to crop.  If I get everything done (I seldom do), I will have over 50 pages completed plus two projects!  One is a simple hinge mini album, the other is a kit I bought from Jim, The Gentleman Crafter - a trophy and mini album.  I won't be able to put the Trophy mini into my bag, but I have plenty of room if I do complete it on the road.

My check list for the crop-n-style bag:

scissors
cutter plus blades
embossing board plus bone folder or embossing stylus
pens/pencils/straight cutter/paper piecer/glue pen/filing tools (emery board works if I forget them)
box of extras
box of paper
adhesive roller and extra adhesive (liquid and sticky types)
Ink pads and ink applicator/foam pads
Stamps (if any are needed other than the ones in kits)
 Gypsy plus cords
side pocket - box of tic tac type containers of brads 
side pockets - paper punches 

I don't usually do messy items at crops - not enough space to set things to dry, so I will review my page kits one more time - see if there are notes for any tools.  If not, that is it and I am ready to crop! 

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

A new mini has begun!

It all started after the recent cleaning/reorganizing/moving of my scrap area.  It only moved about 20' down, but wow was it a ton of work!

Loving the new space and new areas to scrap in.  I have my original 8' table, another 5' table (which has a sewing machine), two 3' tables - one is always clear, the other holds my laptop, speakers, etc.  and even another 4' table space for the cricut and laser!  Papers are labeled, instructions books and samples all have homes and all the memorabilia that I have been sorting still has homes.  The biggest change - other than doubling in size - my old scrap paper sorters have changed.  They are now two of my 3' tables - each with 16 drawers.  They hold a ton and help with sorting more than I had imagined they would. 

Just think- all your stickles, glitter glues and glue pens in a single drawer.  Same for mists/stains/sprays, daily tools, colored pencils and markers, punches (though these take multiple drawers and my very large We R Memory Keepers 8 punches don't fit), stencils, flowers, deco scissors, etc..  They all have their own homes that are larger than before, easier to access and labeled!

So, with all this new space (yes, I do have to remember to clean it after each project.  It is amazing - I tend to use whatever space I have!), I am having fun creating!

While cleaning, I found this fun mini that was sent to me in a swap over on Scrapbook Message Board.  If I had to guess - I would guess Candy created it! 


Anyway - using it as inspiration, I created this fun mini using "leftovers" from my September Club Scrap Kit.  The Bamboo on front is a technique I learned from the Transformations Scrap Rap.  I can't believe I didn't realize that the Scrap Rap was there for each line!  I am going to be doing some reading on back posts this afternoon!  So happy it is raining.


It is not completed yet (as you can see - no photos or embellishing done just yet.  I prefer to embellish as I am adding photos).
 
each page has two tags - one large and one small and a flap.  After I add the photos, we will see how it looks!


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

New kit arrived!

My September Club Scrap kit arrived with the mail today!
 Step one - after looking at all the wonderful items - choose the photos and layouts I want to create.  I don't always create everything.  I have a few times, but now I prefer to gather what I want and create some of the layouts as created (or at least close :D)
 Below are my results.  5 wonderful pages - journalling completed and they are even in the page protectors!  Off to put into albums now!