Thursday, June 2, 2011

New Space

long overdue space for you...

2,452 comments:

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Anonymous said...

^^^^^
The previous poster clearly said that IT DEPENDS. It depends on the stores, it depends on the designer, and I would say it probably depends on the products too. So whatever her personal experience has been, and even if she does not have a personal experience, it does not mean she is wrong in her statement. Just like it does not mean you are right. It just depends.

Anonymous said...

^^^ Thanks for clearing that up for me, you are super helpful! She actually only said it depends on the store. Which I agree with. And I also clearly said that her theory didn't prove true for ME.

I'd like to hear more about the previous poster's thoughts on the matter. Information based on trial and experience means much more to me than mere conjecture. Which is why I asked about her experience.

I'm open minded. Not arguing. Just interested in her statement and the basis for it. Not worried about black and wite right or wrong.

Anonymous said...

I, personally, made more selling at multiple stores. But, it was a PITA uploading and x-carting everything, not to mention advertising and being active in multiple forums, store exclusives, etc.

I think multiple stores only yields more money/hour when the designer isn't active where she sells - like Laitha, Connie, Trixie, Mye, etc. They seem to have 1 store where they're active and everywhere else they just aren't. But, they have CTs to do that all for them, so I'm sure they don't care. And for most people on this blog, that's OK by them.

Anonymous said...

Chelle going to 9th&Bloom makes me LAUGH! Talk about a step down from SM and I don't even like SM!

Anyone noticed the designers who have left 9th&Bloom quietly? Just recently, I saw Designs by Helly went back to Scrapbook-Bytes already. 9th&Bloom is nothing but hype.

SO is definitely a better move for Chelle. I'm really surprised, though, that she's leaving SM. Based on the fact that Sugary Fancy is still at SM AND her other shops, I'm guessing the move from non-exclusive to exclusive and apparently back to non-exclusive again didn't sit well with Chelle. Can't say I blame her.

I'm guessing Fiddle Dee whatever is going to SO, too. I can't stand her templates or her. Fake. Fake. Fake.

Anonymous said...

2Ps designers sell without trying? Is it difficult to get into that shop? I've never even given the stuff there a second glance so I am shocked they do well.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Chelle is leaving SM on the principle that Sugary Fancy is at SM even though she isn't exclusive and SM seemed to have turned the blind eye towards her selling in other stores. Maybe Chelle got sick of the crap that the admin pulls and decied to go to another store that is true for all designers not just for some.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for clearing that up for me, you are super helpful! She actually only said it depends on the store. Which I agree with. And I also clearly said that her theory didn't prove true for ME.

I'd like to hear more about the previous poster's thoughts on the matter. Information based on trial and experience means much more to me than mere conjecture. Which is why I asked about her experience.

I'm open minded. Not arguing. Just interested in her statement and the basis for it. Not worried about black and wite right or wrong.

June 24, 2011 1:20 PM

I'm the OP, and I've had nothing but positive experiences selling in more than one shop. At the moment, I am in two shops and plan to keep it that way for another six months. The only issue I have had is I hate one of the shops I'm in, because the owner is very passive aggressive and doesn't give a shit about anything but her own projects. I only stick around there because I still make good sales, and I don't want to turn into a designer that hops stores.
When I opened my second shop, my income did double that first month. Every month is different, one shop will be better than the other, but they're still both worth it. The FTP program I use makes it easy to upload to two shops at once, and I do the xcart product listings like an assembly line. Time wise, it hasn't increased much, because one shop doesn't really have a forum to participate in. The other shop, I love the forum and have no problem making time to participate. When I do swap out the crap shop for a different one, I still don't see myself pressed for time for participating because I do my forum (and smack blog) posting during my downtime... usually during breakfast or while watching TV.
I have consistent customers who prefer to shop at one shop over the other, but depending on sales and specials they do cross over.

On a related note, I don't like guesting. It's a lot of work and really tricky to promote. If I were exclusive, I might guest more and actually pursue guest spots instead of just accepting when I get an offer.

Anonymous said...

SO is definitely a better move for Chelle. I'm really surprised, though, that she's leaving SM. Based on the fact that Sugary Fancy is still at SM AND her other shops, I'm guessing the move from non-exclusive to exclusive and apparently back to non-exclusive again didn't sit well with Chelle. Can't say I blame her.
^^^
is SM back to being non-exclusive?

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^^^

No idea, the confusion is Sugary Fancy isn't exclusive to SM. It's like playing favorites and isn't fair to those who left when they went exclusive.

Anonymous said...

SM went back to being non-exclusive? After what, like two months of being exclusive?

I have a lot of respect for Chelle, she does a *ton* of work at SM and is active in their forums. It's too bad their other designers aren't as active.

Anonymous said...

Chelle is going to SO.

Anonymous said...

I have a lot of respect for Chelle, she does a *ton* of work at SM and is active in their forums. It's too bad their other designers aren't as active.

^^^^
isn't Chelle like the only active designer in the forums? Who else is chatty over there? WM[Squared] does challenges but that is about it for her. Every once in a while Stolen Moments says something but a majority of the time it is Chelle who is posting in the forums and interacting with the customers.

Oh I guess I forgot about big mouth Band Geek who always has something to say about something in every single post whether it invovles her or not

Anonymous said...

Good for Chelle, and I mean that. I'm not crazy about her PU kits, not my style, but they are great quality. I buy her CU, and its also top notch. Well deserved move up for her.

Where is Simon? There are more entries at DSC, and I'm waiting ever so patiently for her critique :)

Anonymous said...

The only issue I have had is I hate one of the shops I'm in, because the owner is very passive aggressive and doesn't give a shit about anything but her own projects. I only stick around there because I still make good sales, and I don't want to turn into a designer that hops stores.

-----
I wish designers would share these experiences with names of the shop included. It would help other designers make better choices about where to go.
I don't just mean bad experiences either, good ones as well.

Anonymous said...

Oh I guess I forgot about big mouth Band Geek who always has something to say about something in every single post whether it involves her or not.

================================

Ugh, don't even get me started on her.

Anonymous said...

Ugh, don't even get me started on her.

====================
What is your beef with her?

Anonymous said...

I wish designers would share these experiences with names of the shop included. It would help other designers make better choices about where to go.
I don't just mean bad experiences either, good ones as well.

June 24, 2011 7:29 PM

They do, you just have to network with other designers. Because of privacy clauses in contracts, it's not something designers can share openly in forums unless the experience is good.

If the OP is talking about the shop I think they're talking about, it's probably closing soon.

Anonymous said...

Not SSD. She can't sell her CU stuff there. Unless she does her own shop.
---------------

Is there any way that she's doing well enough right now and has a big enough customer base that she's just going to run things out of her own shop? That would seem strange, but think of how many less hassles...

(I also agree w/ PP above that somewhere totally different like Two Peas could be a plausible option)

Anonymous said...

Band Geek?

What isnt wrong with her?
Her products are overpriced for the quality and quantity.

Her color swatches are fugly! I mean have you seen He's a Superstar?
http://shop.scrapmatters.com/product.php?productid=9105&cat=0&page=1

*gags self*
There is no way I'd ever scrap with that color swatch. I'd puke every time I saw the layout!

Then to top if off she always has something to say about how great she is but really is very humble about herself in her post. What a fake. Ever since she became a designer she has been obnoxious and totally let it go to her head.

She'll never get my business even if she does a collab with another designer that I admire! I will just do without that product or hope that each designer puts their portion in their indivual store

Anonymous said...

They do, you just have to network with other designers. Because of privacy clauses in contracts, it's not something designers can share openly in forums unless the experience is good.

If the OP is talking about the shop I think they're talking about, it's probably closing soon.

June 24, 2011 7:43 PM

------
What shop do you think they are talking about that is probably closing soon?

Anonymous said...

Her color swatches are fugly! I mean have you seen He's a Superstar?
http://shop.scrapmatters.com/product.php?productid=9105&cat=0&page=1

*gags self*
There is no way I'd ever scrap with that color swatch. I'd puke every time I saw the layout!

^^^
I've never purchased from her but I don't think that kit is that bad. The preview isn't really appealing but the layouts provided do not look bad.

Anonymous said...

Simon here. I'm off to check out the latest entries and will be back. lol

I'm excited!

And that kit by BGD - barfarific. Her stuff is insanely overpriced for what it is.

I agree about Chelle, too. She seems very top notch in professionalism and she's very active in the community. Her stuff is not my style, but she really holds true to her personal style and delivers quality, coherent stuff. I wish her well at her new store.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^

I've heard this more than once and it proved true for me as well.

Anonymous said...

^^^^

Ignore that statement, it was in relation to another post - the one about being exclusive vs. multiple stores. I hadn't realized we'd tipped over to another page.

Anonymous said...

I bet Funky Playground will close soon or maybe Polka Dot Plum.

Anonymous said...

Simon, I think there's a market for you. "Simon Says", for serious digital scrapbook designers who want honest critique. I'll be your first customer and I'll pay you $20 to critique my next kit before it's ready to "go". $20 includes 1follow up critique when I "fix" what you think is wrong.

Anonymous said...

Her color swatches are fugly! I mean have you seen He's a Superstar?
http://shop.scrapmatters.com/product.php?productid=9105&cat=0&page=1

*gags self*
There is no way I'd ever scrap with that color swatch. I'd puke every time I saw the layout!

^^^
I've never purchased from her but I don't think that kit is that bad. The preview isn't really appealing but the layouts provided do not look bad.
--------------

Note that three of the four layouts used the same paper/s. The colors are super saturated in that kit. Toned down, it might look okay.

Anonymous said...

Simon, I think there's a market for you. "Simon Says", for serious digital scrapbook designers who want honest critique. I'll be your first customer and I'll pay you $20 to critique my next kit before it's ready to "go". $20 includes 1follow up critique when I "fix" what you think is wrong.
----------------

LOL, I know you are serious but I'm laughing because I offered this sort of service quite a few years ago, and no one was that interested. Nice to know that there are some people out there who want this.

Anonymous said...

I bet Funky Playground will close soon or maybe Polka Dot Plum.

June 24, 2011 9:15 PM
^^^^
I just looked at Polka Dot Plum for the first time in months and they have lost a lot of designers. I don't know any designers that have been there so not sure how well they do. I thought FPD was decent but maybe that has changed.

Anonymous said...

Simon says...

Starving Artist Designs- color palette is nice, even if it's been done a lot. Elements are a mish-mash and the papers are basic.

Truman Studio- I do like the colors and the dandelion paper is cute. The textures are consistent and the papers will work well together. The elements are basic and I really hate that realistic leaf just thrown in here. The flowers are weird looking, especially the blue one. And that font! ugh. Blah.

Brine Design- I actually downloaded this one. I like the fun color palette and the papers are nice. The elements are cohesive as well - even if basic. I like the word art. After unzipping, I am disappointed. The papers are mostly OK, I deleted a couple of them (style preference). The elements - some are provided in shadowed and unshadowed versions, but not all. That makes no sense to me. I do not like the shadowed versions and deleted those. I wish the flip flops had been shadowed inbetween the layers on both versions, but they were not. If you're going to shadow inbetween layers on one element, do it for all of them. Not random. The word are is clearly taken from the web. It is pixelated, at 72dpi, and is completely unusable given it's VERY small size (only 733x506 pixels). I would have considered buying this kit and after unzipping, never bought from her again.

