What makes a polly candidate? Honest question. Not sour grapes.

[carilyne]

@carilyne you woman put a smile on face so often, and the funny thing is it might be as I am in the store and pass a wonder woman poster. That is the amazing part of this community, it invades our outside world and is so real and alive! aw, I need to go nap, I start getting all misty and romanticize things. but it is pretty special here.

I never have that happen when I pass St Patrick's things do I Anne? I'll share with everyone. The leprechaun loving woman needs this for future grandchildren

 

[QuiltyMom]

Honestly, I don't know how ya'll did it - to choose anyone. There's an amazing amount of wonderful scrappers here, and not only that, but NICE scrappers to boot! To be honest ... Part of me went (*sigh*) for about 5 seconds when my name wasn't listed anywhere. But then, I really don't have the time right now. Figure Skating competition season begins next month, and I've costumes to make! Yikes! But then I thought - so what? I've found me a new digi-home in the process!

So, again, Congratulations all around, and a big Thank You for everyone who had a part behind the scenes!

 

[sberkan]

I'm with you Jan! I've been behind the scenes at a couple of sites and it really is fun and a wonderful place to be but I do find that there is a certain amount of pressure. So, while I would have been happy if my name was one of the ones, I'm just glad that I've found this place with some old faces that I have missed and some new ones that I'm growing to love, too. Now, I'm just free to enjoy myself, participate as much as I can and look forward to MOC5 (is it too early for that? LOL)

 

[michelepixels]

you are so much more, the pollys are one thing, but the heart of the Pad is the members, that create and share because that is who they are!! oh you are so so much more than just! you are family and a sistah in scrap! ♥

That's why I put "just" in quotes.

 

[3littleks]

Have I told you I love you lately. Miss you dear friend.

Brenda did. She is sweet, kind and complete opposite scrapper as me. Clean and Simple. Her photos are intense and amazing! We actually got to meet in person and I consider her a good friend.

 

[redplaid3]

@jesskab I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

[redplaid3]

@Lindzee thanks for your kind words. Guess it's a down day today, dumb as they are. All the kind notes here have helped.

 

[carilyne]

Sorry you are having a down day. Me too but different reasons. There are so many people here it has to be impossible to choose. There are lots of ideas of things they look at. Maybe make a goal of one of them and work on it. I'm going to try to focus on some area too. You are a great scrapper, great encourager and good friend. So hang in there.

 

[Shivani]

I always wondered, too! I feel like it's inside information! I had my own list, like Linda, of who would be chosen. It didn't include me, lol! I was lucky and shocked. I feel bad and happy at the same time. I know there are loads of scrappers out there, some super beyond-my-realm talented ones, so I was not expecting this at all. Yes, we all have a hope, but in reality my hopes don't always come true. 46 is a huge number, and over 200 finishing is a huge accomplishment!

I think we all look for validation and some pats on the back for work that we think is well done. Usually for me, it's the things I don't expect to get kudos on ends up being the most rewarding, and unexpected.

Totally agree Jenn. I think this is the best community, by far, to look for and get that validation with such a welcoming attitude It gives me a feeling that I am in a safe environment, amongst friends and I can develop and experiment with my creativity with a certainty of getting just kind encouragement from all the lovely people here. So, that's what I will continue to do and may be 'surprised' one of these days LOL!
p.s. Jenn, Love seeing the Pollywog under your profile pic. I hope you are polishing it often LOL!

 

[NancyP]

I'm with Michele. I am just burned out from years of CTing. Oh I love it!!! But just need to take a break. That was the fun of going into MOC as a new member. There was no pressure. The only thing I looked forward to was watching you all product tons of fantastic, awesome layouts!!! I so enjoyed looking at them all every day. In my book, you are all winners!!!

 

[lorryfach]

Many years ago, on another site that hasn't existed for some time now, I was an active member and I felt like I "knew" a lot of the people there, etc. There was a contest where they picked a new CTM. The announcement was a big disappointment, not because I thought I would get it (omg, if you had seen my scrapping back then ) but because I was like, "um, whoever that is...?" I couldn't really get excited about that. But it's not like that here at all. I saw the names and thought, "oh, awesome! Perfect choices!"

 

[Cath_]

Thank you for the explanation of what helps to get the position. I was hurt and went thru a tantrum, for i spend so much time here. But the above, expains it, I have no special style, nor any blog etc experience..

 

[Pallavi01]

@Cath - you have the experience of being the awesome 'you'!! Like a few folks said - you never know what the needs of the moment are - maybe sometimes they 'are' looking for that freshness of no experience? We never know, right?

For me, I just LOVE the LOs I've created for MOC - I don't know how but it just brings the best in my creativity and I absolutely love that. It's a challenge to complete 31 LOs in 31 days for a slow scrapper like me - and I'm just patting myself on the back for that... As we all should be proud of! The energy of January on TLP, the love I received , the comments bestowed on my LOs - they will stay with me forever! Would the pollyspot have been a dream - for sure. But now , can you stop me from eyeing MOC 2017? Absolutely not! Lol

As long as we enjoy the awesome awesome community that is TLP, keep loving pages that we make ... We are golden

 

[Sokee]

My punishment to myself is thinking "See, you're not even worth $3!" I know, deep psychological issues.

