30 minute page tips- Optimizing your scrap time

Hello there scrappy buddies!
I want to share a post that went up on the Scrap FX blog last weekend.
I took time to really research this because I'm currently trying to "optimize" my scrapping.
"Optimize" is corporate speak for increasing productivity.
WHY bring corporate culture into my scrap la-la-land?
Because in this case "productivity" means FUN TIME while "waste" is time NOT spent scrapping.

For this page I used Graphic 45 ABC collection paper- loove that grungy graph print! I also finally used some of my doily stash- see what re-organizing can do? I had completely forgotten these were around!

30 minute page tips

1. Use items from the same brand and line. ”DUUUH!” you say rolling your eyes. Here's the thing- I tend to cherry pick collections. I also tend to buy in spurts so my stash is arranged by orders instead of by item or brand.  Solution? Store items from the same collections together instead of separating things into categories like stickers, alphabets and embellishments. It doesn't hurt to try to arrange things by color as well but don't spend all your time trying to ROYGBIV your stuff- THAT is called procrastination- see item #6.

2. Set up your tools in advance. You want to use your sewing machine but it’s sitting in a box in the closet. You'd use your heat embossing gun more but it's a pain to unfurl the cord and find an empty socket. Solution? Give your machines pride of place. Put your paper in storage, you’ll need it anyway. Just make sure it's all in one place. If you store paper in three different areas you’ll tend to ignore the stuff that’s hard to get to.

Scrap FX lace tag set in red and String of lights model #2012261 

3. RUTHLESSLY CULL YOUR COLLECTION! This is the hardest part for me. I want to “collect” certain brands but I have a tiny room I share with my daughter so either she finds something and “uses” it or I find it AFTER I bought it again. So get rid of that old paper! It’s JUST PAPER! Yes, I KNOW you paid X amount for it! But it’s just sitting there taking up valuable living space. Donate tools and paper to a school, shelter, hospital or daycare center. Trust me- someone else will cherish it as much as you did.

4. Develop a personal “style kit”. Notice what tools or materials you use most and keep them in a box next to your work space. Tend to use a lot of gesso or twine? Keep that in your box. Don’t include "consumable" items like paper or stickers. Try to limit the box to items you see in a lot of your work. Every few months go over the items in the box and cull those as well. That butterfly punch no longer making it’s way into your pages? Storage! Maybe next year you’ll love it again!

LOVE this Scrap FX Bauble E Merry Christmas model #2012254

5. DO NOT scrap by the rules. NOTHING kills mojo like forcing yourself to scrap a photo you aren't ready for. Scrap the photos you are inspired by first. If that means pausing the lil one's birthday 2 pager- don't bother with guilt- SKIP IT. I am scrapping Christmas 2010 now because now those photos have meaning. Before I focused on the "flaws" and berated myself for not getting a perfect family shot. Meaning changes with time. Moments that seem everyday to you now take on huge personal significance later. Give yourself the time to reflect and you will be rewarded with scrapbooks that are more than pretty. If you're worried that you'll forget your first feelings about a moment, keep a photo journal. It doesn't have to be fancy- a sticky note on the back of the photo will do.  

6. Procrastinating habits: identify yours and stamp them out. Do you have a procrastinating ritual? Is it going on social media websites for “inspiration”? Time yourself. Pinterest? 15 minutes! Twitter? 10 minutes! Facebook? DON'T GO IN AT ALL! Facebook is the black hole of digital life. 

So what do you think?

Anything missing from this list? 

Before I thought this photo was boring and badly lit.
 Now I look at it and miss my baby! 

Thanks for swinging by!

Michelle

Go towards the light!!! Lighting MINI TUTE

FULL SUN- shot early morning with page lying flat on the ground and
shooting from directly above. Shadows add dimension without hiding details or distracting the eye.
Morning sun gives a nice gold tone to the page-  rising sun light is "cooler"-
more blue in tone- which is also nice. Notice the overall "tone" is darker as well- This page was lightened
in photoshop but still looks "darker" than the ones I will show you next.

I see this question in scrap forums and facebook A LOT.
When shooting your scrapbook pages or altered projects it best to use natural light.
Seriously- use. natural. light.

"But the only time I have for crafting is at night!" You say.
MAKE. TIME. 
Shooting your project is just as important as actually making it. A good photo can make a mediocre project shine but a great project will be ignored if the photo is bad.

So here's what you do: during your lunch break, whip out that LO and shoot it outside. Answer all the bewildered questions you get- maybe you'll make some new scrap friends!

"But I work in a public place with no privacy!" or my excuse-  "I have no 'lunch break'!!! I am a MOM!"
Shoot in natural light. Your babies/co-workers/the building wall are all camera assistants!
Ofcourse if you have a toddler like I do, you will need a distraction for him or her or they will tear your wonderful creation to pieces before your very eyes- and they will giggle as they stomp on the remains- but I don't have to tell YOU that!

SIDE LIGHT- shot inside with white card board opposite the light coming in from the window in
 order to bounce light onto the page. NOTICE THE VELUM IS MORE VISIBLE NOW.

"But it's snowing/hailing/raining kittens and it's due tomorrow!" (It's a card / gift OR you, like me, waited till the day before to complete your DT assignment/contest entry)
Ok that is a very legitimate concern!
TRY THIS: Bounce light tutorial. Seriously- click on those words!
All you need is a window with direct light, aluminum foil, cardboard and a clamp- 12 bucks mostly for the clamp! The result are catalogue worthy product shots- TRUST- it's from Etsy.

AND- for best results stick your creation to the building wall using pop dots or high tack double sided tape and shoot it STRAIGHT ON AT EYE LEVEL.
You can also put it on the floor and stand over it but this requires lots of fussing around to make sure the corners are straight and that you aren't shooting at angle which makes your page all wonky looking- it's harder to do- skip it.

CLOUDY DAY- overall color change to a cooler "blue" tint.
Top vellum piece is completely gone- if you want colors to "pop" and vellum or transparent
 pieces to show more wait for a brighter day.

There is no real way to shoot your work inside and get good color using artificial light UNLESS you buy special equipment or use photoshop (which I avoid as it never looks as good as actual sunlight). Why bother? The sun is free mi gente!

Here are some other examples:

Bright natural SIDE light from a window
NOTE: Normal color tones, lots of detail in the shadows- this is good for your project.
If you want less "dark" in the shadows prop a piece of cardboard with foil taped to it and
 "bounce" light from the window onto the subject.

Full artificial light AND frontal on camera flash
NOTE: What looks good on people (especially young cuties like my nephew Ty) won't work as well
   for your project. The orange tint, frontal flash that creates harsh background shadows and pure white highlights on anything shiny will distract from your project and obscure details- not good.

Does this help? I'm thinking my examples all look the same right? Perhaps more stark examples are called for. I was checking how light falls on my projects over the weekend and realized this may be a good time to WRITE DOWN what I noticed- so I'm also telling MYSELF this- we're all in the same boat. Please leave a comment letting me know if I helped you out!!  I would love to hear from you.

This photo is only "interesting" because of the shadows- make shadows work for
you and add texture and visual complexity to your projects.

MuChOS SmOoChEs!

Michelle