The DST Blog Train is out and it seems those who commented can't find much that they like in it. What blog trains do you like, and why do you like them?
That poll had 116 responses. That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry. ------------
Yes, there is. Jul 24, 2013, 3:19:00 PM
--- You may want to re-read the statement you quoted or brush-up on your reading comprehension.
^^^^ Why all the smack to the person who correctly pointed out that the response 'yes, there is' to 'That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.' makes absolutely no sense?
I'm a designer smacked here one time and I think that most of you even don't know about my existence ! But I've a good quality in my products. I sell in a low tier store and I sell for approx 150-$ a month. I was before in a better known store and my income was half (50$).
That poll had 116 responses. That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry. ------------
Yes, there is. Jul 24, 2013, 3:19:00 PM
--- You may want to re-read the statement you quoted or brush-up on your reading comprehension.
^^^^ Why all the smack to the person who correctly pointed out that the response 'yes, there is' to 'That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.' makes absolutely no sense?
Income in this industry does NOT depend on marketing alone. Being in an "upper level" store means more traffic, more potential customers to see your work. To be successful, quite a few factors are involved. Dedication to your craft, a good eye for color blends and what goes with what, attention to detail, a vivid imagination, originality and creativity, the willingness to spend at minimum the equivalent of a full-time job on this 'hobby', and patience. LOTS of patience.
There are very few overnight success stories in digital scrapbooking. It takes time to build a customer base - this is where the marketing comes into play. But if you don't have most of the above mentioned 'qualifiers' - all the marketing in the world won't help you.
Asking what others make is irrelevant for a beginner. Asking who the 'good' designers are is rather odd. Why would you copy someone else? If that is your plan, take some advice and give up NOW. If your 'style' is similar to one that you mentioned, and that is what you meant to say, then good luck. You will need it. That isn't said to be snarky - its honest. It's a cut throat, catty, extremely competitive business. You CAN make decent $$ at this, but its a lot of work.
Asking what others make is irrelevant for a beginner. Asking who the 'good' designers are is rather odd. Why would you copy someone else? If that is your plan, take some advice and give up NOW. If your 'style' is similar to one that you mentioned, and that is what you meant to say, then good luck. You will need it. That isn't said to be snarky - its honest. It's a cut throat, catty, extremely competitive business. You CAN make decent $$ at this, but its a lot of work. ___
This is a rather pessimistic and almost angry diatribe. It's best to remember this is ONE person's perspective and not necessarily others' experience. Asking what others make is indeed relevant if someone wants to know. It's relevant to that person anyway. I have never experienced any cut throat or catty behavior from my colleagues. I have received support and kindness from them along the way. Likewise, I have given it. Yes, the business is competitive; that's what makes it lucrative. That's not a negative unless you don't want to work and/or have no talent.
-spend at minimum the equivalent of a full-time job on this 'hobby'- __________ I, personally, do not spend 40 hours a week designing and I do make a comfortable living doing it. Again, this is one person's perspective, and, in my opinion, not necessarily the norm.
Really, anything in life worth doing requires a good deal of patience. The op writes as if this is some kind of anomaly present only in designing digital scrapbook kits.
I think most veterans in this industry can put together a decent product in a day or two. If they have a good creative team, blog team, and whatever else they need, spending 40 hours/week running thei business isn't necessary.
As a designer, I do my own blogging (which generates my newsletter) and Facebook posts and I keep a small creative team. I make above $1500/month without doing much advertising other than what I mentioned above and posting about new products in my store's forum. All this takes about 20-25 hours/week at most and that includes making products every week.
Anyone working 40 hours/week is either working too hard on the wrong things, isn't making technology work for them, or wants a larger presence in this industry and refuses to take on people who will help her succeed. None of those things are smart or behaviors I would recommend a new designer adopt.
As in everything, it's better to work smart, not necessarily hard.
My advice is to look to designers you want to be like, not in style, but in how they present themselves. Someone like Traci Reed does well, I'm sure. She has a large CT, a blog team, etc. She has people who are willing to do a chunk of promo in exchange for her product. Someone like Connie Prince is the same way. All of those people free-up your TIME which is the most valuable thing you can offer your customers because it's what allows you to make products.
Designers who don't release a lot of product like majority of the designers at SO likely do OK in sales (above $300), but they're riding mostly off store promotions and the store CT, etc. In order to get such a gig where you can sit on your ass and make some money without making new products, you need to build your business or at least build hype around your products so some store owner will believe you bring in new customers.
If you choose to build your business, you wont settle for $300/month no matter how easily it comes. If you build hype, you lose the respect of your peers which is why SO is slammed so often on this blog (which is read by many designers).
You can also choose to go the artistry/boutique route where you make smaller, infrequent products and sell them for a premium at a store like P&Co or TLP. The hype for them is that they're handcrafted (which we know some aren't, but the majority are). Some customers are willing to pay more for less because it's unique.
If you're working 40 hours/week and you're only making $300, you are doing at least one thing wrong, but probably almost everything wrong. Only you can decide what to change.
If you choose to build your business, you wont settle for $300/month no matter how easily it comes. If you build hype, you lose the respect of your peers which is why SO is slammed so often on this blog (which is read by many designers). --------- ITA with #14's post and this was the best part of it. I've not been able to put my thoughts about most designers at SO into words until now. This sums it up perfectly.
I have never experienced any cut throat or catty behavior from my colleagues. --------
Not to my face, I haven't, but I know it went down behind my back because one of the people involved in that behavior told me. She got to know me and told me I was nicer than she thought I was. She then proceeded to apologize for the crap that went on behind my back and also for not letting me in her store, even though my product was good and would have sold.
Not to my face, I haven't, but I know it went down behind my back because one of the people involved in that behavior told me. She got to know me and told me I was nicer than she thought I was. She then proceeded to apologize for the crap that went on behind my back and also for not letting me in her store, even though my product was good and would have sold.
----------------- That was nice of her to unload all that shit on you so she could feel better about it.
Hello. Can someone please post a link to the Scrap Matters Mixed Matters Grab Bags? I totally forgot about them and lost the chance to buy them and I can't find which kits were included in each pack. I can only find a few from the mixed matters previews.
The designers don't necessarily have the kits for sale immediately after Mixed Matters is over. Over the next couple of weeks you will slowly see them make their way into the store.
Designers - Please put alpha sheets in their own download zip (especially if it's just an alpha pack!). Not all of us have unlimited bandwidth and those alpha sheets are huge and many of us just delete them. This wastes my bandwidth and your stores bandwidth - which impacts your site's speed.
I'm going to start putting designers on my no-buy list who waste my time and potentially my money.
Designers - Please put alpha sheets in their own download zip (especially if it's just an alpha pack!). Not all of us have unlimited bandwidth and those alpha sheets are huge and many of us just delete them. This wastes my bandwidth and your stores bandwidth - which impacts your site's speed.
----------
then the next person to post would complain about designers diving the files into too many zips and wasting their time and why can't they just put it all in one
#26 - I think some were original, but I believe the copycats got pushed through because they needed 8 and the ones left behind were horrible. You have to push someone through.
#27 - I think the alpha sheet thing is valid because most scrappers don't use/keep BOTH. The other stuff people bitch about is just personal preference as to how it's organized.
I do put the alpha sheets in a separate download when I have them. I have been trying to find a balance between too many downloads and too big of a download for those on dial-up. I've been doing 100 mb downloads now. Is that a good size for both? Or what is?
#14 - I don't know where you live but $1500/month is not an income. It's bonus cash. I imagine the designers who put in full time hours are making considerably more than that.
#26 "So what do we think about those who made it to the next cropped round?"
I was in the competition and got cropped this round. I was really unsure whether I'd make it through, although I certainly didn't think that my layout was horrible and lacked creativity. I didn't think any of them were horrible, and I thought they were all creative. I agree that the top 8 do have a lot of similarity. And I think they are all beautiful layouts worthy of moving on in the competition.
This is the part that makes me sad about getting cropped. The emailed prompt specifically had the words "Think outside the box, and consider showing contrast in scale ..." (the words "think outside the box" were left out of the version of the prompt that they posted on the blog). I thought a lot of the entries showed the type of color contrast that you see every day in the galleries, and were not particularly "outside the box." Maybe my idea wasn't all that "outside the box" either, but I did feel that I did something that I've never really seen before.
