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How do you prepare for crops/swarms/meet up's
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Ok ladies I am going to scrap mania at Archivers this weekend and need to be extremely productive, lol. Seriously, I have not scrapbooked any of last years vacations  . Therefore, I am wanting to do a lot of preplanning at home so that I get more than my fair share of work done this weekend. In the past I have taken so much stuff that I don't use and fumble through most of it before getting frustrated and quitting. Well, I want to change all of that starting today. I totally don't want to take everything but the kitchen sink and completely disorganize my room. Ladies, I am looking to you guys to help me take only what I need and to do as much planning at home so when I get to the crop I can crop and do very little socializing,  . Those of you who know me know that that is virtually impossible . Anyway, I saw online something called power layouts and was wondering if anyone here does them and can offer any tips. Thanks everyone because you all are AMAZING!!
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We have a group of ladies that get together at church one Friday night a month & I go through & try to decide how much I can get done in about 5 hours. I look at my pictures & visualize how I want to cut them, what embellishments I want to use & pack accordingly. When I do all day & weekend crops, I try to do the same, but on a larger scale. Of course, I take my G, my E & tons of paper & adhesives. I have downsized some of my brads, eyelets & other embellishments to take up less space. Of course that is hard to do when you have a room dedicated to scrapping & crafting! I am trying also to streamline what I take by putting things into smaller containers
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The last crop I went to I didn't even need to take any of my machines! First I chose pictures. Next I did a sketch, chose paper, embellishments & did all the cuts I needed. Everything for each LO went inside a separate plastic pouch. I still packed loads of embellishments, paper, inks etc. but it was nice not having to cart machines as well.  I really got a lot done too!!
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Originally Posted by: BarbPoll  The last crop I went to I didn't even need to take any of my machines! First I chose pictures. Next I did a sketch, chose paper, embellishments & did all the cuts I needed. Everything for each LO went inside a separate plastic pouch. I still packed loads of embellishments, paper, inks etc. but it was nice not having to cart machines as well. I really got a lot done too!! How much time did it take you to prepare all of those cuts? I am going to try to put together little page kits and use some sticky notes for thinks I need to add. Yesterday at Michael's I found some recollections craft keepers. They come in packs of 10 and they were on sale for $8.79 plus tax. So far I have organized all of my pictures and I think I have decided on the ones I want to crop. The crop will last until 11pm and hopefully I should arrive no later than 2pm. My sons has a basketball game that ends at 1:30pm. Wish me luck because I am losing focus already .
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Right before we moved I put together my version of a power layout, I went through my pictures decided i usually get about 5-6 per page depending on how i crop them. then i put them in a 12x12 box with a white sheet of paper between each set. Choosing paper is hard for me and I like to do it as I am doing the layout.
My mother in law does a power layout where she will choose the paper along with the pictures and sometimes the stickers/embellishments. and put them in a 12x12 box.
We just did a crop at my house two weeks ago and I have so much stuff now it would be so hard for me to choose what to take to a weekend crop.
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Originally Posted by: Soshescraps How much time did it take you to prepare all of those cuts? I am going to try to put together little page kits and use some sticky notes for thinks I need to add. Yesterday at Michael's I found some recollections craft keepers. They come in packs of 10 and they were on sale for $8.79 plus tax. So far I have organized all of my pictures and I think I have decided on the ones I want to crop. The crop will last until 11pm and hopefully I should arrive no later than 2pm. My sons has a basketball game that ends at 1:30pm. Wish me luck because I am losing focus already . I use my Gypsy so I do a lot of designing when I'm watching TV so really don't know how much time I spent with that. Working from a sketch helps too (even though my pages don't always end up like the sketch!) The cutting is the easy part & no time at all. Meant to add ... stay focussed ... & get off the MB!! Edited by user Thursday, January 17, 2013 10:52:10 AM(UTC)
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Too late I'm already distracted, lol. Just finished playing with our new puppy and now I am back in my room trying to figure things out, lol. I am finding that I am spending way too much time looking for stuff, gesh!! Now if I got rid of everything I would find myself needing stuff I don't have. Now that I have so much I find it hard to determine what I want to use. Choices, choices,
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Last time I checked in, you were thinking of leaving us!! I am so glad you decided to give it another go. Your new craftroom is gorgeous  I am the world's most disorganised crafter. My desk is a mess and I can't find a thing. I bought a gorgeous Christmas stack from MME last week and have just discovered that I have already bought it.... twice!! I've no advice but will keep an eye on this thread and pinch a few ideas for myself. Have fun at your crop 
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That is exactly what I am doing today- prepping for a crop this weekend. I do page kits-I pull my photos, a sketch, papers, and precut my cricut embellies. I find in a crop environment it is really hard for me to do the creative ground work for my LO's. It is a lot of prep work but I get a TON done this way
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I have absolutely no advice whatsoever to offer on this topic. . .first time for that! I go to SWARMS and Meet Ups just to socialize!  Maybe I swing by Archivers and distract you some! 
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I do a lot of weekend crops so I try to be really organized before I go since space is usually at a premium. My method is close to what BarbPoll does.
First I sort my pictures into envelopes by theme or event. Then I get a general idea of how I might want to design my page and pull the papers out of my stash. Mext I look for embellishments and cut titles from my Cricut. Everything small enough goes into the envelope with the photos. From there I layer the papers and envelopes in one of my plastic Iris bins. Everything is all together and ready to go to the next crop. All I need to do on the day of the crop is grab my tools and Iris bin and head out the door!!!
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Loving all the giggles this thread is giving me. I try to prepare page kits prior to going.
