Angie Pedersen's Scrapbooking Industry News

Scrapbooking Industry News Closes

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
I have decided to stop publishing news on Scrapbooking Industry News (aka SBIN), effective 8/25/08.  Since I posted the first scrapbooking industry newsbyte on One Scrappy Site in 2003, my priorities and interests have changed.  I no longer have the time, energy, or enthusiasm to keep posting.  There is no background drama, or bitterness, or other fodder for gossip -- it's just time for me to move on.

I will continue to post on my personal blog, The Blog of Me.

Fortunately there are others who provide updates about the scrapbooking community and industry - I encourage you to visit their sites to stay 'in the know'.

Blogs
Nancy Nally's Scrapbook Update: http://www.scrapbookupdate.com/
Angie Redhead's ScrapScene: http://www.scrapscene.com/
Michelle Thompson's Scrap-Rants blog on Scrapability: http://scrapability.squarespace.com/scrap-rants/

Podcasts
Danielle Forsgren's Diva Craft Lounge: http://www.divacraftlounge.com/
Lain Ehmann's ScrapHappy: http://knitandpurlgrrl.blogs.com/scraphappy/podcast/
Scrapbook Talk Radio: http://www.scrapbooktalkradio.com/

ScrapBiz Announces New PhotoBookBiz Program

(EVERETT, WA. August 22, 2008) For the past six years, Everett, WA based ScrapBiz.com has helped entrepreneurial scrapbook enthusiasts set up their own businesses selling traditional paper, embellishments and kits for the "hands-on" approach to scrapbooking.  Now ScrapBiz is offering members the ability to profit from photo books in addition to their traditional offerings through a new PhotoBookBiz Program.

Professional printed photo books are quickly becoming the scrapbooks of the 21st century.  According to current research from the Photo Marketing Association, the photo book industry is expected to top $350 million by the end of 2008 with nearly 10% of U.S. households having made at least one book. 

"The scrapbook industry has changed rapidly in the last five years," said Kim Guymon, industry consultant and founder of ScrapBiz. "Digital scrapbooking and photo books have become very popular ways to preserve your memories.  The majority of scrapbookers have digital cameras and for some of them, it makes more sense to print a photo book rather than individual photos.  Retailers in the traditional scrapbook industry have struggled to figure out how to capitalize on this trend. The PhotoBookBiz Program is that answer to that question."

The wholesale Photobook Biz program is offered by ScrapBiz and supported by Visan Industries, the creators of Rocket Life.  Visan provides the creative software plug-in, product printing and fulfillment while ScrapBiz provides the business support and marketing materials.

Retailers can offer their customers photo products such as mugs, calendars, cards and collages in addition to the photo books.  "The plug-in or creative platform used to make these products is very user friendly yet innovative," said Guymon. "Visan's exclusive 'Smart Arrangement Technology' makes creating a beautiful product or book easy for anyone who knows how to click and drag."

Currently, the program is only available to ScrapBiz members but will be launched this October to all retailers in the scrapbook industry.  Interested retailers may sign up at ScrapBiz.com to receive more information on the program.

CK Announces New Scrapbooker of the Year

BLUFFDALE, UTAH (August 6, 2008) – Creating Keepsakes magazine announced Mandy Douglass of Page, Arizona as the 2008 “Scrapbooker of the Year” at the Creating Keepsakes University education seminar in Provo, August 6th. Douglass was awarded $10,000 in cash, as well as thousands in sponsorship prizes from Creating Keepsakes, Sizzix, and Wausau Paper.

Additionally, Douglass is invited to appear in the Creating Keepsakes, Sizzix, and Wausau Paper booths during upcoming tradeshows and will sign a two-year agreement to represent Creating Keepsakes at upcoming events.

As the third “Scrapbooker of the Year” contest, Creating Keepsakes received hundreds of scrapbook entries. Five finalists were chosen and received an all-expenses paid trip to the awards reception and the Creating Keepsakes University education seminar, August 6 – 9.

 “We were delighted by the beautiful entries we received for the contest this year and it was extremely difficult to narrow them down to just five,” commented Lisa Bearnson, founding editor of Creating Keepsakes magazine and a leading spokesperson for the scrapbooking industry. “All five finalists are exceptionally talented scrapbookers—they wowed us with their amazing pages and unique article ideas. We celebrated their superb work and outstanding talent at the awards reception.

