I certainly wouldn't classify a bunch of drunk thirtysomethings running around Vegas in a desperate attempt to be cool an "awesome experience."
If you think it is, good for you. If others think it's stupid, good for them. Some people think it's cool to jump off cliffs in glorified diapers with a big rope attached, too. I think that's stupid - and I'm in no way jealous.
I was there last year actually. And I still didn't see any DRUNK 30 somethings. Did we have alcohol around at times? Sure, we're adults. That's allowed, isn't it?
Anyways. Anyone have any new favorite designers? New to you? Or been burned by anyone recently?
I was there last year actually. And I still didn't see any DRUNK 30 somethings. Did we have alcohol around at times? Sure, we're adults. That's allowed, isn't it?
Anyways. Anyone have any new favorite designers? New to you? Or been burned by anyone recently?
Every time someone brings up all the 'drunken' SO designers and scrappers, I have to laugh. It's so obvious to those in the know that someone from SM is trying to make SO look bad. Andrea told the designers who were leaving SM for SO that the SO team was nothing but a bunch of drunks. Apparently her tactics didn't work, as SO now has how many designers that moved from SM? If calling people you don't know drunks is all you've got, I'd say you're reaching for straws. Do you really expect 70 or 80 women to get together in Vegas and NOT have a couple of drinks? Really??? Sounds very holier-than-thou to me.
I heard about it on The Daily Digi, and hadn't even registered at SO until I registered for the Vegas trip. I'm not going because I "admire" the designers there, I'm going because there isn't anything else like this for the digi world. I used to attend paper scrapping events and always loved the chance for a break from normal life and being able to be around a bunch of other people who enjoyed the same hobby. Personally I don't care if its a bore - it's Vegas. If I'm not having fun at the convention there's plenty of other things to do.
I'm not from SM but I would assume Vegas = Debauchery . Not that far of a stretch to imagine. If there were only 70 or so attendees last year even if you doubled that you could have easily held it in any major city in any hotel and gotten a great rate. Unless, of course, drunken debauchery was the intent.
#6/#18 That seems like a load of crap. Something must have gotten your panties in a twist. If those two people are the reason you'd avoid going to a convention.
I'm not going because it's too expensive for me and it's in Vegas. Sure, I drink but I hate casinos, they make me physically ill. I'm sure there are other things to do, but there are also other cities, which may be cheaper, which also have other things to do. Just saying.
I used to say Country music made me physically ill. The truth was I just didn't like Country and I was seriously over dramatic. Glad I outgrew that stupidity.
Actually Vegas is probably cheaper than most big cities, hotels in Vegas are pretty cheap for what you get. Buffets can be cheap too so you can eat well for under 30$. And there's plenty of entertainment even if you don't gamble.
A few updates...Dani was not forced out, she is leaving designing for now due to life changes
JMO- Ginger Snaps designers are awful...most don't fit there and the ones that do have hidious designs. They have been adding every guest designer to stay on for months. I think it is a guarantee.
Just wondering...what is the opinion of SBB? How did Roseytoes ever get invited to GP? Is it because she stopped designing her awful kits?
I used to say Country music made me physically ill. The truth was I just didn't like Country and I was seriously over dramatic. Glad I outgrew that stupidity. -----
Actually, you didn't grow out of any stupidity, you are still stupid. Casinos do physically make me ill. I can't stand the atmosphere of desperation, need and sweat.
How did Roseytoes ever get invited to GP? Is it because she stopped designing her awful kits?
She has kits in her store, so I'm not sure how you can claim she stopped making kits?
I don't think they are awful, either. Full of CU and maybe not all that original... but, that is a good way to describe 80% of the market. Her colour choices most of the time are not terrible. I've certainly seen much worse and I think it's enough of a reach that it makes you seem as if you have an axe to grind. Did you apply to GP and get turned down?
Since Gingerscraps keeps coming up, I thought I'd check them out and do a review.
I don't really understand the "Ginger Snaps designers are awful...most don't fit there and the ones that do have hidious designs" comment. As if you're saying they have to be awful to fit in... It seems like they've added some good designers recently and just haven't gotten rid of the bad ones.
My overall recommendation is to get rid of the dead weight and stop keeping people because you like them or they've been there forever, etc. A designer must make $$ to stay and must have a style that's appropriate for the future of your site. This store seems to be a store in flux. It's emerging as a middle of the road store which is a step-up from being low-mid range. It's attracting better designers for sure, but in order for sales to continue to rise, the crap designers need to go. Once that happens, this store will be more on-par with stores like Gotta Pixel, SBB, SM, etc., and with some unique designers that can't be found at those stores.
Ginger has a winning formula, but will she make it happen? I hope so, because from what I saw, the community is friendly, welcoming, and helpful. There is a good energy here that I haven't seen most places in digiland.
The site design and the store packaging looks very cheap and outdated. The fonts are all wrong and the product packaging is busy and detracts from the products themselves. Case in point: http://store.gingerscraps.net/Hop-Into-Spring-Collaboration.html How many logos and words can you fit on product packaging? Clean it up. You can still be folksy and homey without being a cluttered, cheap-looking mess.
I'd highly recommend the use of neutrals ASAP for almost all of your designers. I would also highly recommend they use additional previews. Majority don't even have a paper preview, let alone CT examples.
Finally, after looking at all of the designers, most of them really need to look around the industry and see all the papers and elements designers put in their kits. Almost every designer at this shop charges too much for too little. If you want to be competitive, you need to step it up in volume and in quality of items offered. Like it or not, this is the industry today.
*Blue Heart Scraps - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Flat, boring previews. Some of the color choices are hideous, but some aren't too bad. Hit or miss. Boring, uninteresting templates, but are priced appropriately for level of simplicity. If she worked on the quality of her recolors and her previews, her products would be better. Not bad, just basic and OK.
*Creations By Julie - Horrible store header. Basic hybrid templates, basic page templates. Word art is just OK and nothing I couldn't make myself (and I am not a word art designer by any stretch of the imagination). Everything is very inexpensive and seems reasonable for the level of sophistication of the products - but is that really good enough?
*GingerScraps - Please, retire these products and focus on your store. The kits are beyond horrible and the previews are a flat mess. These products look very old and dated and bring down the overall appearance of the products offered. The doodle borders are nice, but overpriced.
*Harmonystar - http://store.gingerscraps.net/Fruit-Basket-Go-Bananas-by-Harmonystar.html Nuff said. There are not words to describe how hideous this store is. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Inspired Designs - Nothing new here. Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Word art is just OK. Actually, everything here is just OK.
*Kathy Winters - Again, basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Nothing horrible. Just OK.
*Pixels By Jen - I don't even know what to say. I'm honestly speechless. There is bad, then there is awful, then there is this designer's shop. Everything is very overpriced as well. $5 for this? http://store.gingerscraps.net/Beautifully-Again.html Even $.50 would be too much. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Pretty In Green - Most of her kits need more elements to be worth the $. A lot of oversaturated colors and most kits need more patterns - some are almost all solids. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Psychozoe Designs - Such a professional sounding designer name... Poor color usage and just a hot mess. I'm not a fantasy/deviant scrapper, but I've seen 100 times better elsewhere. Odd looking textures and plain papers. Everything looks cheap, cheap, cheap. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Statements By Jodi - Flat, awful, awful previews. Poor color use and very beginner looking items. Most items look old and like products I saw about 7 years ago. This is the epitome of dead weight. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Unforgettable Moments - Decent looking templates. Poor color use in most of her kits. Very basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Most of her papers are just solids with slight patterns. Elements are a mish-mash. Nothing creative or interesting for the style of products here. Again, pricing is an issue. $5.50 for this? http://store.gingerscraps.net/Honey-Love-Kit.html. Awful store header.
*Valarie Ostrom - Again, basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. She gets more creative with her patterns, but it's all lost with her horrible colors choices and color usage. And the pricing! http://store.gingerscraps.net/Lets-Color.html $5.99??? You really can't be serious. Flat, horrible previews.
*Wyld Web Designs - Decent templates with some interesting designs. Not the best color use, but definitely not the worst. Doodles appear a little unrefined and the kits are a bit of a mish mash at times. Has some nice paper patterns, but very flat, boring previews.
*Mr. Wyld Web Designs - Offers technical services. Never used, so no review.
Colie's Corner - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. Some of the elements are hideous and some of the floral choices are very off. Flat, ugly previews and not always the best use of color. Templates are nice and some are actually interesting.
ConniePrince - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. I don't find Connie as offensive as most on this blog. I really love her templates. The designers who make her word art and QPs do a great job. My biggest issue here are the previews, but she's been around a long time, so they must work for her. They're flat and messy. Some of the color choices and usage is off, too. So far, in this style, for the money, she's the best bet.
Craft-tastrophic - Some kits are a little mish-mashy, but overall not bad. Interesting templates for a reasonable price. Makes mostly small-ish kits. Some kits are definitely better than others as far as patterns, color choices and use, and elements.
Jen Yurko - Some of her doodles are beyond wacky. Makes nice alphas. Papers have weird textures at times and they look fuzzy. Some of her paper patterns are spaced oddly as well (as in too much space). Some kits are mish mashy with doodles and realistic items (See http://store.gingerscraps.net/Tangelo-Squeeze.html). I'd rather have some doodled flowers than a couple real ones thrown in there as it's more cohesive. Includes a lot of decent looking items and OK papers for the money. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Jill DZines - Not much here. I read in a previous comment that she's new to the store. I'm not sure why she was added. Her products look dated and are a step backward, not forward.
Joyful Heart Designs - Her papers are really excellent for the style. Her kits are lacking and not her forte. Add some flowers, frames, and ribbons and they would be vastly improved even with those basic items. It seems odd she wouldn't know that given her time and experience in the industry. I'd like to see her kits improve because I think she would be successful.
Keep In Touch Designs - Style is a little erratic. Kits are very simplistic and poorly put together. Boring papers, boring elements and it's all a bit mish-mashy. Makes a lot of mini kits which are useless. Not because they're mini, but because there is nothing useful within them. Flat, boring, and grainy looking previews. http://store.gingerscraps.net/Fresh-story-Quick-kit.html. Definitely dead weight.
LauraMarie Scraps - Kits are hit or miss, but overall, not bad. Basic elements and papers, but OK. Some papers are extremely boring and not worth the price. Some issues with color usage and choices. Some kits are very small for the price. So, basically, OK, but nothing special.
LDrag Designs - Kit elements are a nice combination of realistic items. Kit papers are hit or miss. Love her graffiti items. Also makes nice clusters. Word Art is just OK. I have a few of her kits and the quality is good. She is a good addition to the store and brings a nice diversity in designs.
