It just doesn't stop does it, CK Media no more

Not sure if you have heard this or not, but big happenings at CK Media  this last weekend. I know many of the editorial team that remains with both Creating Keepsakes and PaperCrafts magazine and have  confidence in their expertise and wish them well.

If you are interested in influencing their direction take the time to send an email to their comments line. (see below) Trust me these people are looking for feedback and will listen to you.

I am eager to see what comes out of this change.

For more info on the sale of CK Media

listen to Nancy Nally and Noelle Hyman discuss this sale and more

Send comments to

Creating Keepsakes

PaperCrafts

Read the official press release on the new owner's website

Comments

[Katy]

seriously? what's next?

[ellebee]

Ugh. Let's hope they don't ruin what's left.

[Jenny in Illinois]

I saw this coming back in January. Ya know, when the whole Kit of the Month kits (specifically Project 365) was such a disaster. The last KOTM have been been anything but monthly. I am excited to know that instead of simply folding, Creating Keepsakes will be finding new life.

[Brenda]

This just all makes me so sad. I wish CK had done something sooner, before things got so bad. I really feel like their problems all come down to having gotten too big for their britches. When things first started to go wrong they never made any real changes. They didn't embrace the internet even when it became obvious that was where the future was, they didn't really appologize when events or contests turned into train wrecks, and their customer service was terrible when things were not up to snuff. Their attitude seemed to be "we're CK and you can't live without us so what are you going to do about it?" I hope the new owner can turn things around because I'm still so optimistic about the future of scrapbooking.

[Terri C]

I don't see eye to eye with Brenda. I've followed Becky Higgins' blog for some time and I have read many chat boards. I don't think that CK has ever been intentionally rude or negligent to their customers.
I think they have always tried to stay on the cutting edge, and have taken big risks in trying to anticipate demand for their Kit of the Month, which is a tremendous advance investment to finance such large quantities of product. Who could predict accurately these days. One day the economy seems to be turning up and the next down. When problems arose, they didn't have a team of telemarketers in another country answering the phones - they answered themselves the best they could.
People are not spending the kind of money they had been on hobbies these days and I think CK has tried to provide good value.
I believe their company is based on true love of the craft and I have seen their designers and Lisa put in incredible hours and travel because they truly love the business and want to make a living sharing their love and excitement.
I assisted Ali Edwards,Becky Higgins and Candice Stringham 2 years ago at a CK University weekend, and I have to say, I've never met presenters who were soo concerned about their students receiving a valuable, wonderful and fun experience. They worked very HARD and were VERY concerned that their students went away from their classes full of information and happy. And they were so sweet and responsive to everyone they met, regardless of how long their hours were.
I don't think CK were calculating business venturers, I think they were women like you and I who worked hard and followed their hearts when it came to making business decisions.
Maybe they listened too carefully to their readers and customers, trying to give them everything they wanted- too much- at a good price, instead of being al little more concerned with their bottom line?
I can't imagine so many people would be enjoying scrapbooking the same way today if Lisa hadn't started Creating Keepsakes. People have to do what they have to do to survive these days and I'm sure the original CK staff wishes it could be different.

[Sharon F. california]

Change typically turns out to be a good thing. Makes us all think differently and become innovative. I will be curious to see how things contract and expand as we move along in this fantastic hobby! I understand that the company that purchased CK Media is heavy into quilting, so perhaps there will be some additional and interesting things done with fabric...As long as there are women who want to capture memories and tell stories this hobby will exist. My mom tells me that when she was little they use wall paper to create scrapbooks. She would spend hours cutting out the flowers to embellish her pages...hummm nothing really changes except for the paste!

[amanda]

wow this is the first i have heard of this! so sad.