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I am interested in knowing what your favorite online card class (or classes) you took this past year that you would recommend. Are they worth the registration fee? Do you feel you get anything extra from them than you wouldn't already find on blogs or stamping sites? Thanks for the input!
Creative chemistry was awesome! I started A Cut Above, and what I did was great, but haven't had the time to finish it yet. That is on my list for next year!
subbing - I attended a live class (actually 3) with Michelle Zindorf in OCtober and loved it. I have been trying to find something to do with my sis who lives 450 miles away - so a great online class might be an idea.
I've taken kick start, stretch your stamps, and a cut above (traditional machine). I would rank stretch your stamps as #1 because it really enhanced the ways I can make use of what I've already got. Though I really enjoyed kick start as I will always be able to use what I learned as I'm sure I will always have low points in my creativity-mojo and will need to renew my energy from time to time.
I think they are all definitely worth the cost. In fact I'm now debating between inspiration showcase and clean and simple#2. You can sign up for their newsletter and get a few dollars off the fee.
I've taken Stretch Your Stamps, Creative Chemistry, A Cut Above and Kick Start. It's hard to say which I liked best because each had a different goal. I only took the first part of A Cut Above because I only needed the lessons for manual machines (I have a Big Shot), but it gave me an overview of how to use the machine and showed me some neat things I could do with it (partial die cutting, etc.) Creative Chemistry was entirely about Tim Holtz products, and if you are into them and even if you have seen YouTube videos about them, and even if those videos were starring Tim Holtz, you will still learn a ton from this class. Stretch Your Stamps was just a lot of great ideas about how to use your stamps in interesting ways (although I took that class interactively, and we all jokingly started calling it Shop For Your Stamps because we all wanted the sets that the instructors used!). Kick Start deals with ways of getting your creative mojo going and had some good videos on organizing your inspiration sources, shopping smart, and generally how to get yourself going when you are drawing a creative blank.
So how do I say which was best? They were all different. It depends on why you want to take a class. If you are into all things Distress, Creative Chem. won't disappoint. If you just want to see some great new ideas, Stretch Your Stamps will give them to you. If you want to learn how to do some interesting things with your die cutting, do A Cut Above. If you feel like you are in a slump, or want to know how to get out of one in the future, try Kick Start.
For the money, all of the classes at Online Card classes are good. And you have lifetime access to anything you take. I went back just the other day and rewatched a Tm Holtz technique video. Very convenient.
In terms of whether you could get all the same info on blogs or stamping sites, I would say that, really, just about anything is out there if you know what to look for. But having everything organized for you by stamping experts in one place - videos and product links and PDF files for every lesson that you can print out and keep - is really great.
Okay, I'll go out on a limb and make a suggestion. Try Stretch You Stamps first. It's got a little bit of everything (even some Tim Holtz).
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 01-01-2013 at 12:34 PM..
I'm with Rachelrose -- hard to choose. I loved the Tim Holtz one too. I think A Cut Above and Kick Start were my favorite. Looking forward to the one starting in January -- Clean & Simple part 2. I think the registration fee is WELL worth it -- a great value and I always come away inspired.
I'm with Rachelrose -- hard to choose. I loved the Tim Holtz one too. I think A Cut Above and Kick Start were my favorite. Looking forward to the one starting in January -- Clean & Simple part 2. I think the registration fee is WELL worth it -- a great value and I always come away inspired.
I've been stamping for a couple of years, but I literally CASE everything! I just can't seem to find any original creativity within myself. I definitely favor clean and simple styles, but I just can't create my own original cards. I'm definitely a good 'caser' though. My 'replicas' are beautiful, but they're not mine. The class description says it can jump-start creativity. Would you think that's the case for someone like me? I'm a hobbyist demo, and I have thousands and thousands of dollars in SU! materials. Unfortunately you can't buy creativity...or can I for $25? lol
Simple card sketches to jump start creativity, What I need
Craftsmanship and methods for precision crafting and stamping, I can do
One Layer Cards featuring faux embellishments and layering using masks,
Inking & stamping techniques, I can do
1 Stamp, 3 Ways, not sure what this means
Keeping it simple with texture, I'm not sure what this means, but I have lots of embossing folders, etc but again...I CASE
And more!
