i need an opinion/suggestion pls

[6poptarts]

i am a newbee and was wondering.......

1. do you get a kit b/c you like it, then find a photo for it? or do you choose a photo then search for a good kit?

i keep seeing sooooo many cute kits that i'd like to get, but i don't want to fall into the same 'hoarding' habbit that i have with my paper scrapping supplies.

2. when you download kits, do you print out copies of anything and maybe put them into a notebook for a quick reference? i don't know how i will possibly remember my kit colors and themes. any ideas?

thanks y'all!!!!

[Amanda]

I always choose my photo first - then find a kit to go along with it. Unless I see I kit I KNOW i MUST use...then often I have to go find the photo :)

Try using a photo organizer like Picasa to keep track of your kits :)

[PacificTonz]

When I was a paper scrapper I always printed my photos and took them with me to choose my papers and elements. Now as a digi-scrapper I am usually the opposite, I will buy a kit because it catches my eye and then find photos to suit. Sometimes I will go looking for a style of kit (like New Year, Christmas or Beach). I think the reason is that digi lets me use a paper over and over again so I need to love it, not just for one photo, but also there are so many options open to me, like recolouring the paper or re-toning my photo with digital.

I save all my kits in the kit they came with a name it by designer, kit name and site. I then have a computer folder for each site,and for my favourite designers I have a folder for each of them too. I don't mind hoarding with digital as the ability to use and re-use is there and it is so tidy and easy to peruse what you have.

I started to use PSE organiser to sort by colour and themes but must admit that I love scrapping so much I use my time doing not organising. Some days I just surf through my kits and choose one I haven't used for a while then create a layout around it. I always set my folders up as icons and then under properties I set up the kit cover page as the icon so I can see the basis and colours of each kit at a glance.

I hope you have an awesome time exploring digital - you have come to a wonderful site here.

[Amanda]

another easy way to organize - especially if its mostly color you look for is to just make a folder that is for kit previews. Copy of all of your kit samples there and then you can easily search for color visually :)

[mariafer]

I know what you mean... and I can give you no possible help on how to organize... I usually remember the kits I buy as for freebies... I hoarde! I can't remember what I have there...

Anyway for kits I buy I usually but kits I like and then find pictures... I usually also buy kits that have something I know I can keep reusing... like a bow or a nice element or some awesome stitching or a must have paper. Since you can recolor to suit your needs I know I will find a picture to go with it... I love overlays also so end up getting tons of those also. Good luck and have fun!

[shazzt]

I TRY not to buy kits before I have something to use them for - but I end up doing it anyway. Sigh....

[Sandersmr]

The answer to your first question is Yes! I do both.

And I have a folder in my scrapbooking folder for kit previews that come with the kits.

[Hattitudes]

Because digital kits can be recoloured so easily I tend to buy the ones I like, I also see what kit is being used in a challenge, if I like it, I often will do a layout as add on kits are often offered as freebies if you use the original kit, see the forums, Rene's, Lisa's Lauren's, etc. Lauren gives away two,one at the chat and one if you post a layout with the original, there are too lots of freebies in the freebies section, Don't forget any photo can be made in black and white or the sepia's to match any kit, hope this helps, as for organizing, you're asking the wrong person, lol

[MaureenH]

another easy way to organize - especially if its mostly color you look for is to just make a folder that is for kit previews. Copy of all of your kit samples there and then you can easily search for color visually :)


I, too, keep a copy of the kit previews in an "Index" folder. I also keep additional preview copies in subfolders by topic, for example, by color (green, pastel, purple), by season (fall, spring & summer, winter), by topic (nature, heritage, child, sports, retro, etc.) & by designer. Makes finding kits so easy.:yahoo:

[Denise Witmer]

I usually choose the photo first, but if I like a kit and it is being used for a challenge, I'll buy and it and find a photo for it.

[Dawn6599]

I do both too. More often I see a kit that I just must have. I have enough stuff now that I can usually find something that works with my photo. But there are times I can't find just the right thing and go shopping with a photo in mind.

I don't print anything out. I save all my sample or contact sheets in a folder so when I'm really stuck I can just look over everything and remind myself of all the great kits I have that I've never used LOL. I use Digital Scrap Room to organize it's not free but works really well. Check out this post if you are interested http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18004&highlight=digitalscraproom

[Robin E.]

1. do you get a kit b/c you like it, then find a photo for it? or do you choose a photo then search for a good kit?BOTH!!! I keep a goodly amount of kits and other products I like in my Wish List at the store. When there's a good sale I snatch them up. However, other times I'll have a photo that just NEEDS one particular kit and I'll buy it sale or not.

Now after a year of digi scrapping, I've accluminated a fair amount of kits and other products and I try to use what I have first. I open up my "Kits" folder and click on the icon in the upper right corner that gives me the option of a thumbnail view. This allows me to get a look at the colors and such of all the kits at once, letting me eliminate looking at some that I know won't work with what I want.

Lastly, you can always recolor kits. It takes a little playing, using the "Color Variations" and/or "Hue/Saturation" options under the Edit menu, but sometime you can make a wrong kit right by just changing the shade or overall color.