Scraptivity Monthly Kits

The more time I spend searching for embellishments to match my favorite papers, the more frustrated I get. Countless times I’ve needed a certain color of ribbon to match a quirky patterned paper, and I end up having to settle for something else that’s not as “perfect.” It’s in situations like these when I appreciate having coordinating sets of products, like the Scraptivity monthly kits, delivered right to my front door. Then I KNOW I have embellishments and paper that will all coordinate perfectly.

Scraptivity’s monthly layout kits are simply fantastic. Each month’s kit includes a set of patterned papers with hand-picked embellishments that match the paper perfectly, plus a chance to learn a new scrapbooking technique. Not only that, but you also receive a set of clear rubber stamps exclusively made by Scraptivity that match the theme and products of the month as well as a full-color newsletter with tips and ideas for using the products. It’s a perfect solution to having products that work well together right at your fingertips.

Paper & Embellishments
When choosing products for each kit, Scraptivity considers what’s new on the market, decides on a technique to highlight, and then looks for papers and embellishments that will work well with that technique and coordinate with each other. For example, in the January 2005 kit, the bright and bold patterns and colors of the Arctic Frog paper were a perfect fit for the texture paste technique and bottle cap embellishments. The February 2005 kit includes patterned paper from 7 Gypsies, Basic Grey and Li’l Davis that work well with an image transfer technique. The detailed thought and consideration that goes into creating a unified kit is evident as you begin putting pages together using the products provided.

Clear Stamp Sets
Each month, Scraptivity also releases a new rubber stamp set to coordinate with the monthly kit. The stamps are made of clear rubber that clings to acrylic blocks. They work just like traditional wood-mounted rubber stamps, but since they (and the acrylic blocks) are clear, they enable exact placement since you can see exactly where you are stamping.

I was extremely impressed with the quality of the Scraptivity clear stamps. The rubber is pre-cut with amazing precision right along the outside of the design, so there’s no chance of extra ink catching on the edges of the stamp. I love the clear design because it takes all of the guesswork out of stamping. Since the stamps stick to plastic, they come stored in clear CD cases, which makes storing and keeping track of them a piece of cake.

Notions Newsletter
“Notions” is an eight-page full-color newsletter with layout and project ideas by Scraptivity’s design team. Inside you’ll find step-by-step instructions for recreating example layouts, and detailed instructions on how to apply the highlighted technique for that month’s kit. Not only is it jam-packed with information, but it’s fun to read. The color pictures and layout examples get you excited about using all of the fun products included in the kit.

Each newsletter is divided into sections: “Show & Tell,” “Create,” “Learn” and “What’s in Store.”

• The “Show & Tell” section provides a number of layout examples using the kit. Each example includes a description of how the designer used the products in unique ways, giving you great ideas for using them yourself.



• The “Create” section gives step-by-step instructions for re-creating layout examples or creating a special project.



• The “Learn” section is where you’ll find instructional information on how to use the included embellishments or how to apply the featured technique of that month.



• Finally, the “What’s in Store” section is my personal favorite. This section gives you a list of additional products that will coordinate with your current kit. If you love what you received, you may want to expand your options with even more. You’ll also get a sneak peek at the next month’s kit, as well as tips for what products and tools you can buy that will also work with the new kit. All of the recommended “extras” can be purchased at the Scraptivity web site, and included in your next kit box at no extra shipping cost!

I found “Notions” to be a fantastic resource. Since you already have all of the products provided in the kit, you can easily apply each of the ideas and techniques right away. Often when I read a magazine, I have to search for and buy a number of products before I can really apply what I’ve learned. “Notions” focuses specifically on all of the products you received in the kit, so you can immediately start using the things you’ve learned.

Scraptivity kits can be purchased one at a time, or by three, six or twelve month subscriptions. It is a Canadian-based business, but shipping and pricing for US customers is very reasonable as well. The average retail value of each kit is about $60.00 CDN/$49.95 USD, but subscriptions are only $36.99 CDN/$30.45 USD for twelve months, $38.99 CDN/$32.15 USD for six months, $40.99 CDN/$33.75 USD for three months and $42.99 CDN/$35.40 USD for a one-time purchase.

Although Scraptivity specializes in monthly layout kits, their web site is a great scrapbooking resource that is open and available to all. Chat with other scrapbookers and share your layouts in their forum and gallery, download free sketches, fonts and quotes, or read articles and learn from their design team in their learning section.

Let Scraptivity do your scrapbook supply shopping for you, and enjoy the monthly adventure of using brand-new products and trying out fun techniques—all delivered directly to your home.

View a gallery of layouts using Scraptivity layout kits.

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