Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Stampington magazines, I can't shell out the money

I used to buy a lot of Stampington press magazines. I don't anymore. Too expensive. 14.99 for a magazine. I realize it comes out quarterly so it's not that much over a quarter but I can better justify smaller increments in my magazine habits. I must spend real money on novels to read...that take me far more time to digest than a magazine for almost twice the money.

The Internet is an interesting thing. A lot of the pieces shown in the magazines can easily be found on the Internet. The techniques aren't always on the webpages but I don't copy things that are in magazines, mostly I look at things for inspiration.

And it's free on the Internet. If the price was 10.00 I'd probably break down and buy one or two but 14.99 I can buy a book that will last longer.

True, Stampington Press uses great paper, good weight paper and card-stock covers. But it's still essentially a magazine and while I LOVE a good paper, I don't want to pay for paper when I'm paying for inspiration and eyecandy. On occasion, technique.

Sometimes the ideas are a bit whacky (I think). Where Women Create is one. Ummmm, frankly I don't care what your studio space or kitchen table looks like. I think it's a weird concept to look at someones space like that.

So what do I do? I look at the magazine, I don't read it there at the bookstore (lol, odd as it seems, it feels like stealing in my book) I glance at it and put it back on the shelf usually picking up 2 magazines like Beadwork, FiberArt, Cloth Paper Scissors. Magazines are always secondary to me over books. I'd rather buy 2 paperbacks to keep me entertained for the week over a large magazine I can read in an evening. Also, some of the articles shown in the quarterly are reprints of articles shown in the monthly mags. So I end up paying for it twice.

Basically the more I get for my hard-earned money the more likely I am to buy it.

Course if I ever get anything in one of the magazines I'd suggest everyone I know to go out and buy one, even tho it would not benefit me directly. LOL.

2 comments:

susan m hinckley said...

ha ha ha, VO -- of course I agree with you ($14.99 is TOO MUCH FOR A MAGAZINE!) but I am a little sad that the mag business is basically dying (like the newspaper business) because somehow looking at things on line isn't the same as going back to my magazines again and again and studying them. And as someone who spent years in the magazine business and whose services were no longer required because the business died, it makes me a little cranky.

But if you ever do have something in a magazine (even the $14.99 kind!) let me know because I'll gladly shell out . . . even if it's just to learn your name.

VO said...

I agree media is going a totally different way and I am saddened by that. I love reading, the whole ritual of reading. The heft of a book or magazine, the paper, the turning of pages. The artwork, the scent, the wishing the story/article could go on longer.

But there is so much out there to find, things I don't have to wait for. I am a knowledge hound, I need to find "it" right now. LOL.