Yeah, I know, I dropped the ball

Not that I need to explain myself, but *gasp* I was on vacation in sunny Florida for a few days. I said I would start a tradition by picking a kit of the day and a kit that should never, ever, ever have been released every Sunday. Well, does every week count? I was going to do one today, but unfortunately, either I am missing something (God, I really hope I am!) or there really isn't a kit good enough in the DST designer announcements section to qualify for Kit of the Day.
I did, however, find a: How the Hell did THIS get released? Okay, I am going to give this designer the benefit of the doubt and say that she just had laskik eye surgery and couldn't see very well when she was designing, or maybe she needs a new monitor? Something. Cause I don't think she saw what I'm seeing when she decided, "Hey, this looks great! Time to put it up for sale!" (For $5.00 no less!)
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=76655

Grab Bags?

This one is easy. I have a hate/love relationship with them. I hate them when I spend my money, download, unzip, and then think, why the hell did I just purchase THIS?? After that, I quickly delete it and make a mental note that I will never do it again. Then, I go off, forgetting that damn mental note, and I get a grab bag that absolutely knocks my too tight socks off! Hell yeah! And then I make a mental note to give grab bags a try again. When I do take the plunge again, I usually download, unzip, and then think, why the hell did I just purchase THIS?? (wait a second...I'm having deja vu here!) Oh yes, that damn mental note: NEVER buy another grab bag again...

can you see where this is going? It is a vicious cycle. For me, anyway. What about you? Do you buy them? Do you love them, hate them? Something in between?

Giving up your first born's name for the sake of some advertising and possible sales?

http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=75068

I'm not a parent yet, so who am I to talk? Maybe one day I'll tatoo my child's head with my CT name? Or is it not so bizarre to let perfect strangers on a message board name your baby these days? (I know it is just the middle name, but still people!)

Criticizing products or character?

I was doing some reading on digital disturbances and came across the whole debate on personally bashing designers by name. I think when you (general you) start getting on a personal level by calling people names, attacking character, and such, you are stepping over the line and missing the point. Now, I wholeheartedly agree with voicing your opinion about digital products: what you hate, what you love, what bugs you, what you want to see more of, etc, etc, and all that crap, but what is the real point of talking about how mean, selfish, or nasty someone is? In real life, they may be the biggest bitch on the planet but how do you (again, general you) really know that? Unless you have had actual bitchy customer service or something, then you really don't know. Speaking of that, let me know who has crappy customer service so I can make sure I don't shop there.

A note to designers: don't let the I can't stand this product or look how bad this is get to you personally. It's called business. Customers have the right to discuss their likes and dislikes and what the hell, it may actually be some helpful advice!

Edited to add: someone just emailed and asked if I would delete comments if people start name calling. For the record, nope, I am not going to delet anything. We are all adults and I am not a babysitter. I may not always agree, but I will respect your free speech.

ooh! ooh! Pretty please leave me some love & hugs & cream and sugar!

Is it just me or do those blog freebies annoy the hell out of you, especially when you know that it is just a ploy to get you to visit their shops and then on top of it, they are begging for comments? Yes, I actually do leave a little thanks for the gift most of the time, but I'll tell you what, nowadays, the freebie quality seems to be going downhill and not only that, the sheer pathetic-y ----PLEASE GIVE ME SOME LOVE! LEAVE ME A COMMENT IF YOU TAKE IT! OOOH OOOH, I AM GOING TO SIT HERE AND REFRESH MY COMMENTS UNTIL I SEE THEM COME ROLLING IN BECAUSE MY SHIT ROCKS!! AND GOSH DARN IT, PEOPLE LOVE ME!--- is really grating on my nerves. I dunno. Perhaps I'm in a crappy mood today but I usually take the freebie and run if they ask for some "love." Sorry sistah, but I don't love you and I may have even thanked you for your generousity, but don't ask me to leave you some love. Only my dog is allowed to do that.

For an example of this, click here, my love.

Kinda "cheating" I don't even kinda care as long as it's good!

http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=74755

It's Sunday, so I thought I'd start a new tradition

So I was thinking, again, and although this is technically a smack blog, everyone has designers and things they like, right? Otherwise we'd all be scrapping with real paper (heaven forbid!) or at least with our kids' scanned fingerpaint drawings....

Anyway, I was browsing through the new products section, er, I mean the designer announcements section, and I had an idea. I think every Sunday I am going to choose at least one new product that I personally like, and then I'll showcase one new product that I do not like. (yes, we must have some smacking going on with the nice don't you know)

Now, of course, these are my personal opinions so the ones I like you may hate and the ones I'd never scrap with even if it were the last digital kit and earth and by doing so I'd become rich, famous, and magically buxom overnight, well...you may just adore them (but then you'd have really bad taste.)

Okie dokie, let's get this party started. Drum roll please.....
Today's award for the kit of the day is: Antiquity by Microferk
Now, I personally think this kit oozes with creativety and quality. I probably would not ever purchase this kit, simply because it really isn't my style, but I think this person's work is pretty outstanding. I know that I would never use that big gem or brooch or whatever that big red thing is, but it is still quality work nontheless.

Okay, now for today's this should never have been released award: Retro Mod Kit by Karenheckyeah

I should have warned you that clicking on the above link may temporarily blind you. Ugh, the colors. Gag, the clock. The super flourescent patterns and eye twister teasers, um, I mean the papers...

So, did you agree with my picks of the day? Let me know. Also, please do shoot me an email if you feel like it, I enjoy both hate and fan mail mwah! digiscrapsmack@gmail.com

WTF is up with this?

Why is everyone so head over heels, giddily drunk, and basically brainwashed into thinking this stuff is so amazing? I tried. I really, really, really tried to find something that just flabbergasted me and made me want to lick my laptop in anticipation and click my basket full until I couldn't click anymore, but alas, I found nothing. Please tell me I am missing something. Please tell me this person sells at another store, where, somewhere locked away, maybe with a hidden password or something, there are pages of lucsious products, just yearning to be purchased. Otherwise, I think some of you peeps need a good smacking! If you are telling me that people are going gaga over, let's see, these 9 products I see on that page, then I must really be losing it. I mean, yes, this stuff is okay, maybe I'll even stretch a bit and say it is nice but quite honestly, I was really bummed when I followed the hoopla over to her store and saw with my own eyes what all the damn hoopla was about.

Am I alone here?

If you want to see what I mean about all the fanfare, check out these two posts on two different sites. A waste of bandwidth, me thinks.

http://www.myscrapbookart.com/forums/showthread.php?t=333
http://www.digishoptalk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=74412

Yeah, I'm a copier

So this blog thingy over at digitaldisturbances got me thinking. There are some things you just can't say in the digital world; hell, there are some things you just can't say about anything anymore. But we all know there are things we think about and things we would say if only we could without having our clothes ripped and torn to shreds. So, without further ado, there is something that has been on my mind for awhile now. I really don't get it, but apparently a lot of digital scrappers do because people are still selling them-but are people really buying these things? To see what I'm talking about, go here. Yes, those are templates. Umm, come on people. Can't you just copy that on your own without actually buying it? Let's take the second template in that post as an example. She even has the pictures all numbered for you. There are fourteen. They go around the layout. There is a title and journaling in the middle. Big whoopty freakin deal. I could do that on my own without paying for it.

But, I'm all for free enterprise and all that jazz. So tell me. Why do you buy templates? Maybe you'll convert me.