Get a Ton Done - Part 4 - Secret Weapon

First - before I bore you with more scrapbook talk, I want to share a punch project that was emailed to me Monday.  Valarie Williams in Kansas said I had inspired her to play with her punches - well, I'm really proud of that because look what she did!  She came up with this darling sock monkey...

Isn't he fabulous?  Great job Valarie and I really appreciate you sharing this.  Ladies, you can use him on a scrapbook page now that Santa time is over or just remove his hat and use him for anything you like.  Punches!  Gotta love them!!!!


Now back to the final installment of Get a Ton Done...
Today I reveal my 'secret weapon' for productive organized scrapping- it won't be a surprise (or a secret) to many of you card makers, but I found that many scrappers don't use it.  The secret weapon is SKETCHES.  That's right, they aren't just for card making!

I take several books/folders of sketchers and layout ideas with me.  They are great inspiration when my pages seem to all look the same or I need a starting point.  And BOY! do my sketch books get borrowed at crops!   I always meet someone at a crop who has never used sketches.

I tear sketches and photos of layouts I like from my scrapbook magazines and glue/tape them in a spiral notebook before I pass on/recycle the magazine.  I also regularly print sketch ideas from various web sites.

Of course you know me - I don't like to use things "as is" so I am apt to alter the sketch - flip it, add to it, change it, etc. but sketches give me a place to start - they narrow my choices and that frees me to get started and not have to try every possibility before I adhere my elements to my page. 

And yes, it is OK to tear up your scrapbook magazines.  It is just paper.  Why keep all those ads for products the stores don't even carry anymore? 

I had SHELVES of magazines and whittled them down to one huge file folder and I'm working on getting that down to a couple of spiral notebooks - just keeping the stuff that really appeals to me. 

I accomplished this by taking a stack and giving myself a deadline.  I had until X day to weed through the magazines and then I had to recycle them.  Then I'd do another stack with another deadline. 

I confess I kept a few magazines intact as a record of the early scrapping styles and a couple of my favorites but the rest are gone and HONEST, I don't miss them at all!  I can get plenty of ideas from current magazines and blogs - I don't need to dig through magazines from 6 (or ten) years ago.

If you really get into pre-planning your scrapping, you can select your sketches ahead of time too.  (Not just take the sketch idea books with you.) This would really make the most of your cropping time.  As you are reviewing your photos and picking your paper and embellishments, you could also be choosing a potential sketch for your layout.

I know after reading this mess for the last few days, it sounds like a lot of work but by planning in little bits of time it will add up to GETTING a TON DONE when you actually sit down to scrap!

Here are some sketch links:

http://pagemaps.com/
http://sketchesbytamara.blogspot.com/
http://www.scrapsuzy.typepad.com/sketches/
http://www.scrap-maps.com/
http://sosketchy.blogspot.com/

There are MANY more available, but SU says it is naughty for me to link you to any site that sells something other that SU, so look around and see what you can find to get you going on your 2010 scrapping!

Have fun!!

Get a Ton Done - Part 3 - Packing

Packing is an art.  Hubby travels internationally for business and can pack and leave at the drop of a hat for just about any climate or condition.  If I go on a trip I make lists and try on clothes and shop and make a huge production of packing - all because I don't do it frequently.

Since I have learned to scrap away from home, let me give you some packing tips...

You have your photos and paper ready to roll because you are all pre-planned right?  But you need more than that.  Here are my suggestions:

1) Basic Tools

• Paper Trimmer, scissors
• Adhesive (I take tape runner, glue pen and glue dots)
• Ind pads/markers/stamp cleaner - you should have a good idea what colors to pack since you have your paper chosen - you DON'T need to take them all - REALLY, I PROMISE.
• Grid paper - or scratch paper to stamp/sponge on
• Punches - take basics (borders, circles, ovals, word window)  it is doubtful you will be creating elaborate punch art away from home
• Post it notes - for documenting things you need to "add" when you get home

2) Tools YOU regularly use - for me they include

• paper piercer, mat pack
• crop-a-dile, hole punch
• dimensionals
• bone folder
• ruler
• pencil
• sponges/daubers
• distressing tool

3) Generic Embellishments (again, you know your basic colors from your planning)

