If you want to change it, change it. Change the topic, discuss something constructive. No one says you have to smack someone or should. This blog is what we all make it.
#1 - what are you doing here? If you are looking for something constructive, go to a forum or something.
It's a smack blog and no, they aren't junior high school things. In fact, adults are just as cruel in that regard. People talk smack all the time. It's no different than people talking in real life and saying negative, hurtful things about their neighbors or family or friends or co-workers. If you tell me you don't know people like that, you are lying. Everyone knows people like that. You may not participate but you still know those kinds of people.
You conflate your comments here with magazine reviews of movies or music, but they at least are able to make cogent observations about the work to support their opinions. --------
Crap.
Definition of crap:
1. Excrement. 2. An act of defecating. 3. Foolish, deceitful, or boastful language. 4. Cheap or shoddy material. 5. Miscellaneous or disorganized items; clutter. 6. Insolent talk or behavior.
What I don't get is why people here can't post legitimate criticism of work without getting all nasty about it. I can swear like a sailor too, I am just smart enough to know when it's required and when it's just being childish like a 12 year old who just learned a new word.
If you don't like the style of Cassel's script results, then say that. Say they look dated, flat, whatever. But to call them 'pathetic', 'trailer trash version products', and 'gross' is not legitimate critique. You conflate your comments here with magazine reviews of movies or music, but they at least are able to make cogent observations about the work to support their opinions.
Whatever your age, I would hope anyone old enough to be posting on here would be mature enough to not resort to name-calling and bullying. ----------
Congratulations on your Gold Star!!
Gold star for being one of the more pompous and sanctimonious hand slappers to come and visit.
#12, You don't belong here. Go start your own lovefest (aka constructive critism) blog. You can delete anything that you feel is mean and be in total control. It will be the great place you feel this blog should be.
Nope. I just can't stand people who feel the need to use obscure words when other words will do. Do you do it for fun, power or ... fill in the blank. I'm sure you can.
I have a big vocabulary too but I know when and where to use it.
Those words aren't obscure to a lot of us, expand your vocabulary beyond crap. Although you clearly have a great grasp on that amazingly descriptive epithet.
Those words aren't obscure to a lot of us, expand your vocabulary beyond crap. Although you clearly have a great grasp on that amazingly descriptive epithet. -----------
If by 'lot of us' you mean the pompous, sanctimonious, hand slappers, I guess you'd be right. You seem to have a reading comprehension problem though, I never said I didn't know them, I said they were obscure and they are. Maybe you should stop looking up words on the dictionary in order to impress us lowly mean girls.
Nope, not leaving you. Too much fun poking at the animals and watching them growl. Fun AND mean. Sorry to make you feel bad for being mean girls. ----------
Yes, you are just so much better, aren't you? Do you feel bad now, mean girl?
189 - 197 (because most of them are obviously by the same person)
Yes, its quite obvious that you are one of the ones that need to make themselves feel better by saying this blog had no power. Lol. If it makes you sleep better the night to preach your worthless nonesense about how this blog has "no power". No one here is in denial but you....
I don't know but I'm sick the the WK trolls that have been coming around here telling us we are in denial.
If there is proof that this blog caused Cassel to be fired, I'll gladly post an apology to all the designers I ever said create "crap" and swear off this blog forever unless it is to just post constructive criticism. And then I'll post it under my real profile.
So, go forth, White Knight Troll and save your damsel in distress with evidence to bring us out of the darkness of denial! You have a mission!
I don't recall anybody saying Cassel's stuff is "trailer trash"? I don't know. I miss things.
That was said about Posers last month. I would think poser designers would be flattered since that is the look they are usually going for when they design those trashy looking things. So, that was constructive, 198.
#1 Cassel's SHCO scripts were as old as the hills - at least 4 years old for all of them she had up. She was really just learning scripting when all of those scripts were made - I know this because I was a long ago customer and I have had some of them since that time. They were okay for 4 years ago, they are not good now. Her newer stuff is better.
#2 Cassel would not put her newest scripts in the store because her customers would buy all their scripts from SHCO (instead of her personal store) because just one script would also get the freebie of the week.
#3 Cassel goes to stores not for orders, but to get the names of designers who use PSP so she can market them directly and then get them to buy from her store directly which gives her more money in her pocket.
#4 If this blog had any influence, Miss Tiina would not be in business.
#5 If this blog had any influence, all designers selling for Miss Tina would be blacklisted because they are selling for Miss Tina. (And Miss Tina would go out of business)
Yeah. And there's no proof of any of those points. Keep assuming to make yourself feel better. Lol. There's no proof either way so you preaching to those that think this blog had something to do with it is just as redundant as you feel they are.
While you are attempting to state fact, the other party is just saying "probably". Its hard to take anyone seriously that is attempting to push they anonymous "facts" down others throats. Once you realize that you're anonymous and you have no creditabilty, you will have a much easier time.
As for misstina being out of business and her other designers black listed, what part of SOME people are impressionable didn't you understand? If it was said that everyone is, then you'd have a valid point.
Just stop. Its obvious you're one of tinas butt buddies. So give it up.
Wow, you know a lot of facts about Cassel to post #2 and #3. Are you in her head? FYI, she had some very recent scripts in there; the Seamless tiling comes to mind (added to her personal store in June 2012) or the Kidnap Alpha (added in November 2012) to name just a couple. As for #3, why would anyone need to go and sell in a store to see if designers are using PSP? If that were the case, she would pick a store with many more designers than SHCo!
And as a side note, if this blog had any influence, Miss Tina would read it and offer a coupon to the customers who bought into the Confectionary Club, just after it be mentioned in here, but that would never happen, would it?
36 Lol @ the last paragraph. Tina is one of the ones that are very impressionable so I'm not going to put it past her to have fired Cassel although I'm not going to state it as fact like Tina's butt buddies are either.
I can't remember who said it but yeah...because Tina is really going to fire one of her bigger earners because of ONE thing said about her PERSONAL USE products which SHCO doesn't even sell.
One thing said about Just Jaimee PU vs back to back smacking of Cassel's "crap". Like the other person said...you do the math.
Being high and mighty on a Smack Blog is like preaching for Vegetarians at a Steak House.
Let's not let the negative nelly's (haha :P at the 60 and over comment) get in our way, so what else shall we talk about?
How about the potential death of DST? I joined there a fairly short time ago and it seems dead except CTM posts. Was there ever any "active" discussion there for customers/scrappers or do you recommend a similar site that does?
DST is slow because everyone is posting on this smack blog and nobody dares to post under their own name for fear of then being smacked here. (maybe this blog has that much power?)
I think most forums are becoming slower and slower. Some are still active only because staff keep it up (designers and CT), or they have challenges where participants can get free stuff but I think that a lot of scrappers are now moving to other means of socializing, namely FB and such. I think forums in general are in decline. DST is not immune to the social changes. But that is just my opinion.
DST is slow because everyone is posting on this smack blog and nobody dares to post under their own name for fear of then being smacked here. (maybe this blog has that much power?) ----- Yes. I have had people say to me in private they're afraid to post there because they'll be smacked here. So not only does the bad behavior here affect people, it affects other sites and is bad for the industry. That said, if people could take a little constructive criticism, and not get all hissy over at DST when they don't like someone's 'tone' or 'attitude' then maybe people wouldn't feel they have to post here so they could be anonymous and this place could be left to the meanies.
Oh my..so boring... I read all of January's comments and the topic is all about Cassel? and script stuff and Sugar Hilco. Blah blah blah blah blah... Anyway...I'm a customer and I don't understand the hype about Miss Tina's CU Designs. There's nothing special about them.
I think Facebook is about to be dated when it comes to advertising. Their new algorithms make my posts hardly seen at all, and I have a few thousand FB subscribers. Even when I've experimented with paid posts I haven't seen a big increase in the number of people that have seen the status. I am trying to focus more on my email newsletter lately to make up that slack. I could try and "work" Facebook, but am a little unsure if that time would be worth my effort, KWIM?
I think Facebook for advertising is or will be less and less effective because people have so many posts in their feed that if they are not looking at it all the time, they will likely miss the ad that was posted 15 minutes before. And unlike yahoo groups (that are also in steep decline) you can hardly search the subject, or save for reviewing later or even put a filter to flag some posts.
Facebook for socializing? maybe. For serious exchange and wide advertising? not so much. Forums for socializing? not anymore. For serious exchange? Maybe, since you can go back and read an answer from last week. But overall, forums are generally less active, in many places. Some stores don't even have forums anymore while it used to be almost automatically associated with every store.
I see all the ads from designers I liked. I know because I have them in that special feed as well which I check everyday. I also see all the stupid "Facebook isn't letting you see my stuff" posts. I think it's BS. I think what's broken is the tool that tells you how many actually saw your post because they want you to choose the promote button and give them money.
Facebook sucks lately. Although I'm on facebook all day I still seem to lose lots of new posts. The last month facebook is posting everything mixed up. Posts from 5 minutes ago show up and then posts from a day or two ago beneath that. I'm so sick and tired of it. I made a list with favorite designers and a list with favorite stores, I check them daily and I don't lose anything.
I agree that forums are on the way out as a socialization venue, and social networks are better for that. What about SBGs CONNECT thing. Has anyone registered for that? Will it be just one more place not to remember to go? Does FB work just because folks are on there anyway, and don't have to go somewhere else to interact with other scrappers?
Most days I sit and wonder why in the hell I read this blog. It apparently has some sort of power over my better judgement. -------- I feel the same way. It is like a train wreck. I don't feel good about reading or posting. I am afraid that something might be said about me. If that happened, I would crawl into a hole. We have all given too much power to this blog when it is really just random rants that are fueled by (enter your excuse here) I feel dumber just for being here, and yet again, I post. Thanks paranoia.
yes, 52, we are already on facebook. I can get updates from my favorite companies, not just digi scrap too, all in one place. And I don't have to clutter up my inbox. I just keep scrolling on FB if it doesn't catch my eye. Plus I'm in interest groups on there which works similar to a forum. If a designer doesn't post their new release on FB, I won't know about it and probably won't purchase it.
I have a couple designers that I let into my email inbox. They send coupons in their newsletters and I buy from them regularly. But even then, I wait for the new release to come up on FB and then hit my filtered inbox to find the coupon.
#54 I also find everything on facebook. If I don't see it on facebook then I won't find out about it either. I'm subscribed to too many newsletters. I have to unsubscribe because I don't bother reading most of the newsletters anyway. Facebook is easier for me. I find everything in one place.
Here is a freebie by Sweet Digi scraps http://sweetdigiscraps.blogspot.com It made me laugh so hard! I'll definitely use it for all my prostitute pages! (sarcasm...)
Amazingly, some might choose not to get such a kit, while only a couple of elements are not their style, and the rest could very well be usefull. We are so easily influenced by a few details and miss the overall. I would not use those characters, but the elements are cute.
