28 Scrapbooking & Beyond

Jerry Cohen and partners started All American Crafts Publishing Inc. in 1981 in New York City with two main publications: Crochet Fantasy and Fashion Knitting/Knit 'N Style. Their most recent offering is Scrapbooking & Beyond, Premier Issue, June 2004. According to the company’s website, Mr. Cohen's wife, Madeline, is in charge of Public Relations, and their son, Darren, is Chief Executive Officer. With just over 30 employees, all the magazines are produced in-house.

Jane Guthrie, Editor, writes in the first issue

I must admit that most of my photo albums were created years ago and in a very traditional way; black pages and photo corners, with whatever journaling found on the back of the photos. Times have certainly changed. Over the past few years I have been collecting, well hoarding actually, the most glorious papers and trims that I could get my hands on. As the former editor of Craftworks (now Create & Decorate), magazine, I often found myself scouring the local craft stores for ideas and supplies. Now I find myself standing before paper racks for what seems like hours, shifting from one foot to the other and finally leaving the store with both arms filled with scrapbooking purchases.

Her passion for the craft must be shared by many; this was one of eleven scrapbooking magazines I found at Barnes and Noble today. Somewhere I read that there was a surge in craft magazines after 9/11--people seeking comfort, sanity and solace in handiwork and high touch skills as opposed to high tech.

Not being familiar with the craft myself, even browsing the ads was a pleasure and an education--adhesives, pewter stickers, patterned papers, clip art, vellum tape, special lamps, handmade books, literature sorters, backpacks for scrap bookers, embossing systems, light boxes, glue dots, and finally, soft safes in which to store your treasured book that will resist temperatures and flames up to 3000 degrees.

And the subscription agent is Kable News, located in Mt. Morris, IL, my hometown.

Scrap booking & beyond
Premier Issue, June 2004
ISSN:
Subject: Crafts, Scrapbooking
Publication schedule: assumed bi-monthly
All American Crafts, Inc.
243 Newton-Sparta Road
Newton, NJ 07860
$5.99, $22.97 for 6 issues
http://www.scrapbookingandbeyondmag.com/
Publisher: Jerry Cohen
Editor: Jane Guthrie