![\"Sample](\"https:\/\/www.yourscrappingcafe.com\/home\/d19521157\/public_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SampleKit01smaller.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nDigi-scrap kits are downloadable files of image graphics, typically .png and .jpg images compressed into a .zip file for easier downloading. This format makes it possible to use the images for papers and embellishments in a variety of programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I like to build my stash with colorful, well-designed products in a range of themes. \u00a0While I have many go-to designers, my never-fail sources for fresh ideas & kits are: Sweet Shoppe Designs<\/strong><\/a>, Gingerscraps<\/strong><\/a>, Pickleberry Pop<\/a><\/strong>, Katie Pertiet Designs (formerly Designer Digitals)<\/a><\/strong> and Oscraps<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0Look for fun collections that stretch your imagination as well as timeless basics you can use again and again! \u00a0You can read more about a variety of the great shops available on my \u201cShops<\/a><\/strong>\u201d page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I\u2019m choosing a kit to work with, I look for these things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picking a theme is generally pretty easy and driven by the content of your photo. Seasonal, Holiday or Special Occasion photos are the easiest. All you have to do is look for kits that fit the desired theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picking kits by colors can require a bit more thought. And this doesn\u2019t come into play only when shopping. You also need to know how to pick the right layout colors to fit your photos. Generally speaking, if you aren\u2019t going with a specific theme just try to pick a kit that has colors suited to your photos. I know that sounds easy but even I struggle with it from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n There are a lot of people that use a color wheel (even in traditional scrapbooking) to pick their layout colors. If you\u2019re into that kind of thing\u2026go with that. If that all sounds a bit too complicated for you, just pick 3-4 of the most predominate colors in your photos and start there. One of the most important things to remember is that you<\/strong> need to be happy with whatever colors you pick\u2026no one else’s preference really matters. It\u2019s not like you\u2019re going to be judged or graded on your work. It\u2019s your scrapbook page and you\u2019re the only person you need to please (well at least most of the time). But if you want to approach it in a more \u201ctechnical\u201d method, you can watch for more tips on \u201ccolor picking\u201d in a future post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I know those of you who are just beginning could be overwhelmed by all the shops & products available in the digi-scrap world. And with the current inflation rate (at least in the US) finances might be an issue. And if you\u2019re shopping at sites outside of the country where you live\u2026there\u2019s the added concern about potential \u201cexchange rate\u201d issues. So, you\u2019ll want to be mindful of that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Almost every digital store that I frequent has weekly (sometimes daily) specials so watch for these kinds of deals to help save a bit. Also, keep an eye out for freebies to help stretch your dollars. While there are lots of free goodies out there\u2026they may not always work out the best from a quality perspective. Try to remember\u2026you get what you pay for. And another thing about freebies\u2026just because it\u2019s free doesn\u2019t mean you HAVE to download it. Look at that freebie carefully, if it doesn\u2019t seem like something you\u2019d ever really use\u2026skip it!<\/p>\n\n\n I also want you to know that just a couple of kits can become so versatile. One key thing here is this; unlike traditional scrapbooking, you can use that one kit over and over again. And there are other ways to get creative with your supplies. You can re-color things like flowers, bows & buttons (just to name a few) to match your particular color scheme. You can \u201cclip\u201d paper to just about any \u201cflat\u201d shape. And you will find that countless more ways are out there as you start expanding your knowledge and experimenting on your own. But, watch for more tips on \u201cenhancing your stash\u201d in next week\u2019s post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t be drawn in by the latest \u201cshiny object\u201d or great deal. It\u2019s so easy to start grabbing kits simply because they fit your favorite theme\/color scheme or come from your favorite designer. I know this all too well as I’ve been guilty of that. You need to carefully look at new things to see how much of it is really new<\/em> for your \u201cstash\u201d. It\u2019s so easy to end up with duplicate elements. Especially if you tend to gravitate toward a particular theme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I know this next bit might not seem very important right now but trust me, you\u2019ll thank me later. It\u2019s a really good idea to keep track of the designer\u2019s name (and perhaps store & date of purchase) for each kit that you buy. It\u2019s not always easy to identify the designer simply by looking at file names. Some designers are great at naming their files including their “personal\/business name\u201d\u2026others not so much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So why is this important? For a couple reasons; 1 \u2013 Someday in the distant future you may want to find something that coordinates really well with that \u201cold\u201d kit. Sometimes the best way to find similar kits is to go back to the original designer. 2 \u2013 After you\u2019ve gained some confidence you might try your hand at participating in challenges offered by the shops you frequent. Any time you publicly post a layout it is common courtesy (or often required) to give credit to the designer(s) & product(s) used in the layout. If you haven\u2019t kept that information somehow\u2026it could be tricky finding it later on. I\u2019ll give you some more tips in a future post about how best to keep track of this information.<\/p>\n\n\n Another important tip that may or may not apply to you; you need to be aware of some rules. Just because you purchase a kit (or any digital supplies) doesn\u2019t mean you get to do whatever you want with them. Most kits available on the web come with limited licenses, which means you can only use them with personal projects. For the average \u201chome\u201d scrapbooker that shouldn\u2019t be an issue. So, unless you\u2019re a kit designer, sell things to others (i.e., vie Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, or other means, etc.) or even scrapbook for others (for a fee \u2013 4Hire), you\u2019ll be fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you are looking at (or even thinking about) selling or scrapbooking 4Hire you\u2019ll need to be mindful of this licensing issue. Some, but not all designers offer products with commercial licenses. Just be sure to check the license for each item before using them with your \u201cfor profit\u201d projects. If you don\u2019t have a commercial license then you can\u2019t sell anything using that product. Keeping track of these licenses will be important if you plan on selling. I\u2019ll give you some more tips in a future post about how best to keep track of this license information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another thing to look out for as a beginner is to be sure your digital supplies are of high resolution. Typically, you want to find items that say they are created at 300 dots per inch (dpi) for best quality. If you use low resolution graphics or the images are blurry, pixelated or have jagged edges your designs will not look as sharp when printed. If you buy from a reputable shop this is easy. Most (if not all) reputable shops will require that their designers follow the standard of 300 dpi images when creating their products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you like what you\u2019ve read and haven\u2019t already clicked on the \u201cFollow Me<\/strong><\/a>\u201d button please do. This way you’ll easily stay updated for next week\u2019s tip about enhancing your stash…<\/p>\n\n\nKnow What You Need<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nGet The Most Bang For Your Buck<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMost Important Shopping Tips!<\/h3>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n