Must have for beginners I need to make up a basket

[Spinning]

One of my dear friends has cancer. This is her second round with melenoma. She has been wanting to scrap and we have talked about getting her started before all this. She is going to be home for about 6 weeks and she thought it would be a good time to start.
She has 2 small kids and very little time to get stuff together. DD has to have her adinoids removed next week and then she will have her surgery.
So far I have a Mrs. Grossman album, 12 inch fiscar cutter, hermifix, and some plain packs of paper.

I thought I would go through my stickers/die cuts and some paper and pass them on to her. I have way too many school stickers, soccer stickers etc... so I am sure I can give her plenty of kids stuff. But what kind of decorative paper? I have been looking at the packs of paper at Michael's and thought they would be good easy to match?
What else should I put in it? I know I need a pair of good sissors and some pens.
Any thoughts? Also how would you present this? I don't want her to think I feel she needs to get this all down before the worst happens. WHich I don't I think, for myself my books have actually made me more excited for the future and how precious time is.

 

[JudithM]

Wow! I am sorry about your friend's cancer, but what a nice friend you are to get her started with scrapbooking.

I don't have children, so I don't have a lot of those types of stickers. If you can give us some other topics/subjects, I would be glad to go through my stickers, etc. to see what I can share with you.

As for supplies ... I am looking at my scrapbooking table (across from the computer & the tV ) ... scissors, glue, punches, gel pens, various sizes & colors of papers, etc.

 

[Spinning]

OMG are you the nicest! Brought tears to my eyes to think a stranger would even go through their stuff to make a basket! WOW!
I don' really know what she would use! I know they love the out doors go to the mountains in the summer. Her husband is from England.
That was so nice of you!

 

[bananiem]

OK, I'm looking at my table and here are some ideas that come to mind:
Corner rounder
Coluzzle or some other type cutting system
Accordion pleated file folder to seperate folders into "themes"
ALPHA STAX!!!!!
Just a thought but instead of a basket how about one of those "Crop totes" (or something similar) I've sseen at WalMart? That way she'd have something to keep her papers organized once she rips open the package.
Something "cutesy" like coupons for scrappin' time for just the 2 of you.
What a great friend you are!!! She's blessed just to have you.

 

[JudithM]

Spinning, please send me a pm with your mailing address. I know I can find a few things plus I just "need" to make a trip to my LSS - ok, twist my arm ! I'm off to shop!!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Spinning - First I have to agree you are an angel!

Other ideas I had

- any possibility of a paper cutter for straight cuts?

- I also use a lot of cropping blocks, the prepacked color sets that work so nicely with only minimal cutting to mat photos. If there is a color theme ie: baby, outdoors, etc that she might be working with.

And I too have WAY more stickers than I will ever use especially a bunch of outdoor themes that might work. PM me if you'd like and I'll see what I can pull together when I get home!

Deb

 

[Spinning]

You guys are way to nice! I never dreamed people would want to send stuff! Never even entered my mind! This place is great!
Today I bought my favorite fiskar sissors, I have the old style CM cutter ( my CM is selling it at a reduced price)
I bought some letter stickers
paper holder
Plan to get a magazine for ideas.
I have a 40% off coupon so I may get an alpha stax I have an extra sticker maker machine....( needed a refill one time and they didn't have them....)
I am making a run to my LSS tomorrow to see what other goodies I can find.
THanks again!

 

[Lainy67]

OK... just some ideas. What about one of those lap desk things? So if she is in bed, she can do it still.

A list of webpages for inspiration.

How about some pre-made journaling boxes

sticker organizer of some sort, even if it is just some sticker sleeves

Baby stickers

Some sort of means to organize her photos, a box or file mate or something, along with a photo labeling pencil to work with. So, if she wants to just do some of that during the more tiring times of her recovery.

Call your CMC, explain your situation, and see if there is anything that she can suggest. I know that my uplines are always donating things in situations like these. My SIL (my upline) put together someones books for her so all she had to do was write, and her upline donated two albums for this and my SIL donated all the supplies. I have never been in this situation, but if I was, I would definitely donate both time and product.

Good Luck.

 

[MerryPoppins]

What a nice idea. She'll love it! Enclose a note that says it's to help her pass the time as she recovers. Maybe offer to crop with her when she's back on her feet and feeling better?

BTW, I'm a cancer survivor. I wouldn't think you thought I wouldn't make it if you gave me a gift like that! I'd be thrilled.

 

[firstmickey]

hi,
I also think it's wonderful you want to make a basket for your friend.
I also have lots of extras (especially die cuts) that I can include.
PM me with your address and I will send them to you.