Luv Ewe Designs - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. Kits are mostly very small and not appropriately priced. Color choices and use are hit or miss. Her preview style is better than most at this store.
Marie H Designs - Nice templates at a good price. Word art is simple and definitely not worth paying for. Kits are very hit or miss in color especially. Style is a bit all over the place the further back you go in her store. Papers are mostly boring.
Roseytoes - Templates are simple, but overpriced for what they offer ($3 is more reasonable). Kit's are basic and the papers are mostly boring. Mish mashy and I see a lot of free CU and I don't even browse for CU and recognize it. Hit or miss for color choices and usage. Glitter is awful (way too much white).
Sherry Ferguson - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements, but done better than others in this store. Has mostly nice paper patterns and uses color better than most here as well. Doesn't appear to release often. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Snickerdoodle Designs - This designers style is all over the place. Boring, overly textured or under textured papers and hit or miss color use. Some kits are a horrible mish-mash and the previews are a mess. Word art is OK. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Sugar Kissed Designs - Mostly good use of color. I wish she added more basic items to her kits to fill them out and make them more useful to scrappers. Some kits only have 1 or 2 flowers and some have none. These are basic items all kits should have. Makes nice, clean, and simple patterns and has nice textures. Cute alphas. I like her templates, but $1.49 for 1 is more than I'm willing to pay. I have a few of her kits and the quality is good.
Twin Mom Scraps - Cheap looking, basic kits. Previews are messy. Hit or miss color choices and usage. Paper textures seem fuzzy and the patterns are boring and basic. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Creations By Julie GingerScraps Harmonystar Pixels By Jen Psychozoe Designs Statements By Jodi Keep In Touch Designs Snickerdoodle Designs
I think some of the others could be improved, but they're on the lower end of decent. But the above are definitely detracting from the quality of the store.
Re Ginger Snaps- it is a very inviting place and everyone is really friendly. The site and packaging were just redone in the last 6 months I beleive. The packaging is not good at all. I don't care for the font they use.
I agree about the look and font at Gingerscraps. I think I get a sense of the feel they were going for but they missed. And it looks like there is a small drop shadow on the font for the labels ('login' 'search' etc) which makes it look blurry.
Creations By Julie GingerScraps Harmonystar Pixels By Jen Psychozoe Designs Statements By Jodi Keep In Touch Designs Snickerdoodle Designs
--------------------- I happen to know that at least one of those designers makes good sales, so clearly some people like her style. The style isn't for me but yeah the sales figures are good for the one I'm thinking of.
Yes, it would be telling, duh! But if you arn't naming names, what's the difficulty in divulging the sales figure? None, as far as I can see, unless you are just full of BS.
^^^ Agreed. "Good sales figures" is way too vague. And unless you're the designer, how do you know what the sales figures are? I don't know many designers who share that information freely. Actually, none.
# 45 - maybe they asked her? Why shouldn't Secret Stash guest there? Is she someone special? I've only ever heard of her on this blog, and the former smack blog.
Hi I'd like to know how you guys like to organize your digital files. I'm trying to fine-tune how I organize my stuff before my stash gets too far out of hand.
Up until now I've separated my freebies collection from my paid-for kits, then I've sub-divided by designer. But this is starting to feel redundant by keeping one designer's kits in 2 places (some under freebies & some under paid-for folders).
Is there any reason to keep identifying the freebie kits? Will I ever need to know if a kit was a freebie from the designer's blog, or from a store promo? Thanks :)
Why would you treat freebie and paid kits differently? They both require credits (unless it's CU.) Unless you don't post your pages online then you can even separate everything and organize by function or even colors. For me it doesn't matter it's from a blog or store. Designers store-hop all the time so it's kinda pointless to keep it by store - in case of trouble you can always contact the designer.
I agree with 55, at DST there's a lot of threads about this. Everyone has their own system, though. Other people's solutions don't work for me. :)
By the way, is anyone also finding it funny that we have the "sharing buttons" on this blog so we can easily share the discussion publicly? I would really love to see someone do just that. Ha!
Yes, it would be telling, duh! But if you arn't naming names, what's the difficulty in divulging the sales figure? None, as far as I can see, unless you are just full of BS.
----- Oh but you forget, it's much more fun to watch you all get pissed that I'm not telling!
What kind of rep does Design House Digital have? I'd heard the name mentioned before but never visited the store until today. Are there any good designers to check out? I clicked on the first 5 listed and they seem a little wishy washy but that might be due to not having 20 kits hit me in the face.
What kind of rep does Design House Digital have? I'd heard the name mentioned before but never visited the store until today. Are there any good designers to check out? I clicked on the first 5 listed and they seem a little wishy washy but that might be due to not having 20 kits hit me in the face. Mar 15, 2012 7:25:00 AM
I think it's a bunch of over-priced, poor quality garbage. I downloaded one of their last blog train freebies and junked most of it. Jagged lines all over the place, blurry papers, etc.
I like DHD. I shop there almost exclusively, and I think the quality is great. My favorites are Karla Dudley, Robyn Meierotto, Jen Allyson, and Gennifer Bursett.
I just recently found DHD, too, and have been really enjoying the diversity of items they offer. It's not my go-to store by any means, but it's a fun place to add unique add-on items to my stash. Some of the designers are making some really interesting items that you can't find everywhere.
So far, the quality of almost everything I've purchased has been great. I did have one issue with a tag set I bought that has pixelated and jagged edges around the tag holes on every single one in the pack, but I am chalking it up to an oversight on that designer's part because the other things I have from her are top-notch. It was a bad oversight, though, I won't lie. If I want to print anything I make, I won't be able to use those tags without figuring out a way to fix them. It's that bad.
I actually like most of the designers at DHD. It's a very papery style. What I don't like is the giant DHD watermark that a bunch of them use on their previews. It's not so bad on some of the more colorful things, but on previews with mostly dark elements, it looks horrible. http://www.designhousedigital.com/digital-scrapbooking-kit/audrey-neal/chalkboard-this-life
I think it's a bunch of over-priced, poor quality garbage. I downloaded one of their last blog train freebies and junked most of it. Jagged lines all over the place, blurry papers, etc. --------
I think Design House Digital has some nicely designed kits. Many are appealing to me because they resemble paper scrapping (ie. nice papers, tags & embellishments that look like paper products), & the color combos are nice. This is not the store for you if you like fantasy, bizarre colors or a plastic-y computerish look.
If you sign up for the Design House Digital newsletter, they usually give away a free item on the weekends.
I guess this is as good a spot as any to ask, a while ago there was this person selling vector files, and she had some bracket-y borders, I know that I ended up seeing it in a Shabby Princess kit after, any idea who I'm talking about, I'd like to find her site again!
This is the one I'm thinking of, the swirly scroll borders in this kit: http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/inspiration/clementine/SP_theShabbyShoppe_ClementineInspiration.htm
I found the vector file a while ago (over a year ago) so I'm not sure the designer is even still selling or not.
I'd rather not ask at DST, I don't even remember my password for that site and it's a lot of effort to create a new one just for one question... if anyone knows offhand great, if not then oh well.
It really annoys me when I apply to a CT Call, which closed over a week ago and nothing. Not an email, not an announcement, not an update - NOTHING. I wish designers would at least have the courtesy to email you even if you didn't make it. Or if you are still going through applications, at least edit your call post to give an update. Just needed to vent.
I know there are times when designers do not reply at all when you apply to a CT call. When I have a call I reply to them to acknowledge I got their application and I respond to everyone when the call is final. I know not everyone is like that but that is the way I like to do it. Taking extra time to do so just looks more professional IMO.
I've bought a lot from Karla Dudley at DHD and although I still like a lot of the kits there, I have been burned big time with the quality of some items. A lot of items actually. I always print out my pages and some of her wordart and brushes are completely jagged and pixellated and the sizing is itty-bitty-tiny on a 12-inch page. I am not a QC nazi at all (far from it) but basic QC should be required at such a prominent store. I think it looks professional, love the color combo's and feel of the site, but the quality has stopped me from buying there any more.
I heard about it on The Daily Digi, and hadn't even registered at SO until I registered for the Vegas trip. I'm not going because I "admire" the designers there, I'm going because there isn't anything else like this for the digi world. -------------------------------------------
Actually there is, DSP holds regular laptop crops around the US and NZ and has held one in Aust too.
Scrap Orchard's convention isn't simply a laptop crop. There are games and stuff, too. With teams. ------------------------------------- Don't know about the team bit, but there are games and tutorials and all of that at the laptop crops, it is no different from your, 'convention' and a hell of a lot cheaper.
If I had the money I'd go to the SO thing. I like Vegas. I'm a designer but I don't even hang out there. But in the digi world - it's about who you know - and frankly - like them or not there are some designers at SO worth "knowing"
#91 no those aren't the ones but thank you, those are nice frames! The ones I'm thinking of were definitely vector files and they weren't frames they were scroll borders for edging a paper. Thank you though!
This is the one I'm thinking of, the swirly scroll borders in this kit: http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/inspiration/clementine/SP_theShabbyShoppe_ClementineInspiration.htm ------
If you've got Illustrator, those are a 1 minute job.
107 yes I know I can easily create them, but they are the only thing that I can distinctly remember from that store, and I was trying to find that specific vector store again to see if they had other items I may use (for pattern design OUTSIDE of scrapbooking).
I'm not sure who does or doesn't, I just know that I can't use the vectors etc you'd find in a CU digi scrap store like Sugarhillco or something like that, I had just remembered that vector store this week and was wondering what became of it, no big deal... I have other sources, just really not many and they're starting to dry up! I wish it wasn't such a pain to design nice damask from scratch.
Yes but this is also my full time income so if I can pay 10$ to make 200$ I will do it over spending 2 hours making something to make 200$. (I do both, I both use CU tools and draw my own.) I know my own strengths and weaknesses, and drawing ornate historical damask patterns is not my stronger suit, my time would be better spent buying that from someone else and spending MY time drawing cutesy animals and children and whatever else my clients go for.
Yes but this is also my full time income so if I can pay 10$ to make 200$ I will do it over spending 2 hours making something to make 200$. (I do both, I both use CU tools and draw my own.) I know my own strengths and weaknesses, and drawing ornate historical damask patterns is not my stronger suit, my time would be better spent buying that from someone else and spending MY time drawing cutesy animals and children and whatever else my clients go for. Mar 17, 2012 9:11:00 AM
And this would be why you're able to make $200 with a product. Good for you (seriously). Most designers who go on and on about what a designer should be are lucky to make $200/month.
I'd be willing to bet she really wasn't making as much at SSD as she used to. Her kits have gone way downhill in the past year or so. TLP is honestly a much better fit for what her style has turned into. Just IMHO.
