[April Showers]

January Forum Game: Jumpstart January!

It's time to kick off the new year with some fun and a focus on scrapbooking! Join us in the Scrap Girls Forum for "Jumpstart January!" This is a game and challenge that focuses on taking time to scrapbook regularly despite the little "speedbumps" of life. When the month is over, you'll have completed several layouts and been treated to some fun along the way.

A Welcoming Committee Member will post a task each Monday through Saturday from January 1-31. The tasks will be formatted in a LARGE PURPLE FONT for ease of locating them in the game thread as it grows. Some tasks will require Forum participation, email responses, or Gallery posting. Read each daily task carefully to see what is required of you.

Those who complete all the required tasks and submit or post required participation by 11:59 pm (ET) January 31^st will be entered in a drawing to win one of three $10 Gift Certificates to the Scrap Girls Boutique! Those who complete all the layouts will be entered in a drawing to win one of two $5 gift certificates. Each person who completes a layout will be entered (once for each completed challenge page) into a drawing for one of three $3 gift certificates.

A few tips to making this month a successful one!

• Stay on top of the daily tasks. Don't get more than a day or two behind if you can help it!
• Read the "task requirement" listed with each task so you know how to get credit for completing the task.
• When you post a task requirement to this thread always remember to label it with "TASK #..." so you get credit for the correct task.
• Create a single email draft or word document to be sent at the end of the month with various task requirements included. Label each task in your email with "TASK #..." so you get credit for the correct tasks. ONLY tasks that specify emailing should be included. We will keep track of those that require posting in this thread throughout the month.
• Have fun!

[teecee]

January 1 - TASK 1
Are your scrapbooking products all unzipped and organized? Spend some time organizing your digital scrapbooking supplies.
Requirement: Post to this thread sharing your basic organizational method with us.

[PolkaDot]

Yay! Jumpstart January! Fun!

I'll add my info in the morning. Happy New Year!

[Eden]

Happy New Year everyone!

I organise my supplies on my external hard drive. I've got some broad categories: Alphas, Collections, Elements, Fonts, Papers, Templates (includes brushes and actions) and WordArt. I store everything in these categories under the folder names created by Scrap Girls. I also use Picasa and add information such as the store I bought the supplies from, CU or PU, the designer's full name and the cost. I also tag some items when the item isn't well titled. (Scrap Girls usually takes care of this but other sources are not so good. I have some gneric tags such as: Frames and Borders, Ribbons and Bows, Hearts and Flowers, Journals and Tags and so on. Sounds complicated but I love to organise! LOL

[englishrose]

I hope the 2 hours I spent yesterday filing about 3 months worth of supplies counts for today's task!

I broadly use the system I first saw described when I foun Scrap Girls (designed by Ro?)So separate folders for alphas, brushes, papers, templates, craft etc. To this I've added a "new downloads" folder where new purchases and freebies are held until I can unpack and sort them. I also keep the marketing images which helps me if I'm looking for a particular item and dont want to trawl through all the files. These are kept on my computer and regularly backed up onto my EHD.

In addition, and on my EHD only, I keep collections "in tact". Ideally I would like to keep them "zipped" but usually I am so excited I forget to save them this way before I take a peep inside.

I love Jumpstart January - glad to see it back!

[Kate Davis]

Opps forgot and it is the first day ...

TASK #1

This sounds like a fun and productive challenge; I love how different they are each month. I have spent a lot of time over the last two days catching up on my unzipping and I'm almost there apart from the new club that I'm currently downloading.

I have a folder for different elements types e.g. paper, embellishment, alphas. I then have a sub folder for the different places I've got items. Under these folders I would like to have all the individual items so I can browse them in one go, but I'm generally too lazy with my unzipping and usually drag in the folder so I have a lot of sub sub folder. This is my background method and enables me to find items even if I don't have organising software (I have a fear that I'll rely on the software too much and then it will stop working or they'll stop producing it; I'm the same with our photographs).

I currently use Photoshop Organiser. Due to my basic organisation structure it shows all the different elements together so I can scroll through them to find what I'm looking for. I've also created albums for each collection so I can see them in their entirety. I have started tagging items, but it is mostly wishful thinking that I'll get my whole collection done.