Keep in Touch Designs- I can appreciate she's trying for a "different" style, but a couple of the main elements look pixelated even on the preview. The papers are basic. Also, are those tomatoes? They make no sense. And last time I checked, I didn't put an olive with cheese on a toothpick in my martinis.

scrapN2Nspire- get a better logo first and foremost. That is horrible. Beginner kit with basic everything. That puke tan is awful. Awful.

Little Birdie Digital Designs- the preview is way too small. Bright colors and the elements are hidden by the HUGE packaging. I'd rather see the kit. The description says there are 12 papers, but I only see 7 - and that last paper with the white looks bizarre. That dark blue petal on the one flower is unnecessary and distracting.

Pamla Klenczar- small preview. Hideous color palette. Very beginner kit. The preview is very confusing. The description of contents doesn't even nearly match what is on the preview.

Anissa Burson- Blurry preview. Basic kit. I like the color palette, but the papers are way too basic. The elements are all cheap, low quality looking. And what does any of the kit have to do with swimming?

Digital Monsoon- Nothing about that color palette says "summer" to me. While not my style, most of the elements are the same style. Too bad they look like cheap clip-art. The plaid paper pattern is far too large to be useable. There are far too many shades of each color to be coherent. Pick 2-3 shades at most.

Designs by Yvonne Michelle- beginner and wow. Barf. Again with the mish-mash. Neon is bad. BAD. Again with the description not matching the preview. I don't care about you telling me what's in there - SHOW ME! papers are basic.

Designs by Angel- At first I thought, "this designer is in a store?" Then I saw it was Faith Sisters... Papers aren't cohesive. The touch of yellow is nice, but it needs to be in at least one other paper for it to make sense. Element style is basically cohesive, even if not my personal style. I do like the little hanging cloud. Ditch that nasty flower and the even more hideous green ribbon - neither match the theme of this kit.

scrappily ever after- change your logo, too. You want it to be readable! Ice cream cones on everything - even the flower - is completely unnecessary. Papers are gross and basic. I like the dash of blue, but it needs to be on more of the papers.

Rumbi Designs- Overly textured papers. I know some people like that, but it just doesn't look good printed (or digital if you ask me lol). Element mish-mash. Very basic and not cohesive. Just because you add a couple of weird suns, doesn't make it a theme.

Anonymous said...

Simon, I think there's a market for you. "Simon Says", for serious digital scrapbook designers who want honest critique. I'll be your first customer and I'll pay you $20 to critique my next kit before it's ready to "go". $20 includes 1follow up critique when I "fix" what you think is wrong.
----------------

LOL, I know you are serious but I'm laughing because I offered this sort of service quite a few years ago, and no one was that interested. Nice to know that there are some people out there who want this.

-------
Disney claimed bankruptcy 7 times before his idea caught on. Please try again Simon!

Anonymous said...

Simon, I think there's a market for you. "Simon Says", for serious digital scrapbook designers who want honest critique. I'll be your first customer and I'll pay you $20 to critique my next kit before it's ready to "go". $20 includes 1follow up critique when I "fix" what you think is wrong.
June 24, 2011 9:16 PM

----------------
I'm more than happy to give it for free. I know it may seem mean, but I really just speak as a designer, scrapper, and customer. I buy a lot of product even though I'm a designer. I support this industry and the designers who deserve it - and by deserving I mean those who make quality, consistent, and cohesive products.

The more designers who can get to that point, the better off this industry is. Having a bunch of pure shit in the market does nothing for anyone. We could have 1000 digi-designers, and if 80% of them were making great quality stuff, oversaturation wouldn't be a consideration. We would all benefit from more people actually giving it a shot.

But I thank you for seeing value in what I say. I wish someone would have been as honest with me when I was starting out.

And for the record, it wasn't me who offered this service before. I'd never charge anyone just for my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Dear Simon - - loving your critique's and couldn't agree more. Good job girlee!

Anonymous said...

I'm more than happy to give it for free. I know it may seem mean, but I really just speak as a designer, scrapper, and customer. I buy a lot of product even though I'm a designer. I support this industry and the designers who deserve it - and by deserving I mean those who make quality, consistent, and cohesive products.

The more designers who can get to that point, the better off this industry is. Having a bunch of pure shit in the market does nothing for anyone. We could have 1000 digi-designers, and if 80% of them were making great quality stuff, oversaturation wouldn't be a consideration. We would all benefit from more people actually giving it a shot.

But I thank you for seeing value in what I say. I wish someone would have been as honest with me when I was starting out.

And for the record, it wasn't me who offered this service before. I'd never charge anyone just for my opinion.

--------
I agree with you completely.

I could use someone as honest as you on my team.

Anonymous said...

I bet Funky Playground will close soon or maybe Polka Dot Plum.

June 24, 2011 9:15 PM
^^^^
I just looked at Polka Dot Plum for the first time in months and they have lost a lot of designers. I don't know any designers that have been there so not sure how well they do. I thought FPD was decent but maybe that has changed.
June 24, 2011 9:21 PM
--------------------
I can't believe PDP is still open. I really can't. They can't be doing well. I wouldn't be surprised if they closed soon.

I'm not sure about FPD. The fact that Connie Prince guested there and didn't stay on tells me sales probably aren't that great. She seems to have a style that customer base would like.

After looking at their designer list, can someone tell me why Kiki Halbert would sell under two designer names? I mean, the products are the same style. It makes no sense! (Kiki Halbert and Recherché by KH Designs are both her - non-collaborative).

Anonymous said...

oh my, what an idea... a new "smack" blog called simonsays dot com where people post links to kits and then simon comes along and critiques everything based on the previews... I can see it now...

Anonymous said...

Doncha love it when these contest entries are made into full kits? oh why oh why oh why? Designs by Angel - the contest entry was bad enough...now this:

http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/digital-site-designer-announcements-25/summer-lovin-kit-mini-free-280870/

Anonymous said...

oh my, what an idea... a new "smack" blog called simonsays dot com where people post links to kits and then simon comes along and critiques everything based on the previews... I can see it now...
June 24, 2011 9:47 PM
----------------
lol Simon loves it. Although, I think posting it here where others can provide input is valuable. I am only one person. The more feedback, the better. Even if it is all bad, at least you know!

I'd rather have a bunch of anonymous people tell me what they think of something BEFORE I put my name on it and put it in a store.

Anonymous said...

I would love to have Simon's opinion, but i don't exactly have the courage to do it here... Can we have a simon says email addy?

Anonymous said...

And for the record, it wasn't me who offered this service before. I'd never charge anyone just for my opinion.

------------

I wasn't going to charge either, just keep the kit.

Anonymous said...

Keep in Touch Designs- I can appreciate she's trying for a "different" style, but a couple of the main elements look pixelated even on the preview. The papers are basic. Also, are those tomatoes? They make no sense. And last time I checked, I didn't put an olive with cheese on a toothpick in my martinis.


----------


The tomato is so fake! No prospective, no shadows! Just bad!

Anonymous said...

^^^^

It's a drawing of a tomato. It looks just like the other drawn elements.

Anonymous said...

Always wonder who these people critiquing others really are and what their qualifications are that allows them to critique with such open honesty. I'd love to see what their designs look like. As far as I'm concerned a kit design is in the eye of the beholder. Some will think it's hideous while others will love it to death. Just because Simon took the time to critique all these new designers, obviously it wasn't to do anything but to pan most of them. From the previews for first kits, if in fact they were first kits, they looked a whole lot better then the first stuff I ever came out with and probably can be said about most of the other designers who have been around awhile. Most designers I know will tell you when they look back at their first kits they wonder how they ever made it in this business. I think that new designers today do a whole lot better. Maybe it's because they have been CT members, or maybe it's because they know the programs they are using better but all in all I applaud the stores that accept some of these new designers and others who help them on their way. If everyone believed everything on this blog there would be a whole lot less people designing, which might be a good thing but thank goodness others have minds of their owns and are welling to give a person a chance to grow and learn. My theory has always been if you don't like then don't buy it but someone out there will and will be thrilled with it!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I am posting here because everyone reads it, and yes, because it was a topic of conversation a few months back. There were a lot of designers who were so sure their old kits were wonderful because "they are still selling".

I think that any designer who has older kits in their shop should take a look at them with fresh eyes.

You are what you sell, and if you haven't gotten more proficient with your software in 15 months, then you are stagnating.
June 18, 2011 9:39 PM
------------------------------------

Why do you keep mentioning 15mths as a time frame, that seems like a weird time frame to choose and post about twice.

I am guessing you are a newbie designer who has been selling for around 15mths.

Well as a designer who has been designing for around 6yrs now I can tell you that my designs of 4 or more years ago are as good quality as my current ones. And yes they are still selling. I will often go back and use my older kits to scrap with so I do get a fresh look at them.

My style has developed more over time, but my quality of 4 years ago has no need to be improved upon. Over the years I have developed methods to prevent quality issues and it is unusual for me to have to remove stray pixels let alone have them in the first place. I design my own products and don't rely on ready made CU products so there are not going to be things I will miss, as they don't get created badly in the first place.

As a designer with experience under my belt I can tell you that my designs do not need to be removed from a store just because my proficiency has improved. I do learn new things every day but that doesn't mean my older products should be removed from the store.

Just saying! :)

I have products from 2005 that I am still selling because they still meet my current quality standards. Sure there are products from my early days that I have retired and others that I have remade or revamped, but they were REALLY early days.

I do retire the odd product now, but only if it doesn't sell. In the past two years I think I have retired 3 or 4 products. I have then given them away as freebies, because they quality was there, they just weren't popular for whatever reason. Amazingly they still work to increase my fan page likes, so they still have some value I guess.

If I were concerned about quality I wouldn't even give them away.

Anyway, there is my 35c take it or leave it.

Anonymous said...

Always wonder who these people critiquing others really are and what their qualifications are that allows them to critique with such open honesty. I'd love to see what their designs look like. As far as I'm concerned a kit design is in the eye of the beholder. Some will think it's hideous while others will love it to death. Just because Simon took the time to critique all these new designers, obviously it wasn't to do anything but to pan most of them.

--------
I'd actually love to see what Simon's work looks like as well.

To be honest with you, I kind of feel like Simon's critiques were really accurate. She did bash a lot of the kits but the things she bashed, IMO were dead on. She also paid attention to a lot of the details in the kits that I hadn't noticed. Simon seems to have a pretty good eye for cohesiveness and general appeal in a kit. She didn't sugar coat her critique, but this is a smack blog. So you take what you get here.

Anonymous said...

I also agreed with some of Simon's critique, but not with all. Design elements like shabby, grungy, and texture, and even mixes of elements are all more subjective and it appears that Simon is less likely to use such elements. Many others feel the opposite myself included.

For the designers from the contest reading: take all of the critiques here with a grain of salt. Usually it isn't personal so don't take it personally. See if you can take the advice or critique offered to make your products better. In the end if you are happy with your designs and they are selling that is what really matters.

Anonymous said...

