I don't see why they call them doodles anyway. Not what I would call a doodle.
As for Jane's - I'd never heard of them but to me it's another example of all of these new little companies that look exactly the same. And kind of amateurish too.
I think you'll find a lot of them falling by the wayside unless they have a good reputation selling digital images because people will pay a couple of bucks for something - you get what you pay for right?
5:41 am, what is the lie? The letter from ME or that Stewart Superior makes their inks?
About your rant below, WTH kind og blogs do yu follow anyway? I've never seen any come-to-Jesus DT member blogs.
"and if ONE more stamper posts how god led her to a DT I am going to scream. NOTE TO BLOGGERS: there is no big guy in the sky that leads you anywhere."
Why bash Jane's Doodles? Everyone has a right to pursue their dreams, if their art is not to your taste, then move along, no one is forcing you to buy anything. She's obviously doing well enough to stay in business with her "amateurish" designs.
I really liked the last card that Nichole did with it and it made me look at the folk flowers set from before - I like the look of the sentiment with the banner.
This release has some very detailed intricate designs. I am curious how well the feather dies will cut. I really like them and if no trouble is reported I will purchase later. I think they will sell out as well as the conversation bubble.
Another boring release. Enough with the feathers already! Way past the expiration on that trend. And doodles? Off the top of my head, JDs and Lil Inkers have the same type flowers. PTIs is ok, but nothing exciting enough to want to put in an order. I can't even remember what the rest of the release contains.
The feather set is nice except for a couple of lame sentiments. But $24 for a few feathers, dots and birds? Have birds, can make dots, and easy enough to find many feather stamps for much less. Nice but no sale.
OMG! I know it's only $15 but for the music set they could only manage Keep Singing and that AWFUL quotation!?! I'll distress music notes from somewhere else. Honestly. You get your hopes up and then they bomb.
Okay, I think doodles have been around a lot longer than this one from PTI. So if you see more - I really don't think it's copying.
AND even more to the point, I don't think this set is doodles at all. It is far too precise to be characterized as such. It's like the folk flowers but separated. Pretty but not doodles.
7:27 - As soon as I saw the conversation bubble I went right to my Silhouette and made it in minutes. And I'm pretty much a newb. Been copying bunches of dies that are easy like that.
Me too. I may get that new Brother machine that scans and cuts. I don't have that many dies but I'm never buying another one. Some companies even have freebies - like Waltzingmouse Stamps. And the cut files from those places are inexpensive too.
prefer having a few dies. they cut better and leave a nice rounded finish. i only buy dies that i can use a lot. like an alphabet. don't need them for most stamps.
Dies are fine, but that conversation bubble card could be made by cutting a rectangle of cardstock then cutting a bubble into it. Just the bubble itself would be WAY cheaper than the whole card die.
I don't have a feather die or stamp set, so I was looking forward to PTI's version of it. Sadly, it's very boring and overpriced(I don't want the dots). I would rather buy MFT's version.
^^ That's great! :) Perhaps it's just me who doesn't like it. I still don't know why I am not attracted to Wplus9 feathers either. Everyone seems to be loving it.
I like the sleek version of Simon Says, and the MFT ones.
The WPlus9 feathers are too stubby for me. The PTI ones are longer and look more elegant to me. Also, I like that the dots are separate. I wish it were a $15 set and ditched the poor sentiments.
I'm not sure if I will get it. However, I have been loving the DT samples this week and can use them with some feather stamps I already have.
10:46 - that's a great point. I glossed over that die because I had no interest in it, but your version makes a lot more sense. Why didn't they see that?
^^^ Yes, I like WM feathers, both sets. I have the funky set but might get the other set, too.
10:46 pm & 8:49 am, I have a speech bubble stamp & die set from MFT. I bought it a few years ago when they offered $3-$4 shipping for stamps & dies only. Now I do not order from MFT since it is a minimum $19 to ship to Canada. I don't mind paying actual shipping costs but that's way too much for just flat stamps & dies. nonymousJanuary 15, 2014 at 10:46 PM Dies are fine, but that conversation bubble card could be made by cutting a rectangle of cardstock then cutting a bubble into it. Just the bubble itself would be WAY cheaper than the whole card die.
Just wondering what Cameo owners spend on supplies. How often do you need to change the blade or the cutting sticky sheet? How expensive are they?
I have a Cuttlebug and I find the B plates curl on me quite quickly. With no local LSSs, I'm worried about how much I will have to pay for shipping to Canada when I need more replacements. ;-(
Any tips from CB owners to extend the life of my B plates?
I use both sides of my b plate to help keep the curling to a minimum. I find that if I use the other side the next time, it flattens out the curl that came from the previous pass. It still bends some, but it's not nearly as bad as only using one side.
I see Nichole was up to her bait & switch tricks again. The friends frame was advertised on her blog for $9 but it was posted for sale in the store at $10.
Here is Nichole's response:
I made an error on my blog when listing the price. The one listed here on the forum and on the website is accurate ($10). I apologize for my mistake.
I have had a Cameo for 1.5 years and use it many times each week and have yet to need to replace anything. The mats can be made sticky again if you want to bother but with JoAnn coupons/Michaels coupons they are so cheap it isn't worth the trouble. They last a long time anyway. VERY MUCH worth the investment and you will save many times what you spent by not buying dies and you will now have a cut for every single stamp you own.
I don't get feathers at all. It is like shed dog hair to me.
Tape your CB plate with packing tape to the platform and it will not warp ever.
If Nichole had an ounce of business sense she would not have gone after the extra dollar even if she had made an extra mistake. She might have posted the mistake and said, "My mistake is your gain!" Instead of, "Ladies, I have to get that extra buck out of each of you despite my own carelessness".
I have a Cameo for over 2 years, and use it 5-6 times a month for routine things but have also done some major duplicate stuff with it like snowflakes for my company Christmas party, or treats for kids at church. I'm on my 4th cutting mat, I think and I've never had to replace the blade.
If any one of you were held to your word for everything you ever said in life, you would be mortified. Be thankful for the Grace and Mercy of a Loving God that you have not gotten what you ACTUALLY deserve in life.
It's a flipping dollar, get over it. Hell, I'll send you a dollar myself if it means we don't have hear about it for the next month, or at least until Nichole does the next thing that sets off the crazies.
