Build A Kit

Stuff to Scrap is introducing a new type of product for 2010 - Build Your Own Kit. Pick up the pieces you need to make a kit that has just the stuff YOU like. Click the flyer to be taken to the Build A Kit section of the store - and scroll down to see what Nibbles Skribbles has contributed!

My contributions will only be available in January so if you like them, grab them!

Resolutions Part 2: Work

Beyond my goals (resolutions) for my personal life, I think it's a good idea for me to set some goals for my work life as well.

1. Actually take a lunch break. Most days I eat at my desk and work through lunch. Maybe I will bring a book and read for awhile or run errands over lunch, just do something that won't allow me to work during lunch. So I need to be away from my computer so I'm not answering calls or checking email. I get an hour for lunch, I will start with trying to take 30 minutes each day.

2. Get more organized. Go through my files and clean out old stuff, both on the computer and in my desk. Working on 2-3 campaigns at a time allows me to just toss stuff somewhere to get it out of the way. To accomplish this, 15 minutes before I leave each day I will take the time to put away all projects.

3. De-clutter. I have so much crap around my office, it's a mess! I will start by moving things that I don't need in here to their proper place -either the storage closet or work room. I can walk down the hall if I need envelopes or letterhead, I don't need it all in my office all the time. This will also be accomplished with goal 2: putting everything away at the end of the day.

4. Be on top of things. I am really bad about turning in expense reports, filling out my time sheet and tracking my time off. I need to get into a routine of doing these things more often. I will set a calendar reminder for my time sheet to go off an hour before I leave each day and another to go off on Friday afternoons for my expense reports. I am using a red pen on my personal calendar to mark my time off by what type of time I am taking to make it easier to track.

And there you go, 4 goals for my work life for the new year.

Project 365: Week One

Like many others, I am attempting project 365. I think with all of the people in blogland participating it will help keep me accountable. I have decided that my weeks will run Monday-Sunday (allowing me to scrap the page/s over the weekend). Since 2009 started on a Thursday, the first layout is a smaller one. I think this is going to be an interesting project, and I am looking forward to having an entire years worth of memories to look back on.

Top: Adam on new years day

Left to Right: My hallway, finally clean of laundry after months of piles on the floor, Brie taking a nap and me on a really, really bad day.

The Scrapping Tree

I am really excited to be a part of a Creative Team for The Scrapping Tree Designs! Vero does some amazing work and I am really excited to get to work with all of her kits! I created this layout using her portion of the New Year's Glitz convoy (which is still available for free: click the previews to be taken there now)!

My LayoutThe Girls and I ringing in new year's 2008

How I Organize my Scrap files

I've noticed a lot of talk these days on scrap kit organization. It took me awhile to figure out how to go about doing my stuff, but I finally found a system that I like - so I thought I would try to share.

I am writing these as a step by step instruction sheet - I have added some commentary throughout, noted by a *

Step 1: Consolidate Files

Divide the kit into three separate folders titled:

1) Papers

2) Elements

3)Designer_KitName_Alpha (For alphabet files)

*If the kit comes with other stuff that doesn't fit these categories, create folders for each or one called "More" or "Other" the main reason I use these names is that all of my kits are filed the same way, which makes it much easier to find what I need.

Step 2: File Papers and Elements

Find the place you plan to store your kit. Create a folder called "Designer Name", and inside that folder create a folder called "Kit Name". Put the Paper and Elements folders in the kit folder.

You should have a path that looks like this

Designer Name --> Kit Name -->Paper/Elements

*I download all of my kits to one folder and they stay there until I am ready to put them away. This folder is in a separate location then the one I keep everything in.

Step 3: File Alpha

Go back to the place you store your kits, this time instead of creating a folder called "Designer" create once called "_Alphabets" and place the Designer_KitName_Alpha folder inside.

**Note I organize my alphabets by color, so I place the folder in the correct color folder too.

Want to be insane like me? Follow these additional steps!

Step 1a: (Prior to step 1) Find the Preview

*If you had multiple downloads for the same kit, chances are you have multiple copies of the preview (and TOU file). Delete the duplicates and place you preview file in a folder called "Kits to File" These files may not be large in size, but if you have 100 kits with 3 downloads/kit that means you have 3 copies of each preview, 200 more then you need and that is a lot of space!

Step 5: List Kit

Create an Excel spreadsheet with the following columns and fill in the rows for the kit you just filed away:

Designer - The name of the designer, this should match the name you put on the folder in Step 2

Abbreviation - This is optional, I find that some designers have really long names. This bugs me on my Alpha folders, so I often use an abbreviation (many designers with long names have them already). Ex. A Work in Progress = AWP

Kit Name - The name of the kit, this should also match what you used in step 2.

Alpha - Does the kit have an alpha with it? If so, put an x in this column

Step 6: File Preview

Much like filing the kit, start by creating a folder called "Previews" inside this folder create another folder called "Designer Name" and inside that folder put the preview file that you have in "Kits to File"

*Note: I use the "Kits to File" folder because I don't put each kit away immediately. I also don't move the preview out of this folder until I have it accounted for in my spreadsheet. You may find this an unnecessary step.

*I also want to create and print contact sheets of the previews. I just haven't decided the best way to do this yet as I add to each folder on a regular basis!

I also have a few additional columns in my spreadsheet that may help you, but are not as important and the ones above (in my mind).

Add On: I put an x in this folder if the kit is an add on to another designers work. I actually file the Add On Kit in the folder of the designer who made the original kit so I have easy access to it if I am designing with that kit. I simply name the folder of the Add On "Kit Name Add On by Designer"

Quick Page: If the kit has a quick page that I downloaded, I note this with an x. I file the QP's in the same way I file Paper and Elements in a folder called Quick Pages.

Please, let me know if you have any questions!! Good luck organizing your Scrapping Stuff!