How To Scrapbook Fast

Welcome to The Cherry On Top.

Today, we're going to give a few tips on how to scrap fast. 5 ways to help pump out the pages and projects in a more efficient manner so that you when it's time to scrap, you won't need to spend hours behind the craft table.

Whether you're scrapping traditionally or digitally, having an idea of a page layout before you even take a seat, will help save a lot of time.  Keeping your pages and albums simple will not only take minutes off the timer, but save you cash and make your supplies last longer.  Going smaller will also have the exact same advantages.  Get a go to place when the mojo is running low and being organised is a huge help when ya want to shave off time as well.

We're here to help you get scrappy!  Let's dive into all of these ways to save you time scrapbooking so that ya can't use it as an excuse any more.  Hehehe...

What you're seeing here is some of my newest digital scrapbooking templates.  Now, you might already be doing this, but if you are a traditional scrapper, you can just scrap lift the design from templates and sketches. 

Digital scrapbooking really is fast.  If you haven't tried it yet, you can check out several of our blogs dedicated to getting scrappers to go digital and for FREE.  I don't always go digital, but it's an awesome option. We even started a group on how to get started using PSE.  Simple, step by step videos and you can ask all of the questions you need and we're there to answer them, around the clock. Nothing like scrolling through those darn forums.

I highly recommend starting a board on Pinterest that will inspire you if a layout isn't coming to mind.  Before I go to my scrap table, I peruse my boards and scribble up a few sketches to take with me.  Otherwise, I waste tons of time trying to figure out how I want to layout my page.

If you'd like to visit our boards, click here.

I know there are some insanely gorgeous pages out there with more embellishments and talent that I own. I'm sure they must take hours to design and I don't even want to think about how much money goes into them.  You don't have to scrap like that.

This is a page from my simple mini I've been blogging lately.  I only have to do the cover and it's finally finished.  I've been spending just under an hour for each page.  Some only took 30 minutes.  I've used several of the tips I'm explaining for this album.

This album is a 6x6 so filling the pages is REALLY easy and it doesn't take much at all.  I can save paper, time, embellishments, etc by scrapping smaller.  I personally, prefer smaller albums.  The 12x12 are so clumsy, but they are great when you have a LOT to scrap about.  So consider your project and or page at hand and choose the best size album or page for it.

This mini, below is mega tiny.  Talk about a minimum of products?!  Hehehe...You can get several pages finished in under an hour and look how fab they are?!  Just an attention to some fine detail and great products will give you a super result.

If you want to scrap a fast gift project, consider one like this one, below.  I've got the free template on a previous blog.  You can find it here.  This project is mega fast.  No excuses!  Hehehe...

Below, is another mini matchbook you can scrap up in under an hour and I've got another free template for you as well as a step by step tutorial.

I've said it again and again, how much time I save by using collections.  Above, you can see I used goodies from Graphic 45.  You can purchase Graphic 45 in most shops like Scrapbook.com and Createforless.

I grabbed a couple of kicking examples of collections to show you.  The one above, is just over $25 and it comes with EVERYTHING you need to scrap beautifully and quickly because it's all there for ya.  You don't have to rummage through your scrap stash.  If your stash is like mine, it's a mess and difficult to find things.

Here's another modern, fresh with a retro twist collection.  Papers, elements, journal cards...it's all in one collection.  Love this one!

I'm leaving you with a few super ways to organise.  I found all of these at CreateForLess at really great prices.

Keep your cartridges all in one place so they don't get lost.

This is a great way to store your papers in many sizes.  There's room for other kinds of scrap stuff, too.

I have something similar to this stackable, carrying case.  It's great for your tiny embellishments.  Try to sort them out in like colours or by the type of element it is. 

I'm so tempted to add this to my cart.  I craft in the attic and in the winter it's really cold up there so I grab some stuff and go downstairs to scrap.  This would be awesome.  I have something similar, but it's smaller and doesn't have all of these different size compartments.  You can see everything so clearly as well.

I've got an organisation board, too.  Hehehe...

I've given you the gift of time so I expect you to get scrappy!

Thanks for dropping by The Cherry.

Scrapbooking Organisation

Welcome, Traditional Scrappers.

Today, I'm showing my organisation system or perhaps the lack there of.  Hehehe...For some this might not be organised at all, but for me, it doesn't get any better than this.  Hehehe...Like many of you, organising all of this stuff is just dreadful.  I want to PLAY with it, not organise it.  Hehehe...

