For the past five years, I've taken numerous online classes in the areas of scrapbooking, photography, and organizing. I love online classes (which you probably already know if you read my blog!). Through them, I have learned a great deal, accomplished much that I wouldn't have otherwise, and "met" hundreds of virtual friends. Online classes have been very valuable and wonderful for me. At the same time, I will admit there are times when I probably took too many classes (this spring, for example!). Yet, I feel like I have restrained myself -- especially this year! There are so many fantastic looking classes out there.
I thought it might be interesting (or, more likely, convince you that I need help*) to list all of the classes I've taken over the years in a series of blog posts. For each class, I'll give some basic info (class name/instructor/price/time frame/website) and my results or general thoughts. I'll start with 2011 past, present, and future, and then in four additional blog posts, I'll list the classes I took from 2007 to 2010 (in reverse order). You'll see that BigPictureClasses.com is my first, favourite, and most frequently used website for classes, but there are others I enjoy as well.
I also want to note (pledge, perhaps?) that I plan to take fewer classes in the future because my life is getting busier AND I have a number of projects I want to tackle. I have to make space in my life for these things. Wish me luck! :)
2011 Past:
Decorate Life/Darci Dowdle/$18/4 weeks/
BigPictureClasses.com
I enjoyed Darci's class, A Baker's Dozen, so much (twice, in fact) that I couldn't resist this class. It was good, too, but I was very challenged to keep up. The timing (January) was SO bad for me! But I did complete 13 out of 14 layouts, so that's pretty good, I'd say! I don't know if I will ever do the last layout, and I'm okay with that.
Picture Winter/Tracey Clark/$30/1 month/
BigPictureClasses.com
I completed this project in real time and I enjoyed it, although winter is my least favourite (i.e., most challenging) time of the year for daily photos. In addition to taking photos, I also received the huge side benefit of blogging every day during January which was an extremely busy month. I never would have recorded so much during this time period without the additional commitment of Picture Winter. (I know that sounds weird.) Worth every cent for that reason. Plus, this was my 4th of the four seasons of Picture classes and I couldn't miss it! I felt a sense of accomplishment after completing this class.
Embrace Imperfection/Karen Grunberg/Free/2 weeks/
BigPictureClasses.com
I read the two handouts and thought they included some great information and layouts, but did I learn anything new? I don't know. Honestly, I probably would not have signed up if it hadn't been free since I don't feel like I need the information (I'm well aware of the need to resist perfectionism and have been working on this for years) and I definitely didn't have time to create anything new based on the class materials. I may use the included sheet of quotes at some point or re-read the handouts if I feel like I need a reminder. (Embrace Imperfection is still available as a self-paced class.)
Blogging for Scrapbookers/Shimelle Lain/$15/3 weeks/
Shimelle.com
I hadn't taken a class from Shimelle before so I didn't know what to expect. I was very impressed with the content! I really enjoyed reading her handouts. Since I'm a blogging veteran, there were many things I already knew or didn't need to do, but I still learned a bunch and implemented a few things. This class helped rejuvenate my interest in blogging, and for that alone it was worth the money. (Blogging for Scrapbookers is still available as a self-paced class.)
Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers/Shimelle Lain/$15/
3 weeks/Shimelle.com
I enjoyed this class, too, although I haven't read the last three of 15 lessons or watched the videos yet. This class included lots of excellent information and I'm glad I signed up. I really liked participating in the group projects, My day in photos and 10 things on the 10th. I plan to continue doing 10 on the 10th, read the lessons I missed, and I'm sure I'll refer to some of the handouts in the future.
Finally Get Organized/Jennifer Wilson/Free/4 lessons/
SimpleScrapper.com
I read all of the content from this class, which was good, but I didn't have time to implement anything at the time. Also, I probably didn't need more of this type of information. So why did I sign up for it? I like Jennifer's approach to simple memory keeping so I wanted to see what she had to say about organizing, and since I didn't really need the class, the price was right (free). I've taken several organizing classes, my supplies are pretty organized, and I'm planning to read The Organized & Inspired Scrapbooker later this year, so I'm not sure I'll revisit the class content, but it's there if I want to. (Finally Get Organized is still available as a self-paced class.)
Picture Color/Tracey Clark/$30/1 month/
BigPictureClasses.com
I was totally committed to Picture Color and didn't miss a day. This was one of my favourites of all the Picture classes I've taken (seven!) and I've learned more about the settings on my camera than in any other class in this series. I was not only motivated by the daily prompts and the community (such a friendly group and I always enjoy receiving comments in the gallery!), but also my commitment to blog each photo along with some record of the day. While I haven't tackled other popular "everyday life" projects such as Ali Edwards' Week in the Life or Becky Higgins' Project Life, I know that for these months when I blog daily, I am capturing a bunch of everyday- life kind of stuff. And that's good enough for me.
2011 Present:
Organizing with Your Kids/Aby Garvey/$45/4 weeks/
Simplify101.com
I have listened to all three lessons and learned a lot (hurray for MP3s because I don't have time to sit and read the lessons!). While I won't have time to implement everything during the four weeks of class, I know the class content will be very useful to me through this summer and beyond. I have worked with the girls to declutter their toys and I came up with rewards based on suggestions in the first lesson and knowing what motivates my kids. I did approach these things a little differently thanks to the class. I've had great success with other organizing classes from Simplify101, so I'm familiar with Aby's approach to organizing and I know it works well. I will be referring to the lessons going forward, and I'm very glad I signed up.