Well, you will get some good ideas on how to get going in Kick Start or Stretch Your Stamps, but as with all of the classes about card making, you might just end up CASEing all those cards. And if your goal is not to CASE, you are going to have to go outside that comfort zone. I'm not sure creativity is what you need to buy, Deborah. If you can CASE anything you want and have it turn out perfectly, you already have a high level of skill and a lot of techniques under your belt. I think you need to make a leap of faith and not be afraid of the possibility that what you make won't look perfect or maybe even be any good. I certainly don't upload everything I make (because I think it's not worthy of it), and I do labor over things, only to ultimately throw them away.
I'm not saying you won't enjoy the class. And if you can easily afford $25 without having to cut back somewhere else, you might try it.
Another suggestion is to do one of the challenges here on the forum. Like the sketch challenge. They list those every Wednesday. Here's the link to the one listed today:
Maybe see what you can come up with, and upload it to the challenge gallery. I usually do the Color Challenge, which is listed on Tuesdays, but I missed the last two and plan to start again next week.
Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with CASEing. But you say you want to get away from it. You've made that harder for yourself by CASEing for so long. I still have the first card I made a year ago and when I look at it now, I cringe. I'm still a novice, but I have improved in my designs and hopefully that will continue. But I had to be willing to go through the process of making my own cards and being frustrated and looking at what others were doing and figuring out why it worked and buying stuff that turned out to be a mistake, etc. You've been picking out cards you thought were fabulous and making them. So you will have to take a deep breath and gather up the courage to fly without a net, so to speak, and let that process of learning how to design occur naturally.
If this all makes no sense, ignore me. Sometimes I get on a train of thought and I can't shut up.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Last edited by Rachelrose; 01-02-2013 at 12:46 PM..
Well, you will get some good ideas on how to get going in Kick Start or Stretch Your Stamps, but as with all of the classes about card making, you might just end up CASEing all those cards. And if your goal is not to CASE, you are going to have to go outside that comfort zone. I'm not sure creativity is what you need to buy, Deborah. If you can CASE anything you want and have it turn out perfectly, you already have a high level of skill and a lot of techniques under your belt. I think you need to make a leap of faith and not be afraid of the possibility that what you make won't look perfect or maybe even be any good. I certainly don't upload everything I make (because I think it's not worthy of it), and I do labor over things, only to ultimately throw them away.
I'm not saying you won't enjoy the class. And if you can easily afford $25 without having to cut back somewhere else, you might try it.
Another suggestion is to do one of the challenges here on the forum. Like the sketch challenge. They list those every Wednesday. Here's the link to the one listed today:
Maybe see what you can come up with, and upload it to the challenge gallery. I usually do the Color Challenge, which is listed on Tuesdays, but I missed the last two and plan to start again next week.
Bottom line, there's nothing wrong with CASEing. But you say you want to get away from it. You've made that harder for yourself by CASEing for so long. I still have the first card I made a year ago and when I look at it now, I cringe. I'm still a novice, but I have improved in my designs and hopefully that will continue. But I had to be willing to go through the process of making my own cards and being frustrated and looking at what others were doing and figuring out why it worked and buying stuff that turned out to be a mistake, etc. You've been picking out cards you thought were fabulous and making them. So you will have to take a deep breath and gather up the courage to fly without a net, so to speak, and let that process of learning how to design occur naturally.
If this all makes no sense, ignore me. Sometimes I get on a train of thought and I can't shut up.
Great advice! I think you're exactly right. I'll never be able to do it, unless I actually do it. I think a sketch challenge is the best way to go. I'll never be able to do it, until I do it.
What was your Favorite Online Card Class?