123 - I know, and I have been a customer off and on. I just find it remarkable that there is such a discrepancy between what you get there for your money and what you get at any other scrapbooking site on the web.
124 - They are a very clique-ish (sp?) group, which is no problem, others can just stay away and let them have their clique, but they say that they welcome all outsiders. Which they do at first, but not in the long run.
Couldn't agree more #137. It's a big part of the reason I didn't apply and never would. I don't run my business like a sorority. But evidently, SSD does. Unless you are buddies with someone, they won't even look your way. For both the CT and the design team. It sucks, but that is how they do business there, I guess!
Actually, no well maybe in small towns. In business, it's usually who is the best qualified. _________________________________
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two.
If the 6 designers mentioned here are the actual designers then SSD is in major trouble. At best they're mediocre designers, not worthy of being at the Sweet Shoppe.
And all the "wow you won't believe the yumminess" crap that the babes and designers are spewing about these new designers is even more nauseating knowing that it's just not true.
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two. Mar 19, 2012 6:05:00 PM
You're being generous with the 30%. My experience has always been, "You're an exceptional worker and exceed all work expectations, but we're going to promote the guy the manager plays golf with. Could you work overtime while they get a good tee time?"
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two. ____________________________________________
Sorry but I've been working for 30 years and I know what I'm talking about. If you have a college degree in a marketable field and are good at what you do, you'll be able to find a decent job. Is there a certain amount of networking that you need to do to find a job? - of course. People can now do that on-line or through an agency. Do you need to keep those networking relationships ongoing and updated in the work place? Again of course you do - that's just common sense.
But qualifications usually come into play - so the guy the boss plays golf with may have got the job over you but he also must have had similar qualifications. Very rarely does someone get a job they're not qualified for simply because they 'know' someone. That's not good business sense- in fact it could hurt your business.
# 1143 - while I agree with you in part, I wouldn't say it's 'very rare'. And let's not forget the times someone gets the job because they have better boobs; even if it's a job as a para legal.
I don't know any of the new (allegedly) SSD designers personally but have talked to them in forums and have made pages with great reviews with some of their kits. I don't think they suck at all. But that's just me. You're all entitled to your opinion of course.
I just want to say that, maybe unlike the rest of the world, "who you know" does matter a lot in the digiworld. If you're a store owner and you do know that this designer is friendly to both coworkers and CTs and site members, wouldn't you prefer her over someone unknown with similar products? I, as a customer, often choose to buy products that are similar to what I like other places at the store I'm familiar with, from a designer I have talked to in forums or on facebook. (Sometimes just to save myself the pain of having to register to a new store.) And in the market full of similarity, this is hardly a compromise. Makes my life a lot easier.
Well I never take into consideration if I know someone or not when I buy a product. I'm putting my hard-earned money down for a product I love and if it's similar to another designer's, I buy the one that has the color theme and design that I like the best. Period.
And all the "wow you won't believe the yumminess" crap that the babes and designers are spewing about these new designers is even more nauseating knowing that it's just not true.
Sorry but I've been working for 30 years and I know what I'm talking about.
----------- I've known plenty of people who've been working for 30 years and they're all a bunch of stupid twats. Unless you've been a headhunter for 30 years and worked in a variety of states, companies, etc, how is your limited scope of your own, small life proof of anything?
A simple internet search will tell you "who you know matters" when job hunting. Experts upon experts will tell you the same exact thing.
GETTING a job is about who you know. KEEPING a job is about what you know. Big difference.
From the business end of bringing new designers in to a shop, of course sales and quality are important. However, some designers just aren't worth putting up with when they are whiners or diva's or think they are better than everyone else. They don't think like "team players", they bitch about doing collabs with other designers because they don't want to share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them", and they are the first ones to pitch a fit over every stupid little thing, not to mention they think that the sales and events should be geared around their world. I've been at stores with designers like that and I've communicated with store owners who have had to put up with those kind. So sometimes "who you know" plays at least some part in the decision because they may have a reputation for being easy to work with. And if it were me, I'd take a hard-working, less-known designer over an established, spoiled one any day!
#149 Why should they share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them"? Especially if that "lesser" designer has a lower quality product? IMO there's far too much collaborating going on in this industry to make good business sense. Why serve your customers up on a silver platter to a designer similar to you? Or why insult them by pairing your products with a crappier product from an amateur designer? I've bought a lot of "duo" collaborations and full-store collaborations where I throw out most of the product. The shitty designers aren't gaining more customers, and the more reputable ones are just pissing off their customers.
When a couple of designers are friends, those collaborations make sense to me. Or when two designers have similar styles and seem to be operating at the same level. But sometimes two designers pair up and you just know it's because the more popular designer didn't want to look like an asshole by saying no.
It's okay to say no if you think it will do NOTHING for your business. It's not your responsibility to promote some no-name designer just because you've managed to build a successful business. If you like the person as a human being then lend them a hand, but you don't have to say yes to everyone who shows up in your inbox looking for a handout, and all they're going to do is contribute some product and let you do all the hard work of actually selling it. That's just stupid business. It's not being a DIVA, it's being a smart businessperson.
Why should they share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them"? Especially if that "lesser" designer has a lower quality product? IMO there's far too much collaborating going on in this industry to make good business sense. Why serve your customers up on a silver platter to a designer similar to you? Or why insult them by pairing your products with a crappier product from an amateur designer? I've bought a lot of "duo" collaborations and full-store collaborations where I throw out most of the product. The shitty designers aren't gaining more customers, and the more reputable ones are just pissing off their customers.
When a couple of designers are friends, those collaborations make sense to me. Or when two designers have similar styles and seem to be operating at the same level. But sometimes two designers pair up and you just know it's because the more popular designer didn't want to look like an asshole by saying no.
It's okay to say no if you think it will do NOTHING for your business. It's not your responsibility to promote some no-name designer just because you've managed to build a successful business. If you like the person as a human being then lend them a hand, but you don't have to say yes to everyone who shows up in your inbox looking for a handout, and all they're going to do is contribute some product and let you do all the hard work of actually selling it. That's just stupid business. It's not being a DIVA, it's being a smart businessperson.
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I REST MY CASE! You must be one of those designers!
I get what you are saying. But from a business perspective, the more business that any and all designers can bring to the store, the more exposure all of the designers are going to get. As a customer, I don't go to a store to look at ONE kit just because I saw it on someone else's blog or whatever. I always look at all of the new releases and when I see stuff I like, I buy it. I don't buy one kit instead of another. And any designer who thinks she is giving up her own customers to some other designer is just stupid. Customers are allowed to like (and purchase) more than one designer.
I also never said any designer should collab with someone they don't like or that would make their own products not look as good. But anything that the designers can do to bring added exposure to their store will benefit everyone because every customer another designer brings to the store is another customer that just might look at your stuff too. If you are afraid of losing your business to someone else, then you probably aren't that good to begin with.
That's why the "build your own" type collabs are nice. Many of the designers in one store working with the same palette - then the consumer can pick and choose what they like and disregard the rest. Personally, I like the Gotta Grab It at GP.
That's why the "build your own" type collabs are nice. Many of the designers in one store working with the same palette - then the consumer can pick and choose what they like and disregard the rest. Personally, I like the Gotta Grab It at GP.
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Me too! And SBB's aren't that great usually but I did find several cute kits at the PBP $1 sale that is happening right now. I forget what it's called.
Yeah, yeah, exposure is so important and apparently, to some, such a good thing. All I can say is this - Charlie Sheen. It sure did him a lot of good, NOT!
Not all publicity is good publicity. Let's put it this way, if two designers are putting out a similar product and one of those designers is pulling a Charlie, I'm not going to buy from her. I'm pretty much the same way with any SMALL business.
Curiosity is getting the best of me. Can someone give me the back story to this HT person? From what I gather she was a store owner that also designs and is now designing under a new name. What did she do to create such a stir in digiland?
Here is the history as I best remember it, someone else feel free to fill in the blanks:
Happy Tits is Aly, and started out a a designer called Paper Planes. She got into some drama with a store owner who didn't take her on as a guest designer, some very rude things were said via email, and said email was forwarded to the owner of the store she was at at the time which was Funky Playground Designs. The owner there got on Aly's case and Aly posted something very rude very publicly on her facebook page about the owner of Funky Playground Designs.
Aly also had a problem with Shilo, another designer who she did a collab with. Aly accused Shilo of lying about the numbers with regards to the selling of the kit. She emailed Shilo's store owners and again, got rude and abusive when she didn't get what she wanted.
She got some attention on the old Smack Blog from those things, which caused people to look at her blog where her designer header included a photo of her in an extremely short (as in I cans ee your underwear) denim skirt and a low cut top and the photo was taken from the top down, so the angle was clearly intended to emphasize her bust. A lot of people on the smack blog were commenting on how that was not an appropriate profile shot for a business blog (but just fine for a personal one).
Aly got wind of it and came on, signed in as herself, and proceeded for about two days to have what was an incredibly entertaining argument with everyone on the Smack blog, where she abused, name called, defended herself, and generally showed how immature and, generally, insane, she is. Because she did so logged in, she was able to go back and delete all the comments so you won't see them anywhere on the old blog.
In some kind of bizarre retribution, Aly logged into the collab folder of every store she had sold at (that hadn't changed the passwords) and deleted all their collab files. Even stores she had left months before who had nothing at all to do with the current drama.
Some further research was done into Aly, which lead to threads on a site called Baby Gaga, where Aly both participated in pirating, and also participated in incredibly abusive threads where she even went so far as to post the personal address of a someone she didn't agree with, and when someone pointed out she put a child at risk doing so, she said she didn't give a shit. She has a long history on Baby Gaga of being abusive, being banned, coming back with different IP addresses and identities, being discovered as Aly, being abusive, being banned again, and so on. This is not unlike her constant coming back as a different designer to the digital scrapbooking world.
She had changed her name from Paper Planes to Studio Demo (possible to distance herself from the Paper Planes at Baby Gaga associated with pirating.) During the drama, she closed her Studio Demo faebook page and quickly started a blog as Tiffany Dazzle. That was quickly closed and she disappeared for a few months only to return as Profile Couture the co-owner of With Love Studio who was supposedly not going to design.
She has also stated on her personal blog that she has cancer, she has a sick son, and other stories that are not backed up by any kind of fact and are highly suspect given her level of online activity. There were similar questions on Baby Gaga as to if her child even existed.
In summary, she is clearly very young, very immature, and very damaged. She craves attention and she is willing to do whatever is necessary to get it, even it it means ruining her own reputation which she falsely believes she can leave behind when she creates a new identity. She also has very poor impulse control and acts out of anger and other emotions and then regrets it later (she sent apology letters to some of the sites she deleted files on) but doesn't learn and continues to act the same way. She is not an individual I would trust with any kind of digital property and I certainly don't understand why any designer wanted to sell at her store.
