Applying for a Creative Team...

So lately it seems I have been able to turn out LOs a lot quicker than usual. It could be because I am just that fabulous...OR it could be all the awesome new stuff I get to work with. For those who are new to my blog I CT (or am on Creative Teams) for various designers or sites. They give me their product free and I in return make LOs for them to post where they need to show people what they can do with their kits.

There are always designers looking for people to join their team. If you are looking for an opportunity to try this out I recommend looking at the sites you currently buy your digital supplies from. They usually have a thread devoted to store news so that designers can post their "Calls" there. Or, you could go to a general digital scrapbooking site like I did. There are two that I highly recommend. They are DigiScrapAddicts (DSA) and DigiShopTalk (DST). Each has a call section and you just click on the different threads. If you are new and don't necessarily know all of the designers (...I am often coming across ones that I don't know) you just look for a link to their store. If they seem to fit your style (and this is important because you will be working with their products), you send off an email with the information they request in their "call" and then the waiting game begins.

Tips for applying for Creative Teams:

• Make sure you cover the information they request in the call.
• Don't be afraid to apply, even if you don't have experience.
• Be sure to start uploading the LOs that you have done to a gallery or blog. (DSA or DST is a good option for this. This is how they choose who fits "their" style.)
• Don't be afraid to be yourself. Often they want you to tell them about yourself. I wouldn't go into too much detail (they aren't looking for a novel) but do let your best traits shine through.

Next I want to talk about when you get "the news." I want to say that more times than not the whole experience is quite positive. You love them. They love you. It is a perfect match. Sometimes it doesn't happen that way. I have applied for a few creative teams and I don't always make it. It does seem frustrating because you never know "why" you weren't picked but you keep moving. Recently I applied to CT for the first designer that I really fell in love with her kits. (I follow her designs, stalk her blog, etc.) Well, her call comes up and I immediately apply after I pass out from shock. :) I am checking my email a billion times a day because I don't want to miss "the news". Well, it comes alright. I didn't make it. It was a big setback for me because I looked up to her so much and she didn't want me to be on her team. It is alright to get upset...and I REALLY was, but then I realized that maybe I wasn't far enough along design-wise and that it isn't as though I can't apply for her next call. Or maybe she received over 200 applications and could only take 10...that would take some serious slimming down of the applicants.

So I guess my last bit of advice is to keep things in perspective. Just because you don't make something the first time doesn't mean you stink and that you should give up. It is nothing more than the fact that you need to keep moving and try again. :)