I haven't been posting lately...life has just gotten in the way of my crafting. You know the old saying..."Life is what happens when you're busy making plans." But I've recently gotten the scissors, paper, and inks back out again...only to want to put them back away. Not to worry...there may not be any artwork to share today, but it's coming.
Please read on...
Have you ever noticed that something that used to be so much fun, begins to lose its appeal the more popular it becomes? Well, that's what has been happening to me. I started scrapbooking and stamping about 4 years ago, and became a CTMH Consultant three years ago. I love the craft, and I love the company!!!
The problem for me is in the "trends" in the paper-crafting industry. I frequent a bulletin board that I thought was designed for the purpose of sharing ideas and creativity. About a year ago, as handmade cards became more and more popular (or continued to gain in popularity) I saw more and more arguments and whining going on about "that's my design! You stole my idea," and "You took my idea and didn't give me credit". Posts on the bulletin board were deleted and feelings got bent out of shape. Luckily that all died down in time.
Then the next "trend" began. Templates. If you don't know what a template is, it is simply a pattern for making something...a box, a bag, some sort of clever container for cards, candy, or what-not. Anyway, as people began "designing" these templates they forgot all about that spirit of sharing ideas with those who share you passion for creativity. Suddenly it became all about making money. No longer did I read, "Oh, that is so cool! Can you tell me how you made it?" "Sure...here's what I did..." Now all of a sudden, it's "Sure I'll tell you how I did it...but you have to pay me first!"
Now some of you may be saying, oh this is so trivial...it's only a couple of bucks. Or ... hey! The money is going for charity. Give me a minute and please bear with me on this. Point #1...it's only a couple of bucks. Fine, but whatever happened to the camaraderie over sharing ideas and immitation being the most sincere form of flattery?! Point #2...it's for charity. Fine! I'll show you the receipts showing all of the non-profit, charitable contributions I've made already this year. Then you send me the template.
Here's my point...Look at it this way...I'm a teacher. What happens if your child is put in the classroom next to mine. He or she gets an inexperienced, new teacher (I've been teaching for 10 years). Your child's teacher comes to me one day and says, "I'm really not sure what is the best way to present this lesson. I've never done this before and I really want my students to learn the concept." What if I responded this way..."Oh, that! I've been teaching that lesson for years and years, and the kids really seem to understand it. Tell you what...I'll show you how I teach the lesson...but you have to pay me first!" Who benefits from that? The students? The new teacher? The seasoned teacher?
Trust me ladies...nobody is inventing pennicillin here!!! Every single one of these delightful little trinkets is a modified version of something that is already out there. You don't own the copyright. You don't own the patent. Let's get back to the idea of sharing ideas, complementing each other on a job well done, and creating for the sense of self-satisfaction. It's all about intrinsic value. It's just paper for God's sake.
That said...I'm headed back to the scraptable...maybe I'll invent the next wheel!
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