I want to be part of a CT, please!!!
 

Hey all you designers, I think I speak for a lot of us "posters" here when I say... We all would love to work on your teams!! Even people who have a list a mile long of CT teams they are on, go for other call sites!! Let's face it.. we all LOVE digi scrapping. That's why we are here, right!?!! So why not look for an excuse to do it more.

Now here comes the tricky part.... I see a call GREAT! Then I see all the other people entering with tons of experience and on lots of teams..oh great....then I get my rejection..oh boy... so I ask...What did I do wrong... lets face it, no one is gonna say "you stink!!!"

So my question here is for all of us who dream to do what we love even more...

What is it that you as a designer are looking for??

I know what you are going to say.. well its that certain something that just pops out at you.... Now you got me thinking about my mom "Just add a pinch of this and a dash of that...that's all... its easy... see...Yes, that is why I bake..I need directions!!

So give us newbies a shot (and those how have been doing it for a while and just want to get better). Tell us one concrete thing that you are looking for so we can go study it, and we will practice, practice, practice ...then keep our fingers and eyes crossed...and hold our breath...and put a spoon under the pillow... and all those other things you do when your a kid and hope really hard.

Thanks for your reply!!:wub:

I think all of us designers look at quality of layouts rather than experience, so just because you're new doesn't mean you won't make a team!

Here's what I look for in layouts (I take into consideration a lot more than just layouts though):

Stellar photography and fantastic layout design that uses both templates and original work. Layouts have to pop out of the gallery at me at a small size and make me want to click them. Of course, to accomplish this, you also need to be able to save for web correctly.

Good luck!

Thanks Tracy! I'm off to study how to post correctly. I would not have guessed some of the things you said! What a great help!!

Paula, from what I see you are very talented. I'm sure it's hard for the designers to choose just one person when they have a CT call with all the great talent here. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes.

Tracy, those are very helpful answers. :thumbup:

To echo what Susan said.. Calls are tough!! So much talent applies each and every time. I will end up wanting to take on 80 people and have to narrow it down.. and down.. and down.. lol.

What each of us looks for is going to be different. I will naturally tend to gravitate towards people who scrap with bright colours and doodles, because that's how I design. That doesn't mean I won't be wow'd by someone who has a gallery featuring predominantly KCB kits either. I love people who journal and tell their story, I love packed layouts with paint and doodles and elements.. but I also love white space. It varies greatly.. Also Like Traci said, I look for things that catch my eye on the thumbnail size. If I really want to click a large # of your layouts and examine them there's a good chance I'll be sending an invite.

At the end of the day though, it may have just ended up being I had to make a really impossible decision between three amazing applications for one slot.

What I'm looking for is always different. Sometimes I'm trying to fill in a certain spot on my team due to a recent vacancy. So, someone might have a lot of talent, but their style is not what I am needing right now. But there are a few things I consistently look for:

- What are the shadows like (too light/too dark, too close,/too far)?
- Does the person have a balance in their composition? Are there too many patterns? Or too few?
- What are their pictures like?
- Are they journaling? (I'm all for journaling!)
- Does their gallery entice me to click around and look at things, just looking at the thumbnails?

It's hard to put it all into words, because we're basically going to know what we want when we see it... and it's a different thing for every one of us. LOL!

But I don't think that you should change what YOU love doing do please anyone! My best team members are those who are here to scrap for themselves, first and foremost. I just get the benefits of showing off their amazing work. :wub:

I am not a designer, but I remember when I first decided that I really wanted to learn and expand on my pages I would browse store creative team galleries (primarily the ones here and one other place, lol). I would look at their layouts and see what it was about them that made me go "WOW!" and want to click it, then I would try to see if I could build on those techniques.

Thank you so much Susan for your kind words. Everyone here is very talented. I do LOVE going through the gallery just to admire other people's work!

Everyone one has wonderful suggestions. You are all being so helpful. Thanks!

You've already received some great advice from the other designers, but I thought I'd throw my answers out there, too. :)

Like the others, I definitely like to look at a thumbnail that makes me WANT to click it. When someone applies to my team, I typically look quickly at their entire gallery just at the thumbnails to see if there's anything there that makes me want to click more. And whatever "that" is could be different every time... maybe awesome color combinations, a striking photo, a clever title, cool composition. Really, it's just something that makes me want to click.

I also sometimes look for someone with a specific style. It may be art journaling, pocket scrapping, someone who uses white space well, someone who journals a lot, etc. So, when I'm looking for that specific style, that sometimes means I have to pass up some really awesome scrappers. You know?

Another thing is that I like to see that you've already used my products. I want people on my team who are excited about working with and promoting my products. So, if you haven't used my stuff before, it's hard for me to know if you'll really be excited about being on my team.

And then like La said, sometimes it's just a matter of numbers. I've got a pretty ginormous team already, so I have to set a limit and stick to it when it comes to adding people. Sometimes that means that I have to say no to some people that I truly ♥. That's the part of the job I hate the most!

Honestly, the biggest thing for me is finding people who know how to scrap with my kit in a way that will sell the product. I want people to see your layout and think "Wow. I need that kit!"

