Can I just vent a little?

Hi there. First time in the forums for a really, really long time and I just need to vent a little.

I just recently got back in to the scrapbook scene and I love doing pocket pages. It's so much fun! It's so easy to coordinate colors and patterns and I am making a baby book right now as my husband and I are expecting our first baby in July.

I went to Michael's this afternoon and was so disappointed by their selection. I understand that stores have to keep up with trends but can't they just keep a small section or an aisle of pocket page items? Also, the embellishments were almost nonexistent. I just feel that the scrapbooking section is getting smaller and smaller as time goes on. Now, I have to purchase my scrapbooking supplies from online sources because there is so much more variety but I hate paying the shipping cost!

Sigh. Vent over.

• justdarlincards Said:

Bummer!
But I think it depends on the Michaels...cuz mine has a pretty good size section of pocket page items and many, many, aisles of scrapbook items! Is there any other Michaels' stores near you?
Is there a JoAnns?
My JoAnns has a lot of stuff too, both pocket and scrapbooking.

We do have a Hobby Lobby which is nice and there is another Michael's about 25 minutes away.

It seems that in my area everything is being switched over to planners. It has seriously taken over everything! Haha!

Yes! Vent away ... although that's a pretty wimpy vent. You need to use caps to really let it out.
Sometimes you get free shipping. Michaels has different size stores. Hobby Lobby doesn't really have a large selection, no more than Mike or Jo. Tuesday Morning and garage sales are my favs.

• don1 Said:

LOL really, cuz my Hobby Lobby is HUGE!
The scrapbook section alone is like, at least, 7 aisles...

I guess it depends on where you live.
I live in Southern California.

I live in the northeast and all of our box stores have pared down their scrapbooking sections here too .
scrapbook.com does have a free shipping day once a month I think?
No Tuesday Morning around here.
Welcome back to scrapbooking!

I have the same problem all the Michaels, AC Moore and Joann in Long Island have drastically changed and all the scrapbook stuff is few and far between and I am paper obsessed and I can't say that I have really bought alot of paper in over a year. We just got a Hobby and I got some stuff there. I have noticed alot of the stores are carrying the planners which is nice but its forcing me to shop online and pay shipping!!!! I do have 1 scrapbook store not too far from me that I go to on occasion but her prices are way more than Michaels price on paper.

I love pocket scrapbooking too & I agree, they have cut back a lot on scrapping supplies to make room for journing stuff.

I buy a lot of my Pocket scrapbooking supplies (name brands) from Walmart online, with PICK-UP at my local store, with NO SHIPPING FEES. It usually is ready to pick up within the week or sometimes in just a few days.

I also have AmazonPrime & get supplies delivered fast & no shipping fees.

And I just received an email from Micheals a few days ago and now THEY are offering 'BUY ONLINE, PICK UP AT STORE', with NO shipping fees too! But It may depend on whether or not the item is actually IN the store, that will be something we'll have to check into.

Hope this info helps!
Kathy

Since I have always lived so far from any scrapbook shops, I have learned to make my own embellishments. Recently, I have stepped into the area of mixed media and started making my own background papers. Maybe I am not alone and many other scrappers are using die cutting machines and Gelli mats and creating so many of our own supplies that the markets are affected.

Yes, I have been to Tuesday Morning but there isn't one in my area. I think the closest one is like an hour down the road from me.

I'm glad I'm not the only who feels that some stores are narrowing down the selection.

As far as the stores in my area, we have Joann's and Hobby Lobby. The Joann's in my area is terrible. Their scrapbooking selection is probably 2 aisles worth of stuff and it's a rather junky store. Our Hobby Lobby is nice and they do have more of a selection than Michael's. I also like to go there for other stuff, too!

I have Amazon Prime so maybe I should start shopping there for my scrapbooking stuff. Of course, I will shop on scrapbook.com as well.

I live in a dinky little town on the Canadian prairie: my nearest "scrapbook store," and I use the term loosely, is a pretty lame Micheal's in a nearby city.

I have always bought most of my product right here at scrapbook.com or through kit clubs. I pay an exchange rate, duty, and higher shipping costs (compared with what Americans pay) but I try not to complain about it too often ;-)

Do you want to hear a vent? Ask someone in Australia about trying to find scrapbooking supplies that don't cost the earth. It'll make you feel downright spoiled.

