Creating Keepsakes question

When did Lisa Bearnson leave Creating Keepsakes? I knew that Becky Higgins was leaving but Lisa was the founder?! Is she leaving before it goes under-I heard that Creating Keepsakes was having troubles. It's just so sad-the scrapbooking world is changing so fast, and leaving some of its founders behind....
creativeLaura

I think they all left at the end of the year. She wrote about why she was leaving in one of the last publications. She mentioned a few reasons for going.

yes, I remember reading about it in the mag recently. she talked about the "tingling" she gets when its time to do something new, lol.

She posted the announcement on her blog back in November. She said she wants to concentrate on being a mom.

http://www.lisabearnson.com/blog/2009/11/so-long-farewell.html

I don't always believe that founders are being left behind. I think that some of them chose to move onto other projects or paths.

Creating Keepsakes was bought out by Martha Stewart's company, Omnimedia. That's around the same time Lisa and Becky left... the message boards all changed at their website, the magazine drastically changed, they no longer do Hall of Fame OR Scrapbooker of the Year contests, and they are going to eight issues a year as opposed to the full 12. I'm not renewing my subscription; since Omnimedia bought it out, they sold my address/information to other businesses and companies.

Very sad, I was a die-hard CK lover... even the conventions seem to have suffered.

And I just bought a suibscription through the Fall Girl Scout fundraiser--still haven't gotten my first magazine though but i have been getting ALOT more junk mail...hmm.

Yeah, Jennifer... My last name is Carns. Not hard to spell, right? Last time I renewed my sub @CK they mistakenly misspelled my last name as "Carans." Now I get junk mail with the name "Sara Carans" addressed on it. Ugh.... Again, it's just really sad to see such a great magazine fall down the pooper. I miss the days of Faye Morrow Bell, but at least Jennifer McGuire still has her column, though it's downsized... she's always been a fave of mine.

OMG I loved Faye Morrow Bells' stuff!! That is when I used to have sub and then I stopped for a couple years, renewed when I got the GS fundraiser stuff this Fall and we have gotten all our other mags except CK. Very disappointing.

Okay I just tried to Google Faye Morrow Bell and everything that comes up is 2004. Whatever happened to her? It makes me sad when I see people totally drop off the face of the scrapbooking world.

So glad I didn't renew my sub then. I would rather search on here and read the forums anyhow. I think the magazine isn't what it used to be. However, I am glad to see that they have greatly reduced their ad pages.

• Jennifer Priest Said:

We did the same thing Jennifer!!! I can't find anything recent on her either... how sad. She was amazing.

When I went to the last CKU in Provo in August, Lisa showed up on the last night.
It was very emotional and she announced there that she was going to devote her time to her family and other creative venues.
Becky Higgins was supposed to be there but one of her little ones was sick.
I must tell you, the new heads of CK were there and all the designers were steering clear of them. It was really weird! The designers (Margie Romney, Tim Holtz, Teresa Collins, etc..) would all sit together or with us scrapbookers and the CK heads would all sit together seperately and they would barely talk to one another... I felt like I was in high school and there was the rival cliques...

Most of the designers were pushing their blogs, passing out info on their own retreats and workshop schedules, and such...

I think with blogging the way it is, most of these designers are able to survive without CK just fine. I love Becky Higgins' blog and Margie Romney-Aslett is going to start doing retreats and stuff... like mini CKUs she said. So the scrapbooking world is changing...

I guess I've been at this scrapbooking thing since the year 2000, and it's hard to see change sometimes. Lisa and Becky were two people who really brought scrapbooking to a new level, but a grounded level. They are two people I profoundly respect for what they brought to scrapbooking. I wish both of them all the best.
creativeLaura

I've been scrapping since 1996 and I've seen so much change. Some good and some bad. The industry has changed a lot. I hate to see anyone leave our industry but wish them all well in their new adventures. I sure hate to see CK change hands. They've lasted through some rough changes and times. It's hard to please everyone. Not too sure about the M.S. stuff. I am not partial to anything I've seen yet, which has been mostly at Michael's. SOOO as long as we stick to the "basics", continue to be creative ourselves and have a board to share on, we will survive!!!! **GO SCRAPBOOKERS**

OMG! I used to subscribe to all the magazines. Then a few stopped publishing. Now I tend to save all my mags for when I have time to absorb every page. Well, the last 2 weeks I have dived head first into a stack of CKs. I was just thinking today that I loved CK. I looked at my renewal date and my subscription goes until 2016! I too renewed for the kids fund raisers ect. LOL, I hope it stays as good as it has been.

Remember ladies, you can cancel a sub and will get a refund of what is left on your subscription if you aren't happy. I kind of got sick of Memory Makers back in the day and cancelled after my 2nd issue of my 3rd year of the subscription (I hada 5 yr sub)... they sent me a refund of the balance.

I read Lisa's blog every week, love to keep up with what she is doing, she still has great contests and give aways. I think she is doing more personally from what I can read on her blog.

I'm sad that both Lisa and Becky left. They're my
"scraping idols" and always will be. I always looked forward to seeing Becky's sketches in each issue of CK. I have a binder full of them! I think my subscription is good til 2012.. I'll see what changes there are and if I want to continue.

I'm just irritated about the extra junk mail and the 8 vs 12 issue deal. That was what I was excited about with the ck sub that I got a couple months ago...an issue each month to look forward to. What's really irritating also is I don't remember any notification that it was going to 8 issues!

Wow!!! I too just renewed and had NO IDEA there were only going to be 8 issues a year instead of 12!! I feel kind of duped!

It was on my bucket list to meet Lisa or Becky! I admire them so much.
I haven't been notified that the issues are going to go to 8. I read somewhere that Scrapbook, Etc. sells more issues than CK. I subscribe to both.
Happy Scrappn'

I've met both Lisa & Becky and they are absolutely delightful! Both take time to actually talk to you and get to know you.

OK, I *heard* about the eight issues on another board. Someone over there called CK who told them that there will be 4 double-issues + regular 4 issues of CK a year starting in 2010. The "double issues" will apparently have more content since they will span a two month time. Also, CK is now opening club ck, which will have four special tips @ tricks magazines to paying subscribers. She also recommended that you CALL them personally and discuss the issue downsizing to make sure they properly refund you your deserved magazines. APPARENTLY, if you paid for 12 magazines/issues, you'll still get 12 magazines. It's still though, unfortunate because they do not specify this in their mailers or online website.

Does that make sense? Help?? I don't want to be the nasty-nasty that makes everyone cancel!

The Scrapbook Etc is ALWAYS sold out at Jo's... that is the only place near me that carries scrapbook mags. But they almost always have CK on the shelf. I still like CK though but not sure if I want to pay the same price for less issues.

I think she is starting her own monthly kit program

• scrappin 2 Said:

You still can meet Lisa B. She is organizing some crops now. She is hinting at them in her blog.

I am so with you-Becky was the one who started the sketches, and I looked forward to them too.
I'm really sad that it's the end of an era.
creativeLaura

Well maybe if they have double issues it will be worth the 2 month span. I have thought about checking out that CK club...wonder if it's worth it? Wonder what it costs?