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I am going to have a crafty afternoon with my mom tomorrow. I am bringing my Cuttlebug over to her house and we are going to use my dies to cut gift card holders and small boxes and embellish them. My gosh, I am packing up to bring things with me and I don't know how you all do it! Between the Cuttlebug itself, the dies and cutting plates, including the extended plates, then board, paper, cardstock, embellies, punches, adhesives, Stickles, alphas, pop dots, my ATG gun, etc, etc... geez I can't believe what I am bringing with me. Sad part is, it doesn't even put a dent in my stash lol. Well, that's not sad at all is it?

I don't know how I do it, either. I just throw stuff into ONE load and bring plenty of sticky notes to make reminders of the things I have to do at home.

I haven't been to a crop in over 4 years, and I'm not sure I'd know how to do it anymore either! lol

I have a KIA Sportage and I fill the entire back end. By the time I bring all my Quickutz dies, Sizzix dies, and cricut cartridges plus the machines (I take them all because everyone uses them and who knows which ones will be used) my back of the car is half full. Then add in the papers, embellishments, my OTT light, and all the other things that I think I will need (but don't use) my car is full. I used to take most of my papers. Not anymore. I preplan my pages now at least what papers and only bring that collection etc. It takes me hours to pack and even more to unpack. Usually, when I come back from a crop I reorganize my room because I take bits and pieces of buttons, ribbons, etc. It's a lot of work but I have so much fun at the crops. This year I have been to about 5 crops and each time I have managed to downsize what I take. That helps. I'm already planning my 3 day retreat that I go to in January in hopes of downsizing more. At that crop I even take my chair. I have to be comfortable for that many days.

I used to go to 2-3 crops a year - lots of packing etc. Now I have a large scraproom down stairs with a huge closet. My sister keeps her stuff here so when she comes over, she only moves from the closet to her 8 foot table. We have a group of 5 ladies who have weekend crops 3 times a year. I have the car out of the garage and set up tables and lights in there for the overflow of supplies everyone brings that does not fit in the scrap room. We each have a 6 foot table and there are 2-3 4 foot tables for computers, printers, Die Cut machines etc.


I would go crazy trying to pack up all my stuff for a crop. I love having them come to my scraproom and appreicate the fact that they are willing to come. The creative ideas that flow when you are scrapping with a group is just amazing!

I have lots of rooms that my scrappy stuff is in. Unfortunately, the room designated as my scrap room is just too small, dark, cramped and remote to be creative in. So I like to go to crops, but $$ has not allowed me to go for about a year now. Well, and other circumstances too. But when the nenovation is done, I plan to put a table up in my bedroom next to my scrap closet and scrap away! It is still not large enough, but it will have to make do.

I make page kits using big ziploc bags that I put paper and coordinating embellishments in. Sometimes I'll pack up a project like a mini album or cards, I used to attend more crops than I do now.

I have never been to a crop other than the online ones here at ACOT! I guess that may be my reason, I would have no idea what to take, and I sure can't take it all!!!

I love going to crops. I went to 3 of them this year. One of them I went to I was with Sandi in Indiana. It was so much fun. Yes a lot of my room gets packed up and not used and I do forget a few things. That is were post it notes come in handy.

Through the years I have figured out what I use and what I really NEED to take to crops. It took me awhile to figure out how to preplan pages and mini albums, but now I can put stuff together in a few hours, if it's a one day crop. A weekend crop is another story! I love attending crops and chatting with other croppers and getting ideas. This year CKC is coming to Indiana (Ft. Wayne), so that will be my big crop this year. I'm hoping they have some wonderful classes.

I go to two crops once a month that are 4 to 8 hour crops. I plan specific projects for those two crops. When going to a 2 to 3 day crop, that is another story. I must must must plan pages, cut things I need for those pages, assemble the paper, die cuts, emblishments in a page planner folder along with the pictures. That takes a lot of time to do, almost as much time as it would to actually do the page!. My friend Judy and I generally go to crops together so share tools. She might bring her cricut and then I bring the cuttlebug and accessorites, things like that. Yes, sticky notes are a must have because we will always forget something!

