Going to an overnight crop-for the first time

The group I scrap with loves it when I prep a little make n take project for them to do when they need a mojo boost or get stuck and want to shift gears for a bit. It doesn’t have to be anything earth shattering, maybe a predesigned card, a fun holiday favor or ornament. You could also put together a cute little packaged treat for them themed for the season and put it at each person’s table spot. My friends love stuff like that. I would make these little Hershey’s nugget boxes and decorate them with a fun little paper piecing on the front, and wrap the nuggets inside with standard mailing labels that I decorated to match, either with digital scrapbooking clip art or rubber stamps.

I went with a new group a few months ago and one of the people who put it together was a CTMH rep. She put small bags of candy on each persons spot, had a few gifts that you could win by playing "bingo" (there were different scrap related items to check off on the card, like using washi tape, a certain number of photos, using four different patterned papers, etc). She also had some challenge layouts that she posted for everyone to scraplift and a one hour challenge (complete the page in an hour) as well as some sample cards and layout make and takes (we did pay for these). Those were all fun but just bringing something small for each person is thoughtful.

Is it at a retreat center or someone’s house? If it’s somewhere that you are making your own meals my suggestion is to be helpful. Clear the dishes, load the dishwasher, wipe down counters, strip the bed at the end of the weekend... I have retreats and a surefire way to be invited back is to be helpful. Don’t monopolize the conversation or be a complainer.

Are you sharing bedrooms? If so, ear plugs are very helpful.

I always bring an extra blanket, an extension cord, and a small fan.

My BFF’s mom would always make us little goodie bags with stuff like this when we traveled and went to crops. We loved it. I miss her so much! 

if you have packing tape, what we usually do at our crops is tape a plastic grocery bag to the edge of the table (tape thru one of the handles) right at the edge of your workspace. That way it's right there. Or you could use a paper grocery bag, if you have one (I still get them sometimes at the store just to use for trash / recyclables in my craft room).

you're really nice to get paper and a mat for everyone to use with the Cricut! I find that crafters are a nice bunch of people-, that way. When I attend crops, if someone needs something (an extra piece of cardstock, a particular punch, ribbon, color of ink, whatever) there is ALWAYS someone who will gladly lend, or give, whatever it is that's needed.

Are you a 'kitchen sink' scrapper? (meaning, you're like me and want as much of your stash with you as possible, just in case, lol? or are you going to take a couple specific projects to focus on for the entire time? There are a lot of threads on the General Scrapbooking board about how to make page kits to be extra-efficient, that sort of thing. I never worry too much about getting very much stuff done at my weekend retreat; for me, it's as much about the 'getting away' and the crafty atmosphere as it is about completing pages.

Take wine and warm fuzzy socks so you do t have to wear shoes all the time

Instead of a pillow to sit on, consider getting a cushy kitchen chair pad. I bought one for a crop I was going to once because the folding chairs at that venue are horrible. Liked it so much I went back to Target and bought three more to put them on my kitchen chairs at home! I ended up buying another one with memory foam in it when I forgot to grab one of my chair pads on my way out the door to that same crop a couple years later. That one lives now in my studio on the wooden chair that converts to a step stool. 

for snacks, I prefer things that won't get onto my fingers or onto my projects- no chips, Cheetos, etc. For myself, I usually get a theater box of candy- Hot Tamales- for cinnamon, some peppermints or mixed hard candy, and something chocolate. Or I'll bring Smart Pop (lightly salted) popcorn because it's not too greasy.


ETA:  at the crops I go to, we always have a swap / trade table.  You put any unwanted (or extra, or no longer your style) supplies on the table, and take anything that catches your eye that other people have left to trade.  One person's discarded scrapbook supply is another person's 'perfect finishing touch' for their scrapbook page, lol.   

Red licorice, peanut m&m’s, Chex mix (just not cheddar), trail mix.