I also keep my purchased zipped files in a separate folder and my plan is I'll put them on DVD as soon as I have enough to fill the disk, this is something I should do soon as I suspect I've got enough files to fill several disks!

[Terri M]

TASK #1:
I use Microsoft OneNote to organize my supplies. I unzip everything into a folder on my hard drive, then create a OneNote page for each collection. I put a copy of the "marketing" graphic there, and tags for the papers and elements so I can search my whole collection if I'm looking for something like "foliage" or ""butterfly." I also have OneNote pages for special topics, e.g. a page for brushes, a page for layout templates, a page for alphabets, one for journaling blocks, etc., and index items there (as well as in their appropriate collection, if applicable.) I also include tags on the OneNote page which are pointers to where the collection is on my disk and the url of the page where I bought it, and the designer's name.

I have a pile of things to organize at the moment, so an hour or so tonight working on that would be time well spent.

[ScrapGram]

Love this game. Count me in. I think I am one of the few users of the PSE Organizer for my stash. On my hard drive, I have a large folder for Scrapping Supplies with subfolders for kits, brushes, embellishments, actions, etc. Then in Organizer I have a similar tagging system that I use religiously. I also have a preview sheet tag for each category and I tag the marketing sheets with that tag. That way, I can preview all of my kits, brushes, templates, SS Paper, etc. I love doing that. It makes picking supplies that I want to use very easy. I have all of my supplies backed up on an EHD which I have been trying to do everytime I unzip stuff and tag it. Plus I recently started using an online back up service after reading about it on here. I am pretty caught up except for two things I just purchased and of course the kit from today. Of course, I will get that done today!!! Happy New Year everyone!
Oops! I forgot to mark this as
Task #1

[anemone1983]

Task #1: My primary organization is by collection. I tend to stick with one kit when I work on a project and I know the SG Designers have matched/coordinated for me. Guess I'm lazy that way .

I also have separate folders for brushes, LO templates, embellishment templates, craft templates, etc. so all of those products are together when I need them.

[CRS]

Yay for JJ! Love this game!

[Arizona Girl]

Task 1:
I must be psychic because I did this yesterday.
I organize by site/store then by designer, all products by that designer are in one folder, from there all the same collection's products in one folder (I also like to combine all the folders with papers into one folder ect..) I have an extra folder in the site folder for "Loaders" this is where I put all styles, textures, brushes, action, fonts, shapes... that I need to load into Photoshop. (I keep a 2nd copy in the artist/designer's folder too). I also have a folder for any "freebies" I get. All freebies go in here unless I have the collection the freebie goes with, then I put it in the cormollection's folder under that designer.
I have one last folder of note, "former SG designers" When someone retires from scrapgirls their folder gets put into the "former" folder. That way I can still find it but I know that using it on a LO I want to make into the newsletter those products won't qualify.
Happy Organizing and Happy New Year.

[BetC]

January 1 - TASK 1

I've been working on this for about a week. Bought a new organizing program; ACDSee2. Been working trying to get all supplies tagged. Had NO IDEA I had so many!! I I tag everything in my download - SG not transferred file. After tagging, I move the newly tagged items to 2 EHDs plus Mac Time Machine, then delete them from my hard drive (yes, I'm paranoid.) So far, I'm loving this program. Very intuitive. I organize byActions, Styles, Brushes, Collections, Designers, Emb, JIF, Easy Pages, etc., Paper,Word Art (there are more) and break each of these into sub-sections. My recent downloads are organized and I'm almost through the designers beginning with B – yes, still a long way to go, but I work on it everyday.

[Murmer]

Task #1
I have been working on this during the holiday week...and hopefully I will have it done sometime in the near future lol. I have a Digital Scrapbooking folder that is divided into Templates, Actions, Fonts, Kits, Elements. Then I am adding all of them to PSE Organizer. I add them to my Digital Scrapbooking Album. Use add Event to label them with title and Designer. Then I tag each item according to type, color and if it has a special purpose like Christmas. I find myself mixing kits a lot so this will help me do that more easily.

