Venting

Oh I feel like I have all these things that have been annoying me lately. Can I vent?

I have a friend, who will remain nameless, who is a CTM at a site that will also remain nameless. The site has these guidelines that the CTMs need to try and put as many elements onto the LOs from the DTM kits as they can. It is supposed to showcase the kits more, but she hates it and I do too. I don't think that using loads and loads of elements always shows kits off at their best. Many times less is more. A great LO with a couple papers and a couple special elements often makes me long for the kit more than a big cluttered LO of loads of stuff. Don't get me wrong I have some LOs with lots of elements, and some with none. But it creates this atmosphere where the CTMs can't do what they were chosen to do - make great LOs in their style. And how frustrating to submit a great looking LO only to get rejected because it needs more "stuff" on it. Not more stuff because the LO needs something else, more stuff just cuz. I don't want my stuff to have to be showcased by cramming as many elements as possible on a page. I wonder how many stores have these types of restrictions on their CTMs? Hopefully none and this is just a weirdness thing.

Hmmm and to continue the rant, I have become more and more surprised with the low quality of product many stores are selling. There are some AMAZING designers out there, and many who are good but just not my style, and some so-so designers that I can see people buying, just not me - I mean, to each their own as far as taste, etc. But then there are kits I see that I am amazed these stores are allowing in. I think that given how quickly this is growing, how many new digiscrappers there are, that it does a disservice too our community for these stores to be promoting and selling such low quality stuff. It takes advantage of the new scrappers too who don't know what to look for in terms of realism, etc. and they end up with layouts that leave a lot to be desired. And if we as a digiscrapping community want to eventually be able to rival the big paper company names that will eventually move into digi products, we need to be building a community of good quality designers and products. That doesn't mean I think we shouldn't support new designers. I am a new designer. And there are new designers with previous art or computer graphics backgrounds that can jump in and keep pace with seasoned designers. But I think many of the designers these stores are supporting should be promoting them by starting them working as DTM doing chats, freebies, etc. or something. I dunno. I just think stores need to keep standards. That said, I am very thankful for those who took a chance with me and worked with some of my inexperience in design. I just now more than ever want to help make this community grow and prosper. And see many of my friends do well as this thing continues to grow. Boy, it's almost 2AM!! Guess My ranting needs to come to an end.