So, don't give up hope! I had my fair share of "No's" in the CT department before I started designing, and I know it can be discouraging. Just keep on posting and applying for calls, and you'll get there!

For me this is one of the biggest hurdles! I'll see a designer's call and think "I love her stuff!" And then go look at my gallery and see that I haven't in fact posted many layouts with her designs. There are so many awesome designers out there that make kits that totally sing to me, but I find my layouts are all over the place in several different galleries! I definitely need to make myself a one stop gallery too - hello pinterest!

Thanks Libby for taking the time to reply. I knew everyone would have a different answer. It's so great to hear from you all. I know I am learning a lot. Your answer was so helpful.

Angie,I have definatly done that too!! Well, the best part is that it is still fun to keep creating and trying!!

I will say that I have been lucky enough to either guest or full time CT for some amazing designers over the years. I have always found that I seem to end up getting "yes" on calls when I stop worrying about scrapping to "get on teams" and make pages that made me happy. I always try to keep my best work in one place (which is usually a gallery or pinterest board). And never be discouraged by the "nos". Someday they may become a "yes"! It has happened to me and lots of people here.

Keep up the good work!

I just remembered that I wrote this last year ;)

http://tracireed.com/news/2012/12/kn...k-dream-teams/

Wow! Looking over all the requirements, I don't have a chance! At least all my pages look good to me and my family and that is all that counts.

Beebo, exactly! :D

Also keep in mind that not every designer will use every layout they get from their CTs in their newsletters, etc. Not everyone bats 1000 (if you know what I mean). The best you can do is *see* and sometimes copy or scrap lift those Layouts that you love & wish you could do, too. Emulate, experiment. But do what YOU love to do and your "voice" & style expressing your taste and personality will come out.

[note: I'm on the CT of a few designers at another store]. :)

Can I just add my 2 cents?

Here's a different perspective... I never really thought of "requirements" or what I had to do to be picked for a CT. I just proceeded to try my best at this hobby of mine. I made my pages for myself and my family. I tried to use any new techniques I learned and was constantly trying to improve my skills... not primarily to be a CT member but for my own artistic development. I posted in the galleries to encourage myself and to share. I have never applied for a CT (for digi scrapping, I did when I was a paper scrapper) so it is possible to be 'picked up' for teams without having the stress or disappointment of calls. Just a different perspective on this topic... just being motivated, working on your skills, and posting in galleries might be all you need to do to get noticed?

I think it's important, no matter how you go about getting on a CT, to always keep it for YOU and to do it for yourself... because otherwise it might become a hobby that you begin to no longer enjoy. Being on a CT is a lot of work, and it's easy to slip into it with a 'job' mentality and lose your passion for scrapbooking. Which, in the end, makes you a lousy CT member.

I say this all just to encourage anyone who is desiring to CT to start with a passion for the art of scrapbooking and a personal motivation so that your pages shine without too much effort... and your CT duties become a happy bonus instead of a burden. ;) I hope I'm making sense here. LOL!

Brook I love what you said. I haven't applied for any CT calls because I don't want to ruin my fun by feeling like I HAVE to scrap. IF I were ever asked to CT for a designer that I really love I might consider it; but probably only as a guest spot. First and foremost, I want to enjoy it and learn all I can. If sharing in the gallery inspires someone else, that's a bonus.

Yep, this pretty much sums up me, too. Go read this. :)

Thanks for your input Brook! You bring up a bunch of good points.

Some people are like me......
When I buy some clothes I always need that " Yah it looks ok on you", from either my friend, my husband or gasp even the sales girl who I know is lying......Of course I bought the item because I liked it, but, it makes me like it so much more when someone else likes it too. It lets me know I am not too far off the mark. Sometimes you need to watch "what not to wear" to make sure you don't get invited on the program... if you know what I mean. Even stars with private stylists get on the worst dressed list. Sometimes we hit the mark and sometimes we are off a little.

I don't see that many bible basic lists of how to grow as a digi scrapper so I thought I would start my own here. A reference for scrappers who take a chance at a call. In my opinion here at ssd we have the best staff so why not get my info from the best? The people who I feel are the best in the biz...this includes designers and the sugar babes here. Noted..I really don't go to a lot of other sites, I like it here!

The Info is so scattered on the web. The tutorial site here is great too. I just wanted to know that the designers were thinking as they looked over the lo's and I want to try to grow at my craft. They always say get a job with what you love.. Thank you everyone for this great converstion!

Thanks Traci for that great reference. :)

As a CT member........I remember the best advise I ever received......scrap for yourself, Use what you love and get better at the details (shadows, photography, saving for web). I also had to STOP applying to any and all CT calls. Only apply to those that you LOVE and raving fans of. It is hard when you are really just wanting the experience. SO decide now on 2-3 designers that you are nuts for and love over 90% of their store. Seriously. Once you figure that out it will make the process so much easier. Plus, it just makes for a better CT experience once you are there. You want to be able to promote your designer with excitement not out of requirement to keep you spot. Make sense? It takes time but it will eventually happen. Promise.

Excellent advice, thank you Tara.