jcaroline's blog

Family Fun Feature

The May Issue of Family Fun magazine features a Mother's Day Tea Party and guess what they used for the tablecloth?  Well, Red/Orange Calliope by Jessica Jones, that's what.  It's on page 76 and the feature was styled by Ann Lewis, Nicole Blum and Marie Piraino.  They nicely featured the calliope design as the header of each page of the feature as well.  Yummy.

Sewing Green by Betz White

We gave away a copy of Betz White's Sewing Green a few weeks ago (congrats again, Colleen in Missouri) and I couldn't stand not having my own. Well it arrived this week and I love it! As Betz notes in the book, sewers are already great re-purposers, making new things out of old all the time. She includes 25 innovative projects using everything from old cashmere sweaters to mylar juice packs, with instructions and patterns. She definitely has me looking at wool sweaters in a new way. (Must go north and clean out my family's closets!)

Betz also includes features on eco-conscious sewers and designers, as well as vignettes about eco-friendly ideas for sewing and textiles.

My favorite projects are the felted cashmere sweater blanket, the Tyvek shopping bag and the felted foliage scarf.  I clearly see some felting in my future!

Pick up a copy of the book from Amazon and enjoy!

I'm Magazine Obsessed, but I'll Shut Up After This...

As a reader of magazines, I know I'm bummed by my self-proclaimed "Magazine Death Watch".  I still subscribe to my favorites and read almost every issue.  My personal favorite is Vanity Fair, which I describe as a People magazine with really long, well-written articles.  I also subscribe(d) to Domino, Mary Engelbrecht's Home Companion, Parents, Inc. Magazine, and Threads.  I have at times dabbled in Architectural Digest (but it just started making me feel old and poor), Texas Monthly, Forbes, Wired, Fast Company.  (I also faithfully read USWeekly [looking at my shoes sheepishly] but I don't pay for it.  Somehow that makes me feel superior.  USWeekly is People magazine with no text.)

But from the perspective of a small online business and an advertiser in magazines, I'm not surprised by the trouble magazines are having right now.  And based on some reader's comments, I thought you might be interested in me expanding on that a bit.  If you aren't interested, carry on.  We'll meet back here later.

Magazines are, apparently, measured on two things: circulation base (readers) and ad pages (pardon me, Advertising Age, for simplifying it so dramatically).  Subscriptions barely cover the cost of anything, but prove to advertisers that people will pay for that magazine and want every issue.  Rack sales prove that they can get people to regularly buy their magazine, though they have not guaranteed to buy every issue.  Magazines then include some b.s. about how many times the magazine gets passed around.  (Good luck proving that.)  So magazines are paid for by advertisers and the number of people reading is used as the incentive to get the advertisers there.  So if advertisers aren't interested, I don't care how much the readers love the mag, it will not sustain itself.  (Unless they figure out how to go to a business model that doesn't rely on advertisers.)

1.  Magazine advertising is expensive.  Even if you can negotiate a deal on the space, you have to come up with creative and that isn't cheap.  Unless you are a good graphic designer, you're going to have to pay for help on this one.  Even for small magazines (and small spaces), the space and creative can easily run you $2,000.  Larger magazines can easily hit $10,000.  I have to sell a heck of a lot of D-Rings to make that one work.  (Let me add that I understand why ad space is expensive.  Those magazines are expensive to publish, both from creating the features to physically printing on paper to getting it to my house.)

2. It is difficult to move readers from the magazine to the web.  My experience has been many magazine readers will never look you up online.  (Interestingly, the best magazines I've experienced for moving readers to the web are very young titles: Seventeen and USWeekly.  And they often are not buyers, but they will at least go look.  And they will always sign up for anything free.  Sigh.)

3.  Magazine advertising is difficult to quantify.  I'm suspicious the Gap has little to no idea how many people buy as a result of their ads.  However, the Gap has the benefit of being able to spend on "brand building", which I think is business-speak for "advertising that I don't care or know if it works".  I need to know how many people actually buy to justify the cost of advertising.  For on-line businesses, it is a little easier, because you are funneling people to one "store", if you will, and you can use coupons and other items to track.  (And when I have been able to quantify it, the results lagged dramatically behind the cost.)  And I, unfortunately, cannot have a budget item for "brand building".  In this economy, I'm wondering how many big players will cut back on that line item as well.