Lots of companies turn a negative into a positive. She could have left the price at $9 for those who ordered on the 15th. PTI never even tries to turn a negative into a positive. Their response is always some ungracious version of 'too bad, so sad, deal with it'. If you really think this is about a dollar, I hope you don't work for a business that depends on customers. Just sayin'.
Perhaps business is as bad as some of you hope it is and they can't afford to give up a dollar. Maybe they don't want to deal with the headache of correcting the orders of the 5 people that ordered it last night.
I wonder of PTI makes the majority of their sales on release night? (Or do you think a lot of customers shop between releases?) Maybe that's why they would not honor the price she posted on her blog during the pre-release hype.
I don't want them to go out of business. I just want to order occasionally when I see something I like and pay actual shipping costs, not a min of $25 until I spend over $100. I don't need the items individually wrapped in tissue. I just need good customer service and respect from the company for my money and my patronage fo their business. I am not a uni. And I don't get the buying hype, rabid materialism and got-to-have-everything mentality of many stampers. I'm not
I like the wplus9 feathers for funky comical looking cards. I do agree that the PTI version is elegant looking. Didn't like the MFT or WMS versions. I'll be buying from the first 2 companies I listed.
I wish Nichole would go sit at the feet of Gina K and Claire Brennan and learn how to be a business woman. Neither of them would have collected the extra dollar after saying it was $9. In the first place, they seem to proof read before posting making it somewhat less likely to happen at all, but if it did you can bet it would the err would be on the side of the customer as it ALWAYS is with the classy ones.
I agree with you 6:40 - especially the last part. I don't get the mentality either.
And I am a huge critic of PTI and have been since one debacle after the other started a few years back, but I think Nichole did okay with this one. Pretty typical that she messes something up on her blog which isn't an excuse just an observation. But they set the price for a reason.
I just can't imagine even if I saw the price on her blog as one dollar less, that when I was putting it in my cart and noticed the difference, I wouldn't just say - oh, I guess that was an error on her blog, and either keep it for $1 more or not buy it. I know there's more to it because it's PTI and they are always messing something up, but really this is not like the major issues they've had and not worth grumbling about IMO.
It seems like everyone here just shops at one of these companies: PTI MFT GK AE ME WP9 WMS
Of all of these, WMS Is about the only one that is pretty distinctive. The rest seem to all blend together to me.
Is this really the extent of it for most smackers here? I like a lot more variety in styles of stamps and there are just so many other options. It just seems pretty weird to me that those are the only places ever mentioned. Maybe it's just that they are the PTI alternatives because they are all so much alike (again, except WMS).
11:01 -- good point. although this is supposed to be a general smack blog, it seems frequented by the pti obsessed -- the lovers and the haters. never understand why one company engenders such passion.
i'm a penny black, flourishes, hero arts lover. through in a few technique tuesday and stampers anonymous and i'm happy. the other companies produce fine stamps, but the designs are rigid (except WMS but she doesn't seem to be putting much out lately)
sometimes it is just smart business to generate a bit of good will. that isn't PTI's style. Most of selling to the stamping community is inviting them to feel like they are part of a happy stamping community.
That's the secret behind Gina K. Her stamps are ho hum yet she thrives. Be nice, have a super friendly presence on the internet. Gather loyal customers into your online family. If PTI could just outsource Nichole's blog writing and customer assistance to someone with a clue, they'd triple their sales.
PTI and Nichole don't participate in the charity hops or the joint projects. No where to be found on the good bye Cath posts or any stamping community efforts. It is post only to hawk. Their DT is relentless at only posting to sell their own products. They don't comment on any blogs, participate in any forums unless it is PTI related and they are trying to earn a buck. they only one with a heart is Debbie Olson and she'll drop PTI soon enough. At least I hope so.
the stamping community is full of clicks. and most of the bigger names disdain PTI. They don't use any of their products, even the cardstock. In fact, they boycott PTI.
I buy from a lot of the companies mentioned above. Also Hero Arts, Paper Smooches and Lawn Fawn (a few sets here and there), Penny Black for the florals, Reverse Confetti, Fresh Squeezed and CAS-ual Fridays. Oh, and Simon Says Stamp.
3:36 am, Excellent post! That is exactly how I feel about PTI although I didn't realize why until you expressed it so well here.
I'm not a unicorn or a hater. I only buy what I like and only once or twice a year when I have enough for an order that justifies paying the high shipping costs.
I liked what you wrote too 3:36 except for the part where DTs don't post or comment on blogs. There was a time where I commented on all the DTs release posts and only one wrote to thank me for commenting. Melissa Philips. I know they're all very busy and didn't expect them to reply but I am so touched Melissa wrote to say thank you.
Like what you said, 3:36. It's bothered me for a while that PTI has set themselves apart from the stamping community at large. And not in a good way! I don't like their lack of support for stamping causes. It is all about the money with them.
3:36, you make a lot of good points about how PTI doesn't really participate in the stamping community. I agree with you and that's a really well-written post. I don't think the one dollar error is such a big deal. And I don't really get why this hobby is geared so much to that "personal relationship" with the owners, DTs, etc. I've never really bought into that but your observations are certainly valid - it is the way of this business to some degree. Not sure if that's a positive or not though (not that you said it was!).
9:03 How do you know what PTI does and does not do when it comes to donating to stamping causes? Do you have some insight into their business practices? Or are you just speculating like all the other nonsense on here?
10:36, if PTI were indeed making donations, they'd be the first ones to shout it from the rooftops. Why would they not brag about these efforts? It would be an opportunity for them to get positive publicity (for a change) and make more money.
9:42 I think trying to form that "personal relationship" is more about selfish ambition in hopes of becoming a part of a DT. I can think of several from the PTI forum who used to suck up and once they became a part of a DT elsewhere they were outta there. They'll post from time to time and unload their stamps on the buy/sell forum.
I've never seen PTI participate in any stamping community stuff. I vaguely remember maybe one charity thing (I may be imagining that). They don't participate in group blog hops. They're all about the bottom line, your $$$$.
PTI does not (to our knowledge) support "stamping causes" or group blog hops. So what? Soundslike some crafters want a company to be all mushy-touchy-feely. Fine. Start your own company and give product away to every person or organization who asks, participate in a group blog hop every day, and support stamping causes. That way you and your customers can feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and infinitely superior to everyone else.
