Not happy with the new CK

[ScrapsofOz]

Please know understand that my criticism of CK was not done with any malicious intent. I merely wished to express my concern over the recent changes in a magazine I have long enjoyed. I am grateful that the CK Staff took it upon themselves to respond so quickly to my concerns. I am sure they will respond just as quickly to the rest of their readership.

Thank-you.

[HSMom]

O.K., I must admit I was a little miffed when I was banned from posting on my own thread. So, I contacted the publisher of "Creating Keepsakes" by email, and was delighted to receive this response:

Dear XXXXXX:
Thanks for your email. I wanted to let you know that we are looking into this matter. It is not our policy to ban members from the message board for giving suggestions for improving our magazine. I’m not sure why you were banned and we are just as interested in knowing why as you are.

If the web team deemed your message board posts (whether directed at CK or not) were in violation of the TOU for whatever reason, we would not have any control over their response.

I am happy to pass on any suggestions you have for improving Creating Keepsakes. We are always interested in hearing from our reader. Without you, we wouldn’t have a magazine.

Please know that we appreciate all comments/suggestions. It is important to us to create a magazine that readers want to pick up.

Thanks again for contacting us so that we can clear up this matter.

Sincerely,

Joannie McBride

Editorial Assistant

Creating Keepsakes



Account: XXXXXXX


eMail Address: XXXXXXXX


Subscriber:

XXXXXX

My initial email:
I submitted suggestions for improvements to the magazine to "Creating Keepsakes" in a polite manner and was subsequently banned from making comments on their forum. Therefore, please informed that I will NOT be renewing my subscription. I will not support a magazine that supports this sort of censorship. I am very disappointed that this magazine would treat its readership in this manner.

Very truly yours,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joannie McBride. Editorial Assistant. jmcbride@ckmedia.com. 801-816-8369 or fax 801-816-8302.

I doubt you were banned for making comments on improving the magazine. More likely the little message board gremlin decided to throw in his glitch that sometimes seem as if you've been banned. Usually when this happens I just reboot my computer and all is fine.

[roosterdropping]

I've said this before...and I still believe it...I want to see the CK Annual Idea Book come back. It was full of LAYOUTS and I love referring to those type of books/issues over and over VS issues of my SCRAPBOOKING magazine filled with "other" projects that I really am not interested in. JMHO
BTW, did CK do away with the Idea Annual because 1) It didn't sell well? 0r 2) It was too expensive to pay so many contributors to publish their layouts? I really hate that the Reader Gallery in the magazine has about 5 layouts in an issue. I would be glad to see that number double or triple!

[phamil]

I have to say that I'm very dissappointed with CK. It seems that since Tracy White left the magazine has just gone downhill. I don't mind the ads, and even seeing the same people, I just wish the idea gallery for regular readers had more layouts. But the magazine in general is just very bland and boring to me. I filp through it in 5 minutes and put it down, nothiing jumps out at me. And the digi stuff, that's not bad if you put "a little" but to me, there are pubs for digi stuff, keep the majority of it for paper scrappers, after all, the majority of the ads are paper scrapper stuff mostly?!?!? Speaking of Memory Makers, I've been really happy with them lately, they went through a really bad time when people were complaining, dropping subs, but they listened to their readers and now it's really better. I hope CK listens and brings the magazine back to life, or I'm afraid it might end up like some of the other scrap magazines and bite the dust. They've been first and foremost as far as the scrap mags, but to me they've fallen by the wayside since Tracey left. JMO.

[okanogangirl]

I won't say much as apparently I've been very rude in defense of CK on this topic, but

The thing I keep reminding myself is that I (or anyone) can never please 100% of people, 100% of the time. Fluctuations come and go. Anyone seeking for perfection everytime is going to lead a very disappointed life.

Yes, there are times I've been very disappointed in an issue of CK, but other times I've been totally overjoyed. I can say the same thing about Memory Makers or Simple Scrapbooks.

So, with that, I'm done.

[ScrapsofOz]

I did reboot and was unable to get on this website until after I wrote my letter. I was distressed, but grateful that CK is so responsive.

The last two issues of CK have showed a marked improvement, IMHO. I like to see lots of layouts, too. I am NOT a big digital layout person, although I have finally given in to technology and am using a digital camera. I like the hands on paper, scissors and tape runner sort of stuff. I don't mind the advertisements so much, they probably pay for most of the magazine, and often scraplift their layouts, too. I am glad to see that the patterns by Brenda Arnall are on their way back. I wish CK would reprint her "Easy Patterns for Scrapbooking" as my cats knocked coffee all over my copy and I can't find a fresh copy anywhere -- including CK, eBay, Amazon and Barnes and Noble. My copy smells like a stale Starbucks, but is still usable. Bad kitties.

[isla_avalon]

Thank you for telling me there wasn't going to be a Top 10 issue. I kept waiting and waiting to get it. It was the best issue of the whole year! I really didn't enjoy the product review issue even one quarter as much. I even threw it away. Usually I keep the magazines and refer back them, especially the Top 10 issue. I believe that advertisers should be encouraged to think about the long term viewing of their adds. I also think that the new format of the mag is boring. I can get through the mag in about 1/2 an hour whereas it used to take me 2-5 hours. Definitely not an improvement.

[scrappinrn]

My biggest complaint about CK right now is that I haven't gotten the newest issue and it seams everyone else has.
I don't really enjoy the digi layouts either but they are in all the new magazines. I subscribe to 3 magazines and each month there is one that is better than the others.

[lauracub]

I also agree I'm not to happy about the new format I was looking at my old issue's from 2003 and they just seem to have more lo and ideas. they also are brighter and attract your attention

[Melissa J]

I still buy an issue here and there with a coupon at Michael's or Joann's, but when my sub lapsed last year, I honestly did not miss it! In fact the only reason it even still came at all last year was because in 2005 at Xmas I bought the 12x12 calendar kit at Joann's that had the card to send in for a free year of CK...my original sub was up in Oct 2006, so this extended it until Oct 07...
but it's changed so much, and gotten thin...don't really care for it. I don't get into the digi layouts much, and get tired of seeing the SAME people ALL the time....

I have an ongoing sub to Scrapbooks Etc and like it MUCH MUCH better...and found a site to sub for $6/year...can't beat that!