@7:29: today's new designer kits make look better than the first kits of veteran designers due to the sheer mount of CU available, not mad skillz.

Anonymous said...

There wasn't supposed to be an "and" before texture. Whoops. Just in case the grammar police are around.

Anonymous said...

I also agree with most of what Simon is saying. And alot of those "designers" have been at it for a while now. This Digital Ink person, for one. And trust me, she thinks she is "all that and a bag of chips" - can't tell her a thing. I can NOT believe that she is in a shop anywhere!

Here's something...well, just plain weird. COLS has changed her name. Has 3 new stores. LOLOL! I've been watching her blog to see where she ends up so I can avoid that store like the plague. She hasn't announced the 'stores' yet - but the new blog is a mess, along with the new logo.

http://outsidetheboxdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2011/06/good-news-on-horizon.html#comments

Anonymous said...

Funny - I'm seeing some CU items in these entries at DSC, which is against the 'rules' posted at SDD:

We challenge you to create a mini kit with a summer theme. It can be anything to do with Summer. Such as food, playground, summer sports, etc.
Since this is a designer challenge to help you build your skills as a designer, you MUST NOT use any commercial use products, with the exception of styles and brushes, with proper credits of course.

Everything you create for this mini kit must be made by you. You may extract or use your own doodles, any thing as long as you created the items/designs yourself.

Our challenge we would like for you to concentrate on layering of your elements. Tiffany of Inspiredbydominic has created a tutorial for you, which is located at the bottom of the challenge.

Your mini kit must include:
4 or more unique elements to represent your theme and title of the kit. Think out of the box, and be unique.
AND
1 Layered tag - 2 pieces of paper
1 fastener
1 ribbon or string
1 layered flower - it can be 2 flower layered on top of each other, a flower on top of a shape, or a flower with a button on top of it. It must have at least 2 layers.
5 Papers or more.

Anonymous said...

OMG. Just peeked at COLS new blog. 3 stores, huh? just shaking my head here.

Anonymous said...

but the new blog is a mess, along with the new logo.

---------

A mess? Looks like someone threw up on it. Is that suppose to artsy?

Anonymous said...

^^^^
suppose to *be

Anonymous said...

I think Simon Says would be a great blog idea. You could probably get stores to sponsor you. You could stay anonymous..or not. Designers could forward their kits/previews to you for honest feedback. You might could even have a CT to show how scrapable a kit is or is not as the case may be. After you post your opinions other people could leave comments on your comments. I think it would be a fantastic idea.
You definitely should do an email addy at the least where people could write to you.

Anonymous said...

COLS=EWWWWWWWWWWWW

Anonymous said...

ew gross. i shall avoid otbds as much as i avoid her as cols. her blog made me throw up in my mouth a bit. so after sdd kicked her to the curb, what stores dumb enough to take her on?
as for simon says, what makes her so qualified? she hides behind anonymous like the rest of us. i dont agree with all of her critiques, though a couple are spot on.

Anonymous said...

that should be -what stores are dumb enough-

Anonymous said...

I thought most of what Simon said was pretty accurate. I only downloaded 3 kits from that contest and I probably won't use them. Also, I'm not sure it really matters what Simon's kits look like. Just because she has an eye for what a kit should look like, doesn't mean she's a designer. I think we've all critiqued a movie before without ever making one ourselves.

Anonymous said...

>>Well as a designer who has been designing for around 6yrs now I can tell you that my designs of 4 or more years ago are as good quality as my current ones.<<

Yes, and I am pretty sure I've never bought from you. It appears you are keeping an eye on your store, which is what my post was trying to say -- LOOK at what old stuff you are selling. Really LOOK at it. And you are, and you are the only one who is posting it.

I think there must be some designers who never look back. They just put more and more in their shop and keep moving forward. I think they figure if the old stuff sells, then people must like it and be happy with it, and I was calling them out.

15 months was chosen because I was feeling warm and fuzzy. I really mean 12 months. No, not a designer, 15 months or otherwise.

Anonymous said...

^^

I'm not the OP and I agree with her. I've also been designing for a few years and I learned a long time ago how to create QUALITY stuff. So, as the other poster said, my older kits are still great quality and they still sell. And yes, I really LOOK back at all my products once or twice a year to be sure they are still a good reflection of my style. You say you are not even a designer, so what do you really know about what sells or not?

Anonymous said...

Always wonder who these people critiquing others really are and what their qualifications are that allows them to critique with such open honesty
-----

My qualification? I'm a customer. That's all that matters. My money talks.v

Anonymous said...

Always wonder who these people critiquing others really are and what their qualifications are that allows them to critique with such open honesty. I'd love to see what their designs look like.
-------------

Have you ever critiqued a movie? Ever made one?

Have you ever critiqued a book? Ever written and published one?

Have you ever critiqued a fashion? Ever made any haute coutre?

Have you ever critiqued a painting? Ever painted?

I would love to see all your movies, books, garments and paintings.

See how completely ridiculous your point of reference is.

Anonymous said...

Looks like more of the design factor kits are coming in. Some I will download. Others have left me a bit at a loss.....

Anonymous said...

are welling to give a person a chance to grow and learn.
--------

Part of the learning process includes criticisms. Being told everything you do is perfect doesn't teach anyone anything.

Anonymous said...

I was looking through the entries in the contest when my 9 year old walks in, she takes one look at some of them and says, who would want that! Yuck!

Anonymous said...

I know we've moved on but I didn't get a chance to say earlier...

I was really hoping we had seen the last of COLS with ESS' demise. Now her continued existence is mocking us, I can't believe someone willingly buys her stuff, so why is she still around?

I bet one of her new shops is Nuthouse Scraps. Or PDW, she and Digital Ink could collab!

Anonymous said...

Someone in an earlier post had mentioned that 9th & Bloom was all just hype. I truly think that it has potential - first of all it has the most appealing design of all the digistores IMO. I don't know why it's just not catching on. I remember when it first opened I was excited to see Holly Designs again but since the opening she hasn't really contributed much to the store. Now another designer is leaving (Natasha Nast). I think to save this store Holly needs to get some new products of her own in there. She was very popular when she designed at Shabby Pickle, so if she started designing again maybe more people would frequent her store?

Anonymous said...

I think there must be some designers who never look back. They just put more and more in their shop and keep moving forward. I think they figure if the old stuff sells, then people must like it and be happy with it, and I was calling them out.

------

You aren't calling anyone out because you aren't being specific. You are choosing to waste your money by not contacting the designer to let the designer know there is a problem. There's a good chance that the designers you purchased from don't waste their time on this blog.

Anonymous said...

She was very popular when she designed at Shabby Pickle, so if she started designing again maybe more people would frequent her store?

June 26, 2011 6:43 AM

----

I don't really care for Holly's style. The previews and products are pretty but it isn't my style. But I still shop at 9&B regularly. But I agree that the designers don't release new things often enough. I would buy weekly if they did!

Anonymous said...

I'm betting that one of the three shops COLS is getting into is Sunshine scrap studio, the one run by Charly of SunnyDay Scraps. the two of them collabed before. and probably Scrapbird, they take anyone now. PDW was smart enough to turn her away before. too bad they didn't do that with others.

Anonymous said...

There's three stores listed on her FB fan page

Anonymous said...

I'm betting that one of the three shops COLS is getting into is Sunshine scrap studio, the one run by Charly of SunnyDay Scraps.

--------

Charly doesn't run that shop - Amanda Kay is the owner there. Sunny Day Scraps isn't even listed as a designer there. I think you mean Sunflower Scraps Boutique...
http://www.sunflowerscrapsboutique.com/boutique/

Anonymous said...

I would love to know what the hell is going on with scrap matters and how they are supposed to be exclusive??

after the way some of the designers were forced to choose to either go exclusive or leave with such short notice, it's really unbelievable that they have let a new non-exclusive designer into the store (sugary fancy).

then again, i don't know why i'm surprised. no store runs well with an absentee owner.

Anonymous said...

@ 2:37
Did you notice that SM will be requiring you to have at least 50% of SM products when posting in their gallery as of July 8?

I think this site is spiraling downward with their decisions.

Anonymous said...

@4:36 People said the same thing when Scrap Orchard made the same decision about their gallery about a year ago and from what I hear, they are doing just fine.

Besides are all the people who are currently using the SM gallery as CTM pimping grounds really stopping by the shop on their way out to the next gallery where they dump their CT layouts?

Anonymous said...

The general idea of a store gallery is to showcase what is available in that particular store so customers can get ideas on how people are using store kits. Lots of galleries are becoming dumping grounds for CT layouts using kits from outside designers. They upload and run without leaving any comments on other layouts and probably don't even look in forums.

Anonymous said...

I would love to know what the hell is going on with scrap matters and how they are supposed to be exclusive??

after the way some of the designers were forced to choose to either go exclusive or leave with such short notice, it's really unbelievable that they have let a new non-exclusive designer into the store (sugary fancy).

then again, i don't know why i'm surprised. no store runs well with an absentee owner.

June 26, 2011 2:37 PM

----

Email them and ask if they are exclusive. It is possible that they don't know that Sugary Fancy isn't exclusive. She might not speak English and didn't understand the contract. Or maybe she'll be exclusive at the end of this month?

Anonymous said...

@ 2:37
Did you notice that SM will be requiring you to have at least 50% of SM products when posting in their gallery as of July 8?

I think this site is spiraling downward with their decisions.
-----------------------

Agree. I used to really like their store, forum, and gallery. I've bought quite a bit of stuff from them over the years and have been pretty active in their forum and gallery.

My opinion of them really changed for the worse since the Design Star contest mess a few months ago. (And for the record, no I did not take part in it.) Between that, and going exclusive (maybe?), and losing some big name designers, they're losing more and more ground all the time.

Anonymous said...

Email them and ask if they are exclusive. It is possible that they don't know that Sugary Fancy isn't exclusive. She might not speak English .....
June 26, 2011 4:53 PM

***************************

Really? First of all, not speaking the language is NO excuse in this day and age. She could copy/paste the text of the contract into a number of online translator sites and easily be able to read the entire thing in her own language.

And for them to not know that she sells elsewhere? Who the hell is in charge over there, anyway? Don't they check anything about the people they bring on board before they do it?

I would think, if a store really wants to be exclusive, they would properly check people out before inviting them to join the store. And that they would know for sure whether or not someone sold elsewhere and if they planned to leave all those other shops upon joining the supposedly-exclusive store. I'm not the biggest fan of Robyn (SSD) or Maya (SBG), but I'd be willing to bet money they would know for sure whether a new designer they are hiring is truly "exclusive." If SM is unaware she is selling elsewhere, what does that say about those in charge?

I agree with an earlier poster that the place has gone downhill big time. I think they make shit up as they go along to suit someone's latest whim. Not exactly the best way to run a business.

Anonymous said...

Did you notice that SM will be requiring you to have at least 50% of SM products when posting in their gallery as of July 8?

I think this site is spiraling downward with their decisions.
-----

I think this is a good decision. I'm sick and tired of visiting galleries, only to find that the product is not available in that store.

Anonymous said...

Lots of galleries are becoming dumping grounds for CT layouts using kits from outside designers. They upload and run without leaving any comments on other layouts and probably don't even look in forums.
--------------

This has been going on for years and years, it's not a new thing. I'm not surprised that more and more galleries are becoming 'closed'.