I've been following Sweet Digi Scraps and getting a lot of her freebies during December. That kit is not typical of her usual style, which I really like and I've kept a lot of the stuff I downloaded. I definitely don't see how those doodles will lend one to think about prostitutes; just don't use them if they're not your thing. (And this has nothing to do with her design style whatsoever, but I find her to have a very sweet and fun personality and I aspire to be a mom like her to my kids)
#56 I have downloaded this kit and its really good quality. Those characters led me to think sassy, not prostitute and to be honest I still don't see it after your comment. Did you look at any other part of the kit? or just the characters and then post here?
If she doesn't like the figures, then she doesn't like them. It's an opinion that they look like prostitutes. There is no need to keep harping at the poster to change her mind.
I often times choose to not download or purchase a kit because of 1 or 2 elements. It's a personal choice that is totally ok to make.
#67 The price of a full kit are generally lower than some top tier stores however I find the elements to be way overpriced. http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=354&cat=38&page=1 http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=23&cat=37&page=1 http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=43&cat=42&page=1
Oh my..so boring... I read all of January's comments and the topic is all about Cassel? and script stuff and Sugar Hilco. Blah blah blah blah blah... Anyway...I'm a customer and I don't understand the hype about Miss Tina's CU Designs. There's nothing special about them. ------------
What hype? And what you have you contributed? Oh, you are customer and expect to be entertained do you? Instead of complaining about how boring it is, contribute something.
How about the potential death of DST? I joined there a fairly short time ago and it seems dead except CTM posts. Was there ever any "active" discussion there for customers/scrappers or do you recommend a similar site that does? ------
It's been dead for over three or four years now. There is no potential death, it has died!
It was very active for the first two or three years but it become more and more of an advertising venue and people just stopped going.
I feel the same way. It is like a train wreck. I don't feel good about reading or posting. ---------
It's nothing like a train wreck and if you don't feel good about reading or posting, then don't or go and do some penitence afterwards so you'll feel better. SMH.
72, read 62 & 66. That's the harping I'm talking about: "Did you even look at the rest of the kit?" Trying to get the OP to see past what she feels is distasteful.
#77 & 78 - that's still only two posts, not exactly a harping, not that it matters. The OP wanted people to smack the kit but that didn't happen. That's the way it works around here sometimes.
someone mentioned forums being "empty" because of fb. I hate fb. Lately I can't see anyone's posts, even if I'm subscribed to them or whatever. It's really annoying. So I hope forums don't close down. I'd hate having to use fb for my DS news. I do like Twitter, though. I hate blogs (too much rambling), so I like a tweet's 140 character limit.
The thing that really bugs me is I can't organize my pages feed like my newsfeed, i.e. have the most recent posts on top. It seems that it's totally haphazard-- I have posts half an hour ago mixed with those 8 hours ago. Or maybe I can-- am I missing something?
#92 That frustrates me too. I stayed loyal to facebook after so many changes but I think this will be the end. I'm sick and tired of the changes and making things more difficult than easier for us.
Anyway...if you want to follow specific pages or friends the best way is to make interest lists and check the lists. Everything will be in time order.
I'm 92, and posts are time-sensitive to me because I like to participate in speed scraps, chats and so on, and sometimes I miss announcements. Some designers give out coupons to the first 5 customers who use the code, etc, and it sucks to see it an hour later. Same goes for when there are flash sales.
Thanks, 95. I might just make some lists to see how that goes. Not sure how to organize my 100+ pages though.
Scrapflower just announced an hour ago on facebook: We are coming back soon!! Stay tuned for more info..... In the meantime, tell all your friends :) -----------------
Hmm, these last minute resurrections of stores rarely seem to work out in the long run.
I've seen quite a few instances where we actually had conversations on this Smack Blog that were still smacking yet in a constructive and rather helpful at times, manner.
Oh but that must have been a fluke because the bitches are out in drones again, proclaiming the Smack blog as a Bitch Blog. Two words, two meanings.
100, 102: Then why don't you be the help desk? You haven't offered anything helpful. All you do is lecture people on how you think they should behave on this blog.
What does their former CT Lead's response have to do with it? I would think she would be happy to see the store not totally go under.
I doubt it's a marketing strategy. Closing doors doesn't make more money for a store or designer during the down time. If that is a "strategy" then it's completely stupid.
110- do you think the ct lead is really surprised that the store is coming back? As in she didn't know?
Or is her response a marketing opp? With FB's new algorithm they show the post to more people if more people like/comment/share. It increases the visibility of that post and subsequent
I didn't think the DHD releases this week were as bad as when they announced the 2 new designers. However, I could have done without the same alpha in 15 different colors.
Is Amanda Rockwell going to be releasing products anymore? It's been months since her last one.. ------------------- You might get a more accurate answer if you asked her, in her forum or on her blog. She might actually appreciate that someone wants her products!
109 - they are fairies. They may look like "trash" to you, but they are fairies. They have flower petals as skirts. I think you need to take a xanax. You seem over the top weird about this.
Who has DLed the MSA Presentation kit (or whatever they're calling it)? Shabby Miss Jenn isn't my style, but I like the kit. But if you remove all the recolors, then there are barely any elements. There are about 21 if you don't count the WA.
120, 21 just seemed small when compared to the total number of elements (43 plus 10 WA pieces). So basically, half the elements are just recolors. That annoys me because 21 unique elements doesn't seem like a lot to me. Maybe I just buy from designers who provide more unique elements. Like I said, I don't hate the kit, but I do wish it were bigger. Not HUGE, but like 30, 35 elements.
122, here's the link. http://www.myscrapbookart.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17537&cat=0&page=&featured=Y
Considering that SMJ probably donated the kit, I think it is large enough. She generally does a lot of recolors. She's still kinda old school in that way. But her larger kits in her store have a lot of unique elements.
If I had paid for the presentation pass at $5 for the 12 kits, recolored elements wouldn't be a biggie for me. What does that work out at, 41 cents for one whole kit? I certainly wouldn't be annoyed about that. However, if I had paid full price for the kit, yes, then I would be annoyed about the amount of recolors.
I would only be annoyed if it was $8 for the kit. I wouldn't if it was $4 as sold now at MSA. It's larger than a mini-kit but not quite a full-size kit.
Tackiest newsletter in a long time, from Chelle tonight titled Do The Math. The text: "Sometimes I hear peeps say that they want to wait to get a kit 'til I'm having a sale. I actually have a sale EVERY week. The new release sale is one of my best deals. Let's look at the math. This week the bundle (valued at $11) is just $6.60 AND that price also includes the FREE with Purchase Rub-ons (valued at $3.50) So that's $14.50 worth of products for just $6.60. LESS THAN HALF PRICE! Snag it quick."
Well, she's right, even if you don't like the way she said it. After a while you get tired of some customers penny pinching. Mind you, most customers are awesome, but there are a few who will have a fit if they pay 3 cents more than they think they should. Even the griping about the recolors above over a kit they paid 4 bucks for. Try buying ANYTHING paper for 4 bucks and getting so much for it.
#130 - if most customers are awesome, why let the few who aren't bother you so much?
The paper argument is irrelevant. We aren't buying paper. It's like comparing MP3s with a CD. People buy the digital version for a reason. Besides, I can get a whole paper kit for $4, it probably also have a bunch of cheap recolored elements. So, I guess it could be the same.
^^THIS. It's not about paper either. Think about how much time and creative energy goes into creating a single kit. Not to mention Chelle creates a lot of her own elements. That takes money, too.
I think the kit mentioned (MSA) is well worth $4. I'd probably pay even more for it even with the recolors. Because recolors save me time and energy, too. I don't have to go digging through my stash to see if I can find a matching ribbon or try to recolor something to the color I want it. Yes, I'm quite capable of doing so myself, but I rather get back to making memories than having to recolor an item.
I do think it was poorly worded on Chelle's part, but she has a point. If you don't think it's worth the price try making it yourself. I bet your attitude will change real quick when you realize just how much time it takes to even recolor an element properly much less create one from scratch.
Did the customer actually say she didn't think it worth the price? And griped about it to Chelle? Or just that she prefers to wait for a sale? Because there's a difference. While I might think a kit is worth $5 or $6 or $7 or whatever, doesn't mean I can afford to buy it at that price. Even if I can afford it, I might not need it immediately so why buy at that price when I can get it for cheaper a few months later during a sale. And as for her "maths", that's only true if I want the whole bundle and the FWP. I usually only want the kit & I only buy kits during a major sale. Doing so doesn't mean I'm griping about prices or saying designers are over-charging or whatever, I'm only trying to stretch my limited financial resources the furthest it can go.
The paper argument is irrelevant. We aren't buying paper. -------------- Exactly. Paper suppliers have the additional expense of actually printing their supplies - they have to pay for the paper and the ink. With digital, I'm incurring that cost instead of the designer.
Also, when I was a paper scrapper I didn't buy 12 papers and 30 elements. I bought 2-3 papers and a few elements. With digital kits, I end up with a lot of stuff I'm not going to use. I figure out how much I'm willing to pay based on how much I'm actually going to use.
133, I doubt it was because anyone said anything to her. I think it is pretty normal for people to want to wait for a sale. I know that's what I usually do. And she's probably hit the January drop in sales, so she's pushing people to consider buying. I don't think there is anything wrong with pointing out that it's a good value to buy on new-release day. That's what a newsletter should do. But it was snarky to title it, "Do the math." I expected to open the email and see a math-related kit.
#130 - if most customers are awesome, why let the few who aren't bother you so much? ------
Point taken ;)
I know that paper and digi are different, but I do think there's a certain devaluation that takes place about digi - kits are expected to have a large number of elements whether you are going to use them all or not but you only want to pay for what you are going to use.
I don't buy based on how much I'll use from a kit. I have no way of knowing how much I'll use until the page is finished. I don't expect prices to reflect how much I'll use from a kit either. I wouldn't even know how to calculate that.
re recolors/MSA kit: I don't mind the recolors themselves, but I do mind how few unique elements are in the kit once you "take out" the recolors. That's what bothers me. And yes, I bought the pass, which was a GREAT deal. But I do hope that future kits are a bit bigger in size. I assumed the kits, based on what MSA said, would be big and special. This was medium and OK. But maybe I feel that way because SMJ isn't my personal style. Problem is, the black paper texture she used is very blurry...and besides using it on papers, she used it on some of the elements. So now that number of 21 unique elements is even smaller because I've got to delete some things.
But it was snarky to title it, "Do the math." I expected to open the email and see a math-related kit.
________________
Exactly. Don't boss your customers around. They will buy when they want to, and you have no control over that unless you want to be bitchy like that e-mail. If a customer wants to wait for a sale, let them! If they'll actually be spending more during the sale than right now during new releases, then you (the designer) earn more. Why worry about that?
