A whole other Crop

I went to another Crop yesterday. It was very different to the monthly Ludgershall Crop. It had more to offer in terms of resources, for sure. There was a box full of layout sketches and ideas. There was a tool table, including a dictionary. There were useful bits for sale - including plain 12x12 card stock. There was a raffle. There was a proper bar and hot food service. It was good. I did four layouts which included the conclusion of my Hereford Cathedral pics, so I am pleased.  This is only one more than I did last week at my 'own' crop.  So it's not the Crop atmosphere.  It's the the time it takes me to do them, and that's all there is to it!  

I don't scrapbook at home. Well, not strictly true; but I can't remember the last time I did. But with photos and papers supposedly pre-matched in a attempt to be ready, it really wouldn't be so difficult to do some at home.  But I think actually, I go to Crop for so much more than the scrapping experience. The Ludgershall Crop is small in number. But those numbers are some of the best friends I've ever made. If I didn't Crop with them once a month, we'd carve out other time to get together. And so sitting in a hall being relatively craft productive is a bonus to the conversation. And there's a lot of that!  My visit yesterday to a 'foreign' crop was totally different, but no less enjoyable - having this craft in common, let alone all the other things we women share is an instant ice breaker. I didn't force myself on anyone, (I don't think!) but I had some fascinating conversations whilst cutting and sticking. And that's it for me. I'm reconciled to the fact that Miss Dunnit might well have to bin the load of albums I'll have filled by the time I tragically shuffle off this mortal coil. I've stopped doing scrapbooking for worthy reasons like the benefit for future generations. I do it for me. Because I like to do it, it saves the photos we take from sitting unloved in a drawer or on the computer, and I like the sociability of a crop. Which is fascinating isn't it. Because I prefer to make cards at home, surrounded by my stamps and stuff and company isn't necessary at all. Odd. 

Yeah. Odd. But there's not a lot about this whole crafting obsession I'm embroiled in that doesn't seem odd when you step back and look in from the out. Luckily, I don't have to explain it. You get it. Mr Dunnit can live with it (he doesn't get it), and that's all the encouragement I need!