I don't know where you live but $1500/month is not an income. It's bonus cash ------------
It could be an income and not bonus cash because as you so rightly pointed out, you don't know where they live; so you don't know what constitutes an income for them.
It's quite interesting that people posting here thought most of the round 2 croppers were worthy, while they now think that most of the round 3 croppers are not. I think that's says something significant, despite the smack that sometimes goes on around here.
This is the part that makes me sad about getting cropped. The emailed prompt specifically had the words "Think outside the box, and consider showing contrast in scale ..." (the words "think outside the box" were left out of the version of the prompt that they posted on the blog). I thought a lot of the entries showed the type of color contrast that you see every day in the galleries, and were not particularly "outside the box." Maybe my idea wasn't all that "outside the box" either, but I did feel that I did something that I've never really seen before.
---
What about it was something that has never been seen? I'm honestly asking. I actually agree with you that you should have moved on rather than a couple that did. I just don't know that there was anything on ANY of them that I haven't seen before.
I *attempted* to show contrast in my photos, with a strip of small color photos, a strip of negatives (I inverted the images to make the "negatives"), and a single large black and white photo. So it was kinda a 3-way contrast between photos. It was the negatives that I thought I'd never, or rarely, seen in a digi layout before.
Tiffany, that one was yours? To be honest, I didn't even see the 'negatives' and I didn't get much of a feel for contrast in your layout. Maybe some of the judges felt the same? I'm sorry you were cropped.
Tiffany - I thought your page was nice, but the contrast was extremely subtle to the point of not seeing it even after you explained it. That isn't what contrast is. Contrast by definition emphasizes a difference in a striking way. Yours was better than a couple for sure, but they at least had some contrast that was visible. Negatives and filmstrips are all over galleries, so I'm not sure what was out of the box on your page, either.
I agree it was a stretch to choose 8. I'm not a judge or in the competition, but I have eyes and can see. Tiffany appears to be gracious, but I'm not - some of those pages were ugly as hell.
Amson's page was unique and not something I see everyday in the galleries. I like how she contrasted the two scenes and it was obvious without reading her journaling what her page was saying.
Janet Scott Photography's page is beautiful, but the contrast is a stretch. I like the B&W photo while her child was in NICU and then the large, color photo, but that was about it.
Catgoddess's page was brilliant with the contrast in journaling along with the background and colors. I like the dark elements on one side and the color on the bright side. I wish the journaling was a bit larger. Others apparently had no trouble reading it, though.
Pagefrocks's page seems a bit inspired by others. I do like the shapes, but nothing about it is creative or outside the box.
RaquelS's page I just don't like at all for this contest. It's basic, not creative, and I don't see the contrast. Ombre paper is not enough of a contrast IMO.
Trista's page seems a bit inspired by others, too. The blue contrasts with the yellow, but that's about it. It would have made more sense to use blue and orange since they're color opposites. Her journaling feels forced and trite.
Tronesia's page is a nice page. I like how she made the background. I don't get contrast from anything other than that, though. It's a basic page, but her photos alone make her pages and people will like them regardless.
Zakirahzakaria's page is unattractive IMO. I do not understand her advancement at all.
It will be interesting to see who makes it past this round. Is it the last one?
I'm not surprised, #42. As my comments came in, I definitely got the feeling that I had erred on the subtle side. I don't think you were the only one who didn't even see the negatives. Thank you, (and #40 if you are someone different) for the sympathy.
Some of those who moved on are lucky it wasn't the last round. They could have chosen a champion and runner-up from that round and sent everyone else home!
I think the claws come out as people are cropped, but most of the pages in round 3 weren't very good. I also thought many were poor in previous rounds, though.
I think the claws come out as people are cropped, ------
What claws? I don't think anyone here was participating, except for Tiffany and she's been very gracious. Besides, the critiques have been honest, whilst harsh in some cases, but not catty.
I would definitely do it again. There are a lot of great aspects of this contest. I think it is fun to be judged, I think it was awesome to have a dollar sale concurrently. I like that the challenge are open-ended. Winning prizes along the way was great. I would hope that a future contest would be shorter ... there are still 2 more rounds after the current 4th round!
Anyone get the STS newsletter this week? There's an offer in there where some designer wants you to buy her quick pages for $20. No name on the flyer though. Fail.
The length was one of the things that appealed to me - I think it's fun to see how long you can last. If it was just 3 or 4 rounds, it would go by too fast!
I'm not surprised, #42. As my comments came in, I definitely got the feeling that I had erred on the subtle side. I don't think you were the only one who didn't even see the negatives. Thank you, (and #40 if you are someone different) for the sympathy. ---------
I'm #42, but not #40 and you are welcome. Contrast, by definition, shouldn't be subtle, but we live and learn and goodness knows, I've done similar things.
54, I disagree that contrast can't be subtle. However, contrast is more easily noticed when the items being contrasted are more different from each other; and in a competition you probably want to err on the side of... "not subtle." Not trying to nitpick or pick a fight. I'm just saying.
I thought that a lot of the pages showed contrast in their subject matter, not just their design. For example,Tiffany's layout had the contrasting title using the words "positive" and "negative". Raquel's page showed contrast with the child as a newborn vs. how big he is now, and Lynnette's, Janet's and pagefrocks all had that theme to some degree. Tronesias page showed contrast in two sides of her daughters personality. Zakirahs had contrasting journaling as well.
The definition of contrast is 'The state of being strikingly different from something else'; and I was talking about the definition.
You can disagree with that all you wish, but ti doesn't change the definition. ------- Since "strikingly" is somewhat subjective, it's easy to have differing opinions regarding contrast. The definition is not black and white-yes, pun intended.
What a close-minded ignoramus you are. Poor thing. You're right. Everyone's idea of "strikingly" is exactly the same. Geez, thank goodness most people are smarter than you.
58 - Life itself is subjective if you want to go that route. Strikingly is vivid and very noticeable - there is nothing subtle about it by definition.
You can try and twist definitions around all you want. You'll still be wrong. ------ No twisting, Idiot. People's perceptions, etc. are different. It doesn't mean they're wrong and you're right. Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not.
58 - Life itself is subjective if you want to go that route. Strikingly is vivid and very noticeable - there is nothing subtle about it by definition.
You can try and twist definitions around all you want. You'll still be wrong. - You are missing the whole point. Do you know what subjective means? You write as if you don't.
What a close-minded ignoramus you are. Poor thing. You're right. Everyone's idea of "strikingly" is exactly the same. Geez, thank goodness most people are smarter than you. ----------
Dictionary, my dear. You should try and read it some time. It has nothing to do with being close minded nor being an ignoramus.
No twisting, Idiot. People's perceptions, etc. are different. It doesn't mean they're wrong and you're right. Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not. ----
It has NOTHING to do with perception, it has everything to do with the definition. Fortunately most people seem to understand the difference between DEFINITION and PERCEPTION, sadly, you aren't one of them.
Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not.
-----------
You seem to be under the impression that it's only one person talking about this, you would be wrong. I made some of the comments but I didn't make all of them.
Royanna has been posting pictures of herself on Facebook. She really needs to update her Photoshop skills. She keeps using this hazy murky soft focus filter (kinda like when you put vasoline on the filter in the old days) when what she really needs is a little spot healing brush under the eyes.
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like?
Here is my layout. http://pixelsandcompany.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=5608&c=8
I have not used photoshop to erase wrinkles, but I often use the spot healing brush to remove blemishes (or scrapes and bruises for the kiddos) on anyone in my picture who needs it.
68-If you MUST know, I was laughing at all the bickering. It takes real intelligence to bicker with an anonymous poster on a smack blog. I got a giggle out of it because it's stupid.
And oh yes, please remove blemishes with the spot healing brush!! I have even used it to remove junk off the floor. I wish I could clean my floor in real life just by clicking my mouse!!
I'll get on the Royanna train, anything to stop talking about Tiffany's layouts and photos. Nothing personal, but this is a smack blog. Getting comments on layouts are meant for galleries. Not here.
Or what about Trixie Scraps? Someone mentioned it here earlier. Did anyone answer that or did I miss it? I was curious to know too.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like?
Yes, Yes Yes Yes!!! Only people I love get special treatment.
