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Post by wrongwayfeldman on Sept 15, 2015 22:02:19 GMT
I would never have asked this question five years ago, but scrapbooking has all but disappeared in our community and I am just dying to figure out how to go about hosting a crop. It's been years since I've been to one, and I don't really know where to start. Three people I'm friends with still scrapbook from time to time, but they're as behind as me and everyone is always so busy with their kids' schedules, including me. I've searched for a meet up group in our area, but there isn't one. I thought about going super small and just inviting those three friends, but two of them don't get along well so that would cut my already small guest list in half. I also considered hosting a Pinterest party to entice people who aren't necessarily scrapbook fans, but I'm not sure if I would need to provide a Pinterest project or let them bring their own. Anyone else tried to get the ball rolling on crops in your area that might have tips to share? I miss attending crops so much, and I'm ready for some me time, and some encouragement to catch up on my own projects.
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Post by freeatlast on Sept 15, 2015 22:59:03 GMT
About 5 years ago, I posted on a stamping board asking if there were any local stampers that would like to meet at Archivers. We started with about 8 people, a few dropped out or moved out of the area and we added a few more. After Archivers closed, we moved our group to a local church's meeting room. By adding some scrapbooking friends, we typically have 10 to 15 people at our monthly crafty days.
We wanted a longer get together so about 5 of us signed up for a Creative Memories weekend a few years ago. It did not work out for us. As we were sitting there in our cramped space, we started talking and figured out for what we spent for the weekend, we could host our own just for us.
So twice a year we host our own 3 day crafty weekend. We rent a ballroom at a local hotel and split the cost. We have huge amounts of space and lots of tables. We set our breakeven at 12 people. If we get more (and we always have), all the extra money goes to buy snacks. Everyone is on their own for meals and rooms. This is a no frills get together - there are no gift bags or giveaways or games. We typically have a table set up for people to bring supplies they no longer want. Whatever is left is given to a local school.
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bklyngal62
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Post by bklyngal62 on Sept 15, 2015 23:11:10 GMT
I am no help to you on this. I have sadly never been to a crop or have any friends that scrap or do crafts. I scrap with some online friends and just started doing the challenges on these boards.
I have to say that crops do sound like fun. Hope you can get one started and have a great time.
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Post by jcm28 on Sept 16, 2015 0:20:12 GMT
I attend monthly crops here in Orlando. Our group has been going more than ten years and is still going strong. If you look up sunshinescrapper1, you will find posts by our founder. One of her posts details how to start a group(I couldn't figure out how to quote).
Our group is called The Sunshine Scrappers.
Janet
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leeny
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Post by leeny on Sept 16, 2015 2:02:51 GMT
I attend monthly crops here in Orlando. Our group has been going more than ten years and is still going strong. If you look up sunshinescrapper1, you will find posts by our founder. One of her posts details how to start a group(I couldn't figure out how to quote). Our group is called The Sunshine Scrappers. Janet I remember you from other boards! Congrats that you have been going that long. I agree with starting small, then branch out with each person inviting someone else. The group I crop with is a "select" group in that we are careful who we invite. Insures no drama and lots of fun and work gets done. |
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Post by mom on Sept 16, 2015 2:41:48 GMT
I say invite the three, and ask them to bring someone else with them. Even if they bring someone who doesn't scrapbook, maybe you could help them get started?
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Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 16, 2015 2:45:31 GMT
I still have a few scrappy friends but some people have moved on to other things like jewelry, beading or knitting/crocheting. I don't really care what people are working on, we're longtime friends so it's just good to get together and catch up! Retreats are are fun but they can get pretty expensive depending on the place. A lot of the scrapping retreat house places are wonderful to go to, but it can quickly run up to a couple hundred bucks for the weekend and frankly I'd rather spend my money on supplies. So when we moved a few years ago, finding a house with a decent space for hosting friends was pretty high on my list. It took three years to get my space built out and I'm still not totally organized but I'm working on it. I can have up to five other people in my studio with me with everybody having plenty of space to spread out. My goal is to have people over at least one Saturday a month just so I will force MYSELF to put it on the calendar and work on my own stuff! My one friend lives kind of far away, so I invite her to come for the weekend and she stays in our guest room from Friday after work until Sunday and then she goes home. My other friends are local and live close by so they usually just come for the day on Saturday. It's no frills but it's still fun. Next summer I want to send the rest of the family off to the cabin and have a few friends come and stay over for the whole weekend! Now that would be fun.  These days it's just my friends that I invite because it's at my house and I don't need any weirdos here, LOL, but I have organized paid crops for 50+ people in the past. They can be as simple or as involved as you are willing to make them, but the more you do the more it costs and the harder it is to have people want to come regularly so that's something to think about. |
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Post by Really Red on Sept 16, 2015 4:41:12 GMT
I'd love to start up again! When my kids were tiny, it was SO much easier. The older they get, the more things that they have going on and that is exhausting running them around all the time and working FT. I would love if someone said "Pick a Saturday in xx month and the 4 of us will get together" Pick a few dates and see how many people can say yes. Don't be surprised if people drop out at the last minute. Try to find 6-8 people altogether so you'll end up with about 4.
