A New Adventure


For the last two years I have been applying to manufacturer Design Teams and kept getting turned down. I was so OVERJOYED in 2008 when I made the team for Zutter and was so upset when our term ended last year but luckily Zutter has kept the original team on as the Original Zutter Zisters so I still get to be a part of it.

Like anyone in this industry it is sometimes heartbreaking to be turned down so many times. Some manufacturers send messages like “try again next year” when you're turned down…well, after 3 years or so it's kind of like “why waste my time?”. Those submissions take alot of time! And I try to tell myself that if they did not choose me then it means that what I do is just not what they are looking for and it is good they did not choose me because I can't produce what they want. If you've ever asked me about trying out for DTs then I've probably said this same thing to you ;) You gotta be prepared for rejection and doesn't that just sound bass-ackward?!

I mean, in “real life” almost 99% of the time I ever went to an interview, I got the job. In scrapbooking 99% of the time I go to an “interview” I don't get the “job”. What am I still doing?!

At CHA this year I had a discussion about this with Robyn Weatherspoon who is on several manufacturer design teams. Last year I also had this discussion with Michelle Van Etten, who is also on some top manufacturer design teams and teaches all over the world. Elena Etcheverry from Scrapbook Royalty has always been a cheerleader for me and we've talked many times about my quest for manufacturer DT spots.

No one seems to understand why I can't get on a team, most of all me! LOL I work really fast (just ask Michelle Hill), I get compliments about my work all the time, my classes are generally full, I can get placed on kit club, LSS, and blog teams just fine, and I can even win few contests but for some reason I rarely get picked for DTs. Maybe I am choosing the wrong stuff to send in, maybe I am too brief in my narratives for the submissions, maybe I am not “schmoozy” enough, maybe they just need to get to know me (who has time to do that with 600 DT submissions), maybe I talk about too much personal stuff and silly stuff on my blog…who knows!? Really, I've racked my brain trying to think of “why” — it's the analyst in me ;)

So imagine my disbelief and awe and excitement and incredible feeling of honor and surprise and happiness when THE Donna Salazar asked me to not only be on HER Design Team for HER new paper line through Product Performers but also asked me to be the DT COORDINATOR?! Woah!

I am joined by some of the most talented people in the industry–my friend & fabulous Zutter Diva Nan Paturzo, Doctor and Scrapbooks Etc Contributor Leah Fung, and photography guru and instructor Johanna Peterson. Pretty cool! I am so excited to be a part of Donna's new adventure and honored that she asked me!! Woohoo!! She also helped design a dsitressing tool for Zutter — the Diztrezz-It-All as shown here:

So keep your eye out for some new pages and projects from me cuz I am just wayyy too excited to create for Donna–she knows my style, she knows me, and I am just so excited to work with her. I think 2010 just might be my year to break out of my shell and shine….and it is already off to a great start, getting to work with some great people and products! Thanks Donna!

Happy Scrapping!

Author: Jennifer Priest

It started with jewelry, beading, sewing, home decor, painting, basket weaving, pottery, and cross-stitch. Marry that to an entrepreneurial spirit & at 9 years old a girl is selling her wares at craft fairs as far as her parents and grandparents would drive her. These days, Jennifer enjoys crafts of all genres from sewing to scrapbooking to jewelry with a little dabbling in the mixed media world. Her style is approachable and she wants everyone who sees her work to feel that they too can embrace creativity and make their home and life beautiful.

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23 thoughts on “A New Adventure

  1. a big congrats to you, my friend!!! well deserved!! i love her new papers!! :) nan gave me some to play with, and i can’t get enough of it!

    hugs,
    sarah.

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 6:56 pm
  2. Congrats Jennifer! You are already awesome and SHINE! Congrats on your new adventure! I’m sure you will have lots of fun and be great at it!

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 7:07 pm
  3. That’s awesome!! good for you! you do awesome work!

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 7:20 pm
  4. Congratulations, Jennifer! You DO, do fabulous work and you are super fast. I’m always amazed. You will be a great asset to Donna’s team.

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 7:36 pm
  5. Congratulations Jennifer! That is some awesome news! I’m so happy for you! That just goes to show that all your attempts at trying is finally going to pay off. Never stop trying…..even when it brings you down! Good Luck! I know you’ll do wonderfully!

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 7:53 pm
  6. congrats! and good luck.

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 7:55 pm
  7. WOOO HOOOO!! Congrats to you!! see what happens when you are patient?!?! LOL! I have a hard time being patient myself! Anyway, Congrats to you!!!

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 8:09 pm
  8. Congrats! You truly are very talented and a great instructor! Can’t wait to see what you have in store along with the Donna Salazar line!

    ~Gloria

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 8:14 pm
  9. CONGRATS! You were starting to depress me, but I’m glad it had a happy ending! :)

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 8:17 pm
  10. CONGRATS JENNIFER!!!!

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 8:29 pm
  11. congrats diva! I think that if we get picked for everything on the first try then we tend to get spoiled -I think 2010 is def gonna be a year of fresh faces in scrapbooking so keep doing your thing! This post encouraged me to keep submitting as well so…thank you!

    KateB (KitKat @ CSD) :)

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 8:56 pm
  12. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! you are so very talented, a true inspiration, you so deserve it! can’t wait to see what’s coming!
    chelle

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 9:02 pm
  13. yowza, boss lady! ;)

    Posted on February 1, 2010 at 10:28 pm
  14. awesome news! how exciting!!! so well deserved; you’re one talented lady!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 1:21 am
  15. that is AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL! Congrats girl what an honor!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 1:41 am
  16. CONGRATS and GOOD LUCK!!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 1:46 am
  17. Very well deserved! Donna’s lines are soooo fabulous! (the rest of those manufacturers are just missing out!!!)

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 2:03 am
  18. NO WAY!! I am so proud of you!! Congrats and can’t wait to see what YOUR team comes up with!!!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 2:37 am
  19. WooHoo, congratulations on the DT!! What a great bunch of girls to be working with! I can’t wait to see what you create :) PS thanks for stopping by my blog today.

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 2:56 am
  20. That’s awesome! You’re talent is amazing and I’m glad that it is being noticed! Congrats!!!!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 4:49 am
  21. jen.If I owned anything you would be on it…I love your layouts I love your blog..I am 100% jennifer fan…hands down..and Donna knows it too….Congrats my sweet friend your scrapping is beautiful…

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 7:13 am
  22. Congratulations, Jennifer! A well-deserved honor!!!

    Posted on February 2, 2010 at 12:01 pm
  23. Congratulations! That is a great honor and you are well deserving. So true that there is a really high level of rejection in this industry- there’s just so many talented people out there. It’s great that your perseverance paid off.

    Posted on February 9, 2010 at 2:51 pm