[ScrappingKim]

Task 1

I unzip everything using ExtractNow and move the zip folders to my EHD to special folders for burning to DVD's. I then organize my collection so the marketing page is at the front for easy viewing then everything is backed up to 2 EHD's and moved off the main computer. I then take the collection and break it down to separate folders for the embellishment type (bow, ribbon, tag) and paper colour so I can scrap in either collection or by picking a specific item.

[scrapper11]

englishrose, on 01 January 2013 - 05:42 AM, said:

I broadly use the system I first saw described when I found Scrap Girls (designed by Ro?)So separate folders for alphas, brushes, papers, templates, craft etc. To this I've added a "new downloads" folder where new purchases and freebies are held until I can unpack and sort them. I also keep the marketing images which helps me if I'm looking for a particular item and dont want to trawl through all the files. These are kept on my computer and regularly backed up onto my EHD.

**Is this system still available ? Plus, I've heard of this before with the separate folders - how do you keep tract of everything this way ?

Task #1

This Jumpstart January is going to be a good one for me... (I need to get organized! + I'm going to do more 'n more at Scrap Girls ( Girls for your encouragement & friendships!)

I unzip them all with WinRAR to My Documents - Scrap Girls & then move & organize them under My Pictures folders under for an example ~ Scrap Girls - Syndee Nuckles_SNU - Flea Market. I have a separate folder for all the freebies that I'm collecting thanks so much & I need to get them all backed up to my EHD - thanks for that tip

[SandiC.]

I did organize some of my stash today.
Task 1:
I keep a "scrapping" folder with subfolders. The main subfolder is "SG Supplies". The next subfolder tier include "Collections", "SS", "Styles" "Actions""Brushes".
I have a folder for jiffy pages and albums. I don't have to worry about unzipping....thank you Apple. I copy everything to an EHD or 3 as well as my Time Capsule backup. All downloads go into my downloads folder first so I get everything from one collection into one folder before moving it to my scrapping folder.

I'm always behind in getting everything put away. It takes a lot of time and I wish there were a way that everything could come in one folder.

[teecee]

scrapper11, on 01 January 2013 - 08:43 PM, said:

englishrose, on 01 January 2013 - 05:42 AM, said:

I broadly use the system I first saw described when I found Scrap Girls (designed by Ro?)So separate folders for alphas, brushes, papers, templates, craft etc. To this I've added a "new downloads" folder where new purchases and freebies are held until I can unpack and sort them. I also keep the marketing images which helps me if I'm looking for a particular item and dont want to trawl through all the files. These are kept on my computer and regularly backed up onto my EHD.

**Is this system still available ? Plus, I've heard of this before with the separate folders - how do you keep tract of everything this way ?

Hi Jemima, the system Hilary is referring to can be found in this ebook: 15 Things You NEED to Know to Become a GREAT Digital Scrapbooker (FREE Starter eBook) HTH

[Jenna]

TASK 1

It's an ongoing thing, but I unzip & organize my files into folders (papers, embellies, styles, etc)

[Stage Manager K8]

TASK #1

I have used the system in 15 Things You NEED to Know to Become a GREAT Digital Scrapbooker (FREE Starter eBook) since I started digital scrapbooking. I try to get things unzipped and sorted within a few days of downloading. I love to play with the new goodies./>

[alsoarty]

I will have to play catch up. I just have to get through this week, the funeral is on Saturday. When I can I will unzip and organize in between the mayhem and planning. I really need this as I an drowning in my stash.... I am so organized everywhere else,like in my home, and desk area,,,,I eventually give up. But a few of you ladies do parts of what I do, but I need to learn what is best for ME. Plus I am moving this month... Ack,! And starting a job (hopefully).....

[jenrou]

Task # 1

I unzip my folders with Extract Now, keep it on my desktop until I get it copied into two EHDs which mirror each other. I keep kits together, but some things like Christmas collections are put into a Winter collection. I keep my newest supplies in a folder on my desktop for awhile also. I have folders for Brushes, Styles & Actions, and Free that I keep on my desktop. I do use Picasso to view my supplies, but seldom use it to move to PSE. when working, I go directly to my folders. I normally put zips and files also on DVDs, but lately my pc is not behaving. I'm using this method, but I feel once I have a new computor, things will evolve somewhat. I also keep my club collections separate. Since I've accumulated so many files I need to do more, but will wait until I get a new computor.

