One kit scrapping

Discussion in 'Scrapping Pad' started by littlekiwi, May 11, 2022.

  1. littlekiwi

    littlekiwi I charge by the hour for anything before noon

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    I’ve for some reason always struggled to only use one kit outside of CT work and I’d love to get better at it given I’ve got some amazing themed kits in my stash. I’m also thinking it might make it that I’m a bit faster/more productive when I’m scrapping.

    Does anyone have any great tips?
     
  2. sm_amber

    sm_amber I learn from the best..

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    I'm the same way.. Mostly I have to go hunting for those finishing details - stitches, paint splatters, staples, etc - and luckily I know exactly where my favorites are in my stash, so I end up using the same ones over and over again. So, I'd say just challenge yourself to stick with that main kit, especially if it's a super fun themed one, but then maybe allow yourself X number of outside pieces if you really feel you need it to tie everything together. (Or if speeding things up is the issues, maybe set a timer, and say "I can only look for things outside of the kit for X number of minutes" then do what you can with what you've got. A self-imposed speed scrap, almost.)
     
  3. HavaDrPepper

    HavaDrPepper Space. The final frontier

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    As you know I am a one kit scrapper. I have never been able to combine multiple designers on one layout. Heck I even have trouble with that even when it is a collab! I have on occasion used items from several kits but they are always the same designer so I really don't have any tips. It has always been the way I scrap.

    However, if you do decide to do tagging of supplies, tag those things that you might use to finish the layout like @sm_amber said. Then scrap the layout using just the kit. If you feel it needs a little something more, search only those items.

    Also, don't be afraid to use a themed kit on a layout that has nothing to do with the theme. Most kits have enough elements or pattern papers that aren't specific to the theme that you can do that. I still love my wedding layouts done with a fitness kit although I did add few items from a wedding kit by the same designer :) The colors were perfect for the wedding!
     
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  4. littlekiwi

    littlekiwi I charge by the hour for anything before noon

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    @HavaDrPepper it’s not a necessity to try one kit scrapping but more a case of I bet if I streamlined my scrapping decisions a bit I’d a) scrap more b) not take hours on a single page and c) potentially enjoy scrapping more
     
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  5. bcgal00

    bcgal00 Say, "birdseed!"

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    I check my previews, looking at colors and themes to combine one kit with another. I like to cluster and use paint, masks, etc so opening up a few kits gives me more products to use to build a cluster/layers. One kit may have more elements i.e. flowers, journal cards, labels, ribbon, etc and the other kit may have more mixed media products like paint, masks, scribbles, etc. Sometimes its fun to just open another kit and see what might work with your layout design and might take you in a direction you weren't even planning, if that makes sense. Don't be afraid to try.
     
  6. HavaDrPepper

    HavaDrPepper Space. The final frontier

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    From experience I can say I can scrap a lot by sticking to one kit. And, I enjoy it because for me it is less stress. No time spent looking for "the right item" to finish the layout. Just last week I did 6 layouts in one day and I didn't spend all day at the computer. How did I do 6? Well, 4 of them were of one event and I used the same kit for all of them. The other 2 were for another event and I used the same kit for both of them. Yes, I know not everyone does multi-page layouts and I don't always do that either.

    Want some statistics? This year I have already done 77 layouts. No scrapping was done from Feb 5 to Apr 7 because of computer issues. That's 77 layouts in 69 days. I also have 7 layouts started with photos placed on templates, just waiting to add the papers and elements.

    Also, I have been spending more time on learning more tips and tricks of my software. I've always hated using some items because they just never look right but now I'm learning how to use them and get them to look good. So you might start seeing things like washi tape on my layouts in the future (if I post them). Some of these tips and tricks are time saving ones so that has helped as well.

    I'm just giving you my experience. I've been digi scrapping for 15 years and have tried a lot during that time. And, I found one kit scrapping was the best way for me to scrap. Having to mix kits/designers is not enjoyable for me at all! One kit scrapping isn't for everyone just as mixing/matching is not for everyone either. And, credit tracking isn't hard with one kit scrapping ;)
     
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  7. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    My first thought is: What is your process for only using one kit when you are CT'ing? Why don't you use the same process and pretend that kit you bought is a CT kit? At the end, if you are like "This layout really really needs a staple, a journal card, or whatever" then let yourself go to another kit to grab that item.

