What About Wednesday: Starting a New Kit

Hello!! It is Hannah here with you today!!

Do you ever get a new kit in the mail and it looks far to pretty to cut into? Or do you ever sit with your kit on your craft table and wonder what parts of that kit you should use first? Well today I am going to talk a little bit about my process for starting a new kit.

Here is a Youtube video of me talking through opening a new (June) Clique Kit that I haven’t used yet because it was just so pretty.

My first real tip for being able to dig right into a kit when you get it, and this is really a mind over matter issue. Just think of it like any old paper or layout you are starting. When I stop overthinking about a kit, it usually is easier for me to jump right into using my kit.

My next tip, is to start with my photo. By picking my photo and using that as the starting point, I can tailor my layout to match the feel I am going for.

Knowing the design can also help digging into my kit. If I know I want to make a L shaped design or a grid design. I can pick papers that help me achieve that design concept. Some of the papers in my kit may not work with the design I want and that makes it easier to pick papers.

Also what about just using your favorite paper or embellishments to start making your layout. If you pick out your favorite parts of the kit and then add pieces from the kit that work well with those pieces then you will have a layout that you love because you love the elements on the layout.  Using the pieces I love always gets me excited about scrapbooking and then I tend to like my layouts more too.

Lastly I want to mention that if you have a routine for starting a layout, this could also be helpful. Are there certain things you notice you do when you are successful in producing a layout or project in a timely minor for you? I notice for me(also realize this is different and unique to each scrapper), that I feel successful in my scrap room when I stick to a scrappy routine. Making sure I am not overwhelmed with inspiration online is the first thing. If earlier in the day I picked out my starting point definitely helps me. I then put on some music and pick a photo from my photo pile and get to town. I look through the kit and pick out things that jump out to me as matching the feel of the photo(s) I choose.

I try to think about my stash and think if I have anything in there that matches my photo or feel I am trying to accomplish on my layout. i try not to spend too long looking around for things and just kinda go with my gut. When I am successful, I find that I am taking about an hour to create a layout from start to finish. Using and sticking to my kit helps. Also making decisions without stewing over them is what I try to achieve.

It I start each layout or project the same way I get into the habit of making better instinctual decisions on my layouts. And I tend to love them better.

Let’s take a look at the layout I made with my newer June Clique kit that I hadn’t used yet.

 

I picked My photos first, I knew I wanted to make a layout about the new coffee maker we bought right after we moved into our new house. We had to wait another week to get our household goods, so a coffee maker would be needed to make it through the week. This new one we found, had a container to put milk into. Then you microwave it, and pump to add air to make foam. I can now have homemade lattes right at home. This literally makes my soul sing!!

Because I knew what story and photos I wanted to tell, I took from my stash some stickers and die cuts from Pretty Little Studio about coffee. I also had an old coffee cup clip from a past Clique kit.

I also took this time to pull out some grey and blue feltie hearts from the SpiegelMom Scraps Store. I knew they would be perfect because my coffee cups all had blue and grey tones in them.

The kit I used had tons of cute Elle’s Studio stuff in it. Using a kit really helps keep things coordinated. This helps making a layout a little faster for me. I take less time figuring out things that all match or work well together. And this kit’s main colors worked perfectly with the color scheme I wanted to use.

I instantly picked out this Clique exclusive because the saying went with the feel I was going for. It’s the little things of life that makes life better. I backed the patterned paper with white card stock from the Store to add texture without being really heavy.

I backed each of my photos with a white doily. I wanted lots of layers but didn’t want to add a lot bulk. The doilies are good for that. I also used some vellum and tissue paper behind my photos.

The clear acetate pieces mixed with the SpiegelMom Scraps exclusive mix for the kit and the new Mocha Mint Dreams sequin mix add light layered embellishments to the layout without feeling really heavy.

I love how these sequins look like steam coming from my cup!!

Those blue feltie hearts in a row, add something fun tucked in the layers of the tissue paper and add a shelf for the script font on the background paper.

I also love the pops of pink throughout the layout.

I may have ran out of room for my journaling!!

The way I clustered my photos and journaling card, make the best use of this diagonal design on the background paper. It is really fun and different from the designs I usually use on my page. It stumped me at first, I won’t lie. I took about thirty minutes working on the placement of the photos before I was happy with how it looked. Once I was happy with the way they looked the rest of the layout came together really fast.

I hope I gave you a few good tips for starting a new kit. Also know that there is no right way to dig into your kits. As long as you are happy with your process, it is the right way!!

Have an inspired Wednesday!!