4.  Monthly magazines are not timely.  We have been fortunate to develop some relationships with magazines or contributors that have occasionally mentioned us and used our products within the content of the magazine.  The first time this happened, I was beside myself with excitement.  I had visions of infinite sales.  Then when the magazine hit the stands six or nine months later, the items they were featuring weren't even available anymore.  Those are fun phone calls.  "Oh, that fabric that you fell in love with in the current issue?  That was discontinued 4 months ago.  I'd love to help you find a substitute.  Oh, you want that exact fabric?  Check Ebay, I guess."  Thank goodness the mention only cost me some product and time.

That's my opinion and based on what I'm seeing in the publications world, I must not be the only one.  Okay, I'll stop talking about magazines now-- until the next one folds.

Magazine Death Watch Day 2

CK Media, the publisher of several craft magazines, including Mark Lipinski's Quilter's Home, McCall's Quilting, Sew Simple, Sew News, and Creating Keepsakes, acknowledged this week that they are working with bankruptcy consultants CRG Partners.

According to Scrapbook Update, "CRG told an unnamed Scrapbook Update source who is owed money from CK Media that the company has $70 million in debt and only $20 million in assets. The creditor was offered 25 cents on the dollar to settle their debt, and was told that 80% of the company's major creditors would have to agree to similar settlements within 30 days to satisfy CK Media's lenders."

CK Media also acknowledges that their lenders brought in CRG Partners in an attempt to resolve the debt.  If that doesn't work, it appears that the lenders might force CK Media into bankruptcy.

Thanks to commenter, Melody of Quilty Mama, for the scoop!

Magazine Death Watch

Three-year-old Hallmark magazine announced yesterday that they are shutting down the magazine and website, siting "difficult economic times, especially for magazines".  The New York Post says that Conde Nast ad pages are down 30 percent, versus the industry average of 24 percent.  (Conde Nast is Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, was Domino.)

However, Cathie Black, President of Hearst Magazines (O, the Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Seventeen) writes in Advertising Age on Monday, "Despite Recent Events, the American Magazine is Not an Endangered Species".  She says "According to the Magazine Publishers of America, only 32 magazines suspended publication in 2008 -- an infinitesimal percentage of the 19,500 magazines currently published in the U.S."  She compares this slow-down to what occurred in 1991, and discusses how magazines not only rebounded, but expanded significantly after that downturn. 

One, I am stunned that this country has 19,500 magazines.  Clearly, there is a magazine covering everything and apparently hundreds on each topic! 

Secondly, "I'm not sure I agree with you 100 percent on your police work there", Cathie.  I'm not sure you can use the comparison to 1991 as comfort.  The web media component is very different than it was 18 years ago.  (I was just at a web media seminar, you know, so after 48 hours, I am somewhat of an expert!)  I still say, magazines in their traditional print medium are going to continue to drop like flies.  Will the current titles survive in an on-line version?  If they know how to make the transition, they will.  (But they better hurry.)  Otherwise, their lunch is going to be eaten by the on-line presences that are already out there who understand how to use an "instant" medium and already have loyal readership.

So, for those of us that love lying around reading magazines on paper, buy a good printer or start collecting current issues.

Another One Bites the Dust

Craft magazine sent me an email this week and also posted on their website that they will no longer print their magazine CRAFT.  Instead they will focus on the Craftzine.com website and the print version of MAKE magazine. 

I can't say I'm surprised given the current magazine environment, but I am bummed because I enjoyed CRAFT-- I loved the layout, the size and I always found something interesting in it. 

And the last issue (and I do mean LAST issue), featured Amy Sedaris, who I think may be the funniest woman on earth.  And coincidentally, I had just bought her book, I LIke You: Hospitality Under the Influence, which covers such important entertaining topics such as how to put on pantyhose (with step-by-step pictures) and how to handle a psychopath at your party (lure him or her into the closet and block the door with furniture).  She covers party etiquette as well.  When you regret to a party, she says "everything after the 'because' is bullsh*t."  You know what she is talking about-- "I can't come to your party BECAUSE I have to wash my hair."  Words to live by-- just say you can't come.

Goodbye, CRAFT.  I look forward to seeing the changes they come up with for Craftzine.com.

Are Magazines ALL you talk about?

 
Apparently, Modern Luxury Media, did not read my last post, because they just launched (not true, corrected below)* a shelter mag in Chicago called CS Interiors.  (They already have similar mags in Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego.)  Boy, I hope they make it, because they are my new best friend.  They did this lovely little piece on Jessica Jones and her fabric.

