My beloved steam driven laptop gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I have been turning it on and off, only to be faced with the hideous Blue Screen Of Death.  Today, for reasons known only to itself, it decided to be nice and let me on.

As you can guess, I have kits coming out the wazoo to look at.  Sundays are always manic for launches, so I will work my way through them. 

Thanks for your patience, and stay tuned!

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Today we are popping in to see Scrapbook Bytes

Persian Parlor

Title                            Persian Parlor
Designer                     Dawn Wilson
Price                          $4.50
Available                     Here
Cost Per Item              22c

Site Blurb - " Lovely shades of pink, purple and cream make up this lovely little kit! You will receive:

7 textured and patterned papers
2 textured distressed solid papers
3 satin ribbons
1 strand of fiber
1 ribbon cluster
2 stitched buttons
2 embellished tags
2 silk flowers with gemstone centers

Thanks and Happy Scrappin'! "

When my little girl was born, she was as bald as a coot.  She stayed that way until she was well past three years old.  As a result, she was always dressed in pink, purple or lilac so that other people could see that she was a girl.  I have a stockpile of pink and purple papers as I know that I will always have a picture to scrap with them.  This kit popped out at me as I went through the store looking for kits to review.

Papers

Persianparlorcloseup

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Let's pay a visit to The Studio Girls  That always brightens a day!

Kmett_jbolt_bohopedd_all300

Title                           Bohemian Peddler
Designer                    Krista Mettler
Released                   March 2007
Price                         $8.50
Cost Per Item            @12c

Site Blurb "What is the result when two quirky-at-heart Studio Girls team up? Bohemian Peddler!

Bohemian Peddler is an artistic collaboration between Krista Mettler and Jessica Bolton. The kit is chock full of grungy, distressed papers, vintage ephemera, and shabby, colorful, unique elements. Vivid hues, eccentric details, and a decidedly bohemian feel permeate the entire kit.

Included in Bohemian Peddler are:

• -14 textured vibrant papers (blue wood, bohemian floral, diagonal stripes, faded floral, green wood, gray & white dots, multi dots on wood, blue medallions, brown scratched, funky burlap, funky strips, grungy suns, salmon medallions, salmon patter
• -a complete lower case alpha (with all numbers and select punctuation)
• -cool fibers, ribbon & trims (tied bow ribbon, plain green trim, blue fringe trim, brown fringe trim, laced ribbon with eyelets, blue knotted fiber, green knotted fiber, taupe knotted fiber, ribbon & eyelet knotted corner, a double-stitch strip)
• -an assortment of journaling options (lined note paper, taupe long skinny tag, blue long skinny tag, green long skinny tag, painted tag, unlined note paper, vintage paper frame, doll journaling spot stamp, frame journaling spot stamp, fancy stamped black journaling spot [ABR files and PNGS of the stamps are included])
• -a bunch of floral goodies (blue layered flower, orange layered flower, white layered flower, huge cardboard layered flower, huge burlap layered flower, huge scale layered flower; four different vintage paper leaves [use the green trim as a flower stem!])
• -a funky selection of buttons (big red battered button, pearl with gold rim button, jeweled button, cream with black rim button, as well as three tied up buttons)
• -unique fasteners (pearl stick pin, green clip, enameled square brad, large silver eyelet) -five word arts (1 paper scrap word art, 4 stamped & doodled word arts [the stamped word arts are included in PNG and ABR formats])
• -2 frames (metal heart, curled up plain white frame)
• -a peddler's wagon full of quirky, fun elements (2 doilies, butterfly clip, floral sticker, knotted and folder tape measure, 2 bead strings, 2 antique decorated metal pieces, 1 muffin tin).

An excellent site blurb which details exactly what is in the kit.  This is backed up with brilliant support from the Studio Girls blog.  The entry detailing this kit is superb.  It features expanded pictures of the kit and a money off voucher, so if you are thinking of buying this kit pass by the blog, have a good look round and pick up the voucher code,

Papers

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Jbolt-kmett_bohop_pdetailsblog

The first thing that I have to say about these papers is about the textures.  They are so rich.  They have a "brass rubbing"- type look.  The gold and blue edging on one of the papers looks embossed - admit it, you were tempted to reach out and stroke your screen!  The blending and brushwork is beautiful.  The more I cast a critical eye over these kits I review, the more I am impressed by the skill of the designers who submit their work for sale.

The papers all have a dirty and distressed work, which totally fits in with the theme of the kit and the idea that these papers have been rattling around in the back of a peddler's caravan.  There is a good mix of colors and the designers aren't afraid of mixing in some strong colors.  The distressing mutes these without losing any of the impact.  The sun paper is very attractive, as is the stylised leaves and flowers on the white background.  There is a baroque feel to the patterns which coupled with the colours, gives the kit an earthy, warm feel.