• ribbon/fiber
• eyelets/brads/buttons
• basic paper (extra neutrals and extra colors for the "themes" that you are using - all I ever use is the extra neutrals but I find other ladies "borrowing" so I take a bit just to be helpful)
• large and small alphabet stamps (and I take rub ons - I use a lot of alphabet rub-ons for my titles)

4) Specific Items

• Stamp sets you noted you might need
• themed alphabet stamps that match your layout topics

5) Take a file folder and large zip-lock to store your extra paper and scraps so that you can easily return them to their "home" when you are done.  IMPORTANT - I didn't do this my first crop and was frustrated as the extra paper and scrap paper piled up around me.

6) What if you forget something?

• Usually if you forget something, SOMEONE has one you can borrow or trade for
• If you can't borrow and you MUST have it, use a post it note to document your idea, set the layout aside and finish it when you get home.

YOU DON"T NEED:
If you don't "usually" use ribbon, don't take any of it - you can always make a note and add it later. If you are a ribbon addict, take it.  Same for eyelets, brads, etc.  Think about your style and only take things you OFTEN use.  You do not need everything in your stash!

Another layout from my 80 page weekend.  This is the house we rented at Martha's Vineyard.  (paper from my stash -not SU) - You can see my 80 pages were not extremely complicated - but the photos and stories are now organized, nicely displayed and ready for viewing - not hidden in my computer.

ALERT!!!!!! WARNING!!!!!!! PAY ATTENTION!!!!!!!

Today is the last day to order the ornament punch - it will not be available tomorrow.  Call your demo RIGHT NOW!   I have showed you so so so many ways to use that punch.  Surely you have it already!?!?!  But if you don't, today is the last day!!!!!!!!!

Get a Ton Done - Part 2 - Plan

Planning is the most important part of getting a TON DONE with your scrapping - PLAN PLAN PLAN.

For years, I just sat down, thumbed through photos decided which to scrap, pulled out every possible combo of paper since I am a visual scrapper and have to SEE it to know if it works or not.  Then I'd think of a title and decide how to do it - then I'd move the photos and embellishments (if I had any) around to make things work, then I'd decide I needed something else, or try another background paper or crop some more - and then I'd realize I had  not left space for journaling.  I'd use up all my time and not have a thing adhered to my layout.

What I learned is to PLAN before I left on my retreat - PLAN before my friend comes over to scrap with me - PLAN before that precious nap time (applies to you - not me - hubby and I are the ones that take naps at this house)  There are lots of things you can do AWAY from your scrapping area, while you watch TV or wait at the doctors or in the car pool line -and all this planning will make your scrapping time more productive.

1) Once you know your subject (yesterday's post) - GATHER YOUR PHOTOS.  Yes, that means get the digital ones printed - if you LOVE a photo, go ahead and get a 5x7 but for most photos stick with the 4x6 size.

2) When you have your photos together, SORT THEM INTO POSSIBLE LAYOUTS.  This doesn't mean you HAVE to use all the photos on your layout, or that you can't later split them up into two or more layouts but get them sorted into approximately what you would use on a layout.

(Did you notice that both of these steps can be done anytime? and anywhere? - not during your precious scrapping time)

3) PICK SOME POSSIBLE PAPER for each of these layouts.  I look at my photos considering:

• colors in the photo
• colors and style that support my theme, topic, story
• focal point of the layout

Using these as inspiration choose at least

• one piece of 12x12 pattern paper (I usually choose more, I know my style and I am rarely happy with a layout unless it has a least a tiny pit of pattern paper - if it isn't your style, skip it)
• 2 sheets of 12x12 cardstock (I am more likely to choose 4 sheets - 2 each of different colors)
• a few sheets of coordinating 8 1/2  x 11 cardstock

Lay these papers in a 12x12 box with the photos on top of the paper chosen.  (I regularly scrap 12x12 layouts - if you do something smaller you obviously will have different paper requirements)

I repeat this for each layout, stacking on top of the previous.

If I have no paper in my stash that will work, I order some, or (gasp!) go to a store and buy some, or trade with a friend.

Sorting the photos and selecting the paper is one stopping point in your plan if you are rushed for time, but if you start your planning early, you can still do more.

