National Scrapbook Month Guest Designer Noel Culbertson

Craft Warehouse is celebrating National Scrapbook Day all month long! We have asked some of our favorite scrapbook designers to share with us what scrapbooking means to them! Welcome Noel Culbertson from the Glitz Design Team! We love Noel's fresh style and amazing photography! But, what we admire most is her love for her family always comes out in her pages.

What keeps you motivated to document your life?

The heart of our family keeps me motivated in documenting our daily life. There are so many things to be thankful for everyday, and they are so easy to forget. Often those things we are most thankful for are the little details we see 100 times a day and yet we don't notice them. Watching out for the ordinary moments, photographing them and then taking just a fraction of those and getting them on paper because life is short and moments and memories fade. I've often been accused over the past 15 years of taking far too many pictures, but there isn't one photo I wish I didn't have. Seeing again and again just how quickly the occasions fly by, encourages me on the continual process of memorializing moments.

Shown above, Glitz Design Uncharted Waters NOW in stores!

What do you use the most to take photos with? Point and shoot, Digital SLR, or your Phone Camera?

I usually tote around my Nikon D300 with 24-70mm lens, however in the past year or so I have used my iPhone camera on a daily basis as a supplement.

What is on your scrapbook table right now?

A whole load of bits and pieces of Glitz Designs paper from a project I finished last night.

What do you do to celebrate National Scrapbook Day?

I have always managed to spend National Scrapbook Day with my family doing my best to make more memories to scrapbook!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

Fancy Pants Designs Park Bench Collection

I have a weakness for yellow, grey, and turquoise. I just do. Then throw in a little bit of black and white and I fold. Seriously.

Fancy Pants Designs really out did themselves with their Park Bench Collection, now available at your local Craft Warehouse. It was so fun to work with. Plus they came out with these awesome quotes cut from tag board for the person that doesn't have a Silhouette to cut out their own. Mist it (like I did here), ink or paint it. My favorite technique was using the new Tim Holtz Distress Paints to paint it with no mess!

Can't help but want to get this collection to make a mini book or some stunning cards next!

Join us for our National Scrapbooking Month! To help celebrate there will be in store giveaways, make and takes, and special sale prices!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

National Scrapbooking Month Guest Designer Michelle Price

Craft Warehouse is celebrating National Scrapbook Day all month long! We have asked some of our favorite scrapbook designers to share with us what scrapbooking means to them! We asked Craft Warehouse Guest Design Team Member, Michelle Price to join in on the fun and tell her why she scrapbooks.

How long have you been scrapbooking?

I've always been obsessed with office supplies so scrapbooking was a natural progression for me. In high school I started pasting pictures and newspaper articles into spiral notebooks and adding stickers and doodles. I suppose this was my first attempt at scrapbooking. I started making rubber stamped cards shortly after I was married and was obsessed with that for several years. I tried scrapbooking occasionally, but I really fell in love with it once I had children and had something besides my husband drinking a Mtn. Dew to photograph. I've been "truly" scrapbooking for about 10 years.

As shown above: Glitz Design's Uncharted Water's Collection NOW in stores!

What keeps you motivated to document your life?

I've always been a photographer and a memory keeper, but a few key moments solidified my desire to document my life. The first was when I happened upon some old file folders of my mother's that had recipes and notes on child rearing and odds and ends she'd clipped out of newspapers with her hand-written notes on them. She compiled them when she was a new mother at about the same stage and age I was in.  It was a priceless glimpse into her life and her concerns at that time period and I was overcome with how similar we were. It allowed me to know her in a way I hadn't before. The second moment was a morning when I heard my kids laughing and talking and came downstairs to find them pouring over a scrapbook I'd made several years before. The look on their faces as they read about themselves was something I'll always cherish. I think of these things often while I'm creating, but I never feel unmotivated to scrapbook. It's a big part of who I am.

What do you use most to take photos with?

I have a Canon Rebel and that has been my main camera for years. I just recently got an iphone and I can already see my DSLR staying at home more often. I still lug it around for big events, but the convenience of the camera phone allows me to capture more everyday moments. I can see both of them still having a place in my life.

What is on your scrapbook table right now?

A mini paper tornado! I have bits and pieces from several collections lying about and I really need to clean up after myself. But sometimes a beautiful thing happens when you have a mess in front of you. A scrap of one paper line will make it's way onto a piece from another paper line and you see something fabulous; a new color combination or patterns that are beautiful together. And yes, while that is true, it is also a fabulous excuse for being a messy crafter!

