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Why do SU designers put unrelated Images is their set?
I hope I don�t offend anyone with this �rant� about SU sets.I am always baffled when what I consider an unrelated image is thrown into a set. For example Magical Day. Why would you put in a mermaid when a princess would be more fitting. I understand the concept that most of the
Images in the set are mythical creatures but the mermaid should have been a princess instead. I have seen cards where people have turned the mermaid into a princess but I don�t think you should have to do that. If they wanted a mermaid then put a princess in the set too.
While I�m on a rant... why don�t they include Son in their Father�s Day, and Masculine sets? I have seen sets with Uncle, Brother, but rarely son.
Same thing with Daughter. I would also like In Law and Grandson Grand Daughter to be included.
A lot of people have adult children and Grands that they make cards for.
I�m tired of using Alphabet stamps or computer generated sentiments.
I know there are far more serious issues in the world today... but Thankfully
In my little corner of the world this is my big issue today.
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest LOL!!
__________________ Bev
Organized People are just too lazy to hunt for things!!!
Hi Bev, and it's not just SU. I find that in many sets over here- something thrown in to just fill space. For instance, you have no idea how many Thank You stamps I have, thanks to them doing this! And I only ever bought ONE Thank You stamp, yet I have dozens. There are many more useful sentiments they could add.
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
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I always scratched how many "Friend" stamps they threw in. My Giosh I have so many!!
I've never used one of those.
Also for a long time they'd have a cute set without any sentiments! They had that chair set a few years back but nothing to go with it.
Years ago they have that sewing suite. I have it because I loved both the button and sewing theme set. There were no sentiments. I always thought why didn't they include sayings like "cute as a button" for a baby card or "You are sew loved"! I know some people don't care for those kinds of sentiments but they seem like they needed some kind of sayings!
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I agree with you all. What are they thinking?! So many of the stamp sets are so very similar - I have a lot of the older sets and that saves me money on buying the newer similar ones.
I think sometimes they are too quick to retire stamps. Many times they are retiring sets just when I'm "discovering" them. I like to see card ideas before buying some of the sets and many times those ideas are just hitting the galleries and blogs when retirement time rolls around.
Allistamps, I think they couldn't think of any words to add to the chairs: Wish you were here....Missing you...I'm holding a seat for you...Hello!
At least they didn't put random flowers in there!
I have given up on SU because so many other stamp companies offer more variety.
Still NO ONE is doing good sentiments for ill, or recovering, or chronically sick card-receivers. "Get Well" is a command I will not put on any card.
I hunted through my stash last night to find appropriate sentiments to put on a card for my granddaughter who is in hospital. I was happy with my finds, but I had to hunt. On the front I put “You are so loved” and inside “sending warm hugs” and “feel better”. Get well was just not appropriate. I find some of the SU sentiments so corny that I’d never use them, but had to buy the set because I loved other things in it. Ex. “Let’s be best friends forever “. Not sure what my BFF would think of that.
I've always thought the same thing. I figured they thought we would see an image or sentiment that we "NEEDED" within another set and then just "HAVE" to buy that set, so we could incorporate the two (sales strategy, I'm sure lol)
__________________
Life is NOT a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely BUT...to skid in sideways, chocolate in hand and screamingWOOHOO-WHAT A RIDE!
"Get Well" is a command I will not put on any card.
I never use commands like "Get Well," "Smile," or "Enjoy today." I especially don't like to use sentiments that tell the recipient how to live: "Live, love, laugh" or "Enjoy the little things."
I totally agree that every stamp set should contain a couple of general sentiments like "Hello" or "Thinking of you."
Thinking of you is one of my main go-to sentiments. It works for anything, just add Happy birthday, with sympathy or whatever. So I am always appreciative of a new font or style of Thinking of You.
Allistamps, I think they couldn't think of any words to add to the chairs: Wish you were here....Missing you...I'm holding a seat for you...Hello!
At least they didn't put random flowers in there!
I have given up on SU because so many other stamp companies offer more variety.
Still NO ONE is doing good sentiments for ill, or recovering, or chronically sick card-receivers. "Get Well" is a command I will not put on any card.