When I make a purchase, I'm buying a product, and don't really care a bit whether the company donates to charity or the community or not. Of course, it's very nice if they do. But it's their decision, not mine.
12:11 - On a general note, EVERY successful business is about the bottom line. If not, they go out of business. Some just hide or disguise the drive for the bottom line better than others. There is absolutely no point in opening a business if you aren't striving for a customer's $$$$.
Agree with all of the comments about businesses being in business to make money.
Also agree that I don't care if a company is all mushy-touchy-feely (great description btw).
But from what I've seen, a lot of the companies that do participate in charities, etc., facilitate that participation by making part of the proceeds of their sales of products or a particular special product go to the charity. In which case, if they did it, we'd know about it.
As for what they do behind the scenes, we have no idea what any company does (hence the phrase, "behind the scenes"). I suspect many do something knowing they are helping a cause they believe in and at the same time is a tax deduction.
There's a difference between trying to make $$$ and being only about the $$$$. You can make some stupid business decisions just to keep the $ coming in.
I know for a fact that PTI donates a LOT to charities, especially those related to stamping. You will never hear about it, because it is none of your business. And if they did shout it from the rooftops, would that not make their donation superficial and just about the business they could generate as a result. You really know nothing about PTI and what goes on behind the scenes...
Why doesn't PTI sponsor any of the card challenge blogs? I have never seen PTI sponsor any of the challenge blogs I follow. Many stamp companies and stores provide the prizes, usually $25 gift certificates. The sponsors take turns providing the challenge prizes, so it is not an onerous burden and generates business for them. SSS is particularly good at doing this.
2:45: if indeed it is true that PTI is doing all that donating, then those incredibly smart businesswomen running the place aren't that smart. I'm not saying that Nichole needs to post on her blog "Oh we gave $$ to this cause, and this much $$ to that cause" but you would see them listed as sponsors for the different events. Hell, the company I work for donates to different events, and the advertising and programs for those events ALWAYS list the sponsors. It's not why we donate, but it's a way for the event organizers to say "Thank You". Those organizers also will thank the sponsors at the event, and mention that they'd sure appreciate it if people would patronize them. It gives people a little bit of a warm, fuzzy feeling towards those sponsors. And if customers had a bit more of a warm, fuzzy feeling for PTI, and didn't feel that they were all about the mighty dollar and customers be damned, the customers would be a little more willing to cut them a little slack on the small mistakes (like the $1 price mistake).
2:45 you are missing my point earlier. PTI doesn't have to give 4 cents to charity. It is silly and rude to demand it. The point I was making is that part of running a successful stamp business is to create a warm online community. There is a warm online community of stampers. We post on each other's blogs. Some of us go to CHA. Some of us hardly know any crafters in real life so we make crafty friends on line. We are healthy well adjusted folks with real lives but love the on line friendships. PTI has absented itself. Once in a while nichole is a guest teacher in an online class. That is it. She posts ONLY when she has something to sell. Other stamp companies put themselves out on the internet and when they have an issue, they have good will stored up.
PTI has little good will.
I seriously hope they continue to make a bundle of money. If there are a lot of stampers who love the products and buy them , that is capitalism. I think Nichole felt hugely burned by the internet. Both her own forum and this blog and its predecessors. In fact I know she did because some former DT members told me.
She used to be more out there. She no longer picks a winner based on quality in the monthly contests, something that hte customers LOVED. I could go on but enough.
good luck pti. I wish you well. In fact I stlll buy your products on occasion.
If you knew how much time Nichole spends every month dealing with the business side of the business, you would understand why she is less "excited" about crafting as a whole. Also, all of the personal attacks have made her gun shy to say the least.
6:52, speaking as someone who has never been a huge Nichole fan, I can see where that would happen. I've gotten into various crafts where people have said "oh, you should make those to sell!" But I knew that the minute the craft became an obligation instead of a leisure activity, it would add to my stress instead of relieving it!
so 6:52, PTI could hire someone to fake being nichole on line. I could easily do it. in fact several stamping companies already do this. it isn't that hard. a few hours on FB, a few warm posts on the forum, on a few blogs. a nice post every once in a while on the blog and you are done. 10 hours a month. I'll do it for $125 a month in case.
I had no idea that's what other companies do 7:40. What a bunch of fakes. I'd rather be a real bitch than a fake ass kisser then have people find out about it. Sorry for the French there.
oh dear ^^^ there is no betty crocker! seriously, they are called social media coordinators or what now. I heart papers posted a job opening for one and offered to pay in like a photocopy of a dollar bill or something. ok i exaggerate. the papercrafting industry cheats folks out of money every day by paying them bumpkus.
it is a real job. not all companies do this. claire in WMS does not -- when someone takes over her blog the person says so.
actually PTI did this when it paid the rickster to come here and post. he still does. sometimes he is more obvious than other times. who knows who I am. maybe I'm full of sheet and making this up but I do not think so
What happened to normal discussion? (that is a rhetorical question)
No, I don't believe the $9/$10 mistake was a bait & switch, just a mistake. Yes, it could have been turned into a positive by letting the customers buy it for the pre-release price on the 15th.
No, I don't believe that PTI charitable donations are our business. Yes, I believe that PTI should particpate in the stamping community, for example, by sponsoring some card challenges - not just their own which they do generate sales. Other stamp companies do it. Why can't they?
Why do the unis & haters always take everything posted here to the extreme? (another rhetorical question)
For all those who think that PTI should share their donation contribution figures, I ask you now to share yours? Please include who you donate to and how much.
i gave $500 to salvation army in December. I don't believe PTI should share their donations. YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT. You have a blog hop or post for a stamper who is dying. Janelle died of a brain tumor and PTI should have acknowledged it. did they? maybe i missed it. but she was on the forum and loved pti and a simple post by nichole would have meant something. it is free. but is part of being a community. nichole won't because she feels burned. honey, grow a pair.
and rick or whomever you are posting -- bug off, you are getting on my nerves. you do not want me to start giving details of stuff. so just bug off for now. and where is the thanks the folks who tested out the website? funny you NEVER answer that question do you mr ricky.
