I've had some great comments and questions lately so I thought I would answer them here in case anyone else out there was looking for the same information.
About digital organization:
I've had some great questions asked in response to my post on how I organize my digital files.
Thank you for this post. I've just made the switch to digital and am trying to be organized from the beginning. Your blog has been helpful for this. I have a Mac and am basically copying your file structure, but I have a question. If you buy a full kit, do you copy each element out to the appropriate element or paper file and keep it in the full kit file? Doesn't this double (or more) the storage space required for the materials? What about the zip files that things come in, should I keep those for any reason? Fonts?
I appreciate your help. I am an organization nut, but I like simplicity and don't want to over-organize. I'm guessing I will mostly use kit items together, but time will tell.
Dear "Organization Nut" :)
I keep my kits together as much as possible. I tried breaking them down by elements once and I hated it! Took me months to undo. The only reason I have a file for "flowers", or a file for "buttons" is because sometimes I will buy those things as an element set. I know the full kit file gets a little overwhelming so I try to put themed kits in their respective places like Halloween" or "Birthday" but I will readily admit that most of the kits I buy are just filed by designer under the "full kits" label. This seems to work the best for me.
If you did duplicate and copy all the flowers to a separate file, I do think that would be too complicated and you are right - it would take double the storage space. I see no reason to keep the zip files. I also delete anything extra I can. I only keep 1 preview for the kit. I delete elements or papers that I really don't like. I don't need a piracy warning in every file because I understand the copyright issues. Basically, don't give someone your files, even if they are freebies.
Font organization is another issue that I will try to address soon, but here is my short answer. I don't keep the download files from fonts in general. I do keep the TOUs if I plan to use any of them for commercial purposes because you need to have permission to do that.
Hope that helps,
Katie
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Here's another related question that I need some help in addressing:
I am just getting into digital scrapbooking so I want to be organized from the start. How would I apply your system in a mac environment?
Dear Mac User -
I wish I could help you! I've never even touched a Mac computer so I'm completely lacking in this area. I'm hoping that someone out there will come to my rescue and answer your question!
Sorry!
Katie
About photographers providing digital copies of photos:
In response to my post on using photographers that provide digital copies of photos.
Do you print your layouts yourself? I have some negatives that I bought from a professional shoot and was thinking about scanning them to create some scrapbook pages or a wall hanging, but I was worried that I wouldn't be able to print them because they are obviously professional. I bought the negatives, so I have rights to the pictures, but how do I prove this? So, digital would be great but I would worry about proving you have the right to reprint those pictures.
Dear Totally Legal :)
I print all my layouts using scrapbookpictures.com (and no, I'm not an affiliate of theirs or anything, I just like their service). I've also used Costco and Shutterfly. You can read more about printing layouts here. My guess is there wouldn't be any problem printing your layouts or prints with these negatives. If anyone did raise a concern you can refer them to the photographer who you purchased the negatives from. My bet is that it will never come up though and you have every right to do what you want with those photos since you purchased the negatives.
Go for it!
Katie
Any other questions for me?
I try to do my best to answer questions in the comments field of the post I receive them on. Some questions give me inspiration for entire blog posts. So feel free to send me any questions you have and I will do my best to answer them.