Why keep changing? Hoping everyone will eventually forget your temper tantrum and deleting collab files off of servers? Oh and that whole Baby gaga file sharing. Oh and the 'cancer' you had. Anything I'm forgetting?
And again I am thankful that I am just a lowly scrapper and have no interest in designing and getting into all the politics and drama. Thanks for the heads up. :)
#174 - I designed for a long time and not once had to deal with or get into politics and drama. Not to mention, I know plenty of scrappers who do. So, it's not what you do, but who you are :)
#174 - I designed for a long time and not once had to deal with or get into politics and drama. Not to mention, I know plenty of scrappers who do. So, it's not what you do, but who you are :)
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Unfortunately, some designers try to stay out of the drama light but end up in it just because other designers get jealous if they see another designer doing something similar or better than them and love to trash talk them. It's sad, but true. I haven't had to deal with it yet but I sure have seen it happen to plenty of others.
163-164 Bravo to you! Maybe we should stick this on the blog somewhere so we don't have to dig it up again every few months. LOL
I just want to add that when HT was trying to come back as TiffanyDazzle, she did so in disguise, posting at DST as a completely new-to-the-biz designer in the very same day she declared on the old smack blog that she already planned to retire from the industry anyway. TiffanyDazzle never came clean that she's Aly but some of us have pointed out that elements on TD's kit and blog header are the same ones in Studio Demo's new kit that was going to be released just before she closed the blog.
Oh, and when she came to the old smack blog lashing out at people, one thing that made it ugly was the fact that she stated that she's studying to become a school teacher and that's why she couldn't care less about what happened in the digiworld. Things were shady enough for her as a digi designer, but as a school teacher? Hmmm..
Don't forget the convoluted conversations she had with herself in the forum. - Why are you saying these bad things about me? Because they think you're me. But I'm not you. - But you are you - and then she forgot to sign out as self #1 when she posted as self #2. I believe that was on baby gaga as well. Correct me if I'm wrong. Don't want to tell fibs on someone. ;)
#179 "Maybe we should stick this on the blog somewhere so we don't have to dig it up again every few months"...
Better yet, those of you that are obsessed with the girl you refer to as Happy Tits could start your very own blog so those of us that are not obsessed with her don't have to continually be witness to your regurgitation.
#182 People ask questions and those who think they have answers provide some. Why be so glum about it? If you're here long enough, there are always same old shit that come up every few months on this blog (I mean the old blog too) anyway. Like what is it with Royanna/Maya/Nicole/blog train palette/etc. You'll tell everyone to start their own blog about that? Why don't you start one and ban whatever topics you don't like?
#182 People ask questions and those who think they have answers provide some. Why be so glum about it? If you're here long enough, there are always same old shit that come up every few months on this blog (I mean the old blog too) anyway. Like what is it with Royanna/Maya/Nicole/blog train palette/etc. You'll tell everyone to start their own blog about that? Why don't you start one and ban whatever topics you don't like?
If one didn't regurgitate stuff over and over there wouldn't be any need for a smak blog because it is always the same ol same ol. When there is nothing else to talk about they go back to HT and Royanna!!
The Chelle on Aly's Facebook page is definitely not Chelle from SO. Chelle from SO has a last name of something like Ludwinksi or Rudwinski or something like that. Besides, she is a way smarter businessperson than to post something on HT's Facebook page, especially considering that I can't think of any contact the two of them would have ever had. Meaning: why would Chelle care about HT at all? She wouldn't.
Blog is awfully quiet this week. Wondering how many people that post here are from SO and are in Vegas Mar 23, 2012 8:07:00 AM ---------------- Well #186, I'd say based on this weekend's lack of activity here that almost everyone who's a regular on this blog appears to be from SO, as this blog has never been so quiet. This would explain why for once there isn't some nitwit in here right now defending Digiscrapalooza like it's their job.
#193 - this blog, including the other blog of course, has been this quiet before, in fact, a few times it was even quieter. There's nothing going on right now.
#194 - gonna check out the collab and get back to you.
#196... They bash because they think that any publicity is good publicity. If you talk about SO, naturally people are going to say, "hey... I should go to that store and see what all the fuss is about". Then they go over there, like it, stay there and become SO lovers. It happened to me. I started scrapping last year and found out about the old smack blog through one of the ct's I was on and stumbled in at a time when SO was being bashed so I just had to check it out. Glad I did because I love it over there. Ha!
Has anyone heard what is going on at the Digichick? I see Nicole announced she sold it, and its been said that she and that Mari Kron..whatever are going to SSD. I see that not only is Danielle Engebretson is guesting at SBG, so is Viva Artistry. I heard that two others are leaving also. What is up with this? Anyone know?
I don't know anything about it, but I was always surprised that ViVa was at TDC anyway, they are much better suited to SBG. Wasn't Danielle selling at SBG one time? Or was it SSD? Or TLP? I can't remember.
692 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 401 – 600 of 692 Newer› Newest»I certainly wouldn't classify a bunch of drunk thirtysomethings running around Vegas in a desperate attempt to be cool an "awesome experience."
If you think it is, good for you. If others think it's stupid, good for them. Some people think it's cool to jump off cliffs in glorified diapers with a big rope attached, too. I think that's stupid - and I'm in no way jealous.
Is the diaper optional?
Where is the drunk 30 somethings bit coming from? I didn't get that impression.
If you had been there last year you'd know.
I was there last year actually. And I still didn't see any DRUNK 30 somethings. Did we have alcohol around at times? Sure, we're adults. That's allowed, isn't it?
Anyways. Anyone have any new favorite designers? New to you? Or been burned by anyone recently?
I have more than enough money to attend. I CHOOSE not to attend for several reasons.
Captivated Visions (Rachael) will be there.
Laura B will be there.
Not only do I have to pay to attend, I have to pay for hotel AND the classes. I only admire and respect maybe 2-3 of their designers.
I've seen pictures from last year and yes, it looks like a bunch of drunken stupidity. Not jealous, just not interested.
I was there last year actually. And I still didn't see any DRUNK 30 somethings. Did we have alcohol around at times? Sure, we're adults. That's allowed, isn't it?
Anyways. Anyone have any new favorite designers? New to you? Or been burned by anyone recently?
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Nice attempt at re-direction. LMAO
#6 Curious what your beef is with those 2 people. Got anything to dish?
Do Mormons even drink? At least half the people that are gonna be in Vegas are Mormon. Can't imagine that being very much fun.
What's the matter with Laura and Rachel? I've had limited but pleasant interactions with both.
I'm thinking #6 is a competing designer. (Someone else that offers doodled items in their kits)
Every time someone brings up all the 'drunken' SO designers and scrappers, I have to laugh. It's so obvious to those in the know that someone from SM is trying to make SO look bad. Andrea told the designers who were leaving SM for SO that the SO team was nothing but a bunch of drunks. Apparently her tactics didn't work, as SO now has how many designers that moved from SM? If calling people you don't know drunks is all you've got, I'd say you're reaching for straws. Do you really expect 70 or 80 women to get together in Vegas and NOT have a couple of drinks? Really??? Sounds very holier-than-thou to me.
Not the Mormons! Party's over.
I wish I could go, can't afford it unfortunately. I think it looks like a lot of fun, I'd love to have a 3 day scrap vacation in Vegas.
I heard about it on The Daily Digi, and hadn't even registered at SO until I registered for the Vegas trip. I'm not going because I "admire" the designers there, I'm going because there isn't anything else like this for the digi world. I used to attend paper scrapping events and always loved the chance for a break from normal life and being able to be around a bunch of other people who enjoyed the same hobby. Personally I don't care if its a bore - it's Vegas. If I'm not having fun at the convention there's plenty of other things to do.
I'm not from SM but I would assume Vegas = Debauchery . Not that far of a stretch to imagine. If there were only 70 or so attendees last year even if you doubled that you could have easily held it in any major city in any hotel and gotten a great rate. Unless, of course, drunken debauchery was the intent.
I would think that since Scrap Orchard is based on the West Coast, the meet up would take place on the West Coast.
I am poster #6
I just don't personally care for them. It's not business, it's personal.
And no, I do not doodle, not my style.
#6/#18 That seems like a load of crap. Something must have gotten your panties in a twist. If those two people are the reason you'd avoid going to a convention.
I'm not going because it's too expensive for me and it's in Vegas. Sure, I drink but I hate casinos, they make me physically ill. I'm sure there are other things to do, but there are also other cities, which may be cheaper, which also have other things to do. Just saying.
I used to say Country music made me physically ill. The truth was I just didn't like Country and I was seriously over dramatic. Glad I outgrew that stupidity.
So if something makes someone physically ill that makes them over dramatic?
Did you not read the rest of my post?
Not only do I have to pay to attend, I have to pay for hotel AND the classes. I only admire and respect maybe 2-3 of their designers.
I've seen pictures from last year and yes, it looks like a bunch of drunken stupidity. Not jealous, just not interested.
So if something makes someone physically ill that makes them over dramatic?
A frikken casino? Get real.
Actually Vegas is probably cheaper than most big cities, hotels in Vegas are pretty cheap for what you get. Buffets can be cheap too so you can eat well for under 30$. And there's plenty of entertainment even if you don't gamble.
seriously if you dont like a site dont go there and if you dont like the event don't go who cares!
A few updates...Dani was not forced out, she is leaving designing for now due to life changes
JMO- Ginger Snaps designers are awful...most don't fit there and the ones that do have hidious designs. They have been adding every guest designer to stay on for months. I think it is a guarantee.
Just wondering...what is the opinion of SBB?
How did Roseytoes ever get invited to GP? Is it because she stopped designing her awful kits?
I used to say Country music made me physically ill. The truth was I just didn't like Country and I was seriously over dramatic. Glad I outgrew that stupidity.
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Actually, you didn't grow out of any stupidity, you are still stupid. Casinos do physically make me ill. I can't stand the atmosphere of desperation, need and sweat.
A frikken casino? Get real.
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Yeah, it does. You get real. It's not about you, so why are you so defensive?
seriously if you dont like a site dont go there and if you dont like the event don't go who cares!
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WTF? It's a smack blog, don't like the smack, don't come.
How did Roseytoes ever get invited to GP? Is it because she stopped designing her awful kits?
She has kits in her store, so I'm not sure how you can claim she stopped making kits?
I don't think they are awful, either. Full of CU and maybe not all that original... but, that is a good way to describe 80% of the market. Her colour choices most of the time are not terrible. I've certainly seen much worse and I think it's enough of a reach that it makes you seem as if you have an axe to grind. Did you apply to GP and get turned down?