To enter the “Scrapbooker of the Year” contest, scrapbookers submitted a portfolio of their 20 best scrapbook layouts and prepared an article outline on a scrapbooking topic relevant to Creating Keepsakes readers. 

Founder Lisa Bearnson, editor-in-chief Brian Tippetts, creative editor, Britney Mellen, and managing editor Brittany Beattie were among those who selected the top five finalists by judging the contestants on their scrapbook pages, as well as specified personal interviews. Finalists were selected based on showing enthusiasm for the hobby, being able to inspire other scrapbookers, and presenting a unique viewpoint to the industry.
 
About Creating Keepsakes
Creating Keepsakes magazine is America’s leading scrapbook magazine, providing a wide variety of scrapbook page ideas and styles for intermediate to advanced scrapbookers who are passionate about their hobby. The magazine is published 13 times a year, has a readership of approximately half a million and is available at scrapbook specialty stores, Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Michael’s and Hobby Lobby stores, as well as craft retailers nationwide. For more information about Creating Keepsakes, visit www.creatingkeepsakes.com.

Urgent Call to Action Regarding Orphan Works Act

Via Kizer & Bender's blog, Retail Adventures in the REAL World, a reminder that the trade organization Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) urges the creative industry "to write to their senators, asking them to halt all progress on the [Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act] until it is amended to protect visual artists and to include, at a minimum, a publicly accessible 'notice of use' filing."

The CHA Orphan Works information page points to this news alert from the Graphic Artists Guild:

Urge the Senate to protect creators' rights on S. 2913

"The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008" S. 2913 is currently awaiting a vote by the full Senate. Senate Majority and Minority leaders are trying to "hotline" the bill, but individual Senators have put a "hold" on the bill. We urgently need you to contact your Senators to stop this bill.

Write to your senators immediately! Congress will recess on August 2nd for summer break. The bill may still be amended if the bill is scheduled for a debate by the full Senate. Write to your Senators and urge them to amend the bill, and ask them to vote against the bill if it is NOT amended. The Graphic Artists Guild opposes the Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008, S. 2913 unless it can be amended to protect visual creators and to include, at a minimum, a publicly accessible "Notice Of Use" filing. A public Notice Of Use doesn't eliminate fraudulent claims, but it will reduce the likelihood of users making fraudulent claims of an orphaned work.

"The Shawn Bentley Orphan Works Act of 2008" has already passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is our last chance to stop the "hotlining" of the bill before it passes the Senate. We were unable to achieve all of the significant changes to the bill we wanted to better protect the rights of visual creators and rights holders. We were able to get one significant change; the prohibition of usage of an orphan work on "useful articles" (as described in existing Copyright Law), although we were not able to get a total exclusion for all commercial usage.

The Graphic Artists' Guild has created a letter-writing portal that automatically generates a sample letter that can be automatically be emailed to your US Senators, based on your zip code.

Visit your Senators in person in their office in your home state between August 4th and September 5th during the Congressional recess, or call your Senators and speak to them directly. Go to the GAG orphan works blog at www.orphanworksnews.com for talking points. Urge your Senators to amend S. 2913 to include at a minimum, a publicly accessible "Notice Of Use" filing.

Shutterfly Partners With Big Picture Scrapbooking

Shutterfly Partners with Big Picture Scrapbooking to Educate and Inspire a New Audience of Digital Scrapbookers and Introduces new digital scrapbook style photo books to capture travel stories and great moments in youth sports.

ROSEMONT, Ill., Jul 18, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Today from the Craft & Hobby Association Summer Convention & Trade Show, Shutterfly, Inc., the leading Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service, unveiled "Digital Studio," a new online scrapbooking educational resource with Big Picture Scrapbooking, the worldwide leader in online scrapbooking education.

Digital Studio is a new online educational resource that makes it easy and fun for consumers to learn about digital scrapbooking, photobooking and photography. Members can participate in free and paid online classes about digital scrapbooking and photography that will also show them how to use Shutterfly to bring their stories to life. Class participants will also learn to make personalized digiscrap greeting cards and scrapbook pages created from free online kits. For more information about Shutterfly and Big Picture Scrapbooking's Digital Studio, please visit: http://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/digital.php.

