🖨️ 1. What Are Printables?
printables are digital files (usually in a pdf) that you print at home and turn them into physical supplies.
there are so many benefits to digital printables.
benefits:
instant downloading means you don’t have to wait for product to be shipped to you.
you’re also not paying any costs for shipping.
you can print everything in a kit or just the things you want for a specific project or just what you think you’ll use.
you can also reprint things that you loved and already used in another project.
💻 2. How to Print Your Kit
if you’re afraid of the cost of printing at home, let’s consider a few things. it can be quick and cost-effective. plus i’ve linked all my recommendations for you so you don’t have to do the research.
truths:
Your printer is a one-time cost and can easily be under $300.
digital printables are often much cheaper than their physical equivalents.
i see spending money on ink and paper as a better use of my money than shipping.
I prefer to have the instant gratification of printing right away so that has value to me personally.
recommendations:
my tried-and-true printer for printables and photos is a canon wide-format ink-jet. the ability to print edge-to-edge makes printing papers so perfect.
paper quality is more important than having a fancy printer. good paper will give you great ink coverage on your printables and photos.
save money on inks by opting for the off-brand. i have used off-brands the entire time and have never had an issue.
always print at the best quality. your printer will have settings to change the print quality and set the paper type.
i have used this printer and these supplies since 2015. it has been an absolute dream and along with great paper, it’s produced gorgeously crisp and colorful photos and printables.
✂️ 3. How to Cut and Store Printables
you can cut your printables out in a variety of ways. some people love to hand cut (or fussy cut) and some people have die cutting machines.
tips for you:
i have a cameo and a tutorial linked for you so you can become bffs with yours!
i always include cutfiles in my kits as do most other designers. if not, they’re pretty easy to setup once you have the steps of the process.
there are so many ways to store your printables (before, during, and after you’ve cut them up.)
storage options:
think about how your brain reaches for supplies while you’re crafting or looking for supplies. this can help determine if you should store your supplies by collection, by color, or by type.
i also have a link to an instagram post i shared about how scrapbook supplies go through different storage stages. this gives me the freedom to organize in different ways depending on what life stage the supplies are in. it’s definitely worth checking out.
i love using pretty storage so i use a 3-part combo for my “front-and-center” supplies: stacking wire trays, jennd handcrafted paper trays, and divider trays.
there is no “one right way” to organize your supplies. a method that works for one person, or several people, might not work for you. be open to trying new ways to sort and organize until you find something you can work with.
and be open to blowing it all up when you think it’s not working anymore!
also, purge your supplies once or twice a year.
trust me!
🎥 4. Printables in Action
watch me work:
i share process videos on youtube as i work through some of my printables. members of my monthly crafty babe club see these exclusive videos first but i always make them public the following month. here are two samples for you to check out. one is in real-time and one is sped up with a voice over. i hope they help you see how fun working with printables can be.
💬 5. FAQ / Troubleshooting
some more tips for ya:
i always recommend opening your printables on a computer in adobe acrobat. acrobat reader is free and gives you the best options for printing accurately. never print your pdf from your web browser or a folder preview.
you do not need a cutting machine. if you have scissors and a paper trimmer, you can cut everything out!
most digital printables are able to be resized or edited if you have the right software.
always check your ink levels before a big printing session.
do routine printer cleaning to avoid jams and smear marks.
try new mediums like sticker paper and vellum. i have several fun types of paper linked in my amazon store.
Start Today
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Start Today ☆
level up your photo process
If you want to be consistent with your photo process, you need photos. This means you need to print them, and to print them you need to have them organized. and to organize them you need a process. Let’s talk about how you can steal MY process for printing photos.
