talking about the process

I had the opportunity to do some scrapbooking today; I've found that Sunday afternoons are normally my favorite time to scrap, because I can leave a page open and in progress on my laptop while I take care of other things around the house, like dishes and laundry. Those are both chores that I take care of in stages, so intermingling the two processes really works for me.

I've had an idea for a blog post about scrapping with one kit tumbling around in the back of my mind for a while, but I've never gotten around to it. As I was working on a couple of layouts earlier today, I thought it was a good time to stop procrastinating on that topic and get the post written.

credits: A Beautiful Mess kit and template by Taylormade Designs and Emily Powers Designs

I'm really curious to know how many of you scrap with only one kit at a time, and your reasons for doing so. As for my own reasons -- well, there are many:

• I have no tagging system in place for my digital kits, so looking through my digital files involves looking through lots of individual folders. (I do keep them organized by designer and then by kit name within the designer folder, but that's about it.)
• It's a habit that's been honed by years of creative team work -- CT layouts usually need to focus on showcasing the papers and elements from the "soon-to-be-released" kit.
• I don't buy from a variety of designers. Since I started designing my own products, I can make just about anything I want. There are a few designers whose products are must-haves for me, but aside from that, I just don't have a big product stash.
• On a related note, if I don't use, I don't keep it. That even applies to items in kits that I like -- if there's something in there that I know I won't use, I delete it.
• I'm always looking for ways to simplify my life. As the girls get older and more involved in other activities, I don't have as much spare time. Scrapbooking is important to me, so finding a way to speed up the process is essential.

Those are just a few of the reasons that have led to me becoming a one-kit scrapper. Even though it sounds like it is a limiting process, in terms of creativity and expression, I've found it to be very freeing in a number of ways:

• I don't spend precious scrapping time looking through all my digital scrapbooking products, trying to find just the right paper or element.
• Using only the elements or papers in the kit forces me to be more creative -- to think of multiple or alternative uses for every element and paper pattern. (I do have a stash of basic supplies, such as staples, alphas, stitches, and stamps that I keep in a folder that I consider my "go-to" supplies; these basically enhance anything found in most kits and give me a little more freedom).
• It's helped me to define my style. I've been focusing more on photos + words in my layouts, and as a result, I don't end up with a lot of product overload on my pages. I'd rather use just a few carefully chosen elements that SUPPORT and ENHANCE the story I'm telling.
• I've let go of the concept of perfection. With my entire stash at hand, I could spend hours looking for just the "right" white cardstock or pink patterned paper. Instead, I use what's available in the kit and I know that I will still come up with a page that I love. The focus, again, moves from the products to the story, and that's why I'm scrapping in the first place.

credits: Tranquil by One Little Bird and Leora Sanford Designs; frames and tape from A Beautiful Mess
kit by Emily Powers Designs and Taylormade Designs

My actual process for scrapping with just one kit involves a couple of different stages.

• Stage 1 involves looking at photos and recording stories. You can find an in-depth look at what I do here and here, but it basically means that when I move my photos from my SD card to my laptop, I jot down any stories I want to tell in the notebook I keep on my desk. So there's a constant brainstorming process going on, essentially, which means that I'm always, in the back of my mind, thinking about photos + stories -- making connections and fleshing out ideas.
• Stage 2 is a matching process. As new kits or other products are released, I only look at what catches my eye, and then I refer to my list. If the kit can be used with multiple stories on my list, then I get it. If not, I let it pass. There's a bit of mental work that goes on here too, as those connections in the first stage sometimes give me that "lightbulb moment" when I look at a particular kit or product.
• Stage 3 involves sitting down to scrap. Usually what I'll do is consult my list and choose a story, then open the photos that accompany that story. Then I'll open the kit. Basically I pull everything that I *think* I might use into the photo bin and then move the different pieces around on my page until they look the way I want them to. I find myself focusing more on technique, too, when I use this process.

So there you have it. I'd love for you to share your own thoughts and ideas about one-kit scrapping with me. Do you find it limiting? Frustrating? Challenging? Simplifying? Leave a comment and let me know.

Comments

[Donna]

For the most part, I'm a one-kit kinda girl as well, largely for the reasons you list. I've tried to mix-and-match, but I found that the process of looking overwhelmed the process of creating. Another benefit to using one kit on a layout is that it is much easier to keep track of credits for posting in online galleries.

[Jennifer]

another one kit kinda girl. I don't organize my supplies well, only by designer or store...so to go through them all for that perfect embellishment is so time consuming. I need to get more organized when it comes to my scrapping process. I might just have to start doing step one (like you) and record stories ahead of time, instead of saving my journaling until the end. Great post!!

[Shannon]

Silmlifying. I, also, generally stick to one kit at a time. I think I started scrapping more that way when I started posting my pages online. It makes it a lot easier to remember what I used, to credit it in galleries, and especially to remember which shop's galleries I can post it in.

I also find that it really cuts down on the overwhelmed feeling that comes with looking at my whole stash for supplies, and I don't have to worry about trying to match/co-ordinate colors, just designing my page. Of the first 20 pages I did, over half were all from the same kit, mostly because I felt like I didn't know what I was doing. After I realized that I kind of did, I still found myself coming back to that kit again and again.

[Jennifer]

Yes! This is totally how I scrap. At first, I felt that I had to organize everything by type, but I found it didn't fit my scrapping style.

I still bring in extras, like alphas, stitching, date stamps or even a really basic kraft cardstock -- but my layouts center around one kit.

I think the only difference for me is that I usually take inspiration from the kit to select my story. Sometimes it works the other way, but definitely not always.

[aud neal]

So glad Im not the only one who does things this way! LOL

Id forgotten about how easy crediting layouts is when you use just one kit; Id never be able to keep things straight if I was constantly pulling from a variety of kits. Thanks for reminding me about that great point!

Sometimes Im inspired by the kit, Jennifer, and sometimes not. Theres this hard-to-explain mishmash of subconscious thinking always going on in my head, so usually stories/photos/kits just seem to serendipitously fall into place together....I think its because Im always, on some level, thinking about them and so Ive trained myself to recognize all the ways those pieces could match up and fit together. Does that even make sense?

[Jenn W]

Ok, I'm the oddball - I'm NOT a one kit scrapper, ever since I loaded Windows Live Photo Gallery. While I've only tagged about 1/60th of my stash (which is NOT extensive, as I design and thus only by the truly exceptional stuff I don't want to/can't make) I can still scroll through kits without opening and closing folders. My scrapping has gotten SO much more enjoyable since I started using WLPG. No longer do I struggle with kits that don't have a curly ribbon or a staple, I just go find one and recolor it if necessary. It's much easier to put together what's in my head, rather than what the kit limits me to. I recently did a challenge where I was restricted to a single kit, and it was painfully difficult, and I found my layout way too similar to everyone else's. My process is similar though - I choose photos, then work my way up from the background, just as when I paper scrapped. Pick a piece of paper, put the pics on it, add stuff, move things around, add some more... and so on. It's nice that you have given so much thought to your process, thanks for sharing it?