L O L! It has EVERYTHING to do with perception. This statement alone by you reflects your ignorance. Everyone's reality (yes, even yours) is what they PERCEIVE it to be. This is basic intellect 101. Catch a clue and quit speaking of things of which you OBVIOUSLY know nothing. This started because I said "strikingly" is subjective. Of course, it is. What I perceive to come under that definition, you may not. This isn't debatable; it's factual and common sense. Hey, instead of arguing on a smack blog, why not pick up a book or ten and do some reading?!!!
94 - You seem to be the one arguing - quite passionately per my perception. This line of conversation has been dropped, but you felt the need to pick it up and put in what I'm sure you hoped was one last comment on the topic.
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life.
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life.
^^ HUH? Relevant how?
Oh, right, it's not - typical response when you can't actually come up with an argument - attack.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb ----------------------------------------------
She needs to acquaint herself with the color selection tool. Would have made her conversions a lot faster.
Didn't Trixie Scraps leave another store and there were rumors of her creating a ton of drama and then flouncing out? It seems like that was awhile ago.
Yes, she creates drama everywhere she goes. There is always some "poor picked on me" crap that she likes to whine about and of course she acts as though it's everyone else's fault. However, what is the common denominator there? Her.
As for SBB, I've heard their site and requirements aren't very organized, nor does management respond to designers timely (if at all).
SBB has been like that for many years. Apparently the new ownership didn't improve things. SBB used to be a great store many years ago, but hasn't managed to keep-up with the times which is a direct reflection on the ownership. Designers can only do so much.
I have no idea why Trixie would leave SBB unless sales have dropped significantly. I know she's a bit of a drama queen, but it seems unlikely she would leave if sales were good.
The store she left before was PBP. It seemed like they just up and closed her store, though. I don't know that back story, but I remember her leaving what seemed abruptly.
I'm a designer at PBP and we were never told the details of Trixie's departure. However, it was obvious that it was something Trixie caused. The owner of PBP doesn't seem to be the type to be dramatic or impulsive. She is right on top of things and has been super easy to work with. I wish my other store was as organized.
I've heard that Connie does well at SBB. Can't imagine she would leave; however I found it odd that north meets south kits were being discontinued at SBB too. Connie did recently open a personal shop...maybe she is leaving? I honestly haven't heard much on the topic. As for SBB mgmt, yes a few years ago it was really bad. But Amy took on some extra admin help I think and things seem to be better.
Trixie was also booted from Inspiration Lane years ago - suddenly, with no explanation. She played a 'poor me - I have no idea what happened - I've been mistreated' reaction.
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life. --- Yeah, you're an idiot. There's no way to respond to this because it makes absolutely no sense and doesn't relate to anything.
Well, the DigiScrap Parade is underwhelming to say the least. It has about half of the designers it had in May (if memory serves) and it's kinda a waste of time. I wish I'd known how mediocre it was before I went to all those sites! I kept thinking, it has to get better!
This line of conversation has been dropped, but you felt the need to pick it up and put in what I'm sure you hoped was one last comment on the topic. ___ Actually, I was intrigued by you saying that a definition of a word has nothing to do with perception. It was such an asinine statement that I was hoping you would expound and enlighten me as to what your reasoning was/is. Instead, you obviously weren't able, so you did what anyone would do who doesn't have an intelligent response, you accused me of reading about Fabio's penis and vampires. Uh..okay.
96 - You truly make no sense whatsoever. _______ 96 makes plenty of sense! You're the one who's a brick or two shy of a load if you're the "Fabio/vampire/perception has nothing to do with it" TWIT!!!
I'll get on the Royanna train, anything to stop talking about Tiffany's layouts ______ Yeah, because WE ALL love to dish about Royanna since there's a group here who don't even know or care who the hell she is! That's much more interesting!
Well, I got the Fabio vampire comment. I thought it was funny, too.
It was in response to your comment about how someone should read more. I'm guessing the OP figured you read books, but they were unintelligent ones like dime store romance novels or things like Twilight. Not actually real books.
I just checked out the Parade and I liked about half of the freebies really well. I downloaded a bunch. I was curious after reading 112's comment about the number of designers, so I checked the site from May and compared and this time there are 42 designers and last time there were 65.
Ya it does look like SO sat out again. What gives? Also, I am noticing that Pixels and Co was added to the Parade. I wish more of their designers had participated this time, b/c I really love their work. I hope they stay in it next time too.
I'm guessing Christine was quite strict about how many things could be in Group Therapy packs, as they all seem to have around the same number. I've purchased similar 'color play' things many times (it's one of my favorite things to buy!) and I would never pay $1.29 for 8 elements.
Many of the designers clearly were inspired to create more than 8 so they end up with 3 different element packs, each with 8 in them. The costs really adds up if you have buy 3 different elements packs.
If putting separates together ads up to way more than I'd pay for a full kit, then what exactly is the point?
The average kit I buy has 30 to 40 elements about 15 to 20 papers for in the $6 to $7 range.
I agree, #123. The point of build a collab things like this is for people to get a big kit of their own choice for a lower price than it would be to buy the whole kit (with things people may or may not want). Most stores with such events sell the packs at $1.00 or 50% off with much more stuff in them.
Sorry 123 & 125, but the new purpose for build a collab is to milk you for as much money as they can. Royanna definitely did her's that way and hey, didn't Christine sell at DD?
I like most of what I saw on the DSP train. However, I absolutely HATE that Peppermint Creative wants you to sign up for her newsletter to get her part. Liking someone on FB is one thing, signing up for an email list? Yuck.
#127 - I am in the processing of unzipping the Digifiles right now. So far, from the previews and what I've unzipped, I really like it! A bunch of nice kits, a very nice template pack, and a tutorial from Debbie Hodge, whose got really good design tutorials. I like it MUCH better than the last couple of months.
133 again - I also got the Scrap Pack this month, and I think it's really good. I especially like the kit from Tracy Martin, it's huge, and it's got some really nice paints and vellum layers to put over your papers. It's also a really fun girlie or spring type kit, which I like.
I'm going through the parade stops now, on pink reptiles blog she says : "associated stores are scrap matters, scrap orchard, sweet shoppe designs, the digi chick, pixels &co, and the lilypad". I'm glad they let p&co in, because they've got great designers, but it seems pretty obvious scrap orchard and sweet shoppe have a problem with that.
I don't know why DigiChick is considered a high end store or included in a group with the others. Quality of product and designers has gone downhill and its very lackluster. Has become really low end iMO
The designers at SSD can't just sit around and not produce. They have a few who are very active and others who don't make products for months. This is not a recipe for success in today's marketplace. They need to get rid of the dead weight just like other stores. Why does no one do this? It's business!
139 the Digichick used to be high end and it's really just this year that things have gone downhill. I bet that when they started the digi parade they assumed that things would start looking up again, instead it only seems to have gotten worse. I did really like the parts by Wishing Well, Danyale, 2AM, Girl Boy Girl (and I do not normally ever like her products), and Sara J. Most of those were very good. The rest of the Digichick stops had templates and bad minis and I skipped them. I also really liked Pink Reptile's elements (not not papers), Robyn Meirotto, Megan's Creations, Clever Monkey, Laurie Ann, Amy Wolff, Peppermint Creative, The Lilypad, the flair in Little Butterfly Wings, Southern Serenity's template, Juno, Litabells, Melissa Bennett, and Allison Pennington. I thought Stolen Moment's cards were cute but I have no use for them.
137 - it's either that SSD isn't doing well enough for those designers to just sell there, or that Sugar Hill is doing so well that people are clamoring to get in there. I've heard enough over time to think that it may be the second.
140 - someone from TDC did start it. Laura/Wishing Well. She is definitely someone I'd consider high end, but a lot of TDC isn't anymore. I stopped shopping there not long after it changed ownership last year.
145 - CU shops are booming because everyone with a mouse and some time to spare when the kids go to sleep wants to be a designer and thanks to all these CU stores the only skill it takes to do so is the ability to purchase, download, recolor and repackage. All this results in is a flood of untalented "designers" re-selling the same crap over and over and over again adding very little of their own creativity to it and thats why there are now 120002323 designers most of which you've never heard of.
