What in the heck is a "crop"?

What in the heck is a "crop"? Is it a class? Is there an instructor/teacher? These were the kind of questions that Mark and others asked me when I signed up for this crop.  I had never attended one so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I actually googled "what happens at a crop" because I was afraid that I would show up without the right tools, etc.  I took enough stuff to make 10 pages or so and my basic tools - cutter, scissors, adhesives, paper
. . .and most importantly diet pepsis with a screw top lid (so I wouldn't spill it on a project - you can see one in the top middle of this photo).  On the first day, I was finally able to scrap about the proposal.  I thought those two pages turned out just the way I wanted them to look.  I love the orange and blue papers.

I think it is so funny that my feet are in the picture above - I was trying to get a shot of the two page layout.  You can also see the edge of my trash can.  Each person had their own trash can.  Great idea.  Each person was also allotted half of a table.  You can see in this picture that some people actually have suitcases specially designed to hold all their equipment.  That is my blue and green "sack" under the table . . .needless to say, I don't have a scrapbooking suitcase and I'm not sure that I need one.

This crop was so convenient for me.  It was held in the clubhouse of the neighborhood right next to ours.  It was a nice location and I was actually able to run home to get something that I had forgotten.  Designing a page and getting it on paper is a messy thing for me.  I always have paper spread out everywhere.  It was kind of nice that I only had half a table - I was forced to keep my mess to a minimum.  Really?  A minimum?  That is a minimum?  Yes, it is.  Believe me, it is!!

I finished the Halloween layout (above) as my last project on Friday night.  The lady sitting across from me thought that I had a kit for the page.  Her comment made me feel good about my layouts!!  A kit is a pre-packaged layout with all the pieces.  All the person has to do is glue it down and pick out some pictures to use on the page.  This was not a kit.  This came from my own little head and my own little cutter.  I have a silhouette SD and I sure would love to get the silhouette cameo.  I think that is what I'm saving for now.  I have a little bitty savings account through the credit union and I save until I have enough money to buy a new toy.  Last purchase was the lens for my camera.

I didn't know a single person who attended the crop.  I had met India, the owner of Scrapbook Mania, and I follow her on facebook which is how I learned of the crop.  If you know me well, you know that this is the only time I am ever shy . . .when I'm the only person I know.  I actually did a lot of listening and not much talking over the course of two days.  Which was a good thing because I was very productive.  Of course, I am one of those people who the faster I talk, the faster I work . . .right?  When I was making the fishing page above, one of the ladies said, "you sure do like orange."  I didn't realize it but all my lay outs had some hint of orange - big or small.

I met some really nice ladies.

The girl in the pink shirt was sitting directly across from me.  You can't see her, but her mother was sitting right beside her.  Her mother was visiting in Alabama from another state and they came to the crop together.  Her mother was brand new to scrapbooking.  They were both very nice.  I can't imagine having a mother at all at this age much less having one to share a hobby with.  That is so cool.

These two ladies were sitting to my left and I really enjoyed chatting with them.  They were also very talented and I loved looking at their pages.  I think one of the most important things I learned is that my pages are just fine.  I have always worried because my pages do not look like the pages in the magazines and on websites so I sort of thought that my pages were "wrong."  The nice lady sitting beside me reminded me that I make these pages for myself.  If they are pleasing to me, who cares what anyone else thinks!!  That thought was and is so liberating!!!

Since the crop, I've only had enough time to scrap a few more pages.  I keep thinking that I should have more time for hobbies.  My goodness, I'm a middle-aged momma with no kids at home . . .where does my time go?  I enjoyed having designated time for scrapbooking so much that I am going to plan a crop and host it at Trinity.  I've already received approval and now I just have to find a date and make some plans!!  Where does my time go?