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Post by grammadee on Oct 23, 2024 17:29:24 GMT
Years ago, I could pack up everything I own, scrapwise, and not even break a sweat. It all was housed in travel cases, so all I needed to do was pick them up, and off I would go...
Of course, now, I have MUCH more stuff. And it is housed on shelves & in drawers rather than in travel cases. But the past few crops I have had a system for packing it up, and while it took some time to pack and unpack, the whole system made sense and as soon as I bring my travel cases upstairs I know exactly what goes where...
But THIS crop I have decided to pack my card making stuff separately from my page making stuff. I think on the weekend it will make sense--I can make cards in my hotel room and pages at the crop--but it is messing with my mind right now as I pack. And of course I am starting a day later than I usually would, so...
What do you do that either drives you crazy or brings you peace while packing for a crop?
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,088
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Oct 23, 2024 18:18:08 GMT
I am going to a 2 day/3 night crop in a couple of weeks and what is currently helping me not go crazy is making lists of all the things I will for sure need, then a list of "nice to haves" and a list of extras that other people might need. My friends and I are renting a house in the mountains where there are no craft stores so I have to make sure I bring enough of the basics. Page planning also helps so I don't overpack.
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Post by grammadee on Oct 23, 2024 18:41:16 GMT
Your weekend sounds super fun, jediannie. Will you need to pack food, too? I usually have lists and lists of lists. This time not so much! I am really looking forward to my weekend with friends at a LSS crop. It’s just the getting there… |
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Post by scrappyrabbit on Oct 23, 2024 18:44:11 GMT
I've never been to a crop. Sounds like a lot of fun though.
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,088
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Oct 23, 2024 19:01:23 GMT
Your weekend sounds super fun, jediannie. Will you need to pack food, too? Yeah, we have to bring food. We're going out to eat one night, then the other nights we're taking turns cooking so we don't have to cook all the time. |
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,088
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Oct 23, 2024 19:02:13 GMT
I've never been to a crop. Sounds like a lot of fun though. They are so much fun. I've been crafting with these ladies for over 20 years now and we have the best time. |
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leeny
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,798
Location: Northern California
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
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Post by leeny on Oct 23, 2024 19:16:55 GMT
I used to take so much and I always forgot something. I don't scrap anymore, but do cards, so it has become a bit easier as I only bring my card kits.
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Post by AussieMeg on Oct 23, 2024 22:14:21 GMT
I've never been to a crop either. I would have loved to have gone to one, back when I did paper scrapping. But I have to say, it sounds a bit stressful, trying to pack all the supplies you think you will need. I guess if you forget something like a corner rounder or eyelet setter (hey, they were commonly used back when I paper scrapped!!  ) then you could borrow one from someone else. |
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Post by bossymom on Oct 23, 2024 22:37:02 GMT
But I have to say, it sounds a bit stressful, trying to pack all the supplies you think you will need. This is why all crops should be near stores with SB supplies!!  |
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Shakti
Pearl Clutcher
Troubled, complicated, and constant
Posts: 3,240
Oct 30, 2022 23:42:30 GMT
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Post by Shakti on Oct 23, 2024 22:45:05 GMT
grammadee , it might be easier to just pack. Pack to go to the crop and both make cards and scrap. If you arrive at the hotel with energy to craft, unpack the card stuff and make cards. If not, leave everything packed and take it all to the crop the next day. At the end of the day, pull the card stuff and take it to the hotel then leave it there. Chances are there's some small amount of stuff you need for both. Hopefully it's portable enough to move back and forth.
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gramma
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,114 
Location: Sacramento, Ca
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Post by gramma on Oct 23, 2024 23:34:38 GMT
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Post by grammadee on Oct 23, 2024 23:39:43 GMT
I've never been to a crop either. I would have loved to have gone to one, back when I did paper scrapping. But I have to say, it sounds a bit stressful, trying to pack all the supplies you think you will need. I guess if you forget something like a corner rounder or eyelet setter (hey, they were commonly used back when I paper scrapped!! ) then you could borrow one from someone else. It’s fun to spend time with friends, see what everyone is doing, and there’s always a fair amount of sharing tools and supplies. |
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pinklady
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,060
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Post by pinklady on Oct 24, 2024 1:52:21 GMT
Packing and unpacking to craft is the worst part of this hobby. I’ve always had too much stuff which contributes to the problem.