I gave $100 to each of these in Dec: Le Leche League, Red Cross, Planned Parenthood. I gave $300 each to these in Dec: Our local homeless shelter, The Lions project that gets eye glasses for children, NAMI, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
Interesting discussion and lots of good points. I chimed in on the charity thing. The only thing I want to add now is about Nichole being burned out by the internet and that it's so much work.
I have to say the "grow a pair" comment, although not my usual style of conversation, lol, hit home on the "burned" part. You have to have a thick skin to be in any business dealing with the public, so if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Which is kind of what she's done by not participating in the online community any more than doing the sales pitch. Whatever. That's how they choose to run the business. You need that thick skin even more if you're not going to build good will.
It's a lot of work? YES it is. Ask me how I know. She's been doing this for 7 years now. If it's too much, then quit.
It sounds like she's just chosen the path of least resistance . . . do the sales pitch, put out the product on a regular basis, keep at least a relatively steady flow of business. . . . they aren't shooting for the stars here. It seems like they've just found their niche and they've settled into it. That's really not so bad. The fans are probably more disappointed in the mediocrity PTI has achieved than Nichole is.
Ha. I tested out the website and didn't get so much as an acknowledgment. even one of the thank you cards that nichole makes every month would have gone a long way. even an email. nothing. we had a forum where we could post our suggestions. there were hundreds of errors identified. no one from PTI even came on that forum to say. ok, thanks. got it.
that was the last time I spent a dime on PTI. so rick, so back compare the list of folks who were on the tester team and see who stopped buying. yup, that was me. bite me.
Just wondering if I am a bad person because I miss the Smack Center. At least there was always something new to read every time I stopped by. That's the only other smack blog I read. I did look at the 2 Peas smack blog once, but that one is extremely vicious and over the top.
thank you. the idea that the cameo solves all die issues is silly. yes, it is an amazing useful machine but you do not get the same quality cuts as with a die. done and one
I don't understand the need for matching dies for all stamps. I like stamping on a card or on a card panel. It's easy enough to mask images, if needed, to create a layered look.
I find the quality with a Silhouette to be better than with dies. It often fits the stamp more exactly and you can decide exactly how much edge, if any, you want. Look at the blogs of those who do this and you will soon see the huge (and money-saving) advantage. It cuts through Gina K like buttah!
Why didn't Maile post in January? I've noticed she is really doing the minimum lately. Only one or two cards per new set, not posting in between releases... weird.
9:41 - There was a thread on the forum asking about this, and the answers seemed to indicate a new baby in the household, based on her Instagram postings.
9:07: The Michael's 110 lb is quite a bit heavier and thicker than the Georgia Pacific. If you've ever used Gina K Base weight, it's almost identical. I've never used PTI cardstock, but over on SCS they say that the Michael's is equivalent. Just make sure you get the 110 lb - they still have some of their lighter weight white (60 lb, I think?) in smaller (and cheaper) packages.
Who said God led them to DT?
ReplyDeleteWow the PTI stuff today looks just like Jane's Doodles! Not a fan of either.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why they call them doodles anyway. Not what I would call a doodle.
ReplyDeleteAs for Jane's - I'd never heard of them but to me it's another example of all of these new little companies that look exactly the same. And kind of amateurish too.
I think you'll find a lot of them falling by the wayside unless they have a good reputation selling digital images because people will pay a couple of bucks for something - you get what you pay for right?
Talk about doodling.
ReplyDeleteChecking out CHA stuff online. "Zentangles" No one "created" doodling.
Jane's Doodles have been around for quite a while now.
ReplyDelete5:41 am, what is the lie? The letter from ME or that Stewart Superior makes their inks?
ReplyDeleteAbout your rant below, WTH kind og blogs do yu follow anyway? I've never seen any come-to-Jesus DT member blogs.
"and if ONE more stamper posts how god led her to a DT I am going to scream. NOTE TO BLOGGERS: there is no big guy in the sky that leads you anywhere."
Janes Doodles has been around awhile. In fact, Laura Bassen was on their team for quite awhile.
ReplyDeleteWhy bash Jane's Doodles? Everyone has a right to pursue their dreams, if their art is not to your taste, then move along, no one is forcing you to buy anything. She's obviously doing well enough to stay in business with her "amateurish" designs.
ReplyDeletenot going to call out the god blogger cause you will all go there and she'll see the discussion and I think that is mean even if i am a heathen.
ReplyDeleteI totally respect you for not naming names.
DeleteIt was a rhetorical question. Not asking for names.
ReplyDeleteDoodles set is cute. I'll wait till next month to see if the set still appeals to me.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the last card that Nichole did with it and it made me look at the folk flowers set from before - I like the look of the sentiment with the banner.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised I liked the DTs' take on the doodling set. My 2 favorites from the lot are Melissa P and Laura's samples.
ReplyDeletei'm a sucker for doodle sets and think this is a trend. will wait a few months and see who else produces one. they will!
ReplyDeleteI'm sticking with PTIs version. I can't shop til next month though.
ReplyDeleteThis release has some very detailed intricate designs. I am curious how well the feather dies will cut. I really like them and if no trouble is reported I will purchase later. I think they will sell out as well as the conversation bubble.
ReplyDeleteI think the feathers will cut fine. I'm just hoping they'll all be in stock by next month.
ReplyDeleteAnother boring release. Enough with the feathers already! Way past the expiration on that trend. And doodles? Off the top of my head, JDs and Lil Inkers have the same type flowers. PTIs is ok, but nothing exciting enough to want to put in an order. I can't even remember what the rest of the release contains.
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot today is release day. I went to look and all i can say is ho-hum. I can think of a million other things I want that are NOT pti.
ReplyDeleteWaiting to spend $ at SSS, ME, EH, and AE.
The music on Erin's pink Diane card today is not the stamp from the music set. Hmm, that is strange.
ReplyDeleteThe feather set is nice except for a couple of lame sentiments. But $24 for a few feathers, dots and birds? Have birds, can make dots, and easy enough to find many feather stamps for much less. Nice but no sale.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I know it's only $15 but for the music set they could only manage Keep Singing and that AWFUL quotation!?! I'll distress music notes from somewhere else. Honestly. You get your hopes up and then they bomb.
