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I wanted to post this in both the General and Demo areas to get an idea of what everyone is thinking/ feeling.
I've been reading all of the comments in Hollylogic's VSN follow up poll thread, and wanted to find out what really keeps you from playing along with VSN? Is it the time constraint? Techniques? Time of day? What can be done to make it fun for everyone?
For those that do play, what is the best part about VSN? What concerns do you have?
The time constraints, I feel the whole thing moves too fast and since my computer is upstairs and my stamping area is in the basement, my set up just isn't conducive to doing VSN.
The time constraints, I feel the whole thing moves too fast and since my computer is upstairs and my stamping area is in the basement, my set up just isn't conducive to doing VSN.
And you, too, Sara! We're aware of this issue, and we will be incorporating a couple of new twists that will hopefully allow the less hyperactive stampers (:mrgreen: LOL!) to play along, too!
I haven't participated up until this point b/c I am sometimes away or working during that time but sometimes its just that I think it moves too quick for me to keep up with b/c I also have other things going on at the time same too.
Since DH works long hours during the week, and I work every other weekend, taking time to stamp out of our few hours together is generally not a good idea.
I have participated in VSNs previously, and I really like them, but now is just not a good time for me.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nutsymuhl
I wanted to post this in both the General and Demo areas to get an idea of what everyone is thinking/ feeling.
I've been reading all of the comments in Hollylogic's VSN follow up poll thread, and wanted to find out what really keeps you from playing along with VSN? Is it the time constraint? Techniques? Time of day? What can be done to make it fun for everyone?
For those that do play, what is the best part about VSN? What concerns do you have?
I love the excitement of not knowing what's coming next unless I am a hostess and then I love the excitement of seeing how much everyone else is going to love the challenges.
I love the tons and tons of ideas that I come away with after just 2 days of stamping.
I love having that time all to MYSELF dh and dd know that they are on their own and I give them fair warning for weeks and weeks in advance! Every weekend dh will say "is this your wild stamping weekend or is it next weekend??", he is excited for me too because he knows how happy it makes me to be able to spend all that time doing what I want with no interruptions.
I have to admit, sometimes for the Saturday challenges I just stay right in my pj's :mrgreen: and eat chips and dip and stuff all day long!
I love the excitement of not knowing what's coming next unless I am a hostess and then I love the excitement of seeing how much everyone else is going to love the challenges.
I love the tons and tons of ideas that I come away with after just 2 days of stamping.
I love having that time all to MYSELF dh and dd know that they are on their own and I give them fair warning for weeks and weeks in advance! Every weekend dh will say "is this your wild stamping weekend or is it next weekend??", he is excited for me too because he knows how happy it makes me to be able to spend all that time doing what I want with no interruptions.
I have to admit, sometimes for the Saturday challenges I just stay right in my pj's :mrgreen: and eat chips and dip and stuff all day long!
You mean that isn't the official dress code for VSN?!?!?!
Just a note: Once you do a few of them your DH's and family will begin to catch on ;) Now when my DH sees VSN on the calendar he knows not to plan anything for those weekends. It's kind of funny actually. I have tried telling him that I don't have to be there the whole time, but he insists that I need a break and to have fun so he does his running around in the mornings or takes the kids with him in the afternoons so that I am free. Yes, he's a keeper.
Of course, I didn't get to participate in the one when I was having contractions and had to go to the hospital and was really peeved about not delivering that day. Didn't these babies know they made me miss a VSN????
Thanks for asking! I am fairly new and this was my first VSN to even know about. It just happened to be on the same night as our monthly crop/craft night. I hope to participate in at least some next time.
I wish I could participate -- it looks like so much fun! But being a demo I usually have business events that interfere, or I don't have enough time to gather the supplies necessary. Now that I have out of state downlines, though, I'm thinking that maybe I'll ask my entire downline to participate in a VSN as a team building exercise -- so that we'll know we're all stamping at the same time using the same criteria. That might be really fun!
In the past I have had to work, but still got time to do a few. For the Sept one I actually switched weekends so I could play. I still didn't do all of the challenges-I ran some errand and some just weren't my cup of tea.
I like the new techniques, I DO like the pressure (sometimes I can fritter away a whole day without completing a single card), I like to see other people's take on the same challenge. I like the fact that it is on a weekend, as I work FT and don't usually get to the daily challenges. I like the variety-sketches, techniques, inspiration.
I have learned so many things from VSN-emboss resist, wax paper resist, 2,4,6,8 box.
If you could match my schedule, it would be prefect!
