I think it needs to be a rule about kits....

[Darcy Baldwin]

Add yours here:

That there MUST be a good stripe and a pretty tone on tone damask paper of some sort (or 3 or 4).

[NeverendingJen]

That there should be a solid in every color from the patterns, and there should be oodles and oodles of different patterns, not just the same pattern in varying colors.

[heathergw]

must have plaid!!!

[nikkiARNGwife]

coordinating ric rac and ribbons :)

[breakingbrie]

Must have FLOWERS! lots and lots of flowers... and leafy stuffs... lots of that too...
It's seriously hard for me to do a lo without flowers.

[mariewilcox]

It's funny because when I was scrapping last night I said to myself that I wish every kit came with ____. Of course with my old feeble memory I have no idea what that was! :D Maybe it will come to me or maybe someone else will mention it and I'll be like - "Yes, that was it!":w00t:

[hollyxann]

must have plaid!!!
This!!!

[hollyxann]

Must have FLOWERS! lots and lots of flowers... and leafy stuffs... lots of that too...
It's seriously hard for me to do a lo without flowers.

And this!!

[taracotta7]

Banners. Hands down. I love me some banners. :)

[MamaBee]

agree on the stripes...

also hardware... :) Staples... always on the hunt for staples...

[iScrap]

If a kit has flowers (and every kit should, IMO), then it must have leaves. I don't see too many flowers without at least one leaf out there in the world. What a sad flower that would be. lolol

Lots and lots of patterns of different types. I don't care if a designer reuses that pattern again in another kit, in fact, I usually hope they do.

[*Celeste*]

all kits must have buttons.

[NeverendingJen]

Alphas! Every kit should have at least one alpha. preferably two. or three. or five(i'm an addict...)

[ZaCola3]

Buttons. STRAIGHT ribbon and Ric rac.

[whites19]

I have a great love affair with stitching... but I won't be too picky, and instead will just say: every kit needs a fastener (or fasteners) of some sort. Stitching, staples, buttons, brads... just something! :) When working digitally, I scrap the way I would if using real paper supplies... and I like being able to "stick things down" in a realistic way! LOL

Also, I love kits that have a few patterns in multiple colors from the kit (i.e. not just tone-on-tone), with interesting/unique patterns that relate to the kit's theme. And then I like having a few tone-on-tone papers in basic patterns, too (dots/stripes/damask/whatever). I love using lots and lots of patterned paper on layouts!

[SmallMoments]

String. Staples. And LEAVES.

[kscwgirl]

some sort of fastener, good patterns and leaves if you have flowers.. and straight ribbon.

[mariewilcox]

That was it! Fasteners of some kind! I needed a brad-type item to put through an "eyelet" hole on a tag.

So my list would include fasteners and as someone else mentioned STRAIGHT ribbons and ricac.

[LeeAndra]

Whirly twirly string.
Stitching.
At least one solid-ish and/or small enough print so I can journal on top of it color-coordinated paper.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Whirly twirly string.
Stitching.
At least one solid-ish and/or small enough print so I can journal on top of it color-coordinated paper.

That's what this is for :)

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/images/cache/fed163888fda15cf3a9808694ae0a9af.jpg (https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/product.php?productid=22712&cat=0&page=1)

[mrshobbes]

Brush or paint splats!!! I've become addicted to them! I really love how KCB does patterned splats for instance.

And flowers must also have greenery of some kind. Makes for easier clustering :D

[usaf_wife10]

I'm a paper addict! I like for kits to have a lot of good solids or basic prints (like polka dots, stripes, plaid etc).

[heathergw]

Oh yeah... I LOVE paint and doodles and I love for paint to be all mixed up not just one color... I like KCB's patterned paint and I also like Nicole and Krystal's paint that looks kinda mixed media-ish

I'm in love with mixed media stuff right now so I love paint and doodles and stitches and papery elements, cardboard, newspaper, notepapery stuff

I'm also in love with Project Life so I need good quotes and journaling cards

and I'm addicted to doilies and tags and papery goods for that too

It's weird because I could totally do without foliage if it's not in a kit... I didn't used to be that way...