Which CU shops are "booming"? I can only think of a few right off the top of my head, and Sugar Hill is the only one I would shop at. IMO that is why they're probably doing so well. The "untalented designers" that 151 refers to will likely shop anywhere and aren't choosy about their CU. But top-level designers aren't going to shop at all of the low-level CU shops that exist. Hence Sugar Hill's success - it might truly be the only place that caters all of the customers out there.
I admit, I shop at SHCo a lot, but not because I want to design. I prefer to buy brushes, textures, etc. there because they are better quality than what I find in regular scrap stores since they are aimed at designers specifically. I also like not having to wade through kits and other product to get to the items I want.
120 - SO couldn't participate because Kami wanted to make them do their own facebook train. She doesn't play well with others. _____
100% completely true and proves how bad a businesswoman she is. How is it better to do a tiny train within one store where you're simply giving freebies to people who already follow you and are already your customers, when you could do a giant train that brings lots of new customers to your site? It just doesn't add up. If I were one of her designers I'd be so angry.
153, what I can't understand is why top designers like those at SHCo are willing to share what they make with all of the "untalented designers" and give them a better chance to actually compete for sales?
I would guess that the top designers who sell CU also aren't worried that lower designers will ever compete with them. I'd have to agree with them too, so if there's extra money in selling CU why not do it? The only people who'd really worry about helping other designers compete with them are designers who aren't confident in their talents.
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like? ----------
I want to remember what people looked like, warts and all, and not my skill at Photoshop.
^ Agreed. If you look at the designers at Sugar Hill, they're really some of the best of the best. Someone else can use their flower or their ribbon or their pattern or their doily, but it's really unlikely that they're ever going to make something as unique and nice as that original designer's kits.
Actually, I was intrigued by you saying that a definition of a word has nothing to do with perception. It was such an asinine statement that I was hoping you would expound and enlighten me as to what your reasoning was/is. Instead, you obviously weren't able, so you did what anyone would do who doesn't have an intelligent response, you accused me of reading about Fabio's penis and vampires. Uh..okay. ------
I'm intrigued by the fact that you think I made that post, when I didn't. I wrote about perception and definition and that is all. I made no comments about Fabio or vampires. There is more than one person arguing with you. However, I'm done, I can't be bothered having a conversation with someone who feels the need to constantly call someone a moron or similar.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb ---------
100% completely true and proves how bad a businesswoman she is. How is it better to do a tiny train within one store where you're simply giving freebies to people who already follow you and are already your customers, when you could do a giant train that brings lots of new customers to your site? It just doesn't add up. If I were one of her designers I'd be so angry.
CU shops are booming because everyone with a mouse and some time to spare when the kids go to sleep wants to be a designer and thanks to all these CU stores the only skill it takes to do so is the ability to purchase, download, recolor and repackage. All this results in is a flood of untalented "designers" re-selling the same crap over and over and over again adding very little of their own creativity to it and thats why there are now 120002323 designers most of which you've never heard of. ---------
No. This was probably true about four or five years ago.
However, I'm done, I can't be bothered having a conversation with someone who feels the need to constantly call someone a moron or similar. _ Hallelujah! Please, please keep your word on this!
Figured I would chime in on the SugarHill talk... Does anyone else hate it when designers add stupid stuff to grab bags? http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/KimB-s-Sugar-Birthday-CU-Grab-Bag/ I am a big fan of KimB, but seriously, who needs or will use the "In To The East" or that ugly flower pack? Granted, the overlays alone are worth the $5, I just find it irritating that stuff like that gets included. Am I alone? And don't get me started on Rachaels Scraps! Haven't bought one of her hideous grab bags in nearly 6 months! And who the heck is that Vinne Pearce... http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/vinniepearcedesign/ UGH! Won't ever pay money for her stuff...surprised she got in to SHCO in the first place.
Dear Paraders, if I cannot see what you are offering, I will not click like on your page. There are others who do give a preview and they got my 'vote'.
And who the heck is that Vinne Pearce... http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/vinniepearcedesign/ UGH! Won't ever pay money for her stuff...surprised she got in to SHCO in the first place. --------
I like some of her stuff, but not all. I used to love her kits but I don't think she makes those anymore.
976 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 801 – 976 of 976 Newer› Newest»You may want to re-read the statement you quoted or brush-up on your reading comprehension.
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I bet you regularly comment on YouTube and Yahoo, don't you?
That poll had 116 responses. That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.
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Yes, there is.
Jul 24, 2013, 3:19:00 PM
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You may want to re-read the statement you quoted or brush-up on your reading comprehension.
^^^^
Why all the smack to the person who correctly pointed out that the response 'yes, there is' to 'That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.' makes absolutely no sense?
I'm a designer smacked here one time and I think that most of you even don't know about my existence ! But I've a good quality in my products.
I sell in a low tier store and I sell for approx 150-$ a month.
I was before in a better known store and my income was half (50$).
Does the income really depend on the store ?
I agree with #200, I didn't love Janet's at all.
income depends on the marketing.
That poll had 116 responses. That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.
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Yes, there is.
Jul 24, 2013, 3:19:00 PM
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You may want to re-read the statement you quoted or brush-up on your reading comprehension.
^^^^
Why all the smack to the person who correctly pointed out that the response 'yes, there is' to 'That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry.' makes absolutely no sense?
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It makes perfect sense to me.
That's no where near the amount of designers in this industry means there are MORE than 116. Responding with "yes there is" makes no sense whatsoever.
Income in this industry does NOT depend on marketing alone. Being in an "upper level" store means more traffic, more potential customers to see your work. To be successful, quite a few factors are involved. Dedication to your craft, a good eye for color blends and what goes with what, attention to detail, a vivid imagination, originality and creativity, the willingness to spend at minimum the equivalent of a full-time job on this 'hobby', and patience. LOTS of patience.
There are very few overnight success stories in digital scrapbooking. It takes time to build a customer base - this is where the marketing comes into play. But if you don't have most of the above mentioned 'qualifiers' - all the marketing in the world won't help you.
Asking what others make is irrelevant for a beginner. Asking who the 'good' designers are is rather odd. Why would you copy someone else? If that is your plan, take some advice and give up NOW. If your 'style' is similar to one that you mentioned, and that is what you meant to say, then good luck. You will need it. That isn't said to be snarky - its honest. It's a cut throat, catty, extremely competitive business. You CAN make decent $$ at this, but its a lot of work.
Asking what others make is irrelevant for a beginner. Asking who the 'good' designers are is rather odd. Why would you copy someone else? If that is your plan, take some advice and give up NOW. If your 'style' is similar to one that you mentioned, and that is what you meant to say, then good luck. You will need it. That isn't said to be snarky - its honest. It's a cut throat, catty, extremely competitive business. You CAN make decent $$ at this, but its a lot of work.
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This is a rather pessimistic and almost angry diatribe. It's best to remember this is ONE person's perspective and not necessarily others' experience. Asking what others make is indeed relevant if someone wants to know. It's relevant to that person anyway. I have never experienced any cut throat or catty behavior from my colleagues. I have received support and kindness from them along the way. Likewise, I have given it. Yes, the business is competitive; that's what makes it lucrative. That's not a negative unless you don't want to work and/or have no talent.
-spend at minimum the equivalent of a full-time job on this 'hobby'-
__________
I, personally, do not spend 40 hours a week designing and I do make a comfortable living doing it. Again, this is one person's perspective, and, in my opinion, not necessarily the norm.
-income depends on the marketing.-
_________
Agree that it's certainly a major factor. However, obviously, the talent has to be there for starters.
- LOTS of patience.-
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Really, anything in life worth doing requires a good deal of patience. The op writes as if this is some kind of anomaly present only in designing digital scrapbook kits.
I think most veterans in this industry can put together a decent product in a day or two. If they have a good creative team, blog team, and whatever else they need, spending 40 hours/week running thei business isn't necessary.
As a designer, I do my own blogging (which generates my newsletter) and Facebook posts and I keep a small creative team. I make above $1500/month without doing much advertising other than what I mentioned above and posting about new products in my store's forum. All this takes about 20-25 hours/week at most and that includes making products every week.
Anyone working 40 hours/week is either working too hard on the wrong things, isn't making technology work for them, or wants a larger presence in this industry and refuses to take on people who will help her succeed. None of those things are smart or behaviors I would recommend a new designer adopt.
As in everything, it's better to work smart, not necessarily hard.