I wasn't aware that you had to be "invited" to sell at GP, LMAO. I would hardly think of that as being a tough place to get into.
Part 1
Since Gingerscraps keeps coming up, I thought I'd check them out and do a review.
I don't really understand the "Ginger Snaps designers are awful...most don't fit there and the ones that do have hidious designs" comment. As if you're saying they have to be awful to fit in... It seems like they've added some good designers recently and just haven't gotten rid of the bad ones.
My overall recommendation is to get rid of the dead weight and stop keeping people because you like them or they've been there forever, etc. A designer must make $$ to stay and must have a style that's appropriate for the future of your site. This store seems to be a store in flux. It's emerging as a middle of the road store which is a step-up from being low-mid range. It's attracting better designers for sure, but in order for sales to continue to rise, the crap designers need to go. Once that happens, this store will be more on-par with stores like Gotta Pixel, SBB, SM, etc., and with some unique designers that can't be found at those stores.
Ginger has a winning formula, but will she make it happen? I hope so, because from what I saw, the community is friendly, welcoming, and helpful. There is a good energy here that I haven't seen most places in digiland.
The site design and the store packaging looks very cheap and outdated. The fonts are all wrong and the product packaging is busy and detracts from the products themselves. Case in point: http://store.gingerscraps.net/Hop-Into-Spring-Collaboration.html How many logos and words can you fit on product packaging? Clean it up. You can still be folksy and homey without being a cluttered, cheap-looking mess.
I'd highly recommend the use of neutrals ASAP for almost all of your designers. I would also highly recommend they use additional previews. Majority don't even have a paper preview, let alone CT examples.
Finally, after looking at all of the designers, most of them really need to look around the industry and see all the papers and elements designers put in their kits. Almost every designer at this shop charges too much for too little. If you want to be competitive, you need to step it up in volume and in quality of items offered. Like it or not, this is the industry today.
Part 2
*Blue Heart Scraps - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Flat, boring previews. Some of the color choices are hideous, but some aren't too bad. Hit or miss. Boring, uninteresting templates, but are priced appropriately for level of simplicity. If she worked on the quality of her recolors and her previews, her products would be better. Not bad, just basic and OK.
*Creations By Julie - Horrible store header. Basic hybrid templates, basic page templates. Word art is just OK and nothing I couldn't make myself (and I am not a word art designer by any stretch of the imagination). Everything is very inexpensive and seems reasonable for the level of sophistication of the products - but is that really good enough?
*GingerScraps - Please, retire these products and focus on your store. The kits are beyond horrible and the previews are a flat mess. These products look very old and dated and bring down the overall appearance of the products offered. The doodle borders are nice, but overpriced.
*Harmonystar - http://store.gingerscraps.net/Fruit-Basket-Go-Bananas-by-Harmonystar.html Nuff said. There are not words to describe how hideous this store is. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Inspired Designs - Nothing new here. Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Word art is just OK. Actually, everything here is just OK.
*Kathy Winters - Again, basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Nothing horrible. Just OK.
*Pixels By Jen - I don't even know what to say. I'm honestly speechless. There is bad, then there is awful, then there is this designer's shop. Everything is very overpriced as well. $5 for this? http://store.gingerscraps.net/Beautifully-Again.html Even $.50 would be too much. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Pretty In Green - Most of her kits need more elements to be worth the $. A lot of oversaturated colors and most kits need more patterns - some are almost all solids. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Psychozoe Designs - Such a professional sounding designer name... Poor color usage and just a hot mess. I'm not a fantasy/deviant scrapper, but I've seen 100 times better elsewhere. Odd looking textures and plain papers. Everything looks cheap, cheap, cheap. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Part 3
*Statements By Jodi - Flat, awful, awful previews. Poor color use and very beginner looking items. Most items look old and like products I saw about 7 years ago. This is the epitome of dead weight. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
*Unforgettable Moments - Decent looking templates. Poor color use in most of her kits. Very basic scrapbooking supplies with basic patterns and elements. Most of her papers are just solids with slight patterns. Elements are a mish-mash. Nothing creative or interesting for the style of products here. Again, pricing is an issue. $5.50 for this? http://store.gingerscraps.net/Honey-Love-Kit.html. Awful store header.
*Valarie Ostrom - Again, basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. She gets more creative with her patterns, but it's all lost with her horrible colors choices and color usage. And the pricing! http://store.gingerscraps.net/Lets-Color.html $5.99??? You really can't be serious. Flat, horrible previews.
*Wyld Web Designs - Decent templates with some interesting designs. Not the best color use, but definitely not the worst. Doodles appear a little unrefined and the kits are a bit of a mish mash at times. Has some nice paper patterns, but very flat, boring previews.
*Mr. Wyld Web Designs - Offers technical services. Never used, so no review.
Colie's Corner - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. Some of the elements are hideous and some of the floral choices are very off. Flat, ugly previews and not always the best use of color. Templates are nice and some are actually interesting.
ConniePrince - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. I don't find Connie as offensive as most on this blog. I really love her templates. The designers who make her word art and QPs do a great job. My biggest issue here are the previews, but she's been around a long time, so they must work for her. They're flat and messy. Some of the color choices and usage is off, too. So far, in this style, for the money, she's the best bet.
Craft-tastrophic - Some kits are a little mish-mashy, but overall not bad. Interesting templates for a reasonable price. Makes mostly small-ish kits. Some kits are definitely better than others as far as patterns, color choices and use, and elements.
Jen Yurko - Some of her doodles are beyond wacky. Makes nice alphas. Papers have weird textures at times and they look fuzzy. Some of her paper patterns are spaced oddly as well (as in too much space). Some kits are mish mashy with doodles and realistic items (See http://store.gingerscraps.net/Tangelo-Squeeze.html). I'd rather have some doodled flowers than a couple real ones thrown in there as it's more cohesive. Includes a lot of decent looking items and OK papers for the money. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Part 4 (final part)
Jill DZines - Not much here. I read in a previous comment that she's new to the store. I'm not sure why she was added. Her products look dated and are a step backward, not forward.
Joyful Heart Designs - Her papers are really excellent for the style. Her kits are lacking and not her forte. Add some flowers, frames, and ribbons and they would be vastly improved even with those basic items. It seems odd she wouldn't know that given her time and experience in the industry. I'd like to see her kits improve because I think she would be successful.
Keep In Touch Designs - Style is a little erratic. Kits are very simplistic and poorly put together. Boring papers, boring elements and it's all a bit mish-mashy. Makes a lot of mini kits which are useless. Not because they're mini, but because there is nothing useful within them. Flat, boring, and grainy looking previews. http://store.gingerscraps.net/Fresh-story-Quick-kit.html. Definitely dead weight.
LauraMarie Scraps - Kits are hit or miss, but overall, not bad. Basic elements and papers, but OK. Some papers are extremely boring and not worth the price. Some issues with color usage and choices. Some kits are very small for the price. So, basically, OK, but nothing special.
LDrag Designs - Kit elements are a nice combination of realistic items. Kit papers are hit or miss. Love her graffiti items. Also makes nice clusters. Word Art is just OK. I have a few of her kits and the quality is good. She is a good addition to the store and brings a nice diversity in designs.
Luv Ewe Designs - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements. Kits are mostly very small and not appropriately priced. Color choices and use are hit or miss. Her preview style is better than most at this store.
Marie H Designs - Nice templates at a good price. Word art is simple and definitely not worth paying for. Kits are very hit or miss in color especially. Style is a bit all over the place the further back you go in her store. Papers are mostly boring.
Roseytoes - Templates are simple, but overpriced for what they offer ($3 is more reasonable). Kit's are basic and the papers are mostly boring. Mish mashy and I see a lot of free CU and I don't even browse for CU and recognize it. Hit or miss for color choices and usage. Glitter is awful (way too much white).
Sherry Ferguson - Basic scrapbooking supplies with basic elements, but done better than others in this store. Has mostly nice paper patterns and uses color better than most here as well. Doesn't appear to release often. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Snickerdoodle Designs - This designers style is all over the place. Boring, overly textured or under textured papers and hit or miss color use. Some kits are a horrible mish-mash and the previews are a mess. Word art is OK. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
Sugar Kissed Designs - Mostly good use of color. I wish she added more basic items to her kits to fill them out and make them more useful to scrappers. Some kits only have 1 or 2 flowers and some have none. These are basic items all kits should have. Makes nice, clean, and simple patterns and has nice textures. Cute alphas. I like her templates, but $1.49 for 1 is more than I'm willing to pay. I have a few of her kits and the quality is good.
Twin Mom Scraps - Cheap looking, basic kits. Previews are messy. Hit or miss color choices and usage. Paper textures seem fuzzy and the patterns are boring and basic. I don't have any of her CU, so I can't speak to the quality.
In a nutshell, I would ditch from the store:
Creations By Julie
GingerScraps
Harmonystar
Pixels By Jen
Psychozoe Designs
Statements By Jodi
Keep In Touch Designs
Snickerdoodle Designs
I think some of the others could be improved, but they're on the lower end of decent. But the above are definitely detracting from the quality of the store.
Re Ginger Snaps- it is a very inviting place and everyone is really friendly. The site and packaging were just redone in the last 6 months I beleive. The packaging is not good at all. I don't care for the font they use.
I agree about the look and font at Gingerscraps. I think I get a sense of the feel they were going for but they missed. And it looks like there is a small drop shadow on the font for the labels ('login' 'search' etc) which makes it look blurry.
In a nutshell, I would ditch from the store:
Creations By Julie
GingerScraps
Harmonystar
Pixels By Jen
Psychozoe Designs
Statements By Jodi
Keep In Touch Designs
Snickerdoodle Designs
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I happen to know that at least one of those designers makes good sales, so clearly some people like her style. The style isn't for me but yeah the sales figures are good for the one I'm thinking of.
example of what you think "good sales figures" are for this particular designer you are thinking of???
example of what you think "good sales figures" are for this particular designer you are thinking of???
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That would be telling
^^^
Yes, it would be telling, duh! But if you arn't naming names, what's the difficulty in divulging the sales figure? None, as far as I can see, unless you are just full of BS.
I say full of BS. I don't any of those girls make good sales. I would like to see the "good sales figures"
I wonder how they got Secret Stash to guest at GS
^^^
Agreed. "Good sales figures" is way too vague. And unless you're the designer, how do you know what the sales figures are? I don't know many designers who share that information freely. Actually, none.
^^^
Agreed with #44
# 45 - maybe they asked her? Why shouldn't Secret Stash guest there? Is she someone special? I've only ever heard of her on this blog, and the former smack blog.
#45 why do you say that? I dont see her stuff is any better then over half of gingers store.
I visit the GS forum but don't shop there - they've got it half right.
