Scrapbooking Club

Part 2 - Pros and Cons, Specific List of Clubs, How to Choose

Scrapbooking Club - Find How to Choose, Pros and Cons and a Specific List of Clubs. There was so much fun stuff to tell you about that I broke this article into 2 parts...here's the 1st part! In part 1 I talk about an episode of The Paperclipping Roundtable that gave me a lot of inspiration for this topic...it's something I've been wanting to learn more about for a long time and I finally got to do it. Yay!

Part 1 of this article!

How to Choose a Scrapbooking Club

Tracy's list for how to a choose scrapbooking club:

- cost - is it cost effective? - she thinks it saves a little bit but not a whole lot to purchase things in monthly kits from a scrapbooking club vs. buying scrapbook supplies individually

- budget

- availability of add-ons - she likes to look ahead at her schedule and see how much time she will have to scrapbook and then choose add-on products if she "needs" more. So, many kit clubs have a core kit for each month and then stamps or embellishment packs or other things you can add to your order/kit that coordinate with the core kit

- are stamps are included - or are they an add-on - do you want stamps? or do you never use them...just something to consider...they talk about this a bit in this episode

- style of the kit - look at past kits - most of clubs for monthly scrapbook kits will show you what their past kits look like and you can still purchase them if they aren't sold out. I'm thinking I might do this to try out some kits and see if I like this approach

- ratio of paper to embellishments - what do you use the most of and "need" the most of

- do they incude letter stickers - do you want or use these

- online forum - is there community and a place to ask and answer questions and showcase and see other member's layouts using the kits

- design team - are there people creating with the kits so you can see examples of how to use the products

- skip policy - do you have to get each month's kit or can you skip months that you don't like or are too busy to scrapbook

- cancellation policy - is there a cancellation fee or is it easy to cancel

- exclusive items - some people really like getting exclusive items with their monthly scrapbook kits...it's fun to get products that you can't get anywhere else - some people really like this and some don't care - it's something to consider

- international availability and shipping - Ruth and Tracy talk about getting products/kits in Australia and Canada

- theme - are the kits themed or universal - I would prefer the universal supplies myself...I'm very "not-theme" - I'm going to have to remember that if I decide to choose a scrapbooking club

Scrapbooking Club 5 - My Opinion and Approach

This episode made me want to just order kits and/or put all of my current supplies and stash into kits I create myself. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but it really got me thinking. I started scrapbooking a LONG time ago...back in the original Creative Memories days. Then I did a little bit in high school and when I was newly married...still in the CM style I learned originally. Then, when my kids were born and I discovered Creating Keepsakes and the whole world of blogs and stores and forums online, I had fun learning new styles and techniques and I bought a TON of stuff. I used to shop at my local scrapbook store and big box stores. Sometimes I bought stuff that I planned to use together and sometimes I bought stuff just because I liked it. I have a HUGE stash or at least it feels that way to me...sometimes I get very overwhelmed by it. I think I need to go through it Flylady-style and declutter some stuff - maybe create some kits from what I already have or just give myself permission to get rid of stuff I don't love or use anymore.

In some ways, my stash is like a huge kit 'cause most of it will coordinate with black and I use black ink and stamps and black pens for journaling to tie everything together...black is my "signature" color and that works for me most of the time. But there are some things I've collected along the way that I don't use anymore...I think what holds me back from getting rid of things is that I think I'll find a way to use them. I know Creating Keepsakes used to have a column about how to use your older products in trendier ways. Maybe I need to find some good resources, video or tutorials to help me with this? Have any suggestions?  

These days I am mostly doing Project Life style scrapbooking and I've bought paper packs that have cut-outs that coordinate - pretty much like a kit and I've loved that...it is so quick and easy! I still enjoy creating traditional 12 x 12 layouts and getting really creative with stuff that isn't necessarily a kit. I do about 2 layouts a month for my e-zine doing just that...12 x 12 layouts with more creativity. I think my "strategy" going forward is going to be to do Project Life (and use Becky's Midnight kit for 2014) for most of my photos and then have fun being creative with at least 2 layouts a month for my e-zine and maybe more. I might purge some old stuff and get a few kits for some fun new stuff and use Noell's advice and put some of my old stuff in with the kits. I think the thing that I need to purge the most is some of the papers from the huge paper packs that I get 1/2 price at Michael's...some of them are pretty dated or I just don't need ALL of the papers from each pack. I guess we'll see what happens...

