Friday, February 15, 2019

Killing Kits - What I Do When I'm Done


Hello, everyone! Susan stepping in today with a Killing Kits post. Actually, this post really covers what I do with a CKC kit when I'm done with it, including some tips to keep in mind so that there isn't much left to "kill" at the end of the month. 

This process is what works for me: the way I scrap, the storage space I have available, my own definition of "using" supplies and being "done".  Please keep in mind that you need to do what works best for you and your memory-keeping goals, which might be completely different from mine.  And that is perfectly fine - we're all different and the beauty of this crafting hobby is that we can all participate in it in our own way!

I made a mini kit for January and it was a little larger than the ones I usually pull together.  Here's a quick look at it:


I started with six 12"x12" pieces of patterned paper, several stamp sets, a set of alpha stickers, and assorted embellishments.  I was very inspired by my kit this month and I used it to make four layouts.

I am pretty intentional when I work with my kit - I want to get as much out of it as possible but I don't make something just to make something.  I definitely want to tell a story or record an important memory.  These are some things I keep in mind:

1.  I think ahead before I cut into any paper that I'm not planning to use in its entirety as a background.  For example, I love that beautiful floral paper in my January kit and I wanted to use it to mat three photos on the first layout I made with my kit. I made sure to adhere those three photos along one edge of the floral paper and carefully trimmed around them.  Since I scrap in both 12"x12" and 8-1/2"x11" sizes, this ensured that I'd still have a floral remnant large enough to use as a page background in the latter size.  And when I made that smaller page, I gutted the floral piece since the center would be covered with a piece of white cardstock.  This helped me stretch that pattern even further.  This tactic is perfect when you have a paper that you love.

2.  This wasn't the case in January but I'll sometimes include a paper that I'm not that crazy about in a CKC kit.  This type of paper is great for using as a photo mat, for hiding under some layers, or as a mat to back an entire page.  It will get used but will only be seen in small bits.

3.  I save every paper remnant, including branding strips with full or partial patterns, while I'm actively working with the kit.  Small scraps are great for layering or for punched shapes - my third January layout used punched circles.  I've even test-stamped on a tiny scrap just to see how it would look before stamping on the piece I planned to use.

4.  A CKC kit can be a great help in determining how you really feel about a product.  I've learned that I like many types of scrapbooking supplies and yet I only really use products from a few categories, and this realization came through making CKC kits.  If I put the same kind of products in several kits and they don't get used at all during the month, I know that they really aren't for me.  I tried including very glittery items in several kits and without fail, they were still there at the end of each month.  So I donated them and whenever I'm tempted by pretty glittery items, I remember that I never use them and it's easy to keep them out of my shopping cart.


Here is what I had left from my January CKC kit:


Now, what do I do with all the leftovers?  As a general rule, I'll put the "non-consumables" like stamps and punches right back into my supplies, while I'll take a closer look at the remaining "consumables" like paper, stickers, die-cuts, etc.  You can see my entire approach in this video:
I try to be ruthless what I'm deciding what to with the leftovers.  As I look at each item, I ask myself if I will really use it.  I tried a few times to make cards and pocket cards and small embellishment clusters with kit remnants but found that I never used them.  I just don't have the storage space to hold items that "I might use someday".  For me, the most effective strategy is to add it back into my supplies or donate/purge.  I am streamlining my supplies as I break down my kits.


So there's my process!  I know that this was a very long-winded post but I hope that you found a useful tip or two in it.  Just remember that you need to do what's in keeping with your goals.  And most important of all, use your supplies and have fun while doing it!

And now, what do you do when you've decided that you're finished with a kit?  Please share in the comments below!

8 comments:

  1. Loved your video and to hear your voice. I will keep some of that advice in mind as I put together my next kit. You are not odd; I keep stuff by manufacturer until there are only bits left and then I store by type too. What did make me smile is that you leave the store labels on those little clear see-through boxes, which would be easier to see into without the labels. One of my sisters does the same thing, so I couldn't resist teasing you about it.

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    1. Hahaha...I tried to take one off and it ended up being more effort than I was willing to make so I just leave them on! I stack them vertically with the short sides visible and I can kind of see the contents anyway. (And as more evidence of my weird storage habits, I pretty much keep them stacked in the same order so I know what I'm reaching for almost without looking ;)!). Thanks, Susanne!

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  2. I also found this video of interest. Much of how I use and store my scraps is similar. The only difference is that I tend to store by colour rather than manufacturer. I also keep every paper remnant, only I would have used the leftovers of your kit to make a card. I love making and sending cards too so that helps. To add, I was just itching to cut all around each of those puffy hearts to save space and get rid of that big piece of plastic they were on!

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    1. Thank you! Great idea to use all the small leftovers for card-making!
      I actually realized that the hearts were from Elle's Studio and that's a manufacturer I store separately; I have my Elle's embellishments in their original packaging which has a hole at the top so I keep them all on a ring. Otherwise, I definitely would have moved the leftover hearts closer together and cut off most of the packaging.

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  3. Great ideas there Susan and it was lovely to hear your voice. One think I can add is that papers where you've punched, I sometimes use the negatives as layering pieces on cards or if an interesting shape like butterflies, I might mist through it.

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    1. That's a great idea to save the punched out piece as a stencil - thanks, Julene!

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  4. A fabulous run through of your process. I really enjoyed hearing you and seeing what you do with your items. I really think I need to rethink some of my items and how I store them - I think I need a little more structure. Thanks so much for the inspiration.

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    1. Thanks, Lisa - I'm trying to concentrate on using things up and bringing fewer things in this year. We'll see how that goes...

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