A white trash hobby??!

I came across this blogger's rant about Martha Stewart and the title just really irked me. But the comments below the blog were just appalling! Are there really people who despise scrapbooking THAT much. Maybe I've just been sheltered by a really supportive husband... but sheesh!

http://gawker.com/news/brand-extensions/martha-stewart-to-take-another-white-trash-hobby-upscale-255248.php

Ugh - the work system blocked the blog!!! Can't view it, but I"m sure I'll be as annoyed about this as I was about the other thread about Martha Stewart!

Wow! What kind of people post comments like this? I'm dumbfounded really!

• AnniesSS Said:

You only missed reading pure stupidity! Everyone is entitled to their opinion I understand....The comments under this blog are just lame! I think I could find way better things to bash....

Ok, I read it...I still intend to "fritter my time away" on my "white trash hobby", because I love it, it let's me release my creativity, and my "white trash" son continues to ask, "hey mom, did you add any more pages to my scrapbook?". I think some people just like to trash what they are not involved in themselves, I don't know. And to be honest, I don't care, lol! But TFS!

I had to laugh at this comment:

I'm not much for scrapbooks, but I do enjoy pasting words I've cut from various magazines onto construction paper and sending them to former employers, exes, etc.

HAHAHAHAHA!!

To demean anyone's hobby is crass and hurtful - not to mention a waste of time. If I like doing something, NOBODY is going to ridicule me out of doing it!

White trash hobby? Hardly! The person who wrote that article must have never seen some of the LOs here that are, simply put, works of art!

The idiots sitting back calling our hobby white trash are probably unemployed, lazy, one toothed hillbillies with a mountain of beer cans in their back yard.

I don't see how ANY hobby is white trash. Having a hobby means you are doing something with your life besides sitting on the couch eating bon bons all day or out on the streets shooting people.

And scrapbooking, which in my opinion is one of the best hobbies to have will leave memories for several generations so we should be proud of our work and love our hobby no matter what anyone else says.

Sad .....very sad. I've never understood people's reasoning behind bashing something they know nothing about.

There are a lot of articles out there today like this because of Martha...

thank goodness she is here to save us and help us become upscale!

That article made me mad.

It was shared on another forum here talking about responses to the Marthas line...We can feel sorry for those who do not have the creative juices to enjoy this great passion.

Does she have any idea what insulting millions of Scrapbookers will do to her business?? Amazing and I thought she was so savy in marketing...Aparently has a death wish.

Oh wow! I am just in shock at this! If our hobby is white trash, what is baseball card collecting? or bowling? or hunting? or boating? What is ok with society and not ok? If this person would like to see white trash-she is welcome to come to my house to see how us "white trash" live!

I am a well-educated fiftyish female who loves this hobby. I am not even gonna read the blog. We have bashed MS to death, but I am going to not respond any more in any way about bashing all of us. It stinks, but I am not going to add to it. susan a

I wouldn't pay this "article" too much mind. It's a blog and the site even states that it has gossip... So obviously the site is hardly the authority on what is "cool" to be doing.

As far as the comments at the bottom. I hardly find that as insulting. While we are "wasting" our time preserving our memories, they are wasting their time surfing a gossip site looking for something to look down upon. Do people really have hate for the people who do the craft? I doubt it, but the person who wrote the article referred to the craft in a negative manner so all the posters are of course going to follow suit. Most of them being young I doubt they have ever even thought of scrapbooking. However, I bet they have posted a bunch of pictures to their myspace posing half naked in front of a bathroom mirror... *sarcasm alert* We all know it is much better to take a million pictures of yourself to post on the internet than to try to preserve memories of your loved ones.

Redhead - I really like your sarcasm, especially since you are so right!

• Fiery Redhead Said:

Awesome response, Melissa.

• ljprince Said:

I'm with you!!!

• Fiery Redhead Said:

Well done! I agree

• Fiery Redhead Said:

Sing it sister!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wowsers

I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just wish they didn't have to be so vocal about it. I would never dream of bashing someone else's hobbies like they had.

Guess if that makes me White trash, then so be it.

• Fiery Redhead Said:

WELL SAID!!

This thread and the blog make me think of the Gretchen Wilson song "Red Neck Woman"...

