Shall we chat?

[LibbysMommy]

I have to say that playing the praise game doesn't persuade me to buy a kit and never has, but that's just me. If am I really interested in a kit and I really want to see more layouts, I will actually go to the designer's site and see the layouts done there by their CT. SSD is a perfect example. If I'm on the fence about a kit, I know that I can see amazing layouts done by the CTs and know that I can definitely be pushed over the edge to buy. I agree that it's good practice for us CT members to try to do all we can to promote our designers, but I understand that in such fast moving galleries like DST, it's hard to feel like you're doing anything at all. Personally I am a fan of the closed galleries like SSD. Maybe I'm just biased though because it is SSD.

[Megan Turnidge]

Oh, and I wanted to say how much I LOVE hangin' at MSA every now and then... I don't get many views in the gallery, but posting in the forum every now and then has resulted in me being RAK'ed by Natalie Braxton, Kasia, Traci Murphy... and just for posting in a thread once I got a GC to Kate Hadfield's store and another time a GC to Cori Gammon's store... the designers that hang out at the MSA forum are very generous and since the forum is so much quieter, you are much more likely to receive awesome RAKs there rather than at DST. BUT I did get RAK'ed once by Krystal HArtley at DST once! That was fun!

[mrshobbes]

Originally Posted by heatherdumas

I have to tell you though, I am less likely to buy a kit if there is no layout in the store preview. I like to see how amazing the kit can be. The CT layouts do that for me. They spark my creative juices.

I have to agree here. I like that when I go check out a product there are linked CT layouts included (as in SBG, SO, and in the future SSD). But what also works for me is that on a particular day I notice layouts from the same kit flooding the galleries, it really catches my attention to a kit/product.

I do play the Praise Game in MSA and the ISO threads when I can. I think, what also helps the designers in getting product noticed is if it's LINKED in the credits. So in that case, open galleries like DST and MSA work.

[gracielou]

For me, I like to promote my CT's in the ISO threads. I do play the praise game sometimes but I have a husband and 3 little ones that deserve my time more than games. I certainly believe in working hard for my CT's and I do try my very best but my free time as a mom and wife is very limited and I have found through my comments from praise games that people are not really paying attention to my credits anyway. I especially see this in my LO's using templates and lifts because people are alwasy trying to credit me for someone else's work even though it is plainly spelled out in the credits, so obviously lots are looking right over them. I don't mind posting at DST and MSA. I don't have a huge problem uploading there so I might feel differently if I did. I guess I just despise praise games LOL, although I have played and will continue to play them on occasion when I feel the need to waste an hour of my life each time LOL!

[gracielou]

Originally Posted by cindys732003

Are you trying to lose our jobs for us Kellie LMAO!!!

LOL! I was just thinking the same thing. Please Robin, she didn't mean it. Don't fire us all! I just got here LOL!!!

[krystalhartley]

I do think it's good to get your layouts noticed. Up through July, I was pretty active at DST, playing the praise game (only once per LO), and reciprocating lots of comments. There was a stretch where I probably averaged about 30 comments per layout. Then I got really busy designing and just haven't had as much time to do it all.

As a designer, I require my CT to post to DST (although we are currently discussing switching that requirement to MSA) just because I like to have a central place to browse and leave comments. I also require one other gallery...preferably, one in which they hang out quite a bit because that's where they will get more genuine interest in their layouts.

I also encourage them to post to their blogs. I get WAY more traffic on my blog on any given day than my best day of views in the gallery, but I do link the images to the gallery for full credits, etc. (Need to switch out to MSA though because DST is having so many issues.)

Speaking of CT requirements and exposure...what about enabling threads? It's definitely not a requirement for my girls. Do people actually look in those threads to shop? I can't imagine that they do. I think only other CTMs probably ever see those posts.

[LeeAndra]

Kellie brings up a valid point re: the 'businessmanship' (not a word) of the digital scrapping industry. One of its biggest selling points, of being a cottage industry where every person with the desire and gumption can become a designer, is also its biggest downfall when it comes to being financially lucrative.

Businesses like Target, Walmart, etc. publish expense reports that can be read by the public as well as other businesses. They hire marketing firms that analyze numbers and market trends and share this information accordingly so that the business can capitalize on their strengths and shore up their weaknesses. Etc.

