Which Scrapbooking magazine will disappear next??

Last month Scrapbook Answers was forced to close it's doors to the scrap community due to the fact that it's teaching based format (as opposed to focusing on the latest products)was not appealing to manufacturer's who were looking to fill it's pages with ads for product. We lost what I consider to be a stellar magazine because they couldn't afford to operate without significant advertising dollars and they couldn't pull that kind of advertising without sacrificing a great deal of what many of us loved about the magazine. In my opinion, Scrapbook Answers got it right. Rather than succumbing to the pressure of the not so mighty dollar, they bowed out and with their good name in tact (though I really wish they could've gotten away from the plastic encapsulated publications because I always felt like I was buying scrap-porn.

Anyway, now we have:
Creating Keepsakes (CK) who is trying to answer the call of the masses by including more pictures in more realistic size formats on their layouts. The problem is that there isn't much room for them with all of the advertising and internal Design Team layouts that are featured (notice I didn't mention anything about the spreads about individual "celebs"... oops...I guess I just did!)

Memory Makers (MM) has been trying to regain it's bearings and to cater to the call for a more Suzy Scrapper friendly format. Some would call it growing pains, but many liken the magazine's current struggles to a beached whale in a tight tutu. Will they get it back together before all of their loyal customers jump ship?

Scrapbooks Ect. IMO has pretty much maintained an even keel, though I have noticed more advertising and less layouts as well.

Simple Scrapbooks (SS) has gotten a bit simpler, but has also been able to offer a little something to the reader, despite an increased reliance on ad dollers.

Scrapbook Trends (ST) appears to have been in the medicine cabinet because they have just doubled the price per issue to $15. Now if that is so that they can run the magazine without making the reader suffer through page after page of advertisements, then I'd say okay... it might work, but $15 is still $15 dollars when you're used to spending $6-$7 on the mag!

This is my focus today.
I want to know how you feel about about the magazines offerings right now.
Are you getting your money's worth from them?
Do you subscribe to any?
Do you intend to continue to subscribe?
Which magazine do you think will be next to fold? Why?

Sound off ladies!!!

Great poll!

You said: Last month Scrapbook Answers was forced to close it's doors to the scrap community due to the fact that it's teaching based format (as opposed to focusing on the latest products)was not appealing to manufacturer's who were looking to fill it's pages with ads for product. We lost what I consider to be a stellar magazine because they couldn't afford to operate without significant advertising dollars and they couldn't pull that kind of advertising without sacrificing a great deal of what many of us loved about the magazine. In my opinion, Scrapbook Answers got it right. Rather than succumbing to the pressure of the not so mighty dollar, they bowed out and with their good name in tact....

How do you know that to be fact? I'm wondering how you are privy to inside information if it's all true.

I love how Scrapbooks, Etc... gives you the STRETCH YOUR SUPPLIES instructions! It is one of the best ideas that I have ever seen. Is there any other mag that does that?

Melinda

I subscribe to Lasting Moments...

scrap porn !!!

I am interested to see the results in the poll. I want to see what everyone thinks.

I do have a comment and it's not to slam LadyJae but just an observation: usually, people post a poll and then their opinions. You posted a lot of facts but had some opinions in there, and then posted the poll. I think that you are expressing your opinions is great, but sometimes posting them before asking for someone else's can sway the results of the poll.

• fourblueyes Said:

I agree- are you sure this is why they had to close?

Unlike a lot of people here, I was *never* a fan of SBA at all. I found it boring, the layouts that were featured too complex (as in they had one photo and then hours upon hours of make it yourself embellishments tacked on), and overrall it was just not well put together or appealingly laid out. It was definitely my least favorite magazine.

I happen to like CK and I liked MM before they changed. I've always like SBE. What I didn't like about SBA were all the long, involved techniques. I like to see pretty layouts with products I can buy off the shelf, not pages full of items that I've spent hours making before I even get to the page- I simply don't have time for that!

...

that is a awesome poll!! i also get paper crafts

• Mommy2Kyle Said:

THAT'S FUNNY!

I get Paper Crafts and CardMaker. Besides scrapbooking, I like to alter using my paper and Paper Crafts offers me ideas for that. I get another paper crafts magazine but, for the life of me, I can't remember what it is----shame on me.

In response to the question about how I know about the reason for closing, it's not privy information. It was posted quite publically all on various blogs and a rep from the publication answered the loud online protest to their disbanning by explaining that readership doesn't pay the bulk of the publishing bills and that they weren't getting the advertisement dollars they needed. One only needs to put the pieces together to figure that given their format, the ads would have to be somewhat limited in size and content in order to hold true to the foundation the mag was founded on. No, I don't spout hot gossip and I try to give up all that I know before opening my mouth.

