Commercial Use

Alrighty then, this has been something that for some reason or another has started to really grate on my nerves. What is it, you ask? Well, it is the over use of commercial use products. I mean, really, if you have to use 98% of other designers' work to create one freaking kit, is it really worth it?

In my head I am thinking of one particular person. I'll give you a $100.00 gift card to any scrap store if you can tell me who that one person is. She is constantly putting out new products, yet when you look at the descriptions she is always thanking so and so for this, and so and so for that, oh, and don't forget so and so and so and so and so and so! That is just Ridiculous. With a capital R. Puhleeeeeeeze.

Maybe I'm in a shitty mood tonight, but it really is annoying. And, is it me, or has the number of digi designers increased exponentially since the opening of all those commercial use stores? Now you have Jack and Jill designing but are they really? Should they really take the credit if they have to buy so many commercial items to complete their products?

Can you spot the commercial use junkies from a mile away? Do you find yourself avoiding those products or does it matter to you? And, from the designer's perspective, how do you feel about the 1000s of designers that have popped up thanks to commercial use items? A designer friend told me that the DST private designer forum isn't really a good place anymore because of all the new people that have joined since the commercial use boom. Might as well morph it into the rest of the forum since there are already, like, 10,000 people in there.

Thoughts?

Scrapbook Trends

Okay, this was a topic that was emailed in. Let's talk about the trends and phases that we go through as digital scrappers. Who do you think starts the trends? Why do you think certain trends become so popular? What about this new trend of using boxes on layouts? I remember a thread on DST about Mo Jackson and her boxes and then it seems like every designer is coming out with boxes now, like Annie Manning, for example. What is up with that? Do you think that it is okay for designers to take ideas and copy them? Maybe it is okay because they put their own spin on it? I see no problem with it, but I tend to think that if I could design at all, I would probably not want to be viewed as a copier. I think I'd want to be the one starting the trends. Of course, that's easy to say because I have no clue how to design, nor do I have the desire. So, what do you think about all this?

Contents

For our first reader submission, let's talk about what you find when you open up your downloads. I'm not talking about your purchases, I'm talking about all that extra junk. You know, the NO Piracy graphic page, the Thank You page, The Contact Sheet page, the TOU page, the Preview of what you just bought page, the This is Just Here to Take Up Space page, etc.

I hate the No piracy graphic. It is ridiculous and feels like a smack on the face. Like I'm already branded a criminal. I swear, digiland is the only place I've ever downloaded something and had this graphic included with my download. I've never seen it in a font or music download.

So, what do you like to see when you unzip? What do you hate and immediately trash?

I need you

Either email me at digiscrapsmack@gmail.com or use the comments to let me know what is on your mind regarding digital scrapbooking, digi scrap communities, gossip, what you are wearing right now, what you ate for lunch, who does your taxes....eh, you get the idea. So write and your topic will be the next topic up for discussion.

Muchos Gracias ladies and gentlemen.

Who knew Barbie was a pirate?

I thought she was a doll by mattel. Seriously, I have never heard of this person before. Does it make me a terrible person that I don't even care she was pirating? Let me put it this way. I know that I'm a legitimate customer. So is Suzy and Jill and Mary. But it seems to me like Suzy, Jill, Mary, and I now have to wonder if we are all suspected pirates too because the hunt is on. I feel sorry for the designers, I really do. I think it's terrible that they have to deal with it, but lets face it. No matter what is done, it will continue to happen as long as they are selling digital goods. Same with digital movies, music, and software. Yes, fight it but why spend all your time worrying about it when that is so unproductive? Why not wait until you have irrefutable proof? Why not go after the website(s) that allow the postings of stolen goods? That's what the music industry did. They didn't knitpick behind the scenes. They went straight to the source and they still do. Let's talk about it. What do you think? I am all for outing the known pirates. I just don't want to know unless it is known for sure.

Best and Worst Kit of the Day

Yep, it's Sunday my friends, and that means it is time for the best and worst kit of the day awards. The way I choose the featured kits is simple: I browse the first 4 or 5 pages of the new digital products section at DST and find one that rocks, and one that gives digi a bad name.

So, for the kit of the day, I present to you Zoe Pearn's newest kit. It's called Lush Blooms.

I really like the papers here and the elements look nice. I'm not sure I love the colors, but that is just personal preference. This kit looks like high quality and it is something I would probably buy if I had pictures to go with it. I am not sure about the bingo cards. I don't know what I would do with those, but other than that, great kit Zoe! Do you agree with today's kit of the day? Why or why not?

Okay, on to the worst for today.

I am not even sure what this one is called. I don't know who created it either. I figured it would be in the preview so I didn't bother to get the designer's name. So, if anyone can tell us the name of this kit and the creator, please enlighten us. This whole kit is just terrible. I can tell that the ribbons are Monica Larsen's commercial use ribbons. At least the two at the bottom are. The papers look like someone took the paint bucket tool and just filled in a layer with a single color. The flowers are totally flat and look like dover. Ugh, this is the epitome of why my friends think digi sucks. I need to show them the Zoe kit. Maybe they'll realize not all kits are bad. So, thoughts?

Shop Talk

Let's talk about the digi shops out there. By now there are so many that you can't even count them even if you had a calculator. I mean, c'mon now, it has become a bit ridiculous, don't you think?

Did you know that a new digi store has a grand opening somewhere on the world wide web every 7.9 seconds? Uh huh.

So, with so many out there, how do you choose? Do you even try to keep up with the Joneses or do you just stick to your favorites? What are your favorites?

For me, I still like the old tried and true. Gina Cabrera at digitaldesignessentials.com, scrapbook-bytes.com, and designerdigitals. That is pretty much it. Every now and then something will catch my eye in the new products section at DST or someone will start a rave post and I'll venture out of my little cave and into the unknown territory of a new store to grab something new. But mostly, I stick to my old favorites. I must hate change or something. Or maybe it's becaused I get confused easily, with so many designers jumping from store to store like jumping beans on a hot tin roof. It gets hard to keep up.