I started PL this year but just didn't really enjoy it being all digital. Next year I'd really like to do it hybrid and make it the focus of my scrapping. I plan to make very few actual digital pages, and focus more on the PL stuff. So, a few questions... What albums do you use? I want 3 ring for sure... Do you buy only Becky's plastics, or is there any other ones on the market? I assume you print photos at home? What kind of printer do you use for photos? Mine is good for printing papers and stuff, but I'd have to test it to see how it does photos on photo paper. While we're talking about photos - any recommendations for photo paper? Are there any PL items from Becky that you think are a MUST have? Anything else I should prep ahead of time? I know it's WAY early but I also know that with the holidays coming up I'll be prepping little by little for the next 3 months. And I'd rather buy supplies over a period of a few months than to do it all at once in December!
I'm linking you up to a few things. Be forewarned on going hybrid: it's lots of fun, but it takes up quite some time, and it will make you want to go shopping! I use Becky's plastics and mix them up with these by WRMK. I am using Canon glossy photo paper 4x6" for the photos and I love it. I use this matte paper for the the digi elements/papers. I love Becky's grid journaling cards, and recently bought the new 4x6 version too.
I do mine on the computer and print them off to put in the PL page protectors. I bought the mix pack of page protectors that has 10 each of Designs A-F, and I love being able to mix it up. I also mix in 6x12 & 8.5x11 inserts, and well as 12x12 layouts occasionally. I don't do any of my printing at home. You may have a really great printer, so it might not be a big deal, but I found that the quality was better from the photo store with my printer. I was printing anything that wasn't a photo at home, but it's just a lot easier and cheaper to have someone else print them. I save everything to a 4x6 card (so 2 3x4 cards on one 4x6 card), and I've been having my 12x12, 8.5x11 and 6x12 pages printed at Persnickety.
A quick answer because I am on my phone: I get the black leather albums from Hobby Lobby. I use all kinds of plastics, but most of my 12x12 ones are by BH. I have inserts from Simple Stories, and some packs I bought at hobby lobby that I use as well. I don't print my pics at home. I use Costco mostly and occassionally Target and Walmart. As for must-haves: my favorite is the folded cards which unfortunately you can't buy by themselves. Other than those, I rarely use my core kit.
Have any of you had to add a 2nd album? I saw that the old core kits are only $24 on amazon. If that's the same price this year ill likely pick up the one by Elise Blaha (I think it's turquoise?). But I plan on using digi supplies mostly and printing myself. Like Kellie, I'd like to do a variety of page sizes to keep it interesting. And also put some of my kids' artwork from school into 8.5x11 page protectors. I have grand ideas - now to just stick to it! I'm thinking of doing a December album just to practice.
I also do a variety of page sizes, I have We R Memory Keepers, Becky Higgins, Simple Stories, some baseball card pages, and 8.5x11 and 12x12 as well. I love the look of so many different sizes..plus each page is just a hodge podge...I simply don't worry about everything being matchy matchy and I really find that I like it that way. As far as printing I do it all at home. I have a HP all in one photo smart that I use for all of my journaling cards and embellishments and I have a Selphy printer that I use for my photos. I made a 6x4 template in my scrapping software for photo printing and I'll often print a few small photos out on one 4x6 sheet. If you look at the page I just uploaded... https://the-lilypad.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=60114&title=pl-sept1-15&cat=707 I printed two of the photos on one print and the three smaller ones on a second print (of course you can do this is you're sending them out to be printed as well). I just love having the convenience of being able to do it all at home, it's a major pita when you run out of printer ink though..lol. Oh and I print my journaling cards out on matte presentation paper.
I use the black leather WRMK album and LOOOOVE it. I had to get another for my 2nd half of the year. I use BH and WRMK plastics, mostly using BH, but personally think the WRMK is a nicer quality! I dont use or have the cored kit stuffs...too much fabulous digi out there to use! I print at home...no biggie HP printer ( a better one is on my NEED list) but it works fine-ish....For me it's just easier and i dont have to be too planned and "together" when working on my pl pages....I think it would stress me to print elsewhere (even though i agree the quality would be better). I like to work spur of the moment i think lol... I love love love PL and you definitely have to commit as sometimes you just dont have time or energy to work on them...you can always catch up especially if your photo's are organized by date! That said, i have to make digi pages too...not one replaces the other in my book I think Emily (Merritt) prints her pages (maybe 8x8?) and adds them to her PL...something i want to do....
I have most every style of the BH plastics but also love WRMK page protectors and albums too. I had to order a 2nd Clementine album for the second half of the year but do use 12x12 WRMK and American Crafts albums for other layouts and love them both. I have an Epson Charm printer that only prints 4x6 so I don't print out paper elements at home unless it's on photo paper which I am okay with. Having the printer at home is key for me, I know I wouldn't have managed to keep up with this having to go and pickup photos. The Charm printer uses either glossy or matte paper and I've found that I love the look of both of them. I just alternate when I rurn out. I use Lili's 4x6 photo collages all the time to fit more photos in. I have a core kit but have barely scratched the surface in using it. Mine are generally all photos with word art or text on them or digital journal cards printed out. I do like the grid cards and want to get the 4x6's as well. I do suggest a mix of sizes to make it interesting in the album. I like to use the smaller designs like H & I as a filler page in a week with a big event with a lot of photos from it. It's really gratifying to look through the albums. I'm sure you'll love it!
