new ct?

[4peasinourpod]

I am the type of person who avoids confrontation at all costs and would rather sit back and not say anything instead of taking a side. I've tried typing a response several times and I really don't know what to say, except that I am pretty disappointed today.

I LOVED every one of the CT. I respect you. I respect those that are outspoken. I have realized today that I have just lost a home.

[carrie123]

I am the type of person who avoids confrontation at all costs and would rather sit back and not say anything instead of taking a side. I've tried typing a response several times and I really don't know what to say, except that I am pretty disappointed today.

I LOVED every one of the CT. I respect you. I respect those that are outspoken. I have realized today that I have just lost a home.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat as you....

[gonecamping]

Wow, I don't always post but I do pop on every day and always love the talent here. This has me shocked and really saddened. There has been a different feel to the message board lately. I don't want to say less friendly because everyone is always so welcoming and friendly here. Its just a weird vibe. These videos don't ring true with what has been posted from Heidi and Kristen. Sad day.....

[Cimorosete]

I seen this video yesterday and I just really don't have any words to express how I feel. I just really hate knowing how hurtful this has been to the current CTs and other Cherries. (((HUGS))) to all.

[BeatrizS]

Hi ladies! WOW i haven't been around in a couple of months other then just to lurk since i really haven't been scrapbooking much. But holy cow to my surprise i see that change is in the Cherry basket and not even done nicely.

To the current DT, Millmomma, Art_teacher, SarahWhithers, 4peasinourpod, Nun69, Megamay, and all the rest of you lovely ladies, You are all so talented and i have really enjoyed all your layouts, the forums, games, and the great crops you have all hosted. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your lives and to share your wonderful work with people like me that appreciate it. Time will tell if ACOT's changes will make them or break them. Cause Loyal customers, (even the ones that don't spend a lot) will ultimately make that decision for them.

[4peasinourpod]

Hi ladies! WOW i haven't been around in a couple of months other then just to lurk since i really haven't been scrapbooking much. But holy cow to my surprise i see that change is in the Cherry basket and not even done nicely.

To the current DT, Millmomma, Art_teacher, SarahWhithers, 4peasinourpod, Nun69, Megamay, and all the rest of you lovely ladies, You are all so talented and i have really enjoyed all your layouts, the forums, games, and the great crops you have all hosted. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your lives and to share your wonderful work with people like me that appreciate it. Time will tell if ACOT's changes will make them or break them. Cause Loyal customers, (even the ones that don't spend a lot) will ultimately make that decision for them.

thank you for being here. I believed in this place FOREVER.

[TraciL]

wow - just watched 2 of her videos and I agree with all the prior comments.....sure sounds to me like she is viewing it as a permanent design team not a 'guest' for a month or whatever.

que sera sera - I guess

[Janshotgun]

I am the type of person who avoids confrontation at all costs and would rather sit back and not say anything instead of taking a side. I've tried typing a response several times and I really don't know what to say, except that I am pretty disappointed today.

I agree Sarah. Just don't know what to say except that I feel sorry for all the CT members that were let go and the way it happened. I mentioned on another thread that I really don't think all these talented women will just stick around after the way they have been treated. I'm sure they will find (and have found) other sites that will welcome their talent and friendship!

[Art_Teacher]

Wow...I don't even know what to say...amazing how so much can change in a day, or even a post. I am another CT member who is shocked and saddened by this. I pretty much agree completely with Sus. This was not the way to go about this and I had hoped the changes could be exciting and fun and make people want to stick around, but it surely doesn't feel that way right now. Feels like another sucker punch, as was the announcement that the CT was being dissolved. I guess it isn't our business, and we don't really have the right to say how the business is run, but I, for one, worked as hard as I could to deserve my CT position and to promote ACOT, and this feels alot like being fired for no good reason. I have alot of other feelings about it, but I don't think the powers that be really want to hear them or even care for that matter...

[scraptag]

WHATEVER! Ladies, I am saddened and a little hurt too. I love the ct's who have put so much time and effort into this board, but guess what? Ct's on a message board don't necessarily sell scrapbook supplies. And that is their business. They might help, but I feel that ACOT'S direction is going in other places. The World Wide Web is a big place, and you must use every tool you can to sell what you have. I see them doing more on Facebook. And if they have guest designers doing things on Youtube and other places, then they are getting the word out. I have noticed that when the economy really took a tumble, that so did this message board. I dont know, maybe all us scrappers had to go back to work, or there wasn't as much extra income around, but I have gone on this message board at prime times only to find a handful of users on it, while other message boards have 100's+. I wouldn't be surprised if they got rid of the mb all together.
I think they should have called a CT meeting and enlightened them as to what was happening and what their new direction would be before they made the announcement to the rest of us, but besides that...it is their company and they have to do what they feel is best for it to survive. So....My name is Teri Gelbmann from Orange County California and you can friend me on facebook. Love you all!

