scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,449 
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Post by scrapnnana on Jan 23, 2023 20:46:22 GMT
The projects? The techniques? The teacher? The cost?
I rarely take a class, at least not if I have to pay for it. I’ve been card making longer than most who teach, but I’ll be the first to admit that there are plenty of techniques I have never learned. I’m willing to pay for a class if I think I’ll learn enough new things to make it worth the money.
An ad for a stamp class taught by Heidi Swapp came into my newsfeed today. For the first time in a long time, I was tempted, until I took a look at what the cost included. 3 of the 4 classes are things I already know. The 4th one is the one shown in the ad, and which got me to at least check it out. The cost is for 4 classes and a stamp set. The stamp set was okay, but I have plenty of similar stamps in my stash, and I haven’t been that impressed by the quality of Heidi Swapp stamps in my stash. They’re okay, but not amazing. Had at least 3 out of the 4 of the classes been tempting, I would have signed up, regardless.
I don’t know if I’m too picky, too cheap, or just been stamping so long that it takes a lot to impress me enough to part with money for a class. I’m sure it doesn’t help that our income has dropped and prices of basics (like food and necessities) have increased.
What gets you to sign up for classes? How long have you been stamping? Do you sign up to learn something new or just mostly to challenge yourself to get out of a rut?
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Post by scrapperal on Jan 23, 2023 21:01:08 GMT
All the things you listed are factors for me, plus time. I used to think, oh, I could learn that on youtube, but after watching too many bad videos, I am now leaning more towards classes. I just think they are more polished and instructive. That said, I've taken more scrapbook than card classes, mostly to try and get out of a rut.
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pinklady
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Post by pinklady on Jan 23, 2023 21:58:01 GMT
I typically only sign up for online classes if it includes a "class kit" with at least the stamps & dies where I feel like I get my moneys worth of products, instruction & card ideas. I'm not typically fan of signing up for classes where all I get is a video or two. There is too much free content on Youtube, blogs and Instagram. That being said, I have signed up for 1 Online Card Class that was $8 which had a few new to me techniques and the Hero Arts Valentines Stamp Along for $20 because I had a lot of the supplies on hand. I'll let you know next week if it was worth it.  |
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Post by marg on Jan 23, 2023 23:26:26 GMT
For me it's a combinations of new products, professional instruction (the teachers involved are really important to me), and the community of a live event. So, that means I like classes that have a class kit. I don't have any friends or family that scrapbook or make cards anymore so I really like knowing that a few times a year I will be communing online with people as in love with these hobbies as I am. I take both scrapbooking and card making classes and I love them both.
I used to take a lot of Big Picture Scrapbooking classes and while I really liked them I found that I didn't keep up with them. There really was no incentive to, and when I'm left to do things on my own time I often don't get around to doing them, it turns out I need a deadline. Doing a live class like Crop N Create forces me to do the projects because I really want to make the live event worthwhile, and I love the challenge of doing it along with the teacher and other students.
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Post by cmpeter on Jan 23, 2023 23:34:20 GMT
Products, instructors and FOMO. I'm still signing up for the SCT card classes, not because I'm learning a lot in them, but because I take them with a couple of friends, I like most of the instructors and the products. It's more for the event/activity of it vs. the learning at this point.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,449
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Post by scrapnnana on Jan 24, 2023 3:10:59 GMT
…when I'm left to do things on my own time I often don't get around to doing them, it turns out I need a deadline. Doing a live class like Crop N Create forces me to do the projects because I really want to make the live event worthwhile, and I love the challenge of doing it along with the teacher and other students. I think this is why I like CARDtober. It has challenges and deadlines. All of you have given me food for thought, though. |
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MDscrapaholic
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Location: Down by the bay....
Jun 25, 2014 20:49:07 GMT
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Post by MDscrapaholic on Jan 24, 2023 12:05:08 GMT
The only classes I’ve paid for are the Crop & Create events and HS Stop the Blur. I never finished the HS classes as I didn’t like her way of teaching.