Designers, on the other hand, seem to keep much of their financial information close to the vest. Many designers, though possessing the desire and talent, do not have experience in marketing, public relations, bookkeeping, and the many other tasks required of a business owner and their businesses may suffer for it. They do not bring about enough revenue in order to hire professionals to further delegate work to in order to make the business more successful. While CTMs can be well versed in the trends of the industry, experienced scrappers, and genuinely good honest sweet people, they are not necessarily professionals, either.

For an industry made of enthusiastic amateurs where schooling, training, and experience are not requirements, I think CTs are the best solution to the problem. While CTs are not necessarily ideal for designers, as Kellie pointed out, who either make very little revenue from megasites like DST and MSA OR have made such a name for themselves in the industry that people will buy from them regardless of actual product, they are the best we can do in a personalized cottage industry like digital scrapping.

To put it another way, giving away product to 25 CTMs on a regular basis is much less expensive than 4 years of an M.B.A. with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Public Relations, or Finance.

[Megan Turnidge]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

Speaking of CT requirements and exposure...what about enabling threads? It's definitely not a requirement for my girls. Do people actually look in those threads to shop? I can't imagine that they do. I think only other CTMs probably ever see those posts.

I have been influenced several times to buy stuff that was in an ISO thread that I did NOT start... that's how I found (and became addicted to) Kasia.

[jessica31876]

to be honest I dont think I have ever really bought a kit because of a layout I have seen. When I browse galleries it isnt really to look for a kit to buy but more to ideas or inspiration or just to see what other people are doing. So I guess I do not really think that its necasary to upload to so many galleries but Im not a designer so maybe it does help with sales. What I do like though is when you click on a kit to look closer and it has the enlarge feature to show more details and it doessnt just have one preveiw but several and sometimes shows the layouts made with the kit. While having the layouts isnt really important I like to see the papers/elements details because there have been some kits which I bought thinking it looked great then once I unzipped it all it didnt really look as nice as the preveiw

[Trina]

Originally Posted by nesser1981

I don't like the galleries at DST and MSA, to be honest because there are a LOT of crappy kits that are used there. I'm sorry, but I hate seeing layouts made out of the cheap kits, or the ISO threads and all I get is crappy looking stuff.

I love it here because i don't have to deal with that. Everyone that designs here it top notch. There are no quality issues, the scrappers here are fab. I think closed galleries are better for the designers.

TOTALLY agree!!! One of the reasons I've slowly migrated here (and because it seems this is the only store I spend any money at so that must mean all my fave designers are here!)...

[scrappurple]

Someone help me with these... ISO and MSA? Thanks.

[gracielou]

Krystal - I have never went browsing through the enabling threads. I was required by a site I used to CT for to post there at least 4 times a month. I know that doesn't sound like much but it was truly one of my reasons for leaving the team.

ETA: I may have misunderstood you on this. Sorry. I have bought product from ISO threads but the CT enabling thread at DST I never open!

[scrappurple]

Originally Posted by Trina

TOTALLY agree!!! One of the reasons I've slowly migrated here (and because it seems this is the only store I spend any money at so that must mean all my fave designers are here!)...

Sounds like me! Honestly, I think it is a style issue too. Some sites have certain "styles". I hang out at a certain site and enjoy it there, but don't really like their kits. I LOVE the kits here and have decided to start hanging out here. Therefor spending more $.

[Teresa]

Originally Posted by scrappurple

Someone help me with these... ISO and MSA? Thanks.

ISO- "In search of"

MSA- My Scrapbook Art (digital forum)

Hope that helps (HTH)

[Trina]

Originally Posted by mturnidge

I have been influenced several times to buy stuff that was in an ISO thread that I did NOT start... that's how I found (and became addicted to) Kasia.

I shop from the ISO threads WAY.TOO.MUCH Even if I don't NEED the item that is "ISO," somehow I always find something in these threads that I could put to use

[scrappurple]

Originally Posted by Teresa

ISO- "In search of"

MSA- My Scrapbook Art (digital forum)

Hope that helps (HTH)

I don't get the "in search of" ... pardon my lack of knowledge on that one. I probably know exactly what it is, just never put a name to it. Is it going looking through a forum for a certain kit? Thanks!

[Trina]

Originally Posted by scrappurple

I don't get the "in search of" ... pardon my lack of knowledge on that one. I probably know exactly what it is, just never put a name to it. Is it going looking through a forum for a certain kit? Thanks!

