The Wall Street Journal Calls Scrapbooking a "Dowdy Craft Business"

I admit I usually do not update my blog on a daily, even weekly basis. Yet there are times that I read something that just keeps stewing inside me. After reading The WSJ article, Dowdy Craft Business Gets a Martha Stewart Makeover online (subscription required), it really got me irritated at how scrapbookers are stereotyped, and how misinformed some of these editors truly are about the realm of the scrapbooking industry. Below you will find some key points of the WSJ article by Brooks Barnes, and my commentary.

"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?"

"Even outlets operated by big craft chains often resemble Main Street hardware stores from a bygone era, with oddball items stacked inefficiently in a dusty jumble. Suppliers are a hodgepodge, ranging from the office supply giant 3M Co. to a two-person company that sells a single item, Baby Tooth Album Inc."

Apparently Mr. Barnes didn't do his research into the plethora of scrapbook supply stores available. The is such a thing as specialty scrapbook supply stores that carry designer name scrapbooking product lines. The industry doesn't only manifest itself through Hobby Lobby, Michael's, or Joann Fabric & Crafts super stores. There are specialty paper lines that will go up to $50 per sheet for a silk screen print, and other hand-made papers of that caliber. My guess is that Mr. Barnes believes that only these giant centers carry scrapbooking supplies, and Martha's new line will bring order, and novelty to these "cluttered shelves". To me this is as ignorant of a statement as saying that only K'mart carries women's purses (with K'Mart being the only store you ever shop at).

"She (Martha Stewart) put her designers to work coming up with new twists on such mundane products as scrapbooks, ribbon, and cardboard boxes. Her executives went looking for a retail partner whose stores didn't look like a mess. And Ms. Stewart herself hit the road to try to woo some hard-core crafters".

"For their product line, Ms. Stewart and Hannah Milman, editorial director of crafts for Martha Stewart Living, tried to come up with new twists on old products. Ms. Milman says innovations include adhesive-backed ribbon and "collector boxes" in which crafters, instead of pasting keepsakes into scrapbooks, can create displays for wall-mounted dioramas".

First, hard-core crafters are not considering adhesive-backed ribbon as an innovation. I have a whole basket of adhesive-backed ribbon long before Ms. Stewart's line ever launched. Collector boxes must be another name for shadow boxes to display your 3D memorabilia. Those have been around for a while too. So WHAT is truly innovative with Martha's line of product?

"I'm not sure people want to bring a brand into their scrapbook," says Shelly Izen, the owner of Scrapbook Fever, a crafts store in Salem, Ore. "Martha's stuff looks pretty, but crafters are strong-willed and don't want to be told what to do. Martha's stuff seems very 'do it this way or no way."

I'm actually surprised this comment came from a scrapbook store owner. I could rattle off at least 10 name brands of scrapbooking supplies in under 10 seconds. As evident on all the scrapbooking forums I visit, brand recognition, craving and purchasing of "big brands" is huge in scrapbooking, and it's definitely here to stay. This is a completely different matter than being told what to do, or how to scrapbook. I buy costly brand names of scrapbooking products but I mix and match them how I want to. the "Do it this way or no way" is a recipe for a business failure - any business.

"It's not a very sexy business," says David Abelman, senior vice president of marketing for Michael's Stores Inc., a big operator of arts-and-crafts outlets in the U.S. and Canada. "But a lot of people have realized it's a good one."

Scrapbooking is not a "sexy business" ?! I'm not sure if Mr. Ableman is referring to the looks of scrappers or money making power of the industry. What a stereotype! I feel being equated to gray-haired grandma sitting in her rocker knitting socks. The scrapbooking industry is continuously attracting a younger, hipper, urban professional and even male crowd to this predominantly-female dominated craft. No wonder Martha Stewart's dream team of designers can not come up with true innovation in product design. Because of this mentality, we will continue to see shelves of outdated, but attractively repackaged products labeled as "innovative". Hard-core scrappers see through the facade of repackaging. I give Martha Stewart's line only 2 out of 5 stars (and that's very generous).

Random Inspiration Challenge #4

With this month being Mother's Day, I wanted to do a challenge about mom, but with a twist. I thought there will be plenty of other challenges on scrapbooking about mom, and there's definitely lots of ideas in the May issues of scrapbooking magazines.

So....this month, make a layout about the relationship of your parents, and how it has influenced, and shaped you today as a mother, woman, partner.

I realize, many women out there were raised by a single parent, had step-parents, or guardians. No matter what your situation was, scrap about it. We learn by observation of the first relationship we witness - that of our parents. Do you relate to your partner the same way your parents do? Do you use similar phrases or communicate in a similar manner? Was your family atmosphere affectionate or more aloof? Did you have dinner together? Did your parents openly display affection or were more prim and proper? Do you share your mother's fundamental view on the opposite sex? Do you have a similar relationship with your spouse/partner?
I came about this month's inspiration by looking through some old photos. One of them completely made me stop dead in my tracks. It was a photo of my parents squatting in a field of flowers and kissing! What a shocker!!! My folks spent my entire life tearing each other down - a "Can't live with him, but can't live without him" type of relationship. I don't recall seeing them being affectionate or having any tender moments between them. I started thinking more and more about this photo every day. How love is so fragile. How it can turn from love to hate and resentment. Made me think about my own bad habits I picked up being raised in this environment. Made me want to do better, be better so that I won't reach the same fate.

The above layout I created , A Field of Broken Dreams is influenced by collage techniques (I am currently reading a book on collage). The items I chose are very symbolic of my parents' relationship. For example, the juggling clown at the bottom appears to be holding up the heart. It has a double meaning for me: One, that maintaining a strong marriage is a constant juggling art; Second, the fights and drama my parents go through, with their love becoming a sad satire. Sarcasm and satire is really the foundation of their relationship, as this clown is the foundation on which the heart rests. The regal crown on top of the page with the diamond stars represent the early stages of a relationship, when you feel like you're walking on clouds among stars. It appears that this photo captured such a blissful moment. The background paper is by Making Memories. I specifically cut out the "Certificate Cancelled" to convey that my parent's marriage was cancelled - divorced. I used felt for the heart to add it more dimension. I chose grey to symbolize a heart turning to stone, yet still bleeding from the inside
The photo is the original, not reprinted. I did not permanently attach it just in case I ever need to remove it. The 2 bottom photo turns hold it in place as well as the strip of transparency with the title on top of the photo. I attached the transparency by stitching along the edges and stapling it close to the heart so it does not pouch open.

Journaling you may read by double clicking on the layout (it did scan a large image so you can read directly from the layout if interested). I filled the entire negative space of the layout with text strips creating a sort of patterned paper. I think it becomes part of design rather just for functional, practical purpose of documentation. Wow! I did not realize how much journaling I could fit this way! Two pages of rough draft notebook, and I still needed an extra paragraph to fill the space.

OK, now I want to see others' work!