artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,395 
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Post by artbabe on Jul 20, 2020 14:25:56 GMT
I noticed today that the American Crafts blog hasn’t been updated for nearly a month. Prior to that, it was updated every 2-3 days. I wonder what’s going on over there? That is scary. If they go out of business, so does 1/2 the scrapping industry. But they ditched Shimelle and it looks like they are abandoning Pink Paislee, so I bet there are some financial issues. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jul 20, 2020 14:38:08 GMT
I noticed today that the American Crafts blog hasn’t been updated for nearly a month. Prior to that, it was updated every 2-3 days. I wonder what’s going on over there? That is scary. If they go out of business, so does 1/2 the scrapping industry. But they ditched Shimelle and it looks like they are abandoning Pink Paislee, so I bet there are some financial issues. Isn't this simply due to the DT fiasco with no Black crafters? Their 2019-2020 DT team has officially finished working and they had to add in several weeks after the backlash so they could come up with a more multicultural DT. There was not enough wiggle room. The 2020-2021 DT hasn't been announced yet so I bet they're stuck in limbo for blog projects to showcase until then. Once the new DT is finally chosen (Victoria Marie only applied in the last couple of weeks, didn't she?), they still need to ship the boxes of products and wait until the members have finished their first projects before the blog can pick up again. AC is doing just fine (besides the DT scandal). They signed Paige Evans in lieu of Pink Paislee. They added Damask Love, BoBunny and DCWV in the past 24 months (ish). They're not in trouble (just yet). I don't think Pink Paislee cost them much either. We never see anyone behind the scenes from PP, it's pretty much AC's brand at this stage. They're just done with the aesthetic. |
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Post by scrapcat on Jul 20, 2020 15:25:40 GMT
I’m probably in the minority in that I truly love Pebbles Inc and hope they never get rid of it. And every one of the Pebbles Jen Hadfield lines is always a “buy it all” for me. Many of my favorite lines of all time have been Pebbles. I have to say I only recently discovered Pebbles and Jen Hadfield. I didn't even realize it was American Crafts until I received a pack of stickers and saw the back. I also really love her designs and collections and find them more diverse and realistic than others. I also have recently been more into Vicki Boutin. One thing I noticed tho, some of her "newer" lines are already discontinued or not restocked places. Not sure what that is about?! Maybe they weren't selling that great. I just appreciate her deeper color tones, a little more richness. I also think Heidi Swapp has somehow been able to keep her lines a little different and separate, prob bcz she is a brand of her own too. AC def does repeat themes a lot tho. I feel like it's a little hard to totally avoid them since they are so expansive, but I try to if I can. |
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Post by susancinpa on Jul 20, 2020 15:52:11 GMT
I'm obviously not their target audience as most of their lines just don't appeal to me/work with my photos. The AC brands that I do lean toward are Pink Paislee, Crate Paper, Heidi Swapp & some Pebbles. However, I found that I've been less drawn to Pink Paislee & Crate Paper since they became part of AC. When I do buy AC outside of these lines, it's usually Thickers or embellishments. I hardly buy any of the papers.
While Shimelle's lines didn't work for me, I am sad to see that she's gone.
Damask Love sounded like a line I would really be drawn to, but it looks nothing like what I envisioned from the name.
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cbscrapper
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,480
Member is Online
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Post by cbscrapper on Jul 21, 2020 3:56:43 GMT
The only things I buy from AC are thickers and the big packs of cardstock (mostly white and black). I would buy albums if they still made them (AC or WRMK or even PL). I also bought Shimelle after seeing what craftymom101 did with them. Too much pink and donuts and tigers, as someone else said, and too samesies. I am much happier spending my money on Cocoa Vanilla Studios, EP/CB, SS, and Elle’s Studio. |
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allou
Shy Member
Posts: 34
Aug 3, 2019 6:16:02 GMT
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Post by allou on Jul 21, 2020 4:54:04 GMT
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Post by rune2484 on Jul 22, 2020 16:09:01 GMT
Yeah, the full line of albums is still in their new catalog as of January. They seem to manufacture them in batches by color every year or so. So the albums periodically go out of stock and it looks like they are phasing them out only to have them limp back onto the market a color or two at a time. I know they also manufacture the Recollections 12x12 D-ring albums and I suspect they also manufacture the Scrapbook.com albums too. With these extra wholesale orders to fill WeR could be stretched too thin to keep up with the demand of their own line. I'm not worried that the line of albums are being phased out, but I am definitely stocking up on the colors I like when I find them on sale. I don't trust that they won't decide one day to narrow their color offerings. As is I've already missed out on their ombre colors and silver albums. |
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Post by peasandthanku on Jul 23, 2020 19:45:04 GMT
I think American Crafts also owns WRMK? Yep and now WRMK no longer make scrapbook lines, page protectors or albums, just tools. As a store owner this sent me in a complete tizzy as we hadn't heard anything....which AC is notorious for so I did do some investigating. Very happy to tell you they are still doing albums and page protectors (whew). |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jul 23, 2020 19:51:36 GMT
Yep and now WRMK no longer make scrapbook lines, page protectors or albums, just tools. As a store owner this sent me in a complete tizzy as we hadn't heard anything....which AC is notorious for so I did do some investigating. Very happy to tell you they are still doing albums and page protectors (whew). Are you sure they are still manufacturing those? Their website only has a few 12x12 albums left, ditto for the Photo Sleeve designs. I've not heard anything about new WRMK colours/patterns coming out for the albums in years. 2016 was the last year they had a big album release (the ombre shades). It looked to me like they are running off what they have in stock rather than producing but I could be wrong. |
