Just a suggestion....

[carla]

I have found that there are quite a few designers that do not put plain solid papers in any of their kits. If you don't purchase the "Bundle" then you have to purchase the solid papers separately. I prefer to have a selection of plain papers in the colors that match the patterned papers included in the kit and it is just so much easier. I do not always mix and match scrapbook kits, in fact, I rarely ever combine kits unless it is a challenge requirement. I could very easily MAKE my own but I don't and I rarely every use the ombre papers as they are just not the same as a regular cardstock/plain paper and most of the time, must also be purchased separately. Please don't hate on me because of it but I am retired and am not made out of money.

So, if you are one of the many designers that do NOT put plain papers in your kits, I am requesting that you at least think about changing.

Thanks and have a great day!

 

[Kristi Martin]

I agree wholeheartedly! I find it hard to work with a kit without solid matching papers.
I have used the eye dropper tool to make my own but that is not the same as having a sold with a nice texture and I am not very good about creating something like that.

 

[hclappy]

I agree too. Almost all of my LO’s have a white or solid neutral background. I find it very hard to use kits that have only patterns or even very colorful solids. I think because I tend to journal on my pages, it helps to be able to do it directly on the paper and not have to fiddle with tags or journal cards.

 

[KatherineWoodin]

I also agree. I have made my own paper and used elements to put a texture on but with journaling I need solid paper. I will most often bypass a kit that I love becaue there are no solid papers in the kit.

 

[carla]

Jennifer, I hit the dislike by mistake. I am on my phone with fat fingers. I am so sorry. I love your post. You and I are very similar. Love the neutral or white backgrounds.

 

[carla]

I also agree. I have made my own paper and used elements to put a texture on but with journaling I need solid paper. I will most often bypass a kit that I love because there are no solid papers in the kit.

Katherine! This is so true! I have bypassed many kits that I would have loved to work with because they did not have solid papers. You just cannot journal on a printed paper! Thank you for your post.

 

[carla]

I agree wholeheartedly! I find it hard to work with a kit without solid matching papers.
I have used the eye dropper tool to make my own but that is not the same as having a sold with a nice texture and I am not very good about creating something like that.

I have used the eye dropper tool on many occasion to create a solid paper for journaling. I agree with you, it just isn't the same as having a textured/cardstock solid paper.

 

[AmaneseFe]

I’d just like to add that I really appreciate a solid white or very light neutral paper in a kit. I particularly like to use a light background to show off layers of pretty pattern papers.

 

[Alta2014]

I agree I wish all kits came with some solids.. I have also passed on a kit, because I can't afford to buy all the packs. I live on a fixed income. I think the reason they do this is to sell more packs or the whole collection. And I understand that they are making a living also on the money they make from kits, so it's a hard call. But is hard for us that can't afford to buy so many packs. I wish I could afford to buy the whole store... LOL We have the best designers here at Gingerscraps, and I appreciate all they do.

 

[CindyRitter]

I really appreciate the suggestion and have often wondered about this. I think the majority of my kits do contain solids but I will make a note of it for future releases.

 

[hclappy]

I’d just like to add that I really appreciate a solid white or very light neutral paper in a kit. I particularly like to use a light background to show off layers of pretty pattern papers.

Yes to this! Light neutral papers help show off things like paint, scatters, layering elements that can get lost if you put them against a bold pattern.

Don't get me wrong, patterns are great! I just like to have a white or light solid neutral to start off with. That's my personal process.

 

[DebraB]

Personally I also use mostly solid papers. I just did a quick look at my gallery and have very few patterned papers, and those that are used are usually just the edges. I really like when the kits have the solids, and especially when they have 3 shades of 'each solid color' light, medium, dark.

 

[loaner]

This is an interesting conversation. I am a designer and we always put solids of each color in our kits as well as 24 pattern papers. I thought everyone did . I scrap with our kits as well and I find myself always using the solids more than the pattern papers as well. Too many patterns get busy for me and I like my solid background.

 

[bestcee]

I think the reason they do this is to sell more packs or the whole collection.

