Spring Crop!

Join us at St. Michael School cafeteria for a day of uninterrupted time & lots of space to work on your projects!  Your $30 fee includes generous table space, lunch, dinner, sacks & a thank you gift!

Can’t crop?  Stop in between 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. to shop with our vendors at no cost! 

Side Kick 2.o - Cup Caddy & Tumbler Available While Supplies Last!

I have been waiting for CM to update the Side Kick – a drink holder and scrap catcher – ever since it disappeared from our product line.  This new, updated version was introduced last year as a hostess gift and I’m so happy that it’s now available to purchase.  It’s not available on my CM website – you’ll have to order through me.  If you’re local let me know ASAP how many you’d like & we can make arrangements for you to pick up your order.  If you’re not local and would like to place an order via email & I can ship it to you.    Cost for the set is $40 and shipping will be $8.50 on orders  under $100 and 8.5% on orders over $100.  Please email me if you’re interested and we’ll work out the details.  I can include other current CM items with your order if you like, too.

Includes Freedom and Happiness 24 oz. Tumbler with lid and straw (Not a Tervis tumbler – but very similar)

Here are the features of this great combo:
Cup Caddy
Cup holder with ribbed base
Extra holder for cell phone
Hook for scraps bag (bag not included)
Adjustable vice
Table protection pad
Tumbler
Double wall
Dishwasher safe top rack
7 5/8" height
2 5/8" bottom diameter
3 7/8" top diameter
Lid
Color: Blue
Snug fitting
Fits most straws
Lid has open/close slider
Bendable Straw

I will be very surprised if these last much longer before selling out!

Packing Tips for A Crop

Have you noticed the amount of time and energy you spend packing up EVERY SINGLE scrapbooking tool/supply that you own, just in case you may need it?

- Then most of it gets packed back up and taken home, even though it was never touched!

Do you sit at your seat, surrounded by so much stuff that you can’t think straight?

Take comfort – you’re not alone!!

Here are some tips to help eliminate these problems:

• Sort your pictures ahead of time. Get an idea of what layouts & projects you want to work on.  The Power Sort Box is a great way to store and/or transport your photos. Depending on how many photos you have you can bring just use one or both Compartment Covers paired with the Compartment Boxes, which allow you to transport up to 400 photos.

• Visit the Project Center or Creative Memories Catalogs for inspiration.  Decide on some layouts you’d like to create.  Use the C.A.S.E. method – Copy And Steal Everything!  Scraplifiting is encouraged – why reinvent the wheel? 
• Select your cardstock, patterned paper, Photo Mats for your layout along with coordinating elements.  If you know you’ll be using certain punched shapes go ahead & punch those out ahead of time.  Same goes for Cricut cuts.
• Use POWER PALETTES! Consisting of lots of coordinating papers, stickers precut photo mats & journal boxes - this fantastic system takes the guess work out of creating beautiful pages in a snap.

CM’s newest Power Palette – Vintage Chic

• Make a list of the items needed for your layouts, include a sketch or picture of your inspiration. Note any items you need to purchase at the crop to complete the layouts. Let me know when you arrive what you’re looking for & I’ll help you find it.
• Store these pre-planned layouts in the Daisy 12x12 Filemate or the Racking System in the Daisy Cart.
• If you can’t pre-plan your layouts consider packing items from the 2-3 colors families that you use most often and leave the rest behind. This will significantly reduce your choices and help you to work MUCH faster! I will have lots of paper & embellishments for sale if you come to a page that just has to have a color other than what you brought.  You can always add embellishments later, too.
• Then there is no need to bring your entire Custom Cutting System with you. Bring only your mat, blades and the CCS patterns you use the most. If after you get there you change your mind and need to cut a wavy frame, or a heart, I will have all of the CCS patterns available for you to use.
• Assuming you have at least one buddy going with you, have just one person in your group bring their Shape Makers. Or, have one person bring the large ones, and another person bring the minis. That way you can all share. If nothing else, bring those you use the most and use mine (I will bring them all!)
• Tools fit beautifully in the Tools Organizer

Pack light – most people don’t use half of what they bring and you can always go back to your layouts and add something when you get home!

Think Vertical! Tips to Maximize Cropping Space!

As scrapbookers, most of us seem to have quite a few items we just have to have while cropping.  Here are a few tips for maximizing your space while cropping – at home or away – using some items you might have already.

A portable shelf or two can help make the most of your cropping space. Stackable baking/cooling racks are great for this as well as locker shelves that fold up or those white wire shelves used in cupboards. This is a great place to keep your Personal & Rotary Trimmers, Tape Runner & other tools that you use frequently.

   

Stackable Locker shelves – you can usually get a good deal on these when the Back to School sales are going on.

A coffee mug tree is a great place to hang your Custom Cutting System pieces & scissors.

Most wine racks can be a used to store your Pen Cases filled with your CM pens. You may need to put a piece of cardboard on the bottom of each opening before placing your pen cases in first.  You can also use plastic cups to hold items.

Kitchen/desk organizers – especially the kind that spin and have spots for different utensils - can be a great place to store scissors, rulers, pens, etc.

Think out of the box – you never know what items you have around the house that can help you get organized while cropping.