I have a huge desk.  I think it's about 5 feet long and 3 feet wide.  Yet, I might have 2 feet, in total to actual scrap in.  I am so, so bad.  I might try to clean my desk once every two years or so.  Every time I go to sit down and scrap, I'm nearly put off by the mess.  I must confess that you will not find one piece or garbage.  If it's on the desk, it will get scrapped eventually.  Hehehe...

My photos might be a little useful for you or perhaps you'll feel really good about your organisation system.  Hehehe...There is also a possibility you're shaking your head thinking, "yip, just like mine".  Ha!

I have several, helpful drawers in my desk which really are well organised.  My centre drawer is full of my most useful products such as adhesives, scissors, rulers, pencils, erasers, ink and paper for ideas and sketching.  Each compartmentalised with shoe box lids.

Another drawer has all of my large alphas and the other small alpha sheets.  Not really easy to go through, but at least separated from the rest.

I have another drawer full of miss matched, small, clear jars full of tiny embellishments.  I save tiny jars from food products, clean them out, let them dry and fill them.  It's a pretty great system.

Above you'll see my favourite drawer.  It's full of ribbon.  Most of the ribbon are wrapped around cardboard and nearly placed in the drawer.  I've got a few spools that don't fit on my hanger, which you'll see later and then this shoe box full of loose, smaller bits of ribbon.

I really dig this Ikea piece of furniture.  In the bottom are my glitter and glitter glues.  The middle drawer is full of the punches I use most.  The box on top, of punches I don't use much and the top drawer are my excess adhesives and some other tools I rarely use.

This is a roll of uber thick glue dots and the way I store my all time favourite glue pen when it's nearly empty.

I totally keep my collections in contact.  They are stored in clear, plastic bags and placed in a diaper box.  As are all of my papers.  I have several diaper boxes holding my organised papers.  I have 12x12's in one box arranged in rainbow order with design paper in the back according to theme such as antique, floral, kids...Another box has my 8x11 papers organised the same way and then I have another box for even smaller papers and those paper books you can purchase.

My "scraps" are also stored in a transparent, plastic bag which I might clean out every 5 years or so.  hehehe...I'm getting much better at throwing away small scraps.

I love this idea, too!  Keep your spooled ribbon on a pants hanger like this one.  Not all of them will fit there.  Those are the ones in the drawer.  This is so easy to see, match and cut.

If I do use a container that ya can't see through, I adhere an example of what is in it, like illustrated above.

Ha!  How's that for a disaster!  See all my diaper boxes right at my feet?  All of my drawers as explained.  On top of my desk is another tiny set of drawers full of tags, bling and photos I really want to scrap.  I've got nearly all of my pens and markers in that large yogurt bucket, which I pimped up with muffin papers.  See it here.

The furniture to the left and right comes from a hospital's garbage.  The one on the right is my wrapping paper station, though there is no room to wrap.  Ooopsy...To the left another awesomely organised area.  For real!  All of my buttons, paper flowers, edging scissors, chipboard embellishments, washi and venire goodies are all organised in there.

I recently found my wooden mug holder which I saw someone organise their washi on.  It still hasn't made it to my area yet, but it's on the way.  

Go to this link for some great organisation ideas.

And that chaotic disaster is where I create and I think it's an excellent example of my brain and how it works.  Hehehe...

I'd love to see your workspace and if you have some awesome organisation ideas, hit us up!

We'll be back with more scrapbooking inspiration next week when we show off our caterpillar page.  See the first part of that blog, here.

Happy scrapping!

Organising Your Digital Stash and a Free Template

Welcome to The Cherry On Top.

Read on to see my organising method, get a glimpse at repurposing old templates, enjoy some sweet layout love, view a few of Aimee Harrison's newest kits and grab a free template, too.

Take a look at that beautiful image.  For the new year, I'm slimming down my digital stash and making an attempt at organising some of it.  I'm off to an excellent start in the template department.  I don't know how you organise your stash and you are more than welcome to share it in the comments or refer us to your blog where you explain, but here's what I did.

Typically, I start off with my gallery which shows off a particular kit or a compilation of kits and when I'm not automatically inspired, I head to my Templates folder which was a disaster.  Hundreds of templates just thrown in there with all of the junk from those pesky blue folders.  Hehehe...

