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Paper Crafts Magazine Closing

11/14/2014

Paper Crafts Magazine To Close
By Nancy Nally on November 14, 2014

In yet another blow to the publishing segment of the scrapbook industry, contributors of Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking magazine have been informed of the magazine’s pending closure...see below...

The announcement came in an email to contributors from F+W president Sara Domville. According to the email, Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking will cease publication after the February issue, and there will be no more print special issues from the brand. The planned Card Creations volume 13 special issue is being cancelled. All content in the company’s possession is being returned to contributors.

A representative for F+W told Scrapbook Update that the Creating Keepsakes conventions will not be affected by the magazine’s closure, and the 2015 schedule will continue as posted. Subscribers will be contacted directly by F+W regarding remaining issues on their subscriptions.

F+W had just acquired Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking in January as part of its acquisition of New Track Media. The Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking digital magazine was created a year ago (just prior to the acquisition by F+W) through the merger of the former Paper Crafts and Creating Keepsakes print magazine titles, with the newly created title being 100% digital.

This is the third major publication closure for the industry in a very short period. All American Crafts closed its publications in August, followed by a bankruptcy filing last month. Then Northridge ceased production of its titles. And now Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking has folded. The recent spate of closures has left a large hole in the publications market. The Stampington titles, Scrapbook & Cards Today, Cardmaker, Rubber Stamp Madness, and Scrap & Stamp Arts are pretty much all that is left of what was once a vibrant publishing sector in the U.S. scrapbook market.

Read here:
http://www.scrapbookupdate.com/2014/11/14/paper-crafts-magazine-close/

13 Comments

Phyllis Gross link

11/14/2014 06:30:53

It is indeed a very sad day for not only the publishing community but, for crafters all over the world. Not sure what has been happening, but, I do believe that this magazine always had plenty to offer its readers. Such a shame. Wishing much luck and happiness to all of those on staff whom are affected by this latest move in the "print" world.

Scrapgal

11/14/2014 07:10:14

Same thing as is happening to the local scrapbook stores. People are eager to get something for nothing - they'd rather get what they can for "free" on the internet (youtube) than actually pay for something. They settle for second rate supplies because they 'get a deal' instead of first-rate things from a local store....but then are willing to come in and ask "how do I do this?" or "how do I use this machine?" because the big-box retailer or the internet just doesn't tell them how to do it! Sad, but it will destroy the industry, and we're well on the way to that.

Karissa

11/14/2014 07:35:45

I agree. I managed a scrapbook store for several years, but we had to close too. People just want CHEAP and FREE. We couldn't compete with Craft Warehouse and their "tent sales". The community would let Craft Warehouse bring in all of this great product and wouldn't buy it until it was clearanced out. It is very sad. I personally don't know why stores even carry product knowing that is what is going to happen to it. People want the knowledge of how to do things, the classes, the crops, but don't want to pay to keep them in business. Selfish as all get out. I don't blame these companies for closing. Society is going backwards, not forwards and only we can change it as we are the ones doing it.

Thea White

11/14/2014 07:50:55

I am a paid subscriber until 2017! I have every print issue as well as special issues. I just don't understand. Waiting for more information.

My Kraft Kloset

11/14/2014 08:00:10

Me too! My understanding is that their subscription fulfillment center is in a different location and they aren't aware of this yet. So, they don't know what to do and haven't responded to any refund questions. But they are still accepting subscriptions, so don't subscribe.

Vicky Mezera

11/14/2014 10:28:40

This doesnt surprise me at all esp when they went all digital. I dont like digital magazines as I like to sit and read an actual magazine, dog ear the corners so I can go back to it later as I craft.

Roberta Sperling link

11/14/2014 10:45:44

I'm happy to see RubberStampMadness was mentioned in the story as still being around. It's true. Fortunately, we're still able to serve our readers with a print magazine. We'll gladly send a sample copy of RSM to folks who want to hold a paper crafting magazine with a focus on stamping in their hands.

Kathy Pollock

12/27/2014 08:08:54

I've never heard of Rubber Stamp Madness.

