Digi kit question

[jfugina]

So, I know we have a lot of digi scrappers here. I have been doing more and more digi lately, just so that I can get caught up. I wish I had more time to be really creative, but I know I'd rather have *more* done, than less done, but where the pages are more of my own design.

I've subscribed to several sites (monthly downloads), and even though I probably use all of about 1% of the stuff I'm paying for, I don't want to unsubscribe to any of them, because I love having all of the options available.

Finally, here's my question - for you digi scrappers, do you subscribe to any monthly kits? If so, which ones?

Here are mine:

• Club Scrap - I have every digi thing they've ever put out there, but rarely used anything but the QDDL/ALSB pages
  Scrappers Guide - I may not choose the kits by themselves, but each month comes with a QP album. So they're definitely a keeper
  Digi Freebies - haven't used a ton of their stuff, but an annual subscription was so cheap, I couldn't pass it up
  Digital Arts Cafe - Again, very inexpensive, and that site has TONS of freebies, if you're willing to take the time to hunt them down. Their stuff LOOKS like it was digitally generated, but the monthly offerings since I joined have been very diverse in theme.
  Scrap Girls - this one really threw me at first. It was overwhelming. I still don't quite get how they organize all of the monthly download files, but once I settled on my own organization scheme, it was easier to deal. They also have a gargantuan assortment of templates and tools, which I'm finally starting to understand enough to utilize.

The first business day of each month is a very very happy day for me.

[pbp908]

Julie, I've found so much free stuff out there that I haven't bothered to subscribe. The times that I look for something to purchase are rare, but I don't mind the hunt. The thing that's frustrating me right now is that almost everyone is using the same colors. I want something different, but that's where the eye dropper tool and "replace color" come in handy.

[LadyJaine]

No subscriptions for me, either. My needs are extremely limited. There are no kids in my house, so a lot of the kits just don't work for me. I scrap for adult men, for the most part. To be honest, there are only a few designers that I buy from these days.

Ashalee Wall
Flergs
Holliewood Studios
Lorie Davison and
Ztampf!

[tlscrap]

I don't subscribe to any, but here's one:

http://blog.cottagearts.net/

They have some really cool techniques and tell you how they did it. I like it when she copied over a section of a picture onto a really cool background and faded out the edges, I never knew how to do that!

[Holly]

Hi Julie-- the only one I suscribe to is the digital arts cafe. $2.50 a kit since I took them up a an offer last December. Other than that I just shop around; I like Tangy Baxter and Sherrie D to name a few designers. I love the freebies, and mix and match from many sets.
I haven't bought a CS digi kit since the first month they went Hearty Appetite. I bought that and was sort of disappointed. Recently I bought a few mmore of their paper kits. Their digi just isn't me.

[tlscrap]

I like Tangy Baxter and Sherrie D to name a few designers. I love the freebies, and mix and match from many sets.

Holly can you share their links? I looked for Tangy Baxter and couldn't find anything
Thanks!

[LadyJaine]

She's also at Scrapbook Graphics

Tangie Baxter

[tlscrap]

Woohoo! Thanks!

[tichwoli]

I also have everything CS, I get carefully chosen freebies from time to time and I am on the Creative Team for Barb Speck so I get any of her kits that I want to work with.

Since I have become a bit better at digi scrapping I am also becoming a bit more picky about what I want and sometimes the freebies just don't do it so I end up creating something myself. That being said, if you are finding yourselves with lots of stuff and you use Adobe Photoshop CS3 - a good resource for filing and storing is the Bridge. This is one of the most useful tools I have ever used.

[bethrich]

And I'm just subscribed to CS HA and Scrapper's Guide right now. I'm not sure I could handle any more subscriptions. I really am doing more collecting than using. PSL really got me exploring my CS digi kits, though.

I'm not really in love with the quick drop pages. So many of them are not my style.

But I do love templates. I don't have to be so creative when I use them. I created a set of basic shapes in PNG files so I can make a template from a sketch. I made a variety of sizes from maybe 2x2 to 12x12 and 3x5 to 5x7. I love how fast I can make a template now.

[jfugina]

I haven't been able to use very many of the CS quick drop ones either. But being on the ScrapGirls e-mail list, I can see that the CS designs are very in line with what other places are doing. Though I'm not really a fan of the one itty bitty photo on a page that showcases the paper and embellishments. I've even gotten to the point where I can deal if the photo is a 5x7 or so, but not an entire layout that includes one 2x2 in the corner. Actually, I've always been bugged by layouts that showcase a product or technique, rather than photos. I guess I'm still a paper scrapper at heart.

I love templates too! Whenever I'm working from a sketch, I try my best to start with a template, and save it before I go on and apply papers and whatnot. But then I'm not organized enough to remember whether or not I've already made a template when I find a favorite sketch.

I keep thinking that I should cut back on the first of the month download frenzy, but for someone who spends $20/week at Starbucks, it's really tough to convince myself that I don't need the $2 kits.

[Holly]

Julie the $2 kits are a real nice base to draw on.

[Monica]

At this point I just do CS and the Scrapper's Guide for paid subscriptions, but I'm having fun finding freebies now and then. There is a nautical one that was just released at Digital Freebies that I may have to get. I downloaded the Friday Freebie, which is 2 quick pages from the same kit, so we'll see. It's at a really cheap price right now.

Monica

[jfugina]

At this point I just do CS and the Scrapper's Guide for paid subscriptions, but I'm having fun finding freebies now and then. There is a nautical one that was just released at Digital Freebies that I may have to get. I downloaded the Friday Freebie, which is 2 quick pages from the same kit, so we'll see. It's at a really cheap price right now.

Monica

I got that one too Monica. I haven't scrapped our Pirate Festival pictures from last year, and I'm thinking that those quick pages are a good base, but I may need the rest of the kit to add to the QPs. Digi Freebies and DAC both do a heck of a good job enticing me with QP freebies that I adore so much I run off and buy the rest of the kit. Some savvy business person certainly had people like me in mind when they set up that freebie plan.

BTW Monica (and any others who love the freebie hunt) - have you subscribed to the DAC blog feed? They're doing a collaborative kit for Mother's Day, and releasing the kit in chunks by designer. I've downloaded 4 or 5 chunks so far, and it's darling! It's called "I'm gonna tell Mommy ... (that I love her)". It's very pink, so probably not to everyone's taste, but it's a very substantial kit for no money.

[Monica]

I haven't but now I guess I'll have to.... off to sign up...
MOnica