Taking the plunge . . .

I went to the Altrusa crop about a week and a half ago, and discovered that I was better prepared for this one than I had ever been before. I'm going to a weekend crop in a couple of weeks, and that one will require even more preparation. Here are my tips for going to a crop, in no particular order:

• Pictures - browse your printed & digital pics, pick the ones that inspire you and sort them. I use a sorter from Creative Memories, but there are lots available. Don't get too carried away here, but do take about twice as many pictures as you anticipate being able to scrap. The idea is to have enough pics so you can pick and choose what inspires you once you get there. Bonus tip: do not do one particular album only - you'll need some variety!
• Basic Tools - I have doubles of my necessary tools and keep them in a tote that is always ready to go at a moment's notice. It should include: adhesives (different types: glue stick, glue runner, pop dots, etc.), scissors, a paper cutter, Crop-A-Dile, ruler, hole puncher.
• Big Tools - Cricut, Gypsy, Cuttlebug (don't forget the accessories that go with them!)
• Papers - choose an assortment of colors and types, a couple of each. You don't need to take every piece of paper you own.
• Embellishments - Again - don't take everything. Choose the basics that you are most comfortable with (ribbons, buttons, eyelets, brads) and a few that you've been meaning to try but haven't gotten around to yet.
• Idea Books - use a couple of old standbys, and grab that new magazine that you haven't had a chance to read yet.
• Small Notebook - this should be one of those little notebooks like you used to keep track of assignments when you were in school. These are great for jotting out journaling before you put it on your page, to write down the phone number or email address of a new friend that you meet, and to sketch out pages.
• Comfy Stuff - wear clothes you're comfortable in and layer so you can adjust to the temperature of the room. If you're going to be cropping all night, a pair of slippers comes in handy, too!