You'll see a thread that is titled ISO: Football kits. That means the person who started the thread is looking for (in search of) football kits...

[scrappurple]

Got it! Thank you!

[MelindaH]

I very rarely get comments or views at DST. I think there are just too many layouts uploaded, and mine aren't that spectacular to get attention. I also do not have time to join in the Praise Game threads. By the time I get through my routine for the day with work and the kids, I'm lucky to have the time to do the uploading at the sites I'm required to.

Some of my designers have started to take DST off of their required posting list because of the lower views, etc. Can't say I'm complaining about that!

Ok, now that I've read the rest of the thread, I'll share my purchasing trends. I have to see a preview of a kit ... a nice big preview. And I absolutely LOVE seeing several examples of it being used. I love Sneak Peek Fridays. After I see a kit I like, I search the gallery for the name of the kit and look at layouts where it was used. I look at how it was used, and how easy it appears to work with. If I wasn't already sold with the elements/theme, colors or papers in the kit, I look to the layouts using those kits to help me decide.

I just used a Gift Certificate tonight here at SSD ... I was so tickled to cross off a couple of "MUST HAVE" kits ... and it was because when I saw the previews I remembered awesome pages I'd seen using those kits, and I snapped them up!

Have I bought because of a LO I saw at DST? Nope. (Am I bad for not knowing what MSA is?) I don't stay there long enough to notice the other layouts. I've pretty much picked the stores I visit and only branch out on rare occassion, and I get the weekly newsletters and check the previews out and go from there to the gallery to search the title if I think I want a kit.

Melinda

[krystalhartley]

You got it right the first time...I should have been more clear. I was referring specifically to the CTM enabling threads (posted each morning at DST)...not ISO threads or the "look what I found" kinds of enabling threads.

I've also made a purchase or 2 from ISO and regular scrapper enabling threads, but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...if people want to know what's new from designers, wouldn't they just browse the new products threads?

Originally Posted by gracielou

Krystal - I have never went browsing through the enabling threads. I was required by a site I used to CT for to post there at least 4 times a month. I know that doesn't sound like much but it was truly one of my reasons for leaving the team.

ETA: I may have misunderstood you on this. Sorry. I have bought product from ISO threads but the CT enabling thread at DST I never open!

[arenee]

I have to say as a customer, I don't really look at the gallery at DST. It is missing something that this gallery has. (I am not sure what it is but to me it looks flat) I get tired of the ISO threads on DST because they all seem to be a set up or a ad for ADSee. I look at the forums if I am bored-or avoiding organizing my recent downloads.

I find most of my future purchases from things I see in the gallery while doing the searching required for Sweet Rewards. Scary Moon Cat is a prime example--I would never have bought that kit unless I had seen what people did with it.

If I am on the fence about a kit, I search the gallery here to see what I can find.

I am not so big on views or comments. I use my gallery to show me if a page clicks for me or not. I kinda like that I dont have tons of views it means that undesireable people aren't viewing my pages.

Just my 2 cents

[gracielou]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

You got it right the first time...I should have been more clear. I was referring specifically to the CTM enabling threads (posted each morning at DST)...not ISO threads or the "look what I found" kinds of enabling threads.

I've also made a purchase or 2 from ISO and regular scrapper enabling threads, but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...if people want to know what's new from designers, wouldn't they just browse the new products threads?

I never look at the CTM enabling thread. I guess it never crosses my mind to go in there.

[Megan Turnidge]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

You got it right the first time...I should have been more clear. I was referring specifically to the CTM enabling threads (posted each morning at DST)...not ISO threads or the "look what I found" kinds of enabling threads.

I've also made a purchase or 2 from ISO and regular scrapper enabling threads, but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...if people want to know what's new from designers, wouldn't they just browse the new products threads?

Ohhhh. No. Never go in the CTM enabling thread.

[NettieB]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

...I was referring specifically to the CTM enabling threads (posted each morning at DST)...not ISO threads or the "look what I found" kinds of enabling threads....but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...?

haven't ever been there - been treating it like the sneak peek - you need to be the "anointed one" on the team

[dawnmcd]

I guess I am an unusual one - I have bought kits because I saw them in a layout and loved it. But my normal way of doing things is to see a kit i like - say in an ISO thread or while browsing a site or linked from a friend. Then I often go right to dst and search the name of the kit and look at the layouts made with it. I do like to have ct layouts to view but also like to see a non CT scrappers use of it as well.

