10 things on the 10th - June

I've been away the past few days in sunnier climes and whilst I've not been in a scrapping mood at home the fact that I can't even see my stash has definitely been a case of "absence makes the heart grow fonder"!

It got me thinking to how I could scrap more on the go and so I've come up with ten top tips for myself to put into practice whether I'm scrapping in the garden, away at my parents' house or in the Med!  Maybe these might help you too if you are struggling with the same dilemma...

1. Page kits - I'm currently doing Shimelle's latest class, Cover To Cover, and this has given me real inspiration to plan more page kits for specific pages in albums. I'm definitely going to crack on with this as soon as I get home.

2. My Smash book - I made my own version of a smash book by covering some chipboard and cutting up some old papers for the pages. I just need to do an load of punching for some home made die cuts and then I can pack this with a pen, some stickers and a roll of washi and I'm good to go! I have loads of little bits to stick in it and it would be ideal to stick in my suitcase if flying somewhere.

3. Take a prepared mini album - I did this for Florida with a paper bag album and at the end of the holiday it stored all our tickets and maps. It also had two tags for every day which each of the kids wrote their favourite memory of the day on. I think I may make something similar for my girlie weekend to Edinburgh in the Autumn. Whilst there isn't a lot of down time (see below) there is the train journey home and I will get all my friends to contribute to the album at this point. Now none of these girls scrap. Some think what I do is amazing but they could never do it, some think I've lost the plot. So this will certainly be an interesting exercise! But these ladies are a big part of my life and so having their thoughts in my album is very important to me.

4. Find the down time - and use it! Thinking of scrapping while away at first made me think I would miss out on something but there is always some point of the trip when I can grab 20 minutes. It may be the time I use to read or whilst I am chatting to my mum. Or on the train as already mentioned. But I will find the time!

5. Keep my tool bag ready - all this mulling over scrapping on the go also got me thinking about at home. Often I don't scrap because I want to be with the rest of the family watching something on tv or I don't want to miss the lovely weather in the garden, so having my tool bag at the ready (and the page kit I will have prepared earlier!) with a couple of punches thrown in it, I will now be able to scrap wherever and whenever I want :)

6. Use a monthly kit - Once when I travelled to my parents in the school holidays for a short stay I took a monthly kit that had just arrived and some basic tools.  Imanaged 4 pages while I was there without even thinking!  I still have a fair few kits to use up but I may treat myself to one next time I head off to Berkshire ;-)  Gotta Craft have some lovely ones as do Bellaboo

7. Take a journal - I know there I things that I miss when I am away or things that we do that I can't remember when I get back in full detail. I need to take a journal with me to make notes of these things so I can tell the story when I return.

8. Work on a mini album - I have one of these in mind for a special Christmas present for a relative so maybe now is the time to get planning and sorting so that I can just grab it and go when I want to scrap somewhere else other than my desk.

9. Preparation is key!  A lot mentioned above involves time to prepare.  Whether it be packing page kits, ensuring my tote is all packed or getting photos printed.  But I know that if I get this bit right I will be able to scrap on the go much more than I do.

10. Don't sweat the small stuff! - So I make a page and I don't have the perfect embellishment to complete it.  I will NOT panic!  I can just leave it until I get home, when I have access to everything I need.  The main thing is I will have completed the majority of yet another page and recorded yet another memory :)

Hope you've enjoyed my ten things on the tenth.  If you want to read more then hop over to Shimelle's blog to see what everyone else has posted about this month....