Idiots, I think we established (above) that Paypal fees are NOT 7-8% of earnings. Paypal charges around 3% per transaction, give or take. Whoever posted 7-8% was way off, and whoever keeps referring to it isn't reading and needs to pay attention.
You store owners here are doing an admirable job of trying to sell your case. But, I think you make more money than you want the designers to think you make.
^^^^
Any why the hell shouldn't a store owner make a profit each month? They bear the financial, emotional and ethical responsibility for the entire team, the shop and the shop's reputation. This is a business. I am not in business to give away money. I am in business to provide a respectful, ethical and supportive platform for digital art. If a shop is going to have any measure of success, it needs to be managed full time. Do you expect a store owner to work for a meager, yet socially acceptable pittance income so that a designer can take home more money?
Do you get reimbursed for toll charges, parking charges, wardrobes for work, everyday lunches, hair cuts and facials - all of which go to getting a person to their job and looking respectful? No. These are a cost of being employed. I see this paypal fee in the same light. Why should a store pay all the costs for a designer?
I find it insulting the tone of some of these responses. As if it were offensive that a store owner would even want to actually make money for the effort. Get real.
I'm not sure why 10:02 am mentioned the 7-8%, because that doesn't seem correct to me either. Not sure that makes her an idiot though. I think that what she is probably referring to is the fact that the Paypal fee on a single $1 purchase is something like $.30. So if the owner takes 20% commission, she not only doesn't get any commission on the sale, she actually ends up paying part of the fee out of her own pocket. A simple solution is for the store owner not to allow products to be priced at $1.
I paid a total of 28.3% in store commission and paypal fees in my most recent earnings. That is in a store that pays 75/25 and bases the commission on the net received, not the gross paid to paypal. So, your numbers are not matching up to this. With a 25% commission, I paid 3.3% additional in fees. For the 28% I get advertising, newsletter promotions, advanced mods to assist the team in adding products quickly and cross selling tools. Seems pretty good to me. I have paid a lot more when I used to sell hand crafted items on Ebay.
It states that the owner is not a designer but isn't the owner Profile Studio?
December 1, 2011 8:41 AM
----------------- The owner is Alyssa and supposedly some chick named Tiffany. They pick very low quality designers and claim to have a drama free team, but Alyssa is the drama queen and a total... *bleep
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9%
December 1, 2011 11:36 AM ------------------
Thank you for making my point for me. The percentage IS higher on individual purchases. It could be that the people who are saying it is closer to 3% think that because their stores charge them just the 2.9% that paypal charges, but not the 30cent fee for EACH transaction. That 30cent fee is what drives up the percentage. The amount it goes up by depends on the number and size of your transactions. I will illustrate:
Designer A has 35 sales totaling $400 (average per sale $11.43):
$400 * 2.9% = $11.60 plus $0.30 * 35 = $10.50 Total Paypal fees $22.10 Percentage of total sales = 5.5%
Designer B also has 35 sales but hers only total $225 because she has a lower average sale price of $6.43 per order: $225 * 2.9% = $6.53 plus $0.30 *35 = $10.50 Total Paypal fees $17.03 Percentage of total sales = 7.6%
I could go on, but I think I make my point. Still want to treat me like an idiot? You can't argue with basic math.
Perhaps you have only paid 3% in Paypal fees, but I would guess it might be because your store owner is not figuring it out correctly! Either that, or your average order size is over $30 per order, which seems unlikely given the nature of what we sell. But you have to sell at least $30 in any given transaction to even get the percentage under 4%, once you figure in the 30cent transaction fee.
If I were a store owner, I cannot imagine taking the time to figure out how many times each designer should pay the 30cent fee, especially when you start talking about orders for products from more than one designer. Then, each designer has to pay a portion of that 30cents? And I suppose you'd have to figure out what percentage of the total sale belonged to the first designer and she would pay an equal percentage of the 30cents, right? And then figure the percentage of the next designer in the same order and charge her an equal percentage of the 30cent fee, too. And so on and so on, hundreds of times each month.
Yep, those store owners are CRAZY for picking up the paypal fees. Because it would be so much easier and so much less time-consuming to do all that math every month. RIGHT.
Idiots, I think we established (above) that Paypal fees are NOT 7-8% of earnings. Paypal charges around 3% per transaction, give or take. Whoever posted 7-8% was way off, and whoever keeps referring to it isn't reading and needs to pay attention. ----
If your average transaction is less than $7.31, you're paying 7% or more in PayPal fees. If your average transaction is $1, you're now paying PayPal 59%.
They charge 3%, yes, but they also charge a per transaction fee.
So before you haul off and start calling everyone an idiot, maybe you should check your math. And be less of a bitch.
Your math is correct. If there are multiple designers on the order then the $0.30 is divided among them. Zencart is capable of doing the math, no reason to do the math by hand, you're right that it wouldn't be worth it. When I look at my sales report in Zencart it shows me as one of the fields what the payment fee is. It also shows the base price and then the product total which is the base price minus the payment fee and any coupon discounts. Then I get 75% of the product total. The store owner does not have to do any math by hand. And then at the very bottom is shows me all the totals, Gross total, discounts, payment fee, commission, and how much I am owed for the time period specified. It really seems quite easy for the store owner.
12:42 thanks for that. I don't sell in a Zencart store, so I have never seen that. But that does make a bit more sense. I haven't seen the admin panel of Xcart that many times, but I don't believe it breaks things out like that.
So, while we're doing math, let's do another equation. Let's look at the earnings potential for a designer at the new Me So Scrappy versus a store that pays the Paypal fees.
We'll assume the same $400 total sales from above. And, for the sake of argument, we'll figure her to be an exclusive designer who would be paying 20% commission. And I'm going to figure the commission on the net sale amount at MSS (after paypal fees, which is how it's been said to be handled):
$400 @ Me So Scrappy Paypal fees $22.10 Net sales $377.90 20% Commission on the NET $75.58 Designer is paid 302.32
Now, let's figure out commission on $400 in any store that picks up the Paypal fees: 20% Commission $80.00 Designer is paid $320.00
I think I'll stick with stores that pick up the paypal fees. Isn't that how this whole discussion began? :)
If I were a store owner, I cannot imagine taking the time to figure out how many times each designer should pay the 30cent fee, especially when you start talking about orders for products from more than one designer. Then, each designer has to pay a portion of that 30cents? And I suppose you'd have to figure out what percentage of the total sale belonged to the first designer and she would pay an equal percentage of the 30cents, right? And then figure the percentage of the next designer in the same order and charge her an equal percentage of the 30cent fee, too.
December 1, 2011 12:32 PM ------------------------------- This also helps to bring the percentage of paypal fees down, too. When there are multiple designers represented in one order, each of them only pays part of the 30cents, instead of the whole transaction fee.
But, if most of the sales are individual purchases from a single designer, then the paypal fees would amount to something closer to 7%.
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9% ------------------- WRONG. Any shop that doesn't use micropayments by PayPal is screwing you over.
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
Any transaction over $10 starts losing money on micropayments. Many of the larger stores do not use it because it overall looses money because the majority of their transactions are over the $10 mark. If all you sell is a couple of $$ per transaction then yes, you're losing $$ without micropayments so you should go sell at a store that is the same as you, making very little money and therefore needs micropayments.
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
December 1, 2011 1:22 PM ----------- You can't say you'll be "the right store" when you are brand new. Prove to me that you'd be worth losing the paypal fees on TOP of commission and then we might agree. But, being as you (MSS) are untested as of right now, I stand by what I said and I'll stick with time-tested, proven stores that also pick up the Paypal fees.
So no matter who the owner is, how the store looks, who else is designing there........if it's a brand new store and they charge paypal fees, you won't apply. I guess I live in a world of never say never, because depending on who owns the store, other designers etc, I think there are possibilities where I'd apply fees or not. Theoretically speaking....this has nothing to do with MSS.
Does Shutterstock allow it's images to be used like this? I may be misunderstanding Shutterstock's terms, but I didn't think you could use them to create digital scrapbooking elements. I've read their terms a couple of times but I still think I might be misinterpreting them. Does anyone else have an experience with Shutterstock?
Going back to the unfortunately named designer who is so excited to be opening her store at DD I wonder how excited she'll be when she realises that pay is nearly always late and you are lucky if it comes even then without you begging for it.
Can anyone recommend someone that will do designer previews? I loathe doing them and I'm generally out of the loop in these sort of things. Thanks! December 1, 2011 12:27 PM
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
December 1, 2011 1:22 PM ----------- You can't say you'll be "the right store" when you are brand new. Prove to me that you'd be worth losing the paypal fees on TOP of commission and then we might agree. But, being as you (MSS) are untested as of right now, I stand by what I said and I'll stick with time-tested, proven stores that also pick up the Paypal fees. December 1, 2011 1:59 PM
Yes! I would be happy to pay Paypal fees at a store with proven high traffic with an owner that brings me on because she/he feels I will sell in volume in her store.
Sadly, too many stores bring on designers because they were on CTs with them or they CTed for them or because they're part of the in-crowd.
I can't imagine MSS would attract too many permanent high volume designers as a new store. I'm sure they will have fabulous guests and that is all.
^^^^ Yes, this! They are "friends with" the "right" people, so they will be able to attract some fabulous guests, I am sure.
But, those same people are not going to leave stores like SSD or A5 or TLP to stay permanently at MSS. You'd be able to blow me over with a feather if I end up being wrong about that.
No, it's not permitted under any of their licenses. Someone should be notified, keeping in mind that there is a very slim possibility that she's the original artist or that she purchased it as CU in good faith and it's the CU designer who is causing the problem.
Does Shutterstock allow it's images to be used like this? I may be misunderstanding Shutterstock's terms, but I didn't think you could use them to create digital scrapbooking elements. I've read their terms a couple of times but I still think I might be misinterpreting them. Does anyone else have an experience with Shutterstock?
----
It's possible that the original image isn't from Shutterstock. They retail a wide range of images and not all of them hold the terms if they are purchased else where.
You can always email shutterstock and let them research it.
The shutterstock designer did not draw that snowman. Look at the other stuff uploaded by that designer. There is nothing in that hodgepodge to indicate originality.
It probably came from one of those whimsy clipart sites.
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9% ------------------- WRONG. Any shop that doesn't use micropayments by PayPal is screwing you over.
$5 kit -> 0.05+[5*5%]=0.30 = 6%, tops
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Actually they're screwing themselves over - frankly, it's up to the store owner how they choose to set things up with Paypal. I was just doing a very basic math calculation - which, by the way, is correct.
http://benthaicreations.over-blog.com/article-blogtrain-traditions-dec-2011-90719638.html -------------------- First one looks like someone barfed on the screen...sorry I am not usually negative but couldn't help it this time.
Isn't Outside the Boxes Design Studio the person who used to design as Circle of Life Scraps? I seem to recall her changing her design name a while back (sometime in the past few months).
Outside the Box is COLS. I think she changed her name because of quality issues and she could get away with it more if she was supposed to be 'grungy'.
I see Funky Playground picked up a couple SM designers. Plum Dumpling, Wimpychompers and Crossbone Cuts. And NeeNee?! Guess she is out of retirement for the 30th time AND has a new design name!
2:43, I'm not sure why you seem so upset by my question.
I didn't ask in the DCR for 2 reasons. 1) I have not visited DST in well over a year. 2) I figured you ladies would have more honest feedback about suggestions for someone that is actually good at this.
Also, since when is it up to you to decide what 'belongs' here or 'belongs' in the DCR?
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style.
Anyone aware of Digidesignresort taking their LIFETIME Safari Club and moving it. Because of it, they are not honoring the Lifetime members and grandfathering them into the next location. They are telling all of us that we will have to pay a yearly fee to get new tutorials, after "gifting" us a free year. Everyone I know thinks that this "stinks" except the owner, Monja. They just don't get that they are not treating the Lifetime members fairly. What part of LIFETIME does she not understand? I will not purchase from them ever again and will not recommend them.
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that. http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
Where? I didn't know there was a change in ownership!?? ------------ The newsletter. When they finally came back up after their server move, the former owner said it would be her last newsletter and to watch for the new owner today.
The new owner sent out the newsletter, but failed to introduce herself. Oops.
So who is the new owner and the helper? (sorry, I don't receive their newsletter) December 2, 2011 6:47 AM
Both are designers and Jumpstart also sells her huge MB templates at Gotta Pixel. AND she just started making page kits and the quality is HORRIBLE. Very beginner and jagged. Not exactly the person I'd want running my store.
How exactly is she supposed to have time to do all the store marketing and admin stuff while running 2 of her own design shops? Makes no sense. Unless she's asking her CT to pick up her slack. Now there is a leader to run a shop with!
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that. http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
December 2, 2011 6:44 AM
That is the lowest percentage I've seen. Just goes to show how slow their sales are.
I'm glad these shops are lowering their commission rates. Helps us know where the low volume sales shops are. Not that we couldn't have guessed by looking inside their shop. This removes the guesswork.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. She thinks that moving it like that negates any "lifetime" commitments. Says that if we want to continue the lifetime, we can stay at the old location with no new updates. But if we want to go to the new location, then we have to pay yearly fee. Basically told me to accept it or go away cause she gets the last word.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. ^^^^^^ Will that allow students to share, ask questions and so on like it did in the forum or is she just packaging the whole thing to SELL on the blog and that's it?
That's not right at all. If that's the way she conducts business it will come back to bite her eventually. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. You can bet that I will now think twice before conducting any business there and I'm sure if you keep telling your story there will be many others too.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. She thinks that moving it like that negates any "lifetime" commitments. Says that if we want to continue the lifetime, we can stay at the old location with no new updates. But if we want to go to the new location, then we have to pay yearly fee. Basically told me to accept it or go away cause she gets the last word.
--------------------
I'm not even remotely surprised to read this. Isn't the owner the same one who sent out an unsolicited newsletter last year to hoards of people (including designers) and got busted for it in threads in the DCR? I can't remember for sure what the whole story was, but I remember when she finally moseyed into the thread to defend herself against the accusations, she played dumb and pulled a "it was an honest mistake" sort of thing, but there was enough proof stacked up against her that nobody was buying it. My memory is that there were even a few former designers from her store that had been e-mailing her to remove them from the list, and she wouldn't even respond to them and kept spamming them.
So to hear that she is engaging in bad business practices/decisions? Not shocked here.
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style. -------------------
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. ^^^^^^ Will that allow students to share, ask questions and so on like it did in the forum or is she just packaging the whole thing to SELL on the blog and that's it? ======================= I have no idea since she won't let me in since I'm challenging her. I'd love to be in contact with the other members and hear what they have to say.
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
Bottom line, this is the sort of thing that would get ripped to shreds if someone y'all didn't like put it up. While cute, it is common and has all been done a thousand times before. Where is Simon? Wonder if she would be so eager to applaud something which is well less-than-extraordinary, in my opinion. I've seen her call far more interesting paper patterns "boring" at least a dozen times.
Wishing Well Creations is the only cute thing on the blog train. I am dying for it to snow, so I have a reason to use the matching snowman alpha she has a facebook freebie! She may not have the most exciting paper patterns, but compared to anything else on the train, it looks great!
I have to agree with you. I certainly didn't think it was remarkable in any way and it didn't even initially make my short list of things to download, but then there was so much hype, I did. Meh. Too cutesy for me, nothing special IMO. True, this train didn't yield much that was any good.
Other than that I downloaded (didn't necessarily keep all parts):
Aimee Harrison Bon Scrapatit Dawn by Design Eyeinspire Key of D Designs LuvEwe Snips and Snails Tracie Stroud
I'm glad these shops are lowering their commission rates. Helps us know where the low volume sales shops are. Not that we couldn't have guessed by looking inside their shop. This removes the guesswork.
******
Now you have me curious, what are standard commission rates?
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that. http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
--------------------
*smh* If only that were the only problem Brownie Scraps had!
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style. ******** Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style. -------------------
Agree. *********** ^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
Bottom line, this is the sort of thing that would get ripped to shreds if someone y'all didn't like put it up. While cute, it is common and has all been done a thousand times before. Where is Simon? Wonder if she would be so eager to applaud something which is well less-than-extraordinary, in my opinion. I've seen her call far more interesting paper patterns "boring" at least a dozen times. **************** Wishing Well Creations is the only cute thing on the blog train. I am dying for it to snow, so I have a reason to use the matching snowman alpha she has a facebook freebie! She may not have the most exciting paper patterns, but compared to anything else on the train, it looks great!
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
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Yes I have bought one of her kits, and I have no idea where you are getting your info. I don't have all of her kits so I'm no expert, but the last one I got was Corncopia and it has 10 flowers and 7 of them are unique and only 3 are recolored copies. I got interested and checked most of her descriptions too and it looks like most of her kits have 30-40 elements, not 20 like you say. It doesn't matter, for me if a designer is able to pick a good color pallette semi-consistently and make a cute kit with it that I can actually use to scrap I'll buy from them again and again, so I like her kits.
