How I Pack for a Crop

After attending the last few crops and having a less than productive time, I was determined to come home from Younique with some completed layouts.  With the exception of a few key items, I managed to pack everything that I needed - and I completed four and a half layouts!

Which may not seem like a lot, compared to the amounts of the other girls but I have always been a slow scrapper and my layouts are always complicated, despite my best efforts to keep them simple! :)

Anyhow, I figured out a new system, thanks to some great Pinterest links.  Here's what I did:

[source]

Sort

I knew that I wouldn't have time to edit and print any new photos, so I started sorting through my photo boxes of older photos.  I pulled out my favourites and laid them out on the floor in my scraproom.  I had twenty photo sets, ready to go.

Sketch

In order to minimize the time spent agonizing over photo placement, I created a 3x3 sketch for each set of photos on a 3x5 Post It note.  On the remaining area of the note, I jotted a title idea and the date of the photos.

Select

Next comes the paper matching part.  I knew that I wanted to work with some of the product that the magazine sent me so I started there.  I pulled it all out and picked up each collection, comparing it to my photos.  If it worked for a particular set of photos, I pulled out 3 or 4 patterned papers from the collection, and any matching chipboard or rub-ons that were also sent.  I continued through the stack of papers until all of the photo sets had paper.

Stock
Once the photos all had paper, I chose a couple of colours of cardstock for each one.  I also packed a healthy supply of kraft, white and black cardstock.  Great to have on hand in emergencies, for matting or if you buy new paper (one of these three will almost always match!)

Stamp
I have so many stamps that I could fill a few totes, so I limit myself to a few sets, if I'm working on cards, or to my standard favourite shape/background stamps.  I bring my favourite inks:  Versamark and my Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Walnut Stain, Black Soot and Antique Linen.  Sometimes I will bring a colour, if I plan on stamping a title.  I also pack baby wipes, stamp blocks and my foam stamping mat.

Stash
Once I have the bare bones of my layouts, I then start to methodically pick through the rest of my stash, searching for coordinating items.  I pull out 2 or 3 alpha sets in a mix of large and small fonts for each layout (or for a few of the same colour palette), and add them to each pile along with my matching journaling tags, buttons, ribbons, flowers, charms, glitter, etc.

Secure
Now that I have my "kits" put together, it's time to contain them all!  I have thick 13"x15" resealable bags left over from my Just Cre8 days (they also make wonderful marinating bags! :)) so I place everything into a bag, zip it up and store 3-5 kits in an Iris tote.

The last thing to do was to pack my tool kit and basic supplies:

• trimmer
• X-acto knife and extra blades
• glass cutting mat
• Scrapbooker Adhesives tape runner
• Glue-Dots
• Beacons 3-in-1 craft glue
• Jr. T-square (best purchase EVAH!)
• zero centering ruler
• journaling pens
• sanding block
• distressing tool
• embossing folders
• metal dies
• pencil
• eraser

I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of the rolling hockey bag, 3 shoulder bags and tool bag, I managed to get away with the rolling hockey bag and tool bag!  It was liberating and forced me to use what I had already chosen for the layout.

Now that I've discovered this packing trick, I will be sure to preplan in the future!  So tell me, are you a Page-Kit-Planner or an Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink kind of packer?

Cheers,

P/S:  Don't forget about the following challenge on my blog for a chance to win:

Leave Your Legacy: What You Fear Most (deadline:  Feb 28/13)