On Your Mark... Get Set... Crop

Disclaimer: This here is a post about scrapbooking and nothing but scrapbooking. If this is definitely not your cup of tea, you might want to disregard the blog this time around and check back at a later date. As always, thank you for stopping by Perfect Chaos. Bu, Bye!

Alrighty then, so let me start by saying that I'm not much for crops. If you're not a scrapbooker and are still reading hoping that I lied and that this post is actually about more than just scrapbooking, a crop is a scheduled time at a specific location where scrapbookers get together to well, scrapbook, eat and socialize,... but there's a whole lot more socializing going on than anything else. This is probably the reason I don't sign up for many of them. That and the fact that I hate having to pack up a bunch of my supplies to take along not really knowing what I will end up using or needing, but I didn't pack. My LSS (local scrapbook store for you non-scrappers) had their 4th anniversary this last Saturday and held a 12 hour crop from 10am til 10pm. Yep, 12 hours and because I've been craving some creative time as soon as I read about it I called Scott at work:

Wicked Liz: "Hey Cakes, wondering if you'd be OK keeping the kids on the 23rd. I'd like to go to a crop at Eclectica and get some layouts done."

Unsuspecting Scott: "Sure Babe, it'll be nice for you to get out and have some fun. That shouldn't be a problem"

Terrible Liz: "Oh, thanks Honey. I'll call them right now and reserve a spot. Thanks! Love ya."

*****

Excited Liz: "Hi, Eclectica? I'd like to sign up for the Birthday Crop... Yeah, can't wait... OK, see you then. Bye!"

*****

Apprehensive Liz: "Hey Cakes, I called and signed up. Thank you so much. You know how much I'll be able to get done in 12 hours?"

Perplexed Scott: "12 Hours? What are you talking about?"

Guilty Liz: "Oh, I didn't tell you? Yeah, it's a special anniversary crop from 10am to 10 pm."

Indignant Scott: "Oh, forgot to disclose the details, did you?"

Eluding Liz: "Cakes, I really have to go, the kids, the dogs, the oven,... I think there's someone at the door. Yes? Coming,... I gotta go. There's just too much going on right now. I'll call you back (right!) Love ya"

Anyhoo, I made it to my crop and actually got some stuff done. The big project was a "First Year" album for Sam, while everything is so fresh in my head. I got the idea from one of my scrapbooking magazines (I admit, I'm a huge scraplifter) and I absolutely adore how it turned out! It's an 8x8 green/brown album with a really simple design, bullet points on his development and one 5x7 black & white photo. That's all there's to it. Now don't get me wrong, he has his own 12x12 album already filled with tons of pages, but this is more of a go-to kind of album. The pictures of the album are not the best, but you'll get a good idea of what it looks like. So, without further ado, here it is:

This is the album

Opening Page

Birth
(This is for sure my favorite page so far)

First Days
(The OCD person in me hates the "F" on this page because it doesn't match the rest. This is what happens when you go to a crop and borrow something from someone because you don't have it and it is oh so cool and then you get home and realize you are one letter short so you'll have to improvise,... and now it's driving me crazy!!! It'll have to do for now, but I'll definitely have to figure out how to get my hands on the appropriate "F".)

1 Month
(photo taken by Marci Lambert)

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

In addition to completing most of his 12 months album, I completed 2 two-page spreads and one single page layout. Not bad,... not great for 12 hours, but I'm definitely not the fastest scrapper in town, so I was pleased with what I got done.

Whoa, do you see what I see? Do my eyes deceive me? Say it isn't so.

Apparently when I purchased the green/brown album, I also bought a pink/brown one. Ooohhh, I smell a very girlie "First Year" album happening for Isabella in the near future.

Finally, I'm leaving you with a couple of my latest creations:
I have to find a better way of posting pictures of my layouts,... oh well.