My polls open with a leader to give the reader (no rhyme intended) and idea as to what has sparked my interest in this poll. Yes, I do give my opinions sometimes. I did not give much of that for this poll however, outside of my individual opinion of the magazines since I have read all of them from time to time. It is my sincere wish and shameless expectation that all of the ladies here are free thinkers and are not easily "swayed" by any opinion, especially not that of someone who is asking for their opinion.
Honesty is on the menu for the day and this sites excellent "agree to disagree" atmosphere makes that pretty easy. I'm sorry that you don't care for my poll format, but I write true to the way my mind thinks and I am quite the loquacious little tart.

• LadyJae Said:

And fun to read, too!



P.S. FYI, I goofed and voted for Scrapbooks Etc. to go out of business next, instead of voting that I subscribe to it (just in case anyone was wondering who the silly goose was, thinking they'd go out of business! )

Great poll, I'm hoping that there will be a magazine that will fill in the gap left by Scrapbook Answers .

LadyJae I just wanted to say that I always love your topics, polls, and your well spoken opinions! IF you want to give your opinion then so be it you are the OP. It really irks me that someone always has to bite your butt about it.

*off my soap box*

great poll!

• luv2scrapLil Said:

Thanks luv for the support. I actually let it roll off my back side (and it gets stuck at the butt in question, lmbo!). As much as my butt gets nibbled on, you'd think the darned thing would be smaller... alas...I digress...

I allowed my self to be defeated by criticism earlier this year and I left for a while. I am quite comfy and cozy where I am so I think I will keep on keepin' on... I can't please everyone, heck I can't even make myself happy! I take a little something from the criticism though and I grow... horizontally... but growth is growth.

• luv2scrapLil]LadyJae I just wanted to say that I always love your topics, polls, and your well spoken opinions! IF you want to give your opinion then so be it you are the OP. It really irks me that someone always has to bite your butt about it.
  quote Said:

Enjoyed your poll - well written.

• LadyJae Said:

LadyJae, please don't take anything I said personally. I was just posting my own opinion as you had posted yours. Everyone has their own style, taste, and opinion, which is why there are so many different magazines in the first place! I, for one, am a total product junkie and I like the ads.

Interesting poll. I necer got my hands a copy of Scrapbook Answers , but I heard it was great and would have loved too!

LadyJae, I was hoping you were creating this poll with the intent to publish a magazine that would take into account our desires per the poll. If so, sign me up for a subscription. LOL. I loved SBA and would like to see a similar replacement. I like having the discs to help me out with techniques when I want to try them. Both magazines that I have subscribed to have gone out of business, hope I am not bad luck. Thanks for you post and poll.

• LadyJae Said:

I subscribed to MM shortly before they revamped the magazine. I chose to continue with my subscription and give them a chance. I personally am not a loyal customer to any one particular magazine. I subscribe to one at a time and when it runs out I choose another (I like variety!). So for the time being, MM is my choice and I'll give it a chance. I will say that I will never subscribe to CK. I used to years ago and just plain don't like the magazine. A few months ago I was given a full year's worth of 05 back issues. I flipped through a few and didn't even bother to read them because they were full of ads. I sold them on the auction site.

In answer to your questions:
Are you getting your money's worth from them? Yes I think so, because I usually buy my subscriptions for dirt cheap on the auction site.

Do you subscribe to any? As I said above, MM.

Do you intend to continue to subscribe? I have a two year subscription so yeah, I'm in it for the long haul.

Which magazine do you think will be next to fold? Why? I really have no clue but I voted for Scrapbook Trends. I've never even heard of it until now but $15 an issue is outrageous. I can't see that lasting.

• LadyJae Said:

I feel the need to respond. I am the first poster to ask how you know the reasons that magazine closed. I thought maybe you work for them or another magazine. I don't belong to any other boards so had not seen anything about the reasons of their closing. After reading your comment "No, I don't spout hot gossip", I had to go back and read what I originally typed. I don't see I accused you of that, nor would I have....but then the interpretation of written word in 'email form' can be interesting. I like your opinion polls and didn't say anything about them.

LadyJae, is correct in her answer. I was a member of SBA forum. They politey explained (as Jae said) their reason's for closing. Just my two cents.

• LadyJae Said:

If this was meant for my earlier post it was a simple observation. {it was not a bite in the butt and I apologize if that's how it came across} I personally totally agree with LadyJae and like her polls/blogs as they're very well written. I also like this forum because everyone can have different opinions and it's cools {ie accepting.} In my opinion the poll is posted and then your opinion. My opinion is only an opinion and an observation, it is not necessarily right!

great poll!

awesome poll!!

