It’s time to relax and enjoy scrapbooking!

We broke down the process of scrapbooking into its components:

 1. Photos/Memorabilia

 2. Embellishments 

 3. Paper

 4. Journaling

As you find short periods of time, work on one component.  You will be amazed at how much you can get done in 20-30 minutes when you can focus on just one task. Then when you have a block of time to actually sit down and be creative, you are prepared.  You can get right down to the fun part, cutting, gluing, tearing and finishing pages. 

It sounds easy because it is!!!

Step One:
Sort your photos into a few events/themes or as many folders as you have.  Place the photos from each event securely in its own expandable pocket. (See step 1 photo).

Add any memorabilia (i.e., ticket stubs, coins, a curl of hair, etc.) and any notes (personal feelings, highlights, quotes, etc.) you may have. 

Step two and three:
(In either order)
* Add to the pocket with your pictures all the embellishments (eyelets, stickers, tags, fibers, etc.) that you may want to use.  (See step 2 photo)

* Add to the large top loading center pocket, all the paper you intend to use and any oversized embellishments, photos or memorabilia. .  (See step 3 photo)

Step Four:

HAVE FUN! The next time you go to scrapbook, you just take out your folders and your tools and get right to the fun part…preserving your memories forever!   (See step 4 photo)

Tips:
#1 If you get on a roll and it doesn’t overwhelm you to continue to sort your pictures past the number of Croppin’ Companion sleeves you have, go ahead.  There are lots of organizational boxes, folders, envelopes, etc., for organizing photos in your local scrapbook and craft stores.  Be sure they are acid free and photo safe in case your photos are in there a while. If you start to feel overwhelmed just focus on those events you have already sorted and placed in the Croppin’ Companion. Also, be sure to label each theme with as much information as you can so you don’t forget.

#2 I try to “Shop” my own scrapbook supplies first, so I can actually use the things I bought because I just had to have them. Then I purchase what I need from the local scrapbook or craft store to complete the layout . For example, if I am preparing for a camping layout.  I will look through all my embellishments and papers with a camping theme or the colors I need.  Then I place them all in the sleeve with the camping theme photos.   If I don’t have everything I need, then I will purchase it at the store and then add to that themes sleeve.  I even bring the whole Companion to the scrapbook stores that will allow it and then shop with what I already have and only buy exactly what I need.  So when Friday night comes and I can crop, I am totally prepared and I get all those layouts done. The most I ever finished was 32 pages in a 7 hour crop, and my pages are not simple.

#3 The other thing I do, is I ask the sales clerks to keep everything I purchase in order as they ring me up. For example, I have all my supplies for layout 1 and one or all of my pictures from layout 1 on top of the supplies and then I stack layout 2 supplies on top of that with a photo from that layout, and so on.  When I get home (or sometimes I even do it in the car), I just load each layout’s supplies in my Companions without any confusion of what goes where, and I am ready to crop when I have my next chance.