No, sounds to me like Chelle is hard up for money right now.
140, you probably shouldn't spend your money on anything that is sight-unseen with your high expectations. I paid my $5 for the year and that was exactly the size of kit I expected. I didn't expect huge kits.
If you are a designer, I would stay away. Unless you don't mind being paid when she gets around too it and poorly thought out promotions. Been there, done that. No thank you.
I realize she is sick, but she needs to delegate or take a step back if she cannot handle her business.
143-If you are a customer, I feel the same way as 144. I've had VERY poor customer service there, and just don't shop there anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.
Honest question- not trying to bash her- but just what is wrong with Royanna (I've always assumed cancer, but never knew for sure)? I've been to Divine Digital on-and-off for several years and have heard mention that she is sick for all those years, but have never seen it posted what is exactly keeping her ill. I figured it was discussed (probably briefly) before I got there and never felt like it would be a welcome question to ask it on their forums. (I questioned something once on the forum about when something would be ready and got my ass handed to me by an admin and Royanna, as well. Never really felt like I wanted to ask ANYTHING after that.) Also-I have downloaded the DAD kits (when I remember about them) and it always seems like Royanna is sick again or having internet problems. Right now she hasn't posted any of her parts for January because of a router problem. And everyone is, "Oh thanks for letting us know! Hate those computer issues! LOL" and all singing camp fire songs.
It *seems like* she is always sick or having computer issues and this is going back several years. Not every month is she late or ill (that I know of), but enough that when it was mentioned again on the forum that she had computer problems or was feeling ill that I got to thinking it seems to happen quite often. I thought it just might be me, but now I hear she is late in paying her designers and made me think she's just flakey.
I bet your attitude will change real quick when you realize just how much time it takes to even recolor an element properly much less create one from scratch. ------
No. I know how to do those things. However, as a designer, you (generic you), have put yourself in a market, knowing what the going rate is for kits etc, complaining about how cheap the customer is getting it and how much work it is for you is ridiculous.
When's the last time you bought a CD? It's pretty damn comparable in price to the MP3 version. ------
Did you bother to read the rest of my reply? Or did you just decide to pick on this one particular point? However, since you seemed to have missed it, I can also get paper kits at comparable prices to digital kits.
I think it is pretty normal for people to want to wait for a sale. ---------
Exactly! And I bet that most designers who are complaining about their customer waiting for a sale, are the ones hitting most of the sales in real life.
re recolors/MSA kit: I don't mind the recolors themselves, but I do mind how few unique elements are in the kit once you "take out" the recolors. That's what bothers me. And yes, I bought the pass, which was a GREAT deal. But I do hope that future kits are a bit bigger in size. I assumed the kits, based on what MSA said, would be big and special. This was medium and OK. But maybe I feel that way because SMJ isn't my personal style. Problem is, the black paper texture she used is very blurry...and besides using it on papers, she used it on some of the elements. So now that number of 21 unique elements is even smaller because I've got to delete some things. ------
You paid 41 cents for the whole kit. I'm not a designer and rarely a customer these days and even I find your complaint somewhat petty.
142 said "140, you probably shouldn't spend your money on anything that is sight-unseen with your high expectations. I paid my $5 for the year and that was exactly the size of kit I expected. I didn't expect huge kits." --- But did you expect decent quality? You are right: $5 is a great price for 12 kits (all from great designers). But the kit size isn't the big problem. The blurry black texture is.
151, why is it petty to expect a quality kit? We bash designers all the time for lack of quality--freebies and purchased items. So why is it wrong to say that it's annoying that some papers/elements are shoddy work? The price isn't the issue here. The quality is--and the lack of quality makes the price irrelevant. Bad quality is bad quality, no matter how much (or how little) you pay for it. I just hope MSA QCs next month's kit.
#154 - by your own admission, it's only one paper and a few elements that are bad quality, not the whole kit. Besides, your original point wasn't even about the quality, it was about recolors.
I've found that even the best of designers sometimes have questionable quality on a few things in a kit. I wouldn't bash that designer for those few items. The designers that get bashed for quality issues are either repeat offenders or the whole kit is bad. Not just a few items.
I most certainly wouldn't complain about a kit that only cost me 41 cents, especially one that's still mostly useable. I would just wait for the next one and see what that's like.
Regarding Royanna not posting any of her DAD in January because of router problems: I think she has a new interest. Her Pinterest board has over 28,000 pins.
re: Chelle. I don't get her newsletter, but I think that Do the Math shit is snarky and typical of what I'd see come out of SO. Talk about entitled!
I'll buy when I want to buy, not when some designer tells me I should.
Chelle might make a lot of her own elements, but none of it is anything I haven't seen 100 other places usually with far better papers. Just because she makes a tree out of felt, doesn't make it special or worth more IMO.
156: it's not one paper. It's every paper using the black texture (as I said in post 140). One paper, I'd understand. But 6 papers is a bit much for me. And there are quite a few elements using it, too. And the wood paper isn't very good quality, either. The stripes on the pink balloon extend further than the balloon itself, so the balloon looks wonky. Maybe that doesn't bother you. Maybe you're a Wal-Mart kind of person, who doesn't care about quality as long as the price is good. I'm not. I expect quality from designers I buy from, no matter what the price point. And I definitely expect quality from a designer who was specially chosen for a "pass" or for TDF or some other special purchase. Why is it wrong to expect proper quality no matter the price? "You get what you pay for" is a weak argument to repeatedly make. And yes, I was annoyed about the number of unique elements in the kit (the recolors weren't my issue--the total number of unique elements was, if you'd actually read my post), especially since people said her kits usually have more unique elements in them. And I said I don't want to bash SMJ. I just wanted to comment on the quality and my personal feelings about the size. I know the size won't bother everyone, but it bothers me. I didn't say the kit was crap, or that I hated it. You seem to be taking my comments personally, which I find interesting. You either didn't read what I wrote very carefully, or you have a personal interest in what I said. If you don't mind the quality issues, then go buy the kit and then post here about how it is worth every one of your 41 pennies.
Man this blog actually used to be fairly entertaining to read, now it seems like everyone just nick-picks at the silliest things to bitch about, if not each other.
I haven't had time to unzip the MSA kit yet. I may never have time. I bought the pass to support the site. I do feel bad that this designer apparently had some shoddy items in the kit--but not for me, for her. I haven't even looked to see who the designer was. I would think the designers participating in this would want to include some of their best work as it advertises their product. So, her advertisement unfortunately says she doesn't care if she included items that weren't up to par. That is what is sad.
If you don't mind the quality issues, then go buy the kit and then post here about how it is worth every one of your 41 pennies. -------
It's $4.00 for me as I didn't do the presentation pass. No thanks, I don't have $4.00 to spare.
I find it interesting that every time I comment on one of your posts, you add more details in your replies. Perhaps if you given ALL the information in the first place in your so called carefully written replies, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
I'm not taking your comments personally, I find it interesting that you seem to think so. I'm having a discussion, that is all. Again, if you had provided all the information in the original post, we would only have had two or three posts about this.
Man this blog actually used to be fairly entertaining to read, now it seems like everyone just nick-picks at the silliest things to bitch about, if not each other. --------
It's always been like that. Maybe you have changed.
Maybe you're a Wal-Mart kind of person, who doesn't care about quality as long as the price is good. ----- I know you meant this as an insult, but honestly, there ARE some things that you might want to buy on price over quality. I will buy kits that i don't LOVE every item in it if there is something I find interesting or unique, and if the price seems worth it for the parts I want. At $.41 or $4.00 it seems like there was plenty that was useful in the kit. I probably delete between 30% and 75% of every kit I buy because I don't scrap with many elements and don't like most. But I don't come here and grouse about it. If you're unhappy about the quality, complain and ask for your money back. Otherwise, you got what you paid for.
SMJ is a great designer. I personally love her style and I love her deals every friday too. I end up buying most of her kits because she makes a special bundle offer only on Friday which includes a kit,a set of 6 matching cards and a matching blog set all for $3.50 when the original price is $18.85. Now that's a deal I can't resist. I really liked her MSA kit. It's worth the 0.41 cents it cost.I would pay $4.00 for it too.
#169 Thanks for posting about that. I didn't know about her (SMJ) Friday Bundle offers and just went to check it out. I was still able to get it all for the $3.50 and have now found a new designer to follow!
People may think this smack blog is all about tearing people down, but this isn't the first time someone has mentioned someone on here (good or bad reviews) and I've discovered someone new. There is GOOD that can come of this blog, as well.
I'm confused about the MSA kit and people buying it for $4. Why not just fork over the extra dollar and get another 13 months of kits for the one price? I just bought it- it's not too late to get it. Even if you only liked one kit out of the whole 14 months you'd still have only paid an extra dollar. Chances are you are going to like enough out of all of the 14 months to justify the extra buck.
I don't know where the 41 cents stuff came from- but I paid $5 for 14 months... that's only 36 cents per kit!! Even if I only like a couple of things in each kit, that's still more than a decent price.
That paper isn't blurry. Overlays are not supposed to be sharp and in focus if you are going for a brushed paper look. Overlay should not be pixelated which none of hers are.
I don't agree with you about the wood paper. It is still in focus at 66% which is high quality enough for print.
I see what you are saying about the balloon. But I've seen that done in art many times and I think it just adds some whimsy.
If you are unhappy with the kit, contact MSA's owner and let her know. Do the brave thing. But don't be surprised if others don't agree with your requirements for quality. You must have a hard time find anything that meets your standards.
But when I signed up for it, it listed 14 months and said it doesn't expire (for me) until March of 2014... so I don't know- 12 months or 14 months. (Oh wait... they started selling it in Nov, I guess so that's the 14 months.) Either way, it's $5 for "a year" through Jan 31st. Get it now and you will get 12 months worth - (at 42 cents a kit).
By the way- you have to be registered on the Forum and go to the main Forum page to see the User CP link they talk about, I believe.
Yes, I read that later- my mistake (and theirs for not having it set up better- I think they started selling them in Nov and so had to have it be for 14 months to get it through 2013. Now that it's 2013 they can't change it??) and it's 41.6 cents if we want to get technical. :-P (but that price goes up each month that you wait, if I understand that correctly). And it's still a better deal than $4 for one kit, even if you only like a few things out of each kit. I'd love to get a few elements for only 42 cents. Cheapest I've ever paid is 50 cents for some discounted mini-pack, so 42 cents for any of that stuff still seems like a steal!
I really loved the redesign Scrapflower had a few months ago so I'm glad that it's not going to waste. I'm excited the store is reopening... That means sales and new stuff and I can't resist.