A few carts will do it.

I want a driving cart - like a lawn mower with a trailer for my stuff

Queen Mum wrote:A few carts will do it.

I want a driving cart - like a lawn mower with a trailer for my stuff

LOL, I do like the idea of carts...I don't like making several trips from car to room to get my stuff in. Wonder what we could find that would carry it all in and then stash away...foldable. We might need to invent something.

Pre-planning is essential to getting pages/projects done! Also, keeping supplies and embellies portable is a big help. I end up with lots of totes/bags when going to a crop: rolling tote, tools case, embellies storage bag, etc. Crops can be a lot of fun!

I feel like I am moving when I pack for crops. It takes several trips to get loaded up and then you have to unload it all and after your done load up all over again. I would never miss some of the crops at my local scrap store. Crops are so much fun so all the work is worth it.

We used to make trips back and forth to the car just to haul in all our stuff - and then spread it out everywhere and scrap all weekend. NOW. . . . . I got a lesson on crops.

As you all know - I'm a Shimelle fan, she does fantastic stuff. Well she has this little pink suitcase - not even a real "expensive scrapbook designed tote" - a little suitcase she got at a flea market. She says she grabs some paper and puts together her own version of a "kit" - and then tosses in photos and page protectors, and OMG - I do not do this - doesn't even take her 12" cutter!!! She says "It's all unnecessary and takes the fun out of the trip." So while I really don't know what I'm going to do or what any page will look like - I do pack up kits - not page kits - but kits - like generic ones, or a Christmas one - and then just pull from the loot I have in there to put pages together. I find I get more done, it's a lot more fun, and has changed my attitude about what I truly need. I don't have to take a Cricut with me to cut a few things - I can either cut them before I go, and add them to my kit, or I can wait until I get home to toss them on the layout. Glue, scissors, my 12" cutter (Sorry Shimelle, not that liberated yet) and some patterned paper and cardstock. Then toss in the kit - I'm good to go. And I do NOT unpack it - I grab it then each time I'm leaving for a crop. I used to unpack, only to repack the next time. If I ever want to scrap and watch TV, I can grab my little tote and do my own crop in the house.

I'm so over taking everything with me. Some people take stands, and racks, to organize their stuff ON!! That's insane. I can't do that.

I've been going to crops for about 4 years and I'm better at it now than I used to be. I don't bring everything anymore. I also started paying attention to what I didn't touch, then left that stuff at home the next time. I crop at 2 local scrapbook stores and they have everything, so I don't have to worry if I forget something. I also don't bring my cardstock, I buy it there. I hardly use ribbon or twine so I don't bring that with me either, if I need it on a layout I buy it there for less than a dollar. Also I only go to places that give you your own table...I'm spoiled...I like to spread out. Both stores give an entire table to one scrapper. It's great.

Croppinmama wrote:I've been going to crops for about 4 years and I'm better at it now than I used to be. I don't bring everything anymore. I also started paying attention to what I didn't touch, then left that stuff at home the next time.I crop at 2 local scrapbook stores and they have everything, so I don't have to worry if I forget something. I also don't bring my cardstock, I buy it there. I hardly use ribbon or twine so I don't bring that with me either, if I need it on a layout I buy it there for less than a dollar. Also I only go to places that give you your own table...I'm spoiled...I like to spread out. Both stores give an entire table to one scrapper. It's great.

Wow, that is nice. There are two LSS close to me. And they are both so small and only have four tables for everybody!

I have never been; I'm just so shy and feel so inadequate in my work so I just don't go. Plus Saturday is my one day off (when I get them) so I have a hard time giving that up

I have Bud to haul stuff in and out of the car at home. I wish they had porters at crops. Boy Scout troops could earn money hauling stuff for scrapbookers at crops.