Digital Scrapbooking Magazine
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
I was wandering through Target in March and saw the premiere issue of Simple Scrapbooks - Digital Scrapbooking Magazine. Now this is Simple Scrapbooks and Digi, which for me is two things I love, so naturally I picked up a copy and headed home. After giving it a thorough reading I thought I'd share my little review here.My first thoughts on the magazine is that its a little on the thin side. Now this it itself wouldn't bother me but the magazine price is $6.99 compared to Simple Scrapbooks $4.99 and Simple Scrapbooks is thicker, trust me I (un)scientifically compared them! I'm hoping that its just the premiere issue that's thin and that the subsequent issues are gonna be thicker, time will tell on that one. Not sure why its more expensive than Simple Scrapbooks either? Maybe a sponsorship thing? Though there were a few ads in the digi mag, not sure if it was comparable to Simple but the ads were definately there.
The mag has an intro to the team member which I liked, little section on each member and some projects from them, loved Chris Ford and Shannon Freemans pages. I like their styles, very close to what I like to do with my digi pages.
The reader gallery was good with a nice mix of styles, some really nice simple layouts very simple scrapbooks style some more layered and collaged layouts and some with advanced digital techniques. The simple layouts made me realise that digital doesn't have to mean difficult. I guess I have a tendancy to make my digi layouts more layered than my paper layouts. So if anything the magazine taught me that simple digi is ok! I needed that reminder!
The article on Home Studio looked interesting, with some nice sample photo's. However I would have liked some backdrop examples for people on a budget. I like the seamless backdrops but I'm not prepared to pay a ton of money on a roll of backdrop, fabric doesn't cut it when you have dogs that insist on shedding. I guess I'd like to see a home studio be just that, home made. Maybe that's a little "out there"?
The laptop bags review I just ficked past, honestly not that interested. I don't see buying a laptop bag as a huge decision personally.
The simple schemes article I liked alot. This could only have been made better by having a digital template download on the magazine site. Maybe I should suggest that? Seems to me a good way to get readers online to the website and vice versa.
The hybrid article was probably my favorite article. Although I already knew how to do reverse printing and have done an article on it myself (note to self dig that out and share it). I loved the way the article was presented and the resulting layout. It made me get up and design something. I got on my computer and created a hybrid page. That to me speaks of a good article!
So in all I'm not sure whether I liked it or not! lol! It did make me get up and scrap but I wasn't totally inspired by the whole magazine. I'll probably buy the next issue and take it from there.
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2 comments:
I subscribed to this before it hit the shelves and I have to say that the subscription services have been disappointing so far. I still haven't received the magazine yet either though I've contacted them and they assure me that it is now on the way. I'm wondering if I'll end up missing out on the premiere issue or not because of the subscription glitch. Thanks for your review of the current content - I won't be on the edge of my seat waiting for it - but I'm still curious and think it might be a nice addition as inspiration.
Now I know why I have another reason why I love you so much. You are honest in your magazine review. I also was wholeheartedly dissapointed in the magazine. It has nothing to really draw me. I thought the template section a little lame coming from a professional organization. I should have learned my lesson from a book recommended me to me on templates. Oh me, oh my, I have a subscription. I purchased a few of their previous magazines that had full tutorials, freebies, etc., but this one is at my feet its way to the trash bin. My scrapping space is small in my bedroom, so I can't waste space under my desk. It added nothing to my scrapping desires. I feel as you do with multiple photos & resent spending my few remaining years scrapping 1 photo @ a time when it takes me much longer because of my disability. I had such hopes for this magazine because I wanted it to be a landmark, a true success for the digital scrapper. I do not need to subscribe to a magazine to see various & majority of single photo lo, when I have such interesting sites to visit that offer me much more. I am still hoping that the 2nd edition will greatly influence my original decision. I have a kit from their prior dl magazine & still owed dls that were inactivated while they sold the magazine. Now, your tutorials rock. I read them even when I know how to do the tutorial, that way you can always learn or refresh what you already know. They need you to do their tutorials for impact if they want complete satisfaction.
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