I sympathize with you. Not long ago I tried to buy packets of brads in just a few specific basic colors but had no luck here (my first choice of purchase), nor at Michael's or Joann's (both of which have significantly reduced their scrapbooking inventory). I finally bought some plain metal brads and will try painting my own. I used to feel guilty about my huge stash of cardstock, papers and embellies but am now glad to have so much to choose from--certainly more than the local stores have to offer. Thank goodness for this web site.

There is a great little scrapbooking store in Nova Scotia and luckily I live only a few miles away. Free shipping for $150 and over. If anyone wants to know the name of it let me know! Our Michaels store in the city unfortunately doesn't have much anymore either.

I live in Australia, no Michael's here and very few scrap booking stores left. We have Kaisercraft & that's about it .

Wow !!! I am so sorry this industry seems to be slowing down ! I have a Michaels and JoAnn's 7 min from me and a new hobby lobby just opened like April 30 th! I feel blessed and my stores are pretty good - of course if you want the designer " good stuff" you have to come here ! I love the store here I try and buy at least 2 x a year but I'm on a budget! Try that amazon prime deal! Might just work ! Good luck !

Yeah, the Michael's in NY is pathetic. But as far as embellishments I think there is just more demand than stock. But no pocket stuff here. I like to go to the stores, but sometimes I go to Amazon.

I so agree! The last few times I went looking for something specific I was disappointed. When ordering online there is so much more variety!!

I also think a lot of people have switched over to digital scrapping. Just now I was attempting to find some inspiration with different techniques in the gallery and literally every LO I clicked on was digital. While they were pretty it was frustrating that people won't tag it digital.

I was so excited when my husband and i built our house b/c it was like a 15 minute drive to an Archivers (which before was like 45). And shortly after they closed all their stores! :sniff sniff:

Yes there does seem to be a slowdown in scrapping supplies across the board. Fewer brick and mortar stores as they can't compete with online shopping or big box stores.
I see fewer new items in the big box stores with a limited selection of name brands with lots of the store brand items.
I find the prices here at sb.com to be the same as going to a local LSS as ours is in the neighboring state with a high tax rate!! Plus the two hour round trip drive!! Still they have a few brands that I can't get at sb.com. and they stock a large selection of beach papers as we are a beach community.

I could feel the frustration of not having access to many scrapping brands to choose from if I lives in Australia but KaiserCraft is one of my two current favorite brands of supplies!!! They have lovely things!!!

Crafting has always been trendy. There was a time when most of the aisles were fabric crafting and embroidery. Then wood paints and flats. Then scrapbooking. Quilting is a current rage, and canvas work seems to be on the uptick.

Eventually it will cycle out and back around. It always does, but it will return with a whole new look. Used to be albums all had black pages and photo corners were the rage. Now it's all multi-media, but not so long ago it was making your own paper flower embellishments. Now it seems to be trending back to the pre-packaged ones.

Crafting is a living breathing art. It's always in flux, always changing, and artists are always looking for new ways to express themselves. Those that are "market trending" are moving on to other venues for their creative outlets, leaving those of us who are interested in archiving our photographs in scrapbook albums with fewer options for OUR craft.

It's not unexpected. Sad, but predictable. We'll survive, of course. We'll just have to make do with fewer options.

I think paper will always be a thing because it's used for so MANY activities (particularly in school....). I don't think we'll see as many of those big and beautiful weight papers as we have in the past, but hopefully a couple of the big companies will continue to put out quality weight papers. I hate working with the lighter weight stuff.

Pat, you have made some very good points and plays right into a paper junkies NEED of hoarding craft supplies!! With the changing trends in paper crafting I know I will be in good shape for years to come with the current amount of supplies I have and continue to add to my stash monthly!!

I was just telling my husband our Michaels(40 minutes away) seems to have less scrapbooking supplies. I have to drive an hour to Joann's in another county and they hardly have any scrapbook supplies. If I drive to another county we have a Hobby Lobby and they have a decent supply. Have been buying here and at the Lancaster scrapbook show(although I missed it this year). My son was given a strap hinged album as an Eagle Scout gift and Hobby Lobby was the only place that I could find page protectors for it.

Just added to my paper hoard with an order from SB.com that came in yesterday! I get tired of the same old stuff at the big box stores and since USPS and UPS will deliver anywhere I find plenty of paper goodies that I like!! I don't depend on box stores for my scrapping.