How to plan a Scrapbook Getaway

I told you about how we were rushing to get home from the west coast after the storm Stella, right? Well, maybe you were thinking "what's the rush? why rush home from 90 degree weather to be freezing in the teens?!" or maybe you thought "ah... they must have to get back to work". Well, no. Not at all. The reason I was in a hurry to get home wasn't because I had to work (I have 2 weeks off this month; Sean works on a computer and can pretty much be anywhere). It definitely wasn't because we love the cold weather or the snow. And as much as we love our cats -- we knew they were well taken care of. :)

No, no -- the reason we were rushing home was because every year I plan a scrapbook weekend (Thursday-Sunday) for 10 women, in the White Mountains of NH about 3 hours away from where I live, and our cancelled flights were jeopardizing my plans! To say that I was upset about this would have been an understatement. I did end up missing one night but I eventually got there and carried on the tradition of raffles, giveaways, prizes and break-out sessions. If you craft, I highly recommend starting up this tradition with fellow crafters. Here's how:

1. Find your people: The biggest part of any plan is having people who will show up. I've found the more people who come, the cheaper it is for all. But of course you need enough beds and enough bathrooms. For my group there are some family members, some friends, and some friends of friends who have become friends. It's a really tight group and we've been going as our own group for 5 years -- though we broke off from a larger group before that so we've been doing this for longer. Everyone doesn't need to do the same craft either -- with table space and lighting (and internet) you can pretty much do anything. Some people relax, others scrap, some read, and some enjoy the resort amenities like the pool and the gym. It doesn't have to be all work all the time. So think of your family members and friends. Anyone stick out that may seem interested in a crafty-getaway? Ask them!

2. Find a location: I like to scrapbook, others like paper crafts, or painting or knitting -- just something creative with your hands. You need a space to do such things and the most important things the place needs to have is good table space and really good lighting. I've attended lots of scrapbook days at various places -- hotels, churches, people's houses but the place we go for the weekend rents out condos (they call them the scrapbook condos) and it's basically 2-adjoining condos (6 bedrooms & 3 bathrooms). One living room is set up for scrapbooking and the other has comfy couches, a tv and a fireplace to get away to relax. There are 2 kitchens too BUT our meals are included in the cost of the getaway so we actually get breakfast and dinner at the resort's restaurant. As soon as you're back in the condo -- you can scrap away, take breaks and go back at 2AM because that's why you're there! No need to clean up at the end of the day. It's 4 days of fun. Depending on how long you are planning to go you can contact places near and far with your exact requests to see if they can fulfill them. I like the place we go because they set-up all the tables/chairs and lights for us, but you could make it work if you rented a house and brought your own tables and chairs, too.

3. Plan some fun: Like anything you host -- it's always fun to add a little extra for your guests. My mom helps me plan, shop and coordinate but we put together welcome bags for everybody and plan raffles and prizes, too. Generally raffles are smaller gifts and I pull a name out of a jar a few times each day. It goes something like "raffle time!!!" and everyone kind of jokingly oohs and ahhs over a paper pad or adhesive. Prizes are larger gifts and for that I also pull names out of a jar. Sometimes we do "in your seat raffles" which means if you're not sitting/working and your name is pulled -- you miss out (we never actually follow that rules, it's just fun), and sometimes we do "finish a page" raffles where you put your name in a different jar every time you finish a page in your scrapbook (the more your scrap, the more of a winning chance)... and we do a larger, "grand prize" on the final day of the weekend. Here is some of what we gave out this year.

Some items in the welcome bags:

// hand lotion // washi tape // photo holder // scrapbooking tape // moroccan oil //

 Some prizes:

// heart punch // alphabet punch board // accordion book kit //

// paisley pop paper pad //

// country farm house // calendar kit (similar) //

I buy some stuff from Amazon, some from Michaels and AC Moore and sometimes JoAnn Fabrics has some good deals. Always get their apps and use their coupons and ALWAYS check their sales during Black Friday. Sometimes we buy stuff well in advance and hold on to it in anticipation.

