Tips for a retreat

To ensure a successful retreat weekend we have compiled a list of tips and suggestions

The number one suggestion we can offer is to wear comfortable clothes.

Before you leave for the retreat, double check your vehicle to make sure you have your photos.

Only bring what will fit under a 6' table and make sure you leave room for your legs too.

Bring along your clip-on cup holder. We cannot have open drinks at the crop table without one.

Please bring along your own favorite snacks. The hotel will no longer allow us to provide them.

Bring a pillow or cushion for the chairs -- or bring your own chair.

Bring the basic scrapbooking supplies. Some we recommend are: eyelet setting tools, paper trimmer, scissors, paper piercer, straight edge ruler, cutting mat, pencil, craft knife, black journaler, tweezers, stylus, hammer, hole punch, wire cutters, glue dots, black ink pad, pastels (chalks), water color pencils, lots of adhesive and of course your photos. We will have a lot of these tools available for you to use. Just don't forget your photos and basic adhesive.

How to pack for a crop: Create a traveling scrapbooking kit which includes the basic scrapbooking supplies listed above plus page kits. Steps to create your own page kit: 1. Gather the photos that you want on the layout and make journaling notes. Pre-journaling needs to answer who, what, when, where and why. 2. Choose cardstock and paper for background and mats and select the embellishments. 3. Include any sketches of what you have pictured for this layout.  4. Put everything in a Craft Keeper and you have your very own page kit. You can do this as you get your photos developed, then you will never forget the name of that person that came to the party... Since you will have done your pre-journaling, this will also help complete the layout when you are at the crop. No putting it into the over-growing pile of "needs journaling still". It can go straight into the album as a complete page!

Do you have a tip or suggestion that is not on this list? Email us at CroppinTrain@aol.com and we'll consider adding it to the list.