Honestly, one of the best things to come from the pandemic was virtual crafting. I cannot tell you how much I love crafting in my “craft studio” along with 3500 others. Its just stress free and peaceful.
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Post by grammadee on Oct 24, 2024 2:17:53 GMT
gramma, it looks like we were posting at the same time earlier. I do have a small "Go bag" with all the basic tools. And I take that if I am crafting at a friend's or at the LSS for a few hours. I will have that bag with me in the hotel room along with my card making stuff. I have that all packed now, as well as the tub with tools for the crop. I have some loose "kits" put together with the SKETCHtember sketches I have yet to complete and the photos to go with each, as well as some extra supplies for photos on my phone and camera. Still have one more tote to pack, with inks & brushes, glues, pens, embellishments, and other small items. I know I could be more efficient if I would just plan ahead, precut what I wanted to use, and packed specific kits. But part of the joy of scrapbooking, for me, is making the choices at the last moment, so pages and cards come together kinda organically. So I have accepted that I will take WAY too much stuff, "just in case". It's just that this time I am leaving a day earlier, and I lost a day yesterday doing other stuff, so now I am feeling the crunch.
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Post by joblackford on Oct 24, 2024 3:53:27 GMT
I’ve never really tried to craft away from home. In fact sometimes I decide to craft in the living room watching TV, which is literally less than 10 steps from my desk, and I still struggle to bring over all the things I’ll need More often than not I’m just doing die cutting which should be easy but I usually wish I hadn’t bothered! Maybe one day I’ll figure out how to take card kits to my craft group. |
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christinec68
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,428
Location: New York, NY
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Post by christinec68 on Oct 24, 2024 4:25:36 GMT
Years ago, I came to the realization that I am in fact a slow scrapper who uses retreats as a reason to get to see some long distance friends and stopped caring about what I got done and started packing accordingly. Plus, I fly to these events which forces me to pay close attention to volume and weight. When I went to local crops, I used to bring multiple bags with what seemed like everything I owned "just in case". Now, I try to plan things out as much as I can and keep my expectations in check. I am happy to finish a layout when I get home or buy something I need from one of the onsite vendors. I am leaving in the morning for a retreat and I am going to work on the latest VB workshop from last month so packing took about an hour and everything except the trimmer fit in 2 of the iris boxes so there's plenty of room for clothes and toiletries...I was even able to use a smaller suitcase than usual I've never been to a crop either. I would have loved to have gone to one, back when I did paper scrapping. But I have to say, it sounds a bit stressful, trying to pack all the supplies you think you will need. I guess if you forget something like a corner rounder or eyelet setter (hey, they were commonly used back when I paper scrapped!! ) then you could borrow one from someone else. The retreat I am going to this weekend is primarily scrapbookers but there are people doing other types of crafts like sewing, making wooden decorations as well as digital scrapbooking!! They are a lot of fun. And yes, most people are very happy to share tools and my friends and I are happy to share consumable supplies with each other. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Oct 24, 2024 10:53:37 GMT
The retreat I am going to this weekend is primarily scrapbookers but there are people doing other types of crafts like sewing, making wooden decorations as well as digital scrapbooking!! They are a lot of fun. That sounds great! My mum owns a quilting shop, and she holds a UFO (UnFinished Objects) on one Sunday every month. I have been a couple of times. Everyone else is quilting, and I'm digi scrapping. |
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PaperAngel
Prolific Pea
Posts: 7,990
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Oct 24, 2024 13:56:39 GMT
I choose not to attend crops/retreats/etc., so have no firsthand experience/advice. However, I'm certain your effort will all be worth it once you get there. Hope you (& the other participants) have a safe & fun papercrafting weekend!