Oh No! Please don't even think this! I'm sure some of $3 were picked by random! I was part of the Zig Zag Scrap store and I ran the challenges there, also in my paper days I was on the Scrapping the Music Blog challenge site. I've also participated in many challenge blogs to push myself to create 'outside of my box'. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is you can pick a winner by putting all the names in a random finder and the computer will tell you the winner.
So NEVER think you are not good enough to win! I will tell you that what I love about the digital scrapbooking community is there are so many different styles. One is not better than the other. No right way or wrong way. There are so many crafters here that I think "WOW that is AMAZING!" How did they do that? I can appreciate the layout and know that it is just something that I personally cannot create.

You Yes You are worth so much more than $3!!

 

[jesskab]

Thanks @Sokee ! I know some are random. That's just a longstanding habit of being mean to myself. Don't worry, I don't keep it in my heart.

 

[djp332]

I was a very new member here when MOC started and I was a little reluctant to commit. But I did, and was even surprised that I finished. I am a scrapper who always scraps with templates and I had to laugh when I heard that so many here dislike templates! And because of my love for all templates, I never in a million years thought that I would be picked to be a Polly. So to be one of those picked to be a guest Polly was a complete surprise to me. I'm scared and excited at the same time.

 

[~Mary]

As a scrapper, the reason I'm online and in (this) forum is exactly FOR that validation - that connection to and with other scrappers. I could use my kabillion kits on my EHDs and scrap until my death bed all by my lonesome if I didn't need validation. That need is what prompts me to participate, to post in the gallery and on FB, to do challenges. From my first challenge here at the Pad, I felt that love and acceptance that I was searching for. We had a close group at SO and losing the framework, the store, for our support of each other had me in a panic. I truly connected here from the beginning and know that this is my home now. I didn't have a burning desire to be chosen as a Polly - it would be like finding out you were a queen: total thrill if it happened but I'm not holding my breath, LOL. Okay, so back to the validation thing. I get it! If I'm not posting something online I go show it to my family and declare that they "ooh and ah". When I get positive feedback from a challenge layout that I posted but didn't like it floors me. When I get ANY feedback, even the obligatory "thank you for participating in the challenge", it makes me so happy. I do comment in the gallery when I see something I love. I can't say I like it if I don't. I think what I'm trying to say is that getting feedback from ANYBODY in the gallery is awesome - even better if it is NOT from a Polly, so I feel like I'm important here without a title. When I comment or participate I am validating someone else and that is a great thing. So if you wanted to be a Polly and weren't chosen this time, as a member I still need you here so keep participating even if you aren't getting "paid". {{Hugs}}

 

[yellowpeep]

I don't have anything new that folks haven't already written but I'm just weighing in with some huge cyber hugs for everyone in this forum. There is so much passion here. Passion for beautiful documentation, for each other's struggles and triumphs, for this wonderful community.
I go to Trader Joe's often and I love it. People who work there seem genuinely happy and I've always imagined it would be fun to work there. Funny thing is-- they're selling groceries. You need bananas? They sell them to you and you're on your way-- they don't ever see what you do with their bananas.
The community here at the Lilypad is different: we sell products to people who are documenting their lives and pouring their feelings out here for all to see. It's such a privilege and pleasure to see how we all use the beautiful products and participate in the challenges. The diversity of this community amazes me. How all these folks from different countries and backgrounds can come together to support and celebrate each other as we document our diverse experiences and live our day-to-day lives. I see the workers at Trader Joe's every week and yet I feel a much closer affinity to this community-- and to this day I have not once met any of you in person. Not one.
I come here when I need to feel safe and connected to something lovely. After four years, it's a sure thing for me. It's a safe haven for my creativity. That's because of our Awesomesauce Boss, my dear friends and the larger community. One little stroll through the forums puts a smile on my face and gives me faith in the world. Scrolling through your beautiful layouts in the gallery is so unbelievably inspiring to me. This site just keeps getting better and it's because of the people here. I'm grateful for all of you and I wouldn't buy my bananas from anywhere else.

 

[yellowpeep]

One more thing: if you are ever doubting yourself or need some validation… go to your account here, and in the left menu, there is an item called "likes you've received." Click on it. It lists all the times anyone has liked anything you've done or posted here. Validation, all in one nifty place. Jump in and soak it up.

 

[jesskab]

When I get positive feedback from a challenge layout that I posted but didn't like it floors me.

This cracked me up. A week ago, I got an email from a site "Congratulations! One of our members is being spotlighted & your layout is one of her all-time favorites!" I looked at that layout & was like "Are you kidding me?" Maybe I'll start scrapping what I don't like to garner more praise. Just kidding!