It's a fact that she participates on the smack blog, so I would bet she's at least one of the people trying to hush it up. Wouldn't you if you were opening a new store and had been shady about it? -------
No one is trying to hush it up. They just want more information than the crap that has now been endlessly recycled. There has been NO NEW INFORMATION since page 1 and we are now on page 3 or 4.
IF Jen Yurko was a good designer, I possibly could see the drama here. But she's not. And no one but her and those of you desperate for gossip care about her, her store, what she did, or why she did it. I'm sure it makes her feel good to think that she's some big scrap celebrity, but admit it to yourselves, this situation does not affect your life in the slightest. But then, neither does any of the other BS we talk about on here.
Perhaps because they are actually being professional and keeping business things confidential, as they should?
I am neither JY nor Shannon but I do know what happened and I believe if you all knew you would no longer think JY is unethical and you would never, ever, set foot at GS again.
I'm not telling you what happened because only a small group of people know and I'd probably out myself as someone who can't be trusted with information ... which I don't want to do.
Bullshit. And you do know that it is ILLEGAL to falsely imply that there is some wrong-doing at a company, unless you have evidence and proof to back it up. You might be messing with the income of a couple dozen people here who have done nothing to deserve it.
SPEAK UP or SHUT UP, but quit with your little "oh something happened that's so bad I can't even tell you" bullshit.
I am neither JY nor Shannon but I do know what happened and I believe if you all knew you would no longer think JY is unethical and you would never, ever, set foot at GS again.
I'm not telling you what happened because only a small group of people know and I'd probably out myself as someone who can't be trusted with information ---------
Oh for God sake's would you bitchy, catty women just get over it already! There are only 3 people that know what happened and they have moved on and so should you. Stop trying to create drama where it doesn't exist! Now can we please move on to something else.
Obviously at least one person has not moved on, and has an axe to grind with Ginger. That person needs to either spill it or quit insinuating that it is Ginger in the wrong here, and stop trying to mess with her business.
People will "move on" when they're damn good and ready to do so, not when some bitchy, catty woman says they should. If someone is going to cast hints and allegations about, others most certainly have a right to call them on it and say "tell it and prove it" or shut up about it.
We can see clearly the actions of Jen Y and Shannon; they speak for themselves. I think it's fairly obvious to most people who is in the wrong here.
There are only a couple people who might benefit from saying it's all because of Ginger's supposed wrong-doing, and who might be in a hurry to change the subject here... Any guesses as to who those 2 people are??
You guys really know how to tear people apart. How do you even know if Jen, Shannon, and Ginger are even reading this? I think it is pretty awful to call Shannon a bitch when you have no idea if she posted that.
There is so much hatred and negativity in the world. I don't understand why adult women come here and act like immature teenagers. There must be something wrong in your life if you find this blog to be entertaining. Do you not have anything better to do with your time then come here and tear people apart with your nasty uncalled for comments. Why is this necessary? I see so much jealously here! There is plenty of business to go around so why do you have to come here and try to undermine your perceived competition. We get it! You hate Scrap Orchard because they are successful. You hate Sweet Shoppe Designs because they are successful. You hate Scrapbookgraphics because they are successful. I could go on and on because anyone or any store that starts to show a little bit of success and following will eventually be named here. Why not spend a little bit of effort in improving your craft and your store and stop wasting so much time posting on this stupid blog. Show a little class and dignity. And whoever owns this blog, you should be ashamed of yourself because you are serving no purpose here other than to breed more hatred and negativity.
Jen has admitted she participates in this blog. 100% positive she's participating in trying to cast doubt on Ginger instead of admitting she was wrong.
We need a DISCUSSION blog instead of a SMACK blog. Smacking for the sake of smacking might be entertaining to some, a venting venue for others, but usually not very productive, if at all. A discussion/opinion blog could be more productive but that is probably a wishful thinking.
Yes, seriously #23! I do read it from time to time and I wish the whole concept of this blog would stop. Like I tried to point out, what benefit comes from all this negativity? It's just another form of cyber bullying. I'm not a designer, I'm not a store owner, and I'm not a CT member. I'm one of the many customers that is disturb by what goes on in the digiscrap community. I just hope and pray that none of the designer that I support take part in all this hatred.
And #20, if you have respect for people that spew their hateful opinions than there is something seriously wrong with you.
If you don't like it why are you here? If it really bothers you that much then go away. You don't have to read it. You can ignore it. But my guess is you get off on it just as much as any other regular here. You must take some enjoyment out of it even if it's only the feeling of self-righteousness.
Just because you ignore something does not mean it goes away and this blog has a negative impact on people's lives. I would like to think that it doesn't but unfortunately it does. Some people come here just to see where the problem is coming from and it is very hurtful. For those of you who have children, I hope that no one ever does this to any of your kids. Simply telling them to ignore it may seem like a solution to the problem but when their reputations are ruined by cyber bullying and it overlaps into their every day life, then they have a problem that can be very difficult to deal with. Sure you can try to teach them to rise above it but that may be difficult to do when you know you are guilty of doing the same thing to others.
That's too bad... the end of an era. I have always liked her actions, even though I always need to do further work with them, whether clean-up or other modifications, they are great time-savers.
I think she blew it when she switched to the individual pricing model instead of offering bundles of credits, after people were used to being able to buy credits in bundles. When I was able to purchased bundled credits, I tended to buy almost every one of her actions; since she switched to the individual pricing model, I have bought exactly one action. None of the others were appealing or unique enough to be worth the new higher prices. I am guessing, though, that she had to switch, because she was not putting out actions nearly as often/regularly as she used to. Perhaps because she had already made pretty much everything she could think of?
#28 - Wow, although I am not a fan of actions in general (especially those to create identifiable elements), I have to say that used creatively, those from AC can be great tools in a designer's toolbox. I wonder why she is closing. I always thought those products were quite in demand.
Hey 17/24/27 - I seriously doubt you're just a concerned customer. OMG. You reek of a designer who gets smacked here for being shitty. Nobody else would take the time to come read this drivel, and also let themself be so mortally offended by it. If you were really above it, you wouldn't be here. But you Can't. Look. Away. Can you?
"Why not spend a little bit of effort in improving your craft and your store and stop wasting so much time posting on this stupid blog."
I am in complete agreement with 17/24/27. I think the point she is trying to make is that the latest gossip about who has moved, bad decisions a store has made or discussion about poor design quality is all fine, but name calling and ripping people's reputations apart is childish, cruel and can cause devastating effects.
I heard that Ginger was regularly late paying Shannnon, using store funds to take care of her personal needs. Shannon got an offer to do admin work for someone else at twice what Ginger was paying, and since they were such good fiends, she went to Ginger to discuss the offer. Ginger tore strips off of her. That treatment plus the late payments made Shannon leave.
I wouldn't say Ginger was a villain but I also wouldn't say that Shannon leaving after being treated like that makes her a villain either. I think I would have left, too.
Ginger has been quote an absentee owner for some time. I used to be an active scrapper on her site and she literally disappeared for a time - anyone else who was active then may remember how a very busy forum became a ghost town for a few months. I was fully expecting it to close but then it became re-invigorated. I think that was probably because of Shannon.
Everyone says Jen was fired as soon as she opened her own store. I don't know if that is true but I don't think that was the right reaction on Ginger's part, if it is true. If they didn't have a non-competition clause in their agreement, there is no reason whatsoever why Jen couldn't open her own store with or without warning Ginger.
Everyone keeps suggesting that Jen 'had her hands on the database' when she was opening her new store. This could only benefit her if she took all the email addresses and added them to a Scrap Takeout newsletter - there is no financial information in those databases. However, no one has said they got unwanted emails from STO so there is no reason to imply that Jen took the emails at all.
Someone posted that there are LEGAL implications to things said here, I'd say there are also legal implications to saying Jen mis-used information when there hasn't been even the slightest hint that she did so.
If people suddenly get newsletters from STO that they didn't sign up for then let's all roast Jen but why are we doing that now? So far the evidence shows that she was ethical and did not touch GS customer information in ways that would benefit STO.
Who knows she was planning to open up a store? The domain name isn't even the same as the store name, so the fact that it was registered means nothing - she could have had totally different plans for it and then when she saw how Shannon left and how absent Ginger was she made a split decision. It isn't hard to throw a store up and skin it - its hours of work but it can be done in a couple of days.
I'm guessing - I have never talked this through with Jen or anyone - but I think it's totally viable that she took the admin job and went exclusive with the full intent of staying there and realized right away that it wasn't going to work out and had to explore other options.
#37 I don't know if I completely agree with you and I have had enough experience with Jen to say she is no angel. But I could see a possibility for your argument that she was exploring other options. She recently applied fo another store and I think she would have been offered a spot. But the store has some clause in the contract that would prevent her from owning her own multi designer shop at the same time. So I guess that's why she didn't join the store.
Maybe once she was an admin at GS she realized she didn't want to do all the extra work for Ginger. If you're going to take on such a job, maybe it's smarter to do it for yourself. No one really knows the timing of it all but Jen. But, like an earlier post said, unless you start getting unwanted email from STO, I don't think you can assume she did something wrong while an admin for GS. At the same time, I don't blame Ginger for letting her go, either. As a store owner, you can't have someone in such a trusted role when hey have their own, competing store. That would be really dumb.
I have to somewhat agree with #27 in that I don't think some people here realize that they are affecting lives in the trash talking here. I have been smacked on this blog before. Badly. I didn't defend myself or tell my story because I figured it wouldn't do any good and I would just be judged even more. The rumors that were spread about me were completely false. But of course as soon as there is any sign of drama here, people latch onto it and it takes off because everyone is so desperate for good gossip. My income from designing was pretty decent for how much time I put into it. It was a big part of our income for my family. After all the drama and my name being dragged through the mud, my store owners had to let me go. They believed me and I proved myself to all of them but because of the negativity now associated with my name and people saying "Oh, I want shop at such and such with someone like that there", they had to let me go. I did nothing wrong and was able to prove I did nothing wrong. Yet I lost my place in my stores and lost major income for my family. It hurts to know that people don't even bother to consider everything before bashing you or the possible outcomes. This is a job to some people, not just a hobby. And this is a way that some people make a living and some people, including me, need the money. But now I can't do something I love doing and we have less income because some people were just so glad to have someone to smack. Maybe everyone should consider some people have children to take care of and need that money.
