Finished listening to the DigiShow (episode #73). Got some good info and it raised some red flags for me about the store I'm currently in. I thought Robin & Kami provided good perspectives about being a store owner, even if they didn't necessarily agree on things. All in all, I'm glad I spent the time listening to it.
200 And you think that this sale came out of the blue? I am pretty sure this "sale" has been planned since the beginning of the year too. They probably raised the prices then just so people can use the same argument you just did to defend them. They aren't stupid.
I have no problem with them (SSD or any store) raising their prices at the beginning of the year but it should have been on new products, not on old ones. imo
Meh prices go up, that is life. I am happy to save 50% off a $9 kit. Usually they only go for the very rare 40% off sale. 50% off $9 = $4.50, 40% off $8 = $4.80.
What exactly made you say that Robin seemed "holier than thou" toward Kami? I didn't get that at all. And no I have nothing to do with SSD. I just didn't get that. More info from you would be nice...
Robin sounded a bit bitchy to me too. She kept interrupting and arguing with things Kami and the others said. I'm just a customer though so I tuned out most of the advice for designers part.
5 I also thought Robin had a little bit of an attitude towards Kami. I kind of got the feeling that Robin felt that Kami isn't on the same professional level as she is all in all she left a bad taste in my mouth for SSD and Robin.
I didn't get that Robin had any attitude either and I was listening for it because I read the OP before I listened to the episode. The interrupting was kind of annoying though.
I listened to it and didn't get that at all. I don't know either of them, I think someone WANTS to read something into it. It reminds me of something I read on Pinterest.
Something like "Once you decided you don't like someone, everything they do annoys you." "Look at that bitch, sitting there eating crackers like she owns the place."
11 I am number 9 and spend more time and money at SSD and honestly really like Robin more than Kami in gerenal and she would have seemed really professional if it weren't for the way she talked to and interrupted Kami, at times Kami seemed to be struggling for the 'right thing' to say and Robin seemed more natural.
I mentioned a while ago how a good layout can make me buy a kit. Well now I confess that a good kit preview makes me want to buy a kit but many times when I see the CT Layouts I back out and don't buy the kit because I'm thinking if they can't make the layouts look good well I certainly won't.
I'm checking out the 50% off SOSN at the Lilypad and I can't remember if I have a set of papers.I checked my digi stash and found that I bought them last year. I always keep a preview with the original price and the sale price. Last year the papers cost $2.00. This year $2.99. They are the Plaid Addict Papers(February 2011 BYOC)if anyone is interested.
I'd listen to Robin way more than I'd listen to Kami any day of the week. Kami is disorganized and disrespectful most of the time and it's nice to hear her smacked down a bit. Scrap Orchard runs because there is an army behind the scenes doing everything and Kami still can't pull her head out of her ass. She has no clue what she's doing and just grasps at every fad and trend hoping to make a few quick bucks. It's spazzy.
SSD runs with fewer people behind the scenes and does it without trying too hard.
I've worked with Kami and she's neither disorganized nor disrespectful. From what I've seen, she runs nearly everything behind the scenes. Sounds like someone has it in for her.
Well scrap orchard went and fucked up their gallery. Thank goodness its not my digi home. I pray everyone doesn't do the pinterest type gallery - I absolutely hate it!!
3 said "I have no problem with them (SSD or any store) raising their prices at the beginning of the year but it should have been on new products, not on old ones. imo" ^^^agreed^^^
can someone tell CD Muckosky to trim her stuff? And to QC it? There was a big stray pixel on the Winter with You tag and a TON of strays on the element titled "LetItSnow." And the kraft paper on the heart elements is blurry. And the text on most of the WA bits is also blurry. I don't know her forum name at the (now-boring-looking) LilyPad otherwise I'd PM her myself. (Well, I'd PM her about the quality issues, but not the annoying waste of space around her elements. I guess that's more a personal annoyance.) I got the pack from TDF so at least I didn't spend any extra money on this. But I liked the preview--I would have purchased stuff from her if I'd liked this.
Well scrap orchard went and fucked up their gallery. Thank goodness its not my digi home. I pray everyone doesn't do the pinterest type gallery - I absolutely hate it!! --- whoa, just checked it out. So, now I have to have a Pinterest account to post LOs there? That's annoying. And does that mean any LO I now post will automatically be pinned? I don't want that. I don't want my LOs on Pinterest. Oh shit, are my current SO LOs already ON Pinterest now that they've changed the gallery?
I would guess this was a financial decision to switch the gallery at SO I imagine the server costs were huge they had a massive gallery. I definitely won't be linking my facebook to any digi site gallery and if I sign up with my email is that my user name???? I definitely need to do more research and I sincerely hope this is not the new direction of Digi galleries
this whole "let's Pin stuff!" is annoying. I think I'm going to start watermarking my pages. With Pinterest and fb and whatever else, who the fuck knows where my pages might end up--and who sees them? I asked my DH last week to stop posting pics of our kids on fb (I don't have an account, he does, and I hate how liberally fb treats their users' info/pictures/etc). He said "What's the difference between me posting on facebook and you posting on DS galleries?" Before Pinterest, I would have said "well, NO ONE really sees my LOs except for scrappers," but now that's probably not true. Whoops, sorry, that was a bit of a tangent. I just hate the idea of pinning and repinning and losing attribution (even if that doesn't happen at SO's gallery, it can happen on the real Pinterest). And I hate the idea of some perv finding my kids' pics. I'm gonna start blurring eyes and watermarking everything. I'll probably have to stop CTing cuz they aren't going to be very pretty LOs anymore.
#28: I toally agree with you. Re-thinking my CT work now too as well as in participating in their challenges because I scrap mostly about my nieces and nephews.
Is it just me, or are the "favorites" that SSD has put on sale mostly hideous? I liked Krystal Hartley's and KCB's....but most of them look like kits that maybe didn't sell well at full price? Gross, bright color combos...just a buck of ewwwww....
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier. From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest.
I guess OSD wasn't making enough money for Lauren to rebuild? Whoever skinned the site has to have files? I know x-cart is a pain in the ass, but to just let it go? The explanation could be it's just not worth the time to do it.
It's a lot more than just re-skinning the site. At this point they've likely also lost all data, sales report, forum information, customer information, and designers would have to re-add all products with added upload time. It is a lot of work.
Wow! Lauren Reed is not so lucky in digiland. First she splits ways with Valorie Wibbens and now the store crash. So one more store down...that's sad.. in the end we'll end up with 3-4 huge digi stores.
But did anyone else catch the comment about not paying designers on the osd FB announcement? Wasn't sure if it was meant for osd or royanna who was also posting on the status. Deleted now though!
I'm #17 and I do not have it in for Kami. I like a lot of designers at SO and want to see them successful. This whole "Scrap Pin" crap is the perfect example to what I meant about jumping on every fad and trend. Why change what isn't broke just to change it? Makes no business sense whatsoever.
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier. From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest. Feb 14, 2013, 5:46:00 AM
---------- This isn't completely accurate. Yes, anyone could save or favorite layouts before - for yourself.
This new method makes it a lot easier for someone to "pin" to their board then everyone who follows that board sees it and then they can repin it, etc. It goes "viral."
That's no where near the same as saving a layout for yourself privately to use as inspiration.
43: ITA. I'm thinking of quitting my SO CTs, which sucks because I love my designers BUT, I love the small-community feel of the digital scrap world more. Setting up the gallery like Pinterest totally takes away from that feel. If hosting a gallery takes a ton of money (cuz it takes up a lot of space), why not let each person have a LO limit? Like, you can UL 100 LOs total (or 50, or whatever is a good number). After that, it's like your DVR queue: if it's full then it deletes something old to make room for the new. Plus, don't you look at some of your old LOs and cringe?! Who wants them repinned to someone's board? I sure don't.
The new SO gallery sucks. It's all about shallow comments like DST. People aren't even going to click for a bigger image. It's all about popularity, followers and likes. Designers are going to lose customers with this gallery. Plus, you can only have a certain size description. Less linking.
You should have a backup from your host, and you can back up the essentials (databases, shop files- the "bones" of your site) yourself onto an ehd too. It sucks to have to reupload products but at least you arent out an enitre shop. And if the big back up fails, you arent out the essentials.
re backing up: Flegs tweeted earlier this week "That awful moment when you realise your computer is dying and no idea when or what you backed up last time :( years of design stuff lost." I thought to myself What kind of designer doesn't back up her stuff--and she lost YEARS of stuff, like, there's literally no back up? What an idiot. Now I think that about OSD. One Story Down=One more Site Down.
Sounds a little hokey to me. Site crashed - backup failed - oh well we're closing? I'm sure the designers would be willing to reload their products instead of just suddenly being without a store. It would be a pain to start from scratch, but as a store owner, seems like it would be what you had to do. Now all those designers are just SOL?
Well, Lauren Reid can't hold onto anything for very long. I find the whole OSD thing highly amusing because she's a store hopper. Seemed about time for her t quit OSD and go onto the next thing. Seems really peculiar that this happens to a store that LR owns...Perfect "excuse" to give up and move on.
I'm not perfect about backing up, but if I had a crash the most that would be lost is a couple of months worth. And I store all my kits offsite on an FTP for CT purposes so those would be recoverable. Just things in progress and recent photos.
Anyone who depends on graphic design as an income and doesn't back up regularly (at least once a day imo) is a complete idiot. I have absolutely no sympathy for any of them.
45 - I think you're putting more emphasis on a gallery than it deserves. The gallery isn't a make or break for whether I buy from a store. In fact, it isn't a factor at all.
45 - I think you're putting more emphasis on a gallery than it deserves. The gallery isn't a make or break for whether I buy from a store. In fact, it isn't a factor at all.
You should have a backup from your host, and you can back up the essentials (databases, shop files- the "bones" of your site) yourself onto an ehd too. It sucks to have to reupload products but at least you arent out an enitre shop. And if the big back up fails, you arent out the essentials. ----- This. I remember last year when TDC's site crashed and their host's backup was corrupted so they didn't have a backup. At least their owner had backed up enough to relaunch the site within a week, after having lost it all. I remember their designers had to reload everything and reenter products into XCART which would be a total PITA but at least they were only offline for a week. Store owners who don't at least do that are super stupid.
I like the new look at TLP. One thought though: Why go through all that work to update your site but not bother to make the packaging of your products consistent? Why not require all designers to use the same packaging?