Maybe, but my perspective is a bit different. I have lots of solid packs. I'm inclined to skip kits where most of the papers are solid, because I don't need another solid white paper by designer A. But, I also have my solid packs in a spot to easily grab them. So, if I want a white paper, I grab one from the solid pack in my stash and keep going. I'm pretty sure I have solids in every rainbow color by most designers! For me, a kit has more value for my money if I'm not paying for a bunch of solids every time. I only need so many pieces of white/black/kraft cardstock! :biggrin:


I totally understand your thoughts, and felt the same when I first started buying supplies. :heart: I wanted to share a differing perspective though. And, it may be influenced by my paper scrapping before digi scrapping background.

 

[carla]

I am not opposed to taking a white or neutral color from a different pack of papers but I prefer to have the solid colors from the same kit AND the same designer. It's not always easy to find a solid color that matches the colors of the kit you are using.

I also realize that a designer might be thinking that everyone probably has 50 of each solid color under the sun and won't want any more. I have been a designer and thought the same thing, however, not everyone has been digital scrapping for as long as I have to have as many kits as I do and I am not going to plow through 200 kits to find a solid paper that matches the kit that I am currently using. I do not split up my kits so that is what I would have to do.

 

[hclappy]

Maybe, but my perspective is a bit different. I have lots of solid packs. I'm inclined to skip kits where most of the papers are solid, because I don't need another solid white paper by designer A. But, I also have my solid packs in a spot to easily grab them. So, if I want a white paper, I grab one from the solid pack in my stash and keep going. I'm pretty sure I have solids in every rainbow color by most designers! For me, a kit has more value for my money if I'm not paying for a bunch of solids every time. I only need so many pieces of white/black/kraft cardstock! :biggrin:


I totally understand your thoughts, and felt the same when I first started buying supplies. :heart: I wanted to share a differing perspective though. And, it may be influenced by my paper scrapping before digi scrapping background.

That's actually a really good point. I'm pretty strictly a kit scrapper, but I have dipped into other kits for solid neutrals a couple of times before for challenges and such. I have definitely not bought kits before if I see that they don't have the kinds of papers I use, but maybe I could be more open minded if I started a "neutrals and solids" folder for each designer who doesn't include them in every kit. I do still have a very hard tine doing CT LO's with only patterned papers in a kit, since we can only use items in that specific kit though. I can do it, but I don't always love the result.

 

[Jill]

Interesting thread....I am a one kit scrapper almost entirely and I like the kits that provide the solids, or a grungy, shabby version thereof. I, like Carla, keep my kits together. Jen, I served for a year on the CT as you might remember...I would find it very difficult to produce LOs if only patterned papers were available. I admire those who combine several patterned papers successfully and often remark on that skill when I see such a situation whilst doing my cookie commenting.

 

[Kristi Martin]

That's actually a really good point. I'm pretty strictly a kit scrapper, but I have dipped into other kits for solid neutrals a couple of times before for challenges and such. I have definitely not bought kits before if I see that they don't have the kinds of papers I use, but maybe I could be more open minded if I started a "neutrals and solids" folder for each designer who doesn't include them in every kit. I do still have a very hard tine doing CT LO's with only patterned papers in a kit, since we can only use items in that specific kit though. I can do it, but I don't always love the result.

I do mix kits now and then, but YES...if you are on a CT and need to ONLY use that kit it does make it very hard for me to create a layout if there are only patterned papers. I actually quit one CT because the only papers she offered to the team where ombres... no solids, no patterns and I just couldn't create layouts I was happy with.
I think a good mix of solids and patterns is important in all kits no matter how many other solids you may have in your stash.

 

[KatherineWoodin]

I do want the solids more than patterned but I have also created my own solid by matching a color and then putting a texture on it to go with the kit. I still wish they put the solids in their kits.

 

[LilyAnn]

I thought I commented on this previously.
I used to design and always included at least a few solid papers in my kit. I think using the lightest or most neutral color is always best to include.
I think solids are definitely needed in a kit. If my background is a pattern, I'd need solid colors for matting or shaped elements.
If I'm using a lot of patterned papers, I'd need a solid at a background.

 

[anzjoy]

Thanks for this! I do believe most of my kits include solids and a few neutrals, but I have often wondered if people really wanted them, so it is good to hear that you all do!

 

[Treemoon]

Solids are fabulous for clipping to your text! I use solid door every single page. Thanks designers

 

[DianeInOz]

I think solid-like papers are great. But if they are just plain color-picked flat papers, I find it to be a waste of disk space! I love "plain" papers if they have a little texture or shadowing or "wrinkles" or something, but if I can just color pick, I would rather save my space!