Business Cards for Scrapbooking Inspiration - Part 2

A while back I posted this about using business cards for scrapbooking inspiration. I found some new great (and inspirational) business cards in this article at Howdesign.com.

Response to Scrap Smack post...

I read this post over at Scrap Smack the other day and it really made a lot of sense to me.

The author raises a lot of great points, such as the high (and sometimes outrageous) expectations that many manufacturers and online stores have for their design team members. I've noticed this myself over the past several months. For as much I would like the 'honor' of being on a design team, it's just not realistic for me in many cases and it has kept me from even applying.

I work full-time outside the home...I have to work full-time. What some of these design teams expect requires nearly full-time effort, but with little or no compensation. VERY seldom are actual $$ mentioned and even when they are, it's generally insignificant.

"Designers and marketing people in other industries are compensated for their work with paper, too - but it's green and has pictures of dead presidents on it, not pretty little flowers...They have taken our desire to be published, our want of validation and turned it into a form of slave labor." (from Scrap Smack)

Now, I don't necessarily have an issue being compensated in the form of product, but this isn't even 'true' compensation if you're not always at liberty to use it as you wish, but rather given an 'assignment' which you are then expected to submit for further marketing purposes on the part of the manufacturer or store.

Personally, I like to create so that I (and my family) can enjoy the results.

Getting published can be a little better, I think. I have been a few times and the payment has actually been fair (in my opinion) AND I got my layouts back...eventually.

However, the catch here is that in order to get published, one feels like they must virtually 'hide' their creations from the world in order to be considered. More and more calls are specifying that the layouts not be 'previously seen' in online galleries, on a blog...anywhere basically.

And, so, here I have been...not sharing my layouts in the minute chance that it might get picked up for publication. And I hate this! For me, half the fun of creating is sharing what I've created!

I also recently read an explanation as to why Scrapbook.com (one of the premiere online scrapbooking communities and supply store) does not have a Design Team.

"The reason we don't have a formal one [design team] was/is that we really feel that in a community natural relationships will develop in which some will naturally mentor and inspire others. We aren't any "smarter" than the people in our community in determining who those people will be." (from Scrapbook.com)

Every scrapbooker who's ever submitted a page to a design team or publication call understands the disappointment and/or frustration that can be felt when your layout/submission doesn't get picked.

I've had a few layouts published and it still hurts when other submissions don't get picked up and I find myself wondering, "What are they looking for??" and "Why aren't my pages 'good enough'?" When, in reality, I know that this art is so subjective. What one may love another may hate. When I know that it is hugely competitive. For every call, hundreds, if not thousands of submissions are received. Who knows if they're even able to view them all. When I know that when I ask myself these questions, I'm losing sight of the whole point of scrapbooking in the first place.

I admire Scrapbook.com for realizing these truths and that we all create and are inspired in different ways and refuses, in a way, to be involved with what may be the worst part of the scrapbooking industry...the competitive nature in all of us which enables others to take advantage of our talent and desire to be recognized.

Now, does this mean I'll never submit my work for Design Team or publication call again?

Absolutely not! But it will cause me read and consider the fine print a little more closely and make sure that I don't lose sight of why I started this whole scrapping thing in the first place...to record my memories...to make sure my daughter knows how precious she is to me...to maintain a creative outlet in an otherwise rational life.

I also want to stop being afraid to share my layouts and other creations here because of something that could (but probably won't) happen...hopefully you'll be seeing some of my craftiness soon!

Finally Some Pictures...Strategic Air & Space Museum

I finally had a chance to go through some of the pictures from our weekend in Omaha. These are a few of my favorites from the Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland, NE.

Justin liked this place as he is always interested in anything that has an engine, but it was at about this point (picture #1) that he made out what was behind the impressive glass windows and he got REALLY excited...

...so much so that I even remember what is it...a SR-71 Blackbird. He's never seen one of these IRL...only on one of those History or Discovery channel shows. I know you can't see it very well in the picture, but he's grinning! Do you see him?

This is a photo of an emblem on the outside of the building.

This flag was inside the museum hanging on the wall of one of the huge airplane hangers. It was created with 686 hand-painted, fabric squares created by children and seniors in the Omaha area. Each square was based on the topic, "What America means to me."

A couple more shots I really liked:

some Shakespeare and LOTS of leaves

My weekend proved to be just as busy as the week that led up to it...

Our Saturday campus visit day was successful...a few no-shows, but also a few that showed that weren't on our list, so it evened out.

After all the events were over, I got some long overdue grocery shopping done and then went out to pick up Kaitlin from Grandma's. She wanted to stay overnight, but when I told her we were going to a play that night, she settled for another time.

We went to the production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) up at the College. It was hilarious! It was also a lot of fun to watch because I knew all the actors in the play. They really did a great job.

Kaitlin thought it was great, too! This play is considered PG-13, so there are a few references in the play that may not be considered 'appropriate' for young children, but at 5, I think Kaitlin pretty much missed those anyway. Although she did at one point ask me what 'anus' meant and I told her we'd talk about it later. :-) There's also a little bit of language in the play, but, unfortunately, it was tamer than what she hear out of her father sometimes.

Sunday was a day of laundry and leaves...I mowed the lawn and bagged up NINETEEN bags of leaves! Whew! Too bad the trees aren't even done dropping yet. It had to be done, though. As it was, it was a three hour ordeal, but we should be on the downhill now.

the week just hasn't slowed down...

Phew...it may be Friday, but it's still not over for me!

I received my first MemoryWorks party order in the mail on Tuesday! It was so exciting to get that BIG box of scrapbook supplies in the mail...too bad they're not all mine! My wish list instantly got a little longer after seeing all the great products everyone ordered. I spent the evening getting all the orders organized and ready for delivery!

This has been an very busy work week. Wednesday I traveled a couple hours away to visit a high school and visit with some prospective students.

In the evening, I delivered some MemoryWorks party orders to their happy recipients. My sister came over, so I gave her order. I also showed her the items I ordered and she made me instantly made me put in another order for her...good stuff, what can I say? My favorite two purchases were definitely the My Mind's Eye Festive Theme Set and the My Mind's Eye Frost Theme Set...just beautiful...can't wait for Christmas!!


Thursday was a full day of work and then we went to Sioux Falls in the evening for an Meet, Greet & Eat at Johnny Carino's to present to prospective students and their families...didn't get home until 10:15 p.m.

I found Kaitlin & Justin snuggled up and asleep together on the living room floor with the TV still on. I carried Kaitlin to bed, but Justin...well, he's impossible to wake up, so he stayed where he was.

Today has been a whirlwind of campus visitors...ten, I think...that's a lot of visitors for one day!

And tomorrow we have a Saturday group campus visit day, so my work week isn't over yet! I think we have about 20 students and their families coming for that...busy, busy day ahead.

Fortunately for our visit day, it looks like the weather is going to be beautiful for November (around 60 degrees).

Unfortunately for me, I can think of other things I'd rather be doing on what is likely to be our last 'nice' fall weekend...like taking some fall pictures of Kaitlin perhaps. Hopefully, we can fit that in on Sunday after we get done bagging up all the leaves that have been getting deeper and deeper in our back yard over the past two weeks!

I still haven't had time to download my pictures from last weekend! Ugh...I am definitely looking forward to a few extra days off around Thanksgiving. I might even try to fit in a day to actually do some scrapping!