'cause I'm a redneck woman
I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say, 'hey ya'll' and 'yee-haw'

So I say forget everyone who insults our hobby, our passion our desire to create legacies for our families and lets go have a hillbilly hoedown!!!

I saw this one yesterday. It annoyed me. I guess my opinion is the only reason the person is slamming scrapbooking is because he/she doesn't have the talent to come up w/ gorgeous layouts like we ladies can.

I guess if trying to preserve memories for my children is considered white trash, then so be it.

I wonder if quilting is a white trash hobby, too. I guess I would fit in to that category as well.

• AnniesSS Said:

Same here, really irritates me, too. I will try to remember to look this up this weekend at home.

• Fiery Redhead Said:

Thank you! And, these type of people wonder why they are always unhappy. They just get up on the wrong side of the bed every morning.

I know, I haven't read the article yet but, you guys are supplying enough information to help me get the idea.

I think that some people just don't have a life outside of insulting others and what they do as a hobby or for a job or how they live. It's apparent that they come from dark caves in the mountains where the light of day never shines. But I digress!

I can't read over there because I'm at work and I work at a "white trash" job in the public school system where we encourage children to get hobbies, learn to read, and actually have meaningful lives. Hmmmmmmmm, I'm just plain "white trash" and I'se proud as a peacock in the spring!

• Rileysmom06 Said:

Makes me sad. Such venon. Especially the one who based her foster mom for creating something she thought was valuable....that's one angry young woman. Sad.

For the people who can't view the blog from work, here it is along with the comments:

It's sort of a top-secret fact about America that between the coasts, pasting family mementos into books and then surrounding them with decorative ribbon borders is a huge deal—ergo, books like Motif for Murder: A Scrapbooking Mystery. But the "problem" with the $2.6 billion/year scrapbooking industry is, as the SVP of marketing for Michael's craft stores tells the Wall Street Journal today, "It's not a very sexy business." Enter sexy, sexy Martha Stewart!

The domestic guru has a plan to make American's time-frittering ladies more productive, or at least to get them to spend more money. She's rolling out a line of scrapbooking products that make those cutesy little Mrs. Grossman's stickers look like such lame cheese! But not everyone is buying her upscale-crafting schtick.

In January, the company dispatched Ms. Stewart and a dozen executives to Anaheim, Calif., to give a group of "elite" private craft dealers a sneak preview of the line ...The dealers, who had started lining up for Ms. Stewart's demonstration two hours in advance, reacted positively to most of the products. But some references to Ms. Stewart's deluxe lifestyle didn't play as well. When Ms. Stewart described how she converted an entire floor of her "winter house," located on her Bedford, N.Y., compound, into a craft-making studio, several dealers rolled their eyes.

If only she'd played it safe and stuck to just mentioning the decoupage shed! —Emily

Scrapbooking is Nascar for fat women.
04/25/07 02:42 PM
Image of Glittersauce Glittersauce says:

I interviewed for a job that was supposed to be part of this "craft project". My interview included HR bragging about how Martha had a scrap booking room in her house. I sat there and lied about how much I loved stickers and pasting photos for 45 minutes. Anything for health benefits and a steady paycheck.
I didn't get the job.
04/25/07 02:46 PM
Image of Cheezus H. Rice Cheezus H. Rice says:

One of the best Upright Citizens' Brigade skits involved Amy Poehler portraying a midwestern housewife with a scrapbooking obsession... she kept household trash and made special editions, e.g. "My Favorite Dental Floss Memories." Also kept used condoms... they reminded her of "all the babies she never had"
04/25/07 02:47 PM
Image of TedSez TedSez says:

Everyone knows that the summer compound in the Hamptons is for scrapbooking. The
04/25/07 02:49 PM
Image of TedSez TedSez says:

Comment system overload? As I meant to say.... Everyone knows that the summer compound in the Hamptons is for scrapbooking. The winter compound in Bedford is for quilting bees.
04/25/07 02:56 PM
Image of KarenUhOh KarenUhOh says:

I'm not much for scrapbooks, but I do enjoy pasting words I've cut from various magazines onto construction paper and sending them to former employers, exes, etc.
04/25/07 03:08 PM
Image of Clevertrousers Clevertrousers says:

@Sayser: If that's not a nominee for the Gold Star Motel, then I don't know what is.