I'm afraid Scrapbooks etc will be next b/c it seems that when I have a favorite restaurant, under garment, magazine or whatever, it's just not popular enough and POOF, it's discontinued.

As a consumer and manufacturer, I really appreciated the unbiased "Consumer Reports"-type reviews in S.A. and my kind of scrapping is less off the shelf and more do it myself...so I enjoy the "how to"and not the ads. (In December there was a good article on getting the most from your printer, with tips and techniques and a comparison of a whole bunch of brands. This is stuff I need to know.)

There's a great one from the UK "Creative Scrapbooking" that either has no ads or so very few that it felt like none. Wish it were for sale here! Chock full of articles and instructions and ideas.

• scraperfect Said:

I think this is why they couldn't get the ad $$ they needed. I will miss this mag but totally respect them for bowing out.

Great poll.

I do not buy a lot of the magazines because I do not like all of the advertising. What I look for in a magazine is different techniques. I do not like to scraplift as such so although I enjoy seeing other people's work, I will not copy it. I do my own thing. I am known as a rebel because even if I take a class, I will change it a bit and make whatever article a little different and make it my own.

In Canada we have a magazine that is fairly new called Scrapbook and Cards. The stores do advertise in it but then they are given a certain number of copies to hand out to their customers FREE. It is not to be sold. It is an absolutely fantastic mag. One feature that is spectacular is that they will do a layout three times....good, which is pretty basic, better showing a better way of adding more interest to the layout and best which is a layout filled with good ideas and looks fantastic. I love the fact that they list the stores so that when I travel I can check out different stores.

I can't say enough about this magazine.

I was a fan of Scrapbook Answers too and would eagerly wait for it to come out in the newstands. The other mags I look at but there is too much advertisements in them for me.

I was never a fan a Scrapbook Answers myself, but it seemed to appeal to a lot of people. I wonder if they considered the costs of a web based magazine instead.

I'm not as excited about CK anymore. They have too many one picture layouts with lots of expensive embellishments. That's not realistic for most people to end up spending $15-$20 plus for a LO with one picture on it. I haven't found much inspiration there lately.

Scrapbooks, etc. is my favorite. I loved it when they first published and it just seems to get better and better.

• LadyJae Said:

That's right, girl! Own what you say!

There is a disadvantage to online communicating, in that words can be interpreted in so many ways. But still, people can be harsh. I posted a movie review on here in the non-scrapbook section, and I got three personal hateful e-mails attacking my parental abilities for taking my three-year-old to the movies for a *gasp* PG-rated movie. I had to ask the SB.com folks to take it down, even though what was posted was actually an excellent and respectful discussion, because you can only be called a horrible parent so much, you know?

So, keep on posting the polls and opinions, otherwise this would be a very boring site!

Oh, and I really, really, really miss PaperKuts magazine. Did anyone else get that one, too? It was so sweet and had a great "sharing" feeling about it. Memory Makers , I believe, absorbed its readers.

I also subscribe to Papercrafts!! Well thought-out poll!

Hugs, Josie

I am probably the wrong person to answer this poll, but I'm bored at work so I will anyway.

I have a subscription to CK right now - it was a gift from my SIL from last Christmas. It's not the best sb magazine I've ever read but I still look forward to getting it every month.

I'm a sb mag junkie. I will look at any one you put in front of me, I pour through them and dog-ear pages and circle stuff and all that. I love to look at ideas and products and new ways to use things, regardless of cost and if they feature the same scrappers all the time. I just love to see layouts, period.

I'd have to say that my fav magazine to look through is Scrapbooks, Etc.

Fantastic poll...well written (as always). I always love to hear your views Jae'...you seem to always nail it on the head (well for me anyway).

I am a minority...I hated SA. I just didn't care for all the reviews and how too's. Show me the layouts baby. I actually don't really mind all the ads...heck I get half my inspiration from them. My favorite is probably Scrapbooks Etc...and honestly I didnt think this months' MM was that bad (the one with the Master's). I'm anxious to see what they will do. I have yet to see Scrapbook Trends irl...they don't sell it up here.

• * Julie * Said:

I read that thread! I like dht einfo you shared and thought you did a good job saying you were expresing your opinion. Some people just trod in places where they have no business....

Lady Jae, I have to say at times I have been offended by your responses to my comments. I am pretty sure you dont mean anything by it but sometimes it comes as an affront and that is just me probably putting my own spin on what you said. I have this problem myself with people not always understanding what I mean and inserting their own tone on it. I really try to read my stuff so it doesnt sound bad but sometimes it just doesnt come out the way I intended...it makes me sad when people start attacking each other on here because it makes me think of that other site with the vegetable in the name and that is exactly why I don't go on there. I didnt see anything wrong with anyone else's posts--it is hard to sound sheepish and ask a question politely online and still be to the point.

