Venting...

[cheltzey]

So I entered several scrapbook pages into our state fair this year. There was no separate category or section for (or even a mention of) digital scrapbooking. This should have been my first hint... And one of the judges was required to be a Creative Memories consultant. Should have been the second hint.

Here is the first place winner for one of the categories I entered:

????

Apparently, to fulfill the judging categories, everything had to be at right angles, be double matted, and contain a middle-aged woman in a cardigan. EVERY first place page looked exactly like this.

I know it sounds like I'm sour grapes, but, honestly, I don't see what's so great about this page. And I know there's a major bias against digital scrapbooking by those who are paper scrapbookers, so I think they should put them in separate categories or have them be judged by someone who is going to be less anti-digi than a CM consultant. They're completely different art forms. People who have never digital scrapped have this misconception that digi is the easy way out and is somehow not as good as paper scrapbooking.

I did win 3rd place for one of my pages, but it was the one that looked most like paper! It was actually my least favorite (and the SSD gallery's least favorite) page of all of them that I entered.

I'm definitely writing a letter suggesting that they have a separate category or at least a different section for digital scrapbooking.

 

[Jennifer]

Paper and Digi are 2 totally different art forms. I'm still an avid paper scrapper, but love digi as well. Neither is the "easy way out" in my opinion. I know paper scrappers who would never digi b/c they do feel that way...they should try it sometime and see how "easy" it is, huh?

I don't think you're all sour grapes. There should be 2 categories...it would be a much fairer way to judge.

All JMO, of course!

 

[Becca Bonneville]

I agree there should be a category for each type of scrapping! I bet the pages you entered where beautiful and congrats on third!!

 

[cheltzey]

I definitely don't want to knock paper scrapping. Anyone who's done the Paper 2 Digi challenge can vouch for the fact that there are some AMAZING paper scrappers out there. I totally suck at paper layouts, and I really admire those who can make them look good. I guess one of my (many) issues was that this wasn't even one of the better paper layouts (in my opinion). It seemed that anything more trendy or artistic didn't even place in most of the sections, as though that's not "real" scrapbooking. I guess I'm just annoyed at the judging in general!

 

[Paula]

I think there should be two categories too. I don't see the attraction for that LO that won though.

 

[DawnMarch]

Hmm, yes, that is some very old school kinda scrapping there. All my friends used to do Creative Memories kinda stuff and I can't tell you the number of pages they have in which the pictures are scissor cut right around the people's heads, mounted on white CM pages and then journaled right around the curves of the photos. Even they giggle at how far they've come.

Not that there's anything wrong with that (as Seinfeld would say), but it would be nice to see some more contemporary stuff too!

 

[mrshobbes]

I've never paper scrapped and can't to save my life. But I had no clue on the bias against digital scrapbookers I agree with what everyone's said so far, that digi and traditional scrapping are two different art forms and means of expressing and preserving our memories. I'm so sorry this happened to you and no you're not sour graping if the bias is coming out loud and clear in the judging!

That being said, my thanks and gratitude to those who are/have been paper scrappers and have no bias and just respect the challenges and rewards digi has created

 

[Winter Ivy]

I know how you feel, I entered a bunch of stuff in the fair this year (not scrapbooking stuff) and you just never know what criteria it is gonna get judged by. So I had a quite a few things that didn't place well (or at all) that I was certain would do well, and one of the things I entered (a photograph) I felt was mediocre (complicated why I ended up entering it) and it ended up with a blue ribbon...go figure.

Yeah it always stings a bit when it feels like your stuff wasn't judged fairly (and very hard to resist comparing your stuff against the things that got blue ribbons).

-Diana

 

[AmyM]

Hmm, yes, that is some very old school kinda scrapping there.

I was trying to think of something tactful to say about the "winner" since I was a paper girl for about 4 years but errrr...I'll just say ditto and quote DawnMarch. OK ok ok ok, it looks like the first scrapbook pages I ever did! Yikes! I know from your gallery how good yours are. Don't let some judges get you down. It's so obvious

 

[crystalbella77]

I totally agree that there should be two seperate categories. That would make much more sense!

 

[pbumbaca]

I have to say that most of the paper pages I see lately don't have one mat never mind a double mat! I think that the winning page was rather dull. I guess it's just the whole matter of opinion. Sorry you were disappointed tho Chels!

 

[my3hens]

Oh honey Im sorry The bias isnt fair at all and I know that you would have absolutely deserved to win first place! I am not a paper scrapper nor do I know much about it but I have seen some gorgeous paper pages and that page is umm well I hate to be mean but boring. I do agree there should be seperate catagories. Hugs honey!

 

[junebug]

so sorry you were lot down. I agree, there should be seperate categories. the one that won is very boring and simple and old style. i don't get it. Those judges need to 'Live in the now, man' (isn't that wat Garth used to say in Waynes World?lol). I would be very upset if i lost to something that boring, lol.

 

[meems]

That is really too bad. I hope you can convince them to have another category for digi.

Perhaps the winning LO uses a lot of CM products? Did they ever mention what kind of judging criteria they would use?

Congrats on your award! :thumbup: (There's probably a bunch of paper scrappers not so happy with you )

 

[amandabarugh]

I was trying to think of something tactful to say about the "winner" since I was a paper girl for about 4 years but errrr...I'll just say ditto and quote DawnMarch. OK ok ok ok, it looks like the first scrapbook pages I ever did! Yikes! I know from your gallery how good yours are. Don't let some judges get you down. It's so obvious

I have some paper LOs that look just like that as well!

 

[wildblueeyez]

Oh I could see me writing a letter to the organizers!!! LOL..... and it might be a little on the sour side!!!