What do you do to celebrate National Scrapbooking day?

I ALWAYS head to Craft Warehouse with my Sister In Law and spend a few hours filling up my cart on NSD. Seriously, I get a big cart and roam the store. Afterwards I go home, spread it all out on my desk and get busy. My family knows it's serious business for me and they kindly let me craft the day away!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

National Scrapbooking Month Guest Designer Janna Werner

Craft Warehouse is celebrating National Scrapbook Day all month long! We have asked some of our favorite scrapbook designers to share with us what scrapbooking means to them! Janna Werner is an artist at heart! Her love of paper crafting goes beyond the every day photo! You can find Janna on her blog, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.

See above, Glitz Design Color Me Happy and Uncharted Waters Collections NOW in stores!

How long have you been scrapbooking?

I started scrapbooking in 2010, after a friend of mine introduced me to it.


What keeps you motivated to document your life?

I just love working with paper, paint and embellishments. For me it is not that much about documenting my life, but rather to work with the materials.


What do you use the most to take photos with? Point and shoot, Digital SLR, or your Phone Camera?

Most of the times I use my iPhone and iPad because I carry them nearly everywhere I go :-) But I have a DSLR as well.

What is on your scrapbook table right now?

Right now you can find gift bags and an origami box on my desk that I created for my current online class :-)

What do you do to celebrate National Scrapbook Day?

I have to admit that NSD is not that big in Germany. Actually I celebrate NSD every day ;-) But I will participate in a few projects for that day and am very much looking forward to it.

Join us for our National Scrapbooking Event, May 4-May 6th 2013 (Wenatchee is on May 18th)!  To help celebrate there will be in store giveaways, make and takes, and special sale prices!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

National Scrapbook Month Guest Designer Amber Daigre

We are honored to have Amber Daigre from Damask Love as our guest! Amber's classic designs and fun personality is always a breath of fresh air! Plus, her motto is "I sweat glitter" and anyone who can sweat glitter is welcome at Craft Warehouse!

How long have you been crafting?

I'm not completely sure about the official start date, but I began crafting in late 2010. My husband needed a card for his friend's wedding and I had a cabinet full of old scrapbooking supplies. I came up with something handmade (although, I'm sure it was not that great to look at!) Soon after that project, I began researching card-making techniques...and I was HOOKED! I discovered the world of stamps, cardstock, and ink. I no longer have a cabinet full of crafting supplies - now I have a room full of them and I enjoy as much time as I possibly can creating with paper!

Handmade Envelopes created by Amber Daigre using the WeRMemory Keepers Envelope Punch Board, NOW in stores!

What keeps you motivated to document your life?

I'm not gonna lie. I do a TERRIBLE job of documenting my life. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I have a box of graduation paraphernalia from 8th GRADE that is still waiting to find it's way into a scrapbook. Since I mostly make cards, I always manage to avoid scrapbooking. I look up to avid scrapbookers who do such a wonderful job at documenting daily life. I need someone to lock me in a room and refuse to let me out until I've completed at least a few layouts! I will give myself a teensy bit of credit though. From time to time, I will create cute little photo collages that I hang around the house with simple tags or labels that identify the event in the photos. Little projects like this keep our home "ours" and add important pieces of personality throughout.

What do you use the most to take photos with?

Point and shoot, Digital SLR, or your Phone Camera?
 I am in a committed relationship...with my Canon Rebel T3. I love him so much. Yes...it's a him. I saved up for months to purchase him and I am so glad I did. I use my DLSR every single day. Since I maintain my blog, it's a necessity that I have a camera available at all times for beauty shots as well as step-out photos for tutorials. Since I primarily use my camera to photograph small projects, I generally stick to using my 50mm and 60mm macro lenses. Together they do the job perfectly. When I am out and about, I usually grab the 50mm since it is also a great portrait lens. If you're interested in more details on how I use my camera for blogging, you can check out a series that I did called "The Non-Photographer's Guide to Taking Blog Photos" - it's a fun and easy walk through how I photograph from beginning to end.

What is on your craft table right now?

