Studio J

Studio J was my new revelation at convention this year.  Close to My Heart kit pages include mats for pictures of unusual sizes - 6X6, 2X3, 1X1.  In most of my pictures, my subject takes up the whole 4X6 - it's hard to cut it down to fit these smaller sizes.  And I have to remember to get the larger photos printed, once I decide what I want to go on in the mat.

With Studio J, I can open a double layout, add pictures of whatever size I want, keep adding them in any way and have exactly what I need.  I just cut them apart when the pages come in.

This particular double layout has photos I need for 6 different double layouts.  The cost is $7 for a double layout (plus tax). 
Two catches -
1) you have to order a minimum of 4 DLO's. The layouts will be deleted after 90 days of no attention.  As long as you keep working on and adding your photos to the pages, all is well.  Prints are not available in an hour, and it might take you a while to collect all the photos you need for a minimum order.
2) shipping is $5.95 - from 4 DLO's to 50.  So freight is somewhere between $1.50 and $.12 a DLO.

Instead of just printing everything I think I might want to scrap, I can print only what I need. I have boxes (3 full ones, working on box 4) full of photos I've printed and not scrapped.  4X6's that I went back and paid $3 for a 5X7.  Extra wallet photos because I only needed a 2X3 but had to pay $2 and get 2 copies to get the size I wanted.  I can't say I won't still have a little of this, but the rate at which I fill up my extra boxes should take me a lot longer now.

4X6 can still be printed at your local drug store for cheaper if  you are purchasing them in bulk.  Another thing to note - Studio J prints are processed - not ink printed on photo paper (like the drugstores).

And that is my favorite thing I learned at convention this year, from my roomie Teresa.