They believed me and I proved myself to all of them but because of the negativity now associated with my name and people saying "Oh, I want shop at such and such with someone like that there", they had to let me go. I did nothing wrong and was able to prove I did nothing wrong. Yet I lost my place in my stores and lost major income for my family. ------------
They had to? No, they didn't. They could have ridden it out. I've been there and done that and my store owner didn't let me go. Why? Because she was a decent human being and mature enough to handle the situation.
I'm sorry that happened to you, but don't blame the messenger.
#17/24/27 - what I really dislike about people like you is that you are preachy and sanctimonious and think you have the right to tell everyone else how to live and what they should be doing.
Not only that, you lump everyone in together. Not everyone on this blog has an interest in the smacking or takes part.
Oh and anyone who pulls the jealousy card, the kid card, there must be something wrong in your life card and the having no class card immediately loses any and all credibility they may have had.
You would have more impact with what you were trying to say if you weren't so into using cliches. Think for yourself every now and again, you may surprise yourself.
I'm not a designer, I'm not a store owner, and I'm not a CT member. I'm one of the many customers that is disturb by what goes on in the digiscrap community. -------
I doubt it. Most customers do not know about this blog, do not care about this blog and don't see anything wrong happening in the digi scrap community.
Would you care to enlighten us as to what is happening in the digi scrap community that is so disturbing? From a customer point of view that is.
We need a DISCUSSION blog instead of a SMACK blog. Smacking for the sake of smacking might be entertaining to some, a venting venue for others, but usually not very productive, if at all. A discussion/opinion blog could be more productive but that is probably a wishful thinking. --------------
And #20, if you have respect for people that spew their hateful opinions than there is something seriously wrong with you. -----
No, there is something wrong with you because not only did you miss the point, you try and see the negative in everything. She was saying that she prefers an honest person over a hypocrite
I don't really find that people are just smacking for the sake of smacking here. Every time someone does just that, they themselves get smacked. For the most part, I think people are trying to use reasons. There are some strong words that some might find offensive and rude but I see it as just spices. You can easily focus on the content and ignore the rest.
A smack blog is just like any other place on the internet. A source. Take what you find useful from it, compare to other sources, and judge for yourself what/how much is truthful and what/how much is not. It can be hurtful, yes, but you can learn from it as well if you choose to. That's my take.
thought this was hilarious (from the other new unneccesary blog):
no offense, but as long as it's anonymous here too, it's going to end up being a smack blog. there's no point in starting this site.
here, I'll start. I think this site is dumb. and because I'm anonymous, I will call you fat and lazy and say you're a bad designer, too.
happy now?
my point is that nothing is going to change here. just because you say that it's a blog for chatting and not smacking, doesn't mean that you can control what anonymous posters are going to write. and if you start censoring comments and removing them, nobody will come post here. and if you don't, well, now you're running a smack blog, too.
#41 I hear you loud and clear. It's just too bad that you were let go without any proof. I was also bashed badly on a Smak blog and thankgoodness the stores I was in knew me and didn't take the bashing seriously. Plus, the stores had a good enough reputation that they weren't hurt by having me as a designer and there were enough other people who knew me who stood by me, defended me, and continued to buy from me. Obviously you worked in stores who thought more about the bottom dollar then you being innocent until proven guilty. People also tend to forget that most designers aren't making gobs of money and many use their income to help with family expenses. Digital designing is a way for someone to still make an income and be a stay at home mom. Smak Blogs have hurt a lot of designers over the years who were doing just that.
Anyone who believes half of what of is written on a smak blog is not very smart IMHO. People who might not like you hold grudges and where better to show a grudge but a Smak blog. Yes I know I'm here and I read what's posted but I'm also smart enough to know that not everything is always the truth as someone would like to lead you to believe. That's not to say that there haven't been some designers who have done some pretty dumb things but given enough rope most hang themselves just fine without being put on a Smak Blog. I mean what happened before we had the Smak Blogs???
I'd like to discuss the movement towards doodles. I just can't stand doodles as the focus of the kit. I like a random doodle here or there IN a kit but I can't stand when 3/4 of the elements are doodles.
#56 - the trend, IMO, is because people bitch and moan about people using CU or things looking the same. So, people then doodle to make their own things. Sadly, to me, most doodles all look the same, too, because MOST are not doing anything special. They're drawing arrows, words, flowers, and leaves - which is all that's in most kits anyway, so that's why they all start to look the same.
I buy doodles from people who actually DRAW things other than just flowers and arrows and little stars like Kate Hadfield. I also like SuzyQ, but hers are less like doodles and more like drawings, but she does make them herself.
I guess the doodles trend is probably to give the handmade look that traditional scrapbooking could have looked like when it all started with everything done by hand, drawing by hand, text by hand and such. I am not fond of it, but I can see that it can suit some styles and some layouts. I guess it is like any "trend" (doodles, fantasy, extractions, etc.), there is room for all types, and they rarely suit everyone.
Given that there are two ways to create elements - extracting or creating them - doodles allows designers to show they can ... DESIGN! Like, actually draw! As a designer I like to mix it up. As a scrapper - if there are doodles in a kit I like them to be unique. Sugary Fancy, Laura B, Suzy Q are all different - but all draw their own stuff. Using CU doodles (Miss Tiina) not unique
I buy doodles from people who actually DRAW things other than just flowers and arrows and little stars like Kate Hadfield. I also like SuzyQ, but hers are less like doodles and more like drawings, but she does make them herself. ____________________________________________
Not to smak Kate Hadfield - but her kits are all drawn by herself. For instance, from the preview this kit is mostly made up of Americo's templates:
The store is currently closed but here is the blog link for Americo: http://creativemundi.com.br/blog/ You can find some freebies so it would give you some idea of his style.
To #60, "drawing" and knowing how to draw isn't all there is to designing scrapbooking products. Not even remotely. If that were the case, all scrapbooking products, both digital and paper, would be doodled. They're not. So get off your doodled high-horse and realize it's just one aspect of design, and not even one that all people appreciate.
To be a good designer, there's selection of color palettes. There's knowing how to make a cohesive product. There's combining elements (whether real & extracted, or doodled) to make a cohesive collection as an end product. There's knowing how to make some unique paper patterns of your own, instead of relying on CU patterns that have been seen over and over. Some designers use a style that involves doodles. Some do paper-pieced elements or die-cut elements. Some to realistic/fantasy. All of these can be great if done well, and all of them can be god-awful if done poorly.
Knowing how to draw is just knowing how to draw. It has nothing to do with the overall picture of design.
Not to mention the aspect of creating vectors or other digital elements that are not doodle oriented which also takes talent and an eye for shading and shadowing when done well. Doodling is just one way to show a designer's ability to create.
Amen to #69. Some of the best designers around haven't ever doodled or drawn anything in their lives, at least nothing they've sold. I feel that unless you really do something unique with doodles, it just cheapens a kit and makes it look like something a grade schooler could have done. I also feel that lots of new designers are heading in that direction because it's easy to draw messily and and requires very little ability to pick up a tablet pen and doodle (horribly) something that would take a seasoned designer a long time to piece together with papers, extractions, etc. It's no wonder that so many new designers can finish a kit in a day. So could my 5 year old, if I let him have a shoppefront. Sigh.
Um, unless there are more templates in that Americo pack that aren't shown, those are not his in Kate's kit. The dragons are completely different and the castle is too. None of those are the same. Dumbass.
As far as the person who said you need to doodle to design - I disagree with that. But you do need to be able to create something unique. Recoloring CU and coloring in CU doodles is not unique. There are SO many "designers" who choose a palette from design seeds, buy CU, recolor to match, put it in a kit and call themselves a designer when on top of the previously mentioned things have a team lead (so little contact with their team), an ad person, a blog person, etc. So they do absolutely NOTHING unique.
So now they aren't good designer if you don't manage your own team, create your own ads, or post to the blog yourself? What does any of that have to do with whether they are a good designer or not?
I don't really see how having a team lead or ad person means not doing anything unique?
I agree that coloring in a doodle or recoloring cu doesn't mean you are truly designing anything unique. Not that it won't sell or that it's even a bad thing. It's just not unique. Create something from scratch (doodle or otherwise) then you can say your products have something that makes them unique.
Ok, I had to laugh out loud - those Americo doodles look NOTHING like Kate's. Stop trying to say everything is copied, that's just ridiculous. A dragon is a dragon is a dragon - face it, they aren't "copied" just because they both drew a dragon!
I don't know - they're not exactly alike but they sure are close. Maybe Kate used the Americo set for inspiration? I mean - come on - isn't it a bit odd that both sets have the same items except with various differences?
Hasn't Kate Hadfield has been around much longer than Americo? For the element pack in question, Kate could have taken inspiration from any fairytale book, coloring book or animated movie. Even *if* Kate had taken inspiration from Americo -which I don't believe she did- she not only does it better, she isn't the first person to 'copy' in this industry.
No, not odd at all. A fairytale kit with a princess, castle, dragon, knight.......totally predictable and I know that KH could come up with that on her own no "inspiration" needed. The styles are completely different too. You are really, really reaching big time.
For those designers who have been wrongly hurt professionally by this smack blog or anywhere else - why not just change your designer name, start over and create a new avenue for design for yourself. Why sit back and be a victim? Life is full of challenges and you absolutely must take charge of your life yourself. Be the engine, not the caboose. There are plenty of shops, most of which are not even brought up here, that will accept new designer with no history. So, reinvent yourself and get back to creating art. Think outside the narrow mindedness of this blog and what shops people deem successful. There are literally hundreds of them to choose from. Just because they are not named here does not mean designers are not making income at them.
Reinventing yourself with a new name and a new shop would definitely be a deceiving practice, and when found, could hurt you even more. I would not suggest that to anyone.
I'd like to discuss the movement towards doodles. I just can't stand doodles as the focus of the kit. I like a random doodle here or there IN a kit but I can't stand when 3/4 of the elements are doodles.
What's up with that trend? ------
Wasn't aware that it was a trend. Wasn't aware that doodles ever went away when they come in around four years ago.
Epic fail! Kate and Americo's styles are completely different. She hand draws her items and he uses draws with vectors. You were trying to smack Kate or you were too stupid to see the difference. Pick one.
#69 - I'm not the OP to whom you were posting, but I think you need to get off your high horse. She never said that drawing or knowing how to draw was the only way to design. She said it was one way of showing that someone can design. There is a difference.