I wanted to see ALL of my templates at a glance.  The blue folders and all of those abbreviations didn't help at all and it wastes time, too.  I decided that at least once a week, I'd spend a minimum of 20 minutes re organising my digital stash and getting rid of a lot of stuff as well.

I still want to do my pictures.  That is my biggest time suck.  Both organising thousands of pictures and getting rid of duplicates, too.  Another department that needs thinning is my Commercial Use.  Once again, I'm on the hunt for something and all I see are those blue folders, again.  I'd like to do it somewhat similar to this, but organise in a couple of folders as well because there is just so much.

I started off with templates because I thought it might be the easiest.  Hehehe...Call me crazy, but I only kept the tiff files and ditched everything else.  I don't use png files and psd files are larger and take up more space.  If you just pull up your template you want to work with and duplicate it and save as something else, you're set.  You can still use it over and over.

If you don't like this method or are looking for something else, here are a couple of other links for you to investigate:

https://thedailydigi.com/digital-scrapbook-organization-3-ways

This one looks totally awesome and I saw a FREEBIE tab, too.  Hehehe...
http://heartofwisdom.com/scrapbook/organizing-digital-scrapbook-stash-with-previews/

http://scrapsofmind.com/2008/04/28/spring-clean-your-digital-scrapbook-stash/

That should help get you on your way to time saving and space saving your stash.

Here's another screen shot of one of those lovely templates. This one is from Aimee Harrison Designs and it's a part of her 360 collection for January.  I fudged with it, of course.  I rarely keep my templates 100 in tact.  I often blow up the photo spots and rearrange things or delete embellishments if there are too, many.  Customisation is key and it's also a way to keep using those templates, but still look completely different.

Here is what it used to look like.  Make the changes and make it perfect for you.

This is the finished product.  How could I shrink these lovely, precious and rare family photos of my parents with JJ?  Hehehe...Ah, my old, purple kitchen.

I'll show off a couple more layouts with Aimee Harrison Designs.  This one also uses the January 360 collection.  I pulled out all of the purple.  Yes, it's my favourite colour, too.

Comfort And Joy is the name of this gorgeous kit from Aimee Harrison Designs.  Aren't these colours just fabulous?  Another fun family photo of the kid's table at Christmas.

Since we're already on the topic of templates, how about a free one?  We've got loads of free templates on our blog.  Hit up our beautifully, visual Pinterest board and you can see all of our free stuff and they are conveniently linked up to the corresponding blog with the download links.  That's easy enough, right?

 Click on the image to get to do the download.

This was my inspiration for the free template.  Aimee's kit, Richly Inspired.  More warm, rich fabulous colours and classic elements.  Perfect for Tante Anita's Birthday Bash Book.

Still wanting more free stuff?  Head over to Aimee's Facebook Page and grab these THREE lovely freebies.

Still not enough?  Visit Aimee's blog and find even more.  Still not enough?!  Sign up for the newsletter also at the blog and be done with you.  Hehehe...

How awesome was this blog?!  Some killer organising tips, super layout loving AND a FREE TEMPLATE.  Aren't you so glad you stopped by The Cherry?  GOOD!  Make sure you do it, again.  Hehehe....

We've got a super hot blog in the making with EPIC FREEBIES!  I think I better switch to decaf, don't you?  Hehehe...

Have a super day.  Thanks so much for checking out The Cherry.

Happy scrapping!

Covering A Duvet Without The Work Out

Welcome to another helpful edition of The Cherry On Top.

I don't know about you, but covering a duvet was like an aerobic workout!  Shaking and lifting and lifting and shaking and crawling on and off of the bed and more lifting and shaking.  Hehehe...

A couple of months ago I saw a video on how to easily cover a duvet.  I tried it out and it worked great!  It's called the Tamale Roll.  I found some videos and chose one that was more entertaining and without commercials.

Your duvet should start off flat, spread out and inside out. 

Place your duvet neatly over the top of it.  Starting at what would be the top of your bed (by the pillows) start rolling it. 

When you have it rolled, tuck the corners into the opening.

Unroll and that's it!

No more sweating and panting!  Hehehe...

If you want to see the video from the...Crazy Russian Hacker, click here.

I don't need this technique for single duvets, but I'm thinking that the boys might be able to do it themselves this way.  I already have them stripping their beds, replacing the fitted sheets and pillow cases.

Make sure you're teaching your children these valuable skills.

Have a super day and thanks for stopping by.