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Kristina Contes

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No More Coupons on Books & Magazines at Michaels :(

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I guess I heard about this a while back, but it didn’t really register in my scrapbrain because I wasn’t looking for any particular publication at the time. But now it has really hit me….You can’t use your Mike’s COUPON on books and magazines anymore. WTF?

Prediction: This will put a big hurt on the sales of scrapbooking idea books and magazines. A great number of us have been using our Mike’s coupons for years to purchase them at a price we can afford. And like I said HERE, I make a special trip to Mike’s when I hear that a new scrap mag issue or book has come out. While I’m there I always hit the scrapbooking aisle to grab 1 item…or 10. So, not only did they just lose my book/magazine purchase, but they lost all my extra trips into their store where I purchased other items every.single.time. Dumb, PEOPLE, just dumb. I have it on good authority {okay, it’s just the 2peas girlz, but pretend I have really good, TMZ-type underground connections}, that there is a rather large mark-up on books and magazines. So even if they’re selling them to us at 40% or 50% off with our coupons, they’re still making money. C’mon, Michaels, drop the stupid “no publications” policy. Just say “no returns” on the coupon instead (so we can’t color copy our favorite pages, then return them to the store for a refund) and everyone is happy.

God, who runs these companies anyway? I need a promotion. If ScrapbookObsession ran the world, it would be a MUCH better place, don’t you think? Let’s seeeeee….I would make EILEEN my Vice President because she is a rockin’ scrapper and appreciates fine MUSIC. I would make ALI EDWARDS my Secretary of State, because that chick could sell grungeboard to TIM HOLTZ. Anything she says or does….sells HUGE. Um, I would make KRISTINA CONTES my Chief of Staff because she takes shit from no one. It gets rowdy up in the hizzy sometimes, so I need someone with her huevos. And I would appoint STACY JULIAN as the Foreign Ambassador of Scrapbooking because she’s Altogether Too Happy; her sunny smile and cute shoes would spread the scrapbook joy across the world in record time. Yep, that’s a winning ticket!

{YES. It’s Friday night. NO. I have

    not

been drinking}.

What do you think…no, not about my Presidential cabinet, silly! About the stinky new Mike’s policy?

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Blog Comments That Touch My Heart ;)

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Here’s my all time favorite. It was left today on a year-old POST about the whole Kristina Contes controversy.

“you’re a loser to care so much about something so minimal in our world today. get a life. ”
From obsess on Kristina Contes: In the LA Times #

I guess there are a lot of us ‘losers’ out there, because my Kristina Contes posts are still often among the Top 10 most clicked on (that’s out of 338 total posts so far on my blog). Shame on us for caring so much! We need to get a life. I mean it. Off with you! Go get a life right now!

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What the New Blog Stats Reveal…

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Behind the scenes where you can’t see, WordPress just made a bunch of changes. My dashboard looks completely different and I’m still finding my way around. So far, the changes seem to be good ones. Here are a couple of interesting things I found in a new part of my Blog Stats section:

    Top Posts

Kristina Contes Speaks (Maybe She Shouldn’t Have?), 5,362 views
Scrapbooking Organization: Mission Accomplished, 4,410 views
Cricut Design Studio Software, 4,039 views

In other words, of all the posts I’ve written, these are the Top 3 most clicked on.

Also:

    Top Searches

Fiskars Threading Water Punch, Scrapbook Organization, Threading Water Punch

These are the most common terms you all were searching when you linked here.

So, how long has it been since the Kristina Controversy? And I kid you not, DAILY I see that there are readers still finding me from searching her name, and then reading that post. (Although I wrote several where her name is mentioned, this is the one that gets all the attention. My poor other Kristina posts feel bereft and unwanted…).

I think the Fiskars Threading Water punch wins the award for the Best Frenzy Item EVER. I know it’s still the talk of CKMB, with a lot of scrappers finding one of these sought-after punches …. and many still searching. And I’m not surprised there’ve been so many searches for Scrapbook Organization, as that is a topic near and dear to all scrappers hearts.

Thanks for all the “hits” and all the comments you leave and please keep coming back!

