It's time for Lauren's Sketch Challenge! This week I kind of veered off course....but stuck with some of the layout. I encourage others to do this too....not to "not follow the rules", but use your creativity and get a little inspiration and go with it. I bought a shirt at Gymboree for my little Ava girl the other day and I loved it and thought it would make the perfect card. This is what I came up with. Instead of rectangles I have layered circles.....it's pretty close!!
This post is pretty late....long story, but I didn't get to bed until almost 2:00....that's another story for another day though. Today I did want to mention my disappointment in a very large and reputable stamp company that I have worked for for over 6 years now.....Stampin' Up! They came out with a news "flash" or should I say a requirement of all demonstrators to sign a new agreement that basically in my view takes away our right to free speech. They want us to sign their new agreement stating that we basically have to be exclusive to SU and that we can't use other products and promote them via links to other blogs or companies nor tell about our product via our own blogs, e-mail, twitter, facebook, etc! We also couldn't be on any design teams....i.e. Lauren's My Time Challenges....! Isn't this crazy! To me they are walking on territory that they never should have. I have my own blog, sponsored by Google.....didn't know that they were any way affiliated with Stampin' UP!, but I guess I was wrong. I can't even post here on my own blog about other products because that would steer others toward the competition.
Can you tell I'm a little miffed by their decision?? It's like saying you can only put your kids in Carter's clothing and you can't mix and match because that is just "wrong" or working at Wal-Mart and telling you that you can't shop at Target because that is supporting the competition. I had the upline of my upline and on up send out an e-mail stating that she totally understands where they are coming from and when she hears of her customers going to places like Archivers, she just cringes. I guess some of us live in this shallow little place thinking that SU is the only company out there, but in fact there are a ton of great designers and other companies that offer a great product and I like to dabble in all of them. So as for me, I will be a SU demo until the end of the month and then I'm tossing in the towel. I don't wish anyone to have a bad business, but I hope that the results from this decission effect them in a way that they can understand that they are very wrong on this account and steered off in a very bad direction.
ENOUGH about that. Most of you probably didn't even know that I sold SU......so that is what makes this even more crazy!! Today is Saturday and it looks like it is going to be a nice day outside. I have a gift to make for a friend of mine's little girl tomorrow so I'll need to get busy on that soon. I've been washing baby clothes for our little Kale....so I'm getting ready for his arrival a little at a time. Hope all of you have a great day and be sure to go get some more inspiration from the other gals too!
Lauren Alicia Dana Jen Kendra Kristen Lisa MacKenzie Maria Odette Tamara Tracey Pam
11 comments:
Buttons and cute trees - two of my faves!
Oh Alicia...let me comment on your card before I go into my SU! tyrade!! This is so adorable! I LOVE how you made your tree simply with colored circles and buttons...and a swirl embossed trunk! I also think the half circles sewn on the panel are so clever! LOVE this...
As for SU! AMEN sister! OMG. A blog friend of mine told me about the decision the other day and I was ticked! I couldn't believe that such a reputable company could be so narrow minded. Like you, I hope that the cause and effect will be unimaginable and they will realize their bad judgment. Unfortunately for them, it may be too late if/when that happens. My fear is that it won't affect their company in the least.
I'm glad I let my demonstrator-ship end a month ago. This obviously doesn't sit well with me and I would have given my notice immediately...like you.
Okay, breathe. Hope you have a great, SAFE, long weekend! I might give you a call one of these days. I'm shopping again this afternoon for last minute school things.
Absolutely adorable take on the sketch Alicia - I love the tree! It's great to see folks "take off" in a direction other than just following the sketch.
As for SU! I cannot believe it - I buy from SU (or did), Papertrey, Gina K Designs, Verve - all have their place and then, of course I buy things like nesties, dew drops and other embellishments or tools that SU doesn't even sell. They did not think about the impact this would have on them I'm sure - If I had to limit my blog to one company I wouldn't do it. SO - Power to you for standing strong. We'll see if they back down once they begin to see the backlash.
Happy weekend and hope you can sleep better - I had a hard time sleeping the last two months of each pregnancy and ended up sleeping in the recliner :-)
Cute card, Alicia! I agree with you on the SU front. I'm just a hobby demo, and while I understand their requiring demos not to advertise other companies, I don't think they have the right to tell us we can't say where we purchased something we may have used that isn't SU! Or to tell us we can't link to another blog that may be advertising or using other products. I love their product, and will still buy their stuff, just not as a demo and I probably won't spend as much as I did. Lost sales for SU! Oh well!
Alica your card is adorable. I stamp as well but always have trouble thinking out of the box. Great Job!
As for Stampin Up. I am almost lost for words.I can't imagine they would think this would be a "good" business decision on their part. I don't plan on spending another dime on their products no matter how much I like them. They will be losing hundreds of dollars from me! I personally use all kinds of products from different companies but always return to SU for products as well. SU simply don't offer everything I need for my card making or scrapbooking. How can they limit Demo's to one company? Makes no sense to me. OK I could on and on about this because it makes me so upset. Thanks for sharing the news!
I have never understood the exclusiveness of some companies.
SU is not the only company to have the DT rule. seems like the more we hold onto just one view the more we lose in creativity. There is enough in the world for ALL companies. I wonder what would happen if we all supported everyone else. Think of the creativeness that would blossom.
I can't believe such a large company would do that to themselves,not a very smart idea. I personally, don't own any SU. I've never used them.LOL! Hopefully, it will affect them enough, that they will realize they are "too big for their britches!"
I agree with you on Stampin Up. I am not a demonstrator, use to buy all of their products, but their stamps after a while became boring and too many flowers. So I stopped buying and ventured into buying over the net. Sorry about not sleeping. Take care of yourself for your Ava, husband and soon to come new baby. Sandy from MD
Hi Alicia, I love your tree! So cute. I feel so let down by SU. I literaly just became a demonstrator (August 28th) after being a very good customer for years and now I feel so cheated. I have invested time and money and their decision leaves such a bad take in my mouth. Like you, I enjoy all stamps, paper, embellishments and don't care so much on who is selling it, but more about the quality and professionalism of the product. I would be a "hobbiest" as they like to call it and not the business builder and I don't really see how their new IDA leaves any room for hobbiest anymore. It feels like they are only looking to have IDA's that are business builders and are only interested in making mass profits. I am very upset about this too and am not sure if I can contiue as well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Love your happy & colorful tree!! I've seen the lot of buttons & circles on trees, which I love, but your colorful spin is really a cheerful take on it and just made it new to me all over again! Thanks!! :>
I've commented in regards to the big SU disappointment here about four different ways and keep deleting and rewriting....so let's just leave it as its definitely a disappointment...and I'm not even a demo! Sigh.
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