In addition to all the loot, we plan and teach "break-out sessions" and provide "make-and-takes" for everybody. I was totally unprepared for this, this year, because of the flight situation, but my mom and a friend totally saved the day. "Make-and-takes" are quick projects where we supply all the materials and "break-out sessions" are longer lessons where we tell people ahead of time what they should bring and then we teach the class on one of the days. This year we made this, this and these. Pinterest is an amazing place to find these types of projects and you can watch youtube videos, too.

And then of course, my favorite part of the weekend is when a chair masseuse comes to the condos to give massages. It's always good to treat yourself and your guests!

All in all, you just really need company, a place and a few projects! And then you can scrap for as long as you'd like!

Scrapbooks.

I've decided to make an album of pictures from our first year being married.From July 2011-July 2012. Obviously, I could make this myself but in an effort to spend a little less I've decided to order one. I don't understand why it takes more money to do things yourself...

But anyway.

I've used Shutterfly, Blurb, and Snapfish, in the past. And I've loved all the books I've gotten. I also develop pictures from Clark, and the obvious... walmart, walgreens, cvs, etc.

But I wanted something new.

So I started browsing.

The first thing I was told about that seems AMAZING is:

Printstagram.

They'll take all your instagram pictures and put them in a cute little book. 100 pictures for $12! I think that's worth it because if you've ever tried to get those babies developed they look awful and are all disproportional. It's sad. 

BUT THOSE TEENY TINY BOOKS! I can't wait to get one. But I don't think it's right for this kind of project since you can't put the photos in a specific order. But when I'm ready to make a book of Apollo... I know just where I'll go.

The next thing I found was Mixbook. And I was hooked. I worked with it for hours last night (thanks, summer vacation!) and I only got to the month of January. It's so easy, and personalized. You can really do anything. Here's the screen shot of our month of July:

 I love it so much. 

It takes a while to do, clearly.

I can't wait!

Our weekend.

This weekend was a busy one! I began and finished our honeymoon album on Saturday (a good 12 hours of scrapbooking!). Here's a sneak peek:

On Sunday, we went to Ikea and bought lots & lots of stuff!

Last night, we watched the Superbowl and well, we all know how that turned out... so there really wasn't a good time to take any happy photos. We live in Patriots nation and when Boston sport teams lose -- it's not a good time for anyone.

Scrapbooking... Ireland

On Saturday, I'm off for a full day of scrapbooking - literally, from 9AM-midnight. I've decided to use this day to prepare for my upcoming scrapbook weekend (in April) since whenever I try to get ready while at home I end up doing other things. 

I already know that I'll use this time in April to make my honeymoon album so I've been looking through my pictures from our honeymoon to find some pictures to order. Well, I couldn't decide on some and just decided to order all of them -- all 1,100. Yes, we took lots of pictures.

I ordered them through clarkcolor.com for .04 cents each. I got all my pictures for about $45.

Now, comes the really hard part of organizing and choosing which ones go in the album.

We enjoyed Ireland so much and cannot wait to go back... someday!

Shutterfly

After our wedding, I got an email from The Knot telling me that if I reviewed 5 of our vendors I would get a coupon code for a FREE 8x8 album through:

I reviewed five and sure enough, they emailed me a coupon code and everything seemed pretty legit. Well, I completely forgot about it and just realized that I only have a few more days before the coupon code expires! So, tonight Sean and I are going to design our first wedding scrapbook :) ... well he doesn't know that, yet. But it's going to be so much fun!

:)

Bridal shower scrapbook

Last Friday, I went on a scrapbook weekend in the White Mountains (New Hampshire). The idea is that you set up all your things on Friday when you arrive and can leave everything out (day and night) until you leave Sunday afternoon. You can scrap all day - all night. Anytime you want to. Pretty much the only time you stop is to go eat - which are meals that are included in your payment so no money is needed AT ALL. Your space, your hotel room and your meals are included in one bill and you don't have to think it. It's amazing.

If you're into scrapbooking... you should look into going away on one of these weekends. I love them ;)

I'm a relatively quick scrapper. I completed a number of things that I wanted to (thanks to power layouts) and one of my projects was to make my bridal shower scrapbook!

