The Latest News

   Posted by Sarah, Editor In Chief

Hi everyone. My sincere thanks for the hundreds and hundreds of impassioned, smart, and yes, often heartbreaking comments you are continuing to post here in regards to Blueprint's future. As promised, we have been reading every single one. And we're really relying on them to help us figure out our next steps. It's going to take a bit of time, so please bear with us. But again, thanks so much. Your responses have been incredible.

In the meantime, I know many of you are asking what is to become of your Blueprint subscriptions. Here’s what MSLO Consumer Marketing has told us: “Within the next two weeks, current Blueprint magazine subscribers will receive notification by mail that the remainder of their Blueprint subscription will be transferred to Martha Stewart Living magazine. That notification will also include information about how to cancel the remainder of their Blueprint subscription, should they prefer not to receive Martha Stewart Living, in which case a refund will be sent for the remainder of the Blueprint subscription term.” If you have any questions at all, you can email MSLO Customer Relations at products@marthastewart.com.

Yours in Blueprint,

Sarah

Comments

[Emily Armstrong]

I was so disappointed to receive a card in the mail alerting me to the future of Blueprint Magazine. It was just several days prior that I was informing a friend of mine about what a great magazine it is. The typography and design was gorgeous, the ideas were ones that I actually found myself using. There are such a scarce number of magazines aimed at this crowd, at my crowd, that it was tragic to see this one go. A slightly different magazine, I am also a fan of ReadyMade and it seems unreasonable that such a small company can continue to produce a magazine of this genre when such a large and prosperous company like Martha Stewart gives up on a grand venture like Blueprint, meanwhile creating and marketing Martha Stewart Brand rubber stamps and craft supplies. I begin to question where the values lay, as Martha herself never seemed to fashion things out of lots of store bought templates. Please reconsider your shutdown of Blueprint magazine, and instead consider your marketing strategy. I yearn for strong products, and share good things with everyone who will listen.

[Megan]

What a tragedy! BP was new, fresh, and unlike anything else on the magazine racks. I personally love the feel of a magazine in my hands (not online) - and if I'm trying one of the many unique projects in its pages, having it right next to me instead of dashing to the computer every couple of minutes is so much better. I do hope that MSL knows what a large and diverse crowd of readers will be missing this amazing publication.

[Sara]

I was very upset to find out that Blueprint is longer in circulation. It has taken me years to find a magazine that carried itself with the class and elegance that Blueprint had.

As a woman in her mid-20s, it was refreshing to see a magazine taking a more traditional route, and not one focused stictly on celebrity gossip.

Thank you for making this magazine in the first place, and please, if at all possible, reconsider.

[Katie]

if you are truly looking to these comments for guidance of where to go next, you should make MS Living a bit more like the Blueprint everyone is mourning... less stuffy, less conservative, less like our grandmother's magazine and more like the funky, yet refined look and feel of the magazine we all will miss so much!

[Jan]

I gave Blueprint to a young woman as a Christmas gift--it would have been helpful to be told earlier that it was going to fold. She won't want a MS Living subscription--we have one already. She saw Blueprint as a magazine relevant to her age--20--and her cousins (in their 20's and 30's) liked it also.
Very disappointing--I really enjoy MS Living but it's just not as relevant to young people with less time and less money to spare than those of us who are more established.

[Amy S.]

Another reader disappointed in the cancellation of Blueprint.

I was searching and searching for how to subscribe (finally), only to find out it is being discontinued. So many people are going to miss this as they do MS Kids, but I *really* thought this magazine was a hit. The images, layout, and colors are so beautiful and alluring. I guess I *too* will just go back to just reading my Elle Decor and Dwell. Oh well, life goes on...

[BL]

I was very unhappy to hear that BP will not be continuing publication. I just recently started reading it and liked it so much that I gave out subscriptions for with Christmas presents for my sister and other great friends to enjoy. This magazine had several things that are missing from other, similar publications.

1) It was published once every two months, let's be honest, we are busy modern-day ladies with little free time, this gave me plenty of time to thumb through the pages and mark my favorite items without having to rush through because the next issue was waiting on my coffee table.

2) The graphic presentation of the magazine was impeccable! The font choices, page layouts, and color schemes were always worth another look through the pages.

3) Last, but certainly not least...the content of the articles were always varied and on the mark with modern day living for the modern day woman.

I will miss this magazine. Thanks for all the great ideas!

[laura campbell]

I am very upset this magazine is ending. It is very hip and fresh and makes a great companion to the other magazines I get. This decision seems odd to me, the title just started out. Why not give it time to bloom?

[JBrown]

What a disappointment. It is my humble opinion that Blueprint was Martha's saving grace. I don't care for the direction she's gone in the past two years...her television show is comical, at best.

I've been reading MSL for many years, and while the photography, typesetting and writing are all still lovely, many of the ideas are recycled from years past. Martha's integrity for new ideas seems to have withered.

Blueprint offers such a fresh, contemporary, and practical approach to living beautifully without being weighed down by a PR campaign to win over the masses (i.e. MSL and The Martha Stewart Show).

Please don't go...

[Amber]

The cancellation of Blueprint seems very rash. I also subscribe to Everyday Food. As I was flipping through the January 2008, I saw an advertisement for Blueprint and a tear out subscription card. When was this decision made?
I was also a subscriber to Martha Stewart Kids and had that magazine canceled on me.
I will be hesitant in the future to subscribe to new Martha Stewart publications. I seriously question the desire of this company to support and maintain new publications. Fooled once shame on you, fooled twice shame on me.

