I don’t have time to blog today but I’m going to anyway. There’s been a great deal of discussion lately about Martha Stewart’s entrée into the world of scrapbooking and as you probably guess, I have some thoughts on the matter.
Let me just say {up front} that I spent some time as a Martha-fan many years ago, as a new, young bride and then I got over it. Under the encouragement of Martha’s constant pursuit of perfection—the perfect home, the perfect holiday, the perfect linen closet, the perfect meal, the perfect garden, the perfect table, the perfect trip to a junque store—it all became somewhat of an obsession and later, a constant source of bitter disappointment. I had to wake up and notice that life is never perfect. Try as I might, it’s just not like the pages of a magazine. Why is that not OK?
Some peas reported that at the last trade show (Winter CHA in January) that Martha Stewart’s entrée into scrapbooking was being supported and produced by EK Success. EK, of course, was going to offer Martha’s line to their own *Elite stores* first, but then apparently had the rug pulled out from under them when Martha decided—at the last minute-- to go exclusively to Michaels for the first 6 month. In several different places, I’ve seen Martha’s entrée referred to as stating that she will “raise scrapbooking to a new level”.
I can’t help it. I’m not impressed and I resent the implication that scrapbooking needs Martha Stewart to “raise it to a new level”. Scrapbooking is a multi-billion dollar industry. There are plenty of successful people building scrapbook companies of all kinds from the ground up successfully from a place of passion. I’m a big believer in doing what you love entrepreneurially, and scrapbooking is filled to the brim of family businesses built on pure inspiration and passion.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I just don’t get the impression that Martha Stewart is getting into scrapbooking because it’s something she’s driven by. I think it’s more accurate to say that she stood back and watched while this market built itself into a booming industry and now, she’s decided that since it’s likely to be a profitable adventure, maybe it’s time for her to make an entrance and “raise it to a new level”.
Not happening.
I hope scrapbook stores have the gumption to ignore EK’s push and continue to stick with real scrapbooking companies.
4 comments:
Amen Sarah!!! I personally have moral issues with the fact that she got to the top (or so some would call it) by using people and stepping on all those who helped her along the way. That is not good business, or ethics.
I totally agree! It upsets me that EK has turned their backs on their "elite" stores. These stores give up SO MUCH floor space with the huge EK displays that they are now unable to carry lines from "real" scrapbook companies. One store in particular used to be on the cutting edge with all the latest goodies but once they turned EK "elite" it's not even worth the trip now. Not a big fan of Martha and the industry does not need her "help"
I would also have to agree with you! I was a big Martha fan many years ago and now I'm totally turned off by her. I really don't think she could "raise" the scrapbooking level! I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way.
Well said!! I must have missed this whole Martha deal...though I do remember hearing some talk of it a while back. She could have said that she had some, er, interesting memories of the last few years that she felt compelled to document and had developed a love of scrapbooking. But to say that she is going to step in now and show the already established world of scrapbooking how to do it is just ridiculous...I won't be buying her products!
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