RQOTD:What makes you buy a kit more?

[switchwiz]

First off the color scheme has to hit me, then I'll look closer at the elements, then the papers, but I do like it all!! that's why I love this place, usually you get it all!!-great color schemes, elements and papers!

[4noisyboys]

for me...

colors of the kit. If it's fugly, I won't even look.
theme. I'm not a themey person, but if it's a travel themed kit, in the right colors, it's in my cart.
preview of the kit very important
ct layouts this can really help me decide...through me over one way or the other

and then when it's all said and done, I do want gorgeous papers and some cute easy to use elements. I prefer more natural or doodled type elements too, or ribbons, strings and buttons. If it has too many plastic looking things, I don't even bother. I know it's not my style.

[jaylensmom]

For me its colors...it has to be the right colors...I've gotten into pattered paper too...I used to be scared of the different patterns...I do see some layouts in the gallery that make me think oh wow I should buy that kit but I try to make sure that it's my style...I used to buy kits just because I liked a layout but I couldn't (and often didn't) use the kit because it didn't fit me (such a waste of $$$)...

[origami]

I think the common theme in all our answers is "versatility." Beautifully patterned papers, but also solids. And a variety of coordinating elements which allow the scrapbooker to really make the page their own. What I really like is when the elements can do double duty. For example, sometimes I will take a piece of a larger element, like a single bead from a scattered or lined group of beads. (Melissa Bennett's kits are strong in this regard.) I also like kits that have journal spots with beautiful word art but also include matching blank journal spots so I can customize my own. (KCB does a great job here!) I like buttons and will often use them in the center of a flower, but I like it when I have more choices than just a button, like a brad or an eyelet or a flair or a gem or bead or fabric element. I already use Libby Pritchett's and Eva Kipler's clipping masks to create my own mats and flowers and borders from purchased papers.

I am trying to learn more so I can create some of these small elements myself and I will go and look in other kits when I have to do so. Flair buttons, for example are pretty easy to make and if you can't do it from scratch, there are packages out there from designers to help. And chipboards are simple once you have Misty's styles. I can see the value in buying and building a library of styles so that I can do some things for myself. I know there's a limited amount of items that can be expected in one kit and there's a point where the extra effort is probably not worth the economic return or enough of an interesting challenge for the designer since they probably like spending time with their friends and family and scrapping for themselves.

[Jen22]

It's other for me -- what grabs me first is the colors used. If I don't like how the colors look with each other, then nothing in the kit will make me want to get it. Which really sucks if it's a theme that I like (which is right up there as well. A theme can really impact me on whether or not to get a kit).

[Kjersti]

I'm an elements girl!! It's got to have some fun ribbons and flowers!!

[calvinawalsh]

My thoughts...
1. I've never bought a kit because of the Alpha-I have so many already in just about every color and style imaginable and I rarely use them.
2. The attention grabber for me on a new kit is always the COLORS. If I see some of my color faves-I take a closer look.
3. Here at the Sweet Shoppe if it is a KCB kit, it almost always goes in my cart even if the colors are not some of my faves. I really just love everything about her kits!
4. A Wonderful Preview of the kit is another attention grabber for me. Like some others, I wish that every kit had at least 3 Previews-1. Everything on it 2. Just the Papers 3. And elements spread out so you can see exactly what the kit contains. Sometimes by the initial preview you can't really see all that the kit contains.
5. I love looking at CT Layouts! I think that the Sweet Shoppe does the best job of providing layouts made with a kit in a variety of styles. Sneak Peek Fridays are the best and have sold me on many a kit!
6. I also like Unique kits with unique elements.
7. For themes I'm usually interested in Coffee, Technology, and Travel

[LeeAndra]

The color scheme and/or theme is usually my first consideration. I can usually make any gurly kit work, but robot/dinosaurs/other stereotypical boy kits don't make it into the cart since my SS is not into that type of stuff and I find themed boy stuff harder to 'generic up.'

Although I like looking at papers, I usually only use 1 or 2 on a page, so they are not a make or break for me. I love alphas and will buy a kit for a killer alpha even though I have a handful that I use all the time to the exclusion of the one(s) in the kit I'm using. *lol* Elements are my bread and butter, so they have to be awesome.

I will sometimes give a 'maybe' kit a try if it is by one of my favorite designers.

Oh, and I try not to look at CT layouts until after I've decided whether I'm going to buy the kit or not. Some scrappers are just so talented that they can make any kit look fantastic, and I don't want to kid myself that I can make a page as great as theirs with a kit if it's not my style or something I think I can really use!

[Lindsay]

A good preview will get me everytime, but most previews are so full of stuff it's hard to really see the details. The clincher for me though are the galleries and seeing the layouts in action. If I see a layout I just absolutely love, you can better that kit is going to tucked snug as a bug into my hard-drive within minutes LOL!

[liahra]

For me it's all about the papers.