The C&C events are the best for me! The prep work, the unboxing, the weekend long time spent with other people who love making cards is what keeps me coming back. I did one scrapbooking C&C and much prefer the card making one over that. The excitement of getting new products and learning how to use them is also a draw for me. Even though I might not like everything when I get the box, at some point in time I actually come around and make the cards.
I am one of the people who can look at a layout sketch and have fun with it, but when it comes to cards I need to follow something. I’m willing to pay for someone else to design it and give me the necessary products needed to make it. I can’t seem to use my own imagination making cards like I do making layouts.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Jan 24, 2023 14:18:29 GMT
I never finished the HS classes as I didn’t like her way of teaching. That helps to eliminate any possible lingering temptation for me. Besides, after watching the HS ad video on Facebook a few times, I can probably do something similar to the technique that caught my eye. The video came into my Facebook news feed, and now that I have watched it once, it will probably play in my news feed over and over. I often watch the free Queen & Co. videos on Facebook. They also have over 100 card sketches on their Facebook page (Queen & Co. Royalty), if you like card sketches. |
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Post by marg on Jan 25, 2023 1:44:01 GMT
I've taken classes from Heidi Swapp in the past, scrapnnana, and I didn't like her style of teaching either. I find her very chaotic, and I also find her way of speaking hard to listen to after a time. It's nothing personal as I do like her and I like her products and style, but her teaching is just not for me. |
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Post by scrappinheather on Jan 25, 2023 1:56:04 GMT
Mostly if I like the teachers & the products. I like receiving products and I also like taking classes gif products I already own or would buy anyway. I love classes that give lots of great tips and tricks & gave me thinking outside the box. I own so many supplies I don’t mind classes that use a lot of supplies. I’m not a clean & simple card maker I tend to do “extra” so I like classes that expand my skills. Although I’m really bad at real water coloring classes.
That said I like taking Jenn shurkus’s classes because they help me use all the lawn Fawn I buy. I have enjoyed the pinkfresh classes 98% of the time & I like their products. I’ve enjoyed crop and create and I really enjoy the more techniquey classes. I miss Amy from the stamp market. I really liked the original line up. I really enjoyed the hero arts event. That had s lot of extra details. Libby did s great job of giving you ideas on how to use supplies you already own. I also really enjoyed taylored expressions stamp joy. I’m not doing this spring one but I’ve enjoyed them.
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Post by marg on Jan 25, 2023 23:30:12 GMT
That said I like taking Jenn shurkus’s classes because they help me use all the lawn Fawn I buy. I have enjoyed the pinkfresh classes 98% of the time & I like their products. I’ve enjoyed crop and create and I really enjoy the more techniquey classes. I miss Amy from the stamp market. I really liked the original line up. I really enjoyed the hero arts event. That had s lot of extra details. Libby did s great job of giving you ideas on how to use supplies you already own. I also really enjoyed taylored expressions stamp joy. I’m not doing this spring one but I’ve enjoyed them. I've done Crop and Create and Pink Fresh and have really enjoyed those. I miss Amy from The Stamp Market, too - she now does classes on her website. I wish she'd do more marketing because I would like to see more designers using her product. Are you doing the Hero Arts event this weekend? It's a live class so I have considered signing up for it, for $25 it's a good price. I haven't done the Taylored Expressions one, either - does she ship a kit with it, or is it in person? |
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Post by scrappinheather on Jan 26, 2023 11:38:52 GMT
That said I like taking Jenn shurkus’s classes because they help me use all the lawn Fawn I buy. I have enjoyed the pinkfresh classes 98% of the time & I like their products. I’ve enjoyed crop and create and I really enjoy the more techniquey classes. I miss Amy from the stamp market. I really liked the original line up. I really enjoyed the hero arts event. That had s lot of extra details. Libby did s great job of giving you ideas on how to use supplies you already own. I also really enjoyed taylored expressions stamp joy. I’m not doing this spring one but I’ve enjoyed them. I've done Crop and Create and Pink Fresh and have really enjoyed those. I miss Amy from The Stamp Market, too - she now does classes on her website. I wish she'd do more marketing because I would like to see more designers using her product. Are you doing the Hero Arts event this weekend? It's a live class so I have considered signing up for it, for $25 it's a good price. I haven't done the Taylored Expressions