how to start...

Usually I scrap a page first and think of the photo I want to use at the end. But, with MOC I always read the challenge, ponder over it a bit, choose a photo and then a kit and go from there. MOC is super specific so I like to make sure I'm choosing wisely.

Good luck to you!

 

Hi @girlonmac(Lisa) i have been keeping it simple. Im picking the challenges that are easiest to me and going with them. For this i have been picking one kit and doing the LO all from there, i LOVE MOC but these pages are for fun for me! not in an album, im not forcing myself to scrap specific photos. I pick photos i want to scrap, i pick i kit i love and go with it. There are some great weely 50% or 20% offs and i find a mini kit can do a number of LOs, although so far i havent bought anything specifically for the challenges.

I normally pick a story or photo that goes with what we need for the challenge, then pick a kit that will work, i have been using random kits because i like a colour in them.

 

I do the same as Carrie. Most of the time, I scrap the page first and then choose the photo, but for MOC challenges, I like to read through the challenge and decide on the photo first because some of them need a certain kind of photo to work, at least for me. Then I choose the kit that best goes with the photo. I did my first couple of MOCs with very few TLP kits and made it work really well. I would say look at what you have and if there ways you can use pieces of kits or mix and match. Even themed kits can be used for non-theme layouts if you look at the individual elements. And also, you can always recolor things to help you out.

 

This! When I'm behind (cough cough, like I am now) I do this & that gets me a few more runs on the board & motivates me & gives me more time to ponder the tough ones or styles I find most challenging!

Using random kits is a good approach & reusing basics too (if I get stuck on 'this photo needs a frame, my go-to this MOC is one of Lynn Grievesons packs that I 100% know is in the store & qualifies as current product) .

 

Many scrappers use MOC as a chance to make an album, which means their photos (and usually their kits) are picked out before Jan 1's challenge is posted. If your TLP stash isn't yet huge, I'd suggest reading over a challenge's rules and use those as a way to decide which kit(s) you want to use. Then, based on the kit's colors or theme, you can choose your photo. But it's not like you have to wait until your page is fully finished before looking for the right the photo: you can browse your kits and decide almost simultaneously: you see a summer kit and it reminds you "I have that picnic to scrap." So then you've got the kit and the event picked out; grab the photos and start scrapping! And good news is, you can always convert the photo to black and white if the kit's colors don't match it.

Or go photo-less (unless, of course, the challenge is a Photography challenge LOL!). You have options and you'll find a groove that works for you.

 

Each challenge may take you in a different direction... sometimes I scrap with a certain photo in mind then choose a kit to match. Other times I have a kit I know would work for the challenge and I have to hunt for a photo that will work. I think it just depends on the challenge itself. This is only my second MOC, and I typically tackle these challenges just like I do the regular monthly ones. You'll find a groove as you get going. Don't worry about "catching up" just enjoy the process and when the creative bug hits - run with it!

 

@girlonmac(Lisa) -- Also check out the free product section in the store. There are a couple of mini kits in there, as well as a couple alpha packs. They may give you a little more to choose from.

For MOC, I have been reading the instructions and looking for photos that will help me achieve the challenge. Then go look through my kits. (Also a tip for when you do have more kits -- before MOC starts I always go through the store and make sure I copy over all the kits that are still active, so when I go to look for a kit, I already know it is still in the store. Makes it easier for me in January)

 

I think this is the most important thing anyone said.

 

I have been doing the opposite. I try to do the hardest pages first, that way if I fall behind, I do not have a chore in front of me. Last year I was on a cruise and was gone from January 19th through the 27th. I was not caught up when we left, but I did manage to finish. I am trying very hard to stay caught up this year, because I literally uploaded my last page the last minute of MOC. My husband thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. So far the challenges have been pretty straight forward, so if you are behind, you can in my opinion catch up. As far as individual challenges I look at the instructions closely and then pick a photo based on the challenge. Then a kit on the photo. If all else fails you can always make your photo black and white.

 

I'm behind!
My process: I went through and looked at each challenge first.

Day 2: New photo. Okay, what do I have in my stash that I can photograph to match? (Dog. Always the dog!)
Day 9: White on white. This one I went to my TLP folder and searched white. I realized that a snow photo would probably look really cool on a white background. (I actually process videoed this one if you want to hear my indecision. )
Day 8: One photo in the template spot. So, I picked a photo I love (Santa) because I knew I had a Christmas kit or two!
Day 5: No photo needed! I'll probably not use a photo on that one.
Day 4: This one the photo mattered to me. It needs to be one that will look cool with the technique. So, I found a playground photo knowing that I have lots of elements that I can add to that type of photo.

So, I don't know if that's helpful, but that's where I started. And I picked out the photos Thursday night so I could scrap over Friday and Saturday without having to think about it too hard.

 

I'm late to the game here, but here's my general plan when I get behind...

Focus first and foremost on the rules/requirements and do nothing more than that. Realizing that I can change/add to/subtract from the one I submit helps me just focus on the task at hand... completing MOC. My bucket list challenge day was like that... I wrestled with that one for too long trying to make the page I wanted for my album match the one that adhered to the rules. I finally let go... did a super simple, no frills one that met the requirements to submit and then immediately added all of the journaling I wanted to make it "mine" for my copy. Something about knowing I have that flexibility changes my mindset when trying to power through a list of challenges. So my advice for getting caught up... don't overthink the challenge page, focus on the requirements and then customize/play around with that layout to your heart's content when you have more time.