Teri,


I've been reading these posts here all day and just haven't found the right words to say. And, by gosh, you must have read my mind and put it all together for me.



I pretty much agree with just what you've said.



Yes, ACOT could have, and probably should have done things a little different. But, we shall see what the future holds.

[suslvgeo]

Scrap tag you are right it is their right and their decision to make the change and I get that... Just the timing and the way it was done is not how I have always perceived this board to be... More family/friendly like than some of
The other big boards.

You are also correct on the amount of people on the other boards ... I went to one tonight and there were over 300 people online.... So yes Something DID need to be done as the place has not really been the same for awhile...

But again I just think the timing and the manner in which the news was delivered (or rather uncovered) was hurtful to a lot of people and that is where my problem is...

[4peasinourpod]

Scrap tag you are right it is their right and their decision to make the change and I get that... Just the timing and the way it was done is not how I have always perceived this board to be... More family/friendly like than some of
The other big boards.

You are also correct on the amount of people on the other boards ... I went to one tonight and there were over 300 people online.... So yes Something DID need to be done as the place has not really been the same for awhile...

But again I just think the timing and the manner in which the news was delivered (or rather uncovered) was hurtful to a lot of people and that is where my problem is...

love you.

[MamaK321]

...thinking how to respond.
I'm sad to see so much distrust and lashing out from the ACOT community.
Hey, I'm one of those that you would say "got dumped" from the CT. I'll be honest and say my initial reaction was shock. I couldn't speak. I have been in this game for so long, I was wondering what I'm going to do? This IS what I do. But then things became clearer and I do not have hate in my heart because I know ACOT didn't do this as a personal attack. They are doing this from a business point of view. When you think about the fact that ACOT has had a Creative Team for 10 years, maybe this "drastic" change doesn't seem so unspeakable. I can believe that from the business standpoint, they realized the need to change the way products are promoted and the CT has run it's course, aged gracefully and is being appreciatively let go. We (the CT) did get to finish out the month, utilize our CT perks and will still have the pleasure of having our works published online.

ACOT has been contracting Designers for years, there just hasn't been much continual emphasis put on promoting it, nor a strong response from artists to provide articles. When I heard the news about ACOT disbanding their Creative Team, I wondered how would they continue to promote product sales. It wasn't hard to reason that with the style of product reveal ACOT has been using, contracting out to individual designers would be the best way to go. Contracting Designers means ACOT can compensate artists for individual articles. There is no team structure, no long term contract necessary, contact is between ACOT and that designer alone and ACOT is guaranteed quality work. These Designers can be artists from our own community, from manufacturer teams, or new faces from the many crafting sites across the web.

A few people mentioned that they don't feel comfortable at this site any longer.... but what I see going on is the group mentality taking over. There is so much negativity. And to my fellow CT ladies... we are supposed to be supportive of ACOT, not help tear it down with barbed words. One very wise member said that the CT is like the face and voice of ACOT itself. I plan to embody that description until March 1 when I will sadly remove the Creative Team logo from my signature.

I hope you (whomever is reading) will curb the negativity and distrust you are feeling. Don't take ACOT's actions as a personal insult. Understand that they are first and foremost a business and trust that they know how to run it as they have been doing for many many years with great success. Don't doubt something that you do not yet see. Give it a chance. Have a little faith. I won't give up on ACOT, my home, for something so trivial. This is not the first time ACOT has experienced such strong backlash and I dare say it won't be the last. In two months it will be nearly forgotten. Give it time. and a little faith.

[AnnOminous]

Looks like digi is being left out in the cold.....

[scraptag]

Scrap tag you are right it is their right and their decision to make the change and I get that... Just the timing and the way it was done is not how I have always perceived this board to be... More family/friendly like than some of
The other big boards.

You are also correct on the amount of people on the other boards ... I went to one tonight and there were over 300 people online.... So yes Something DID need to be done as the place has not really been the same for awhile...

