Top Loading Albums

[wtpclc]

Can someone help me with my confusion? I've seen a lot on top loading albums. A lot of people tend to like them. One comment was that you don't have to work chronilogically with them. How is that different than CM albums? You can insert and move pages around with them too.

Can someone explain what the differnce is for me?

TIA!

 

[FantasticDisFamily]

Although some people work on both sides of a page (like I do and would be standard with CM) others use two pages and insert them into the page protectors back to back. Especially if they use embellishments like eyelets,etc. At least that is how I understand it.
Deb

 

[Spinning]

Love love love top loading!
Several big differences between CM and Top loading.

Top loading
Doesn't have paper or it comes with a removable white sheet.
You use your own card stock or pattern paper for the back ground.
The page protector is a big pocket. (CM slides on to the side) this one you drop it in from the top.
the front and back pages are seperate sheets. This makes moving the pages around very easy
Think of a pocket style photo album.
post bound albums

CM Books
You scrap directly on the page or wall paper it with decorative papers
page protector slide on from the side
if you want to move a lay out around you will be taking the back page with the move. So this can cause problems if you like everyting in order or 2 page spreads
strap hinge album

Hope that helps. I love my top loading albums for the simple fact I like to scrap out of order but my books needs to be in order! Also I like the fact I am not paying for a page insert that I am going to cover with paper and a page protector. I am not a huge fan of the total white back ground. With top loading it comes with the page protectors you just add the paper
I love the CM covers I think they are so nice and rich looking. But they make me crazy because of my in order issues! I am famous for completed an event and 2 months later find pictures that I want to put with it. and I end up leaving a page blank because I don't I can't make it work in order.

 

[wtpclc]

Ahh.... I get it now. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[JudithM]

Spinning said it well!

I use top loading albums, too. I have removed all my photos (30-40 years worth) out of the old gluey type albums. I am slowly scrapping pages, but I am not doing them in order. I am temporarily storing them in order until I decide how I want to organize it in the long run. Plus I like using different papers for background. And I have never been crazy about strap hinged albums - personal preference.

 

[MinnieAnn]

I think someone mentioned this but another big advantage of top-loading albums is that you can use fun embellishments like eyelets, brads, wire, stitching, etc. because the back of your page is hidden by the page it shares a page protector with.

It's almost impossible for me to scrap in order and I love not working on the back of a finished page just in case something goes wrong.

I like the linen CM albums also, but the new linen CTMH albums are really beautiful AND top-loading!

Happy scrapping!

 

[Lyndarella]

The page protector that slides across the CM page does not cover the entire page. I have used mostly CM albums, but don't like this feature.

I have not tried post albums, but have used top-loading 3-ring binders. At WDW I purchased the "Ears to You 2002" and the "Four Parks, One World" albums, which are like that.

 

[TrixyA]

I prefer toploading for most of the reasons listed her. Although I think CM's albums are beautiful, I've always felt that their page protectors looked really cheesy when put with the classy albums.