Anonymous said... 94 93 sounds a lot like Happy Tits, who has taken that advice to a startling extreme. It's um, not really the best advice. May 12, 2012 5:50:00 PM
I don't know - they're not exactly alike but they sure are close. Maybe Kate used the Americo set for inspiration? I mean - come on - isn't it a bit odd that both sets have the same items except with various differences? -------
Both sets have a castle and knights and a dragon, and nothing else that's remotely the same out the 19 elements in Kate's kit and the 10 elements out of Americo's kit, so, yeah, they do have the exact same items. Exact same, I can see it.
I could go on. You can see that they all have the exact same elements. What? They don't? Yeah, that's the point, they don't. And neither do Kate's and Americo's.
^^^ Agreed. After several years, my site comes up at or near the very top of certain digi-scrap related searches. I would never even think of changing my shop name now, as I would lose a ton of my current google-directed traffic!
What's the point of changing your name? Is it a new owner, like someone posted? Seems silly. ----------
Why is it silly? Maybe Catrine isn't involved anymore and they wanted a change.
^^^^ A good way to lose traffic and customers. Customers like consistency and stability. A name change could cause people to see the store as being unstable. Many businesses will lose customers just from a logo change...could be an even bigger loss with a name change.
Divine Digital must have something in place to inflate their unregistered users number. It is 4910 right this minute. Only 5 registered users. Surely there aren't really that many people looking there. Yes, I was bored.
It probably includes a lot of bots and spiders. Sometimes, once you post an ad somewhere (Twitter, blog, FB), it seems to attract those for a short time. I have noticed that in my own store when I would suddenly get 20-30 bots with the exact same IP address for a minute or two. Nothing the store owner does. It just happens. Check again in a while and see if it is the same. Unless there is a HUGE deal going on in the store?
Divine Digital must have something in place to inflate their unregistered users number. It is 4910 right this minute. Only 5 registered users. Surely there aren't really that many people looking there. Yes, I was bored. ----------- What would be the point, if it were a true ploy in place to inflate that number? I don't care if 5 or 500,000 are shopping there at any given time, it would not make me ever want to purchase that crap.
Yeah, actually Gingerscraps IS top-notch! Quality, cute designs, active, friendly community, great customer service. One of my favorite sites, actually! But of course it's all a matter of personal opinion. No two people are going to say the same exact favorite sites, obviously. Different people like different styles, different communities, and so on. How boring this world would be without variety! Just because you don't think they're tops doesn't mean other people don't!
Yeah, actually Gingerscraps IS top-notch! Quality, cute designs, active, friendly community, great customer service. One of my favorite sites, actually! But of course it's all a matter of personal opinion. No two people are going to say the same exact favorite sites, obviously. Different people like different styles, different communities, and so on. How boring this world would be without variety! Just because you don't think they're tops doesn't mean other people don't!
^^^
Regardless of your opinion, Ginger Scraps is not top notch int terms of quality, marketing, and skilled designers.
Not the op but GS obviously has something going for them. They have a decent community and I doubt people just stick around the forum without shopping in the store.
Whether they are "top-notch" is like anything else, subject to one's opinion.
Plus the fact that all these stores and their designers must be making money or the stores would fold just like others have and designers would retire. Maybe there are some who think $50.00 to $100.00 a month is fine and stick around but those who need to help their families can't get buy on little or nothing and have found they have to go find jobs outside the home.
Many of us thought that by now maybe we'd be back to where it was before so many found this to be an easy way to make some money but still more stores and designers show up every day. The bubble will burst at some point. I'm not even sure that digital scrapping is here to stay. Time will tell.
Once again a store is only as good as the customers who shop there not the bloggers who smak them.
stores and designers come and go, when they realize it's hard work and if the money they had in mind won't come to them cause they can't "design" or don't know how to run a business, they're gone as fast as they came...
I retired from designing and I made what most would consider decent income in this industry ($1200+/month normal, $2000+ during peak times). It might be good for scrapbooking, but I can make far more money in the "real world" every month.
Not everyone who retires does so because they can't design or run a business. Some of us do so because we can do more, for more pay, elsewhere.
Many of us thought that by now maybe we'd be back to where it was before so many found this to be an easy way to make some money but still more stores and designers show up every day. The bubble will burst at some point. I'm not even sure that digital scrapping is here to stay. Time will tell.
------------------------------ I'm 136 and I was reffering to that piece of text. Stores and designers pop up everyday, but lots of them are gone everyday too, because they think it's a way of quick money, which this business isn't. I wasn't talking about established designers who are retiring for what ever reason.
So is anyone doing ADSR? The host sites seem rather disappointing. With the exception of TLP, most are no-name, unknowns. ------ What's the weather like up there on your high horse? ------
I'm #137. You assume that I was some established designer who up and retired. You also assume noname or unknown designers aren't making money.
I have news for you, some of us are (or were in my case).
You can't make those sorts of assumptions was really my point. Are there big name designers in big name stores making big bucks? Sure. But are there designers in those same stores barely making their quotas? Yep. Are there designers there who are only "known" because other designers know them? Yep. Do they make a lot of $$? Nope.
I agree with #141. Too much emphasis is placed on being "noname" or "big name". I look at a store like Gingerscraps and there isn't much in there I'd buy because it's not my style, but most of those designers have been around for a long time - as has Gingerscraps as a store.
I'm sure they have quality products for that style. It might not be your thing, but that doesn't mean it's not quality. I'm sure someone like Connie Prince wouldn't sell anywhere she didn't make money. She's been around too long to mess around.
and some designers design for the pure love of designing and don't need to make a lot of money. Even though I did make a nice monthly income, when the bottom fell out and I wasn't making as much as I did for a few years, I stayed because I just like to create and I like to continue to learn what kind of new things I can do.
WOW, my answer wasn't meant the way you read it sheesh! I'm a designer myself, am I well known? No. Do I make money? Yes I do! Is it because I have to? No, but because I love to do it!
Maybe I did assume 135 meant it that way that there are more and more stores and designers popping up that it's "undermining" the way it was like she said, and maybe that was wrong to assume, and maybe I've interpretate it wrong, cause english isn't my native language, but I never assumed noname or unknown designers aren't making money, just that some "new to this business" designers think it's a way of making "quick" money. Established doesn't direclty mean you are well known IMO, just you're around in this community for a longer time.
I think you need mental help if you think new designers get into this business as a way to make "quick money." I'm pretty sure most of them are just like you, because they love what they do.
I can see why people misunderstand what you write, because it's filled with countless assumptions.
No glad they're not in all stores, but I'm in some of FB groups to pick up some great deals, but it's taken more and more over by tagger and poser crap. I hate those things! I think I'll skip those groups from now on. It was a great way to see some deals I wouldn't see otherwise.
Posers can be great for graphic design. They might have SOME use in digital scrapbooking if they are not the scary looking ones, or the super "sexy" ones (I would never want those) and if they are done well. They can go well with fantasy theme kits, again, if done well (I would say that Joelle's are of that style), but I agree that some people are just overdoing it with those and trying to sell just to the wrong target.
All the skulls and sexy looking dolls, for me it's to..well let me say...much. I can't even recall when they've slipped into the scrappingworld, they were just there. Tagging and scrapping are 2 different ways of creativity I think. Where and when did they melt together? Or did I totally miss something?
I think it might have started when taggers started using scrapbooking elements to add to their tags, which is not a bad idea. A lot of tags are kind of clusters, and even now, in the scrapbooking world, you can see some of those "signature templates" that are getting close to what taggers were doing all along. I think it is two worlds using SOME things from the other world at times.
^^^^ Ummm...not if you want to be a good graphic designer. As a professional graphic designer working at a very reputable design firm, I would NEVER use posers—there is no place for them in good design.
All this talk about what designers make or don't make or who is no name, etc, got me thinking. So, I took what most people consider an OK store (usually makes the "top shop" list) and guessed what each designer makes. This is based upon my own assumptions and I have absolutely no insider information. I based my guesses upon how active they are releasing new products, whether they sell CU or not, and how many products I think they move/month based upon my own knowledge of how much I move/month.
I looked at Scrap Orchard and the $ amount is my guess at what their averages would be.
Amanda Heimann $400 Captivated Visions $3000 Chelle's Creations $2000 Designs by Kat $1200 Dream Big Designs $500 EarthArt International $100 Faith True Originals $1500 Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs $1200 Happy Scrap Girl $1500 Kay Miller Designs $1000 Laura Banasiak $800 Little Green Frog Designs $1200 Lyndsay Riches $1000 Meredith Cardall $500 mle Card $1500 PixelGeek Designs $100 Scrapping with Liz $2000 Secret Stash $1200 SuzyQ Scraps $3000 Tracie Stroud $1500 WM[squared] Designs $1500 Ziggle Designs by Kami $300 Scrap Orchard Designers $300
$27600 total sales with $300 direct to store from collabs
I would assume SO has 80/20 commission, but again, I don't know for sure. That seems to be the average going rate for exclusive shops. That gives $5460 to the shop before Paypal fees and operating expenses which I will guess total about $1500/month between the 2. $3960/month leftover for the owner on average.
IMO, if they're not doing at LEAST that, they are no where near a "top shop".
I think you need mental help if you think new designers get into this business as a way to make "quick money."
I can see why people misunderstand what you write, because it's filled with countless assumptions. -------
She said English wasn't her native language. Maybe you need reading comprehension help.
I'm not sure how you arrived at her needing mental help based on your ridiculous assumption. Quite a few new designers jump into the industry as a way to make quick money.
154...how on earth did you "assume" those numbers???? if you have no monthly sales information (which i think only a store owner would know), how could you possibly post estimates like that?? personally, i think those numbers are outrageous and there's NO way those designers at SO are making that kind of money!!!!! i am honestly not attacking you, i would just like to know how you figured those numbers?
I am quite certain that some of those designers at SO are making that kind of money, because I know what I am making at a similar shop and it's in line with some of those mid-range figures. I seriously doubt, however, that CV is making that much money per month. She doesn't release often enough in the past few months, and her products have become too similar and almost anyone I ever talk to who used to be a loyal customer has moved on because every kit looks like something they already own. In fact, I think it would be more accurate to flip CV's number with Chelle's number. Chelle is about as reliable as it comes in terms of releasing every week, both a CU and PU product. The fact that she sells CU on a consistent basis jumps her up to the top of the list, too. Lots of money to be made selling CU.