Elements

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Jbolt-kmett_bohop_edetailsblog

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Another template from Scrapbook Elements

PSPRI_pronto1-5_LRG

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From Scrapbook Elements

CBART_SwiftScrap-Square4_MED

Title                      Swift Scrap Square Templates # 4
Designer               Christina Bartholomew
Released              March 2007
Price                    $3.20
Cost per item        N/A

Four templates on this latest template kit from Christina Bartholomew.  The first template has space for up to 4 photographs in rectangular and square format and at least four papers. The second template has space for one large round picture, three small ones and three papers.  The third template is a fairly bog-standard large single picture LO.  The fourth template is definitely the best of the bunch, the most versatile and the reason that I would buy this kit.  I like to spin my templates (maximum value!) and this one is usable from any angle.  If you remove the two pictures from the right hand side you can have a huge picture/lots of small pictures LO.  The left hand side shapes can be used for journaling, pictures or small papers or a combination of all three.

One sentence            A good addition for template collectors

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The first multi-designer store that I used as a digiscrapper was Scrapbook Elements.  When the email came in on a Sunday announcing new product I would be the happiest scrapper around.

SOGRE_A-Life-That-Is-Lived_LRG

Title                    A Life That Is Lived
Designer             Stephanie Ogren
Released            March 2007
Price                  $4.99
Link                   Here
Cost Per Item     25c

Scrapping black and white or heritage pictures can be difficult, however there are designers making the job easier by providing heritage-suitable papers.  The designer here has made it even easier by including an element of a heritage picture so that you can imagine how your LO would look.

Papers - Lovely.  They have that "steeped in tea" coloring that says aged without saying tatty.  The blending and coloring is very attractive.  For a mini-kit five papers is not bad, if you would like to expand it the colour scheme that  the designer has chosen should be easily matched with any kits in your "go-to" stash.

Elements - The burnt edges on the musical paper are a nice touch.  I do like all the tags and journaling boxes.  I always have a problem journalling on crumpled paper journaling boxes as it never looks right.  It would be ideal as a photo mat/frame or a mat for any of the card elements.  I am unsure about the bows  As a stand-alone item they are very attractive and I like the burnished gold colour.  I don't know how the blue fits in with the kit.  I would probably separate them from the kit and add them to my stash instead.  The rusted hinge looks as if you could reach out and touch it, a very nice element that I could see myself using both as part of this kit and also on its own.  The cast iron scroll is a good divider between areas on a LO.  If you are making a heritage album  this would look great on the cover (especially printed out on a Shutterfly book)

One sentence      A good kit for scrapping those heritage photographs and also for expanding your go-to stash.

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Sunday was busy, and didn't have a chance to post as many reviews as I wanted.  Here is another one from Designer Digitals

KT980615

Title                    E.I.E.I.O
Designer             Mindy Terasawa
Released             March 2007
Price                   $6.99
Link                    Here
Cost Per Item      25c

How this kit was created without the designer going mad I will never know.  All the time that I have been planning this review, looking at the kit and deciding what to say, I have had the Old MacDonald song going round and round in my head.  I feel like screaming!  This kit has obviously had a lot of work and time invested in it, if the designer had the song going round in their head the whole time, I think a quiet dark room must have been in order to recover!

Papers - As with the previous Lynn Grieveson kit, if you look at the CPI of 25c you  might think that this kit doesn't offer value for money.  It does. 

The colours of the papers are muted without being  "blaaah".  The hand-drawn animals are very expressive - they are just the sort of thing you can print out and use to decorate a nursery, or bits and bobs connected with the baby (see - value for money!)  The "doodled" paper looks very interesting, I'd like to see more of that.  I love the brown - it doesn't overpower the rest of the kit.  It's a strong colour for a children's kit but it fits in well.  All in all, I don't see a paper here that I wouldn't want to use.

Elements - Another kit where there is no element bloat.  They are all well judged, especially the fun ribbons (could do with one or two more, but I am greedy).  Fans of alphas will like the alphas supplied with the kit.  The stitched tags will find their way onto your layouts thanks to their lovely stitching.

Looking at the kit again as a whole, it's the animal drawings and the way that they are used, that makes this kit.  They aren't cloying, just very lovable-looking.  This is a versatile kit for both boys and girls, I can imagine using it in a LO featuring children and their soft toys, children and their pets, and of course those visits to the farm, zoo or petting zoo.

One sentence         The friendly animals and great drawings in this kit will have you using it again and again.

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Second kit of the day from Designer Digitals

KT198443X

Title                     Spring Picnic
Designer              Lynn Grieveson
Released             March 2007
Price                   $6.75
Link                    Here
Cost Per Item      25c

Site Blurb - "Celebrate Spring with this delicately pretty kit, comprising:

• 10 patterned and textured papers in pinks, green and vanilla
• 2 long, thin knotted and buttoned down silk ribbon
• 1 short length of frayed silk ribbon
• 4 vintage photo corners
• 1 glass button
• 1 embellished torn paper heart
• 2 postage stamps
• 4 circular tags hanging from silk ribbon (2 plain and 2 ready to use with phrases)
• a floral alpha and numeral set"

Papers - This is when I regret putting the cost per item in this posting.  It makes the kit look expensive for what you get, but it most definitely is not.  The vanilla paper with the pink flowers in particular is beautiful enough to hold a LO on its own. The other papers are understated and the blending and choice of patterns on each of them is gorgeous.

