Memory Makers Magazine closing

I was going to enter the Memory Makers Masters Contest and was checking out the rules, etc when I clicked on a link that says the magazine and contest are closing due to the economic climate. I am very sad, as I am a scrapbook magazine aholic.
Has anyone else heard anything about it?
creative Laura

Yep. It's sad, but true.

CK is rumored to be in trouble as well.
The media company just went into bankruptcy and they let go several of their lead people.

http://www.examiner.com/x-4259-Salt-Lake-City-Scrapbooking-Examiner~y2009m5d12-Memory-Makers-magazine-to-cease-publication

I hope at least one scrapbook magazine will make it, and I want it to be all scrappy!!!

yes, and I never even recieved my latest issue of Memory Makers. I e-mailed them twice about it with no reply. Anyone else not get the latest issue who is a subscriber?

Come to think of it, I haven't seen mine show up either!

I think sbetc. will survive. I really enjoy that mag and I used to have sub's to all of them. That's the only one I still have. MM got a little boring IMO.

the last issue of MM was a combo July/August...what will happen to those of us who have paid them for subscriptions...do we loose the money?

I just tried the 800 number and got the message that it was no longer in service...and the customer service website is not available

My guess is y'all lost out on the rest of the $$ for the subscription.

I just found some info...not sure how accurate but it is from the same author as the article in the link above....said the subscribers would be offered the opportunity to transfer subscription to other mags they publish or get a refund...I am upset that I had to find out about it here...not in a notice from them. No email, nothing on their website, nada!

Whenever a magazine I subscribe to has gone under another magazine is sent in its place til the subscription runs out. Martha Stewart Living was sent in place of Mary Enbelbreits Home Companion (THAT was a real heartbreaker) and I recieve Sunset magazine in lieu of something else. Neither time was I given a choice.
I'd hate to see CK fold..I look forward to getting that and getting all comfy and going through it over and over. I sure hope Scrapbook etc stays around too.
When the ME HC mag folded she explained it wasn't cuz of a dip in subcriptions but because of the advertisers withdrawing their ads due to the economy.

Bad news!
Very bad news
As well, only good and strong $$ will survive!
I hope Scrapbooketc, Scrapbook Trends and CK will be one of them

• Scrap Happy 2006 Said:

That's the one I haven't gotten. Guess I'm not going to either if I haven't gotten it by now

I didn't get it either. It's a little annoying because I signed up for a two year sub in January. Oh well!

I wondered about Paperkuts. I haven't seen it in a while.

Wow....

CK in trouble?

hard to believe that CK is having troubles but it is a sign of the times - who has that kind of money to fork out when a lot of people don't have jobs.

There will always be the crafty little blogs and such to get ideas from but there was just something soothing about a fave mag and a cup of tea....

Don't forget about eZines! I subscribe to Scrap 'n Art and the new format is just like sitting down to a magazine. Very cool. I hope I win something in their giveaways, they have a ton of awesome ones this time.

I'll have to check that out - thanks fo rposting Jacqui

sure! They have a blog that is updated daily too, lots of inspiration.

Yeah, I mentioned it on a thread somewhere about a week ago. It stinks, huh

I bought some scrapbooking magazines in early June from Barnes and Noble, and I'm not sure which one it was, but on the cover it said it was the last issue. I was going to subscribe to a bunch of scrapbooking magazines, but think I might hold off since it looks like some are having issues. Maybe I will just buy them from the store when I have the extra cash.

What I am upset about is the fact that the only reason I found out that the magazine is closing the fact that I happened to look into some rules for the Memory Makers Masters contest. I had all the paper bought, layouts started, products bought on Ebay, and that is how I find out that the magazine and contest is DONE! I have received several emails from them about subscribing or buying one of their idea books. Nothing about the magazine closing or contest being cancelled.
I understand that it's got to be awkward to announce your magazine shutting down, but don't they owe it to their customers? How many people have subscriptions that will not be honoured, and how many readers were working on layouts for the contest?
OK-I needed to get it out!
creative Laura

• dollscrap Said:

This happened when Scrapbook Answers went under (which, btw, was an awesome magazine). Scrapbooks Etc. honored the remainder of the subscriptions. I recently renewed my subscription to Scrapbooks, Etc. It seems like it's doing well but I suppose I might be wrong about that. The closing of Memory Makers doesn't surprise me in the least. They've been struggling for awhile. When was it - a year or two ago - when a new editorial team came in and revamped the whole magazine. A lot of readers were very unhappy and cancelled their subscriptions (me included).

I hope someone continues to publish a printed magazine. I don't care for eZines. I don't read books and magazines at the computer. I like to sit and flip the pages (actually touch them) and keep them on my scrap table as a reference. The computer is not always the most practical way to do things. It may be cheaper for the publisher in that they don't have printing costs, but that's about it. I gave up Scrap N Art when they started charging for subscriptions. Getting it free was great while it lasted but to be honest, I didn't read it all that much. I want to curl up on the couch with my cat while I read my magazine, not stare at a computer monitor.