"With digital scrapbooks accounting for one in ten of all photo books posted to Shutterfly Gallery, the creativity and craftsmanship of digiscrappers has really inspired the Shutterfly community," said Kathryn Olson, chief marketing officer of Shutterfly. Because digital scrapbooks consistently top our "make one like this" list, we know our customers are interested in further exploring this hobby themselves. Together with Big Picture Scrapbooking, we are pleased to offer our customers an online resource where they can learn from step-by-step tutorials about digital scrapbooking and how to take better pictures."

"We have teamed up with Shutterfly to launch a digital studio that will provide us with dedicated space to teach and enjoy classes for beginning digital scrapbookers," says Stacy Julian, founding partner of Big Picture Scrapbooking. "I'm thrilled to have the power and experience of Shutterfly on our side. They are dedicated to storytelling and supporting scrapbookers in general with comprehensive online services and quality printing solutions."

By partnering with Big Picture Scrapbooking, Shutterfly builds upon its commitment to the scrapbooking community, which began with Shutterfly's industry-leading printing solutions for digital scrapbookers and the formation of the Shutterfly Scrapbooking Advisory Board.

CHA Summer 2008: Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers - Digi Degree Program

Scrapbook Retailers, Don’t Dread Digital!  New Book Empowers Storeowners to Welcome Digital Scrapbookers into Stores and Classrooms

Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers provides the first and only turnkey digital/hybrid scrapbooking sales solution for retailers – including a certification program.

Fountain Valley, CA – July 14, 2008 -- Author and instructor Patty Debowski has been talking to scrapbooking store owners – she knows they are concerned about what digital scrapbooking will mean for their stores.  Will today’s easy-to-use graphic editing programs turn digital camera owners into digital scrapbookers?  Will their traditional paper and embellishment stock be able to attract the new tech-oriented crowd?  Will they be able to communicate in “geek-speak”?  Debowski has not only listened to their worries; she has created a solution.  Her new book, Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers, Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program is the first digital/hybrid scrapbooking book written specifically for the retail store owner. It provides precisely the information retailers need to become a resource for their local digital scrapbooking community.

“The book has everything a retailer needs to know about setting up digital/hybrid classes in their stores,” explains Debowski.  “After teaching digital scrapbooking for a couple of years, I've encountered just about everything!”

Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers: Digi-Degree Program allows local stores to teach digital/hybrid scrapbooking classes to their customers with confidence.  Retailers and instructors don't have to come up with their own program – they can use the same field-tested system that Debowski has already successfully used in her own classes utilizing her first book Digital & Hybrid Scrapbooking & Card-Making with Photoshop Elements.  Her guide provides five digital scrapbooking lesson plans using Photoshop Elements.  Because the lesson plans include step-by-step instructions, they can be taught by someone with only basic computer skills.  “I’ve included tips to make the teacher look brilliant, even if they’re just a beginner,” says Debowski.

One unique feature of Debowski’s new retailer program is the Digi Degree “certification” option. Local store instructors teach the classes based on Debowski’s content.  At the end of the five sessions, students can receive the “Digi-Degree Program Certificate”, which can be personalized with individual store names.  “There is a huge demand for these classes,” says Debowski.  “I can't believe how many people actually want to get their certificate at the end.  90% of people that start these hands-on classes finish the series of five, most in the same weekend.”

Low cost marketing tips and product sales ideas are included throughout the lesson plans. The scrapbooking instructor can use the lesson plan as lecture content, while also subtly encouraging students to buy additional product (whether traditional, digital or electronic stock).

Debowski’s system offers five class lesson plans that lead to Digi-Degree “certification”:

• Organizing Your Digital Scrapbook Supplies and Photos (Windows Only - Mac users substitute a class on installing and using Brushes)   
• Laying the Groundwork – working with photo, embellishments, text, and layers
• Making a Basic Digital Page from scratch
• Speed Scrapping with Templates
• Basic Hybrid Page – Custom backgrounds and shapes, applying filters, and using text paths

*As a special bonus, a free sixth class is available for wholesale purchases made by August 1, 2008.

