Read the press release about MS line

What exactly couldn't you believe?

Alida

Since when is scrappbooking "white trash"! And just because she thinks she can show us how to do it better, it's now upscale. I haven't seen any of the stuff yet, but that's kinda rude! JMO!

amanda

I just skimmed through the article and I must have missed the "white trash" comment.

She's just looking for a way to make a buck.

Alida

Oh, OK! I clicked on the second link and it was a really long article. I didn't look at the first article.

Alida

I like the line about getting Michaels to 'reduce clutter' (ie. eliminate the competition for their product!) and calling it 'premium' and 'aspirational' is marketingese for EXPENSIVE and snobbish. I don't think they realise that a large part of the crafting market doesn't care less about the 'packaging' of the products - they care about the materials. I mean, how many of you really say 'oh, cute box, I must have it' when you're looking at embellishments. If I see one of the overley packaged products I might say 'oh cute' but that doesn't make me run out and buy it because I realise that you're paying a premium for the cute box/tin/jar and you can get something just as usable and a heck of a lot cheaper in a plastic bag next door.

Karen, not ashamed to be a bargain basement scrapper...

Header of the first article, somebody's blog entry.

That's what I was talking about. The Michael's clutter and reorganization of its shelves. I also took exception to the remark that Jo-Ann Stores and Hobby Lobby were too downscale. I much prefer both of them to Michaels when I shop. I'm glad neither one of them jumped on her bandwagon. I have not seen the line yet, but a friend of mine was in Michaels yesterday and did. She was not impressed because she said the colors did nothing for her. I will have to wait until I see her line before I make my own decision. I do know I am not a "brand" scrapper. So haveing a whole section with only one brand does not appeal to me at all. I just wanted to share the info I ran across concerning why she chose Michaels, the deal they made for her products to be in their stores, and the remarks about the scrapbook industry. Sandy

I've only been to Michaels a couple of times but from what I could see the ONLY difference between it and Joanns is that Michaels doesn't sell online and Joanns does (and since Martha Stewart is talking about selling the stuff online herself I'm pretty sure THAT was the deciding factor, not some crap about 'quality'...)

I cant believe what I read either, Sandy! OMG..the article does sound rather snobby towards our "smaller communities" who hold cropping parties! I dont think our small-town community scrappers will be buying her high priced supplies. I haven't made it to Michaels yet to see what her stuff looks like. Hell, at $2.95 for a gallon of gas here, I cant afford to drive 25 miles to look at it..lol I am not strictly a brand shopper either. I buy any and all stuff on SALE or clearance most all of the time, or I use a coupon. wow...i am just dumbstruck by that article...

Linda

I totally agree with ya Amanda! Linda

I'm a digital scrapper, not traditional, so I'm not often in craft stores these days. I have done lots of crafts that needed supplies in the past, tho. The author of the article lost me at

"What does the domestic-arts maven see in a dowdy industry where merchandise is sold in cluttered stores stacked floor to ceiling with pipe cleaners, Styrofoam balls, glue sticks, beads and fake flowers?"

I have to agree with your assessment, Karen. Just because "Brooks" (the author) isn't into crafts, doesn't mean s/he has to get nasty.

Alicia

Why is it that famous people especially ones that have been to jail and then come out smelling like roses and with more fans than before.. make more money then they need.. would you buy from a hood on the street? NO but many love Snoop dog and thats what he is would you buy or associate in open with a Cross dresser i dont think so but we all love Danny Bonaduce....what about our theifs we down them every day in our daily lifes and condem them yet when our movie stars do it we just act like oh well.. Just like Martha stewart she knew what he was doing and she got caught and now has a record but yet we cant wait to see what she wants to sell us..why is it we support the bad and condem the ones that arent famous and in the lime light..the list goes on and on of all the famous people who have done wrong and we act like nothing..It makes me mad..i believe in second chances but to explot on their hard times and make $$$ instead of getting out there and teaching other that crime is wrong we Yoooo Hoooo them.. i love scrapbooking but im not buying from her..she tries to do everything to get ahead just cause she can.. if she wasnt famous who would even listen to her ideas? hmmmmmm something to think about i feel.. it just angers me that there is are two classes in life..the well off and the hard class workers that do more t han the well off ones do.. just my 2=A2....it got under my skin.. hahaha......cathy

I'm really surprised that the scrapbook hobby is described at "white trash" and "dowdy". I don't think either adjective describes the hobby and feel the writer of both articles hasn't done the hobby or did their research well. I am finding it so sad how news reporters don't feel the need to get their facts straight any more. And yet they post there articles as if they were fact or that their opinion was the right one. My hope is that the Martha Stewart line sits on the shelf looking pretty and her company is kicked in the butt with low sales and has to do some real research into the sentimental, priviledged, clever and polychromatic world of scrapbooking.

Lynne

"Dowdy"??

Okaaaaaaaaaay. Maybe someone should tell that lady who made $760 on ebay for 2 12X12 decorated Easter pages that her work was 'dowdy' and not worthwhile.

Stupid journalists don't have a clue most of the time. Feh on them! >:-(