Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Thoughts on working with Studio Calico kits

I'm really looking forwards to the February class at Studio Calico: Stretch your kit with Amy Tan. It's already got me thinking on what I need to do to make the most of my Studio Calico kits. My biggest issue with them has been that I have been feeling stressful about not using up the old ones before the new one arrives. I've had a gnawing feeling I should have made more and better layouts with the past kits. I sat down and thought of ways to remedy this.
I'm starting the new year by:
  • Photographing every layout I make, instead of just the ones I plan to publish in my online galleries. I will make a file in my laptop for each kit. That way I can go back and see how many and which layouts I've made every month.
  • Printing out the kit contents of the main and the add-ons I get, and mark off the items I've used.
  • Accepting that I won't like every piece of a kit. Not everything will be me. And it's ok not to use those items, even if I paid for them! (Hello, Basic Grey chipboard shapes...)
  • Allowing myself to get rid of products I've only used part of. I've put pressure on myself to use EVERY button and EVERY sticker on the sheet. If I've used a slice of the paper I liked and a handful of those pretty buttons, they were worth their price!
  • Making a list of what to do and what not to do, when making layouts I like. What have I done right in my past layouts? And when have the layouts ended up in the trash (ahem, using paint...)and thereby wasting good product?
/Magdalena

5 comments:

  1. Oh, I need to incorporate some of this into my own thought process! Why is it so hard??!! LOL

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  2. I have been working through a similar process. I have three untouched kits and I am feeling completely overwhelmed by all the product sitting there. I have decided to work on the latest kit first and move back to the later kits as and when I can. I agree about allowing yourself to not use things you do not love. it is hard though!

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  3. I love ur ideas! I'm doing the stretching ur stash too...mine often sits there....unloved! :(

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  4. Great thoughts to share Magdalena! TFS

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  5. all great ideas, magdalena. i like your way of thinking.

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