Good luck!
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Post by scrapcat on Sept 16, 2015 15:19:20 GMT
There aren't many, but I was able to find a nice monthly crop held at a local church by word of mouth through friends. It's free, just have to bring a dish/snack to share. I would recommend not limiting it to scrapbooking, but maybe just saying craft crop or creative time? We have ladies that knit, some just bring their laptops and edit photos, others just stamp/make cards. Opening it up to other crafters may attract more people.
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Post by wrongwayfeldman on Sept 16, 2015 16:21:50 GMT
Thanks for all your input. I've decided I will go ahead and open it up to all kinds of projects. That should gather more interest. If I have it in my basement, I can save on costs, and I think I'll ask everyone to bring a snack to share, then make a big pot of chili or taco soup with all the fixings. That kind of meal is good to grab and go when you are hungry, and will keep for hours in a crock pot. I think I was so stuck on the crops that I used to love being attended by twenty or more people, and I thought if it was smaller it wouldn't be as much fun, but when I see your posts, I think having just a few friends is going to be just fine. If I invite 10 or 12, and just a few show up, then oh well. At least I have a time carved out to work on my books, and maybe next time a few more will join us. And if not, then we can still have fun. I also like the idea of asking each guest to invite a friend. The more the merrier, and it gives us a chance to meet new people, which is what I need right now. Wish me luck! I'm putting it on my calendar for October!
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Post by Ryann on Sept 16, 2015 17:40:54 GMT
Any chance you're in southern California? I would love to find a few people to crop with once a month .  |
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Post by wrongwayfeldman on Sept 16, 2015 18:13:16 GMT
Any chance you're in southern California? I would love to find a few people to crop with once a month . I wish! I've never visited California before. I'm in the midwest, but I'd love to have you if you're ever in the area! |
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caangel
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Post by caangel on Sept 16, 2015 23:53:18 GMT
Any chance you're in southern California? I would love to find a few people to crop with once a month . [l/quote] Where are you? I'm in South OC. |
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Post by Ryann on Sept 17, 2015 0:26:00 GMT
Any chance you're in southern California? I would love to find a few people to crop with once a month . [l/quote] Where are you? I'm in South OC. Not too far away - I'm in north San Diego county. |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 17, 2015 2:35:12 GMT
ooh, have fun-- I hope your crop / crafting event is a success!
This thread reminded me that back when I lived in Illinois, I would visit my sister once in a while... she was part of a group of people who got together at a church meeting room. It was open to all sorts of crafters, and there was a nominal fee, I think, for someone to make / bring a main dish and then the rest of the people brought a dish for a potluck. Sometimes if there was a Stampin' Up rep, they might do a make and take, but nothing too organized. Crafting together like that was a lot of fun!
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Post by anniefb on Sept 17, 2015 5:15:09 GMT
Have fun - hope your crop goes well. I meet up every few months with 3 friends and it's a lot of fun. We all work on different stuff and sometimes a lot of crafting doesn't actually get done, but it's still a great day  |
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Post by sunshinescrapper1 on Sept 17, 2015 11:56:54 GMT
Thanks Janet! Janet is one of our original members. We've been going strong for 14 yrs. pushing closer to 15. oh my! Here's out link...maybe something in our info can help you start crops in your area. www.facebook.com/groups/SunshineScrappersFL/You would be surprised how many people you will find that still scrapbook in your area. You will make new friends. Drama comes with everything in life. Just set some rules and stick with those and you can start your own crops ver successfully. Best of luck to you. :-) |
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