My biggest hang-up is that my computer is upstairs and my stamping space is downstairs, and I just know I'd never be able to keep up. I know you can do the challenges any time, but it's much more fun in realtime I would think. I plan to move all of my stamping supplies upstairs so maybe next time!
My biggest hang-up is that my computer is upstairs and my stamping space is downstairs, and I just know I'd never be able to keep up. I know you can do the challenges any time, but it's much more fun in realtime I would think. I plan to move all of my stamping supplies upstairs so maybe next time!
Or we could all just get new laptop 'puters and be wireless!
This month was the first one that I have done. I saw people chatting about VSN. I had no idea what it was. i investigated and found out what it was. I was free that Saturday so I joined in and had a lot of fun. I think it might need some more advertising using the full name.
Because I do design work under pressure/tight deadline on a regular basis, and the work almost always has to conform to specific parameters, when I have a chance to stamp recreationally, which is rare, I literally crave absolute and total freedom from any constraints or restrictions. VSN would therefore not be an event I personally would gravitate towards.
I still think it's an exciting event, tho, and an awesome thing to have for folks that do enjoy it!
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
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Originally Posted by Carole4312
Wrong time zone for me !
You don't need to be in the same time zone that challenges are posted. You even get another half a day to get things uploaded after the challenges have stopped being posted. And you don't need to play every challenge.
I'm not sure anything is keeping me from playing besides my own hesitation/scheduling/etc. I almost did one of the challenges this last time but didn't...LOL...if I did 1/2 as many hours of stamping as I do surfing this site, I'd be a master artist and drowning in cards/projects by now! I was sort of 'checked out' and missed the fact that there were pre-challenges going on but I really liked that idea that you had a week to do it while adhering to the 45 min rule. I will definitely try that next time. As a suggestion, you might want to post in the general forum that a pre-challenge has been posted. I probably would've caught that.
I guess one thing that might help me is if the shopping list was broken down by which hour of the weekend the supplies were needed. That way if I could only participate in a couple of hours of the weekend, I could make sure I had what I needed without gathering the entire list. I suppose that might impact some of the 'surprise' element of the whole thing but I doubt I'm ever going to pull off an entire VSN. I have trouble cropping for a whole weekend...guess I have a short attention span.
To respond to all of the 'too fast moving', 'my computer is on a different floor', etc. maybe adding 10-15 min to the buffer between projects would solve the problem. I guess you'd either have to cut the day a project short or go an hour longer but I can see where it may be a bit frantic if you really, really wanted to do every single project in real time. I always figured I would just work as closely as I could and would probably wind up behind (while still sticking to the 45 min rule if I was going to post for judging).
I think it is a very fun idea and maybe I can make it happen in October...will be checking back to find out the dates.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Donnarie
My biggest hang-up is that my computer is upstairs and my stamping space is downstairs, and I just know I'd never be able to keep up. I know you can do the challenges any time, but it's much more fun in realtime I would think. I plan to move all of my stamping supplies upstairs so maybe next time!
Quote:
Originally Posted by diane617
Or we could all just get new laptop 'puters and be wireless!
LOL! Actually, I have a laptop now and I'll have wireless soon. I'm still moving my stamping stuff upstairs because right now I've got my quilting stuff and my stamping stuff crammed into the same little room. So...I'll have a stamping room and a sewing room and a laptop that I can bring to either place. I figure why be cramped...it's just my DH and me in the house and hardly ever use the spare bedrooms. More information than you needed, I know, but I'm really bored at work and can't leave for another 15 minutes or so. (Even more info you didn't need! )
Having been a hostess and past coordinator here are my overall thoughts/comments on VSN:
The 45 minute time limit is so that we can fit in as many challenges in for the alloted time period...some people can finish the challenges in under 45 minutes others may normally take more than 45 minutes; however, that's part of the overall challenge. The challenges used to be posted literally every 45 minutes; however, one of the changes made during my coordinating VSN was to post each challenge on the hour. You've still got 45 minutes to complete the challenge; however, it's nice to have 15 minutes in between to go to the bathroom, take a smoke break, eat, etc.
Cards must be uploaded by 3PM on Sunday. There shouldn't be a rush to get them posted as soon as you make them...sometimes I do a few challenges and when I finish one sooner or skip one I use that time to upload the cards. Sometimes I just wait and upload them all on Sunday. The whole point of VSN is to try new techniques and things that maybe you otherwise wouldn't try.
I highly recommend scheduling the messier challenges early on...most people don't want to make a mess and/or clean up after a sloppy technique close to the end...things should get a little easier and start winding down towards the end; especially if it's late on the east coast. By 10 or 11 o'clock I'm getting cross-eyed.