Try Altenew and Neat & Tangled for sentiments for chronically ill, etc. I suggested these types of sentiments awhile back, and others must have as well because thay listened and now they both offer lovely choices. Hope that helps!
There are numerous SU stamps I would buy if they would leave off the corny sentiments.Live, Laugh, Love is at the top of the list. I don’t care for sappy wordy sentiments. They don’t sound real at all.
I just bought an Altenew stamp set loaded with many diff styles and sizes of Happy Birthday.
I appreciate that designers put together a set, have room left over and rather than put the set out with all that room going to waste they add other stuff to fill it up. I have had more than one small stamp company tell me at conventions that is exactly why their sheets have unrelated images sometimes. An image that I don't like in a set would not stop me from buying if I like the other images and there have been times when an image/sentiment I thought I would never use came in handy, you just never know.
Speaking of card for chronically ill, I made one this week and used a sentiment that said: "May the hand of a friend always be near".
I hope I don�t offend anyone with this �rant� about SU sets.I am always baffled when what I consider an unrelated image is thrown into a set. For example Magical Day. Why would you put in a mermaid when a princess would be more fitting. I understand the concept that most of the
Images in the set are mythical creatures but the mermaid should have been a princess instead. I have seen cards where people have turned the mermaid into a princess but I don�t think you should have to do that. If they wanted a mermaid then put a princess in the set too.
I have just started exploring the various threads on this website. Your comment has me re-looking at my stampinup stamp set combinations to spot fillers or unrelated images. I never gave this a thought and now I see out of place stamps in many of my stamp sets. Like many who have commented here, I do not like sappy sentiments (live, love, laugh and the order to get well). On occasions I have been tempted to buy a stamp set simply because of one unique sentiment written in a very attractive font. This habit can be expensive. 😂
I always scratched how many "Friend" stamps they threw in. My Giosh I have so many!!
I've never used one of those.
Also for a long time they'd have a cute set without any sentiments! They had that chair set a few years back but nothing to go with it.
Years ago they have that sewing suite. I have it because I loved both the button and sewing theme set. There were no sentiments. I always thought why didn't they include sayings like "cute as a button" for a baby card or "You are sew loved"! I know some people don't care for those kinds of sentiments but they seem like they needed some kind of sayings!
As an SU demonstrator I agree. They've had so many cute stamp sets over the years that didn't have any cute sentiments to go with them. No sentiments kept me from buying them. Some sets are just fine without including sentiments but when you have a specialty set like the sewing set, you need to include set specific sentiments.
__________________ Shellie G
Aspire to be a better person than you were yesterday
Question for those of you that don't like "sappy" sentiments:
What are some sentiments that you DON'T consider being sappy?
I am not a big fan of sappy, but I do like a play on words, puns, etc.
For bird stamps, I like the Hero Arts �Hope you chirp up soon!�
I have a grumpy great aunt who loved it.
Sheep stamps, please put EWE for any YOU. I am surprised how many don�t do that!
I do like to have sayings that go along with the stamp set. I have seen a set with veggies that said something like, �How�ve you bean� and there was no bean image in the set. Weird.
I always scratched how many "Friend" stamps they threw in. My Giosh I have so many!!
I've never used one of those.
Your post reminded me of the Just Thinking stamp that came out some years back. I took my little knife and cut the word "friend" out of the stamp because I didn't feel like it belonged there. I have altered quite a few stamps that had little "extras" that weren't really my style.
I'm also not a fan of sappy sentiments. I guess I figure since I don't speak like that, I don't want to send cards like that either. Most of the time I don't put sentiments at all - just the images
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I have to say that I'm a huge fan of all kinds of sentiments, but I know that the recipients may not like certain types, so it's - again - a case of "know your audience". I have friends who love corny puns and aunts who would be offended by them. I have daughters who like sappy and daughters who like snarky. One of the best things about this hobby is how infinitely "personalize-able" our creations can be!
That being said, I have to agree that there are times when a sentiment - or another "filler" image - included in a set has me scratching my head...
Everyone has different ways of communicating, different private jokes with family and friends, etc.
For me personally, I don't like sentiments that tell people how to feel, what to believe or how to act, although I don't mind "feel better" and "get well soon" to someone who will recover - broken bone, flu, etc. I think of those as "hoping" you feel better soon and "hoping" you "get well soon." I do agree that those are not appropriate for serious and/or terminal illnesses.