    Other thoughts I have: What is preventing you from using the kit? For me, when I have a kit I haven't used but really want to, I ask if I bought the kit for the kit or if I have a photo that I bought the kit for. That helps me start the layout. I know whether I'm starting with product (the kit) or with the photos. I know that doesn't sound like a big difference, but for me it is. If I'm starting with product, then I can look at the kit and think I need a generic photo, or a photo with x colors, or something to fit this word art that I love in the kit. But, if it's the photo, then I grab the photos and place them down first.
     
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  8. littlekiwi

    littlekiwi I charge by the hour for anything before noon

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    @bestcee, I’m just such a mixer and matcher and always have been. If I CT scrap which is rarely, I do try and stick with at least 75% of the kit and then go to the rest of that designers stash but that is almost harder for me than a free for all scrap from my stash

    Re: kit vs photos, I’d say at least at the moment it’s more I like a kit to scrap a story, I don’t necessarily buy a kit these days for a particular photo on mind as quite a bit of my scrapping at least for now is photoless.
     
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  9. bestcee

    bestcee In love with places I've never been to

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    You thought that not mixing and matching would make you scrap faster? Do you scrap faster when doing CT work?

    Maybe the timer idea would work? You can mix and watch but you can only look for product for 5 min at a time? Or less?
     
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  10. littlekiwi

    littlekiwi I charge by the hour for anything before noon

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    @bestcee maybe faster isn’t quite right but maybe more efficient, less agonising over decisions if if I’m for the most part “forced” into using one kit. At the moment I have maybe 30-60, maybe 90 min at most blocks of time where I can be at my computer (it’s only temporary until I’m feeling a bit better) so streamlining the process in anyway is worth trying.
     
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  11. Dalis

    Dalis Jose Cuervo is NOT a good friend

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    A timer is always my helper to not overthink!
     
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  12. Aerobigirl

    Aerobigirl Well-Known Member

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    I scrap a LOT faster when I work with one kit at a time, and I love scrapping that way. I spend less time picking supplies because they're already defined. During the years when I was on multiple CT, I got 500 to 700 pages done in a year, compared to my normal rate between 150 and 200 pages a year in other years.

    Another thing that I do is make a "favorites" folder with the things I love to use. It's my favorite among favorite masks, stitches, buttons, staples, bows, labels, etc. For example, I have probably 400 different staples, but I have 2-3 FAVORITE staples in copper and silver. Those go in the "favorites" folder. Sometimes, I'll scrap with one kit plus my favorites folder.

    Or challenge yourself to do a layout using just one designer. How about 3 kits?
     
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  13. cfile

    cfile My bags are packed for Platform 9 3/4

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    @littlekiwi I think if you look at things like a speed scrap, it will have you scrap faster and not overthink. set a timer to 1 hour and go from there.. .maybe take some speed scrap instructions and practice with that. If I think too much, it takes me hours to scrap a page! Speed Scraps can really create magical pages. Whether you scrap 1 kit, or grab stuff from other kits, if you only have 1 hour or 2 hours it will help with your waffling over different choices :)
     
  14. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    My tip, no matter whether you're using one kit or multiple kits, is to go with your first instinct when you are choosing papers and elements. Don't second guess yourself. Just let the scrapping process flow. Then when you get to the end, if you don't like something, it's easy enough to change it out or if you need to add something, that's easy too. But the bulk of the scrapping will already be done.
     
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  15. sm_amber

    sm_amber I learn from the best..

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    This is so hard for me, but I really need to embrace it.
     
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  16. Memaw2Wm

    Memaw2Wm Well-Known Member

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    I have a "basics" folder ... staples, stitches, a few fav papers ... that I pull from to add to a kit. I'm pretty much a one kit scrapper with the exception of using things from my basics folder.
     
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  17. Cherylndesigns

    Cherylndesigns All glasses should be bigger than 1.5 oz

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    I'm doing it more than I used to. The one kit has to have lots of elements and paints in it, though.
     
  18. littlekiwi

    littlekiwi I charge by the hour for anything before noon

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    I need to do this more, I will spend a tonne of time looking through my stash looking for the perfect item rather than starting with a strong kit idea which is probably why I take so long.
     
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  19. meterr

    meterr I've got ICE in my veins!

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    I mostly use just one kit as everything goes together and I'm lazy about keeping track of which kits Ive used for the credits. :P
     
  20. LoveItScrapIt

    LoveItScrapIt I'm a poet, and everyone knows it!

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    I will agree with this. I will also add my statistics because I like them....rofl....I have created 185 layouts since Jan.2022. The majority of these are ONE kit.

    My advice, open a folder to a kit, make yourself do it everytime. If you need a button and there's not one, use a flair or a brad in it's place. Think of things that can do double duty so that you don't "feel" like you're missing something.
     
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