Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Another preliminary preview

I initially started a kit call "Gentle Blues" it was supposed to be appropriate for a baby boy without being "baby-ish." The ideas started. The ideas kept coming. So fast they came. I couldn't keep up. It started off as a small kit and it quickly grew and grew and grew. Eventually (and rather quickly, I might add), it contained 25 different patterned papers. Scratch that single kit idea. I broke it down and ended up with the starts of at least 5 smaller (but good sized kits). Then the lull in the desire to complete them hit. The rutt in digital scrapbooking started.

I am pleased to announce that once I got past the initial kit (Stacey's Circles Kit), the ideas started flowing again. I really did scratch the entire "Gentle Blues" kit. I did. I had to. I started over fresh. Thus resulting in a series of kits called "Gentle Blues."

I am actually happy with the results thus far. The purpose of these kits are to contain the color BLUE and variations of blues, while also containing other complementary colors. My goal is to have kits that are simple and boyish, yet are universal. You won't find fancy frills in these kits. Maybe in some of my future kits, I'll venture off into the more frilly edges of the universe, but for now I am catering to my boys.


Title: Stacey's Gentle Blues Kit 001
(1st in a series of kits)
Main colors: Blues
Patterns: Stripes and faint circles
Papers: 2 patterned, 4 solid
Elements: Buttons (2 different sizes), paper tags, ribbons, rectangular buckle/slide, and stitching (zigzag and straight)

This kit is not 100% complete as of yet. I am looking to add a couple more elements. Its release to the public will be soon.

Monday, April 17, 2006

The well can't run dry forever

or can it?

While this post isn't about tutorials or anything of that nature, I wanted to share that I have found an end to the dry spell I have had in creativity. I had started some digital scrapbooking kits so long ago. That was where it got to. I had several started, maybe 6-8 kits started. They just didnt' get very far. I was in a rutt with scrapbooking too. I haven't completed a page since January. It is sad to say. It is the truth.

But, I started the designing process again a couple of weeks ago. It was slow and painful at first. As the hours rolled by, the easier the whole process became, the faster and more freely the ideas flowed. I am happy to announce that big things are coming. Well, maybe not so big, but a big deal for me. I am excited and pleased to announce that within the next month I should be releasing 5 digital scrapbooking kits.

With that said, I also hope to be able to get back into preparing tutorials to help others in their quest for digital scrapbooking perfection. It is fun, but there is so much to learn. There are so many techniques to figure out. You just have to find you happy place and work things out for yourself sometimes.

Anyway, I have started to post the preliminary previews.

The long awaited

I am finally releasing the preliminary preview for my first kits. It has been a long process, but once the creative juices got flowing things started to come to me.

The first kit created by me to be released to the public will be -- Stacey's Circles Kit. It is a bold kit. It is a bit more bold than *I* use myself, but I know plenty of people that go for the bolder side of things. I think it is a fun kit and can be used for both boys and girls. The official release for this kit should be sometime in the next week. I still need to work out the logistics.

Title: Stacey's Circles Kit

Main colors: blues and purples (bold)

Patterns: circles

Papers: 4 patterned papers, 6 solid papers

Elements: ribbons, metal bookplates, paper tags, round tags (with metal edges), tag ties, eyelets, and brads

Monday, April 10, 2006

Yet again, no new pages to boast about

I still haven't completed a scrapbook page, but I have started another kit. I suppose soon enough, I'll have pages again. I now have my middle child's first karate tournament to scrap. That said, I was serious when I said I had been creating and was wanting to create more. The other 2 kits are still without "finishing touches" but I want to sit on them for a few days and see what I need to add after not looking at them for a couple of days. I am excited about starting a new kit. It is sometimes hard to decide just what color combinations will be a hit, but I am working on my own visions at this point. Keep being patient, good things are coming!

Friday, April 07, 2006

Still no new digital scrapbook pages

I still haven't finished any more scrapbook pages. I have, however, gotten out of the rutt I was in. At least, that is what it is feeling like. I am currently working on creating another kit.

I still haven't released the initial kit I have designed, but I am sure that I'll want to add some finishing touches to it so I have set aside 2 weeks as my "sleep on it" period. I just want it to be finished when I do release it. I am also not 100% decided on how I am going to release it. I have already found a "creative team" member that will help me get the word out. I am excited about that. Everyone will see the kit once she's gotten her hands on it.

I also want to finish this kit I am working on now. The new kit. I just don't want this to become a 1 kit project. I want there to be a whole line of kits created by me. I know that time is tight so getting a good start now and not getting ahead of myself is one of the best things that I can do. So everyone just be patient. Good things are coming.

I will also be creating a kit based on the things my brother encounters during his 2 years in Prague, Czech Republic. The architecture is lovely over there. The colors on the buildings are delightful. I told him I would scrap his pictures for him. I haven't gotten started yet, but I am hoping that this new "change" in the norm will help get me the start I need. My goal is to base a kit or kits off of the things that are common in the areas he will be in. A lot of the patterns will probably be based off the architecture. I am excited about it. Now I just need to be sure to find the time and put my heart into it.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Life gets in the way

Well, I hadn't really scrapped, digitally or otherwise, since mid to late January. This was the last scrapbook night I attended with my friends here. It is a travesty. I am just a very busy person. I have 3 kids, a husband, and everything that this involves. I am a student. I am a business owner. So I am just busy. It was starting to drag me down though. I LOVE to digital scrapbook! I was missing it something awful. With the kids and everything else, I don't always have the time to finish my school work in a timely manner. It is just hard. Most of the time I have to wait until after the baby goes to bed and then I am usually too tired. As the routine became, I either didn't have time when I wanted to OR I didn't have the desire if I did find the time. However, this week I managed to get my homework done and submitted early. As a reward, I decided I was going to scrap. Sounds like a nice reward. Of course, it turned into more work as I ultimately want to complete some digital kits. I have a bunch started. None finished. So yesterday and today I have been working on one of the kits that I started a LONG time ago. The good news is that it is coming together nicely. I have many thanks to offer Karin Godak for the encouragement, the motivation, the pep talk, and everything else. The bad news is that I probably won't be releasing the kit to the general public right away. Don't worry, if you are interested it isn't too far off in the future. I just want to complete a couple more before I start releasing the kits. So everyone hang in there! Be patient! There is a lot of work that goes into putting together digital kits.

Credits: Stacey Sansom's "Summer Delights" | Fonts used: ...............