Anonymous said... 146 Can't we ban Poser Dolls out of the community? They scare the hell out of me!! May 15, 2012 12:31:00 PM
YES PLEASE! My god I think this is the best suggestion I've heard in a long time! Posers are NOT art. They are NOT design. I don't want to hear about how you set the lighting or poses either. Posers are crap and I question the sanity and design taste of any designer that has them in their kits or layouts.
If you ever own a store, then you can ban whatever you want from it. But otherwise, you can wish they go away, but your best option is to look the other way. Avoid stores that carry those products you dislike. "Vote with your feet" (or in our cases, with your mouse), and go shop somewhere else. Boycot them if you want. You have every right to express your opinion and preference in that way (and definitely more efficient than only posting on a smack blog!).
I love when people think they should come on here and school people with their vast knowledge of what can or can't be done in reality. Thank you, I was so worried that the posters above you actually thought you could in fact ban a design, type of design, or colors used in design. Phew! Thank god for people like you to come and clear it all up for everyone!
#175 - no one was schooling anyone. What the heck are you talking about?
If you are referring post #172 - I stand by that statement. Having actually been around then, unlike pretty much most of the digi scrap community, I can assure you that the so called 70s and 60s kits are laughable and mostly useless in scrapping photos of the time period.
So then don't buy those kits, 176. But if someone else wants to make them, it's their right. You're dumb if you think just because you're old enough to have lived in the 60's/70's that you get to dictate what other people create when they're making art.
Estimating income generated by a designer is as "accurate" as listing stores in tiers. Everyone will base their list on a different set of variables that might or might not be accurate or even relevant.
Post 154 was still interesting because at least, the poster spelled out what the figures were based on (although they were still assumptions), and she (assuming it is a "she") clearly stated that they were guesses. I have seen figures around before, but never this detailed in the reasons why those came up.
As I said, it is "interesting", whether it is correct or not (sure I would be curious to know but i highly doubt any designer will ever come and confirm or deny those).
And sure, if those figures are correct, I sure would LOVE to sell there!
I didn't feel 173 was schooling anyone, but just posted a reminder. I agree with that post: stop complaining, and just act. Choose where you shop and who you buy from, whether it has to do with posers, colors, size, quality, customer service, store front look, etc. WE are the customers, WE have the money and WE choose where WE spend it. Period.
#163 - I clearly stated how I made my assumptions and was very clear they were just that - assumptions.
I find it amusing that people who aren't making any real kind of money (less than $200/month) find it shocking (and therefore, unbelievable) that people are making decent money.
My advice is, if you've been designing for 6 months and aren't making more than $200/month, quit now. If you're doing $200-500 after 6 months, but under a year, start applying to bigger, more popular stores. If you don't get accepted, then deal with what you're making now and try again in another 6 months.
Unless, of course, you're one of the designers in denial who insists they're ok making $100/month because they do it "for fun."
Really why on earth is a designer in denial when they're ok with making $100 or even less a month? Why is it hard to believe that they do it for fun?! You're scrapping for fun too right? Or is someone pushing or commanding you to do it? If they're fine to earn a bit of cash with their hobby, what's there to deny? Some designers are in this for their hobby others for their business and yes you can treat your hobby as your business or vice versa.
Every designer I know who is making $100/month is unhappy and looking for another store, but they always say they're doing it for fun anyway. I think if they're doing it for fun, why look for another store just to make more $$? I can see where people call that denial. I kinda do, too.
Guess there are enough designers you don't know who are making less than $100 but staying at their store, just because they love to be a part of that store and community. Because you don't know those designers, doesn't mean every designer is unhappy with their amount they're earning.
I will say that I have been designing off and on for a couple of years. I do sell in a store that has been mentioned on this blog several times. I don't make a whole lot but I accept that. My problem is is that I don't market myself well and I don't have as many new releases as I would like. I did talk to my store admin once and she did tell me that I would be making a lot more if I released and promoted more. I do have a full time day job and have kids. I use my profits for my scrapbook addiction. If I had more time in the day to design and promote I would. If only I didn't have to have my day job....
If a store changes name or owner (or everyone seitches over like in this case), is it considered a bad thing to notify the customers from the previous store that things will change? I thought it was actual a courteous way to treat the customer, to send them one notification of the sort. As for subsequent emails, that is another story, but would you think it is better to drop all the customers and start from scratch?
DSW closing but Designer Invite you to New Site. For me this is SPAM. --------- To me it would be spam if the DSW list was used to promote a different site while DSW was still active, but since it is the same list of designers, I sure would have liked to know where the designers were going after closing.
Is this list used only to let the customers know, and they have to subscribe to a new list, or is it going to be used over and over again? THAT would be spam, but not to inform customers once, in my opinion.
When was that first/last newsletter sent? I don't remember seeing it.
I got it late last night and it was not sent by DSW but by that new site. Also at the bottom it was written "unsubscribe from this list" that brings you to the new site updating or unsubscribing page.
2608 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 800 of 2608 Newer› Newest»This whole GS, JY, Shannon thing is wearying.
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Amen.
I gave my honest reason why I left a store and the owner made my life a living hell.
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On the other hand, I've always given an honest reason and never had any trouble. The difference between a professional store owner and one who is not.
I'm sorry that the store owner made things bad for you.
It's a fact that she participates on the smack blog, so I would bet she's at least one of the people trying to hush it up. Wouldn't you if you were opening a new store and had been shady about it?
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No one is trying to hush it up. They just want more information than the crap that has now been endlessly recycled. There has been NO NEW INFORMATION since page 1 and we are now on page 3 or 4.
(even if we did, someone would create an anon blog to smack them anyways).
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For reals? Don't flatter yourselves.
IF Jen Yurko was a good designer, I possibly could see the drama here. But she's not. And no one but her and those of you desperate for gossip care about her, her store, what she did, or why she did it. I'm sure it makes her feel good to think that she's some big scrap celebrity, but admit it to yourselves, this situation does not affect your life in the slightest. But then, neither does any of the other BS we talk about on here.
^^^
my thoughts exactly
^^^^
amen sistah!!
Perhaps because they are actually being professional and keeping business things confidential, as they should?
I am neither JY nor Shannon but I do know what happened and I believe if you all knew you would no longer think JY is unethical and you would never, ever, set foot at GS again.
I'm not telling you what happened because only a small group of people know and I'd probably out myself as someone who can't be trusted with information ... which I don't want to do.
Bullshit. And you do know that it is ILLEGAL to falsely imply that there is some wrong-doing at a company, unless you have evidence and proof to back it up. You might be messing with the income of a couple dozen people here who have done nothing to deserve it.
SPEAK UP or SHUT UP, but quit with your little "oh something happened that's so bad I can't even tell you" bullshit.
#7 - preach it!! Can we have an Amen!
I am neither JY nor Shannon but I do know what happened and I believe if you all knew you would no longer think JY is unethical and you would never, ever, set foot at GS again.
I'm not telling you what happened because only a small group of people know and I'd probably out myself as someone who can't be trusted with information
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But you already did, didn't you?
Amen and Amen! There you go. 2 Amens from me.
And if "only a small group of people know" and you don't want to "out yourself".... too late, dumbass.
Oh for God sake's would you bitchy, catty women just get over it already! There are only 3 people that know what happened and they have moved on and so should you. Stop trying to create drama where it doesn't exist! Now can we please move on to something else.
Shannon (11), don't be such a bitch.
Obviously at least one person has not moved on, and has an axe to grind with Ginger. That person needs to either spill it or quit insinuating that it is Ginger in the wrong here, and stop trying to mess with her business.
People will "move on" when they're damn good and ready to do so, not when some bitchy, catty woman says they should. If someone is going to cast hints and allegations about, others most certainly have a right to call them on it and say "tell it and prove it" or shut up about it.
We can see clearly the actions of Jen Y and Shannon; they speak for themselves. I think it's fairly obvious to most people who is in the wrong here.
There are only a couple people who might benefit from saying it's all because of Ginger's supposed wrong-doing, and who might be in a hurry to change the subject here... Any guesses as to who those 2 people are??
You guys really know how to tear people apart. How do you even know if Jen, Shannon, and Ginger are even reading this? I think it is pretty awful to call Shannon a bitch when you have no idea if she posted that.
I feel dumber for having read this blog today...
and yesterday and the day before that...admit you read everyday...
There is so much hatred and negativity in the world. I don't understand why adult women come here and act like immature teenagers. There must be something wrong in your life if you find this blog to be entertaining. Do you not have anything better to do with your time then come here and tear people apart with your nasty uncalled for comments. Why is this necessary? I see so much jealously here! There is plenty of business to go around so why do you have to come here and try to undermine your perceived competition. We get it! You hate Scrap Orchard because they are successful. You hate Sweet Shoppe Designs because they are successful. You hate Scrapbookgraphics because they are successful. I could go on and on because anyone or any store that starts to show a little bit of success and following will eventually be named here. Why not spend a little bit of effort in improving your craft and your store and stop wasting so much time posting on this stupid blog. Show a little class and dignity. And whoever owns this blog, you should be ashamed of yourself because you are serving no purpose here other than to breed more hatred and negativity.
Jen has admitted she participates in this blog. 100% positive she's participating in trying to cast doubt on Ginger instead of admitting she was wrong.
We need a DISCUSSION blog instead of a SMACK blog. Smacking for the sake of smacking might be entertaining to some, a venting venue for others, but usually not very productive, if at all. A discussion/opinion blog could be more productive but that is probably a wishful thinking.
I loooooooove when people post on the smack blog telling people not to post on the smack blog.
Here's a clue, if you don't like it, don't post here and don't read here.
I have more respect for people who spew their hateful opinions than I do for hypocrites.
#17 must be Shannon, Jen Y or Ginger
just hold hands and sing Kumbaya #17
seriously #17???? you're preaching about how terrible this blog is, but yet you yourself read it and responded.
Yes, seriously #23! I do read it from time to time and I wish the whole concept of this blog would stop. Like I tried to point out, what benefit comes from all this negativity? It's just another form of cyber bullying. I'm not a designer, I'm not a store owner, and I'm not a CT member. I'm one of the many customers that is disturb by what goes on in the digiscrap community. I just hope and pray that none of the designer that I support take part in all this hatred.
