Not happy with the new CK

[genner]

I was really dissappointed with their latest issue, the ultimate products guide. Hardly any layouts. It just seemed like something for beginners. I know how to scrapbook, I subscribe to get ideas. There is nothing in this magazine for me. I am seriously considering cancelling. I'm really hoping the next issue will be better!

I have to agree with you! I LOVE getting my scrap magazines in the mail and was so excited to find this one waiting for me when I got home from vacation. Unfortunately, I felt like it was more informative for new scrappers (letting them know which products were the best investment before getting started) than for those of us that have been scrapping for awhile. I am disappointed--I wish they would have followed last year's format and would have done the "Top 10 Issue" again. They listed products in it, too, but also gave lots of ideas like how to stretch supplies for 10 layouts, 10 ways to add more photos, 10 hottest pics at MemoryTrends, 10 quick tricks with ribbon, etc. I found that a lot more inspiring than just looking at a bunch of graphs and reading info about products that I already know!

[scrapperswl]

I agree...Top Ten issues were at least ten times better!!!
Wendy

[tomocus]

I also hate to agree with you. I haven't had a subscription in quite a while now because I always see the current month on the stand Loooooooooong before I receive mine in the mail. So I just started buying them off the stand so I could get them earlier. I have noticed recently that I flip through it at the stand and put it down because nothing catches my eye. My biggest complaint is the size of the l/o. You can't really see the details and you really cannot read the journaling. The journaling is what inspires me to think differently about some of the pics I have not scrapped yet. Plus, I just like to know the story behind pictures. I try to scrap in a way that tells the story.

I too am hoping CK is not offended by our comments but will look at it as ways to improve and "keep the customer coming back for more".

[carkareokequeen]

i'm with you on the journaling! i love to read the journaling but it seems lately they havn't been enlarging it so you can read it Beth

[scrappycook]

I just finished flipping through the latest issue and here is my take.

I wish they had made this a special issue that did not come with the regular subscription but could be picked up in stores - kind of like the Martha Stewart Weddings issues.

This issue was geared solely toward the new scrapbooker and though it had some great info, I buy my scrabooking magazines for the layouts! I want to see as many layouts as possible (with journaling I can read!) and tips and techniques. I do not keep my old issues, I tear them apart and put the layouts I want to scraplift into a binder. This issue I will end up giving away to someone starting out as there were only about 3 layouts in the whole issue!

[PocketfulOfPaper]

I always enjoy looking at scrapbooking magazines, but have been disappointed lately in the # of pages. I had magazines from back in 2004 and their average # of pages was 220 or more, they are lucky to get half the # of pages now. That is my biggest gripe, otherwise I still enjoy the magazine, and I will always love Jennifer Maguire's column.

[Lilymama]

I too am hoping CK is not offended by our comments but will look at it as ways to improve and "keep the customer coming back for more".

I haven't seen the new issue yet, but I have noticed some changes lately. I wanted to point out that CK has made some obvious changes based on all our feedback. You no longer see a full page picture of Ali E leading into her article - in fact lots of the big "lifestyle" shots that used to be in there are gone. So are a few articles like "Organize it" and "Easy Patterns" - based on our replies to Erin's question here on the MB.

Funny thing is that I now find it harder to read - one page/article just blends in with the next - and I totally agree with you about not being able to read the journalling. I understand if there's a ton of tiny journalling that I can't read on one or two LOs, but when I can hardly read ANYTHING, that's a problem.

I say keep the suggestions coming - they are obviously listening and want our feedback/support.

[ali_bl]

Here´s my .02
there are things I like about the new CK (the inspiration colum, I LOVE "paper or digital", for me the best of the new stuff) so overall I´d say the new mag is OK, but I feel like the magazine has take a new direction by showing more altered art, and honestly, I´m not feeling that, I subscribe to a scrapbook magazine, I want my scrapbook pages. I love alterations but I think it takes precious magazine space that should be devoted to LO´s, even the cover of february was a altered box!

Which leads to my other complaint, I don´t want people or projects on the cover, scrapbook pages it´s all I want to see and the first enjoyment when you receive the magazine in the mail.

I´ve also noticed (and this is the same for the old and the new mag) that the cover can be quite misleading towards the content, case in point: january´s TUNE UP YOUR CAMERA, which turned out to be just a tiny box at the end of another article and not an article itself. I´m not saying it happens in every issue, but it does happen now and then.

Last but not least, do we really need TWO whole pages devoted to histories about how readers met their spouses? or how they started scrapping? those pages should be used to portray the work of all the amazing talent of the HOFers and SOY and SOY finalists.

So, for me, it all boils down to not enough LO´s and way to much space devoted to less interesting content. I also disagree with the policy towards the selection of LO´s for the reader column gallery, but that is a whole different subject.

I don´t feel bad saying what I dislike about the mag because it is up to us (hardcore fans of the magazine) to tell what can be improved, what we are not quite happy about and what we love so that it is better each month.

Alina

[4guysandagirl]

I've also not been as inspired with the new issues. I love Candice's article and I love when they do a digital page and also show you how to do it traditionally, but I am not saving many pages for future reference. There's alot of reading where I'd rather see more LO's. As far as the product guide, it says special issue and that's what I'm taking it for. I'm expecting to see my Mar. CK any day now. Hope I'm not dissappointed.

[croppindiva]

What I have noticed is that is a lot of "filler" that I could really kind of do without. I dont buy the mag so that I can read long articles. I do enjoy a short little inspiration piece, but bigger scrap pages and less words would really improve CK's new style in my opinion.