with a little bit of flourish and discontinued things

excuse the lousy photos.

i guess i could spend a lot of time getting these primo shots but then i'd be spending way too much time bloggin and not scrappin

so fuggetaboudit

I finished those 3 pages up yesterday after visiting my friend June. I mentioned i would be borrowing her Quickutz flourishes. You can see them (with a little bejewelment by me) in the second photo. In real life it looks pretty fun. And I'm the only one I have to please so I'm happy! In this first photo on your left i found that i had a piece of cardstock I wished I had for the entire album. It's this Making Memories patterned cardstock - which is imprinted with a lovely flourish! It's from the same group of patterend cardstock Making Memories put out a few years ago. I only wish I had been able to find this flourishy version to make the entire album. I had bought the striped paper which i used on a number of previous pages I've posted here. It's real classic stuff that i thought they might not discontinue.

And I was wrong. Well at least I believe I'm wrong. I looked all over online to see if anyone still had this particular cardtock but to no avail. And this brings up the "discontinued things" topic. Seeing as its CHA time (the craft & hobby industry trade show is going on right now)it seems like a good time for the discussion.

I understand why manufacturers have to discontinue things. I really do. If something is not selling it makes perfect sense to discontinue it. When a company wants to put out a new line it may be the most fiscally responsible thing for them to do, right? You can't have all your money behind old product when you want to be selling hip, new and cool. Problem is these companies barely put out the products and then they're dumping them in time for the next industry trade show. I know everyone wants NEW COOL STUFF. However, it kills me when they discontinue great classic things - like this flourish paper. Maybe it doesn't sell well anymore. I can see that. However I could also argue that they don't promote it anymore and they also are caught up in the frenzy of scrapbookers who need - crave - gotta have something new.

It's gonna drive them all out of business. This jumping on the bandwagon. I've seen it countless times in the years I've been scrapbooking. Someone - some company - becomes the new hot thing. And then every manufacturer copies it so they can get in on the action. Its understandable but - here comes this Suzy's long time opinion - not smart.

Not everyone wants doodles. Not everyone wants shabby. Not everyone wants vintage. (i think i've just named the last three big fads). I know the company is rare that does not jump on the bandwagon. But i swear I applaud them.

I have been known to want desperately some hot new item. It's been a while but I recall the feeling. I also remember thinking now that (for example) Making Memories is making these foam stamps - now everyone and their brother is making foam stamps (or metal, or flowers.... i could go on). If you didnt' like all that stuff you were pretty much screwed. The stores were filled with one company's vision. Just made by every single company (and a few new ones) that was around. You couldnt find anything different. And they keep doing it - over and over again. I think hoping to become the next HUGE thing - like Making Memories was for several years. (btw I still love Making Memories).

I think we're past that now kids. Now more scrapbook mania. I wish all these companies would figure out what they do best and make that and stop copying one another. Offer us some variety. ok.. little rant over!