I choose dst to search cause it is a pretty universal place to post layouts. I will search here if it is a kit from here.

However I do not care how many hits or views a layout has when considering if I like the kit.

[Joan]

Originally Posted by Nettio

But then I do put in the effort to play the praise games at both DST and MSA and my views and comments show that. In fact I get WAY more comments at both of those sites than I do here.

Ditto. I almost always get more comments those two places than here. And I get a lot of really nice comments that have obviously had thought put in to them. Yes, I also get the "nice layout" type comments but, honestly, I get a ton of those here too.

I also find a lot of the kits I want to buy via the praise game, the GSO threads and just general looking through the galleries. I think you owe it to designers you CT for to promote their products outside of their store's site, and I do think it is well worthwhile. I wouldn't know about this or most of the sites I shop at if not for DST. I love the community here at SSD, I really do, but more and more you get this underlying sense of animosity to other sites here, particularly DST. I have to be honest, I just don't get it, and it makes me enjoy it less here. I think it's good for us as artists, or scrappers, or however you like to think of yourself, to draw influence from as many sources as possible. So, while this is the community I tend to enjoy hanging out at the most, I shop and surf many other sites in addition to here. I'd feel really limited as a scrapper if I didn't.

Sorry, I know I'm rambling now LOL, but I guess what I'm trying to say is more and more this is starting to feel like a kind of insular community, and I don't think that's ultimately healthy for SSD. It's something that's been bugging me, and I kind of needed to get it off my chest.

[Joan]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

I've also made a purchase or 2 from ISO and regular scrapper enabling threads, but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...

It's one feature that, if I had to guess, I'd say is pretty useless. I've opened it a couple times trying to figure out if I should be posting there as a CT member, and I don't really get it, nor do I see how it would be any real benefit to the designer. I suspect no one other than those posting to it open it. I know from a potential customer's perspective, I never once looked in there to be enabled.

[joelsgirl]

My first Melissa Bennett purchase was from the CTM Enabling thread; I don't ever look there anymore, though, because there's far too much bad quality product being promoted. I hate to wade through all of it.

[Darcy Baldwin]

Originally Posted by Joan

It's one feature that, if I had to guess, I'd say is pretty useless. I've opened it a couple times trying to figure out if I should be posting there as a CT member, and I don't really get it, nor do I see how it would be any real benefit to the designer. I suspect no one other than those posting to it open it. I know from a potential customer's perspective, I never once looked in there to be enabled.

While it may not be a great marketing tool, it was ultimately created to keep those kinds of threads from constantly flooding the general chatter section. There were way too many CTM's posting look at what my designer just did threads at DST, and folks were getting sick of it, so this was created to sort of put them in one little place

I never look at them any longer, and I think that most people don't as is reflected in the numbers of actual posters and views to the thread compared to when it started.

[nonnie]

Originally Posted by mturnidge

Oh, and I wanted to say how much I LOVE hangin' at MSA every now and then...

I totally agree - it is the only other gallery that I find layouts that I love and I have bought kits from there based on layouts - Like from After 5 and from we are storytellers .... I love looking there - I try (when I have the time) to go through a day and leave praise - For all the layouts that have no love and for the ones that I love - I can't do it all the time, but I do it sometimes - I also play the praise game and when I do I try to leave love for everyone in the thread -
I love the style of scrapping found here - that is why I have been here since I started scrapping and why I buy something every week - While I like looking at the "European" style and it amazes me .... I am more of a paper scrapper -
I go to DST, but if it were not for my CT oblations, I probably would not - not my style and WAY to big - But it serves a purpose - I see who is having a sale and look at new kits - Other than to leave comments I rarely chat there - way too much drama

Just wanted to put in my 25 cents

[kscwgirl]

If I could load the DST website on a regular basis, I probably would play the praise game there, tbh. I have an extremely hard time loading it from work, and sometimes can't get it to load at all. I haven't even been able to load my recent layouts there, however, since I am up so freaking early today, I'm about to go try.