Nice, eh?

* Okay, Jessica corrected me because I don't always pay attention.  They actually launched a little over a year ago and the cover photo I originally pulled was the premier issue.  Ooops.  I replaced the picture with the real cover for THIS issue if you are looking for it.  Hey, I think that's Jessica on the cover, isn't it?  :)   

Dropping like Flies, I Say!

Yes, Wondertime magazine has ceased publication as well (sorry, Tara-- but you still have Texas Monthly) and that search led to Advertising Age's obituaries of magazines that have shuttered in 2008 and 2009.  Funny, I hadn't missed Cosmo Girl yet, which ended in December of 2008.

The amazing thing is the list of shelter/home magazines in that list:  Country Home, Cottage Living, O at Home and Home.  They didn't even mention Martha Stewart's Blueprint and Mary Engelbrecht's Home Companion.

So if your idea this year was to start a print magazine-- I probably wouldn't.  But that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities in the digital world, which has probably influenced the decrease in magazines as much, if not more, than the economy.  I mean, it's easier to blame the economy than to admit that you just ignored what was going on around you.

The Market has Spoken...

Conde Nast announced today that they are shutting down Domino magazine after the March 2009 issue. 

Conde Nast CEO Chuck Townsend said, "This decision to cease publication of the magazine and its website is driven entirely by the economy.  Although readership and advertising response was encouraging in the early years, we have concluded that this economic market will not support our business expectations."

Downer, because I did enjoy flipping through that magazine, though I thought their price points were a little crazy.

I'm sure the economy has an impact, but I suspect lots of other things impacted this decision as well.  As I've said before, there is great interior design content available on the web from the likes of Design*Sponge, decor8, Apartment Therapy and others that is very timely and well written-- not to mention much more "rest of us" focused. 

And the advertising revenues required to support those magazines is, I suspect, nothing short of staggering.  This means you already have to gear the magazine towards the "top end" for the advertisers.  And how many really "top end" consumers pick their products from a shelter magazine?  Probably not many.  And the products I am going to pick from a magazine are from companies that don't have the margins to afford the advertising. Honestly, Domino readers, did you ever buy something from one of their advertisements?  So, in my opinion, it would be very difficult to be a shelter magazine in good times-- much less bad. 

Darn, and I just sent in a card for a free subscription that came with my Domino: The Book of Decorating.  Which, I really enjoyed, by the way.  Much less over the top than the magazine, I thought.

Gift Idea- Seams to Me by Anna Maria

If you are looking for a gift for that sewer in your life, you can order this book on Amazon and have it in plenty of time for Christmas.  You can also order it directly from Anna Maria and you will get a signed copy.  You could make it extra special and combine it with a jcaroline creative gift certificate.  Okay, so I self-promoted there for just a moment.  Back on topic.

I've been sitting on this book for a few weeks now.  Not literally-- I just haven't shared the delights it contains with you.  Of course, I got a signed copy in October just because I'm so special.  Well, something like that.  Anyway, I've been reading, perusing and admiring the book ever since.  First, I didn't realize that girl was so funny!  The chapter titles and subheadings are very clever-- who wouldn't read a section entitled "You Should Nap Repeatedly"?  You will actually snicker when you read this book.  If you've been sewing awhile, most of "Part 1 Getting Started" will be a review for you, but I always like to read someone else's perspective on what tools you need to have, etc.  It also makes me think about what bad sewing habits I've adapted.

The book is also gorgeous.  (Would you have expected anything less?)  Anna Maria did all the photographs and she shows great little clips of fabric (her's and other's) throughout.  She includes 24 projects in Part 2 with great illustrations and descriptions along with the actual full-size patterns in the back of the book.  No "enlarge 400%" business that drives me nuts, because that involves way more manipulation than I have patience for.  And then I lose interest in the project.  She does a nice collection of projects-- some clothing, home dec, kitchen and storage projects.  I think the garment bag and taxi tote are my favorites.  And if you make something from the book, be sure to add it to the Seams to Me Flickr Group.

Craft: Shoe Time

I just received my new issue of Craft magazine, which is the print companion to the Craftzine website and blog.  Their feature this issue is shoes and I don't mean just adding some ribbons to your loafers like I have done.  No, they have some features on making your own ribbon tie sandals-- wood soles and all.  The shoes shown on the cover are Converse soles with knitted tops and ribbon laces.  Another feature explains how to add new leather or fabric uppers to a pair of existing heels.  And of course, a feature on shoes would not be complete without a time line of shoe history from 15000 B.C. to present day.