60: I agree, I like it when stores all have the same packaging. It helps me know which shop to visit at a quick glance when I see a preview on Facebook or posted elsewhere, even if it's just a thumbnail image. I think it looks better, too.
That said, I see why a place like TLP wouldn't do that. Their whole thing is that they're unique, and original, and so I can see why they wouldn't make their designers conform to one thing. It's probably the only store where it actually makes sense to not have standard packaging.
I've never followed Lauren that closely... What stores has she hopped around? I remember her at little dreamer, tlp, then osd. Were there others? If not I wouldn't really consider that store hopping.
For someone who preaches to other designers about the right and wrong way to do things all the time, she sure doesn't seem concerned about copyright or trademark issues. Those monsters are <> too Sesame Street to get away with that.
#65 What #67 said is correct. All she is doing is providing scrappers with the pieces and option to make their own monster, she is not selling them pre-made. I will probably buy the kit with a Sesame Street fan in the house, but I really do think it should be classed as a copyright issue because as you said they are way too close.
..yet you're buying it..aren't you condoning the illegal act by purchasing it? Lord, you people are priceless!! Lol! I guess it's okay because she hasn't gotten caught yet, right???
I could be wrong, but the way I understand it is she is just providing basic shapes and pieces, it is up to the customer what image they end up with, be it Disney, Sesame Street, Angry Birds or whatever.
#71 I'm #69 and I said I was buying the kit not the monsters. I think the kit is fine, it's the monsters I have the copyright issue with. Sorry I didn't make that clearer.
76: I've purchased some of Connie's "knock off" kits and they are very careful to use similar colors but not the actual copyrighted items. Chelle's is quite similar. I don't think there'd be such a problem except that she put the examples together *to sell the set* meaning she IS using Sesame Street in order to sell her own products. And to pretend circles can't be copyrighted is ridiculous. All Mickey Mouse is is 3 circles (head, ears) with eyes and a smile. And you can't sell one big black circle with 2 smaller ones equidistantly on top of the big one without worrying that you're infringing on Disney's copyright. My point is, talking about the examples is splitting hairs. It's like saying Burger King can sell the exact bundle of ingredients necessary to make a Big Mac and saying "Here are 3 buns, 2 patties, special sauce, and some extras. And here's a pic of an example burger! (But don't call it a Big Mac!)" Bullshit.
#44 - I wouldn't CT for anyone at SO anymore, but hopefully your other CTs aren't going to this type of format.
There will always be people who don't care and love the changes, but I'm with you. I do not want that sort of "viral" type of thing for my LOs, either.
#44 - I wouldn't CT for anyone at SO anymore, but hopefully your other CTs aren't going to this type of format.
There will always be people who don't care and love the changes, but I'm with you. I do not want that sort of "viral" type of thing for my LOs, either.
---
You guys take this ct stuff way, way, way too seriously. Good Lord, get a grip. If you don't want your layouts pinned then never post another one anywhere on the internet. Quit your ct's'...believe it or not, there's probably at least 25-50 talented people who would jump at the opportunity to replace you and do a great job.
Bottom Line: ONCE YOU PUT SOMETHING ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHERE IT GOES AND WHO TAKES IT THERE!
Everyone, please listen to 81 because she's the only one who gets it apparently. Not being sarcastic, just seriously depressed at how many of you don't understand that every LO you post online is probably already pinned on Pinterest. I searched once and was astounded to see how many of mine had been pinned by complete strangers who repinned from others.
IF YOU DON'T WANT IT ON THE INTERNET FOR ALL TO SEE, DON'T PUT IT THERE! OMG
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier. From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest. Feb 14, 2013, 5:46:00 AM
---------- This isn't completely accurate. Yes, anyone could save or favorite layouts before - for yourself.
This new method makes it a lot easier for someone to "pin" to their board then everyone who follows that board sees it and then they can repin it, etc. It goes "viral."
That's no where near the same as saving a layout for yourself privately to use as inspiration.
^^^^
I don't think you understand Pinterest. I can go into ANY gallery on ANY site and pi layouts to my Pinterest board, where they are public, can be re-pinned, and can go viral. I have a Pinterest button on my browser and I can pin any image I want. It's easy and the new SO gallery doesn't make it any easier, really.
Anyone who doesn't want their LOs possible pinned should avoid posting them publicly online, anywhere.
It's almost like there's a broken record here, trying to explain Pinterest and internet privacy to a hoard of deaf morons.
Joke: how many people on a smack blog does it take to screw in a light bulb (and by "screw in a light bulb," I mean "explain that ALL of your layouts in ALL of your galleries are pinned to my Pinterest board already because that's the way it works, suckas!")?
Change for the sake of change is desperate and flaky and causes unnecessary stress for customers. I agree with one of the other posters - Kami is grasping at a trend. SSD already tried this whole Pinterest type thing for their monthly challenges - and it didn't go over well.
I doubt this will, either.
The Pinterest format is very confusing to a lot of people. I can see many of them getting sick of being confused and stressed for no benefit.
I have a pinterest account for 2 years and the pin it button from day one. I have a board with my favorite scrapbook layouts so whenever I find a layout I love from scrapbook galleries I pin it there. My board has over 100.000 followers. When something is uploaded on the internet you never know where it will end up.So don't go crazy over nothing.
And #91 that was my point..duh..don't post them on the internet and stop complaining about it. And just because 100.000 people follow the board doesn't mean they have been repinned by 100.000 people. Don't make a big deal out of something so silly.
I don't think you understand Pinterest. I can go into ANY gallery on ANY site and pi layouts to my Pinterest board, where they are public, can be re-pinned, and can go viral. I have a Pinterest button on my browser and I can pin any image I want. It's easy and the new SO gallery doesn't make it any easier, really.
Anyone who doesn't want their LOs possible pinned should avoid posting them publicly online, anywhere. ---- There are ways to block being able to pin your images. I wish DS galleries would have a choice to "block pinning option" when ULing to their galleries. I love Pinterest. I love DS and posting my LOs in the galleries--to give fellow scrappers inspiration and for me to browse the gallery for the same thing. And I get what Pinterest is. I also get that once I put an image on the internet, then it's out there forever. But that doesn't mean I have to just give up on keeping LOs, which I love sharing with fellow digi scrappers, off Pinterest (and other sites) if possible. And I just don't like the set up of SO's new gallery. But that's just me. Pinterest-inspired or not, I just don't care for it. And there's no way I'm going to link ANYTHING to facebook, but especially a DS gallery. Facebook is so shady, why would I want to "link" my layouts to them? So they can use the pics in their site's advertising? So they can catalog what sites I visit and then tailor advertising to the results--or sell the results to other companies? Nope.
There are ways around pinning something that is blocked from being pinned. I pin stuff from Facebook every day (well I used to, I don't pin much anymore). If you really want it saved, it can be saved. Whether you pin it, save it to your computer - or even grab a screen shot of something that doesn't allow right clicks -- if someone wants to save it, they will. Period.
If a designer uses layouts as advertising that go against a company's tou's then it is copyright infringement. She may sell the pieces, but using the images of the sesame street/jim henson characters as promotional tools is infringement.
BTW if this was a paper company "selling pieces" and using the examples of the ss/jh characters as the way to use them, they'd be shut down and everyone would know they weren't supposed to do that. It's one thing for an individual to go and create them for their own personal layouts, it's another to provide them to another person (for sale or free) with the expectation that they will be used to create a copyrighted image.
Designers and store owners need to pull their heads out of their asses and start coming up with something original. If you want to create a kit with colors that would complement a layout about ss/jh or angry birds or any other copyrighted material, that's one thing, but you're crossing the line and I think it lacks integrity not to mention creativity for designers to keep doing it just because no one will pull their product. Shame on store owners for not being more vigilant on what goes in their stores.
Shame on you as customers for knowing it's copyright infringement and buying it anyway. You're part of the problem, too. Probably the same people who don't want people to copy or repin their layouts.
96, I was totally with you until that last oddball rant at the end. This has nothing to do w/ the Pinterest thing, and you weakened your argument by adding that part.
I agree, though, that Kami should pull those monsters out of the shop immediately. It makes her whole store look worse that she's allowing them to be sold there. I had a decent amount of respect for her a while back, but the more she allows Chelle and others to get away with shit like this, the more I want to see her fail.
just read Little Green Frog Design's newsletter. Without first telling anyone (apparently), she did a giveaway using her subscribers' email addresses: "This week I decided to do a newsletter giveaway instead of on the blog so the random generator chose ___@____.com as the winner." But of course her newsletter has the real address, not a bunch of lines. So the winner's email address is plastered across her newsletter for everyone to see. Gee, thanks for paying attention to people's privacy.
I also noticed that Boop has a newsletter service. Be careful with that. I bought one of her products, and she 'lovingly' subscribed me to a couple of newsletters without my permission.
#96 raises a good point about what would happen if a paper company did this. But if a paper company did this, they would have a legal team who would've told them "We need to talk to the Sesame Workshop/Jim Henson and get permission for this." Or perhaps the SS/JH would've approached a paper company and asked them to create a line of products featuring their characters. Either way, they would've done some due diligence to make sure it was OK for them to produce such product.
I'm really kind of shocked that Chelle would release these products (again, as it seems) since she was touting a copyright seminar she hosted a few months back (and is still for sale in her store). Maybe she's facing pressure to get products in the store?
Or maybe she did her research and decided that her packaging and examples didn't violate any copyright? *shrug* I don't know, I didn't do the webinar thingy she had. Apparently she consults wit h a copyright lawyer about this stuff, so maybe she stopped just short of violating any TOU. I'm certainly not an expert, just giving her the benefit of a doubt.
I think that technically, she's not violating anything b/c she is only selling pieces. But I also think she is seriously toeing the line by showing those examples. If there weren't example monsters, she'd be clear. With the examples, though, she's infringing. And she of all people should know that. Get your head out of your ass, Chelle! OMG. And meanwhile, Kami, DO YOUR JOB. That product preview needs to be changed, or the product should be pulled. Chelle is making YOU and the rest of SO look BAD.
My beloved MAC - Macy is now a dead paperweight! Apple better stop messing around and fix it! 4 years with a costly paperweight it's a bit much!
Is anybody surprised? She's got less than 2 weeks to post all those freebies that she promised to post before the store closed. Guess they won't get posted now - or *gasp* will the store stay open another month so she can post them??
