| Chat Transcripts: Lisa Bearnson from Creating Keepsakes Magazine |
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From Thursday, November 14, 2002 10 p.m. EST |
Special Guest Chat:
We were privileged to have Lisa Bearnson from
Creating Keepsakes Magazine
as our guest for chat on November 14, 2002.
Lisa Bearnson is the co-founder and founding editor of Creating Keepsakes scrapbook magazine as well as the co-author of three books, Mom’s Little Book® of Displaying Children’s Art (Creating Keepsakes Books, 2000), Mom’s Little Book® of Photo Tips (Creating Keepsakes Books, 1999) and the Joy of Scrapbooking (Oxmoor House, 1998). She is host of a monthly, hour-long QVC show called the “Creating Keepsakes Hour,” and is a frequent guest lecturer at numerous scrapbook expos and craft shows nationwide. The magazine has been featured several times on the “Today” show, and in Time magazine, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping magazine, American Health for Women, Jane Applegate’s nationally syndicated column on Small Business and Home Business News. Bearnson was also a Utah state finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. For more information about Lisa click here.
Below are the transcripts of the event. Rebecca Ludens, About’s Scrapbooking Guide, presented Lisa with readers' questions as posted in the forum or sent to her during the chat.
Rebecca: Let's get started. I am absolutely thrilled to have as our guest tonight a wonderful scrapbooker and fabulous instructor Lisa Bearnson Founding Editor of Creating Keepsakes Magazine. Welcome Lisa!!!
Lisa Bearnson: Glad to be with ya'll tonight! I'm here in my scrapbooking room in Pleasant Grove, Utah with my buddy, Jana Lillie, the Editor in Chief of Creating Keepsakes.
R: Ok, for our first question I chose something that tells a little about you - From OakApr: You became successful really fast after you started this magazine. How has that affected you and your family? What were you doing before?
Lisa: I was the Editor in Chief of WordPerfect Magazine for almost eight years. I fell in love with the publishing field and thus started Creating Keepsakes. The success has been really exciting but has also created demands on my time. I've really had to prioritize--for example I only work from 9-5 unless I'm involved in a great live chat like this! Luckily I have a very supportive husband!
R: Which leads us to a frequently asked question tonight.... Do you find time to scrapbook for your family and yourself? Do you set scrapbooking goals? Etc.
Lisa: Like everyone, I don't have time to scrapbook--I make it a priority. It's also made a world of difference to dedicate an entire room to scrapbooking. I can leave my mess out and not have to clean it up! I usually scrapbook when the kids are at school and the baby is taking her 3-hour nap!
R: What a great answer! That is so true...with families we all have to MAKE time to scrapbook.
R: How about some more general questions like From Jenn: Is CK planning to do another version of the Idea Vault?
Lisa: Yes--an upgraded version will be available soon that will resolve a few problems users were experiencing. As for an updated version, possibly in the future.
R: Great! From Molly: Will CK be branching out more into the area of rubber stamping -- for scrapbooking and cards too?
Lisa: Rubber stamping continues to be really popular in the scrapbooking arena. We may not branch out more but we'll continue to show innovative ways to use stamping in scrapbooking.
R: Here's an easy one: From Debbie: I would like to know when CKU Indiana will have the classes listed.
Lisa: Classes will be posted within the next week or two. You can register on Dec. 10 at 10:00 p.m. (EST)
R: Along those lines, I have received this question from many people here already tonight and it was posted on the forum: From Debbie and many, many others: I would also like to know if the master's program will ever be brought to CKU locations other than Utah?
Lisa: We're looking at options--nothing has been solidified yet.
R: I love this question....From Francine: What makes a prize winning layout?
Lisa: These four things:
1. Well-executed presentation
2. Strong, eye-catching photos
3. Meaningful journaling
4. Fresh ideas that set your layout apart.
R: I think a lot of scrapbookers are developing a tendency to forget the importance of the journaling as they focus on the design so it great to see that you list it in the "Top Four."
R: Next question is about the business end Love2Scrap68: Could you give us a little business overview of the scrapbooking industry? For example, what are the annual sales of the industry, what is the 5 and 10 year trend expected to look like, what has been the growth rate of scrapbook stores over the past few years?
Lisa: According to a 2001 national survey of scrapbooking in America: In 1996, 200 million dollars were spent. At the end of 2001, 1.4 billion dollars were spent (WOW! How much of that did you contribute to, ladies?) Also, 21% of households scrapbooked last year. Typically 20-30 scrapbooking stores open every month in the USA. More than half of scrapbookers have a dedicated room or space for scrapbooking. 50% of scrapbookers spent more than five hours scrapbooking in the last month and 16% spent more than 20 hours (that was you!).
R: from breanne: What's the best point and shoot camera to get for taking everyday pictures? Which one do you use personally?
Transcripts Continued on Page 2 - Click Here
