Tips for Making a Lot of Something?

[Alicia Edwards]

So, thinking of the Under the Sea swap and making 27 pages, I am having flashbacks to the night before the song book pages were to be mailed. I read something about color copies with embellishments. Can some of you folks who have been doing this offer any suggestions? I'd love to hear what "the process" looks like from someone else's point of view. Thank you!

[Sandi Wedemeier]

I"ve never done an embellished copy for a fatbook, but I've done all originals. The only sane way I have been able to think of, is to do all of one step at the same time...cut all backs, stamp all images, cut them all out, etc. etc. I think the most I've done is 28 pages and since we had 12 weeks, I simply planned to do one step per week. I get bored easily, so doing it this way, kept it a bit fresher.

[Stacie Williams]

I'm guessing that I get bored REALLY easily. I sort of do it in stages. I'll start backgrounds, then when I get tired of that I'll move to the next step. A couple of hours into it & I've got stuff at all different stages. Eventually I'll have some done & some in the different stages- allowing me to work on whatever part I'm in the mood to work on. At some point I start counting....then I know when to stop doing backgrounds. It's probably not the most organized way to do it, but it keeps me from being bored even though I'm doing a bunch of the same things. Of course it's a lot messier doing it like this. But it works for me. Now if I could just get that prototype done so I can start!

[Linda Naughton]

First, it can feel very laborious when starting out - so I focus on the day the finished book comes in the mail! ;-) no, really, that is my motivator...throughout my process.

1. Come up with a design - without over thinking it.
2. Picture myself executing that design - to visualize just how doable it actually is. Then make some modifications to ensure the process is not overwhelming. Yeah, right.
3. Find the images and make duplicates.
4. Go shopping for embellishments and something to put on the backs
5. Make some other embellishments or stuff for backs.
6. Make the backgrounds
7. Add the embellishments-then go shopping for more things to pretty it up.
Put all into a ziploc baggie with a label and the money.
For some reason, the getting to the post office is a stumbling block. Perhaps I don't want to let go. Once the packet is mailed, I breathe a big sigh of accomplishment!

[Stacie Williams]

ROFL- I get hung up on #1....I overthink it. But I don't think I'm shopping enough, and I hear ya about going to the PO. I try to skip that as much as possible. And I also love #2- I spend too much time doing that.....then I'm running late.