So, you're gonna love this one. By the time this post goes live, I'll be back in the states, but as I type this  I am in London and I've been away from home for about a week. Before I left, I cleaned up the craftroom - because no one wants to come home to a messy craft room, right? In addition to leaving a clean workspace, I also laid out a project for myself to come home to! For me, being away from home is a huge creativity suck. After a week away from home, It's really difficult to get back into the swing of creativity. To help myself through this - I usually lay out materials for a project. This way, I can sit right down and get to work without having to think about it! Before leaving on this particular trip, I laid out some supplies from Martha Stewart Crafts. I recently got her Self-Ink Stamp system and I can't wait to break it out. I have it sitting on my desk waiting to be used ...and I already have the perfect project in mind!

What do you do to celebrate National Scrapbook Day?

To be honest, I think I treat everyday like National Scrapbook Day! I try to do something creative each day! This helps me keep my creative wheels spinning and definitely helps me stay sane! Maybe, just maybe ...on this upcoming National Scrapbooking Day, I'll break out all that memorabilia from 8th grade and get it into a scrapbook!!

Watch this video Amber created to show you the step by step process for making the envelopes pictured above! 

Join us TODAY in our stores and online at Facebook and Instagram for our National Scrapbook Day events!

National Scrapbook Month Guest Designer Maggie Massey

Maggie Massey of Midwestern Girl, loves to get creative! Even though she is busy being "Mom" she still makes time to get crafty! Whether it is with home decor, a quick sewing project, or playing with paper, she makes time to create memories that last! 

When did you start scrapbooking?

I started in high school (about 25 years ago!) by putting photos into albums and then cutting out words and letters from magazines and gluing them in...and then I made my first more "modern" scrapbook after a girls' trip to Cancun about 16 years ago...I've been hooked ever since!

What keeps you motivated to document your life?
My kids really keep me motivated. Unfortunately, my Mom didn't have the time (or inclination?) to keep a record of our lives growing up and I sometimes really wish she had. There are so many things that I want my kids to remember...and so many things I want to remember for them. Plus, I just really love the artsy aspect to scrapbooking...I love making something out of little bits and pieces and I really need to feed my desire to create.

What do you use the most to take photos with?

Well, that really depends. I guess lately I've been using my cell-phone mostly to document everyday life. But for special occasions (birthdays, holidays etc.) I use my DSLR. 

What is on your scrapbook table right now?

Right now I have 2 projects that are in the works...some layouts that need to be photographed...3 bottles of Color Shine...paper scraps...an audio book (I love love love to listen while I scrap)...my art journal...and a torn up t-shirt I use to clean up messes.

What do you do to celebrate National Scrapbook Day?

I love checking out various scrapbooking sites on NSD...they usually have tons of inspiration available! I also try to do something creative...even if it's only working on a small project with the kids.

Layout shown with Maggie Holmes Collection by Crate Paper, NOW in stores!

Join us for our National Scrapbooking Event, May 4-May 6th 2013 (Wenatchee is on May 18th)!  To help celebrate there will be in store giveaways, make and takes, and special sale prices!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

Echo Park and Project Life with Guest Designer Elissa Mantalas

I am so excited to be able to be a guest designer for CraftWarehouse.  I am going to be putting together a Project Life layout today.  I’m going to start with a little background on what Project Life is and why I love this project!

Project Life was created by Becky Higgins and you can read more about Project Life from her website here. (NEW Project Life 2013 Collection will be in Craft Warehouse stores at the end of May!)

I first heard about Project Life a couple years ago, but only started the project at the beginning of this year.  Project Life was created to simplify the memory keeping process – basically take the pre-made cards, the pocketed page protectors, some pictures and journaling and put it all together.  Project Life was designed to be done weekly so there are a lot of day to day bits of life included in the project.  I was drawn to the project, because I love the idea of documenting my everyday life and including little pieces of my life that would probably never make it to a scrapbook layout. 

The thing that is truly awesome about Project Life is that you can do it however you want.  There are absolutely no rules.  You can make it really simple by just adding the pictures, journaling and the pre-made cards to the pocketed page protectors, without scissors or glue and be done with it.  Or you can add embellishments, create mini scrapbook layouts in the pocketed page, or use the cards as ways to try out new techniques.  You can also decide to not add any journaling or limit the amount of photos you use.  Its all up to you!

I knew when I started this project at the beginning of the year that I wanted to keep this project simple. The simpler I keep it, the more likely I'll be able to stick with it and complete the whole year.    

