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You know when I started with SCS was back in March 2oo5. The group was smaller than it is today.
I understand life get's in the way a little bit more.. than it use too.
But one thing I remember from back then. When you posted something in the gallery. You had a better chance to get other's to leave some comments on your creations.
Now you're lucky if you get ANY comments on your creations! I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.
Not really a rant, Nancy - more an acknowledgement of things as they are. There have been other threads on this exact same topic, and the takeaway that I got from them is that it's a combination of SO MANY amazing creations uploaded daily, people's lives being busy (so there's less time to peruse the galleries), and any number of other factors.
What has been said, also, is that there is more likelihood of being seen (and therefore commented on) if you're posting to one of the challenge galleries, as opposed to just posting to your member gallery. Other participants in the challenge are likely to cruise through and comment...
I'm one of the guiltiest of the guilty - I don't visit the galleries much, and so I don't comment much. I used to do a LOT more cruising and commenting, but I don't even have time to create anything myself these days. I stay abreast of the forums a bit, and that's the extent of my involvement until I get a better handle on life as I know it...
I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse, but you're not alone, for sure...
I posted a few things in 2012, when I participated in the Hope You Can Cling To challenge. Other than that, I don't really upload anything. My crafting skills are less than so-so and it's embarrassing to think of uploading my failed attempts unless it's required for a challenge. So, Unless I am looking for something specific, I rarely think to visit the gallery. :-(
Your post is a wonderful reminder that when I do go there I should leave a little bit of love, even if the gallery item is years old.
BTW ... I joined in 2011 when this site was booming. I left for awhile and when I came back last month I was shocked as to how quiet, quiet, quiet (echo) the forums are these days.
Comments on the gallery postings are always the same, day after day after day, if you do Challenges. To me, number of visits matter more BECAUSE comments are always the same. C'mon....we're all super-nice folks here and are always going to say nice stuff , if we comment at all.
BUT, the reminder to leave some love, when Gallery touring, is appreciated!:mrgreen: I Will do it.
There are so many blogs owned by super-talented folks, and it
is so easy to subscribe, I suspect folks like me, who don't do Challenges, subscribe to blogs rather than tour the Gallery daily.
The way that I see it is this: More stamp companies (a whole lot more) means more people on design teams, and the demand from the companies for the design team members to post on blogs.
And time is limited for all of us. The number of gallery additions per day has gone down dramatically in the last 5 years or so. I think many have gone to having blogs, posting there, and then not posting here. Not many do both.
And the result? You are forced to follow blogs in order to see the work you want to see. And that further reduces the people who spend a lot of time here on SCS...again, because we all have limited time.
I also agree with Sue...if you aim for having comments, play the challenges.
Personally, I view the entire gallery every day. I comment on the items that jump out at me and grab my attention, though I wish I was better at doing that. And I go through my favorites folder and comment on the cards that have no comments yet, or just one. On occasion I check the gallery for cards with no comments and leave some love there too.
As a new person...to me the gallery is often a little overwhelming and a lot to look at and take in. I go everyday but I am not opening every card-I just cant. I jump in sometimes 2-3 times a day for 15 mins when I dont have a whole time chunk to give at one shot. And I am still missing stuff which I discover in the weekly favorites. As it is I often find myself time warping...meaning to be here 15 mins and 2 hours later...esp if I look at the forums too.
Why? B/c as a newbie, I learn from the galleries-techniques, colors, proportions, layouts, scale, etc. So I may spend time on a card, thinking aside from commenting. I bet a lot of other newbies are doing that too but not leaving comments-so take heart that you are teaching people.
I dont spend a lot of time on blogs. I make a time choice and this place wins 95% of the time.
This topic has come up more than once.
Once I read people dont want us to just write "pretty". You want us to remark on something about the card. Honestly, I dont have time to do that all the time. If I write pretty I mean it. If that isnt good enough, sorry. It does not mean I am not paying attention. Sorry if that makes me sound mean.
