Question for all who use CM albums

[Tiger Fan]

I use CM 12 x 12 albums and love them. However for my next Disney album I am thinking I would prefer a top loading due to wanting to use colored paper. I do not want to wallpaper, but do not want to stop using CM (they all look so great on my shelf). Here's what I'm thinking - use Portrait Sleeves and make this album top loading. I can use the other pages in other albums so it would not be a waste. Any thoughts - I know it might be more expensive, but I'm willing to pay more to give this a try. Thanks.

Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[yummy72]

Lisa-

I think that would work, and like you say, the pages would not go to waste since you could use them in other albums. I haven't used the portrait sleeves much, but I remember my consultant using them as a way to store things together that she wanted to use on the page (paper, pictures, stickers etc...) Give it a try and let us know how it works out!

Candi

 

[MerryPoppins]

Just curious, why don't you want to wallpaper? I wallpaper my CM albums and use the regular protectors and it works great.

 

[chessie]

My Disney CM album has 45X2 ='s 90 pages. Nearly every page is wallpapered and It weighs a ton. Because of the weight, it is somewhat wobbly. I would certainly give your idea a try.

 

[DiznEeyore]

Hi, Lisa:

Did you know you can buy top-loading pages that fit in the CM albums? Westrim makes them, and most scrapbook stores and craft stores (Michaels, JoAnn) carry them. It would be a less-expensive way of going about it than buying the portrait pages. Just a thought!

 

[Lesley]

If I were going to use a thin colored paper, I'd probably wallpaper it. But cardstock gets too heavy.

The biggest concern with using the portrait sleeves is that they don't have jeeping on the outside edge...which helps protect the pages. And an album full of portrait sleeves might get slippery (like the pages might slide against one another more easily...making the album seem loose). I have a WDW album I plan to switch into a CM one using the portrait sleeves, but I haven't gotten anywhere on it, so I can't say how it works out!

Good luck...let us know what ends up working for you!

 

[Spinning]

One of the girls who uses CM does this all the time at a crop I go to. If I get to one within the next few weeks I will ask her what brand she uses in her CM books.

 

[Jackie H.]

I use the portrait sleeves to put "things" in that I want to keep with the album but not put on a page. For example: I have some of my kid's artwork in portrait sleeves and their report cards, PTA program, etc....

The only thing is, I have had a few of these "blow out on the side". I don't overstuff them, but some of them have come unglued (or un-whatever is holding them together). It isn't such a problem that I have quit using them or anything, but you may want to consider that.

Also they are quite "flimsy" aren't they? By that I don't mean poor quality, I mean there is nothing "stiff" to make them hold up straight. I might worry if you stand your albums up on the side in a bookshelf and if nothing is keeping it pressed together tight that they may slip down and bend the photographs.

Good luck and let us know if you decide to do this and how it works.

 

[Tiger Fan]

Thanks so much for all the input. I did today purchase top loading Westrim pages (just one pack to give it a try) before a total change over. I will certainly let everyone know how this works out and thanks so much for all the good suggestions and thoughts.

Lisa

 

[pattyT]

I ALWAYS use top loading covers by ultra-pro. I bought them at Michaels. They even have some that fold out to a four page layout for some really cool designs!
When I go to a CM party I do the page on the pages there - leaving a little space on the edge-then I cut off the edge and they fit into the cover!
When I do them at home I use regular paper and once you put pictures - stickers - crops - etc. It is not flimsy at all!
hope it helps!