What do y'all do to prepare for MOC?

[cookingmylife]

I have all my TLP kits in one folder and usually when I start a challenge I do a quick store search to see if the kit is there.

Yep ...that's all I do also but have marked the folders that are from retired etc designers marked with a Z. I still miss Amber... I do have all TLP in one catalog in Lightroom so I can do a look for some of the odd things that might be required or outside for MOC because I might have only 1 or 2 digi examples of one specific item, like a telescope or mermaid.

Oh yeah, I also have a running folder on my computer with any photo that I might want for MOC called Work on These!

 

[rach3975]

I scrap semi-chronologically. What I mean by that is that I'm generally working on one 6-month time period at a time (which is one photobook for me), and within those 6 months I skip around. So I make sure that all the photos for the time I'm focused on are organized in my "to scrap" folder. I have a smaller TLP stash than many here, so for each MOC I make a folder of previews that show what I have available to work with. I start by going through my visual history here and then look through collabs that I may have bought from other stores that are also available here, designer freebies that later went into the store, etc.

One thing I do that helps during MOC is to have a list of the challenges on a TO DO notepad I picked up from Staples. During the last week of December, I take out the notepad and I number a pages 1 through 31--one line for each day's challenge. When a new day's challenge is posted, I write the challenge title (well, my version of the title lol. It's usually one or two words, like "AAM journaling" or "photo--bokeh," etc). When I make and post the page, I put a check mark in the box next to it. Having a numbered, check-marked list lets me know (1) what day something was posted and (2) I can scan the list to see if I'm caught up. One year--a year I didn't finish, but hey, what can ya do?--I also had a list on my laptop. I figured having it there would be nice because I'm scrapping on the laptop ... but the paper list worked well for me. It makes MOC feel a part of my IRL world.

I do the same to keep myself organized. I also mark down any ideas I had about what to scrap for the challenge, like "DD's birthday" or "August 2018 Storyteller Collection."

 

[gonewiththewind]

It's not perfect, but in windows you can sort by date. I usually check the oldest ones since they are most likely to be retired. Also, it shows me anything I've bought since the last retirement sale (March I believe? @gonewiththewind ?) Because if I downloaded it after March, it's probably in the store. Also, if I downloaded it in March - I should check it to see if it was part of the sale. IDK if that makes sense, but my head says it does....

Yes, the Retirement Sale for 2019 was March 22nd through the 31st, so that should help you when sorting by date in Windows.

 

[AJK]

The biggest worry I have is that something in my stash is not being sold in the store. I'm planning to go through everything and make sure this doesn't happen this year.

@Cherylndesigns Ummmm, I think I may have found a quick solution to the "what's in the store?" question. As was mentioned, your Visual Order History lists only what is in the store- each purchase is linked, so you know it is there. So I am going to print that out and then move product that is NOT on that list to my "NotforMOC" folder.

I wish my grandma's had done that!!! I know so little about their lives, especially growing up.

@bestcee I am doing that- and including my paternal Grandfather's story, (dictated to my sister) and my Mom & Dad's stories. Mom did a paper album for each of us girls, with 7 hand written pages telling as much detail as she could about our family tree and their lives. It was fun reading about the WWII bomb drills, Ice delivery, and when they got indoor plumbing in the house. My maternal grandfather was a moonshine runner!!!! You wouldn't know that by looking at him- he was so stylish, and artistic! Family histories are amazing & important!

 

[Cherylndesigns]

@AJK that's a good idea to print it out. I refer to that frequently. Thanks for that!

 

[KayTeaPea]

@gonewiththewind - how does one find their visual order history???

 

[QuiltyMom]

I scrap chronologically or by event, so I try to get the photos I need to scrap with organized and edited ahead of time, then bring them into the project. Then I find the kits that could work with the photos and make a list of them, being sure they're currently in the store. Sometimes I'll even pick out templates if I think they'd work, especially if it's an album where I'd like the continuity throughout. Other than that I don't do much, because there's always challenges that are totally out of the blue that can't be prepared for, and that's the beauty of MOC.

 

[gonewiththewind]

@gonewiththewind - how does one find their visual order history???

It's super easy - here's a post with instructions and images: Who Knew? Probably Everyone But Me! Visual Order History

 

[Sokee]

I'm like a few others here. I get a pad of paper ready each sheet is One Days challenge.

Day 1 | Name of challenge
Write down the directions (that way when I'm working on my layout I have my own words to refer to)
Each kit I use I write down.
I then mark DONE on last line when complete.

For me a great tip is Let your loved ones know that this is MOC! My family makes fun of me "Oh, thats right we can't bother mom..... it is MOC!"

Pick a time slot that works for you to get your layout done. For me I took an hour in the morning that was just for checking the newest challenge, checking directions, checking twice (lol) and then pulling what I need for that challenge.

