Artsy Inkers
Stamping => General Stamping Chat => Topic started by: Far North on April 28, 2016, 10:43:31 AM
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If you have ever taken an a class at Jennifer McGuire & Kristina Werner’s Online Card Class site you probably received an e-mail last week regarding their new site.
While exploring the new site I found a new feature on the blog–called Crafty Chat! It has been designed to share a video of a candid conversation with some leading designers in the papercrafting industry on a different weekly topic. This feature is set-up on a blog (http://www.onlinecardclasses.com/blog/) so you can get their direct with this address.
The 1st discussion is with Laura Bassen – talking about how to find and maintain your crafty comfort zone – that place where you feel confident that your skills can shine and you can get to know and thrive in your own style.
2nd discussion-Photography with Debby Hughes of Limedoodle Design and the discussion focused on good lighting for card photography and what makes a good photo.
Hearing the broadly different views made me think that our own follow-up discussions might be interesting. So please post your comments here if you get a chance to watch the chatty conversations.
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Thanks Jan!
I'll try to listen sometime today and comment here. Good idea. Thanks for sharing!
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Ok, I listened to the first one with Laura Bassen.
I liked the easy flow of conversation and really enjoyed Laura Bassen. Crafty chat is a very fitting name for the series! I had a little bit of trouble figuring out who opened the video. I recognized Kristina Werner and Jennifer McGuire and I could tell from the conversation that the one they were semi-interviewing must be Laura Bassen. I had to go back and listen again and there's a very fleeting moment where the sort of moderator, I guess, introduces herself ... and even then I didn't quite catch her name. I thought she said Lydia Siedler at first. (Turns out it's Lydia Fiedler, of Understand Blue). Did anyone else miss that?
Two points I found particularly interesting
1. find your source of inspiration, and spend your time there
Hey, didn't you start a thread on that subject recently Jan?
Jennifer McGuire was talking about how she doesn't like to look at blogs, but loves to flip through Instagram. Laura likes looking through feeds of blogs. Others like Pinterest or Youtube. With soooo much info and inspiration out there and no possible way to see it all, it seems good advice to find what you like and not feel bad about skipping the rest. I know I used to look at Kristina Werner's blog regularly and Jennifer's almost as much, and I participated in the Hero Arts challenges for awhile ... but lately I'm not looking at blogs much at all. I like to look at cards on Pinterest on my cell phone whenever I get a chance or even lying in bed at night - bad habit, don't do what I do! Ha!
2. practice, and enjoy it!
I thought it was a great point, that if you play a musical instrument, you practice. Why wouldn't you practice if your hobby is stamping? (I found Laura's demo of how her friends stamp amusing! Ha! Plunk the stamp down and pick it right up quick!) It was helpful to hear them say it takes perseverance. Yay! It's not just me! Sometimes I wonder why, as long as I've been stamping, I still mess up! I think I need more play time. Practice when I don't need a birthday card in an hour!
Thanks for the link Jan. I'd love to hear what you and others think.
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Sorry I didn’t introduce Lydia. I think she did a fabulous job of moderating the discussion and was glad Jennifer and Kristina are using another person to manage that task. Lydia is very active at splitcoaststampers and uses the screen name UnderstandBlue there. She helped start the Mixed Ability weekly challenge which I actively played in for a year and she continues in a host role for that challenge.
Discussion w/Laura…Yes this discussion included thoughts about what social media is helpful or not to each participant….this was far more helpful to me that the poll I did-lol…I think because the discussion allowed each to discuss specifically what works for them. I have only used Instagram once or twice…I think I will spend a little more time there. I scan blogs very fast but find it frustrating when only a video is provided and I have to wade through my servers slow feed when I only want to know 1 specific point.
Cindi, I too enjoyed the practice discussion. I have always loved playing with new products and learning new ways to make them work for me. I do consider that a lot of fun. But I still get frustrated that I am often the last one playing.
Personally I really enjoyed # 2 discussions more since Debby Hughes focus was on photography…not a topic we have talked about much. She offered some terrific tips. It was interesting to hear about folks using cell phones since I don’t have a camera on my phone (mostly used for videos).
