Scrap 365 morphing...

[MaryAnne]

...into a supplement of Craft Stamper. From the email:


Dear Subscriber

The current August/September issue of Scrap365 will be the last of its kind produced in its current form.

The good news is that we are pleased to announce that Scrap365 will continue as a supplement, within the pages of Craft Stamper magazine. On a bi-monthly basis, Ali Parris and the team will continue to inspire our readers within the pages of Craft Stamper magazine, packing even more into the publication for you to enjoy. Along with a free stamp with each issue and up to the minute new techniques, skills and innovative projects Craft Stamper is a perfect read!

You will be receiving a letter from us in the next couple of days explaining the change in a little more detail.


So what do we all think of this?

[Chris55]

It's not a shock after they went bi-monthly but sad because they did have a good magazine and worked hard to make it interesting. I'm glad it's not being stopped altogether but don't think dedicated scrapbookers will buy the Craft Stamper magazine instead.
I think scrapbooking has taking a back seat in favour of mini books, smash books and Project Life but won't disappear altogether, there are too many dedicated scrapbookers around willing to pass on their knowledge to the younger generation.

[Krafti29]

Just got the same email, after a lovely day out! Such sad news to come home to. I love Scrap 365. It is the best magazine ever, and I did like Scrapbook Inspirations a lot. I guess not enough people buy it to make it worth while publishing it as a separate magazine. I hope that it doesn't dwindle into nothingness after a few supplements with Craft Stamper. I watch with interest and hope my subscription will be refunded!!

Pat

[CoventryAnn]

Another subscriber here wondering what will happen to my subs. To be honest, the style of the pages doesn't always appeal to me, but I will be sad to see yet another scrapbooking mag fold.

[wedding belle]

My subscription was taken from my bank today. Not sure how the subscriptions will be affected.

[KJJC]

A very sad day for all those who have worked so hard on it to make it a great magazine and to those of us who do think it's great. It can't always be to everybody's taste but I think generally it has greatly improved over the last few months and has something for everyone in each issue.
On a personal level, I was about to cancel my sub to Craft Stamper as I feel that has deteriorated so much lately. I'm now in the position where i am going to have to sub to a mag I don't want to get a supplement of something I do want.

[Val H.]

Very sad. I liked it as there was usually something different to try. I am a magazine fan but we are left with one now. I stopped buying craft stamper a while ago as I felt it had got stale maybe i'll buy the one with the supplement to see what its like. Will have to have a look at the American and Australian ones available.

[germgirl]

I'm in the same boat as KJJC, I sub to CS but for the last few issues I've thought I would cancel because it's just not anywhere near as good as it used to be. I can flick through it in 10 minutes these days whereas I used to pore over it for ages.
I don't sub to S365 but I do often buy it. So now, should I keep my sub to CS or just buy it every other month when S365 is in it?

[peggiey]

Another disappointed subscriber here although I haven't had a notification as yet. I won't be subbing to Craft Stamper as I think it's gone downhill. Shame after all the had work that's been put into it.

[A_M_Y]

I just saw this on facebook. I did not get the email (just like i didnt get any communication when they went bi-monthly!) and i have just checked my bank account and sure enough they have taken money for a product that essentially does not exist anymore! Does anyone have any contact details of who i need to talk to to cancel my sub? I am guessing that as they went about in such a sneeky manor i wont be able to get this money back!

[Chris55]

I suppose it's possible that anyone with outstanding months on their subscription will be sent the Craft Stamper every two months till the subscription expires, just a thought.
The email states a separate letter will be sent out in a couple of days explaining the change in a little more detail.
My last payment went out 1st May and I've just cancelled my direct debit online with my bank. If I want the Craft Stamper I'll buy it as and when I want it.

[Jimjams]

...just buy it every other month when S365 is in it?

This would certainly send a signal to the publishers ... buy CS when and only when there's the Scrap365 supplement!

[KJJC]

i think that thats what i will do. cancel my CS subscription and just buy it every other month unless it vastly improves.

[scrappyyo]

I was thinking of canceling my sub anyway, so now I definitely will. Question is how many pages will the supplement be 6,8 or ????

[MaryAnne]

I guess I can see why they do it, but it seems to be a technique that many mags use - make a big push for new and renewed subscriptions when they already know the mag will fold. Pretty sure SI did the same thing, passing subscribers off to Papercraft Inspirations. But at least in this case there WILL be scrapping as a supplement, and they are not just passing it on to a card making magazine.

It is a shame to lose such a lovely magazine. The design team is truly talented and I always found layouts I admired, every single issue. There was barely ever a clunker in there, to my eye.

Funny, the last few issues of CS I seems to have found less inspiration than I had in the past. Not sure if it's because I am doing mre of the altered art sort of stuff than I used to, so I am seeing stuff that I have already done - I have a modelling paste recipe I like, for example, so a slightly different one isn't going to inspire me, and I have done almost every sort of stencil technique and experimented with inks 100 different ways, so again, not new stuff. And the NEW stuff, like potato carving or making earrings, is not something I am EVER going to do. That's not to say it's not inspirational, just less so for ME. There seems to have bee such an explosion of new techniques and products over the last couple of years that it had to slow down eventually. But the PROJECT SAMPLES I find as inspiring as ever, the colour combos, the way things are combined, etc - it all still takes me off in interesting directions. Which reminds me, I am still awaiting my free gift for subscribing - it's been a couple of weeks and I wonder how long to wait before pinging them about it. With my luck they will run out of whatever the thing is (some Paper Artsy stamp set, I think) and i'll end up getting something I already have

I really thought when this mag started, and after I saw the first few issues, that it would go on and on - the layout was great and it seemed to address all that readers hated about SI (too cluttered pages, not enough white space to rest your eye on, fresh new designers introduced often, pages about a variety of things, not just kids, etc) but what it all boils down to is not enough people having the time, the money of the inclination to start scrapping. It EXPLODED all at once and here in the UK we went from having one online site (Scraptastic) and one shop (Artbase) and a 50 person Yahoo group to having a near fight when UKS started to accept sponsors and we limited it to 10 And we went from 50 or so people to about 200 to 500 to 2000 and on and on in the blink of an eye. Times have changed - and crafting has too.

Still, it's really sad news. Luckily I already get CS so I'll still get to see the scrapping bits as part of that subscription - and I never manage to buy a mag from the newstand on any sort of regular basis so I'm glad I do so at least I KNOW I'll be getting it.