Martha's out!

[VickiV]

Went to my local Michael's tonight to get stuff for my first swap. A lot of the Martha Stewart line was out already, including the new large 18x18 papers. I thought several of them looked like wallpaper, but that's just my opinion, and I'm sure there are many more patterns than my store carries. I was surprised that some of the items carried now, sitting right across the aisle from the regular scrapbooking paper, and the opposite end from her large papers were items like kits to make tissue paper flowers. Hmm...

Overall, I wasn't very impressed with it, but I don't care for her colors either. I did like the eyelet pattern favor boxes, also found in the paper sheets aisle.

 

[nicurn]

guess I'll go to m's today... I think this is something that people are either going to love or hate. someone over on 2peas had pictures posted of some of the stuff and I can't say that I was all that impressed. I'm also not pleased with whoever wrote the wall street journal article. they called scrapbooking a "dowdy" hobby. Um hello????? and martha was quoted as saying that she's bringing "new" products such as adhesive backed ribbon... hmmm funny if that's "new" why do I have a bunch already? I'm not a big fan of martha to begin with but you'd think she could do her research a tad bit better before doing an interview. maggie

 

[ddavis860]

I was peeking yesterday with my friend, who is a die-hard Martha fan. She tried to pick up the big album, and almost dropped it. Honestly, it is so big that it looks like a cartoon of an album...and no way I can see me spending $80...and no coupons on anything, not even Martha.

I did see the adhesive ribbons...looks like everyone else's stuff, so nothing "new" there. I loved the extra fine glitter, and will probably be using that. There were also a bunch of adhesives and things that I didn't get to really look at. The tools were WAY over priced...$10 for a punch that wasn't so special...

The paper wasn't so great, and was SO HUGE, I can't see how I could store it without it getting ruined. She did have some nice matchy matchy organizer things (I'm a sucker for organizers)...but without being able to use the coupon, I can't see me getting that either.

From what I could tell, the things I will use are about $1-3 higher than other lines, but the sizes looked bigger too, so that might make it OK.

Anyway, I'll be getting the glitters for sure...

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I'm going on Sunday to the scrap fest they are having just to look around.. I think the only advantage to those big sheets will be for cutting them down for swaps... I wonder if they will be more cost effective that way?

Other than that.. NO Way will I pay 80.00 for an album.. I wait for sales as it is on albums!

 

[ddavis860]

Those big papers are $2 each...and I guess you have to buy her cutter...

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Nope, I'd cut that sheet in half w/ my scissors first! LOL
Good thing DH has one of those chalk line snap thingys!

 

[Caboosey]

I was at my Michael's on Tuesday, and they had the aisle all set up for Martha stuff, but nothing there yet. I don't know what I would do with that huge paper - I'm still on 8.5 by 11 myself, but I like the 8x8 stuff too...

 

[bobcat]

Another one here that wasn't impressed. I believe her products are by EK Success, if not them then another well known scrapbook brand. The only thing I saw that I might buy was the glitter. My Michaels took out alot of regular scrapbook items to fit this in so they didn't have much else. I walked out of there spending only $1.20 on two regular priced 12x12.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Dowdy????? I'll show them dowdy!!! OH I think I'll write and email!!!!

 

[huge mickey fan]

Dowdy????? I'll show them dowdy!!! OH I think I'll write and email!!!!

I read that article and I have to say I was a little offended by the comments and I don't offend that easy! I found the comments to be written by someone who hasn't seen a scrapbook, met anyone who makes them and has never actually looked at the other products available in this hobby. I have nothing against people who are clueless about scrapbooking but I don't like being put down because I do. Martha's product line seems un-researched and over priced. She is hoping this will make her company profitable again? Well I see it as a major loss. I was open minded and gave it a chance but I found nothing I would actually purchase. Just my opinion but this line won't last more than a year.

 

[Faerie]

I read it and shot off an e-mail last night. Dowdy? Goodness that's a word that's never been used to describe me

 

[ddavis860]

I read the article too and I agree. This writer has not a clue of what a crafty person is really like, and I am wondering if Martha's people are clueless too. I mean, not everyone can convert the first floor of their "winter house" into a crafting area. People who can will be able to afford $80 albums and can hire someone to scrap it for them, and lift it.

I find it really funny that they said Joann's and Hobby Lobby are low end craft stores. That means Mike's is high end? Mike's is just the biggest, which means Martha is across the country, not just local regions...more profit for Martha's company.

 

[nicurn]

that article just ticked me off! I emailed the author and suggested that perhaps next time they wrote a scrapbooking article they might want to actually go into a store before making such sweeping generalizations. I think I'm still mad enough that I might have to email martha and give her a piece of my mind as well. maggie

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Go Maggie!
I'm behind you all the way..and I bet there are a few more of us on here!!!

 

[Faerie]

I pretty much said the same thing. I questioned if the columnist had ever step foot in a Michael's

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I'm going to have DH help me draft an e-mail tis weekend. ERGH!

So do ya'll picture Evil Maria as Dowdy???

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Can I read before you send???? I need to have DH read this too!!!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

can you post a link to the wallstreet journal article?

 

[JandJ]

The WSJ article is referenced here in an enjoyable trashing of it:

http://organizedscrapbooks.com/scra...treet-journal-outsiders-look-us-and-cry-dowdy

Dowdy?!?! I've been an avid scrapbooker for over 7 years and no one would ever call me dowdy!! How rude! I haven't seen Martha's stuff yet but her name alone will not sell over-priced and under-researched products.

 

[aroyer]

Well that article makes my blood boil. I tried to get my DH to feel my pain by letting him read it. Big mistake, he's an attorney and of course overanalyzed and reanalyzed it and completely missed my point. So I told him I was just going talk to my DIS friends about it and not him!!