Secret Stash says it used to be here home and Ginger asked her to guest.
http://forums.gingerscraps.net/showthread.php?16349-Hi.......again
I wouldnt say that was her "home" if she has like 200 post.
Really, though, who cares? Is there really nothing more interesting going on than Secret Stash guesting at GS?
Hi I'd like to know how you guys like to organize your digital files. I'm trying to fine-tune how I organize my stuff before my stash gets too far out of hand.
Up until now I've separated my freebies collection from my paid-for kits, then I've sub-divided by designer. But this is starting to feel redundant by keeping one designer's kits in 2 places (some under freebies & some under paid-for folders).
Is there any reason to keep identifying the freebie kits? Will I ever need to know if a kit was a freebie from the designer's blog, or from a store promo?
Thanks :)
#52 and you've brought exactly what to the table? Nothing, so I guess there is nothing more interesting, is there.
#53 - no offense, but there are a ton of threads like that on DST, go and take a look.
But to answer one question, no you don't need to know if a kit was a freebie or promo.
Why would you treat freebie and paid kits differently? They both require credits (unless it's CU.) Unless you don't post your pages online then you can even separate everything and organize by function or even colors. For me it doesn't matter it's from a blog or store. Designers store-hop all the time so it's kinda pointless to keep it by store - in case of trouble you can always contact the designer.
I agree with 55, at DST there's a lot of threads about this. Everyone has their own system, though. Other people's solutions don't work for me. :)
By the way, is anyone also finding it funny that we have the "sharing buttons" on this blog so we can easily share the discussion publicly? I would really love to see someone do just that. Ha!
I'm 56. Sorry. Typed to fast. Change the Unless on second line to If, please. (I need more sleep.)
Yes, it would be telling, duh! But if you arn't naming names, what's the difficulty in divulging the sales figure? None, as far as I can see, unless you are just full of BS.
-----
Oh but you forget, it's much more fun to watch you all get pissed that I'm not telling!
Small things, small minds, but watcha gonna do?
What kind of rep does Design House Digital have? I'd heard the name mentioned before but never visited the store until today. Are there any good designers to check out? I clicked on the first 5 listed and they seem a little wishy washy but that might be due to not having 20 kits hit me in the face.
Oh but you forget, it's much more fun to watch you all get pissed that I'm not telling!
Small things, small minds, but watcha gonna do?
Mar 15, 2012 2:01:00 AM
And that's such great advertising promotion for the type of people who design for GS. I'm sure they're thrilled.
What kind of rep does Design House Digital have? I'd heard the name mentioned before but never visited the store until today. Are there any good designers to check out? I clicked on the first 5 listed and they seem a little wishy washy but that might be due to not having 20 kits hit me in the face.
Mar 15, 2012 7:25:00 AM
I think it's a bunch of over-priced, poor quality garbage. I downloaded one of their last blog train freebies and junked most of it. Jagged lines all over the place, blurry papers, etc.
I like DHD. I shop there almost exclusively, and I think the quality is great. My favorites are Karla Dudley, Robyn Meierotto, Jen Allyson, and Gennifer Bursett.
I just recently found DHD, too, and have been really enjoying the diversity of items they offer. It's not my go-to store by any means, but it's a fun place to add unique add-on items to my stash. Some of the designers are making some really interesting items that you can't find everywhere.
So far, the quality of almost everything I've purchased has been great. I did have one issue with a tag set I bought that has pixelated and jagged edges around the tag holes on every single one in the pack, but I am chalking it up to an oversight on that designer's part because the other things I have from her are top-notch. It was a bad oversight, though, I won't lie. If I want to print anything I make, I won't be able to use those tags without figuring out a way to fix them. It's that bad.
^^^If it's not consistent with her quality, I hope you told her. I would want to know.
#63 - I'd like to know as well. Maybe just send a quick email to the designer.
DHD site front is unattractive and cluttered. What's up with the Dec 25 newsletter freebie? I'm not impressed with any of the kits I see.
I actually like most of the designers at DHD. It's a very papery style. What I don't like is the giant DHD watermark that a bunch of them use on their previews. It's not so bad on some of the more colorful things, but on previews with mostly dark elements, it looks horrible. http://www.designhousedigital.com/digital-scrapbooking-kit/audrey-neal/chalkboard-this-life
Small things, small minds, but watcha gonna do?
-----
I don't know small mind, what are you going to do?
I think it's a bunch of over-priced, poor quality garbage. I downloaded one of their last blog train freebies and junked most of it. Jagged lines all over the place, blurry papers, etc.
--------
Yeah, this.
I think Design House Digital has some nicely designed kits. Many are appealing to me because they resemble paper scrapping (ie. nice papers, tags & embellishments that look like paper products), & the color combos are nice. This is not the store for you if you like fantasy, bizarre colors or a plastic-y computerish look.
If you sign up for the Design House Digital newsletter, they usually give away a free item on the weekends.
Will I ever need to know if a kit was a freebie from the designer's blog, or from a store promo?
---------------------------
Do you need to identify that it was a freebie if you have a layout published in scrap magazine using that kit, or just the name of the designer?
Some of the designers are making some really interesting items that you can't find everywhere.
------------
I would be really interested to know what you are referring to, as I don't see anything different in this store at all.
I'm not being snarky either, just very curious. I may have missed something.
Do you need to identify that it was a freebie if you have a layout published in scrap magazine using that kit?
---------
No, you don't. At least, I never have. I do identify if something is no longer available though, but only if I remember
This is not the store for you if you like fantasy, bizarre colors or a plastic-y computerish look.
-------
What store are are you referring to in particular as I don't really see that much of this. Most stores seem very papery.
A lot of DHD's lines BECOME paper lines, so I'd say they are more "papery" than a lot of other stores. That says a lot to me about quality.
I guess this is as good a spot as any to ask, a while ago there was this person selling vector files, and she had some bracket-y borders, I know that I ended up seeing it in a Shabby Princess kit after, any idea who I'm talking about, I'd like to find her site again!
Oh and it was a personal store.
^^^ Any more information?
#76 - ISO @ DST
This is the one I'm thinking of, the swirly scroll borders in this kit:
http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/inspiration/clementine/SP_theShabbyShoppe_ClementineInspiration.htm
I found the vector file a while ago (over a year ago) so I'm not sure the designer is even still selling or not.
I'd rather not ask at DST, I don't even remember my password for that site and it's a lot of effort to create a new one just for one question... if anyone knows offhand great, if not then oh well.
It really annoys me when I apply to a CT Call, which closed over a week ago and nothing. Not an email, not an announcement, not an update - NOTHING. I wish designers would at least have the courtesy to email you even if you didn't make it. Or if you are still going through applications, at least edit your call post to give an update. Just needed to vent.
^^ Life happens even to designers
This is the one I'm thinking of, the swirly scroll borders in this kit:
***
I got nothin', sorry.
I know there are times when designers do not reply at all when you apply to a CT call. When I have a call I reply to them to acknowledge I got their application and I respond to everyone when the call is final. I know not everyone is like that but that is the way I like to do it. Taking extra time to do so just looks more professional IMO.
I've bought a lot from Karla Dudley at DHD and although I still like a lot of the kits there, I have been burned big time with the quality of some items. A lot of items actually. I always print out my pages and some of her wordart and brushes are completely jagged and pixellated and the sizing is itty-bitty-tiny on a 12-inch page. I am not a QC nazi at all (far from it) but basic QC should be required at such a prominent store. I think it looks professional, love the color combo's and feel of the site, but the quality has stopped me from buying there any more.
I heard about it on The Daily Digi, and hadn't even registered at SO until I registered for the Vegas trip. I'm not going because I "admire" the designers there, I'm going because there isn't anything else like this for the digi world.
-------------------------------------------
Actually there is, DSP holds regular laptop crops around the US and NZ and has held one in Aust too.
Actually there is, DSP holds regular laptop crops around the US and NZ and has held one in Aust too.
Mar 15, 2012 7:40:00 PM
______
Scrap Orchard's convention isn't simply a laptop crop. There are games and stuff, too. With teams.
TEAMS??? I didn't know there were going to be teams!! let me fork over my $400+ now!!
TEAMS??? I didn't know there were going to be teams!! let me fork over my $400+ now!!
--------------
No shit, huh? LOL
I checked out DHD today and I really love some of the templates I saw, but the site is boring
#80 Are these the frames you are looking for?
http://www.thedigichick.com/shop/Doodled-Frames-Commercial-Personal-Use.html
Scrap Orchard's convention isn't simply a laptop crop. There are games and stuff, too. With teams.
-------------------------------------
Don't know about the team bit, but there are games and tutorials and all of that at the laptop crops, it is no different from your, 'convention' and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Except we wouldn't know a single person at DSP! I don't know anyone who hangs out there.
If I had the money I'd go to the SO thing. I like Vegas. I'm a designer but I don't even hang out there. But in the digi world - it's about who you know - and frankly - like them or not there are some designers at SO worth "knowing"
#91 no those aren't the ones but thank you, those are nice frames! The ones I'm thinking of were definitely vector files and they weren't frames they were scroll borders for edging a paper. Thank you though!
Mye is now at SM. I'm guessing SM is no longer an exclusive store?
Mye is now at SM. I'm guessing SM is no longer an exclusive store?
-------------------
hahaha Getting a bit desperate are we? Where next?
I think Mye is going to OSD too she has been hanging out there A TON!
Mye has also been posting at SSD...
Mye only wishes she could end up at SSD. It. Will. Never. Happen. Mark my words.
Oh please Mye can't land SSD if she wanted; her stuff doesn't fit in with the store.
Good grief, did you notice SM brought on Amanda Carlson or should I say Blue Umbrella? I thought she retired when she left FPD?
anyone know where/if aziko designs has a store?
I think Mye would fit in fine with SSD.
Blue Umbrella says it's available at SM & FPD. Guess some people like to reinvent themselves.
#102 Akizo Designs has a blog. I think she makes freebies and is on many CTs.
http://digital-scrapbooking-japan.blogspot.com/
I agree that Mye would fit in with SSD, her stuff isn't that different from KCB and the others.
But in the digi world - it's about who you know - and frankly - like them or not there are some designers at SO worth "knowing"
---------
Honestly curious, but who is worth knowing and why?
This is the one I'm thinking of, the swirly scroll borders in this kit:
http://www.theshabbyshoppe.com/inspiration/clementine/SP_theShabbyShoppe_ClementineInspiration.htm
------
If you've got Illustrator, those are a 1 minute job.
107 yes I know I can easily create them, but they are the only thing that I can distinctly remember from that store, and I was trying to find that specific vector store again to see if they had other items I may use (for pattern design OUTSIDE of scrapbooking).
