Sunday 17 April 2011

Some packing up Blog Candy...


I mentioned in a recent post that we were about to depart on an exciting adventure. We now have about three weeks left to pack up the house and move ourselves on to Lucey Blue. I have been slowly tidying stuff away, and while I was sorting out some craft things I made a small pile of things to giveaway as blog candy.

Here is what I have come up with...


This blog candy contains:
  • 1 x new, unmounted, Polka Dot Punches stamp set by Stampin' Up! This set was a SAB stamp set from a few years back
  • Three beautiful rolls of Mark's Coffret du couturier floral Washi Tape in purples and mauves...check it out here on Etsy
  • 1 x roll of Plum Pudding Luxe Satin Ribbon by Papertrey Ink (5 yards)....see it here
  • 4 x tags decorated with Washi Tape...made by me using Papertrey Ink's Tag Sale #2 die, and assorted Washi Tapes.
All you need to do in order to be in the running for this blog candy is leave me a comment answering the following question:

If you were about to set off on a small yacht with your family for eight months, and you wanted to take along a few papercrafting things just to satisfy the occasional urge to create a card...what would you take? I have been contemplating this question for a while now, and am no closer to answering it than I was when I first started thinking about it. For the purpose of this discussion, lets assume you have storage space equivalent to a large parcel post box (about the size of Stampin' Up! largest parcel post box)...or about the size of a large microwave oven (the entire unit...not just the cooking cavity).

A few details:
  • This blog candy is open to anyone
  • In order to be eligible for the blog candy just answer the question above by leaving a comment on this post
  • The cut-off for leaving your comment is 7 pm, Australian Eastern Standard Time on Thursday 28th April, 2011
  • The blog candy winner will be drawn using Random.org on Friday 29th April
  • Please make sure I have some way of getting in touch with you
  • If the winning person is one of my blog 'Followers' ...there might be an extra roll of Washi Tape in it for them too ;-).
When I was chatting with my husband about this, and lamenting the fact that one of my favourite things was my Cuttlebug and that it was probably too big to take...he commented that it was not really much bigger than a pair of shoes...and as I am not a shoe person at all (I'll be making do with a pair of sandals and a pair of runners only)...I'm good to take it along with me!

Anyway, I am very interested to read what other people would take. Just a small selection of coloured ink and card...or maybe a whole set of Stampin' Up! ink spots? PTI stamp sets or SU unmounted stamp sets because they take up hardly any room? Pre-cut cardstock, die shapes etc...to reduce volume? Stuff just for one type of card (ie. punchart, or watercolouring goodies)? So many alternatives!

Thanks for your thoughts!

12 comments:

Danielle Daws said...

Hmmm... tough one! If it was me, I'd pre-emboss a stack of images on watercolour paper and take my aqua painter and a few reinkers (or watercolour pencils). I'd forget about embellishments and stick to CAS (saves more room!) and I'd definitely stick to Papertrey stamps because you could fit so much more in. I'd have a stack of pre-scored cards so I wouldn't need to worry about that bit.

Perhaps you could also pre-punch some shapes (even like Perfect Punches - so you'd have pre-punched sentiments to go) and even take die cuts to save space with the dies?

I'm looking around my craft room thinking "OMG, what would I sacrifice???". lol

Hope the plans are going well!

Allison Reid said...

Dear Sam,

First of all congrats on your new baby, it is wonderful news. I actually say ditch the stampin stuff for a while and take up the crochet and knitting, easy to lug around a small bag of wool and needles and it gives you the opportunity to learn something new. Probably easier to knit/crochet in those more rough weather days as well. I wish you and the family all the best on your amazing voyage, can't wait to hear the stories when you get back. Love and kisses xxx

Kim said...

That would be extremely difficult for me! But, I do go on a stamping retreat 2 times a year and am limited to what I can take as well.

I would recommend the following:
paper cutter with cutting and scoring blade
mono with refills, mono liquid glue, sticky strip
full set of markers
full set of spots
blender pens
glue pen and dazzling diamonds glitter
scissors
selection of stampin up punches (ones you use the most)
dimensionals and glue dots
sponge daubers
zip lock bag of assorted ribbons (2 or 3 yards each color)
12 x 12 assortment packs of paper plus a pack of white and vanilla
bone folder
If you can manage the space, your cuttlebug or big shot with the plates and a binder full of nestabilities. They take up very little room and give a great range of shapes including circles, ovals, squares, tags, etc.

good luck on your new adventure

Cath Dean said...

Hi Sam,
ohhhh dear, my first thought was ohhhhh no I sure hope Sam can continue to blog!!!! oops, sorry very selfish of me!!! WOW what an exciting adventure I must say, jealous much, although when I had to actually sit down and think about what I would need to abandon thats when I thought how hard that would really be. myslef I would probably want to take a small collection of most things, dots, crayons, cut and scored cardstock ect. I love my punches dearly so that would be really hard but I would pre cut what I could and hand cut the rest. I would definately take some needles and wool!!!!
Have a fabulous time and i will look forward to hearing about your amazing adventures at sea!!!
Take care,
Cath x

Jocelyn aka JoBear2 said...