But again I just think the timing and the manner in which the news was delivered (or rather uncovered) was hurtful to a lot of people and that is where my problem is...

It's not that I don't agree with this, I totally do. Which is why I am sad too. I'm just saying...they gotta do, what they gotta do, regardless of how we feel about it.

[Monroe1218]

I'm not into confrontation - so I've tried to keep from posting because I don't really have anything positive to say about the whole situation....

But... I just think the whole thing "feels" wrong - the way the CT was let in on the whole disbanding of the CT, was well - in my opinion poorly done. If ACOT thought so much of these wonderfully creative ladies, they would have let them know personally before the whole thing blew up on the board. Also, if ACOT was going to not have a CT anymore - why would they be seeking out people to do these videos, tutorials, etc.? I noticed that susiecrafter had a special "shout out" to Heidi for contacting her or something along those lines...

It just doesn't seem right to be letting such talented ladies go to be replacing them with others when the whole thing ACOT was saying was "no more CT" - and in reality there may be no more "CT" but there are "designers" or whatever they want to call themselves. It just seems like saying one thing and doing the opposite.

If I was in the same position as the CT ladies, I know I wouldn't feel like I was welcome here anymore since I was pretty much pushed out without warning. The whole tone of the MB has changed - and it certainly doesn't seem like it's for the better....

I'll be around to finish out the year of Secret Sisters...but I'm not sure after that... It doesn't seem like home anymore.

[carrie123]

Kristianne..I think we all understand that ACOT is doing what they feel they need to do....that is NOT the issue. I think the issue is HOW they did this. A lot of us feel betrayed and quite frankly a bit hurt. I would have maybe been nice for us to kinda get a heads-up instead we all got blindsided.

[Janshotgun]

Today is the day that I really miss not having a "Like" button!

[FairyMouseMom]

...thinking how to respond.
I'm sad to see so much distrust and lashing out from the ACOT community.
Hey, I'm one of those that you would say "got dumped" from the CT. I'll be honest and say my initial reaction was shock. I couldn't speak. I have been in this game for so long, I was wondering what I'm going to do? This IS what I do. But then things became clearer and I do not have hate in my heart because I know ACOT didn't do this as a personal attack. They are doing this from a business point of view. When you think about the fact that ACOT has had a Creative Team for 10 years, maybe this "drastic" change doesn't seem so unspeakable. I can believe that from the business standpoint, they realized the need to change the way products are promoted and the CT has run it's course, aged gracefully and is being appreciatively let go. We (the CT) did get to finish out the month, utilize our CT perks and will still have the pleasure of having our works published online.

ACOT has been contracting Designers for years, there just hasn't been much continual emphasis put on promoting it, nor a strong response from artists to provide articles. When I heard the news about ACOT disbanding their Creative Team, I wondered how would they continue to promote product sales. It wasn't hard to reason that with the style of product reveal ACOT has been using, contracting out to individual designers would be the best way to go. Contracting Designers means ACOT can compensate artists for individual articles. There is no team structure, no long term contract necessary, contact is between ACOT and that designer alone and ACOT is guaranteed quality work. These Designers can be artists from our own community, from manufacturer teams, or new faces from the many crafting sites across the web.

A few people mentioned that they don't feel comfortable at this site any longer.... but what I see going on is the group mentality taking over. There is so much negativity. And to my fellow CT ladies... we are supposed to be supportive of ACOT, not help tear it down with barbed words. One very wise member said that the CT is like the face and voice of ACOT itself. I plan to embody that description until March 1 when I will sadly remove the Creative Team logo from my signature.

I hope you (whomever is reading) will curb the negativity and distrust you are feeling. Don't take ACOT's actions as a personal insult. Understand that they are first and foremost a business and trust that they know how to run it as they have been doing for many many years with great success. Don't doubt something that you do not yet see. Give it a chance. Have a little faith. I won't give up on ACOT, my home, for something so trivial. This is not the first time ACOT has experienced such strong backlash and I dare say it won't be the last. In two months it will be nearly forgotten. Give it time. and a little faith.

Kristi, I am friendly with you as well as other CT members (digi and paper) and from the GP....but, really, please do not lump the CT ladies "negatively" in your comment. I really am not sure WHO you think who has written something inappropriately here on the thread. I have been on the Digital CT with you for many YEARS and you know me. I can only be responsible for what I said/wrote...and I KNOW that I have not written anything inappropriately. I stated a personal feeling. I believe that is what MOST people are doing. Or am I wrong?