My advice is to look to designers you want to be like, not in style, but in how they present themselves. Someone like Traci Reed does well, I'm sure. She has a large CT, a blog team, etc. She has people who are willing to do a chunk of promo in exchange for her product. Someone like Connie Prince is the same way. All of those people free-up your TIME which is the most valuable thing you can offer your customers because it's what allows you to make products.
Designers who don't release a lot of product like majority of the designers at SO likely do OK in sales (above $300), but they're riding mostly off store promotions and the store CT, etc. In order to get such a gig where you can sit on your ass and make some money without making new products, you need to build your business or at least build hype around your products so some store owner will believe you bring in new customers.
If you choose to build your business, you wont settle for $300/month no matter how easily it comes. If you build hype, you lose the respect of your peers which is why SO is slammed so often on this blog (which is read by many designers).
You can also choose to go the artistry/boutique route where you make smaller, infrequent products and sell them for a premium at a store like P&Co or TLP. The hype for them is that they're handcrafted (which we know some aren't, but the majority are). Some customers are willing to pay more for less because it's unique.
If you're working 40 hours/week and you're only making $300, you are doing at least one thing wrong, but probably almost everything wrong. Only you can decide what to change.
Thanks for all the input! It's very interesting to see the all the (sometimes very different) points of view.
If you choose to build your business, you wont settle for $300/month no matter how easily it comes. If you build hype, you lose the respect of your peers which is why SO is slammed so often on this blog (which is read by many designers).
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ITA with #14's post and this was the best part of it. I've not been able to put my thoughts about most designers at SO into words until now. This sums it up perfectly.
From my own experience, I know that who you are and how others perceive you makes a huge difference to your sales.
I have never experienced any cut throat or catty behavior from my colleagues.
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Not to my face, I haven't, but I know it went down behind my back because one of the people involved in that behavior told me. She got to know me and told me I was nicer than she thought I was. She then proceeded to apologize for the crap that went on behind my back and also for not letting me in her store, even though my product was good and would have sold.
Not to my face, I haven't, but I know it went down behind my back because one of the people involved in that behavior told me. She got to know me and told me I was nicer than she thought I was. She then proceeded to apologize for the crap that went on behind my back and also for not letting me in her store, even though my product was good and would have sold.
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That was nice of her to unload all that shit on you so she could feel
better about it.
From my own experience, I know that who you are and how others perceive you makes a huge difference to your sales.
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Of course.
That was nice of her to unload all that shit on you so she could feel
better about it.
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Ha, so true, but at least I knew I wasn't being paranoid.
Hello. Can someone please post a link to the Scrap Matters Mixed Matters Grab Bags? I totally forgot about them and lost the chance to buy them and I can't find which kits were included in each pack. I can only find a few from the mixed matters previews.
22 - I think they were posted on the FB page throughout the week, or the ad was there.
The designers don't necessarily have the kits for sale immediately after Mixed Matters is over. Over the next couple of weeks you will slowly see them make their way into the store.
Designers - Please put alpha sheets in their own download zip (especially if it's just an alpha pack!). Not all of us have unlimited bandwidth and those alpha sheets are huge and many of us just delete them. This wastes my bandwidth and your stores bandwidth - which impacts your site's speed.
I'm going to start putting designers on my no-buy list who waste my time and potentially my money.
Thank you.
So what do we think about those who made it to the next cropped round? I think most of those layouts were a lot alike & not necessarily my top 8.
Designers - Please put alpha sheets in their own download zip (especially if it's just an alpha pack!). Not all of us have unlimited bandwidth and those alpha sheets are huge and many of us just delete them. This wastes my bandwidth and your stores bandwidth - which impacts your site's speed.
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then the next person to post would complain about designers diving the files into too many zips and wasting their time and why can't they just put it all in one
#26 - I think some were original, but I believe the copycats got pushed through because they needed 8 and the ones left behind were horrible. You have to push someone through.
#27 - I think the alpha sheet thing is valid because most scrappers don't use/keep BOTH. The other stuff people bitch about is just personal preference as to how it's organized.
I do put the alpha sheets in a separate download when I have them. I have been trying to find a balance between too many downloads and too big of a download for those on dial-up. I've been doing 100 mb downloads now. Is that a good size for both? Or what is?
100 mb downloads
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not so hot for those with dial-up and it's really
nice of you to ask!
I try to keep mine under 50 mb.
I always tried to keep each zip file under 50mb too. Can I make bigger ?
So does anyone know why Trixie Scraps is leaving SBB?
#14 - I don't know where you live but $1500/month is not an income. It's bonus cash. I imagine the designers who put in full time hours are making considerably more than that.
well #30, please finish answering the question. What is the biggest download you can handle on dial-up?
#26 "So what do we think about those who made it to the next cropped round?"
I was in the competition and got cropped this round. I was really unsure whether I'd make it through, although I certainly didn't think that my layout was horrible and lacked creativity. I didn't think any of them were horrible, and I thought they were all creative. I agree that the top 8 do have a lot of similarity. And I think they are all beautiful layouts worthy of moving on in the competition.
This is the part that makes me sad about getting cropped. The emailed prompt specifically had the words "Think outside the box, and consider showing contrast in scale ..." (the words "think outside the box" were left out of the version of the prompt that they posted on the blog). I thought a lot of the entries showed the type of color contrast that you see every day in the galleries, and were not particularly "outside the box." Maybe my idea wasn't all that "outside the box" either, but I did feel that I did something that I've never really seen before.
#23 Yes there were sneak peak photos but no mention who the designers are.
#24 Thank you.. I'll be on the lookout.
I'm so bummed I lost the chance to buy the grab bags.
I don't know where you live but $1500/month is not an income. It's bonus cash
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It could be an income and not bonus cash because as you so rightly pointed out, you don't know where they live; so you don't know what constitutes an income for them.
It's quite interesting that people posting here thought most of the round 2 croppers were worthy, while they now think that most of the round 3 croppers are not. I think that's says something significant, despite the smack that sometimes goes on around here.
This is the part that makes me sad about getting cropped. The emailed prompt specifically had the words "Think outside the box, and consider showing contrast in scale ..." (the words "think outside the box" were left out of the version of the prompt that they posted on the blog). I thought a lot of the entries showed the type of color contrast that you see every day in the galleries, and were not particularly "outside the box." Maybe my idea wasn't all that "outside the box" either, but I did feel that I did something that I've never really seen before.
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What about it was something that has never been seen? I'm honestly asking. I actually agree with you that you should have moved on rather than a couple that did. I just don't know that there was anything on ANY of them that I haven't seen before.
I *attempted* to show contrast in my photos, with a strip of small color photos, a strip of negatives (I inverted the images to make the "negatives"), and a single large black and white photo. So it was kinda a 3-way contrast between photos. It was the negatives that I thought I'd never, or rarely, seen in a digi layout before.
Tiffany, that one was yours? To be honest, I didn't even see the 'negatives' and I didn't get much of a feel for contrast in your layout. Maybe some of the judges felt the same? I'm sorry you were cropped.
Tiffany - I thought your page was nice, but the contrast was extremely subtle to the point of not seeing it even after you explained it. That isn't what contrast is. Contrast by definition emphasizes a difference in a striking way. Yours was better than a couple for sure, but they at least had some contrast that was visible. Negatives and filmstrips are all over galleries, so I'm not sure what was out of the box on your page, either.
I agree it was a stretch to choose 8. I'm not a judge or in the competition, but I have eyes and can see. Tiffany appears to be gracious, but I'm not - some of those pages were ugly as hell.
Amson's page was unique and not something I see everyday in the galleries. I like how she contrasted the two scenes and it was obvious without reading her journaling what her page was saying.
Janet Scott Photography's page is beautiful, but the contrast is a stretch. I like the B&W photo while her child was in NICU and then the large, color photo, but that was about it.
Catgoddess's page was brilliant with the contrast in journaling along with the background and colors. I like the dark elements on one side and the color on the bright side. I wish the journaling was a bit larger. Others apparently had no trouble reading it, though.
Pagefrocks's page seems a bit inspired by others. I do like the shapes, but nothing about it is creative or outside the box.
RaquelS's page I just don't like at all for this contest. It's basic, not creative, and I don't see the contrast. Ombre paper is not enough of a contrast IMO.
