CK Hall of Fame Announcement – Your Thoughts?

So, what do we think about THIS ANNOUNCEMENT by Creating Keepsakes regarding the Hall of Fame?

Well, I just read through it for the first time but here are my immediate thoughts:

1. I’m glad Kristina Contes was disqualified. I can’t believe I’m saying I’m ‘glad’ about ANYONE losing ANYTHING because I’m the kind of person who is happy for and in admiration of people like her, who obviously work hard and are good at what they do. But ~ there’s always a BUT, isn’t there? ~ she did so many things that are objectionable to me that I can say that I’m ‘glad’ she was disqualified. By her own admission, she took only 40 minutes to complete her entry and didn’t really read the rules because she was busy with her book. Then perhaps it wasn’t a good year to enter, if she couldn’t devote the time that should’ve been required of an entry that important. She said she didn’t expect to win, as if that’s an excuse for not reading/complying with the rules. She seemed to blame CK for not catching the error, instead of blaming herself for committing it. Then to top it all off, Kristina makes a blog entry that, I mean, gosh, I can’t even comment on it here without saying things I shouldn’t say. I refuse to ‘get personal’ on people and I only base my comments on what came from their own mouth (blog, website,…). I’ll just say that I thought it was inappropriate. There, wasn’t that nice? Although, in her defense, I will say that I think people were TOO hard on her for that blog entry. She must be under inordinate amounts of stress over this, her traveling, a busy restaurant, teaching projects, etc. Also, and I mean this with all love for New Yorkers, but ‘I have friends from New York’ (LOL) and Boston and they kinda’ just tell it like it is. I’m from California where it’s the opposite, all ‘no, you first’, and ‘oh, I’m so sorry’, and ‘don’t you look GREAT today!’. Sometimes I wish people would be more like Kristina and just say, ‘Damn, you look like crap.’ I digress…what I mean is that she may be more plain-talking than most and it shocked people. But I think we need to cut her some slack, especially now. I can’t imagine, even with all the positive comments she gets, how hard it must be to be Kristina Contes right now.

2. I’m curious to see what will happen with the other winners who also used photos that couldn’t be their own work. Since they have to sign this big, serious document this time, no one will let them get by with fibbing again. I suppose you could set your camera on a tripod to take photos of yourself climbing onto a horse. C’mon, it could happen! But how do you take photos of yourself running in a race? Anyway, interesting stuff to come. This is NOT over by any means.

3. I’m happy to see they addressed the HOF contest rules because there are many scrappers currently working on or getting ready for HOF 2008, and they have been requesting clarification. I just send Happy Thoughts to all those ladies (wait, I can’t say Ladies anymore!)…to all those people who will enter. I admire you mucho.

4. I admire CK for listening, for reading those endless message board posts and e-mails, for the sleepless nights they must have endured these last couple of weeks, all resulting in a good decision. As I suspected, and talked about in an EARLIER POST, things like this happen in large companies sometimes. They don’t always have evil intent and, when mistakes are discovered, it may be perceived that it’s too late to fix them. I think CK learned that it wasn’t too late, and that they should’ve come clean way back when it was first discovered. It would’ve been a pebble in the pond instead of a huge meteor. The re-issue of the HOF mag will cost them a lotta snap but I think they realize how much NOT doing it was going to cost them.

5. For all the drama, I think the discussions that resulted from this issue have been good ones. It got everyone talking about Right vs. Wrong, for standing up when you believe in something, and for how to be effective consumers who should have a say-so since we spend all our money with these companies. I was heartened to see so many who believed, like I do, that we have to own up to our mistakes, even if it means forfeiting notoriety, cash, and prizes. I was disheartened to see all the back-biting on CKMB, 2peas, etc and so many who thought this was ‘no big deal, get over it, move on.’ It stunned me that one scrapper did not have another scrappers back. It made me feel like we are a family, a sisterhood…but only to a point for some people. I know, I know, I take all this scrapbooker-girl stuff too seriously, right?

So, dig in! What did you think of the letter and CK’s apology? Will you boycott now or undo the boycott you were doing? Will you submit an HOF entry? Will you stay onboard with the magazine? With the Message Board? Lay it on me…