4) Go back and look through your prepared stacks

• add any pre made embellishments from your stash that coordinate
• note any stamp-sets that coordinate (snowflakes if you are doing winter layouts, etc.)
• jot down title ideas - prepare in advance if possible
• get enlargements printed if you need them
• think about your journaling, pre-type your journaling if it is detailed or you just want it typed
• you can reprint it later if you decide you need it bigger/smaller/shaped differently or on different paper but at least you have it written
• you can use hidden journaling if you plan for it as you start your layout

5) Repeat step 4 as often as you like

You can go back through these stacks as many times as you wish or have time for - the more you look at your photos - the more time your inspiration fairy has to work on your brain.

Now your planning is complete.  Even if you are not going on a long crop, if you have this preparation done you can make the most of each little window of scrapping time at home.  Your photos, paper and embellishments are ready to roll and you can be very productive.

I have found the more I go through a stack of photos for planning purposes, the more they stay on my mind and as I visit blogs or look though magazines, I will spot ideas that I can use on my specific layouts.  I will find myself in line at the bank and the "perfect" title idea will come to mind because I was just thumbing through my photo/paper stacks the day before.  Using this "method" lets you make progress on your layouts before you actually sit down to scrap.

And in 99% of the cases I stick with the paper I originally chose during the planning.  Occasionally something new will appear on my doorstep from Mr. Brown and I have to make a switch in paper but almost always I can sit down with stuff I planned 4 months ago and get busy.

Here is a page I did very quickly at a scrapping retreat because the page elements I used were prepared - they came from a swap I had done.

I cannot tell you who made this title or chipboard star because I did this page before I was a blogger and did not make note of the stampers I swapped with that month.  They came from the Yahoo group HotSwappingMamas.  If you recognize them as yours, please let me know so I can give you credit.  They were just perfect for this beach shot from Martha's Vineyard - I just added paper, brads, fiber and photo.

If you are into this... come back tomorrow for my suggestions on packing for away from home scrapping.

If you aren't into this...  Here is a little punch project from my past to reward you for scrolling down this far:

Get a Ton Done - Part 1 - Decision

Yeah, I know you come here to see punch stuff.  And I promise, I will get back to the dwarfs and some new stuff that is percolating in my brain.  But since so many of us turn to thoughts of ORGANIZATION with the start of the new year I wanted to share something with you.

I'm going to share some tips on getting your scrapbooking done in a way you might not have considered.

Most of us work on one page at a time - some work quickly and steadily to scrap their precious memories - some spend days creating artistic masterpieces and love doing it -  but some of us labor for hours and/or days on layouts and want to get more done with less frustraton. 

I want to share with you a class I developed in 2009 after I finished 80 pages in less than 48 hours on a scrapbook retreat.  (Yes, I typed those numbers correctly, 80 pages in one weekend retreat)

And while this is geared for going away for a scrap retreat, the ideas will still work wonderfully for your long term scrapping at home. 

If you don't scrapbook and don't care to start, take a few days off from the blog (or maybe not, I might sneak in a punch share or two during all the yakking)

Here is an outline of the class
1) Go with a group where you don't know everyone - you won't visit as much. (I'm not kidding)
2) Plan, plan, plan
3) Pack the right things
4) Use Ellen's Secret Weapon

Since I can't help you with #1, my focus will be to help you plan and pack.

Here is the basic decision to make:
Choose ahead of time what you are going to work on.  It is easier to work on a "theme" or two, like Christmas pictures or vacation, or a pet album, or your own childhood, than to just grab a lot of random photos.

By limiting your subjects, you limit the supplies you need to take.  If you are working on your vacation to Disney, you won't need your Christmas stickers or your formal alphabet stamps.  If you are working on your parent's anniversary album you probably won't need your pirate stuff but you might need your vintage stamps.

If you insist on scrapping chronologically and use an album where you must do each page IN ORDER then you will have a harder time packing because you will need to take more, but the planning ideas still apply.

Tune in tomorrow for my tips and ideas on PLANNING

Here is one of my layouts from my productive retreat:

I used a combination of rub-ons (not SU)  for my title quote which was the perfect summation of our Spring Break in Hawaii one year.  Oh and just to be perfect clear that is NOT me in the bikini.  That is college girl who as the time was High School girl.