Lauren has a new post that "all may not be lost". So something's up. Feb 16, 2013, 12:09:00 PM
--------- What a bunch of shit. If I were a designer there, I would run and continue looking for other options. Why would a store owner post that all is lost and that the store is closing if they weren't 100% sure? Horrible. Look at all your options first, then make your decision.
#112 - I don't know the owner and I never purchased from that store, however, isn't it possible that she honestly thought everything was lost and maybe the tech person found something unexpected that might allow for the site to be brought back? If my tech guy tried several things and ends up telling me that it is all gone, I would likely trust his expertise, even if he comes back and finds a last minute possible option. Yes, it is a smack blog, but it seems that very few people are given the benefit of the doubt (although, I do not know of past history about her so maybe I am wrong).
I've never followed Lauren that closely... What stores has she hopped around? I remember her at little dreamer, tlp, then osd. Were there others? If not I wouldn't really consider that store hopping. Feb 14, 2013, 2:28:00 PM Anonymous said... 63
2 Peas, SSD, 9th & B, i'm sure there are more?
---------
Oscraps (twice - she left, did a bunch of stores, and came back), the original Plain Digital Wrapper, The Digi Shoppe, Funky Playground Designs, Scrap Artist, ScrappingStyleTv.com (and this was only from 2006 to 2007!) - so yeah, a reputation for not staying put that is well deserved.
Am I the only one who does not like previews with just a bunch of elements all piled up in the middle. It looks like they were just to lazy to move them around. Maybe it is just me but it bugs me. Yuck! I see a lot of people doing it like that.
117 - I was at a store where we were strongly encouraged to do that. "People want to see your beautiful papers. All of the elements can be clumped together, just create more previews for element close ups." She was wacked in the head though.
119 - how about those who want to see your beautiful elements too!? If anything, make 2 previews: one for papers one for elements. That is what I think anyways. In any case, how can you clearly see the beautiful papers when you have 15 of them showing barely an inch of their beauty?
I do know its not easy. I am actually a designer myself and doing previews is always one of the things I have disliked. I also know everyone has different tastes. But just as an example of what I mean. All of the elements are in a big blob. She does not do this to showcase her paper and does not even include a separate paper preview. So why? I dont really get it. I see others in this store who are doing similar previews but some who do them differently so I am guessing it is not because she has to. https://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=325_329&products_id=18482&zenid=03fd51dc830cad756b0910f9aa1f7ba8 Not really my style but that is not even what I was looking at. I just mean the way the preview is done. (glad to know others dont like it much either)
I am a designer and I cluster my elements in the center/bottom half of the preview. I absolutely HATE the previews with elements all dragged out across the page, I think they look elementary like the designer has no idea how to cluster things together ... and even more I HATE the previews where there is a white/light sheet of paper behind the elements and they are all laid out, I think if you need to put a sheet of paper behind your elements for them to stand out against your kit papers, your designs are off.
As a customer I want to see all the elements I'm buying. I'm starting to get pissed when I see the CT Layouts of the "product" and there are tons of other elements used on the layouts from different designers or different products and I have no clue where to find them. I don't understand why the stores don't link the CT previews to the gallery so as a customer I can see which products were used and I can easily find more products I liked to buy. I buy stuff influenced by the way they are used on a layout. If I'm inspired by the layout then I'm buying the product. As good as a preview is, if there aren't good looking layouts to show how the products are used I'm not buying it.
After seeing this hybrid project with detailed info which products were used I ended up buying 4-5 products because I really liked the hybrid love book and it was easy for me to find the elements used.
129- maybe designers don't want to "promote" other designers in their product description. I was told once, in a store, that it was ok to have CT layouts use other stuff, but I was not allowed to link. For example, templates can only be used with something else. If I release a template, the CT will be using a kit with it (possibly not mine). If the kit is from another designer in the store, maybe the store owner could allow it, but considering the frequent moves of designers, who can say that in 3 months, this kit will still be in the same store? I agree with you: linking would make it easier for customers, but stores are scared of loosing sales if they link to somewhere else for any reason.
126, I am also a designer and I have been for over 6 years now. I preview with the elements clustered in a way that I enjoy across the entire preview. I then offer additional previews to show papers. As a consumer I rarely buy a kit that does not show the elements well. If your elements are all clustered in the middle of your preview that is not selling point for me. I rarely cluster more than a few elements together when I scrap. It's not my style of scrapping. I have no need to see how the elements cluster together. If the kit is amazing and the layout examples show elements well I might buy it, but it's unlikely if everything is in a clustered blob.
126, You appear to be attracted to the clustered pile of items. You probably cluster a lot when you scrap. This is because we have different styles. This is okay. You flipping out about designers who do not cluster in the middle and calling them "elementary" is not okay. It is incredibly immature.
For all others, preview the way you like. There are customers that are attracted to many different preview types and styles, but not everyone is going to like the same thing. Very few customers and designers are neurotic enough to have strong feelings about the way another designer previews.
I am 126 I know there are many styles of doing everything and I am not really saying do what everyone else does. If that were the case I would have quit doing this many years ago lol. I just dont know how one big blob showcases your stuff. Actually I have a script for doing previews and that is what it does to them. Just puts them all in the middle of the page. So other than moving the large items to the back I would not be doing much would I. I dont mind some clustering but I also dont find spreading them out elementary. I spread and cluster. So to each their own I guess. I just dont get the blob that is all! But then again lots of statues, and pots, and fake doves, and baskets, etc are not really my style either but some people love it so like I said to each their own! :)
I've never believed a previewing script would be much use - I know how much time and thought it takes to preview a kit and there's no way a script could do it unaided. But the point is, prepare an attractive preview that gives the purchaser a good idea of what is in the kit. That just makes sense.
A script or action can help in doing the copying, pasting, resizing, especially if one had 20 papers and 75 elements or such, but a script, action, template or any such tools are just tools: they have no clue what looks good or not, or what elements should be in front of others, etc.
Actions and scripts are tools; not replacement for a good eye.
I build the preview as I go, so I would have no use for a script that just dumped everything on there. I place them as I make them, and adjust as I go. By the time I finish making the kit, the preview is done.
I'm 96 and I wasn't addressing the pinterest conversation I at all, so no it doesn't weaken my argument, because my argument is specifically about the copyright issues and the people here saying that they will still buy the kit, knowing that it violates copyrights.
135 - different people like different things, just like different designers work differently. I don't do the preview as I go because I feel I need to know what I have before I start the preview, so a tool is useful for me. But I am not expecting the tool to do it ALL.
but a script, action, template or any such tools are just tools: they have no clue what looks good or not, or what elements should be in front of others, etc. ---
Exactly my thought. And it seems that there are some designers who think they can just stop when it's all piled up. And I can't even fathom that.
Exactly my thought. And it seems that there are some designers who think they can just stop when it's all piled up. And I can't even fathom that. ----------------------- Tools are tools and designers should be ... DESIGNING. Many newbies forget that little detail (maybe some veterans too?)
Hey 136: "Shame on you as customers for knowing it's copyright infringement and buying it anyway. You're part of the problem, too. Probably the same people who don't want people to copy or repin their layouts."
You actually < < WERE > > addressing the Pinterest issue, you nitwit. It's in plain print just above this.
Oh and you just weakened your argument further by showing everyone what a nitwit you really are.
I can see the connection. People who buy copyright infringed products but not wanting other people to copy their layouts or repinning them. Makes sense to me. It's called being a hypocrite.
I buy KITS for PAPERS and ELEMENTS. If I were only buying something for the papers, I'd buy a paper pack. Make your previews to capture the most customers, so include as much as possible in your listing. If you like the all over elements, then you absolutely must show the papers on another preview.
Kit previews with tiny elements make no sense to me. The size of the preview is already small enough, make them large enough so people can see them.
It's always amusing to me when people posting on a smack blog get judgmental about other people's name-calling on said smack blog. It's, um, a smack blog.
Why is everyone getting so mad about previews? If you're a designer and your products sell, there's no need to try to convert other designers to your own way of doing previews here on a smack blog. Do your thing and chill out.
If you're a designer and your products don't sell, however, then you can/should re-think your preview format but in that case it's even LESS logical for you to try to convert everyone else here to your way of thinking.
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews. If you don't like the previews, don't buy the product. Why so grumpy about it here?
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews. --- I love that designers are saying "I do it THIS way and it totally works!"...because they want other designers to copy their winning preview formula and steal sales from them? SMH.
I love that designers are saying "I do it THIS way and it totally works!"...because they want other designers to copy their winning preview formula and steal sales from them? SMH.
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Or steer them to a way that doesn't work and steal their sales :D
Obviously there isn't really anything going on in the digi world or we wouldn't be having such an inane conversation. Sigh.
Before you all bitch at me for not offering topic changes, I'll try. Does anyone really truly actually know what is going on with OSD? Is Lauren selling it? Are the designers being taken on elsewhere? Someone has to know something. Spill it, it's got to be more interesting than talking about bad previewing.
Well, it's been a few days since SO's gallery switch....anyone changed their mind about it? There seem to be a few grannies that are vocal in the forum about the confusing change.....
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews. If you don't like the previews, don't buy the product. Why so grumpy about it here?
^^^ It's kinda like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Some things people do, and others say 'ooooh' and 'aaaaah' and 'beautiful' to things that make my skin crawl. I'm not trying to change anyone, I'm just expressing my honest opinion about it - on a smack blog, where I don't have to pretend to be nice to everyone like I do in my store.
I don't think it's juts designers using a script that blobs everything and leaving it there - some designers (and customers) really like that 'blob' look. Just like some people like really deep, dark shadows that make it look like flowers and ribbons are levitating 4 inches of your page.
150-I don't have any inside scoop, but it seems like many of the designers have moved on. I'm glad they are and hope they end up in better managed stores. This should be an eye-opener into how poorly Lauren ran things behind the scenes with no back-up of anything herself!
151-I haven't changed my mind. I still hate the idea and will no longer post anything at SO. I know I'm not alone in this, either. I don't need to post there to shop there. Outside of a few of my favorites, I wont be shopping there much, either.
Ok, I have a change of topic. I know I have seen some discussion on here before about it, but, it is driving me crazy and might be my BIGGEST pet peeve of the digiworld. Why is it that designers, I mean long established designers, have no idea how to zip their files so that they unzip to the proper folders and their TOU and fan blinkie, etc, aren't duplicated for every file? It is not rocket science and only takes a few minutes to break up the files, organize them, and zip them properly. Okay, done the rant. Argh!