ReplyDeleteSome very nicely done sympathy sentiments may override the eye-rolling ones for me.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I think doodles have been around a lot longer than this one from PTI. So if you see more - I really don't think it's copying.
ReplyDeleteAND even more to the point, I don't think this set is doodles at all. It is far too precise to be characterized as such. It's like the folk flowers but separated. Pretty but not doodles.
The Alley Way Stamps already have doodle flowers.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thealleywaystamps.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=flowerdoodles
Very similar.
Wonder if PTI copied them? ;-)
The doodle designs are more like zentangle designs. Doodling is usually much looser, less precise.
ReplyDelete7:27 - As soon as I saw the conversation bubble I went right to my Silhouette and made it in minutes. And I'm pretty much a newb. Been copying bunches of dies that are easy like that.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome...unless you dont have a Silhouette.
ReplyDeleteIn less than a year of owning a Cameo I have more than made up for what I spent on it. I can now make die cuts for EVERY SINGLE stamp that I own.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I may get that new Brother machine that scans and cuts. I don't have that many dies but I'm never buying another one. Some companies even have freebies - like Waltzingmouse Stamps. And the cut files from those places are inexpensive too.
ReplyDeleteprefer having a few dies. they cut better and leave a nice rounded finish. i only buy dies that i can use a lot. like an alphabet. don't need them for most stamps.
ReplyDeleteDies are fine, but that conversation bubble card could be made by cutting a rectangle of cardstock then cutting a bubble into it. Just the bubble itself would be WAY cheaper than the whole card die.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a feather die or stamp set, so I was looking forward to PTI's version of it. Sadly, it's very boring and overpriced(I don't want the dots). I would rather buy MFT's version.
ReplyDeleteI placed my order tonight for doodlie-do and the feather finery sets. Order went through fast and without a hitch.
ReplyDeleteI like both PTI and maybe Wplus9's versions. Not a fan of MFT.
ReplyDelete^^ That's great! :) Perhaps it's just me who doesn't like it. I still don't know why I am not attracted to Wplus9 feathers either. Everyone seems to be loving it.
ReplyDeleteI like the sleek version of Simon Says, and the MFT ones.
The WPlus9 feathers are too stubby for me. The PTI ones are longer and look more elegant to me. Also, I like that the dots are separate. I wish it were a $15 set and ditched the poor sentiments.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I will get it. However, I have been loving the DT samples this week and can use them with some feather stamps I already have.
10:46 - that's a great point. I glossed over that die because I had no interest in it, but your version makes a lot more sense. Why didn't they see that?
ReplyDeleteAnyone else looking for better feather sets should check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.waltzingmousestamps.com/search?q=feather
^^^
ReplyDeleteYes, I like WM feathers, both sets. I have the funky set but might get the other set, too.
10:46 pm & 8:49 am,
I have a speech bubble stamp & die set from MFT.
I bought it a few years ago when they offered $3-$4 shipping for stamps & dies only. Now I do not order from MFT since it is a minimum $19 to ship to Canada. I don't mind paying actual shipping costs but that's way too much for just flat stamps & dies.
nonymousJanuary 15, 2014 at 10:46 PM
Dies are fine, but that conversation bubble card could be made by cutting a rectangle of cardstock then cutting a bubble into it. Just the bubble itself would be WAY cheaper than the whole card die.
Reply
Just wondering what Cameo owners spend on supplies. How often do you need to change the blade or the cutting sticky sheet? How expensive are they?
ReplyDeleteI have a Cuttlebug and I find the B plates curl on me quite quickly. With no local LSSs, I'm worried about how much I will have to pay for shipping to Canada when I need more replacements. ;-(
Any tips from CB owners to extend the life of my B plates?
I use both sides of my b plate to help keep the curling to a minimum. I find that if I use the other side the next time, it flattens out the curl that came from the previous pass. It still bends some, but it's not nearly as bad as only using one side.
ReplyDeleteI see Nichole was up to her bait & switch tricks again. The friends frame was advertised on her blog for $9 but it was posted for sale in the store at $10.
ReplyDeleteHere is Nichole's response:
I made an error on my blog when listing the price. The one listed here on the forum and on the website is accurate ($10). I apologize for my mistake.
I have had a Cameo for 1.5 years and use it many times each week and have yet to need to replace anything. The mats can be made sticky again if you want to bother but with JoAnn coupons/Michaels coupons they are so cheap it isn't worth the trouble. They last a long time anyway. VERY MUCH worth the investment and you will save many times what you spent by not buying dies and you will now have a cut for every single stamp you own.
ReplyDeleteI don't get feathers at all. It is like shed dog hair to me.
ReplyDeleteTape your CB plate with packing tape to the platform and it will not warp ever.
If Nichole had an ounce of business sense she would not have gone after the extra dollar even if she had made an extra mistake. She might have posted the mistake and said, "My mistake is your gain!" Instead of, "Ladies, I have to get that extra buck out of each of you despite my own carelessness".
I have a Cameo for over 2 years, and use it 5-6 times a month for routine things but have also done some major duplicate stuff with it like snowflakes for my company Christmas party, or treats for kids at church. I'm on my 4th cutting mat, I think and I've never had to replace the blade.
ReplyDeleteIf any one of you were held to your word for everything you ever said in life, you would be mortified. Be thankful for the Grace and Mercy of a Loving God that you have not gotten what you ACTUALLY deserve in life.
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister! I am thankful all the time, 'cause my fat butt would be burning in hell for sure, otherwise!
DeleteIt's not that she makes mistakes. It's how she handles - or actually does not handle - the mistakes. Always very gracelessly rather then gracefully.
ReplyDelete^^^ oops, should be 'rather than'.
ReplyDelete2:32 I think she handled it just fine. She apologized. What more do you want?
ReplyDeleteIt's a flipping dollar, get over it. Hell, I'll send you a dollar myself if it means we don't have hear about it for the next month, or at least until Nichole does the next thing that sets off the crazies.
ReplyDeleteLots of companies turn a negative into a positive. She could have left the price at $9 for those who ordered on the 15th. PTI never even tries to turn a negative into a positive. Their response is always some ungracious version of 'too bad, so sad, deal with it'. If you really think this is about a dollar, I hope you don't work for a business that depends on customers. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeletePerhaps business is as bad as some of you hope it is and they can't afford to give up a dollar. Maybe they don't want to deal with the headache of correcting the orders of the 5 people that ordered it last night.