Today I will be creating my layout using the Echo Park Photo Freedom Happy Go Lucky collection pack.  I love these kits from Echo Park because they include everything you need (and more) to create a weekly spread.  The pack includes five page protectors, a couple sheets of patterned paper, and a few sheets of paper that can be cut apart into cards that can be inserted in the pockets.  These collection packs make the Project Life process even more simple (which I didn't think was possible!). 

For this weekly spread, I will be using one page protector with 6 horizontal 4x6 pockets and one page protector that has 4 horizontal 4x6 pockets and 4 vertical 3x4 pockets. 

Step 1 is to select and layout the photos.
  

I print my photos at 3x4 and 4x6.  After I've trimmed my pictures and rounded the corners I start to lay down the pictures on top of the page protectors.  I don’t worry about putting them in any sort of order.  I just like to have the pictures balanced somewhat evenly on both sides.  

• #1 & #14 – I will sometimes add text, using Picasa, to the picture before printing the picture.  #1 says “back to school” and #14 says “The CAVE of DOOM”
• # 3 – I love these pink flowers that bloom every year and thought this was the perfect place to document it, since I would probably never make it a scrapbook page about it. 
• #4 – I went to visit my grandma and had wanted to take a picture of us together, but she wasn't feeling well so I took a picture of her house instead.  Sometimes just be creative if you want a picture to document something. 
• #13 – I really like to include pop culture/entertainment pieces – so maybe a book I’m reading, a movie I saw or a TV show I am really enjoying.  I may also include a big news story or maybe something from Facebook.  I think it’s fun to add these little details of everyday life that might be a big deal for a couple days but will easily be forgotten.  
• #16 – Add pictures of YOU to your layouts.  This definitely isn't the best picture of me but when my son looks back at this album when he’s older, he won’t care what I looked like, he’ll just like that it’s a picture of the two of us.  PS – make sure you are take pictures of yourself
• #18 – This was the week of the final game of the NCAA college basketball tournament.  So I scanned my bracket, cropped it to 4x6 and had it printed it out.  This is an example adding those daily activities into this project.  I have filled out a bracket every year for a long time, but have never scrapbooked about it, but now it’s documented in my project life!

Here are some pictures that I had printed out and chose not to include:

 

• #1 – I dyed my hair so I took a picture of the box.  I chose not to include this because I figured I could just write a note on my journaling card.
• #2 – My son is on a program at school and fills up these charts and earns a prize.  This is something could add to any week that I may be low on photos.
• #3 – My son and niece wrestling.  I have multiple photos of them wrestling and have done scrapbook pages and included them wrestling in previous weeks so this was a no brainer to cut.
• #4 – I've been watching a lot of scrapbook process videos on youtube.  Since I do this every week – I could add this picture a week that I am low on photos.
• #5 – I already have a picture of my niece with her cake.  If I was low on photos, I would probably have included this picture, but I didn't need it, so I cut it.
• #6 – My son with a new toy.  Again, if I was low on pictures I would have included it, but there were other pictures that I liked better, so I cut this one.
• #7 – I created this for my Facebook page and want to include it eventually, but again, its general so it could be included any week that I am low on pictures.  

Step 2 is to add anything that I know for sure I want to include on the layout.  

• #2 – Every week I do a weekly title card that I put in the same pocket. 
• #8 – I moved my bracket from pocket #18 to pocket #8 just because I thought it looked a little better.
• #10 – It was my nieces birthday so I created a little embellished card using stickers from the sticker sheet. 
• #17 – This was the week that Annette Funicello passed away, so when I saw this card with a quote from her, I knew I had to use it this week.  
• #5 – At times there might be some journaling that I don’t want to be easily accessible so I will create a pocket to hide the journaling. 
•  
• To create a journal pocket:
• Cut two different papers – one at 3x4 and one 3x3.25
•  Adhere the smaller piece to the larger piece on three sides, leaving the top open.  You can use glue, staples, adhesive, sew or whatever else you’d like to adhere the two pieces together. 
• Cut a plain piece of paper that you can journal on to 2.5x3.  Cut out a tab and adhere it to the piece of the journaling paper. 
• Slide the journal piece in to the pocket to make sure it slides in and out okay, and then add your journaling. 

Step 3 is to fill in any open pocket with patterned paper or cards.