Thanks Cindi for sharing your thoughts! I too hope others will share their thoughts. I think I will be visiting more of these discussions. I think they are posting new ones on Mondays…but I have not heard if that is a long term plan.
...Jan
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It's really late, but I think I'd better post before I forget what I watched!
I liked the 2nd (photography) video, but when I noticed how long it was going to be I paused it and got some crochet out! Also, although I wish I was a better photographer, I don't love it, so I didn't pay as much attention I guess. I still got some great tips!
1. Natural light - I've been trying this lately. I do like taking pictures near a window, or even outside, but then, I'm kind of a late night crafter so especially during "fests" I'll just do my best under lamp light and call it good enough!
Today I tried taking a picture of a crochet baby hat near the window and still felt like I couldn't capture the true color of the hat. Why is that?!! It's an icy blue green yarn called Glacier, and it looks like a dull baby blue. Haven't posted it online yet so maybe it will look better than the quick peek I took on my phone/camera.
2. Something I hadn't thought of that I think I will try is using the camera timer so that the camera stays steady and I'll get better focus.
3. Did you catch that tip about using the same design principles in your photos as you do in your cards? for example, rule of 3rds, another place to use the design rules Heidi is teaching us in her series.
4. I liked Kristina's tip about using background paper (she uses some beautiful Paper Source gift wrap) bigger than 12x12. Enabler! Now I'm anxious to go look at their gift wrap. They have beautiful papers, and envelopes! That's where I got pretty gold shimmer envelopes for my DD's wedding invites last year.
I'm enjoying these chats and I'm looking forward to the next video!
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I also liked the idea of making a steady surface for the camera with a stack of books if you don't have a tripod.
Cindi as for your crocheted baby hat- Kristina described how her pictures were capturing the color from her clothing....that's the 1st I have heard that it happens. I need to listen again to that description. If anyone else watches this video I when appreciate knowing at what time that is discussed...THANKS in advance!
As for background presentations I think products work well for telling the story and works best on a blog where the picture can be larger. When background paper is used behind a card I sometimes have a hard time determining where the card begins but I find other objects can help clarify that.
...Jan
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Thanks for the reminder! I was wearing a navy blue shirt yesterday when I took a picture of my Glacier crocheted hat. Hmmm, maybe that's where the blue came from?!
Kristina said she threw on a black bath robe while photographing white cards ... I'm wondering if white would be better. I could be my own reflector! Haha!
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I haven't gone to Kristina's site or Limedoodle in a while ... I'll have to notice the backdrops and props more. I've just seen the beautiful papers at Paper Source and was using "backdrop" as an excuse to go get some! Without even looking at Kristina's blog. And all those years I resisted jumping off the bridge just because my friends did!! Now I'm so easily swayed!
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Reminder ... there is a new crafty chat up! This week's is with Julie Ebersole. I've heard her voice on videos, but I've never seen her.
This video was so much fun! A giggly crafty chat. I found the video, it was already past bedtime ... knew I should wait and watch it the next morning, but started it anyway and then couldn't stop!
They talked quite a bit about Julie's clean and simple style. It sounds like that is a complete misnomer. It doesn't sound that simple!
It was funny for me to hear that Julie does not like messy, to the point of not wanting her fingers dirty and spreading stickles with a piece of cardstock rather than her finger. I have no problem sticking my fingers in stickles, intentionally or not!
Oh, and the section where Jennifer talks about an appearance on the Carol Duvall show, back in the day, was a hoot!
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I thought I had put the online Crafty Chat on my calendar but it never got there and so it was totally off my radar. So many thanks Cindi for posting the reminder! Following are my take away points.
I have watched Julie’s blog for many years. Most of her cards have lots of white space. During the chat she shared her process of creating a CAS card includes: selecting the focal image, determining how to anchor the image, and creating a visual triangle that carries the eye through the design. She feels balance is the most critical design element and a small placement adjustment can make a big difference in the card. To help with balance she uses odd numbers of elements. And recommends walking away before adding the last element and coming back to reconsider its position or if it is needed. She has a few tried and true layout designs that she feels can be repeated over and over.