^^^^
Fair enough. Doesn't everyone pattern design outside of scrapbooking? I know I do.
I'm not sure who does or doesn't, I just know that I can't use the vectors etc you'd find in a CU digi scrap store like Sugarhillco or something like that, I had just remembered that vector store this week and was wondering what became of it, no big deal... I have other sources, just really not many and they're starting to dry up! I wish it wasn't such a pain to design nice damask from scratch.
Isn't that what an actual 'Designer' does - design nice damask from scratch?
Yes but this is also my full time income so if I can pay 10$ to make 200$ I will do it over spending 2 hours making something to make 200$. (I do both, I both use CU tools and draw my own.) I know my own strengths and weaknesses, and drawing ornate historical damask patterns is not my stronger suit, my time would be better spent buying that from someone else and spending MY time drawing cutesy animals and children and whatever else my clients go for.
Yes but this is also my full time income so if I can pay 10$ to make 200$ I will do it over spending 2 hours making something to make 200$. (I do both, I both use CU tools and draw my own.) I know my own strengths and weaknesses, and drawing ornate historical damask patterns is not my stronger suit, my time would be better spent buying that from someone else and spending MY time drawing cutesy animals and children and whatever else my clients go for.
Mar 17, 2012 9:11:00 AM
And this would be why you're able to make $200 with a product. Good for you (seriously). Most designers who go on and on about what a designer should be are lucky to make $200/month.
I'm guessing Lauren Grier is going to TLP. All I see is her yapping mouth. Annoying.
I cannot imagine her making more at TLP than SSD.
I'm curious as to the real reason why she left SSD.
^^^
Coz she felt like it? She was tired of being at the same place since forever?
I'd be willing to bet she really wasn't making as much at SSD as she used to. Her kits have gone way downhill in the past year or so. TLP is honestly a much better fit for what her style has turned into. Just IMHO.
Coz she felt like it? She was tired of being at the same place since forever?
Mar 18, 2012 3:21:00 AM
LOL! Yeah. That's it. Has nothing to do with her whiney, emo kits not fitting in with sunshiney sweetness at SSD. Nothing at all...
^^^^
Personal for you, is it?
Commenting on an older post - DSP laptop crop - are you kidding? If I was going to go to a scrapping convention, it wouldn't be with DSP People!
DSP charges way too much for too few items in a kit. Anyone ever notice that?
^^^^
That keeps coming up all the time. However, since they've been in business a really long time, it's working for them.
# 121 - why? What's wrong with them?
123 - I know, and I have been a customer off and on. I just find it remarkable that there is such a discrepancy between what you get there for your money and what you get at any other scrapbooking site on the web.
124 - They are a very clique-ish (sp?) group, which is no problem, others can just stay away and let them have their clique, but they say that they welcome all outsiders. Which they do at first, but not in the long run.
Personal for you, is it?
Mar 18, 2012 9:10:00 PM
Yeah. That's it.
So what is DSP?
Google DSP scrap. you'll get your answer
ya'll got any new guesses about who the new designers at Sweet Shoppe will be?
This was already discussed.
And I think who they picked sucks.
It's who you know don't ya know?
^^^
What's wrong with that? At least the know they will be able to work with the new designers.
The whole it's not what you know it's who you know isn't unique to them, or digiscrap, it's the way of the world.
# 127 - you sound like you could do with one of those whiny, emo kits right about now.
The whole it's not what you know it's who you know isn't unique to them, or digiscrap, it's the way of the world.
_________________________________________
Actually, no well maybe in small towns. In business, it's usually who is the best qualified.
Not in the case of the new designers at SSD.
Couldn't agree more #137. It's a big part of the reason I didn't apply and never would. I don't run my business like a sorority. But evidently, SSD does. Unless you are buddies with someone, they won't even look your way. For both the CT and the design team. It sucks, but that is how they do business there, I guess!
Actually, no well maybe in small towns. In business, it's usually who is the best qualified.
_________________________________
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two.
If the 6 designers mentioned here are the actual designers then SSD is in major trouble. At best they're mediocre designers, not worthy of being at the Sweet Shoppe.
And all the "wow you won't believe the yumminess" crap that the babes and designers are spewing about these new designers is even more nauseating knowing that it's just not true.
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two.
Mar 19, 2012 6:05:00 PM
You're being generous with the 30%. My experience has always been, "You're an exceptional worker and exceed all work expectations, but we're going to promote the guy the manager plays golf with. Could you work overtime while they get a good tee time?"
Studio Basic just announced a moving sale. I guess she is going to SSD. What the HELL were they thinking???
Wow, either you're incredibly naive or you've been incredibly lucky in a business setting. At best, it's 30% qualification. That other 70% is either who you know, who's ass you kiss or a combination of the two.
____________________________________________
Sorry but I've been working for 30 years and I know what I'm talking about. If you have a college degree in a marketable field and are good at what you do, you'll be able to find a decent job. Is there a certain amount of networking that you need to do to find a job? - of course. People can now do that on-line or through an agency. Do you need to keep those networking relationships ongoing and updated in the work place? Again of course you do - that's just common sense.
But qualifications usually come into play - so the guy the boss plays golf with may have got the job over you but he also must have had similar qualifications. Very rarely does someone get a job they're not qualified for simply because they 'know' someone. That's not good business sense- in fact it could hurt your business.
# 1143 - while I agree with you in part, I wouldn't say it's 'very rare'. And let's not forget the times someone gets the job because they have better boobs; even if it's a job as a para legal.
I don't know any of the new (allegedly) SSD designers personally but have talked to them in forums and have made pages with great reviews with some of their kits. I don't think they suck at all. But that's just me. You're all entitled to your opinion of course.
I just want to say that, maybe unlike the rest of the world, "who you know" does matter a lot in the digiworld. If you're a store owner and you do know that this designer is friendly to both coworkers and CTs and site members, wouldn't you prefer her over someone unknown with similar products? I, as a customer, often choose to buy products that are similar to what I like other places at the store I'm familiar with, from a designer I have talked to in forums or on facebook. (Sometimes just to save myself the pain of having to register to a new store.) And in the market full of similarity, this is hardly a compromise. Makes my life a lot easier.
Well I never take into consideration if I know someone or not when I buy a product. I'm putting my hard-earned money down for a product I love and if it's similar to another designer's, I buy the one that has the color theme and design that I like the best. Period.
And all the "wow you won't believe the yumminess" crap that the babes and designers are spewing about these new designers is even more nauseating knowing that it's just not true.
^^this.
Sorry but I've been working for 30 years and I know what I'm talking about.
-----------
I've known plenty of people who've been working for 30 years and they're all a bunch of stupid twats. Unless you've been a headhunter for 30 years and worked in a variety of states, companies, etc, how is your limited scope of your own, small life proof of anything?
A simple internet search will tell you "who you know matters" when job hunting. Experts upon experts will tell you the same exact thing.
GETTING a job is about who you know. KEEPING a job is about what you know. Big difference.
From the business end of bringing new designers in to a shop, of course sales and quality are important. However, some designers just aren't worth putting up with when they are whiners or diva's or think they are better than everyone else. They don't think like "team players", they bitch about doing collabs with other designers because they don't want to share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them", and they are the first ones to pitch a fit over every stupid little thing, not to mention they think that the sales and events should be geared around their world. I've been at stores with designers like that and I've communicated with store owners who have had to put up with those kind. So sometimes "who you know" plays at least some part in the decision because they may have a reputation for being easy to work with. And if it were me, I'd take a hard-working, less-known designer over an established, spoiled one any day!
#149 Why should they share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them"? Especially if that "lesser" designer has a lower quality product? IMO there's far too much collaborating going on in this industry to make good business sense. Why serve your customers up on a silver platter to a designer similar to you? Or why insult them by pairing your products with a crappier product from an amateur designer? I've bought a lot of "duo" collaborations and full-store collaborations where I throw out most of the product. The shitty designers aren't gaining more customers, and the more reputable ones are just pissing off their customers.
When a couple of designers are friends, those collaborations make sense to me. Or when two designers have similar styles and seem to be operating at the same level. But sometimes two designers pair up and you just know it's because the more popular designer didn't want to look like an asshole by saying no.
It's okay to say no if you think it will do NOTHING for your business. It's not your responsibility to promote some no-name designer just because you've managed to build a successful business. If you like the person as a human being then lend them a hand, but you don't have to say yes to everyone who shows up in your inbox looking for a handout, and all they're going to do is contribute some product and let you do all the hard work of actually selling it. That's just stupid business. It's not being a DIVA, it's being a smart businessperson.
Why should they share their hard-earned customers with someone who is "less than them"? Especially if that "lesser" designer has a lower quality product? IMO there's far too much collaborating going on in this industry to make good business sense. Why serve your customers up on a silver platter to a designer similar to you? Or why insult them by pairing your products with a crappier product from an amateur designer? I've bought a lot of "duo" collaborations and full-store collaborations where I throw out most of the product. The shitty designers aren't gaining more customers, and the more reputable ones are just pissing off their customers.
When a couple of designers are friends, those collaborations make sense to me. Or when two designers have similar styles and seem to be operating at the same level. But sometimes two designers pair up and you just know it's because the more popular designer didn't want to look like an asshole by saying no.
It's okay to say no if you think it will do NOTHING for your business. It's not your responsibility to promote some no-name designer just because you've managed to build a successful business. If you like the person as a human being then lend them a hand, but you don't have to say yes to everyone who shows up in your inbox looking for a handout, and all they're going to do is contribute some product and let you do all the hard work of actually selling it. That's just stupid business. It's not being a DIVA, it's being a smart businessperson.
--------------------------------
I REST MY CASE! You must be one of those designers!
I get what you are saying. But from a business perspective, the more business that any and all designers can bring to the store, the more exposure all of the designers are going to get. As a customer, I don't go to a store to look at ONE kit just because I saw it on someone else's blog or whatever. I always look at all of the new releases and when I see stuff I like, I buy it. I don't buy one kit instead of another. And any designer who thinks she is giving up her own customers to some other designer is just stupid. Customers are allowed to like (and purchase) more than one designer.
I also never said any designer should collab with someone they don't like or that would make their own products not look as good. But anything that the designers can do to bring added exposure to their store will benefit everyone because every customer another designer brings to the store is another customer that just might look at your stuff too. If you are afraid of losing your business to someone else, then you probably aren't that good to begin with.
That's why the "build your own" type collabs are nice. Many of the designers in one store working with the same palette - then the consumer can pick and choose what they like and disregard the rest. Personally, I like the Gotta Grab It at GP.
That's why the "build your own" type collabs are nice. Many of the designers in one store working with the same palette - then the consumer can pick and choose what they like and disregard the rest. Personally, I like the Gotta Grab It at GP.