#170 You're welcome. You just discovered a great digi deal.Just be prepared to make a purchase every Friday. :) I never understood why this smack blog has to be all about bad and nasty things? Ok the name is smack blog but it doesn't always have to be about negative things. It's the only place on the internet where you can write your opinion anonymously about digiland. I don't like forums and I especially don't like people to know who I am when I write my opinion,good or bad. I'm going to continue with my positive mojo on this "smack" blog and I hope more people will follow.
Is it really kosher to be marking your products as "Product Life" products right on the packaging? Doesn't Becky have a trademark or whatever on that title? I thought designers could sell PL related things but couldn't actually call them that.
#184 SO true! Isn't that what the PR people/agents do for famous people? If they aren't getting enough attention they leak some story (good or bad) to the press... or stage a photo op? Good Press/Bad Press-- At least they are talking about you!
I've agreed with some people about cruddy products or questionable looking stores, but more times than not they mention a store or designer I haven't heard of and I go and check them out only to find out they ARE my style or I do like what they do and I find a new place to shop!
I think this site is a good thing- keeps people on their toes and you know if you do something stupid or are being a bad business owner you will be called out for it. I don't agree with *how* everything is said sometimes, but that's Freedom of Speech and I don't want to change that!
It must be Royanna's turn at the DAD, since nothing is posted yet... again! I re-read the posts... she got her new router on the 9th and it's the 12th and still nothing. All this talk of her being flakey I went Googling and looking on the forums and there were complaints back in November about things being late and projects she starts but never finishes (like the 40 days that only went like halfway and the 25 names of Jesus that made it all the way to #19 or so) and so I figure this is par for the course and I'm just not expecting her stuff. She's probably going to claim some computer glitch and lose all this months stuff (cause I don't think it's done!)... meanwhile she's busy working on next months so THAT can be on time. That seems to be how it works- one month she's on, one month she's off.
I love this part of her rant in November--
"Know that I PERSONALLY pay $500 a month out of my OWN POCKET to pay for the server that houses these FREE KITS! DIVINE is my ONLY INCOME for my family as both my husband and I are disabled. To be honest I don't sell enough to cover that amount - and I TAKE NO INCOME FROM DIVINE....it ALL goes back into the site! And I do this completely out of LOVE!"
Either it's her only income or she makes no income- which is it? If you do it "completely out of LOVE" then love your forum members enough to actually complete things!! I'm getting sick of the not following through, then bitching that it's free so what do you expect and the oh-whoa-is-me-I'm-so-sick. Yes, she's ill-- I know other people that are also ill and still follow through on obligations and run businesses and work their asses off to keep customers happy. She acts like she walks on water! I really want to say something but the responses to that person in November were less than positive. The fans came out en masse to defend her flakiness!
Whether Royanna is a good person or not, she sure is not the best business person. With an unpredictable illness, it would be wiser for her to have a go-to person, a trustworthy assistant who could have copies of her stuff to upload, or kits to release, etc. so that if a computer issue or an illness related issue came up, the work would be done. Honestly, I would not care if it is Royanna who posts the DAD or an assistant on her bahalf, as long as it IS posted. It is not like the illness is a new situation for her, so I can just assume that she knows how things can happen in the blink of an eye, so it would be a good strategy for her to look into delegating or finding a reliable assistant.
Really? You are complaining about a freebie that hasn't been posted and calling her a bad business woman based on that? Save yourself the frustration and buy a kit!
192 - No I am not complaining about the freebies. I am only refering to what people mention as being late, whatever that is. I am not following those freebies. I don't have time to. But hearing about "Royanna is late for posting X", or "Royanna is not paying her designers on time", and so on, it sounds like an ongoing issue that affects the whole business.
I appreciate Royanna's free kits and I do like her work. It's just that it is aggravating to check 10 times a day and still no post after repeated promises. I know stuff can happen but this is a pattern month after month, if not year after year. I guess I'm bothered because I usually end up missing one or two of her parts of the kit because you never know when she's going to decide to upload. She puts a portion of the matching alpha in each part. Then I miss it and the download is expired. And then the kits are offered for sale usually but by then I'm ticked and not in the mood to buy anything. I do buy a lot of Royanna's kits and I look forward to this 'perk'. I feel cheap complaining about something that is given free; but I also think that when it is used as a sales tactic to get traffic to your website, the offer should be on time. And I really, really feel sorry for those who have to post excuse, after excuse for her.
Yes, Royanna is sick with a blood disease that can at times be debilitating for her. She is also a disorganized mess. Also, she has great ideas. But none of those ideas come to fruition or if they do it's so half assed that the greatness is lost.
It hasnt been that long since I left DD and I can tell you that in over a year I was paid on time maybe once or twice. It wasnt my only shop, and I only stayed as long as I did because my sales were decent enough to put up with her constant lateness until I got to where I wanted to be. Payroll isnt that hard to process in X cart and Paypal's mass payments make it even easier.
If you promise a freebie on the first and you don't post it on the first that is bad business. Period. Maybe instead of offering her usual huge freebies, she should scale back and offer a little less for free and deliver as promised.
I have a hard time believing that with as many designers as Divine has that commissions don't cover server costs and paypal fees. She doesn't buy advertising very often so that can't be a huge expense for her. Either way, she also sells at one other shop that I am aware of so I would assume there is some other income outside of DD.
Would you SERIOUSLY spend your money and trust this shop after the owner dumped every designer? Left them all scrambling for new stores? And now in less than 30 days after announcing the store is closing, do a new call for designers? and Reopen? Seriously? WTF is this kind of business? This store will NEVER get my money or support.
Royanna is just not the greatest business person. This isn't a new problem, it's been going on for as long as I've been in the digi world--at least 4-5 years now. It's always something this or something that. I really don't care anymore. I haven't been at the store in a couple of years now. I had experience with her as a ct for two of the designers at the site. She was a total pain to try to work with. I was so happy with the designers got fed up with her and her shenanigans and moved on to different stores!
#183 I've been wondering about the legality of that myself, but not so much from digital designers. I'm going to do my version of a Project Life album this year. I typed in 'project life' in my reader and got a few hits which I subscribed to. It looks like several people in the paper industry are using the term 'project life' and even selling products with that name in the title.
2881 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 401 – 600 of 2881 Newer› Newest»Wasn't aware that saying crap was name calling and bullying.
BTW, stop calling it bullying, it belittles what bullying really is.
If you want to change it, change it. Change the topic, discuss something constructive. No one says you have to smack someone or should. This blog is what we all make it.
And for the record, I take everything with a grain of salt. Unless it is about me. Then I take it personally. LOL
^^this!
#1 - what are you doing here? If you are looking for something constructive, go to a forum or something.
It's a smack blog and no, they aren't junior high school things. In fact, adults are just as cruel in that regard. People talk smack all the time. It's no different than people talking in real life and saying negative, hurtful things about their neighbors or family or friends or co-workers. If you tell me you don't know people like that, you are lying. Everyone knows people like that. You may not participate but you still know those kinds of people.
Too bad. It could be a good forum to discuss things,
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To discuss what exactly?
#3 and #4 - I completely agree.
You conflate your comments here with magazine reviews of movies or music, but they at least are able to make cogent observations about the work to support their opinions.
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Crap.
Definition of crap:
1. Excrement.
2. An act of defecating.
3. Foolish, deceitful, or boastful language.
4. Cheap or shoddy material.
5. Miscellaneous or disorganized items; clutter.
6. Insolent talk or behavior.
How's that? Was that useful enough for you
What I don't get is why people here can't post legitimate criticism of work without getting all nasty about it. I can swear like a sailor too, I am just smart enough to know when it's required and when it's just being childish like a 12 year old who just learned a new word.
If you don't like the style of Cassel's script results, then say that. Say they look dated, flat, whatever. But to call them 'pathetic', 'trailer trash version products', and 'gross' is not legitimate critique. You conflate your comments here with magazine reviews of movies or music, but they at least are able to make cogent observations about the work to support their opinions.
Whatever your age, I would hope anyone old enough to be posting on here would be mature enough to not resort to name-calling and bullying.
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Congratulations on your Gold Star!!
Gold star for being one of the more pompous and sanctimonious hand slappers to come and visit.
ooh a little sensitive to criticism? Figures. Those who are good at handing it out can rarely take it. This blog sure proves that!
Still haven't answered the question, why smack?
Fun, power, or mean?
Because it's fun, mean, and makes me feel powerful.
There. Said it. You are sooooo right and we are the absolute crap heads you make us out to be.
Will you leave now?
ooh a little sensitive to criticism? Figures. Those who are good at handing it out can rarely take it. This blog sure proves that!
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Speaking of yourself, are you?
Still haven't answered the question, why smack?
Fun, power, or mean?
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When you answer mine about why come here if you are looking for something constructive. There are other places for that.
#12, You don't belong here. Go start your own lovefest (aka constructive critism) blog. You can delete anything that you feel is mean and be in total control. It will be the great place you feel this blog should be.
ooh a little sensitive to criticism?
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Nope. I just can't stand people who feel the need to use obscure words when other words will do. Do you do it for fun, power or ... fill in the blank. I'm sure you can.
I have a big vocabulary too but I know when and where to use it.
ugh. I hate niceness trolls.
They are called White knight trolls. Look it up. Pretty funny.
Nope, not leaving you. Too much fun poking at the animals and watching them growl. Fun AND mean. Sorry to make you feel bad for being mean girls.
Those words aren't obscure to a lot of us, expand your vocabulary beyond crap. Although you clearly have a great grasp on that amazingly descriptive epithet.
20, is a troll.
haha, just like us, #20. keep it up. you'll be smacking everyone else. you better leave before your halo tarnishes.
I heard Glacinda the troll gave good cyber.
Those words aren't obscure to a lot of us, expand your vocabulary beyond crap. Although you clearly have a great grasp on that amazingly descriptive epithet.
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If by 'lot of us' you mean the pompous, sanctimonious, hand slappers, I guess you'd be right. You seem to have a reading comprehension problem though, I never said I didn't know them, I said they were obscure and they are. Maybe you should stop looking up words on the dictionary in order to impress us lowly mean girls.
Nope, not leaving you. Too much fun poking at the animals and watching them growl. Fun AND mean. Sorry to make you feel bad for being mean girls.
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Yes, you are just so much better, aren't you? Do you feel bad now, mean girl?
189 - 197 (because most of them are obviously by the same person)
Yes, its quite obvious that you are one of the ones that need to make themselves feel better by saying this blog had no power. Lol. If it makes you sleep better the night to preach your worthless nonesense about how this blog has "no power". No one here is in denial but you....
LMAO @ White Knight trolls.
Wonder if White Knight Troll is the one who has been spamming the smack blogs.
http://www.smosh.com/smosh-pit/articles/18-types-of-internet-trolls.
This is a must read!
I don't know but I'm sick the the WK trolls that have been coming around here telling us we are in denial.
