I think it needs to be a rule about kits....

There needs to be a white or off-white (ecru, eggshell, insert your preferred non-white-shade-name here) solid that goes with the rest of the kit. White presentation paper almost always NEVER matches the white/off-white in pretty much any kit (and yes, it DOES make a difference! ;) ). :D

There also should be a range of solids in the color palette of the kit. And journaling blocks that are blank, but also include a set of lines that a person could add to the block if s/he wanted to. Journaling blocks w/o lines are awesome for adding card sentiments! I know I *can* remove the lines, but I'm usually too lazy/have too much work to do to bother.
 
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At least one horizontal AND one vertical frame or a frame that would work for either photo orientation.
 
multi colored patterned paper. (not just green stripe or yellow polka dote, there needs to be green, yellow and blue stripe and yellow polkas on green paper...)

and a few neutral solids. solid paper that have texture and depth to them.
 
Ric rac!!!!!! Every kit should come with at least one coordinated ric rac

And foliage with nice realistic flowers.
 
Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3
 
Stripes (nothing too wide); polka dotted paper; a plaid or two.

Foliage (if I'm using flowers, I want leaves too!). Strings for tags, and stitches for buttons...they look nekkid without them LOL.
 
Yes! Definitely paint splatters or glittery splatters... or stampy splatters.

Even if a kit doesn't have flowers, I like to use leaves... maybe it's b/c most of my layouts are boy layouts?

And I like a muted patterned paper- tone on tone. I don't like to use solids for my backgrounds & I like to do my journaling right on the background. (I can never get journal tag things to work right for me.)
 
I like some bling in kits. Whether it is some paint smears with some glitter sprinkled in, a gem scatter, metallic pieces. Not that I need that in every kit. I like a variety of stuff really - as long as there are plenty of papers to work with and plenty of coordinating ellies, I'm pretty good. I don't like it when there are no leaves to go with flowers, and I don't like it when there is no white/off white paper. I also don't like alphas to be on a sheet - if they are I seriously just don't use them. Besides that, I'm happy with whatever - I'm attracted to lots of kits - it all depends on the color scheme being eye-poppingly beautiful!
 
Shawna Clingerman said:
Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3
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I totally get that! I would certainly not EXPECT for all of my "wish list" items to be in every kit, nor is it ever reason for me to not buy a kit...I have a basic stash of things that I use to put on a page if I feel it needs something not in the kit (like ribbon, plain kraft, etc). I fall in love with colors & general theme of a kit more than specifics like I listed up there so...I'm an easy sell! :thumbup:
 
Shawna Clingerman said:
Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)
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Except every one really should have stripes :p:D:D:D:w00t::p:p:p:hugs::eek::hugs:
 
I have to ditto the threaded buttons! I really love fastening bits, paint and splatters and basic frames to be included too. Oh and alphas, I get kind of disappointed when there isn't an alpha in a kit.
 
Shawna Clingerman said:
Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3
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and this is why I LOVE you!!! On the scrapper side, I'd say that my mojo for creating pages flows best when a kit feels right... like it isn't the same thing over and over and over again and you can really see the creativity of the designer working her magic and not going by a list of things that are needed...

and I always say that "rules are meant to be broken" otherwise life gets boring and stale and we don't grow and try new things... which is also why I like the portfolio here so much... I need to try new things all the time... that's why one day I can say that paint is my need... the next day I'll say banners is my need... the next day I'll say buttons, the next day I'll say lots of flowers and foliage... but each of my layouts don't need all of those things at once... I just like being inspired by the kit as a whole and when I can see that it's an original and fresh kit and not the same ole, same ole, I'm a happy scrapper :)
 
Amber1279 said:
I am sure the designers heads are spinning ... can you imagine how big a kit would be if it had all of this?
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Um. Yeah. ::raises hand:: I'm spinning. :D But I also like reading through this list. I'm going "Check, check, check... oh, yeah--that thing! I haven't done that thing in a while." LOL!
 
yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)
 
kelley said:
I also don't like alphas to be on a sheet - if they are I seriously just don't use them. !
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This is why I love that scrapping is such an individual thing and we're all so different. It's cool seeing other peoples' perspectives on it. Personally, I prefer using alphas on a sheet, and I find that I use sheet alphas more than the ones cut into individual pieces! Lol



And Shawna, seriously, this is not a make-or-break list for me. If I love a kit, I'll buy it, whether or not it has all of my "must haves" in it. It's cool when y'all shake it up a bit. Plus, I've found that things I just HAD to have 6 months ago are different from the things I just HAVE to have now... A year ago I was all about the solid papers. Right now, I'm very into plaids. 6 months from now, I may be into polka dots or stripes or something. It seems like I go through phases with what I love (and how I scrap!)
 
KristinCB said:
yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)
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The exciting thing is that we love you, and you know we're going to buy from you whether or not you check off every detail on the list. For me, who, most of the time, sticks to a single kit, it can be weird when there isn't a certain thing, but over time, I've found ways to substitute or pull from other kits or recolour a certain thing until it's right. You guys are great at keeping us happy (or at least me- I'm embarrassed to even consider how much I've spent here in the past month), so it's good to know you guys are listening, but also good to know you have your own unique style for how you do things.
 
I think most of mine have already been mentioned:
A good Alpha (or 7).
STRAIGHT Ribbon.
Pattern paper especially Damask and Polkadot.
Unlined Journal Mats.
If there are word strips PLEASE include a blank one lol
 
I <3 our community here! Have I told you all lately how much I appreciate your support and how much it means to me to be able to follow my dreams AND to be a part of preserving your memories! All of us designers here really are blessed! <3 :wub:
 
Starlight-Princess said:
If there are word strips PLEASE include a blank one lol
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Oh yes. And this is definitely something that could be included in EVERY kit with really no effort, I think. :) If you've already created some word strips, just please include blank ones too.

I love journal cards, but then it's not impossible to make your own if there are great papers in the kit.

I definitely love to have coordinating solids with the patterned papers.
 
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Here's what I look for in the preview.
Multi coloured basic papers - Stripes, Plaids, dots. Basic single coloured papers -Checks, dots, Stripes. Fasteners, Straight ribbons, paint spats banners and trims, stitches. and non- background alpha
 
Loving this thread!

I agree with so many of these! I'm really digging paint splatters/spills. Threaded buttons. Blank word strips. And ALPHAS!!!
 
kristin - i think any thing you tried would be a hit. i'd love to see you step out of your comfort zone! i don't think people would be disappointed!

KristinCB said:
yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)
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*Celeste* said:
kristin - i think any thing you tried would be a hit. i'd love to see you step out of your comfort zone! i don't think people would be disappointed!
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Oh... maybe a collab with Rubia will help stretch her a bit... That could be kinda fun :)
 
Shawna Clingerman said:
I <3 our community here! Have I told you all lately how much I appreciate your support and how much it means to me to be able to follow my dreams AND to be a part of preserving your memories! All of us designers here really are blessed! <3 :wub:
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DITTO! I was just in the gallery, leaving love, and it made me tear up to see the pages that some of you made with the freebies of such special things in your life... it's such a privilege to get to be a part of this in any way... :hugs:
 
Flowers and foliage....even boy kits and themed kits need flowers and leaves!!! There are times where the colors of a themed kit are perfect for a picture but I don't have a themed picture....flowers would be the perfect addition....even for my boy layouts!!

Straight ribbons, an alpha, staple, and buttons too!!!
 
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