Choosing a Kit Club Research Updates! --or-- Which Clubs Give You What Goodies!

So today will be a brief update on what I have perceived thus far in my "research"!  And it did kind of surprise me as to what made me "happiest" with a kit. 

The page here is my second "boy" page made from the September Scrapbook Circle kit.  There were a lot of florals and pastels in the kit, so at very first glance it struck me as a more feminine kit.

But, as I began to put photos next to various papers, it became clear that I could easily translate the stronger navy blue colors into a boy page.  Which is exactly what I did!  The floral piece under the photos is from the center of that paper I used on a previous layout (Training Day). 


But here's the update on my kit club research... as applies to the style and content type of the clubs I've played with so far. 

Scraptastic                    (out of the running, since they no longer offer scrapbook kits)

Studio Calico:        (worked with two kits)
Alphas:                   No Thickers, thin, thin thin stickers (hard to see to peel off the backing sheet), and
                                a larger set (I think they are trying to be "original and "artsy") but difficult to use

Embellies:              Not feminine or masculine, but again I found some things difficult to translate
                                to my subject matter, and again I found them to be pretty slight in what
                                was included in a kit (not a lot to choose from)  chipboard words, cut a parts,
                                roll of washi (usually highly specific to the kit), acetate pieces, stamp set

                               No enamel dots, no flair, no stencils,

Paper:                     6 printed sheets, three sheets card stock (eh, I can live without more card stock) 


Scrapbook Circle:  (worked with two kits)
Alphas:                   One puffy set, or a chipboard set, or Thickers and one smaller sticker
                                style alpha

Embellies:               full pack or two of ephemera, partial packs of chipboard or enamel shapes,
                                acrylic word(s), cut a parts, partial packs of decorative metal clips, tassels 

Paper:                     9 printed sheets (heavy on the printed paper!  fine by me!) 


Gossamer Blue:  (worked with one kit so far)
Alphas:                 One set puffy alphas or Thickers (or similar set)

Embellies:            enamel dots or shapes, sticker set, wood veneer pieces, flair, vellum tapes,
                             stamp set, stencil, metal clips, cut a parts, acrylic shapes, acrylic word(s) 

Paper:                   9-11 printed sheets! 

Citrus Twist:        (worked with one kit so far)
Alphas:                  one Thickers (or similar style)

Embellies:             enamel shapes, metal decorative paper clips, cut a parts, full set ephemera pack,
                              full set wood veneer pack, chipboard set, stamp set, acrylic words

Paper:                   6 sheets printed paper, plus two sheets cardstock

So, by comparison, I've found that Scrapbook Circle and Gossamer Blue are about even on embellishments included...but Gossamer Blue is paper heavy (which I like).   Citrus Twist is heavy on embellishment, a little slim on papers and only one set of alphas. Again...I stress, what I like is not gonna be necessarily what others are going to like to work with.  This is simply supposed to give you an overview of what I am receiving and what I like to work with. And while I like embellishments, I am, always have been, and probably always will be, a paper person first! 

OK, moving on to details on this page:

The photos were matted on plain white card stock and layered with a gray (scrap from my stash) and that diagonal green-blue stripe, with a strip of the navy/white stripe tucked in as kind of a base on which the photos sit. 

I gessoed and water-colored the white supporting card stock (something I am enjoying more and more!).  And after the water color was dry, I added splatters of navy (Heidi Swapp), medium blue (water color), aqua green (Studio Calico) and white (Studio Calico). 

Stapled a couple small strips of coordinating papers at the top and bottom of the page.  

And then added just a very few of the little banner stickers (included in the kit), as well as the title.  The navy blue alpha is from Pink Paislee (not included) and the aqua mini alpha is from the kit.

The blues picked up wonderfully with the color of Jackson's coat and the gold and aqua accents worked well with the background colors in the photo without highlighting them or overpowering anything.  

I've had a good time with this kit and am looking forward to more from Scrapbook Circle!  (Yep, I am going ahead and getting a third kit!!!) And, sadly due to my lack of internet at times, I again missed ordering Gossamer Blue before they sold out.  Harummmph!!  So, I'll probably go ahead with the second Citrus Twist kit now and then try Gossamer Blue again for November (sigh--I'm not good at waiting). 

hmmmm, I see on this page that I so could use the added texture sewing on page gives you.  Maybe instead of ordering a second kit from anyone, I order the mini sewing machine I've had my eye on! 

I've also noticed that MANY of my Jackson pages are of him.... eating...  I mean, that boy is serious about his food!!!

later,
Cheryl