The ScrapBlog

Question: Just wondering about scrapbooking Retreats near London or windsor Ontario?? We have always gone to the Crop around the Clock one hosted in April in london but I can’t seem to get any info from them…Do you have any info for any others in this radius??

Answer:  Here are the only retreats I could find in Canada:

1. Crop ’til You Can’t
2. Younique Retreats - located 10 minutes north of Guelph Ontario
3. Crop Across Canada - this site gives scrapbook events, conventions, retreats and special crops - all to be held in Ontario!
4. Scrapping Away - all of these are in BC (British Columbia)
5. http://www.scrapfest.ca/ - this is an expo, but classes are offered
6. http://www.goscrapping.ca/ - weekend retreats and day crops in southern Ontario.

You may also want to check your local scrapbooking stores for retreats or getaways.  Or, you could try and plan your own (I attend a few a year hosted by friends and family).  Check out my article on putting together your own retreat here.  

**I did try to find out about the “Crop Around the Clock” in London, ON.  It doesn’t seem like they have had any events since April 2007.  You can try to email them at croparoundtheclockretreat@yahoo.ca .

Question: I came across your website while doing a Google search for information.  Some friends and I are interested in hosting a weekend of scrapbooking/cardmaking, complete with food, cropping space, vender area and classes.  Do you have any advice on this?  Or, can you direct me to a person/website that might be able to help?  I’ve attended these type of events, so I have that as background.  Thanks! 

Answer:  That sounds exciting.  I have attended and helped to plan many of those.  I wrote an article a while back that gives some great tips on planning and what to include.  You can read it here.  That article also has websites of groups that meet in your area.  Some of them actually plan the whole thing and others just help out.  I would suggest deciding if you want to plan the whole thing yourself and put all the work into it or if you want to enjoy yourself more and let someone else do all the planning. 

If you are the one doing all the planning with some friends, maybe go through the list in my article and decide together how you want things to go.  Then put certain people in charge of certain aspects of your getaway.  I love the idea of having a vendor area and classes.  Have somone in charge of the vendor areas and someone else in charge of classes.  The person in charge of classes can do the research on getting someone to come teach or maybe each member of your group could be in charge of teaching one card class or something (this might help cut down on costs). 

I haven’t found really any good resources on planning your own retreat, but I found if you visit some of the websites I listed in the article, you can come up with some great ideas for your weekend.  Have fun! 

Robin,

I saw your article on scrapbook retreats and I wanted you to know that Scrap a Bunch hosts retreats in PA also.  I am new to retreat planning but the 3rd retreat is coming soon and so far things for us have gone so well.  Check out the site www.scrapabunch.com

Thanks,
Chastidy Shuck

Email: info@scrapabunch.com

Hey Scrap Gang,

Last night I was able to spend the night with a bunch of gals for a “girl’s retreat” at a cabin in the mountains.  Even though this wasn’t a scrapbooking retreat, I was reminded of why scrapbooking has become so popular over the years.  Finishing a scrapbook for future posterity (and yourself!) is purposeful and where scrapbooking originated.  But I believe the socializing that comes from scrapbooking nowdays has been the main reason for its popularity.  Even if you don’t go hang with a group to scrapbook or even a friend, people talk about it.  And when you are not talking about the best store or greatest magazine or coolest website, many of us are sharing our scrapbooks with friends and family.  It’s the socializing that makes scrapbooking so much fun.  So if you haven’t put a group together yet to share your scrapbooking fun, don’t forget that the people you share your hobby with sometimes makes it all worth it!

Latest & Greatest
Scrapbooking Supply of the Week

Everyone is always talking about what the best adhesive is or which one they use most of the time.  I have to admit that I was one of the diehard glue stick people until last summer when I began to experiment.  I have now found I make less a mess with double stick adhesive dispensers like tombow for most gluing jobs.  But some things just don’t stick with glue sticks or adhesive dispensers.  That is where I found glue dots  to fill in the gaps.  These things are fabulous.  Glue Dots, Pop-up Glue Dots, and Foam Squares can be used on any craft project with the greatest of ease: Simply peel from sheet, remove liner and press into position. These double-sided wonders are great for use on many of your projects! Glue-dots are a must for scrapbookers, card makers, and rubber stampers alike.  Check out these great brands.

Robin
robin@scrapbookfinds.com
www.scrapbookfinds.com

We’ve all thought about getting away and possibly enjoying our favorite pasttime without the cares of everyday life to interfere.  Many scrapbookers enjoy this new idea of going away for a few days and scrapbooking the whole time.  So what should you look for when choosing a good retreat:

1.) Location - this is the most important.  If you want it close so you don’t have to pay for travel expenses or if you really want to get away from you home state — make sure you check the locale first.