So... here it is. I love it and I spent about 13 hours putting it together.





















In order to make this book... I was at Michaels a lot. I don't like to buy things if they're not on sale... but luckily thanks to my DIY table numbers I had been going often and getting coupons every time. ;) I love coupons.

Blogging...

I've missed a couple of days on the blog.

Between this:

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... plus scrapbook weekend, work stuff, changing around our bedroom, and bad allergies... there's been a lot of attempting to catch up on sleep in between late nights and early mornings spent watching the news and searching news sites -- which means blogger (and wedding stuff) sort of got pushed aside... whoops!

But I'm back! I promise and I can't wait show you my bridal shower scrapbook that I made this weekend!

But since this is a wedding blog... and I haven't really commented on the royal wedding yet... I figured -- why not?!

Only a few days late ;)

I loved the royal wedding. I wasn't planning on watching. I was so far removed from all the hype -- I was like ehhh, whatever... what's the big deal?! I guess, I didn't get it.

And then all the sudden... Thursday night, I thought "wait, this IS a huge deal!"

And so I set my DVR to record, but since I was up at 4AM Friday morning anyways getting ready for work... I put it on. Right before I left I woke up Sean to say goodbye and asked him if he wanted me to leave on the tv for him to watch the royal wedding ;) he responded "nope". So apparently, he didn't get it either!

I got to work, brought it up on the computer by 6 and it was pretty great timing to watch her start walking down the aisle.

Can I just ask... HOW LONG WAS THAT AISLE? It seemed to take forever! I would have been so nervous.

Of course, she looked gorgeous. Her dress was beautiful, and her flowers were beautiful, and her makeup (that she apparently did herself?! what?!) looked beautiful -- but I have to say that my favorite part of her (other than herself)... was her veil:


I just loved it! Now, it's really not my style (read: mine looks NOTHING like this) but I loved it. I loved looking at it, I loved how it fell in all the right places, I loved the length, the style, the fabric -- literally, everything.

Love.

When scrapbooking meets wedding planning.

I'd like to think of myself as a dedicated scrapbooker. I have a closet filled with supplies, shelves lined with completed scrapbooks, and enjoy spending countless time and dollars at Michaels... oh, and remember that 3-day weekend I spent back in May doing this?

Well, part of being able to say that I have a closet filled with supplies -- from my countless time and money spent at Michaels [& other smaller scrapbook stores] is due in part because I buy things with absolutely no vision of how I'm ever going to use the newly purchased item. I look at something and think... "I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE SEE THIS AGAIN - I NEED TO BUY IT NOW". Which is kind of ridiculous, but in the moment feels so true.

So, a while back at a scrapbook store in Cape Cod, I bought a small accordion type "brag book" -- which is ultimately a small scrapbook with two cardboard pieces for the front & back cover and a long black [already creased] piece of cardstock that you attach to the cardboard pieces. After adding pictures and other small embellishments, you get your very own scrapbook with immediate satisfaction -- because it only takes about twenty-minutes to complete [assuming you've done your power layout, of course].

I've had this type of book for probably years and few months back, I saw it while organizing all my things and I put to the side with a strong hope that I would find pictures to fill it. Eventually, I brought it into the living room and put it beside me while doing something else. At some point, between looking at this brag book next to me and all my bridal magazines across the room... I had some type of epiphany.

What if I used my brag book as a wedding inspiration board to-go?

It's amazing!

It's not finished, yet! I still have about 5 more pages of free-space on the opposite side. I've been carrying around this small book everywhere I go... for months! Anytime someone asks anything about the wedding... I'm able to whip it out of my bag and say, "funny you asked!"




I've found my method of collecting magazine clippings and putting them into this book really works: for me. I love being able to carry it around everywhere. I love being able to take out the pictures I LOVE from all the magazines I have and being able to recycle those magazines faster... which means I buy myself more magazines quicker. And I love that I got use out of something I already owned.

It was perfect.

How cute...

[On a side note, don't mind the glare -- I'm not a "pro" at picture taking]

&

[Yes, the first few pages are technically pictures from before we were engaged -- but I love them]