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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…

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

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

popular blog posts

Kristina Contes: In the LA Times

Kristina Contes: A Polarizing Figure in the Scrapbook Industry