[joelsgirl]

I really like to look at layouts; it's what I do while I'm nursing usually. Which means that I am leaving praise one handed, so I leave a lot of "generic" praise but it's not just randomly left for whoever in the hopes they'll come praise me back. In fact, I never expect return praise for my random love; I only expect people who play the praise game to come hit my gallery. So if you get a comment from me like, "Great page!" I really DO mean it.

[newfiemountiewife]

Originally Posted by Trina

I shop from the ISO threads WAY.TOO.MUCH Even if I don't NEED the item that is "ISO," somehow I always find something in these threads that I could put to use

LOL you just described me to a tee

[newfiemountiewife]

I'll tell you what has sold me the most product HERE lately, and that's the sneak peek thread. Fridays, we see what's coming out on Saturday, we get to see some great layouts by our friends here, and I get totally stoked to shop the next day. I know pretty much what I'm going for the next day, so instead of randomly shopping and not being able to make a decision, I get to spend the day seeing your layouts, and getting hyped up

[krystalhartley]

That makes sense, Darcy. I just think it odd that there are designers that require posting there for their CTMs when I don't consider it a good use of time.

I'm personally addicted to the New Products thread at DST. I'm an impulse buyer (I don't use kaboodle or whatever it's called), so a good preview there is gonna get my attention. Although, I confess to being moderately snobbish and not even opening some of the threads if I don't recognize the designer's name.

I don't ever look at the monthly sponsor's thread at DST though...I think I clicked there once accidentally.

My gold membership expired in August and I chose to not renew since I never used any of the kits last year, and I opened the DST Insider just once because of a tease that turned out to be worthless to me personally.

I absolutely don't hate it though. I just wish it weren't as slow so that I could feel like I'm using my time better when I'm there.

[Nikki Epperson]

Originally Posted by krystalhartley

Although, I confess to being moderately snobbish and not even opening some of the threads if I don't recognize the designer's name.

Some girls where I sell call me a kit snob b/c of that reason - lol, and more. Because I usually only buy here. Probably 97% of my purchases are here.

Bonus that a couple of designers have trusted me to be on their CT (hint, hint) and introduced me to other great designers I had no idea were out there.

[Amy Carey]

all I can say is that before I became a babe here, the layouts in the gallery by the babes and other CT members DEFINITELY influenced my shopping habits and it got to where I saved my money for here. Combined with the challenges, etc, slowly I dwindled away from all the other sites, and my focus kind of honed in here and became my family. So I do think the layouts I post here for my sugar babe job are important and I hope that they help in a small way to make others feel the way I did...that this is the place that fits them and where they want to be and where they want their scrapping dollars to go. I must admit, I can be called a drive by poster because I do post my layouts in 5 galleries but am not *active* on the boards anywhere but here. I just feel I owe my time and allegiance to SSD. BUT on the other hand, this thread has really made me think I and I have decided that while I don't have to be active on the forums at those other sites, it wouldn't take but 5-10 minutes to leave some praise in their galleries as I post my own pages so that is going to be my goal from now on. Everyone wants to feel love on their pages and it really only takes a few minutes...IF the site is cooperating and not running poorly...now that I just wont' stick around for.

[DawnMarch]

I was referring specifically to the CTM enabling threads (posted each morning at DST)...not ISO threads or the "look what I found" kinds of enabling threads.

I've also made a purchase or 2 from ISO and regular scrapper enabling threads, but I've never, ever browsed the CTM enabling thread. I'm just honestly curious if it's a viable marketing venue...if people want to know what's new from designers, wouldn't they just browse the new products threads?

I wondered about this a while back because I never looked at CTM Enabling either. So, I posted the question on one of my CT forums and 3 or 4 people said that is where they go to decide what to buy and that they look at it every day. So, I posted there for a while. Now I've slacked off again and only post once in a while.

It would be kind of interesting though to do an actual study with a designer -- to see if the kit earns more when it's posted to CTM Enabling for a few day than one that isn't.

[newfiemountiewife]

I never look in the CTM enabling thread. I have posted in it occasionally though. I need to get better about it actually.

[heatherdumas]

Originally Posted by newfiemountiewife

that's the sneak peek thread. Fridays, we see what's coming out on Saturday, we get to see some great layouts by our friends here, and I get totally stoked to shop the next day. I know pretty much what I'm going for the next day, so instead of randomly shopping and not being able to make a decision, I get to spend the day seeing your layouts, and getting hyped up

I wake up and turn my lappy on Friday morning before I pee, even. I love the sneaks. My daughter comes in while she is getting ready for school and tells me which ones I need. Then she checks the second she gets home from school. The sneak thread is the highlight of my Fridays, and the informal Friday night chats.

