Freebie Friday – Wanna Scrap? Printable ARS Crop Checklist! 28

Happy Freebie Friday ARS Friends!  Britten here and can you believe that TOMORROW is NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY?!

There is BIG stuff happening here on ARS so be sure to check in with Megan tomorrow – ESPECIALLY for Megan’s LIVE Ustream at 9:30pm EST on Saturday using www.ustream.tv/channel/aboverubies!

I’m so happy to be here today to bring you this Freebie Friday because it is something very near and dear to my heart….CROPS!

I have been going to crops for YEARS.  Crops hosted by people I met online at meetup.com, crops at scrapbook stores, fundraising crops for a good cause…at one point I had two scrapbook groups that I hosted so I wouldn’t have to wait for crops to come along….I could schedule as many as I wanted!

When we moved to Florida from Pennsylvania in 2003 I didn’t have a job right away, I didn’t know anyone, and I was worried that I would get lost if I went too far from our apartment.  Luckily there was a huge Joann store very close to where we lived so I signed up for one of their Friday night crops and that was how I made my first friends in Florida.

Crops are a super fantastic way to get inspired and to meet people who love the hobby (and the supplies!) as much as you do.   But I know from experience that packing for a crop can be overwhelming….and may even keep you from ever going.    So I’ve come up with the ARS Crop Checklist that you can print out and keep in your crop bag so you can check off your supplies as you pack.  But before I share the link to the download, here’s my list of my 12 MUST HAVES for every crop….

1.  Adhesive & refills – this includes glue/glue pens, adhesive squares and maybe your mini xyron. Megan’s Embellishment Combo pack is the perfect adhesive pack for your crops because several different types of adhesive are in one pack.

2.  Paper Trimmer – my favorite is portable, with an arm that swings out to measure 12 x 12 paper. The Purple Cow Trim  is a newer fav because of its size and many options!

3.  Markers, pens, colored pencils for coloring, doodling and  journaling.

4.  Scissors – I usually have 4 or 5 pair with me of various size and shape because it’s the number one thing I misplace – even when I don’t get up from my chair for 4 hours!  If you only take one pair, pack your small scissors for detail cuts. Tim Holtz Tonic Sheers are very versatile if you’re looking to pick up a new pair.

5.  Pictures – Here’s my advice:  pack ONLY the pictures that you are excited about scrapping.  We all have pics of events that we “have” to scrap, but save those for when you’re cropping at home.  Bring the pictures you simply cannot wait to design a layout about.   Trust me, you’ll be way more likely to get something done this way.

6.  Card stock – I always have a few sheet of white, black & Kraft with me, plus I pack a 3-4 additional colors that coordinate with my pictures and pattern paper. Paper Layerz is always a great way to go with this as well because you can get so many color variations on one sheet that can accent a lot of what you are working with, but keep to the basics and a few themes and you’ll be good.

7.  Pattern paper – Just like the pictures, take with you what you are most excited about using (you know…the stuff that’s going to make the other scrappers oohhh and ahhh).  Believe it or not, you probably won’t need much of it so although you will be tempted to bring it all, just pack what coordinates…and what won’t break your heart to cut. Sometimes a put together “kit” is the way to go! Something where someone has already picked out a theme with embellishments and cardstock that works with the photos you want to scrap…and you’ll probably have lots left over!

8.  Stamps – If you’re a scrapper, take a few sentiment or alpha stamps you might use on your layouts.  If you’re a card maker, take a few sets of your favorite stamp line and make several of the same to add to your stash or give as gifts.  Don’t forget the blocks if you use acrylic stamps and stamp cleaner or baby wipes to clean up the ink.

9.  Inks – I always have a black and brown with me and I might throw in one or two additional colors that coordinate with what I’m making. Mini InkEdgerz are really great to have on hand because they don’t take up much space but you can do a lot with them and have many colors on hand.

10.  Embellishments –  My embellishments are organized by color so it’s easy for me to just grab the buttons, brads, ribbon, etc in only the colors that I need.  Or if you buy your paper & embellishments from the same line and it’s all coordinated for you, that’s an easy way to pack too. Using plastic baby food containers is a great way to organize and see what you have for a crop.  Take one or two with you then switch out what you take from crop to crop. They don’t take up much space and that way you aren’t taking more than you need.

11.  Die cut machine or other I-Can’t-Create-Without-It-Tool –  This is probably going to be your heaviest item and the one with the most pieces parts to forget.  I found a Personal Cricut machine at a garage sale that I keep in the bottom of my wheeled crop bag so I don’t have to pack and un-pack it.  I also have spare mats that I keep in there as well.  Don’t forget the power cord and spatula.   An even more portable machine would be the Silhouette SD, great alternate if you don’t have a Cricut.

12.  Cartridges/SD cards/Gypsy/Laptop – I have a Gypsy with all of my cartridges loaded on them.  I also have all of my cartridge handbooks loaded onto my iPad** so I can glance through them without having to bring the actual books.  Cartridge boxes take up space, so if you don’t have a Gypsy or other design software, only take the carts you know you will use.  Remember to pack all the cords & chargers.

**I used Joy’s tutorial over at Obsessed with Scrapbooking to upload my Cricut manuals to my iPad.    Okieladybug has a video tutorial on her blog if you want to add your manuals to a Kindle Fire.

Megan Just added her own QUICK Video on How to do this as well!  See that HERE –

If you’ve got all that and there’s still room in your car, truck or van…here’s a few more things that I like to have with me:

*Paper & Cardstock Scraps – Mine are in two big zippered cases so it’s easy to throw them in my bag.  If you feel up for a REAL challenge, leave your 12×12 papers & cardstock at home and force yourself to make layouts and cards using just your scraps!

*Tweezers or other tool for picking up tiny things.

*Adhesive eraser – Just.  In.  Case.

*Punches – They will make your bag heavier, but I like to have one or two border punches and some basic shapes like circles and scallops with me.

And – just for fun – here’s what you probably don’t need:

1.  Every cartridge you own.

2.  All of your stamps.

3.  Ever color of ink ever purchased.

4.  Stuff that’s messy like embossing powders or liquid inks.

5.  Your least favorite pics – if you aren’t excited about scrapping them, leave them at home.  And lastly…

6.  Your SCRAPBOOK ALBUM!  – I know some of you just yelled at the screen when you read this but hear me out.  You really don’t “need” to take your actual album with you.  You can just put your completed layouts to it when you get home from the crop.  (Of course, if you do take it everyone will want to look at it and gush over your embellishments…err, I mean your pictures…and that’s pretty darn cool too. 🙂

If you DO forget something – and it happens to all of us – don’t panic.  Scrappers LOVE TO SHARE!   I think most of us realize we all have more supplies than we will ever use, so a chance to give something up for a good cause is irresistible!   Go ahead and test my theory yourself.  At your next crop, casually mention that you forgot to bring red cardstock and you will soon have more shades of red than you know what to do with!

PRINT OFF THE FREEBIE for TODAY!!

Here is the ARS CROP CHECKLIST!  Be sure to print off a few copies so you have them handy. (When you click the Link – You will see the title again to click to make sure you want to download the PDF – Its a pain but its for your protection too.)

Now…Go Scrap Something!

Britten

PS – I’d love to hear what YOU think!  Do YOU got to crops – why or why not?  Do you TAKE IT ALL or do you have your own packing checklist?

What is YOUR Must Have?