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal.
___________
So are you saying that you'd be less critical if she had just done the minimum of 3-4 patterned papers that the train requires? Looks to me like she did that, and then some. Personally I appreciate it, but that is just me.
As far as this month's blog train goes, I haven't downloaded anything yet but I looked at the previews and I think there must be a lot of people out there who probably have so much digi stuff they are being super particular. I personally thought this is one of the better blog trains. I liked the looks of a lot of the mini kits. I think there were some really unique items. When it comes to unique and I read some of the comments here I wonder if people really understand the term unique or not. Unique to me is I've never seen an item like it before or it is done in a super special way to make it stand out from the average. Anyway just my two cents.
So are you saying that you'd be less critical if she had just done the minimum of 3-4 patterned papers that the train requires? Looks to me like she did that, and then some. Personally I appreciate it, but that is just me.
December 3, 2011 7:00 AM --------------- First of all, we aren't talking about appreciation. I do remember saying that I thought her kit was cute, and I would download it myself.
I was, however, taking exception to the description of her contribution being "the best on the whole blog train" because I don't think that is true. And I have NO idea why we are talking so much about this one freebie. It is ridiculous!
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did. I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did. I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors.
December 3, 2011 12:45 PM ------- You are the shining example of the phrase "you can't make everyone happy." Plus this line of commenting is a great indicator to the idea that if one spends their time trying to please everyone, they will just end up spending their time chasing their tail.
It also seems to me that you're just looking to be negative. If you were looking for 3-4 unique patterns, you got them. Maybe someone else will enjoy those patterns in different color combinations.
When I'm designing I include recolors. I know some scrappers are comfortable recoloring items. I also know that some people aren't comfortable doing it or just don't want to take the time to do so. I don't use recolors as part of my "item count" when deciding if the kit is "full enough," but I include them as a convenience for scrappers and don't raise the kit price because of them. Maybe she was just operating under the same line of thought. Why does everything have to be some big conspiracy?
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
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I'm the OP who said I liked her mini better than anything else, but you're high if you think that automatically means I am on her CT. Someone else asked about the blog train and I gave my opinion, which should have been end of the story, but you keep bringing it up (so your last comment about why are we all talking about this portion? is very funny, since you're the one who keeps bringing it up). I didn't have a horse in the race this time, and I liked hers better than anyone elses. That just means my style of design is similar to hers, and it doesn't mean you have to like it. But I will tell you this: you talk about all the CU she used, and I'm laughing because most of it is CU, that she sells! I know because I bought a whole bundle of it over DSD, which probably explains why I think the snowmen are cute and why I like the mini. It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.
I include them as a convenience for scrappers and don't raise the kit price because of them. Maybe she was just operating under the same line of thought. Why does everything have to be some big conspiracy?
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Bingo.
Laughing out loud here that someone up above has not only gotten their panties in such a bunch over a designer (gasp!) offering more than was required, but is also accusing her of doing it just to make her freebie look bigger. Who cares? What about all of the designers who didn't even offer the bare minimum? Why aren't we talking about those? Tracie Stroud didn't offer elements which are required, as there is not an option for a paper pack alone on this blog train. Willow Grace didn't offer any patterns at all but again, who cares? If scrappers can go from blog to blog and build their own kit and are happy in the end, why are you worried about whether one designer is trying to "inflate the size of her freebie" (and what, fool people into thinking her mini is bigger than it really is?). I think your statement about that, and also the part about her trying to make it seem like "more work went into it than actually did" are really odd, and reek of personal issue with the designer, IMO. Either that, or you "have a horse in the race" as the person above me said, and jealousy is rearing its ugly head.
*smh* If only that were the only problem Brownie Scraps had!
^^^
elaborate?
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Not the OP - but sharing my 2-cents regardless. I may be alone in my thinking, but I often judge a store based on the selection of CU items they offer. I don't buy much CU - but figure if what they place in the store for other designers looks like crap, chances are most of the items in that CU designer's store are crap. And THIS is the type of items they think other designers (or anyone, for that matter) would want to use in their products? Seriously?!
...add to that crap a pathetically quiet forum, and an obviously greedy owner (70% exclusive - that's laughable)...just doesn't seem worth it at all.
I don't exactly agree with the previous poster that BrownieScraps only gets new designers (as a quick search shows some of them are in other - maybe better? - stores), but the owner doesn't seem to have a friendly, open, and welcoming environment.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did.
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I agree w/ the PP, what is this statement all about?
I don't know why you are giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise of Wishing Well's kit a hard time. You say you are entitled to your opinion? Well, newsflash! SO IS SHE!!!
I happen to agree with her for the most part. I don't know about the whole "inflating freebie size" argument, but I do agree that the freebie is basic and not the best item on the whole train. I can't, for the life of me, figure out how in the hell we are spending this much time talking about one single mediocre mini kit from this blog train. I think the poster's point was that she didn't agree that Wishing Well's portion is the best one to be had. You made your point, she made hers. Isn't that enough?
Cripes, aren't there like 99 other designers in that train? Let's discuss one or more of the others. Clearly, some people think Wishing Well's portion is great, and some people don't. Let's move on!
Shocks me how many people on here (not all obviously) feel the need to tear people's work apart as though (1) you were never a new designer yourself who probably sucked at one point (and still might) (2) still aren't designing now but think you're a bad ass CTM (3) have the right to judge what other people's opinions are about what they like or don't like because they might be different from yours (4) you think it's cool to knock the content of products you are offered free! WTF? And no, I don't think I'm better than anyone else, but then, neither are some of you.
I don't know why you are giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise of Wishing Well's kit a hard time. You say you are entitled to your opinion? Well, newsflash! SO IS SHE!!!
----- She IS entitled to her own opinion. Technically I think she started the whole debate to begin with when she posted her opposing opinion--which she is entitled to. But she (or anyone else) can't get their panties in a wad when others post their own opinions that don't coalesce with hers.
Newsflash: Anyone who voices their opinion also opens the door for debate and dissension. I don't think anyone here actually demanded that she not be able to post their opinion. They did post oppositional opinions. If you don't want to hear opposition to your opinion, then keep your opinion quiet (which, btw, in no way affects your actual right to HAVE said opinion).
I happen to agree with her for the most part. I don't know about the whole "inflating freebie size" argument, but I do agree that the freebie is basic and not the best item on the whole train. I can't, for the life of me, figure out how in the hell we are spending this much time talking about one single mediocre mini kit from this blog train. I think the poster's point was that she didn't agree that Wishing Well's portion is the best one to be had. You made your point, she made hers. Isn't that enough?
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Why is everyone giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise a hard time now? I was in general agreement with her about the simplistic nature of the freebie, but the more she keeps commenting, the more she seems like she has a personal issue (the part about how hard a designer works on a freebie does seem really super strange). The irony here is that she's the one who's making this whole conversation go on and on and on forever and I think if she hadn't chimed in the most this blog would have seen was the one original comment from someone who answered the question "anything good on the blog train?" with "yes, I like this one particular freebie..." But now? *eyeroll*
Cripes, aren't there like 99 other designers in that train? Let's discuss one or more of the others. Clearly, some people think Wishing Well's portion is great, and some people don't. Let's move on! -------
While I didn't download Kimeric's portion, I thought it looked really nice.
I didn't mind that most of them took the theme of traditions to be Christmas, but the snowflakes in most of them were completely useless to me.
I liked the look of most of the alphas too, and the few kits that didn't use the entire color palette, but just chose some of the colors.
While I didn't download Kimeric's portion, I thought it looked really nice.
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Why would you bring up a blog train portion here if you didn't like it enough to download it? Makes no sense. You either hate it enough to talk about it here, or like it enough to talk about it here. But "it looked nice but not nice enough to download"?
I'm not bitching about the freebies, just pointing out the idiocy of the argument. Also, how the hell am I supposed to know it's crap, until I download it? Hmm? I'm not psyhic. Jeez, some people.
Why would you bring up a blog train portion here if you didn't like it enough to download it? Makes no sense. You either hate it enough to talk about it here, or like it enough to talk about it here. But "it looked nice but not nice enough to download"? ---------
Because I felt like it, is that okay with you? Or do I have check with you before I post? Hmm?
Besides, I never said it didn't look nice enough not to download. I didn't download it because I have no use for it, doesn't mean I can't appreciate it looking nice. Honestly, some people's children.
Why? I always feel sorry for people who only see things in black and white, the world is in shades of grey. If they can only see positive or negative, what's not to feel sorry for?
WTH? Why are you talking about conspiracies when no one else was?
December 3, 2011 7:05 PM ------ Earlier in the comments someone said (with regard to Wishing Well Creations' freebie): "But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did." I made the conspiracy comment because she acted like the purpose of recoloring patterns was to make her freebie look better than it was. I was just commenting on a trend I see around here with some people--a lot of innocent things are painted as pictures of a big conspiracy for one person (usually a designer) to screw another person or group of people.
Recently, in addition to the "freebie padding" theory, I've seen the "designers trying to get their CTs to do all the work while they sit on their lazy butts and rake it in" theory, the "people posting positive comments about a designer must be the designer themselves or CTM" theory, and the "person defending the designer must be the designer themselves or CTM theory." There are probably more that I missed.
Earlier in the comments someone said (with regard to Wishing Well Creations' freebie): "But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did." I made the conspiracy comment because she acted like the purpose of recoloring patterns was to make her freebie look better than it was. ----------
She didn't act like it, she did say it but I still don't see it as a conspiracy. That's a pretty strong word for the situation.
^^^ Agree! Drama, much? Someone needs to watch a little less daytime TV and become less apt to calling simple debate a "conspiracy." It's just a smack blog, not a federal investigation, for goodness sake.
I can't believe there are any of you out there that think that those of us who are scrappers and participate in the blog train to gather new scrap items would actually be dumb enough to think a freebie was "better than it really is" or appeared to be "bigger than it really is" just because a few extra papers are thrown in. I downloaded the freebie, and was glad to have the papers in multiple colors. She ran a challenge on her blog to use the kit in a layout to earn a coupon, and I for one was glad to have a variety of papers and colors to work with in order to scrap the challenge. I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages.
BLESS YOU!! I have heard more comments of just what you are saying because many scrappers are NOT designers and they buy kits or grab freebies that will allow them to make several pages rather then one or two pages. Also as someone else said not all scrappers have the ability with programs to change colors to suit their photos. The one thing I do think is that Designers shouldn't inflate their prices because they have duplicate papers or elements in different colors. They should just consider the 5 same papers in different colors as one paper when deciding price. It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color.
They should just consider the 5 same papers in different colors as one paper when deciding price. It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color. ------- Exactly. When I count my papers and elements and put the total in the description or on the preview, it is unique - meaning if i color a flower with all of the colors of the kit, it is counted as 1 flower. I think it's rather deceitful when someone counts it as 5 flowers instead of 1 flower - 5 colors.
It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color.
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Actually, if you recolor things properly (talking elements here, not papers), it does take more than a second. ITA w/ you that multiple flowers/etc. shouldn't be figured into the price, though. But just want to get it out there that there is an art to recoloring things properly, if you want them to look realistic and not like a batch of awful recolors. But I am not arguing your point. :)
Whenever I'm in the mood for a good laugh, I check out this blog! You girls/guys/crazy people are so funny! Keep it up. I love being entertained by your complete and utter idiocy! :)
I can't believe there are any of you out there that think that those of us who are scrappers and participate in the blog train to gather new scrap items would actually be dumb enough to think a freebie was "better than it really is" or appeared to be "bigger than it really is" just because a few extra papers are thrown in. I downloaded the freebie, and was glad to have the papers in multiple colors. She ran a challenge on her blog to use the kit in a layout to earn a coupon, and I for one was glad to have a variety of papers and colors to work with in order to scrap the challenge. I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages. ____________
A-freaking-men. It seems common especially on this blog for designers to get into pissing matches with each other about who's more original, who uses less CU, who "actually designs" and who doesn't, and the like, just to make themselves feel better about their own designs.
A note to designers: in your quest to be so unique and original you often forget about the scrappers who are trying to create pages with your kits. Myself, I am not really looking for unique and original when I shop. If I find it great, but I am looking for kits in nice colors that have enough papers and elements that I can create a few pages or a mini album, and most of those kits have the same general items: a few themed elements to match the kit, a few flowers or something similar for some clustering, a few fasteners, some ribbons, some nice patterned papers and some solids to use for backgrounds. If you can do that consistently from kit and I like the colors/themes I will buy your kits. I am sure I am not the only one, and meanwhile you can all fight here about who is more unique while I am happy scrapbooking.
I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages.
Oh this is good to know! I am a newer designer and I find myself getting all in a tizzy about things like originality and how much CU I'm using, or whether I've used all unique patterns vs. doubling up on some. However, when I'm doing this to an extreme then I'm really creating for other designers and their opinions, not my customers, yes?
I also try to scrap with my own kits as well other designers' kits to keep myself fresh on what I like and don't like from a scrapper's POV. This also helps me keep my customers' needs in mind as I design new stuff. I think I'm agreed that recolors are a bonus. I often find myself struggling with a kit that's included a bow in only one color when I wanted it in another or I'd like that one pattern in a dark background rather than the one light background that's been included in the kit.
I was afraid to turn people off by including too many recolors and have shied away from it in my last few kits but I will not worry about it too much now. I will simply count the group of recolors as one unique and not inflate the price.
And now that I've settled that for myself, I'm sure someone will come along with a dissenting opinion that makes perfect sense and I'll be all confused again, LOL.
I'm a designer and I've been around now for about 5 years. I do not sell at Sweet Shoppe or ScrapbookGraphics and I'm not one of the "super" well known. But, I have a very loyal client base who have followed me through a few store moves over the years. I wandered around digi land until I found a store that I fit it. I am totally happy where I am now. :)
From what I've been reading here, my style may not be original enough for some of you because I use CU products in my kits. And, I will include several recolored papers in each kit. I do that so my customers have variety. (And recolors are not included in the total size count).I know how much it bothers me when I buy a kit and the perfect paper I want to use is not in the color I want. Yes, I could recolor that page and make it what I want, but why would I want to do that? I buy a kit with certain expectations and I feel that I shouldn't have to change anything in a kit. (I make sure that whatever CU I use, it's changed enough that it's almost like an original creation.)
I've asked my customers and my CT's over the years what they want to see in kits and I've gotten a lot of good response from them. I mean, who better to dictate what goes in a kit than the people who are going to use it? Right? I have an almost perfect CT who are always on time with layouts and are not afraid to ask for something more when I create a kit. There have been many times that my CT were working with a kit and requested that I add a little more to it. It's because of that reason that my kit quality has improved 1000% since I started designing. They are a very valuable resource!
With all of my rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that other designers can sit at their computers and bitch about this ones freebie, and this ones kit, but what makes your products better than mine? I sell my products consistently and successfully. I can scrap with them just as good as my CT can, and my customers can. Each of my kits can be used to create MULTIPLE pages and can also be mixed and matched to create more variety. As long as my CT and my customers are happy and continue to buy them, what hurt is a little CU items?
I'm a designer and I've been around now for about 5 years. I do not sell at Sweet Shoppe or ScrapbookGraphics and I'm not one of the "super" well known. But, I have a very loyal client base who have followed me through a few store moves over the years. I wandered around digi land until I found a store that I fit it. I am totally happy where I am now. :)
From what I've been reading here, my style may not be original enough for some of you because I use CU products in my kits. And, I will include several recolored papers in each kit. I do that so my customers have variety. (And recolors are not included in the total size count).I know how much it bothers me when I buy a kit and the perfect paper I want to use is not in the color I want. Yes, I could recolor that page and make it what I want, but why would I want to do that? I buy a kit with certain expectations and I feel that I shouldn't have to change anything in a kit. (I make sure that whatever CU I use, it's changed enough that it's almost like an original creation.)
I've asked my customers and my CT's over the years what they want to see in kits and I've gotten a lot of good response from them. I mean, who better to dictate what goes in a kit than the people who are going to use it? Right? I have an almost perfect CT who are always on time with layouts and are not afraid to ask for something more when I create a kit. There have been many times that my CT were working with a kit and requested that I add a little more to it. It's because of that reason that my kit quality has improved 1000% since I started designing. They are a very valuable resource!
With all of my rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that other designers can sit at their computers and bitch about this ones freebie, and this ones kit, but what makes your products better than mine? I sell my products consistently and successfully. I can scrap with them just as good as my CT can, and my customers can. Each of my kits can be used to create MULTIPLE pages and can also be mixed and matched to create more variety. As long as my CT and my customers are happy and continue to buy them, what hurt is a little CU items?