• #6, #12 – I added in filler cards that I cut out of the paper.  I absolutely love patterned paper so I love to just include plain pieces of the patterned paper in the pockets. 
• #18 – I changed the patterned paper from the floral print to this patterned with the days of the weeks.

Last step is to embellish, journal, make any changes and add any final touches.  The sticker sheet in the collection pack makes the embellishment really easy. 

• #6 – I changed the card and added a sticker and done.
• #7 – I liked the photo frames on the 4x6 sheet from the 4x6 piece, so I cut it down to 3x4 to fit in the pocket I was using and cropped down the picture of my nephew.
• 
• #8 – I actually added the sticker to the outside of the page protector just for something different.
• #9 – I cut the little logo “happy go lucky” from the barcode strip and added it to the picture of my niece. 
• #15 – I changed my journaling card and added my journaling.  I made the card out of the bottom of this paper:
•  
• #16 – Just added a little sticker. 

Here is the final layout, up close.

Some final thoughts:

• There’s some talk about the idea of “staying up to date.”  So far, I have stayed pretty current week by week, but I know that if I do get behind, my plan is to just start from the most recent week forward, and if I have time, I will go back to “catch up.”  There’s no reason to give up on the project because you miss a couple weeks.  Looking back on the album in 10 years, you and your family will love the weeks you completed, even if there are a couple weeks missing here and there. 
• This project is all about what you want to do with it.  There is endless inspiration out there, but don’t feel pressure that you “have” to do it a certain way.  I see a lot of people including receipts, or packages or clothing tags in their project life.  I don’t want to include those things and so I don’t.  I see people using a variety of photo sizes as well as Instagram photos.  I stick with primarily the two sizes because its easiest for me. 
• I’ve shared with you what my process is.  I want to stress that this is what works for me and this is how I like to do it.  It’s not right or wrong it just is my way.  If there are things you like about my process, use it for yours.  If there are things you would change, change it for you!!!

Thanks so much for reading this post.  I hope this inspires you to try your own project life. 

Elissa 

Happy National Scrapbook Month with Guest Designer Elissa Mantalas

Welcome this month's Guest Designer, Elissa Mantalas! What struck us about Elissa's scrapbooking was her ability to always tell her family's story. Whether she is doing a simple Project Life layout or a traditional 12x12 page, she is always using everyday photos of her family that we have either on our camera's or printed out at home already! She shows how easy memory keeping can be with a busy schedule as a mom, wife, and homemaker! 

How long have you been crafting?

In 2001, I wanted to create a scrapbook for my best friend’s wedding.  I had another friend who scrapbooked and she helped me create the scrapbook for my friend’s wedding.  After that, I scrapbooked on and off for the next two years.  When my son was 18 months old, I decided to make him a scrapbook of his first year – this was in the summer of 2007.  This time, I went to the local scrapbook store and fell in love with the assortment of all the different scrapbook supplies.  At that point, I started to learn everything I could about the more modern way of scrapbooking.  I discovered the different scrapbooking manufactures, I went onto scrapbook message boards and started following blogs of the “celebrity” scrapbookers.

What inspires you to be creative?

I find most my inspiration from patterned paper and the product themselves.  I love to pick out a piece of paper that I want to build a page around and mix and match supplies to create my layout.  I also find inspiration from challenges.  I will either use a challenge from a blog or message board.  Sometimes I will create challenges for myself – I have a jar of different techniques, products or color combinations, and I I will randomly draw two or three things from the jar that will be my challenge to create a layout around   Lastly, I will use layouts that I love (and have pinned to Pinterest) as a starting point for inspiration.  I will either scrap-lift the layout almost completely, to using the basic sketch of the layout or some of my favorite elements from the layout on my own page.

What Craft Warehouse products do you love to use?

My favorite product to shop for at Craft Warehouse is patterned paper.  I often say that I scrapbook so that I can buy patterned paper!  When I go to Craft Warehouse, I head straight for all the newest releases in the scrapbooking section.  Some of the other products I shop for at Craft Warehouse are embellishments – specifically brads, stamps, embossing powder, mists and punches.  I also like to for items that I can use for diy home décor pieces – usually canvas or wood pieces because I like to decorate my home with art that I’ve created.

How can you encourage others reading this column?

