stuckintheglue

What not to bring to a crop *note to self*

So, it’s been a week since we went for a two day scrapbooking crop (well, two and a half for some of us) and we both happened to bring a tiny bit too much stuff this year. I can honestly not remember that I brought this much last year, but on the other hand we only went for one day and I think I was a bit more prepared with plans and stuff. PLANS!
Last year I had this album in mind for my new born niece, it was already planned with color schemes, sketches and themes for all 20 pages. So yeah, packing was easy.
This year, on the other hand, was certainly not planned or prepared at all. I’ve been crafting like crazy the few free weekends up until the crop, I had plenty of ideas and projects in mind which also affected my packing and (lack of) planning. I brought so much stuff that I couldn’t even carry it all by myself and asked my mother to drive me to the venue. I filled my largest suitcase (which I normally use for longer vacations), one messenger bag and two or three shopping bags. I even brought some things home after my first day (but brought some other things with me for the next due to some workshops and yeah, I don’t even know..). But on the other hand, I did write down all the things I never (or barely) used;

  • Guillotine cutter (I ended up sacrificing my fiskars cutter instead)
  • Sequins
  • Punches (brought like three, used none)
  • Stamped images to color (and some already colored)
  • Most of the twine
  • A lot of the dies (brought all, who knows what I might need?)
  • The selection of washi tapes
  • Embellishments such as pearl stickers, enamel dots and rhinestone stickers
  • Most of the card bases
  • Two of the three border punches
  • Almost all 50 promarkers (used some for one card)
  • All my wood veneer
  • Ink pads other than the black ones
  • Dylusions and other sprays (brought way too many, I used one or two)
  • Most of the selection of stamps

Things I should consider next year:

  • BRING LESS STUFF!
  • BRING LESS STUFF!
  • Do plan more, please!
  • Bring a blanket to cover everything at night
  • Bring a seat cushion
  • Use slippers and comfy clothes
  • Pack smart using bags on wheels
  • Don’t bring projects that heavily relies on the use of a heat gun unless you pick seats close to the heat gun station

To sum things up: I need to have a plan or some projects to focus on. Preferably in a box with all related paper, items, photos or whatever gathered.
If I don’t have any ongoing projects or ideas; find the challenge in bringing only a few items and focus on using them. I will probably buy stuff too, most likely way too much stuff so there will be no need to bring a whole bunch of paper “just in case”.
Leave embellishments at home, just finish any projects after the crop. It will also give me time to move on with a new project and look at the half finished ones later on with new eyes. For some people this seem to help avoid adding just a little bit too much.

I hope some of my babbling will help you (and my future self) make wise decisions before going to a crop, think twice about every item and make time to plan ahead. Don’t pack stuff “just in case” or “what if I get bored or run out of projects?”. You wont.
Even if you would miss something you can always finish the project at home, maybe borrow from someone else or even buy whatever needed (set your own limits, don’t buy anything you already have and find hard to use up. Be smart).
If you go with friends, tell each other what stuff you will bring to avoid ending up with several copies of the same tools, punches, stamps, dies or whatever you know you all have. If you plan to use something very much then I guess it would be a good idea to bring your own just to avoid getting stuck waiting.

Less is more (easy to carry).

Storage Sunday – Packing for a scrapbooking crop

Sunday again and its time for another Storage Sunday and this week I will continue with the same theme as last week. I’m a bit tired today after the scrapbooking crop yesterday and today’s biking and walking with my dad, brother, niece and her mother. It was a lovely day with lots of sunshine! The scrapbooking crop was amazing and so much more fun than I expected (I’m usually unable to create and get anything done at our smaller crops) and I managed to make three (THREE!) layouts, almost four! I was just as amazed as my friends when we were ready to pack up and go home again. We spent almost 11 hours at the fair! I think half time was spent shopping and eating but hey, how could we resist shopping when the area was filled with stores and pretty things?

Anyway, back to topic! I was not really as organized and well prepared as Jennie, but thanks to her packing list I did not forget anything essential. My plan was to work on an album and maybe make some simple birthday cards using only the things I brought (a few paper pads, a selection of stamps and some white card bases). When I’m going to a crop I always bring more than I use because I don’t know what I’m going to make or feel like doing. Sometimes I just want to sit and color for a few hours, sometimes I crochet and sometimes I make cards. I recently discovered that I manage to create most when I have everything planned ahead, like the card base and layout set for my Christmas cards or as for this album where I have all pages sketched out and the base paper decided. I just needed my project box with the coordinating paper I already selected and the box of matching decorations and washi tape. I also believe it is easier to make choices when the selection of options are more limited.

Except from the paper and decorations I also need some tools and adhesives;

  • Quick glue
  • Scissors
  • Pens and pencils
  • Foam tape and squares, double sided tape, glue dots and a tape roller plus refill
  • Cutting tools
  • Metal ruler (almost forgot it!)
  • Alphabet stickers
  • Border stickers (I will never get rid of these)

I brought some things only for the card making (just in case)

  • Mists and sprays
  • Punches
  • Ink pad
  • Acrylic blocks
  • Bone folder
  • Stickles
  • Paper pads
  • Card bases
  • Stamps

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imageI also brought a case to bring the finished pages home in, I would never have thought about this if it wasn’t for Jennie’s packing list! So clever!

This is, for me, a light packing for a one day crop. I was so happy it all fit in my dramaten (bag on wheels sort of thing), it was very full but I was able to close it! Unfortunately I did not leave any room for shopping so I had a harder time to get home than to get there but I managed, happy and exhausted! For next time I will not bring things to make “just in case” rather just decide exactly what I am going to create and follow that. It was a very good thing to plan ahead and have the layouts and paper sorted out. I will also make more room for shopping and, in worst case, just buy anything that I might have forgotten. Since the shopping spree got a bit out of hands I will try to limit my pre-fair shopping and go bananas during the fair instead, it was so much fun!

That’s it for me, I’m exhausted and in need of some beauty sleep. I will share my haul in the next haul post (in early May) and later on some pictures of the album I’m working on, I just need to finish it.

Easter crafting with kids, or just one

This weekend I invited my almost 6 year old cousin to come crafting with me and he was so excited! When it was time to go home his mother asked him if he has had enough of crafting for a while now but he said no, he wanted to keep crafting!
I was very impressed by his creativity and focus. I think he made about ten figures and one card!

I have a special basket for all the crafting material I let him use or purchase especially for him, things that are suited for kids, mostly complete kits. I must say that Panduro is very good at this! I found a few Easter kits on sale at both Panduro and Slöjd-detaljer so I got away pretty cheap this year!

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This was all that fit in the basket before we started crafting. I don’t usually keep the pens, pencils or brushes in the basket.
I also use a wax table cloth to protect my oiled oak table from any spilled paint or glue.

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Leon in the middle of gluing punched stars on his card. In the front you can see most of the figures he made all by himself, I just helped holding them while drying.

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For the next time I think I will buy more wadding eggs and other shapes, some googly eyes and wood buttons. These are the supplies he use the most and seem to have most fun with (except for my punches). I already have enough pipe cleaners, feathers and sequins to last a lifetime in case he want to decorate a bit extra.

Next time I feel like clearing out unused stuff from my stash (that would actually be the first time ever) I will simply add it to the magic kids crafting basket. I realized that he does not, whatsoever, see my things the same way I do. He said “you have sooooo much crafting stuff!” and yet he’s just seen a teeny tiny part of it all, *snickers*.