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I meet up with friends every month or two (sometimes more often) at Archiver's. I really hate the packing and unpacking of my supplies. So, what I've done is over time I've put together a travel kit.
I started out with a wheeled tote and the Crop In Style Paper Taker . I put a couple of sheets of each color paper in page protectors (I use 8-1/2x11.) and loaded up the paper taker. Then I added two floss organizers. I put a small amount of each color of matching ribbon & buttons/etc in the compartments. You can see how I did it here: On The Road Again� | Purple Place Designs
Over the last year I've used coupons/sales to add duplicates of pretty much all the basic tools I use every time. ATG, corner rounders, small paper trimmer, dimensional adhesive. I would pay attention to what I forgot & had to borrow at each meet-up, and add that to my bag for the next time. Yes, I actually completely forgot adhesive one time. When I bought myself a Vagabond for Christmas, I kept my Cuttlebug and it's permanently packed in a cute little tote I found at JoAnn. So by this point the only things I really need to pack & unpack are stamps & dies and whatever patterned paper strikes my fancy at the time. Oh and my Copics that I now keep in one of the ArtBin cases, so I can grab & go.
I understand completely!!
If I know I am going scrap booking then I plan my pages. So each page has the paper, stickers and a general idea what I am doing. I also have a bag with my tools in it and a small stack of my paper for just in case. This seems to work really well. I am able to get many pages done because I am not spending a lot of time looking for things.
I should add that I don't scrapbook for the most part, I'm usually making cards. I also don't plan out what I'm going to make ahead of time more than "I need to make a birthday card". That's why I have a smidge of all my ribbons & buttons with me. I never know what I might need. And I also have one of those assortment packs of basic metallic brads in my bag as well.
Oh, and inks. I buy the cube/dewdrop size for whatever inks I use and keep those in my bag. If they aren't available in that size, I make my own using uninked cubes.
Most of my things are stored to be easily portable. I use lunch boxes for lots of things- chipboard, stickles, etc. Close to My Heart has just come out with some nice storage containers- I've now got my Stickles in the small organizer (the lunch box no longer wanted to close LOL) and love it.
My tools are in a pink tool bag from Sears (Craftsman) that was only $10.00. I use it both at home and away. In it I have the little xyron "x", ATG gun and a couple of refills, scissors (a few pairs), ruler, pens, pencil & post it notes, Distress inks- Black Soot & Vintage Photo along with their foams and one tool, Miracle Tape (1/4"), craft knife, poker tool, small cutting mat, circle punch, 4x4" journal stamp (lines), sanding block, tiny attacher, glue dots, Glossy Accents, Rock Candy Distress Stickles, tiny tube of E600 glue, edge distressed, band aids, baby wipes, Archival jet Black ink pad...I may have forgotten a couple of items.
My Distress items are all in one place- the Square utility Tote from 31. I reinforced the sides & bottom with foam core, and made a couple of divides with it as well. All of the Distress Inks, handles, foams, re-inkers, and stains are in this tote, along with Perfect Pearls and Perfect Medium pad. It looks cute siting on the shelf, and it's easy to grab it to go.
My other ink pads live in another location, but there's enough room in my tool bag that if I decide to take any of them, they can go into the tool bag.
I sort my papers, stickers, etc by season or theme into Art Bin totes. For example- I have one that is Disney. All of the Disney paper, stickers, die cuts, buttons, trims, etc, go into it. I have one that is fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving. One that is Christmas/Winter. One that is Easter/Valentines/Birthday. I keep one Art Bin full of card stock so it's ready to take to crops. One that is full of patterned papers (stuff that I use a lot, that doesnt fit a theme). So it's REALLY easy to pack for a crop.
I usually work on Cards, So I throw in my stamps, Inks, (one full size & small inks) Acrylic blocks that I'll need. Spellbinder dies in their notebooks. Cardstock in a plastic envelope w/flap.
6x6 paper packs. and other goodies.
So this way I'm not taking the whole house with me each time I go.
I find that craft items for travel can be quite expensive. When my children found out I was doing a class at our local high school they bought me a travel tool box. They come on sale all the time. It has wheels, removable storage for brads and small bits, drawers for markers and punches etc. and I have a binder with pockets that I store my papers in and voila I have a scrap room on the move.
I was going to suggest a rolling toolbox. When I first started out I bought one at WalMart. The bottom was deep enough to hold paper, etc. The top section lifted off and was a great place for tools, ink pads, etc. Mine even has a section on the top with various smaller compartments as well as a tray that swivels out. I believe there are also a couple of lift-out trays. Needless to say I've outgrown it -- but it served its purpose at the time and I now use it for my small power tools.
A friend and I stamp at each others' home every couple weeks. Here are some things that help cut down what we transport:
Know what the other person has and share those items.
Never transport ink pads unless it's something brand new that the other person doesn't have yet.
Agree to share common colors of cardstock. If you switch off houses regularly, it all evens out in the end.
I also keep a small tote like this on my workdesk. It holds the things I always use - bone folder, adhesive, ruler, dimensionals, glue dots, etc... When I'm headed out I just grab it and go knowing that all my essentials are in there.
Always on the go...