Oh... And it MUST have at least one really unique and bold paper, I just can't seem to do a page without using it... and I'm ok w/o matching solid papers as long as there is one or two neutral Kraft papers


Oh... and I love stacking things, like envelopes and notepaper and torn pieces of paper and manila envelopes and seed packet envelopes and tickets and labels and even old paper frames and stuff like that... like Melissa has in her featured kit

[kristijoy]

Empty Wordstrips!

And I love banners and twirly string!

[sarahbhb]

This isn't an every kit thing...but if a kit comes with a label holder or label with holes at the end..then the kit should come with brads. It irritates me when I want to use something specifically meant to be used with a brad and there is no brad to be found.

[Jengerbread88]

Everyone has covered my must-haves already- plaid, swirly-twirly string, natural leaves, scatters, paint washes or masks, and word-art strips.

Oh, and with flowers, I want a variety of big and small, and a variety of colors, and a variety of textures of flowers (as in, maybe some crocheted ones, or some silky ones, or some natural ones)... I don't want all of my flowers to be the same so when I cluster them all, they have variations!

[SeattleSheri]

Foliage and frames! ... and in general, a decent volume of elements.

[SweetMelissa]

Solid color paper with no effects on it.

[misfitinmn]

For me, it's a pattern paper in each of the colors of the kit - not necessarily solids of each color, but I like each plain color with some kind of pattern on it. I also LOVE multi-color polka dots & stripes. I am into boring patterns like that. :)
And a nice, simple alpha (or 2 or 20...like Jen I am an addict!). ;)
OH! And straight ribbons & ric rac.
AND threaded buttons.
Okay, I'll stop now. haha!!

[haydensmommy217]

lots and lots of flowers, and banners.

[YepBrook]

There's not too many things I need in every kit. I can roll with kits that have different types of elements or papers... it's a fun creative challenge. But, if I had it my way, every kit would have a few buttons and fun theme-y elements.

[maryinaz]

all kits must have buttons. This, but WITH thread. Don't bother if no thread. ;)

[JulieB146]

I enjoy kits that come with NON cu items--like those birds everyone is using ad neauseum these days? (the ones that look like buttons, but aren't). EVERYone uses those, and peeps, it's pretty obvious they've only been recolored. I don't care about flowers, BUT, if there are going to be flowers, even if they're imperfect, make sure they're not CU, and that everyone else has them, too, in their kits!

I guess this is a "what I don't want" in a kit post!

What I do like in a kit is: wordart! Make it unique!

[abm234]

Good luck making us all happy. I will echo a few of those mentioned that I love:

solid color paper in every color in the kit

damask paper

straight ribbons (I love the ones that aren't straight but have a heck of a time using them-somebody give me some tips here)

alphas that are individual PNG files - I hate when its on a sheet (I know we've had this discussion before)

[Amber1279]

I am sure the designers heads are spinning ... can you imagine how big a kit would be if it had all of this?

[Joana1n]

There needs to be a white or off-white (ecru, eggshell, insert your preferred non-white-shade-name here) solid that goes with the rest of the kit. White presentation paper almost always NEVER matches the white/off-white in pretty much any kit (and yes, it DOES make a difference! ;) ). :D

There also should be a range of solids in the color palette of the kit. And journaling blocks that are blank, but also include a set of lines that a person could add to the block if s/he wanted to. Journaling blocks w/o lines are awesome for adding card sentiments! I know I *can* remove the lines, but I'm usually too lazy/have too much work to do to bother.

[k23m]

i dont know ... but this thread is making me want to go shopping! LOL

[kendallt]

At least one horizontal AND one vertical frame or a frame that would work for either photo orientation.

