When completing challenges, do you .... ?

FormbyGirl

FormbyGirl

Sugar Cookie : GingerScraps Praise
When I am doing challenges, I always like to use the host's store products when completing the challenge. There are some challenges you have to complete, such as designer spotlight, but when it is word art or fonts, you can technically use anything. I sometimes wait until $2 Tuesday and purchase something from the designer. I know it is silly, but I just like the designer to feel that their hard work is appreciated!!
 
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Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

Are you asking us if we do the same? Because I'll use the designer's stuff if they request it, but otherwise I might or might not use the designer's stuff. And I agree about using the host site's stuff for challenges on their site. It's nice for them to get the sale, and it probably costs the same at other stores.
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I was sort of asking if other people felt obligated to use a designers kits when they were hosting a challenge. I have such a hard time using a different designer, even when I know it is okay.

AJsRandom said:
Are you asking us if we do the same? Because I'll use the designer's stuff if they request it, but otherwise I might or might not use the designer's stuff. And I agree about using the host site's stuff for challenges on their site. It's nice for them to get the sale, and it probably costs the same at other stores.
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Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I also try and use products by the Host of the challenge when possible. It is becoming a little more difficult to buy something new as my spending is very limited.
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I appreciate all the designers and the fun challenges so yes I try to use their products when I am able. I usually have a freebie or two from each designer hiding that I didn't use so if I don't have a kit from them I fall back on the freebie if spending is not in the cards.
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I used to do this. I still feel a bit guilty about not using the host's products. I've been a member of many, many scrapbooking sites over the years and I almost always used the host's products...until I came to Gingerscraps.

Here's why: all those times I limited myself to using the host's products also limited my creativity....to the point I lost interest in scrapping and often found it a "chore" instead of the freeing self-expression that I wanted it to be. I was ready to find a new avenue for creativity.

Now I see it this way: When I was a member of the designer's creative team, I did my best to show off their kit...posted my pages on a minimum of ten different online sites. That was the job and the commitment I made.

However, when I'm not on a CT...I BUY the kit with the sole purpose of using it MY WAY. Don't mean to be all-business and not heart here...but after I've paid for the kit, my obligation to use it to help sell more is not my job. I try to use it in ways that might entice others to do the same. Think outside the box...allow your creativity to flow. Mix and match the awesome different kit styles. AND I believe it's important to add the link to the store of EVERY kit I use.

I'm only concerned if I like my own layouts and don't want any guilt that stops that. Honestly, it makes me buy more kits...so I can pick and choose all the pieces that I want and use them every which way I want.

And for those challenges that are designed to use special kits...fantastic! I can do that too.
Just don't want all the challenges to be that way. We need a healthy mix so it attracts all kinds of scrappers.

Back to business: Happy Scrappers = happy customers = more sales. Using my favorite motivator here: WIN-WIN
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I feel very much the same as Tbear. I do not feel obligated in any way to use the challenge host's products unless it is required. In fact, If I don't already have in my stash what is needed to complete a challenge and would have to buy something new to do it, I will usually skip the challenge that month. I have literally 1000s of kits and by doing Gingerscraps challenges I am already limiting myself to using kits from designers that sell here, so choose not to limit myself more by tying to use a specific designer for the challenges. I am not doing these challenges for the host designers, I am doing the challenges for me to get pages done, (and to earn a free kit at the end of the month.) :)

However, I am on a couple of Creative Teams and I make 100% effort to promote those kits as that is what I agreed to do and am happy to do so for all of the free kits that I get from them.
I also feel strongly that whenever I make a layout that all designers, rather I am on their team or not, deserve credit for me using their products so I have made a personal commitment to never share a layout anywhere without giving credit to the designers. I always add the name of the kit and the designer name.

While I appreciate the time and effort that all of the busy designers put into hosting all of these challenges, in the scheme of things posting a challenge thread isn't that much time and effort especially when many of them don't come back and comment or monitor the challenges after they are posted which is totally fine in my book (but it is nice when they do.).
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I should also add... I LOVE, LOVE the Gingerscraps challenges and that is honestly one of the main reasons why this is what I consider my scrapbook site home. Challenges are are HUGE motivation to me and I look forward to seeing the new ones posted each month. It is GREAT that each month there are 30+ challenges to choose from which gives everyone who wants to jump into the challenges so many choices. We can choose to do the ones which work for us and skip the ones that don't, and yet still earn a great kit at the end of month.
I have visited many other scrapbook sites and none of them do challenges as wonderfully as Gingerscraps. Most only offer a few challenges each month and I find that most of them just aren't things I am interested in, but here at Gingerscraps I can always find lots of them to motivate me to keep on scrapping and while they do often push me to try new things, when my layout is done I can look at it and be happy with what I have accomplished.
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

What a great discussion topic. Thank you everyone who has weighed in. I've wondered this same thing in the past, and I'm glad to read these responses!
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

TB, you have expressed my own thoughts and opinions so much more eloquently than I could ever have done. Beautifully composed and writtten contribution to this thread.

NOT being required to use the challenge host kits was a big drawcard for me when choosing a new digi home after my previous one closed down, I am so appreciative that, in most cases, here at GS I can choose whatever kit I like to do the challenges and admit to feeling a little miffed that that has recently changed for some challenges other than the Designer Spotlight which of course requires you to use that designer's products. The saving grace for me when it is stipulated that you must use the challenge host kits is that you can use ANY of that designer's products. I feel no guilt at all for using any kit I choose for most of the other challenges, I scrap WAY more pages than I did at my other site where you were mostly required to buy a specific kit to do a specific challenge and that requirement often prevented me from participating because of the cost.
 
I really appreciate everyone's feedback... more than you can imagine. It is very freeing that folks feel it is okay and to point out that we are scrapping our own memories for ourselves and they should be things we would put in our books. I have to confess I have done a few pages that I am less than happy with because I have limited myself.
 
I agree with Tbear too. I do try and look what I have with the designer who hosts challenges but if I can't find something that works I go with what I think does.
 
As an "ex" designer, I can definitely see why a designer would want you to use their product! Promoting and sales! But it does have it's drawbacks. If the same designer hosts the same challenge monthly and very few other challenges require the use of the host designers product, than from a customer standpoint, I probably would chose not to purchase from that designer as it is seen as a "must buy" situation.
As an past CT member I looked for variety in designer kits. I CT'd for someone who only had patterned paper in her kits. I stepped down from that because I never liked the way my pages looked without that solid paper there and her kits became forced on my layouts.
Now, if I scrap a page it is usually for a challenge and usually a template challenge or one where I don't have to use a required kit. I scrap so infrequently now that I need to be picky.
 
Re: When completing challenges, do you ....

I agree with TBear first of all I do what my designer requires but like stated when there is a sale like today if I find a kit that sparks my interest and would use to then I buy it...tho I have quite the stash of kits I have yet to use. I love doing the challenges here and I am sorry for there a few that I do not do for the fact that they want you to use their kit or template unless I am on that designers team I do not do the challenge. There are plenty to chose from and even some designers are getting a little picky with them wanting their products used even if it is for a new template but there is no new kit. I do not like reusing kits. Templates yes I will reuse. I will reuse a kit if I am not happy with a layout I made in the past with it and want to update.
 
I prefer being able to use any kits and any templates for any challenge, unless. A freebie is provided, then of course I’d use the. Provided kit or template.

‘’when I’m working for the store or a designer, those may or may not fit for challenges. But I do everything I can to promote them.
 
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