Best way to keep kits

[Homemaker5]

I am attempting to organize all my kits in Elements 5. What is the best way to put kits into Elements so that you can later go back and see just specific pieces or sort by whole kits.

Should I create subcatagories for each kit and tag all the pieces, or is there a better way. I just don't know where to go with this. I have saved some backgrounds to the Backgrounds folder in Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/Adobe/Photoshop Elements/5.0/backgrounds. This works nicely as they come up in the artwork palette. Sure would be nice to be able to put whole kits like this.

Any suggestions?

[SharLamb]

My filing system looks like this on my cpu:

C:
My Documents > Scrapbooking Supplies > Sources
Jane Doe
Kristi Jones
Louisa Maycott
...... Sunshine (kit)
...... Moonlight (kit)
Mary Smith


etc.

Sometimes I file by Store rather than Artist (only if it is a "stable" store, because stores come and go), with individual subfiles for each artist/kit. So in place of Artist's name first (above), it might look like this:

ScrappersGuide (store)
.....Eva Kipler (artist)
........Soaring High (kit)

Other times I will file by artist, adding "for TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher" or other "store."

Then I copy all the papers and elements over to the PSE Organizer where I tag each one. The first tag I put on all the papers and elements is the name of the source.

I have learned that it isn't necessary to have all my goodies filed by what they are on my hard drive since I use The Organizer. But it is important to have them filed by artist/source.

That's what works for me and simplifies my life. I'm sure others have equally efficient or better systems. Hope this helps.

[Homemaker5]

Thanks! That's a good idea to file by artist. A lot of times I can remember who made it and nothing else!

[cats4jan]

If you change the preview page's name to folder.jpg the preview will appear on the file cover. I use this to search for the color palette and usually stick with what's in the kit to do the page.

I don't use the organizer, I use Picasa to look at large sized jpg's in the kit. It won't tell me where a ribbon or bow is, however, tagging provides that and even though it's alot of work, I am sure you will be so happy you did it.

I don't tag - but maybe someday...

[SharLamb]

I would never find anything if I didn't tag. I use The Digital Scrapbook Teacher (Patty Debowski) 's method (www.TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher.com (http://www.TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher.com)). It alone was worth the price of her book (included in the upgraded version). The only thingI haven't completely tagged is the Cyber Ton of stuff I bought from Trish Jones when she had her big going-out-of-business sale. All that wonderful stuff is useless to me because I have not disciplined myself to tag it. (I did tag it all with her name, so I just have to open up that category, and I can see all her stuff.)

My testimony is this: Since January 1, THIS YEAR, I have created 61 scrapbook pages (& I'm not through today!)! If I couldn't rely on my tags, I would either make the same 3 or 4 pages over and over again, or I would only have 6 pages done, not over 60! In 2008 I made around 300 pages, including a bound book that was nearly 200 pages. Honestly, I don't spend every waking hour digi-scrapping! I admit that I'm a minimalist...not big on lots of adorable elements. But I credit my prodigious output largely to Patty Debowski and tagging. (She's sort of a nag about this subject...and I've turned into one!)

To think that 15 months ago I had never heard of digital scrapbooking, and had never used Photoshop Elements. This site, Patty's book, and Linda Sattgast & her staff at Scrapper's Guide (www.ScrappersGuide.com) have brought me a long way fast. And it has been fun largely due to the fact that I can instantly find what I want.

I hope you will get in the habit of tagging all your stuff right from the beginning. It is a daunting task when you have thousands of elements to tag...not so bad when you do it a couple dozen at a time.

Here endeth today's sermon. ;)

[vawitt]

I agree on tagging. Tedious to begin with, a lifesaver when you say to yourself "I really need a staple..." and who can remember which designer has staples in the kit?

I had some of my collection organized with the Organizer in PSE 6. Then I upgraded to 7, and it wanted to update the catalog. Turns out you can only have one catalog in PSE. I wanted something more flexible, but didn't feel like researching, so I started piling all my new kits into a folder called (hmmmm) "Kits to Organize".

I found out this past weekend that my little camera came with a free copy of software lots of scrappers use to organize stuff - ACDSee. It's FABULOUS. Much easier to tag things than the Organizer, and I can use it from any copy of PSE. My scrap supplies were already loosely organized in Windows as Kits, Papers, Embellishments, Alphas, Buttons, WordArt and a couple of other categories. I installed ACDSee, watched a couple of free vids to figure it out, and made a promise to tag all of my stuff. In about 4 hours, I got everything tagged except the kits. I've started on the kits (which are filed in folder by designer name) and expect to have that chore done over the course of several days, by tackling a few folders at a time. I have about 40 GB of stuff (yikes). In the meantime, I've made several new pages and easily located papers, staples, swirls, and other items I've tagged.

My next chore will be to go back through the papers and tag them by color as well.

It's a process, but will pay off in the end.

Good luck!

[BeeKay]

I am interested in possibly buying the book from TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher, but I keep all my kits on an external hard drive (actually two -- I have two backup copies). When talking about tagging are you guys talking about tagging in the PSE Organizer? If they are in the organizer they are on my main hard drive where they take up a ton of room. By the way it's a little putzy, but it is possible to have more than one catalog in the organizer.

[SharLamb]

Yes, you may have more than one catalog in The Organizer, but you can only have one open at a time (which I admit, irritates me). So I have only two....one for all my scrapping supplies, and one for photos and LOs.

And yes, I am talking about tagging in the PSE Organizer. You actually MUST file your kits, etc., on a hard drive (doesn't matter if it's external or your main cpu HD), because the organizer is just a pointer to where the files actually are. Same with your photos. They are NOT stored in the organizer....it just points you to where they are. I learned this the hard way when I first started. I dragged a ton of stuff to the organizer, tagged it, and then could never find it again. It was because I hadn't filed it first. :'(

[msbrad]

Mine are sorted the same way as Shar's.
But I also have ACDSee...and I really need to get organized with it.

I think I will make the big plunge over spring break.
The new computer should be ready.
m

[vawitt]

Good luck, Michelle! Once you get into a groove, it goes pretty fast (at least, I'm finding mine are...) Your eye starts to remember how far down the list a certain item is, so you can buzz through a kit folder in no time! (Of course, if I could stay away from ikeagoddess in the meantime.... :eek::D

[emkayess65]

Hi, interesting thread.
I have resisted the organizer for the longest time.
When scrap stuff got to be too unmanageable I put just the scrap into the organizer.
Better but not great.
Val has a major, major point.
ACDsee is available for ALL versions.
I have 3 and 5 and CS2 so that would be a big advantage.

I am not thrilled with the organizer.
One thing I did was make a tag for previews.
Not just for kits but also smaller stuff.
As a first step it works quite well.

In the Fall ACDsee had a sale - I dithered too long.
Over the Holidays they had a get one for you and a buddy sale.
Will have to get it when it is in my $range.

Thanks for this thread and the input.
As always I am amazed at the collaborative wisdom on this forum.

mks