[Erin]

I am divested to hear that Blueprint is gone now. I JUST signed up for two years too! I finally found a magazine I enjoyed and it has to go.

[Sibyll St. James]

I just spent a little time checking out the blog and, frankly, I am just not interested in another blog.

[Patia]

whimper

[Trish]

I am so sad. This was my fav mag and the only one that I saved. I like MSL ok...but it really does not hit the same tone as Blueprint. I guess from all these comments I am not in the target dem (late 30s here) but it was so relevant for me. I never get a chance to sit at the computer to read an entire blog (kids always in the way) and I would read this in teh car when I was picking up the kids from school. i guess I will have to start bringing my laptop. Special issues would be nice. Hay, maybe they can bring back MS Kids and I can get a copy of that instead of MSL?

[karen Selkey]

Does anyone know the Blueprint typefaces? Are they created by Blueprint or existing? I'm a graphic designer and I'd love to buy them.

[Glimpse]

Hmm. Several weeks ago I received a postcard saying that I would be receiving Domino magazine in place of Blueprint. So... that's confusing. I do hope I end up with Dom and not MSL.

In any event, I am sorry to see Blueprint go. I truly enjoyed it's pages and will continue to read the blog. Best of luck to you all.

[Never teh Bride]

This really bums me out because I was a relatively new subscriber to the magazine. Blueprint rocked because the products and ideas featured in its pages were actually doable and affordable. As much as I like reading other lifestyle mags, I get a little discouraged looking at stuff way out of my price range and projects that require a contractor to complete.

[VicVic]

I am so so so bummed to hear this news. I've been reading since issue 1 and a subscriber since issue 2. I re-read them many times over and I think the design ideas are fresh and the photography is always beautiful.

This is very disappointing.

[Amy in Somerville]

I'm more than devastated....I'm furious. *still pouting* I think in this day and age, when companies are beholden ONLY to their beloved shareholders, profit margin is the only things that matters. MSLO had something fresh, original, and stunning with Blueprint. But their corporate greed got the best of them and they didn't know what to do with it.
I'm sad for the Staff at Blueprint. I'm sad for people like me that no longer have this great publication.

[Rachel]

Well, this is better than nothing, I guess. I'm still very bummed about Blueprint's cancellation, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to how the Blueprint staffers are feeling. We lost a FANTASTIC magazine, they lost their jobs.
Getting copies of Martha Stewart Living won't do much to make me feel better, but it's better than Weddings.

[Ann]

I am not a 20 something (late 40's, married) and my friends and I enjoy this magazine. We love the fresh look and feel of it. I know I for one am not excited about receiving MSL as a subscription substitution. I would have subscribed to MSL if that was the mag I wanted to read. I guess a refund will be arriving...

[Meagan]

As a 27 year old Graphic Designer, Blueprint was my absolute favorite magazine. In fact, it was the favorite magazine of most of my friends in the design and out. It really struck a special chord with 25-35 year old women - women who are too hip for Living and want more than a standard fashion mag has to offer. Blueprint was about a lifestyle, an embracing of good design in all aspects of life. This message really hit a particular audience, and in taking Blueprint off the stands, MSO has really slapped us all in the face. MSO is sending the message that unless you are a 50+ year old woman with a 100K+ annual income OR an heiress bride OR a daily chef, you are not important enough to address.

My friends and I are all devastated, absolutely DEVASTATED that this message is being sent with the closing of Blueprint as a printed mag. No other mag out there matches its creativity of layout, expressive typefaces, lovely covers and beautiful stories. Living does not address the same audience and I think MSO will soon find this out.

[Ariel]

A thought just occurred to me-- First, let me say that I love the print version of Blueprint, and I am sad that anything is changing. I would be thrilled to see special issues. That said though, if there are no other options, I think you could turn lemons into lemonade, so to speak, with the online idea. Despite my love of paper magazines, being online IS greener because there isn't any printing involved. What if you were to do similar spreads-- fashion, cooking, beauty, travel, decorating like you always have except online and with a little bit more of a "green" focus (healthy food, environmetally-friendly home, organic products, contemporary ideas) for living. Not to go totally granola, just move a stylish lifestyle into the 21st century. This might expand your market. I bet people would be willing to pay a small fee for a subscription if necessary. Maybe make it weekly or bi-weekly, and very visually appealing in the spirit of the magazine? Just some ideas off the top of my head.

[kealoha]

Thanks for sharing the updated info, Sarah. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for all of the Blueprint staff to see their (beautiful!) project lose its wings. As for the rest of us, we're all waiting with baited breath to see how our favorite magazine will be reincarnated....

[Rachel]

Now that I'm *mostly* done pouting, I am focused on thinking of solutions. How about distributing the magazine via Zinio reader:

http://img.zinio.com/corporate/

I suspect the readers of Blueprint are younger and more tech savvy and some, like me, would definitely accept an offer to transfer a subscription to Zinio.

One thing we love about Blueprint is the layouts and the paginated reading experience. That's something you don't get on a website because -- let's be honest -- it's all template based and every page is the same.

It would also be the best of both worlds for advertisers. Great looking print-quality advertisements WITH click-through. Thanks for listening! -Rachel