Wednesday 17 August 2011

Scrapbook Trends Latest Submissions Call & a big shout out to all my Followers!





Today I have spent 6 hours in my e mail...
Don't ask me what I do in there but there are 1120 e mails in there at the moment & that is greatly reduced from where they were a month ago.  
Gradually I am whittling them down...It doesn't stress me out in the least but I don't believe in "just pressing delete" as so many people have recommended.  
I am way to responsible for that...
So I am dealing with, filing, deleting, etc & getting it all into it's place. 
 I haven't signed off all the newsletters I've signed up for because I want them, need them & learn from them, but I am just hoping that when I eventually get to the bottom of my huge pile of e mails I'll once again be able to take (and keep!) control!!
(I do read & deal with all the urgent stuff of course, but a few different instances of computer problems over this year have meant my pc has been in for repair several times & that is how I find myself in the situation I'm in...it's literally something one has to keep on top of at least a few times a week...)

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I'm now busy blog-hopping & firing my way through all my favourite blogs so if I haven't hit you yet don't despair, I'm heading in your direction, in case I've forgotten about you...ooops...so if you don't hear from me send me a gentle reminder here...I try at least once a week to go through all my posts to double-check that I haven't left anyone out but my "go to" method is just to go through my list systematically...and after several hours I get to the bottom of it LOL...

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I want to thank you all for being such faithful commenters.
When I post without having done the blog hop rounds myself I expect to receive no blog love in return but it doesn't happen!  
You all still faithfully visit me & leave your encouraging words that are like water to my thirsty soul...really....you have no idea how much your thoughts, words, comeraderie & encouragement mean to me & literally how your blog love spurs me to keep on going when I'd rather go to bed LOL!

There was a time...and it doesn't feel like so long ago...when I would be happy to receive 5 comments per post...
Now they just keep rolling in & it is quite surreal actually...
You see I've been working away here on this little blog of mine for quite a few years now & really just got used to faithfully posting & not really getting a lot of feedback, but I just disciplined myself to keep on going...
and finally I am seeing the fruits of my labour.

I hope that this is an encouragement to anyone out there who feels despondent.
Eventually what goes around does come around...
I started this blogging journey completely clueless as to what I was doing & now I feel like I could do this all in my sleep!
{okay sometimes I am actually kinda asleep LOL...}

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I took the advice a few of you gave me & submitted yesterday's layout today to Scrapbook Trends.  
Well the whole truth is that I submitted 14 layouts today to Scrapbook Trends, for their February 2012 call.  I have submitted in the past before, but very sporadically, mainly because the submission process is a time-consuming one & so often leads to nothing.
Nothing ventured nothing gained though so thanks for prompting me to keep on trying & let's hope if I bombard them enough they'll eventually give in to me LOL!

I'm totally used to rejection so it's no biggie if they don't get back to me 
but as they are working on 2012 already (and I've already missed January's call!) 
I forced myself to buckle down to it today & at least throw my hat in!

Having a layout published in Creating Keepsakes has been my ultimate dream for a long time now
(I recently had a photo published & that was a real high point for me!)
but honestly I think Scrapbook Trends may be more interested in my style.  
After all, double-page layouts featuring lots of layouts really don't do it for me & 
at the end of the day I want to enjoy the creation process first & foremost.

So here's a heads up on the call for all my scrappy friends out there.


You still have plenty of time to work on your creations.
To be honest I never design for a call.  I just do what I do then see afterwards if anything fits...
Probably explains why I haven't been published....yet :)




19 comments:

Kerryn said...

1120 emails! Holy cow! I stress when my google reader gets over 200 LOL.

Jasmine S said...

That is a looooooot of emails. Wow, I would have walked away fearing I would never get through them. I recently culled my subscriptions to various places. I didnt have time to read or follow (even real estate sites) them unfortunately.
And thank you to you for your gorgeous comments but, with that many emails, please dont ever feel like you have to comment on every post. I just love that you call in (but of course I still love each and every comment).
And good luck with your publications. I am sure you will have many accepted.
Have a great day and you can now cross this email off the list....hehe.

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

I consider this a good read! Thanks for sharing!
good luck with your publication, although I envy those who have a long list of work published, but I know myself I am too lazy to go through that, so I can only hope your layout get selected, than I can be proud to say, Hey my friend's work is in the magazine!!!! yay!!!

Mitralee said...

I am totally planning on having you autograph your layout when they publish it! And, honestly, I don't follow you for comments back, I follow you because your style rocks and you prepare your post very elegantly and intelligently, not to mention all the interesting tid bits you post.

Heather Jacob said...

Helen you are sooooooooooooooooo amazing .. I know I always seem to say that but there is really no other word that describes you better ... YOU ARE AMAZING !!!!!!in so many ways, loving, generous, caring, compassionate, patient, willing, beautiful, hard working, and the list goes on ... AND an AMAZING FRIEND ... big hugz x

Lea said...

I love visiting your blog, you describe your layouts so well, I love that. And we all go through times when we can't share the blog love. Best of luck with Scrapbook Trends!

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

I love it when you visit me ... but I will follow you no matter what... I love your style and I am inspired by you! Thanks for the call info... sadly, I have tried a few times, but never an email back... and lately my time has been CUT even more... so I won't be applying for awhile :):):):):):):):)

Sabrina Scrapbook said...

Hi Helen, this is a sweet post!! Thanks for sharing this. I do not usually design for calls either. It is not that I am not confident or do not want to try or afraid of rejection, but I hate taking my creations out of the blogpost temporarily :) I love updating my blog with every art piece I made. I scrap for fun straight from my heart but who knows maybe like you, there will be one day I will design for a call. Congratulations on your publication at Creating Keepsakes! Enjoy your day, my dear friend!! =)

Stefanie said...

Good luck with your submissions.

Lynette Jacobs said...

Good luck on the Scrapbook Trends submissions...I will be routing for you! I would be totally overwhelmed with that amount of e-mails;-)

tania said...

Absolutely!! you deserve what is coming to you at the moment and i wish for you even more loveliness:) you do inspire so many with your beautiful work and then to be able to still keep your feet steady on the ground:)good luck with your submission!

scrapbookertink said...

Gosh Helen, you have been busy, good luck on the submission at Srcapbook Trends, you are very talented, love visiting your blog regardless of comments back, so take care, keep up the good work but remember to take time for you! Doreen x

sandi said...

Good luck Helen! You're going to get in that book yet! Sending positive thoughts your way! Just remember...your lo's are gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! :)

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

Good Luck with your Scrapbook Trends submissions! You are an incredibly talented and creative scrapper, your work just gets better and better, and so I know that you will be published real soon...I think it's a patience and faith game...just keep submitting! Have a stunning weekend... :)

Gayle Price said...

Woah ! I think if I had that many emails to deal with I would run and hide, never turn my computer on again and take to drink ! Just too daunting. You are amazing and I love your positive style...."it doesn't stress me in the least" Good luck with your submissions too, I am pretty sure they will love it as we already do. xx

Bente Fagerberg said...

Hi Helen, sorry to say that one of those emails I sent to you today...LOL!
You are awesome and I don't wantyou to think I expect you to post on each and every post ( I love it when you do of course...LOL!) I love coming to your blog for the good read and I learn so much from you each time I do. I started letting people read my blog, I think at the beginning of December and so I am still a newbie. I hope mine will be as interesting and informative as yours soon. take care!

Pearl said...

That is very responsible of you to get thru 1000+ emails ! ;) Wow ! Well keep on keeping on & adjusting as necessary for the editorial requirements of the mags that you submit ! ;)

Not sure if you're read this post yet : if not I think you might like it ?!

http://balzerdesigns.typepad.com/balzer_designs/2011/08/i-fail-more-often-than-i-succeed.html

Eila Sandberg said...

Had a read of Julie's post about rejection that Pearl recommends. I wouldn't know about the high flying stuff but I sure know what rejection feels like. You're a gutsy lady Helen, WTG - GOOD job submitting!! now I'm crossing both fingers and toes for you :)) and so agree with every single word that Heather writes! I know that you wouldn't dream of pressing the delete button, no way! and I admire you for your stamina and faithfullness. Will continue catching up with ya! Buckets of love sweetie!

Alison said...

Good luck Helen...it's always a joy visiting your blog!
Alison xx