And #20, if you have respect for people that spew their hateful opinions than there is something seriously wrong with you.
If you don't like it why are you here? If it really bothers you that much then go away. You don't have to read it. You can ignore it. But my guess is you get off on it just as much as any other regular here. You must take some enjoyment out of it even if it's only the feeling of self-righteousness.
[stop wasting so much time posting on this stupid blog.] Good advice #17 - why don't you take it yourself?
Just because you ignore something does not mean it goes away and this blog has a negative impact on people's lives. I would like to think that it doesn't but unfortunately it does. Some people come here just to see where the problem is coming from and it is very hurtful. For those of you who have children, I hope that no one ever does this to any of your kids. Simply telling them to ignore it may seem like a solution to the problem but when their reputations are ruined by cyber bullying and it overlaps into their every day life, then they have a problem that can be very difficult to deal with. Sure you can try to teach them to rise above it but that may be difficult to do when you know you are guilty of doing the same thing to others.
Atomic Cupcake is closing its doors at the end of May.
http://www.facebook.com/AtomicCupcakePS
That's too bad... the end of an era. I have always liked her actions, even though I always need to do further work with them, whether clean-up or other modifications, they are great time-savers.
I think she blew it when she switched to the individual pricing model instead of offering bundles of credits, after people were used to being able to buy credits in bundles. When I was able to purchased bundled credits, I tended to buy almost every one of her actions; since she switched to the individual pricing model, I have bought exactly one action. None of the others were appealing or unique enough to be worth the new higher prices. I am guessing, though, that she had to switch, because she was not putting out actions nearly as often/regularly as she used to. Perhaps because she had already made pretty much everything she could think of?
#28 - Wow, although I am not a fan of actions in general (especially those to create identifiable elements), I have to say that used creatively, those from AC can be great tools in a designer's toolbox. I wonder why she is closing. I always thought those products were quite in demand.
Hey 17/24/27 - I seriously doubt you're just a concerned customer. OMG. You reek of a designer who gets smacked here for being shitty. Nobody else would take the time to come read this drivel, and also let themself be so mortally offended by it. If you were really above it, you wouldn't be here. But you Can't. Look. Away. Can you?
"Why not spend a little bit of effort in improving your craft and your store and stop wasting so much time posting on this stupid blog."
Good advice. Take it.
I am in complete agreement with 17/24/27. I think the point she is trying to make is that the latest gossip about who has moved, bad decisions a store has made or discussion about poor design quality is all fine, but name calling and ripping people's reputations apart is childish, cruel and can cause devastating effects.
I agree with #31.
I read some critic about my designs on this blog and try to make them better. Thanks for being there digismacker
I heard that Ginger was regularly late paying Shannnon, using store funds to take care of her personal needs. Shannon got an offer to do admin work for someone else at twice what Ginger was paying, and since they were such good fiends, she went to Ginger to discuss the offer. Ginger tore strips off of her. That treatment plus the late payments made Shannon leave.
I wouldn't say Ginger was a villain but I also wouldn't say that Shannon leaving after being treated like that makes her a villain either. I think I would have left, too.
Ginger has been quote an absentee owner for some time. I used to be an active scrapper on her site and she literally disappeared for a time - anyone else who was active then may remember how a very busy forum became a ghost town for a few months. I was fully expecting it to close but then it became re-invigorated. I think that was probably because of Shannon.
Everyone says Jen was fired as soon as she opened her own store. I don't know if that is true but I don't think that was the right reaction on Ginger's part, if it is true. If they didn't have a non-competition clause in their agreement, there is no reason whatsoever why Jen couldn't open her own store with or without warning Ginger.
Everyone keeps suggesting that Jen 'had her hands on the database' when she was opening her new store. This could only benefit her if she took all the email addresses and added them to a Scrap Takeout newsletter - there is no financial information in those databases. However, no one has said they got unwanted emails from STO so there is no reason to imply that Jen took the emails at all.
Someone posted that there are LEGAL implications to things said here, I'd say there are also legal implications to saying Jen mis-used information when there hasn't been even the slightest hint that she did so.
If people suddenly get newsletters from STO that they didn't sign up for then let's all roast Jen but why are we doing that now? So far the evidence shows that she was ethical and did not touch GS customer information in ways that would benefit STO.
should say *quite and absentee not *quote
But why would Jen accept an admin position at GS when she knew she was opening up her own store?
Who knows she was planning to open up a store? The domain name isn't even the same as the store name, so the fact that it was registered means nothing - she could have had totally different plans for it and then when she saw how Shannon left and how absent Ginger was she made a split decision. It isn't hard to throw a store up and skin it - its hours of work but it can be done in a couple of days.
I'm guessing - I have never talked this through with Jen or anyone - but I think it's totally viable that she took the admin job and went exclusive with the full intent of staying there and realized right away that it wasn't going to work out and had to explore other options.
How much does a store admin/design team lead earn?
#38 In my case... nothing!
#37 I don't know if I completely agree with you and I have had enough experience with Jen to say she is no angel. But I could see a possibility for your argument that she was exploring other options. She recently applied fo another store and I think she would have been offered a spot. But the store has some clause in the contract that would prevent her from owning her own multi designer shop at the same time. So I guess that's why she didn't join the store.
Maybe once she was an admin at GS she realized she didn't want to do all the extra work for Ginger. If you're going to take on such a job, maybe it's smarter to do it for yourself. No one really knows the timing of it all but Jen. But, like an earlier post said, unless you start getting unwanted email from STO, I don't think you can assume she did something wrong while an admin for GS. At the same time, I don't blame Ginger for letting her go, either. As a store owner, you can't have someone in such a trusted role when hey have their own, competing store. That would be really dumb.
I have to somewhat agree with #27 in that I don't think some people here realize that they are affecting lives in the trash talking here. I have been smacked on this blog before. Badly. I didn't defend myself or tell my story because I figured it wouldn't do any good and I would just be judged even more. The rumors that were spread about me were completely false. But of course as soon as there is any sign of drama here, people latch onto it and it takes off because everyone is so desperate for good gossip. My income from designing was pretty decent for how much time I put into it. It was a big part of our income for my family. After all the drama and my name being dragged through the mud, my store owners had to let me go. They believed me and I proved myself to all of them but because of the negativity now associated with my name and people saying "Oh, I want shop at such and such with someone like that there", they had to let me go. I did nothing wrong and was able to prove I did nothing wrong. Yet I lost my place in my stores and lost major income for my family. It hurts to know that people don't even bother to consider everything before bashing you or the possible outcomes. This is a job to some people, not just a hobby. And this is a way that some people make a living and some people, including me, need the money. But now I can't do something I love doing and we have less income because some people were just so glad to have someone to smack. Maybe everyone should consider some people have children to take care of and need that money.
Should be won't not want **
They believed me and I proved myself to all of them but because of the negativity now associated with my name and people saying "Oh, I want shop at such and such with someone like that there", they had to let me go. I did nothing wrong and was able to prove I did nothing wrong. Yet I lost my place in my stores and lost major income for my family.
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They had to? No, they didn't. They could have ridden it out. I've been there and done that and my store owner didn't let me go. Why? Because she was a decent human being and mature enough to handle the situation.
I'm sorry that happened to you, but don't blame the messenger.
#17/24/27 - what I really dislike about people like you is that you are preachy and sanctimonious and think you have the right to tell everyone else how to live and what they should be doing.
Not only that, you lump everyone in together. Not everyone on this blog has an interest in the smacking or takes part.
Oh and anyone who pulls the jealousy card, the kid card, there must be something wrong in your life card and the having no class card immediately loses any and all credibility they may have had.
You would have more impact with what you were trying to say if you weren't so into using cliches. Think for yourself every now and again, you may surprise yourself.
I'm not a designer, I'm not a store owner, and I'm not a CT member. I'm one of the many customers that is disturb by what goes on in the digiscrap community.
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I doubt it. Most customers do not know about this blog, do not care about this blog and don't see anything wrong happening in the digi scrap community.
Would you care to enlighten us as to what is happening in the digi scrap community that is so disturbing? From a customer point of view that is.
We need a DISCUSSION blog instead of a SMACK blog. Smacking for the sake of smacking might be entertaining to some, a venting venue for others, but usually not very productive, if at all. A discussion/opinion blog could be more productive but that is probably a wishful thinking.
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Agreed.
And #20, if you have respect for people that spew their hateful opinions than there is something seriously wrong with you.
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No, there is something wrong with you because not only did you miss the point, you try and see the negative in everything. She was saying that she prefers an honest person over a hypocrite
I could go on and on because anyone or any store that starts to show a little bit of success and following will eventually be named here.
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Um no they aren't. It's all about attitude, not success. Did you miss that memo?
Why not spend a little bit of effort in improving your craft
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Oh, but I do. I've been published in several magazines. How about you?
It's called time management and I get to have a little time out every now and again. How I spend that time is up to me and not up to you.
http://digiscrap-chat.blogspot.com/
Here you go. Discuss away! Please leave the smacking here.
I don't really find that people are just smacking for the sake of smacking here. Every time someone does just that, they themselves get smacked. For the most part, I think people are trying to use reasons. There are some strong words that some might find offensive and rude but I see it as just spices. You can easily focus on the content and ignore the rest.
A smack blog is just like any other place on the internet. A source. Take what you find useful from it, compare to other sources, and judge for yourself what/how much is truthful and what/how much is not. It can be hurtful, yes, but you can learn from it as well if you choose to. That's my take.
Oh for the love of god, like all we need is another blog to have to check. Damn, 50.
thought this was hilarious (from the other new unneccesary blog):
no offense, but as long as it's anonymous here too, it's going to end up being a smack blog. there's no point in starting this site.
here, I'll start. I think this site is dumb. and because I'm anonymous, I will call you fat and lazy and say you're a bad designer, too.
happy now?
my point is that nothing is going to change here. just because you say that it's a blog for chatting and not smacking, doesn't mean that you can control what anonymous posters are going to write. and if you start censoring comments and removing them, nobody will come post here. and if you don't, well, now you're running a smack blog, too.
proud now?
#34 is telling the exact same story I heard. Ginger was paying late/not at all.