What I don't like are sentiments that don't sound like me, that aren't something I would say to someone, for example, "A little kindness goes a long way" from Kinda Eclectic. I actually think it's very important to be kind, but it's not the sort of thing I would ever put on a card. I guess if it was paired with "thank you", it might make sense, but it's not something I would search out. Or "There's always something to be thankful for" from Orange Blossom and "Friends are kind to each other's hopes & cherish each other's dreams" -- there's nothing wrong with these ideas, but that's just not how I talk to people.
I lean both ways on snarky. The SU sentiment "At Least You're Still Pretty" from Big on Birthdays just makes me cringe, but my demonstrator posted on her blog that it makes her laugh.
On the other hand, I like a lot of the Riley and Co. snarky sentiments, but I would only send them to someone who I know would enjoy them.
I also really like Lawn Fawn punny-ness. It seems cute and cheerful to me. But I'm sure there are some who find it silly or juvenile.
Things that seem like obvious winners to me and not sappy are simple:
Happy Birthday
Hello
Thinking of You
Thank You
Congratulations
Just a Note
and how about a few more
Happy Anniversary
Happy Retirement
I like sentiments that sound the way I speak to people. For example, Altenew's Dodecagram set has "Congratulations" in a san serif font and two sentiments in script that can go below it: "we are proud of you" and "we are happy for you." Those are the kinds of things I would actually say to someone.
Just my humble two cents.
__________________ Elizabeth in Hoboken, proud parent of a feisty and mischievous parrot who likes to chew craft supplies
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arlene_C
I agree with you all. What are they thinking?! So many of the stamp sets are so very similar - I have a lot of the older sets and that saves me money on buying the newer similar ones.
I think sometimes they are too quick to retire stamps. Many times they are retiring sets just when I'm "discovering" them. I like to see card ideas before buying some of the sets and many times those ideas are just hitting the galleries and blogs when retirement time rolls around.
I agree... They seem to recycle images. I'm about 90% SU. Maybe that's why it seems that way. I don't feel other companies do that, but if I had 90% of their stamps I might feel the same!
So, so, so many flowers! I don't buy newer versions of what I have either.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
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Funny how we are all different. I have never thought of sayings like Live, Laugh, Love or Enjoy the little things or even "get well" as seeming like commands or sappy. I can see where you are coming from and understand your point!
I have a friend who doesn't believe in "luck" and would hate a card that said Good Luck!
Still.....I love those sayings! You might get a card or envelope from me with one of those! Haha! Sorry !
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
I'll never be upset about a sentiment on a card I receive. Love to get them no matter what the words say.I do feel pickier about the ones I send. I try to choose a sentiment the recipient will like, and I think more generic sentiments have a better chance of that.
One of my favorite stamps is "just because..." It says so much and can be used for any card.
Lately I've been putting a sentiment on the inside of the card instead of on the front. Somehow it doesn't seem as "commanding" there. Maybe because I write something personal at the bottom like Hugs, Love, Take Care, etc. and then sign my name.
__________________ We can't all be stars but we can all twinkle.
I have suggested this to at least 2 current stamp companies: "I hope this note finds you feeling better" I have a wooden stamp of this from Hobby Lobby, but it's in a somewhat childish font and the words are stacked, so It won't often fit my plan. I like the words for recovering from surgery (or a chemo treatment), a cold, or broken bone.
I also won't use Luck or Lucky, and rarely Wishes. I have no husband or boyfriend, so all those really specific love sentiments are useless (and would probably see ink only once for those who buy them, unless they have Lots of husbands or boyfriends)
Non-Sappy: I'm proud of you...Good job!....Congratulations....Hello...Praying for you... AWESOME (because I have 5 grandsons)....Happy Birthday, Anniversary, retirement...Miss your face...Hi, handsome. (obviously I want more boy greetings).
I have suggested this to at least 2 current stamp companies: "I hope this note finds you feeling better" I have a wooden stamp of this from Hobby Lobby, but it's in a somewhat childish font and the words are stacked, so It won't often fit my plan.