[sczos911]

multi colored patterned paper. (not just green stripe or yellow polka dote, there needs to be green, yellow and blue stripe and yellow polkas on green paper...)

and a few neutral solids. solid paper that have texture and depth to them.

[ayaandjudah]

Ric rac!!!!!! Every kit should come with at least one coordinated ric rac

And foliage with nice realistic flowers.

[dailydwellin]

That there should be a solid in every color from the patterns, and there should be oodles and oodles of different patterns, not just the same pattern in varying colors.

This!!!

[Shawna Clingerman]

Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3

[pewtertm]

Stripes (nothing too wide); polka dotted paper; a plaid or two.

Foliage (if I'm using flowers, I want leaves too!). Strings for tags, and stitches for buttons...they look nekkid without them LOL.

[SmallMoments]

Yes! Definitely paint splatters or glittery splatters... or stampy splatters.

Even if a kit doesn't have flowers, I like to use leaves... maybe it's b/c most of my layouts are boy layouts?

And I like a muted patterned paper- tone on tone. I don't like to use solids for my backgrounds & I like to do my journaling right on the background. (I can never get journal tag things to work right for me.)

[kelley]

I like some bling in kits. Whether it is some paint smears with some glitter sprinkled in, a gem scatter, metallic pieces. Not that I need that in every kit. I like a variety of stuff really - as long as there are plenty of papers to work with and plenty of coordinating ellies, I'm pretty good. I don't like it when there are no leaves to go with flowers, and I don't like it when there is no white/off white paper. I also don't like alphas to be on a sheet - if they are I seriously just don't use them. Besides that, I'm happy with whatever - I'm attracted to lots of kits - it all depends on the color scheme being eye-poppingly beautiful!

[misfitinmn]

Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3

I totally get that! I would certainly not EXPECT for all of my "wish list" items to be in every kit, nor is it ever reason for me to not buy a kit...I have a basic stash of things that I use to put on a page if I feel it needs something not in the kit (like ribbon, plain kraft, etc). I fall in love with colors & general theme of a kit more than specifics like I listed up there so...I'm an easy sell! :thumbup:

[Darcy Baldwin]

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)


Except every one really should have stripes :p:D:D:D:w00t::p:p:p:hugs::eek::hugs:

[misfitinmn]

Except every one really should have stripes :p:D:D:D:w00t::p:p:p:hugs::eek::hugs:

:D

I would tend to agree on this point. :)

[scrap2day]

Already said,

empty word strips and brads/fasteners :)

[Shawna Clingerman]

Except every one really should have stripes :p:D:D:D:w00t::p:p:p:hugs::eek::hugs:

(pss, i tend to agree too ;) either a stripe or a plaid seems pretty essential to me! i always kick myself when i realize after the fact that i forgot one!! - but you didn't hear it from me!! LOL)

[Keely~B]

I have to ditto the threaded buttons! I really love fastening bits, paint and splatters and basic frames to be included too. Oh and alphas, I get kind of disappointed when there isn't an alpha in a kit.

[heathergw]

Threads like this are interesting because different people have such different scrapping needs, much like how different designers have different "lists" of what they like to put in every kit... we are all so unique, and i think that what makes scrapping and designing more of an art form than an science.
Personally I'm always a little hesitant to make a list of basics that each kit HAS to have, because when I get into the design process I really do want to let my creativity have some space, otherwise it starts to feel like I'm producing the same thing over and over and over which is a huge mojo sucker for us designers.