Elements - Argh!  How to be complementary without being gushing?  Here goes.  As with the papers, the elements are spartan in their simplicity yet beautiful in their design.  Every single piece would grace a LO, and it would be hard not to pile them all on as I wouldn't want to leave any off.  The ribbons look as if they have just been unravelled from the bottom of Grandmother's sewing box, and the little china/glass button is very sweet.

Bad points, bad points, let's see.  I'd like more papers, oh and the colours aren't suitable for a boy layout.  Hah!  Do you hear me scraping the bottom of the barrel here looking for criticisms?

One Sentence      A graceful kit with beautiful papers and elements.

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A new release from Designer Digitals

Title                    A Mother's Love Layered Template Book
Designer             Katie Pertiet
Released             24 March 2007
Price                   $24.99 (includes a voucher for 30% off an 8x8" Shutterfly photobook [expires 5/14/07])
Link                    Here
Cost Per Item      Not Applicable

Site Blurb - "A complete 20-page scrapbook in layered templates. Each page has different word art related to mothers, children and love. Also includes flourishes, frames, fasteners, stitches and buttons in a cohesive, classic design making the perfect gift!

And to make it even better, the set includes a 30% off an 8x8" Shutterfly photobook [expires 5/14/07]! File Size: 29MB"

I have several Shutterfly 8x8 books and I think that they are marvellous.  Unfortunately, I printed them all out and it was only when I received them that I realized that an 8x8 photobook cut off the edges of all my 8x8 LOs.  Not a cheap error to make.  Luckily I was too delighted with actually seeing my LOs printed out (so delighted that it was only the thought of being locked up that stopped me running out into the street and showing my book off to random strangers) for that to bother me.  It doesn't say in the blurb if the templates are "true" 8 X 8s or "Shutterfly" 8x8s.  If it is being packaged with the Shutterfly voucher (which is a great touch by both Shutterfly and Katie Pertiet)  I would hope it was the latter, or both.

The templates are a good mix of single picture and multi picture LOs.  I would resize the small picture on the last page; a picture that small might get "lost" in a large 8x8 LO.  The templates favor a clean and mimimalist LO, so if you are a fan of  "I paid for 20 papers in this kit and I will use them all if it kills me" scrapping you may have to do a bit of freestyle shoehorning in to add extra papers.  I can't read the quotes on the previews, but I will assume that they are all tasteful and suitable - can't imagine anything else from Designer Digitals!  The joy of templates means that if you don't like or want them, or want to use this book for another reason, they can be binned.

The problem with most of us digiscrappers is that we love doing LOs of other people but really struggle doing LOs featuring ourselves.  I would feel weird doing a book saying how wonderful I am as a mother, so would rely on someone making it for me.  Seeing as there is more chance of my husband orbiting the moon under his own steam than taking up digiscrapping and making me a book like this (which I would sob like a baby upon receiving and then treasure it forever) I would use it to make a beautiful gift for my friends and relations who are mothers.

One Sentence         Great idea from Katie Pertiet for making a moving Mother's Day gift.

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Three in a row today from Sweet Shoppe Designs

Duncanpearn-earthborn-preview

Title                     Earthborn
Designer              Paula Duncan and Zoe Pearn
Released             24 March 2007
Price                   $5.59 on release then increasing to $6.99
Link                    Here
Cost Per Item      Approximately 11c increasing to 13c (best guess)

Site Blurb- "These rich warm colours are calming and inviting!! Great for any outdoor photos!! The kit includes 14 papers, 4 labels, 4 tags, 10 various ribbons and trims, stitches, stickers, buttons, ribbon flowers, frames, fabric stars and a full alpha and number set"

I have picked this kit to review for two reasons.  One is as a standalone kit, which I will expand below.  The second is as a "go-to" kit.  You know the problem.  You are working on a LO, but the kit that you have chosen doesn't have the brown or green paper that you need, or doesn't have the exact element that you would place in the LO.  If you have this kit on your hard-drive, problem solved.  It looks like a kit you could dip in and out of and not get bored.

Papers - The close up on the papers show lovely textures and some great blending.  I fancy the plaid, but the funky stretched stars paper would get a lot of use on my LOs.  The paisley self-coloured paper is very intricate, and I like the blending and coloring work on the stylised butterfly paper and the brown and green large stylised floral paper.

Elements - The stretched fabric stars have some great stitching on them.  The texture on them is beautiful, as is the texture on the tag strings.  I like to have a bit of fun with tags by masking my pictures onto them, or using them as photo frames.  The selection of flowers, frames and journalling boxes is good, one of the reasons I said that this would be a good go-to kit.  The ribbons are elevated from being plain old ribbons by the use of the stitching, although the close up really shows the lovely texture.  This is definitely a kit that has benefited by having a large close-up of it in the shop.

Alpha - I hardly ever comment on alphas as it is a very rare occasion when I will use them, I normally make my own.  However, I like the simplicity of the font choice in this one.  The close up shows a sort of "crumpled" effect on the alpha.

One Sentence             A versatile kit for use in LOs or as a go-to kit on your hard drive.

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