If there is proof that this blog caused Cassel to be fired, I'll gladly post an apology to all the designers I ever said create "crap" and swear off this blog forever unless it is to just post constructive criticism. And then I'll post it under my real profile.
So, go forth, White Knight Troll and save your damsel in distress with evidence to bring us out of the darkness of denial! You have a mission!
Post #198 on page 2 sure sounds like Cassel.
I don't recall anybody saying Cassel's stuff is "trailer trash"? I don't know. I miss things.
That was said about Posers last month. I would think poser designers would be flattered since that is the look they are usually going for when they design those trashy looking things. So, that was constructive, 198.
#1 Cassel's SHCO scripts were as old as the hills - at least 4 years old for all of them she had up. She was really just learning scripting when all of those scripts were made - I know this because I was a long ago customer and I have had some of them since that time. They were okay for 4 years ago, they are not good now. Her newer stuff is better.
#2 Cassel would not put her newest scripts in the store because her customers would buy all their scripts from SHCO (instead of her personal store) because just one script would also get the freebie of the week.
#3 Cassel goes to stores not for orders, but to get the names of designers who use PSP so she can market them directly and then get them to buy from her store directly which gives her more money in her pocket.
#4 If this blog had any influence, Miss Tiina would not be in business.
#5 If this blog had any influence, all designers selling for Miss Tina would be blacklisted because they are selling for Miss Tina. (And Miss Tina would go out of business)
Yeah. And there's no proof of any of those points. Keep assuming to make yourself feel better. Lol. There's no proof either way so you preaching to those that think this blog had something to do with it is just as redundant as you feel they are.
While you are attempting to state fact, the other party is just saying "probably". Its hard to take anyone seriously that is attempting to push they anonymous "facts" down others throats. Once you realize that you're anonymous and you have no creditabilty, you will have a much easier time.
As for misstina being out of business and her other designers black listed, what part of SOME people are impressionable didn't you understand? If it was said that everyone is, then you'd have a valid point.
Just stop. Its obvious you're one of tinas butt buddies. So give it up.
Wow, you know a lot of facts about Cassel to post #2 and #3. Are you in her head? FYI, she had some very recent scripts in there; the Seamless tiling comes to mind (added to her personal store in June 2012) or the Kidnap Alpha (added in November 2012) to name just a couple. As for #3, why would anyone need to go and sell in a store to see if designers are using PSP? If that were the case, she would pick a store with many more designers than SHCo!
And as a side note, if this blog had any influence, Miss Tina would read it and offer a coupon to the customers who bought into the Confectionary Club, just after it be mentioned in here, but that would never happen, would it?
36 Lol @ the last paragraph. Tina is one of the ones that are very impressionable so I'm not going to put it past her to have fired Cassel although I'm not going to state it as fact like Tina's butt buddies are either.
I can't remember who said it but yeah...because Tina is really going to fire one of her bigger earners because of ONE thing said about her PERSONAL USE products which SHCO doesn't even sell.
One thing said about Just Jaimee PU vs back to back smacking of Cassel's "crap". Like the other person said...you do the math.
#30 Loved this. There are a few that I can put these labels on.
Being high and mighty on a Smack Blog is like preaching for Vegetarians at a Steak House.
Let's not let the negative nelly's (haha :P at the 60 and over comment) get in our way, so what else shall we talk about?
How about the potential death of DST? I joined there a fairly short time ago and it seems dead except CTM posts. Was there ever any "active" discussion there for customers/scrappers or do you recommend a similar site that does?
DST is slow because everyone is posting on this smack blog and nobody dares to post under their own name for fear of then being smacked here.
(maybe this blog has that much power?)
I think most forums are becoming slower and slower. Some are still active only because staff keep it up (designers and CT), or they have challenges where participants can get free stuff but I think that a lot of scrappers are now moving to other means of socializing, namely FB and such. I think forums in general are in decline. DST is not immune to the social changes. But that is just my opinion.
DST is slow because everyone is posting on this smack blog and nobody dares to post under their own name for fear of then being smacked here.
(maybe this blog has that much power?)
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Yes. I have had people say to me in private they're afraid to post there because they'll be smacked here. So not only does the bad behavior here affect people, it affects other sites and is bad for the industry. That said, if people could take a little constructive criticism, and not get all hissy over at DST when they don't like someone's 'tone' or 'attitude' then maybe people wouldn't feel they have to post here so they could be anonymous and this place could be left to the meanies.
Oh my..so boring... I read all of January's comments and the topic is all about Cassel? and script stuff and Sugar Hilco. Blah blah blah blah blah...
Anyway...I'm a customer and I don't understand the hype about Miss Tina's CU Designs. There's nothing special about them.
Yeah, because smacking people that post at DST happens so often.
DST is dead because the forum concept is dated. Most designers are advertising on Facebook now.
I think Facebook is about to be dated when it comes to advertising. Their new algorithms make my posts hardly seen at all, and I have a few thousand FB subscribers. Even when I've experimented with paid posts I haven't seen a big increase in the number of people that have seen the status. I am trying to focus more on my email newsletter lately to make up that slack. I could try and "work" Facebook, but am a little unsure if that time would be worth my effort, KWIM?
I think Facebook for advertising is or will be less and less effective because people have so many posts in their feed that if they are not looking at it all the time, they will likely miss the ad that was posted 15 minutes before. And unlike yahoo groups (that are also in steep decline) you can hardly search the subject, or save for reviewing later or even put a filter to flag some posts.
Facebook for socializing? maybe. For serious exchange and wide advertising? not so much. Forums for socializing? not anymore. For serious exchange? Maybe, since you can go back and read an answer from last week. But overall, forums are generally less active, in many places. Some stores don't even have forums anymore while it used to be almost automatically associated with every store.
I see all the ads from designers I liked. I know because I have them in that special feed as well which I check everyday. I also see all the stupid "Facebook isn't letting you see my stuff" posts. I think it's BS. I think what's broken is the tool that tells you how many actually saw your post because they want you to choose the promote button and give them money.
Most days I sit and wonder why in the hell I read this blog. It apparently has some sort of power over my better judgement.
Post a freebie only on FB and then you'll know how many actually see the post.
Facebook sucks lately. Although I'm on facebook all day I still seem to lose lots of new posts. The last month facebook is posting everything mixed up. Posts from 5 minutes ago show up and then posts from a day or two ago beneath that. I'm so sick and tired of it. I made a list with favorite designers and a list with favorite stores, I check them daily and I don't lose anything.
I agree that forums are on the way out as a socialization venue, and social networks are better for that. What about SBGs CONNECT thing. Has anyone registered for that? Will it be just one more place not to remember to go? Does FB work just because folks are on there anyway, and don't have to go somewhere else to interact with other scrappers?
Most days I sit and wonder why in the hell I read this blog. It apparently has some sort of power over my better judgement.
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I feel the same way. It is like a train wreck. I don't feel good about reading or posting. I am afraid that something might be said about me. If that happened, I would crawl into a hole. We have all given too much power to this blog when it is really just random rants that are fueled by (enter your excuse here) I feel dumber just for being here, and yet again, I post. Thanks paranoia.
yes, 52, we are already on facebook. I can get updates from my favorite companies, not just digi scrap too, all in one place. And I don't have to clutter up my inbox. I just keep scrolling on FB if it doesn't catch my eye. Plus I'm in interest groups on there which works similar to a forum. If a designer doesn't post their new release on FB, I won't know about it and probably won't purchase it.
I have a couple designers that I let into my email inbox. They send coupons in their newsletters and I buy from them regularly. But even then, I wait for the new release to come up on FB and then hit my filtered inbox to find the coupon.
#54 I also find everything on facebook. If I don't see it on facebook then I won't find out about it either. I'm subscribed to too many newsletters. I have to unsubscribe because I don't bother reading most of the newsletters anyway.
Facebook is easier for me. I find everything in one place.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BdzhtSfT3hs/UOphAheCySI/AAAAAAAAFJc/M6b7hg6Fmkg/s1600/FOLDER.jpg
Here is a freebie by Sweet Digi scraps
http://sweetdigiscraps.blogspot.com
It made me laugh so hard! I'll definitely use it for all my prostitute pages!
(sarcasm...)
It's not my style, but I didn't think prostitute when I saw it. Just looks like sassy girls.
Never heard of Sweet Digi Scraps before but yeah.. not my style but I also didn't think "hooker" or anything when I saw it.
They look like fairies to me.
Not my cup of tea, but not bad enough to warrant "prostitute" comment. And how is that sarcasm? It is pretty clear that you do not like it.
Looks like how most parents allow their teenage girls to dress these days, if that says anything about how they look...
I love the placement of the blue flower button on the dark haired "fairy."
Amazingly, some might choose not to get such a kit, while only a couple of elements are not their style, and the rest could very well be usefull. We are so easily influenced by a few details and miss the overall. I would not use those characters, but the elements are cute.
I certainly wouldn't think 'prostitute'. But if your mind leans that way...
If I CT for the designer, I could use it to make a nice page -- avoiding the 'fairies' of course.
That's rated G compared to some of the poser trash out there.
I've been following Sweet Digi Scraps and getting a lot of her freebies during December. That kit is not typical of her usual style, which I really like and I've kept a lot of the stuff I downloaded. I definitely don't see how those doodles will lend one to think about prostitutes; just don't use them if they're not your thing. (And this has nothing to do with her design style whatsoever, but I find her to have a very sweet and fun personality and I aspire to be a mom like her to my kids)
#56 I have downloaded this kit and its really good quality. Those characters led me to think sassy, not prostitute and to be honest I still don't see it after your comment. Did you look at any other part of the kit? or just the characters and then post here?
So what do you think of the pricing at Pixels and Co? I think some products are overpriced to be honest. This for example:
http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=338&cat=66&page=1
But there are some kits that are good value too like this one: http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=167&cat=1&page=1
I like that the kit prices are generally lower than other stores too.
If she doesn't like the figures, then she doesn't like them. It's an opinion that they look like prostitutes. There is no need to keep harping at the poster to change her mind.
I often times choose to not download or purchase a kit because of 1 or 2 elements. It's a personal choice that is totally ok to make.
But you are missing out on so many hidden gems. ;)
#67 The price of a full kit are generally lower than some top tier stores however I find the elements to be way overpriced.
http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=354&cat=38&page=1
http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=23&cat=37&page=1
http://pixelsandcompany.com/shop/product.php?productid=43&cat=42&page=1
We have all given too much power to this blog
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We have? I haven't. Some of you may have though.
Oh my..so boring... I read all of January's comments and the topic is all about Cassel? and script stuff and Sugar Hilco. Blah blah blah blah blah...
Anyway...I'm a customer and I don't understand the hype about Miss Tina's CU Designs. There's nothing special about them.
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What hype? And what you have you contributed? Oh, you are customer and expect to be entertained do you? Instead of complaining about how boring it is, contribute something.