Not that I don't want to make my customers super thrilled and content with each and every one of my kits, I think all of us designers do! But I just wanted to offer a bit of perspective so that you guys can understand why some kits do have certain things, and some kits do not. :)

I do always do my best to include at least SOME basic essentials in every kit - but it doesn't always nessesarily look the same each time - hopefully that adds a bit of "fresh and exciting" to your scrapping sessions, because I know for me it is one way to add a bit of the same to my designing experience. <3 <3 <3

and this is why I LOVE you!!! On the scrapper side, I'd say that my mojo for creating pages flows best when a kit feels right... like it isn't the same thing over and over and over again and you can really see the creativity of the designer working her magic and not going by a list of things that are needed...

and I always say that "rules are meant to be broken" otherwise life gets boring and stale and we don't grow and try new things... which is also why I like the portfolio here so much... I need to try new things all the time... that's why one day I can say that paint is my need... the next day I'll say banners is my need... the next day I'll say buttons, the next day I'll say lots of flowers and foliage... but each of my layouts don't need all of those things at once... I just like being inspired by the kit as a whole and when I can see that it's an original and fresh kit and not the same ole, same ole, I'm a happy scrapper :)

[webseitler]

I am sure the designers heads are spinning ... can you imagine how big a kit would be if it had all of this?

Um. Yeah. ::raises hand:: I'm spinning. :D But I also like reading through this list. I'm going "Check, check, check... oh, yeah--that thing! I haven't done that thing in a while." LOL!

[jacinda]

Must have FLOWERS! lots and lots of flowers... and leafy stuffs... lots of that too...
It's seriously hard for me to do a lo without flowers.

YES. It makes me want to cry when a kit has flowers and no greenery.

[KristinCB]

yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)

[Jengerbread88]

I also don't like alphas to be on a sheet - if they are I seriously just don't use them. !

This is why I love that scrapping is such an individual thing and we're all so different. It's cool seeing other peoples' perspectives on it. Personally, I prefer using alphas on a sheet, and I find that I use sheet alphas more than the ones cut into individual pieces! Lol



And Shawna, seriously, this is not a make-or-break list for me. If I love a kit, I'll buy it, whether or not it has all of my "must haves" in it. It's cool when y'all shake it up a bit. Plus, I've found that things I just HAD to have 6 months ago are different from the things I just HAVE to have now... A year ago I was all about the solid papers. Right now, I'm very into plaids. 6 months from now, I may be into polka dots or stripes or something. It seems like I go through phases with what I love (and how I scrap!)

[Jengerbread88]

yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)

The exciting thing is that we love you, and you know we're going to buy from you whether or not you check off every detail on the list. For me, who, most of the time, sticks to a single kit, it can be weird when there isn't a certain thing, but over time, I've found ways to substitute or pull from other kits or recolour a certain thing until it's right. You guys are great at keeping us happy (or at least me- I'm embarrassed to even consider how much I've spent here in the past month), so it's good to know you guys are listening, but also good to know you have your own unique style for how you do things.

[Starlight-Princess]

I think most of mine have already been mentioned:
A good Alpha (or 7).
STRAIGHT Ribbon.
Pattern paper especially Damask and Polkadot.
Unlined Journal Mats.
If there are word strips PLEASE include a blank one lol

[TeriBeary]

That there should be a solid in every color from the patterns, and there should be oodles and oodles of different patterns, not just the same pattern in varying colors.

This for sure!

[NeverendingJen]

Except every one really should have stripes :p:D:D:D:w00t::p:p:p:hugs::eek::hugs:

what Darcy said!

[Shawna Clingerman]

I <3 our community here! Have I told you all lately how much I appreciate your support and how much it means to me to be able to follow my dreams AND to be a part of preserving your memories! All of us designers here really are blessed! <3 :wub:

[Shawna Clingerman]

(ps - already made sure kristin and I had made a stripey paper for our scoop this weekend ;))

[origami]

If there are word strips PLEASE include a blank one lol

Oh yes. And this is definitely something that could be included in EVERY kit with really no effort, I think. :) If you've already created some word strips, just please include blank ones too.

I love journal cards, but then it's not impossible to make your own if there are great papers in the kit.

I definitely love to have coordinating solids with the patterned papers.

[TheHybridMess]

Here's what I look for in the preview.
Multi coloured basic papers - Stripes, Plaids, dots. Basic single coloured papers -Checks, dots, Stripes. Fasteners, Straight ribbons, paint spats banners and trims, stitches. and non- background alpha

[cardinalskate]

Loving this thread!

