Friday, August 10, 2012

The Project Life Core Kit

So, I was pretty excited to get the two Becky Higgins Project Life Core kits and couldn't wait to open them and see all the lovely items inside.
But then I opened them......and, hate to say this, but I was a little underwhelmed and disappointed.
When I read about what you get in the kits, and the whole rationale behind Project Life I thought it would be a great way to supplement my "traditional" scrapping...which take a lot of time and really focuses on the creative side of things rather than journalling.
Maybe it's just me......maybe its because I have been lucky enough in my scrapping to date to be able to use a lot of different products.....but I just expected more variety I think.
Here's what I got in the Clementine core kit (note that I have the 'older' style of core kit.....not sure if the newer ones are any different)...
There were some things I loved.....the title cards (4 "first" page and 4 "last" page in each of 4x6 and 3x4 sizes)....although they indicate for start and end of an album...so why do you need more than 2?  I will be happy enough to ignore the fact they are "first" and "last" page and use them where I please.
The sticker sheets.....arrows, numbers, days, colour and clear.....(I think these are removed from new kits)....although would have been nice to have more variety in the colour of the arrows!

The grid journal cards.....these are great cause you can use as they are or add your own decoration to them.
The 'fold over journalling cards'....these are 4x6, but with a fold down the middle so that you can write lots and then put the card into a 3x4 space. Decorated on both sides........you get 8 of each design...and thats where I start to get disappointed.  I'm not a fan of duplication in my scrapping.
Title cards....you get 6 each of 10 designs in 4x6 size....i guess to use for each layout if you are doing week by week with some spares......again....duplication!


What i call 'filler' cards.... 3x4 size, decorative only.....again 6 each of 10 designs...so more duplication.
3x4 decorative journalling cards....I guess the 'key' to it all....write about your photos, your life.  The kits I got have 380 of these cards, packed into 4 very cute card boxes....like a standard deck of cards.  BUT.....and this is a big BUT..... there are 19 each of 20 designs.....way too much duplication for me!

Yes, I know that these allow you to mix and match, and when you add photos and your journalling no two pages will look the same................but i will KNOW about the duplication.

So......what to do?  Well, a couple of things.  I have already made a couple of 'mini' kits containing some of each of the items in the core kit, and sold them off to other people about to start PL.....one, this deals with the current situation of everything being on pre-order and two, it lets them see what is in the core kits and decide if it's what they want.
And.....I have already had fun creating some filler and journalling cards of my own.  I did this initially because I knew that I wanted my page about re-organising my scrap space to be co-ordinated with the range of papers I used to decorate my OTP items.  But I have to say, it was pretty easy to do, so I am likely to do a lot of "make my own" items, as I know a lot of other PL people do.
Anyway, that's my opinion of the core kit.  What's yours?
 
Happy scrapping,
Amanda


4 comments :

  1. Hi Amanda. I think the idea of the core kit is to make it simple to scrapbook/document for people that generally don't or don't have the time. Everyone's tastes are different but what it does is takes away the worry of colour co-ordination, filling gaps where you't have photos and doing it in the fastest possible time. At the end of the day the most important thing in an album (in my opinion) is the content. The photos and memories it holds. Sure, the pretty stuff around it adds to it but it's a small component of what it's all about.(again in my opinion):-) Having said all that I do understand where you are coming from and you are clearly more creative which is great. To be honest I use my core kit(s) very little but, it's handy to have when you just need to slot something in to finish stuff off. And I also love the grid journal cards. Have a lovely Friday. Looking forward to seeing your pages too!

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  2. Hi Amanda, I haven't bought a core kit only the blank cards and page protectors. I have enough stash to make my own and that is what I have done since I started PL. I don't want my album to be all co-ordinated but I guess some people would like that style. I print lots of online freebies, there are so many out there and I also like to doodle on blank cards therefore designing my own.

    I can see how the core kits have a place especially for people that don't have many supplies or like a quick fix and that's fine, it's just not me.

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  3. Hi Amanda, This is the third year I've been doing PL, and for the first two years I was happy with using just the core kit. This year though, I've started doing it all a bit differently and incorporating lots of other bits and pieces into my album - and I'm really a lot happier with it this way. I guess it depends how much time people have and how fancy they want it to be. At this stage, I'm thinking that I won't even buy a core kit next year, just make do with what I have. Can't wait to see your pages!

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  4. Hi Amanda,

    I like the core kits - used as they are designed it is a simple way to get the photos in and the stories recorded. In my first year that is how I used the kit, as a non-scrapper I didn't have other supplies to use.

    That being said I am using them less and less this year, and now rely more on a mixture of digital and cards I make myself. I now mainly use the cards to stick my photos onto.

    Hope you are enjoying your Project Life journey :)

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