Do I plan to make my own shoes?  Heck no.  But I love looking at and reading Craft magazine.  I also read their blog, but sometimes find myself in overload over there as they post a dozen times a day, easily.  Besides, the magazine has articles and features you won't find on the website.  Are some of the projects weird?  Yes.  Are some of the projects a little too earthy, organic, artsy for my tastes? Yes.  (I would not wear a jacket embellished with safety pins.  And I'm sure that artist wouldn't be caught dead with ribbons on her shoes either.)  But their projects are always unique and they feature a variety of crafts- sewing, knitting, sculpture, beading, jewelry making, furniture re-dos, paper art, dying fabric.  It's truly a magazine about creating art from all sort of materials.  And even projects that I'm quick to dismiss as "not my thing" often contain a little nugget of information or a process or a material that I can translate into a project that is "more my thing".  So if you feel like you keep seeing the same ideas over and over, read Craft, because trust me, their ideas are fresh.

PS. Interesting side note, I just noticed that they have the four issues from the first year of Craft available in a boxed set.

I love unexpected packages

I love when I pre-order books from Amazon, because the package shows up at my door completely unexpected.  It's like a little gift.  That I paid for.  Anyway...

Amanda Blake Soule of soulemama blog fame has a new book The Creative Family:  How to Encourage Imagination and Nuture Family Connections. I read her blog occasionally and usually feel a little guilty that I don't do nearly for my one child what she seems to pull off for her three.  And the first thing I flipped to in her book was "Making Your Own Knitting Needles" to knit with your children.  What??  First, I don't make my own dinners, so I doubt I'm going to whip up a set of knitting needles.  Secondly, my child would definitely stab someone with the needles.  So I was not very optimistic that this book was for me.

However, I am a book freak and haven't met a book I didn't like (mostly) so I flipped through some more pages.  That's when I hit Chapter 9 "Everyday Rituals".  I glanced upon this paragraph:

"Don't slip into the habit of relegating your creative projects for 'after everything else is done.'  Work, housework, chores-- the lists go on and on, and so does the work.  'Everything else' is never done.  Creating needs to be as important a part of your life as anything else you consider a necessity."

Now wouldn't that be a great lesson to impart to my child and a great thing to remember myself?  And I can only assume Chapter 10 "Celebrating Your Family" holds some more nuggets of wisdom.  So, no, I am not going to make my own knitting needles, but I am going to sit down and read the book.  Clearly it is about a lot more than crafts.

Anna Maria Horner in Quilts & More

Better Homes and Garden's Quilts & More is out for Spring 2008 and it has a nice write-up on Anna Maria Horner, as well as a pincushion project she designed.  You will also get a sneak peek of her next line "Garden Party" which will be on a quilting weight cotton.  She definitely pulled out her 128 box of crayons for this one as it is colorful!  You can sneak a little peek in the picture above the computer monitors.

We've got copies of the magazine here for $2  (while supplies last) or pick one up at your local newsstand.

Simple Start Stunning Finish

Valori Wells's new book Simple Start Stunning Finish arrived yesterday.  Valori is the designer of Sole fabric that came out a couple of months ago.  She also designed Fleurish, Estrella and Eclectic if you are a fabric stasher.  She and her mother are quilters and own The Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon.

Anyway, I've already told you I'm not a quilter, so why this book, you say?  One, I'm a book-aholic and am scared to death a book will go out of print and what if I don't have it at my disposal when I need that information to save the world?  I also wanted the book because I really like Valori Wells's work on fabrics and her quilts.  She is a very contemporary, artistic quilter and the quilts in the book are stunning.  She provides patterns and instructions for 15 different quilt designs, as well as basic applique and piecing techniques.  My favorite quilt in the book is the Circle Around Quilt, which is pieced and appliqued entirely with solid fabrics.

I would recommend this book to:

• a quilter wanting to make some fantastic artistic quilts
• a fabric admirer who loves looking at how fabrics are used together
• a sewer interested in piecing and applique techniques (I can see these concepts translated to placemats, table runners, curtains, handbags)
• a sewer or fabric artist interested in how another artist puts fabric designs and colors together

There is only one quilt in the book that is quilted with a longarm quilter (the Circle Around Quilt shown), while all the others Valori does with her standard sewing machine. I would love to see that in action, because I don't know how you handle a big quilt with a regular machine and how you handle intricate shapes.  And this book may well make me a quilter... at least once.