How about the potential death of DST? I joined there a fairly short time ago and it seems dead except CTM posts. Was there ever any "active" discussion there for customers/scrappers or do you recommend a similar site that does?
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It's been dead for over three or four years now. There is no potential death, it has died!
It was very active for the first two or three years but it become more and more of an advertising venue and people just stopped going.
I feel the same way. It is like a train wreck. I don't feel good about reading or posting.
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It's nothing like a train wreck and if you don't feel good about reading or posting, then don't or go and do some penitence afterwards so you'll feel better. SMH.
Looks like how most parents allow their teenage girls to dress these days, if that says anything about how they look...
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Oh please! Teenage girls were dressing like that way back in my day and that was in the 70s and 80s.
There is no need to keep harping at the poster to change her mind.
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No one harped at her to change her mind. They merely said they didn't think they dolls looked like prostitutes.
72, read 62 & 66. That's the harping I'm talking about: "Did you even look at the rest of the kit?" Trying to get the OP to see past what she feels is distasteful.
oops, I meant 76, read 62 & 66.
"What about SBGs CONNECT thing"
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What is this?
79 - Not sure what it is but you can check for yourself here: http://connect.scrapbookgraphics.com/
#77 & 78 - that's still only two posts, not exactly a harping, not that it matters. The OP wanted people to smack the kit but that didn't happen. That's the way it works around here sometimes.
someone mentioned forums being "empty" because of fb. I hate fb. Lately I can't see anyone's posts, even if I'm subscribed to them or whatever. It's really annoying. So I hope forums don't close down. I'd hate having to use fb for my DS news. I do like Twitter, though. I hate blogs (too much rambling), so I like a tweet's 140 character limit.
#80 - it doesn't tell you much, does it? I hate having to sign up before I can see anything.
"Trying to get the OP to see past what she feels is distasteful."
Maybe. I'm not 76 (or 62, 66) but I find the OP seeing 'prostitutes' in something normal enough in others' eyes much, much more distasteful.
#82, have you checked your "page" feed instead of your news feed? That's where all the pages I liked get updated now.
#84, I cannot agree more.
#84 - I think she was trying to get a rise out of people, which failed miserably.
Seems she got a rise out of plenty, so I wouldn't say she "failed miserably".
67 - A majority of their regular prices are overpriced imo. I'll still hit them up during a sale though
Scrapflower just announced an hour ago on facebook:
We are coming back soon!! Stay tuned for more info.....
In the meantime, tell all your friends :)
#72 I contribute more than you know..
83 is right. Checking that page does not seem to tell much. Anyone already registered who can let us know what it is and what it is supposed to do?
I check my pages feed daily- for those of you who don't know how:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/feed
The thing that really bugs me is I can't organize my pages feed like my newsfeed, i.e. have the most recent posts on top. It seems that it's totally haphazard-- I have posts half an hour ago mixed with those 8 hours ago. Or maybe I can-- am I missing something?
Why does it matter what order it is in? Most of it is just ads and not time sensitive.
90 - it is a social media site something like Facebook.
#92 That frustrates me too. I stayed loyal to facebook after so many changes but I think this will be the end. I'm sick and tired of the changes and making things more difficult than easier for us.
Anyway...if you want to follow specific pages or friends the best way is to make interest lists and check the lists. Everything will be in time order.
#93 - if it's an ad, it's usually for a sale or promo and is almost ALWAYS time sensitive.
I hate people who respond to a request for help with a "why does it matter" answer. It's a stupid, bitchy remark.
I'm 92, and posts are time-sensitive to me because I like to participate in speed scraps, chats and so on, and sometimes I miss announcements. Some designers give out coupons to the first 5 customers who use the code, etc, and it sucks to see it an hour later. Same goes for when there are flash sales.
Thanks, 95. I might just make some lists to see how that goes. Not sure how to organize my 100+ pages though.
#72 I contribute more than you know..
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Who cares? You weren't contributing when you were complaining about how bored you were.
Scrapflower just announced an hour ago on facebook:
We are coming back soon!! Stay tuned for more info.....
In the meantime, tell all your friends :)
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Hmm, these last minute resurrections of stores rarely seem to work out in the long run.
Good luck to them.
I hate people who respond to a request for help with a "why does it matter" answer. It's a stupid, bitchy remark.
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This is a SMACK blog. Not a help desk. If you want polite, helpful replies, go ask someplace else.
Many of us are happy to give polite, helpful replies. Don't speak for everyone.
I've seen quite a few instances where we actually had conversations on this Smack Blog that were still smacking yet in a constructive and rather helpful at times, manner.
Oh but that must have been a fluke because the bitches are out in drones again, proclaiming the Smack blog as a Bitch Blog. Two words, two meanings.
"What about SBGs CONNECT thing"
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Not sure what it is but you can check for yourself here: http://connect.scrapbookgraphics.com/
Thanks for your help :)
100, 102: Then why don't you be the help desk? You haven't offered anything helpful. All you do is lecture people on how you think they should behave on this blog.
Smacking people for being mean on a smack blog? Really? So now we have posters that are bullying smackers for being mean?
This place has become weird. I'll come back when Pollyanna gets bored.
To quote a popular Facebook meme..
"Dafuq I just read?"
bitches are out in drones again,
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Drones? Funniest typo I've seen a while.
still smacking yet in a constructive and rather helpful at times, manner.
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That's an oxymoron. If it's helpful and constructive, it ain't smack.
Those dolls aren't fairies- they look like trash. Prostitutes. Jersey shore. Whatever- TRASH.
89- I had missesd that. How about their former ct lead "wow that is great!" Real surprise or marketing strategy?
What does their former CT Lead's response have to do with it? I would think she would be happy to see the store not totally go under.
I doubt it's a marketing strategy. Closing doors doesn't make more money for a store or designer during the down time. If that is a "strategy" then it's completely stupid.
Oh my - DHD is just going to shit huh? I just wandered over and looked at their "new" releases.... they make my eyes bleed....
110- do you think the ct lead is really surprised that the store is coming back? As in she didn't know?
Or is her response a marketing opp? With FB's new algorithm they show the post to more people if more people like/comment/share. It increases the visibility of that post and subsequent
I didn't think the DHD releases this week were as bad as when they announced the 2 new designers. However, I could have done without the same alpha in 15 different colors.
112, So what if it is marketing?
Imagine that. A business promoting itself. How terrible of them! We should smack every store that has a CT member respond to a post on FB.
Is Amanda Rockwell going to be releasing products anymore? It's been months since her last one..
Is Amanda Rockwell going to be releasing products anymore? It's been months since her last one..
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You might get a more accurate answer if you asked her, in her forum or on her blog. She might actually appreciate that someone wants her products!
109 - they are fairies. They may look like "trash" to you, but they are fairies. They have flower petals as skirts. I think you need to take a xanax. You seem over the top weird about this.
I've pretty much stopped buying Amanda's products since she left SA. I keep forgetting about her.
Who has DLed the MSA Presentation kit (or whatever they're calling it)? Shabby Miss Jenn isn't my style, but I like the kit. But if you remove all the recolors, then there are barely any elements. There are about 21 if you don't count the WA.
How many elements do you think should be in the kit, 119?
Those dolls aren't fairies- they look like trash. Prostitutes.
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Where do you live, in the Land of Far, Far Away?
Who has DLed the MSA Presentation kit (or whatever they're calling it)?
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Link please.
120, 21 just seemed small when compared to the total number of elements (43 plus 10 WA pieces). So basically, half the elements are just recolors. That annoys me because 21 unique elements doesn't seem like a lot to me. Maybe I just buy from designers who provide more unique elements. Like I said, I don't hate the kit, but I do wish it were bigger. Not HUGE, but like 30, 35 elements.
122, here's the link. http://www.myscrapbookart.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17537&cat=0&page=&featured=Y
http://www.myscrapbookart.com/blog/?portfolio=featured-designers-2013
The kit is for sale in the store.
I have it and I'm very happy with it. I've scrapped two pages from those 21 elements. I think it's a great value for the price of the membership.
Considering that SMJ probably donated the kit, I think it is large enough. She generally does a lot of recolors. She's still kinda old school in that way. But her larger kits in her store have a lot of unique elements.
Thanks #123 & 124, I didn't think to look in the store.
If I had paid for the presentation pass at $5 for the 12 kits, recolored elements wouldn't be a biggie for me. What does that work out at, 41 cents for one whole kit? I certainly wouldn't be annoyed about that. However, if I had paid full price for the kit, yes, then I would be annoyed about the amount of recolors.
I would only be annoyed if it was $8 for the kit. I wouldn't if it was $4 as sold now at MSA. It's larger than a mini-kit but not quite a full-size kit.
Tackiest newsletter in a long time, from Chelle tonight titled Do The Math. The text: "Sometimes I hear peeps say that they want to wait to get a kit 'til I'm having a sale. I actually have a sale EVERY week. The new release sale is one of my best deals. Let's look at the math. This week the bundle (valued at $11) is just $6.60 AND that price also includes the FREE with Purchase Rub-ons (valued at $3.50) So that's $14.50 worth of products for just $6.60. LESS THAN HALF PRICE! Snag it quick."
Well, she's right, even if you don't like the way she said it. After a while you get tired of some customers penny pinching. Mind you, most customers are awesome, but there are a few who will have a fit if they pay 3 cents more than they think they should. Even the griping about the recolors above over a kit they paid 4 bucks for. Try buying ANYTHING paper for 4 bucks and getting so much for it.
#130 - if most customers are awesome, why let the few who aren't bother you so much?
The paper argument is irrelevant. We aren't buying paper. It's like comparing MP3s with a CD. People buy the digital version for a reason. Besides, I can get a whole paper kit for $4, it probably also have a bunch of cheap recolored elements. So, I guess it could be the same.
^^THIS. It's not about paper either. Think about how much time and creative energy goes into creating a single kit. Not to mention Chelle creates a lot of her own elements. That takes money, too.
I think the kit mentioned (MSA) is well worth $4. I'd probably pay even more for it even with the recolors. Because recolors save me time and energy, too. I don't have to go digging through my stash to see if I can find a matching ribbon or try to recolor something to the color I want it. Yes, I'm quite capable of doing so myself, but I rather get back to making memories than having to recolor an item.
I do think it was poorly worded on Chelle's part, but she has a point. If you don't think it's worth the price try making it yourself. I bet your attitude will change real quick when you realize just how much time it takes to even recolor an element properly much less create one from scratch.
Did the customer actually say she didn't think it worth the price? And griped about it to Chelle? Or just that she prefers to wait for a sale? Because there's a difference. While I might think a kit is worth $5 or $6 or $7 or whatever, doesn't mean I can afford to buy it at that price. Even if I can afford it, I might not need it immediately so why buy at that price when I can get it for cheaper a few months later during a sale. And as for her "maths", that's only true if I want the whole bundle and the FWP. I usually only want the kit & I only buy kits during a major sale. Doing so doesn't mean I'm griping about prices or saying designers are over-charging or whatever, I'm only trying to stretch my limited financial resources the furthest it can go.