1) Pick which pics go together on a 2pg layout and decide on a sketch
2) Pick the papers I plan to use on the LO
3) Decide which embellishments I need
4) Using double sided removable tape, I lay the pics down where I want them to go
5) On a post-it note, I write the title and any notations I need.
Pack it all together and start on the next one. I usually only get 5 - 10 of these done prior to my weekend retreats but I feel like I get something accomplished while I'm away.
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Originally Posted by: scrapalette I have absolutely no advice whatsoever to offer on this topic. . .first time for that! I go to SWARMS and Meet Ups just to socialize! Maybe I swing by Archivers and distract you some! Scraplette please join us so we will know how to behave at a crop. Because I go with the notion of thinking I should actually complete an album, lol. It would be fun to finally meet in person girl!!
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This is my order of preparation:
My big black rolling cart is sitting and waiting for crops. In the pockets there are brads, sticklers, bling of all colors...etc. I have a scrapbook case I keep ready with solid colors for matting or whatever I may need it for. I too prepare page kits in those page keepers from Michael's. I group pictures, pattern paper, embellishments for two page layouts. I also take my tool kit. It stays pretty much packed at all times. In it is different kinds of adhesives, several pairs of scissors in different sizes,and embellishments that can be used for almost any layout. Also, my Cropadile and other tools. Depending on what I am doing
I may need to add a few things. I sometimes take my Baby Cricut in his green rolling cart. It just depends. If I do, it will hold mats and about 8 carts. But I do have a cart holder that I take sometimes.
I have attended the Creative Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention for 3 years and the first year I learned to never bring so much stuff to the evening crop. I really over packed! Enjoy yourself, relax, and don't try to finish everything you bring. If you do great, if you don't great. The lessons taught and the fellowship with other crafters are priceless!
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There is a lot of great advice here. I plan 3-4 scrapbook retreat weekends a year for my friends. I buy the one & a half gallon ziploc bags to use for my page kits.
Here is a tip from me... I always put more page kits together than I think I can get done. I never know what I'm actually going to be in the mood to work on. I enjoy myself much more if I go with a lot of page kits to choose from. I may only get half done, but I get the ones done that I feel most inspired to do at the moment. Does that make sense?
That being said... I started off by scrapbooking at stores, like Recollections. (I wish Dallas would get an Archivers!!!) I loved that. I didn't feel like I had to take so much stuff. I think part of the fun is going through the new papers, embellishments, tool etc!
Enjoy yourself!
~Margo
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OH my goodness, Tweeta, AKA soshescraps. You are super woman, just makes me tired reading about all you do! lol Just do as you usually do for the swarms! By the way, this is one talented lady!!
JanieEdited by user Friday, January 18, 2013 10:01:17 AM(UTC)
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I usually have most of my pics sorted already by theme, etc. I will take a handled tote (like at J's) and put pics, papers, embellishments that fit the theme, etc in resealable cellos and place them in my tote with any extra large embellishments (like ribbon, flowers, etc). I can usually get about 4 layouts in a tote.
I have about 6 of these totes that are full of pics - like school, winter, christmas, birthday etc. That way I can take one as I leave. My scrapbooking tote is already packed with plain cs, adhesive, brads, flowers, etc. to go.
Lots of times when I buy special papers, I will print the pictures that go with those papers and put them resealable cellos so that I can grab them when I'm home to scrap. I have tried and tried to use sketches but just can't make it work for me.
Have a great time at your crop.
That reminds me I need to transfer my stuff to my new tote for my crop on the 2nd!
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I can attest to that... we met in Texas at the Stampede and what a wonderful time was had by everyone.... You are a sweetie!
I am an organized freak.... I make page kits. I have all the paper chosen, the cuts made, and the embellies along with the photos all ready in individual plastic bags. I do that or I would spend all my time looking through paper and trying to decide what to do. I also do the same thing with my cards that I make making little individual kits. And, let me tell you this worked out great. I was able to socialize and get pages done as well as cards made... I even made a few video showing how to assemble the kits I made. I wish we had another big swarm to go to I would be packed in no time at all!
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I am terrible at planning ahead and always end up bringing too much! I am trying to get ready for a weekend of scrapping in a couple of weeks and need to get most of packing done today which what I am now taking a break from. The one thing I do always try to do beforehand is go through my photos and select pattern papers and then chose 3 or 4 colors of cardstock that go with them. That way at least I am not wasting time looking through a bunch of papers (which for me takes the most time). My problems is choosing which embellishments to bring. I do find that since I have the Cricut and Kiwi Lane Designs Templates I don't require as many embellishments other than the smaller ones such as brads and eyelets. I love the Kiwi Lane Templates then make putting together a page much easier!
Jeanne
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I use to make kits and only take them. However when I got there, that's not what I felt like doing. So, I just take a variety of things, with a little idea, but not all planned out.
Janie
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You ladies have given me such great advice. Right now I am making kits and planning on bringing my albums made simple by WeR Memory keepers. Hopefully I will get something accomplished!! Thanks for the wonderful compliment Janie, girl now you know I talk more than I scrap, LOL!! That has to be the reason why I have hardly any of my layouts done from last year, LOL! The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy socializing ! I will keep you ladies posted on my progress. So far I have 6 pages planned! Whew! Cassie I love the idea of sticky notes. That is what I am doing and including which cartridges I need cuts from. Unfortunately I didn't have time to make my cuts ahead of time therefore, I will be doing them tomorrow. But it's still all good!! I'm excited nonetheless!
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Have fun and let us know what techniques worked best for you. I want to do something similar! Hugs, susan
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