A request from a loyal customer to designers

[arenee]

I have to say the way SSD is marketing their kits lately has taken a bite out of my paypal account. I feel the need to make sure I get the most bang for my buck. I have found myself buying more kits from designers that I usually don't buy from because of the FWP offer on most kits.

But I have one request. Can you make the pages on the albums available with and without the title? I have the hardest time trying to match the colors or the action of the photo with the title on the page. I can add elements if I need to but it is hard to change something already flattened. Sometimes one element will make the unusable for me. A great example of what I am requesting is "That's My Daddy." For every page she has a page with and without a title. I was able to use a page without the "tee up" title on a page when they were whooping it up on the golf carts.

I really don't know why I am making this request...............I may end up spending more money. I can hear my paypal account screaming now.

[Paula]

LOL This is the only place I drop my nickels. Don't they have awesome designers here?

[mummytothree]

That is an awesome suggestion (I have got a few that do include alternate pages and it rocks) but for the ones
I have gotten that maybe don't have alternate pages or I want to stretch my buck and use them for something else...I've just become real handy with my cloning tool!!!

[kscwgirl]

Don't most of the albums already come that way? I know Traci's do, and most of the ones I've bought have been w/o titles.

[mummytothree]

Originally Posted by kscwgirl

Don't most of the albums already come that way? I know Traci's do, and most of the ones I've bought have been w/o titles.

All the ones I got this week did but one last week didn't. It was Melissa's Fishy Fishy one but the titles were "generic" and could totally be worked around (Discover & Explore) and could totally be altered with the clone stamp or even an extra element throw over them!! Plus I think you could almost always find a "beach" photo to fit those words!!

I haven't gotten any that couldn't be "fix up" in just a few minutes!!!

[Traci Reed]

yah I've been doing it that way for a while, so every album I design has that, it's an awesome suggestion

[scrapmonkey]

I end up putting something over the words I don't want - either elements or other word strips. For someone without kids, it's a necessary measure....

[Susan Bartolini]

Yep, Traci does most of my albums and that is how she/we like to do it. It's good to give options for the customer.

Susan

[wildblueeyez]

Oh Lordy - just what I need - another reason to put more in my cart!!! LOL.... great suggestion!

[EvaK]

I always try to include alternates if there is a worded strip or title on the page. It just allows for more versatility.

[pbumbaca]

Originally Posted by mummytothree

It was Melissa's Fishy Fishy one but the titles were "generic" and could totally be worked around (Discover & Explore)

Totally my fault, that's my album. I'll make sure from now on when I do albums for my CTs I'll make generic pages too. Sorry about that!

[arenee]

I will admit that I am not the best at "fixing" things.

Eva--yours are ok--your electric attitude is one of my most recent favs!!!!

ScrapKitchen is great as well

Misty Catos CoffeeHouse and Chatty don't need "fixing"

I have been spending my scrap dollars at SSD and I really don't want to be dissappointed. That is why I made the request. I have been buying from more designers than I usally shop from. In the past, I have bought from one or two designers. Lately, I have been buying I have been buying from sooooo many different designers.......I cant wait til Sat to see what is screaming to come home with me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sue Setiadji]

I love the feel of this thread - Wow on the constructive criticism and the awesome attitude in delivering it!!

Oh and a completely valid suggestion as well!

[MandaBean]

Hey guys!! I'll be honest here..I prefer making my albums with no titles at all, but sometimes I feel like the customer might feel let down if I don't include them? What do you guys think? I mean..would it be easier for you guys if we possibly included the kit's alpha in with the album (for those buying just the album)? I don't use titles too much, so I'm just wondering which way I should go with this one? More titles on seperate files or no titles at all?

Thanks for all the feedback, it really helps and we love hearing from you!

[mummytothree]

Originally Posted by pbumbaca

Totally my fault, that's my album. I'll make sure from now on when I do albums for my CTs I'll make generic pages too. Sorry about that!

Pam no reason to apologize....that album was cute cute cute. I love it and it's gonna rock my little boy's photos this summer...... as soon as I get them to a beach for vacation and get some pictures snapped!!!