Also included in Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers-Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program:

• Sample images of completed class projects to use in marketing and promotions
• Class descriptions in Microsoft Word format for quick additions to a website or newsletter
• Advice on effective class scheduling
• Class preparation and presentation tips
• How to smoothly address digital scrapbooking challenges and common mistakes

Retailers interested in more information on Digital Scrapbooking for Retailers, Volume 1: Digi-Degree Program can visit Debowski in the Creative Imaginations Digital Corner in Booth 1849 during the Craft & Hobby Association trade show in Chicago, July 18-20, 2008, or online at www.RetailerDigiHelp.com.

Debowski is available for in-store staff training to help retailers set up digital classes and programs.   She also offers product discounts for bulk orders.  Find wholesale information here: www.RetailerDigiHelp.com

TheDigitalScrapbookTeacher.com offers an affiliate program, enabling affiliates to earn a commission for every product sold without stocking any product.  Find more information at http://www.thedigitalscrapbookteacher.com/Affiliate/scrapbook.html

Scrapbooking Retailers Form Cooperative

Thirty independent retailers in Southern California have united to form the Southern California Scrapbook Retailers Association. The group began a year ago as an informal group to share marketing ideas. It is not affiliated with any other organization or co-op. In addition to marketing through "€œco-opetition"€, the group aims to foster success for member stores through vendor partnerships and alliance benefits in operations, purchasing, and business education.

Member stores range in size from 600 to 11,000 square feet and are located in the counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernadino, Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego. Combined annual sales of members exceed $15 million.

Elected to the board of directors are Randy Bremer, The Red Bee, chairman; Vesta Myers, Scrapbook Boulevard, co-chair; Brent Tell, Screamin'€™ Susies, treasurer; Vivian Cohen, A-Z Scrapbooking, secretary; Elaine Dobiez, Scrappin'€™ in the Hills; Camille Aiken, Ever After; and Sophia Trujillo, Strictly Scrapbooking.

SOURCE: Craftrends Magazine.

CHA call to action: The Proposed Orphan Works Act

Via KIZER and BENDER's blog:

The Craft & Hobby Association has created an informational webpage on the current status of the Proposed Orphan Works legislation.

From the "Summary - Orphan Works Legislation" (PDF):

"In briefest summary, the Orphan Works legislation gives everyone the right to use a copyrighted artistic creation so long as they (allegedly) tried and failed to contact the copyright owner.  If the copyright owner catches them, it might only be entitled to a trivial monetary payment."

Read more about the proposed legislation, and the action CHA is encouraging its members to take.

Scrapping 4 Inclusion and 'I Remember When' Join Forces to Help Children Across the U.S

Raleigh, NC, United States, 04/21/2008 - I Remember When (IRW) has joined Scrapping 4 Inclusion to benefit The Bubel/Aiken Foundation. The Foundation was co-founded by Clay Aiken & Diane Bubel in 2003 to serve children with special needs and the goal of inclusion for ALL.

I Remember When has officially joined the Scrapping 4 Inclusion program as a National Partner to benefit The Bubel/Aiken Foundation (TBAF).

Interested IRW instructors will work with Scrapping 4 Inclusion to promote the program and offer fundraising crops in their own communities. Instructors will benefit by having guidance and support from IRW as well as from the entire Scrapping 4 Inclusion team. In turn the Scrapping 4 Inclusion initiative will grow across the country. Both partners will benefit from this collaboration but most importantly, working together will help bring inclusive programs to more children.

All My Memories Store and Scrapbook University to Close

Salt Lake Tribune reporter Linda Fantin recently wrote about the closing of local scrapbooking store in her column, Scrapbook Insider: Beloved Draper craft store will soon be only a memory.

That store is Jorjana Brown's All My Memories.  Starting May 1, Brown is closing her Draper store, citing a raise in rent and the requirement of a 5-year lease commitment.

Read Fantin's entire article here.

Another local store recently announced they are closing - Scrapbook University in San Angelo, TX.  They are planning to continue some aspects of the community they have created, such as posting group projects to their blog, Book Club activities, and "Alumni" Crops.

Owners Ami Flint-Mizell and Jody Waters are currently seeking buyer(s).

It is our wish for Scrapbook University to continue, so hopefully we will find the perfect buyer to make Scrapbook University their own. Since the business has so many pieces to it, there are several options for purchasing the store. It can be purchased as it is, with the furnished Bed & Breakfast attached; or just the scrapbook store itself can be purchased, without furniture in the B&B (If this is the case, the building can possibly be shared with another business).

Interested parties should contact Scrapbook University.