As for Martha, what's next? Meth Lab doilies and antimacassars?
04/25/07 03:25 PM
Image of tudobem tudobem says:

I hate all crafts but seriously- scrapbooking is the lowest form of it. I can't think of anything more lame.
04/25/07 03:58 PM
No commenter image uploaded LittleLolly says:

@TedSez: And the Nutley compound is for mandingo parties.
04/25/07 04:27 PM
Image of NobodyLikesMe NobodyLikesMe says:

If you call it "mixed media", you can make a fortune in the art world.
04/25/07 05:01 PM
Image of nonethewiser nonethewiser says:

You add some semen and Saddam to your collage and, viola! Dash Snow. Is that a good thing? I see a limited edition "Dash Snow for Martha Stewart" scrapbook kit in the works.
04/25/07 05:19 PM
Image of LeGagneur LeGagneur says:

I don't care what Martha Stewart does. She's still hella sexy for being sixty years old.
04/25/07 05:53 PM
Image of Scout Scout says:

I guess it's a safe assumption that Ms. Stewart now feels entitled to ownership of the word "scrapbook" and her attorneys are, as we speak, breaking the knees of any unfortunate soul in line ahead of them at the local patent/copyright office?
04/25/07 06:07 PM
Image of raincoaster raincoaster says:

That upstart! Everyone knows that the scrapbooking space has belonged to blogger, Christian, mom, home schooler, and ex Fats of Life superstar Lisa Welchel forever! Team Lisa!
04/25/07 07:07 PM
No commenter image uploaded slinkimalinki says:

@TedSez:
how does one quilt a bee? perverse hobby, no?
04/25/07 08:18 PM
Image of MilaBeamonte MilaBeamonte says:

now they have cyber scrapbooking. my foster mom thought it would be cute to make me a "my adoption story" c.s (cyber scrapbook), kinda like an electronic reminder that someone paid $412 worth of legal fees to become my mommy! thanks god!
04/25/07 09:50 PM
Image of ellagood ellagood says:

see flip.com girls....this will be YOUR life in 20+ years.
04/25/07 11:23 PM
No commenter image uploaded maemae says:

I wonder how Martha's press clips from time in jail factor into her scrapbook...
04/26/07 12:33 PM

• fourblueyes Said:

I feel like slapping that girl. Could you imagine how hurt the mother would be if she knew that girl felt that way?

We are hardly a white trash community. I read in one of my magazines that 75% of scrapbookers are college graduates. They are really missing out on an enjoyable time.

she also must not know how diverse this hobby is. I think it is a wonderful way to preserve my family history which happens to be as diverse as they come.

I scrap and I am PROUD!!

We all have to think of this, they have no talent and not an inkling of comprehension of what we do... If they did their homework they would know that Einstien, Benjamin Franklin, and even the late Princess of Wales were scrapbookers... white trash? Certainly not. Oye!

some people are just ignorant.

College graduate and employed by top Fortune 500 company here (and not in the mail room).... white trash, hardly.

• Scrapsaholic Said:

I think some of these people have confused the hatred of Martha with crafts and scrapbooking. One comment did catch my attention---Martha feeling ownership of the word scrapbook. For some reason, I can see her trying to copyright that...

I have decided that I will not under any circumstance spend any of my money on her line of products. I also emailed the Martha Stewart money factory and let them know that.

As scrapbookers we have the power to see her line of prodcuts fail. All we all have to do is NOT buy her items. Then the Martha Stewart line will fail.

• MissScrapsAlot Said:

Count me in. I'm so angry.

How can they say a $3 Billion/yr industry is "white trash". There are thousands of manufactures that produce elegant & sophisticated products. They should be pissed at her too for dissing them.

• Jenny~Bear Said:

"Cause I'm a white trash scrapper/
I ain't no big city powder puff/
I got tons and tons of paper
And I just can't get enough!/


That's my new theme song (sung to the tune, of course, of redneck woman as noted above) and it's dedicated to the people bashing scrapbooking whether it be in their silly "time frittering" gossip blogs or big city reporters who think they're better than everyone else.

Sing it, girls!