2.) Lodging & Food - is it provided?  Do you want to be able to go out for meals on your own or do you want you meals brought to you.  To make the most of your scrapbooking time, try to choose a retreat that does all the cooking, cleaning, etc so you can scrap all you want.  As for lodging, check to see if you get your own bed or bedroom or if you will be bringing you own sleeping bag !!

3.) Quantity of People - make sure that you know how many people will be there and if you are ok with it.  Some places allow spaces for hundreds of scrappers and others are more intimate - maybe just 10 or 15.  Make sure you are comfortable with the amount of people.

4.) Extras - You want to make sure that the scrapbooking retreat also has the extras you might need like use of die-cuts, stamps, computers, printers, idea books, and supplies you can buy on-site (so you don’t have to waste time out looking for a scrapbooking supply store).  Also, check to see if they will be providing your snacks/drinks/treats.

The best way is to search the internet for a place in your area or a place that you would like to visit and join with other scrappers.  If you are a little scared to do it all on your own, find a friend and join with a group.  Below I have included some good websites and companies that do scrapbooking retreats: 

All Over the U.S.: www.ckscrapbookevents.com

Arizona:  www.thepamperedscrapper.com

California: www.scrapbookcamp.com , www.croppinaway.com , www.scrapgrlz.com 

Canada: www.scrappingaway.com

Carolinas: www.scrappingretreats.com

Eastern States: www.dreameventsinc.com 

Florida: www.cropfest.com

Georgia: www.campcropalot.com

Gulf Coast: www.gulfcoastscrappers.com

Illinois: www.allamericanscrapbookco.com , www.heartandsoulmemories.com

Indiana: www.crop-a-doodle-do.com

Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia: www.ranieday.com , www.scrappinawayvacations.com 

Michigan: www.scrapandspa.com , www.crazedcroppers.com , croppingdaze.com

Midwest: www.scrapbookingevent.com 

New Hampshire, Maine, & Surrounding Areas: www.justbuzzinaround.com

New York:  http://www.bcdservices.com/stores/cropalot/

Northeast: www.simplycropping.com

Northwest: www.croptime.com 

Ohio:  www.queenofthecropgetaways.com , www.scrapntogether.com 

Oklamhoma, Louisiana, Texas: www.cropallday.com , www.scrapbookdivas.net

Pennsylvania: www.classycropper.com

Tennessee: www.croppersgetaway.com

Texas: www.scrapaways.com , www.agardenretreat.com

Utah: www.scrapaway.com , www.artcityscrapaway.com , www.justbuzzinaround.com/retreatinfo.htm

Vermont: www.cranberryfarminn.com/scrapbook.htm

Virginia:  www.scrappinsociety.com , www.letsscrap4fun.com , www.escapeandscrap.com 

Washington: www.neighborjanepayne.com , www.scrappingsisters.net 

West Virginia: www.getcraftystudios.com

Wisconsin: www.atimetocreate.com , www.thescrapbookmanor.com

Hope you enjoy your time away.  Happy Scrappin’!

Robin

ScrapbookFinds.com

A scrapbooking party can be a great way to introduce guests to the art of scrapbooking or for experienced crafters to share ideas and tips. (These get-togethers are called “crops.”) There are many ways to approach a scrapbooking party, and the best approach for your party depends on your guests and the goals of the party. A children’s birthday party can incorporate scrapbooking as a fun activity, or a number of experienced scrapbookers can spend an afternoon (or an entire day!) sharing their secrets. The following ideas can help you plan a great scrapbooking party.

General Parties
Whether you’re throwing a child’s birthday party or a party specifically for scrapbooking, be sure to consider your guests. Children may be new to the idea, so creating some simple kits for each guest is a great way to introduce the craft. Consider using mini albums and offering a range of papers and embellishments for each person attending. Put your own scrapbooks on display, or favorite pages, to show guests the possibilities and to give ideas. For children’s parties, you may need to provide some individual assistance. If you have a friend or other parent who can help, invite that person as well. Inform guests ahead of time that you will be scrapbooking so they can bring some favorite photos.