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Post by Night Owl on Jul 23, 2020 19:59:32 GMT
now WRMK no longer make page protectors or albumsDamn you American Crafts! (shaking fist up at the sky) |
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Post by peasandthanku on Jul 23, 2020 20:06:53 GMT
As a store owner this sent me in a complete tizzy as we hadn't heard anything....which AC is notorious for so I did do some investigating. Very happy to tell you they are still doing albums and page protectors (whew). Are you sure they are still manufacturing those? Their website only has a few 12x12 albums left, ditto for the Photo Sleeve designs. I've not heard anything about new WRMK colours/patterns coming out for the albums in years. 2016 was the last year they had a big album release (the ombre shades). It looked to me like they are running off what they have in stock rather than producing but I could be wrong. Yes - spoke to my sales rep and was told this WRMK 12x12 D Ring Album sales are actually on the rise! So while this may mean we are out of stock on some colors at that moment, they are all on reorder to try and keep up with our demand. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Jul 23, 2020 20:09:46 GMT
Are you sure they are still manufacturing those? Their website only has a few 12x12 albums left, ditto for the Photo Sleeve designs. I've not heard anything about new WRMK colours/patterns coming out for the albums in years. 2016 was the last year they had a big album release (the ombre shades). It looked to me like they are running off what they have in stock rather than producing but I could be wrong. Yes - spoke to my sales rep and was told this WRMK 12x12 D Ring Album sales are actually on the rise! So while this may mean we are out of stock on some colors at that moment, they are all on reorder to try and keep up with our demand. Great news!  Now if they could bring back 6x12... |
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pancakes
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,002
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Post by pancakes on Jul 24, 2020 18:19:48 GMT
ETA: Ha, wrong AC thread.
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Post by scrappydo on Jul 24, 2020 23:35:01 GMT
I went through a bargain box of papers in a shop at an event recently. They had old style pink paisley... so So SO many of those papers came home with me... the old aesthetic ...and the quality of the actual paper... I miss the original version of PP
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thenonna
New Member
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Post by thenonna on Aug 16, 2020 18:17:31 GMT
I love Shimelle. Even though some of the papers got too cutesy for me, I could always mix in her B-sides, florals & accessories onto my layouts. And there’s diversity in each new release. I also loved that she used her lines on her social media accounts - a true scrapbooker. I stopped buying Dear Lizzy years ago - mainly because her social media only showed her using when it was release time. I would do the same with Amy Tangerine but like her style. Kinda hate Bo Bunny so that could definitely go. Maggie Holmes has a definite style but it’s gotten where every release looks the same - time to retire. Vicki’s stuff is definitely fun! So yeah, Maggie Holmes, Dear Lizzy, Bo Bunny should go & Shimelle should comeback!
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Post by scrappieannie on Aug 19, 2020 4:49:20 GMT
I have been a bit out of the loop, but what happened to Bo Bunny? Back when I used to scrapbook regularly (8 years ago?), I loved the style. Bright and whimsical with a little faux distressing. I stocked up and even applied to the design team (didn't make it). Now, it seems completely different: more vintage-inspired, muted, and heavily distressed. I'm sure that works for a lot of people, but it is no longer something I'm interested in buying. And I'm just baffled at how it evolved so drastically. Anyway, so that's my vote on what can go. I like Amy Tangerine for the bright, whimsical factor, so I guess I'm an outlier on that. Hahaha. I also love Crate Paper and Pebbles.
I have noticed that American Crafts products are all over Zulily lately, and I've wondered if they are dumping a lot of product. Financial reasons? Making room for new inventory?
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Post by cecilia on Aug 19, 2020 22:26:32 GMT
It's AC's strategy that should go: replacing brands that could embrace multiple aesthetics like Paige's more doodly designs for collab lines. It's not streamlining, it's effectively removing a whole design style and further narrowing their audience. AC are doing the opposite of diversity. It's pink, cutesy, doodly, childish/teenagey all around with the exception of BoBunny whose overall aesthetic is pretty specific as well. I'd be ok with Crate Paper picking up where Pink Paislee left off once in a while with a collection of clean lines, muted colours on white background, extremely usable and modern B-sides but I doubt they'll go that way. They might just turn CP into the messy, muted brand and give Maggie Holmes her own brand since the MH debacle appears to have already dissipated. At this stage, I give up. I've not used anything by Dear Lizzy in years and before that, all I really loved were the bunnies.  I'd be ok with trading her in. There's too much floral, pink, doodly overlap with Amy Tan, Maggie Holmes, Crate Paper, Paige Evans and Damask Love. But I guess that they're keeping her because her stuff still sells relatively well? I'd be ok with Amy Tangerine going as well but it seems unfair to say since her new line, Late Afternoon, is the first I find somewhat appealing in years. Somebody got a resurrection spell for Pink Paislee? It's that or I need to accio all the paper I can still find from their previous lines and my bank account isn't happy about such a shopping spree right now. There's a newer debacle with MH? I remember the thing with The Girls Paperie years ago |
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Now if they could bring back 6x12... 
I'd be ok with trading her in. There's too much floral, pink, doodly overlap with Amy Tan, Maggie Holmes, Crate Paper, Paige Evans and Damask Love. But I guess that they're keeping her because her stuff still sells relatively well? I'd be ok with Amy Tangerine going as well but it seems unfair to say since her new line, Late Afternoon, is the first I find somewhat appealing in years.