Times like those I go over to DaFont dot com! Tons of fonts for free so I can make my own custom sentiments. I still have some sentiments that I made up years ago to fit in the SU word window punch and printed one sheet in WW and one in VV. I am sure there are lots of sites similar to this one, this is just the one my kids suggested so it is a favorite.
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
CraftyMel...I wish I was computer-literate-enough to know how to get things from websites into my Word program. I just stop trying because computers hate me.
I LOVE all kinds of quotes and sentiments, except for "luck" ones! In fact, I prefer quotes to sentiments, even if it isn't how I would talk. I write things far more freely than I say them, so I feel comfortable using most anything. Isn't that one of the reasons why people buy cards anyways - because the card says things they don't feel adequate putting into their own words? I have received many store-bought cards that express things in a way I know the sender doesn't talk, but I love getting the card regardless!
I LOVE all kinds of quotes and sentiments, except for "luck" ones! In fact, I prefer quotes to sentiments, even if it isn't how I would talk. I write things far more freely than I say them, so I feel comfortable using most anything. Isn't that one of the reasons why people buy cards anyways - because the card says things they don't feel adequate putting into their own words? I have received many store-bought cards that express things in a way I know the sender doesn't talk, but I love getting the card regardless!
You have a good point. A lot of greeting card companies include poems inside with special messages. I received plenty from my grandparents and parents, and I love getting their cards, but not because of the saying, because of the thought of sending a card at all.
It's not something I would pick out, but I know that it has a lot of meaning for many people. It's good that there's something out there for everyone.
Papertrey Ink has a lot of "inside the card" stamp sets, and some of their lengthier sayings are closer to what I would write or pick out. They have sets by occasion, so you can get just the ones you want, for example, new house, get well, birthday, thank you, and not the ones that you don't need.
They even have a "Lucky Break" stamp set and an Irish Blessings stamp set.
I like quotes from famous authors for bookmarks or a card accompanying a book given as a gift.
I totally agree with the original poster that a princess would have made more sense, but I have to admit that I really like the mermaid stamp : )
__________________ Elizabeth in Hoboken, proud parent of a feisty and mischievous parrot who likes to chew craft supplies
Last edited by Hoboken Paper; 03-15-2018 at 05:57 PM..
Reason: tried to remove extra line breaks
I like variety, having too many stamps that are the same is exactly why I haven't bought some stamp sets. I find it to be a waste of money. It's like the proverbial getting beat over the head with an idea over and over, no thanks.
Allistamps, I think they couldn't think of any words to add to the chairs: Wish you were here....Missing you...I'm holding a seat for you...Hello!
At least they didn't put random flowers in there!
I have given up on SU because so many other stamp companies offer more variety.
Still NO ONE is doing good sentiments for ill, or recovering, or chronically sick card-receivers. "Get Well" is a command I will not put on any card.
I have an old stamp set from SU with the sentiment, "Happy Healing." I just made a card with it for my SIL's uncle. He loved it. I never thought of, "Get Well" as a command, but I can see how it is.
I particularly dislike this sentiment, because being aggressively told to smile is type of street harassment. I've experienced it first hand, and it isn't pleasant.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
I don't think of princesses as magical, except in fairy tales like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty where there's magical characters. Princesses are real. LOL Mermaids are magical and haven't been proven to exist. ;) LOL I had to google the stamp set to see what it is and they have a knight. I'd have left him out, too. A fairy would've made more sense in a 'magical' theme.
Allistamps, I think they couldn't think of any words to add to the chairs: Wish you were here....Missing you...I'm holding a seat for you...Hello!
At least they didn't put random flowers in there!
I have given up on SU because so many other stamp companies offer more variety.
Still NO ONE is doing good sentiments for ill, or recovering, or chronically sick card-receivers. "Get Well" is a command I will not put on any card.
I think there's an implied "I hope you" on "get well soon" cards. The few times I received them years ago I appreciated them and never thought it was a command. I send them too - but only if the person definitely will get well fairly soon - not if they have a year of rehab in front of them.
If I remember, Newton's Nook has some breast cancer stamps, and I've seen a couple others.
I think there's an implied "I hope you" on "get well soon" cards.
That.