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Post by mbanda on Oct 24, 2024 16:02:17 GMT
How fun! I hope you enjoy your crop!! I go to a 5 day retreat twice a year and the planning & packing can be stressful! What I try to do for scrapbook pages is similar to what gramma mentioned - pics, paper (possibly themed around the pics) and any embellishments go in a 2 gallon zip loc bag & I keep those in a fabric bin that fits in my Kallax. The bonus is that when I get home that cube goes right back in the Kallax so anything I didn't finish is there for next time. I usually have basic cardstock (neutral and colors) in another bin. I have my tool caddy that gets put in a fabric tote bag along with my paper trimmer so it's easy to pack as well. I also take cardmaking supplies which means packing my Gemini, inks, dies, tools, cardstock...all the things (and they are packed separate from my scrapbook supplies)! I have a WeRMemory Keepers rolling tote that has seen better days but I still use it for my Gemini especially. I do try to stick with a theme and just take those supplies. For example at the July retreat I focused on Christmas cards and took all my Christmas cardmaking stamps, dies, embossing folders and just worked on those. I think I got about 50 cards made. I'm going again in January so will likely focus on Spring and/or Summer cards for that one. Luckily our retreat is only about 15 min away from one of the last remaining scrapbook stores in the area and about the same distance to Hobby Lobby & Michaels so if I really do forget something essential and no one else has something similar I can use I am able to run out & pick up something from one of the stores. That's a last resort for me though because once I am at the retreat I don't want to leave!! |
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,582
Location: PNW
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Post by breetheflea on Oct 24, 2024 16:18:45 GMT
Once I went to a crop and I forgot my photos  Good thing it was not far from my house and I was able to go back and get them. The last time I went to a crop (at a friends house, there were 3-4 people) I had joined Two Peas and was up to date on all the scrapping things, and at the crop I was getting weird looks because I was using a border punch. No one knew what it was. It was the only time I've every been the trendiest person in the room. That was around 2010/2011 or so. Have fun at your crop, the packing annoyances will be worth it. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,449
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Post by scrapnnana on Oct 24, 2024 18:50:35 GMT
I don’t go to crops anymore, but every time I did, I forgot something important for every layout.
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Post by 950nancy on Oct 24, 2024 20:52:17 GMT
I pack an A tote and a B tote. The B tote stays in the vehicle and I only get it out if the A tote pages are completed.
I also bring sticky notes to put on almost completed layouts. If I forgot or left something at home, I write what to do on the sticky note to remind me when I get home. Things like Nuvo drops never make it to crops because they take too long to dry.
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istamp247
Junior Member
Posts: 98
Jan 24, 2020 14:57:14 GMT
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Post by istamp247 on Oct 29, 2024 20:43:31 GMT
I'm going to a 3-day/2-night crop this weekend. I've been to several over the years and since my stash has grown beyond a rolling tote and a tool bag (I sometimes miss those days) I dread packing to go. I feel like I'm moving out when I go. So, this time my plan is to take one "project" album (my wedding). Outside of two iris cases of papers/embellishments I just need tools and some inks (I think). We'll see if I manage to stick to that when I start packing.
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Post by mikklynn on Oct 30, 2024 11:39:28 GMT
I'm going to a 3-day/2-night crop this weekend. I've been to several over the years and since my stash has grown beyond a rolling tote and a tool bag (I sometimes miss those days) I dread packing to go. I feel like I'm moving out when I go. So, this time my plan is to take one "project" album (my wedding). Outside of two iris cases of papers/embellishments I just need tools and some inks (I think). We'll see if I manage to stick to that when I start packing. I used to go to a 4 day/3 night crop every fall. I really miss it. I think you are on the right track. I would bring 2 projects and what I thought I needed for those 2 projects. Since you are bringing a big project, your wedding album, I'd just add a small second project. It helps when you get tired of the main project or lose your inspiration. You can switch to making cards or whatever for a while, then return to the main project. Just my thoughts! |
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Post by julieinsweden on Oct 30, 2024 13:19:13 GMT
I've found it most useful and productive to plan layouts and make kits. So at the crop it was mainly about cutting and sticking. Otherwise I would end up with everything and the kitchen sink.
Another way that worked for me is to have a theme. These two days I'm going to do Christmas - a few LO and all my cards. That way I only have to pack a fraction of my stuff.
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) then you could borrow one from someone else. 
Good thing it was not far from my house and I was able to go back and get them.
