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Post by wendifful on Mar 9, 2021 5:14:43 GMT
Thanks for taking doing the actual work, peachiceteas ! I had started watching her latest round of Q&A IG stories and quit before the one about her AC collaboration ending. So, AC did scrap Dear Lizzy after all! And here I was thinking they wouldn't dare. Wrong. I'm now wondering where they stand with Damask Love who doesn't seem to have said a word about AC in a while (I don't follow her IG stories diligently enough to be sure of this, mind you). 2020 was the year of cuts left, right and centre at AC. Interesting that EK words it as though it were a mutual decision. Considering how many brands they no longer carry since last year and the value of job security during a pandemic, it sounds more like AC were the ones who pulled the plug. So far, we know that they've kept Amy Tangerine, Jen Hadfield, Maggie Holmes, Paige Evans, Heidi Swapp, Vicki Boutin and DCWV in terms of paper collections. They are also releasing some papers from the past few years again (completely unchanged) under the American Crafts brand without any particular direction or collection cohesion (it's a mystery to me). They have added Obed Marshall to their lineup. We are speculating they haven't killed Crate Paper, Pebbles or BoBunny (yet) but nothing is certain. Shimelle mentioned in her live scrapping today that Dear Lizzy was dropped (I think someone asked specifically, probably because they'd just heard from EK) and said others were too, but she didn't name names. Makes sense that she wouldn't share info that hadn't been publicly shared by those people because she was also talking about the friendships she had with the other AC designers. It's quite possible that the rest who haven't announced a collection upcoming have been dropped. Shimelle implied that it was several of them. Wow, I can't believe that Dear Lizzy is gone! From a pure nostalgia standpoint, it makes me sad...I loved the Dear Lizzy line SO much when it started out. However, I think it makes sense to end it, especially given how she (seemingly) doesn't scrapbook anymore. I think it's interesting that of the designers sleepingbooty listed above that AC has kept, all of them (save Maggie Holmes and DCWV which is a brand, not a person) are still active scrappers/crafters. I have thought for a while that it's sort of ridiculous that AC had so many "signature" designer lines from people who don't scrapbook anymore. (However, I feel like this makes AC's scrapping of Shimelle's line even more curious...) I also think it's great that they've brought in Obed Marshall. Most of the signature designers are middle aged white women, so this will (begin to) breathe some diversity into AC's ranks. I'm not sure how AC's contracts work, but I think it would be great if they had rotating designers (maybe a term of a few years?) to breathe freshness into their lines. (Of course, I know that the scrap personalities don't actually do the graphic design work, but they usually decide the general theme/direction of the line.) (Also, is it just me, or does anyone else keep thinking EK Success when they see EK? Lol!) |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 9, 2021 18:33:51 GMT
(Also, is it just me, or does anyone else keep thinking EK Success when they see EK? Lol!) As I typed it that was exactly what I was thinking! Honestly, I think it all comes down to sales. And what we see from this side is not necessarily what the finance people see. They don't even care if we use the product, they just need us to buy it. I don't know if people like Damask Love have contracts for fewer collections per year than Amy Tan, etc, and who knows if she and Obed will drive enough business to stick around long term, but I hope so. I wonder if Shimelle's focus on kiddo/Disney-inspired stuff but unwillingness to have her stuff gendered hurt her marketability. Because otherwise she'd been ideal - she marketed the hell out of her stuff by doing her Fbk Lives every single week and showing how it could be used. The stuff that seems to sell like AT is not very usable IMO, but clearly people buy lots of it for their own reasons, so maybe using it isn't the point. It's just about what the most people will see on a shelf and buy. And I think (and this is just my hunch) that maybe store buyers were put off by the Shimelle collections being gender-neutral but kid focused, too hard to categorize and sell to their perceived (or perhaps real) customers. |
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Post by kiera on Mar 9, 2021 20:28:29 GMT
Part of why I love Shimelle's collections is the fact that they're gender neutral! But I'm also of the mind that gender roles are outdated and all colors are for everybody so I guess I'm sort of an outlier to the big shots, unfortunately. Reminds me of the time I worked at Michaels and a woman tried to get me to side with her when her son wanted a bracelet that had a dinosaur on it. She wouldn't allow it because "bracelets are for girls" and she looked to me for support. I looked her ~6 year old son in the eye and told him that dinosaurs are awesome and that jewelry doesn't care if you're a girl or not. Mom was pissed off at my response but hey, the kid got his badass dinosaur bracelet and he ROCKED it.