Anonymous said...

I remember when it first opened I was excited to see Holly Designs again but since the opening she hasn't really contributed much to the store. Now another designer is leaving (Natasha Nast). I think to save this store Holly needs to get some new products of her own in there. She was very popular when she designed at Shabby Pickle, so if she started designing again maybe more people would frequent her store?
-------------------

I much preferred Holly's old style, when she was first at Shabby Pickle. The newer stuff is okay, but I've seen it all before. Maybe if she went back to the old style?

Anonymous said...

Did you notice that SM will be requiring you to have at least 50% of SM products when posting in their gallery as of July 8?

^^^^^

That's not what it says. It says 1/2 the layouts in your gallery should have SM product.

Anonymous said...

Simon here! I'm glad so many find my critiques valuable. What makes me "qualified" is that I have eyes. Plain and simple. I express my opinion only and people are free to ignore it or act upon it. I force no one at gun point to change anything about what they make.

I'm usually very honest about what i say being a straight "personal preference." I can appreciate anything of good quality, but that doesn't mean I will buy it - or even download it for free. But knowing how to put a coherent kit together is a skill. I don't care if someone uses CU or not. If you don't understand how a kit will be used and how to put one together, you're not a designer - yet.

For anyone interested, you can email me at

simonsaysdigi@gmail.com

I like all the website ideas and maybe I will act upon them some time. I'm sick of seeing 100s of "that looks so great" comments on something that is clearly crap. It only leads to EVERYONE thinking they're a designer instead of realizing that it's actually WORK.

Anonymous said...

So Simon, what are your thoughts about the rest of the Design Factor kits?

Anonymous said...

That's not what it says. It says 1/2 the layouts in your gallery should have SM product.

^^^

As of July 8th:

"Starting July 8 half of the layouts in your gallery must be created with at least one SM product. Freebies count. The layouts in your gallery prior to July 8 will not be counted."

Not yet

Anonymous said...

Sugary Fancy types perfect English and responds to things in forums just fine so language is no excuse. I thought it was fishy that after they have everyone go exclusive and people leave, that it seems it is slowly going back to none-exclusive. Maybe they were just wanting turnover without the "your fired" part.

Anonymous said...

speaking of SM. Anyone notice how The Design Girl's kits is the same thing over and over again? She just throws 1 or 2 themish items in it and calls it a kit. I know there are some designers that have kits that resemble each other. But hers takes it to the extreme!

Anonymous said...

Sugary Fancy types perfect English and responds to things in forums just fine so language is no excuse. I thought it was fishy that after they have everyone go exclusive and people leave, that it seems it is slowly going back to none-exclusive. Maybe they were just wanting turnover without the "your fired" part.

June 26, 2011 9:24 PM


---

I just don't get why they are making an exception for her stuff. It's not like it's the best digi stuff on the market or anything. Something is amis. I agree with the poster that the owner doesn't know she isn't really exclusive.

Or she had 3 months to become exclusive during a trial period at SM.

Anonymous said...

I just don't get why they are making an exception for her stuff. It's not like it's the best digi stuff on the market or anything. Something is amis. I agree with the poster that the owner doesn't know she isn't really exclusive.

Or she had 3 months to become exclusive during a trial period at SM.

------------

Maybe it is the trial thing. But I find it hard to believe the store owner doesnt know she isnt exclusive when her latest post on FB has her newest kit shown with two different previews and links to two different stores.

She posted these two days ago:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=211424592232762&set=a.137920802916475.32929.132078103500745&type=1

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=211424632232758&set=a.137920802916475.32929.132078103500745&type=1

Anonymous said...

Anyone just annoyed at CTs in general? How they "loooove" such and such designer and then next thing you know they are gone from that CT and on to another. It all seems so flaky and fake to me.

Anonymous said...

Here are tonight's reviews by request! (part 1)

Midnight Owl- This is probably one of the best so far. The papers are nice and the colors were used well. I, personally, don't like the hand drawn elements, but I do appreciate that they're different. I don't like the metal frame and the flower is pointless. Not every kit needs one! A little scatter of fish food would have been cute since that's what the kit is called...

Ruby Lane- I'm, personally, not a fan of patterned papers that match the elements. Maybe 1 or 2 in a FULL kit, but in a mini, it would be nice to have more variety. The colors are nice and the paper textures look OK. I don't get the sticker flower with the other elements. a little pool or wave or something watery would have pulled everything else together.

Gizmo's Scraps- Beyond beginner. You must think about how your kit will be used and how elements will look against your papers. The papers and elements look cheap and weird.

Angela Drummond- just gross. Weird paper textures and yet another element mish-mash.

Sherry Davis- boring color palette and those papers look so cheap. The elements are another mish-mash. cheap looking and blah.

Key of D- The colors could have been really cute, but they were used so plainly. I can't stand that busy, circle paper and it's the most colorful thing there. I do love the bubble picture frame. That is really cute and fun. I would have liked to see more bubbles stuff than flowers, though. It seems like everyone puts in flowers when they can't think of anything else.

Kim Hackworth Creations- I actually vomited in my mouth. Cheap color tones and awful preview. Another element mish-mash and not a single element worth saving. well, the little white doodle journal take might be nice, but I can't see it enough in the preview to tell.

B2N2 Scraps- Such a cute idea for a kit, but those colors make no sense with it! Some of the papers are overly textured, but the element style is consistent. The flower is completely unnecessary. It would have been nice to just have more themed elements than a string, flower, and tag. And I really can't repeat enough how ugly this palette is with this theme.

Aimee Harrison- The solid papers (especially) are not shabby enough to be "vintage." There is nothing vintage about pure solid papers. I love pure solids, but they really don't match the theme of the kit. Give them a little fading and brushwork so they actually look vintage on a page! Most of the patterns are not vintage. The one is retro (3rd from right)! Most of the elements are OK, but the word art does not match the kit style. Choose VINTAGE fonts if you're going to make a vintage kit.

Digi Deborah's Designs- Blurry textured papers that are just cheap looking. Element mish-mash and they just make no sense with the kit title. Nothing says "chillaxin" like a safety pin? ...

Snuggle Berry Pie Designs- The color palette has potential, but the colors are saturated. The papers look like the air filter in our furnace - hairy and weird. The paper patterns are nice for the style of kit. Elements are a bit of a mish-mash.

cont...

Anonymous said...

part 2


JDK Skrapz- awful logo and design name. It just says cheap. The entire thing screams beginner. It's just bad. Bad textures, bad patterns, bad preview, bad elements.

Piccolina- Didn't we see this kit earlier from another contestant? This one has very basic, repetitive papers. That red watermelon seed one is hideous and looks really out of place with the others. How is anyone going to scrap a page with this mini? On a bold polka dot paper with multi-patterned elements? That realistic pink ribbon is awful.

Inspiredbydominic Designs- The color palette works with the theme. I don't get the white newsprint with the theme, though. Maybe the words will make more sense, but I don't want to read the paper on my layout. I like the little glowbugs. I wish they were larger and more of them. The dark elements on dark papers make for a difficult layout. That giant brad thing is just awful.

Amanda Carlson- The most cohesive kit I've reviewed yet. I wish it had one solid, though. The elements are very cohesive. My personal preference would have been a couple more themed elements instead of the flowers if they have an element limit. I would have liked to have seen more color used in the elements, too. I did download this kit. The elements are nicely shadowed inbetween layers with nothing where it doesn't belong. I don't like the recoloring done on the ribbon. It looks overexposed. The staple is extremely jagged. I wish the umbrella wasn't part of the word art. I can easily remove it, but not every scrapper can. It would have been better to include it in the word art and by itself.

EhKho- geeze louise. I don't even know where to start. It's all bad. Bad.

Amanda & Millie Designs- how many tags can you put on a preview before you cover the entire preview? Just ask Amanda & Millie. Nothing about this kit makes any sense at all. Just awful.

Ramona Memories- I love to scrap wattle's... I have such use for that word art. I thought this was COLS if that tells you anything. Mish-mash and it says it has 5 papers, but I can't see any of them. I see the papers on the next entry and wish I hadn't. They're terrible. Terrible quality just from the preview and way too overtextured!
I bet there are 10 nice elements in this kit, though. It is NOT my style, but I can see where it would appeal to others. More is not always better. And no one needs a word art that says, "wattle." That one can go.

KatLen Kreations- terrible designer name. Cheap and trashy. Guess it's perfect for this kit, though. Nuff said.

His Kid- Terrible, terrible papers. Element mish-mash. I see 8 colors in that palette she chose, but majority of that kit is BLUE. The Ferris wheel and the little pennant flag are cute from the preview.

Lizard Dau Designs- I'm sure this is a beginner kit, but geeze louise! It's just so bad. It makes me want to cry.

DigitalGator Designs- OK. Now I'm crying.

I'll review more tomorrow. I can't look anymore.

Anonymous said...

^
That's nothing new.

Anonymous said...

*oops. that was meant to be directed at the CT comment. Not at Simon.

Anonymous said...

speaking of SM. Anyone notice how The Design Girl's kits is the same thing over and over again? She just throws 1 or 2 themish items in it and calls it a kit. I know there are some designers that have kits that resemble each other. But hers takes it to the extreme!
June 26, 2011 9:27 PM

__________


I can see she uses the same papers over and over again. However, her elements are quite different IMO. So no, I don't think her kits are look alike, just her papers. And if she reads here, please add bigger shadows to your previews, they look too flat.

Anonymous said...

To Simon, in regards to the DF kits:
A layered flower was required for each kit as one of the required elements of the challenge.

The element/paper requirements:
"Your mini kit must include:
4 or more unique elements to represent your theme and title of the kit. Think out of the box, and be unique.
AND
1 Layered tag - 2 pieces of paper
1 fastener
1 ribbon or string
1 layered flower - it can be 2 flower layered on top of each other, a flower on top of a shape, or a flower with a button on top of it. It must have at least 2 layers.
5 Papers or more"

This would be why there it seemed like there were flowers in some of the mini kits when it they didn't really go with the theme or style of the kit.

Thanks for your latest reviews. I have to admit to being glad the reviews have progressed beyond the word "gross" which came off as juvenile.

Anonymous said...

It does seem that Simon has a certain style she's drawn to and those kits seem to get the best reviews which makes the critiques less credible.

This is a challenge and quite a few of the kits have been made by 'beginners'. I certainly give them credit for taking part in this contest/challenge especially since no CU was allowed. Hope they don't read this blog.

Anonymous said...

the flower is pointless. Not every kit needs one!
----------

Agreed, however, in this case, the kit does need one. It's part of the challenge.

From the forum (and a post further up)

Your mini kit must include:
4 or more unique elements to represent your theme and title of the kit. Think out of the box, and be unique.
AND
1 Layered tag - 2 pieces of paper
1 fastener
1 ribbon or string
1 layered flower - it can be 2 flower layered on top of each other, a flower on top of a shape, or a flower with a button on top of it. It must have at least 2 layers.
5 Papers or more.

Anonymous said...