one, either - does she ship a kit with it, or is it in person? I am doing the hero arts event this weekend. I’ll let you all know how it was. For taylored expressions it’s in person in October and virtual in the spring. The spring event she ships a kit. The kit is all the pieces you need for the card divided up. Usually stamps from a variety of collections pulled and put on one sheet, a create in quads, and some dies if I remember correctly. For in person you do the different cards at different tables. You can also sign up for an extra class at both events that usually includes stamp, dies, stencils and maybe some foil it panels. She also gives you extra products during the in person event and has in site shopping. She does a ton of generous giveaways. I agree with you about the stamp market. Amy is so talented I wish she would do more designs. |
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Post by kmage on Jan 29, 2023 13:24:58 GMT
What gets you to sign up for classes? How long have you been stamping? Do you sign up to learn something new or just mostly to challenge yourself to get out of a rut? I've been stamping in scrapbooks for about 25 years. I started real cardmaking about 4 years ago, and I say "real" because that is when I started measuring, and actually putting effort into the card, not just throwing random scrapbook stuff on a folded sheet of paper, lol. I like to sign up for classes because I have always liked papercrafting along with others, and learning new things. I'll be honest, other than Shimelle scrapbook classes that are very reasonably priced (I bought one for 5 dollars and one for 15 dollars and got a TON of content) the classes I have done are free. I feel like there is a whole world of free classed that I have barely tapped into, so I will continue to do that and use my own supplies, 25 years worth lol. |
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Post by marg on Jan 29, 2023 13:48:50 GMT
I've been stamping in scrapbooks for about 25 years. I started real cardmaking about 4 years ago, and I say "real" because that is when I started measuring, and actually putting effort into the card, not just throwing random scrapbook stuff on a folded sheet of paper, lol. I like to sign up for classes because I have always liked papercrafting along with others, and learning new things. I'll be honest, other than Shimelle scrapbook classes that are very reasonably priced (I bought one for 5 dollars and one for 15 dollars and got a TON of content) the classes I have done are free. I feel like there is a whole world of free classed that I have barely tapped into, so I will continue to do that and use my own supplies, 25 years worth lol. We are very lucky to live in a time when we can access so much free, good quality content online. I mean, just watching Jennifer McGuire's videos is a master class in itself, you could watch only those for years and learn so much. |
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Post by kmage on Jan 29, 2023 13:56:14 GMT
We are very lucky to live in a time when we can access so much free, good quality content online. I mean, just watching Jennifer McGuire's videos is a master class in itself, you could watch only those for years and learn so much. I agree! |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,449
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Post by scrapnnana on Jan 29, 2023 17:49:52 GMT
What gets you to sign up for classes? How long have you been stamping? Do you sign up to learn something new or just mostly to challenge yourself to get out of a rut? I've been stamping in scrapbooks for about 25 years. I started real cardmaking about 4 years ago, and I say "real" because that is when I started measuring, and actually putting effort into the card, not just throwing random scrapbook stuff on a folded sheet of paper, lol. I like to sign up for classes because I have always liked papercrafting along with others, and learning new things. I'll be honest, other than Shimelle scrapbook classes that are very reasonably priced (I bought one for 5 dollars and one for 15 dollars and got a TON of content) the classes I have done are free. I feel like there is a whole world of free classed that I have barely tapped into, so I will continue to do that and use my own supplies, 25 years worth lol. This sounds very much like me, except that I was a stamper/card maker even before I got into scrapbooking. I started scrapbooking in 1996. I became a card maker about 8 to 10 years before that. I have been paper crafting so long that I have seen a variety of artsy techniques and mediums come and go, and eventually come back again. Maybe that’s why I am reluctant to pay for classes. I want to learn something new, but I’ve been at this so long that anything truly new is rare. |
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Post by tampascrapper on Jan 30, 2023 1:47:22 GMT
For me, it depends on price, instructors and techniques I want to learn or using to learn different ways to use stuff I’ve already got. I’ve paid $25, I think, for a weekend of online card classes. I loved doing that and I watched the classes even if I wasn’t really interested in to have scrappy talk while I made cards.
