Let's Go To A Crop!
Crop noun. (krop)
1. produce of the ground, while growing or when gathered
2. the yield of produce
3. a collection or group of people appearing or gathering together
Crop synonym.
output
product
yield
gathering
When I was first invited to go to a crop I had no clue what it was or what to expect!
I had just begun scrapbooking and had bought my first couple of stamps and some ink. This crop was supposed to last from 9am to 9pm! It was held at a local scrapbook store.
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| Cutting craft foam |
OK, my friend, "choose a project and pack a bag so you can work on that project at the crop. Everyone else attending will be doing the same." Now, that makes sense but in my mind, I just could not get the concept!
Why call it a crop?
It all started when scrapbooking became very popular! Pictures need to be trimmed, whether to cut unwanted material or to fit into the design.
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| One of my very first scrapbook pages! |
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| Oh! How fancy and detailed they have become today since then! |
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| Fiskars SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer, 12-Inch Cut |
I graduated from this simple trimmer to...
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| Fiskars Precision Rotary Bypass Trimmer, 12 Inch |
Now there are GUILLOTINE cutters to cut several pieces of cardstock and thicker items like mat board and balsa wood!
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| Fiskars Recycled Bypass Trimmer, 12 Inch |
Cropping, we will go...
Scrapbook Stores jumped at the idea of having a room set up for classes and 'crops'! They had all the machines and tools such as a Cuttlebug, Big Shot, trimmers, Xerox machine for copying photos, heat gun, glue gun, and Cropodile, available to the patrons to use and allow a discount to those that need something from the store to finish up their project.
Groups of crafters take advantage of this and enjoy hours of paper, adhesive, ink, heat gun, trimmer disarray! The camaraderie with others who share in this creative passion is strong! Crops still thrive today!
So the Crafting World has gone from Scrapbook pages to Card Making to 3D paper Crafting to Mixed Media to Altering objects to...CROPPING and loving it!
What basics to pack for a CROP?
No matter what you work on, there are a few things that I would pack. Other crafters will always offer their supplies because that's the type of people we are! But it's so nice to have your own!
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| Looks like a lot! |
1. Two pairs of scissors. One for fussy cutting and one large one for trimming.
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| Cutter Bee Scissors, excellent for fussy cutting |
2. Adhesive. I bring my favorite dry and my favorite wet. So, I pack my ATG and a refill (if I think it might need it) and a
2 oz. bottle filled with Glitter Glue.
3. A sharpened Pencil, Sand eraser, Fine tip marker, bone folder
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| Scotch ATG gun double sided tape |
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| Tombow for Ink & Pencil Mono Sand Eraser |
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| Sakura Pigma Micron Ink Pen Set, Ass't Colors |
4. Wink of Stella Clear pen, two different sized water pens,
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| Zig Wink of Stella Brush Glitter, Clear |
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Water Coloring Brush Pens, Ohuhu Set of 6 |
5. Mini Misti with a bar magnet
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| Packing Misti, choosing to take premade card bases instead of Mini Scor Pal |
6. Mini Scor-Pal or premade card bases (4.25"x 5.5")
7. Black ink that can be watercolored or alcohol marker colored like Versafine Onyx Black, Versafine Clair Nocturne or Archival Ink Jet Black.
I decided I needed pet sympathy cards.
I looked over my stamps, pulled out a few with cats and dogs (always too many!) to pack and went to look over my stash of pet-themed patterned papers.
If I was going to stamp, would I emboss it or just leave it as is? Embossing would be great! Let's pack the Versifine Onyx Black, clear detail embossing powder, coffee filter, and a 1/2 Swiffer sheet for the crop. (I always make a mess with this stuff!)
Oh! Maybe I will want to do a white sentiment on black cardstock? I will need a scrap of black cardstock, Versamark Ink and white detail embossing powder, another coffee filter.
Now, how will I color my images? Or my backgrounds? Ink blending tool, a couple, oh heck, let's take 4 complimentary colors of Distress Oxides to go with the pattern paper! There won't be these items at the crop.
Should I watercolor? It would mean packing my watercolor markers.
What if I wanted to use my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers? I would have to look at my swatch book and decide ahead of time what colors I needed. When I use them, I usually use three markers to shade one item. That's too much to carry to a crop! (Although I've done it!)
How about my colored pencils? I have a nice compact box of 36 Prismacolor pencils. That will do.
Do I need any dies? Maybe the standard stitched rectangle, couple circles, Upper case alphabet because I know they'll have a Big Shot, maybe even the Gemini to use at this crop!
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VersaFine Instant Dry Pigment Ink, Onyx Black |
Project packing
Now is the tough part, what are you going to work on? How much time do you have? Is it an all day crop or just a couple hours with some friends?I decided I needed pet sympathy cards.
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| There actually are sympathy stamps for pets! |
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| Selection of pattern papers |
I rarely make up my mind on the spot so I pack several choices. Add some plain colored cardstock for mounting.
If I was going to stamp, would I emboss it or just leave it as is? Embossing would be great! Let's pack the Versifine Onyx Black, clear detail embossing powder, coffee filter, and a 1/2 Swiffer sheet for the crop. (I always make a mess with this stuff!)
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| Versamark, Versafine, white and clear embossing powders, selection of Distress Oxides, blending tool, and foam pads |
Oh! Maybe I will want to do a white sentiment on black cardstock? I will need a scrap of black cardstock, Versamark Ink and white detail embossing powder, another coffee filter.
Now, how will I color my images? Or my backgrounds? Ink blending tool, a couple, oh heck, let's take 4 complimentary colors of Distress Oxides to go with the pattern paper! There won't be these items at the crop.
Should I watercolor? It would mean packing my watercolor markers.
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| DOCrafts Artiste Watercolor Dual Tip Markers, 36-Pack |
What if I wanted to use my Spectrum Noir alcohol markers? I would have to look at my swatch book and decide ahead of time what colors I needed. When I use them, I usually use three markers to shade one item. That's too much to carry to a crop! (Although I've done it!)
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| Gallon Zip Lock bag with alcohol markers |
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Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils |
Do I need any dies? Maybe the standard stitched rectangle, couple circles, Upper case alphabet because I know they'll have a Big Shot, maybe even the Gemini to use at this crop!
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| Assorted Die Stacks, Multiple sizes |
Any ribbons or sparklies or Stickles or Nuvo Drops I'll do at home. They wouldn't have time to dry. Well, maybe I'll take some twine and a piece of burlap ribbon to the crop! Let's not forget the colored, fussy cut images that are already done!
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| Assorted ephemera I decided to pack! |
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| Finished fussy cut images |
I'll show you! I can fit all of this into my crop bag and my portfolio carrier and then I'll be on my way!
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| My crop bag with an inside dimension of 12"x 6" |
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| One side for small tools, the other side is big enough for my Mini Misti |
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| Stamps, dies, ATG, adhesives, embossing powders, inks... all packed!! |
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| Augbunny Portfolio Waterproof With Handle And Zipper |
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| Open portfolio with papers, ephemera, pencils... |
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| All zipped up portfolio packed!! |
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| Easy to carry! |
So, are you ready to come with me?
Remember, great things happen to those that create!
Artistically yours,
Artistically yours,
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| Koala T Crafts Store |
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This was a loveely blog post
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