Scrapbooking Club 6- Lots of Choices

ScraptasticClub.com- first heard about this kit club on Mercy Tiara's YouTube channel - you can purchase individual kits, subscribe, skip months, and/or cancel at any time. There are add-on kits you can order, Project Life style kits and stamp add-ons. At least there were this month. I'm not an expert but that's what I also understood from listening to Tracy talk about it on this episode of Paperclipping.

: )

StudioCalico.com - Studio Calico has regular scrapbook kits, card kits and Project Life kits. There is a cancellation fee if you cancel before 6 months. You can't skip a kit. They do have add-ons. They also have a member gallery, creative team and forum for members.

Here's a great thread if you're trying to decide between Studio Calico andCocoaDaisy:

CocoaDaisy.com - I first saw this scrapbooking club on Mercy Tiara's channel. I'm loving this one...the kits seem to have a little bit more of a theme than I would normally choose but maybe I would like this? It's definitely on my list of scrapbook kits to consider trying. It's very tempting to get a lot of things 'cause they are so pretty...but I'm being good and remembering that there is only so much time and budget to scrapbook with...I can still enjoy looking and might subscribe at some point? : )

CitrusTwistKits.com - I first heard about  this scrapbooking club called CitrusTwist on Mercy Tiara's channel. She has some or at least 1 video doing a kit share and showing the products in the Citrus Twist kit. This scrapbookin club does have a cancellation fee, Pocket Life kits and regular kits, and exclusive stamp sets. They also have a design team, member gallery and blog.

ScrapbookCircle.com - Ok, here's another one that I would put on my "wish list"- at least the current kit that I can see. I like the vibrant colors mixed with some neutral brown. I also like the fact that you can subscribe for just 2 months and then cancel if you don't like it. If you choose to be a long term subscriber, you can also skip a kit once in a 6 month period...just in case!

SimonSaysStamp.com - Scrapbook Card Kits - These kits are created for making cards but you could use them for any papercrafting projects. May Flaum recommended them on this episode of Paperclipping.

JBSMercantile.com - These are some very unique vintage scrapbook kits. She offers papercrafting kits, mini album kits and artisan, antiquarian and historian add-on kits. It's not really my style but I can totally appreciate it. I get the feeling I'm in an old general store when I look at these kits. I didn't see any cancellation fees.

ScrapbookGeneration.com - I've heard Allison Davis on The Paperclipping Roundtable as a guest talking about her scrapbook sketches. This is a scrapbooking club that comes with sketches and materials for making specific layouts so if you're very new or just beginning scrapbooking, you might really like this scrapbooking club!

ScarletLime.com - If you love mixed media, this is the kit club for you! And if you're not sure about it, the owner has YouTube videos and classes to teach you how to use the supplies in your kit...how cool is that?!

Are you getting overwhelmed yet? lol - I am! That's one of my main goals for this website is to encourage you to not get overwhelmed...let's face it...we will never get a perfect system and record all our memories or be able to do all the projects we want to or afford or store all the awesome scrapbook supplies we want. Let's enjoy the things we do have and also enjoy learning and trying new things a little bit at a time as we have time...then we won't get burned out or overwhelmed! : ) You can also find the same advice and encouragement over on my Facebook page... I have to remind myself every day! There's nothing wrong with a scrapbooking club...I'm thinking about subscribing to one...just trying to keep it in perspective! : )

GossomerBlue.com - This kit club was recommended by May Flaum on this episode of Paperclipping. They are really pretty but not so much my style..no black in them. lol I have black in almost all my layouts. One thing I really like, though, is that they have a "no commitment" club...you can cancel at any time.

Shimelle Laine - also known as Glitter Girl puts together a monthly kit over at her blog from products you can get at TwoPeas.com ...you can pick and choose what you want or get all of it. She does videos throughout the month about how she's using the products, why she chose the products and what to substitute if you don't like something. She's human and doesn't keep up with this perfectly but it's still really cool. Ruth and May recommended this approach on this episode of Paperclipping.

See if I ever choose a scrapbooking club...