• Jenny-girl Said:

• weekend scrapper Said:

I really highly doubt (unless I read something wrong) that Martha Stweart is to blame for such articles. Seems to me all negative references to the craft were made by the reporters. Martha Stewart is simply trying to make more money.. And in doing so I doubt the words dowdy or white trash ever crossed her lips. Alienating your target buyer isn't good strategy...

Though, if it's as pricey as it is being portrayed to be it might turn-off a lot of prospective buyers anyway.

Hey guys here is a copy of hte email I sent the MArtha Stewart Comany -

To Whom It May Concern,
I am an avid scrapbooker who spends an exorbitant amount of money on scrapbooking each year. From your companies demenor in the attached article it is very clear that you have a low opinion of scrapbookers in general. You can gaurentee that I, as part of this "dowdy craft" will not be spending ANY money on the Martha Stewart line of scrapbooiking materials, supplies, tools, and any other thing you come out with. I will also make it clear to my family that I do not under any circumstance, what any of your items as gifts either. Overall the buzz on-line is that everyone is feeling that Martha Stewart has her hands in enough things that no one is interested in the scrapbook industry in giving ehr anymore money. Also it has been stated over and over again that the materials that you are trying to sell are not even near "inovations" as you all would like to call them, but just boring and bland. Now you come out with this article insulting the people you are trying to get money from. Well you can definately count me as one who will NOT spend any of my hard earned money on your items.

Sincerely,
Amanda Baird

I attached the article in the WallStreet Journal stating it is a "dowdy craft".

This is a copy of the response I received from the Martha Stewart Company -

Hello,

Thank you for contacting Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

We think you should direct your feedback to the Wall Street Journal. If
you read the article, you would understand that we did not call the
crafting industry or crafting dowdy: We are not responsible for
headlines. We did not write the article.

Also, if you read the article, you will see that most businesses (and
business people) completely undervalue the power of crafts. It is to
these people the article is intended. It is not out-dated or
old-fashioned to those people who are knowledgeable.

You are certainly entitled to have your opinion about the line. But we
think you're not really appreciating that to the target audience of the
article (i.e. male stock brockers on Wall St.), don't see what crafters
see. . .which is why there are so many stats in the article about what a
huge business it is.

Sincerely,

MSLO Customer Relations
marthastewart.com
[email protected]

So my feeling is that they did not want us as scrapbookers to see it, just people from Wallstreet and that is why it is negative.

Nevermind because I read your other two posts

• weekend scrapper Said:

Furthermore... in defense of the white trash population in this world... do we realize what some of the "white trash" people in this country do. A lot of them have jobs that are neccessary for us to enjoy the "american way of life" but are things that none of us would want to do.

Not to say that people who have these jobs are white trash, but these jobs in particular certainly employ a large percentage of who some would deem "white trash"... let's think about so many of our factory workers, coal miners, waste management workers, farmers... the list goes on and on. These people work hard long physically taxing days for a heck of a lot less than a lot of us make and if it weren't for the jobs they were doing life in America would not be what we currently know today.

I am as guilty as the next person of using the phrase "white trash" in reference to whatever... but this has seriously made me reconsider ever uttering those words again because it is a negative and derogatory reference to a demographic that is heavily represented in this great country of ours and a large part of them are most likely one of the many things that makes this country as great as it is.

So lets learn from the ignorant mistakes of others and go forth to make light of the term "white trash" so that it loses it's power for those who like to use it to be hurtful to others.

I hope I didn't offend anyone with what I've just said because I totally meant everything I said to dispell the "white trash" stereotype as it currently seems to exist. Things are not usually as they appear... we just have to take a deeper look... and that's all I meant. This coming from a native born SoCal girl who has never encountered the likes of a coal miner or factory worker, but who has an appreciation for the great contribution that they make to this great nation.

Whew, stepping down off the soapbox now. Thanks.

How can she expect for us to spend any amount of money on her products when she puts what we love down! She is so mistaken if she thinks she will be successful at this! I will NEVER spend a dime on her products. I wish I would have known all of this BEFORE I entered her scrapbook contest!!!

As far as the comments that people added, they are just trying to get their name out there so they feel important. They have no clue about scrapbooking!!!

Wait wait wait. Martha Stewart diss'd scrapbooking? I thought it was just some stupid blogger.

Didn't Donald Trump fire a guy on the Apprentice just because he called himself "White Trash"?

Just trying to lighten the mood. LOL.