My best-selling item of all time happens to have more "recolored papers", as we are calling them here, than anything else I've ever made. I marketed it as something you could use to quickly and easily make an album with, which is why I included so many colors of each paper. I put them into the kit in addition to the regular number of papers, and didn't charge more. My point is that I do think customers appreciate not having to recolor items, as long as designers are adding recolored items and duplicates to existing items, and not adding them in place of what would normally be there.
To those designers who disagree, that's fine. If your customer base is satisfied with getting just 12 papers per kit, each in one color, then great for you. I find that my customers like getting the extra papers too, and it isn't a lot more trouble for me, so I do it. To each his own. Nobody here is right or wrong, IMO, which is why I think the original poster who smacked Wishing Well for adding papers to her freebie was being idiotic just for the sake of smacking someone. But it did bring about this conversation, which I think is interesting and helpful.
^^^ ITA I mean look at Shabby Miss Jenn's kits she usually includes 5 of every element in all of the colors of the kit and I think she's doing OK for herself.
A note to designers: in your quest to be so unique and original you often forget about the scrappers who are trying to create pages with your kits. Myself, I am not really looking for unique and original when I shop. If I find it great, but I am looking for kits in nice colors that have enough papers and elements that I can create a few pages or a mini album, and most of those kits have the same general items: a few themed elements to match the kit, a few flowers or something similar for some clustering, a few fasteners, some ribbons, some nice patterned papers and some solids to use for backgrounds. If you can do that consistently from kit and I like the colors/themes I will buy your kits. I am sure I am not the only one, and meanwhile you can all fight here about who is more unique while I am happy scrapbooking. --
I'm a scrapper, but I now see why all the same shops keep coming up. I prefer something unique and original etc, which is why I don't shop all that much. If all I want to do is to create a few pages, I use my old stuff, of which I have plenty, and it looks very much like the stuff that's already out there. I don't need to buy something similar in a different color or theme and I honestly don't see why some scrappers do it. I'm not wanting to cause an argument and I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just curious. Is it because you are bored with what you have and wanting something new? I get that if that's the case.
ITA I mean look at Shabby Miss Jenn's kits she usually includes 5 of every element in all of the colors of the kit and I think she's doing OK for herself. -----------
And this is why I don't buy from her. I know there are scrappers who love this but there are scrappers who hate this and I'm one of them. I personally don't need the same element in six different colors. Thank goodness there are enough designers around to satisfy the wants of most of the scrappers out there. Of course, it would appear form this blog, that some customers are never happy.
Good advice: think like a scrapper when you work like a designer, and remember that there are all kinds of scrappers, so basically, what you do will probably appeal to someone, as long as it is quality.
>> If all I want to do is to create a few pages, I use my old stuff, of which I have plenty, and it looks very much like the stuff that's already out there. I don't need to buy something similar in a different color or theme and I honestly don't see why some scrappers do it. Is it because you are bored with what you have and wanting something new? I get that if that's the case. <<
I think it's kinda like clothes. You don't use the old stuff over and over until it disintegrates on you, if you can afford new ones. You don't usually buy something so completely different either because you know what looks the best on you. You style can change only so much over the years but some things along the same line will always appeal to you. (I just recently realized I have very similar blouses in about 10 different colors. LOL) New things - in the same old style I like - give me inspiration to create new pages. And who needs reasons to shop anyway? ;)
I personally like to have a few recolored pages in a kit. If there are plaids or polka dots or stripes... Definitely give me a few recolors. :) Also I like if there are damask patterned paper that there would be at least a few of those recolored. With that being said... If you are going to include recolors in your kits, PLEASE make sure that you also include enough patterned papers to count for the kit size. I like to have at least 10-12 individual papers, plus recolors and then solids. I've seen quite a few designers lately who include a cardstock or shabby papers bonus set with purchase! Love that idea.
In regards to elements... I like a button in each color, a bow in each color, ribbons in each color and then mix and match with the rest of the elements. Wordtags/tabs/strips are a definite must for me too as well as a good journalling tag. I have noticed that a lot of designers make the journal tags too small. It would be nice to have at least a 6 inch tag. That way if you need to resize it, it doesn't take away from the quality.
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part.
When you say "recolored papers" do you actually mean REcolored as in changing the color of an existing paper, or do you also include recreating a paper with different colors? I am picturing those paper templates with various designs on different layers. To me, a recolored paper is a paper that is flat and the designer used the colorize command making the whole paper a blue paper or a pink paper, etc., while if the designer is using a layered template, they might change the white to blue and the yellow to pink so you end up with different colors but not recolored.
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not?
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part. --------------- I'm always amazed when I see people up-sizing elements. You should never re-size to make something BIGGER, or you will always lose quality (unless we're talking about a vector image, which can be re-sized endlessly with no quality loss). Elements should only ever be used on layouts as-is, or re-sized smaller. Re-sizing them bigger than the original is almost certainly going to result in pixelation and quality loss, because the images were created at 300dpi at the size they were created at.
My point here is that it might not have been an oversight on KCB's part (you said it as though she missed a quality issue). Rather, she made the element at the size she, the artist, envisioned it should be. That's not a quality issue, that's a design decision. You can disagree with her design decision, and you can request that designers make elements bigger so you can re-size down. But if you're trying to re-size upward and it isn't working without quality loss, it's... um... your own fault for not understanding how re-sizing and print/quality works.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did. ^^^^^ Wow, just wow. Are you serious?
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I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors. ^^^^^ You did get 3 or 4 unique papers from her, so, it stands to reason that you should be content. Find a hobby and busy yourself with something if all you have to do is come on this blog and bitch about someone offering you extra, for free. Wow wow wow.
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not? ------------ IMO if it's a complex pattern w/ lots of layers or colors used, and it's used twice in a kit, I see that as 2 separate papers. But if it's a simple pattern like stripes or dots or something that's just 2 colors, then adding multiple colors isn't really adding another unique patterned paper. WHen I am making a kit, I will add a couple of certain patterns, but no more than that.
I have noticed that a lot of designers make the journal tags too small. It would be nice to have at least a 6 inch tag. That way if you need to resize it, it doesn't take away from the quality.
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part.
December 5, 2011 6:38 AM ------------ I agree with an earlier poster who said it's not a quality issue, but a difference in artistic interpretation that you have an issue with.
I would never offer a journal tag at 6" in size because that is just ridiculously huge and unnecessary. Most of my tags are no more than 3-4" across. This is because, realistically, you can fit plenty of 12-16 point journaling on a tag of that size. I personally even think 16pt journaling is too large, but it's the upper bounds of how big journaling should be on a page, in my opinion. Thus, I would never create a tag that large because I just don't see it as necessary.
There are plenty of designers out there who don't understand element size in relation to a 12" page, though. You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you.
You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you.
To the poster who wants 6" journal tags, you can always create a shape in your program and clip a solid paper to it. That way you will always have room for your words, even if those words are unnecessary smacking of a good designer who didn't make a giant journal tag for you but committed no other real offense to warrant being brought up here (except that she offered said tag to you as a freebie!). At least she didn't offer you multiple colors of the too-small tag, as we do all know how some people on this blog get mad when designers offer TOO much in their freebies. *eyeroll*
The 6" tag is wanted from the gal that also wants a button in each color, a flower of each color..and about oh...24- 30 papers in EVERY kit. something tells me she isn't going to want to make a shape herself and clip a paper to it.
There are plenty of designers out there who don't understand element size in relation to a 12" page, though. You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you. -----------
That could also be considered 'artistic interpretation'. Just because it doesn't suit you, doesn't mean it's wrong. I've seen big buttons and big journal tags on real paper pages. Enough said.
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not? -----------
AS a previous poster said, it would depend on how complex the pattern is. If it's just polka dots and stripes or similar repeat pattern, I don't think so.
That could also be considered 'artistic interpretation'. Just because it doesn't suit you, doesn't mean it's wrong. I've seen big buttons and big journal tags on real paper pages. Enough said.
December 5, 2011 3:34 PM ----------------- OK, you know exactly what I was talking about. It is easy to find those designers who obviously don't understand scale, and we all know it.
It's one thing to have ONE button or ONE very large journal tag, or even a pack that is named or described in such a way that the size of the elements is meant to be intentional to achieve the "look" you mention. But to put 3" wide buttons in every single kit you make? That's not artistic interpretation, it's just a clear sign that you have no clue what you are doing as a designer.
I have always made my elements a bit bigger then the normal button size or tag size. Why?? Because it's easy to downsize without losing anything but if you size something up it can look pretty awful. I personally would rather a designer do the same. I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
I agree with the OP of the KristinCB journal tag issue. I am sooooooo frustrated when I buy a kit and the tags are too small!!!! My program does not allow for me to "create my own" elements. I am a scrapper, not a designer. If I wanted to design, I'd buy a fancy program and make my own, but, alas I am only a lowly scrapper who is still learning my way around digital.
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong?
I like to have lots of variety in a kit but I don't want a whole bunch of re-colored elements. And when I say re-colored, I mean taking a greyscale flower, adding a color layer and then changing that layers color for each color in a kit. That I could do myself, BUT... There are some scrappers who use programs that will not allow such operations so it's nice for them to be able to have options. I purchased a kit from a WELL KNOWN AND LOVED DESIGNER last week and she had 6 flowers, all the 6 colors in her kit. She had 6 buttons, all the same 6 colors. And ... You better brace yourself people... SHE HAD 6 DOTTED PAPERS THAT WERE ALL DIFFERENT COLORS!!! It was a beautiful kit and I've scrapped 3 layouts with it already. It's nice to have variety and if there's something in there that I wouldn't use, i'll just delete it anyway.
Just because you wouldn't want it, or I wouldn't want it in a kit, as long as I'm not paying an inflated price for that kit, are re-colored elements and papers a problem?
That's not artistic interpretation, it's just a clear sign that you have no clue what you are doing as a designer. ------------
Perhaps, or perhaps the designer is giving the scrapper the option of resizing the button or tag to their taste, instead of the designer's taste. Weren't we just discussing that kits should be useful for the scrapper and not the designer?
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong? ----
No, I think you are spot on because that's how I read it too.
I have a CT question. I have a mid sized CT and for the most part, I can depend on them to be on time with downloading product and completing layouts. But, this last few months I have one girl who hasn't downloaded a thing, hasn't posted in the CT Forum, and hasn't fulfilled any of her CT requirements. She's on Facebook every day prattling on about everything under the sun, promoting her other CT work, and even applying for other CT Calls. I've send her a few messages and she insists that she wants to stay on the team and she's going to get right on it with her CT commitment to me and get those layouts out there. She's pissing me off and I feel like I should be cutting her loose. I'm tired of her excuses but I want to give her the benefit of the doubt and give her the chance too. When she was active, her layouts were impressive and I don't know if i want to lose that talent when good layout artists are hard to come by. She doesn't use any templates and is pretty original with her work.
Should I just cut the strings and let her go or give her another chance?
I agree with the OP of the KristinCB journal tag issue. I am sooooooo frustrated when I buy a kit and the tags are too small!!!! My program does not allow for me to "create my own" elements. I am a scrapper, not a designer. If I wanted to design, I'd buy a fancy program and make my own, but, alas I am only a lowly scrapper who is still learning my way around digital.
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong?
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Um, you are wrong in thinking that AND you have interpreted the post all wrong. First, it didn't "sound like she wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't *LOSE* the quality". She said that she wanted to take a tag that was sized at 100% and make it even bigger, and was disappointed that the quality got worse. OF COURSE IT DID! Anytime you make something bigger than 100%, it's going to get pixelated and grainy. So yes, the person who wanted to resize the tag was correct in thinking that if she wants a bigger tag, KCB has to make her a bigger tag. My point (in "defending" KCB, and all designers for that matter) is that it IS NOT A QUALITY ISSUE if you can't resize something bigger w/o quality problems. Rather, it's an issue of "go find a designer whose 100% is effing GIANT so you can use their products instead".
Second, are you seriously telling me that you are scrapping in a program that doesn't allow you to create a shape (circle, square, etc) and then cover that shape with a paper? What program do you use? I'm honestly curious.
are re-colored elements and papers a problem? -----
Only if done badly. While I'm not a fan of having the same elements or papers in different colors, if they are included, they should be done properly.
December 5, 2011 6:05 PM ***********************************
Totally agree with you. As long as they're well blended and textured, I don't see a problem. When I included recolors in a kit, I usually try and change the texture of the paper to give it that little something extra to differentiate from it's counterparts. WOW!!! Don't I sound like a pretentious little snot! lol.
Perhaps, or perhaps the designer is giving the scrapper the option of resizing the button or tag to their taste, instead of the designer's taste. Weren't we just discussing that kits should be useful for the scrapper and not the designer?
----- As a designer, there has to come a point where you make a command decision on what size to make something or what to include or not to include. It's impossible to please everyone, so you have to go with what you think will please MOST everyone. Basically, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't sometimes. The people who want the giant tag so they can scale it down and still fit a hefty amount of journaling will be happy...the scrappers who don't want to spend lots of time scaling everything down will be peeved that scrapping has become an effort in properly scaling an entire kit instead of focusing on creating the page itself.
What I do in that type of situation where she hasn't disappeared completely, is establish a due date. She needs to do x by this date. If not, then you let her go. Do you have a contract for your CTs? I found that after I did a contract for my CTs that they better understood what was expected because they had something to refer to and I clearly spelled out the steps to be taken by my CT Manager (highly recommend that too) ie: if they miss the due date the CTM emails or PMs, they have x amount of time to post the LOs after that. If it happens x amount of times in the specified period they may be let go. If they are inactive for a specified period of time they will get communication which they need to respond too in x amount of time or they may be let go. I'm very understanding of life issues with my CT, all I ask is communication. I'm always willing to allow them to be late with LOs or skip a kit etc as long as they communicate with me or the CT Manager.
I've had to let go several CT where their LOs were absolutely gorgeous. It's a hard thing to do, but it's much more efficient to operate with a CT who are on board with things rather than taking up your time chasing down CTs.
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here.
I've let very talented scrappers go from my CT when they aren't fulfilling their commitments. It's one thing if family things come up, but when they're applying for other CTs or still doing other CT work? Thanks, but I don't need to be the bottom of their barrel.
What good is a talented scrapper when they're never scrapping with your stuff? Cut the cord. Plenty of good scrappers out there who aren't so high maintenance.
When a tag becomes 4 to 6 inches, its not a tag any more, its a journal mat. If you are reading product descriptions and see 'tag' you can expect it to be smaller. Tags are meant mostly for titles or a couple of lines ... not to be used for loads of journaling.
When a tag becomes 4 to 6 inches, its not a tag any more, its a journal mat. If you are reading product descriptions and see 'tag' you can expect it to be smaller. Tags are meant mostly for titles or a couple of lines ... not to be used for loads of journaling.
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Yes, this. We may all just be arguing semantics here, but the idea of a scrapper expecting a tag to be 4-6" is crazy.
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here.
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IF ONLY you weren't hiding behind your anonymity here on this blog, so we could accurately pair you up w/ the scrapper up above who wants her tags to be giant, too!
The people who want the giant tag so they can scale it down and still fit a hefty amount of journaling will be happy...the scrappers who don't want to spend lots of time scaling everything down will be peeved that scrapping has become an effort in properly scaling an entire kit instead of focusing on creating the page itself. ----
In that case, like recolors and shadowed elements, why not include both?
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here. -----
While I don't like small tags in my kits, and I mean a tag that's only 1 inch or less, I do think 4 to 6 inches is too big.
What I really dislike is seeing the tag, or any element for that matter, in a preview at a certain size and when you open the kit, it's about half the size. A bit smaller is fine, but half the size?
^^^ b/c it's my kit, it's my product, and I'll include what I want and what I think looks good and you can either buy it or not. trying to please everyone is an exercise in futility that I won't attempt. if I put it all in, I would get slammed for my kit being too big as we've seen this week, and if I leave it out I get slammed for not including enough. enough if enough, I'm the designer of my designs, and I will include what I want to include. you can choose to buy it or not. end of story. I know I am not the only designer who feels this way.
When she was active, her layouts were impressive and I don't know if i want to lose that talent when good layout artists are hard to come by. She doesn't use any templates and is pretty original with her work. ---------
If she's not active, you don't have the talent to lose because she's not working for you. Cut the string.
What I really dislike is seeing the tag, or any element for that matter, in a preview at a certain size and when you open the kit, it's about half the size. A bit smaller is fine, but half the size?
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if designers would preview at 12x12 and then web-size their previews later, this woulnd't ever be the case. just sayin. this is only possible if the designer is previewing at a smaller size than 12x12, and then the elements show up larger on that page than they would otherwise. it's annoying, agreed.
b/c it's my kit, it's my product, and I'll include what I want and what I think looks good and you can either buy it or not. trying to please everyone is an exercise in futility that I won't attempt. if I put it all in, I would get slammed for my kit being too big as we've seen this week, and if I leave it out I get slammed for not including enough. enough if enough, I'm the designer of my designs, and I will include what I want to include. you can choose to buy it or not. end of story. I know I am not the only designer who feels this way. ------
Holy cow! I wasn't aiming my comment directly at you. It was a general observation to all designers. No need to get on your high horse about it.
