CTMH Closure- Navigating Scrapbooking's Challenges Together

[@viannam5483]

A word of encouragement: the love of paper crafting (be it scrapbooking, card-making, junk journals, mail art and related activities) will not die. But it will evolve. In my opinion, what we experience today is, in large part, a result of the industry cannibalizing itself. What is supposed to be a HOBBY, a simple creative outlet, turned into a very expensive and competitive proposition. Most scrapbookers are young mothers or elderly grandmothers, generally groups with limited disposable income. Product after product after product was being manufactured by an endless number of companies who entered the field with price increases year after year. I dont know anyone who can afford to make $12 layout(s). And, we kept seeing bloggers who received endless free product pile it on to the point we got discouraged feeling we had neither the talent nor the finances to keep creating like that. The industry slowly priced itself out of business and killed its gold egg laying goose. The magazines disappeared one by one, then the brick 'n mortar stores - and THAT was a real killer, as it killed Community, a very important aspect of this hobby. It is a lot about learning and sharing with the like minded. And so ... many scrapbookers dropped out altogether, others turned to digital and hybrid scrapbooking. The Community stopped making the large loaded slice layouts in favor of ever smaller albums, down to traveler notebook size which still allows us recorkeeping and creative expression, but at a fraction of the price. Layouts now are more about the photos and journaling than about the cardstock colors, printed papers and dimensional embelishments. They're about telling our stories. So yes, we evolved, and will continue to do so if our love of memory keeping is real and everlasting. We are fewer in number but no less creative. It will be the same with the companies who will continue to exist. We may need to return to the days of early scrapbooking and the joy of simplicity. Carry on, and keep Hope alive!

[@KiwiLane]

Thank you so much for sharing this thought with us! It is so interesting to see how paper crafting is evolving with the times! But it for sure is still as important to be creative today as it was yesterday!

[@karengarces7254]

Thank you for sharing your heart and thoughts of scrapbooking. I enjoy your videos and products. I like that you keep it simple so that it’s doable for both the scrapbooker and your family.

[@rainiernst9404]

Thanks for your vulnerability and honesty! I know this was probably a tricky conversation to post ❤

[@KiwiLane]

There are many hurting in the scrapbooking industry right now with the CTMH being around for so long and deciding to close, and yet there is still hope for this lovely scrapbooking hobby! In some ways the industry really is causing a bottle neck for many due to the focus on the "glorifying stashes" - I would like to see that change for sure.

[@DoloresJRush]

Hope you get to feeling better. Thank you for your thoughts! 😎

[@KiwiLane]

thanks!

[@SarahCoxWrites]

Thanks for chatting about this. I am from Australia and I ordered pretty much all of the borders and accents that were available back when you guys were on Etsy and had your website shop. They completely changed the way I scrapbook and also my enjoyment of scrapbooking as I am pretty design challenged. I admit I was gutted when the business model changed and international shipping stopped. However, I use the ones I do have all the time (so much so they have yellowed over time). I am not artistically minded at all, and whilst I like pretty paper and lovely layouts as much as the next person, it is the memory keeping side of things I am most interested in. I found trying to keep up with CTMH, Stamp Up, and others, with their ever changing collections, overwhelming. Kiwi lane continues to be my go to all these years later as I can use them with any paper I have - they adapt with my needs beautifully. If you could rethink the international shipping thing that would be amazing 🙂.

[@KiwiLane]

Hey there Sarah - So currently our website is not set up for international orders. It requires a few more details. If in the meantime you want to order something, support can help quote our shipping cost for you and manually help with that. Please email them at [e-mail].

[@christieobrien7119]

Kiwi Lane has been a game changer in my scrapbooking. Love your company and your ideas! When you have a business, it takes alot of commitment. 4:52 p.m.

[@4theloveofcraftingrebeccac166]

So I am a CTMH consultant. Our founder has been ill for years. I feel like it was always about scrapping simply. The sisterhood I made was amazing. My heart breaks to not have that connection. Looking for a new way to teach, share with my community.

[@rosaneno1296]

Now PinkFresh has stopped making scrapbooking supplies 😢 You’re right, it is about COMMUNITY not collecting

[@lindarippstein4489]

You’re such a sweetheart Susan, I think you were born to create😀. Kiwi Lane keep on creating I ❤️your products. I am starting to scrapbook again after taking a break so happy I kept all my templates. Thank you KIWI LANE!