Trista's page seems a bit inspired by others, too. The blue contrasts with the yellow, but that's about it. It would have made more sense to use blue and orange since they're color opposites. Her journaling feels forced and trite.
Tronesia's page is a nice page. I like how she made the background. I don't get contrast from anything other than that, though. It's a basic page, but her photos alone make her pages and people will like them regardless.
Zakirahzakaria's page is unattractive IMO. I do not understand her advancement at all.
It will be interesting to see who makes it past this round. Is it the last one?
I'm not surprised, #42. As my comments came in, I definitely got the feeling that I had erred on the subtle side. I don't think you were the only one who didn't even see the negatives. Thank you, (and #40 if you are someone different) for the sympathy.
Some of those who moved on are lucky it wasn't the last round. They could have chosen a champion and runner-up from that round and sent everyone else home!
I think the claws come out as people are cropped, but most of the pages in round 3 weren't very good. I also thought many were poor in previous rounds, though.
I think the claws come out as people are cropped,
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What claws? I don't think anyone here was participating, except for Tiffany and she's been very gracious. Besides, the critiques have been honest, whilst harsh in some cases, but not catty.
I think this has been a fun contest to watch and I wish I had entered.
Tiffany, would you do it again?
think this has been a fun contest to watch and I wish I had entered.
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Me too. The challenges have certainly been different from the norm.
I was cropped a couple rounds ago, but yes, I'd do it again. I liked the challenges and the contestants.
I would definitely do it again. There are a lot of great aspects of this contest. I think it is fun to be judged, I think it was awesome to have a dollar sale concurrently. I like that the challenge are open-ended. Winning prizes along the way was great. I would hope that a future contest would be shorter ... there are still 2 more rounds after the current 4th round!
Anyone get the STS newsletter this week? There's an offer in there where some designer wants you to buy her quick pages for $20. No name on the flyer though. Fail.
The length was one of the things that appealed to me - I think it's fun to see how long you can last. If it was just 3 or 4 rounds, it would go by too fast!
I'm surprised at how many are cropped each round, considering the length of the contest.
I'm not surprised, #42. As my comments came in, I definitely got the feeling that I had erred on the subtle side. I don't think you were the only one who didn't even see the negatives. Thank you, (and #40 if you are someone different) for the sympathy.
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I'm #42, but not #40 and you are welcome. Contrast, by definition, shouldn't be subtle, but we live and learn and goodness knows, I've done similar things.
I did like the page though.
54, I disagree that contrast can't be subtle. However, contrast is more easily noticed when the items being contrasted are more different from each other; and in a competition you probably want to err on the side of... "not subtle." Not trying to nitpick or pick a fight. I'm just saying.
The definition of contrast is 'The state of being strikingly different from something else'; and I was talking about the definition.
You can disagree with that all you wish, but ti doesn't change the definition.
I thought that a lot of the pages showed contrast in their subject matter, not just their design. For example,Tiffany's layout had the contrasting title using the words "positive" and "negative". Raquel's page showed contrast with the child as a newborn vs. how big he is now, and Lynnette's, Janet's and pagefrocks all had that theme to some degree. Tronesias page showed contrast in two sides of her daughters personality. Zakirahs had contrasting journaling as well.
The definition of contrast is 'The state of being strikingly different from something else'; and I was talking about the definition.
You can disagree with that all you wish, but ti doesn't change the definition.
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Since "strikingly" is somewhat subjective, it's easy to have differing opinions regarding contrast. The definition is not black and white-yes, pun intended.
58 - Life itself is subjective if you want to go that route. Strikingly is vivid and very noticeable - there is nothing subtle about it by definition.
You can try and twist definitions around all you want. You'll still be wrong.
Since "strikingly" is somewhat subjective
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No, it's not.
Since "strikingly" is somewhat subjective
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No, it's not.
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What a close-minded ignoramus you are. Poor thing. You're right. Everyone's idea of "strikingly" is exactly the same. Geez, thank goodness most people are smarter than you.
58 - Life itself is subjective if you want to go that route. Strikingly is vivid and very noticeable - there is nothing subtle about it by definition.
You can try and twist definitions around all you want. You'll still be wrong.
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No twisting, Idiot. People's perceptions, etc. are different. It doesn't mean they're wrong and you're right. Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not.
58 - Life itself is subjective if you want to go that route. Strikingly is vivid and very noticeable - there is nothing subtle about it by definition.
You can try and twist definitions around all you want. You'll still be wrong.
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You are missing the whole point. Do you know what subjective means? You write as if you don't.
If you don't, why not look up the definition like you had to for contrast?
61-lol
Omg! Enough with the flipping contrast. Who cares! Move on!
What a close-minded ignoramus you are. Poor thing. You're right. Everyone's idea of "strikingly" is exactly the same. Geez, thank goodness most people are smarter than you.
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Dictionary, my dear. You should try and read it some time. It has nothing to do with being close minded nor being an ignoramus.
61-lol
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Laughing at yourself or are you just as stupid as she is?
No twisting, Idiot. People's perceptions, etc. are different. It doesn't mean they're wrong and you're right. Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not.
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It has NOTHING to do with perception, it has everything to do with the definition. Fortunately most people seem to understand the difference between DEFINITION and PERCEPTION, sadly, you aren't one of them.
Omg! Enough with the flipping contrast. Who cares! Move on!
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Don't like it, move on.
Fortunately, most people seem to understand that even though you do not.
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You seem to be under the impression that it's only one person talking about this, you would be wrong. I made some of the comments but I didn't make all of them.
If you don't, why not look up the definition like you had to for contrast?
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Shut up, Shirley.
why not look up the definition like you had to for contrast?
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Sorry my darling, but some of us actually don't need to look up things, we already know what they mean, I'm so very sorry you aren't one of them.
Tiffany, can you post a link to your layout.
When does school start so the children posting here will stop all their bickering.
For those of you wanting a different subject....
Royanna has been posting pictures of herself on Facebook. She really needs to update her Photoshop skills. She keeps using this hazy murky soft focus filter (kinda like when you put vasoline on the filter in the old days) when what she really needs is a little spot healing brush under the eyes.
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like?
Here is my layout.
http://pixelsandcompany.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=5608&c=8
I have not used photoshop to erase wrinkles, but I often use the spot healing brush to remove blemishes (or scrapes and bruises for the kiddos) on anyone in my picture who needs it.
No wonder I couldn't find it, I was searching at Scrap Orchard. LOL
Very cute, adorable kiddo too. :)
Really???
http://gallery.gingerscraps.net/showphoto.php?photo=103143&title=a-royal-birth&cat=500
#80 - I think it's a nice page, just showing current events, NBD.
68-If you MUST know, I was laughing at all the bickering. It takes real intelligence to bicker with an anonymous poster on a smack blog. I got a giggle out of it because it's stupid.
80 - Since it has journaling, it's ok, because it preserves memories!
(sarcasm)
why not the royal baby instead of some unknown baby in stock photos?
That's a very nice layout, Tiffany.
And oh yes, please remove blemishes with the spot healing brush!! I have even used it to remove junk off the floor. I wish I could clean my floor in real life just by clicking my mouse!!
I'll get on the Royanna train, anything to stop talking about Tiffany's layouts and photos. Nothing personal, but this is a smack blog. Getting comments on layouts are meant for galleries. Not here.
Or what about Trixie Scraps? Someone mentioned it here earlier. Did anyone answer that or did I miss it? I was curious to know too.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like?
Yes,
Yes
Yes
Yes!!! Only people I love get special treatment.
Never, because I am not that familair with Photoshop.
I'll get on the Royanna Train, too. But there is nothing at that smashing website with her name on it.
I remove blemishes all the time, but I've never attempted wrinkles or tried to make anyone look slimmer.
I absolutely slim myself a bit in my trouble areas. Isn't that the benefit of knowing how to Photoshop?
Don't do wrinkles, but it's not an issue for me yet.
Trixie Scraps is leaving SBB. First thought is - is Connie Prince leaving too? She seems to follow Connie around.
Don't know if there's any drama though. It wouldn't surprise me to hear there was.