Maybe they also sell the kit broken up into "papers" "elements" "alpha". So, the TOU and so on would be in those folders as they are sold separately, and if you buy the full kit, you're just getting the same 3 zip files.
Honestly, I've heard this before, and I have no idea why it bothers people so much to get extra copies of the TOU and blinkies. They're easy to delete. Seems like a waste of energy to get upset about it.
I DO hate when the files explode all over the desktop.
Okay I get that they break it up, but, some stores have limits on download size and so they break the kit up smaller for download and instead of all the papers unzipping into the same folder, you get 4 different folders all with the TOU and Previews etc? Do you really believe that is necessary. Sure it is easy to delete, but, as a customer do I not have the right to request less of a disorganized mess at unzipping? It was the first thing I learned, as a selling designer, was the proper way to zip files. It should be something that is uniform across the board.
I hate when they put the preview in a separate folder, so I have to go through that stupid folder I normally just delete to drag it out. I know it's easy, but it's annoying.
My biggest peeve, though, is when designers name their zips something other than their design name. Litabells for example. I love her work, but she names her files mbloomer instead of litabells. I know (now) that her name is Melita Bloomer, but why name your files something different than your design name? It's confusing.
She's not the only one, but she's the one I could think of straight off.
157: I hate when they put the preview in a separate folder, so I have to go through that stupid folder I normally just delete to drag it out. I know it's easy, but it's annoying.
ditto! I cut the TOU and preview and delete the rest with blinkies, links, thankyou file, etc. My fav. is that stupid piracy jpg:)
My zip program just deletes or overwrites duplicates automatically, so when I unzip them I don't have to worry about it. It really isn't that much of an issue.
A lot of the designers I buy from sell separate packs so their stores might require a preview/tou in each file or something.
My pet peeve is when I unzip and the files are not in a folder and they explode everywhere. Not that it doesn't bother me when I have to delete previews and other uneccesary files. I also hate it when the designer uses Mac (I'm a pc user) and my winrar programme shows me error and I freak out everytime thinking that the file is corrupt. Fortunately it unzips everything correctly and leaves me with a mac folder. Another pet peeve (geez I got many) is when a product for sale doesn't have layouts. I want to see the product used on a page or else I'm not buying it.
I don't think it's juts designers using a script that blobs everything and leaving it there - some designers (and customers) really like that 'blob' look. Just like some people like really deep, dark shadows that make it look like flowers and ribbons are levitating 4 inches of your page. -----
I agree! How do designers not know how to create realistic shadows to make things look as though they would if actually placed on a pieces of paper? It makes me wonder if their elements are shadowed all floaty too and that's why I wouldn't buy their product.
Kimerick Kreations is one of the worst about this. Someone needs to teach her some previewing skills b/c even though I have seen some decent pages from her kits but I would never buy a kit of hers from the previews b/c everything looks like it's floating and it makes things look blurry and like there is questionable quality. The only kit I own of hers is from Digi Files and the preview turned me off but the kit is OK.
I DO hate when the files explode all over the desktop. -----
That is designers who group items and then zip the items instead of putting them into a folder and then zipping the folder. It shouldn't be hard but apparently it is because it happens to me all the time. C'mon designers!
SSD has changed their pholosophy about sales and I'm glad. I'm shopping from them all the time now. -----
I think you're mistaken. Just because they're having sales all month right now to celebrate the shop's birthday, doesn't mean that is going to continue. Don't hold your breath.
171- They've been having promotions since last year and so far through 2013. Their FWP kit every 2 weeks has been said that will continue.
They'll continue to do the normal release sales and it seems likely they'll continue to do promotions throughout the year as well. Every week? probably not, but my guess is far more frequently than they have in the past.
I've always been an SSD shopper and have bought more in the past 6 months than I ever have because of the sales and promotions. I'm clearly not the only one and that's likely to influence future promos.
If they're doing better with their new sales approach, they'd be foolish to stop it.
173, haven't they been doing the FWP for a couple of years now? Or was that a new thing that started last spring when their designers turned over and they brought on new people? I thought I remembered it before that.
There is nothing wrong with someone calling that layout breathtaking at all. It appears to be a layout that has a lot of meaning for the scrapper and may have a lot of meaning for other scrappers in similar circumstances. You do realize it is about this woman's autistic child, right? If you didn't, read the journaling. I'll be adding this to my favorites.
I think it's an average layout, not breathtaking in any way. Looks like it took 5 mins to throw together outside of the barely readable journaling in a horrible font on a busy, text heavy background.
I like how #180 points out the Autism aspect (in a very condescending way) and the first line of the journaling is about the subject being more than Autism.
If parents want their children to be bigger than their ailments, stop pointing out their difficulties - especially writing it in the child's voice. There is no way a kid that age is that advanced in verbal communication.
#178: It's breathtaking because it's a layout by Kimberly Morris and a comment by Laura Wilson. It has nothing to do with talent, ability, or the actual layout. It's all about one person feeding the ego of another person. Period.
There is nothing special about that layout at all and I agree with #181: bad font on a busy background.
180 again. I don't know who Kimberly Morris or Laura Wilson are. One of the reasons the layout resonates with me is the journaling on the busy background that you dislike. It's possible that I'm looking into it more than is there, but trying to see into the mind of my child often feels just like trying to focus with a busy background. There are many times when everything seems so busy or jumbled and all I can do is focus on my child's beautiful face and remind myself there is so much more there. I think this layout is breathtaking because it puts something I often feel into an image. You may not like the layout, but it seems more like a personal issue with the scrapper. There are much worse layouts to pick upon.
I'm fine with the Scrap Orchard gallery now. There are some things that I miss with the old gallery, but it is okay. There's not enough wrong with it for me to get all freaked out and quit. I like the challenges and getting plum perks, so I'll continue buying and participating in the site.
I've also been a customer at SSD for the past 5 years and I've shopped more there in the last 6 months than I have in 5 years so yes the sales and promotions are very nice and I can't resist. I also like most of the FWP kits they have and I try to spend $10 in the shop. Other stores have Free With Purchase kits but not very good choices in my opinion.
Interesting how people think the digiworld is revolving around what THEY know. If they never heard of a store, that store must not be that good or must be closed (or close to it)! They never heard of a designer? That designer must be a newbie or a nobody. Some people need to wake up. There are things they don't know exist and they do exist and some are also thriving.
That doesn't change the fact that SBB is a faded star. ITA w/ 194. I used to hear about SBB all the time, and in the past year or more I haven't heard a thing. Do their designers use social networking?
2881 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 1801 – 2000 of 2881 Newer› Newest»SSD raised there prices across the board at the beginning of the year, not for the sale.
Finished listening to the DigiShow (episode #73). Got some good info and it raised some red flags for me about the store I'm currently in. I thought Robin & Kami provided good perspectives about being a store owner, even if they didn't necessarily agree on things. All in all, I'm glad I spent the time listening to it.
200 And you think that this sale came out of the blue? I am pretty sure this "sale" has been planned since the beginning of the year too. They probably raised the prices then just so people can use the same argument you just did to defend them. They aren't stupid.
I have no problem with them (SSD or any store) raising their prices at the beginning of the year but it should have been on new products, not on old ones. imo
Meh prices go up, that is life. I am happy to save 50% off a $9 kit. Usually they only go for the very rare 40% off sale. 50% off $9 = $4.50, 40% off $8 = $4.80.
What exactly made you say that Robin seemed "holier than thou" toward Kami? I didn't get that at all. And no I have nothing to do with SSD. I just didn't get that. More info from you would be nice...
$4.50 is still more than I'd spend for most of their stuff. So it doesn't matter to me either way.
5 - I don't have anything to do with either store but I didn't get that either. I liked the discussion and thought it had some points.
Robin sounded a bit bitchy to me too. She kept interrupting and arguing with things Kami and the others said. I'm just a customer though so I tuned out most of the advice for designers part.
5 I also thought Robin had a little bit of an attitude towards Kami. I kind of got the feeling that Robin felt that Kami isn't on the same professional level as she is all in all she left a bad taste in my mouth for SSD and Robin.
I didn't get that Robin had any attitude either and I was listening for it because I read the OP before I listened to the episode. The interrupting was kind of annoying though.
I listened to it and didn't get that at all. I don't know either of them, I think someone WANTS to read something into it. It reminds me of something I read on Pinterest.
Something like "Once you decided you don't like someone, everything they do annoys you." "Look at that bitch, sitting there eating crackers like she owns the place."
#11 Hahaha I know that pin and it's totally true!!!
11 I am number 9 and spend more time and money at SSD and honestly really like Robin more than Kami in gerenal and she would have seemed really professional if it weren't for the way she talked to and interrupted Kami, at times Kami seemed to be struggling for the 'right thing' to say and Robin seemed more natural.
I'm the OP and I don't care one way or another about either of them I buy from both stores so it's not personal for me just the way she came across.
I mentioned a while ago how a good layout can make me buy a kit. Well now I confess that a good kit preview makes me want to buy a kit but many times when I see the CT Layouts I back out and don't buy the kit because I'm thinking if they can't make the layouts look good well I certainly won't.
I'm checking out the 50% off SOSN at the Lilypad and I can't remember if I have a set of papers.I checked my digi stash and found that I bought them last year. I always keep a preview with the original price and the sale price. Last year the papers cost $2.00. This year $2.99.
They are the Plaid Addict Papers(February 2011 BYOC)if anyone is interested.
I'd listen to Robin way more than I'd listen to Kami any day of the week. Kami is disorganized and disrespectful most of the time and it's nice to hear her smacked down a bit. Scrap Orchard runs because there is an army behind the scenes doing everything and Kami still can't pull her head out of her ass. She has no clue what she's doing and just grasps at every fad and trend hoping to make a few quick bucks. It's spazzy.
SSD runs with fewer people behind the scenes and does it without trying too hard.
17 - How do you know this? Have you been a designer at SO?
Customer service at both stores has been exemplary for me.
I've worked with Kami and she's neither disorganized nor disrespectful. From what I've seen, she runs nearly everything behind the scenes. Sounds like someone has it in for her.
Well scrap orchard went and fucked up their gallery. Thank goodness its not my digi home. I pray everyone doesn't do the pinterest type gallery - I absolutely hate it!!
3 said "I have no problem with them (SSD or any store) raising their prices at the beginning of the year but it should have been on new products, not on old ones. imo"
^^^agreed^^^
can someone tell CD Muckosky to trim her stuff?