I have a Folder Marked MOC #
I store all my layouts in that folder

SAVE your layout so you can EDIT it after as you never know if you will get contacted that something does not fit with the directions of the challenge and
please don't feel bad if you get a PM letting you know if there is something not done correct on your layout. All Polly's here are super sweet and want to make sure your layout is done the way it should be so it qualifies for that day's challenge.
This is the one thing I do love about MOC, you will hear pretty quickly if you need to change anything as WE WANT YOU TO COMPLETE the challenges, vs, us not letting you know and you do a whole months challenges to realize Oh Sorry you didn't complete this challenge correct.

The fun part is also leaving time to see what everyone else is doing, leaving love, making friends, and having fun learning something new! Don't OVERTHINK how is this layout going to work with my other layouts? Think of this as a challenge to learn something new. If you don't like your layout as it isn't your 'style' it will be no big deal to just scrap it after MOC is over. BUT I bet you will surprise yourself by actually loving a layout that you would of never thought to create before you had the Challenge put before you!

 

[michelepixels]

If you don't like your layout as it isn't your 'style' it will be no big deal to just scrap it after MOC is over. BUT I bet you will surprise yourself by actually loving a layout that you would of never thought to create before you had the Challenge put before you!

Absolutely definitely! This has happened to me several times. It's one of my favorite things about challenges!

 

[cinna]

Making sure my digital stash is up to date, having photos (duh) and some cash to SHOP WITH!
Oh - and does coffee and energy drinks count????

 

[littlekiwi]

I’m probably going to struggle for the first week as my family isn’t in their normal routine (also known as at home 24/7) so will need to figure out ways around that as I’m a slow scrapper and once I’m behind by more than about 2 days I’m more likely to give up.

 

[Susan - s3js]

I have a spreadsheet to which I add each kit as I get it, even freebies. It lists the designer, kit name, any stores it's in or if it's a freebie not in a store I check that box, then I have some check boxes that tell me what it's useful for - seasonal, children, vintage, modern, artsy, etc. A couple of designers I have so many kits for I have a column to number them, and for some when I've bought a bundle of miscellaneous minis - like Allison Pennington's - I abbreviate the bundle name so I can locate it again in that column and each mini by name. I also list "retired" in that column if necessary. It sorts easily and I have a ready reference. It was in its infancy last year, so I made a priority of getting all my Lilypad kits on there for this year. There's also an In Store folder inside my Lilypad folder and I place those kits in it in designer folders with the preview at the bottom so I don't have to search too much.

I love the idea of the Visual History, but several of my kits were missing.

As for photos - I let the challenge dictate that, but I know right where they are and their all sorted into folders so it takes longer to decide which one that to find them!

I'm willing to share my spreadsheet. You will need Excel or it will work in Google Sheets.

 

[bellbird]

in the past when i've had to pick up stuff from the Reitrement sales, I'd just download it to a separate folder within my Downloads folder called, unimaginatively, 'Retired' - other kits that I've found along the way on my hard drive I change the file name to add an 'R' at the front - so it might by PRDkitname- i just change it to rPRDkitname - which works for me - i still haven't moved Danyale's folder in to the Retired folder though, i'm not good at change

my prep the last few nights while watching tv with the fam has been going thru my wishlist and deleting things i actually have; i'm not good at keeping it up to date and have become very reliant on the store telling me 'you already have this'! seeing some of the things as i'm going thru the wishlist also reminds me 'oh yeah, i still need to scrap those photos' etc and like everyone has mentioned it is good motivation to have some ideas of what to scrap even before you read the day's challenge title and definitely helps get me in the zone

 

[AJK]

in the past when i've had to pick up stuff from the Reitrement sales, I'd just download it to a separate folder within my Downloads folder called, unimaginatively, 'Retired' - other kits that I've found along the way on my hard drive I change the file name to add an 'R' at the front - so it might by PRDkitname- i just change it to rPRDkitname - which works for me - i still haven't moved Danyale's folder in to the Retired folder though, i'm not good at change

my prep the last few nights while watching tv with the fam has been going thru my wishlist and deleting things i actually have; i'm not good at keeping it up to date and have become very reliant on the store telling me 'you already have this'! seeing some of the things as i'm going thru the wishlist also reminds me 'oh yeah, i still need to scrap those photos' etc and like everyone has mentioned it is good motivation to have some ideas of what to scrap even before you read the day's challenge title and definitely helps get me in the zone

@bellbird I've been trying to do the Visual Order History thingy. It takes a long time. I didn't do anything like that my first two MOC's, but a lot has changed in the store since them. I am not too concerned with it, as I don't have little ones running around and currently not employed but that is subject to change with the possibility of hopeful relocation! . Anyways, it has been good to hear from all you creative ones about your own process.