I agree with so many of these! I'm really digging paint splatters/spills. Threaded buttons. Blank word strips. And ALPHAS!!!

[*Celeste*]

kristin - i think any thing you tried would be a hit. i'd love to see you step out of your comfort zone! i don't think people would be disappointed!

yayyyy! TY heather! lol

I am such a people pleaser which i guess is good and bad but it can get draining on the creativity aspect. I do worry about wanting to make customers who purchase my kits happy because I'd hate for them to buy and then be dissapointed but at the same time I sometimes feel like I don't want to try to step too far out of my "kcb zone" because again I don't want to dissapoint people. It can be a hard thing sometimes to figure it all out..

also.. there are times where I won't put in certain things (ric rac for example) only because.. there is only so many ways and colors to do a ric rac and sometimes the thought of doing one on a particular week makes me feel like i want to jump off a cliff (yup.. i said it. haha)

[heathergw]

kristin - i think any thing you tried would be a hit. i'd love to see you step out of your comfort zone! i don't think people would be disappointed!

Oh... maybe a collab with Rubia will help stretch her a bit... That could be kinda fun :)

[webseitler]

I <3 our community here! Have I told you all lately how much I appreciate your support and how much it means to me to be able to follow my dreams AND to be a part of preserving your memories! All of us designers here really are blessed! <3 :wub:

DITTO! I was just in the gallery, leaving love, and it made me tear up to see the pages that some of you made with the freebies of such special things in your life... it's such a privilege to get to be a part of this in any way... :hugs:

[kim21673]

Flowers and foliage....even boy kits and themed kits need flowers and leaves!!! There are times where the colors of a themed kit are perfect for a picture but I don't have a themed picture....flowers would be the perfect addition....even for my boy layouts!!

Straight ribbons, an alpha, staple, and buttons too!!!

[calvinawalsh]

(ps - already made sure kristin and I had made a stripey paper for our scoop this weekend ;))
Looking forward to see this scoop! Is it Sneak Peek Friday yet?

[tanyiadeskins]

I need leaves please!

Also if there is word art on strips in a kit I would really love if designers would include one blank strip that matches in case I want to add my own custom words to it.

I love when there is a decent alpha!

and I love me some patterns but I agree I need some solids in every color that matches to balance it out and not go blind! lol

[Sherri Tierney]

Must haves for me are pretty basic.

~Solid papers (preferably one of each color in the kit AND a good neutral)
~fasteners (doesn't matter what exactly, stitches, staples, tape, glue spots, buttons, whatever, I just like a way to fasten stuff down... my virtual adhesive doesn't hold so well and needs help. LOL)

Beyond that, I like to let a kit become what it will without having to have a specific list of things to include. When I design a kit the ones I love best are the ones where I just go for it and keep going until the kit feels done instead of adding what someone else says I need to add. I would hate to stifle a designer's creativity by telling them they MUST do this or MUST add that.

Now, wish lists... well, there are certain things I use more than others and certain things I could do without but we've talked about those things in other threads... like flowers, I could totally leave them while others love them.

Alphas - much prefer the sheet, really don't care for individual alphas and have been known to add individual alphas to a sheet myself just to clean up my folder some. LOL

[Darcy Baldwin]

(ps - already made sure kristin and I had made a stripey paper for our scoop this weekend ;))


Have I told you lately how much I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ you?

[Megan Turnidge]

I could care less abut solids... GIVE ME SOME FABULOUS PRINTS!!! Mmmmhhhhmmmmm. I don't really have a list, but I'm a sucker for amazing flowers and flourishes/swirls.

[yari]

OK how about this? How do you feel about the "shadows" that the elements have? For example, my shadows on my stacked embellishments are always on an diagonal angle and with some distance, not 0 distance. What do you prefer?