It has NOTHING to do with perception
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L O L! It has EVERYTHING to do with perception. This statement alone by you reflects your ignorance. Everyone's reality (yes, even yours) is what they PERCEIVE it to be. This is basic intellect 101. Catch a clue and quit speaking of things of which you OBVIOUSLY know nothing. This started because I said "strikingly" is subjective. Of course, it is. What I perceive to come under that definition, you may not. This isn't debatable; it's factual and common sense. Hey, instead of arguing on a smack blog, why not pick up a book or ten and do some reading?!!!
94 - You seem to be the one arguing - quite passionately per my perception. This line of conversation has been dropped, but you felt the need to pick it up and put in what I'm sure you hoped was one last comment on the topic.
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life.
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life.
^^
HUH? Relevant how?
Oh, right, it's not - typical response when you can't actually come up with an argument - attack.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb
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She needs to acquaint herself with the color selection tool. Would have made her conversions a lot faster.
96 - You truly make no sense whatsoever.
93 why do you think about drama at sbb ? Is sbb a drama store ? I'm curious because it's not a well known store.
I just want to be the 900th post.
#99 sbb may not be a drama store (I don't know about that personally), but Trixie Scraps has a reputation for creating drama.
Exactly what 101 said.
Didn't Trixie Scraps leave another store and there were rumors of her creating a ton of drama and then flouncing out? It seems like that was awhile ago.
Yes, she creates drama everywhere she goes. There is always some "poor picked on me" crap that she likes to whine about and of course she acts as though it's everyone else's fault. However, what is the common denominator there? Her.
As for SBB, I've heard their site and requirements aren't very organized, nor does management respond to designers timely (if at all).
SBB has been like that for many years. Apparently the new ownership didn't improve things. SBB used to be a great store many years ago, but hasn't managed to keep-up with the times which is a direct reflection on the ownership. Designers can only do so much.
I have no idea why Trixie would leave SBB unless sales have dropped significantly. I know she's a bit of a drama queen, but it seems unlikely she would leave if sales were good.
The store she left before was PBP. It seemed like they just up and closed her store, though. I don't know that back story, but I remember her leaving what seemed abruptly.
I'm a designer at PBP and we were never told the details of Trixie's departure. However, it was obvious that it was something Trixie caused. The owner of PBP doesn't seem to be the type to be dramatic or impulsive. She is right on top of things and has been super easy to work with. I wish my other store was as organized.
I've heard that Connie does well at SBB. Can't imagine she would leave; however I found it odd that north meets south kits were being discontinued at SBB too. Connie did recently open a personal shop...maybe she is leaving? I honestly haven't heard much on the topic.
As for SBB mgmt, yes a few years ago it was really bad. But Amy took on some extra admin help I think and things seem to be better.
Trixie was also booted from Inspiration Lane years ago - suddenly, with no explanation. She played a 'poor me - I have no idea what happened - I've been mistreated' reaction.
Moo Too Designs is closing their store. Suppose to be a 70% off sale but nothing is on sale now.
DSA's Group Therapy is released - looks pretty meh:
http://digiscrapaddicts.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3_6
Why would anyone pay $1.29 for any of that stuff? I don't understand the small sizes.
If I wanted all 9 of Just Jaimee's packs I'd have to pay $11.61 for something that is less than the size of a full kit.
12 pattern papers
6 solid/ombre papers
22 elements
8 flair
6 journal cards
8 strips of washi
6 word arts
totally ridiculous!
You may want to read a few more books that aren't about vampires, Fabio's throbbing member, or self-help books about how to inject some excitement into your pathetic, boring, little life.
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Yeah, you're an idiot. There's no way to respond to this because it makes absolutely no sense and doesn't relate to anything.
Well, the DigiScrap Parade is underwhelming to say the least. It has about half of the designers it had in May (if memory serves) and it's kinda a waste of time. I wish I'd known how mediocre it was before I went to all those sites! I kept thinking, it has to get better!
This line of conversation has been dropped, but you felt the need to pick it up and put in what I'm sure you hoped was one last comment on the topic.
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Actually, I was intrigued by you saying that a definition of a word has nothing to do with perception. It was such an asinine statement that I was hoping you would expound and enlighten me as to what your reasoning was/is. Instead, you obviously weren't able, so you did what anyone would do who doesn't have an intelligent response, you accused me of reading about Fabio's penis and vampires. Uh..okay.
Why would anyone pay $1.29 for any of that stuff? I don't understand the small sizes.
If I wanted all 9 of Just Jaimee's packs I'd have to pay $11.61 for something that is less than the size of a full kit.
totally ridiculous!
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I agree with this verbatim!
I just want to be the 900th post.
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Congrats!!!!!!
96 - You truly make no sense whatsoever.
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96 makes plenty of sense! You're the one who's a brick or two shy of a load if you're the "Fabio/vampire/perception has nothing to do with it" TWIT!!!
I'll get on the Royanna train, anything to stop talking about Tiffany's layouts
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Yeah, because WE ALL love to dish about Royanna since there's a group here who don't even know or care who the hell she is! That's much more interesting!
Well, I got the Fabio vampire comment. I thought it was funny, too.
It was in response to your comment about how someone should read more. I'm guessing the OP figured you read books, but they were unintelligent ones like dime store romance novels or things like Twilight. Not actually real books.
It wasn't that tough to understand.
I haven't checked out the Digi Parade yet, but the Sugar Hill Co CU blog train is quite nice. Love that they're having a big sale too.
I liked the parade. I noticed SO didn't participate again. What's their excuse this time?
I just checked out the Parade and I liked about half of the freebies really well. I downloaded a bunch. I was curious after reading 112's comment about the number of designers, so I checked the site from May and compared and this time there are 42 designers and last time there were 65.
Ya it does look like SO sat out again. What gives? Also, I am noticing that Pixels and Co was added to the Parade. I wish more of their designers had participated this time, b/c I really love their work. I hope they stay in it next time too.
I'm guessing Christine was quite strict about how many things could be in Group Therapy packs, as they all seem to have around the same number. I've purchased similar 'color play' things many times (it's one of my favorite things to buy!) and I would never pay $1.29 for 8 elements.
Many of the designers clearly were inspired to create more than 8 so they end up with 3 different element packs, each with 8 in them. The costs really adds up if you have buy 3 different elements packs.
If putting separates together ads up to way more than I'd pay for a full kit, then what exactly is the point?
The average kit I buy has 30 to 40 elements about 15 to 20 papers for in the $6 to $7 range.
I wonder why Sweet Shoppe didn't participate in the parade??
I agree, #123. The point of build a collab things like this is for people to get a big kit of their own choice for a lower price than it would be to buy the whole kit (with things people may or may not want). Most stores with such events sell the packs at $1.00 or 50% off with much more stuff in them.
the Destination Adventure kit from downthisroaddesigns is missing the button it shows in the preview
What about TDF - should I buy it this month? I like some of the designers included.
Could SO and SSD sitting out have to do with the previously mentioned behind the scenes upset over P&CO joining? Just a thought....
Sorry 123 & 125, but the new purpose for build a collab is to milk you for as much money as they can. Royanna definitely did her's that way and hey, didn't Christine sell at DD?
124, isn't Melissa Benett at Sweet Shoppe? She's near the end of the parade.
I like most of what I saw on the DSP train. However, I absolutely HATE that Peppermint Creative wants you to sign up for her newsletter to get her part. Liking someone on FB is one thing, signing up for an email list? Yuck.
And Krystal Hartley said she didn't join in this time b/c she was getting her CU store up at SHCO.
131- I thought the SAME thing... I almost didn't sign up but I liked her part too much.
#127 - I am in the processing of unzipping the Digifiles right now. So far, from the previews and what I've unzipped, I really like it! A bunch of nice kits, a very nice template pack, and a tutorial from Debbie Hodge, whose got really good design tutorials. I like it MUCH better than the last couple of months.
133 again - I also got the Scrap Pack this month, and I think it's really good. I especially like the kit from Tracy Martin, it's huge, and it's got some really nice paints and vellum layers to put over your papers. It's also a really fun girlie or spring type kit, which I like.
I'm going through the parade stops now, on pink reptiles blog she says : "associated stores are scrap matters, scrap orchard, sweet shoppe designs, the digi chick, pixels &co, and the lilypad". I'm glad they let p&co in, because they've got great designers, but it seems pretty obvious scrap orchard and sweet shoppe have a problem with that.
133- Thanks!
