Sunday 6 June 2010

How to prepare for a Crop

Spend nearly two hours looking for one particular picture; although frankly, you're lucky it was only two hours. Allow your family to laugh at you and convince you that you never actually had said photo printed. The implication that you just look at it a lot on that clever computer wallpaper picture thingy is just too sad. Let the lack of one photo stop you preparing something else to do. Really, when teamed with the scabby ticket you've found that set the whole idea off - would it have made an award winning LO?

Dig deep into your reserves of will and go onward with your preparation, after all, you are woman and you are strong in the face of such defeat. But wait till the next day because you can no longer be confident of your colour matching in anything but daylight.

Grudgingly, choose a handful of alternative photos from the huge selection waiting to be preserved for all time. Take out every piece of 12 x 12 paper that you own. Go through them carefully, judging the merit of the photgraph and the occasion against your desire to use each sheet. Finally settle on a paper that can be used without the feeling that you're parting with a friend. Take out every box of stickers, alphabets, embellishments and chipboard that you own. Repeat the selection process. The criteria stays the same...if you like it too much, the photo had better be worth it.
Then, take out your 4 year old Autumn Leaves desk calendar and flip through it, vaguely hoping to find a sketch that will match the previous grudging selections. Don't worry that this would work better at the beginning of the process - if these published scrapbookers are so good, the right LO is certainly there, right? By now you are sitting on the floor amongst every storage box you own, and with every cupboard door open and mumbling incoherently that your family had better not make any sudden moves for fear of moving the calendar pages, laid 'carefully' in your line of vision. And in fading light, so hurry. By now you will be slightly fed up with the whole process, and blind to everything except the fact that no-one will clear this lot up for you. It is, I guarantee, at this stage, that decision making becomes instant and executive. This enables you to pack the bag with alarming and unusual enthusiasm. And then you can use your tool bag for the adhesives and the non paper bits that you'd completely fogotten about. Of course, this incredible forethought and preparation now means that you're ready, 12 hours ahead of the crop starting, which can only mean one thing. It's been a triumph. Sleep soundly until the small hours when you realise you might forget the bag containing tea, coffee and milk. OK. Partial triumph.

















37 comments:

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

Rofl.. sounds like me on a good day.. not crops , you realise, but generally everyday.. put something down.. think you know where you left it.. go to find it..not there! then spend the next 2 hours looking for it, only to find it where you left it in the first place! Happy Cropping and don't forget the chocolate!! lol great layouts too!

Annie said...

Another brilliant blog that left me giggling. Thanks.
A x

Helen said...

Well, the layouts look great. I spend ages thinking, "now where did I put..." too. Have a good day.

Claire said...

oh Julia, you do make me laugh, gorgeous LO's.
x

Anonymous said...

tee hee..that's exactly why I have been too scared to go to any :D

Loopylou. said...

romfl Julia !!!!!! i never know what to take with me to crafty club and always forget the important things,once i even forgot my cricut,the next time i remembered the cricut but forgot the power cables and mats!!!!!!!

Sue said...

pmsl Julia you are a scream that did make me laugh, luv your layouts, have great day hipe you remembered everything!! sue,x

Mummylade said...

haha, been there, done that, forgot the scissors at home =)

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

That's me but on a larger scale - yours is the larger scale; just to be clear ;o)
Love the LOs.
Anne xx

Bettythebaglady said...

Yeah-instant executive-me to a T.Am undergoing similar process with regard to 50 save the date cards which I suggested my little sis one should send preferably some time in the next 2 or 3 months. She said she would just leave them up to me and I still haven't decided on which cream card to use and I wanted to finish them today!!!!Have done my homework if you would like to check it over. Hugs BettyXXX

Darcy Marshall said...

hahahaha that is me, I go thru this twice a month. In fact have to do it tonight ready for tomorrow...could do it right now of course, but that would be far too sensible. I shall leave it to about 11pm, and then after that I shall start the 2 tags that I also need to take with me tomorrow.lol

Lisa said...

Made me laugh out loud. Now my whole family are tutting at me for interrupting their Sunday teatime Tv viewing. Worth it though. Thanks for the giggle.

Kirsty.A said...

Never mind. The LOs were worth it.

Angie said...

Oh so true....I no longer try to colour match after 5 ...even in the summer ... as I have to repeat it all the next day ...or sit at a crop thinking 'WHY??' I find it so hard to work out what to take and what to leave behind ...I now tend to take what I will need for one LO and then slowly work through it stopping to excersie the face by eating and talking ...a lot lol

Sandra said...