ReplyDeleteI wonder of PTI makes the majority of their sales on release night?
ReplyDelete(Or do you think a lot of customers shop between releases?)
Maybe that's why they would not honor the price she posted on her blog during the pre-release hype.
I don't want them to go out of business.
ReplyDeleteI just want to order occasionally when I see something I like and pay actual shipping costs, not a min of $25 until I spend over $100.
I don't need the items individually wrapped in tissue. I just need good customer service and respect from the company for my money and my patronage fo their business.
I am not a uni. And I don't get the buying hype, rabid materialism and got-to-have-everything mentality of many stampers.
I'm not
I like the wplus9 feathers for funky comical looking cards. I do agree that the PTI version is elegant looking. Didn't like the MFT or WMS versions. I'll be buying from the first 2 companies I listed.
ReplyDeleteI wish Nichole would go sit at the feet of Gina K and Claire Brennan and learn how to be a business woman. Neither of them would have collected the extra dollar after saying it was $9. In the first place, they seem to proof read before posting making it somewhat less likely to happen at all, but if it did you can bet it would the err would be on the side of the customer as it ALWAYS is with the classy ones.
ReplyDelete7:48 Get over it.
ReplyDelete^^^ I can tell you are one of the 3 brilliant business women because your answer is what they always say.
ReplyDelete7:58 You are not as smart as you think you are.
ReplyDeleteI am quite probably smarter than I think I am, or at least so I have been told.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 6:40 - especially the last part. I don't get the mentality either.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am a huge critic of PTI and have been since one debacle after the other started a few years back, but I think Nichole did okay with this one. Pretty typical that she messes something up on her blog which isn't an excuse just an observation. But they set the price for a reason.
I just can't imagine even if I saw the price on her blog as one dollar less, that when I was putting it in my cart and noticed the difference, I wouldn't just say - oh, I guess that was an error on her blog, and either keep it for $1 more or not buy it. I know there's more to it because it's PTI and they are always messing something up, but really this is not like the major issues they've had and not worth grumbling about IMO.
It seems like everyone here just shops at one of these companies:
ReplyDeletePTI
MFT
GK
AE
ME
WP9
WMS
Of all of these, WMS Is about the only one that is pretty distinctive. The rest seem to all blend together to me.
Is this really the extent of it for most smackers here? I like a lot more variety in styles of stamps and there are just so many other options. It just seems pretty weird to me that those are the only places ever mentioned. Maybe it's just that they are the PTI alternatives because they are all so much alike (again, except WMS).
Sorry - one OR MORE of these companies.
ReplyDelete11:01 -- good point. although this is supposed to be a general smack blog, it seems frequented by the pti obsessed -- the lovers and the haters. never understand why one company engenders such passion.
ReplyDeletei'm a penny black, flourishes, hero arts lover. through in a few technique tuesday and stampers anonymous and i'm happy. the other companies produce fine stamps, but the designs are rigid (except WMS but she doesn't seem to be putting much out lately)
sometimes it is just smart business to generate a bit of good will. that isn't PTI's style. Most of selling to the stamping community is inviting them to feel like they are part of a happy stamping community.
ReplyDeleteThat's the secret behind Gina K. Her stamps are ho hum yet she thrives. Be nice, have a super friendly presence on the internet. Gather loyal customers into your online family. If PTI could just outsource Nichole's blog writing and customer assistance to someone with a clue, they'd triple their sales.
PTI and Nichole don't participate in the charity hops or the joint projects. No where to be found on the good bye Cath posts or any stamping community efforts. It is post only to hawk. Their DT is relentless at only posting to sell their own products. They don't comment on any blogs, participate in any forums unless it is PTI related and they are trying to earn a buck. they only one with a heart is Debbie Olson and she'll drop PTI soon enough. At least I hope so.
the stamping community is full of clicks. and most of the bigger names disdain PTI. They don't use any of their products, even the cardstock. In fact, they boycott PTI.
cliques!
ReplyDeleteLets not forget that Walmart had an entire price issue on their website and cancelled orders that were paid and processed.
ReplyDeleteAnd a typo of $9 instead of $10 is a.pretty weird typo. $10 has two digits...
My job tracks human errors of any kind. It is pretty bad.
I buy from a lot of the companies mentioned above. Also Hero Arts, Paper Smooches and Lawn Fawn (a few sets here and there), Penny Black for the florals, Reverse Confetti, Fresh Squeezed and CAS-ual Fridays. Oh, and Simon Says Stamp.
ReplyDelete3:36 am,
ReplyDeleteExcellent post!
That is exactly how I feel about PTI although I didn't realize why until you expressed it so well here.
I'm not a unicorn or a hater. I only buy what I like and only once or twice a year when I have enough for an order that justifies paying the high shipping costs.
I liked what you wrote too 3:36 except for the part where DTs don't post or comment on blogs. There was a time where I commented on all the DTs release posts and only one wrote to thank me for commenting. Melissa Philips. I know they're all very busy and didn't expect them to reply but I am so touched Melissa wrote to say thank you.
ReplyDeleteI hope Debbie won't drop PTI. I love her PTI cards and am sick of just seeing JustRite cards. I don't like their products.
ReplyDeleteLike what you said, 3:36. It's bothered me for a while that PTI has set themselves apart from the stamping community at large. And not in a good way! I don't like their lack of support for stamping causes. It is all about the money with them.
ReplyDelete3:36, you make a lot of good points about how PTI doesn't really participate in the stamping community. I agree with you and that's a really well-written post. I don't think the one dollar error is such a big deal. And I don't really get why this hobby is geared so much to that "personal relationship" with the owners, DTs, etc. I've never really bought into that but your observations are certainly valid - it is the way of this business to some degree. Not sure if that's a positive or not though (not that you said it was!).
ReplyDelete9:03 How do you know what PTI does and does not do when it comes to donating to stamping causes? Do you have some insight into their business practices? Or are you just speculating like all the other nonsense on here?
ReplyDelete10:36, if PTI were indeed making donations, they'd be the first ones to shout it from the rooftops. Why would they not brag about these efforts? It would be an opportunity for them to get positive publicity (for a change) and make more money.
