artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,377 
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Post by artbabe on Jun 13, 2023 19:22:15 GMT
A comment in the Doodlebug reminded me of this. Why do companies put so many darn words in their embellishment packages? Or all over the paper, for that matter. Pinkfresh is the worst offender. The majority of their embellishments have words and phrases on them. Words appear all over their papers, too. There is a limit to how many words I can put on one page. I wish Pinkfresh would have more pictures and shapes. I like the minimalistic white aesthetic but I don't know what to do with all of those words. Other brands do it too, though. Some of them are worse because the same phrases are repeated over and over. I was really irritated with Wild Whisper once because I needed several embellishments for a cluster and all of their embellishments said the same darn thing. Variety, people! And then their is my irritation with "Shine Bright" and "Best Day Ever". I made a page about a mini vacation I took with a friend and I put a "best day ever" phrase on it. He saw it and said "really?" I said "no, but I have a ton of that phrase- have to use it up."  And that is my rant about words. Do you think the companies put too many words and phrases in their embellishments/ |
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,789
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Post by craftymom101 on Jun 13, 2023 19:36:59 GMT
artbabe you're not wrong about Pinkfresh! They use text as an embellishment in a lot of their collections. I don't mind words, but I think there needs to be a balance. I'm watching Heidi Swapp's live on Instagram about her upcoming June release and she has definition stickers (which I'm probably going to buy...) and alpha stickers, but the rest of the embellishments she is showing are not text based. Circle and tab stickers, banners with labels (blank labels), text-free washi tape, small labels. I wish manufacturers were as thoughtful when creating products and not try to overload us with one type of product or embellishment.
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Post by mrssch on Jun 13, 2023 21:11:24 GMT
I'll take words over unicorns, hedgehogs, giraffes, gnomes and llamas.
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Post by aj2hall on Jun 13, 2023 21:40:53 GMT
Echo Park has a new pack of titles and phrases with their collections. I was really hoping their other ephemera packs would have fewer words, but they're the same, lots of words in those, too.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Jun 13, 2023 21:54:30 GMT
I love words that come as >> embellishments, stickers, chipboard. I do not like words in rows across paper. I wish companies would come up with some new words, instead of the same old words on their products. I have a whole list of words to use as a reference. I usually make my own words or sayings, using alphabet stickers or chipboard. Scrapbooking is "to each, their own" in regards to scrapbook style and product preferences. What one loves, another may not.  |
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Post by scrappyrabbit on Jun 13, 2023 22:00:49 GMT
I’m ok with a few words but in general I like icons to fill out the bulk of my clusters, with words as an accent. I like text on paper as long as it’s not too big.
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Post by artisticscrapper on Jun 14, 2023 1:56:23 GMT
Phrases usually don’t work for me since most are geared toward layouts of kids and families. Generic words are okay like ‘fun’ ‘great’ and the like. But I don’t need a ton of them. And I definitely don’t need any more ‘Hello’ tags, stickers, stamps dies, rub ons, pocket scrapping cards, and whatever I missed.
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PaperAngel
Prolific Pea
Posts: 7,940
Jun 27, 2014 23:04:06 GMT
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Post by PaperAngel on Jun 14, 2023 2:36:32 GMT
It appears the industry has approved of only a few sentiments/icons per theme, so the same sentiments/icons are repeated throughout all products (ie patterned papers, stickers, ephemera/diecuts, chipboard, washi, stencils, stamps, metal dies) in every collection with that theme. My solution is simply not to purchase heavily themed embellishments (or papers). I easily create my own unique sentiments via handwritting, computer/typewriter, stamps, dies, etc.
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Post by joblackford on Jun 14, 2023 3:34:26 GMT
And I definitely don’t need any more ‘Hello’ tags, stickers, stamps dies, rub ons, pocket scrapping cards, and whatever I missed. Hellos they are very useful for donation cards! The vast majority of the cards I make outside of holidays just have a "hello" sentiment on them so they can be sent to seniors as "just because" cards. I know they annoyed me when I was a scrapper though - I don't think I would have ever put a hello on a page. |
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Post by joblackford on Jun 14, 2023 3:51:09 GMT
One thing I like about Doodlebug is that the die cut packs are separated into "chit chat" and regular die cuts. I often find the chit chat words don't suit my cardmaking needs or there are just too many of them so I often skip them and make my own sentiments. I usually skip using the paper with all the words on it too. But I realize my needs as a cardmaker may be totally different from scrappers.
Is Geralyn Sy still designing for Pinkfresh? Her style is very text/type heavy.
I never really liked using pre-made words on my scrap pages back when I did paper scrapping. They so rarely said anything I would say in real life or wanted to say on my pages. I felt like they were putting words into my mouth and trying to control what I had on my pages and by extension what I felt and said, trying to turn me into a traditional/conventional American woman with conventional things to say.