#41 I hear you loud and clear. It's just too bad that you were let go without any proof. I was also bashed badly on a Smak blog and thankgoodness the stores I was in knew me and didn't take the bashing seriously. Plus, the stores had a good enough reputation that they weren't hurt by having me as a designer and there were enough other people who knew me who stood by me, defended me, and continued to buy from me. Obviously you worked in stores who thought more about the bottom dollar then you being innocent until proven guilty. People also tend to forget that most designers aren't making gobs of money and many use their income to help with family expenses. Digital designing is a way for someone to still make an income and be a stay at home mom. Smak Blogs have hurt a lot of designers over the years who were doing just that.
Anyone who believes half of what of is written on a smak blog is not very smart IMHO. People who might not like you hold grudges and where better to show a grudge but a Smak blog. Yes I know I'm here and I read what's posted but I'm also smart enough to know that not everything is always the truth as someone would like to lead you to believe. That's not to say that there haven't been some designers who have done some pretty dumb things but given enough rope most hang themselves just fine without being put on a Smak Blog. I mean what happened before we had the Smak Blogs???
Atomic cupcake is closing. That's too bad - I really liked her actions (and NO I'm not her and not affiliated with AC at all - just saw it posted)
http://www.atomiccupcake.com/
I'd like to discuss the movement towards doodles. I just can't stand doodles as the focus of the kit. I like a random doodle here or there IN a kit but I can't stand when 3/4 of the elements are doodles.
What's up with that trend?
3/4 of the elements are doodles.
What's up with that trend?
People keep saying they want stuff that is original and unique... doodling is one of the few ways to do that.
#56 - the trend, IMO, is because people bitch and moan about people using CU or things looking the same. So, people then doodle to make their own things. Sadly, to me, most doodles all look the same, too, because MOST are not doing anything special. They're drawing arrows, words, flowers, and leaves - which is all that's in most kits anyway, so that's why they all start to look the same.
I buy doodles from people who actually DRAW things other than just flowers and arrows and little stars like Kate Hadfield. I also like SuzyQ, but hers are less like doodles and more like drawings, but she does make them herself.
I guess the doodles trend is probably to give the handmade look that traditional scrapbooking could have looked like when it all started with everything done by hand, drawing by hand, text by hand and such. I am not fond of it, but I can see that it can suit some styles and some layouts. I guess it is like any "trend" (doodles, fantasy, extractions, etc.), there is room for all types, and they rarely suit everyone.
Given that there are two ways to create elements - extracting or creating them - doodles allows designers to show they can ... DESIGN! Like, actually draw! As a designer I like to mix it up. As a scrapper - if there are doodles in a kit I like them to be unique. Sugary Fancy, Laura B, Suzy Q are all different - but all draw their own stuff. Using CU doodles (Miss Tiina) not unique
I buy doodles from people who actually DRAW things other than just flowers and arrows and little stars like Kate Hadfield. I also like SuzyQ, but hers are less like doodles and more like drawings, but she does make them herself.
____________________________________________
Not to smak Kate Hadfield - but her kits are all drawn by herself. For instance, from the preview this kit is mostly made up of Americo's templates:
http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/product.php?productid=7470&cat=0&page=1
I meant to type 'her kits aren't all drawn by herself'.
Do you have a link to the Americo templates? I always thought Kate drew everything herself.
The store is currently closed but here is the blog link for Americo:
http://creativemundi.com.br/blog/
You can find some freebies so it would give you some idea of his style.
Those do not look Americo to me at all.
Kate's style and Americo's are totally different to me.
I don't see the similarity. Maybe if you showed a preview of the actual product you're referring to we might see it.
me neither (and i knwo Americo's)
To #60, "drawing" and knowing how to draw isn't all there is to designing scrapbooking products. Not even remotely. If that were the case, all scrapbooking products, both digital and paper, would be doodled. They're not. So get off your doodled high-horse and realize it's just one aspect of design, and not even one that all people appreciate.
To be a good designer, there's selection of color palettes. There's knowing how to make a cohesive product. There's combining elements (whether real & extracted, or doodled) to make a cohesive collection as an end product. There's knowing how to make some unique paper patterns of your own, instead of relying on CU patterns that have been seen over and over. Some designers use a style that involves doodles. Some do paper-pieced elements or die-cut elements. Some to realistic/fantasy. All of these can be great if done well, and all of them can be god-awful if done poorly.
Knowing how to draw is just knowing how to draw. It has nothing to do with the overall picture of design.
Not to mention the aspect of creating vectors or other digital elements that are not doodle oriented which also takes talent and an eye for shading and shadowing when done well. Doodling is just one way to show a designer's ability to create.
Amen to #69. Some of the best designers around haven't ever doodled or drawn anything in their lives, at least nothing they've sold. I feel that unless you really do something unique with doodles, it just cheapens a kit and makes it look like something a grade schooler could have done. I also feel that lots of new designers are heading in that direction because it's easy to draw messily and and requires very little ability to pick up a tablet pen and doodle (horribly) something that would take a seasoned designer a long time to piece together with papers, extractions, etc. It's no wonder that so many new designers can finish a kit in a day. So could my 5 year old, if I let him have a shoppefront. Sigh.
Those do not look Americo to me at all.
___________________________________________
I have that set of templates. It's Americo_castle. The dragon, knight in armor, castle, etc.
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t459/anon_byme/castle1.jpg
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t459/anon_byme/KateHadfieldcastle.jpg
Um, unless there are more templates in that Americo pack that aren't shown, those are not his in Kate's kit. The dragons are completely different and the castle is too. None of those are the same. Dumbass.
See how a DISCUSSION could have been as effective without the smacking "Dumbass" addition. You can think it. No need to say it.
#73 You have got to be kidding me. Those are not even remotely close. Kate does all her own drawings.
LMFAO. Those looking NOTHING alike. NOTHING.
Totally different style.
As far as the person who said you need to doodle to design - I disagree with that. But you do need to be able to create something unique. Recoloring CU and coloring in CU doodles is not unique. There are SO many "designers" who choose a palette from design seeds, buy CU, recolor to match, put it in a kit and call themselves a designer when on top of the previously mentioned things have a team lead (so little contact with their team), an ad person, a blog person, etc. So they do absolutely NOTHING unique.
So now they aren't good designer if you don't manage your own team, create your own ads, or post to the blog yourself? What does any of that have to do with whether they are a good designer or not?
I don't really see how having a team lead or ad person means not doing anything unique?
I agree that coloring in a doodle or recoloring cu doesn't mean you are truly designing anything unique. Not that it won't sell or that it's even a bad thing. It's just not unique. Create something from scratch (doodle or otherwise) then you can say your products have something that makes them unique.
Ok, I had to laugh out loud - those Americo doodles look NOTHING like Kate's. Stop trying to say everything is copied, that's just ridiculous. A dragon is a dragon is a dragon - face it, they aren't "copied" just because they both drew a dragon!
#61 is the reason why everything looks the same to so many people - they're completely clueless.
Kate draws everything herself and those look absolutely nothing like Americo's. Not even a little bit.
That's like saying if Gisele Bündchen and I both wear a red top, I totally look like her.
Which, of course, I do.
^^
1 Anonymous poster likes this
Kate posted a picture recently of her workspace, she draws it all herself...
http://katehadfielddesigns.com/blog/digital-scrapbook-products/getting-ready-for-insd/995836
to "proof"
I don't know - they're not exactly alike but they sure are close. Maybe Kate used the Americo set for inspiration? I mean - come on - isn't it a bit odd that both sets have the same items except with various differences?
eehm not really...most of the fairytales are about knights in shiny armore, castles and dragons to save the puuurrrty pwincess
You think it's also odd, that most of the boys babykits have blue in it, or is that also "copy", cause it's sounds you're going towards that line...
Hasn't Kate Hadfield has been around much longer than Americo? For the element pack in question, Kate could have taken inspiration from any fairytale book, coloring book or animated movie. Even *if* Kate had taken inspiration from Americo -which I don't believe she did- she not only does it better, she isn't the first person to 'copy' in this industry.
No, not odd at all. A fairytale kit with a princess, castle, dragon, knight.......totally predictable and I know that KH could come up with that on her own no "inspiration" needed. The styles are completely different too. You are really, really reaching big time.
http://www.catscrap.com/shoppe/news.php
What's the point of changing your name? Is it a new owner, like someone posted? Seems silly.
Maybe they were tired of being called Cats crap.
For those designers who have been wrongly hurt professionally by this smack blog or anywhere else - why not just change your designer name, start over and create a new avenue for design for yourself. Why sit back and be a victim? Life is full of challenges and you absolutely must take charge of your life yourself. Be the engine, not the caboose. There are plenty of shops, most of which are not even brought up here, that will accept new designer with no history. So, reinvent yourself and get back to creating art. Think outside the narrow mindedness of this blog and what shops people deem successful. There are literally hundreds of them to choose from. Just because they are not named here does not mean designers are not making income at them.
93 sounds a lot like Happy Tits, who has taken that advice to a startling extreme. It's um, not really the best advice.
Reinventing yourself with a new name and a new shop would definitely be a deceiving practice, and when found, could hurt you even more. I would not suggest that to anyone.
I'd like to discuss the movement towards doodles. I just can't stand doodles as the focus of the kit. I like a random doodle here or there IN a kit but I can't stand when 3/4 of the elements are doodles.
What's up with that trend?
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Wasn't aware that it was a trend. Wasn't aware that doodles ever went away when they come in around four years ago.
Not to smak Kate Hadfield - but her kits are all drawn by herself. For instance, from the preview this kit is mostly made up of Americo's templates:
http://www.the-lilypad.com/store/product.php?productid=7470&cat=0&page=1
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Epic fail! Kate and Americo's styles are completely different. She hand draws her items and he uses draws with vectors. You were trying to smack Kate or you were too stupid to see the difference. Pick one.
#69 - I'm not the OP to whom you were posting, but I think you need to get off your high horse. She never said that drawing or knowing how to draw was the only way to design. She said it was one way of showing that someone can design. There is a difference.
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t459/anon_byme/castle1.jpg
http://i1060.photobucket.com/albums/t459/anon_byme/KateHadfieldcastle.jpg
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If you think those look even remotely alike, you need glasses.
Yes, they are both a castle
Yes, they both have two turrets.
Yeah, that's about it.
Anonymous said... 94
93 sounds a lot like Happy Tits, who has taken that advice to a startling extreme. It's um, not really the best advice.
May 12, 2012 5:50:00 PM
^^Amen!
