I’ve admitted from the beginning that I like to shop for scrapbook supplies as much as I like to scrapbook. So this entry should really come as no surprise. I just got my August issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine today and I was struck by how MANY of the ads and/or products caught my eye. So here’s a page by page review:
Pg 3 – Ad for K&Company Quick-Dry Craft Bond, “featuring renowned WackyTac technology that permanently adheres crafts together!”. Looks like it might be a solution to “the chipboard letters won’t stay on my page” problem. If anyone has tried it, please post a review in comments. I seem to recall seeing it on QVC awhile back.
Pg 8 – Ad for Fancy Pants new Botanical line. I really like everything Fancy Pants puts out lately, and this is no exception, a must have. Look at the calendar page in the bottom right corner!
Pg 11 – Ad for Bo Bunny line called Pep Rally. Didn’t like their early stuff, then loved their stuff for awhile, not a “fan” of this.
Pg 13 – Ad for doodlebug design Plain & Simple Chipboard Houses. I always love DD ads because they make amazing things out of paper. This product stumps me tho’. I can’t think of a way to use a cute little altered house. Too cutesy for home decor. Any ideas?
Pg 15 – Ad for the new Autumn collection by daisyd’s. I always think of them as being very “distressed” and homey looking. This is a little different, very cute, love the colors. Go daisyd’s!
Pg 16 – Ad for Three Bugs in a Rug new Chalk Garden collection. Have never loved their stuff (or this). Too bright, too hard, too busy.
Pg 18 – Ad for new XL ghost butterflies by heidi swapp (now that I’m typing all these industry names, I’m noticing how many use strictly lowercase letters, LOL). These are pretty. I love how you can back them with patterned paper, paint, glitter, rub ons, etc.
Pg 21 – Ad for The Rockstar Stack by Die Cuts with a View. Reminds me of the peek I got at the new Basic Grey line, Obscure. Very geared towards teens and music. I love how SB products are constantly evolving and there is something for every topic under the sun.
Pg 22 – Ad for “a new Bohemia – 20 new themes – 4 new color schemes – transparent frames, etc” C’mon, say it with me…..”Hallelujah!”. By that I mean, I dig Bohemia so Right On that there is more to love.
Pg 36 – The famous ad for Martha Stewart Crafts at Michaels. You can bet there has been some discussion about this on CKMB. I like the ad. It’s a creative way to show off her plethora of products (see, wasn’t I nice??).
Pg 43 – Ad for the Holiday Cardmaking Cruise with Sandi Genovese. A 5-day cruise for $598. Unless I’m blind, they don’t say WHERE the cruise is. But I looked on ScrapMap.com for you (it’s Cozumel).
Pg 44 – Ad for Skinny Cow ice cream. See, told ya they were after us scrapbookers big time. A 1 1/4 page ad in CK ain’t cheap.
Pg 50 – Ad for a new CK book coming out in August called “Super-Fast Pages with 4×6 Photos”. I will be buying this book before the ink dries.
Pg 51 – Ad for DCWV’s new “All Dressed Up” with glitter. I haven’t given in to the glitter products yet because I wonder about it scratching photos over the long term. But this is really pretty. Love the two album samples they show. The line will be great for wedding, prom, etc.
Pg 52 – Ad for CK’s “Easy Patterns for Scrapbooking” kits now available at Joann stores. Not sure how I feel about these. You know I love the Easy Patterns book by Brenda Arnall but the only thing that salvages a shred of creativity about it is that you get to pick your own papers and use your own brain to cut them. These kits have all the paper provided and it has cut marks on the back. Hmmmm….
Pg 59 – Ad for new Dorothy collection by Anna Griffin. I don’t use a lot of her stuff but this is unique and could be adapted to more than heritage pages. Very pretty color scheme of black, white and pink/fuschia. It’s “just one of 7 new collections for 2007” for you Anna Fans.
Pg 64 – Latest & Greatest column, Spiral Punch by Stampin’ Up! It’s a paper punch that gives you “an authentic spiral punch edge” like torn notebook paper. I will be calling my SU rep next week. Also love the Starfin alpha stamps by FontWerks on the next page. A very cute font and I like how you can color them in as you like. Would like to try the Power Bond adhesive from Tombow on pg 67 to see if it really “makes adhering textured cardstock oh so easy”. I struggle with my Bazzill sometimes.
Pg 75 – Ad for Cosmo Cricket’s Gretel collection. Cute ad but I like to see the product line not just photos of adorable kids.
Pg 86 – Ad for 2007 CK Scrapbooker of the Year contest. The ad doesn’t give a deadline but it already passed (7-6-07). I feel badly for anyone who works on this now. Hopefully they would check out the website beforehand. CK knows how their own publishing dates; I wonder why they did this?
Pg 93 – Ad for We R Memory Keepers new line of Classic Leather Albums. Smart move. Remind everyone “we’re here, we have albums!”. I have noticed a resurgence of the 3-ring album lately.
Pg 101 – Ad for Prism’s Metallics line of shimmering cardstock. Reminds me of Bazzill Bling. Prism is the line of cardstock that Memory Works carries; I hope they add this soon. I think it would be a big seller since MW does not carry Bazzill.
Pg 117 – Ad for two new Autumn Leaves idea books: Perfectly Clear and Foof-a-Life. AL idea books are my favorites so I’m excited to buy these, especially Perfectly Clear which has techniques for using AL clear stamps (I have several sets).
Pg 118 – Ad for the Memory Planner by Karen Foster Design, available August 2007. Don’t know if I would use the entire planner but I like the templates that allow you to easily make page sketches. Very clever.
Pg 141 – Ad for Vertical Drawer Organizers by Cropper Hopper. I think these are a great idea, a natural companion for my CH Vertical Paper Holders. I want them for storing foam stamps, for one thing.
Pg 142 – Ad for Clear Albums by Pageframe Designs. They have talked about these on CKMB and I like the look. But too advanced for me. Maybe when I’m a big girl scrapbooker someday.
Pg 147 – Ad for….oh, who cares….there’s a shirtless blond guy with muscles. That’s all you need to know.
Pg 162 – Ad for Dear Diary journaling tools by Collage Press. I’m intrigued…
and same page has an ad for my fave, ScrapRack.
Back inside cover (yeah, you thought I’d never get done!) – Ad for Prima’s “all new embellishments, including alphas, brads and super hot journaling cards”. I love the ad, how they got a nice theme/photo while still showing a good amount of the products along the outer edge of the page. They all look beautiful, by the way.
So, there’s my ad review. Feel free to tell me what you think. Am I way off the mark or did I tell it like it is? And the answer to your question is: No, I obviously DON’T have anything better to do with my time (LOL).
Stay tuned: Next time I will post a review of the August CK issue itself – features, articles, etc.
