Jill's
Place Home - July 12, 2004
Totes
for the Home-Based or Mobile Scrapper:
A Peek into the Lives and Totes of Two
Pro Scrappers
By Jill Davis
With
help from Beth Rogers and Heather Butcher
Whether your scrapbooking tote is a
wheeled suitcase, crate, or tote designed specifically
for scrapbooking, it's how you use it and organize it
that makes it a pleasure or a nuisance to work with.
Some scrappers use their totes as their home scrap station;
utilizing their portability to move from room to room.
Others use them to travel across town or around the
globe.
Totes
come in an assortment of styles, colors, and sizes.
Through the years I've seen them evolve from cardboard
boxes to lightweight, roomy, durable, mega organizers
with all of the pockets and loops you could possibly
need. Essentially, totes have evolved to what they are
today because of the needs of scrapbookers. We needed
portable, convenient places to store supplies and tools.
Tote manufacturers have made our scrapping lives easier,
more functional, and definitely more comfortable.
Through
the years, I've identified several scrapbooking personalities.
Following are four general personalities and how they
relate to totes, scrapbooking styles, preferences and
purchases.
| What's
my scrapbooking personality? |
The
"Observer"
-- Doesn't participate in scrapbooking, but appreciates
what scrapbookers do and what they accomplish. |
|
The
"Collector"
-- Loves to purchase scrapbooking products.
-- Often has a tote to store all or some of their
treasures in.
-- Makes purchases based on wants vs. needs.
-- May have a secret desire to scrapbook but wants
to have everything they think they'll need before
they start.
|
The
"Solo" Scrapper
-- Likes to create and scrapbook in the quiet and
comfort of their own home.
-- May scrapbook alone because they don't have anyone
to scrapbook with.
-- Is primarily a "Home-Based Scrapper" but may
need to be a "Mobile Scrapper" at times too.
-- Can have problems when they must dismantle their
home set up to pack a tote for a few hours of time
away. |
The
"Social" Scrapper
-- Loves to attend crops, workshops, and retail
conventions.
-- Is usually a "Mobile Scrapper" and has at least
one large tote.
-- Uses their tote at home and on the go.
-- May have problems stemming from lack of organization,
inadequate functionality or the physical stress
of hauling a heavy portable "studio.
|
Now
that you know a little more about scrapbook personalities,
think about your personal tote preferences and personality
as we explore the scrapbooking lives of two professional
scrapbookers.
The
Home-Based Scrapbooker
I'm the President and Founder of Scrapbook.com and a
Solo, Home-Based Scrapbooker. I have an organized scrap
space at home where I prefer to scrap, but I need to
be mobile sometimes, too.
| How
do I use a tote if I'm a Home-Based
Scrapper? |
|
If
you scrapbook primarily at home, I suggest organizing
your scrap space so you can work efficiently there.
Then, have a tote to accommodate your needs for
those occasional times you take a class or attend
a crop. A tote can also help you organize your
scrap space so you'll have items you use most
frequently in one location. A large tote can be
a great home storage solution.
If
you don't have a room designated for scrapping,
keeping all of your scrapbooking items handy and
organized can be a challenge. Totes are especially
helpful for Home-Based scrappers who must have
a nomadic scrap space. Some totes have a ridged
top that serves as additional workspace. You can
easily roll a wheeled tote across the room, into
another room; store it under a table or in the
back of the chair space of a desk.
Make
sure your main tote is large enough to hold albums,
supplies, and tools. Totes can be very heavy when
full and getting them around your house or in
and out of your car can be a strain on your back.
Keep this in mind when you make your purchases.
Wheels can be a lifesaver, so make sure they are
a feature on one of your main totes.
|
I
have three totes that travel with me:
Jill's
Teaching Tote:
Crop-In-Style
XXL
My mega tote on steroids for teaching
and crops.
|
|
Jill's
Class Tote:
Cropper
Hopper Class Pack
For classes I attend and classes I teach
(Stores
conveniently on top of or inside my XXL).
|
|
Jill's
Convention / Trade Show Tote:
EK
Success Scutto
Great for trade shows and an alternative to
my XXL for crops.
|
Jill's
Teaching Tote: Crop-In-Style's XXL with Cropper
Hopper Class Pack
The contents of my XXL
change as my classes do, so my thoughts about organization
within this tote are flexible.
Click
here to see contents
Jill's
Class Tote: Cropper Hopper's Class Pack
My Class
Pack is filled with tools and supplies that are
duplicates of what I have in my scrap space at home.
Having duplicates alleviates any disruption to the flow
of my scrap space if I were to lose something in transit.
Click
here to see contents
Jill's
Trade Show / Convention Tote: EK Success Scutto
The Scutto
tote is trim line, has wheels, is collapsible, and is
the perfect trade show tote for me. It travels extremely
well. I can even put it in the overhead bin of the airplane
on the return flight. If
you check this tote on an airplane there is a possibility
of damage to the wheels. I keep my Scutto clutter free
and full of convention oriented supplies. That's because
there has to be space to accommodate hundreds of catalogs,
order forms, and samples collected at shows.