Besides, why do you care so much about getting slammed here? If you don't come, you won't know and it won't matter.
If you're talking about a "tag", yes, it should be smaller in size. 1-2 inches is usually the standard size. If you go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby or for that matter any dollar store, you would see with the paper products that "tags" are 1-2 inches, UNLESS it is labelled as a journalling mat. Then it can range in sizes up to 12x12. I've seen them that large. Journalling mats are created with the purpose of providing a larger space to journal on.
I can see both sides of this argument and I don't think that anyone is truly right. If you scrap with traditional paper supplies and you purchase premade tags, you don't have the option to resize. Here's the beautiful thing about digital scrapping!!!!!!! You get the option to be able to create so much more with your supplies. You can use a sheet of digital paper a million times if you want to and then use it again tomorrow another thousand ways. If you have a journalling mat in a kit, you should be able to resize that mat to be the perfect size to use for your project.That's the wonderful thing about digital scrapbooking!!! The choices!!!
When I design I try to think about who my customers are and what they'll be using the kit for and then I design accordingly. If I am creating a very themey Christmas kit, I know that my customers are going to want to use that kit for layouts, possibly Christmas cards, and possibly Christmas gift labels or tags. I make sure to include enough elements and papers that they could do that and still have options for more.
I try to make MY customers happy with my quality, originality, and selection of products. I read this blog probably once a week and I do get some useful information about what not to do in the big, bad land of digi. Sometimes things are just to crazy for words and I silently giggle to myself. Other times, I will join in the conversation if I feel like I have something useful to say.
See what I mean? As in digital scrapbooking, there are more choices available to the customer, so why not make sure we try to accomodate that as much as possible. If a scrapper comes on here and asks a question about scrapping, we should be able to answer her honestly. She is the customer and she may be purchasing from YOUR store. Don't forget that!!!
Sorry for the long rant but sometimes I just get carried away. I'm going to grab my book, have a cup of tea and read a few chapters before I fall asleep. Goodnight to all in Digi-land! Sweet Sleep!
Holy cow! I wasn't aiming my comment directly at you. It was a general observation to all designers. No need to get on your high horse about it.
Besides, why do you care so much about getting slammed here? If you don't come, you won't know and it won't matter.
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I didn't post that in defense of myself, I posted it sorta as a voice for all designers b/c I know that's how lots of designers end up feeling and there comes a point where you just say WTF I will make it the way I like it, and if it sells, it sells. if it doesn't, it doesn't. but no more designing to make other designers happy.
Whoever said it before me.. PEOPLE journaling doesn't go on a TAG it goes on a JOURNAL MAT/BLOCK! Don't buy a tag and expect to journal on it, tags are for small amounts of text, not stories. If you need to journal use a journal mat, NOT a tag! There is a reason tags are small and a reason journal mats aren't!
Exactly. When I count my papers and elements and put the total in the description or on the preview, it is unique - meaning if i color a flower with all of the colors of the kit, it is counted as 1 flower. I think it's rather deceitful when someone counts it as 5 flowers instead of 1 flower - 5 colors.
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This reminds me of why I don't buy from Sweet Shoppe. I have to look at the layered mess they call a preview, and then I have to read the description of what is in there. THEN I have to think about whether I actually SAW 5 different flowers, or if I saw 5 of the same flowers, often scrolling up and down to verify what they say is in there. It just takes too long and I have never been happy with anything I've bought from them (always feeling slightly to extremely ripped off.)
I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
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I hate when someone's ability to spell words is so bad it's rediculous. Or ridiculous.
Oh excuse me all to hell. Got that damn e in there instead of the i. Sorry it ruined your day!
------------------- WTF, Drama Queen. Nobody said anything about it ruining their day. They just made a funny joke about your lack of spelling ability in that ONE INSTANCE. We're sure you're a nice person and a capable speller the rest of the time. Chill.
If you're talking about a "tag", yes, it should be smaller in size. 1-2 inches is usually the standard size. If you go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby or for that matter any dollar store, you would see with the paper products that "tags" are 1-2 inches, UNLESS it is labelled as a journalling mat. Then it can range in sizes up to 12x12. I've seen them that large. Journalling mats are created with the purpose of providing a larger space to journal on.
Gee I wonder if that is why Tim Holtz tags are 4/5 inches. There is no set size to a tag in paper scrapping. A tag is a tag is a tag. If it has a hole in it and it can be attached to something else it's a damn tag!! Sheesh
WTF, Drama Queen. Nobody said anything about it ruining their day. They just made a funny joke about your lack of spelling ability in that ONE INSTANCE. We're sure you're a nice person and a capable speller the rest of the time. Chill
Sorry then it just sounded like you were one of the spelling police out there which have to point out every spelling mistake made.
Gee I wonder if that is why Tim Holtz tags are 4/5 inches. There is no set size to a tag in paper scrapping. A tag is a tag is a tag. If it has a hole in it and it can be attached to something else it's a damn tag!! -----
Agreed. In fact, there's no set size for tags in stationery supplies in general. I've seen tags as big as 10 inches.
I'm the OP in the KristinCB tag issue. WOW!!! Who would have thought that such a little statement would have caused so much discussion on here!
In her kit she names the file "kcroninbarrow-givethanks-blankjournal2" She does not state that it is a journal tag or mat or block or whatever you folks are saying it is. She simply calls it a blank journal which measures at 1062 x 708 which is 3.54 x 2.36.
Personally for MY own purposes, I would have liked to have been able to resize the tag to a larger size so I could "properly" journal as I require. It was not really a statement of quality or lack of on her part. It was just a statement wondering if she had meant the "tag" to be so small.
Take a look at Cindy Schneiders templates and you'll see that most of her journalling items tend to be a bit larger too.
I just wanted to be able to resize a journal "tag" without causing the said item to blurr. END OF STORY. It wasn't a smack against Kristen (who I buy from every single release she has. I have a HUGE folder of my EHD that is filled with her products right from her first kit she ever sold at Sweet Shoppe to her most recent Christmas collection. That is why I was surprised about the "tag". Her tags are usually a little larger and I've never had any problems resizing them.
So get off your high horses!!!! You people are silly! :) Just kidding! Love you all and our little corner of insanity.
So get off your high horses!!!! ^^^^^ Um no, you get off YOUR high horse. I'm going to do a quick review of your first post about the KCB tags, and compare it to your most recent post. I simply love it when people come on this blog and conveniently "forget" what they originally posted, and then argue something else later.
"It was not really a statement of quality or lack of on her part. It was just a statement wondering if she had meant the "tag" to be so small." ^^^^^ Bullshit. Here's something from your first post, in which you question the quality specifically: "There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part."
If you didn't mean to publicly insinuate that she had a quality issue in the kit you were referencing, you should phrase things differently. But don't come back here now and backpedal and make it seem as though you never brought it up as a quality issue, because you did. It's in black and white print up above.
and PS everyone, I still maintain that you should never be up-sizing elements any larger than they are provided to you by a designer. If you choose to do this, it's your own fault if there's a quality issue. Re-sizing should only go one way, and that's smaller. Never bigger!
^^^ Not the OP, but that's why you should create journal tags/blocks/ mats at least 6 inches so they won't have to be upsized.
It seems here from reading everything that's been posted about this tag issue is that customers are requesting that maybe designers can take a few extra seconds when creating a kit to think about how it's going to be used. That's all i'm sayin'.
We are the ones who are buying the kits so it's nice to know if designers are going to take any suggestions seriously or not. Just not bitch about it!!!!
HI it's me ... the original poster! That sound's like a gangsta rap song or something! Ha! The whole high horses comment was a kidding statement!!! It was not meant to be taken seriously by the ignoramus that posted below me. THAT can be taken seriously. Ha!
Look, I love Kristin and she knows it!!! She knows how much of my hard earned money lines her pocketbook each and EVERY MONTH!!! I have every single kit she's ever released and will continue to buy whatever she releases in the future. I do apologize to her in regards to the whole "quality issue". That wasn't what was meant. It wasn't a quality issue with the tag. It was the quality issue of when I tried to resize it. And yes... I do know that if something is created at 100% and you try to resize it, it diminishes the quality and cause blurryness and pixelization.
I know what I posted and after reading it myself again, It could have been worded differently. My bad! I just can't believe that it's caused such a discussion. Is it because I criticized the tag, Kristin, or is it just because people want to bitch? She's a great designer. Probably, In My Opinion one of the best in digital srapbooking today!
So sorry If I offended any of you with my incorrect grammatical error!
I just had to respond to this whole KCB tag issue. Grow up people!!! Get a life!!!! Do some work, or housework, or feed and bathe your children!!! Get off the computer and realize that there is a huge beautiful world just outside your window. Take a walk and get some fresh air. Go swimming or play some sports. Do something active so you get some exercise. I can only imagine how big your butts are getting if all you have time to do is sit at your computer each day for hours fighting over a damn tag!!!
What is up with After Five Designs discontinuing their challenges? Challenges seem to be a great way to keep scrappers interested and coming back to the shop monthly...and also encourages them to use kits from designers at that shop, as most of them require at least 50% (often more)of submissions be with a store kit. Their customer base is complaining and they are like "oh well, sorry", "too much work". Why wouldn't they try to just roll out an easier challenge mechanism to keep up with like the other stores have done?
I don't know why most sites do challenges. It's usually the same 10 or so people who do them every month. I'd rather spend all that time on more effective forms of marketing than give all my product to useless store CTs and customers who rarely, if ever, buy anything anyway.
Please note I said MOST, not all stores. There are some that do them well. If a store is discontinuing them, I'd say it's time you complaining freeloaders bought a few things from the store instead of wanting more and more for next to nothing.
What is up with After Five Designs discontinuing their challenges? Challenges seem to be a great way to keep scrappers interested and coming back to the shop monthly...and also encourages them to use kits from designers at that shop, as most of them require at least 50% (often more)of submissions be with a store kit. Their customer base is complaining and they are like "oh well, sorry", "too much work". Why wouldn't they try to just roll out an easier challenge mechanism to keep up with like the other stores have done? -------- Well - NEWS FLASH - operating a successful store is work. I feel sorry for their designers, because I'm thinking they will lose some income from the customers who bought specifically because of challenges.
If the CT was bitching, why not have a challenge team call? Give them a $5 gift cert or a kit of their choice each month.
Pet peeve - I wish designers would use a plain text document or PDF for their TOU. I just opened a freebie from Lyndsay Riches and her TOU is a word document that I cannot open.
Pet peeve - I wish designers would use a plain text document or PDF for their TOU. I just opened a freebie from Lyndsay Riches and her TOU is a word document that I cannot open. ----------
I totally agree! I like when a designer creates a personal TOU using one of her own kits! I also like the little Thank You's that some of them have in the kits too! Especially when she changes them every month!
I totally agree! I like when a designer creates a personal TOU using one of her own kits! I also like the little Thank You's that some of them have in the kits too! Especially when she changes them every month!
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Goddamn you're demanding. Maybe you would like a designer to scrap a personal page for you and include it in every new release, too? I guarantee you that designers who release regularly don't have time to do this. The only designer I can think of who does this is Shabby Princess, and she has plenty of time as she only releases a kit about 2x a year anymore.
I am just an average scrapper, not a designer. I am not active on any CT's, although I have been in the past. I am not active in any "scrapbook community", I don't post on the message boards, and I don't post my layouts online anymore. I read the Digi boards for entertainment, and am constantly amazed at what people share on the internet. I freely admit to reading the scrapbook smack blogs, it is a guilty pleasure.
You can email me at: DSTHallofFame@gmail.com
1,413 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 601 – 800 of 1413 Newer› Newest»If Paypal fees are 7-8% of your earnings, you should consider charging more than $1 for your products.
^^^
Like
Idiots, I think we established (above) that Paypal fees are NOT 7-8% of earnings. Paypal charges around 3% per transaction, give or take. Whoever posted 7-8% was way off, and whoever keeps referring to it isn't reading and needs to pay attention.
You store owners here are doing an admirable job of trying to sell your case. But, I think you make more money than you want the designers to think you make.
^^^^
Any why the hell shouldn't a store owner make a profit each month? They bear the financial, emotional and ethical responsibility for the entire team, the shop and the shop's reputation. This is a business. I am not in business to give away money. I am in business to provide a respectful, ethical and supportive platform for digital art. If a shop is going to have any measure of success, it needs to be managed full time. Do you expect a store owner to work for a meager, yet socially acceptable pittance income so that a designer can take home more money?
Do you get reimbursed for toll charges, parking charges, wardrobes for work, everyday lunches, hair cuts and facials - all of which go to getting a person to their job and looking respectful? No. These are a cost of being employed. I see this paypal fee in the same light. Why should a store pay all the costs for a designer?
I find it insulting the tone of some of these responses. As if it were offensive that a store owner would even want to actually make money for the effort. Get real.
@11:24 am:
I'm not sure why 10:02 am mentioned the 7-8%, because that doesn't seem correct to me either. Not sure that makes her an idiot though. I think that what she is probably referring to is the fact that the Paypal fee on a single $1 purchase is something like $.30. So if the owner takes 20% commission, she not only doesn't get any commission on the sale, she actually ends up paying part of the fee out of her own pocket. A simple solution is for the store owner not to allow products to be priced at $1.
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9%
^^
I paid a total of 28.3% in store commission and paypal fees in my most recent earnings. That is in a store that pays 75/25 and bases the commission on the net received, not the gross paid to paypal. So, your numbers are not matching up to this. With a 25% commission, I paid 3.3% additional in fees. For the 28% I get advertising, newsletter promotions, advanced mods to assist the team in adding products quickly and cross selling tools. Seems pretty good to me. I have paid a lot more when I used to sell hand crafted items on Ebay.
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3062057
It states that the owner is not a designer but isn't the owner Profile Studio?
December 1, 2011 8:41 AM
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The owner is Alyssa and supposedly some chick named Tiffany. They pick very low quality designers and claim to have a drama free team, but Alyssa is the drama queen and a total... *bleep
Can anyone recommend someone that will do designer previews? I loathe doing them and I'm generally out of the loop in these sort of things. Thanks!
Alyssa =
TiffanyDazzle
Paper Plane Studio
Studio Demo
Alyangel
With Love Studio
Profile Couture
Take your pick
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9%
December 1, 2011 11:36 AM
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Thank you for making my point for me. The percentage IS higher on individual purchases. It could be that the people who are saying it is closer to 3% think that because their stores charge them just the 2.9% that paypal charges, but not the 30cent fee for EACH transaction. That 30cent fee is what drives up the percentage. The amount it goes up by depends on the number and size of your transactions. I will illustrate:
Designer A has 35 sales totaling $400 (average per sale $11.43):
$400 * 2.9% = $11.60 plus
$0.30 * 35 = $10.50
Total Paypal fees $22.10
Percentage of total sales = 5.5%
Designer B also has 35 sales but hers only total $225 because she has a lower average sale price of $6.43 per order:
$225 * 2.9% = $6.53 plus
$0.30 *35 = $10.50
Total Paypal fees $17.03
Percentage of total sales = 7.6%
I could go on, but I think I make my point. Still want to treat me like an idiot? You can't argue with basic math.
Perhaps you have only paid 3% in Paypal fees, but I would guess it might be because your store owner is not figuring it out correctly! Either that, or your average order size is over $30 per order, which seems unlikely given the nature of what we sell. But you have to sell at least $30 in any given transaction to even get the percentage under 4%, once you figure in the 30cent transaction fee.
If I were a store owner, I cannot imagine taking the time to figure out how many times each designer should pay the 30cent fee, especially when you start talking about orders for products from more than one designer. Then, each designer has to pay a portion of that 30cents? And I suppose you'd have to figure out what percentage of the total sale belonged to the first designer and she would pay an equal percentage of the 30cents, right? And then figure the percentage of the next designer in the same order and charge her an equal percentage of the 30cent fee, too. And so on and so on, hundreds of times each month.
Yep, those store owners are CRAZY for picking up the paypal fees. Because it would be so much easier and so much less time-consuming to do all that math every month. RIGHT.
Idiots, I think we established (above) that Paypal fees are NOT 7-8% of earnings. Paypal charges around 3% per transaction, give or take. Whoever posted 7-8% was way off, and whoever keeps referring to it isn't reading and needs to pay attention.
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If your average transaction is less than $7.31, you're paying 7% or more in PayPal fees. If your average transaction is $1, you're now paying PayPal 59%.
They charge 3%, yes, but they also charge a per transaction fee.
So before you haul off and start calling everyone an idiot, maybe you should check your math. And be less of a bitch.