That said, I am going to ask you again what I asked you previously in some other thread on here. If you are so fired up about all this stuff, why don't you DO something about it. You seem to have alot of info and maybe you could use that to get some contacts at the mags and do something about this. Seems like alot of effort for it just to be entertainment value for all of us on here, though it is fun to read your posts. I am interested to find out where you are going with this.....cuz it would be a shame to waste all that work adn this is some good info!!

• * Julie * Said:

Oh, I miss PaperKuts too. It was the only one that really caught my attention. It just seemed to "fit" IYKWIM. Memory Makers did take over what was left of the sub IF you paid for another year from them. It was OK then they did their makeover thingie. If it lasts until my sub runs out, I won't renew.

• chococatgirls Said:

I can respect your opinion because it's yours and I don't have to own it or take responsibility for it. I have always been pretty straight forward and somewhat cynical in my literary approach; I don't apologize for it and I tend to thank Erma Bombeck for it. I am the same way with my responses, I'm even worse when I feel that I am being attacked, as my husband says, I wield my words, not just speak them.

Be rest assured that I don't often shoot from the hip; I do indeed read what I write and armed with the knowledge that these are my opinions to which I have a right to, I hit the ADD POST button with the confidence that what I wrote was out of conviction and not a malicious desire to offend. I write from my point of view, just as I scrap for myself and not others. If I sat and worried about every possible word that I put in writing, all of my posts would read like a technical manual and my personality would not be a part of it at all. This is who I am. I disagree that it is difficult to ask a pointed question politely, it takes more effort and a lot of thought but it can be done...the easiest way would be through private mail so that the true nature of the request can be discerned between two people instead of in public.

What am I doing about it? Well good golly, who left ME in charge? Last I checked, I was a small pebble on a very big beach. I have done all that I can do as a consumer, I have put my feelings on paper and sent them to the magazines and decided not to give them anymore of my money. What else can I do? Can you tell me that?
I'm game for any suggestions and I am taking donations for anyone who wants to bank roll my destined to fail attempt at creating my own magazine. I think that any scrapper reserves the right to raise a voice of complaint, especially when we are dealing with a monster as huge as the industry. Many a battle has been fought and won with words, more have been lost, but the words have allowed many to know that they are not alone in their strife. So I write. It's what I do. If I am interested in a topic, I write. I write here to stretch my tentacles out to find like minds and to discerne whether or not my perceptions are a little skewed.
Having a problem with something does not necessarily equate to a personal call to elicit change, though I would if I had the time and resources. Writing about having a problem does not equate to wasted effort, by any majority standard. I don't think that I have to be going anywhere with my posts, you will find that I very rarely have a hidden agenda... if I have a motive behind my inquiries outside of wanting to share my thoughts, I will post it quite clearly in my OP. I don't recall there being a prerequisite for any passionate poster here to be a card toting activist for any particular cause.

So that being said, I don't know what implications you were making when you said what you just said, but I can say that I will take your thoughts and convictions, to heart if I have to, but I won't join you in thinking that I should be DOING something and not just writing about it. The written word has been devalued so much in our society enough. I HAVE done what I have the power to do. Scrapbooking is just one small corner of my very cluttered life; I give it the time and effort that I can and I take the rest of my energies and apply them to areas where I CAN affect change. Our voice CAN be heard, but only if we speak. It will take a very loud voice, not a singular one to effect change and if my posts can somehow be the start of the volume being turned up on our disatisfaction, then so be it. If my posts are read purely for entertainment value, more power.

Again I ask you, what would YOU have me do?

Lasting Moments is my fave as well! I love how they use REAL photographs and layouts from people just like me!

Lady Jae, I was just saying I understand where you are coming from. But maybe I don't really understand and I guess that is okay too.

As far as asking what you are going to do about it, I just wanted to know if you were gonna do anything about it, that is all.

• Momma Crystal Said:

I never heard of that one before--do you know who publishes it or do they have a website?

• BibleKitty Said:

I know what you mean. The jury is still out for me about the Memory Makers makeover. At first, I thought it was one of those catalogues I get all the time for scrapbook supplies. We'll see!

• chococatgirls Said:

Its done by Creative Memories. You can go to their website and click on "Our Products and Services" and then "Ideas and Inspiration" and you'll find it.

PM me if you want more info.

Thanks for the info.

Well, are they trying to make me change my mind?!?!?!?!

I just got my Jan Memory Makers and kind of like it. IMO it is the best one I have received since they took over my PaperKuts sub.

I'm waiting to see what Classy Scrapper has in store and if that doesn't tickle the old fancy I'm just going to give up on them all together.