ReplyDelete9:42 I think trying to form that "personal relationship" is more about selfish ambition in hopes of becoming a part of a DT. I can think of several from the PTI forum who used to suck up and once they became a part of a DT elsewhere they were outta there. They'll post from time to time and unload their stamps on the buy/sell forum.
ReplyDelete11:13 Not everyone wants accolades for their good deeds. PTI may be one of those.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen PTI participate in any stamping community stuff. I vaguely remember maybe one charity thing (I may be imagining that). They don't participate in group blog hops. They're all about the bottom line, your $$$$.
ReplyDelete12:11 Isn't that true for every business. Making money and protecting your investment.
ReplyDeletePTI does not (to our knowledge) support "stamping causes" or group blog hops. So what? Soundslike some crafters want a company to be all mushy-touchy-feely. Fine. Start your own company and give product away to every person or organization who asks, participate in a group blog hop every day, and support stamping causes. That way you and your customers can feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and infinitely superior to everyone else.
ReplyDeleteWhen I make a purchase, I'm buying a product, and don't really care a bit whether the company donates to charity or the community or not. Of course, it's very nice if they do. But it's their decision, not mine.
12:11 - On a general note, EVERY successful business is about the bottom line. If not, they go out of business. Some just hide or disguise the drive for the bottom line better than others. There is absolutely no point in opening a business if you aren't striving for a customer's $$$$.
ReplyDeleteAgree with all of the comments about businesses being in business to make money.
ReplyDeleteAlso agree that I don't care if a company is all mushy-touchy-feely (great description btw).
But from what I've seen, a lot of the companies that do participate in charities, etc., facilitate that participation by making part of the proceeds of their sales of products or a particular special product go to the charity. In which case, if they did it, we'd know about it.
As for what they do behind the scenes, we have no idea what any company does (hence the phrase, "behind the scenes"). I suspect many do something knowing they are helping a cause they believe in and at the same time is a tax deduction.
There's a difference between trying to make $$$ and being only about the $$$$. You can make some stupid business decisions just to keep the $ coming in.
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that PTI donates a LOT to charities, especially those related to stamping. You will never hear about it, because it is none of your business. And if they did shout it from the rooftops, would that not make their donation superficial and just about the business they could generate as a result. You really know nothing about PTI and what goes on behind the scenes...
ReplyDeleteForget the charity support part.
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't PTI sponsor any of the card challenge blogs? I have never seen PTI sponsor any of the challenge blogs I follow. Many stamp companies and stores provide the prizes, usually $25 gift certificates. The sponsors take turns providing the challenge prizes, so it is not an onerous burden and generates business for them. SSS is particularly good at doing this.
Suuuuurrreee, 2:45, I totally believe you.
ReplyDeleteI don't give a shit if you believe me or not. How about that?
ReplyDelete2:45: if indeed it is true that PTI is doing all that donating, then those incredibly smart businesswomen running the place aren't that smart. I'm not saying that Nichole needs to post on her blog "Oh we gave $$ to this cause, and this much $$ to that cause" but you would see them listed as sponsors for the different events. Hell, the company I work for donates to different events, and the advertising and programs for those events ALWAYS list the sponsors. It's not why we donate, but it's a way for the event organizers to say "Thank You". Those organizers also will thank the sponsors at the event, and mention that they'd sure appreciate it if people would patronize them. It gives people a little bit of a warm, fuzzy feeling towards those sponsors. And if customers had a bit more of a warm, fuzzy feeling for PTI, and didn't feel that they were all about the mighty dollar and customers be damned, the customers would be a little more willing to cut them a little slack on the small mistakes (like the $1 price mistake).
ReplyDelete2:59 They do give out 5 gift certificates each month. What more do you want?
ReplyDelete2:45 you are missing my point earlier. PTI doesn't have to give 4 cents to charity. It is silly and rude to demand it. The point I was making is that part of running a successful stamp business is to create a warm online community. There is a warm online community of stampers. We post on each other's blogs. Some of us go to CHA. Some of us hardly know any crafters in real life so we make crafty friends on line. We are healthy well adjusted folks with real lives but love the on line friendships.
ReplyDeletePTI has absented itself. Once in a while nichole is a guest teacher in an online class. That is it. She posts ONLY when she has something to sell. Other stamp companies put themselves out on the internet and when they have an issue, they have good will stored up.
PTI has little good will.
I seriously hope they continue to make a bundle of money. If there are a lot of stampers who love the products and buy them , that is capitalism. I think Nichole felt hugely burned by the internet. Both her own forum and this blog and its predecessors. In fact I know she did because some former DT members told me.
She used to be more out there. She no longer picks a winner based on quality in the monthly contests, something that hte customers LOVED. I could go on but enough.
good luck pti. I wish you well. In fact I stlll buy your products on occasion.
If you knew how much time Nichole spends every month dealing with the business side of the business, you would understand why she is less "excited" about crafting as a whole. Also, all of the personal attacks have made her gun shy to say the least.
ReplyDelete6:52, speaking as someone who has never been a huge Nichole fan, I can see where that would happen. I've gotten into various crafts where people have said "oh, you should make those to sell!" But I knew that the minute the craft became an obligation instead of a leisure activity, it would add to my stress instead of relieving it!
ReplyDeleteWell said 6:32. I honestly don't care if they do donate to charity or not.
ReplyDeleteso 6:52, PTI could hire someone to fake being nichole on line. I could easily do it. in fact several stamping companies already do this. it isn't that hard. a few hours on FB, a few warm posts on the forum, on a few blogs. a nice post every once in a while on the blog and you are done. 10 hours a month. I'll do it for $125 a month in case.
ReplyDeletein cash and no typos!! LOL
ReplyDeleteonline, not on line... typo :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that's what other companies do 7:40. What a bunch of fakes. I'd rather be a real bitch than a fake ass kisser then have people find out about it. Sorry for the French there.
ReplyDeleteoh dear ^^^ there is no betty crocker! seriously, they are called social media coordinators or what now. I heart papers posted a job opening for one and offered to pay in like a photocopy of a dollar bill or something. ok i exaggerate. the papercrafting industry cheats folks out of money every day by paying them bumpkus.