This is a challenge and quite a few of the kits have been made by 'beginners'. I certainly give them credit for taking part in this contest/challenge especially since no CU was allowed. Hope they don't read this blog.
-----

yeah, amazing how no CU was allowed and yet ... let's give them a gold star and a pat on the head to show them how well they did.

Anonymous said...

It does seem that Simon has a certain style she's drawn to and those kits seem to get the best reviews which makes the critiques less credible.



Then we must have similar tastes because I agree with almost everything Simon said. And the kits that Simon is drawn to are similar to the ones that are sold in some of the top stores.

And newbies have to learn to take criticism. It's what happens if you choose to put yourself out there. They can wallow or they can learn. It wasn't personal!

redjudesigns said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

^^^^^^^

Exactly.

Anonymous said...

Comment deleted

This post has been removed by the author.

--------

You were saying Redju?

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to what kits others have downloaded and your thoughts once you unzipped.

I have downloaded (in order of appearance):
Just Jaimee
Milly Dee
OneofaKind Design Studio
Mandy King
Blue Scraps
Keep in Touch Designs
Midnight Owl
Snuggle Berry Pie Designs
Inspiredbydominic Designs
Amanda Carlson Designs
Viva Artistry

I haven't unzipped anything yet. I will delete bits and pieces of some and perhaps all of others once I get a closer look. Those were the kits that I felt the most likely to scrap with.

What is on your list to grab or what have you grabbed already? Anything else worth downloading that I missed?

Anonymous said...

I missed what Redju said. Can someone that caught it re-post it for those that missed it?

Anonymous said...

anyone?

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to what kits others have downloaded and your thoughts once you unzipped.

I have downloaded (in order of appearance):
Just Jaimee
Milly Dee
OneofaKind Design Studio
Mandy King
Blue Scraps
Keep in Touch Designs
Midnight Owl
Snuggle Berry Pie Designs
Inspiredbydominic Designs
Amanda Carlson Designs
Viva Artistry

June 26, 2011 11:20 PM

same here

Anonymous said...

I can see she uses the same papers over and over again. However, her elements are quite different IMO. So no, I don't think her kits are look alike, just her papers. And if she reads here, please add bigger shadows to your previews, they look too flat.

---------
I am not the OP. but you should probably check again. Or actually really check. The theme elements are different (as stated) everything else is same (just diff colors) from kit to kit. I mean the exact same. The same exact string, circle and square frame with the hole in the top, and the same crappy alpha with one of her papers clipped to it. and the theme elements all look to be straight up Miss Tiina CU

Anonymous said...

speaking of SM. Anyone notice how The Design Girl's kits is the same thing over and over again? She just throws 1 or 2 themish items in it and calls it a kit. I know there are some designers that have kits that resemble each other. But hers takes it to the extreme!
June 26, 2011 9:27 PM

I was browsing O Scraps yesterday and noticed Ashley Wall is even worse... either it's the same thing over and over again with only a color change, or it's something the dog barfed up. I'm sure she thinks it's fine because the patterns are all slightly different, but they all look exactly the same. They look like they're done with an action.

http://www.oscraps.com/shop/home.php?cat=307&treem=1

Example of dog barf in digi form:
http://www.oscraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=26381&cat=307&page=3

Anonymous said...

Did anyone notice that scrapable lost like nearly all their designers and CT? Will that tiny little store ever stay the same? It keeps changing hands and even changed a website! Now they have to be exclusive designers and CT. They are waaaay to small to be doing that. Looks like might be their undoing for good.

Anonymous said...

I can see she uses the same papers over and over again. However, her elements are quite different IMO. So no, I don't think her kits are look alike, just her papers. And if she reads here, please add bigger shadows to your previews, they look too flat.

June 26, 2011 10:34 PM

-------------------------------

While she's at it, she could learn to add a touch more texture to her papers. Boy, are they flat and boring. Barely more than just solid colors. I don't like over-textured papers, but a little bit of something is definitely in order there.

I agree with OP. She's making way too many kits on a series idea, with very similar (or same) elements from kit to kit, just with different colors. Very basic. I know SM isn't the end-all, be-all, but I don't understand what she is doing there.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to what kits others have downloaded and your thoughts once you unzipped.
--------------

In all honesty, none of them appealed to me enough to download.

Anonymous said...

^^^
If you couldn't find a single mini kit there that you would even consider downloading would you care to share what you do like? Just curious.

Anonymous said...

^^^^

I really don't like themed kits and seasonal kits are my least favorite. There were some nice kits, just not worth downloading for me.

Anonymous said...

Oh my, I used to love Ashalee's designs she's really went downhill.

Anonymous said...

For me the only one remotely worth a MB of my hard drive space is ViVa Artistry's kit.

Anonymous said...

I got the Amanda Carlson, Chris Matthis,and Just Jaimee kits. I haven't unzipped and possibly never will, since I don't have a lot of need for beach pictures. I wish they had done more pool kits! I was going to point out that same thing about the flower being part of the rules.

And while some of those kits might have been made by first time designers...more than a few were made by people who have been designing 2 or more years...JDK Skraps and DigitalGator Designs included.

Anonymous said...

While she's at it, she could learn to add a touch more texture to her papers. Boy, are they flat and boring. Barely more than just solid colors. I don't like over-textured papers, but a little bit of something is definitely in order there.

I agree with OP. She's making way too many kits on a series idea, with very similar (or same) elements from kit to kit, just with different colors. Very basic. I know SM isn't the end-all, be-all, but I don't understand what she is doing there.

________
Is there and end-all, be-all store? that's kinda weird. Its more or less, find where you and your style fits best. Where there are obviously some better than others. I dont see there being the end-all be-all store.

Anonymous said...

I'm curious as to what kits others have downloaded and your thoughts once you unzipped.

I have downloaded (in order of appearance):
Just Jaimee
Milly Dee
OneofaKind Design Studio
Mandy King
Blue Scraps
Keep in Touch Designs
Midnight Owl
Snuggle Berry Pie Designs
Inspiredbydominic Designs
Amanda Carlson Designs
Viva Artistry

June 26, 2011 11:20 PM

same here

----------
not me. Rather see Simon talk about something else now. Pick a store. Go down the list of designers. Simon Says that.

Anonymous said...

Well I've been designing for awhile and I think there's a few that show promise. I think this was a good challenge for them because the requirements were no CU and there were specific items that had to be implemented which meant that the designer was challenged to find a way to make those items work in a cohesive way in a kit.

I also liked the fact that we saw many different styles and interpretations of art.

The kits that I thought stood out were:

Brine Design: Boardwalk
LittleBirdie SummerSlice
digilicious sunnyside
Independence Day by Snackpackgu
Milly Dee Designs: Day Trip to Cruachan Bay
Watermelon Patch by Kuper Doodles


Different styles and perhaps not everything in the kit was perfect, but overall I liked these.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone notice that scrapable lost like nearly all their designers and CT? Will that tiny little store ever stay the same? It keeps changing hands and even changed a website! Now they have to be exclusive designers and CT. They are waaaay to small to be doing that. Looks like might be their undoing for good.

---------------------

Hi :) I love this blog honestly it is a guilty pleasure of mine(as I'm sure it is for a lot of designers out there) to see all this behind the scenes chatter. I cant take credit or responsibility for all that has come before this point but I can say this...changing the website was absolutely necessary and had to be done due to host/domain issues from previous owners. It was an expensive & extensive mess and couldn't be avoided if we wanted to keep the website up.

As for losing designers, we actually only lost 4(5 if you count Dream Big Designs but she left before the change when she won the spot at SM) the rest of our designers went to the new exclusive team with us. We chose to go exclusive because we got tired of designers dumping and running, not being available to do anything as far as posting, blogging, FB, events - nothing. We wanted to build a team that is committed to one shop and it has worked for us. What would really draw anyone to our shop if we have the same thing everyone else has? If you can find our designers at 6 different shops then why would you come to our shop? I'm surprised most stores aren't exclusive from a business standpoint strictly speaking. You get a far less wishy washy team and a lot less drama too. As for CT - same issue. Ct's with way too many commitments who drop like flies every two months gets tiring. We lost a few good girls and are now building a new team but we wanted it that way. We opened the door to beginner scrappers who never get the chance to CT and have been giving them lessons in scrapping - it has given us a committed team in return. Size doesn't matter to us. We may be small but it doesn't mean we aren't successful, our team that chose to stay and our sales prove that to us each month :) - and not to mention our FB stats -- just kidding - I told you I love this blog) So no I do not think this is our undoing for good.

Anonymous said...

As for losing designers, we actually only lost 4(5 if you count Dream Big Designs but she left before the change when she won the spot at SM) the rest of our designers went to the new exclusive team with us. We chose to go exclusive because we got tired of designers dumping and running, not being available to do anything as far as posting, blogging, FB, events - nothing. We wanted to build a team that is committed to one shop and it has worked for us. What would really draw anyone to our shop if we have the same thing everyone else has? If you can find our designers at 6 different shops then why would you come to our shop? I'm surprised most stores aren't exclusive from a business standpoint strictly speaking. You get a far less wishy washy team and a lot less drama too. As for CT - same issue. Ct's with way too many commitments who drop like flies every two months gets tiring. We lost a few good girls and are now building a new team but we wanted it that way. We opened the door to beginner scrappers who never get the chance to CT and have been giving them lessons in scrapping - it has given us a committed team in return. Size doesn't matter to us. We may be small but it doesn't mean we aren't successful, our team that chose to stay and our sales prove that to us each month :) - and not to mention our FB stats -- just kidding - I told you I love this blog) So no I do not think this is our undoing for good.
--------
kudos to you Bev/Kathy for doing this. But what makes you think these new to scrapping CT members you are giving lessons in scrapping are not going to run the first chance they get to be on multiple CT's? When you give them the skills to apply and get on those teams the aspire to be on. You will become a stepping stone and would have defeated the purpose. Doesn't seem to me like it is conducive to a committed team.

Anonymous said...

We aren't naive to this fact, but at least for now during this transition we have what we are looking for. Our new girls love our shop and designers and show no signs of running. We cant predict the future, we can only feel confidant in the right now. Its nice to sign on to the forum or my email and not wonder who will quit today...who is going on leave today...who will we ask is MIA today...its about the right now. Right now we are thrilled with our team. They are all appreciative of what we are trying to do. If they decide to leave down the road then so be it. Not everyone in this business is cut throat. We love seeing our designers and CT's flourish with us or in other places. We do this(run this business) because we enjoy it, because we have fun doing it. Its not about being the number 1 store or the grossing the highest profit for us, its about the two of us having a good time and running a fun shop with a great group of people. The min it becomes anything less than that I think we would stop doing it.

Anonymous said...

This is a challenge and quite a few of the kits have been made by 'beginners'. I certainly give them credit for taking part in this contest/challenge especially since no CU was allowed. Hope they don't read this blog.
-----------
Oh yes. This attitude has helped Americans especially. Let's continue to praise the unskilled and untalented and tell them how great they are. Perhaps you can open your wallet and buy their crap, too.

You know you would never buy anything they make. It's people like you who do everyone a disservice.

I think Simon does a good job of saying "this isn't my style, but I can see where someone would like it" on some of the kits. I don't see that as showing favoritism towards any one style.