And to QC it? There was a big stray pixel on the Winter with You tag and a TON of strays on the element titled "LetItSnow." And the kraft paper on the heart elements is blurry. And the text on most of the WA bits is also blurry. I don't know her forum name at the (now-boring-looking) LilyPad otherwise I'd PM her myself. (Well, I'd PM her about the quality issues, but not the annoying waste of space around her elements. I guess that's more a personal annoyance.)
I got the pack from TDF so at least I didn't spend any extra money on this. But I liked the preview--I would have purchased stuff from her if I'd liked this.
Well scrap orchard went and fucked up their gallery. Thank goodness its not my digi home. I pray everyone doesn't do the pinterest type gallery - I absolutely hate it!!
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whoa, just checked it out. So, now I have to have a Pinterest account to post LOs there? That's annoying. And does that mean any LO I now post will automatically be pinned? I don't want that. I don't want my LOs on Pinterest. Oh shit, are my current SO LOs already ON Pinterest now that they've changed the gallery?
NM, I see the thread about it at SO: http://scraporchard.com/forum/showthread.php/51076-Introducing...-ScrapPin?p=740868#post740868
I would guess this was a financial decision to switch the gallery at SO I imagine the server costs were huge they had a massive gallery. I definitely won't be linking my facebook to any digi site gallery and if I sign up with my email is that my user name???? I definitely need to do more research and I sincerely hope this is not the new direction of Digi galleries
this whole "let's Pin stuff!" is annoying. I think I'm going to start watermarking my pages. With Pinterest and fb and whatever else, who the fuck knows where my pages might end up--and who sees them? I asked my DH last week to stop posting pics of our kids on fb (I don't have an account, he does, and I hate how liberally fb treats their users' info/pictures/etc). He said "What's the difference between me posting on facebook and you posting on DS galleries?" Before Pinterest, I would have said "well, NO ONE really sees my LOs except for scrappers," but now that's probably not true.
Whoops, sorry, that was a bit of a tangent. I just hate the idea of pinning and repinning and losing attribution (even if that doesn't happen at SO's gallery, it can happen on the real Pinterest). And I hate the idea of some perv finding my kids' pics. I'm gonna start blurring eyes and watermarking everything. I'll probably have to stop CTing cuz they aren't going to be very pretty LOs anymore.
So is One Story Down gone for good now?
That's what they announced on Facebook.
One Story Down... the drain
#28: I toally agree with you. Re-thinking my CT work now too as well as in participating in their challenges because I scrap mostly about my nieces and nephews.
Is it just me, or are the "favorites" that SSD has put on sale mostly hideous? I liked Krystal Hartley's and KCB's....but most of them look like kits that maybe didn't sell well at full price? Gross, bright color combos...just a buck of ewwwww....
That was supposed to say "bunch" not "buck".
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier.
From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest.
I guess OSD wasn't making enough money for Lauren to rebuild? Whoever skinned the site has to have files? I know x-cart is a pain in the ass, but to just let it go? The explanation could be it's just not worth the time to do it.
It's a lot more than just re-skinning the site. At this point they've likely also lost all data, sales report, forum information, customer information, and designers would have to re-add all products with added upload time. It is a lot of work.
Time for Lauren to move on to the next store anyway. The crash probably just gave her the excuse.
Bad things happen to bad people and Lauren is a bitch. I feel badly for the designers but for Lauren?....no.
Wow! Lauren Reed is not so lucky in digiland. First she splits ways with Valorie Wibbens and now the store crash.
So one more store down...that's sad.. in the end we'll end up with 3-4 huge digi stores.
Back your stuff up people!!! Geez.
The back up apparently failed.
But did anyone else catch the comment about not paying designers on the osd FB announcement? Wasn't sure if it was meant for osd or royanna who was also posting on the status. Deleted now though!
I'm #17 and I do not have it in for Kami. I like a lot of designers at SO and want to see them successful. This whole "Scrap Pin" crap is the perfect example to what I meant about jumping on every fad and trend. Why change what isn't broke just to change it? Makes no business sense whatsoever.
I'm glad she provided proof so quickly for me.
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier.
From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest.
Feb 14, 2013, 5:46:00 AM
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This isn't completely accurate. Yes, anyone could save or favorite layouts before - for yourself.
This new method makes it a lot easier for someone to "pin" to their board then everyone who follows that board sees it and then they can repin it, etc. It goes "viral."
That's no where near the same as saving a layout for yourself privately to use as inspiration.
43: ITA. I'm thinking of quitting my SO CTs, which sucks because I love my designers BUT, I love the small-community feel of the digital scrap world more. Setting up the gallery like Pinterest totally takes away from that feel.
If hosting a gallery takes a ton of money (cuz it takes up a lot of space), why not let each person have a LO limit? Like, you can UL 100 LOs total (or 50, or whatever is a good number). After that, it's like your DVR queue: if it's full then it deletes something old to make room for the new. Plus, don't you look at some of your old LOs and cringe?! Who wants them repinned to someone's board? I sure don't.
The new SO gallery sucks. It's all about shallow comments like DST. People aren't even going to click for a bigger image. It's all about popularity, followers and likes. Designers are going to lose customers with this gallery. Plus, you can only have a certain size description. Less linking.
You should have a backup from your host, and you can back up the essentials (databases, shop files- the "bones" of your site) yourself onto an ehd too. It sucks to have to reupload products but at least you arent out an enitre shop. And if the big back up fails, you arent out the essentials.
re backing up: Flegs tweeted earlier this week "That awful moment when you realise your computer is dying and no idea when or what you backed up last time :( years of design stuff lost." I thought to myself What kind of designer doesn't back up her stuff--and she lost YEARS of stuff, like, there's literally no back up? What an idiot. Now I think that about OSD. One Story Down=One more Site Down.
If OSD was making decent money, Lauren would take the time to rebuild it.
Sounds a little hokey to me. Site crashed - backup failed - oh well we're closing? I'm sure the designers would be willing to reload their products instead of just suddenly being without a store. It would be a pain to start from scratch, but as a store owner, seems like it would be what you had to do. Now all those designers are just SOL?
Well, Lauren Reid can't hold onto anything for very long. I find the whole OSD thing highly amusing because she's a store hopper. Seemed about time for her t quit OSD and go onto the next thing. Seems really peculiar that this happens to a store that LR owns...Perfect "excuse" to give up and move on.
Bad things happen to bad people. And Lauren is a bitch. I feel horribly for her designer but for Lauren...?? No. Sorry
I liked OSD. I liked the design and the community. I'm very sorry to see it go. And I don't understand how it could happen, failed backups! Yikes.
I'm not perfect about backing up, but if I had a crash the most that would be lost is a couple of months worth. And I store all my kits offsite on an FTP for CT purposes so those would be recoverable. Just things in progress and recent photos.
Anyone who depends on graphic design as an income and doesn't back up regularly (at least once a day imo) is a complete idiot. I have absolutely no sympathy for any of them.
Persnickety Prints has just offered a beautiful collab made by the Lilypad team.It's free only for today. Grab it will you can.
http://blog.persnicketyprints.com/2013/02/free-digitalkit.html
45 - I think you're putting more emphasis on a gallery than it deserves. The gallery isn't a make or break for whether I buy from a store. In fact, it isn't a factor at all.
45 - I think you're putting more emphasis on a gallery than it deserves. The gallery isn't a make or break for whether I buy from a store. In fact, it isn't a factor at all.
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^^I agree.^^
I'm surprised Lauren held on as long as she did. That was a new record for longest in one store, I think.
You should have a backup from your host, and you can back up the essentials (databases, shop files- the "bones" of your site) yourself onto an ehd too. It sucks to have to reupload products but at least you arent out an enitre shop. And if the big back up fails, you arent out the essentials.
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This. I remember last year when TDC's site crashed and their host's backup was corrupted so they didn't have a backup. At least their owner had backed up enough to relaunch the site within a week, after having lost it all. I remember their designers had to reload everything and reenter products into XCART which would be a total PITA but at least they were only offline for a week. Store owners who don't at least do that are super stupid.
I like the new look at TLP. One thought though: Why go through all that work to update your site but not bother to make the packaging of your products consistent? Why not require all designers to use the same packaging?
60: I agree, I like it when stores all have the same packaging. It helps me know which shop to visit at a quick glance when I see a preview on Facebook or posted elsewhere, even if it's just a thumbnail image. I think it looks better, too.
That said, I see why a place like TLP wouldn't do that. Their whole thing is that they're unique, and original, and so I can see why they wouldn't make their designers conform to one thing. It's probably the only store where it actually makes sense to not have standard packaging.
I've never followed Lauren that closely... What stores has she hopped around? I remember her at little dreamer, tlp, then osd. Were there others? If not I wouldn't really consider that store hopping.
2 Peas, SSD, 9th & B, i'm sure there are more?
#61: Thanks for that perspective about why TLP wouldn't have the same packaging for everyone. I hadn't thought of that. It makes sense.
Someone please explain to me how in the FUCK Chelle gets away with this???
http://scraporchard.com/market/Street-Smarts-Digital-Scrapbook-Bundle.html
For someone who preaches to other designers about the right and wrong way to do things all the time, she sure doesn't seem concerned about copyright or trademark issues. Those monsters are <> too Sesame Street to get away with that.
sorry, that should have said < < WAY > > too Sesame Street
trying to emphasize the WAY and something went awry
#65
You only get the pieces, you put the monsters together yourself. The examples are NOT included.
and that makes it OK??? really???
why provide the examples, then? oh, right, because otherwise people won't see the sesame street characters. she's using their branding totally.
#65 What #67 said is correct. All she is doing is providing scrappers with the pieces and option to make their own monster, she is not selling them pre-made. I will probably buy the kit with a Sesame Street fan in the house, but I really do think it should be classed as a copyright issue because as you said they are way too close.
Chelle did the same thing with her Angry Birds kit
..yet you're buying it..aren't you condoning the illegal act by purchasing it? Lord, you people are priceless!! Lol! I guess it's okay because she hasn't gotten caught yet, right???
I'm #71 and my post was addressed to the lovely and hypocritical #69.
I could be wrong, but the way I understand it is she is just providing basic shapes and pieces, it is up to the customer what image they end up with, be it Disney, Sesame Street, Angry Birds or whatever.
I don't think you can copyright furry circle or googly eyes
#69
Exactly, but then isn't it the customer that has the copyright issue?
connie prince has also done several "knock off" kits and no one gives her a hard time??? (angry birds, chuck e cheese)
The customer isn't selling the licensed item. Just putting it in their scrapbook.