I hit hyperspeed when I see 10+ cards from one person/a whole page of one person. I'd like if you do the same card in 5 colors, show me the series in one picture. Not 5 separate ones. Just imho. I pick the one I like best, comment and keep moving. Of course people are free to post however but that is one way 0s happen in my mind.
I was thinking it might be b/c some people only upload once a week.
I realize some of those are DT runs...and then I am spending time looking for individual posts inbetween those-which I feel often get lost in the crush.
I am not sure how the gallery even works b/c I dont have one. I have tried to find out but no luck so far. Like is every single thing a person loads into their own gallery going to show in the main gallery or they have to choose for it to?
I agree with the comments about blogs.
I also agree with idea that people open, look, and run w/o commenting. So if it was me, and someone was running through doing 90mph and stopped to look at mine, I'd be happy.
Just jumping back in to say that one-word comments are okay by me! Back when I wasn't sure that I should be uploading my meager attempts, there were a few times that one of the "cream of the crop" would post "wow!" and that's it. Totally made my day every time...
I have no idea how people list "new to me stamper" in the favorites. How do you all remember?? Maybe it's a "over time" thing. I am so focused on the cards most of the time I hardly remember who made them.
Comments mean even MORE today. Think of the difference in inputs. Back then, we had Splitcoast. Email. Slowly blogs, but not many at first. No text messages, no Instagram, no Periscope, no Facebook, no Pinterest, no Twitter, no Buzzfeed, no YouTube, no Vimeo, no 8 million blogs, no HSN,no Breaking Bad... (threw that one in for me.)
I think the takeaway needs to be that a comment, a like, a favorite - is worth a MILLION times more today precisely because of the way our time/inboxes/devices are splintered into a squillion pieces. I'm grateful for every single one, whether a word or 20. And I don't worry if there are none. I still had fun making my card. That's why I'm here.
Create for yourself, and then consider every interaction an amazing bonus in an internet-induced ADD world
I was thinking what Lydia so eloquently said. I have been here since 2006 and wow, the traffic here then was like a 6 lane freeway system. Now people are heading down off ramps to Pinterest, blogs etc etc and the freeway is much quieter.
I know I rarely look at the gallery here now, I am a Pinterest dweller for cards and inspiration, my own as well as the hundreds of those I look at. However there is nothing like this Forum for me; I pop by every day to see what threads are busy or new.
These days it seems most people share their creations on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook. You get near instant feedback on those sites. The papercrafting groups on Facebook are huge and quite busy. Times have changed and people have many more options for sharing their creative output now.
These days it seems most people share their creations on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook. You get near instant feedback on those sites. The papercrafting groups on Facebook are huge and quite busy. Times have changed and people have many more options for sharing their creative output now.
Instant, yes, but also ephemeral. I love having my whole body of work in my gallery with no clutter, food pictures, or scrolling past unrelated things.
I meant to say earlier too that if you want comments, give comments.
One thing I've noticed here is that people go out of their way to "comment back" in your gallery when you comment on theirs - it's just an unspoken rule.
This I know to be true. Every wonderful thing that has come to me in the crafting world from real-life friendships to improved skills to stints on design teams have come to me as a direct result of my active participation here on this board during my 10 years of membership. Yes, I am on Facebook and Pinterest. Yes, I have a blog. But it is SCS that has given me more than I will ever be able to repay.
If you want to see more action, than be more active. Take part in challenges and events when you can. Answer questions and give encouragement to newcomers. Pass out more comments.
I'm not on social media...but I have noticed a number of small stamp mfgs have shifted to FB instead of having their own standalone website.
Seems like everyone and their dog has a FB page.
I didnt know about this place till a friend told me. I wish there was a way to advertise it.
I do like that the amount of advertising here is limited. It is also set up in a way you cant "accidentally" hit it by being SO close to link buttons you almost need a razor to split the difference. (which was a major issue I had with my old email provider)
lol on Mad men. Just in case you thought no one saw that.
