Kit Ritual

People often want to know one another's process with a purchased kit.  And I am a die-hard kit girl these days.  I've been getting the Studio Calico monthy kits since March 2010 and more recently, the Jenni Bowlin Studios kits as well.  I've tried to stay away from Cocoa Daisy but I hear very good things from over there.

There is something special about the day I receive my kit.  Most times, it doesn't come until around 5:30 or 6:00 so I have to wait ALL DAY LONG!  Which is truly painful.  This month however, I got lucky and my kit came around 3 PM and so, as I pulled it from it's box, I thought I'd document for all of you what I do once I get it.

This time around it was Studio Calico's Story Hour kit.  Now.....don't judge.  But I usually buy all four add-ons plus extra Patterned Paper.  Depending on the offerings from the shop, I usually pick up a few things there as well.

This month was the same.  I picked up 4 add-ons, extra Add-on Paper and More Patterned Paper and SC Paper.  In addition, I picked up the new Dear Lizzy roller stamp, the JBS medallion punch, some of the new Hero Arts inks and a couple of sheets of the POW paper.  I don't shop much anywhere else these days so that helps me feel justified.  (like I said, don't judge! And I'm not a clothes or home dec shopper!)

So here is my ritual.  First, I open the box and take all of the bags out and open them up.

I lay all of the papers out in line according to the ROY G BIV order.  It's just the way my brain thinks.  Yes, I mix all my kits together.  If it came that month, I call it part of that months kit.



I admire it from all angles and decide which papers are my favorite.



Aren't the colors just delicious.



I also arrange the embellishments by type so I can see what I have.  Alphas, labels, borders, etc.  (btw, in love with those Gold Thickers I tell you.)



Then there are stamps, buttons and whatever other odds and ends are in the kit.



Then, they all get scooped into one stack and placed into a Recollections Crop Bag purchased from Michaels.  I love these are they are sturdy and inexpensive and some what stiff so they help things hold their shape.



I place one of the pieces of chipboard that comes with the kit on top of the stack and then add the remaining items.  First go the large alphas and sticker/label sheets and borders.



Next, all the embellishments go in.  I try to keep things flat so they get stacked vertically.  Doesn't that look yummy all together.



And finally, I take all the stamps from the kit and stamp them onto a sheet of copy paper.  That way there is less stuff in the envelope and I can use my stamps with whatever else I may wish to but I still know what kit they came from. The paper slips in with the kit and I'm good to go.



And here it all is together.  I tend to keep it out on my desk for a while so I can work with all of it. Once the next months kit gets here it tends to go with the others to be pulled from when the fancy strikes.  I label each one with a standard address label so I can quickly find the kit I'm searching for.



Now that I've built quite a collection of kits, it's easier to just use the 'special' items in the kits and not hoard them.  I actually have been trying to use my favorite parts right off the bat lately and not worry that there is only 'one' of a thing like I used to.

Product builds up quickly if you don't use it so I've been trying to just be free with it's use.  I've also found that I can scrap pretty much any theme with any collection of products so for me, a kit is a giant playground inside which I can do whatever my mind imagines.

Hope that was fun for you.  I'll see you tomorrow.