I didn't know CK was in trouble!!!! WOw!!!! Very interesting and thanks for sharing!!!!!

Just my 2 cents....

If these magazines would listen to their readers (in the bazillion questionaires they send out) and keep things the way they were woking good...instead of making negative changes, they would not be in the shape they are in and they would have a higher subscription rate.

They get into ruts where they use the same people's work all the time when there are tons more scrappers that are just as good, etc.

IMO, CK was at its best in 2004....and if you have mags that old...look at all the content....all useable by us scrappers....now they are filled with 85% advertisements and even some that have nothing to do with scrapping at all.

If you are gonna ask a scrapper if they want to spend X amount of dollars on a subscription with 85% ads or save that same X amount of dollars to buy sb products, which would you choose....duh!

ok jumping off my band wagon now.

I have to say that even though I like Scrapbooks, Etc., my DD (11) made an interesting comment when the latest issue came in the mail today. She's a scrapper so I held it up to show her it had come incase she wanted to look at it. The first words out of her mouth were "that layout looks fake." She was referring to the cover of the magazine. I hadn't really looked at it but then I realized it does look fake. The photo is perfect and all the elements on the page are perfect. I want to see real pages by real people. Those are the pages I usually get my ideas from.

I have had a subscription to memory makers for about a year and it's honestly my least fave (the subscription only cost me $5.00 for the year though - I signed up for it at the great american scrapbook convention last year). I'm gonna miss simple scrapbooks the most...it's always been my favorite. While I love being able to look at things online I love having magazines to go through. And gg I totally agree....they need to change up the contributing artists and scrapbook REAL things....it irritates me when they do the exact same LO and just change out the picture...I want to see real pages! And if the famous scrappers are out of their own pics it's time to give someone else a shot at it. lol

lol, Judy we posted that at the same time.

Your house is so cute! Where do you live?
creative Laura

One of my first scrapping mags was Simple Scrapbooks...it's gone.....another mag I subscribed to was Scrapbook Answers...and that is gone as well...and I REALLY liked that mag!..Now Memory Makers is gone and CK is struggling. I hope CK can weather thru the storm...that is one of the 2 mags I receive now. (The other is Scrapbooks Etc) I really enjoy when I get them in the mail. I love to sit down with a cup of coffee or iced tea (depending on the weather), curl up and read thru them...I really can't curl up with my computer...and I enjoy turning pages!

I got a 2 year sub to MM in December from my secret Santa at work...I know she will not get her money back and I know that I won't get offered another magazine.

I told DH the other day that it might cost me more but I am going to start buying them at the store instead of subs for this very reason.

After reading all the news here, I went to the MM website and found the following posted in their forums:

Posted 2009-05-08 4:02 PM (#333835)
Subject: News About Memory Makers Magazine
Please see attached from Vice President Teri Mollison regarding the closure of Memory Makers magazine with the September/October 2009 issue. Decisions like these are never easy and aren’t entered lightly, as you can imagine. We at Memory Makers have been proud and honored to be the scrapbookers’ go-to source for scrapbooking ideas and inspiration for the past 13 years. Subscribers: We are working closely with our circulation department and fulfillment company and will distribute information regarding your subscription closer to the publication date of the September/October final issue.

Best,
Beth Williams
Executive Editor, Memory Makers

The reference attachment reads as follows:

Dear Friends of Memory Makers Magazine,
After much analysis, we have made the determination to cease publication of
Memory Makers magazine with the September/October 2009 issue and cancel the
annual Memory Makers Masters competition.
Since its inception in 1996, Memory Makers has been one of the leading magazines
for scrapbooking enthusiasts. Likewise, the Memory Makers Masters program has
provided an exciting outlet for scrapbookers to gain national recognition for their
inspirational and creative approach to the craft who went on to publish fabulous books
and teach hundreds of classes and workshops.
The passion and dedication of the Memory Makers contributors, advertisers,
vendors, staff, and readers these past 13 years is what has made this business so
rewarding for those of us fortunate enough to publish the magazine. Sadly, in light of
increased industry consolidation, severe advertising cut backs, poor economic
conditions, and lack of new consumers coming to the hobby, we cannot continue to
profitably publish the magazine on- or offline.
As we work to bring this last issue to closure, however, I want to take a moment and
thank you for your role in crafting the Memory Makers story. The beautiful thing
about this magazine is that it has memorialized the scrapbookers and scrapbooking
companies forever that really launched this exciting hobby. We are proud and
thankful for that heritage.
If you have any specific questions regarding this closure, please contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Teri Mollison
Vice President
Crafts/Genealogy & Specialty Sales
F+W Media, Inc.
P.S. Note: This announcement does not impact any of F+W Media, Inc.’s other
businesses within the scrapbooking market. The company will continue to operate our
Web presence at http://www.memorymakersmagazine.com and publish inspirational
scrapbooking books under the Memory Makers Books imprint and produce the Great
American Scrapbook Conventions (www.greatamericanscrapbook.com

have to agree with Gina...thank God I got published in my 1st pub before Memeory Makers went under...I do have subscriptions to other mags but soem of them DO use same folks over and over