I don't see how anyone should get offended by 'smile', 'good luck', 'get well', or any other phrase on a card that's clearly meant in good will and thinking of you. I often think of 'good luck' as 'hope it works out for you'. I think people should just appreciate that someone thought of them in the first place to make and/or give someone a card.
I think the exception is when things start running into the realm of religion. Then you really need to know your audience as it can become preachy. (People really should keep their 'Jesus is the reason for the season' to themselves.) I'm not religious and tend to lean agnostic and while I don't mind some religious stuff (and I love old churches) there are certain phrases that rub me wrong. But mostly I just try to think of things as yay, someone thought of me!
I don't see how anyone should get offended by 'smile', 'good luck', 'get well' or any other phrase on a card that's clearly meant in good will and thinking of you. I often think of 'good luck' as 'hope it works out for you'. I think people should just appreciate that someone thought of them in the first place to make and/or give someone a card.
I think the exception is when things start running into the realm of religion. Then you really need to know your audience as it can become preachy. (People really should keep their 'Jesus is the reason for the season' to themselves.) I'm not religious and tend to lean agnostic and while I don't mind some religious stuff (and I love old churches) there are certain phrases that rub me wrong. But mostly I just try to think of things as yay, someone thought of me!
I'm with you on the whole "why would anyone be offended that you thought of them and sent them a card?" thing. If I get a card with a sentiment that is somewhat puzzling to me, I try to view it from the sender's perspective, and I can usually determine the thought behind the sentiment - and it's ALWAYS a positive thing.
Even though I'm not any particular religion and get annoyed when anyone tries to push theirs on anyone else, I still don't get annoyed by "religious" cards - they are expressing THEIR faith, not forcing me to adopt it, so there's still a positive thought behind it.
As far as "get well" or "smile" being perceived as commands - again, it comes down to personal interpretation. And, again, it comes down to "know your audience". I have a lot of smile/laugh/happy sentiments because I just think everybody should be as happy as possible, so if I send one of those out, it is in the hope that it is viewed as encouragement, not an order. Ditto on "get well"...
I so agree that knowing your audience is key. Does someone have an off-beat, sarcastic sense of humor? Loves old fashioned sentiments? I think about who the "target" is and adjust, and if not sure, keep it safe.
But I do happen to believe it is a bit insensitive and somewhat illogical to send religious cards to people who do not share that religion. Wouldn't that be like my sending someone a birthday card celebrating my birthday?* And it's especially uncomfortable when a professional sends all patients religious cards.
People mean well and care - it's not bad intent. But just as some might feel odd getting a card celebrating, say, a Muslim holiday if Christian, for *some* it can be feel "off" to get a card celebrating a Christian holiday if another religion or no religion.
I no longer send holiday cards, but when I did - before paper crafting - I bought cards celebrating the recipients' religions, or no religion if agnostic/atheist. Just seemed logical and kind.
* Exception: One of our cats is sending a birthday card celebrating her own birthday, to the referral surgeon who operated on her two years ago. It was a very rare tumor with kidney removal and here she is turning 17! She may say something snarky in it since she did not like it there one bit. : )
My friend's mom always has me make her cards with the off-beat humor stamps people comment about on here. Like the stamp "at least you're still pretty" sentiment. These crack her up. So this whole audience thing is so true. Although not everyone would understand a card with this sentiment or even like it, this woman just loves them. And a while back I sent my Aunt a pack of cards - one was this card I made that I just loved that said "Knit Happens" with an unraveling sweater on it. It's from an older, but adorable, SU set. Anyway - she called me and said she didn't understand it and asked if she could swap it out for a different one. LOL. Oh man did I laugh. First off, she didn't need to swap it out, I happily sent her others. But it cracked me up that even after I explained it, she was still like "ummm ok, I still won't use it." LOL. So audience certainly is key for some types of cards. I end up grateful for some off the oddball sentiments and grateful for the more the traditional ones too. Although to this day - I cannot understand that teepee hut set in the main catalog with something about swaddling. A few of us just don't get that one, lol. If I got sent that card, I'd probably sound like my Aunt!
Last edited by Catherine773; 03-30-2018 at 09:40 AM..
Why do SU designers put unrelated Images is their set?