The problem is, 99% of the kits are really just crap.

Anonymous said...

We love seeing our designers and CT's flourish with us or in other places.

-------
Your actions proved this wrong in its self.If that was the case you would have kept the "few good girls" you had and built on that. Your problem was people dipping out and you tried nipping it in the bud. It isn't about the here and the now. It is about your business. And in your defense. If it isn't, then you are for sure going to fail!

Anonymous said...

These designers in this contest need to learn how to put together a preview. I worked in retail and we could sell the ugliest things if we merchandised them correctly. Some of the previews litterally look like the papers and elements were spewed out on the screen.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes. This attitude has helped Americans especially. Let's continue to praise the unskilled and untalented and tell them how great they are. Perhaps you can open your wallet and buy their crap, too.

You know you would never buy anything they make. It's people like you who do everyone a disservice.

I think Simon does a good job of saying "this isn't my style, but I can see where someone would like it" on some of the kits. I don't see that as showing favoritism towards any one style.

The problem is, 99% of the kits are really just crap.

-------
really? just going to randomly hate on Americans?!? Because the rest of the world doesn't have their untalented that is babied, coddled, and told they rock by their people? Climb off your high horse!
I would agree though, 99% of it is crap. So, lets stop talking about it!

Anonymous said...

really? just going to randomly hate on Americans?!? Because the rest of the world doesn't have their untalented that is babied, coddled, and told they rock by their people? Climb off your high horse!
I would agree though, 99% of it is crap. So, lets stop talking about it!

--------
yes lets. Simon. Pick something else to nick pick through. How about something we have touched on? SM, GP, or Scrapable's designers. Go to town on that. We know these noobs and designers looking for stores that were not accepted designs suck. They don't know how to market and don't get the concept of what goes together with a theme. Yes, one or two are going to be better than others. Got it. So, please, lets move on!

Anonymous said...

Your actions proved this wrong in its self.If that was the case you would have kept the "few good girls" you had and built on that. Your problem was people dipping out and you tried nipping it in the bud. It isn't about the here and the now. It is about your business. And in your defense. If it isn't, then you are for sure going to fail!

-----------------------------------------------------------

We run a business yes this is true. However we don't profit from a Creative Team. A Creative Team does a service for our designers and they get free product by doing this service. We shouldn't have to deal with "people dipping" or drama. Starting a new policy of exclusive girls with a group of girls who were non - exclusive would not have made sense. It wasn't part of the new team we were building. We didn't fire our girls we gave them the choice and they chose. We also didn't spring it on them or pull the rug out, we gave over 2 months notice and let them stay on to collect product and scrap as long as they chose(until the cut off date) No one was left in the lurch and while those girls may feel slighted we did everything we could to make it easy for them. Something most stores wouldn't even bother with.

Anonymous said...

Hi ya'll!
In the interest of fairness, I will finish going through the Round 1 submissions. Mostly to satisfy my own curiosity.
I'm happy to go through any store. I haven't seen Scrapable in at least a year, and, since it has been brought up here just recently, I think we'll go there.

Anonymous said...

We run a business yes this is true. However we don't profit from a Creative Team.

---

I just have to say, this is really ridiculous. The entire point of a creative team is TO PROFIT. A CT can be a powerful marketing tool, but only if you see them that way.

True, they are an "expense" in that you give out free product, but in the land of digital, manufacturing costs are a one-time thing. The "expense" is really minute.

One would hope you are making back any small expense through your sales. I think many stores do not understand just how vital their CTs are to their bottom lines. A big store like SSD has a CT that creates buzz- creates a want and need within their community. Many people probably buy kits there based solely on the fact that EVERYONE seemed to want it. If nothing else, it gets people to look at something they otherwise would have passed by.

If you think a CT - especially a store team - is just for scrapping, then it's you who may need to be shown a few things.

Anonymous said...

We run a business yes this is true. However we don't profit from a Creative Team. A Creative Team does a service for our designers and they get free product by doing this service. We shouldn't have to deal with "people dipping" or drama. Starting a new policy of exclusive girls with a group of girls who were non - exclusive would not have made sense. It wasn't part of the new team we were building. We didn't fire our girls we gave them the choice and they chose. We also didn't spring it on them or pull the rug out, we gave over 2 months notice and let them stay on to collect product and scrap as long as they chose(until the cut off date) No one was left in the lurch and while those girls may feel slighted we did everything we could to make it easy for them. Something most stores wouldn't even bother with.

------
be careful what you post about other stores. You're running a business. You are going to slight your customers saying negative things about them. It is obvious who you are of the duo. Since one is never around.
And I would say you could profit from a creative team. Especially the ones you got rid of. Don't they go back as customers? Be careful the bridges you burn. Especially if your customer pool isn't that large.

Anonymous said...

If you think a CT - especially a store team - is just for scrapping, then it's you who may need to be shown a few things.

-------
AMEN! Now, you are going to find the few that are just in it for the free stuff. But your CT is there to market you. Pimp you out. They run your challenges, keep your forum hopping, keep your stuff bumped in forums, hype your stuff up. If you had to do that all on your own, that would be a lot of time spent. And time is money. I think we are seeing why Scrapable cant seem to expand and why they jump from owner to owner.

Anonymous said...

AMEN! Now, you are going to find the few that are just in it for the free stuff. But your CT is there to market you. Pimp you out. They run your challenges, keep your forum hopping, keep your stuff bumped in forums, hype your stuff up. If you had to do that all on your own, that would be a lot of time spent. And time is money. I think we are seeing why Scrapable cant seem to expand and why they jump from owner to owner.
------
Maybe the reason Scrapble keeps changing hands is because of the team that comes along with it? Maybe that's why these owners are cleaning house so it doesn't happen again?

Anonymous said...

Thank you to those who let me know about the flower requirement! I still stand by the fact it should make sense, though. There are an incredible amount of different flowers in the world to pick from!

Digital Harmony- the color palette is really nice. Lose the dark black outline on the lemon/strawberry paper. Recolor on the ribbon is bad. That umbrella just doesn't match in style at all. The tag's perspective looks off.

Dragonfly Studio Designs- Awful color palette, preview, and papers. Basic and boring.

Viva Artistry- Odd to see a veteran duo in the mix, but there ya are. It would be nice to see the elements more, but some are tucked behind the packaging. I like the colors, the fishes, and the greenery. I'm not sure why there are so many flowers instead of more themed elements. The tag doesn't work.

Regan Styles- another "hide your kit behind the packaging". I'm guessing that's a smiling star, but it kind of looks like a tooth. Either way, it's pointless. Very beginner.

Bernadette Hunt- obviously beginner. I like the purple flower, but I'm not downloading an entire kit for that. Everything else looks cheap and beginner. That felt flower is horrid.

The Digital Celt- awful. Everything. I do like how she tried to be creative with the sun, though.

chunlin designs- I like the colors and those popsicles look fantastic! I would have downloaded this, but 4shared isn't working for me today. I wish the paper flower was blue instead of green since there is already one green flower.

A.M.- everything is just bad. Everything.

Sheri Tierney- another veteran. You'd think she'd know how to shadow by now. Flat, boring preview. Boring color palette for the theme - brown? really? Love the cassette tape. Some doodle outlines on the word bubbles would have tied them together. That white flower seems out of place.

Charm City Scraps- Papers look nice, even if they're basic. The elements are a bit of a mish-mash. You can draw a cloud, but not a sun?

Anonymous said...

No one is discrediting the service a Creative Team does for the designers, but lets be honest here, they all aren't doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They are getting free product for doing all the pimping and LO's. They too are in business. To say that they help a business profit without recognizing the profit they take in on their own via free scrap product would be silly. To say a business is going to fail because of their CT is ridiculous. They are part of the team not the back bone of the company. That's like saying the designers don't matter at all.

As for me burning bridges? I haven't said anything negative about customers at all. Stop trying to create more drama than needed. I also didn't say anything too terrible that I haven't seen with my own eyes in other stores. I have seen other stores treat CT's crap, if you are trying to imply that we treated our girls that way you would be sadly mistaken.

As for my partner - she runs everything behind the scenes, the back of house as we call it. She is on everyday and we don't make a move without each other so I'm not sure why you would think that.

Anonymous said...

Each time the owners at Scrapable turn around the team seems to change as well. Some stay, but most seem to leave. I don't think the new store design does Scrapable justice. I also think the designers in the store are not as good as past designers in the store have been. It seems that the store is going downhill and has been for a long time. If they can turn it around great. I doubt going exclusive was the right move for them.

Anonymous said...

Here is my two cents about the Design Factor. I am just a scrapper with no interest in being a designer. I did CT for a long time and burned out, now I just scrap for myself, no forums or galleries.
These are the only ones I even sort of liked:
Amanda Carlson-good preview and could be a cute kit
but I didn't like the colors. In other colors, I would have downloaded and used it.

Snugle Berry Pie-Some cute elements and paper, but some I would throw out. Especially that flower-yuk!

Midnight Owl-I love the colors, but not that mass of undersea growth, so I probably wouldn't find enough in it to scrap with. Papers are cute though.

Shanmomto4- I love the colors and the doodled elements-my favorite so far, but I don't know what I would scrap with that kit. I guess I could take a pic of one of my kids drinking lemonade, but other than that...

Anonymous said...

Moving on to Scrapable... (part 1)

FYI-That white font is difficult to read on the pale blue.

Caged Bird Designs- Buy my store for $12? I usually stop looking when I see that, but I'll continue for this. Mostly a mish-mash in kits. Some papers have too much texture, others look like they have no texture. The few kits I took a closer look at had CT pages using papers not shown in the previews... So I'm not sure if they're in the kit or not. Bottom line- for $5-6/kit, a customer can do better. Especially in this style.

from Penny- I've seen better looking kits from taggers. And for $5, one can definitely do better.

Jumbbumble Designs- Ride that template wave while you can. Nothing new here.

Lacey Bittner Designs- overly textured cardstocks. Basic kits with flat previews. Basic templates. Nothing new here.

Miss Mis Designs- templates are cheap copies of templates I've seen elsewhere. She's also undercutting other templates in the store. Color palettes are off. Basic stuff you can buy elsewhere with better color palettes.

Modern June- nicely textured papers, decent color palettes. Her style is evolving and gets better with each kit. Templates are cheap copies of others I've seen as well. Also undercutting. I would have liked to check out more of her stuff and download a sample, but her blog addy in her TOU directed me to a new blog address that isn't available. I see reference to her FB and Twitter on her old blog, but they're not listed anywhere.

Moving on...

Anonymous said...

Oh yes. This attitude has helped Americans especially. Let's continue to praise the unskilled and untalented and tell them how great they are. Perhaps you can open your wallet and buy their crap, too.

__________________________________

Oh dear, another American basher. What is it with people like you? You frequent American blogs, probably buy from American stores but you seethe resentment. Get a life.

Anonymous said...

Scrapable (part 2)

NewE Designz- a gross mish-mash of tagger kits meet clip art kits. Bad looking CU (bad lighting especially). One can definitely find better elsewhere.

Pardon the Mess- overpriced, cheap looking sticker kits. Elements are mish-mashy. Color palettes are mostly questionable at best.