I don't know - they're not exactly alike but they sure are close. Maybe Kate used the Americo set for inspiration? I mean - come on - isn't it a bit odd that both sets have the same items except with various differences?
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Both sets have a castle and knights and a dragon, and nothing else that's remotely the same out the 19 elements in Kate's kit and the 10 elements out of Americo's kit, so, yeah, they do have the exact same items. Exact same, I can see it.
Look at this kit, it has the exact same items too
http://scraporchard.com/market/Fairytale-Dreams-Digital-Scrapbook-Kit.html
and this one
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c3gpS0jBXCc/T4WUpclwn0I/AAAAAAAAARc/esUyZRHowjQ/s1600/00-DBS-FairytaleCastle.jpg
and this one
http://shop.scrapbookgraphics.com/Fantasyland-Rich-Kit.html
I could go on. You can see that they all have the exact same elements. What? They don't? Yeah, that's the point, they don't. And neither do Kate's and Americo's.
http://www.catscrap.com/shoppe/news.php
What's the point of changing your name? Is it a new owner, like someone posted? Seems silly.
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Why is it silly? Maybe Catrine isn't involved anymore and they wanted a change.
Well, it's silly because it puts you starting back at square one again. Any SEO or Google ranking benefits are totally wiped out.
Silly.
^^^ Agreed. After several years, my site comes up at or near the very top of certain digi-scrap related searches. I would never even think of changing my shop name now, as I would lose a ton of my current google-directed traffic!
http://www.catscrap.com/shoppe/news.php
What's the point of changing your name? Is it a new owner, like someone posted? Seems silly.
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Why is it silly? Maybe Catrine isn't involved anymore and they wanted a change.
^^^^
A good way to lose traffic and customers. Customers like consistency and stability. A name change could cause people to see the store as being unstable. Many businesses will lose customers just from a logo change...could be an even bigger loss with a name change.
^^^^^^
That's what redirects are for!
A name change could cause people to see the store as being unstable.
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After more than five years? I don't think so.
I'm not sure you understand SEO and Google rankings. It's not a static thing, and it will either get better or worse, but it won't stay the same.
A redirect will make it worse.
Divine Digital must have something in place to inflate their unregistered users number. It is 4910 right this minute. Only 5 registered users. Surely there aren't really that many people looking there. Yes, I was bored.
It probably includes a lot of bots and spiders. Sometimes, once you post an ad somewhere (Twitter, blog, FB), it seems to attract those for a short time. I have noticed that in my own store when I would suddenly get 20-30 bots with the exact same IP address for a minute or two. Nothing the store owner does. It just happens. Check again in a while and see if it is the same. Unless there is a HUGE deal going on in the store?
Divine Digital must have something in place to inflate their unregistered users number. It is 4910 right this minute. Only 5 registered users. Surely there aren't really that many people looking there. Yes, I was bored.
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What would be the point, if it were a true ploy in place to inflate that number? I don't care if 5 or 500,000 are shopping there at any given time, it would not make me ever want to purchase that crap.
Divine always seems to have inflated numbers. I have been wondering about that for a while.
NEW SPACE!!!!!!!!!!!1!!!!!!1!!!
(just kidding)
New space on June 1. I like the organization of having one space per month. Oh and please breathe 113.
So is anyone doing ADSR? The host sites seem rather disappointing. With the exception of TLP, most are no-name, unknowns.
http://www.ndisb.com/forums/index.php?/topic/2607-list-of-host-sites/
#115 - you don't get out much, do you? I know all of those sites.
WLS? Seriously?
Actually 116 - I get out a lot. I just don't hang in the gutter.
Wonder who the Mystery Site is.
Digital Design Essentials is hardly the gutter. Industry veteran, in fact. Do you seriously not know who Gina Cabrera is? *SMH*
TLP, DDE, and GS are all top-notch. The others? Bottom of the barrel, IMO. Can't believe they signed-on with WLS. WTF?
Know who she is and really don't care for or about her.
Ginger Scraps IS TOP NOTCH???? You're kidding, right?????
Oh awesome, Hummie's World. Count me in.
What's the standard commission rate? And does it differ for an exclusive/non-exclusive store?
TLP, DDE, and GS are all top-notch. The others? Bottom of the barrel, IMO. Can't believe they signed-on with WLS. WTF?
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Missy and Sugarmoon are actually pretty decent people to work with. Better than the previous owner.
Yeah, actually Gingerscraps IS top-notch! Quality, cute designs, active, friendly community, great customer service. One of my favorite sites, actually! But of course it's all a matter of personal opinion. No two people are going to say the same exact favorite sites, obviously. Different people like different styles, different communities, and so on. How boring this world would be without variety! Just because you don't think they're tops doesn't mean other people don't!
Actually 116 - I get out a lot. I just don't hang in the gutter.
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Right, do you know what irony means?
So is anyone doing ADSR? The host sites seem rather disappointing. With the exception of TLP, most are no-name, unknowns.
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What's the weather like up there on your high horse?
I find it funny that so many here post about stuck up designers, holier than thou etc and yet constantly refer to no-names, unknowns, bottom tier etc.
Ironic, don't you think?
Yeah, actually Gingerscraps IS top-notch! Quality, cute designs, active, friendly community, great customer service. One of my favorite sites, actually! But of course it's all a matter of personal opinion. No two people are going to say the same exact favorite sites, obviously. Different people like different styles, different communities, and so on. How boring this world would be without variety! Just because you don't think they're tops doesn't mean other people don't!
^^^
Regardless of your opinion, Ginger Scraps is not top notch int terms of quality, marketing, and skilled designers.
Not the op but GS obviously has something going for them. They have a decent community and I doubt people just stick around the forum without shopping in the store.
Whether they are "top-notch" is like anything else, subject to one's opinion.
Regardless of your opinion, Ginger Scraps is not top notch int terms of quality, marketing, and skilled designers.
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Not the OP either but regardless of your opinion, who says? See what I did there.
There are some decent designers at Ginger Scraps but some really bad ones. There was some good reviews of them on this blog last month I think.
#133 - that pretty much sums every store out there.
Plus the fact that all these stores and their designers must be making money or the stores would fold just like others have and designers would retire. Maybe there are some who think $50.00 to $100.00 a month is fine and stick around but those who need to help their families can't get buy on little or nothing and have found they have to go find jobs outside the home.
Many of us thought that by now maybe we'd be back to where it was before so many found this to be an easy way to make some money but still more stores and designers show up every day. The bubble will burst at some point. I'm not even sure that digital scrapping is here to stay. Time will tell.
Once again a store is only as good as the customers who shop there not the bloggers who smak them.
stores and designers come and go, when they realize it's hard work and if the money they had in mind won't come to them cause they can't "design" or don't know how to run a business, they're gone as fast as they came...
I retired from designing and I made what most would consider decent income in this industry ($1200+/month normal, $2000+ during peak times). It might be good for scrapbooking, but I can make far more money in the "real world" every month.
Not everyone who retires does so because they can't design or run a business. Some of us do so because we can do more, for more pay, elsewhere.
Many of us thought that by now maybe we'd be back to where it was before so many found this to be an easy way to make some money but still more stores and designers show up every day. The bubble will burst at some point. I'm not even sure that digital scrapping is here to stay. Time will tell.
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I'm 136 and I was reffering to that piece of text. Stores and designers pop up everyday, but lots of them are gone everyday too, because they think it's a way of quick money, which this business isn't. I wasn't talking about established designers who are retiring for what ever reason.
Actually 116 - I get out a lot. I just don't hang in the gutter.
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Right, do you know what irony means?
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Yes, do you? Or are you intimating that being here means that one is in the gutter. If so, we obviously have differing opinions of this place.
So is anyone doing ADSR? The host sites seem rather disappointing. With the exception of TLP, most are no-name, unknowns.
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What's the weather like up there on your high horse?
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It's quite lovely, thank you.
I'm #137. You assume that I was some established designer who up and retired. You also assume noname or unknown designers aren't making money.
I have news for you, some of us are (or were in my case).
You can't make those sorts of assumptions was really my point. Are there big name designers in big name stores making big bucks? Sure. But are there designers in those same stores barely making their quotas? Yep. Are there designers there who are only "known" because other designers know them? Yep. Do they make a lot of $$? Nope.
I agree with #141. Too much emphasis is placed on being "noname" or "big name". I look at a store like Gingerscraps and there isn't much in there I'd buy because it's not my style, but most of those designers have been around for a long time - as has Gingerscraps as a store.
I'm sure they have quality products for that style. It might not be your thing, but that doesn't mean it's not quality. I'm sure someone like Connie Prince wouldn't sell anywhere she didn't make money. She's been around too long to mess around.
and some designers design for the pure love of designing and don't need to make a lot of money. Even though I did make a nice monthly income, when the bottom fell out and I wasn't making as much as I did for a few years, I stayed because I just like to create and I like to continue to learn what kind of new things I can do.
WOW, my answer wasn't meant the way you read it sheesh! I'm a designer myself, am I well known? No. Do I make money? Yes I do! Is it because I have to? No, but because I love to do it!
Maybe I did assume 135 meant it that way that there are more and more stores and designers popping up that it's "undermining" the way it was like she said, and maybe that was wrong to assume, and maybe I've interpretate it wrong, cause english isn't my native language, but I never assumed noname or unknown designers aren't making money, just that some "new to this business" designers think it's a way of making "quick" money. Established doesn't direclty mean you are well known IMO, just you're around in this community for a longer time.
I think you need mental help if you think new designers get into this business as a way to make "quick money." I'm pretty sure most of them are just like you, because they love what they do.
I can see why people misunderstand what you write, because it's filled with countless assumptions.
Can't we ban Poser Dolls out of the community? They scare the hell out of me!!
Not sure they are IN most stores are they? I do see them in Joelle's stuff.
No glad they're not in all stores, but I'm in some of FB groups to pick up some great deals, but it's taken more and more over by tagger and poser crap. I hate those things! I think I'll skip those groups from now on. It was a great way to see some deals I wouldn't see otherwise.
Posers can be great for graphic design. They might have SOME use in digital scrapbooking if they are not the scary looking ones, or the super "sexy" ones (I would never want those) and if they are done well. They can go well with fantasy theme kits, again, if done well (I would say that Joelle's are of that style), but I agree that some people are just overdoing it with those and trying to sell just to the wrong target.