12:32 is faster at math than me. lol
Your math is correct. If there are multiple designers on the order then the $0.30 is divided among them. Zencart is capable of doing the math, no reason to do the math by hand, you're right that it wouldn't be worth it. When I look at my sales report in Zencart it shows me as one of the fields what the payment fee is. It also shows the base price and then the product total which is the base price minus the payment fee and any coupon discounts. Then I get 75% of the product total. The store owner does not have to do any math by hand. And then at the very bottom is shows me all the totals, Gross total, discounts, payment fee, commission, and how much I am owed for the time period specified. It really seems quite easy for the store owner.
12:42 thanks for that. I don't sell in a Zencart store, so I have never seen that. But that does make a bit more sense. I haven't seen the admin panel of Xcart that many times, but I don't believe it breaks things out like that.
So, while we're doing math, let's do another equation. Let's look at the earnings potential for a designer at the new Me So Scrappy versus a store that pays the Paypal fees.
We'll assume the same $400 total sales from above. And, for the sake of argument, we'll figure her to be an exclusive designer who would be paying 20% commission. And I'm going to figure the commission on the net sale amount at MSS (after paypal fees, which is how it's been said to be handled):
$400 @ Me So Scrappy
Paypal fees $22.10
Net sales $377.90
20% Commission on the NET $75.58
Designer is paid 302.32
Now, let's figure out commission on $400 in any store that picks up the Paypal fees:
20% Commission $80.00
Designer is paid $320.00
I think I'll stick with stores that pick up the paypal fees. Isn't that how this whole discussion began? :)
If I were a store owner, I cannot imagine taking the time to figure out how many times each designer should pay the 30cent fee, especially when you start talking about orders for products from more than one designer. Then, each designer has to pay a portion of that 30cents? And I suppose you'd have to figure out what percentage of the total sale belonged to the first designer and she would pay an equal percentage of the 30cents, right? And then figure the percentage of the next designer in the same order and charge her an equal percentage of the 30cent fee, too.
December 1, 2011 12:32 PM
-------------------------------
This also helps to bring the percentage of paypal fees down, too. When there are multiple designers represented in one order, each of them only pays part of the 30cents, instead of the whole transaction fee.
But, if most of the sales are individual purchases from a single designer, then the paypal fees would amount to something closer to 7%.
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9%
-------------------
WRONG. Any shop that doesn't use micropayments by PayPal is screwing you over.
$5 kit -> 0.05+[5*5%]=0.30 = 6%, tops
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
Any transaction over $10 starts losing money on micropayments. Many of the larger stores do not use it because it overall looses money because the majority of their transactions are over the $10 mark. If all you sell is a couple of $$ per transaction then yes, you're losing $$ without micropayments so you should go sell at a store that is the same as you, making very little money and therefore needs micropayments.
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
December 1, 2011 1:22 PM
-----------
You can't say you'll be "the right store" when you are brand new. Prove to me that you'd be worth losing the paypal fees on TOP of commission and then we might agree. But, being as you (MSS) are untested as of right now, I stand by what I said and I'll stick with time-tested, proven stores that also pick up the Paypal fees.
So no matter who the owner is, how the store looks, who else is designing there........if it's a brand new store and they charge paypal fees, you won't apply. I guess I live in a world of never say never, because depending on who owns the store, other designers etc, I think there are possibilities where I'd apply fees or not. Theoretically speaking....this has nothing to do with MSS.
Wow, withlovestudios must be a happening place if they need to have a designer call every month, lol!
Does Shutterstock allow it's images to be used like this? I may be misunderstanding Shutterstock's terms, but I didn't think you could use them to create digital scrapbooking elements. I've read their terms a couple of times but I still think I might be misinterpreting them. Does anyone else have an experience with Shutterstock?
http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=snowman&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1#id=59077399
http://www.wazala.com/data/littledreamerdesigns/images/products/l_78752mco_countdowntochristmas.jpg
Going back to the unfortunately named designer who is so excited to be opening her store at DD I wonder how excited she'll be when she realises that pay is nearly always late and you are lucky if it comes even then without you begging for it.
Can anyone recommend someone that will do designer previews? I loathe doing them and I'm generally out of the loop in these sort of things. Thanks!
December 1, 2011 12:27 PM
Try posting this in the DCR where it belongs.
I would be more than willing to pay the paypal fees at the right store vs. sticking with a store that doesn't charge me the fees. Earnings potential has much more to do with the store and the customer base than paypal fees. If I felt two store were comparable and I was making a decision, sure that might come into play, but I think it's a little limiting to say you would never sell at a store that charges the designers paypal fees.
December 1, 2011 1:22 PM
-----------
You can't say you'll be "the right store" when you are brand new. Prove to me that you'd be worth losing the paypal fees on TOP of commission and then we might agree. But, being as you (MSS) are untested as of right now, I stand by what I said and I'll stick with time-tested, proven stores that also pick up the Paypal fees.
December 1, 2011 1:59 PM
Yes! I would be happy to pay Paypal fees at a store with proven high traffic with an owner that brings me on because she/he feels I will sell in volume in her store.
Sadly, too many stores bring on designers because they were on CTs with them or they CTed for them or because they're part of the in-crowd.
I can't imagine MSS would attract too many permanent high volume designers as a new store. I'm sure they will have fabulous guests and that is all.
^^^^ Yes, this! They are "friends with" the "right" people, so they will be able to attract some fabulous guests, I am sure.
But, those same people are not going to leave stores like SSD or A5 or TLP to stay permanently at MSS. You'd be able to blow me over with a feather if I end up being wrong about that.
@2:34
No, it's not permitted under any of their licenses. Someone should be notified, keeping in mind that there is a very slim possibility that she's the original artist or that she purchased it as CU in good faith and it's the CU designer who is causing the problem.
Does Shutterstock allow it's images to be used like this? I may be misunderstanding Shutterstock's terms, but I didn't think you could use them to create digital scrapbooking elements. I've read their terms a couple of times but I still think I might be misinterpreting them. Does anyone else have an experience with Shutterstock?
----
It's possible that the original image isn't from Shutterstock. They retail a wide range of images and not all of them hold the terms if they are purchased else where.
You can always email shutterstock and let them research it.
The shutterstock designer did not draw that snowman. Look at the other stuff uploaded by that designer. There is nothing in that hodgepodge to indicate originality.
It probably came from one of those whimsy clipart sites.
http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-90913p1.html
Depending on your prices : $5 kit -> 0.30+[5*3%]=0.45 = 9%
-------------------
WRONG. Any shop that doesn't use micropayments by PayPal is screwing you over.
$5 kit -> 0.05+[5*5%]=0.30 = 6%, tops
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Actually they're screwing themselves over - frankly, it's up to the store owner how they choose to set things up with Paypal. I was just doing a very basic math calculation - which, by the way, is correct.
When bad meet ugly
http://outsidetheboxdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-train-blog-traditions.html
http://benthaicreations.over-blog.com/article-blogtrain-traditions-dec-2011-90719638.html
When bad meet ugly
http://outsidetheboxdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-train-blog-traditions.html
http://benthaicreations.over-blog.com/article-blogtrain-traditions-dec-2011-90719638.html
--------------------
First one looks like someone barfed on the screen...sorry I am not usually negative but couldn't help it this time.
Isn't Outside the Boxes Design Studio the person who used to design as Circle of Life Scraps? I seem to recall her changing her design name a while back (sometime in the past few months).
WOW. Those were really bad.
Outside the Box is COLS. I think she changed her name because of quality issues and she could get away with it more if she was supposed to be 'grungy'.
It's not grungy, it's horrid.
Wow, withlovestudios must be a happening place if they need to have a designer call every month, lol!
December 1, 2011 2:32
------------------------
People are dropping like flies I am sure, who the hell would want to sell there.
I see Funky Playground picked up a couple SM designers. Plum Dumpling, Wimpychompers and Crossbone Cuts. And NeeNee?! Guess she is out of retirement for the 30th time AND has a new design name!
So now that the blog train is out...what's good and what's not?
2:43, I'm not sure why you seem so upset by my question.
I didn't ask in the DCR for 2 reasons. 1) I have not visited DST in well over a year. 2) I figured you ladies would have more honest feedback about suggestions for someone that is actually good at this.
Also, since when is it up to you to decide what 'belongs' here or 'belongs' in the DCR?
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style.
Anyone aware of Digidesignresort taking their LIFETIME Safari Club and moving it. Because of it, they are not honoring the Lifetime members and grandfathering them into the next location. They are telling all of us that we will have to pay a yearly fee to get new tutorials, after "gifting" us a free year. Everyone I know thinks that this "stinks" except the owner, Monja. They just don't get that they are not treating the Lifetime members fairly. What part of LIFETIME does she not understand? I will not purchase from them ever again and will not recommend them.
z
Where is the Safari Club moving?
Alyssa =
TiffanyDazzle
Paper Plane Studio
Studio Demo
Alyangel
With Love Studio
Profile Couture
Take your pick
December 1, 2011 12:30 PM
You forgot Happy Tits. lol
Funny how the new owner at PBP introduced her "helper", but failed to introduce herself.
^^^
Where? I didn't know there was a change in ownership!??
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that.
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
Where? I didn't know there was a change in ownership!??
------------
The newsletter. When they finally came back up after their server move, the former owner said it would be her last newsletter and to watch for the new owner today.
The new owner sent out the newsletter, but failed to introduce herself. Oops.
So who is the new owner and the helper? (sorry, I don't receive their newsletter)
http://www.pickleberrypop.com/aboutus.htm
So who is the new owner and the helper? (sorry, I don't receive their newsletter)
December 2, 2011 6:47 AM
Both are designers and Jumpstart also sells her huge MB templates at Gotta Pixel. AND she just started making page kits and the quality is HORRIBLE. Very beginner and jagged. Not exactly the person I'd want running my store.
How exactly is she supposed to have time to do all the store marketing and admin stuff while running 2 of her own design shops? Makes no sense. Unless she's asking her CT to pick up her slack. Now there is a leader to run a shop with!
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that.
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
December 2, 2011 6:44 AM
That is the lowest percentage I've seen. Just goes to show how slow their sales are.
I'm glad these shops are lowering their commission rates. Helps us know where the low volume sales shops are. Not that we couldn't have guessed by looking inside their shop. This removes the guesswork.
Really curious to know what happened to Annette and Carolyn at PBP. Weren't they running it not that long ago?
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. She thinks that moving it like that negates any "lifetime" commitments. Says that if we want to continue the lifetime, we can stay at the old location with no new updates. But if we want to go to the new location, then we have to pay yearly fee. Basically told me to accept it or go away cause she gets the last word.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location.
^^^^^^
Will that allow students to share, ask questions and so on like it did in the forum or is she just packaging the whole thing to SELL on the blog and that's it?
That's not right at all. If that's the way she conducts business it will come back to bite her eventually. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. You can bet that I will now think twice before conducting any business there and I'm sure if you keep telling your story there will be many others too.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location. She thinks that moving it like that negates any "lifetime" commitments. Says that if we want to continue the lifetime, we can stay at the old location with no new updates. But if we want to go to the new location, then we have to pay yearly fee. Basically told me to accept it or go away cause she gets the last word.
--------------------
I'm not even remotely surprised to read this. Isn't the owner the same one who sent out an unsolicited newsletter last year to hoards of people (including designers) and got busted for it in threads in the DCR? I can't remember for sure what the whole story was, but I remember when she finally moseyed into the thread to defend herself against the accusations, she played dumb and pulled a "it was an honest mistake" sort of thing, but there was enough proof stacked up against her that nobody was buying it. My memory is that there were even a few former designers from her store that had been e-mailing her to remove them from the list, and she wouldn't even respond to them and kept spamming them.
So to hear that she is engaging in bad business practices/decisions? Not shocked here.
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style.
-------------------
Agree.
I went through the slideshow and these are my blog train likes:
Bon Scrapatit
Eyeinspire
Wishing Well Creations
Dawn by Design
Studio 68
I'm agreed that Wishing Well Creations really put out the best part of the train. Her stuff is always fun.
Re - Digidesignresort - She's moving the Safari club to a blog location.
^^^^^^
Will that allow students to share, ask questions and so on like it did in the forum or is she just packaging the whole thing to SELL on the blog and that's it?
=======================
I have no idea since she won't let me in since I'm challenging her. I'd love to be in contact with the other members and hear what they have to say.
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
Bottom line, this is the sort of thing that would get ripped to shreds if someone y'all didn't like put it up. While cute, it is common and has all been done a thousand times before. Where is Simon? Wonder if she would be so eager to applaud something which is well less-than-extraordinary, in my opinion. I've seen her call far more interesting paper patterns "boring" at least a dozen times.
When bad meet ugly
http://outsidetheboxdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-train-blog-traditions.html
http://benthaicreations.over-blog.com/article-blogtrain-traditions-dec-2011-90719638.html
--------------------
Is it just me or does the background image of Outside the Box look like somebody's skin cancer?!
http://www.pickleberrypop.com/aboutus.htm
-----
Thanks.
I already hate the new look. Such muddy colors.
I like the new look, personally.
Wishing Well Creations is the only cute thing on the blog train. I am dying for it to snow, so I have a reason to use the matching snowman alpha she has a facebook freebie! She may not have the most exciting paper patterns, but compared to anything else on the train, it looks great!
5:54
I have to agree with you. I certainly didn't think it was remarkable in any way and it didn't even initially make my short list of things to download, but then there was so much hype, I did. Meh. Too cutesy for me, nothing special IMO. True, this train didn't yield much that was any good.
Other than that I downloaded (didn't necessarily keep all parts):
Aimee Harrison
Bon Scrapatit
Dawn by Design
Eyeinspire
Key of D Designs
LuvEwe
Snips and Snails
Tracie Stroud
I downloaded:
OceanWide Designs - Some okay looking basics to match other items if the quality is good.
Eyeinspire - Same as above.
BZB Designs - I'm an alpha person. I love them. If it's good quality I'll use it.
Jen C Designs - Good looking basics.
Blue Heart Scraps - New to me designer, nice looking mini.
Wishing Well Creations - I liked it, but I don't know that it's the best.
MHK Scraps - Another new to me designer. It looked worth the chance to download if the quality is good.
Ruby Lane - I like the lights.
Trixie Scraps - I am set for plaid forever.
Charm city - I like the car with the tree.
That was it for me.
What happened to Heather Ann Designs? She fell off of the face of the earth!
I'm glad these shops are lowering their commission rates. Helps us know where the low volume sales shops are. Not that we couldn't have guessed by looking inside their shop. This removes the guesswork.
******
Now you have me curious, what are standard commission rates?
Brownie Scraps is having a designer call. Exclusives get a whopping 70% commission. Pathetic. No wonder why they have only new designers. No one else would put up with that.
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=292580
--------------------
*smh* If only that were the only problem Brownie Scraps had!
Now you have me curious, what are standard commission rates?
-------------
I am exclusive and make 85% and my store pays the PayPal fees.
What happened to Heather Ann Designs? She fell off of the face of the earth!
------
Like ThirtyTinyToes aka Katrina. She's not even an active member at the places she was selling at.
So now that the blog train is out...what's good and what's not?
---------
With that color palette, I knew it would be a disaster, and it is.
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
^^^^
Who's going on and on about her? I don't see it, am I missing something?
*smh* If only that were the only problem Brownie Scraps had!
^^^
elaborate?
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style.
********
Blog train: browsed thru it earlier and hands down the best mini by far is Wishing Well Creations. I like a few others too, but overall a lot of the minis this month are not my style.
-------------------
Agree.
***********
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
Bottom line, this is the sort of thing that would get ripped to shreds if someone y'all didn't like put it up. While cute, it is common and has all been done a thousand times before. Where is Simon? Wonder if she would be so eager to applaud something which is well less-than-extraordinary, in my opinion. I've seen her call far more interesting paper patterns "boring" at least a dozen times.
****************
Wishing Well Creations is the only cute thing on the blog train. I am dying for it to snow, so I have a reason to use the matching snowman alpha she has a facebook freebie! She may not have the most exciting paper patterns, but compared to anything else on the train, it looks great!
you can go on and on about Wishing Well...but have you ever bought one of her kits? If you like papers, you would be set for life. I checked out most of her descriptions, and 20 papers is the average, however so is only 20 elements or so. And, while the quality is good, sizing is small - and she will use one flower and recolor it 5 times. I'm sorry, but quality? yes. variety and originality? NO. I will never purchase another thing from her. Freebies, yes. Purchase? no way.
---------
Yes I have bought one of her kits, and I have no idea where you are getting your info. I don't have all of her kits so I'm no expert, but the last one I got was Corncopia and it has 10 flowers and 7 of them are unique and only 3 are recolored copies. I got interested and checked most of her descriptions too and it looks like most of her kits have 30-40 elements, not 20 like you say. It doesn't matter, for me if a designer is able to pick a good color pallette semi-consistently and make a cute kit with it that I can actually use to scrap I'll buy from them again and again, so I like her kits.
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal.