The number one thing I would say to someone who wants to start scrapbooking is to just start.  Don’t worry about “catching up” because you will never be caught up.  Scrapbook the pictures you like first.  You don’t have to scrapbook in order if you don’t want to.  If you find that you’re feeling pressure or some sort of responsibility that you ‘have’ to do this or you ‘have’ to do that, then scrapbooking won’t be fun.  And if it’s not fun, then the chances that you’ll continue scrapbooking are slim to none.  So if you want to continue scrapbooking – to preserve your family’s memories or because you like doing it or whatever other reason inspires you to scrapbook then don’t put pressure on yourself to follow a set of rules that don’t really exist.

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!

How to Pack for a Scrapbooking Crop

Craft Warehouse is celebrating National Scrapbook Day all month long! We have asked some of our favorite scrapbook designers to share with us some scrapbooking tips!

How do you get ready for a scrapbooking crop? Do you pack your whole car up with supplies? Do you page plan? Do you get frustrated that you don't get as much done at a crop?

We are excited to ask Craft Warehouse Alumni Design Team member Elizabeth Wiederspohn, to share with us how she prepares for a scrapbooking crop. This is one of our most popular scrapbooking articles on the blog and we thought in honor of National Scrapbooking Month we asked to have her back!

 Photo of basics bag

Getting ready for a crop is something that took me a really long time to wrap my mind around. The first couple of times I brought two rolling suitcases with a bag over my shoulder which was pretty much my entire scrapbooking supply collection just in case I needed something. This drove me crazy not because of the mass amounts of stuff I had to crawl through to find things but because when I got home, I had to reorganize everything put everything away and much like my filing it never got done. Plus I didn't get much done because I spent most my time trying to figure out what I was doing and where to find things.

So after a few of these times not knowing where anything is and spending most my time organizing my stuff at the crops instead of scrapbooking I created a system. This system allows me to scrapbook mass pages during a crop and have to put away very little when I come home.

First of all I pack my basics bag (see photo above). This bag has the basic pens, cutting board, scissors, adhesive, ribbon, and tons of letter stickers in it.

Then I pack a bag of all my favorite embellishments. My current bag is a Clinique giveaway. (On a long trip I might pack two of these bags.) When finished this bag stays packed on my desk for me to pull from at any time. Pulling embellishments from a small bag saves me tons of time on my layouts.



Then I start on my photos. I take my memory cards in once a month to get pictures printed. Immediately after getting them printed I place each event in a 2.5 gallon resealable bag.



Then I place them in a Ikea storage cube until I am ready to make page kits. Sometimes I will have an idea or a piece of paper that really fits these pages right away and I slip those ideas and products in the bags before I even start making page kits.



Next, when I run out of page kits or before a crop I do a mass taking over of my living room and layout all of the bags with photos in them.



I start in one corner and work my way down the lines filling each bag with an idea from a magazine or printed online.



Then after all the bags have ideas I match the ideas and pictures with patterned paper. Making sure to Look at the idea I have and determining if I could use scraps or if full sheets of paper are needed



Then lastly I add my basic solid paper to all the bags.



There is one more step but I rarely get to it and that is journaling. I try to journal on all my pages and journaling is one of the hardest things to do at the crop. So if I am very organized I will look through all my page kits and write down the subject of each kit in a small notebook. I slip the notebook in my purse and while waiting for appointments or during breaks at work I bring out the notebook and pre-journal for the page. then I bring the notebook with me to the crop and I will have both journaling and titles for the pages ready to go. Like I said rarely does this step get finished but I try and when I have this done, that is when I can complete 10-15 pages in one night.



So in all the only things in my page kits are photos, ideas from magazines or printed online, patterned paper, and solid paper. Now when I am ready to crop I grab a bag, some page kits, and my embellishment bag and I am ready to go.



On a short trip I can get away with just bringing my one bag and a cutting board. That is a big difference from the two rolling totes and and shoulder bags.

Join us for our National Scrapbooking Event, May 4-May 6th 2013 (Wenatchee is on May 18th)!  To help celebrate there will be in store giveaways, make and takes, and special sale prices!

You can also enter to win prizes the entire month of May on Instagram! This is how to play:

1. Take a photo in Instagram while you are in Craft Warehouse anytime during the month of May (no purchase necessary).

2. Tag your photo by typing "@craftwarehouse" and "#craftwarehouse" so we can see your photo!

3. Each time you post a photo between May 1st - May 30th and tag us, you can be entered to win prizes!