There is now 4 SSD girls at SHCO. Wonder if sales are tanking at SSD?
I heard they are tanking at SSD
I don't know why DigiChick is considered a high end store or included in a group with the others. Quality of product and designers has gone downhill and its very lackluster. Has become really low end iMO
I think because someone from TDC started it.
The designers at SSD can't just sit around and not produce. They have a few who are very active and others who don't make products for months. This is not a recipe for success in today's marketplace. They need to get rid of the dead weight just like other stores. Why does no one do this? It's business!
139 the Digichick used to be high end and it's really just this year that things have gone downhill. I bet that when they started the digi parade they assumed that things would start looking up again, instead it only seems to have gotten worse. I did really like the parts by Wishing Well, Danyale, 2AM, Girl Boy Girl (and I do not normally ever like her products), and Sara J. Most of those were very good. The rest of the Digichick stops had templates and bad minis and I skipped them. I also really liked Pink Reptile's elements (not not papers), Robyn Meirotto, Megan's Creations, Clever Monkey, Laurie Ann, Amy Wolff, Peppermint Creative, The Lilypad, the flair in Little Butterfly Wings, Southern Serenity's template, Juno, Litabells, Melissa Bennett, and Allison Pennington. I thought Stolen Moment's cards were cute but I have no use for them.
love love looooooooved Amy Wolf, Lilypad and Peppermint Creative. Memory Clips was a nice addition to go with the rest.
120 - SO couldn't participate because Kami wanted to make them do their own facebook train. She doesn't play well with others.
137 - it's either that SSD isn't doing well enough for those designers to just sell there, or that Sugar Hill is doing so well that people are clamoring to get in there. I've heard enough over time to think that it may be the second.
140 - someone from TDC did start it. Laura/Wishing Well. She is definitely someone I'd consider high end, but a lot of TDC isn't anymore. I stopped shopping there not long after it changed ownership last year.
143 - I checked that out because I hadn't heard of Memory Clips before and I was happily surprised. Yes, those brushes are nice.
This might be one of the ugliest previews I've seen in a while. Someone needs to learn drop shadows and element placement.
http://i44.tinypic.com/2h4dkqf.jpg
OMG my eyes
#148 - That looks like a big muddy mess wrapped up in dog poop.
145 - CU shops are booming because everyone with a mouse and some time to spare when the kids go to sleep wants to be a designer and thanks to all these CU stores the only skill it takes to do so is the ability to purchase, download, recolor and repackage. All this results in is a flood of untalented "designers" re-selling the same crap over and over and over again adding very little of their own creativity to it and thats why there are now 120002323 designers most of which you've never heard of.
Bitter much, 151?
Which CU shops are "booming"? I can only think of a few right off the top of my head, and Sugar Hill is the only one I would shop at. IMO that is why they're probably doing so well. The "untalented designers" that 151 refers to will likely shop anywhere and aren't choosy about their CU. But top-level designers aren't going to shop at all of the low-level CU shops that exist. Hence Sugar Hill's success - it might truly be the only place that caters all of the customers out there.
I admit, I shop at SHCo a lot, but not because I want to design. I prefer to buy brushes, textures, etc. there because they are better quality than what I find in regular scrap stores since they are aimed at designers specifically. I also like not having to wade through kits and other product to get to the items I want.
120 - SO couldn't participate because Kami wanted to make them do their own facebook train. She doesn't play well with others.
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100% completely true and proves how bad a businesswoman she is. How is it better to do a tiny train within one store where you're simply giving freebies to people who already follow you and are already your customers, when you could do a giant train that brings lots of new customers to your site? It just doesn't add up. If I were one of her designers I'd be so angry.
153, what I can't understand is why top designers like those at SHCo are willing to share what they make with all of the "untalented designers" and give them a better chance to actually compete for sales?
#156 Because there's money in selling CU. Simple as that.
I would guess that the top designers who sell CU also aren't worried that lower designers will ever compete with them. I'd have to agree with them too, so if there's extra money in selling CU why not do it? The only people who'd really worry about helping other designers compete with them are designers who aren't confident in their talents.
OK, come on admit it - how many of you use Photoshop to erase wrinkles and give yourself a facelift in your photos? ;-) Ever been able to do anything for your body to look thinner? Do you do it for your friends and/or relatives, too? Do you do it just for the people you really like?
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I want to remember what people looked like, warts and all, and not my skill at Photoshop.
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Agreed. If you look at the designers at Sugar Hill, they're really some of the best of the best. Someone else can use their flower or their ribbon or their pattern or their doily, but it's really unlikely that they're ever going to make something as unique and nice as that original designer's kits.
Hey, instead of arguing on a smack blog, why not pick up a book or ten and do some reading?!!!
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Ironic, don't you think?
Sorry I am 160 and mine was in response to 158 not 159.
OMG I wish that designers would stop using Mediafire and 4shared. They should be banned from doing blog trains until they can use something else.
Actually, I was intrigued by you saying that a definition of a word has nothing to do with perception. It was such an asinine statement that I was hoping you would expound and enlighten me as to what your reasoning was/is. Instead, you obviously weren't able, so you did what anyone would do who doesn't have an intelligent response, you accused me of reading about Fabio's penis and vampires. Uh..okay.
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I'm intrigued by the fact that you think I made that post, when I didn't. I wrote about perception and definition and that is all. I made no comments about Fabio or vampires. There is more than one person arguing with you. However, I'm done, I can't be bothered having a conversation with someone who feels the need to constantly call someone a moron or similar.
When are people going to learn to protect themselves in this industry. Some Digi SMACK http://lexiesblogstardate.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-cautionary-tale-aka-im-such-muppet.html?spref=fb
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tl;dr
100% completely true and proves how bad a businesswoman she is. How is it better to do a tiny train within one store where you're simply giving freebies to people who already follow you and are already your customers, when you could do a giant train that brings lots of new customers to your site? It just doesn't add up. If I were one of her designers I'd be so angry.
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+1
CU shops are booming because everyone with a mouse and some time to spare when the kids go to sleep wants to be a designer and thanks to all these CU stores the only skill it takes to do so is the ability to purchase, download, recolor and repackage. All this results in is a flood of untalented "designers" re-selling the same crap over and over and over again adding very little of their own creativity to it and thats why there are now 120002323 designers most of which you've never heard of.
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No. This was probably true about four or five years ago.
167, you're saying that there AREN'T a zillion "designers" out there now in various shops that you've never heard of? You must get around.
Can someone link up to The digi flies previews?
ITA, 163. If you want to be considered a "top designer," then host some space.
you're saying that there AREN'T a zillion "designers" out there now in various shops that you've never heard of? You must get around.
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I should have cropped that part out but I thought it was pretty obvious I was speaking about CU shops booming etc. I guess not.
And doesn't SO's sneak peek for their August Mega look like the same theme as the parade? Maybe that's partly why too?
However, I'm done, I can't be bothered having a conversation with someone who feels the need to constantly call someone a moron or similar.
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Hallelujah! Please, please keep your word on this!
Figured I would chime in on the SugarHill talk...
Does anyone else hate it when designers add stupid stuff to grab bags?
http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/KimB-s-Sugar-Birthday-CU-Grab-Bag/
I am a big fan of KimB, but seriously, who needs or will use the "In To The East" or that ugly flower pack? Granted, the overlays alone are worth the $5, I just find it irritating that stuff like that gets included. Am I alone?
And don't get me started on Rachaels Scraps! Haven't bought one of her hideous grab bags in nearly 6 months!
And who the heck is that Vinne Pearce... http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/vinniepearcedesign/
UGH! Won't ever pay money for her stuff...surprised she got in to SHCO in the first place.
Dear Paraders, if I cannot see what you are offering, I will not click like on your page. There are others who do give a preview and they got my 'vote'.
Hallelujah! Please, please keep your word on this!
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Since I'm anon, you won't know if I will or won't.
I am a big fan of KimB, but seriously, who needs or will use the "In To The East" or that ugly flower pack?
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I like the East pack and would use it, but I agree, the flowers are ugly.
And who the heck is that Vinne Pearce... http://www.sugarhillco.com/shop/vinniepearcedesign/
UGH! Won't ever pay money for her stuff...surprised she got in to SHCO in the first place.
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I like some of her stuff, but not all. I used to love her kits but I don't think she makes those anymore.
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