kit | part 3

Back for my third and final installment working with the July Studio Calico kit, and this time I am going to incorporate more of my own stash into my layout.

I really like to start out with a kit and try to keep things simple and kit-focused. I do this for a few reasons, the main one being it stretches my imagination on what I can do with paper. How I can die cut, tear, punch, or otherwise alter paper instead of reaching for an embellishment or sticker. I can keep things simpler too, by just not letting myself think outside the kit.

That said, after a few projects I like to have the kit in front of me, and go grab whatever else I see that will make things work for what I want to do. Yes, the next stage of kit use for me is to bring in outside help from my stash.

Step 1: evaluate what you still have in the kit. Are you hoarding anything? Do you see any new color palettes emerging or by lining up the papers do you notice anything? I noticed a few netural and aqua toned papers which made me think of the beach which reminded me I had yet to make a title page for our Hawaii vacation trip…

This is still very much a “kit” page paper wise, and I pulled out some birds too. But I also grabbed alpha stamps, other alpha stickers, buttons galore, and more. In other words, I worked on using up kit paper, but let the embellishing follow the feel I was looking for.

Above you can see a bit of my process… pretty simple really. I love stamping those G45 typewriter letters with paint, but also re-coloring my “flaum” letter stickers with paints then edging with black pen.

And now, the important step too many people forget, it’s going to be time to say goodbye to the kit.

You see, that is the life-cycle of a paper crafting kit for me. At this point, ready to move on after I’ve played with it and exhausted my specific ideas that stay within the kit’s realm I:

• “add-on” [this could be additions purchased or additions I pull together myself]
• play ‘clean up’ meaning leave kit contents on the desk and use them in projects until they are all gone, but don’t use them as a cohesive kit
• dismantle it and incorporate it back into my stash.

For me, the danger of leaving a kit together when it becomes bits and pieces is that I will forget about it. That makes the bits useless, and really what’s the point?

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this kit series and some of my thoughts on creating with a kit. I do adore a good paper kit… and this was a lot of fun to sit and play with all week – including this BONUS Camp Scrap post! [a 6th project post in one week?! wow I’m on a roll!] Stay tuned for my Kit-tastic class with Big Picture coming in September for even more kit love – and of course stay tuned to Camp Scrap for a whole lot more to come! We’re not even 1/2 through this mega-crafting event!

Today’s bonus post is sponsored by Studio Calico! BIG thanks to them for being such a big supporter of Camp Scrap, and for this special offer that expires soon:

Note: Their July kit may already be sold out, but the offer stands for starting with a future month! If you would like to take advantage of the generous offer shown above email WaitingList@StudioCalico.com to get set up for a subscription.