Debby J

11/14/2014 10:57:22

All these magazines going digital only is what did it for me. I don't like digital magazines and was sad when I got the notice about Paper Crafts and Creative Keepsakes going digital. Therefore, I didn't renew my subscriptions. I don't even look at the digital version of CardMaker magazine. I'm on a computer all day for work. I want to hold a magazine and maybe look at during TV commercials or before bed. I want to hold a magazine or take it with me to a crop and turn real paper pages.

It's sad that not only are a lot of the paper arts magazines closing but the scrapbook/paper arts sections of stores like Hobby Lobby and JoAnn's is getting smaller and smaller.

Jennifer Turbovsky

11/14/2014 18:34:25

This is so sad, However, I believe, as I think alot of former subscribers to this magazine, going from a Hard copy magazine, to an e-magazine ONLY, was professional suicide! I read over and over, in other publications, people writing letters, pleading with other publications, to not go to an "inter net only" publication. I had a 2 year subscription with Paper Crafts, that I cancelled immediately, when they announced the format changed.....and from what I have been seeing, as many others did the same. So many people where so sad to loose their hard copies, I know I was, it was a huge loss for me....if there was anyway they could go back to their "Original Hard CopyFormat", your readers would come back to you! I would in a heart beat!
So sad to see Paper Crafts disappear,
Thankyou,

Jennifer Turbovsky

Mary Sue

11/17/2014 02:27:29

The paid advertisers of the magazines generate the income for the publications, which is very expensive. As others mentioned, most people want FREE!

Well-meaning people have posted tutorials and inspiration photos for FREE on Pinterest and YouTube, why bother paying for it if it is FREE? Everything is going digital too.

As for local scrapbook stores, they compete with the big box chain stores and the mass amounts of online stores, eBay and Etsy Sellers who are selling items for a slight amount over wholesale. Such fierce price competition. Most of these eBay and Etsy sellers have no overhead and sell from their home.

Local shows or conventions are also competition for small stores. Customers will save their money and spend hundreds of dollars at these conventions (where sometimes the price it HIGHER than msrp) instead of spending hundreds of dollars at the local stores.

Some areas have little groups of clubs that teach classes from their homes or at a recreation center. They sometimes offer to teach others for FREE or how to use products. They will pool their money together as a "buying group" and order from companies, who don't verify that it is not a store or business. There is usually one person in that "buying group" who has a Tax ID #. :(

Then when a local store announces they are closing, people reply about how sad they are and complain that there are no stores left! These are the same ones who didn't shop at local stores or maybe bought 2 pieces of scrapbook paper on a credit card at a local store, then went over to a big box chain and spent $40 and used a coupon too.

If you think your purchase at a local store doesn't make an impact, think again! It all adds up! Be sure to shop and support local scrapbook stores. One day there will be none left.

June Reister

11/22/2014 16:14:05

This makes me sad. I'm a Stampin' Up! demo and I show my customers ideas from the magazines. It helps us all because they have an idea what to buy, I get the latest trends to use and share, and the magazine gets new customers (mine). I get a lot of people who want to use a coupon with me as well. They say that they can go get such n such product from the big box stores for 40-50% off. When those products don't measure up, nobody gives them new product in exchange. If the customer forgets how to use it, nobody tells them. I meet people everyday that own hundreds of dollars of stuff that they bought and it's still in the box. The person at the store showed them really cool things they could make and that was it.

I like to scrapbook too. So I used to frequent the local stores too but most of them are gone :(

If the people at PC mag are looking at these, we die-hards want a physical magazine. One that we can tuck into our bag and read at the local coffee shop, share at a crop or class, clip it to the wall above our tables, etc. I just can't do that with a digital copy.

12/27/2014 08:03:48

I dont like digital either. Noone I craft with does. I want that paper in my hands. I'm the same way with fabric. I want to see it and feel it. I never buy online fabric. Bring back paper and I'll subscribe again.

Paper Crafts Magazine Closing

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