Also, I like to use the chipboard look a lot where the elements have that realistic thin bevel chipboard look. Would you prefer that it didn't have any bevel at all on all your paper elements or do you like chipboard elements? Here's an image so you can see what I mean. :)

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll9/yarilds/jadyday_compare.jpg

[lovely1m]

1. a solid in every color used in the kit
2. fastners
3. straight ribbons

[heathergw]

LOL... well, if we're going to be picky :p I like the highlights and shadows to be at the same angle I shadow my layouts at... so I tend to turn things... but alphas or words drive me nuts since I can't turn them... so sometimes if the alpha is super shadowed in a different direction then I'll have a my title going horizontal LOL... but if they're shadowed at 120 degrees I'm in trouble and I usually just find a different alpha :p

and Yari... in your example... the second one bugs me... because the heart is pillow embossed which means it isn't a flat sticker... so it needs the shadowing like in the first... if something is a sticker than it needs to all be flat... and if the heart wasn't pillow embossed, I'd probably like either one :D

[SeattleSheri]

I notice shadows within elements, but I still flip and rotate them. I usually pile on so many elements, I just hope that no one notices once they are on my page, lol.

[webseitler]

I need leaves please!

Also if there is word art on strips in a kit I would really love if designers would include one blank strip that matches in case I want to add my own custom words to it.

I love when there is a decent alpha!

and I love me some patterns but I agree I need some solids in every color that matches to balance it out and not go blind! lol

If people really want to custom make things, like their own word art, they do have the tools at hand! :thumbup: If there are solids in a kit, you can clip them to a tiny strip of paper and make your own! :D

It would be hard for me to know what colors you needed and what sizes, etc. I make all my word art different sizes and shapes. So, I don't see that particular thing being very helpful. But I have included things like that from time to time (for example: Halloween kit with numbered tags No. 1 - 10 with one blank "No." tag).

[LJSDesigns]

OK how about this? How do you feel about the "shadows" that the elements have? For example, my shadows on my stacked embellishments are always on an diagonal angle and with some distance, not 0 distance. What do you prefer?

Also, I like to use the chipboard look a lot where the elements have that realistic thin bevel chipboard look. Would you prefer that it didn't have any bevel at all on all your paper elements or do you like chipboard elements? Here's an image so you can see what I mean. :)

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll9/yarilds/jadyday_compare.jpg

In this example I would choose the first one because it is layered and those layers need shadows. But then I like the chipboard look in general and am not much of a sticker girl. :)

[Jengerbread88]

Yari, I prefer the first one, with the bevel!

[origami]

If people really want to custom make things, like their own word art, they do have the tools at hand! :thumbup: If there are solids in a kit, you can clip them to a tiny strip of paper and make your own! :D

It would be hard for me to know what colors you needed and what sizes, etc. I make all my word art different sizes and shapes. So, I don't see that particular thing being very helpful. But I have included things like that from time to time (for example: Halloween kit with numbered tags No. 1 - 10 with one blank "No." tag).

I think it's only really important when there's a set of customized word art, like maybe five or six words and all the pieces are all basically similar. Maybe I'm using most of what you created, but for some reason I need to add my own and I'd like it to be as uniform as possible with the others. Then I'd just like a blank one that goes along with the set you've already created. Otherwise, I agree, it's like journal cards. We can clip papers to create our own.

But I do love me some already created journal cards.

[Txcorey]

The alphas included should include both capital and lower case letters, numbers, and the most common punctuation.