[rochelle789]

I've thought a lot about this lately, too, Lena. The only reason I started posting at DST and MSA was to fulfill requirments (bad, I know, but I just have no desire to post anywhere but here ).

I rarely get views or comments either at those places either, but I do try to reciprocate the ones I do get. I've honestly wondered if posting at those larger galleries really has a benefit, or if it has just become "the thing to do."

With that said, I'll happily do whatever is required.

[gracielou]

Originally Posted by joelsgirl

I really like to look at layouts; it's what I do while I'm nursing usually. Which means that I am leaving praise one handed, so I leave a lot of "generic" praise but it's not just randomly left for whoever in the hopes they'll come praise me back. In fact, I never expect return praise for my random love; I only expect people who play the praise game to come hit my gallery. So if you get a comment from me like, "Great page!" I really DO mean it.

I always love your comments on my pages Kellie! At other galleries if I have comments on my pages so many of them have been from you and it was not from playing the praise game but just from you coming in and looking at my LO. It really always makes me feel great and I truly thank you for taking the time to comment on them!

[scarletsierra]

I think about this sometimes too Lena....

I'll be honest...I spend a LOT of time commenting and praising and such at DST to get visibility for my CT layouts. I'm fairly confident if I didn't put so much time and effort into it I'd get little to no views. It's the nature of the beast, I think. The community is just so big and the galleries, so fast moving. It can be a little frustrating and time consuming and I can't be sure that the praise I'm receiving is genuine or reciprocal (though I try to remind myself that's not what's important)...but I try to give at least a decent effort of getting the product out there when I upload.

As for buying habits and if layouts generate sales. Hard to say because everyone is different. But I *think* I have spurned interest in my designers products from time to time purely from posting layouts...some commenters have said things like "I have to get this kit now!" or "I just ran to grab this!".

And I know I have been influenced to buy a product because I loved what I saw in a layout more than once. The preview alone doesn't do it for me. I've seen some amazing previews and the kit kind of falls flat. I like to see what can be *done* with the kit, how different people use it, how versatile it is, etc.

I do agree that the smaller communities, like my SSD "home" is where I feel more genuine connections and the stor galleries probably do more to sell me products. But I think the bigger galleries probably draw people to the stores, where they find "homes".

P.S. Kellie...I often notice your comments (and unsolicited) in my MSA gallery too and I always smile and appreciate them so much!

[Becca Bonneville]

Originally Posted by scarletsierra

I think about this sometimes too Lena....

I'll be honest...I spend a LOT of time commenting and praising and such at DST to get visibility for my CT layouts. I'm fairly confident if I didn't put so much time and effort into it I'd get little to no views. It's the nature of the beast, I think. The community is just so big and the galleries, so fast moving. It can be a little frustrating and time consuming and I can't be sure that the praise I'm receiving is genuine or reciprocal (though I try to remind myself that's not what's important)...but I try to give at least a decent effort of getting the product out there when I upload.

As for buying habits and if layouts generate sales. Hard to say because everyone is different. But I *think* I have spurned interest in my designers products from time to time purely from posting layouts...some commenters have said things like "I have to get this kit now!" or "I just ran to grab this!".

And I know I have been influenced to buy a product because I loved what I saw in a layout more than once. The preview alone doesn't do it for me. I've seen some amazing previews and the kit kind of falls flat. I like to see what can be *done* with the kit, how different people use it, how versatile it is, etc.

I do agree that the smaller communities, like my SSD "home" is where I feel more genuine connections and the stor galleries probably do more to sell me products. But I think the bigger galleries probably draw people to the stores, where they find "homes".

P.S. Kellie...I often notice your comments (and unsolicited) in my MSA gallery too and I always smile and appreciate them so much!

ITA with all of this! Although I prob don't sell as many kits as you girl! LOL!! But it is just one of those things!!

And I also agree with Kellie, I often leave the fabulous page comment but I do think it is fabulous. A lot of times that is all I have time to write and wanted to leave some love.

Also, Kellie thank you so much! I love all the love you leave me at MSA!! It certainly makes my day!!