Is it time to pack?!!! Part One

Hey there croppers...is it time to pack yet?

With only three weeks before this year's event...
shouldn't we get started?!!

It's Kristine here and I wanted to get you thinking about what you are bringing to this year's event...if any of you know me even remotely...you'll know that I might be a last minute packer...I have been known to just toss items into bags and then organize my stuff while at the crop or retreat! 

I certainly would not recommend that method...I have also 'planned' layouts, projects, photos etc. before a retreat or crop...which of those two do you think are the 
smarter ways to prepare?

 No brainer right?!!

Well I can attest that saying we need to plan ahead and actually doing it might be harder when we don't even know where to start!

So let's start thinking about it, ok?

I'm going to try to break it down for all of us to be better organized for a more productive weekend. My hope for all of us is that we will only need to make one or two trips to the car!!!

Ask yourself the following questions...write them down in a notebook while we work towards getting organized...making lists is the first step on the road to organization :)

• Is there an event, project or specific photos that you really want to scrapbook? 
• Is there some extra special embellishments, papers or tools you really want to play with? 
• What kind of Scrapper/Cardmaker/Project Life'er are you? Do you power out stuff or are you a little slower? This is the NUMBER ONE way to avoid overpacking!!! Be honest with yourself!

Now those are really the only questions I have for you because now we are going to break it down...

Organize your photos-remember those answers to the questions above...start organizing those photos keeping in mind what event, photos and speed with which you create!

• Find your photos off your camera cards, computers or from your already printed stack...
• Grab some sketches! If you like a sketch, you can organize which photos you want to print ahead of time for that sketch.
• If they aren't already printed...take some time everyday (if you only have a little time daily) to send them off to print... Shutterfly, Costco, London Drugs, Shoppers Drugmart... wherever you like to get them printed.
• Sort those printed photos into scrapbook pages or sketches you've already chosen...whichever works best for you...but you need to sort and separate so you can organize your papers etc.
• If you know what photos are required for your classes and you know what you want to use with them...get those printed too. 

You will have more than enough photos to scrapbook if you organize your thoughts and photos ahead of time...you will also avoid printing out hundreds of photos and stressing out over them if you plan now!

Organize your stash-don't forget your answers from the questions above! You need to work with only one event/sketch or select photos at a time...let's not get overwhelmed before we even start! Grab a series of photos from one event and start shopping in your stash...

• kit, kit, kit...seriously, I mean it! 
• Do you purchase more than one paper from a certain collection? Do you also get the stickers or embellishments that match? Put them all together...kit, kit, kit.
• Put those paper collections and matching stickers and embellies into crop bags or XL Ziploc bags (I get the cheap XL ones from the dollar stores, they are around 13"-make sure to check the packaging)
• If you know that you are wanting to use specific papers and embellies with specific photos...put them all together in your Ziploc/crop bag...kit, kit, kit.
• If you have a sketch picked out, the photos printed and organized for that sketch and the papers and embellies you want to play with for all of it...kit, kit, kit.
• Start grabbing those embellishment possibilities and match them with those paper collections and kits.
• Continue to write yourself notes...make a list so you can remind yourself of what your plan is...I have wasted plenty of time sitting looking at my stash trying to remember why I packed it and what I wanted to do with it!
• Grab those sketches! (Hopefully you've found some of the wonderful sketch sites out there and have some sketches printed out)...they will help you keep your focus on design and creating while being distracted in the crop room...I'm not the only person who is easily distracted am I?
• kit, kit, kit...seriously, I mean it!

Just start with one event/series of photos at a time...find those papers, embellies and sketches that work with that one event and put them together in a kit...if you work a little at a time, each day or whenever you can carve out time before the weekend, you will be well on your way! You will also not get too overwhelmed and you will be SUPER organized! Also..if you end up putting together more kits than you get to on the weekend, you will be ready for your next crop, retreat or evening of scrapping! Win win right?!!!

We haven't even touched on all the other stuff we ALL tend to carry along to crops...we don't need to worry about that yet...start with your photos and stash first! 

I will be posting a Part Two soon but by then you will have started thinking about what you're packing right?!!! 

See you again in a couple days ladies!

Kristine