I am not sure how the gallery even works b/c I dont have one. I have tried to find out but no luck so far. Like is every single thing a person loads into their own gallery going to show in the main gallery or they have to choose for it to?
if you click the
"new uploads" on the main home page you will see everything that is live. ( there are hidden staging galleries that unless you are working that part you do not see the staging) (which is why say when the Dirty dozen gallery goes live each month on the 15th some of the cards could be dated 2 weeks earlier and those dates will be "off" for the time limit of the weekly favorites thread) Did that make sense?
so, yes every single thing posted you can see from that link. People do not choose to be grouped there.
Next month in October there will be a special gallery for the Hope You Can Cling to card drive and so, everyone making cards to donate will probably be commenting on cards for each other to cheer us on, so, it's possible that if you are not looking at just the HYCCT gallery you will see on the main gallery cards with a few comments between cards with none.
if you want to narrow down the search you can click on one of the keywords in a gallery upload and it will resort the gallery for you showing say that particular featured stamper collection of uploads, or you can do it by a theme. like if it was key worded "Christmas"
My own thought is, if you leave love in the gallery you will receive some. (and it may take time) even when they are as simple as *thud* (which I take as short hand for OMGOSH! I am picking my self up off the floor) ;)
I very rarely go to the gallery. I pop in a few times a week to check the forums and that's it. I haven't uploaded a picture in a long time because it got difficult to do. I don't know if it still is or not but for awhile it was a lot more work than I was willing to put in.
I am very confused by what you wrote but I am the true cavegirl. I will give it whirl and see what happens. But I really appreciate all the time you took to type all that out!
I would say to my peeps-even if you are not loading to the galleries-spin through and leave love. Aside from it's just nice to do....These are often the same people who are answering our Qs in the forums. Nice way to give back.
Gee I havent seen *thud* yet but now I will know what it means!
I very rarely go to the gallery. I pop in a few times a week to check the forums and that's it. I haven't uploaded a picture in a long time because it got difficult to do. I don't know if it still is or not but for awhile it was a lot more work than I was willing to put in.
Changed years and years ago - it's awesome. You can also do it from mobile as well.
I find I have time to either 1) visit the forums, 2) visit the galleries (& leave comments) or 3) make my own cards! But not time to do all 3.
I do try to leave comments, but it takes time and sometimes I just want to look at the pretties.
When I join in a challenge, I try to comment on as many of the cards as possible that are also in that challenge. The amount that actually get comments from me vary widely. I often like to start at the end of the thread since I do notice the amount of comments is in direct correlation to how early you get your card on the gallery after a challenge has been issued.
Maybe I should challenge myself to comment on cards every Sunday morning. A yummy breakfast, cup of hot tea and some card comments.
I find I have time to either 1) visit the forums, 2) visit the galleries (& leave comments) or 3) make my own cards! But not time to do all 3.
I do try to leave comments, but it takes time and sometimes I just want to look at the pretties.
When I join in a challenge, I try to comment on as many of the cards as possible that are also in that challenge. The amount that actually get comments from me vary widely. I often like to start at the end of the thread since I do notice the amount of comments is in direct correlation to how early you get your card on the gallery after a challenge has been issued.
Maybe I should challenge myself to comment on cards every Sunday morning. A yummy breakfast, cup of hot tea and some card comments.
I agree - you have to choose. As a person with creativity-induced ADD I set timers. My social media stuff all gets a timer. 10 minutes each for Instagram, Pinterest and FB. That's a half hour a day - I enjoy it and it doesn't take over. I set the timer for 20 for commenting and pinning and favoriting from the gallery. I do all that with coffee and then go to work It connects me without ruling my life or my day.
I learned from a friend on here to look at the views not the comments and I just went into my gallery to see how they were doing, one card has over 1700 views and not one comment. People are just too busy anymore and I can understand that as I went back to work over a year ago and it really has cut into my stamping time, LOL I do a lot of viewing but not many comments either. I just really appreciate seeing all these cards in one place and you get so many wonderful ideas!!
Sue did you get my message about stamping on the 19th? I texted you...would love to have you!
I'm really hoping to, but have to see what develops in the next week. April is leaving today to move back to Utah, so I've been helping her get things arranged and packed and dealt with... I'll let you know as soon as I know, and thanks for inviting me!
My time to rant.......