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Kristina Contes: In the LA Times

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So I’m checking my blog this lazy Saturday morning, reading some nice comments left by my bud Dettao from CKMB, then click over to check my blog stats because, as I’ve said, I like to see which topics get you reading and commenting. When what to my wondering eyes should appear but a huge stat count for today, though it’s only morning here, and tons of clicks on the entry KRISTINA CONTES SPEAKS (MAYBE SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE?). Hmmm….bizarre…wrote that one way back in October ’07…still gets clicks almost every day…but over 300 on a Saturday morning?? Is WordPress messing with me…did my stat counter break…is someone’s enter key stuck and it clicked that article 299 times??

So I go check out CKMB ~ because that’s the best place to find out about ANYTHING that’s going on in scrapping, and I’m talking up-to-the-minute stuff ~ and of course, lovely BRIGHTSY (check out the thread just to see her siggie line; it’s my favorite ever) solved the mystery for me. As explained in this CKMB THREAD, there was an article in LA TIMES dated today, called A SCRAPBOOK CAREER IN SHREDS. OK, mystery solved…looks like it’s actually NOT over, and we’re going to start talking about KRISTINA CONTES…again. And I apologize if you’re one of the many who says, “Jeez, we’re tired of the whole CK Hall of Fame and Kristina Contes issue.” But if 300 scrapbookers on a slow Saturday morning want to know more about Kristina, I’m gonna’ write about it, provide some background, and invite all comments. Because for whatever reason, people wanna talk about it.

For those who might be new to the issue ~ grab a cup of coffee, get on your comfy sweats, and read THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS and THIS. Then come back here and read ~ the LA TIMES ARTICLE. Ok, we’re all caught up now, we’re on the same page, now let’s discuss…

First of all, Big Snaps to Kristina for getting scrapbooking in the LA Times! I’m always mystified about how we’re still this underground thing, this little enclave restricted to 5 magazines, the internet, and the occasional online article. Why are we given just scraps (forgive the expression) of a mention on television, mainstream magazines, etc.? Gadzooks, there’s now a scrapbooker in 1 of every 3 households! Throw us a bone, people!

As for the LA Times article itself, I’m with Kelli on CKMB…I’m very suspicious about why it’s been written about 3 months after the fact? And why both the Newsweek and LA Times articles are clearly from the Kristina slant, with quotes from Ms. Contes herself? I mean, she’s clearly generating this, right? And even if she’s not seeking them out, she could surely say “no thanks” when they ask to interview her. If I were tired of being scrutinized, tired of being called horrible names from fat, old lady, out of touch, “snowflake stencil”-using scrapbookers, I would just let it lie and go on with my life. Is it just me or she kinda contradicting herself?

And when you say things like: “They’re from the Stepford wife kind of mind-set…You’re doing something different, you must be evil,” you’re going to majorly upset some people, KC. I don’t think I’ve ever once criticized her scrapbooking; in fact, I’ve complimented her talent as have many others. I have always enjoyed her style, visited her blog well before this ‘scandal’ started, and admired her photography and art talents. It’s not my style of scrapbooking, but she has a definite uniqueness that I APPRECIATE, not criticize. Just for the record, my only criticism has ever been that CHEATING IS WRONG. The end. Whether you intended to, were in too much of a hurry to check the rules, or someone else (like a major scrapbook magazine) helped you break the rules, you still broke the rules. You should pack up your Legos and go home. And apologize before you leave. By all means, we forgive you and keep playin Legos with us, but don’t THROW the legos at us (Ouch, Kristina, that hurts! Play nice, like your momma taught you). But it seems to me you don’t have articles written in a national newspaper 3 months after the fact and then complain that no one will leave you alone. Or criticize people and expect them not to lash back.

Okay, I have to go clean the house now before DH gets home. Oh, and I’m going to do some scrapbooking with my “teddy bear stamps,” “foam stickers and glossy glitter glue.” And some Martha Stewart 18×18 paper. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this article in the future (wink).