It's like comparing MP3s with a CD.
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When's the last time you bought a CD? It's pretty damn comparable in price to the MP3 version.
The paper argument is irrelevant. We aren't buying paper.
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Exactly. Paper suppliers have the additional expense of actually printing their supplies - they have to pay for the paper and the ink. With digital, I'm incurring that cost instead of the designer.
Also, when I was a paper scrapper I didn't buy 12 papers and 30 elements. I bought 2-3 papers and a few elements. With digital kits, I end up with a lot of stuff I'm not going to use. I figure out how much I'm willing to pay based on how much I'm actually going to use.
If you don't think it's worth the price try making it yourself.
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^^This. And don't buy it.
133, I doubt it was because anyone said anything to her. I think it is pretty normal for people to want to wait for a sale. I know that's what I usually do. And she's probably hit the January drop in sales, so she's pushing people to consider buying. I don't think there is anything wrong with pointing out that it's a good value to buy on new-release day. That's what a newsletter should do. But it was snarky to title it, "Do the math." I expected to open the email and see a math-related kit.
#130 - if most customers are awesome, why let the few who aren't bother you so much?
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Point taken ;)
I know that paper and digi are different, but I do think there's a certain devaluation that takes place about digi - kits are expected to have a large number of elements whether you are going to use them all or not but you only want to pay for what you are going to use.
I don't buy based on how much I'll use from a kit. I have no way of knowing how much I'll use until the page is finished. I don't expect prices to reflect how much I'll use from a kit either. I wouldn't even know how to calculate that.
re recolors/MSA kit: I don't mind the recolors themselves, but I do mind how few unique elements are in the kit once you "take out" the recolors. That's what bothers me. And yes, I bought the pass, which was a GREAT deal. But I do hope that future kits are a bit bigger in size. I assumed the kits, based on what MSA said, would be big and special. This was medium and OK. But maybe I feel that way because SMJ isn't my personal style. Problem is, the black paper texture she used is very blurry...and besides using it on papers, she used it on some of the elements. So now that number of 21 unique elements is even smaller because I've got to delete some things.
But it was snarky to title it, "Do the math." I expected to open the email and see a math-related kit.
________________
Exactly. Don't boss your customers around. They will buy when they want to, and you have no control over that unless you want to be bitchy like that e-mail. If a customer wants to wait for a sale, let them! If they'll actually be spending more during the sale than right now during new releases, then you (the designer) earn more. Why worry about that?
No, sounds to me like Chelle is hard up for money right now.
140, you probably shouldn't spend your money on anything that is sight-unseen with your high expectations. I paid my $5 for the year and that was exactly the size of kit I expected. I didn't expect huge kits.
What is your opinion about Divine Digital;about Royanna in particular?
If you are a designer, I would stay away. Unless you don't mind being paid when she gets around too it and poorly thought out promotions. Been there, done that. No thank you.
I realize she is sick, but she needs to delegate or take a step back if she cannot handle her business.
143-If you are a customer, I feel the same way as 144. I've had VERY poor customer service there, and just don't shop there anymore. Out of sight, out of mind.
Honest question- not trying to bash her- but just what is wrong with Royanna (I've always assumed cancer, but never knew for sure)? I've been to Divine Digital on-and-off for several years and have heard mention that she is sick for all those years, but have never seen it posted what is exactly keeping her ill. I figured it was discussed (probably briefly) before I got there and never felt like it would be a welcome question to ask it on their forums. (I questioned something once on the forum about when something would be ready and got my ass handed to me by an admin and Royanna, as well. Never really felt like I wanted to ask ANYTHING after that.) Also-I have downloaded the DAD kits (when I remember about them) and it always seems like Royanna is sick again or having internet problems. Right now she hasn't posted any of her parts for January because of a router problem. And everyone is, "Oh thanks for letting us know! Hate those computer issues! LOL" and all singing camp fire songs.
It *seems like* she is always sick or having computer issues and this is going back several years. Not every month is she late or ill (that I know of), but enough that when it was mentioned again on the forum that she had computer problems or was feeling ill that I got to thinking it seems to happen quite often. I thought it just might be me, but now I hear she is late in paying her designers and made me think she's just flakey.
I bet your attitude will change real quick when you realize just how much time it takes to even recolor an element properly much less create one from scratch.
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No. I know how to do those things. However, as a designer, you (generic you), have put yourself in a market, knowing what the going rate is for kits etc, complaining about how cheap the customer is getting it and how much work it is for you is ridiculous.
When's the last time you bought a CD? It's pretty damn comparable in price to the MP3 version.
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Did you bother to read the rest of my reply? Or did you just decide to pick on this one particular point? However, since you seemed to have missed it, I can also get paper kits at comparable prices to digital kits.
I think it is pretty normal for people to want to wait for a sale.
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Exactly! And I bet that most designers who are complaining about their customer waiting for a sale, are the ones hitting most of the sales in real life.
If you don't think it's worth the price try making it yourself.
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^^This. And don't buy it.
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Great attitude. If everyone took that lovely, helpful advice, you wouldn't have any customers.
I have made it myself, it's not that hard and not that expensive.
re recolors/MSA kit: I don't mind the recolors themselves, but I do mind how few unique elements are in the kit once you "take out" the recolors. That's what bothers me. And yes, I bought the pass, which was a GREAT deal. But I do hope that future kits are a bit bigger in size. I assumed the kits, based on what MSA said, would be big and special. This was medium and OK. But maybe I feel that way because SMJ isn't my personal style. Problem is, the black paper texture she used is very blurry...and besides using it on papers, she used it on some of the elements. So now that number of 21 unique elements is even smaller because I've got to delete some things.
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You paid 41 cents for the whole kit. I'm not a designer and rarely a customer these days and even I find your complaint somewhat petty.
142 said "140, you probably shouldn't spend your money on anything that is sight-unseen with your high expectations. I paid my $5 for the year and that was exactly the size of kit I expected. I didn't expect huge kits."
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But did you expect decent quality? You are right: $5 is a great price for 12 kits (all from great designers). But the kit size isn't the big problem. The blurry black texture is.
What is your opinion about Divine Digital;about Royanna in particular?
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Why does this question come up about every two months or so? I think that's strange.
151, why is it petty to expect a quality kit? We bash designers all the time for lack of quality--freebies and purchased items. So why is it wrong to say that it's annoying that some papers/elements are shoddy work? The price isn't the issue here. The quality is--and the lack of quality makes the price irrelevant. Bad quality is bad quality, no matter how much (or how little) you pay for it. I just hope MSA QCs next month's kit.
Honest question- not trying to bash her- but just what is wrong with Royanna
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Honest answer - she's a liar and a flake. I remember when I first joined the digi community way back in 2005 she was having similar problems.
#154 - by your own admission, it's only one paper and a few elements that are bad quality, not the whole kit. Besides, your original point wasn't even about the quality, it was about recolors.
I've found that even the best of designers sometimes have questionable quality on a few things in a kit. I wouldn't bash that designer for those few items. The designers that get bashed for quality issues are either repeat offenders or the whole kit is bad. Not just a few items.
I most certainly wouldn't complain about a kit that only cost me 41 cents, especially one that's still mostly useable. I would just wait for the next one and see what that's like.
Regarding Royanna not posting any of her DAD in January because of router problems: I think she has a new interest. Her Pinterest board has over 28,000 pins.
She has some kind of blood disease.
re: Chelle. I don't get her newsletter, but I think that Do the Math shit is snarky and typical of what I'd see come out of SO. Talk about entitled!
I'll buy when I want to buy, not when some designer tells me I should.
Chelle might make a lot of her own elements, but none of it is anything I haven't seen 100 other places usually with far better papers. Just because she makes a tree out of felt, doesn't make it special or worth more IMO.
156: it's not one paper. It's every paper using the black texture (as I said in post 140). One paper, I'd understand. But 6 papers is a bit much for me. And there are quite a few elements using it, too. And the wood paper isn't very good quality, either. The stripes on the pink balloon extend further than the balloon itself, so the balloon looks wonky. Maybe that doesn't bother you. Maybe you're a Wal-Mart kind of person, who doesn't care about quality as long as the price is good. I'm not. I expect quality from designers I buy from, no matter what the price point. And I definitely expect quality from a designer who was specially chosen for a "pass" or for TDF or some other special purchase.
Why is it wrong to expect proper quality no matter the price? "You get what you pay for" is a weak argument to repeatedly make.
And yes, I was annoyed about the number of unique elements in the kit (the recolors weren't my issue--the total number of unique elements was, if you'd actually read my post), especially since people said her kits usually have more unique elements in them.
And I said I don't want to bash SMJ. I just wanted to comment on the quality and my personal feelings about the size. I know the size won't bother everyone, but it bothers me. I didn't say the kit was crap, or that I hated it. You seem to be taking my comments personally, which I find interesting. You either didn't read what I wrote very carefully, or you have a personal interest in what I said. If you don't mind the quality issues, then go buy the kit and then post here about how it is worth every one of your 41 pennies.
Man this blog actually used to be fairly entertaining to read, now it seems like everyone just nick-picks at the silliest things to bitch about, if not each other.
I haven't had time to unzip the MSA kit yet. I may never have time. I bought the pass to support the site. I do feel bad that this designer apparently had some shoddy items in the kit--but not for me, for her. I haven't even looked to see who the designer was. I would think the designers participating in this would want to include some of their best work as it advertises their product. So, her advertisement unfortunately says she doesn't care if she included items that weren't up to par. That is what is sad.
#162 - if you haven't unzipped the kit yet, how do you know there are shoddy items? On one person's say-so? That's sad.
If you don't mind the quality issues, then go buy the kit and then post here about how it is worth every one of your 41 pennies.
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It's $4.00 for me as I didn't do the presentation pass. No thanks, I don't have $4.00 to spare.
I find it interesting that every time I comment on one of your posts, you add more details in your replies. Perhaps if you given ALL the information in the first place in your so called carefully written replies, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
I'm not taking your comments personally, I find it interesting that you seem to think so. I'm having a discussion, that is all. Again, if you had provided all the information in the original post, we would only have had two or three posts about this.
Man this blog actually used to be fairly entertaining to read, now it seems like everyone just nick-picks at the silliest things to bitch about, if not each other.
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It's always been like that. Maybe you have changed.
Maybe you're a Wal-Mart kind of person, who doesn't care about quality as long as the price is good.
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What the heck is Wal-Mart?
The black texture isn't blurry. It just looks like soft paper.
Maybe you're a Wal-Mart kind of person, who doesn't care about quality as long as the price is good.