Make sure, as coordinator's, you double check all hostess submissions and instructions beforehand. It's frustrating to the participants when the directions are not clear or you have to flip to other links, etc. to get instructions. The challenges should be fun. We're already under time restraints and enough pressure so why add more inconveniences?
VSN is not held every month. Virtual Scrapbook Night is scheduled also so the scheduling for VSN and VSBN were alternating because some of the same people participate in both.
I wish I could participate -- it looks like so much fun! But being a demo I usually have business events that interfere, or I don't have enough time to gather the supplies necessary. Now that I have out of state downlines, though, I'm thinking that maybe I'll ask my entire downline to participate in a VSN as a team building exercise -- so that we'll know we're all stamping at the same time using the same criteria. That might be really fun!
That's an awesome idea!! Even if you can't all do them in real time, you could use them later as ideas. Great thinking there!
I have never looked at VSN, but there are several reasons why I don't participate, the main one being that I am STILL on dial-up. Another reason is that I don't have the confidence to do it. I like to play on my own and don't like being pressured.
Because I do design work under pressure/tight deadline on a regular basis, and the work almost always has to conform to specific parameters, when I have a chance to stamp recreationally, which is rare, I literally crave absolute and total freedom from any constraints or restrictions. VSN would therefore not be an event I personally would gravitate towards.
I still think it's an exciting event, tho, and an awesome thing to have for folks that do enjoy it!
Very understandable. With that said...if VSN was done in a similar way as the DTGD challenges (not saying it will be, just a question I'm posing...no reading into this girlies!!;)) would that be more appealing to someone like you?
For all of you that don't play...that's ok! To those that are afraid...keep checking out the forum for some new and exciting surprises. I really really do appreciate all the feedback and the positive tone you all are offering it in. Thank you!
I love the entire concept of a virtual stamping party, and I'm glad that so many actually do get to participate - it looks like such fun! But the weekends belong to my family, and that's the main reason I can't play along. We're on the go a lot, rarely home much on the weekends, and it just doesn't seem to work out.
But that's ok - I do the next best thing...I spectate. And cheerlead by leaving comments when I can.
Plus, I frequently find myself "designing" cards for some of the challenges in my head, so even though they never actually materialize on paper, I'm still kind of participating, don't you think?
Umm...I also can't stay up that late, lol.
__________________ Linda
”From the rising of the sun to its setting,the name of the Lord is to be praised!”
I have never looked at VSN, but there are several reasons why I don't participate, the main one being that I am STILL on dial-up. Another reason is that I don't have the confidence to do it. I like to play on my own and don't like being pressured.
That's understandable. Take a look in my gallery...I'm no Picasso and alot of my VSN submissions are horrible! My main reason to play is to have fun, learn new things, and make some new friends. I've accomplished all that and so much more. If you do decide to join in sometime, we'd never be mean or hurtful..I promise. :-D
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Originally Posted by Glittergal
Umm...I also can't stay up that late, lol.
That is one of my biggest problems too! By the time the final challenge rolls around, I am quite loopy and all my brain power is gone!! Sometimes I just head to bed without seeing the last two challenges and then get up early (I have kids and really don't get a choice in that anyway, lol) and do the challenges Sat or Sunday morning.
I love VSN! My first one was in May and I participated in almost every challenge. I like the pressure and time limits- that is the fun of it. My cards didn't always turn out great -but I had so much fun making them- throwing stuff in a hurry to get it all together. I can say- it is much more fun when you are stamping with a friend. My friend and I made a weekend-long social event out of it (in between my work shifts) and it was fun. We had yummy food and snacks on hand and made a royal mess in her craft room- not that you would notice because it is ALWAYS messy! ha ha ha!!
For me it isn't necessarily the cards that I made (obviously in some cases) but the experience and challenge of making them.
I think for me the last VSN it was hard to get motivated because of my work schedule- but next VSN I will be off all day on both days- so I will be ready!! (whenver it is- I'm off every Fri and Sat now!!) Yippee!!
I join in from time to time and LOVE it. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do a whole VSN. One day, when my little one is older, I will, I'm sure. It's rare that I get more than an hour or two to stamp, but I love having the challenges to stimulate my creativity.
The upload process deters me a little, too. I feel like I need to fill in all the 'blanks' for supplies and such, and I get a little overwhelmed when I use a lot of 'stuff.' I know that I don't like to see a card without details in the supply lists, so I don't want to upload one without the details. Maybe I'm being a little OCD??
VSN ~ What keeps you from playing?