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,088
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Mar 9, 2021 20:53:49 GMT
But I'm also of the mind that gender roles are outdated and all colors are for everybody so I guess I'm sort of an outlier to the big shots, unfortunately. Same, I've sent multiple emails to many scrapbook manufacturers to make more gender neutral kid's lines and I've ether gotten no response or they said there hasn't been any interest. |
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Post by kiera on Mar 9, 2021 20:59:46 GMT
jediannie you know, I haven't thought of emailing them about it. That's a great idea. I'm also childfree and would like to see some lines that weren't kid centered but I know that would be a lot to ask for... gender neutral, not so much. I know my voice is small but maybe it'll add to their conversation.
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Post by 950nancy on Mar 9, 2021 22:28:23 GMT
I have a mountain of the the Never Grow Up line to use for my boys' layouts. There are a bunch of more feminine papers included in that line. I like that Shimelle's papers might be considered gender neutral, but when the world of scrapping is full of girlie florals and pinks, her pages definitely say more masculine to me. Growing up, I was 100% tomboy and these papers would have made me very happy.
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Post by riversong1963 on Mar 10, 2021 0:15:42 GMT
Part of why I love Shimelle's collections is the fact that they're gender neutral! But I'm also of the mind that gender roles are outdated and all colors are for everybody so I guess I'm sort of an outlier to the big shots, unfortunately. Reminds me of the time I worked at Michaels and a woman tried to get me to side with her when her son wanted a bracelet that had a dinosaur on it. She wouldn't allow it because "bracelets are for girls" and she looked to me for support. I looked her ~6 year old son in the eye and told him that dinosaurs are awesome and that jewelry doesn't care if you're a girl or not. Mom was pissed off at my response but hey, the kid got his badass dinosaur bracelet and he ROCKED it. You should have told her that we all know that dinosaurs are for boys, so it's OK for boys to wear "boy bracelets" with dinosaurs. LOL. She might have understood that. SMH. |
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Gennifer
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,240 
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Post by Gennifer on Mar 10, 2021 5:39:41 GMT
I think she said he was surrounded by loved ones (not specifically at home). Who knows what she means though. You're remembering right, mom . She definitely said something along these lines, very clearly indicating he had passed away suddenly and surrounded by his kids/other loved ones. We even discussed the impact of the trauma of witnessing your parent's sudden passing in this very thread. This is secondhand knowledge, but a friend of mine who is friends with her said they were at home, all watching a baseball game together, when he died. |
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Post by peachiceteas on Mar 10, 2021 10:13:00 GMT
jediannie you know, I haven't thought of emailing them about it. That's a great idea. I'm also childfree and would like to see some lines that weren't kid centered but I know that would be a lot to ask for... gender neutral, not so much. I know my voice is small but maybe it'll add to their conversation. I need to join you on emailing manufacturers. I would love for some more, regularly occurring themes that are about 'me' or 'us' where the us doesn't include kids. We need more gender neutral colours and less random flamingos and racoons. |
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jediannie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,088
Jun 30, 2014 3:19:06 GMT
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Post by jediannie on Mar 10, 2021 17:08:49 GMT
This is secondhand knowledge, but a friend of mine who is friends with her said they were at home, all watching a baseball game together, when he died. Oof, if this is true, that is really sad. I can't even imagine seeing your dad die right in front of you. My husband's mom died when he was 16 of a heart attack and his younger brother found her on the floor. Back in the 80's therapy wasn't a thing so they didn't get any kind of counseling and his brother has been struggling ever since. I hope her kids are getting the help they need because they will not be okay.  |
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Post by kiera on Mar 10, 2021 17:21:53 GMT
That sounds similar to how one of my coworkers died last month. He had moved back to his home state back in November to take care of his mother, so we hadn't seen him in a while, but she messaged my boss and told him that he was watching TV on the couch and when she went back into the room 20 minutes later he was just... gone. I don't know exactly what the cause of death was but I suspect it might have been heart related. I do think that Lizzy needs to see a grief counselor to help her through all of this, but if that's what happened, I can't even imagine the shock she felt.