So this drama has been going on since October 2007. Why are we so fascinated? Tell us what you think…c’mon, I Effer Dare ya…

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Kristina Contes: A Polarizing Figure in the Scrapbook Industry

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I think Blog Stats are very compelling reading, and they’re something I look at every day.  I’m so interested to see how people find my blog, which search terms they used, what other blogs they linked over from, and which of my posts are getting clicked on. It won’t surprise you when I say that the more controversial the figure or topic, the more traffic it gets.  This would include Martha Stewart, for instance, whom I wrote about HERE , HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.  The most hits I’ve had in one day EVER {559} were when Martha Products Coming to Michaels and Martha Calls Scrapbookers Trailer Trash (well, I paraphrase…) were the topics we were all talking about.  But the Martha talk has died down, although the MS posts do still get a steady stream of traffic.  Another old standby on my blog is anything having to do with Scrapbook Organization.  Again, not surprising, right?  We’ve all been scrapping long enough that we’ve accumulated LSS-sized stashes and we need to know how to organize it all. 

But since I started blogging in January 2007, the controversy to beat all controversies has been the Kristina Contes / CK Hall of Fame 2007 scandal.  Back when I was writing about it (see HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE)…even then, I talk about how obsessed I was with it all.  I literally couldn’t fall asleep easily for a couple of nights just running the situation through my head, trying to decide how I felt about things, and how I was going to write about it.  We had some good comments about it, and I’ve done an update on the situation when decisions about HOF were made by CK and other fallout (see HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE).  The feeling I was getting from the message boards at the time (I frequent CKMB and 2PEAS) was that, within a month or so, everyone was kind of tired of the issue and the majority wanted to move on.  So I did… 

Never forget:  I’m here for YOU.  I got yo’ back.  We on the same page, girlfriend! 

So imagine my surprise as each day goes by and 2 months later “Kristina Contes” and “CK HOF Scandal” and “Kristina Contes blog” are still the most popular search terms for incoming traffic to my blog.  And that the posts about KC and HOF are at the top of the Most Popular Posts list.  Here are the Top 10 posts of the last 30 days:   

Post Title & Number of Views

 

  1. Kristina Contes Speaks (Maybe She Shouldn’t Have?) :  767
  2. Scrapbooking Organization: Mission Accomplished:  364
  3. Are You Making Christmas Cards This Year?:  324
  4. Grungeboard by Tim Holtz:  307
  5. Martha Stewart’s Craft Room…It’s A Good Thing:  295 
  6. CK Hall of Fame 2007 & The Drama That Ensued:  218 
  7. Acrylic Albums: I’m Skird:  160
  8. Wicked Cool Scrapbook Website:  158
  9. Michaels: Ban Lifted on Coupons for Martha Stewart:  149
  10.  Video Tour of a Very Organized Scrapbook Room:  138

Keep in mind, those are the Top 10 out of 203 total posts.  Yesterday (12-6-07), the entry KRISTINA CONTES SPEAKS (MAYBE SHE SHOULDN’T HAVE?) got 100 hits!  Out of 394 total hits for the day, and two months after the post was written.  I haven’t been to her blog recently, but I decided to click on over to KRISTINA CONTES BLOG to see what’s the haps with her these days.  And here is the message I was so rudely greeted with:

“This blog is open to invited readers only

https://soundsofscience.blogspot.com/

If you are a reader of this blog, tell us who you are! Sign in using your Account.”

So there!

So maybe it’s just me getting that message ‘cuz I’m on her shit list for not praising her in Comments about how totally cool she still is or how she ROCKS! or how she shouldn’t let those lame shut-in jealous scrapbookers get her down.  But, obviously, I’m not going to “invite myself” to her blog.  I mean, unless something else really juicy happens and I need to log on so I can get the 4-1-1 for you (possible blog-crash worthy headlines:  “Former CK HOF Takes Hostages on New York Subway” or “Kristina Contes:  I’m as Famous as God”; you know, something like that…).

 ETA 12/10/07:  Okay, NOW they’re talkin’ about this on 2Peas.  About how her blog is now Invite Only, whether the HOF was a big deal or not, did she bring it on herself, and should we just leave her alone already???  Here’s the LINK. 

Do you recognize anything in the title of this post?  Yep, it’s one way Kristina describes herself.  So, do you still Kare about Kristina?  Why do you think I’m still getting so many hits on this topic?  What are your polarizing (or normal) thoughts on the matter?

 

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