Save time and money: Make your own kit...Part 2

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. 

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Joyful June (and other Musings)

Hello, I'm still here. I am slowly getting into blogging, but not enough, meaning I am not posting like I should. Not enough cards, layouts, or even Longaberger specials. I need to re-organize. Have you ever gotten into a rut where no matter what you do, it just isn't good enough? I love every one of my cards, scrapbooking layouts, and even trying my hand in album making. As far as the rut thing, that is where I had been the last couple of months. I have now snapped back into reality, and ready to roll. the last few cards I made, I sold to family members and made $25, which is enough to make me snap back. So here are the cards:

Card #1: This is from the same kit as the purple one from a few posts back. the only thing I added was the butterfly stamp. I love how it came out. In fact, most of the cards I made came from this kit. As explained in an earlier post, I do not like to stick to the plan. The ideas that kits give, like this one from QVC, are wonderful for people who are beginners, stuck, and/or want something easy to make cards with. Just let your creative juices flow. do not get stuck on one way of doing a card kit. That is my advise to those of you who are beginners in card making, as well as those who have been in the biz for a while, but get stuck like me.

Card #2

Just another way to make with the same materials. BTW, the kit came with 2 or 3 of everything in each package. The pocket in this case is on the inside of the card.

Card #3: This is from the same kit, only this time, this one says 'Happy Birthday on it, and it is supposed to be a maculine card. the first two are thank you cards in case I did not properly point it out. I am not going to bore with two more cards made two different ways with the same materials like that last set, but I am am going to show you this one from the same kit: Card #4

This is also a Masculine like birthday card (although I am sure that if you recipient is not a girly girl, she would appreciate it too). I hope you can tell with the saying is, besides happy birthday.

One more thing about Kits: Did you know that you can take a scrapbooking kit and make cards out of it? sure, and why not? Hey, you bought the kit, and unless you know the designer behind the kit, he or she will not know that you used the papers for something else besides what it was intended for in the first place. Take the card kit and make a mini album out it. If you happen to know the website of the company or designer, write them a note in the form of an email to tell them what you did, and it could inspire them to make more kits like that. There are a lot of products that can be done like that.

I have more cartridges for my cricuts, so I will be doing more of those type of cards next time. I have added to my library: Storybook, Home Decor (my first solutions cart); Printing 101, and My Community (yes, these are the two free ones I have been ranting about not getting on time from Provo Craft).

I am also working on my note cards for the annual Horizon of Hope Campaign luncheon that the branch that I am in has every year to raise money for Breast Cancer awareness. Not familiar with this campaign, please go to http://www.horizonofhope.com/ for details of this campaign. in July starts the sale of baskets and other products, and that runs through September. If you would like more info on Longaberger baskets and other Horizon Of Hope stuff, check back at my website: www.longaberger.com/patricialogan on July 1st. $2 goes towards the treatment and education of this illness, and did you know that men are not immune to it. My father is a 27-year survivor of the disease, however, I did lose a friend to the disease as well. Her name was Lois Cooper, and she died of complication of the disease in May 2002. I hope and pray that our luncheon is a success, but the success is to know that there will be millions of women and men educated and treated.

well that is it for now. I will try not to be so long posting next time, and you take care of yourself. May God bless you and keep you, and His face shine upon you and give you peace. This is one of my favorite blessings, and one of my favorite bible passages is the 23 Palms, the Lord is My Shepard. I also have a favorite prayer which is The Lord's Prayer. I say it every night, before I pray for individuals and situations. Bye for now.