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Post by joblackford on Mar 11, 2021 3:35:10 GMT
But I'm also of the mind that gender roles are outdated and all colors are for everybody so I guess I'm sort of an outlier to the big shots, unfortunately. Same, I've sent multiple emails to many scrapbook manufacturers to make more gender neutral kid's lines and I've ether gotten no response or they said there hasn't been any interest. The issue (I think) comes back to who actually *buys* the product, and that’s not really the customers, it’s the buyers at big box and online scrapbook stores who then sell it to us. They (a rightly or wrongly) perceive that gendered stuff sells better. And chances are it’s because it actually does. I’m not sure how to change that, but from what I’ve heard from moms of boys gendered nonsense is starting to break down. But I’m not sure that that has reached the people who spend the money. I’m all for emailing companies and designers and maybe HL Michaels and Joann’s too, but in the end I think it will still come down to what sells. |
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Post by 950nancy on Mar 11, 2021 4:25:14 GMT
They need to make non gendered kits with cut aparts on one side that could be male on one side and female on the other with a good mixture of no gender in there too.
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Post by songbird on Mar 11, 2021 15:14:32 GMT
I heard from a friend in the industry that Crate Paper has been axed by AC. I believe that also included Pebbles.
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Deleted
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Nov 23, 2024 0:59:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2021 15:50:07 GMT
I heard from a friend in the industry that Crate Paper has been axed by AC. I believe that also included Pebbles. WTH. Why? Ugh... |
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Post by kiera on Mar 11, 2021 16:29:41 GMT
Crate Paper??? Ugh! I wonder why.
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Post by joblackford on Mar 11, 2021 18:24:18 GMT
I heard from a friend in the industry that Crate Paper has been axed by AC. I believe that also included Pebbles. We were speculating somewhere (earlier in this thread? I know sleepingbooty and I were discussing it somewhere- found it! top of this page!) that this might be the case... I know a lot of people are going to be sad about that. |
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Post by joblackford on Mar 11, 2021 18:26:51 GMT
Crate Paper??? Ugh! I wonder why. money money money, money... It looks like they've dropped a quarter to a third of their brands, and it has to be the ones that weren't selling as well as the others. |
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julie5
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,621
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Post by julie5 on Mar 11, 2021 18:50:47 GMT
Crate Paper??? Ugh! I wonder why. money money money, money... It looks like they've dropped a quarter to a third of their brands, and it has to be the ones that weren't selling as well as the others. And I’m not trying to be a bitch but if they actually had releases that were indistinguishable from each other, maybe they would sell more. |
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Post by Ryann on Mar 11, 2021 18:57:26 GMT
That's bonkers to me if true. It seemed as though Crate Paper had a bit of a renaissance with Snow & Cocoa, and the lines that came after it (Wonder, Magical Forest, etc). I know they weren't on the schedule for 2021 Jan-Apr on the AC release materials, but I'm hoping it isn't a permanent absence. And if true, Pebbles, too?  |
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Post by scrappyem on Mar 11, 2021 19:57:11 GMT
That makes me so sad. CP was about the only brand I bought from AC consistently (other than the Maggie Holmes releases, pretty but not my jam).