ReplyDeleteit is a real job. not all companies do this. claire in WMS does not -- when someone takes over her blog the person says so.
actually PTI did this when it paid the rickster to come here and post. he still does. sometimes he is more obvious than other times. who knows who I am. maybe I'm full of sheet and making this up but I do not think so
What happened to normal discussion? (that is a rhetorical question)
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't believe the $9/$10 mistake was a bait & switch, just a mistake.
Yes, it could have been turned into a positive by letting the customers buy it for the pre-release price on the 15th.
No, I don't believe that PTI charitable donations are our business.
Yes, I believe that PTI should particpate in the stamping community, for example, by sponsoring some card challenges - not just their own which they do generate sales. Other stamp companies do it. Why can't they?
Why do the unis & haters always take everything posted here to the extreme? (another rhetorical question)
^^ i agree.
ReplyDeleteI take it to the extreme because i enjoy the fuss. :)
I take it to the extreme because that is what I get paid to do.
ReplyDeleteFor all those who think that PTI should share their donation contribution figures, I ask you now to share yours? Please include who you donate to and how much.
ReplyDeletei gave $500 to salvation army in December. I don't believe PTI should share their donations. YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT. You have a blog hop or post for a stamper who is dying. Janelle died of a brain tumor and PTI should have acknowledged it. did they? maybe i missed it. but she was on the forum and loved pti and a simple post by nichole would have meant something. it is free. but is part of being a community. nichole won't because she feels burned. honey, grow a pair.
ReplyDeleteand rick or whomever you are posting -- bug off, you are getting on my nerves. you do not want me to start giving details of stuff. so just bug off for now. and where is the thanks the folks who tested out the website? funny you NEVER answer that question do you mr ricky.
ReplyDeleteI believe all of the website testers were given free paper for a year. Or something like that. I remember it on the forum from last year.
ReplyDeleteI gave $100 to each of these in Dec: Le Leche League, Red Cross, Planned Parenthood. I gave $300 each to these in Dec: Our local homeless shelter, The Lions project that gets eye glasses for children, NAMI, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
ReplyDeleteI go through about 80 reams of paper a year. Sure they sent that to me.
ReplyDeleteInteresting discussion and lots of good points. I chimed in on the charity thing. The only thing I want to add now is about Nichole being burned out by the internet and that it's so much work.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the "grow a pair" comment, although not my usual style of conversation, lol, hit home on the "burned" part. You have to have a thick skin to be in any business dealing with the public, so if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Which is kind of what she's done by not participating in the online community any more than doing the sales pitch. Whatever. That's how they choose to run the business. You need that thick skin even more if you're not going to build good will.
It's a lot of work? YES it is. Ask me how I know. She's been doing this for 7 years now. If it's too much, then quit.
It sounds like she's just chosen the path of least resistance . . . do the sales pitch, put out the product on a regular basis, keep at least a relatively steady flow of business. . . . they aren't shooting for the stars here. It seems like they've just found their niche and they've settled into it. That's really not so bad. The fans are probably more disappointed in the mediocrity PTI has achieved than Nichole is.
Ha. I tested out the website and didn't get so much as an acknowledgment. even one of the thank you cards that nichole makes every month would have gone a long way. even an email. nothing. we had a forum where we could post our suggestions. there were hundreds of errors identified. no one from PTI even came on that forum to say. ok, thanks. got it.
ReplyDeletethat was the last time I spent a dime on PTI. so rick, so back compare the list of folks who were on the tester team and see who stopped buying. yup, that was me. bite me.
Jan 17 at 8:44 pm, you posted "I take it to the extreme because that is what I get paid to do."
ReplyDeleteBy whom?
Jan 17 at 9:28 pm,
ReplyDeleteA ream of cardstock is 250 sheets. 80 reams is 20,000 sheets.
I seriously doubt you use that much cardstock unless you have a very succesful business selling cards.
I was being facetious but I do use about a ream a month. I teach card making.
ReplyDeleteWhat type and weight of cardstock do you use? Do you use mostly white?
ReplyDeleteI use white from michaels recollections brand 110 lb weight. cheap and perfect.
ReplyDeleteIs that the new heavier weight cardstock? The Michaels here doesn't carry it yet.
ReplyDeleteWish Mama Elephant offered more dies with their stamp sets. There's one I want but I'm not fussy cutting.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if I am a bad person because I miss the Smack Center. At least there was always something new to read every time I stopped by. That's the only other smack blog I read. I did look at the 2 Peas smack blog once, but that one is extremely vicious and over the top.
ReplyDeletewell feel free to come here and turn this into the smack blog of your dreams, honey
ReplyDelete10:02, a Cameo would solve that issue for every stamp you own.
ReplyDeletecameos do not cut intricate patterns well. particularly with heavy cardstock. i have one.
ReplyDeletethank you. the idea that the cameo solves all die issues is silly. yes, it is an amazing useful machine but you do not get the same quality cuts as with a die. done and one
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the need for matching dies for all stamps. I like stamping on a card or on a card panel. It's easy enough to mask images, if needed, to create a layered look.
ReplyDeleteI find the quality with a Silhouette to be better than with dies. It often fits the stamp more exactly and you can decide exactly how much edge, if any, you want. Look at the blogs of those who do this and you will soon see the huge (and money-saving) advantage. It cuts through Gina K like buttah!
ReplyDeleteMasking is kind of a faux layered look. I like the real deal.
ReplyDeleteMasks are a lot easier to cut on the cameo too, haha...
ReplyDeleteI miss Tampon Dog.
Is the Michael's 110lb the same as Georgie Pacific CS at walmart? International stamper so I can't just go to a Michaels store to compare.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't Maile post in January? I've noticed she is really doing the minimum lately. Only one or two cards per new set, not posting in between releases... weird.
ReplyDelete9:41 - There was a thread on the forum asking about this, and the answers seemed to indicate a new baby in the household, based on her Instagram postings.
ReplyDelete9:07: The Michael's 110 lb is quite a bit heavier and thicker than the Georgia Pacific. If you've ever used Gina K Base weight, it's almost identical. I've never used PTI cardstock, but over on SCS they say that the Michael's is equivalent. Just make sure you get the 110 lb - they still have some of their lighter weight white (60 lb, I think?) in smaller (and cheaper) packages.
ReplyDelete