Got Photos?
Packing Page Kits from Photos to Finished
Originally written April 20th, 2006 by Kathy Aho copyright 2006-2023
I admit it, I am a VERY productive scrapper. I get pages done. And cute
ones too. I journal, I embellish, I add handmade doodads as well as
store-bought. I honestly can say that after 30 years of scrapping, I
make great scrapbooks. And I do them fast. Need a two-page layout design
in 45 minutes or an album in a week? No problem. I get asked all the
time HOW I do it?
I will share with you my straightforward and simple process. If you can
master this, you can get a LOT more done in your limited scrapbooking
time. I can get up to 160 kits packed in a weekend and later get up to a
hundred pages assembled in a week. And I do it consistently,
incorporating the cutest and newest materials and accents. But you don't
want to hear me brag. You want to know HOW to do this for yourself.
Planning is the key.
You probably have heard that many times at many websites and forums.
What do I mean when I say plan ahead or make a set of page kits to take
to a crop? Check this out. I hope my step by step process helps you
become more productive.
Step One: Got Photos?
Organize your photos by chronological date and event.
Don't leave photos loose around the house waiting to get lost, crushed,
or stained with the latest slosh of your Starbucks. Gather the photos up
and organize them. This way you can FIND your photos regardless of what
kind of page you want to create. Our minds index events (which is what
all photos represent) by timeline. Organize and label your photos by
year, month and event. This will save you hours of time finding photos
for page sets later even if your finished scrapbooks are purely arranged
by emotion, sentiment, or person.
One at a Time: Grab one handful.
Just one handful. Grab one handful of photos to create a page kit. Pick
out the photos for ONE event. That means just 1 to 10 photos for
creating a 1 to 4 page layout set on that same event. For me, this is
usually just the pics from one event (1 to 8 photos) for a 2 page
layout. If that event has more pics, I pack more similar kits! Do one
event at a time. One kit at a time. I keep on placing pics into
protectors or 2 gallon zip lock bags until I have about 20-40 kits with
photos in them only. Here for my example I have chosen birthday photos.
Step Two: Got Accents?
You may have the perfect accents
to go with this photo set. Toss them in before you choose paper. For the
sake of ease, I think it is easier to choose accents next and paper
last. Why? Because I have MUCH MORE paper than I have accents. I might
have a notebook or three of accents but I have many FEET of paper
(thousands of sheets) to use up in all color schemes and patterns. And I
want to use up my stash of accents because they are so costly. They
usually run 6 times the cost of my paper for any kit. I check my accent
binder for birthday party ideas in my party category.
Add accents right now into your kit if they will fit. I add coordinating
buttons, pre-made frames or titles, journaling squares, tags, flatter
lumpy items like acrylics, punch art, silk or paper flowers, sticker
strips, and 3-D stickers like Jolee's. I can add packaged metals in a
tiny zip bag if they will NOT cut into or mar the protector or photos.
Choosing my accents FIRST insures that my paper (chosen second) will
match my accents and thus my photos.
That means if my 'happy birthday' photos have lime green and pink then I
chose Lime green and pink accents and it will be a cinch to dig out the
lime green paper (or something that compliments that green) because I
have so MUCH paper. By choosing my papers after my accents, I use up a
lot more of my old accents and also my papers in one fell swoop. If I
choose an accent that goes, but I end up not having ANY paper, it is
much cheaper to buy 2 sheets of paper than to buy a $2.99 sticker sheet
or a $4.99 birthday 3-D accent pack! Toss your accents into the page
kit! Here is what I pulled as good possibilities for my 4 page birthday
layout set.
Of course, you can pull either accents OR paper as step 2 in this
process if you prefer and it still will work. In the end, YOU decide
what works for your own thought process and stash. Sometimes I do choose
my papers first if I bought a certain paper to match exactly with my
photos. However, I am doing that less and less Generally, I say choose
accents before paper.
NOTE: At this point I don't add loose brads or metal accent items that
would damage my paper with pokey parts or nail heads. These metals might
damage your kit packaging or photos if left loose. Use your own
judgment here. My lumpy metals are in a divided box which travels with
me to scrapbook.
Step Three: Got Paper?
Of course the next step in packing a
page kit is to add the paper. I add my 12x12 background paper right
into the page protector or zip bag with the doodads and photos. I rarely
use all white backgrounds. My pages are about 50/50 pattern and solid
in monochromatic schemes So, I decide now between pattern paper or
cardstock background.
Once I pull two papers for the background, I can choose the 2nd type of
coordinating paper. It may be a second layer of background or it may
just be for mats. I don't decide that yet unless I have a firm plan in
mind for the page. But I do notice that I usually pull 2 coordinating
patterns and a solid or two for each kit. I try to mat with my scraps.
Scraps should be stored by color family so they are easy to find and USE
UP. Utilize scraps whenever possible when packing your kits. Notice
that because my accents match my photos, then I can see that my paper
which was matched to my accents does indeed also match my photos!!
Specialty papers should be added at this time too. Do you envision this
layout with mulberry paper? Metallic die cut letters? Crumpled leather
look paper? Glitter paper on a prom page? Will vellum mats be good on
this page? Whatever suits the feel of the page, toss a sheet in the kit.
Even if you don't use it, you will have it handy just in case.� I try
to work my specialty papers in as often as I can just because I spent
good money on them and I might as well USE them to make the page it's
best. Specialty papers are often still cheaper than buying more accents,
so add them into the mix as often as you can.
Step Four: Got Fiber?