___________
So are you saying that you'd be less critical if she had just done the minimum of 3-4 patterned papers that the train requires? Looks to me like she did that, and then some. Personally I appreciate it, but that is just me.
As far as this month's blog train goes, I haven't downloaded anything yet but I looked at the previews and I think there must be a lot of people out there who probably have so much digi stuff they are being super particular. I personally thought this is one of the better blog trains. I liked the looks of a lot of the mini kits. I think there were some really unique items. When it comes to unique and I read some of the comments here I wonder if people really understand the term unique or not. Unique to me is I've never seen an item like it before or it is done in a super special way to make it stand out from the average. Anyway just my two cents.
So are you saying that you'd be less critical if she had just done the minimum of 3-4 patterned papers that the train requires? Looks to me like she did that, and then some. Personally I appreciate it, but that is just me.
December 3, 2011 7:00 AM
---------------
First of all, we aren't talking about appreciation. I do remember saying that I thought her kit was cute, and I would download it myself.
I was, however, taking exception to the description of her contribution being "the best on the whole blog train" because I don't think that is true. And I have NO idea why we are talking so much about this one freebie. It is ridiculous!
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did. I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did. I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors.
December 3, 2011 12:45 PM
-------
You are the shining example of the phrase "you can't make everyone happy." Plus this line of commenting is a great indicator to the idea that if one spends their time trying to please everyone, they will just end up spending their time chasing their tail.
It also seems to me that you're just looking to be negative. If you were looking for 3-4 unique patterns, you got them. Maybe someone else will enjoy those patterns in different color combinations.
When I'm designing I include recolors. I know some scrappers are comfortable recoloring items. I also know that some people aren't comfortable doing it or just don't want to take the time to do so. I don't use recolors as part of my "item count" when deciding if the kit is "full enough," but I include them as a convenience for scrappers and don't raise the kit price because of them. Maybe she was just operating under the same line of thought. Why does everything have to be some big conspiracy?
^^^^ This amazes me. I'm not saying I don't like her download, because I don't mind it. But, it is the same three patterns recolored to stretch them into eight papers, plus a stripe that is used again to make a plaid. So, it looks like 10 papers, I suppose, but it's really only four that are unique. Big deal. The snowflakes are all the generic shape included in PS and most of the rest is CU. I will give her that the mitten banner is a cute idea, and compared to most of the freebies on this train, hers is one of the better ones, for sure. But to call it the best one on the whole train? Not only do I disagree, but I think it reeks of self-promotion (or CT promotion).
____________________
I'm the OP who said I liked her mini better than anything else, but you're high if you think that automatically means I am on her CT. Someone else asked about the blog train and I gave my opinion, which should have been end of the story, but you keep bringing it up (so your last comment about why are we all talking about this portion? is very funny, since you're the one who keeps bringing it up). I didn't have a horse in the race this time, and I liked hers better than anyone elses. That just means my style of design is similar to hers, and it doesn't mean you have to like it. But I will tell you this: you talk about all the CU she used, and I'm laughing because most of it is CU, that she sells! I know because I bought a whole bundle of it over DSD, which probably explains why I think the snowmen are cute and why I like the mini. It's my opinion and I'm entitled to it.
I include them as a convenience for scrappers and don't raise the kit price because of them. Maybe she was just operating under the same line of thought. Why does everything have to be some big conspiracy?
---------------
Bingo.
Laughing out loud here that someone up above has not only gotten their panties in such a bunch over a designer (gasp!) offering more than was required, but is also accusing her of doing it just to make her freebie look bigger. Who cares? What about all of the designers who didn't even offer the bare minimum? Why aren't we talking about those? Tracie Stroud didn't offer elements which are required, as there is not an option for a paper pack alone on this blog train. Willow Grace didn't offer any patterns at all but again, who cares? If scrappers can go from blog to blog and build their own kit and are happy in the end, why are you worried about whether one designer is trying to "inflate the size of her freebie" (and what, fool people into thinking her mini is bigger than it really is?). I think your statement about that, and also the part about her trying to make it seem like "more work went into it than actually did" are really odd, and reek of personal issue with the designer, IMO. Either that, or you "have a horse in the race" as the person above me said, and jealousy is rearing its ugly head.
You also seem to forget that a lot of scrappers use programs that aren't capable of recoloring
*smh* If only that were the only problem Brownie Scraps had!
^^^
elaborate?
_______________
Not the OP - but sharing my 2-cents regardless. I may be alone in my thinking, but I often judge a store based on the selection of CU items they offer. I don't buy much CU - but figure if what they place in the store for other designers looks like crap, chances are most of the items in that CU designer's store are crap. And THIS is the type of items they think other designers (or anyone, for that matter) would want to use in their products? Seriously?!
http://www.browniescraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=739&cat=0&page=1
http://www.browniescraps.com/shop/product.php?productid=670&cat=0&page=1
...add to that crap a pathetically quiet forum, and an obviously greedy owner (70% exclusive - that's laughable)...just doesn't seem worth it at all.
I don't exactly agree with the previous poster that BrownieScraps only gets new designers (as a quick search shows some of them are in other - maybe better? - stores), but the owner doesn't seem to have a friendly, open, and welcoming environment.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did.
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I agree w/ the PP, what is this statement all about?
I don't know why you are giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise of Wishing Well's kit a hard time. You say you are entitled to your opinion? Well, newsflash! SO IS SHE!!!
I happen to agree with her for the most part. I don't know about the whole "inflating freebie size" argument, but I do agree that the freebie is basic and not the best item on the whole train. I can't, for the life of me, figure out how in the hell we are spending this much time talking about one single mediocre mini kit from this blog train. I think the poster's point was that she didn't agree that Wishing Well's portion is the best one to be had. You made your point, she made hers. Isn't that enough?
Cripes, aren't there like 99 other designers in that train? Let's discuss one or more of the others. Clearly, some people think Wishing Well's portion is great, and some people don't. Let's move on!
Shocks me how many people on here (not all obviously) feel the need to tear people's work apart as though (1) you were never a new designer yourself who probably sucked at one point (and still might) (2) still aren't designing now but think you're a bad ass CTM (3) have the right to judge what other people's opinions are about what they like or don't like because they might be different from yours (4) you think it's cool to knock the content of products you are offered free! WTF? And no, I don't think I'm better than anyone else, but then, neither are some of you.
I don't know why you are giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise of Wishing Well's kit a hard time. You say you are entitled to your opinion? Well, newsflash! SO IS SHE!!!
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She IS entitled to her own opinion. Technically I think she started the whole debate to begin with when she posted her opposing opinion--which she is entitled to. But she (or anyone else) can't get their panties in a wad when others post their own opinions that don't coalesce with hers.
Newsflash: Anyone who voices their opinion also opens the door for debate and dissension. I don't think anyone here actually demanded that she not be able to post their opinion. They did post oppositional opinions. If you don't want to hear opposition to your opinion, then keep your opinion quiet (which, btw, in no way affects your actual right to HAVE said opinion).
I happen to agree with her for the most part. I don't know about the whole "inflating freebie size" argument, but I do agree that the freebie is basic and not the best item on the whole train. I can't, for the life of me, figure out how in the hell we are spending this much time talking about one single mediocre mini kit from this blog train. I think the poster's point was that she didn't agree that Wishing Well's portion is the best one to be had. You made your point, she made hers. Isn't that enough?
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Why is everyone giving the poster who disagreed with the high praise a hard time now? I was in general agreement with her about the simplistic nature of the freebie, but the more she keeps commenting, the more she seems like she has a personal issue (the part about how hard a designer works on a freebie does seem really super strange). The irony here is that she's the one who's making this whole conversation go on and on and on forever and I think if she hadn't chimed in the most this blog would have seen was the one original comment from someone who answered the question "anything good on the blog train?" with "yes, I like this one particular freebie..." But now? *eyeroll*
Why does everything have to be some big conspiracy?
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WTH? Why are you talking about conspiracies when no one else was?
Cripes, aren't there like 99 other designers in that train? Let's discuss one or more of the others. Clearly, some people think Wishing Well's portion is great, and some people don't. Let's move on!
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While I didn't download Kimeric's portion, I thought it looked really nice.
I didn't mind that most of them took the theme of traditions to be Christmas, but the snowflakes in most of them were completely useless to me.
I liked the look of most of the alphas too, and the few kits that didn't use the entire color palette, but just chose some of the colors.
you think it's cool to knock the content of products you are offered free! WTF?
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Just because something is free, doesn't mean it's good. Look at STDs, they are free, doesn't mean I want one!
^^^ LOL. awesome :)
Just because something is free, doesn't mean it's good. Look at STDs, they are free, doesn't mean I want one!
******
Then don't download and don't bitch. LOL
While I didn't download Kimeric's portion, I thought it looked really nice.
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Why would you bring up a blog train portion here if you didn't like it enough to download it? Makes no sense. You either hate it enough to talk about it here, or like it enough to talk about it here. But "it looked nice but not nice enough to download"?
Then don't download and don't bitch. LOL
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I'm not bitching about the freebies, just pointing out the idiocy of the argument. Also, how the hell am I supposed to know it's crap, until I download it? Hmm? I'm not psyhic. Jeez, some people.
Why would you bring up a blog train portion here if you didn't like it enough to download it? Makes no sense. You either hate it enough to talk about it here, or like it enough to talk about it here. But "it looked nice but not nice enough to download"?
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Because I felt like it, is that okay with you? Or do I have check with you before I post? Hmm?
Besides, I never said it didn't look nice enough not to download. I didn't download it because I have no use for it, doesn't mean I can't appreciate it looking nice. Honestly, some people's children.
You either hate it enough to talk about it here, or like it enough to talk about it here.
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Is the world really that black and white for you? I feel sorry for you if it is.
Is the world really that black and white for you? I feel sorry for you if it is.
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I'm doubtful that this is a true statement.
^^^
Why? I always feel sorry for people who only see things in black and white, the world is in shades of grey. If they can only see positive or negative, what's not to feel sorry for?
WTH? Why are you talking about conspiracies when no one else was?
December 3, 2011 7:05 PM
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Earlier in the comments someone said (with regard to Wishing Well Creations' freebie): "But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did." I made the conspiracy comment because she acted like the purpose of recoloring patterns was to make her freebie look better than it was. I was just commenting on a trend I see around here with some people--a lot of innocent things are painted as pictures of a big conspiracy for one person (usually a designer) to screw another person or group of people.
Recently, in addition to the "freebie padding" theory, I've seen the "designers trying to get their CTs to do all the work while they sit on their lazy butts and rake it in" theory, the "people posting positive comments about a designer must be the designer themselves or CTM" theory, and the "person defending the designer must be the designer themselves or CTM theory." There are probably more that I missed.
Earlier in the comments someone said (with regard to Wishing Well Creations' freebie): "But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did." I made the conspiracy comment because she acted like the purpose of recoloring patterns was to make her freebie look better than it was.
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She didn't act like it, she did say it but I still don't see it as a conspiracy. That's a pretty strong word for the situation.
^^^ Agree! Drama, much? Someone needs to watch a little less daytime TV and become less apt to calling simple debate a "conspiracy." It's just a smack blog, not a federal investigation, for goodness sake.
I can't believe there are any of you out there that think that those of us who are scrappers and participate in the blog train to gather new scrap items would actually be dumb enough to think a freebie was "better than it really is" or appeared to be "bigger than it really is" just because a few extra papers are thrown in. I downloaded the freebie, and was glad to have the papers in multiple colors. She ran a challenge on her blog to use the kit in a layout to earn a coupon, and I for one was glad to have a variety of papers and colors to work with in order to scrap the challenge. I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages.
To 7:42
BLESS YOU!! I have heard more comments of just what you are saying because many scrappers are NOT designers and they buy kits or grab freebies that will allow them to make several pages rather then one or two pages. Also as someone else said not all scrappers have the ability with programs to change colors to suit their photos. The one thing I do think is that Designers shouldn't inflate their prices because they have duplicate papers or elements in different colors. They should just consider the 5 same papers in different colors as one paper when deciding price. It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color.
They should just consider the 5 same papers in different colors as one paper when deciding price. It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color.
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Exactly. When I count my papers and elements and put the total in the description or on the preview, it is unique - meaning if i color a flower with all of the colors of the kit, it is counted as 1 flower. I think it's rather deceitful when someone counts it as 5 flowers instead of 1 flower - 5 colors.
It just doesn't take a second to change the darn color.
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Actually, if you recolor things properly (talking elements here, not papers), it does take more than a second. ITA w/ you that multiple flowers/etc. shouldn't be figured into the price, though. But just want to get it out there that there is an art to recoloring things properly, if you want them to look realistic and not like a batch of awful recolors. But I am not arguing your point. :)
Whenever I'm in the mood for a good laugh, I check out this blog! You girls/guys/crazy people are so funny! Keep it up. I love being entertained by your complete and utter idiocy! :)
I can't believe there are any of you out there that think that those of us who are scrappers and participate in the blog train to gather new scrap items would actually be dumb enough to think a freebie was "better than it really is" or appeared to be "bigger than it really is" just because a few extra papers are thrown in. I downloaded the freebie, and was glad to have the papers in multiple colors. She ran a challenge on her blog to use the kit in a layout to earn a coupon, and I for one was glad to have a variety of papers and colors to work with in order to scrap the challenge. I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages.
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A-freaking-men. It seems common especially on this blog for designers to get into pissing matches with each other about who's more original, who uses less CU, who "actually designs" and who doesn't, and the like, just to make themselves feel better about their own designs.
A note to designers: in your quest to be so unique and original you often forget about the scrappers who are trying to create pages with your kits. Myself, I am not really looking for unique and original when I shop. If I find it great, but I am looking for kits in nice colors that have enough papers and elements that I can create a few pages or a mini album, and most of those kits have the same general items: a few themed elements to match the kit, a few flowers or something similar for some clustering, a few fasteners, some ribbons, some nice patterned papers and some solids to use for backgrounds. If you can do that consistently from kit and I like the colors/themes I will buy your kits. I am sure I am not the only one, and meanwhile you can all fight here about who is more unique while I am happy scrapbooking.
^^^this explains why Sweet Shoppe does so well.
I would bet you that most scrappers feel the same, and are a lot more concerned with how easy a product is to use on an actual layout than on things like "how original" or "unique" or "artistic". You can all bash each other here on this blog about those issues all you want, but those of us who scrap will be busy buying from designers who make it easy for us to create pages.
Oh this is good to know! I am a newer designer and I find myself getting all in a tizzy about things like originality and how much CU I'm using, or whether I've used all unique patterns vs. doubling up on some. However, when I'm doing this to an extreme then I'm really creating for other designers and their opinions, not my customers, yes?
I also try to scrap with my own kits as well other designers' kits to keep myself fresh on what I like and don't like from a scrapper's POV. This also helps me keep my customers' needs in mind as I design new stuff. I think I'm agreed that recolors are a bonus. I often find myself struggling with a kit that's included a bow in only one color when I wanted it in another or I'd like that one pattern in a dark background rather than the one light background that's been included in the kit.
I was afraid to turn people off by including too many recolors and have shied away from it in my last few kits but I will not worry about it too much now. I will simply count the group of recolors as one unique and not inflate the price.
And now that I've settled that for myself, I'm sure someone will come along with a dissenting opinion that makes perfect sense and I'll be all confused again, LOL.
I'm a designer and I've been around now for about 5 years. I do not sell at Sweet Shoppe or ScrapbookGraphics and I'm not one of the "super" well known. But, I have a very loyal client base who have followed me through a few store moves over the years. I wandered around digi land until I found a store that I fit it. I am totally happy where I am now. :)
From what I've been reading here, my style may not be original enough for some of you because I use CU products in my kits. And, I will include several recolored papers in each kit. I do that so my customers have variety. (And recolors are not included in the total size count).I know how much it bothers me when I buy a kit and the perfect paper I want to use is not in the color I want. Yes, I could recolor that page and make it what I want, but why would I want to do that? I buy a kit with certain expectations and I feel that I shouldn't have to change anything in a kit. (I make sure that whatever CU I use, it's changed enough that it's almost like an original creation.)
I've asked my customers and my CT's over the years what they want to see in kits and I've gotten a lot of good response from them. I mean, who better to dictate what goes in a kit than the people who are going to use it? Right? I have an almost perfect CT who are always on time with layouts and are not afraid to ask for something more when I create a kit. There have been many times that my CT were working with a kit and requested that I add a little more to it. It's because of that reason that my kit quality has improved 1000% since I started designing. They are a very valuable resource!
With all of my rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that other designers can sit at their computers and bitch about this ones freebie, and this ones kit, but what makes your products better than mine? I sell my products consistently and successfully. I can scrap with them just as good as my CT can, and my customers can. Each of my kits can be used to create MULTIPLE pages and can also be mixed and matched to create more variety. As long as my CT and my customers are happy and continue to buy them, what hurt is a little CU items?
