Autumn is a Great time for Scrapbooking & Card Making and Cropping!!
Are you a person who cringes thinking about the end of summer or do you love the crisp air, crunchy leaves and brilliant colors of fall? Honestly, for me, if it's not winter in Michigan, I'm good with all of the three other seasons!
Each season represents a fresh start and fall is usually the time of year when scrapbookers and stampers come back inside and start up their papercrafting again! If that's you, here are some tips on how to prepare to begin again!
1. Keep your crafting area clean!
Easier said than done, right? However, a couple of suggestions to help you at least do better in this area.
Start with the cleanest slate you can.
Take fifteen minutes a day, EVERY DAY,
and work on your room starting today.
You will be surprised how much progress you'll make with just a non-interrupted 15 minutes of focused work.
Do it now and you'll be clean by the first official day of fall.
To keep it clean, the moment you finish your layouts or cards,
put everything away so you can start fresh the next time.
2. Get yourself some good lighting.
Less summer means less sunlight. Just a few weeks ago I was able to buy the cutest teal colored Ott-lite for less than $30. Not only does it have four brightness settings but also has an outlet to charge my phone!! You need good lighting for good crafting.
3. Declutter.
Oh gosh, I know you don't like to get rid of anything just in case you may use it in the future.
But let's face it, that's like keeping your "thin clothes" just in case you lose that ten pounds.
Get real and get rid of those things you haven't used in the past year or two!
You will feel so much better with less.
4. Get some help!
If you are a scrapbooker, Close to my Heart has put out a brand new how to book,
It fits into any of our EveryDay Life albums.
Don't have the money right now, try Pinterest!
5. Scrapbookers: Scrap the photos you love first.
I know that many of you are chronological in your scrapbooking but sometimes going in order can put you up against a brick wall when the pictures that are next on your list are not ones you really feel like scrapbooking. If you are chronological and don't have movable pages, just don't attach until the whole album is done. That way you can still be in order. If you want to try a different way, check out Stacy Julian's book, The Big Picture. It changed everything about scrapbooking for me!
6. Cardmakers: Don't do it all!
Cardmakers have big open eyes! They see a new type of card, technique, or style every single day and they want to do them all. Don't. Yes, it's fun to try all of those new things but only IF you aren't doing it because you feel you should know it all. It's is absolutely okay to keep to your favorites when making cards because, remember, the people who receive your cards don't care if it's the latest technique, they just care that you cared.
7. Figure out how you craft best.
Although I love running crops, trying to get anything done at a crop I'm attending is difficult for me. There are too many distractions. I'm a stay at home, work best by myself kind of crafter. Stick Dirty Dancing in the blue-ray player and sit down at a table and I'm good! That's not for everyone though. Some people do their best work at a three day crop, others like to make cards with just a few people while sharing ideas. Some need to get away, some like to stay home. Go with what works for you, don't force yourself to do what doesn't just because your friends like the other way. You'll be much more productive if you go with your own style.
If you have not checked out my upcoming September 15-17 crop,
here is a link to check out and register if you are interested:
8. Go easy on yourself
This may sound like the opposite of what I just wrote but you will be more productive if you remember this is supposed to be for fun. When it becomes a chore, it's no longer a hobby and you will begin to resent it. There is no "have-to" about your papercrafting, there is only "want-to."
9. Perfection is overrated.
There is nothing that slows down your crafting more than feeling that your page,
card, or project has to be perfect. It doesn't.
It's about the love you put into your work. If that's there, everything else is irrelevant.
10. Just do it!
Nike had it right, when it's time to start crafting again, just get to it.
Within minutes, you'll rediscover your love of it all
and won't want to stop no matter what season it is!!!
So that's it! Enjoy the new season!!
In case you did not know, CTMH has a special each Tuesday of August:
One More Week
The 50% off Warehouse sale has only one more Tuesday left. Make sure you get what you want before it's all gone.
See this week's sales here.
NEW CATALOG GOES LIVE ON SEPTEMBER 1st!!! Click below to see!!
New papers, stamps and so much more!!!!
Looking forward to seeing you this fall!!
Smiles to all!!~~!!~
Comments
Post a Comment