Scrapbooking Downturn?

[YorkshireLass]

Thanks Jemma, I didn't know you could do that!

[wickedangel]

Great discussion thread !

I love the fact that UKS has responded to the changing needs & tastes of it's members and really relish the fact that I can see posts about altered art, journalling, card making etc etc all in the same place. I think most crafters do enjoy a wide variety of interests, but I agree that for someone who is only interested in scrapbooking, it might be a tad frustrating.

I wish people still uploaded to the gallery, as it was great to have one location for so many sources of inspiration. Where else can you see the creativity of 1000's of people in the one place ? I like blog hopping, but usually find that by the time I've finished hopping, I've used up all my craft time :-). The great thing about the gallery, when we all used it, was that it was so quick to find inspiration !

I agree that facebook has detracted from the time I spend on Uks. And wouldn't it be great if there was an iphone application that we could use to upload straight to UKS without a need for re-sizing ? ? ?

Thanks for starting the post, it's great to see a vibrant discussion

[fatmonica]

I managed to upload a few photos once but it took me ages having to crop and resize them so I gave up in the end.No one ever commented on them anyway.I put them elsewhere now where I can just upload and not have to faff about for hours.

[craftykitten]

I have only recently got back into scrapbooking (and UKS) and I've definitley noticed that it seems to be quieter here than it used to.

I definitely agree that FB takes time away from here...I try to limit my time online, so I can't go everywhere! Also, I have my pages in my Flickr gallery and on my blog, and it gets complicated remembering to upload everywhere.

I know lots of people complain that, for example, the craft robo forum has loads of posts and they don't want to read them...but I sort of feel that there are too many separate forums on here? Forums and sub-forums and social groups....I can't be bothered to search through them all to find something interesting. Lots of craft thing 'cross over' so I don't see why they all need to be separated.

[chocolate_ee]

My theory is that we've all had to work harder to earn enough to keep up our 'habit' so we haven't had as much time to actually craft , let alone photograph and upload !!

[stardust]

I tend to buy my scrapbooking stuff second hand in big bundles as I refuse to pay £1 for a sheet of paper and P&P is too high with online retailers. When I need glues and such I get them in staitionary shops as again £2.99 postage for a tube of 99p glue takes the Mick a bit.

You might be surprised. I only charge 90p at the moment as a standard rate no matter what you buy (within the UK of course as international is higher) but then I don't sell heavier or bulkier stuff. Some shops have a standard rate which applies for small and large items alike. They are more than likely paying more than that rate in postage with the majority of orders if they include lots of papers or card or heavy adhesives. There are advantages and disadvantages with it depending on what you are ordering.

[TeaJenny]

Kerry - I have to say I like your site (and others that are similar) where you can treat yourself to a few nice flowers or bling , not feel guilty at spending loads, and not pay for postage rates more appropriate for bulkier items - does that make sense?

PS I am still working my way through the stuff I bought last time....but watch this space....

[stardust]

Yes it makes sense Donna Thanks

[Mole]

Can't vote in the poll as the right option for me - a bit of card making, a bit of scrapping, and a bit of dig - isn't there! Can't say I'm doing any less - or any more - at the moment. So no change here!

I don't often upload to the gallery these days. For one, I'm forever forgetting to take pics of my pages and its a faff, taking them out of the page protectors, waiting for a decent day, taking them ouside, taking photos, editing the results, resizing them for the gallery here (which won't accept the size that all my other galleries will) etc etc. The only ones I bother with are my digi ones, created as part of my CT role.

As for the comments about p&p, if you rummage around our lovely sponsors here you can usually find some good offers which make it all worthwhile!

[DiAllen]

I'm in to card making at the moment as it takes me ages to do all the Christmas cards I need, Scrapping has to take a back seat until after the Festivities when hopefully I'll have new photos to scrap!
MT, sorry to hear your distressing news of bankruptcy. I hope you've taken advice about what the bailiffs are allowed to take - I seem to remember somewhere that they can take nothing you need to live with or items worth less than £100 but I might be wrong. If in doubt I'd palm off a few things to family for a while!! Maybe, if you post in another arena [for sensitive topics] others may have more useful advice. Thinking of you.

[Suzycad]

Im scrapping more than ever thanks to joining a local crop whiich I discovered via UKS and also a crop in the north east of England as I spend a lot of time at my parents caravan there (aagain I met the people there via UKS)

I am another one who finds it a bit of a faff to upload to the site but am trying to make myself do it more often. I have also started to comment on others layouts on a more regular basis.

I am making my Christmas cards at the moment but am trying to fit scrapping round these.

I have only recently started doing the weekly challenges and am finding these great for kick starting a sluggish mojo

I subscribe to two monthly kits but at the moment dont have the cash to buy very much more. Kerry I havent bought from you before but as your postage charges are minimal will have a wee look as thats handy if you just want a few lightweight items and cant justify £3 postage

[Susie.A]

Oh Kerry, I do wish I hadn't looked at your site - soooooo tempting. Anyway, I haven't done much of anything lately. From January onwards elderly parents took up most of my time (and still are God love them) and then we started ripping the house apart to renew the kitchen and bathroom. Unfortunately, they have now made the rest of the place look tatty so more work needs doing and I don't know where the days go. I miss my crafting and I'm trying not to buy anything until I get started again and use up some of the stuff I already have - and there's loads. I make the odd card because I do begrudge paying for them but nothing like I was making. Once the work on the house is done and I can clear the mess I've made in my craft room perhaps I'll be able to get cracking again. Oh yes, and spending time chatting here when I could be crafting is another thing I'm guilty of, but no Facebook for me, don't fancy it all.

[stardust]

we started ripping the house apart to renew the kitchen and bathroom. Unfortunately, they have now made the rest of the place look tatty so more work needs doing and I don't know where the days go. I miss my crafting and I'm trying not to buy anything until I get started again and use up some of the stuff I already have - and there's loads. I make the odd card because I do begrudge paying for them but nothing like I was making. Once the work on the house is done and I can clear the mess I've made in my craft room perhaps I'll be able to get cracking again. Oh yes, and spending time chatting here when I could be crafting is another thing I'm guilty of, but no Facebook for me, don't fancy it all.

I could have written that myself. We had a loft conversion which took up a massive chunk of the spring/early summer and most of my stash ended up packed away. Nothing better to make you lose your mojo than builders trudging through the house all day. Then my husband lost his job (got another now though) and everything we hadn't completed after the loft was finished got put on hold and still is. It means two flights of stairs with no carpet, bare plaster in some rooms and the well overdue (I'm talking about 10 years overdue) decorating downstairs still waiting to be done. It really saps your get up and go.

[hyperheavenly]

You might be surprised. I only charge 90p at the moment as a standard rate no matter what you buy (within the UK of course as international is higher) but then I don't sell heavier or bulkier stuff. Some shops have a standard rate which applies for small and large items alike. They are more than likely paying more than that rate in postage with the majority of orders if they include lots of papers or card or heavy adhesives. There are advantages and disadvantages with it depending on what you are ordering.

90p I can handle . When its 2.99 no matter how small your item I feel like I'm paying for other peoples postage of large items or that the shop is making a huge profit from postage.

[Julesmichelle]

I love scrap booking but also enjoy card making and sewing etc. I have always dabbled in various crafts but my love of photography will always push me back to scrapping so I can document my images!

As a single Mum I am finding finances tougher these days so I am trying to use my stash...and there is lots to use! I buy the odd prima flower or punch.

I no longer upload my LOs as I work full time and tend to take and resize my images in one go and then UKS only allows 3 uploads..it's just a pain! One day I will upload again...