Another discussion was on feeling self-pressured to create a WoW card. The panel felt if the focus can be on just the card recipient it greatly diminishes the pressure. Julie described cards she makes for a specific person as having more feeling and connection attached to them and she feels they are often her best work.
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Did you pick up the part about stamping with condensed milk? I remember when that came out, and I thought NO WAY! That would never work in FL, you'd have ants for sure. Doesn't it seem it would stick to the envelope? Did anyone ever try it? And kool ade? Was that used for scratch 'n sniff?
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don't forget there's a new Online Card Class Crafty Chat. This week it's with Shari Carroll on color.
At some point Jennifer McGuire said "less is really more" in regards to too many supplies ... I'm trying to get to that point but it's so hard to get rid of stuff!
I got a few tips ... one from Jennifer is to swatch out your colors when you buy a new medium. For example inks, they are not really the same color on the lid as the way they look stamped on paper, so she creates a swatch chart. When she sits down to stamp, she looks at her swatch charts first, not the ink pads.
The other tip is that it sounds like Shari gives color combos on the Simon Says Stamp blog ? I need to go check that out. Oh, and it sounds like some of them have favorite distress ink combos. That would be helpful to have some "go to" combinations that you know you like.
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These are lengthy videos but I do enjoy getting a little more insight into how these ladies create card art. Yesterday life was so busy I broke my viewing into 3 different times. It was interesting to hear that Hero Arts brought Jennifer onto their team to bring stamping into the scrapbooking world…even though she did not have stamping experience.
I am one who does not find choosing colors easy. Names of colors are meaningless to me unless I see the color. So I began a swatch book when I only owned a few distress inks. But now I find the the distress in color wheel by Britta Swiderski (http://brittaswiderski.com/2012/07/the-color-wheel-part-1-an-announcement/) helps me to decide combos a whole lot faster than comparing swatches.
I believe Shari's color combo's are mostly for SSS inks. Last winter their was a distress ink set that someone kindly shared here.
Organizing supplies was a significant portion of the conversation. I appreciated Lydia mentioning that she is finding small drawers most helpful. I have not heard this comment previously yet I too am finding a good number of small drawers helpful.
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It was kind of funny that the conversation was supposed to be about color, and then Shari didn't say a whole lot about it, except that her favorite color right now is gray! I did like the colored pencil conversation. They are a nice portable medium, they last almost forever, they are a supply I'll definitely keep.
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I agree Cindi. I too feel it was a sparse conversation with Sheri about color. Perhaps she was not comfortable being defined as a color expert. She did describe settling into a monochromatic color palettes at Hero Arts several times until being told to move on to another color. I always enjoyed her videos at HA often showing the steps of a color technique...I wish she had been asked what were her favorites techniques and her personal involvement in creating new techniques. Since she selected the color palette for SSS inks...I would have liked to know how she made the selections that would encourage the customers to buy.
The hangouts I have watch previously were all associated with classes. So the students chat with the instructor. Initially it is live so the viewing audience can text in additional questions. The Online Chats are so different with the "experts" chatting with one another and the rest of us listening into what feels like a private conversation. Of course I multi-task while listening but it feels like the use of a lot of time for a few nuggets of information. And of course I have never bought a People Magazine either...so perhaps it's just my take. :smitten:
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Thank you for posting these "chats". Did anyone else want to join the conversation to ask a question? They were interesting and I enjoyed having them on but I figured out I don't like one sided conversations unless the conversation is telling me how someone made a card or did a technique. I didn't realize that Kristina Werner was so much younger then the other three. I sure didn't realize Jennifer McGuire was that much older then K. Werner. I had an idea who Lydia was from Split coast but didn't realize she was a "big" enough name to run with the big dogs. Perhaps we should set up some kind of live chats ourselves. I might need to look into some sort of software to use for live chats. I don't think we would be able to video chat without paying money but typing live chat might be fun. It might be fun to have some live chats at least during the fests.