#71 I'm #69 and I said I was buying the kit not the monsters. I think the kit is fine, it's the monsters I have the copyright issue with. Sorry I didn't make that clearer.
76: I've purchased some of Connie's "knock off" kits and they are very careful to use similar colors but not the actual copyrighted items.
Chelle's is quite similar. I don't think there'd be such a problem except that she put the examples together *to sell the set* meaning she IS using Sesame Street in order to sell her own products.
And to pretend circles can't be copyrighted is ridiculous. All Mickey Mouse is is 3 circles (head, ears) with eyes and a smile. And you can't sell one big black circle with 2 smaller ones equidistantly on top of the big one without worrying that you're infringing on Disney's copyright.
My point is, talking about the examples is splitting hairs. It's like saying Burger King can sell the exact bundle of ingredients necessary to make a Big Mac and saying "Here are 3 buns, 2 patties, special sauce, and some extras. And here's a pic of an example burger! (But don't call it a Big Mac!)" Bullshit.
#44 - I wouldn't CT for anyone at SO anymore, but hopefully your other CTs aren't going to this type of format.
There will always be people who don't care and love the changes, but I'm with you. I do not want that sort of "viral" type of thing for my LOs, either.
#44 - I wouldn't CT for anyone at SO anymore, but hopefully your other CTs aren't going to this type of format.
There will always be people who don't care and love the changes, but I'm with you. I do not want that sort of "viral" type of thing for my LOs, either.
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You guys take this ct stuff way, way, way too seriously. Good Lord, get a grip. If you don't want your layouts pinned then never post another one anywhere on the internet. Quit your ct's'...believe it or not, there's probably at least 25-50 talented people who would jump at the opportunity to replace you and do a great job.
Bottom Line: ONCE YOU PUT SOMETHING ANYWHERE ON THE INTERNET IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER WHERE IT GOES AND WHO TAKES IT THERE!
Everyone, please listen to 81 because she's the only one who gets it apparently. Not being sarcastic, just seriously depressed at how many of you don't understand that every LO you post online is probably already pinned on Pinterest. I searched once and was astounded to see how many of mine had been pinned by complete strangers who repinned from others.
IF YOU DON'T WANT IT ON THE INTERNET FOR ALL TO SEE, DON'T PUT IT THERE! OMG
#32 If you've posted layouts of your pages including your nieces and nephews ANYWHERE online then anyone could pin it on pinterest or copy the file to their computer - the new SO gallery won't change that or make it easier.
From what I make out the SO gallery has nothing to do with pinterest - it's just a similar format and pinning to SO doesn't auto pin to pinterest.
Feb 14, 2013, 5:46:00 AM
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This isn't completely accurate. Yes, anyone could save or favorite layouts before - for yourself.
This new method makes it a lot easier for someone to "pin" to their board then everyone who follows that board sees it and then they can repin it, etc. It goes "viral."
That's no where near the same as saving a layout for yourself privately to use as inspiration.
^^^^
I don't think you understand Pinterest. I can go into ANY gallery on ANY site and pi layouts to my Pinterest board, where they are public, can be re-pinned, and can go viral. I have a Pinterest button on my browser and I can pin any image I want. It's easy and the new SO gallery doesn't make it any easier, really.
Anyone who doesn't want their LOs possible pinned should avoid posting them publicly online, anywhere.
It's almost like there's a broken record here, trying to explain Pinterest and internet privacy to a hoard of deaf morons.
Joke: how many people on a smack blog does it take to screw in a light bulb (and by "screw in a light bulb," I mean "explain that ALL of your layouts in ALL of your galleries are pinned to my Pinterest board already because that's the way it works, suckas!")?
Change for the sake of change is desperate and flaky and causes unnecessary stress for customers. I agree with one of the other posters - Kami is grasping at a trend. SSD already tried this whole Pinterest type thing for their monthly challenges - and it didn't go over well.
I doubt this will, either.
The Pinterest format is very confusing to a lot of people. I can see many of them getting sick of being confused and stressed for no benefit.
I have a pinterest account for 2 years and the pin it button from day one. I have a board with my favorite scrapbook layouts so whenever I find a layout I love from scrapbook galleries I pin it there. My board has over 100.000 followers. When something is uploaded on the internet you never know where it will end up.So don't go crazy over nothing.
This is why so many people use stock photos on their CT/public pages. My DH doesn't want our kids on 100,000 Pinterest boards.
^^^^^ this
LMAO @ 84
#87 If you don't want your kids on the internet don't post their photos on the internet. It's easy.
90, that was 87's point. Duh.
And #91 that was my point..duh..don't post them on the internet and stop complaining about it.
And just because 100.000 people follow the board doesn't mean they have been repinned by 100.000 people. Don't make a big deal out of something so silly.
No one is making a big deal out of anything, 92. Some people don't share your opinion and they're voicing theirs. That is all.
I don't think you understand Pinterest. I can go into ANY gallery on ANY site and pi layouts to my Pinterest board, where they are public, can be re-pinned, and can go viral. I have a Pinterest button on my browser and I can pin any image I want. It's easy and the new SO gallery doesn't make it any easier, really.
Anyone who doesn't want their LOs possible pinned should avoid posting them publicly online, anywhere.
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There are ways to block being able to pin your images. I wish DS galleries would have a choice to "block pinning option" when ULing to their galleries.
I love Pinterest. I love DS and posting my LOs in the galleries--to give fellow scrappers inspiration and for me to browse the gallery for the same thing. And I get what Pinterest is. I also get that once I put an image on the internet, then it's out there forever. But that doesn't mean I have to just give up on keeping LOs, which I love sharing with fellow digi scrappers, off Pinterest (and other sites) if possible.
And I just don't like the set up of SO's new gallery. But that's just me. Pinterest-inspired or not, I just don't care for it. And there's no way I'm going to link ANYTHING to facebook, but especially a DS gallery. Facebook is so shady, why would I want to "link" my layouts to them? So they can use the pics in their site's advertising? So they can catalog what sites I visit and then tailor advertising to the results--or sell the results to other companies? Nope.
There are ways around pinning something that is blocked from being pinned. I pin stuff from Facebook every day (well I used to, I don't pin much anymore). If you really want it saved, it can be saved. Whether you pin it, save it to your computer - or even grab a screen shot of something that doesn't allow right clicks -- if someone wants to save it, they will. Period.
If a designer uses layouts as advertising that go against a company's tou's then it is copyright infringement. She may sell the pieces, but using the images of the sesame street/jim henson characters as promotional tools is infringement.
BTW if this was a paper company "selling pieces" and using the examples of the ss/jh characters as the way to use them, they'd be shut down and everyone would know they weren't supposed to do that. It's one thing for an individual to go and create them for their own personal layouts, it's another to provide them to another person (for sale or free) with the expectation that they will be used to create a copyrighted image.
Designers and store owners need to pull their heads out of their asses and start coming up with something original. If you want to create a kit with colors that would complement a layout about ss/jh or angry birds or any other copyrighted material, that's one thing, but you're crossing the line and I think it lacks integrity not to mention creativity for designers to keep doing it just because no one will pull their product. Shame on store owners for not being more vigilant on what goes in their stores.
Shame on you as customers for knowing it's copyright infringement and buying it anyway. You're part of the problem, too. Probably the same people who don't want people to copy or repin their layouts.
96, I was totally with you until that last oddball rant at the end. This has nothing to do w/ the Pinterest thing, and you weakened your argument by adding that part.
I agree, though, that Kami should pull those monsters out of the shop immediately. It makes her whole store look worse that she's allowing them to be sold there. I had a decent amount of respect for her a while back, but the more she allows Chelle and others to get away with shit like this, the more I want to see her fail.
#95 AMEN!
97- yes yes and YES
Huh. Go figure. The street smart is a redo of an old Connie prince and chelle kit sold at scrap matters in 2010
http://digiscrapaddicts.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16893
WTH...why would anyone pay this for these flowers? Six bucks is a bit steep for the exact same thing.
http://www.commercial-use.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_382&products_id=26462&utm_source=CU+Newsletter&utm_campaign=bc29d5e75f-2_15_132_15_2013&utm_medium=email
http://www.commercial-use.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_382&products_id=26501&utm_source=CU+Newsletter&utm_campaign=bc29d5e75f-2_15_132_15_2013&utm_medium=email
just read Little Green Frog Design's newsletter. Without first telling anyone (apparently), she did a giveaway using her subscribers' email addresses: "This week I decided to do a newsletter giveaway instead of on the blog so the random generator chose ___@____.com as the winner." But of course her newsletter has the real address, not a bunch of lines. So the winner's email address is plastered across her newsletter for everyone to see. Gee, thanks for paying attention to people's privacy.
That is insane. $6 for recolors, no thanks.
I also noticed that Boop has a newsletter service. Be careful with that. I bought one of her products, and she 'lovingly' subscribed me to a couple of newsletters without my permission.
#96 raises a good point about what would happen if a paper company did this. But if a paper company did this, they would have a legal team who would've told them "We need to talk to the Sesame Workshop/Jim Henson and get permission for this." Or perhaps the SS/JH would've approached a paper company and asked them to create a line of products featuring their characters. Either way, they would've done some due diligence to make sure it was OK for them to produce such product.
I'm really kind of shocked that Chelle would release these products (again, as it seems) since she was touting a copyright seminar she hosted a few months back (and is still for sale in her store). Maybe she's facing pressure to get products in the store?
Or maybe she did her research and decided that her packaging and examples didn't violate any copyright? *shrug* I don't know, I didn't do the webinar thingy she had. Apparently she consults wit h a copyright lawyer about this stuff, so maybe she stopped just short of violating any TOU. I'm certainly not an expert, just giving her the benefit of a doubt.
Anyone know what's happening with One Story Down?
I think that technically, she's not violating anything b/c she is only selling pieces. But I also think she is seriously toeing the line by showing those examples. If there weren't example monsters, she'd be clear. With the examples, though, she's infringing. And she of all people should know that. Get your head out of your ass, Chelle! OMG. And meanwhile, Kami, DO YOUR JOB. That product preview needs to be changed, or the product should be pulled. Chelle is making YOU and the rest of SO look BAD.
OSD is closing. The site crashed and Lauren isn't rebuilding it.
The better question is, what are all of the OSD designers doing now? That's some gossip I'd love to get into.