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Post by grammadee on Jun 14, 2023 4:29:07 GMT
I was grumbling the other day as I was scrapping baseball and soccer and I did again today as I scrapped hockey: do the manufacturers know that every kid is not a superstar? Not everyone gets a hat trick or winning goal. A few of the baseball cards have phrases about how many times Babe Ruth struck out, but those types of comments or ones that encourage hard work and sportsmanship are few and far between.
Best Day EVER? I am 76. I am afraid if I declare one day Best Day Ever then it will all be downhill from here. I want to look forward to it...
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camcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,136
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Post by camcas on Jun 14, 2023 9:36:38 GMT
ITA- I go through any ephemera packs and remove all the “ best day ever” and other twee phrases and jus t recycle them
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Chinagirl828
Drama Llama
Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 6,671
Jun 28, 2014 6:28:53 GMT
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Post by Chinagirl828 on Jun 14, 2023 10:36:39 GMT
I could certainly do with fewer words, or at least have dedicated word packs with icons/usable pieces in a second die cut pack. It's also a pet peeve that the same words are repeated on all the different products within a range, but also by all the manufacturers across all their ranges. I'd be happy to never see another bloom & grow or shine bright!
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Post by scrappyem on Jun 14, 2023 15:53:26 GMT
I was just thinking about this looking @ AE's travel collection. The phrases are all the same as previous collections and it's very text heavy, which I get is AE's style, but also why I don't purchase more from her. I loath the word "journey" and it's seems to be in every travel collection. It's long past time to retire things like "Best Day Ever" and start using more interesting words and phrases like: making space, remarkable, that was bananas, etc.
I can't help but think of that scene in Dead Poet's Society where Robin Williams tells the kids a man is not very tired, he's exhausted. So many nifty words in the world. I do often make my own but it sure would be nice to have more interesting product choices.
I've started recycling/tossing/donating any phrases I know I will never use but it's annoying how much sameness there is across the board.
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Post by justjac on Jun 14, 2023 17:18:47 GMT
49 and Market has broken everything down. They have a chipboard words pack that is just all the words as well as a couple rub on sheets per collection that are words. I usually pick up the chipboard words because I like how they are color coordinated with the line and are generic enough I use a lot of them. However you can skip those and buy the tags pack or the florals laser cuts or the other three sets of whatevers. It would bankrupt me to buy all the things available for their collections, but I can pick the things I like best.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,434
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Post by scrapnnana on Jun 14, 2023 19:34:13 GMT
This is one reason that I rarely buy packaged embellishments. I make my own embellishment with stamps. At least then the layout will truly be a representation of how I view the pictures/event.
The words in embellishment packages include too many of the same sayings, whether it’s got “Best Day Ever” or whatever the current preferred words/phrases are trendy and therefore being constantly overused.
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 14, 2023 19:43:28 GMT
I have to really love stickers or diecuts to buy them and rarely do because; words. I did LOVE Pink Fresh's collection A Case of the Blahs because it had real life words, at least in my world.  If there's a steep discount, I may buy them. Then I don't feel bad when I don't use some of them. I have been able to cover up words in the past by putting diecuts like hearts on top or tucking them under paper, but it isn't always easy. |
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Post by jennoconnell on Jun 15, 2023 6:26:21 GMT
joblackford Yes, Geralyn Sy is still designing for Pinkfresh. She designed their current travel collection, Tourist Mode. artbabe grammadee I agree with you both. I am not a fan of all the words and phrases printed on pre-made scrapbook supplies. To me, words have significant power and meaning, so I personally can't just throw random phrases on my pages. Regarding Pinkfresh, they are pretty good about avoiding superlative phrases like "Best day ever!" or "favorite", but I also don't want my pages to have (what are in my opinion) random titles like "Golden Days" or "Spring Fling". That's just not how I roll. justjac 49 & Market offers lots of options, that is for sure, but buying one of each item in the Spectrum Gardenia collection would be $300 US (assuming you buy the paper packs, not individual sheets). That. Is. Crazy. And it only includes 24 papers to go with aaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllll those embellishments. I think they create beautiful collections, but having so many choices overwhelms me.
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Post by scrapcat on Jun 15, 2023 15:49:29 GMT
I tend to be drawn towards wordy paper and have to catch myself sometimes bcz I have too many words!
As far as wordy embellishments, I am always on the hunt for everyday, realistic things.
I did learn in a class about covering up words with ones you would want either using letters stickers or a label. Or sometimes I will just cut it off or have that part be off the page edge and trim.
Like maybe for "best day ever", change it to "best drink ever"? or something like that. Or cover entirely, which is prob easier.
It's almost like we would all just like more letters & numbers and for the love of god I need more vowels and 2s.
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If there's a steep discount, I may buy them. Then I don't feel bad when I don't use some of them. I have been able to cover up words in the past by putting diecuts like hearts on top or tucking them under paper, but it isn't always easy.
