Newbie challenges

[Polkadotlady]

Hi Everyone,

How about having a challenge every once in while for newbies.
Sometimes I am completly lost on how to do the challenges and end up thinking "I can't do that", especially after looking at some of the wonderful layouts.
It would be really neat to use these challenges to try some of the more advanced things newbies might not know how to do. I only have Scrapbook Max to work with and would love to learn how to use the software in ways I did't know about or need more direction/practice at. Anyone else feel this way???

[angelwithin]

Hi Polkadotlady

i run the weekly challenges and do try to put some easier ones in as well as more complicated challenges, any time you get stuck just ask for help you will find everyone here is so willing to pass on knowledge of how the program works

next weeks challenge envolves submitting two photos (or more) of your choice with a little history/story behind them that will get swapped with another member...all you have to do is make layouts using the other members photo's

please remember no one ever does a layout wrong...they are all perfect in their own right and the more layouts you do the more you will learn

hope to see you join the challenges....they are a great way to learn the program, and as i said earlier...any questions ask

[sacannon]

Wow, I totally forgot about this challenge coming up fiona. When is the deadline for the pics?

[sacannon]

Never mind, just saw the other post!

[Vanessa]

Hi Everyone,

How about having a challenge every once in while for newbies.
Sometimes I am completly lost on how to do the challenges and end up thinking "I can't do that", especially after looking at some of the wonderful layouts.
It would be really neat to use these challenges to try some of the more advanced things newbies might not know how to do. I only have Scrapbook Max to work with and would love to learn how to use the software in ways I did't know about or need more direction/practice at. Anyone else feel this way???

Sweetie, the whole idea of joining in with Fiona's challenges is to have fun. There are a whole lot of people out there who think they are not good enough and with a little bit of teasing, rise to the challenge and produce some stunning work. Please don't forget, we are all artistes in our own right and what may be pleasing to my eye, may not be to your taste and vice versa. Another thing is that joining in is a really great way to get to see how other people interpret the various challenges and quite often I catch myself saying "oh, I would never have thought of doing that, what a good idea" when looking at other people's work. It is also a fabulous way of getting to know one another. There are so many people here who are only too willing to help if you have a problem, question on how to do something or just to advise. DON'T BE AFRAID to come out of the dark and join us.

[Granny]

Oh, I'm sorry if I made my challenge too difficult. I was trying to do just what you asked for, getting people to use a feature of the program that is often ignore, using tiles for backgrounds and paper scraps to keep the files sizes small.

If you don't know how a challenge is supposed to work, pester us with questions, so that we make it crystal clear how it should work. That is the whole purpose of it. Well, and like Vanessa said, to have fun! I would love to help you any way I can!!

[Polkadotlady]

I am so very sorry, I did not intend this to be criticism.......just a suggestion! I LOVE everyone's challenges and can not wait to join in. As for jumping in feet first tho......umm....well, I am embarrassed to admit that I am terribly slow. Throw 3 kiddo's into the mix and my digi scrapping time is rather limited.......but I will try to learn more......in fact, my paper scraps and stuff are collecting a bit of dust!. Thank you all for your encouragement and I too look forward to getting to know others.

[Polkadotlady]

I didnt look close enough to who I was quick posting......ended up apolagizing to myself!!
LOL told you guys I was new to this stuff!

[Polkadotlady]

Oh Granny! I am sorry this came across as criticism I didn't mean for it to. Please read my update post I left in the thread.

Again, I apolagize
Polkadotlady

[Vanessa]

Please stop with the apologies hon. You don't need to apologise for not being confident of your abilities. I think if you give the challenges a try you will be very surprised to find that what you create is nowhere as bad as you think it is and that there are people out there who like what you do.

You are not the only one who finds some of the challenges hard - I do too. Our dear Fiona (Angelwithin) has a devillish streak running right down her back. Some of the challenges she comes up with are positively wicked. In fact you can almost see her sat back there in her corner of her office thinking (smoke coming out everywhere) to herself, "What can I do this week that will make them sweat?"

If you look through some of the past challenges, you will see that at the very beginning of each of them there is usually someone who grumbles and says "God how do you expect us to do this - it is too hard". Then the banter starts and then the pages start to come in. Sometimes only one page from each person, but from time to time, people become really inspired and cannot stop creating - that's allowed too.

I love doing these challenges because there is NO prize at the end of each one that says this page is better than anyone elses, so there is no favouritism. They are the best teaching tool around - if you like the way someone does something, all you have to do is ask "how did you do that" and people are only too happy to share their knowledge with you. The people who join in are FUN, there is laughter, joking and open friendship and because of this, at the end of each week I find myself looking forward to a new week, with a new challenge.

I know it is difficult to find time for yourself when you have three small children, perhaps when they are in bed you can spend a couple of hours doing something nice to show us all. Think of our little community as your little window to sanity and I use that term very lightly here (in fact I can almost hear granny peeking over my shoulder as I write this, saying "Sane, Vanessa you are one of the most insane people I know")