Blog Ideas

I didn't think I needed ideas for my blog, but clearly I do, since I've been persona non grata ¹absent for a week.  Sorry- my mother called last night to see if I was okay- clearly my absence has gone on long enough.  I don't have an excuse because I haven't achieved anything profound in the last week.

Well, lo and behold, guess what came in the mail yesterday?  Margaret Mason's book, No One Cares What You Had for Lunch   100 Ideas for Your Blog that I ordered here off her blog Mighty Girl.  I can't even remember how I found Mighty Girl, but she founded Mighty Goods, which is basically a window to cool and interesting shopping finds on the web.

Anyway, I ordered the book merely because of the title and she offered to "sign it and caress it lovingly before mailing it".  She signed mine "You are fantastic".  It's as if she knows me.  Anyway, the book does have some good ideas and more importantly, it's hysterical and a quick read.  Idea #47:  Promote truth.  "You're a font of wisdom, and you're getting sharper every year."  (She really does know me, doesn't she?)  "Outline ten truths you believe to be universal.  You can tell us how you came to your conclusions, or explain how your beliefs have changed over the years."  Two of hers are "Don't fill up on bread" and "Wear sunscreen".  If you blog or just like humorous writers, pick yourself up a copy.  Though I can't guarantee that she thinks you're fantastic too nor do I have evidence that the book was caressed lovingly before mailing.

Oh, and don't scroll down the book page if you are offended by offensive language.  (Of course, you will now, but don't say I didn't warn you.)  She sells a T-shirt including a particular word that horrifies many.   No! Not THAT word!  The f word.  Of course, I had to buy one of those too because it made me laugh.  I'll wear it for special occasions.  Sorry, Mother.

Footnotes:

1. While looking up persona non grata for spelling purposes, I discovered it really means "personally unacceptable or unwelcome".  But it sounds so cool- I wish it meant absent.

New Eye Candy via Amazon

Amy Butler's new book, Midwest Modern arrived today.  It's a "sit down and read" book, but also has lovely pictures (her husband is the photographer).  From a quick run-through, I like it.  Did I mention the beautiful photographs?  She also shows her home and design ideas, talks about her artistic inspirations, and shows a ton of her fabrics and designs.  I will sit down and read it, but I also think it will be a great "pick up occasionally for inspiration" kind of book.  The concept of the book is to focus on design from the Midwest, but since I'm from the Midwest, I didn't realize it was a defined "style".  (I'm very heavy on the quotation marks today, "aren't I"?)  I would define it as we take the best of the West and East coast and do whatever the heck we want with it.  A practical, frugal approach to design, if you will.

Anyway, I promise a full book report later.

Bend-The-Rules Sewing

Amy Karol, who writes the blog Angry Chicken, has written a beginning sewing book that even has some nuggets for the experienced sewer. 

This book is very approachable for the beginning sewer. Her writing style is very casual and she covers topics from choosing a sewing machine to setting up your sewing workspace to applying bias binding. She talks about the threads tangling in your machine and what to do about it, which happens to every sewer and can really frustrate a beginner.

The projects are good beginning projects- not too complicated, but you can probably find something in the book that you want to make and will actually use. And if your project doesn't turn out perfect, you won't feel like you failed-- the author explains why mistakes are an okay thing.

If you are an experienced sewer, you probably won't see any projects that you haven't seen or tried before. However, reading the first part of the book reinforced some habits I need to follow (changing my sewing machine needle often, pressing often) and gave me some technique ideas that I didn't know. I love her attitude about mistakes-- when to redo, when to take a rest and when to proceed with abandon. (I call it the "burning" stage and she is correct- it usually passes in time.)

A great beginning sewing book. Not as valuable for the experienced sewer, but worth a read for those wanting to build more confidence in their sewing style.

A Perfect Mess

I've been vindicated!  Well, I don't know if I have or not, because I haven't read the book yet.  However, based on the reviews, my messy office (and bedroom, den, project room) is making the world a better place.

I'll read the book as soon as it arrives from Amazon and report back.  If I don't read it immediately, it will get put into a pile and won't be seen for six months.