101, WHY are you shopping at a dive like that anyway??? Do you people really shop for CU at a store that looks like that?
Lauren has a new post that "all may not be lost". So something's up.
Look what just got posted on facebook:
Royanna Hohl Fritschmann
My beloved MAC - Macy is now a dead paperweight! Apple better stop messing around and fix it! 4 years with a costly paperweight it's a bit much!
Is anybody surprised? She's got less than 2 weeks to post all those freebies that she promised to post before the store closed. Guess they won't get posted now - or *gasp* will the store stay open another month so she can post them??
Lauren has a new post that "all may not be lost". So something's up.
Feb 16, 2013, 12:09:00 PM
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What a bunch of shit. If I were a designer there, I would run and continue looking for other options. Why would a store owner post that all is lost and that the store is closing if they weren't 100% sure? Horrible. Look at all your options first, then make your decision.
What a flake.
I hope all those designers find someplace better.
Does anyone know why the Tattered Pear Lauren Reed and Valorie Wibbens split their partnership?
#112 - I don't know the owner and I never purchased from that store, however, isn't it possible that she honestly thought everything was lost and maybe the tech person found something unexpected that might allow for the site to be brought back? If my tech guy tried several things and ends up telling me that it is all gone, I would likely trust his expertise, even if he comes back and finds a last minute possible option.
Yes, it is a smack blog, but it seems that very few people are given the benefit of the doubt (although, I do not know of past history about her so maybe I am wrong).
I've never followed Lauren that closely... What stores has she hopped around? I remember her at little dreamer, tlp, then osd. Were there others? If not I wouldn't really consider that store hopping.
Feb 14, 2013, 2:28:00 PM
Anonymous said... 63
2 Peas, SSD, 9th & B, i'm sure there are more?
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Oscraps (twice - she left, did a bunch of stores, and came back), the original Plain Digital Wrapper, The Digi Shoppe, Funky Playground Designs, Scrap Artist, ScrappingStyleTv.com (and this was only from 2006 to 2007!) - so yeah, a reputation for not staying put that is well deserved.
As a store owner, I have two back ups. You never know what's going to happen to one of them.
Am I the only one who does not like previews with just a bunch of elements all piled up in the middle. It looks like they were just to lazy to move them around. Maybe it is just me but it bugs me. Yuck! I see a lot of people doing it like that.
116- Agree 100%. I keep a local copy of everything in addition to the hosting backup.
The entire thing sounds crazy. To not have any code at all for the storefront/skinning? That makes no sense at all.
117 - I was at a store where we were strongly encouraged to do that. "People want to see your beautiful papers. All of the elements can be clumped together, just create more previews for element close ups." She was wacked in the head though.
117 - it just seems to be the new trend. I am sure it will pass. I don't like it either because I don't feel I can clearly see what is there.
119 - how about those who want to see your beautiful elements too!? If anything, make 2 previews: one for papers one for elements. That is what I think anyways.
In any case, how can you clearly see the beautiful papers when you have 15 of them showing barely an inch of their beauty?
Previewing is always a challenge. You want it to look attractive and not... cluttered. It's not as easy as it looks!
And different people will like different things so you cannot please everyone.
I do know its not easy. I am actually a designer myself and doing previews is always one of the things I have disliked. I also know everyone has different tastes. But just as an example of what I mean. All of the elements are in a big blob. She does not do this to showcase her paper and does not even include a separate paper preview. So why? I dont really get it. I see others in this store who are doing similar previews but some who do them differently so I am guessing it is not because she has to. https://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=325_329&products_id=18482&zenid=03fd51dc830cad756b0910f9aa1f7ba8 Not really my style but that is not even what I was looking at. I just mean the way the preview is done. (glad to know others dont like it much either)
With all due respect, the problem there is that the product is... OK, let's blame the preview.
I am a designer and I cluster my elements in the center/bottom half of the preview. I absolutely HATE the previews with elements all dragged out across the page, I think they look elementary like the designer has no idea how to cluster things together ... and even more I HATE the previews where there is a white/light sheet of paper behind the elements and they are all laid out, I think if you need to put a sheet of paper behind your elements for them to stand out against your kit papers, your designs are off.
Re: OSD - My guess is those 4 secret spots are the people who are taking over the store and Lauren is walking away.
As a customer I want to see all the elements I'm buying. I'm starting to get pissed when I see the CT Layouts of the "product" and there are tons of other elements used on the layouts from different designers or different products and I have no clue where to find them. I don't understand why the stores don't link the CT previews to the gallery so as a customer I can see which products were used and I can easily find more products I liked to buy. I buy stuff influenced by the way they are used on a layout. If I'm inspired by the layout then I'm buying the product. As good as a preview is, if there aren't good looking layouts to show how the products are used I'm not buying it.
I'm #128. An example:
After seeing this hybrid project with detailed info which products were used I ended up buying 4-5 products because I really liked the hybrid love book and it was easy for me to find the elements used.
http://blog.persnicketyprints.com/2013/02/free-digitalkit.html
I think it's time the stores step up their game and make it easier for customers to find products.
129- maybe designers don't want to "promote" other designers in their product description. I was told once, in a store, that it was ok to have CT layouts use other stuff, but I was not allowed to link. For example, templates can only be used with something else. If I release a template, the CT will be using a kit with it (possibly not mine). If the kit is from another designer in the store, maybe the store owner could allow it, but considering the frequent moves of designers, who can say that in 3 months, this kit will still be in the same store?
I agree with you: linking would make it easier for customers, but stores are scared of loosing sales if they link to somewhere else for any reason.
126, I am also a designer and I have been for over 6 years now. I preview with the elements clustered in a way that I enjoy across the entire preview. I then offer additional previews to show papers. As a consumer I rarely buy a kit that does not show the elements well. If your elements are all clustered in the middle of your preview that is not selling point for me. I rarely cluster more than a few elements together when I scrap. It's not my style of scrapping. I have no need to see how the elements cluster together. If the kit is amazing and the layout examples show elements well I might buy it, but it's unlikely if everything is in a clustered blob.
126, You appear to be attracted to the clustered pile of items. You probably cluster a lot when you scrap. This is because we have different styles. This is okay. You flipping out about designers who do not cluster in the middle and calling them "elementary" is not okay. It is incredibly immature.
For all others, preview the way you like. There are customers that are attracted to many different preview types and styles, but not everyone is going to like the same thing. Very few customers and designers are neurotic enough to have strong feelings about the way another designer previews.
I am 126 I know there are many styles of doing everything and I am not really saying do what everyone else does. If that were the case I would have quit doing this many years ago lol. I just dont know how one big blob showcases your stuff. Actually I have a script for doing previews and that is what it does to them. Just puts them all in the middle of the page. So other than moving the large items to the back I would not be doing much would I. I dont mind some clustering but I also dont find spreading them out elementary. I spread and cluster. So to each their own I guess. I just dont get the blob that is all! But then again lots of statues, and pots, and fake doves, and baskets, etc are not really my style either but some people love it so like I said to each their own! :)
I've never believed a previewing script would be much use - I know how much time and thought it takes to preview a kit and there's no way a script could do it unaided. But the point is, prepare an attractive preview that gives the purchaser a good idea of what is in the kit. That just makes sense.
A script or action can help in doing the copying, pasting, resizing, especially if one had 20 papers and 75 elements or such, but a script, action, template or any such tools are just tools: they have no clue what looks good or not, or what elements should be in front of others, etc.
Actions and scripts are tools; not replacement for a good eye.
I build the preview as I go, so I would have no use for a script that just dumped everything on there. I place them as I make them, and adjust as I go. By the time I finish making the kit, the preview is done.
I'm 96 and I wasn't addressing the pinterest conversation I at all, so no it doesn't weaken my argument, because my argument is specifically about the copyright issues and the people here saying that they will still buy the kit, knowing that it violates copyrights.
135 - different people like different things, just like different designers work differently. I don't do the preview as I go because I feel I need to know what I have before I start the preview, so a tool is useful for me. But I am not expecting the tool to do it ALL.
but a script, action, template or any such tools are just tools: they have no clue what looks good or not, or what elements should be in front of others, etc.
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Exactly my thought. And it seems that there are some designers who think they can just stop when it's all piled up. And I can't even fathom that.
And different people will like different things so you cannot please everyone.
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You don't say?
it just seems to be the new trend. I am sure it will pass.
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A trend that has been around for about 4 years, so I don't think it will pass.
Exactly my thought. And it seems that there are some designers who think they can just stop when it's all piled up. And I can't even fathom that.
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Tools are tools and designers should be ... DESIGNING. Many newbies forget that little detail (maybe some veterans too?)
Hey 136:
"Shame on you as customers for knowing it's copyright infringement and buying it anyway. You're part of the problem, too. Probably the same people who don't want people to copy or repin their layouts."
You actually < < WERE > > addressing the Pinterest issue, you nitwit. It's in plain print just above this.
Oh and you just weakened your argument further by showing everyone what a nitwit you really are.
I can see the connection. People who buy copyright infringed products but not wanting other people to copy their layouts or repinning them. Makes sense to me. It's called being a hypocrite.
142 - I think you weakened your argument once you started calling the op names.
I buy KITS for PAPERS and ELEMENTS. If I were only buying something for the papers, I'd buy a paper pack. Make your previews to capture the most customers, so include as much as possible in your listing. If you like the all over elements, then you absolutely must show the papers on another preview.
Kit previews with tiny elements make no sense to me. The size of the preview is already small enough, make them large enough so people can see them.
It's always amusing to me when people posting on a smack blog get judgmental about other people's name-calling on said smack blog. It's, um, a smack blog.
Why is everyone getting so mad about previews? If you're a designer and your products sell, there's no need to try to convert other designers to your own way of doing previews here on a smack blog. Do your thing and chill out.
If you're a designer and your products don't sell, however, then you can/should re-think your preview format but in that case it's even LESS logical for you to try to convert everyone else here to your way of thinking.
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews. If you don't like the previews, don't buy the product. Why so grumpy about it here?
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews.
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I love that designers are saying "I do it THIS way and it totally works!"...because they want other designers to copy their winning preview formula and steal sales from them? SMH.
I love that designers are saying "I do it THIS way and it totally works!"...because they want other designers to copy their winning preview formula and steal sales from them? SMH.
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Or steer them to a way that doesn't work and steal their sales :D
Obviously there isn't really anything going on in the digi world or we wouldn't be having such an inane conversation. Sigh.
