Scrapbookers Inner Circle

When we think about doing our scrapbooking with other people, we tend to automatically assume that those other people must be scrapbookers just like us.  Not so!  We’ve come to the realization that many of the friends we have, are not necessarily scrapbookers, but they are definitely artistic.  And what’s even better is that these artsy friends of ours make excellent productivity partners when we feel like getting some serious scrapbooking done.  Perhaps there are some creative people in your life who would be more than willing to get together and be productive.  Down below, read about some of the different creative types that we know, and see if there is any one that reminds you of someone you know:

Do you know a writer?  The one thing that drives writers, and even other artists, crazy is the sense of isolation when doing the work.  If you happen to know a writer who has a laptop, or who wouldn’t mind using your desktop computer at your house to pen a few words, ask them to come “work” with you.  While you scrapbook, your writer friend can write.  And when you want to talk, or enjoy a little lunch, you can do that too.  

Do you know a painter?  Painters often have a nice room or studio in which they paint, but once again, they often find themselves painting in isolation.  It’s probably easier for you to transport your scrapbooking tools, than it is for the painter to lug around a canvas; so, ask your painter friend if they have a table in their studio at which you could work on a project, while he or she paints.  You might be surprised at how excited your friend is at the prospect of having another warm body in the studio. 

Do you know a sewer, a quilter, a knitter, or crocheter?  These crafts are ones that can easily be done in a room that is shared by a scrapbooker.  It’s magical, really, how productivity begets productivity, and when two or more creative people share time and space, together amazing things happen.  All artists share a joy of creating, and it’s very motivating to be with other people who can relate, in any way, to what you are doing.

Do you know a jewelry maker?  Again, jewelry making can often be a solitary venture, but for the most part it doesn’t really take up a whole lot of space, so why not share the room and/or the table with a scrapbooker.  Who knows, maybe the jewelry maker will be inspired by a color scheme in one of your layouts, or perhaps you, the scrapbooker, will suddenly find a need to apply some beadwork to your altered project.  Such inspiration just doesn’t happen in isolation. 

Naturally, there are still many other kinds of people with whom you can share a room, or table space, when scrapbooking.  Perhaps it’s a person who likes to read but never seems to get the chance to just sit and relax.  Or, maybe you know someone who loves to do crossword puzzles.  No matter what the activity, people can be incredibly productive just by virtue of being in another person’s company.  Try it!  You may find it an uplifting experience you will want to do again and again.

Have you ever noticed how some scrappers seem to get certain projects, pages, books, or even entire albums completed in an amazingly short amount of time?  Doesn’t that just bug the heck out of you?  Well, we’ve noticed that there is often a method to the madness that some of these over-achieving scrapbookers employ, and we want to let you in on the secret.  Prepping. 

If you’ve ever seen a prepper-in-action you’ll know what we mean. Prepping is a classic sign of a highly organized person, and the more time you spend with a person like this, the better off you’ll be, and the more scrapping you’ll actually get done.  What does prepping mean exactly?

Well, let’s consider some areas where you can put prepping into practice: 

1. Layout sketches.  If you are familiar with sketches, either ones you draw yourself or that others have drawn, then you know that they can take the guess-work out of your pages.  All you have to do is pick your paper and start cutting.  When you choose, or draw, a series of sketches before you begin your project, you can get right to work when you sit down to scrap.
2. Chipboard.  We all know that plain chipboard needs to be “dressed” either with paint, glitter, or paper.  Many paper-projects utilize several pieces of chipboard whether in the form of letters or embellishments.  It’s to your advantage to prepare them, at one time, in advance so that the paint dries, the glitter adheres, or the pieces are neatly cut out, filed, sanded and inked.  Then, when it comes to mounting, you are ready to go.
3. Multiples.  If you know that you are going to be tying tons of ribbon to your mini-album binding rings, it’s a real time-saver to cut all the ribbon pieces at one time, before you need them.  Rarely will you need to cut different lengths, so for most projects you can determine that you need, say six-inch pieces, mark your table edge (or use a ruler) and cut away.  It will feel good to have that pile of ribbons ready for tying, when you get to that point in your project.
4. Edges.  The more scrapping you’ve done, the more particular you are about details.  And one major sign of an experienced scrapper is distressed, or finished edges.  Perhaps you like to edge scrape your photo mats. Or maybe you like to sand your stickers to give them a more distressed look. Further still, you might be a person who loves to bling up your paper pieces with some glue to the edges, followed by a dip in your favorite sparkly glitter.  Each of these tasks can be done ahead of time so that when you go to adhere your pieces to your page, there is no smearing, and you can put your page all together without having to stop and start.
5. Paint.  Many paper-maché accordion-albums and gift boxes need to be painted before paper is added, and photos are mounted.  Since paint needs adequate drying time, it’s always a good idea to do this step first, in preparation, for everything else you plan to do to make your project special.  Once you’ve done your painting, you can put away your bottles, and sponge brushes, so that, by accident nothing else gets damaged. 

When using the idea I recommended in the 6 Secrets audio series to focus for 15 minutes, you can complete any of the prepping you need. That way the next 15 minutes you have could be used to put it all together. You will find yourself more organized and getting more done! 

Have you ever made a terrific paper-crafting project, like small accordion album, that you think would be great to send to everybody on your Christmas list?  And then, reality hits and you say to yourself, “But how could I possibly get it all done?  It would be so much work to make twelve of those!” 

Well, here’s a solution for you:  Enlist the help of your friends!  It’s amazing how two or three extra sets of hands can complete a big project in an incredibly short amount of time. Now you certainly aren’t going to get free labor, even out of your friends, without giving something in return. At least not more than once!   But the best appreciation gift you could give is your time and effort to one of your friend’s projects in the future. 

So here’s what you do to get your project of twelve, or however many, completed:

1. Tell a couple of friends what you want to do and ask if any of them would be willing to help you complete the project.  Tell them you’ll provide coffee, cookies, snacks, or whatever it takes to keep them going.
2. Arrange to meet, either at your house, or at your local scrapbook store where table time is open and free.
3. Before ‘production time” make sure that you have all your the supplies purchased and your tools accessible.  If you need your friends to bring their own paper trimmers, precision scissors, etc… then let them know.
4. Have a plan.  Know in advance what sizes certain papers need to be cut to, know what length you want your ribbon pieces to be, and have your stamps ready for printing on tags or cards. The idea here is that when your friends arrive, they can get to work immediately and each person will have something to do.
5. Be prepared, at least in your mind, with the ordered steps that are required to finish the items, hassle-free.  For example, you want to make sure that paper edges on photo mats are inked before they are glued down.
6. Consider adding a couple of units to your total amount so that each of your friends has something to take home with them as a thank you for their help. They won’t notice the extra amount of work, and they’ll be so glad to have been included on your “list.”
7. Express your thanks to your helpful friends, and make sure to offer yourself for a project they may have at some point. 

All in all, there is a lot of gratification that comes from working together, with friends, to create something of meaning and beauty.  Who knows, it might just become a tradition!