I'm a designer and I've been around now for about 5 years. I do not sell at Sweet Shoppe or ScrapbookGraphics and I'm not one of the "super" well known. But, I have a very loyal client base who have followed me through a few store moves over the years. I wandered around digi land until I found a store that I fit it. I am totally happy where I am now. :)
From what I've been reading here, my style may not be original enough for some of you because I use CU products in my kits. And, I will include several recolored papers in each kit. I do that so my customers have variety. (And recolors are not included in the total size count).I know how much it bothers me when I buy a kit and the perfect paper I want to use is not in the color I want. Yes, I could recolor that page and make it what I want, but why would I want to do that? I buy a kit with certain expectations and I feel that I shouldn't have to change anything in a kit. (I make sure that whatever CU I use, it's changed enough that it's almost like an original creation.)
I've asked my customers and my CT's over the years what they want to see in kits and I've gotten a lot of good response from them. I mean, who better to dictate what goes in a kit than the people who are going to use it? Right? I have an almost perfect CT who are always on time with layouts and are not afraid to ask for something more when I create a kit. There have been many times that my CT were working with a kit and requested that I add a little more to it. It's because of that reason that my kit quality has improved 1000% since I started designing. They are a very valuable resource!
With all of my rambling, I guess what I'm trying to say is that other designers can sit at their computers and bitch about this ones freebie, and this ones kit, but what makes your products better than mine? I sell my products consistently and successfully. I can scrap with them just as good as my CT can, and my customers can. Each of my kits can be used to create MULTIPLE pages and can also be mixed and matched to create more variety. As long as my CT and my customers are happy and continue to buy them, what hurt is a little CU items?
My best-selling item of all time happens to have more "recolored papers", as we are calling them here, than anything else I've ever made. I marketed it as something you could use to quickly and easily make an album with, which is why I included so many colors of each paper. I put them into the kit in addition to the regular number of papers, and didn't charge more. My point is that I do think customers appreciate not having to recolor items, as long as designers are adding recolored items and duplicates to existing items, and not adding them in place of what would normally be there.
To those designers who disagree, that's fine. If your customer base is satisfied with getting just 12 papers per kit, each in one color, then great for you. I find that my customers like getting the extra papers too, and it isn't a lot more trouble for me, so I do it. To each his own. Nobody here is right or wrong, IMO, which is why I think the original poster who smacked Wishing Well for adding papers to her freebie was being idiotic just for the sake of smacking someone. But it did bring about this conversation, which I think is interesting and helpful.
^^^ ITA I mean look at Shabby Miss Jenn's kits she usually includes 5 of every element in all of the colors of the kit and I think she's doing OK for herself.
A note to designers: in your quest to be so unique and original you often forget about the scrappers who are trying to create pages with your kits. Myself, I am not really looking for unique and original when I shop. If I find it great, but I am looking for kits in nice colors that have enough papers and elements that I can create a few pages or a mini album, and most of those kits have the same general items: a few themed elements to match the kit, a few flowers or something similar for some clustering, a few fasteners, some ribbons, some nice patterned papers and some solids to use for backgrounds. If you can do that consistently from kit and I like the colors/themes I will buy your kits. I am sure I am not the only one, and meanwhile you can all fight here about who is more unique while I am happy scrapbooking.
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I'm a scrapper, but I now see why all the same shops keep coming up. I prefer something unique and original etc, which is why I don't shop all that much. If all I want to do is to create a few pages, I use my old stuff, of which I have plenty, and it looks very much like the stuff that's already out there. I don't need to buy something similar in a different color or theme and I honestly don't see why some scrappers do it. I'm not wanting to cause an argument and I'm not being sarcastic, I'm just curious. Is it because you are bored with what you have and wanting something new? I get that if that's the case.
ITA I mean look at Shabby Miss Jenn's kits she usually includes 5 of every element in all of the colors of the kit and I think she's doing OK for herself.
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And this is why I don't buy from her. I know there are scrappers who love this but there are scrappers who hate this and I'm one of them. I personally don't need the same element in six different colors. Thank goodness there are enough designers around to satisfy the wants of most of the scrappers out there. Of course, it would appear form this blog, that some customers are never happy.
Good advice: think like a scrapper when you work like a designer, and remember that there are all kinds of scrappers, so basically, what you do will probably appeal to someone, as long as it is quality.
^^^
Agreed. If there are recolors, at least make them good recolors. I see far too many bad recolors in kits.
>> If all I want to do is to create a few pages, I use my old stuff, of which I have plenty, and it looks very much like the stuff that's already out there. I don't need to buy something similar in a different color or theme and I honestly don't see why some scrappers do it. Is it because you are bored with what you have and wanting something new? I get that if that's the case. <<
I think it's kinda like clothes. You don't use the old stuff over and over until it disintegrates on you, if you can afford new ones. You don't usually buy something so completely different either because you know what looks the best on you. You style can change only so much over the years but some things along the same line will always appeal to you. (I just recently realized I have very similar blouses in about 10 different colors. LOL) New things - in the same old style I like - give me inspiration to create new pages. And who needs reasons to shop anyway? ;)
^^^
Thanks for your response. I'm not much of a shopper, truth be told, but there are times when I got shopping crazy!!
I personally like to have a few recolored pages in a kit. If there are plaids or polka dots or stripes... Definitely give me a few recolors. :) Also I like if there are damask patterned paper that there would be at least a few of those recolored. With that being said... If you are going to include recolors in your kits, PLEASE make sure that you also include enough patterned papers to count for the kit size. I like to have at least 10-12 individual papers, plus recolors and then solids. I've seen quite a few designers lately who include a cardstock or shabby papers bonus set with purchase! Love that idea.
In regards to elements... I like a button in each color, a bow in each color, ribbons in each color and then mix and match with the rest of the elements. Wordtags/tabs/strips are a definite must for me too as well as a good journalling tag. I have noticed that a lot of designers make the journal tags too small. It would be nice to have at least a 6 inch tag. That way if you need to resize it, it doesn't take away from the quality.
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part.
When someone her types *smh* ...
What does that mean?
*smh* = shaking my head
When you say "recolored papers" do you actually mean REcolored as in changing the color of an existing paper, or do you also include recreating a paper with different colors? I am picturing those paper templates with various designs on different layers. To me, a recolored paper is a paper that is flat and the designer used the colorize command making the whole paper a blue paper or a pink paper, etc., while if the designer is using a layered template, they might change the white to blue and the yellow to pink so you end up with different colors but not recolored.
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not?
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part.
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I'm always amazed when I see people up-sizing elements. You should never re-size to make something BIGGER, or you will always lose quality (unless we're talking about a vector image, which can be re-sized endlessly with no quality loss). Elements should only ever be used on layouts as-is, or re-sized smaller. Re-sizing them bigger than the original is almost certainly going to result in pixelation and quality loss, because the images were created at 300dpi at the size they were created at.
My point here is that it might not have been an oversight on KCB's part (you said it as though she missed a quality issue). Rather, she made the element at the size she, the artist, envisioned it should be. That's not a quality issue, that's a design decision. You can disagree with her design decision, and you can request that designers make elements bigger so you can re-size down. But if you're trying to re-size upward and it isn't working without quality loss, it's... um... your own fault for not understanding how re-sizing and print/quality works.
But yes, I think recoloring papers and including them in several variations is a way of inflating the size of the freebie and making it look like more work went into it than actually did.
^^^^^
Wow, just wow. Are you serious?
___________________
I would have been content to receive three or four unique papers from her, instead of 10 with a bunch of recolors.
^^^^^
You did get 3 or 4 unique papers from her, so, it stands to reason that you should be content. Find a hobby and busy yourself with something if all you have to do is come on this blog and bitch about someone offering you extra, for free. Wow wow wow.
Re: 9:20am
Bingo!
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not?
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IMO if it's a complex pattern w/ lots of layers or colors used, and it's used twice in a kit, I see that as 2 separate papers. But if it's a simple pattern like stripes or dots or something that's just 2 colors, then adding multiple colors isn't really adding another unique patterned paper. WHen I am making a kit, I will add a couple of certain patterns, but no more than that.
*smh* = shaking my head
^^^ I always thought it was 'smack my head' .... lol.
^^^^
Works for me too! :)
I have noticed that a lot of designers make the journal tags too small. It would be nice to have at least a 6 inch tag. That way if you need to resize it, it doesn't take away from the quality.
There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part.
December 5, 2011 6:38 AM
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I agree with an earlier poster who said it's not a quality issue, but a difference in artistic interpretation that you have an issue with.
I would never offer a journal tag at 6" in size because that is just ridiculously huge and unnecessary. Most of my tags are no more than 3-4" across. This is because, realistically, you can fit plenty of 12-16 point journaling on a tag of that size. I personally even think 16pt journaling is too large, but it's the upper bounds of how big journaling should be on a page, in my opinion. Thus, I would never create a tag that large because I just don't see it as necessary.
There are plenty of designers out there who don't understand element size in relation to a 12" page, though. You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you.
You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you.
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LMAO!
To the poster who wants 6" journal tags, you can always create a shape in your program and clip a solid paper to it. That way you will always have room for your words, even if those words are unnecessary smacking of a good designer who didn't make a giant journal tag for you but committed no other real offense to warrant being brought up here (except that she offered said tag to you as a freebie!). At least she didn't offer you multiple colors of the too-small tag, as we do all know how some people on this blog get mad when designers offer TOO much in their freebies. *eyeroll*
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The 6" tag is wanted from the gal that also wants a button in each color, a flower of each color..and about oh...24- 30 papers in EVERY kit. something tells me she isn't going to want to make a shape herself and clip a paper to it.
There are plenty of designers out there who don't understand element size in relation to a 12" page, though. You know, those gals who size all their buttons at like 3" across, as if a button should always be that big. I'm sure they would make 6" journal tags for you.
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That could also be considered 'artistic interpretation'. Just because it doesn't suit you, doesn't mean it's wrong. I've seen big buttons and big journal tags on real paper pages. Enough said.
So, if colorized paper should not count toward the total number of papers in a kit (and the price), what if the design is the same but the colorS are different, in different combinaisons. Should that count as separate papers or not?
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AS a previous poster said, it would depend on how complex the pattern is. If it's just polka dots and stripes or similar repeat pattern, I don't think so.
That could also be considered 'artistic interpretation'. Just because it doesn't suit you, doesn't mean it's wrong. I've seen big buttons and big journal tags on real paper pages. Enough said.
December 5, 2011 3:34 PM
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OK, you know exactly what I was talking about. It is easy to find those designers who obviously don't understand scale, and we all know it.
It's one thing to have ONE button or ONE very large journal tag, or even a pack that is named or described in such a way that the size of the elements is meant to be intentional to achieve the "look" you mention. But to put 3" wide buttons in every single kit you make? That's not artistic interpretation, it's just a clear sign that you have no clue what you are doing as a designer.
I have always made my elements a bit bigger then the normal button size or tag size. Why?? Because it's easy to downsize without losing anything but if you size something up it can look pretty awful. I personally would rather a designer do the same. I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
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I hate when someone's ability to spell words is so bad it's rediculous. Or ridiculous.
Yes, and I also make things a BIT larger. But not 5X larger than they should be in real life.
God, the art of sarcasm is really lost on some people here. *smh*
I hate when someone's ability to spell words is so bad it's rediculous. Or ridiculous.
December 5, 2011 4:53 PM
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I would high five you, if I could. lol
I agree with the OP of the KristinCB journal tag issue. I am sooooooo frustrated when I buy a kit and the tags are too small!!!! My program does not allow for me to "create my own" elements. I am a scrapper, not a designer. If I wanted to design, I'd buy a fancy program and make my own, but, alas I am only a lowly scrapper who is still learning my way around digital.
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong?
I like to have lots of variety in a kit but I don't want a whole bunch of re-colored elements. And when I say re-colored, I mean taking a greyscale flower, adding a color layer and then changing that layers color for each color in a kit. That I could do myself, BUT... There are some scrappers who use programs that will not allow such operations so it's nice for them to be able to have options. I purchased a kit from a WELL KNOWN AND LOVED DESIGNER last week and she had 6 flowers, all the 6 colors in her kit. She had 6 buttons, all the same 6 colors. And ... You better brace yourself people... SHE HAD 6 DOTTED PAPERS THAT WERE ALL DIFFERENT COLORS!!! It was a beautiful kit and I've scrapped 3 layouts with it already. It's nice to have variety and if there's something in there that I wouldn't use, i'll just delete it anyway.
Just because you wouldn't want it, or I wouldn't want it in a kit, as long as I'm not paying an inflated price for that kit, are re-colored elements and papers a problem?
That's not artistic interpretation, it's just a clear sign that you have no clue what you are doing as a designer.
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Perhaps, or perhaps the designer is giving the scrapper the option of resizing the button or tag to their taste, instead of the designer's taste. Weren't we just discussing that kits should be useful for the scrapper and not the designer?
God, the art of sarcasm is really lost on some people here. *smh*
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Maybe your art is not as good as you think it is.
are re-colored elements and papers a problem?
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Only if done badly. While I'm not a fan of having the same elements or papers in different colors, if they are included, they should be done properly.
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong?
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No, I think you are spot on because that's how I read it too.
I have a CT question. I have a mid sized CT and for the most part, I can depend on them to be on time with downloading product and completing layouts. But, this last few months I have one girl who hasn't downloaded a thing, hasn't posted in the CT Forum, and hasn't fulfilled any of her CT requirements. She's on Facebook every day prattling on about everything under the sun, promoting her other CT work, and even applying for other CT Calls. I've send her a few messages and she insists that she wants to stay on the team and she's going to get right on it with her CT commitment to me and get those layouts out there. She's pissing me off and I feel like I should be cutting her loose. I'm tired of her excuses but I want to give her the benefit of the doubt and give her the chance too. When she was active, her layouts were impressive and I don't know if i want to lose that talent when good layout artists are hard to come by. She doesn't use any templates and is pretty original with her work.
Should I just cut the strings and let her go or give her another chance?
I agree with the OP of the KristinCB journal tag issue. I am sooooooo frustrated when I buy a kit and the tags are too small!!!! My program does not allow for me to "create my own" elements. I am a scrapper, not a designer. If I wanted to design, I'd buy a fancy program and make my own, but, alas I am only a lowly scrapper who is still learning my way around digital.
As for the poster who went all defensive on behalf of Ms. Cronin-Barrow,and accused the OP of not "understanding" how resizing/upsizing works... That's not how her/his post sounded to me. It sounded to me like she/he wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't loose the quality. Not that she/he doesn't understand how to resize. Am I wrong in thinking that or have I interpreted that post all wrong?
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Um, you are wrong in thinking that AND you have interpreted the post all wrong. First, it didn't "sound like she wanted the option of resizing a tag so it doesn't *LOSE* the quality". She said that she wanted to take a tag that was sized at 100% and make it even bigger, and was disappointed that the quality got worse. OF COURSE IT DID! Anytime you make something bigger than 100%, it's going to get pixelated and grainy. So yes, the person who wanted to resize the tag was correct in thinking that if she wants a bigger tag, KCB has to make her a bigger tag. My point (in "defending" KCB, and all designers for that matter) is that it IS NOT A QUALITY ISSUE if you can't resize something bigger w/o quality problems. Rather, it's an issue of "go find a designer whose 100% is effing GIANT so you can use their products instead".
Second, are you seriously telling me that you are scrapping in a program that doesn't allow you to create a shape (circle, square, etc) and then cover that shape with a paper? What program do you use? I'm honestly curious.
are re-colored elements and papers a problem?
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Only if done badly. While I'm not a fan of having the same elements or papers in different colors, if they are included, they should be done properly.
December 5, 2011 6:05 PM
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Totally agree with you. As long as they're well blended and textured, I don't see a problem. When I included recolors in a kit, I usually try and change the texture of the paper to give it that little something extra to differentiate from it's counterparts. WOW!!! Don't I sound like a pretentious little snot! lol.
Perhaps, or perhaps the designer is giving the scrapper the option of resizing the button or tag to their taste, instead of the designer's taste. Weren't we just discussing that kits should be useful for the scrapper and not the designer?
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As a designer, there has to come a point where you make a command decision on what size to make something or what to include or not to include. It's impossible to please everyone, so you have to go with what you think will please MOST everyone. Basically, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't sometimes. The people who want the giant tag so they can scale it down and still fit a hefty amount of journaling will be happy...the scrappers who don't want to spend lots of time scaling everything down will be peeved that scrapping has become an effort in properly scaling an entire kit instead of focusing on creating the page itself.
