In my last post, I was frustrated at being unable to find ANY photo of ANY Martha Stewart scrapbooking product. Well, here’s something I just found posted on the 2peas message board. It’s a little peek at some of her products. What do you think? I like the packaging; very Martha! I assume the rotary tool and blade are to cut her huge 18×18 inch paper since it won’t fit in your average paper trimmer. I wish the poster had listed the prices. Also, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to go by Michaels today. There were employees on ladders and clogging the aisle so I could only get a brief look. They had about half of the aisle done. When I walked up, the employees were saying they should boycott her stuff. Intrigued, I eavesdropped…. Then they said they should notify the manager, NO!, they should notify corporate. I innocently asked what was wrong and one employee explained they just found out that employees cannot use their discount on Martha Stewart products. They were NOT happy. One suggested installing the merchandise bar across her face in the display. So I browsed best I could and – I guess it was a surprise to me – I actually liked a lot of it. Now, the 18×18 paper is truly ridiculous. Maybe for wrapping paper or to cut up into pieces but how do you even store paper that large much less use it full-paged in a scrapbook? But there were some very pretty white lace paper borders, nice paper packs, cute stickers and pretty rub-ons. Oh! That reminds me, I just heard from an LSS owner who was at CHA that, in her keynote speech, Martha called them “rub downs”. You can tell she scrapbooks everyday, huh? Well, not everyone can be as Scrapbook Obsessed as me! I even made a Martha purchase: 2 packs of memorabilia envelopes that are very cute (I will post a photo when my gallery is back up). In each pack are 3 little envelopes in cute solid colors (1 set has white trim) that have clear fronts so you can see your item through them. They will be good for souveniers from my trip to Europe and the colors will go nicely with that album. They were $3 each which I thought was a fair price. The price I couldn’t go for was $9 for a paper pack with 12 sheets. Granted, it was crepe paper and very unique. I will probably get it another time :) The packaging on Martha Stewart products is very nice, with a metal rod hanger, thick stock, and hard-to-get-into packages. They spent some money there, for sure. I wish I could’ve seen more and you know I’ll be going back soon…
Somehow I can’t see the Martha approach (18×18) really taking off in the scrapbook world. More scrapbookers are starting to get interested in the smaller sizes rather than going larger as the 12×12 albums are already a pain to store. 18×18 albums would be a nightmare.
Hi Karen – You’ve got a great point there. Mini albums are all the rage. It will be surprising if such a huge size as 18×18 really takes off. I haven’t seen the album yet but the papers just looked gigantic. I wonder why 18×18 and not, say, 15×15 or something more reasonable?
I stopped by the evening after the Martha article in the WSJ hit the online scrapbook circles. I have had a couple of days to think about her products.
I cannot see paying $80 for an 18×18 album although it appeared to be of good quality. After trying to imagine what I would do with 18×18 paper, I begin to develop a mental picture of using it for wall art. This could be a substitute, in some cases, for using canvas. With a mat and frame it might be a “good thing” – ok, I know we are running that into the ground :).
After my initial urge to bash the whole product line, I sat back and decided to give a couple things a whirl and then write about that.
Now the baking twine I will probably buy after I see if it is safe for cooking. Surely it is? If not, it will be cute for other things.
Several of the products seem to be charging for Martha’s name along with what is inside.
I heard she used the term “rub-downs” too! Apparently it is graphic design/ pre-scrapbooking term. I guess graphic designers used transfer type like lettraset before that technology was used for scrapbooking products.
see this link for “rub downs”
http://www.allout-graphics.com/
btw– I used the 18×18 paper for table runner, it is fantastic! I think it is nice they are offering larger sizes of paper, sometimes 12×12 can be so limiting.
Hi Coston – Thank you for commenting :) That’s very interesting
about the term ‘rub down’. I had never heard it before. I just felt
that her comment furthers the opinion that she’s not a big
scrapbooker, yet she comes out with this HUGE line of scrapbooking
items. And I’m glad you found a use for the 18×18 Martha paper.
That’s what I love – creativity!