Click
here to see contents
Jill's
Crop Tote: Emptied Crop-In-Style XXL
When I go to crops
the containers from my teaching tote go onto a shelf
to make room for my Class Tote and other items I want
to take with me. I'll often use my Scutto if it's available.
I don't take layouts to complete to crops anymore because
I do my best work at home. I now go to visit with friends
and exchange ideas. My Pages In Progress Notebooks help
me keep the layouts I'm working on organized and in
one place. They used to go to crops with me (I'd grab
a notebook, see what tools I'd need to finish the layouts,
and load my tote) but now they stay home.
Click
here to see contents
|
What
is a Pages in Progress Notebook? - A notebook
or album that holds 1-25 full page protectors.
Each page protector has everything needed for
one specific layout, making it easy to construct
and create layouts because everything is in one
place:
- Photos
- Cardstock
and/or patterned paper
- Journaling
and layout ideas on Post-it note (attached outside)
- Embellishments:
eyelets, fibers, buttons, die cuts, etc.
|
Conclusion:
Because I know that I'm a Home-Based Scrapper I'm much
happier, can make wiser purchases and am more productive.
By keeping most of my supplies and equipment in my scrap
space I save time and am more organized.
The
Mobile Scrapbooker
Beth
Rogers, the Purchasing Manager at Scrapbook.com, is
a Social, Mobile Scrapbooker. Her dual-site system is
designed so she can easily scrapbook from her totes
at crops or from her home scrap space. Beth has packed
totes for weekend retreats, conventions, a scrapbook
cruise and regular crops at friend's homes and stores.
Because she knows she's a mobile scrapper, she organizes
her home scrap space to work in conjunction with her
portable totes.
| What
do I put in my tote if I'm a Mobile Scrapper? |
Your
totes should have everything in them that you'll
need to design layouts. Pack them like you would
a suitcase for an international flight, efficient
and light. Taking everything you own to a crop or
class isn't necessary to get a few layouts completed.
Organize your totes using a container system that
will allow you to easily return your supplies back
to your shelves at home or keep them in your tote
if they need to stay there. Purchase tools that
are lightweight and small and keep them in theme
applicable containers. Look at the storage solutions
of other scrappers at crops. Be aware that you'll
need to update your totes when your interests and
needs change. Here are Beth's suggestions for beginning
mobile scrappers:
- Think
big. Purchase a tote larger than you think
you'll need. You'll grow into a larger tote
in less time than you originally thought.
- Store
like items in the same container. Put all
tools in one container or in a technique-specific
container i.e., store your eyelets and eyelet
setting equipment in one container if you use
eyelets frequently. Put adhesives in one container,
and chalk in another. To find just the right
container, keep your eyes open at scrapbook
stores, sporting goods stores, or discount stores.
- Label
every container. A brief description of
the container contents on a label can save you
time and energy. Place labels where you can
see them from your shelves and inside your tote.
Click
here for image
|
|
 Tip:
"I carry an Art
Bin to crops. Embellishments and tools fit
in the containers and I can open the back pocket
and put my trimmer in. The pocket is deep enough
so that the trimmer doesn't fall out."
- Heather Butcher, veteran scrapbooker
Note:
The Crop-In-Style Itty Bitty Boxes hold tiny embellishments
and fit well into the sections of the Art Bin
and many other containers
|
I
could try to explain how Beth is so skilled at being
a Mobile Scrapper, but it wouldn't be nearly as helpful
as showing you. Keep in mind as you view the following
images that Beth's system allows her to be an effective
Mobile Scrapper as well as a Home-Based Scrapper.
How do Beth's totes and containers
fit into her home scrap space?
Click here to view slide show
How does Beth pack her Crop
In Style XXL tote so it's ready to go at any time?
Side and top pockets hold pens,
punches, adhesives, swatch ring, and more. Click
here for image
Main compartment holds paper
trimmers, drink caddy, embossing powders, template notebook
and other supply containers. Click
here for image
How does Beth arrange her
totes in her vehicle?
Click
here for image
How does Beth transport her totes from her vehicle
to the crop?
Every tote is assigned to a
hand, shoulder or a secure position on her XXL. Click
here for image
How does Beth set up her "spot" at the crop?
Beth's XXL tote is at her left
side and her drink is in a caddy. Click
here for image
How does Beth work in her
"spot"?
Completed layouts are at the
left of table so other scrappers can look at them as
Beth works. Click
here for image
What's in Beth's shoulder
tote?
Paper, alphabet stickers and
sketches notebook. Click
here for image
Alphabet stickers. Click
here for image
What's inside some of the
containers in Beth's XXL tote?
Click here to view slide show
How are some of Beth's embellishment
containers organized?
Click here to view slide show
These
are the totes and systems that work best for Beth
and me and as you can see, they are as unique and
individual as the people who use them. Our hope is
that our sharing will give you some new ideas and
insight for better scrapping experiences. Following
are links to other totes that could become your personal
favorites:
Totes
Available at Scrapbook.com
Whether
you're a Mobile Scrapper, a Home-Based Scrapper, or
a mixture of both there's a tote and system just right
for you. Are you wondering which tote is the best
one for you? It's the tote you will love using according
to your scrapbooking personality.
©
2004 Jill Davis
|