[KateD]

LOL... well, if we're going to be picky :p I like the highlights and shadows to be at the same angle I shadow my layouts at... so I tend to turn things... but alphas or words drive me nuts since I can't turn them... so sometimes if the alpha is super shadowed in a different direction then I'll have a my title going horizontal LOL... but if they're shadowed at 120 degrees I'm in trouble and I usually just find a different alpha :p

and Yari... in your example... the second one bugs me... because the heart is pillow embossed which means it isn't a flat sticker... so it needs the shadowing like in the first... if something is a sticker than it needs to all be flat... and if the heart wasn't pillow embossed, I'd probably like either one :D

This exactly :)

[Jengerbread88]

This is semi-off topic, but I don't care much for Alphas that have like, A, B, C, D all different colors and then repeating (so like, A is blue, B is green, C is red, D is blue, E is green, F is red...) because it always turns out that I need to spell something where I'll have 2-3 of the same color letter next to each other, and one random letter of another color hanging on the end. I prefer if an alpha is meant to be several different colors, either I get a complete alpha in each color, or the designer just picks one color (or a neutral) to make the whole alpha in...

...but that's just me being nitpicky, and of course, there are times where I'll use the alpha anyway if it isn't too obvious.

[webseitler]

I think it's only really important when there's a set of customized word art, like maybe five or six words and all the pieces are all basically similar. Maybe I'm using most of what you created, but for some reason I need to add my own and I'd like it to be as uniform as possible with the others. Then I'd just like a blank one that goes along with the set you've already created. Otherwise, I agree, it's like journal cards. We can clip papers to create our own.

But I do love me some already created journal cards.

Ah! Gottcha. :thumbup:

[NeverendingJen]

This is semi-off topic, but I don't care much for Alphas that have like, A, B, C, D all different colors and then repeating (so like, A is blue, B is green, C is red, D is blue, E is green, F is red...) because it always turns out that I need to spell something where I'll have 2-3 of the same color letter next to each other, and one random letter of another color hanging on the end. I prefer if an alpha is meant to be several different colors, either I get a complete alpha in each color, or the designer just picks one color (or a neutral) to make the whole alpha in...

...but that's just me being nitpicky, and of course, there are times where I'll use the alpha anyway if it isn't too obvious.

yes. this. I'll recolor sometimes if I really love the alpha, but it's not my favorite.

[KristinCB]

i think all kits should have papers!!! and elements! ha! :D lol

[shupe]

i think all kits should have papers!!! and elements! ha! :D lol

LOL!!!:D I was just thinking that there's no way to keep us all happy!! There were quite a few things on people's lists that I thought-wow, I can't stand using those (like twirly strings and foliage) but no worries because it's easy to just ignore them in a kit!

[NeverendingJen]

i think all kits should have papers!!! and elements! ha! :D lol

Seriously! that's really all we need. I like it when there are lots of papers to choose from, but thats mostly because of how hooked on papers I am, lol!

[ZaCola3]

I notice shadows within elements, but I still flip and rotate them. I usually pile on so many elements, I just hope that no one notices once they are on my page, lol.

I never notice Sheri-I'll try and keep the shadow police at bay...

[YepBrook]

I need a cup of strong coffee in every kit. Also, truffles and a back massage! I absolutely can't stand kits that are missing those things!!!!

[sigmakap95]

Add yours here:

That there MUST be a good stripe and a pretty tone on tone damask paper of some sort (or 3 or 4).

Ditto!

[webseitler]

I need a cup of strong coffee in every kit. Also, truffles and a back massage! I absolutely can't stand kits that are missing those things!!!!

ROTFL! That's actually what we DO put into every kit. :D They are so fun, you get the sensation of a day at the spa and a trip to Starbucks. :thumbup:

[Gemma]

I love flowers(even in boy kits) ribbons, leaves and recently paint or glittery splatters! :)

[Freckles]

I really NEED flowers in a kit. Scrapping without them just feels awkward.
A solid in plain white is also very much appreciated.
I also prefer my alphas to be single png files and not on sheets, just because that way I can easily preview them.
And I love it when the preview is called designer-kitname-preview and not just folder! :) I always have to rename the ones called folder, if that's the only preview in the kit.