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Shakti
Pearl Clutcher
Troubled, complicated, and constant
Posts: 3,241
Oct 30, 2022 23:42:30 GMT
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Post by Shakti on Jan 30, 2023 11:11:16 GMT
Such a timely thread — I’ve been pondering this recently.
My long-distance SU demonstrator does quarterly virtual retreats via unlisted YouTube Live. They’re inexpensive and convenient. They emphasize “use what you have” and demonstrate each technique or card formula with three examples using different stamp sets or other materials. I’ve come away with at one or two ideas I want to try each time.
I was really resistant to Facebook, so that limited me a lot. We’ll see how long I last before it gets up my nose.
Right now, Altenew’s “March Mindfulness” has reopened registration. It’s pricey and that name kinda pretentious (but maybe it’s supposed to be a kinda pun on March Madness?). I do rather like Altenew products, but $200 is a hard sell. I like Pinkfresh and Taylored Expressions, but I suspect ill. Have sticker shock there too.
I’m really intrigued by the Hero Arts Stamp Alongs, but skipped the most recent because I’m not a Valentine’s person. I’m looking forward to hearing more about the next one.
Crop and Create also seems too big and too expensive and definitely includes some brands whose styles I don’t appreciate.
Sounds like mostly I’m just cheap.
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Post by mbanda on Jan 30, 2023 17:18:29 GMT
Products, instructors and FOMO. I'm still signing up for the SCT card classes, not because I'm learning a lot in them, but because I take them with a couple of friends, I like most of the instructors and the products. It's more for the event/activity of it vs. the learning at this point. This sums it up for me as well. I like the SCT and Pinkfresh classes because of the product & instructors. I'm not necessarily learning a ton of new techniques but I like the events and I have a bestie that also takes them so it's a nice thing for us to do together. I used to take in person card classes at the Scrapbook Expo events but I now find most of the classes are either techniques I have already taken a class on previously or I don't feel they are worth the price depending on what we get with the class. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Jan 30, 2023 22:51:11 GMT
Shakti, I don’t think you are cheap for having sticker shock for classes. mbanda, it’s great that you have a bestie who takes classes with you.
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Post by cmpeter on Jan 30, 2023 23:39:27 GMT
We break it up over the course of a couple weekends. Do one day's worth of classes one day, then then next weekend a second day. I think I could power thru and do them all the same weekend, but one of my friends gets burned out after about 5 hours. I figure it just spreads the fun out longer.
Yeah...they are pricey buggers!
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MDscrapaholic
Drama Llama
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Location: Down by the bay....
Jun 25, 2014 20:49:07 GMT
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Post by MDscrapaholic on Jan 31, 2023 3:33:23 GMT
We break it up over the course of a couple weekends. Do one day's worth of classes one day, then then next weekend a second day. I think I could power thru and do them all the same weekend, but one of my friends gets burned out after about 5 hours. I figure it just spreads the fun out longer. Yeah...they are pricey buggers! That's a great way to do it, cmpeter. I'm one that powers through - I might not make everything over the weekend, but I do try to keep up. I try not to schedule anything else during that time, I find a sitter for the dog, and basically have fun. I am tired after it's all over, though. I took Monday off for the spring event. LOL. And yes, C&C does include some brands whose styles I don't like either, but I'm finding as time goes by, I go back and work with them. I'll at least give them a try. |
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