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What to Take to a Crop or Scrapbooking and Crafty Classes

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You all helped me choose the bags I used!

Last week I drove up to Charlotte, NC to attend the Creating Keepsakes Convention.  I went last year, but I worked in a booth then.  This year I went just to take classes and shop.  I had so much fun!  I took eight different classes that ranged from mixed media to cardmaking and scrapbooking.  I came home exhausted, but inspired by many things I learned and saw.

(Here’s a link to part 1 and part 2 from my drive home last year, don’t miss the peach butt.)


Top of the craft carrier to ya!

Many of you who chat with me on Facebook (both the Joy Joyslife and Joy’s Life.com FB pages) were instrumental in helping me choose bags to carry to all my crafty classes.  THANK YOU!!  I bought a GIANT bag (see below) called the Crop In Style XXL Rolling Tote.  It was AWESOME.  It carried everything I needed (including the little bag above) and was a good match for the occasion since I had to travel with it as well as take piles of stuff back to my hotel in it.

Guess who hasn’t unpacked yet?

I have to say that this giant bag was a bit more than I needed AT TIMES.  A really large rolling tote can keep you from being able to take some escalators (it happened to me).  They also can’t go on the show floor (where you shop).  If you are attending a show like I did there is probably a place to park your bag for a small fee.  I paid $10 for 2 days of come and go tote parking.  Although I’m glad I had this rolling tote for this particular occasion, I strongly suggest you consider buying a bag you can carry.  That way you won’t crush people, have to look for elevators, pay to park (so to speak) AND you can more easily fit it into your class space.  I will say that the top of my bag was sturdy enough to act as a second table space for me and that was super helpful in some of my classes.  The best thing about this bag?  It kept my 12×12 cardstock in perfect condition.  I also bought 12×12 Plastic Paper Holders (like those, but I bought them at Michael’s in a pack of 10 or 12) to hold my projects, instructions and goodies from each class.  It was great being able to keep each class together in that way and my rolling tote held it all.  In this big  tote I also carried my ATG Gun,Fabri Tac adhesive, my trimmer, some of my stamps, ink pads, stamp blocks, my small Crop-A-Dile,Zutter Corner Rounder,some basic punches and extra adhesive.  Throughout my time in NC, I used almost everything I took.


I bought this pink carrier at Michael’s for about $12.

In my tabletop tote I carried a lot of things!  Pop dots are a must.  I love those Zots Clear Adhesive Dots too.  They provide a nice hold for many things including ribbon and embellishments.  They make a 3D Zot that you might love like I do.  That tiny thing on the left is a paper piercing template.  I needed a paper piercing mat, so I took that.  Those tools in the top left are files that can be used for a variety of piercing, sanding and poking things.  Have you ever tried the Tiny Attacher?  It’s a great little stapler.  Here’s a post I wrote about it.  I also carried Zip Dry Paper Glue and a sanding block.


But wait!  There’s more!

Several of my classes asked that I bring a white gel pen, black pen and a brown pen.  I added some extra pens for writing or sharing.  You always need to take scissors.  My favorites are Tonic Studios Tim Holtz Scissors and Ek Success Cutter Bee Scissors.  I’m also carrying a squeegee, bone folder, Exacto knife + extra blades and EK Success Tweezer Bee tweezers.


Adhesives can get you into sticky situations.  Ba da dum!!

You might want to carry these things in your bag too.  I used everything except the Sakura Quickie Glue Roller Penduring my classes.  I used that glue pen in a make and take that I tried on the show floor.  I liked it so much I bought one.  Later I realized I already had one at home.  Good grief.  It happens, right?

Well, that’s about it for now.  I hope this helped you if you’re on your way to a crop, class or crafty time away.  If you’re going to a Cricut Circle crop don’t forget to make calling cards!  Here’s how I made mine.

I WISH YOU A HAPPY DAY!!

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Comments

  1. Great advise Joy! I will be attending one of 2 crops that will be held in my area in October, but I don't know which one yet. This information came in very handy. I've never attended big crops, so I wondered about this sort of stuff.

  2. Thanks so much for this post. I'm looking into getting some storage that I can also use to take to crops and this was very helpful! I have a huge Thirty-One bag that I carry but it doesn't close on the top. I have gone to little crops right here in my town and usually take my Cricut Expression. I"m thinking of getting a Create to take to such things. Any suggestions about this?

    • Hey RachelMarie, I toted my Cricut Expression with me to the Circle Crop I attended last Spring by tying it to the top of a laptop bag. Ugly, but useful. Now that I have that new XXL rolling tote bag, I was able to sit my Cricut Expression on top of the bag and roll it into my hotel. I didn't take it to the classes with me because I wasn't doing the crop at night. My suggestion about buying a Create (or the Personal) is that it's a good idea! It's small enough to easily carry, doesn't take up as much room on the table and you can find them at a fairly low price these days. Just remember when you take it to carry your mats and an extension cord. ;) Guess who forgot mats last week? Yep. That would be me. I had to buy them at the show. Then I never even used my Expression because when I got back to my hotel I was too worn out! LOL! BTW, everyone I've talked to highly recommended the Thirty-One bags to me. I'm going to have to check those out so I can get one to carry too. :) Let me know if you have any more questions. :) ~Joy~

  3. I have that same bag! The rolling tote that is! LOL I LOVE using it for my monthly crops... I also keep a bunch of stuff stored in it when I'm not at a crop... great for storage! ;) Theresa

  4. I have that bag too - but sadly haven't been to a crop in a few years. I live in Raleigh, nc so I will need to watch for it next year! Maybe I can meet you there. Thanks for the tips! I love the pink holder. May have to go get me one! Laurie

  5. Joy-You should definitely check out Thirty-One bags, they are fabulous. Thanks for the advice. I think the Create will be my next purchase. I've found them very reasonable. As for forgetting your mats, I'm right there with ya. I forgot my Expression cord at the last crop I went to. Thankfully it was just an evening crop at my church LOL. Thanks again! Rachel

  8. Joy....it sounds like you had everything you needed (and more) for your crop! Thanks for letting us know what you took and found most helpful. I don't do many crops but for a while worked the Conventions for Pazzles. I'm so glad you took my suggestion on getting something to hold 12x12 papers from classes in or papers you may purchase. You wouldn't want your projects to get bent or crushed! Looking forward to seeing what you made in the classes! I plan to go to the CKC in Cincinnati in October.

  9. love the idea...never thought about spray-painting flowers..as I'm always on the look-out for black flowers for that "over 40 birthday" person. Also, DON'T get rid of the chair. Spray paint it black, too, and use it to set up a Halloween display...like...stuff a long-sleeved shirt, stuff a pair of pants, use a (not real) pumpkin for a head, add a hat, add stuffed gloves in the ends of the sleeves and a pair of boots at the ends of the pants legs. I did this one year and the neighbors absolutely "loved" it.