ViolaMoni- Mish-mash, horrible color palettes. A blind person could assemble better elements. Flat previews.

Scrapable Design Team- I, personally, hate when stores don't reveal collabs. I don't care if it's $2.50. I'd rather pay $5 for what I like on the preview than spend $2.50 and think it wasn't worth it. Like most store collabs, it's a mish-mash. Some palettes are better than others.

Aimee Harrison Design Studios- no specific style. Papers are boring. Some nice color palettes, but mostly not so much. For $6-7/kit on average, one can DEFINITELY do better elsewhere.

Kat's Creations- template copies I've seen done elsewhere. At least she isn't undercutting her fellow store designers. Mostly gross color palettes. Element mish-mashes. She has a ton of collabs in her store and her best kits are made with others. So, that tells me they carry her. Needs to find out what a neutral is and how to use it.

Meagan's Creations- cheap templates even before they were on sale. Seen most of them before. Cheesy logo. Mostly ugly colored mish-mash. But it's cheap (while on sale) and that's enough for some people. I wouldn't pay $5 for her entire store.

Milly Dee Designs- her doodles are cute, but her ability to put a kit together needs serious help. Mostly bad color palettes, cheap, mish-mashy elements, and mostly bad looking papers. I'd advise her to continue to hone her doodling skills and to stick to selling doodle packs like Kate Hadfield. Milly Dee is not a kit maker.

Pixelily Designs- She has a nice, familiar style. Too bad almost everything is oversaturated. She puts together mostly cohesive kits. Her preview shadows are also too dark which only makes all the oversaturated colors look even worse. She has a lot of potential, though.

Anonymous said...

That's it for Scrapable. Sorry for the multiple posts, but there is a character limit on posts.

My final assessment for Scrapable - look here if you're a store owner looking for mostly "unknown" designers for your own store. There are a few with potential.

If you're a shopper, don't waste your time. There is little in there that doesn't need work. You can also take that $5-7 and find something similar, with better colors, elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

Is there and end-all, be-all store? that's kinda weird. Its more or less, find where you and your style fits best. Where there are obviously some better than others. I dont see there being the end-all be-all store.

June 27, 2011 8:38 AM

--------------------------
I agree with you. I think I only wrote it that way because while I don't think SM is quite a "top tier" store, I definitely don't think it belongs in the trash heap, like some of the people here. You can't get away with saying any stores but SSD & Oscraps are worth buying from with most of the people who post here.

I really don't want to dive into the tier discussion again, but my point was, Design Girl's skill level is not up to par with the skills of others at SM and I think she belongs in more of a beginner store (like Scrapable, ha ha).

A lot of so-called designers could benefit from scrapping a page now and again. Design Girl is one of them.

Anonymous said...

Lizard Dau Designs- I'm sure this is a beginner kit, but geeze louise! It's just so bad. It makes me want to cry.

---------

She has been designing quite a lot of time, taken part into most design contest and some times even made it to the finals. My eyes hurt whenever I see her designs. And especially that ugly packaging. (the worst part is that she considers it a clever idea)
If you are brave enough, here is her blog:
http://liz-lizarddaudesigns.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

It will be quite an "interesting" read whe Simon critiques other stores. Quite a fun read even though I do not buy much, I am quite selective. I wonder how Simon will rate those I bought from already. Keep going Simon.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^^^

LOL!!!!!!! Words fail.
Oh my god, the creepy lizards are only beat by the ants. really? ants?

Thanks for the laugh.

Anonymous said...

Simon, you've picked on the little guy. Now, why don't you go ahead and critique one of the bigger stores? Well, at least what this blog considers "bigger."

how about Sweet Shoppe? can't wait to see you critique your own peers. (yes, because I think I know who you are)

Anonymous said...

^^^
Or SBG !!! :)

Anonymous said...

Oh - that's interesting. So Simon is one of these little chickies:

2 Scoops
Cindy Schneider
Dani Mogstad
Darcy Baldwin
Eva Kipler
Fee Jardine
Heather Roselli
Janet Phillips
Jenn Barrette
Julie Billingsley
Kristin Cronin-Barrow
Krystal Hartley
Lauren Grier
Libby Pritchett
Lliella Designs
Meghan Mullens
Melissa Bennett
Misty Cato
Penny Springmann
Shawna Clingerman
Susan Bartolini
Sweet Shoppe Designs
Traci Reed
Triple Dips
Zoe Pearn

Let's find out who she is.

Anonymous said...

Why play Sherlock? Simon is Simon and that is fine. Take his (or her) critiques with a grain of salt and just move on. If the comments can help, fine. If they hurt you, just remember it is done anonymously, and even if Simon was a known person, one person's opinion is personal and the bottom line is "are customers buying?". If they do, fine. If they don't, maybe Simon has a valid point!


Knowing Simon's real identity might just cause bad feeling, especially if it happens to be someone you personally know outside this blog.

Anonymous said...

IMO I'd rather not know who Simon is. I would like to hear more store-wide critiques though. SM for sure. SO would be interesting. SSD as well. A5D, FPD, TLP.

Anonymous said...

IMO I'd rather not know who Simon is. I would like to hear more store-wide critiques though. SM for sure. SO would be interesting. SSD as well. A5D, FPD, TLP.

------
I agree. I rather not know. Who cares who is behind it. Just remember if you are a designer, if "Simon" has thought it (even if he/she is a fellow/competitor designer) then you betcha a customer has thought it and has not bought because of it. Use it as constructive criticism. LEARN FROM IT!

Anonymous said...

I really don't want to dive into the tier discussion again, but my point was, Design Girl's skill level is not up to par with the skills of others at SM and I think she belongs in more of a beginner store (like Scrapable, ha ha).

A lot of so-called designers could benefit from scrapping a page now and again. Design Girl is one of them.

--------
I totally agree with you! She knows nothing about scrapping outside making the kits. She is one that her CT literally does everything for her on the scrapping part of it. Scrapable should look into snipping her for their store. lol

Anonymous said...

Maybe the reason Scrapble keeps changing hands is because of the team that comes along with it? Maybe that's why these owners are cleaning house so it doesn't happen again?

------
what team is the same that came with each of the changes pray tell? You seem to know the ins and outs of the changes and goings on over there. Seems more to me that they are trying to be a bigger store that they obviously are not.

Anonymous said...

To say a business is going to fail because of their CT is ridiculous. They are part of the team not the back bone of the company. That's like saying the designers don't matter at all.

--------
I am not the OP. However, I believe the point was you guys could fail because of the way you are going about things. Your business head, or lack of it, and the way you handled things. Business is business but it is about the people too. You cant have your little company without the designers and CT. You alienate them, its just you two having CT and DT calls pulling in newbies and starting all over again.

Anonymous said...

As for me burning bridges? I haven't said anything negative about customers at all. Stop trying to create more drama than needed.


____________________________ *
don't come to and reply to a smack blog if you don't want drama sweetie. You yourself said you liked reading it. Don't forget what its about. Its a smack blog.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to know who Simon is. I agree with some of her criticisms but not all - maybe 50 to 60%. I can only chalk the rest up to bias and/or taste. I'm afraid some people are going to take her word as gospel and that's unfortunate.


Regardless, yes let her critique some of the larger stores. I have a funny feeling that those asking for this are designers at those stores. So let's see how they fare?

Oh and Simon, when and if you do, don't pull any punches. If you can pull apart these little peeps with such wisdom, you can stand up to the big guys too. Because a lot of what they sell is shit as well.

Anonymous said...

In the past I know of 2 specific people at DST that offered to do critiques on designers products. Both were admitted readers to the smack blogs at the time.

butternugsquash aka Christy Sturm

and

Kazadoodle aka Karin

My guess is that "Simon" is one of those two since Simon admitted to having offered such a service without must response in the past as both of these ladies did. I doubt that Simon will willingly admit who they are so my guesses really don't matter much.

Anonymous said...

Oh and Simon, when and if you do, don't pull any punches. If you can pull apart these little peeps with such wisdom, you can stand up to the big guys too. Because a lot of what they sell is shit as well.

---------
yes, it might take a bit longer to do because of the designer vol. But dont stop at the little guys. Put your big girl (or boy) undies on and get to it.

and I think there should be some more doing it to counter effect the bias. Just saying. (There was a reason Simon didn't do it on his own)

Anonymous said...

In the past I know of 2 specific people at DST that offered to do critiques on designers products. Both were admitted readers to the smack blogs at the time.

butternugsquash aka Christy Sturm

and

Kazadoodle aka Karin

My guess is that "Simon" is one of those two since Simon admitted to having offered such a service without must response in the past as both of these ladies did. I doubt that Simon will willingly admit who they are so my guesses really don't matter much.

--------------

No, someone else came along after Simon's initial reviews and mentioned that she had once offered the service to little response. It wasn't Simon who posted that, though (remember? Simon came along after that post and mentioned that she wouldn't have ever accepted $ for this... and the OP came back and said something like "I wasn't going to accept $, just keep the kits"). So I think you are barking up the wrong tree here...

Anonymous said...

Oh and Simon, when and if you do, don't pull any punches. If you can pull apart these little peeps with such wisdom, you can stand up to the big guys too. Because a lot of what they sell is shit as well.

____________

Hear hear!

Anonymous said...

This whole Simon thing is the stupidest discussion I've seen on this blog (and I've seen a lot of stupid discussions). Why are so many of you asking for her opinion of different designers/stores? You all have eyes, post your own opinions. If someone disagrees with it, they can post their reasons why. Designers can benefit from reading your critique just as much as Simon's. Just because she did it first doesn't mean she's any more qualified to be a critic than anyone else.

Anonymous said...

what team is the same that came with each of the changes pray tell? You seem to know the ins and outs of the changes and goings on over there. Seems more to me that they are trying to be a bigger store that they obviously are not.
-----
I don't have the inside scoop, sorry - the statement was said about the store changing hands so much, maybe it wasn't the owners so much as it was the team they bought into? Just an observation.

Anonymous said...

This whole Simon thing is the stupidest discussion I've seen on this blog (and I've seen a lot of stupid discussions). Why are so many of you asking for her opinion of different designers/stores? You all have eyes, post your own opinions. If someone disagrees with it, they can post their reasons why. Designers can benefit from reading your critique just as much as Simon's. Just because she did it first doesn't mean she's any more qualified to be a critic than anyone else.

----------
I dont see where anyone is saying that this person is qualified. They just like reading it. And talking about it. You are just whining.

Anonymous said...

I think its fabulous reading. Post on Simon, post on!

Anonymous said...

RE: SM changing their gallery rule: Putting the explanation of the 50% rule means in bold face comes across as scolding. Thanks SM, I hadn't been spanked today.

Their downward slide continues...

Anonymous said...

2nd challenge:

Welcome to the 2nd challenge of The Design Factor & welcome to the Sugar too!

We challenge you to create a mini kit - with 6 different patterned papers, 6 solid papers and 10 or more (unique) elements.

The catch - The 6 patterned papers must be 100% drawn by YOU!

Whether it be doodles drawn in Photoshop or vector images drawn in Illustrator or a combination of both!
Simple shapes (from your program) can be used in combination to create a UNIQUE pattern but NOT be the main design,
we want to see creativity! (ie: a simple polka dot or stripe pattern will not be considered unique, we want to see what you
can draw). Feel free to use your doodles or vectors as elements in your mini too!


