What type of album?

[DRRluvsWDW]

Still a newbie....
I bought a Disney album last year at Michaels planning ahead for my Dec 2007 trip. ( Yes, I know I am a Bit slow ) Now that I have done some practicing on other album pages and books, I don't think the Michaels album is going to work as nicely as I hoped. It is the screw type binding and top loading pages. Seems like the CM products are much more durable. Plus, I have a ridiculously huge number of pictures. I will be eliminating some, but there will be aLOT that I want in the album!
Sooo... what do you experts recommend?

 

[Tigger1221]

You are talking about a Post bound albulm. That is what I use a love then. I like CM but can't spend that much on an albulm. Maybe when I get out of school.

 

[Faerie]

I used to use CM albums but I hate having to scrap in order so I went to a top loading. My Disney album is a 3-ring I bought at Disney (top loading) but I like post bound too (refills will have extra posts for the extra pages)

American Crafts makes beautiful plain 3 ring albums that you can pretty up to whatever you want them to be.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I like post bound personally. You can buy extenders for them and the refill pages come with extenders too. My Disney book is huge! I had to go to 2 books, total 369 pics and 90 pages. They are a bit unsteady when that full but I have seen metal strips that you can put on the posts to firm things up. I plan on either buying these soon or I will have DH make me some. So far I like the Pioneer books the best but not the ones with the straps, they do not hold up well, for me anyway. You can buy the ones with the straps but then just pull them out and buy the posts.

 

[NemoMom07]

My first two disney trips I had them in the CM albums, but I just recently converted them to post bound. I have a product that I can add to the album and it will hold a HUGE amount of pages without having to keep adding extenders. I got my off qvc, but I have seen them at AC Moore.

 

[Madi100]

I have used the post bound, but I think CM looks nicer. The problem wih CM is that I wallpaper. I have no white space. So, it's really a waste of a page when all I need is the protector. However, with post bound I find that my book looks sloppy. The pages never go in exactly even. To look at a closed book CM looks nicer. I love the design of a post bound, there are some cute ones. But, another problem I have are the page protectors looking foggy. And, when I turn the pages they don't lay flat. I would to find the perfect album. Until then, I continue with the CM albums that are expensive.

 

[4greatboys]

I like the post bound albums. The top loading pages make it easy to move the pages around if I want to change the order.

Lately I have been hooked on doing the smaller albums, chipboard books and now I have a couple of new acrylic ones

 

[DRRluvsWDW]

I like post bound personally. You can buy extenders for them and the refill pages come with extenders too. My Disney book is huge! I had to go to 2 books, total 369 pics and 90 pages. They are a bit unsteady when that full but I have seen metal strips that you can put on the posts to firm things up. I plan on either buying these soon or I will have DH make me some. So far I like the Pioneer books the best but not the ones with the straps, they do not hold up well, for me anyway. You can buy the ones with the straps but then just pull them out and buy the posts.

I am happy to hear about the extenders. I will look for them tomorrow. That was my concern, it didn't seem like it would "accept" that many more pages. So, do you think about 45 pages will fit?

It is good to see that many of you like the post bound album. I was worried I bought something that wasn't going to work!

 

[DRRluvsWDW]

I like the post bound albums. The top loading pages make it easy to move the pages around if I want to change the order.

Lately I have been hooked on doing the smaller albums, chipboard books and now I have a couple of new acrylic ones

That is a good idea for rearranging, I'm sure I won't get it right the first time!

 

[DRRluvsWDW]

The pages never go in exactly even. To look at a closed book CM looks nicer. I love the design of a post bound, there are some cute ones. But, another problem I have are the page protectors looking foggy. And, when I turn the pages they don't lay flat. I would to find the perfect album. Until then, I continue with the CM albums that are expensive.

I have noticed they are a little off in my "practice" album. Not so bad, but I only have 10 pages.
The fogginess--is it a particular brand? Or just the style? Is the problem over time or right away you see the fogginess?
TIA!

 

[Faerie]

I've learned to test a 12x12 sheet first because some protectors are not true 12x12. The 3 ring styles lay flat beautifully and I have the advantage of moving them around. I have an Older CM album that has about 35 sheets or so in it (so 70 pages) and thank goodness I didn't use any emblishmnets back in 1999 or it would be falling apart. I used to love CM albums but I've found they're not as good as advertised in the long run (Just my observations and opinions to go with my experience)

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I am happy to hear about the extenders. I will look for them tomorrow. That was my concern, it didn't seem like it would "accept" that many more pages. So, do you think about 45 pages will fit?

It is good to see that many of you like the post bound album. I was worried I bought something that wasn't going to work!

45 pages or page protectors (PP)? I have 40 pages, 20 PP, in one book and 50 pages, 25 PP, in another and it's fine. Anything bigger than that and it will be super heavy. Also in your refill packs there will be cardboard strips, use those in between your pages, about every 5 or so to thicken the post area. You need to compensate for your paper making the book thinker. This will hep make the cover lay flat when the book is closed. I also make my own shims out of thin cardboard.

 

[Madi100]

I have noticed they are a little off in my "practice" album. Not so bad, but I only have 10 pages.
The fogginess--is it a particular brand? Or just the style? Is the problem over time or right away you see the fogginess?
TIA!

They just seem to scratch easily. It doesn't really matter what brand I use. If I buy a certain brand of book like K&C, then I can find exact pages. If I buy a book that doesnt' readily offer refills, it's hard to find refills.

I'm sure the three ring binder books works well, but I don't like the rings.

 

[huge mickey fan]

I have finished my Aug 07 trip and it has 50 page protecters and it is huge however I bought longer, solid posts and used the cardboard in the spine to make the cover flat. I like the post bound so I don't have to scrap in order. I always buy the same brand (C-line) of protectors so I don't have uneven pages and they don't seem to have any foggy problems or scratches.

 

[Lisa]

I always wallpaper, don't scrap in order and only use CM albums. How you ask. I do the layout on the paper and put into a pile until I am ready to adhere to the CM page and cover with the protectors. It works out great for me.

I am going to use CM Picfolio Max for my genealogy album. It's the new side loading album CM just introduced. I figured it would be great for moving around layouts as I add page layouts.