But that being said, I'm pretty easy going, I try to make a kit speak for itself and usually there's always enough elements and papers in the SSD kits to make that happen! :)

[carriesmom]

Here would be my wish list:

Solids in every color.
At least 4 different color buttons threaded
A couple tone on tone patterns and a couple multi patterns
A white, Kraft, or light neutral solid
If there are word tags, a blank tag
At least one alpha
Grunge and/or Painy

[LJSDesigns]

Since I am such a visual person, if you package it up pretty, I am going to want it. I think I look at colors and themes more than any individual thing. I like a lot of papers to choose from because I love to layer and cluster and I need at least one paper with a pattern that uses all the colors in the kit. I don't do as well with kits that don't have that unifying piece of paper. I also want at least two frames to choose from. :)

[Sherri Tierney]

OK how about this? How do you feel about the "shadows" that the elements have? For example, my shadows on my stacked embellishments are always on an diagonal angle and with some distance, not 0 distance. What do you prefer?

Also, I like to use the chipboard look a lot where the elements have that realistic thin bevel chipboard look. Would you prefer that it didn't have any bevel at all on all your paper elements or do you like chipboard elements? Here's an image so you can see what I mean. :)

http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll9/yarilds/jadyday_compare.jpg

I would reach for the second one (I know, I'm the odd one out) and put my own bevel on it so that it matched the light source of the rest of my layout.

[JulieB146]

Speaking of word art labels....I'm a font lover, but it sure would be nice if there were notes somewhere in the kit telling me where to find it!

[Traci Reed]

*blink*

PS There's quite a few "basic" fun stuff in the shoppe like this that everyone needs to invest in...that way if you're missing a staple...you have a whole pack! lol

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/images/cache/67e88849d27de15b1d599403e2afae67.jpg (https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/product.php?productid=22555&cat=0&page=1)

[nun69]

flowers and papers and really whatever makes the kit great :) so I guess I am not to picky LOL!

[Jengerbread88]

*blink*

PS There's quite a few "basic" fun stuff in the shoppe like this that everyone needs to invest in...that way if you're missing a staple...you have a whole pack! lol

https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/images/cache/67e88849d27de15b1d599403e2afae67.jpg (https://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/product.php?productid=22555&cat=0&page=1)

I always buy things like this, then forget that I have them, since for so long I was in this "kit scrapper" mindset. I really need to get more organized and break those things out a little more.

[Jengerbread88]

Speaking of word art labels....I'm a font lover, but it sure would be nice if there were notes somewhere in the kit telling me where to find it!

Yes, this! I'm always on the hunt for new typefaces, especially ones to match the WA in a kit I love.

[Sherri Tierney]

I always buy things like this, then forget that I have them, since for so long I was in this "kit scrapper" mindset. I really need to get more organized and break those things out a little more.

Me too. I have tons of this type of element pack but in the end I don't want to search. I want each kit to be inclusive of everything I need for that layout (minus photos. ;) ) I don't think I should HAVE to look outside the kit unless its a mini kit.

[DaniW]

That there should be a solid in every color from the patterns, and there should be oodles and oodles of different patterns, not just the same pattern in varying colors.

I agree completely about the solid colours - I posted somewhere else about a red and green Christmas kit I bought at another site that did not have a red solid paper!! How can that be?!?!?

And alphas - I am a complete alpha addict and I'm very disappointed when kits don't have them (despite the fact that I have hundreds that I could use to match the kit)!!!

[Valgal]

Alphas! Every kit should have at least one alpha. preferably two. or three. or five(i'm an addict...)

This is what I was going to add but ya beat me to it. I generally use only one or two kits for a layout and where there isn't an alpha I have to go searching for one that looks right. It's so nice when a coordinated one is part of the actual kit, right there for me.

That being said, I am dl'ing some nice alpha sets and I type ;) Maybe I'll keep some extra copies in my kit folders that don't have alphas.

[Mye]

ROTFL! That's actually what we DO put into every kit. :D They are so fun, you get the sensation of a day at the spa and a trip to Starbucks. :thumbup:

Haha! Yeah this! :thumbup: