Hi everyone
We have some questions for you. We have noticed a drop in entries and would like to encourage more people to join in, so we'd like your opinions on the following -
1) What are your favourite types of challenges?
2) Are there challenges you dislike?
3) Do you prefer weekly or fortnightly challenges?
4) Any other comments?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts xx
Hiya - I'm a follower but I dont enter many challenges because I only own a few cuttlebug folders and although you can use other brands - it doesnt feel right with your name being 'cuttlebug' x
ReplyDeleteHi Zoe
DeleteThank you for your reply. We did think about just using Cuttlebug products, but we wanted as many people to join in as possible, even if they had a Big-Shot, Spellbinders etc. We didn't want anyone who wanted to join in, not to be able to play along. Even though you only have a few products, we love you to join in, even if you use the same products each week. It's amazing how much you can do with a single item.
I too have a lot of other brands myself, so anything goes! We tried to be as clear as possible that any machine goes! It's just that Kerry and I share our love for the Cuttlebug!
DeleteI love taking part in your challenges! I prefer challenges that are more theme specific such as different occasions, etc. Anything goes is always popular if you are looking to increase participants. I have a Big Shot and generally use it to emboss :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth. Anything Goes is a great idea, we've not done one of those yet x
DeleteGreat idea!!
DeleteI prefer fortnightly challenges so I have more time to make something. I have a really hard time with weekly challenges. I like theme challenges like Beth said. Or simple stuff like "include buttons, ribbon, metal etc." Don't mind sketches once in a while, but I dislike colour challenges.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback. Simple stuff is always popular :)
DeleteThank you so much for giving your input!
DeleteI love your challenges and have not entered lately due to my lack of crafting mojo.
ReplyDeleteIt has been hard to get myself motivated to do much of anything lately.
I agree that anything goes type challenges will get your entries up.
Have you considered allowing 3 entries per person instead of one?
At least for a little while until your entries get up to where you'd like them.
The more we enter the more posts we do with links to your blog.
The more posts we do the more chance others will see.
Sometimes challenges I play along with also do an occasional challenge where they lift the limit for that challenge only.
I prefer weekly challenges. I found I sometimes forget about the other ones if too much time passes between their starting time.
Hope this helps!
Thanks
D~
Another great idea, allowing more entries as all advertising helps. I hope your mojo picks up soon x
DeleteGood luck with finding your creativity! It will be back, I am sure!!
DeleteI love doing you challenges! They aren't as restricted as a lot of them are. I do love weekly challenges, but I know that's a lot of work. I'm happy with any:-) I think perhaps the drop off is because of the summer break here in the states, perhaps. I recall I won more challenges during the summer because it's the time I'm actually home to enter them and there weren't as many participants as during our school year. I'm fairly certain you subscribe to Feline Playful. Maybe be more clear that it's not just for Cuttlebug products. I know it says that right at the top so I'm not sure where the confusion comes from. Maybe more Cuttlebug related prizes? I know a lot of sites are going more towards digital prizes because it's less costly. Good Luck!
ReplyDelete~Tammy
We know that digital downloads are not everyone's cup of tea, so we have tried to mix it up a bit. We have been fortunate to get lots of great sponsors, especially as we have only been going a few months.
DeleteThank you so much!!
DeleteThanks for all your comments so far. It's really interesting to hear what you think.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kerry! Thank you so much for your input!!
ReplyDeleteHi, l think fortnightly or monthly would enable most people to enter challenges, weekly can be a bit to demanding, also a none restriction on some challenges ie anything goes is always a favourite with other blogs and if a card was made using your specified items that's the card that goes forward with a better chance of winning and another card without using specifed items could then be another winner providing it follows the rules of the challenge of course it depends on how many winners there will be for each challenge hope this is any help to you hopefully all will come flooding back......l myself at the moment am on two Dt's fortnightly and monthly and cannot always find time for other challenges unles they fit the challenges that l'm doing with my Dt work it's always good to get feed back and hopefully this will help take care xx
ReplyDeleteI think fortnightly challenges are more suitable for me, as it gives me a bit more time. I have been unable to join in recently as I am away from home until early July, but will certainly be back next month joining in. I don't mind what type of challenge they are
ReplyDeleteI only recently discovered this challeng blog, so I didn't enter yet. But I do like the "easy" challenges. Not to many demands. Just ad a Button or use bright colours stuff like that. But I also like the sketches. It depends on my mood what kind of card I make and wich challenge I enter. I prefer fortnight challenges because I need a couple days to think about the challenge and come up with an idea. Most of the time I have only the weekend to be creative, so weekly challenges are often to short of time for me. (still thinking about the orange yellow and green with button thing)
ReplyDeleteI hope this helps a little.
Hi - I have only recently found your blog - but since then have had at least 2 friends start to participate. And my sister won one of your challenges - we are very impressed with the quality of your prizes. Fortnightly challenges would be good as it gives a bit more time to those of us that work full time - and lifting the entry number would be good as sometimes I have a flurry of creativity being able to enter more than once means more entries in my blog for people to comment on and as you said more advertising for you. I do like a challenge specifying a theme - however usually create a card then look for a challenge to enter - of course Anything goes is my fave... And lastly I don't have a lot of cuttlebug products and it can be a bit restricting... Thanks for the chance to give feedback... Mxx
ReplyDeleteOh forgot to mention - its also nice to actually see thumbnails of the other entries rather than just a link - it means we can see at a glance what others have used - sometimes I have seen people do entries so similar on other blogs - and its like wearing the same dress to a party as someone - embarrassing... LOL... but no really it means you get to choose who to visit etc... Mxx
ReplyDeleteI just discovered this challenge too. It's fun and really the fact that numbers have dropped is likely to be linked to it being Summer time (even for those of us in the UK!). For me, a fortnightly challenge would be better - it takes me an age to decide what to make in the first place!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with the comment above left by Maureen about thumbnails - upgrading is a good idea. It looks friendlier and as Maureen says does allow visitors to at least have a quick peek at what others have done - in fact I suspect it would also encourage folk to hop about other entries and leave comments. I know this from a very small and very friendly 'use up your snippets/scraps Playground' I look after. :)
Don't be disheartened girls, it's early days yet!
Di xx
Thank you all again for the feedback. It looks like fortnightly is a popular choice.
ReplyDeleteWe love the thumbnails to, it has a nicer look than just links. We didn't invest in the upgrade to start with, just in case our blog didn't attract any entries, but it is definitely worth considering.
The feedback really helps!!Thank you so much!!
ReplyDeleteI enter challenges based on what my mojo comes up with! Sometimes I'll sit for hours fiddling trying to fit a challenge and it just won't work. Other times I get inspired straight away, it just depends! I love embossing and die cuts so always use my cuttlebug. Fortnightly might be good to give people more time to create :) Cathy x
ReplyDeleteI'm back.
ReplyDeleteYou say "use any die-cutting/embossing machine, dies or embossing folders to enter our challenges" in your side bar but in the challenge post you say "Tell us what products you've used and how you've used your Cuttlebug."
That may be confusing to some. Not everyone reads the rules and might just see the Cuttlebug in your name and in your post and not realize they can use any machine.
And I read it to mean hand die-cutting/embossing machines. So I only enter when I used my Cuttlebug machine. I haven't used my PC dies in a long time but do use other dies in my Cuttlebug.
I have a Cricut and a Silhouette and do not enter cards I make with them unless I've embossed with my CB.
Thanks for the fun challenges.
Hugs
D~
http://designsbydragonfly.blogspot.com
Excellent points D. We've amended the sidebar to say manual and updated the challenge guidelines. Hope it's a bit clearer.
ReplyDeleteFor those that love the thumbnail Inlinkz, we've upgraded and they will appear for our next challenge on Tuesday.
Perfectly written! Much clearer requirements. : )
DeleteThanks for the chance to add our suggestions.
Would hate to loose your fun challenge blog.
I am working on a card for this challenge today.
The orange has me a little stumped. I do not use it much.
Hugs
D~
Personally, I love sketches. Anything Goes challenges are good, too. I don't mind themes but they aren't my favourite. I do NOT like inspiration challenges.
ReplyDeleteI prefer fortnightly or monthly challenges.
ReplyDeleteBelow are my personal opinions on blog challenges. My intent is not to offend anyone, but to provide my personal information on answering the questions. I know challenge rules are not all the same and each blog should have the freedom to establish their own blog rules and those who enter those challenges are obligated to follow those rules. Thank you for this opportunity to voice my opinion.
1) What are your favourite types of challenges?
A. The best challenges are those that are Anything Goes or Anything Goes with a Twist - such as add a brad or ribbon, etc. I like being able to create any type of card (or project) from General to Christmas. I like viewing what others create so I can "case" if allowed
B I am OK with unlimited entries but I prefer that all challenges would limit uploads to no more than 5 - which I feel makes it fair for everyone who enters and less work on the DT to comment. I am good with the one upload on your blog ~ possibly 2 or 3 opportunities to enter the challenge would increase the flow here?
C. I like challenges that offer clear directions of the expectations for the challenge - I have no problem when a blog states "if you do not follow the rules your card will be deleted without notice,etc". as long as the directions are clear of what is expected for that challenge.
D I like challenges that allow other type of projects to be entered other than a card - tags, ATC, projects, etc.
E. I like challenges that offer more than one prize which means more than one winner - I realize this is not always available - just something I like
F. I like challenges that have a top 3 and a badge for winners
2) Are there challenges you dislike?
a. I do not like color challenges or those that ask for more than 2 items on a creation (I get lost) - however, I have entered those type of challenges - they are not my favorite
b. I am not in favor of challenges in which the DT selects the winner [ I prefer Random.Org for selecting the winner\ which to me is fair for all level of crafters]
g. I do not like challenges where the winner has to pay shipping fee to get the prize
h. I do not like challenges where the winner has to constantly make contact about the win - often my emails go directly to spam for some reason
3) Do you prefer weekly or fortnightly challenges?
Fortnightly challenges - gives everyone more time to create
4) Any other comments?
I like using my Cuttlebug - for embossing and die cutting - Thank you for the challenge - sorry uploads are not as you had hoped - It is summer and I have heard people stop creating and spend more time outside ~ Enjoy your weekend ~ have a happy crafting time. :)
Hello Gail. Thank you for all your points. To answer some of them -
DeleteAnyone can enter any type of project, tags, 3D etc. It doesn't have to be cards.
A winners badge is a great idea.
We are fortunate to have great sponsors who have offered a variety of prizes, some are free such as downloads, but as with most things some come at a cost (either to us or the sponsor), which is why we only have 1 winner per week.
We decided not to use Random.org to start with as we wanted to have a personal touch to our choices. There are 3 members on the design team so we take it in turns to choose a winner each week. Random.org is something we could consider in the future.
We ask winners to contact us, as not everyone puts their contact details in their profiles.
We are currently reviewing the types of challenges we will be doing and the number of entries per person.
Well girls, I think you're doing a brilliant job. I must be a little bit strange because I don't particularly like Anything Goes challenges as they tend to stump me as I like to be given a starting point. Saying that I'd still enter and it only needs to be a small die cut flower or embossed piece of card to be a valid entry :) On occasions, I would have liked to enter again as something different has come to mind so maybe 2 or 3 allowed entries would get figures up. I also think the idea of badges for winners is good as it is something else that people may see on blogs to get your name out there.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Random Org or DT selection but it is always nice to know which is the DT top 3. I almost prefer weekly challenges as it makes me get on with it although there is the chance that one week I wouldn't enter because life gets in the way. If it was fortnightly I'd probably leave it to the last minute.
It's great you've got so many comments to go on and it seems there is a lot of support and I'm sure things will continue to build up.
Off now to look at my orange, yellow and green buttons x
Hello Kimbo, thanks for your feedback.
DeleteWe take it in turns to choose a winner each week, with the other 2 choosing the runners-up.