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Nov 23, 2024 0:59:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2021 20:07:05 GMT
CP is my favorite AC line. I'm glad I'm thinking about doing more and more diy. I just can't w/their stupid decision-making/direction.
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scrappington
Pearl Clutcher
in Canada
Posts: 3,139
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Post by scrappington on Mar 11, 2021 20:27:32 GMT
my 1st husband died suddenly of an aneurysm but on his feather certificate it was stated as spontaneous. No autopsy was done. It could have been if I had asked but I didn't see the need .
So when I finally got his long form death certificate months later I was taken aback that is said spontaneous.
My boss just lost her husband for cirrhosis and doesn't tell people what he died of. She gives another reason.
I get her crazy state. I get her keeping his death reason private. But she really shouldn't be on social media.
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Post by Night Owl on Mar 11, 2021 21:37:10 GMT
I heard from a friend in the industry that Crate Paper has been axed by AC. I believe that also included Pebbles. Seriously screw AC buying up these companies and then running them into the ground. |
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Chinagirl828
Drama Llama
Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 6,682
Jun 28, 2014 6:28:53 GMT
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Post by Chinagirl828 on Mar 12, 2021 4:55:59 GMT
I heard from a friend in the industry that Crate Paper has been axed by AC. I believe that also included Pebbles. I thought I read (here?) that Shimelle said other brands aside from hers had been dropped so I guess it's no surprise other brands have gone, but its definitely disappointing they've chosen to drop both of these. While I don't love everything they put out, I often buy bits and pieces from their collections. I'd rather they spent their money on developing new designs and products rather than continue to pay to have a scrap celeb's name on the line. |
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Post by sleepingbooty on Mar 12, 2021 6:59:43 GMT
Oof, AC. What are you doing? Crate Paper is hugely popular. Their chipboard and ephemera often sell out and need to be backordered even on popular sites like scrapbook.com.
Which non-personal paper line brands are left if CP and Pebbles (RIP super cute Halloween collections) were just killed off? DCWV (new spring lines for 2021 already revealed) and possibly BoBunny (fellow recent acquisition)? Is that it?
This is rough news. And doesn't make sense to me. Crate Paper is by far AC's most well-known paper brand internationally. The CP Christmas collection is super anticipated year after year. I don't know why I'm surprised. After all, AC launched a winter collection for CP in 2019 instead of a Christmas line and seemed clueless as to why people were sending them messages on social media about how disappointed they were with the late shipping date + lack of Christmas iconography.
ETA: Somebody needs to start a separate discussion about how AC has red wedding-ed their brands in the past year. Justice for Shimelle, Pink Paislee, Crate Paper and Pebbles!
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Post by peachiceteas on Mar 12, 2021 13:32:56 GMT
Agree with y'all. LOVED Crate Paper, even though I haven't bought any of it in recent years. Maybe I'm part of the problem!
It became too repetitive for me but the industry won't be the same without those florals and patterns that all look the same from Maggie Holmes.
I will continue to hoard all of my Crate Paper Kiss Kiss range now.
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Post by sleepingbooty on Mar 12, 2021 14:52:19 GMT
It became too repetitive for me but the industry won't be the same without those florals and patterns that all look the same from Maggie Holmes. Oh, no worries. Maggie Holmes stays. Crate Paper goes. (MH and CP formed the one same AC design team that Jasmine Jones joined last year) Prepare for hyper floral, pink-to-the-max Christmas collections from now on. |
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nicolep
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,199
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Post by nicolep on Mar 12, 2021 14:57:37 GMT
Prepare for hyper floral, pink-to-the-max Christmas collections from now on. 🤮 |
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Deleted
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Nov 23, 2024 0:59:27 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2021 15:25:09 GMT
Maggie Holmes stays. Crate Paper goes. Bass ackwards. |
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