www.paperartistsonline.com

Years ago, many of us used to oooh and ahhh (or BLECH) the Club Scrap kits as they were revealed each month. I'll admit that I had many a kit that I want ape over after the reveal, though few of those kits proved to be as usable once they were ALSB'd as I would have hoped. I mean, who would have thought that the Mother's Day kit would be so tough to get rid of? Or Haberdashery? Or Be Still? Thank goodness I never even ALSB'd the "Bugs" kit.

Well, I just received my 4th monthly kit from Scrapbook Generation, and I have to gush about it. I wish I would have known about this sooner - I might have been able to get out of my year+ long rut so much quicker! I signed up for the super sketch club, which is 5 2-page layouts for $20. The materials are all recently released designer paper that can be found at any nice LSS - I don't get too much, and can always get more from Archivers if I like it a lot. Three of the five layouts are from a single collection, and the other two are from different collections, so it's a nice mix. AND, starting with the January kit, the two layouts from different collections actually come with two sketches that use the exact same materials - so you can choose which layout you like best, and use the other sketch for something else.

Aside from that, I splurged on the Allison Davis Hall of Fame kit - one layout for $15; and the generation kit - one layout for $12. Those feel a little steep, but I'm finding that I'm actually using them. So it's all good.

• I love that the styles of the collections used are cute, but not over-the-top kiddish.
  I love that the embellishments are mostly flat (they suggest pop dots, but the embellishments themselves are flat)
  I love that the "themes" are relevant to the photos I typically take - i.e., family stuff.
  I love that the kits are timely. The December SS kit had three holiday layouts, and the December generation kit had another holiday layout from a different collection. The January kit had some pages with a general winter theme, and the February kits have "I love you" layouts. I expect this will cause me to stay more caught up!
  I love that photos are the focus of all of the layouts - most layouts have at least 4 full-size photos.
  I love that embellishments aren't overdone, making the page look like collage art was the main purpose of the layout (I don't have a problem with that - it's just not why I do layouts).
  I love that many of the sketches that come with the kits are re-usable.
  I love that I've received at least three two-page layouts that have actually inspired me to go out and take photos just to use those pages.
  I love the customer service - they've been very quick to respond to all of my e-mails.

I recognize that the style of these kits would make many of you say "BLECH!", and I wouldn't want this to turn into a SG fan site, because that would just get boring. But for me, I'm beyond thrilled with what I've received so far. These kits were made for me. I haven't assembled every page kit I've received yet, and I haven't used every layout that I've assembled. But I fully believe that these kits will get used - and soon. I might even go "all in" eventually and add the Girl Crazy and Boy Crazy layouts each month. But I know I'll need to get busy taking more photos if I'm going to do that.

Thanks for sticking with me. It's been a while since I've been this happy with a monthly shipment. I feel like I've finally found a kit club that really suits me. I'm thankful for the other clubs I've been a member of along the way, because they helped me recognize what I love and what I don't love. But I'm so glad to have found this happy place.

so glad you are.
Is the background piece heavy like the cs paper

Isn't it wonderful when you find a product that works so well for you?
I love the C'est Magnifique kits but found that they don't work for me. I'm back to using design ideas from embellishideas.com and scrapbookgeneration.com to use up my stash. Every once in a while, Echo Park will have a kit I love. I think once the boys are older, I'll be buying kits from SG rather frequently!

And I have to say - I do love your pages!

Yay Julie!! Glad you found something that works for you. I'm still using a mish mash of designers!

Good for you, Julie!! It's important to find a club that really works for your style, and I'm glad to hear this one is filling the need nicely.

Debbie J wrote:Yay Julie!! Glad you found something that works for you. I'm still using a mish mash of designers!

I tend to like clubs that use a variety of designers, too.

Julie, I agree with you 100% although I haven't yet pulled the trigger on Allison's kits. I have been using her sketches for a year or more. Love them. The focus really is the photos and that's what I'm all about.

If you keep talking her up, I will have to give the monthly kit a whirl.

This month, however, for the first time in over a year, I have gone ga-ga over Up, Up and Away at CS. This was a kit theme my sister and I suggested to them last summer and I am tickled pink that they executed it. When we saw the sneak last month, I was so afraid they would use cutesy balloons rather than the steampunk look. My prayers were answered. I joined the Senior kit and got a lot of the rubber. I'm sure I will come to my senses again in March (because I have way more paper than I will ever consume in my lifetime). But I do love this kit.

Maybe in March I can try SG. Thanks for the suggestions and inspirational layouts. You had me at "Sketch."

Gush away...

That's hat's so great about here. We can all share what we love even if it's not everyone's style. We are paper lovers not brand lovers and when you find something that works for you.

HAPPY DAY

enjoy playing with paper again.

So glad that it is working for you. I still get some CS and of course SU but am always on the lookout for good finds. I did get the sketchbook #7 but have yet to use it. It will not be long before I can find the mojo for that.

Wow, Julie, it's wonderful that you have found something in kit form that you love. I hope you write to them and tell them all that you wrote. I'm sure it will make someone's day there.

jmp1022 wrote:so glad you are.
Is the background piece heavy like the cs paper

Everything I've received so far uses something of cardstock weight for the background of the layout. Sometimes it's just plain cardstock, and sometimes it's the patterned paper, but the product lines they're using have the patterned stuff printed on heavier stock, usually double-sided.

ScrappinJen wrote:Julie, I agree with you 100% although I haven't yet pulled the trigger on Allison's kits. I have been using her sketches for a year or more. Love them. The focus really is the photos and that's what I'm all about. .... You had me at "Sketch."

To be clear, the super sketch club is a combo of Allison's kits as well as Debbie Sanders. With the five layouts, you'll get sketches from both designers. The Hall of Fame kit is all Allison, and I believe that the Generation kit has all been Debbie. I'm not sure about Girl Crazy and Boy Crazy. And from what I've seen, I do tend to like Allison's layouts ever so slightly better. Debbie is a little heavy handed with the banners, and while it's cute, it gets annoying after a while.

mpizzazz wrote:Wow, Julie, it's wonderful that you have found something in kit form that you love. I hope you write to them and tell them all that you wrote. I'm sure it will make someone's day there.

You are absolutely right. I need to do that.

I had to go exploring to find out who "Allison" is. I love her designs!
I can't get everything to open here at work but I'm going to try from home.

Julie,

I am glad you like SG. I have been using their sketches for several years. If I didn't have so much stash I would probably order their kits. I used an old CS kit the other day with a Scrapbook Generation sketch. It didn't work so well because the CS kit (Infusions??? the tea one) didn't have enough patterned paper to make it pop. I learned from the attempt, tho. I am so glad you SG.

Judy

cool
I love double sided
I been looking at their ads

OK, you convinced me. I joined. I've spent more money on less, so what the heck! Seriously, I do like their LOs and this way I can sample some new items without having to plan an all-day craft shopping excursion to Fayetteville. I hate chain store trips - my eyes end up crossed and I get frustrated because I can never find all of the cool things that are online.