Oh Crop! I’ve Overpacked – Preparing & Packing for a Crop – Part 1
(Updated)
Do you go to in-person crops or retreats?
I’ll be honest, I learned a lot of what I know about scrapbooking from YouTube. My closest scrappy friend for a very long time was Gina and she lives in Maryland. None of my other friends here in Florida did any scrapbooking, so cropping was something I’d heard of but it really wasn’t a part of my reality.
Then one day I was driving home and right where I turn off to go toward my house (I live out in the sticks) I thought I saw a sign that said Scrapbooking Life.
Wait. Wut?!
So you can bet your bum I drove around the block to double check that I’d really seen it. And it was true. (!!!!!) A freaking scrapbooking store was going in right on my way home! This was awesome.
Once she opened I shopped and I picked up a crop schedule because she had an awesome dedicated crop space and I was… intrigued. I don’t like strangers though so I didn’t sign up for one right away. I think the shop opened in July maybe and I went to my first crop the next April (2019). Yes. It took almost a year to get up the guts to go.
When the time came to pack for it, holy crap. Ho-Ly Crap. I packed so much. And I didn’t have the right equipment. (no totes or wagons or origami shelves!!) I was embarrassed and just figured if I got there and no one had as much as I did, I’d leave some of it in the car, right?
Psh. I shouldn’t have worried. LOL On my first trip inside I relaxed. They had just as much as me!! Then I proceeded to attend to almost every crop Sherri’s had – sometimes two per month. It was amazing to have such a place so close to me and to have so many wonderful ladies to scrap with. I love them. They’re so kind and fun and it has really changed my scrap happiness level by a lot.
Sadly, Sherri had to close her brick and mortar shop (damn COVID). However she has her own blog and youtube channel! Check her out!
Since the shop closed, I’ve still had places to crop on occasion and have a crop in February, possibly in March and a girls scrapping getaway in April, a crop in May, possibly July and September. The friends I made at Sherri’s crops are finding ways to scrapbook together and I feel so blessed to be included.
HOWEVER – yes, I promise we are getting to the point – I HATE HATE HATE loading and unloading all the stuff. Especially in the summer because, friends, it gets flaming hot in Florida in the summer. Sweating is the worst thing ever and now that I’m getting (ahem) older, once I get all heated up, it takes me a year and a day to cool back down again.
I also sometimes go further away to crop and hauling stuff through hotels and up and down steps, is a pain in the butt.
Thus my ongoing struggle to take less and be more organized. Yes, “the struggle is real.” I’m a chronic over packer and always have been. Also the amount of stuff I’m capable of accomplishing in a weekend is also grossly exaggerated in my mind.
I mean… what if I get bored? What if I decide to work on my copic coloring? What if I want to work on my water coloring (even though I’ve never done so before). What if I totally finish this huge project that I’ve been working on for months??? What if I feel moved to start this totally new project instead or scrap in my Traveler’s notebook? I mean… I should pack accordingly. Just in case…
Are you catching on? This is how my brain works when I’m packing.
Now, I’ve gotten better. (This is mostly a lie that I tell myself) And when I pack ahead of time (and don’t wait until the last possible moment and I’m supposed to be walking out the door so I’m just throwing things together) (I still do this) I do okay. Not great, but okay. (Lies, all lies.)
But I want to get it down, man. Have a plan. Be a pro at this crop packing stuff because… why let something silly put a damper on the start and finish of each event? Also, if you’ve ever shared a 6 foot table with another person, you know that table surface area is a valuable commodity.
Now I’m not here with all the answers. This is something that I’m working on and since its something that happens regularly, I thought we could work on it together, right?
My next crop is coming up February 12th and I’ll post again to let you know how the packing goes and what I’m trying to stay organized this trip.
Check back to see how it goes!
Talk soon,
Shellie
