CM vs other albums...

[PoohBearLovinMama]

So Maggie, when you say you use a three ring binder, do you mean like a binder you would use for school (aka the plasticky covers) or do you use a scrapbook that uses a three ring binder format. I think I'd like a 3 ring binder b/c I bet it would lay flat, but I'd want to use something pretty.

 

[pattyT]

So Maggie, when you say you use a three ring binder, do you mean like a binder you would use for school (aka the plasticky covers) or do you use a scrapbook that uses a three ring binder format. I think I'd like a 3 ring binder b/c I bet it would lay flat, but I'd want to use something pretty.

i asked her this before - an dI thought she said she got them at Walmart in the scrap section - I haven't found anything like it yet to check out!

 

[Minnie&Mickey]

They sell the three ring binders for scrapbooking at Michaels. It's on the aisle with the refills. I have only used one once, but I really liked how easy it was to add pages, and it does lie flat.

 

[TiggerFamily]

I've always used CM albums but I did an album for my neighbor who was moving far away, I did it in a top load and I hated it. I say stay with CM all the way! Nancy

 

[chessie]

I have disliked the CM albums from the start. I don't like scrapping in order and I don't like having to carry my albums to crops with me so I can work in them. I have tried many of the post bound albums and I like Dalee, The perfect scrapbook and some of the K and Co albums the best of the post bound. . There are so many new albums out there on the market I really could not commit myself to just one manufacture. The Maple leaf albums are a really pretty album. I haven't tried them as yet but I will. I use the 3 ring binders while I am working on an album . They are so easy to pull pages in and out and arrange and rearrange. I can work on as many albums as I want and keep them all in the same binder. When I think I am finished I can transfer the pages to their permanent album.

 

[Madi100]

I have done three CM albums, four if you count the one I made for my mom. I have done more that aren't CM than I have that are, but I really like the CM ones the best. I have a friend who just bought an album from our local hardware store (gotta get it where you can in small town Iowa). It looks identical to CM, but at a fraction of the cost. I just feel horrible doing something besides CM, because I have a good friend who sells it, and we often scrap together. However, I just like the look. They aren't as fun. They are more expensive, but I like the look. I love that when you look at the book that my pages all look the same. With the top loading the pages aren't all that even. Of course, none of my Disney books are CM. I should have just bought CM for that one. I'm sure I would have been happier.

 

[LindaBabe]

I've done a couple small CM mickey Albums but do not like having to plan my albums in their entirety in advance to get the page order to work out.

My favorite top loaders are Mrs. Grossmans, but I can use anything and do because I often treat the entire 12 x 24 two page spread as a single design space.

There are a couple tricks to assist these albums to lie flat. One is to make sure your background cardstock is a whisker smaller than the page protector in which you put it. They aren't ALL exactly 12 X 12. And neither is the paper.

The second thing you can do is to cut some cardboard or art foam spacers - strips about 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide and 12 inches long, which you punch to match the page protectors. When you assemble your album, you insert the spacers on the pins between every few pages - more if thicker pages, less if thin, to enable the binding to be as thick as the middle of the pages. You may have to add pin extenders to enable this.

The trick to have the album be good and flexurally stable when standing is to have the pins be only as long as necessary and pack them full. It should be expected to use some compressive force to screw the pins shut. (Sorry this explaination sounds like an engineering document. lol)

 

[Brina]

I love the scrapworks bayboxes. The 12x12 has extra space which makes getting bulkier layouts into them. In addition you can get 12x12 pages that have spaces for 4x6 and other picture sizes. It is like having scrapbook pages and photo album pages in one book.

 

[scrapperjill]

I'd have to say I love CM albums...I've tryed a few of the others and just don't seem to like them. I like how the CM albums lay flat for the most part..The biggest problems I've had with the top loaders/side loaders is how the pages bubble up... I hate that...oh and how most of the other page protectors have a major glare to them.

I did a wedding album for a gift...and LOVE the pages and layouts..but to save a little money I went with a top loader album...and ended up displeased with the whole package because of the glare on all the pages.

Of course with the CM albums if you "wallpaper" them you can't get as many pages...but from a fellow wallpaper person...I get my fair share of pages in my albums even though I wallpaper. I'd say I can get at least a refill and some times 1.5 refills in...in addition to what comes in the albums.

PattyT.....what is your reasons for wanting to get away from CM albums? You may have already said...but I didn't see it through the thread.

 

[American Scrapper]

I too have used other albums, but found myself going back to CM albums. I do wallpaper and have been able to get 1 - 2 refills in my books. I always keep extra pages onhand so that if I decide to do a page out of order, I can do it on the loose pages and then add it to the book later.

Kathy

 

[moochinkassarole]

It's interesting to read your favs. It's clear you either love or hate CM albums. I'm on the hate side. I like to scrap whatever feels right to scrap. I don't want to do it in order. I don't want to have to "wallpaper" in order to do my layouts. I LOVE my post bound, top loading albums. I love the fact that they are TRUE 12x12. I also love scrapbooking in 6x6 and 9x9. I do 6x6 for those shots that I might get one or two of. I also use them as "brag books" for Nana and Papa. Instead of sending photos, I send 6x6 layouts so the photos don't get shoved into a drawer. My kids love to scrapbook in the 9x9 size. At first they liked the 6x6, but they have more photos and there's more room to journal. Wait a second, I am WAY off the track. OOps! SorrY!
So to get back to the original question, I prefer "other" over CM.

Kitty