All the skulls and sexy looking dolls, for me it's to..well let me say...much. I can't even recall when they've slipped into the scrappingworld, they were just there. Tagging and scrapping are 2 different ways of creativity I think. Where and when did they melt together? Or did I totally miss something?
I think it might have started when taggers started using scrapbooking elements to add to their tags, which is not a bad idea. A lot of tags are kind of clusters, and even now, in the scrapbooking world, you can see some of those "signature templates" that are getting close to what taggers were doing all along. I think it is two worlds using SOME things from the other world at times.
ok thank you for clarifying that, think I've been living under a rock about that part.
"Posers can be great for graphic design"
^^^^
Ummm...not if you want to be a good graphic designer. As a professional graphic designer working at a very reputable design firm, I would NEVER use posers—there is no place for them in good design.
All this talk about what designers make or don't make or who is no name, etc, got me thinking. So, I took what most people consider an OK store (usually makes the "top shop" list) and guessed what each designer makes. This is based upon my own assumptions and I have absolutely no insider information. I based my guesses upon how active they are releasing new products, whether they sell CU or not, and how many products I think they move/month based upon my own knowledge of how much I move/month.
I looked at Scrap Orchard and the $ amount is my guess at what their averages would be.
Amanda Heimann $400
Captivated Visions $3000
Chelle's Creations $2000
Designs by Kat $1200
Dream Big Designs $500
EarthArt International $100
Faith True Originals $1500
Fiddle-Dee-Dee Designs $1200
Happy Scrap Girl $1500
Kay Miller Designs $1000
Laura Banasiak $800
Little Green Frog Designs $1200
Lyndsay Riches $1000
Meredith Cardall $500
mle Card $1500
PixelGeek Designs $100
Scrapping with Liz $2000
Secret Stash $1200
SuzyQ Scraps $3000
Tracie Stroud $1500
WM[squared] Designs $1500
Ziggle Designs by Kami $300
Scrap Orchard Designers $300
$27600 total sales with $300 direct to store from collabs
I would assume SO has 80/20 commission, but again, I don't know for sure. That seems to be the average going rate for exclusive shops. That gives $5460 to the shop before Paypal fees and operating expenses which I will guess total about $1500/month between the 2. $3960/month leftover for the owner on average.
IMO, if they're not doing at LEAST that, they are no where near a "top shop".
Wow, I want to go to SO. I know I'm better than a lot of those designers.
Again, wishing they would have a public poll to add some new designers.
Any store has public polls to add new designers? I have never seen that.
No, haven't either but it was part of a discussion earlier.
Wow, the Captivated Vision haters are going to hate seeing that number. They'll be jumping all over you for that estimate.
I think you need mental help if you think new designers get into this business as a way to make "quick money."
I can see why people misunderstand what you write, because it's filled with countless assumptions.
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She said English wasn't her native language. Maybe you need reading comprehension help.
I'm not sure how you arrived at her needing mental help based on your ridiculous assumption. Quite a few new designers jump into the industry as a way to make quick money.
Polls are for chumps.
Since here is anonymous, maybe we can have a poll and see who you think they should hire or invite. What would be your suggestions?
154...how on earth did you "assume" those numbers????
if you have no monthly sales information (which i think only a store owner would know), how could you possibly post estimates like that??
personally, i think those numbers are outrageous and there's NO way those designers at SO are making that kind of money!!!!!
i am honestly not attacking you, i would just like to know how you figured those numbers?
Maybe based on the poster's own sale figures?
#162 - who is this 'they' that you are talking about?
I am quite certain that some of those designers at SO are making that kind of money, because I know what I am making at a similar shop and it's in line with some of those mid-range figures. I seriously doubt, however, that CV is making that much money per month. She doesn't release often enough in the past few months, and her products have become too similar and almost anyone I ever talk to who used to be a loyal customer has moved on because every kit looks like something they already own. In fact, I think it would be more accurate to flip CV's number with Chelle's number. Chelle is about as reliable as it comes in terms of releasing every week, both a CU and PU product. The fact that she sells CU on a consistent basis jumps her up to the top of the list, too. Lots of money to be made selling CU.
#166 - The same "they" refered in post #156
^^^
Which are?
I'm assuming SO?
Anonymous said... 146
Can't we ban Poser Dolls out of the community? They scare the hell out of me!!
May 15, 2012 12:31:00 PM
YES PLEASE! My god I think this is the best suggestion I've heard in a long time! Posers are NOT art. They are NOT design. I don't want to hear about how you set the lighting or poses either. Posers are crap and I question the sanity and design taste of any designer that has them in their kits or layouts.
Can we ban rolled paper flowers? I think they are horrible and they all look the same.
I also want to ban glitter, because digital glitter is so fake looking.
And while we are at, can we ban those really cutesy doodled people. They are so over used and no designer should use them.
I'd like to ban the use of 70's colors.
I'd like the ban the use of what people think are 70s colors, think is retro, think is funky but in actual fact, isn't any of those things.
If you ever own a store, then you can ban whatever you want from it. But otherwise, you can wish they go away, but your best option is to look the other way. Avoid stores that carry those products you dislike. "Vote with your feet" (or in our cases, with your mouse), and go shop somewhere else. Boycot them if you want. You have every right to express your opinion and preference in that way (and definitely more efficient than only posting on a smack blog!).
#173 - I was being sarcastic (poster #170) and obviously not very successful.
I think it's ridiculous for people to ask things to be banned because they personally don't like it.
I agree with you completely.
I love when people think they should come on here and school people with their vast knowledge of what can or can't be done in reality. Thank you, I was so worried that the posters above you actually thought you could in fact ban a design, type of design, or colors used in design. Phew! Thank god for people like you to come and clear it all up for everyone!
#175 - no one was schooling anyone. What the heck are you talking about?
If you are referring post #172 - I stand by that statement. Having actually been around then, unlike pretty much most of the digi scrap community, I can assure you that the so called 70s and 60s kits are laughable and mostly useless in scrapping photos of the time period.
So then don't buy those kits, 176. But if someone else wants to make them, it's their right. You're dumb if you think just because you're old enough to have lived in the 60's/70's that you get to dictate what other people create when they're making art.
Estimating income generated by a designer is as "accurate" as listing stores in tiers. Everyone will base their list on a different set of variables that might or might not be accurate or even relevant.
Post 154 was still interesting because at least, the poster spelled out what the figures were based on (although they were still assumptions), and she (assuming it is a "she") clearly stated that they were guesses. I have seen figures around before, but never this detailed in the reasons why those came up.
As I said, it is "interesting", whether it is correct or not (sure I would be curious to know but i highly doubt any designer will ever come and confirm or deny those).
And sure, if those figures are correct, I sure would LOVE to sell there!
I'm post 175 and I was referring to post 173.
I really want to join SO.
I didn't feel 173 was schooling anyone, but just posted a reminder. I agree with that post: stop complaining, and just act. Choose where you shop and who you buy from, whether it has to do with posers, colors, size, quality, customer service, store front look, etc. WE are the customers, WE have the money and WE choose where WE spend it. Period.
#163 - I clearly stated how I made my assumptions and was very clear they were just that - assumptions.
I find it amusing that people who aren't making any real kind of money (less than $200/month) find it shocking (and therefore, unbelievable) that people are making decent money.
My advice is, if you've been designing for 6 months and aren't making more than $200/month, quit now. If you're doing $200-500 after 6 months, but under a year, start applying to bigger, more popular stores. If you don't get accepted, then deal with what you're making now and try again in another 6 months.
Unless, of course, you're one of the designers in denial who insists they're ok making $100/month because they do it "for fun."
Really why on earth is a designer in denial when they're ok with making $100 or even less a month? Why is it hard to believe that they do it for fun?! You're scrapping for fun too right? Or is someone pushing or commanding you to do it? If they're fine to earn a bit of cash with their hobby, what's there to deny? Some designers are in this for their hobby others for their business and yes you can treat your hobby as your business or vice versa.
Every designer I know who is making $100/month is unhappy and looking for another store, but they always say they're doing it for fun anyway. I think if they're doing it for fun, why look for another store just to make more $$? I can see where people call that denial. I kinda do, too.
If you're only doing it for fun, why are you SELLING in a store? Give it away for free since you're just in it for the fun anyway...
Guess there are enough designers you don't know who are making less than $100 but staying at their store, just because they love to be a part of that store and community. Because you don't know those designers, doesn't mean every designer is unhappy with their amount they're earning.
huh? is http://www.professionalscrapdesigns.com/ the new digiscrapwarehouse?
^^^
Yes
I will say that I have been designing off and on for a couple of years. I do sell in a store that has been mentioned on this blog several times. I don't make a whole lot but I accept that. My problem is is that I don't market myself well and I don't have as many new releases as I would like. I did talk to my store admin once and she did tell me that I would be making a lot more if I released and promoted more. I do have a full time day job and have kids. I use my profits for my scrapbook addiction. If I had more time in the day to design and promote I would. If only I didn't have to have my day job....
Ok thnx, just saw that one.
#189 - why not get an ad person or such who can promote you? Lots of designers do this.
Uh, Professional Scrap Designs? Ugliest site I have EVER seen.
Uh, Professional Scrap Designs? Ugliest site I have EVER seen.
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And I didn't like the fact that they took DSW mailing list to send out their first crapletter.
If a store changes name or owner (or everyone seitches over like in this case), is it considered a bad thing to notify the customers from the previous store that things will change? I thought it was actual a courteous way to treat the customer, to send them one notification of the sort. As for subsequent emails, that is another story, but would you think it is better to drop all the customers and start from scratch?
^^
Should read "switches" and not "seitches"
193 -- THIS!! I immediately unsubbed and reported as spam. That is bullshit!
193 -- THIS!! I immediately unsubbed and reported as spam. That is bullshit!
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Agree
DSW closing but Designer Invite you to New Site. For me this is SPAM.
DSW closing but Designer Invite you to New Site. For me this is SPAM.
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To me it would be spam if the DSW list was used to promote a different site while DSW was still active, but since it is the same list of designers, I sure would have liked to know where the designers were going after closing.
Is this list used only to let the customers know, and they have to subscribe to a new list, or is it going to be used over and over again? THAT would be spam, but not to inform customers once, in my opinion.
When was that first/last newsletter sent? I don't remember seeing it.
I got it late last night and it was not sent by DSW but by that new site. Also at the bottom it was written "unsubscribe from this list" that brings you to the new site updating or unsubscribing page.
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