The best solution is to make kits on your own, and you can do it with your current stash. The rule here is to not buy anything except consumables (glue, tape runner supplies anything you can purchase at a dollar store)
First, choose your paper. Will it be a cardstock or a patterned piece of paper? This is your background piece of paper. Next, choose 3 or 4 pieces of coordinating paper. If you background is a piece of cardstock, picking coordinating pieces is easy to do, but what if that background piece is a pattern paper, how do determine which is the dominate color?
Take this piece of paper for instance. I have this stack and I have used it for a mini book, a background piece of paper, and I love it. I normally do not work with corals and their coordinates, but this stack by DCWV called Mariposa got me very "Springy" this year. The first thing you will notice about the paper is the Multicolored background. I have one piece left, and the first piece I cut out to make tags for the mini book I made in May. The challenge for you is to let the paper "speak" to you. I can use light green or even the pinkish area where the writing is. But I am going to go with the red flowers, and base my kit off of that. Since the paper is thicker, I would even call it patterned cardstock paper, in fact I am looking at the cover, and that is what DCVW is calling it. 3-4 sheets would do, and you can even adjust from that.
Next are the embellishments. With this piece of cardstock, you do not need to make it as busy as it already is, so in my case I would just stick to one or two piece of ribbon or even a button or two. If I had another sheet of this cardstock, I would make it one of coordinating pieces of paper and cut some of the elements out of it, especially if you do not want some things covered like the birdcage or the corner butterfly. Some papers lend themselves to that aspect of the scrapbooking process, but you can make that decision as you are in the actually creation of the page itself. You are just making the page kit right now,
Finally, if you have photos in mind, add them, but make sure they are in photo safe envelope. You add then to the kit now, so that you do not have to look for them later. It is also ok to do photo placement on a page, and mark on the back with a photo-safe marker where on the page you would like to place them. You can always adjust when you make the page. Make sure the kit does not clash with the photos. So in other words, make sure that someone is wearing red or there is an object that is red or even another color on the background paper. It is Ok if you decide to swap out later.
Finally you want to put all of this in a folder that is photo safe or one of those project folders. If you do not have one, you can pick one up at Walmart if you do not have a Michaels, Jo-Ann's, a local scrapbooking store nearby. Even stores like the Dollar Tree may have some. Make sure that your largest piece fits in side. Make several kits, and if you are a card maker, you may want to make some of those too, in case the mood make hit you to make a card, or if you need one for an occasion. You do not have to put your sentiments in the kit now, but it is will save you time if you have it already stamped or printed up. Saving money is wonderful and people are busy. So isn't time you start making scrapbooking and card making kits?
Now if you will excuse me while I go make some kits. I am running low.