Thanks for the giggle :) .. and great layouts

Karen said...

hahahaha wonderful advice!!! XXX

angeleef said...

"Finally settle on a paper that can be used without the feeling that you're parting with a friend."
Amazing! You discribe just how I'm feeling every time I dare to use new paper or take the last piece of paper :)
Beeing that prepared really showed off, your lay-outs are wonderfull!
** Evi **

Carmen said...

Egad! Am just thinking about searching out a crop - methinks I need to print this off and have it to hand at all times :P

I love your pages Julia - did you make those embellies on the first one?

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I laughed so hard I nearly wet my knickers (see, I'm learning some British).

You should write an organization blog! It's simple a perfect post for it. Or wait, maybe its an aging and forgetfulness blog. Even better post for it. No, it's a "family who laughs at you" blog. Oh well, whatever the blog, your post is the perfect one to get the ball rolling.

Thanks for the kind words about the D-Day web site. I really loved it, too. Happy D-Day today.

Paige said...

I think the problem is Julia that you are trying to decide what to take when you should really be thinking about more totes so you can just take everything!!!!!!!!! hope you had a good time? looks like you were very productive getting two layouts done as I'm sure there was plenty of shopping and chatting done as well?

Victoria said...

Oh you do make me smile you do! What gorgeous layouts too - very clean and simple with the focus on the pics rather than embellishments, my kind of page
Hugs
Victoria
x

Victoria said...

ps -sorry didn't join in on Wednesday - was just too much to do at home
x

kelly said...

not as disorganised as me!!! What a pair we were yesterday! However I think we turned out some pretty good LO's :)

Kaz said...

............ and that is why I don't do layouts!!
Yours are fab though xx

Spyder said...

There's nothing in my head but saw dust
I can say with certain pride!
Stick a pencil in my ear
And it'll come out the other side!
I once swallowed a plum stone
you can see how this worried me,
Woke up early next morning...
I was sleeping with a tree
So there's nothing in my head but saw dust,
or maybe you're right and there's not!
but by the time I've finished this poem
My little brain's forgot!


Just wish I was half as organized as you and didn't have to get up half an hour before I went to bed!! Love your layouts!
(Lyn)

Raquel SK said...

I just found your page and had a good laugh! It's nice to see someone else's perspective on what is utterly amusing and fun. It's like peering over at a child's goodie bag from a party. They may all get the same "stuff" but it's all fun nonetheless and we all love peeking! Thanks for creating such a fun blog!

Sheilagh said...

You are the Victoria Wood of Blogland, you are hilarious, totally!! Thanks for giving me a giggle on a Monday morning, you started my week with a huge laugh out loud!!

Sheilagh:)

Anonymous said...

Have we met before? How do you know this goes on in my studio? Maybe the constant battle with chaotic environment stimulates an interest in clear layouts and uncomplicated designs. Always look on the bright side of life - a bit Monty Python...
Enjoyed a good chortle.
Ros.
From Oz.

Unknown said...

I feel like you have been a fly on the wall, when im creating lol, this is me to a t. You have the idea firmly in your head, but by the end of the session the room looks like a bombs hit it lol. Fab pages, you made me giggle so much - well done xx

Jan Hennings said...

I can so relate to spending way too much time looking for something!

Rosie said...

I go through all this too - you can't use your BEST pieces of paper on just anything can you? I can hardly even open the Basic Gray box in case some of it escapes!! Love your layouts - such a crisp, simple style you have - I am always adding extra bits ....

Charlie said...

Thanks for a good morning laugh. As much as I loove going to crops I know for a fact I get more and better stuff done at home all alone. I used to pack everything but the kitchen zink and I still needed something I forgot to bring. I have now learned to pack what I wouldn't like to buy AGAIN - and always to buy at least 2 sheets of each paper - to have one to part with and one to stroke. =0)

Anonymous said...

lol! totally true jules!

donnalouiserodgers said...

I had to tell you, you have me crying with laughter, its ALL so true,

stephanie said...

oooo sissy, totally unrelated to today's post, but just seen your WOYWW logo with the paisley on a pot...... now that's exciting. :)

Diana said...

Beautiful pages! It just occurred to me that I only come by your blog on Wednesdays, and that I've never seen your scrapbook layouts... they're lovely!

Bettythebaglady said...

Julia-you do this deliberately. Get up-we're up so wake up and post the link.Love you but got to rush off to the hospital for 9 o'clock so see ya later alligator. Hugs BettyXXX