ACOT Message Board

 Good morning ladies!

Thought this would be a good idea as helpful hints since we have lots of cherry blossoms here, and hopefully they will join us next weekend.  I remember my first crop.  It was only February of this year, but it seems like eons ago (lol).  Since then, I feel like I have learned so much and I thought this would be the perfect way to help them prepare ahead of time for the crop so its not as overwhelming for them the way it was for me.  But don't get me wrong, it was still a blast and you can't get rid of me now.

So let's go, start throwing out those ideas! 

 this will be a great thread I stumbled apon acot during the nsd crop and was so unprepared and I'm still not for sure how to prepare for next weekend But I have moved my scrappy stuff closer to my puter running up and down the stairs was not fun!

 Amen Jeanne.  I had that same issue.  I am trying to prepare by making lists of things I want to do and the supplies that I will need.  Clean my scrappy space and have my digi set up ready to shoot my layouts and load them up. 

 have enough adhesive

have dinners prepared ahead of time

stock up on snacks and drinks

print off pictures

arrange babysitters

 -do nice things for the dh leading up to the weekend so he will cover the kids

-plan all meals ahead of time

-clean scrap space so you can find everything quickly

-print all pictures you may need

-choose papers and any embellies for your photos (that's always a long time process for me so I did it ahead of time)

-decide on a title and write out any journaling for your photos too

-buy any supplies you need for the classes you want to participate in

-and last I decide what I really want to do. I've noticed that if I choose what I want to do (fastscraps, challenges, bingo, games, classes) before the crop starts I have more fun. When I try to do it all I get tired and frustrated because there is so much happening you can drive yourself crazy trying to partcipate in everything.

My list:
1. Fastscraps are my favorite so I usually try to do them all
2. 5 Challenges
3. 1 game of Bingo
4. 2 classes
5. games on the board when I have time
6. And don't for get to leave love in the gallery!!!

*Buy lots of extra adhesive of all types so I don't run out at midnight
*Print any photos I might want to use
*Plan out my meals and snacks so I am ready to go
*clean my scrap space so at least I start at ground zero even though by Sunday it will be a disaster
*tell my family to leave me alone
*pointer finger exercises so it is ready for all that fast clicking
*always open two windows of ACOT so I can flip back and forth between the gallery and store and the MB
*charge the batteries in my camera

 lots and lots of caffeine on hand, don't forget that!

 lol set up tables all the way around your computer, so you can sit and just spin and then fill them up with every scrapbooking item known to man...it will take you a week to clean up the mess lol but everything will be handy lol.

run don't walk and go buy like 10 extra things of adhesive right now...that is probably the first thing you'll run out of and then you have to stop.

 HA HA!  I like the sit and spin idea, and the adhesive is also good... cause I get dizzy alot and might fall off the spinner.  But....    What does that have to do with the crop? 

 My first crop was in February too and I didn't participate in any of the classes or challenges. i really didn't know what to expect. But with experiencing my first crop and now to all the suggestions you lovely ladies have provided. I am going to try my hand at least one class and one challenge.  I try not to set my goals too high. However, I am anticpating this being a hoot and I'm sure I will be particpating in more.

 seriously, another great idea!

I keep lots of snacky foods around the scrap area to keep me going throughout, like granola bars, nuts and rice cakes.  I already stocked up on yogurt, a couple boxes of crackers and cheese (which I will precut the night before).  I usually make a full pot of coffee then keep it in a carafe at hand for when I want a cup during the day.

I am thinking of maybe bringing home a pizza at lunch on Friday, that will last me a few meals, and I will buy a bag of precut salad at the grocery store just before.  That should hold me for the weekend and other than pizza, its fairly healthy   

 Well 1st I clean off the mess of a table that I have.  It doesn't stay clean for long though.

Then I get pics and supplies together of any pages that I wanna get done.

And I get all my games and stuff ready for me shifts.

 Inform DH that his role throughout the weekend is only to pass food to me under the door of the scrap room and not ask me for anything. 

Cimorosete wrote: My first crop was in February too and I didn't participate in any of the classes or challenges. i really didn't know what to expect. But with experiencing my first crop and now to all the suggestions you lovely ladies have provided. I am going to try my hand at least one class and one challenge.  I try not to set my goals too high. However, I am anticpating this being a hoot and I'm sure I will be particpating in more.

That weekend I just happened to be shopping for supplies.  I had been ordering from ACOT for nearly a year, but that was it.  So, I kinda jumped into the crop.  I could not keep up, just tried a few bingo and other little games but getting any challenges done was impossible!  Now the May crop, that was another story!  I was ready to roll for that one!  I think I ended up getting 11 challenges done.  I did not do any fast scraps, that was a little too much because I love the bingo games also. I think I played a few other ganes here and there and slept about 3 hours each Friday and Saturday nights.  It was the BOMB!   

ScrapGoo wrote: Inform DH that his role throughout the weekend is only to pass food to me under the door of the scrap room and not ask me for anything. 

LOL!!!  So true!  This is one of the few times I am glad to be single!  My ds will be away on vacation with his gf (jenniemae) and her family and they will return sometime Saturday of the crop weekend so Jen is hoping to jump right into the crop.  I am trying to get her prepared so she can have some fun and not feel too stressed at her first crop. 

 Cynde--I like the finger exercises idea!

I have to practice my typing, just like back in school, so that when I am frantically trying to respond to someone I'll be able to.

Lot's and lots of caffeine, peanut m&ms, and nuts.

Prepare meals ahead...get cash from ATM so kids can fend for themselves when they eat all pre prepared meals.

Get out thesauraus, so when I'm praising, everything is not just "Great"!

 Ooohh Laura... I love the caffeine and M&M peanut idea. Hopefully my dh won't be so needy that weekend. I guess I should warn him now.

Laura Fiore wrote: 

Get out thesauraus, so when I'm praising, everything is not just "Great"!

  That's a good one!!

I am doing the same thing you have all listed with the exception of one thing I haven't seen listed yet...CHILL THE WINE!  And get all the fixin's to make sangrias. 

And FYI - Xyron refills are 40% off at J's right now.  Actually most of their SBing stuff is...so I got some glue dots for 40% off too.

Get rid of the family. (I usually try to convince dh to visit my MIL with the kids )
Coffee
Wine
Water
Snacks (something sweet, something salty)
Music
Scrapbook supplies - I scrap some.

 Ha ha - Jess, I love it!  Yeah, Phil definitely learned that one the hard way!

My best tip is to print any and every photo you have beforehand!  It seems I'm always searching for particular photos to complete the challenges & things!