[Anso]

Originally Posted by MandaBean

Hey guys!! I'll be honest here..I prefer making my albums with no titles at all, but sometimes I feel like the customer might feel let down if I don't include them? What do you guys think? I mean..would it be easier for you guys if we possibly included the kit's alpha in with the album (for those buying just the album)? I don't use titles too much, so I'm just wondering which way I should go with this one? More titles on seperate files or no titles at all?

Thanks for all the feedback, it really helps and we love hearing from you!

Having only started digi scrapping a few weeks ago, I'm no expert on this at all...so I'm not even sure if it's possible/do-able (?), but....could you not add the title/words onto a separate layer of the template? That way people can turn it on/off as they wish

[MandaBean]

We definitely could do that and save as a .PSD which would be a larger size, or just make the title and sve it as it's own .PNG image. I think the latter is what most of the girls do. I will do this from now on with any titles I might add.

[EvaK]

Going forward with what Manda was talking about....

In the past I have included a few "extras" with my albums. This was quite a while ago -- more than a year. I used to include some tags, fasteners, and usually an alpha. That way they could customize their pages to their liking. Also.. this wasn't for shaped quickpages, but instead an album of 12x12 pages.

There are a couple of problems with this. I purposely made my quickpages a little more simple in design so that they could add-on what they wanted. I then decided it wasn't that great of an idea, cuz I figured the customers that pruchase pre-made albums are buying them because it is a fast and easy way to get pages done. They don't necessarily want to add anything onto it (other than their photos and maybe some journaling).

I would love to hear from a customer's point of view on putting a few "extras" into the zip file with the albums. It could be as simple as including the alpha that is included in the kit (but I think this would probably result in a higher price tag on the albums). Which IMO would be something a lot of you wouldn't want -- especially if you purchase the kit the first week of release and get the matching album for free (in which caase you would already have the alpha).

Hugs,
Eva

[ColleenSwerb]

Along those lines Eva, I'd say I'd rather have nothing extra in the album kits to keep the cost down. Especially, like you said, since the alpha would be in the kit and during the first week you get them together anyway. I'm sure Traci will kill me for saying this, cuz I know she makes a lot of the albums for ppl, but once the FWP is over, the albums alone are pretty expensive as it is (just my opinion though).

Personally, all I need is a page with a title, and the same page without the title, and I'm happy. I wouldn't even go so far as making the titles seperate png files. Just gimme 2 of the same QP, with and without the title.

[BrattyMeg]

I think a png page of extra titles would be awesome. Manda you rock the wordart/titles girl!

[Heather Roselli]

Thanks for the suggestion! I know i've been somewhat inconsistent with this. Sometimes it has depended on the theme of the album. I think we have all tried to do more general or alternate pages with our albums lately. It does make more sense and allows the albums to be more versatile. I'll make sure I pay attention to text on pages from now on. And I always list all the pages and the alternates in the description, so if there is any doubt you can always check that out!

[meems]

I love the idea of having titles separate.

[pbumbaca]

Originally Posted by mummytothree

Pam no reason to apologize....that album was cute cute cute. I love it and it's gonna rock my little boy's photos this summer...... as soon as I get them to a beach for vacation and get some pictures snapped!!!

Thanks so much Elizabeth! I appreciate that!

[MandaBean]

Originally Posted by FlirtatiousBrat

I think a png page of extra titles would be awesome. Manda you rock the wordart/titles girl!

So what you're saying is..if I add maybe 2-3 wordarts in with the album, I don't have to do any other titles? Is that what you're saying Meg? LOL

[kscwgirl]

Originally Posted by MandaBean

So what you're saying is..if I add maybe 2-3 wordarts in with the album, I don't have to do any other titles? Is that what you're saying Meg? LOL

I think this would be a great solution.

[Melissa Bennett]

This is definately something I will keep in mind when designing my albums and I will make sure and pass along the word to my album designers.

[arenee]

Thanks for giving me a place to voice one of my new pet peeves.

I cant wait for the next batch of FWP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am I the only one up late to see the new stuff coming out this week?