I thought I would walk through my process of working with Studio Calico's monthly kits using the May kit. I can't officially show you any product until after the 13th (sneak night) so you'll just have to hang in there. I know all those muslin bags are a big tease. :)
After all these years of receiving kits, it still excites me to see the big brown box on my doorstep. My mail lady is well aware of this.
The first thing I do is snap a photo for my Instagram feed and hashtag it #mysckitishere because it's fun to see everyone else's excitement with the arrival of their kits.
I usually start with my Project Life stuff, main kit first. I'll go through each card and embellishment and weed out what works for me and what doesn't. It's usually 3 piles. The "omg, I love this SO MUCH and must use it" pile. The "I like this but not sure it'll work right now" pile and the "Meh" pile which usually consists of items that I find hard to work with.
Next it's the scrapbook kits....it's pretty much the same process. The only thing I do differently is weed out the patterned papers that can be used as backgrounds like a graph paper or something that isn't pattern heavy.
At this point, I make mental notes about what photos will work with the overall theme of the kit. I can make a boy pages out of anything but if it is super girly with pinks and florals, I'll try to use photos of myself or my niece. If an idea strikes me right away, I'll jot it down or maybe do a quick map of a layout and snap a photo with my iPhone. I very rarely start in with my kits as soon as I receive them. They usually get packed away for the weekend or until I get photos printed and can dedicate a night to starting.
Now that my kit is packed up, it's time to get my photos ready. I start with photos I already have printed from past months. BTW, I pack my kit up because I scrapbook downstairs in the main living space or dining room. If I had a dedicated space, It would probably be spread out on my desk.
Random notes....
1. Evidently it was pant less toddler day. 2. He worked hard (& begged harder) for this Power Rangers Morpher thingy. He carries it everywhere. 3. This dog. Always next to me no matter where I am in the house. 4. Pile of photos from previous months. 5. Comfy (ugly) sweats and even uglier (comfy) socks are kind of must for me when I scrapbook. Keepin' it real folks.
That's all for now! I'll be back next week with more of my process. Tina