Crops
Crops are a great way to share ideas, tips, and talk about scrapbooking with others who share your passion. You can host a party based on a particular theme (such as birthdays or weddings), or host a party for scrapbooking in general. You can offer supplies, or consider having a scrapbooking “potluck” where everyone brings something to share. This can be a great way to exchange items for a minimal cost. Depending on your supplies, you can provide many of the tools to make it easier on your guests (although many will have scrapbooking totes). If you use a particular theme, add to the party with appropriate decorations, music, and food to set the mood.

It is so much fun to plan a surprise party. I planned a party for my mom for her 70th birthday. After it was over, I realized how much she did not know about the planning I had done.

I was able to recreate quite a bit for her scrapbook. My dad and I actually began making plans a year in advance. I began her scrapbook with a calendar page from the year before. I then included photos and information from all of the banquet rooms we had considered. The banquet room we ended up choosing was in a hotel, so we saved a postcard from the hotel along with a brochure of the hotel.

We did hire an entertainer and so I included some information from his website to add to the scrapbook also.

When we compiled the guest list, I printed it out so she would know who we invited. I had asked for R.S.V.P.s through email and so I was able to print out all of the emails, both those saying they’d love to attend and those that were regrets. Some of the regrets actually wrote personal messages to give to my mom. So, they were given to her at the party and then put into her scrapbook with the other messages.

I also saved one of the invitations so she could see the invitation that went out to all of her friends.

Journaling can also be fun when planning a surprise party. For example, my mom did not want to go to the restaurant where the party was being held. We journaled about how we had to convince her that no one else could accommodate our family that night and how this place was the only one that served foods my sister could eat. When we arrived, we did not want to walk through the parking garage, and so we led my mom around the side of the restaurant. She truly thought we were all nuts, not knowing where we were going. These are great things to journal as a remembrance of the event.

During the party, we had multiple people taking photos. We of course were the last guests to arrive and I wanted photos of other guests as they arrived and of the hor d’orves table. And of course we wanted a photo of my mom walking in and being surprised.

We did take pictures throughout the evening and had a lot to work with when we went to create her album. My mom was able to see the party from start to finish through our eyes.

A mini scrapbook album is a perfect scrap booking party project. Invite a group of gal pals over for a night of scrapping fun. Tell each one to bring a yummy snack, their left over scraps and bits and 10-15 photographs from a recent event that they’d like to create a brag book about. You pick up a bundle of inexpensive mini albums at the store. They usually come six by six or seven by seven inches and cost just a few dollars.

Have your computer and scanner set up and ready with some card stock by the printer to be able to create text headings for the individual mini scrapbook album pages or to create a title graphic for the cover if there’s a place for one.

Spread out all of your leftovers and tools and everything your friends brought with them and prepare to have a blast creating from what you have. There isn’t a lot of room for complicated layouts on a mini scrapbook album page so you should find that you have plenty of material to work with.

It’s like a treasure hunt to explore all of the little bits that others have been saving for just the right little project. Ask the women to share stories about the original projects these leftovers came from, this out to spark some really interesting conversation.

Creativity seems to pour out when you get together in a group to do something like this. Watching each other’s ideas take shape is fun and inspiring. This is also a great opportunity to introduce a friend to scrapping for the first time. She can experience the process, get ideas and not have to have spent a lot of money on supplies in advance.

A mini scrapbook albums party lets you create some fun new memories while you celebrate older memories and friendships at the same time.

Many of the scrapbookers I know spend lots of money on tags, paper, and scrapbook albums as well as plenty of time taking pictures to use for scrapbooking. However, many of them become frustrated with the fact that they have enough scrapbooking inventory on hand to open a store, and they have enough pictures to create several scrapbooks, but they don’t have much to show for their efforts. The most common reason I come across is the time investment that is required for putting together a finished product. They just can’t seem to find a break in the day-to-day family rearing action to compile everything into completed scrapbooks. Scrapbooking retreats provide a good opportunity to catch up on completingthose scrapbooks that you’ve been putting off for so long.

Scrapbooking retreats come in many shapes and sizes, and you can likely find one in a location close to where you are. If you do have to travel, then hey, all the better opportunity to get away for a night or two. To find a scrapbooking retreat close to your area, just do an internet search for “scrapbooking retreat” or “cropping retreat” along with the city where you live. You will likely find several alternatives.

Most people who attend scrapbooking retreats bring a friend along with them so they are more comfortable going, but if you don’t have a friend to bring, you will most likely find someone there who’s glad to get to know you.

If an organized public scrapbooking retreat doesn’t sound like your favorite place to go for catching up on your scrapbooking habit, you may consider organizing one yourself. Talk to your friends about renting a cabin for a night, and go have some productive fun.