Hi Sam,

I have been thinking this afternoon about your dilemma as this is what I struggle with when I go on hols.

So, what I would suggest is picking a couple of simple cards from your Blog (ie: no colouring in) eg: your latest thank you card which could double as a birthday card etc. + perhaps a Christmas card and make up little kits which includes the cardstock, designer paper, buttons, ribbons etc. - if any cardstock or dp's need to be punched with a border punch or diecut, do this in advance. Pop each kit into a snap lock bag and add a sheet of paper detailing what colour ink you need plus the stamp/s required - maybe even do a printout from your blog of the particular card so you know what it looks like and you have the instructions.

You could even vary the colour of cardstock and dp's, ribbon, buttons etc. so that you are making the same card but just varying the colour so it doesn't get boring.

And pop in a few extra bits of paper or cardstock or ribbon in case you make a boo-boo - or baby throws up on it (or you do!!!) Or if you are like me, you spill tomato sauce on everything.....LOL!

Think along the lines of a kit you would buy from a shop, and all you need to supply is your own doublesided tape, glue, pop dots, ruler, craft knife, self-healing mat, stamp cleaner, the particular ink pads you need for each kit + a multi-purpose sentiment set + the particular stamps for each kit.

That way you know exactly what you need and are not taking lots of little things but getting frustrated because you don't have what you really need. Like having a car with three wheels when you need four.

So a bit of planning should get you making up a few cards, and even if you don't, you have the kits to use when you get home - or sell them instead.

Crochet is also a good thing to take. You could crochet some flowers/embellies for your cards. But don't forget to have the right size crochet hooks for your yarn!

Hope this helps :-)

ajax said...

Oh dear! I have problem like this when I go on vacation. Usually end up taking too much.

I have to have my paper trimmer. Of course whatever kind of glue, pop dots, double sided tape you use. Clear stamps and only one acrylic block to save space. Punches take too much room, so I would punch out my favorite shapes. In fact, if you could get most stuff precut and matched up with embellishments, etc; it would be easy to put each one in a small plastic bag. I would not take any big tools. I guess I would make a card now and put aside all the things I used to make it, then I would know what I needed to make one, then you could get an idea so you would know what you will need. I don't envy you on this trip. Billie

Rene said...

Hi Sam, apart from the normal kit I would take my book with all my puch art pictures and take the necessary punches,even if you don't make many cards you will have all these little punch art beauties ready to go when you get home. the 12x12 PKT DSP in Brights, ( you seem like a brights gal) and c/s to match, a couple of inkpads, my box of S/U markers and anything else that you can tuck into crannies.
Have a wonderful trip.
Rene from OZ xo

Karen said...

Hi Sam!

Crikey I'm glad I don't have to narrow things down! Why don't you take this opportunity and look at it as a challenge. Limit the amount of stamp sets you take to see how many different ways you can use each one?

Definitely don't forget your double sided tape cause otherwise you won't be sticking any of your creations together! lol

Other than that.......I dunno but I wish you guys that absolute BEST little holiday ever! Just think, thumper will be almost walking by the time you're back home! Lordy me!

Karen
x

Diane Barnes said...

Hi Sam
Ooh that's a toughie...some general suggestions though...
Stamps whether wood or cling - look back at your past posts or pics & find some sets that just make you happy, you've used heaps, are flexible, useful greetings & some that you know the kids will like to use too.
Ink - fave 6-8 ink pads, plus marker packs - as you can stamp, watercolour or write with them
Ribbons - flexible, like white taffeta (easy to colour), ruffle etc & chocolate, linen thread
Punches/dies - circles, matching scallops & edger...again the most used, flexible & hardest to cut free-hand
Tools - Spare cuttlebug plates ;0), cutter blades, tape, adhesive remover, couple of bone folders ( I always manage to lose one). Paper piercer & mat.
Ooh & a pack of pearls & rhinestones. Light, small & fun!
Ok, that's all for now

Patrice said...

LOL I'm no use to you at all because I can't even narrow it down when I'm at a stamp day with friends.

I say stick with the crochet hook, you'll be a pro in no time and when the seas are rocky it won't make you 'mess things up'. A small bag of various needle and yarn sizes won't take up a lot of room either.

Tennille said...

Ok, so here's what you do... You get yourself a tug boat or ocean liner or whatnot and that's your craft room for the eight months!

Ok... failing that, I guess I'd start by using only cling stamps and squich em in to as few DVD cases as possible. Pre-punch lots of different punches and also dies. Bring one pack of each colour collection of SU paper, plus all your really important things like adhesive, cutter, and bone folder.
Then, with whatever space you have left, just start chucking stuff in!!!! Go with little bits of lots of stuff.You'll be happy you have a fun array of random things when you're there.

Good luck! (Hey, that ocean liner sounds tempting, right?)

tooznie said...

oh wow! what a brilliant adventure! I'd stick with the sewing, and take a sketchbook and watercolur pencils for the card ideas!

I used to spend the summers sailing with my parents, I do so love it. They recently sold their boat for a power boat :(