What do you think?
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I watched a little of the Debby Hughes chat, but I have not had time to watch the others. The format of the discussion is difficult for me because it is so long and the content is just here and there within the videos.
However, I like the idea of a chat here at certain times. Like when we are waiting for Bingo! I do not do video chatting, but regular chat is fun.
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Haha! Yes we get chatty during Bingo, especially when April makes us wait!
I think live chat would be fun and a fest would be a great time to try it out.
I enjoy the Online Card Class chats. I was crocheting while I watched/listened to the last one, otherwise it might have gotten kind of long.
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Perhaps this topic is not getting more comments because Ai's are not interested in the earlier posts regarding the Online Chats...maybe more comments would be added if this topic is moved to a thread of its own.
I would prefer some structure to an AI online conversation. But we have had so many getting to know you discussion threads as well as polls and discussions on card related topics I don't know where we would start. Also if we move onto additional online chats I would prefer a rotating schedule so the same folks do not have to change afternoon activities, dinner hour etc.
This week’s Online Card’s Chat is featuring Dawn Woleslagle (owner of WPlus9 Design Studio, as well as an accomplished watercolor artist and graphic designer) who is discussing making great video tutorials. I will not be listening to this topic. If anyone does listen I would be happy to hear if there are worthwhile any tips beyond making videos.
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I haven't had a chance to check it out just yet, I always enjoy things that Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner do.
I've never done video chat, is it sort of like Skype or FaceTime? Could be fun to have more chats for sure!
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This is
I haven't had a chance to check it out just yet, I always enjoy things that Jennifer McGuire and Kristina Werner do.
I've never done video chat, is it sort of like Skype or FaceTime? Could be fun to have more chats for sure!
The video Online Card Chat is where Jennifer, Kristina and a special weekly guest respond to questions moderator Lydia Fiedler aka Understand Blue from Splitcoast stampers asks the guest about the defined topic and sometimes moves onto other topics when the first seems fairly complete. The conversation is free-flowing with the camera focusing in on the speaker of the moment while the other 3 have live photos minimized in the lower corner. So far the videos were taped last fall-winter so viewers have no way of participating...So much so that the comments of viewers have not had follow-up comments from any of the panel members.
As I understand it Sadie is asking about interest in an online chat for Artsy Inkers. In this situation I believe AI's would come online during a specific time and type in our thoughts on a topic. Folks can type in simultaneously so if several people are present the conversation can move rather quickly and actually several conversations can be occurring at the same time. Generally the discussion remains posted on the site.
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I recently caught-up on listening to the Online Card Classes Crafty Chats. Here is a brief summary.
Episode 13 features: Danielle Walls (http://www.onlinecardclasses.com/blog/2016/08/05/crafty-chat-episode-13-danielle-walls/)owner of Neat and Tangled. The opening discussion focused on impact of the Internet on papercrafting. It includes the use of social media and a discussion of the panel’s favorite apps. If you are a fan of apps and want to see the list of those discussed scroll down the linked page above.
Episode 12 features: Aaron Leventhal (http://• http://www.onlinecardclasses.com/blog/2016/07/22/crafty-chat-episode-12-aaron-leventhal-hero-arts/) Hero Arts CEO shares of the story his mother – a single mom, dedicated teacher, passionate artist and her journey of making stamps which developed from a cottage industry in the bathroom of their Berkley apartment in the mid 70s into the Hero Arts company we now know. Aaron extends an invitation for stampers to visit their factory in the California, Bay area—call customer service for details.
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I have not listened to many of this crafty chats, but I did have time last night and listened to the one with the guy from Hero Arts and did think that was interesting. Especially how the three designers felt there was too many new releases to enjoy the product as much. Kristina pointed out that the companies would go out of business without so many products being sold, BUT, maybe it shows that the market is still over saturated with stamp companies. I mean, I am not collecting stamps, I am buying tools (like Daniel used to call them) to enjoy.
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That must have been Episode 14? I listened to the first, Episode 12, with Aaron Leventhal and it was mostly about the history of Hero Arts. That was interesting too. And now that I think of it, he was able to do more talking than the girls! Sometimes I feel like the guests don't get to speak enough! I haven't listened to 13 and 14 yet.