My stash of fiber is extensive. I
have about 1000 kinds of fiber in varied colors and lengths. I blame it
on my sewing and crafting background. (Any excuse will do when you love
fibers!) I ran a successful craft cooperative for over ten years. We
knitted, crocheted, sewed, embroidered, made dolls and their clothing,
embellished Santas, decorated baskets, and more. From ribbon to jute to
cashmere, we had it. And , dang, they keep making more and more pretty
ribbons too! My stash is bountiful. And using it up is always a good
thing.
Almost every layout kit I make has some kind of fiber on it. Decide now
if you want to add a foot or a yard of fiber to this kit. Cut some off.
Tuck it in the kit. If you are going to string it through eyelets,
sewing, or stapling it on, see step 5.
Step Five: Got Tools? Ink or Paint?
My next step is to decide if I need tools or unusual items like paint,
brushes, inks, stamps, photo colorant pens, staplers, eyelet setters,
etc. If I work at home on these kits, these items are either set out on
my desk or packed into my tote for traveling to scrap elsewhere. Make
sure you have ample adhesives, trimmers, blades, or templates out if you
are planning to use them on this page kit set. This is also the time to
jot down a short shopping list if you see you are lacking something.
Step Six: Got Sketches? (Optional)
Some people work with idea cards, magazine tear-outs, or sketches. I
tend to use sketches only when I can't come up with a design. It only
happens about every 30th page for me. Two of my favorite books for sketches are PageMaps and Becky Higgins Creative Companion. Both are terrific resources!
Some people use sketches for every page. If you do, acknowledge it and
work with it. Add one now for this kit. Decide how many photos you will
be using on the page and find a sketch to copy or a tear-out from a
magazine to CASE (That stands for copy and steal everything). Idea
websites, sketchbooks, magazines, and even graphic designs in
advertisements can lend you GREAT ideas. Use them if you need to to make
your pages better AND faster.
Here is my best recommendation for online sketchesare two great sites for free sketches:
PageMaps
http://www.pagemaps.com/
And don't forget to look at Pinterest and Google for sketches too.
Step Seven: Got Journaling?
Journaling is entirely up to you. Do a lot or do a little. I place this
step last in the kit-making agenda because it is a different thought
process than packing supplies into kits. I often save my writing until I
am done pulling all the other elements into each kit. Writing by hand
or on computer uses a different area of your brain than organization. So
Journal first, or save it to the last. Sometimes I do a full blown
journaling column on my computer using awesome fonts and place the final
product into my kit. Other times I just jot a few keywords on scratch
paper to jog my brain later. With my notes I will write more when I
create-- and journal by hand-- the final page. Remember to allow space
for your journaling, year and title. It's not all about the cute
accents. J This is the time to add any pre-made poems, vellum quotes,
preformed titles, and sticker letters sets. Below if the entire page kit
ready to be labeled and put into a page protector in the binder for
this birthday 4 page layout set.
Got Binders?
Keep on going. When the first kit is done, repeat the kit process for
the next photo event and it's corresponding set of pages. I often pack
30 to a hundred kits at a time. This works for me because I really get
into the groove of packing kits. I get a great sense of accomplishment
when I kit up a dozen pages without having to buy ANYTHING! Sad, huh?
But true! I do have a stash that needs dwindling and this is a great way
to do it. I love to use up these items. Shopping in my own stash is a
lot of fun.
Now you need to store the kits in something portable. I keep the
ready-to-use kits in 12x12 sized 3 ring binders. See above. Each kit is
in a page protector so that when a page is scrapped and finished, I just
slide it back into the protector. Pages are 'safe' in the binder while I
work on the next page set. Many people also use large zip bags or
accordion file folder slots, or clean pizza boxes in the same way. Do
what works for you. I like mine portable and organized. Binders work for
me in case I don't get them put into finished albums immediately the
binders (when pages are done) work as acting albums in the meantime and
the family can access and enjoy them.
At the end of a crop I often have a completely finished album to show
off because my kits were in chronological order in these binders in
protectors. Even if I never switch them over to the intended post bound
albums, they are still in the 12x12 binders-- viewable and preserved in a
manageable way. I don't allow my finished pages to remain loose. I
always encase my finished pages in a page protector. A loose page is a
page waiting to get bent and damaged.
Got Crop Time?
Enjoy the kit-making process. Once you do it a time or two, you will be
hooked. Cropping outside the home? Don't roll in three carts to a crop
when you can take three simple things: tools, kits, and snacks! Travel
light! It is SO much easier to take a bag of tools and a binder of ready
page kits to a crop than taking everything but the kitchen sink! I
cringe to see ladies dragging tons of supplies only to sort through them
for half the crop time trying to get 'settled'. They get half a page
done in 4 hours. I get 14 done in the same time. Page kits are the
difference.
Even if you are working at home kits will save you time. With kids at
home, pull out just ONE kit. Lay it out on the clean kitchen counter. Do
bits of it in ten minute increments. Trim a photo on the first pass by.
Cut a mat on the second. Layout the scheme on the third trip past, etc.
It is a joy to know that you can clear up the mess in less than 10
minutes as well. The page kit concept is MADE for distracted moms. Soon
you have that page kit done and the kids have never even noticed the
difference in mommy-play time!
Page kits do work.
Hundreds of my members on Scrappers Challenge on Facebook have learned
this method firsthand. You are welcome to join us there for tips, challenges and encouragement. This simple process gets faster and faster as you use
it. It is the single most important change I made in my scrapbooking
that increased my productivity. For a fun look at my work, check out my Instagram at @NanaBluebird1 . I hope these inspirations and tips make your scrapbooking
more productive too. Good luck!
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