Not great at patterning?! Fear not! I have wrote 3 tutorials to help...

Click here for tutorials on patterning in Illustrator AND Photoshop!


Other requirements:

No CU can be used except UN-patterned textures/styles may be used on papers and elements.
Fonts are only allowed for elements.

IMPORTANT - Add your racer number in title of product preview, along with the text "Challenge #2" on there somewhere.
Please zip to a folder, not just loose elements - with your preview and TOU included.

You MUST post your preview in your racer thread as well as upload your preview with download
links to the Design Factor Challenge 2 Gallery. Your download must remain available for 2 weeks.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^

yawn.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^

And what have you offered today?

Anonymous said...

Kazadoodle aka Karin

My guess is that "Simon" is one of those two since Simon admitted to having offered such a service without must response in the past as both of these ladies did. I doubt that Simon will willingly admit who they are so my guesses really don't matter much.
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Not me, I'd offer critique a little more constructive than 'gross' and 'it made me cry'. Good try though. And Simon has said that she's currently working as a designer, while I haven't been selling for almost three years.

Anonymous said...

Viva Artistry- Odd to see a veteran duo in the mix, but there ya are.
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This comment is weird, considering that there are other veterans in the mix, some who have been designing and selling for much longer than Viva Artistry.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^

And what have you offered today?

-------
here ya go:
Did anyone notice that scrapable lost like nearly all their designers and CT? Will that tiny little store ever stay the same? It keeps changing hands and even changed a website! Now they have to be exclusive designers and CT. They are waaaay to small to be doing that. Looks like might be their undoing for good.

Is there and end-all, be-all store? that's kinda weird. Its more or less, find where you and your style fits best. Where there are obviously some better than others. I dont see there being the end-all be-all store.

not me. Rather see Simon talk about something else now. Pick a store. Go down the list of designers. Simon Says that.

kudos to you Bev/Kathy for doing this. But what makes you think these new to scrapping CT members you are giving lessons in scrapping are not going to run the first chance they get to be on multiple CT's? When you give them the skills to apply and get on those teams the aspire to be on. You will become a stepping stone and would have defeated the purpose. Doesn't seem to me like it is conducive to a committed team.

Your actions proved this wrong in its self.If that was the case you would have kept the "few good girls" you had and built on that. Your problem was people dipping out and you tried nipping it in the bud. It isn't about the here and the now. It is about your business. And in your defense. If it isn't, then you are for sure going to fail!

really? just going to randomly hate on Americans?!? Because the rest of the world doesn't have their untalented that is babied, coddled, and told they rock by their people? Climb off your high horse!
I would agree though, 99% of it is crap. So, lets stop talking about it!

yes lets. Simon. Pick something else to nick pick through. How about something we have touched on? SM, GP, or Scrapable's designers. Go to town on that. We know these noobs and designers looking for stores that were not accepted designs suck. They don't know how to market and don't get the concept of what goes together with a theme. Yes, one or two are going to be better than others. Got it. So, please, lets move on!

AMEN! Now, you are going to find the few that are just in it for the free stuff. But your CT is there to market you. Pimp you out. They run your challenges, keep your forum hopping, keep your stuff bumped in forums, hype your stuff up. If you had to do that all on your own, that would be a lot of time spent. And time is money. I think we are seeing why Scrapable cant seem to expand and why they jump from owner to owner.

yes, it might take a bit longer to do because of the designer vol. But dont stop at the little guys. Put your big girl (or boy) undies on and get to it.

and I think there should be some more doing it to counter effect the bias. Just saying. (There was a reason Simon didn't do it on his own)



ummmmm.....and you? what have you offered today?

Anonymous said...

^^^^

I wasn't the one yawning now, was I?

Anonymous said...

^^^^^
nope. Just asking nonsensical questions. ;)

Anonymous said...

^^^^

I wasn't the one yawning now, was I?

---------

guess this is about all we can offer today? Crawl back in bed. You cant even keep up.

Anonymous said...

Anyone find it interesting that there were 114 Racers and only 81 kits?

Anonymous said...

guess this is about all we can offer today? Crawl back in bed. You cant even keep up.
--------------

Whatever.

Anonymous said...

Anyone find it interesting that there were 114 Racers and only 81 kits?

-------
I think a lot of people drop out after signing up for those things. I saw it at the SM design thingy too.

Anonymous said...

Whatever.

------
that's how you show 'em!! LMAO

can we get back to something of importance again? I would have to agree. Yawn! at the random rules for a design start thing.

Anonymous said...

I am not Simon but I have zero issue about saying something about designers from bigger stores. Even though I think most the designers at SO are good, I think SuzyQ Scraps has the most awful color schemed kits out there! I have yet to come across one that is a good combo. And her base elements tend to be the same kit to kit. It might just be my personal preference with this, but the plasticy, felt, and hand drawn look all in one kit is a bit miss matched. But I have heard she is a really sweet chick!

Anonymous said...

can we get back to something of importance again? I would have to agree. Yawn! at the random rules for a design start thing.
--------

Importance, are you kidding?

Anonymous said...

I think a lot of people drop out after signing up for those things. I saw it at the SM design thingy too.
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I think some of them dropped out after realizing you couldn't use CU.

Anonymous said...

I love Suzy Q's kits. She is one of my favorite SO designers. I love that there is a variety of textures in them. One texture makes a page look flat and boring to me. Her drawings are cute, and she is proficient with PS. I generally like her color schemes as well. I hate scrapping with pastel or faded soft colors and she tends to use bold and strong or bright colors. I guess it's all a matter of personal preference.

Anonymous said...

I think SuzyQ Scraps has the most awful color schemed kits out there! I have yet to come across one that is a good combo.
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There are much worse color schemes out there, but she does have a problem with pinks and oranges. They seem to be just the wrong shade with the other colors.

Anonymous said...

I guess it's all a matter of personal preference.

------
Most of what scrapping is.

Anonymous said...

There are much worse color schemes out there, but she does have a problem with pinks and oranges. They seem to be just the wrong shade with the other colors.

-------
Enlighten us on whats worse.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^

Er, check out some of the entries for the design contest. Some of those designers consistently produce awful color schemes.

Anonymous said...

^^^^^^
Eh. I was talking about big name stores at the moment. Point taken on that one. ;)

Anonymous said...

I think some of them dropped out after realizing you couldn't use CU.
__________________________________

Not so much that, but having to make a complete mini from scratch each week is a lot. It takes a LOT of time. Plus it doesn't help to go through all that work just to have your work trashed here, but whatever.

This week's challenge is even more work, especially if you don't have a tablet. You have to draw everything.

Anonymous said...

Not so much that, but having to make a complete mini from scratch each week is a lot. It takes a LOT of time. Plus it doesn't help to go through all that work just to have your work trashed here, but whatever.

------
I would hate to think anyone quit what they wanted to do because people talked bad about them. That isn't a life I would want to live. Even though most of what is said here is bitchy and snarky, people who it is being said about, should really take it as what it is. Criticism from their peers and customers. Learn from it. Become better from it. If you are using that as an excuse to quit, then you didn't want to do it to start with!

Anonymous said...

^^^^^

I agree, except nobody is saying anything about the designers in the contest, just the designs and kits. Big difference. People really need to learn to separate the product from the person.

Anonymous said...

Not so much that, but having to make a complete mini from scratch each week is a lot. It takes a LOT of time. Plus it doesn't help to go through all that work just to have your work trashed here, but whatever.
-------------------

People's reliance on CU has made some of them incredibly lazy.

If you don't read here, you'd never know your work was being trashed. Grow up and deal with the critics. It's not all rainbows and unicorns.

Anonymous said...

I agree, except nobody is saying anything about the designers in the contest, just the designs and kits. Big difference. People really need to learn to separate the product from the person.

-------
I think that is preference. I am not going to put something out there that I am not proud of. It is my creative outlet and that is part of me. It is my hobby and that is part of me. It is my time put in it and that is part of me. But other than that part, I agree with them both.

Anonymous said...

Simon often says colors are 'over saturated' but I think that's a bias/preference. I like bright, deeply saturated colors. I also like many kits that don't have a neutral in them. Those are preferences, not 'rules of a good kit'

Anonymous said...

I would hate to think anyone quit what they wanted to do because people talked bad about them. That isn't a life I would want to live. Even though most of what is said here is bitchy and snarky, people who it is being said about, should really take it as what it is. Criticism from their peers and customers. Learn from it. Become better from it. If you are using that as an excuse to quit, then you didn't want to do it to start with!
_________________________________

No. You're using the constructive criticism from peers excuse as a justification to be mean, nasty bitches. Sorry but it doesn't work to say things like 'gross' and expect that others will learn from it. That's a very naive statement.

Anonymous said...

No. You're using the constructive criticism from peers excuse as a justification to be mean, nasty bitches. Sorry but it doesn't work to say things like 'gross' and expect that others will learn from it. That's a very naive statement.

June 27, 2011 10:23 PM
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I totally agree with this. Saying "cheap looking elements" and "gross papers" is not constructive at all. Entertaining to some? Maybe. Constructive to anyone? Not so much.

Constructive would be saying something like, the bevel in the elements uses shadows and highlights that are too heavy which can make them look cheap or poorly done. That's constructive criticism. Even more constructive: Adjusting the colors and/or levels of the highlight and shadows of the bevels would go a long way to fixing them.

I'm not saying Simon SHOULD be giving that kind of helpful comment. I'm just saying that Simon's comments aren't constructive. They are actually fairly generic. And if they are directed at your designs, probably feel a lot more catty and mean than constructive.

Anonymous said...

No. You're using the constructive criticism from peers excuse as a justification to be mean, nasty bitches. Sorry but it doesn't work to say things like 'gross' and expect that others will learn from it. That's a very naive statement.

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talk about naive!
Not everyone is saying gross and being nasty bitches. There is actual criticism going on. However, if someone has the personal preference of something being gross, and there is a general consensus of it. I think that is constructive. I might get hurt if I was said designer (probably you) but then take a step back and look if there is a # of people saying this, there might be something to it.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with this. Saying "cheap looking elements" and "gross papers" is not constructive at all. Entertaining to some? Maybe. Constructive to anyone? Not so much.

Constructive would be saying something like, the bevel in the elements uses shadows and highlights that are too heavy which can make them look cheap or poorly done. That's constructive criticism. Even more constructive: Adjusting the colors and/or levels of the highlight and shadows of the bevels would go a long way to fixing them.

I'm not saying Simon SHOULD be giving that kind of helpful comment. I'm just saying that Simon's comments aren't constructive. They are actually fairly generic. And if they are directed at your designs, probably feel a lot more catty and mean than constructive.

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yeah, but its a smack blog. ;) You get the sugar coated criticism from your friends and the snarky/bitchy criticism from here. Be smart. Meet it in the middle and learn from it all. But I wouldnt pass this place off as just all drivel.

Anonymous said...

You're using the constructive criticism from peers excuse as a justification to be mean, nasty bitches.
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No one named called until you showed up. What does that say about you? I think it says you are the only nasty bitch here.

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