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I know you meant this as an insult, but honestly, there ARE some things that you might want to buy on price over quality. I will buy kits that i don't LOVE every item in it if there is something I find interesting or unique, and if the price seems worth it for the parts I want. At $.41 or $4.00 it seems like there was plenty that was useful in the kit. I probably delete between 30% and 75% of every kit I buy because I don't scrap with many elements and don't like most. But I don't come here and grouse about it. If you're unhappy about the quality, complain and ask for your money back. Otherwise, you got what you paid for.
SMJ is a great designer. I personally love her style and I love her deals every friday too. I end up buying most of her kits because she makes a special bundle offer only on Friday which includes a kit,a set of 6 matching cards and a matching blog set all for $3.50 when the original price is $18.85. Now that's a deal I can't resist.
I really liked her MSA kit. It's worth the 0.41 cents it cost.I would pay $4.00 for it too.
#169 Thanks for posting about that. I didn't know about her (SMJ) Friday Bundle offers and just went to check it out. I was still able to get it all for the $3.50 and have now found a new designer to follow!
People may think this smack blog is all about tearing people down, but this isn't the first time someone has mentioned someone on here (good or bad reviews) and I've discovered someone new. There is GOOD that can come of this blog, as well.
I'm confused about the MSA kit and people buying it for $4. Why not just fork over the extra dollar and get another 13 months of kits for the one price? I just bought it- it's not too late to get it. Even if you only liked one kit out of the whole 14 months you'd still have only paid an extra dollar. Chances are you are going to like enough out of all of the 14 months to justify the extra buck.
I don't know where the 41 cents stuff came from- but I paid $5 for 14 months... that's only 36 cents per kit!! Even if I only like a couple of things in each kit, that's still more than a decent price.
That paper isn't blurry. Overlays are not supposed to be sharp and in focus if you are going for a brushed paper look. Overlay should not be pixelated which none of hers are.
I don't agree with you about the wood paper. It is still in focus at 66% which is high quality enough for print.
I see what you are saying about the balloon. But I've seen that done in art many times and I think it just adds some whimsy.
If you are unhappy with the kit, contact MSA's owner and let her know. Do the brave thing. But don't be surprised if others don't agree with your requirements for quality. You must have a hard time find anything that meets your standards.
171 - Where are you seeing the whole year for $5.00?
http://www.myscrapbookart.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16388
#173
http://www.myscrapbookart.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16388
But when I signed up for it, it listed 14 months and said it doesn't expire (for me) until March of 2014... so I don't know- 12 months or 14 months. (Oh wait... they started selling it in Nov, I guess so that's the 14 months.) Either way, it's $5 for "a year" through Jan 31st. Get it now and you will get 12 months worth - (at 42 cents a kit).
By the way- you have to be registered on the Forum and go to the main Forum page to see the User CP link they talk about, I believe.
The fine print says it lists 14 months as a default in the form, but it is only a 12 month subscription. Therefore, $0.41 per kit.
Yes, I read that later- my mistake (and theirs for not having it set up better- I think they started selling them in Nov and so had to have it be for 14 months to get it through 2013. Now that it's 2013 they can't change it??) and it's 41.6 cents if we want to get technical. :-P (but that price goes up each month that you wait, if I understand that correctly). And it's still a better deal than $4 for one kit, even if you only like a few things out of each kit. I'd love to get a few elements for only 42 cents. Cheapest I've ever paid is 50 cents for some discounted mini-pack, so 42 cents for any of that stuff still seems like a steal!
So I see scrapflower is reopening in Feb? What's going on there?
I really loved the redesign Scrapflower had a few months ago so I'm glad that it's not going to waste. I'm excited the store is reopening...
That means sales and new stuff and I can't resist.
#170 You're welcome.
You just discovered a great digi deal.Just be prepared to make a purchase every Friday. :)
I never understood why this smack blog has to be all about bad and nasty things?
Ok the name is smack blog but it doesn't always have to be about negative things. It's the only place on the internet where you can write your opinion anonymously about digiland. I don't like forums and I especially don't like people to know who I am when I write my opinion,good or bad.
I'm going to continue with my positive mojo on this "smack" blog and I hope more people will follow.
Anyone know who the new owner of Scrapflower is?
180, it usually isn't all smack here. It's always been that way. I think what people do hate are the lectures for when people do smack.
Is it really kosher to be marking your products as "Product Life" products right on the packaging? Doesn't Becky have a trademark or whatever on that title? I thought designers could sell PL related things but couldn't actually call them that.
http://www.sweetshoppedesigns.com/sweetshoppe/product.php?productid=24800&cat=540&page=2
#180 - As a designer I'd be thrilled to be mentioned here. If people are saying bad stuff about you here it means they at least know who you are.
#184 SO true! Isn't that what the PR people/agents do for famous people? If they aren't getting enough attention they leak some story (good or bad) to the press... or stage a photo op? Good Press/Bad Press-- At least they are talking about you!
I've agreed with some people about cruddy products or questionable looking stores, but more times than not they mention a store or designer I haven't heard of and I go and check them out only to find out they ARE my style or I do like what they do and I find a new place to shop!
I think this site is a good thing- keeps people on their toes and you know if you do something stupid or are being a bad business owner you will be called out for it. I don't agree with *how* everything is said sometimes, but that's Freedom of Speech and I don't want to change that!
@183 - it's more like it's made *for* Project Life (and the rest) than that it's a "Project Life" product from what I see. ???
It's not called Project Life. It's titled, "Yep, that's life".
Now I have that song stuck in my head...
It must be Royanna's turn at the DAD, since nothing is posted yet... again! I re-read the posts... she got her new router on the 9th and it's the 12th and still nothing. All this talk of her being flakey I went Googling and looking on the forums and there were complaints back in November about things being late and projects she starts but never finishes (like the 40 days that only went like halfway and the 25 names of Jesus that made it all the way to #19 or so) and so I figure this is par for the course and I'm just not expecting her stuff. She's probably going to claim some computer glitch and lose all this months stuff (cause I don't think it's done!)... meanwhile she's busy working on next months so THAT can be on time. That seems to be how it works- one month she's on, one month she's off.
I love this part of her rant in November--
"Know that I PERSONALLY pay $500 a month out of my OWN POCKET to pay for the server that houses these FREE KITS! DIVINE is my ONLY INCOME for my family as both my husband and I are disabled. To be honest I don't sell enough to cover that amount - and I TAKE NO INCOME FROM DIVINE....it ALL goes back into the site! And I do this completely out of LOVE!"
Either it's her only income or she makes no income- which is it? If you do it "completely out of LOVE" then love your forum members enough to actually complete things!! I'm getting sick of the not following through, then bitching that it's free so what do you expect and the oh-whoa-is-me-I'm-so-sick. Yes, she's ill-- I know other people that are also ill and still follow through on obligations and run businesses and work their asses off to keep customers happy. She acts like she walks on water! I really want to say something but the responses to that person in November were less than positive. The fans came out en masse to defend her flakiness!
189-That certainly doesn't surprise me. As we've all read before, yes, she's a flake.
Whether Royanna is a good person or not, she sure is not the best business person. With an unpredictable illness, it would be wiser for her to have a go-to person, a trustworthy assistant who could have copies of her stuff to upload, or kits to release, etc. so that if a computer issue or an illness related issue came up, the work would be done. Honestly, I would not care if it is Royanna who posts the DAD or an assistant on her bahalf, as long as it IS posted. It is not like the illness is a new situation for her, so I can just assume that she knows how things can happen in the blink of an eye, so it would be a good strategy for her to look into delegating or finding a reliable assistant.
Really? You are complaining about a freebie that hasn't been posted and calling her a bad business woman based on that? Save yourself the frustration and buy a kit!
192 - No I am not complaining about the freebies. I am only refering to what people mention as being late, whatever that is. I am not following those freebies. I don't have time to. But hearing about "Royanna is late for posting X", or "Royanna is not paying her designers on time", and so on, it sounds like an ongoing issue that affects the whole business.
Yeah, she's late posting challenges. BIG whoop!
And has she not paid her designers recently? That complaint was from a long time ago when she was homeless.
I appreciate Royanna's free kits and I do like her work. It's just that it is aggravating to check 10 times a day and still no post after repeated promises. I know stuff can happen but this is a pattern month after month, if not year after year. I guess I'm bothered because I usually end up missing one or two of her parts of the kit because you never know when she's going to decide to upload.
She puts a portion of the matching alpha in each part. Then I miss it and the download is expired. And then the kits are offered for sale usually but by then I'm ticked and not in the mood to buy anything. I do buy a lot of Royanna's kits and I look forward to this 'perk'. I feel cheap complaining about something that is given free; but I also think that when it is used as a sales tactic to get traffic to your website, the offer should be on time. And I really, really feel sorry for those who have to post excuse, after excuse for her.
Yes, Royanna is sick with a blood disease that can at times be debilitating for her. She is also a disorganized mess. Also, she has great ideas. But none of those ideas come to fruition or if they do it's so half assed that the greatness is lost.
It hasnt been that long since I left DD and I can tell you that in over a year I was paid on time maybe once or twice. It wasnt my only shop, and I only stayed as long as I did because my sales were decent enough to put up with her constant lateness until I got to where I wanted to be. Payroll isnt that hard to process in X cart and Paypal's mass payments make it even easier.
If you promise a freebie on the first and you don't post it on the first that is bad business. Period. Maybe instead of offering her usual huge freebies, she should scale back and offer a little less for free and deliver as promised.
I have a hard time believing that with as many designers as Divine has that commissions don't cover server costs and paypal fees. She doesn't buy advertising very often so that can't be a huge expense for her. Either way, she also sells at one other shop that I am aware of so I would assume there is some other income outside of DD.
How's Royanna's quality? She has a few kits I might want.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h99/joysee83/sf-designercall2013.jpg
Would you SERIOUSLY spend your money and trust this shop after the owner dumped every designer? Left them all scrambling for new stores? And now in less than 30 days after announcing the store is closing, do a new call for designers? and Reopen? Seriously? WTF is this kind of business? This store will NEVER get my money or support.
Royanna is just not the greatest business person. This isn't a new problem, it's been going on for as long as I've been in the digi world--at least 4-5 years now. It's always something this or something that. I really don't care anymore. I haven't been at the store in a couple of years now. I had experience with her as a ct for two of the designers at the site. She was a total pain to try to work with. I was so happy with the designers got fed up with her and her shenanigans and moved on to different stores!
#183 I've been wondering about the legality of that myself, but not so much from digital designers. I'm going to do my version of a Project Life album this year. I typed in 'project life' in my reader and got a few hits which I subscribed to.
It looks like several people in the paper industry are using the term 'project life' and even selling products with that name in the title.
#198 - so is it the same owner? I assumed it was new ownership...
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