What I do in that type of situation where she hasn't disappeared completely, is establish a due date. She needs to do x by this date. If not, then you let her go. Do you have a contract for your CTs? I found that after I did a contract for my CTs that they better understood what was expected because they had something to refer to and I clearly spelled out the steps to be taken by my CT Manager (highly recommend that too) ie: if they miss the due date the CTM emails or PMs, they have x amount of time to post the LOs after that. If it happens x amount of times in the specified period they may be let go. If they are inactive for a specified period of time they will get communication which they need to respond too in x amount of time or they may be let go. I'm very understanding of life issues with my CT, all I ask is communication. I'm always willing to allow them to be late with LOs or skip a kit etc as long as they communicate with me or the CT Manager.
I've had to let go several CT where their LOs were absolutely gorgeous. It's a hard thing to do, but it's much more efficient to operate with a CT who are on board with things rather than taking up your time chasing down CTs.
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here.
I've let very talented scrappers go from my CT when they aren't fulfilling their commitments. It's one thing if family things come up, but when they're applying for other CTs or still doing other CT work? Thanks, but I don't need to be the bottom of their barrel.
What good is a talented scrapper when they're never scrapping with your stuff? Cut the cord. Plenty of good scrappers out there who aren't so high maintenance.
When a tag becomes 4 to 6 inches, its not a tag any more, its a journal mat. If you are reading product descriptions and see 'tag' you can expect it to be smaller. Tags are meant mostly for titles or a couple of lines ... not to be used for loads of journaling.
When a tag becomes 4 to 6 inches, its not a tag any more, its a journal mat. If you are reading product descriptions and see 'tag' you can expect it to be smaller. Tags are meant mostly for titles or a couple of lines ... not to be used for loads of journaling.
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Yes, this. We may all just be arguing semantics here, but the idea of a scrapper expecting a tag to be 4-6" is crazy.
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here.
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IF ONLY you weren't hiding behind your anonymity here on this blog, so we could accurately pair you up w/ the scrapper up above who wants her tags to be giant, too!
The people who want the giant tag so they can scale it down and still fit a hefty amount of journaling will be happy...the scrappers who don't want to spend lots of time scaling everything down will be peeved that scrapping has become an effort in properly scaling an entire kit instead of focusing on creating the page itself.
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In that case, like recolors and shadowed elements, why not include both?
I think a journal tag should be at least 4-6 inches in size. I make sure my tags are that measurement to avoid the whole resizing debacle that's been going on here.
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While I don't like small tags in my kits, and I mean a tag that's only 1 inch or less, I do think 4 to 6 inches is too big.
What I really dislike is seeing the tag, or any element for that matter, in a preview at a certain size and when you open the kit, it's about half the size. A bit smaller is fine, but half the size?
^^^
b/c it's my kit, it's my product, and I'll include what I want and what I think looks good and you can either buy it or not. trying to please everyone is an exercise in futility that I won't attempt. if I put it all in, I would get slammed for my kit being too big as we've seen this week, and if I leave it out I get slammed for not including enough. enough if enough, I'm the designer of my designs, and I will include what I want to include. you can choose to buy it or not. end of story. I know I am not the only designer who feels this way.
When she was active, her layouts were impressive and I don't know if i want to lose that talent when good layout artists are hard to come by. She doesn't use any templates and is pretty original with her work.
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If she's not active, you don't have the talent to lose because she's not working for you. Cut the string.
sorry taht last one was in response to 7:52
What I really dislike is seeing the tag, or any element for that matter, in a preview at a certain size and when you open the kit, it's about half the size. A bit smaller is fine, but half the size?
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if designers would preview at 12x12 and then web-size their previews later, this woulnd't ever be the case. just sayin. this is only possible if the designer is previewing at a smaller size than 12x12, and then the elements show up larger on that page than they would otherwise. it's annoying, agreed.
b/c it's my kit, it's my product, and I'll include what I want and what I think looks good and you can either buy it or not. trying to please everyone is an exercise in futility that I won't attempt. if I put it all in, I would get slammed for my kit being too big as we've seen this week, and if I leave it out I get slammed for not including enough. enough if enough, I'm the designer of my designs, and I will include what I want to include. you can choose to buy it or not. end of story. I know I am not the only designer who feels this way.
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Holy cow! I wasn't aiming my comment directly at you. It was a general observation to all designers. No need to get on your high horse about it.
Besides, why do you care so much about getting slammed here? If you don't come, you won't know and it won't matter.
If you're talking about a "tag", yes, it should be smaller in size. 1-2 inches is usually the standard size. If you go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby or for that matter any dollar store, you would see with the paper products that "tags" are 1-2 inches, UNLESS it is labelled as a journalling mat. Then it can range in sizes up to 12x12. I've seen them that large. Journalling mats are created with the purpose of providing a larger space to journal on.
I can see both sides of this argument and I don't think that anyone is truly right. If you scrap with traditional paper supplies and you purchase premade tags, you don't have the option to resize. Here's the beautiful thing about digital scrapping!!!!!!! You get the option to be able to create so much more with your supplies. You can use a sheet of digital paper a million times if you want to and then use it again tomorrow another thousand ways. If you have a journalling mat in a kit, you should be able to resize that mat to be the perfect size to use for your project.That's the wonderful thing about digital scrapbooking!!! The choices!!!
When I design I try to think about who my customers are and what they'll be using the kit for and then I design accordingly. If I am creating a very themey Christmas kit, I know that my customers are going to want to use that kit for layouts, possibly Christmas cards, and possibly Christmas gift labels or tags. I make sure to include enough elements and papers that they could do that and still have options for more.
I try to make MY customers happy with my quality, originality, and selection of products. I read this blog probably once a week and I do get some useful information about what not to do in the big, bad land of digi. Sometimes things are just to crazy for words and I silently giggle to myself. Other times, I will join in the conversation if I feel like I have something useful to say.
See what I mean? As in digital scrapbooking, there are more choices available to the customer, so why not make sure we try to accomodate that as much as possible. If a scrapper comes on here and asks a question about scrapping, we should be able to answer her honestly. She is the customer and she may be purchasing from YOUR store. Don't forget that!!!
Sorry for the long rant but sometimes I just get carried away. I'm going to grab my book, have a cup of tea and read a few chapters before I fall asleep. Goodnight to all in Digi-land! Sweet Sleep!
WOW December 5, 2011 8:37 PM
You made some good points there but I think you should be poppin' some pills and heading to the nearest psych office!!!
Holy cow! I wasn't aiming my comment directly at you. It was a general observation to all designers. No need to get on your high horse about it.
Besides, why do you care so much about getting slammed here? If you don't come, you won't know and it won't matter.
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I didn't post that in defense of myself, I posted it sorta as a voice for all designers b/c I know that's how lots of designers end up feeling and there comes a point where you just say WTF I will make it the way I like it, and if it sells, it sells. if it doesn't, it doesn't. but no more designing to make other designers happy.
Whoever said it before me.. PEOPLE journaling doesn't go on a TAG it goes on a JOURNAL MAT/BLOCK! Don't buy a tag and expect to journal on it, tags are for small amounts of text, not stories. If you need to journal use a journal mat, NOT a tag! There is a reason tags are small and a reason journal mats aren't!
Exactly. When I count my papers and elements and put the total in the description or on the preview, it is unique - meaning if i color a flower with all of the colors of the kit, it is counted as 1 flower. I think it's rather deceitful when someone counts it as 5 flowers instead of 1 flower - 5 colors.
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This reminds me of why I don't buy from Sweet Shoppe. I have to look at the layered mess they call a preview, and then I have to read the description of what is in there. THEN I have to think about whether I actually SAW 5 different flowers, or if I saw 5 of the same flowers, often scrolling up and down to verify what they say is in there. It just takes too long and I have never been happy with anything I've bought from them (always feeling slightly to extremely ripped off.)
I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
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I hate when someone's ability to spell words is so bad it's rediculous. Or ridiculous.
Oh excuse me all to hell. Got that damn e in there instead of the i. Sorry it ruined your day!
I find it to be amusing how worked up everyone is getting over the whole tag/mat big/small issue. Anyone else amused?
I hate things that are so small they are rediculous.
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I hate when someone's ability to spell words is so bad it's rediculous. Or ridiculous.
Oh excuse me all to hell. Got that damn e in there instead of the i. Sorry it ruined your day!
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WTF, Drama Queen. Nobody said anything about it ruining their day. They just made a funny joke about your lack of spelling ability in that ONE INSTANCE. We're sure you're a nice person and a capable speller the rest of the time. Chill.
If you're talking about a "tag", yes, it should be smaller in size. 1-2 inches is usually the standard size. If you go to Michael's or Hobby Lobby or for that matter any dollar store, you would see with the paper products that "tags" are 1-2 inches, UNLESS it is labelled as a journalling mat. Then it can range in sizes up to 12x12. I've seen them that large. Journalling mats are created with the purpose of providing a larger space to journal on.
Gee I wonder if that is why Tim Holtz tags are 4/5 inches. There is no set size to a tag in paper scrapping. A tag is a tag is a tag. If it has a hole in it and it can be attached to something else it's a damn tag!! Sheesh
I find it to be amusing how worked up everyone is getting over the whole tag/mat big/small issue. Anyone else amused?
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Yes very. Popcorn please. Just wish the topic was less *yawn* booooring.
WTF, Drama Queen. Nobody said anything about it ruining their day. They just made a funny joke about your lack of spelling ability in that ONE INSTANCE. We're sure you're a nice person and a capable speller the rest of the time. Chill
Sorry then it just sounded like you were one of the spelling police out there which have to point out every spelling mistake made.
Sheesh
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Yippee, the one who says "sheesh" is back! Things are certainly heating up here on the blog again.
Should I just cut the strings and let her go or give her another chance?
It doesn't matter what you do - she is quitting you but doesn't want to hurt your feelings.
I find it to be amusing how worked up everyone is getting over the whole tag/mat big/small issue. Anyone else amused?
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No, because it's not everyone, just a select few.
Yes very. Popcorn please. Just wish the topic was less *yawn* booooring.
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And yet you are here with your popcorn. Did you provide a newer, more amusing topic? No, you did not.
Gee I wonder if that is why Tim Holtz tags are 4/5 inches. There is no set size to a tag in paper scrapping. A tag is a tag is a tag. If it has a hole in it and it can be attached to something else it's a damn tag!!
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Agreed. In fact, there's no set size for tags in stationery supplies in general. I've seen tags as big as 10 inches.
Sheesh
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Yippee, the one who says "sheesh" is back! Things are certainly heating up here on the blog again.
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I say sheesh too, but I didn't write that post.
I'm the OP in the KristinCB tag issue. WOW!!! Who would have thought that such a little statement would have caused so much discussion on here!
In her kit she names the file "kcroninbarrow-givethanks-blankjournal2" She does not state that it is a journal tag or mat or block or whatever you folks are saying it is. She simply calls it a blank journal which measures at 1062 x 708 which is 3.54 x 2.36.
Personally for MY own purposes, I would have liked to have been able to resize the tag to a larger size so I could "properly" journal as I require. It was not really a statement of quality or lack of on her part. It was just a statement wondering if she had meant the "tag" to be so small.
Take a look at Cindy Schneiders templates and you'll see that most of her journalling items tend to be a bit larger too.
I just wanted to be able to resize a journal "tag" without causing the said item to blurr. END OF STORY. It wasn't a smack against Kristen (who I buy from every single release she has. I have a HUGE folder of my EHD that is filled with her products right from her first kit she ever sold at Sweet Shoppe to her most recent Christmas collection. That is why I was surprised about the "tag". Her tags are usually a little larger and I've never had any problems resizing them.
So get off your high horses!!!! You people are silly! :) Just kidding! Love you all and our little corner of insanity.
So get off your high horses!!!!
^^^^^
Um no, you get off YOUR high horse. I'm going to do a quick review of your first post about the KCB tags, and compare it to your most recent post. I simply love it when people come on this blog and conveniently "forget" what they originally posted, and then argue something else later.
"It was not really a statement of quality or lack of on her part. It was just a statement wondering if she had meant the "tag" to be so small."
^^^^^
Bullshit. Here's something from your first post, in which you question the quality specifically: "There was a freebie offered on KristinCB's Facebook page last week that was pretty so I downloaded it and was very disappointed that her journal tag was sooooooo small. When I resized it, it lost some of the quality. Not something I expected of her work. She's usually obsessed with quality. Maybe it was an oversight on her part."
If you didn't mean to publicly insinuate that she had a quality issue in the kit you were referencing, you should phrase things differently. But don't come back here now and backpedal and make it seem as though you never brought it up as a quality issue, because you did. It's in black and white print up above.
and PS everyone, I still maintain that you should never be up-sizing elements any larger than they are provided to you by a designer. If you choose to do this, it's your own fault if there's a quality issue. Re-sizing should only go one way, and that's smaller. Never bigger!
^^^
Not the OP, but that's why you should create journal tags/blocks/ mats at least 6 inches so they won't have to be upsized.
It seems here from reading everything that's been posted about this tag issue is that customers are requesting that maybe designers can take a few extra seconds when creating a kit to think about how it's going to be used. That's all i'm sayin'.
We are the ones who are buying the kits so it's nice to know if designers are going to take any suggestions seriously or not. Just not bitch about it!!!!
HI it's me ... the original poster! That sound's like a gangsta rap song or something! Ha! The whole high horses comment was a kidding statement!!! It was not meant to be taken seriously by the ignoramus that posted below me. THAT can be taken seriously. Ha!
Look, I love Kristin and she knows it!!! She knows how much of my hard earned money lines her pocketbook each and EVERY MONTH!!! I have every single kit she's ever released and will continue to buy whatever she releases in the future. I do apologize to her in regards to the whole "quality issue". That wasn't what was meant. It wasn't a quality issue with the tag. It was the quality issue of when I tried to resize it. And yes... I do know that if something is created at 100% and you try to resize it, it diminishes the quality and cause blurryness and pixelization.
I know what I posted and after reading it myself again, It could have been worded differently. My bad! I just can't believe that it's caused such a discussion. Is it because I criticized the tag, Kristin, or is it just because people want to bitch? She's a great designer. Probably, In My Opinion one of the best in digital srapbooking today!
So sorry If I offended any of you with my incorrect grammatical error!
You all so silly in here!
I just had to respond to this whole KCB tag issue. Grow up people!!! Get a life!!!! Do some work, or housework, or feed and bathe your children!!! Get off the computer and realize that there is a huge beautiful world just outside your window. Take a walk and get some fresh air. Go swimming or play some sports. Do something active so you get some exercise. I can only imagine how big your butts are getting if all you have time to do is sit at your computer each day for hours fighting over a damn tag!!!
oh great, the "feed your children and stop being fat!" lady is back for her monthly PMS-induced smack blog drive-by.
What is up with After Five Designs discontinuing their challenges? Challenges seem to be a great way to keep scrappers interested and coming back to the shop monthly...and also encourages them to use kits from designers at that shop, as most of them require at least 50% (often more)of submissions be with a store kit. Their customer base is complaining and they are like "oh well, sorry", "too much work". Why wouldn't they try to just roll out an easier challenge mechanism to keep up with like the other stores have done?
I don't know why most sites do challenges. It's usually the same 10 or so people who do them every month. I'd rather spend all that time on more effective forms of marketing than give all my product to useless store CTs and customers who rarely, if ever, buy anything anyway.
Please note I said MOST, not all stores. There are some that do them well. If a store is discontinuing them, I'd say it's time you complaining freeloaders bought a few things from the store instead of wanting more and more for next to nothing.
What is up with After Five Designs discontinuing their challenges? Challenges seem to be a great way to keep scrappers interested and coming back to the shop monthly...and also encourages them to use kits from designers at that shop, as most of them require at least 50% (often more)of submissions be with a store kit. Their customer base is complaining and they are like "oh well, sorry", "too much work". Why wouldn't they try to just roll out an easier challenge mechanism to keep up with like the other stores have done?
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Well - NEWS FLASH - operating a successful store is work. I feel sorry for their designers, because I'm thinking they will lose some income from the customers who bought specifically because of challenges.
If the CT was bitching, why not have a challenge team call? Give them a $5 gift cert or a kit of their choice each month.
My prediction - A5 will be closed by mid-2012.
BTW, that news flash was not directed to anyone here. It was to the owners of A5
Pet peeve - I wish designers would use a plain text document or PDF for their TOU. I just opened a freebie from Lyndsay Riches and her TOU is a word document that I cannot open.
Pet peeve - I wish designers would use a plain text document or PDF for their TOU. I just opened a freebie from Lyndsay Riches and her TOU is a word document that I cannot open.
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I totally agree! I like when a designer creates a personal TOU using one of her own kits! I also like the little Thank You's that some of them have in the kits too! Especially when she changes them every month!
I totally agree! I like when a designer creates a personal TOU using one of her own kits! I also like the little Thank You's that some of them have in the kits too! Especially when she changes them every month!
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Goddamn you're demanding. Maybe you would like a designer to scrap a personal page for you and include it in every new release, too? I guarantee you that designers who release regularly don't have time to do this. The only designer I can think of who does this is Shabby Princess, and she has plenty of time as she only releases a kit about 2x a year anymore.
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