 

[kimingvtx]

I have an excel spreadsheet for my kits. Just went through all of them and checked to make sure they weren't retired. I marked the ones that are retired and changed their name in file explorer to add retired. I'm good to go. I'm excited and ready to start!

 

[bjthomas]

I have a spreadsheet to which I add each kit as I get it, even freebies. It lists the designer, kit name, any stores it's in or if it's a freebie not in a store I check that box, then I have some check boxes that tell me what it's useful for - seasonal, children, vintage, modern, artsy, etc. A couple of designers I have so many kits for I have a column to number them, and for some when I've bought a bundle of miscellaneous minis - like Allison Pennington's - I abbreviate the bundle name so I can locate it again in that column and each mini by name. I also list "retired" in that column if necessary. It sorts easily and I have a ready reference. It was in its infancy last year, so I made a priority of getting all my Lilypad kits on there for this year. There's also an In Store folder inside my Lilypad folder and I place those kits in it in designer folders with the preview at the bottom so I don't have to search too much.

I love the idea of the Visual History, but several of my kits were missing.

As for photos - I let the challenge dictate that, but I know right where they are and their all sorted into folders so it takes longer to decide which one that to find them!

I'm willing to share my spreadsheet. You will need Excel or it will work in Google Sheets.

I'd love to see that spreadsheet. I've started and restarted so many spreadsheets to no avail as I can't seem to make a hard decision on what to list when. I like getting inspiration from others

 

[bjthomas]

My preparation...
KITS - I save all of my kits by designer, so when MOC is rolling around, I pull out all kits by TLP designers (and all TLP collab kits) and move them to a separate folder. I restrict myself to pulling from that folder only during MOC. After getting all of the designer's kits moved, I then painstakingly go through each kit to make sure that it is still in the store. I have a folder titled "_not in store" that I move all the non-store kits into. That way I know those are not my go-to kits, but I can pull from there if necessary, remembering to keep it under 25%
PHOTOS - One year (I think it was 2017), I wanted to challenge myself to pull pictures exclusively from my Thailand trip. With the exception of 2 layouts/challenges, I was able to do the entire MOC around those pictures! I'm hoping to try to repeat that with pictures from another trip or specific time/event this year as that cut my time down significantly. Instead of searching through my plethora of photos, I had one folder that I stuck to and made the pictures that were in there work with the challenge.
ORGANIZATION - At the beginning of MOC, I start a Word document that I keep on my desktop and check/update every day. I keep the rules at the very top as a reminder (thankfully I think I'm pretty familiar with them by the 7th go-round). I then list the challenges by day, title and type -- HUGE thank you to @AnneofAlamo for the running list that she keeps faithfully every year That list is on its own page at the beginning of the document. I then copy and paste each the challenge details when they are posted so I can refer back while scrapping. Underneath the challenge details, I keep a running tally of everything that I use on the layout so that I can just copy and paste that when I post my layout. Finally, I copy my journaling into the Word document for each layout so that it serves as a spell check and word count when necessary. When I fully complete a layout, I will change the font color for that day so I can see at a quick scroll which challenges I am still working on or need to do.
I'm sure this seems like a lot but I promise you, it keeps me organized and accountable. I'm a visual person and while I may not be writing a list down with pen and paper, the color change of the font is just as satisfying as checking a box or crossing out a line.

 

[Tree City]

I'd love to see that spreadsheet. I've started and restarted so many spreadsheets to no avail as I can't seem to make a hard decision on what to list when. I like getting inspiration from others

Well, I'm not Susan, but I too use a spreadsheet. Here's a screenshot, where it's arranged alphabetically first by store (column C) and then by designer (column B).

The columns are as follows: Kit Name; Designer; Store; Themes; Colors; Misc; CT; Purchased. Column I is for hyperlinks (sometimes I include them) or other info, for example "An Illustrated Christmas" says "EP PP Stickers," which means I bought the EP, PP, and Sticker packs. As for Misc, it's usually if something is for BYOC or DYD/CCM/M3. For Themes, I use abbreviations, like "AJ" for "Art Journaling," "insp" for "inspirational," or "emo" for "emotions" (not emo the goth-like moody people lol).

ETA: I also name the spreadsheet "Kit List upd yyyy-mm." So that means as I purchase things, I update the list. Right now it's named Kit List upd 2019-12...but I bet I'll have to rename it to Kit List 2019-12b after this weekend because I'll have updated it AGAIN, once I'm done shopping the Designer Surprises.

 

[AJK]

Well, I'm not Susan, but I too use a spreadsheet. Here's a screenshot, where it's arranged alphabetically first by store (column C) and then by designer (column B)...

WOW! Kuddos to you!

Spreadsheets are my nemesis. Maybe I should hire out to have one made for MOC8? ! LOL