[B&K Mom]

TASK #1

Yay for JJ! I'm caught up! I use the system from Ro (like Kate referenced above). I've used it since the very beginning (2007). I've tweaked it here and there over the use to accommodate my changing stash. I've added a section just for the product graphics, so I can skim through and get a feel for what I might want to use...or just to see all the pretty things! I've been pleased to be getting much of my products by CD as our internet is VERY slow (can you say 25 kB per sec.!) and VERY expensive. It's nice to have the CDs as backup. SO worth the extra cost, but the wait for the Club to arrive can make a girl a bit buggy!

[teecee]

January 2 - TASK 2
Make a list of current Scrap Girls products you own and love but just haven't used yet. If you've used all the current products you own, look for 3 products in the ScrapGirls Boutique that you'd like to own.
Requirement: Post links to the 3 products in this thread.

[Terri M]

TASK #2
Here are three products that I own and am just waiting to use:

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: 12x12 A Year In The Life which I purchased a couple months ago, hoping to use it for a "yearbook" in 2013.

ScrapSimple Digital Layout Album Templates: digiDoer pageGrids 02 which I just bought this week, realizing that if I spend as much time on every page as I've been, I'll never actually get that yearbook done.

ScrapSimple Word Art Templates: Scrappy Alpha Super Biggie - I fell in love with this when I saw it, but just haven't had the pictures or the right time to use it, although I think about it a lot. I'm thinking it would make a good cover for the yearbook, if I put a bunch of the pictures in the numbers 2013....

Mostly when I buy a kit, it's because I have a reason for using it right then, so none of my unused products are kits and collections. I only discovered digital scrapbooking this summer, so I don't imagine I have as much stuff as those of you who have been doing it for years!

[ScrapGram]

Task #2 Here's my list of unused products:

Dated Monthsby Jo Corne which I hope to use in the year long challenge this year.
January 2013 Club - Love this club. Can't wait to use it!
Stitching Templates - Cheri's new stitched templates are wonderful! I love stitching on layouts.

My New Year's resolution is to use everything I have before I buy anything else! LOL! (Doubt if that one lasts very long!)

[lorac]

Task #1 Completed -- I keep on top of organizing my supplies. As soon as I download my new purchases, I unzip the files and then organize them on my computer.

My organization method is as follows: I name the main file the Collection (Sugar Plum Collection) and then under that I make files for each type of element it is (ie: papers, alphas, frames, gumdrops, etc.) and then place the elements into their respective categories. My Styles are all in one folder entitled 'Styles'. After I have loaded them into PSE11, I then put them in the styles folder so that I know they have already been added to PSE11. I do the same for Brushes, Actions, Shapes, etc.

[lorac]

Task #2 -- Completed

These are three of my most recent purchases that I love, but haven't used yet.


12th Of Never SG Jan 2013 Club

Classic Frames Embellishment Mini

Sugar Plum Value Pack

[Kate Davis]

ScrapGram, on 02 January 2013 - 09:15 AM, said:

My New Year's resolution is to use everything I have before I buy anything else! LOL! (Doubt if that one lasts very long!)

That is a great resolution. I'm not sure I could keep it though...

[Arizona Girl]

Task 2:
After making my list I have 24 products I've never used (and even more that I've only used once)
Here are three from my NEVER used column
Watercolor Desert Collection, by Jacelen Deinema
ScrapSimple Type Shapes: Numbers by Cherise Oleson
ScrapSimple Type Paths: Fall by Syndee Nuckles

[lorac]

Kate Davis, on 02 January 2013 - 10:40 AM, said:

ScrapGram, on 02 January 2013 - 09:15 AM, said:

My New Year's resolution is to use everything I have before I buy anything else! LOL! (Doubt if that one lasts very long!)

That is a great resolution. I'm not sure I could keep it though...

I tried this a few years ago. It worked for about a day.