Before you all bitch at me for not offering topic changes, I'll try. Does anyone really truly actually know what is going on with OSD? Is Lauren selling it? Are the designers being taken on elsewhere? Someone has to know something. Spill it, it's got to be more interesting than talking about bad previewing.
Well, it's been a few days since SO's gallery switch....anyone changed their mind about it? There seem to be a few grannies that are vocal in the forum about the confusing change.....
I am entertained by how agitated everyone is getting about other people's previews. If you don't like the previews, don't buy the product. Why so grumpy about it here?
^^^
It's kinda like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Some things people do, and others say 'ooooh' and 'aaaaah' and 'beautiful' to things that make my skin crawl. I'm not trying to change anyone, I'm just expressing my honest opinion about it - on a smack blog, where I don't have to pretend to be nice to everyone like I do in my store.
I don't think it's juts designers using a script that blobs everything and leaving it there - some designers (and customers) really like that 'blob' look. Just like some people like really deep, dark shadows that make it look like flowers and ribbons are levitating 4 inches of your page.
150-I don't have any inside scoop, but it seems like many of the designers have moved on. I'm glad they are and hope they end up in better managed stores. This should be an eye-opener into how poorly Lauren ran things behind the scenes with no back-up of anything herself!
151-I haven't changed my mind. I still hate the idea and will no longer post anything at SO. I know I'm not alone in this, either. I don't need to post there to shop there. Outside of a few of my favorites, I wont be shopping there much, either.
Ok, I have a change of topic. I know I have seen some discussion on here before about it, but, it is driving me crazy and might be my BIGGEST pet peeve of the digiworld. Why is it that designers, I mean long established designers, have no idea how to zip their files so that they unzip to the proper folders and their TOU and fan blinkie, etc, aren't duplicated for every file? It is not rocket science and only takes a few minutes to break up the files, organize them, and zip them properly. Okay, done the rant. Argh!
Maybe they also sell the kit broken up into "papers" "elements" "alpha". So, the TOU and so on would be in those folders as they are sold separately, and if you buy the full kit, you're just getting the same 3 zip files.
Honestly, I've heard this before, and I have no idea why it bothers people so much to get extra copies of the TOU and blinkies. They're easy to delete. Seems like a waste of energy to get upset about it.
I DO hate when the files explode all over the desktop.
Okay I get that they break it up, but, some stores have limits on download size and so they break the kit up smaller for download and instead of all the papers unzipping into the same folder, you get 4 different folders all with the TOU and Previews etc? Do you really believe that is necessary. Sure it is easy to delete, but, as a customer do I not have the right to request less of a disorganized mess at unzipping? It was the first thing I learned, as a selling designer, was the proper way to zip files. It should be something that is uniform across the board.
I hate when they put the preview in a separate folder, so I have to go through that stupid folder I normally just delete to drag it out. I know it's easy, but it's annoying.
My biggest peeve, though, is when designers name their zips something other than their design name. Litabells for example. I love her work, but she names her files mbloomer instead of litabells. I know (now) that her name is Melita Bloomer, but why name your files something different than your design name? It's confusing.
She's not the only one, but she's the one I could think of straight off.
157: I hate when they put the preview in a separate folder, so I have to go through that stupid folder I normally just delete to drag it out. I know it's easy, but it's annoying.
ditto! I cut the TOU and preview and delete the rest with blinkies, links, thankyou file, etc. My fav. is that stupid piracy jpg:)
Or steer them to a way that doesn't work and steal their sales :D
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you sneaky bitches! ;) I'm just too naive for this blog I guess.
My zip program just deletes or overwrites duplicates automatically, so when I unzip them I don't have to worry about it. It really isn't that much of an issue.
A lot of the designers I buy from sell separate packs so their stores might require a preview/tou in each file or something.
#160 what zip programme do you use?
My pet peeve is when I unzip and the files are not in a folder and they explode everywhere. Not that it doesn't bother me when I have to delete previews and other uneccesary files.
I also hate it when the designer uses Mac (I'm a pc user) and my winrar programme shows me error and I freak out everytime thinking that the file is corrupt. Fortunately it unzips everything correctly and leaves me with a mac folder.
Another pet peeve (geez I got many) is when a product for sale doesn't have layouts. I want to see the product used on a page or else I'm not buying it.
SSD has changed their pholosophy about sales and I'm glad. I'm shopping from them all the time now.
So what are the four empty slots for at OSD? Does anyone know?
#161
I use Jzip. I do have to press the ok or do this for all button but it works for me.
#163- Some designers left OSD and didn't stick around.
SSD has changed their pholosophy about sales and I'm glad. I'm shopping from them all the time now.
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Agreed.
Explain?
Does it bug anyone else that DHD calls an element pack or a paper pack a kit? A kit is not just papers.
I don't think it's juts designers using a script that blobs everything and leaving it there - some designers (and customers) really like that 'blob' look. Just like some people like really deep, dark shadows that make it look like flowers and ribbons are levitating 4 inches of your page.
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I agree! How do designers not know how to create realistic shadows to make things look as though they would if actually placed on a pieces of paper? It makes me wonder if their elements are shadowed all floaty too and that's why I wouldn't buy their product.
Kimerick Kreations is one of the worst about this. Someone needs to teach her some previewing skills b/c even though I have seen some decent pages from her kits but I would never buy a kit of hers from the previews b/c everything looks like it's floating and it makes things look blurry and like there is questionable quality. The only kit I own of hers is from Digi Files and the preview turned me off but the kit is OK.
I DO hate when the files explode all over the desktop.
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That is designers who group items and then zip the items instead of putting them into a folder and then zipping the folder. It shouldn't be hard but apparently it is because it happens to me all the time. C'mon designers!
SSD has changed their pholosophy about sales and I'm glad. I'm shopping from them all the time now.
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I think you're mistaken. Just because they're having sales all month right now to celebrate the shop's birthday, doesn't mean that is going to continue. Don't hold your breath.
#163- Some designers left OSD and didn't stick around.
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Who left and where did they go? I didn't follow OSD closely enough to know who is missing right off.
171- They've been having promotions since last year and so far through 2013. Their FWP kit every 2 weeks has been said that will continue.
They'll continue to do the normal release sales and it seems likely they'll continue to do promotions throughout the year as well. Every week? probably not, but my guess is far more frequently than they have in the past.
I've always been an SSD shopper and have bought more in the past 6 months than I ever have because of the sales and promotions. I'm clearly not the only one and that's likely to influence future promos.
If they're doing better with their new sales approach, they'd be foolish to stop it.
I want to know what a pholosophy is and where can I get one?
173, haven't they been doing the FWP for a couple of years now? Or was that a new thing that started last spring when their designers turned over and they brought on new people? I thought I remembered it before that.
174- it's probably a typo. You know, those things you obviously never make.
173 - It started with the new site design in Jan 2012.
You know what bugs me, when I see comments like "breathtaking" on a layout like this:
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/485311_575477012462922_592291898_n.jpg
Can someone school me on what's "breathtaking" about this?
I think that is actually a very nice layout.
There is nothing wrong with someone calling that layout breathtaking at all. It appears to be a layout that has a lot of meaning for the scrapper and may have a lot of meaning for other scrappers in similar circumstances. You do realize it is about this woman's autistic child, right? If you didn't, read the journaling. I'll be adding this to my favorites.
I think it's an average layout, not breathtaking in any way. Looks like it took 5 mins to throw together outside of the barely readable journaling in a horrible font on a busy, text heavy background.
I like how #180 points out the Autism aspect (in a very condescending way) and the first line of the journaling is about the subject being more than Autism.
If parents want their children to be bigger than their ailments, stop pointing out their difficulties - especially writing it in the child's voice. There is no way a kid that age is that advanced in verbal communication.
#178: It's breathtaking because it's a layout by Kimberly Morris and a comment by Laura Wilson. It has nothing to do with talent, ability, or the actual layout. It's all about one person feeding the ego of another person. Period.
There is nothing special about that layout at all and I agree with #181: bad font on a busy background.
181, I'm 180. I have a child with autism. The layout resonates with me. There was absolutely nothing condescending about my reply.
180 again. I don't know who Kimberly Morris or Laura Wilson are. One of the reasons the layout resonates with me is the journaling on the busy background that you dislike. It's possible that I'm looking into it more than is there, but trying to see into the mind of my child often feels just like trying to focus with a busy background. There are many times when everything seems so busy or jumbled and all I can do is focus on my child's beautiful face and remind myself there is so much more there. I think this layout is breathtaking because it puts something I often feel into an image. You may not like the layout, but it seems more like a personal issue with the scrapper. There are much worse layouts to pick upon.
174- it's probably a typo. You know, those things you obviously never make.
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It's called a joke, you know, that thing you don't get because you obviously don't have a sense of humor.
especially writing it in the child's voice. There is no way a kid that age is that advanced in verbal communication.
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Especially an autistic one at that.
If parents want their children to be bigger than their ailments, stop pointing out their difficulties
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I couldn't agree more.
I'm fine with the Scrap Orchard gallery now. There are some things that I miss with the old gallery, but it is okay. There's not enough wrong with it for me to get all freaked out and quit. I like the challenges and getting plum perks, so I'll continue buying and participating in the site.
I've also been a customer at SSD for the past 5 years and I've shopped more there in the last 6 months than I have in 5 years so yes the sales and promotions are very nice and I can't resist. I also like most of the FWP kits they have and I try to spend $10 in the shop. Other stores have Free With Purchase kits but not very good choices in my opinion.
One Story Down has 4 new owners!!! They just announced it on facebook!
Okay Chantal is Peeps & Milo designer. Who are the other owners. I have no clue.
FOUR new owners? That is one of the most insane and idiotic things I've seen in digi in a long time. I give it 3 months. Tops.
Scrapbook-Bytes has 3 owners and it seems to be working for them.
Scrapbook-Bytes? That place is still open? Doesn't seem like it's working THAT well or I would know they were still open. ...faded star...
It's not possible to come to this blog and not know they are still open. I see SBB's name posted here fairly regularly.
Interesting how people think the digiworld is revolving around what THEY know. If they never heard of a store, that store must not be that good or must be closed (or close to it)! They never heard of a designer? That designer must be a newbie or a nobody. Some people need to wake up. There are things they don't know exist and they do exist and some are also thriving.
So true 196!
That doesn't change the fact that SBB is a faded star. ITA w/ 194. I used to hear about SBB all the time, and in the past year or more I haven't heard a thing. Do their designers use social networking?
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