I'm so glad...

it's Friday. Some weeks seem long and short all at the same time. Time wise this week seemed to go fast, but my body feels like it was a long week. Maybe if I'd gotten some exercise everyday rather than just a few days I'd feel better. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

Last night we bought Owen a pair of ice skates. I kept telling Morgan we should wait until next winter but he wanted to do it. So we did. Owen was pretty excited about them too. We'll see if that lasts once he's out on the ice.

One more day until the big crop! I'm mostly ready. I just want to have my layouts as planned out as possible so I can get as much done as possible. Here's how my planning has gone this week:

1. Pick and print pictures to scrap.
2. Pull papers to match the pictures and place all in a clear plastic bag.
   
3. In each bag I put an index card labeled with the event and the date. I'm big on dating layouts. (Lots of times I don't get past this step. Then I just gather up a bunch of embellishments and tools I use and go. But this time I wanted to be more prepared.)
   
4. Then I made a list of all the layouts I had planned and how many pictures I had for each one.
   
5. Used a few websites to find some creative titles or jotted down my own title ideas.
   
6. Went through books and magazines to find layout ideas (why reinvent the wheel). Sometimes I just find elements on pages I like. Sometimes it's a layout design or color scheme. My pages rarely look exactly like what I pick out but it's a spring board and it saves me time, which I like a lot.
7. Wrote notes on my list of where I found the ideas and which page of the mag or book. Then I wrote a note on the notecard in the bag also.
   
8. Match embellishments with layouts. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to use on a page and other times I just bring things I like. This time I'm doing both. I've got all the layout bags laid out on my table and I am systematically going through and pulling things that will match so I only bring what I need.
   
9. Pack it all up!
   

I am not a person who can just throw a bunch of stuff together and go anymore. I need a plan. I started doing things as described above after I saw how my friend Lisa planned. Kind of the same way. Bags with pictures and papers. That was all I needed to be inspired to change how I scrapped. Before it was rather haphazard and more of a bunch of stuff all together. Or projects in boxes mostly. But after Owen was born and I started scrapping a lot more and a lot more regularly and had accumulated a lot more stuff, it was necessary to be more purposeful. And make better use of my supplies and resources. Why have all these idea books and magazines and websites if I'm not going to put them to good use? If the inspiration is there, than use it! So I'm doing my best to do that.

My notebook is also very important. Before each crop I make a list of the tools and supplies I need to bring and what I'm going to work on. This is very important because if I'm getting ready last minute or the morning of I need to be able to get ready quickly. The list lets me do that. I don't have to think about what I need, I just look at the list and pack it. The list of projects or layouts is important because then I can pick something to work on and it's all in the bag. I keep the bags in this great box that my friend Lori gave me for Christmas. It's a scrapbook box by Iris that has hanging files in it that fit 12x12 stuff. So I can put all my layout bags in it plus extra paper and a few paper stacks. The lid has a compartment for storage too. It's one of the best gifts I got! But, I keep the layouts in there so they are ready to go when I am ready to go and they can stay in there at home too. It's a great box. But back to the notebook... I keep my ideas in this too. It's kind of a crazy mess of stuff and I go through and make new lists from what's in it because things get crossed out and old but I have to have the notebook.

So today I am finishing up my planning and packing so I'm ready to go tomorrow morning. 15 hours of scrapping with my friends! So excited! Someone posted a thread on 2P's about going to crops and what the allure was. Some people don't do this and don't get the whole purpose. I was flabbergasted at this! Maybe the woman wasn't a SAHM of young children. But first and foremost, I get to get out of the house for a prolonged period of time without the boys! Then, I get to hang with my favorite people and do something I love to do. And there is always diet coke and chocolate involved. What's not to LOVE!??? I like to scrap at home too. And I work in my craftroom on an almost daily basis on some project or another but I get a whole lot more done when I go somewhere!

I am also working today and need to get some cleaning done. Owen got up early today, with Morgan. They made pancakes for breakfast. Banana nut. Not my fave. But while Morgan was mixing up the pancakes Owen declared that he was going to mix flour. Which became a large amount of flour which is now all over the kitchen counter and flour. And is slowly migrating to other areas of the house as he runs around. The flour was abandoned an hour ago because someone wanted to watch Clifford. Maybe I'll go back to sleep while Owen watches Clifford. I'm going to need a nap today and I don't foresee it fitting into the plan for the day!