First Timer in the Forum

[marathonmommy]

I've done some scrapbooking but haven't in a few years. My DS(2) seemed to have put a stop to that - but I'm getting that "itch" again. As a result, I've checked out this forum for the first time. I have a couple of questions?

What exactly is a CJ? I think I saw it stands for Circle Journal, but what does that mean? Are they always done in small spiral books?

What kinds of albums do you use, other than CM? I like the ease of being able to manipulate where pages are located and not being "stuck" with front to backs. But I don't like the way most 3-ring binders look.

Any help you can give is appreciated . . .

 

[piratesmate]

Welcome to the forums MarathonMommy!

You're right - a CJ is a Circle Journal. That just means that a group of people (often 12) each starts their own book, choosing their own theme and type of album. You create the basic pages (welcome, sign-in, instructions...) and a LO for your theme. Then send it off to the next person in the "circle". Each month you'll receive a new album from the same person, create your own LO with photos with the theme the album's owner has chosen & mail by the due date. The books always travel in the same order. At the end of the cycle, you get your own book back. It's a neat way to get to know other posters and learn new techniques!

The type of album used for CJs varies. Many people use a spiral bound book, but size varies. Some just keep the spiral & some remove it & replace with ribbons, which looks really neat! I've worked in other albums that I don't know what brand they were, but were post bound. And I've done a few that were CM albums - the 7x7.

As for "regular" scrapping, I prefer to work outside my book in random order, so I don't use CM albums....although I have a couple. I just can't deal with the "order" thing. I also like to wallpaper & I'm cheap...I hate to cut off excess if the pages aren't true 12x12. (And yes, I'm slightly insane. ) Right now I'm using a Pioneer top loading postbound because it was cheap. I won't be terribly upset if I have to replace it somewhere along the line.

 

[MazdaUK]

I use CM, bacuase I didn't know where to start so had a CM party and became a CMC (I love a bargain! Free is best but bargain is good ) Scrapping to order keeps me moving forward and stops me being left with some random pics and nothing to do with them. Why not start with an album for your tiny baby - quick, before you have a teenager! I've only been scrapping for 11 months, so what with my "subject" albums (vacations, Christmas etc.) I've only just got past DS(13)'s 2nd birthday, and DS (nearly 7) keeps asking when I'm starting his!

Trouble with post-bound is that most of them are top-loading and it can let dust in unless you store them carefully.

Spread that stash about and you'll soon get the buzz again!

 

[Spinning]

welcome!
Kids do seem to get in the way with scrapping!
I am a top loader all the way! I just don't get the whole dust thing. I have been scrapping 6 plus years. I have used CM to top loading. Dust has never been a problem. My CM albums I didn't use page protector because 1. pain to put on. 2. expensive on top of the extra pages I had to buy. 3. poorly made. I used them in one album and hated the way it looked.
Dust isn't a problem with any of my albums. I store them up right on a book shelf. I have a dog, 2 kids, use a wood fire place all winter long...and don't clean constantly. Never had a dust problem.
I use Forever more albums. They are beautiful, well made books. Never had a problem. The page protectors are fab! They have enough room if you wish to be bulky. But the book also will lay flat when opened.
If you try post album my suggestion would be make sure that it has 3 post not 2. This gives it much more stability. Also I bought small clear washers at the hard ware store. I use these as spacer about every 12-15 pages especially if they are lumpy pages.
Also look at the spine. Some of the post bounds have poor spines. either a thick paper cover that slips in and when you enlarge the book you can see the holes where you expanded it. It is attached to the post. F.Y. albums have a spine similar to CM it pops out and is one piece. Has nothing to do with the post holes. If that makes sense.
They can also be embossed. Which I am very excited about! I have 2 albums as we speak being shipped! Can't wait to see them!
here is a web site.
http://www.accentalbums.com/index.html

Anyway this is a rather long post...but hopefully helpful. I would look at your previous books. See what you liked about them and what you would change if you could. Then if possible go to a local scrap book store (LSS) see what they have. Orbetter yet find a crop being hosted in your area. YOu can see lots of books!

As for Circle journals, never did one so I can't help!

 

[laura&fam]

I have used the 3 ring binder albums but haved switched to the post bound top loading and like them much better. You can take out the post and rearrange the pages if you need to or you can just pull the page out the top.

I strongly recommend sheet protectors, whatever else you use. I can't even imagine the sticky, slimy fingerprints I would have all over my albums if I didn't. My kids love to look at the albums (including my DS 2). Once they spilled milk all over one. I just wiped it with a washcloth and it was as good as new.