I think your friend will be thrilled with your basket!!

Donna

 

[Spinning]

You guys are great! I appreicate that everyone would like to send things! But I think I will be ok I want to give it to her this Friday. That way she will still have about 2 weeks before her surgery and she can organize her stuff and if she needs anything more maybe we can have a girl's day to the craft stores and my LSS.
Thanks again!

 

[welovemickey]

Spinning,

How about a Hermafix with a refill or two? I use mine all the time.

I also want to add that you're a really nice friend to do this for someone.

 

[pas2]

I thought of an xacto knife and glass mat and a photo box to sort her pictures before she scraps, the little xyron (x one) with a refill or a sailor glue pen for the tiny stuff. How about gold,silver, black or white pens for journaling.

Have fun with your project...I hope she really enjoys it.

 

[goofymom/pop]

I think she is going to be so thrilled.

I think the girls have covered most of the items. But here is my 2 cents worth.

CM personal trimmer
small scissors
corner rounder
file folder for photos
gold, silver and white pens
letter stickers
template for lines for journaling
CM tape runner and or glue pen

And my all time favorite.....a pizza box..... ok stop laughing girls...
I use it to store my 12 x 12 paper in. It is sturdy and keeps it from bending on the corners. I have my entire crop at church using them now. Plus if you ask nicely they are usually free. you cant imagine how much paper fits in one.


Send her my prayers and well wishes for her and her daughter. May God Bless them both and keep them safe.

Cindy

 

[Spinning]

Thank you all for your idea, suggestion and support! and Judith for her good bag! Too kind. I plan to leave it in the envelope and give it to my friend so she knows she has more people on her side!
This is what I have:
Mrs. Grossman album
12 inch fiskar paper trimmer
my favorite fiskar sissors
a package of plain pastel paper
1 package of plain assorted pape
1 variety pack of paper
2 paper holders
some great London paper and stickers I found at my LSS
hand picked paper...school, holiday, summer, winter fall etc
stickers to go with the paper
hermixfix
one black pen one white
Magazine
Then I pulled stuff from my little stock pile
more paper
stickers
my extra sticker maker
small file box, can hold stickers or her pictures it is legal size
Goofy mom too funny about the Pizza box I have them for my kids art work!
I put everything into a really nice box that is made out of heavy card board.
She has no idea this is a gift! So I plan to just give her the album She knew I was going to pick one up for her and then leave outside her door the rest in a gift wrapped box.

 

[Alice28]

I love all these ideas! What an awesome friend you are----

I love the pizza box idea! I've got to get one- and what a handy thing to have to take to a crop.

My two cents is some type of divided folder- like a heavy duty plastic coupon folder you can get at Target or Wal Mart to organize small amounts of pictures in. My CMC gave me one, plus I had a bigger one I had bought at Target. I use the bigger one to sort die-cuts, some of my stickers, and the smaller one to sort out the current photos I am working on. It was perfect- I just finished my Disney World album and I had each park separated into a file, with room for a misc. file as well. It's very portable, and also helps with not feeling so overwhelmed with pictures (like if you have a shoebox full sitting in front of you).

Please be sure to post her response to your wonderful gift!

Robin

 

[pattyT]

If you e-mail me your address I would love to contibute some stuff to your basket.

 

[JudithM]

Goofymom, I, too, love the pizza box idea. Some of my coworkers do scrapbooks & we've been sharing ideas lately. I'll have to pass this one along.

Spinning, you will have to keep us updated on your friend, her health & her newest project. It was my pleasure to add to your basket.

 

[Spinning]

Hi Everyone I just wanted to let you know I gave my friend her gift box and she was totally shocked, amazed and happy! It worked out great! We were at church this morning and I told her I had her album and a book her mom gave me.She was busy talking so I just asked for her keys and left it on her car seat. She called later today and was totally thrilled. I also put in my card about all of the wonderful ladies on this board who wanted to contribute and were pulling for her. I left Judith evelope intact note and all. I think she was totally amazed how generous and wonderful people really are!
Thank you so much for all the wonderful support I felt with in this thread. Thanks you to all my friends on here! You guys are the best!

 

[JudithM]

How does thae saying go - "What comes around, goes around" or "What goes around comes around?" Well, about the same time I was sending off my package to Spinning & her friend, another DIS member on the collector's board sent me a pin of Mickey with a serviceman saluting. I have traded with the pin trader & her mom, but never met them. She knew how very much this pin means to me & she just sent it without anything in return. Aren't some strangers wonderful ?!

I'll be without a computer for a few days. Spinning, I hope your friend has the energy to work on her album. Thoughts & prayers for her ...