I have a couple of ways I scrap, depending on if I'm doing a layout for a CT/DT assignment and must use a certain kit or kits or if I'm doing the page for myself. If I'm doing it as an assignment, I start with the kits and pick a few papers/elements that I like, then I find photo(s) to match. I pick a few papers that I like as a background and then add all of the elements that I think will work from the kit and then add the photo(s). Finally, and this is the fun part, I move things around, add and subtract until I'm happy with the final product. In this case, my goal is to showcase the kit as best as I can and use the kit/designer requirements as the framework I build from.
On the other hand, when I'm creating for myself, I start with photos that speak to me. Some that I just feel inspired to scrap. After I get the photos looking how I want them, I search my stash for anything and everything that might work on a page with the photo. Sometimes it is a certain color or type of element (realistic, funky, etc.), other times, I find some papers that fit the feeling I'm looking for. I love to mix and match patterns and elements from kits. I really am not a template person, and when I do use one, I find that I change it quite a bit. I try to use basic design principles (rule of thirds, balance, movement, triangles, etc.) as I put my page together. My favorite part of the process is finding and adding/subtracting papers/elements. When I'm doing the pages for myself is when I find myself trying new styles and techniques. When I have a deadline, I'm less inclined to test my limits.... Because I have kiddos, I often have to scrap in small segments of time and this is a bit stressful on my creativity, but I find if I wait until I have a huge block of time to scrap, I'll never find the time
After I have "finished" my page, I like to sleep on it and come back to it in a day or two. Most times, I make changes at that time that make it even better. It is kind of like when I write something, I like to edit it after a few days--I see things that needed to be fixed that I couldn't see when it was still fresh. I'm inspired to be creative by photos, elements and kits. The most important thing I've found about creativity is that I need to keep on going even when I'm not feeling inspired---If I start a page, even when I don't feel like it, eventually that creative spark will ignite, so my most important rule of creativity is to keep trying