Finding Photo Freedom (Alumni)/Stacy Julian/Free/
10 weeks/BigPictureClasses.com
This is my fourth time in this class, formerly called A Library of Memories (LOM), and I have done fewer things with each session -- but I was very successful during my first one in 2008, so my LOM is set up and working for me. All I'm after now are the updates and the inspiration to tweak a few areas. So far in this session, I have read some of the handouts, watched several videos, and decided I need to implement one of the elements introduced last year (identify my top five stories per quarter). I am also enjoying all of the new motivational email messages. My main focus for this session is to practice and improve my triaging skills. I have completed all of the triage assignments during each past session of LOM, so my category drawers have hundreds of photos in them (and I have used my category drawers many times), but I haven't been triaging photos (pulling them out of my storage binders) on a regular basis, so that's what I need to work on. I think Finding Photo Freedom is an essential class, and having access to all the new content for free? Priceless!
Picture Inspiration/Tracey Clark/$36/1 year/
BigPictureClasses.com
I am committed to this project and haven't missed a week yet. Sometimes it's a real challenge to make time for this task. When I "just get it done," the result isn't always great, but that's okay; I still like receiving the weekly prompt and having something consistent to post on my blog every week. It also keeps me using my camera on a regular basis which means more shots of my children and documentation of life in general. I'm happy to be in this community. (Picture Inspiration is still available.)
One Little Word/Ali Edwards/$36/1 year/
BigPictureClasses.com
I selected my word (patience) and I think about it quite often, but I haven't done a thing with this class except for posting one picture in the gallery (which I actually took for Picture Winter). Months ago, I made the decision to set this class aside because I have no time for it, and I guess I don't feel motivated by the end result of an album reflecting my word and its presence in my life. Will I use the class materials someday? I don't know. I love Ali's stuff, and I'm happy to have forever access so I could do it if I wanted to, but who knows? I am much more successful with classes when I participate along with everyone else. My bad for signing up for a workshop/ community for which I didn't have time or feel totally committed. I admit I was swept up in the online excitement. At least I did not buy any of the recommended supplies! I'm sure this workshop is great; it just wasn't right for me at this time in my life. (One Little Word is still available.)
2011 Future:
The Art of Composition/Tracey Clark/probably $99 $300**
(I learned after posting)/12 weeks/BigPictureClasses.com
This class will run October through December this year. I'm excited about it and already feel committed. I'm reading the Shutter Sisters' book, Expressive Photography, right now as a primer. I think I'll be able to keep up with this class since I won't have any others running on a schedule, except Picture Inspiration (which shouldn't be any trouble in parallel with a photography class!). (If you're interested, listen to Tracey's audio message on the BPC 4 Experts page.)
The Power of iPhoto '11/Lesa Snider/$19/1 day/
creativeLIVE.com
This is about 5 hours of video. I don't have iPhoto '11 yet (I have '09), but in the few minutes I watched of the live class, I learned some things that I'm already applying daily! I know I'll be upgrading my iPhoto and will use the content from this class, so I snapped it up and can watch the videos anytime. (I paid less than full price b/c I purchased it during the live class.) (The Power of iPhoto '11 is still available.)
Photoshop Elements 9 for Photographers/Lesa Snider/
$49/2 days/creativeLIVE.com
This is about 10 hours of video. Again, I only watched a few minutes of the live class, and I don't have PSE 9 yet (I have 8), but I could see she was covering some methods and techniques that I will definitely use (including some things I can certainly use with my current version). I use PSE all the time and will upgrade at some point, so I grabbed the class on discount. Now I can watch the videos whenever I want. (Photoshop Elements 9 for Photographers is still available.)
Food & Culture Photography/Penny De Los Santos/
$99/3 days/creativeLIVE.com
This is about 15 hours of video. I see this more as edu-tainment for both Neil and me, rather than strictly an online class. When the live class was in session, we had it playing on two computers while we did housework. We knew we wanted to view the whole thing more attentively, so we bought the class and plan to watch the videos on our TV downstairs. Most of the shows we were watching are over now, so I think we'll start watching this soon. (I also purchased this class at a significant discount.) (Food & Culture Photography is still available.)
***
Okay, I know what you're thinking: How does she have time for all of these classes? After making this list, I'm wondering the same thing! Well, firstly, I didn't participate fully in all of them. And that's not how I like to do things, so I absolutely agree that my 2011 Past and Present lists are too long. But I did manage to read most of the class content (except OLW) and complete quite a few assignments. I think this is how: I only watch 2 or 3 hours of TV per week (and some weeks, none); I get up early on weekdays so I have time before work; I have an hour-long lunch break when I'm at work; I have a messy house (i.e., I don't spend a lot of time on housework); and I have a stay-at-home husband who does all of the laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking. Yes, this last one is a major factor! Otherwise, I just squeeze it in; I read a little here and little there. Anyhow, as I said, my plan is to not take so many classes in the future! Clearly, I have plenty of class material to go back to should I feel the need to learn something. :)
The next post in this series will be about the online classes I took in 2010.
*Yes, I could certainly use some house cleaning help! ha ha
**I didn't realize it would be this much. :( But I know this class will be worth it. And this will strengthen my resolve not to sign up for more classes; I'll be pre-spending my 2012 budget!
Recent Comments