----------------------------
Me too! And SBB's aren't that great usually but I did find several cute kits at the PBP $1 sale that is happening right now. I forget what it's called.
Yeah, yeah, exposure is so important and apparently, to some, such a good thing. All I can say is this - Charlie Sheen. It sure did him a lot of good, NOT!
Not all publicity is good publicity. Let's put it this way, if two designers are putting out a similar product and one of those designers is pulling a Charlie, I'm not going to buy from her. I'm pretty much the same way with any SMALL business.
There are so many products that are alike out there. Is anything original anymore?
Happy Tits is trying to reinvent herself yet again...
https://www.facebook.com/dbalydemoraes
Except we wouldn't know a single person at DSP! I don't know anyone who hangs out there.
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I don't know anyone who hangs at SO either, so what's your point?
#156 - is that you Chelle?
Speaking of Paper Planes, Aly, Profile Couture etc, any news on the selling of With Love Studio?
I seem to recall someone mentioning it popping up in the DCR.
Nope, but I read it and had to comment.
Happy Tits is trying to reinvent herself yet again...
https://www.facebook.com/dbalydemoraes
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Wonder where she'll start selling her designs? Anyone willing to take her in deserves what they get.
Curiosity is getting the best of me. Can someone give me the back story to this HT person? From what I gather she was a store owner that also designs and is now designing under a new name. What did she do to create such a stir in digiland?
Here is the history as I best remember it, someone else feel free to fill in the blanks:
Happy Tits is Aly, and started out a a designer called Paper Planes. She got into some drama with a store owner who didn't take her on as a guest designer, some very rude things were said via email, and said email was forwarded to the owner of the store she was at at the time which was Funky Playground Designs. The owner there got on Aly's case and Aly posted something very rude very publicly on her facebook page about the owner of Funky Playground Designs.
Aly also had a problem with Shilo, another designer who she did a collab with. Aly accused Shilo of lying about the numbers with regards to the selling of the kit. She emailed Shilo's store owners and again, got rude and abusive when she didn't get what she wanted.
She got some attention on the old Smack Blog from those things, which caused people to look at her blog where her designer header included a photo of her in an extremely short (as in I cans ee your underwear) denim skirt and a low cut top and the photo was taken from the top down, so the angle was clearly intended to emphasize her bust. A lot of people on the smack blog were commenting on how that was not an appropriate profile shot for a business blog (but just fine for a personal one).
Aly got wind of it and came on, signed in as herself, and proceeded for about two days to have what was an incredibly entertaining argument with everyone on the Smack blog, where she abused, name called, defended herself, and generally showed how immature and, generally, insane, she is. Because she did so logged in, she was able to go back and delete all the comments so you won't see them anywhere on the old blog.
In some kind of bizarre retribution, Aly logged into the collab folder of every store she had sold at (that hadn't changed the passwords) and deleted all their collab files. Even stores she had left months before who had nothing at all to do with the current drama.
Some further research was done into Aly, which lead to threads on a site called Baby Gaga, where Aly both participated in pirating, and also participated in incredibly abusive threads where she even went so far as to post the personal address of a someone she didn't agree with, and when someone pointed out she put a child at risk doing so, she said she didn't give a shit. She has a long history on Baby Gaga of being abusive, being banned, coming back with different IP addresses and identities, being discovered as Aly, being abusive, being banned again, and so on. This is not unlike her constant coming back as a different designer to the digital scrapbooking world.
She had changed her name from Paper Planes to Studio Demo (possible to distance herself from the Paper Planes at Baby Gaga associated with pirating.) During the drama, she closed her Studio Demo faebook page and quickly started a blog as Tiffany Dazzle. That was quickly closed and she disappeared for a few months only to return as Profile Couture the co-owner of With Love Studio who was supposedly not going to design.
She has also stated on her personal blog that she has cancer, she has a sick son, and other stories that are not backed up by any kind of fact and are highly suspect given her level of online activity. There were similar questions on Baby Gaga as to if her child even existed.
In summary, she is clearly very young, very immature, and very damaged. She craves attention and she is willing to do whatever is necessary to get it, even it it means ruining her own reputation which she falsely believes she can leave behind when she creates a new identity. She also has very poor impulse control and acts out of anger and other emotions and then regrets it later (she sent apology letters to some of the sites she deleted files on) but doesn't learn and continues to act the same way. She is not an individual I would trust with any kind of digital property and I certainly don't understand why any designer wanted to sell at her store.
#161 - she's still selling at With Love Studio
So is she still owner, or is she just designing there?
163/164 has it exactly right! I would NEVER want her in possession of any kind of personal information of mine. She can not be trusted.
Posted by Chelle Hayes-Durand on facebook:
Why keep changing? Hoping everyone will eventually forget your temper tantrum and deleting collab files off of servers? Oh and that whole Baby gaga file sharing. Oh and the 'cancer' you had. Anything I'm forgetting?
LOL. Tell us how you really feel. hehehee!
Where is this posted?
https://www.facebook.com/dbalydemoraes
Was that Chelle from SO posting?
OMFG, that is classic!
I very highly doubt that it's Chelle from SO.
I can't believe that comment is still there!
And again I am thankful that I am just a lowly scrapper and have no interest in designing and getting into all the politics and drama. Thanks for the heads up. :)
Ugh! I love this element, but the lighting on it is completely screwed!
http://i43.tinypic.com/ri9fus.jpg
#174 - I designed for a long time and not once had to deal with or get into politics and drama. Not to mention, I know plenty of scrappers who do. So, it's not what you do, but who you are :)
#174 - I designed for a long time and not once had to deal with or get into politics and drama. Not to mention, I know plenty of scrappers who do. So, it's not what you do, but who you are :)
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Unfortunately, some designers try to stay out of the drama light but end up in it just because other designers get jealous if they see another designer doing something similar or better than them and love to trash talk them. It's sad, but true. I haven't had to deal with it yet but I sure have seen it happen to plenty of others.
It's how you react to the trash talk that matters, not the talk itself. At least in my experience. But I understand what you are saying.
163-164 Bravo to you! Maybe we should stick this on the blog somewhere so we don't have to dig it up again every few months. LOL
I just want to add that when HT was trying to come back as TiffanyDazzle, she did so in disguise, posting at DST as a completely new-to-the-biz designer in the very same day she declared on the old smack blog that she already planned to retire from the industry anyway. TiffanyDazzle never came clean that she's Aly but some of us have pointed out that elements on TD's kit and blog header are the same ones in Studio Demo's new kit that was going to be released just before she closed the blog.
Oh, and when she came to the old smack blog lashing out at people, one thing that made it ugly was the fact that she stated that she's studying to become a school teacher and that's why she couldn't care less about what happened in the digiworld. Things were shady enough for her as a digi designer, but as a school teacher? Hmmm..
Don't forget the convoluted conversations she had with herself in the forum. - Why are you saying these bad things about me? Because they think you're me. But I'm not you. - But you are you - and then she forgot to sign out as self #1 when she posted as self #2. I believe that was on baby gaga as well. Correct me if I'm wrong. Don't want to tell fibs on someone. ;)
I don't remember that conversation at all. Where was that, besides Baby Gaga?
#179 "Maybe we should stick this on the blog somewhere so we don't have to dig it up again every few months"...
Better yet, those of you that are obsessed with the girl you refer to as Happy Tits could start your very own blog so those of us that are not obsessed with her don't have to continually be witness to your regurgitation.
#182
People ask questions and those who think they have answers provide some. Why be so glum about it? If you're here long enough, there are always same old shit that come up every few months on this blog (I mean the old blog too) anyway. Like what is it with Royanna/Maya/Nicole/blog train palette/etc. You'll tell everyone to start their own blog about that? Why don't you start one and ban whatever topics you don't like?
#182
People ask questions and those who think they have answers provide some. Why be so glum about it? If you're here long enough, there are always same old shit that come up every few months on this blog (I mean the old blog too) anyway. Like what is it with Royanna/Maya/Nicole/blog train palette/etc. You'll tell everyone to start their own blog about that? Why don't you start one and ban whatever topics you don't like?
^^^
this!
If one didn't regurgitate stuff over and over there wouldn't be any need for a smak blog because it is always the same ol same ol. When there is nothing else to talk about they go back to HT and Royanna!!
Blog is awfully quiet this week. Wondering how many people that post here are from SO and are in Vegas
Fee Jardine is going to Lauren Reid's new store.
Source?
Curious - lol what/who is Royanna?
189 - A "has been" (really never was) designer/store owner who has a life filled with drama.
^^^^^
Actually, Royanna was a 'someone' once. If you only started digi scrapping after 2007, you probably wouldn't be aware of that.
The Chelle on Aly's Facebook page is definitely not Chelle from SO. Chelle from SO has a last name of something like Ludwinksi or Rudwinski or something like that. Besides, she is a way smarter businessperson than to post something on HT's Facebook page, especially considering that I can't think of any contact the two of them would have ever had. Meaning: why would Chelle care about HT at all? She wouldn't.
Blog is awfully quiet this week. Wondering how many people that post here are from SO and are in Vegas
Mar 23, 2012 8:07:00 AM
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Well #186, I'd say based on this weekend's lack of activity here that almost everyone who's a regular on this blog appears to be from SO, as this blog has never been so quiet. This would explain why for once there isn't some nitwit in here right now defending Digiscrapalooza like it's their job.
Let's talk about the collab from SSD and the stupidity that is ND1, ND2, etc....talk about drawing out an announcement.
#193 - this blog, including the other blog of course, has been this quiet before, in fact, a few times it was even quieter. There's nothing going on right now.
#194 - gonna check out the collab and get back to you.
I wanted to add, if almost everyone who posts regularly is from SO, why the frequent bashing on SO? That doesn't make sense.
#196... They bash because they think that any publicity is good publicity. If you talk about SO, naturally people are going to say, "hey... I should go to that store and see what all the fuss is about". Then they go over there, like it, stay there and become SO lovers. It happened to me. I started scrapping last year and found out about the old smack blog through one of the ct's I was on and stumbled in at a time when SO was being bashed so I just had to check it out. Glad I did because I love it over there. Ha!
Has anyone heard what is going on at the Digichick? I see Nicole announced she sold it, and its been said that she and that Mari Kron..whatever are going to SSD. I see that not only is Danielle Engebretson is guesting at SBG, so is Viva Artistry. I heard that two others are leaving also. What is up with this? Anyone know?
^^^
I don't know anything about it, but I was always surprised that ViVa was at TDC anyway, they are much better suited to SBG. Wasn't Danielle selling at SBG one time? Or was it SSD? Or TLP? I can't remember.
I agree with ViVa being a good fit over at SBG, if it`s good for them hope they are able to stay.
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