Whether you're waiting for the end of winter or spending a hot summer day scrapping last spring's memories, a spring scrapbooking kit is just what the doctor ordered. It's fun to use a cheery new kit with coordinating papers, tags and other embellishments to get your creative juices flowing.
Your Spring Scrapbooking Kit
There are several things to consider before you search for the ideal Spring scrapbooking kit. Use your preferences in style and color to help narrow your choices. All scrapbooking kits aren't equal, so be sure to check what's included before purchasing.
What a Typical Scrapbooking Kit Includes
Most kits contain coordinating papers, brads, and one or more sheets of stickers. Other kits include word decals, ribbons, cardstock stickers, tags and alphabets, in addition to patterns, printed accent and textured papers. You can use just the kit or if you feel a bit more creative, let the kit be the foundation of your scrapbook and build on it by adding other elements such as embellishments, textures, colors and other personal touches.
Spring Kit Themes
There are quite a few spring themes for you to consider when you start shopping for kits. Some of the more popular theme kits includes:
- Spring flowers: This type of kit usually features papers of colorful flowers blooming. Some also include other designs such as paisley swirls, birds, butterflies and various spring elements.
- Animal spring kits: An animal spring kit could be Easter focused with bunnies and Easter eggs. Other kits may feature baby animals born in time for spring fun.
- Spring-related activities: Look for kits that reflect many of the activities you enjoy during this time of year such as a kit for your favorite gardener complete with seed packets and garden tools.
Print Scrapbook Kits
Spend time browsing online. You can find some real bargains when you take your time to shop around. Some print kits offer several assorted double-sided patterned papers, brads, die-cuts and buttons. Oriental traders offers a several Spring-themed collection of paper kits that include Easter kits and come with up to 133 pieces for a very cheap price.
Digital Kits
Don't forget to forge through the available digital kits. You will typically find more paper designs, motifs, clipart, and scrapbooking elements in a digital kit, simply because it's cheaper to create. Some kits have as many as 40 different files. You can use a digital kit for either a digital album or a print one. A digital kit gives you the option of printing only those designs and embellishments you want. This prevents waste since you don't end up with a various papers or embellishments won't ever use.
Helpful Color Scheme Tips
You can plan your page or album spring theme before or after you buy or design your own scrapbooking kit. Things to consider when selecting color schemes:
- Predominant or accent colors: Repeat accent colors in your theme elements for a coordinated page. Consider kits that have offer these colors.
- Age and demeanor of subject: Soft pastels or bright pinks and greens work equally well for babies, children, and women. If you use a photo taken at an Easter church service, look for elegant gold or silver embellishments. If your photo depicts toddlers with spring chicks, look for simple colors and elements so you don't detract from the photo.
- Photo sizes and numbers: Choose smaller elements to fit more images on the page, especially for a French-style minimalist design. Larger elements and prints work better against single photos.
- Gender and age of subject: Your teen daughter will love dramatic glitter swirls in bright spring colors, but your son will appreciate you choosing more muted spring tones for his scrapbook.
- Coordinating kits: Whether you create a single page or an entire album, you may want to find a designer who offers multiple coordinating kits.
Pre-Assembled or Do-It-Yourself
There's nothing that says you have to choose a pre-assembled kit, though it does make life easier, especially if you buy your kit online. Different websites can present colors differently on your computer monitor. If you buy what appear to be matching or coordinating items, you may be disappointed by the actual colors when you download or receive them in the mail. Buying from one designer can reduce the chances of this happening.
Before buying new items, be sure to review your existing scrapbooking supplies. You may have leftover paper from baby scrapbooks or wedding scrapbooks in spring-like colors that you forgot you had.
Tips for making your own kits:
- Spring scrapbooking papers: Spring flower scrapbook papers are very popular and coordinate well with stripes, plaids, and solid papers in spring colors. If you find a single floral or set of floral papers that you like, choose other papers and elements in complementary or coordinating colors to complete your spring scrapbooking kit.
- Spring elements: Think about the elements and themes surrounding the photos that you plan to scrap, and plan your embellishments accordingly. Some spring symbols for scrapbooking include flowers, specially tulips, vines, leaves, Easter symbols and many others.
How to Find Spring Kits
Your local craft or fabric store, scrapbook shop or discount store probably has spring scrapbooking supplies in stock by February or March, but consider looking in your local dollar store or paper shop, too.
Online, the best way to find exactly the style you want is to use an image search engine, such as Google Images or Bing's image search using the words that best describe your colors and theme. For example, a search for "pink tulip scrapbooking kit" without quotes in Google yields more than 126,000 results. When you refine your search further, chances are good that you find will something compatible with your taste.
Be creative and be willing to look beyond kits labeled "spring", and you'll have the prettiest scrapbook album in the Easter parade!