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Sorry, I should have clarified the conversation I was thinking about regarding the timing of releasing stamping products was discussed in Chafty Chat Episode 11 (http://www.onlinecardclasses.com/blog/2016/07/01/crafty-chat-episode-11-crafty-wishlist-laura-bassen/).
Episode 14 was just released on Monday which means they are not coming out on a weekly basis...I thought that may because Chemistry 103 was live but then it still was a couple weeks later. Anyways in episode14 Aaron & designers discuss the historical points in the stamping industry which made significant changes in the business.
I find it of interest in episode 12 that while Aaron's mothers started a stamp making cottage industry in her home in California which developed into Hero Arts and Arron mentioned he didn't know of other stamp companies at that time. Yet, I recall Santa left me a great set of alphabet stamps when I was in grade school. Yes, that was pre-Hero Arts and prior to the Internet. Because local stores at the time were mom & pop businesses and I lived near Akron, Ohio which was known as at that time as the rubber capital of the world I imagine the stamps were only sold as a local item. So there probably was no way of knowing similar businesses in the 1950's. Wish I still had those stamps... but at least I have fond memories!
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Jan, thank you for bringing these to my attention. I've watched all of them now. Well, I did turn one off when it just wasn't going anywhere at all, but I'll probably return to listen to the rest since I almost always pick up some good tips along the way. I thought it was interesting to listen to some of the reminiscents shared by Lydia, Jennifer, and Kristina. By far, the most interesting conversations for me were the two with Aaron Leventhal of Hero Arts, Episodes 12 and 14. He talked about the beginnings and evolution of the stamping industry in a fun and interesting way. They've mentioned asking him back and including his wife who is the Artistic Director for Hero Arts, and I'm looking forward to that.
One thing that surprised me was when Kristina spoke about the beginnings of Online Card Classes in Episode 13, she mentioned a specific video and spoke about meeting Jennifer through Two Peas, but never said a word about the Thinking Inking classes. Jennifer was on vacation and not taking part in that chat. I've often thought that the success of the Thinking Inking classes was what triggered the Online Card Classes. Maybe not.
Did anyone else pick up on the tip Lydia shared about tape dental floss? I really have to try that! She guaranteed that you could remove a glued down item with Glide (a tape dental floss) even if you had used Mono's Extreme Adhesive. That would sure beat my Un-du! Has anyone tried that?
Daria
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Yes I caught that tip. I had two photos back to back that came out of a frame. I wanted them apart and they were really stuck, told my daughter I have to try this tip cause I am going to ruin these photos pulling them apart. Put the dental floss throu the middle where there was no glue, held down the photos with one hand and steadily pulled the two end with the other hand.
It just sliced them apart without hurting them, turned the photos around and sliced through the other end of glue.
It was like a magic trick! Amazing!
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I did not hear that tip. I will keep it in mind!
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Yankee, I'm so glad to hear it worked! I'm putting some Glide in my tool box!
Daria
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What a great tip about dental floss! I will have to try that!
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Episode 15 of crafty chat begins today. Heidi Crowl, owner of Simon Says Stamp is the featured guest sharing details of Stamptember, the month long creative blog event. I admit I haven't listened but to me this feels more infomercial than the previous chats. If anyone listens I would be interested to hear your take-away. They are asking for recommendations for future guests.
Daria, I agree Aaron's history was fun to hear. I smiled when he talked about the transition to clear stamp...here I thought of that as a current change....how time flies :smile: I agree Jennifer must feel Thinking Inking was a major influence in feeling confident that many stampers would like more opportunities for online classes. It was like a pilot project for her.
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Thank you for the link to the chats, Jan. I've got a lot of catching up to do.
Tonight I watched the one on photography and I liked what Kristina Werner said and that was to take several photos at different times of day, in natural light, to see what works best. That tip is what I seemed to take away from the video.
I fell in love with the Lime Doodle blog (totally new to me), and just subscribed.