Scrapbooking 101 Questions

[Margaret64]

I have been stamping for 3 years and all the while purchasing scrapbooking "stuff." Now, I am finally getting over the initial intimidation thing and want to start putting my scrapbooks together. I'm going to test the waters first with a few current pictures: scouts, 8th birthday, etc before I do the baby books.

I have alot of questions about the various albums out there, SU included. I've never seen a SU album and now I'm out of the country, so I can't touch and feel it. I have 2 CM albums and 1 K & Co album

* Do the SU albums just come with page protectors and no paper? And then you furnish your own 12 x 12 white or colored paper and create a page as if it were a large card?

* Has anyone ever figured out the cost difference between a CM vs. SU album factoring in the addl paper and page protectors required?

* When you put them in the page protectors, do you put two finished pages in back to back?

* Can you stamp directly on the CM blank white pages or will it bleed?

* The paper that comes in a K & Co album looks very thin. Is it meant to mount photos directly on or is it just to keep the plastic from sticking. Can you stamp on it?

* Post vs. strap bound? Or does it really matter once that particular album is completely finished?

Thanks! I'm sure I will come up with more questions along the way.

[Margaret64]

One more question: Are the page protectors in the three brands I mentioned: SU, CM and K & Co deep enough to accomodate the multiple layers of cardstock, ribbon, etc for 1 and / or 2 scrapbook pages? TIA!

[Margaret64]

I feel like Columbo: Just one more question, ma'am ...

and I know this may sound soooo dumb. I'm pretty thrifty with my SU cardstock. When you mat a picture, do you let all that paper underneath your photo go to waste? Can you just cut out a frame type border? I just realized those are two different techniques ... Hmmmmm....

[Stampinstahl]

I think you're wise to consider these ?'s. I've only used CM albums (12x12) & SU(6x6) albums. I love my CM albums but for some reason it is less 'pressure' to mount things on a piece of cardstock & slide it into the page protector. I guess it's the "Opps" factor. Also, the CM albums aren't truly 12x12" - their edges cost you some space. Also, there's some way to attach the CM pages side to side so you can make a 3-page folded over spread or even a 4-page one. I haven't seen it done but want to learn that one for events that need alot of pages.
I've put 2 pages back to back with eyelets & ribbon in the SU 6x6 brag book & it didn't feel bulky. I don't think I've stamped directly onto the CM page b/c of the 'opps' factor - I usually layer that in case I goof. I can think of no reason why it would smear & I usually use the craft ink for scrapbooking. I have used my journaling markers (which are pigmented) to color on the stamps & stamp for scrapbooks when I didn't have the color I wanted in a craft pad.
I haven't considered costs of the CM albums (you get 15 pages I think w/o page protectors & I think their replacements pages are $1+/each. I just bought a pack of the tan replacement pages & 1 Family Tree page (beautiful)- it's like $3 or so) & the total was like $23). Cardstock is much cheaper than that!!
Best wishes with the scrapbooking & I hope someone else responds with info on the other ?'s.

[Stampinstahl]

Also, paper saving template's available from an SU Demo allow you to cut out hte middle square of a 12x12" piece of cardstock so you can save paper like you were asking about!

[Margaret64]

Wow Angela, thank you for your thoughtful response. I guess I never paid attention to the middle square type template. I'll look for that right now.

Now that you have stamped with both, which brand would you purchase next?

I bought two CM albums with the baby girl pages, extra pages and page protectors for all of it. I could probably sell them here if I wanted. They are still in the wrappers. With me completely addicted to the umpteen color combinations, will I feel that I have to put cardstock over every exposed piece of white page?

Waaaaaaaa!!!! I'm in the Middle East and have met only 4 people who rubber stamp. About 6 people who scrapbook and no one who incorporates the two. Looks like I will have to hunt down a class or two this summer.

[Vintage Redhead]

Okay, I own *all 3 brands* and neither of my favorites are among them! I'll tell you why:

1) I don't care for strap-hinge albums. You can't decide later to "rearrange" you album. Why? Because you've tacked down all of your materials directly onto the hinged pages. If you're like me and like to commit your materials to your pages, but like to move your pages around, you may want to re-think a strap-hinge album. Also - I don't think they allow much "give" for bulky embellishments...and I'm an embellishment *FREAK*!!

2) I think K&Co. Albums are okay. However, when it has come time to add posts, I've had problems with *their* posts not "grabbing" onto *their* extensions. This is prioblematic...I put a great deal of work into my pages and can't risk that all of that work could be for nought because their poorly constructed album fell apart. And this is from an album purchased 3 years ago, before they *really* expanded into their more "budget-conscious" lines that are not be sold at mass-market retailers such as Target. (Experience tells me that while Target is a reputable retailer, any time a product goes from "exclusive" or "boutique" availability to mass-market appeal, some aspect of the quality of the entire line generally suffers because production has increased. I'm not guaranteeing that's the case with K&Co, but it wouldn't surprise me, either.)

3) I am marginally satisfied with the quality of the SU! leather albums and completely unsatisfied with the non-leather albums. I find that the "flaps" which cover the post-access screws frequently "catch" on the covers once the albums have been opened - moreso with the non-leather albums than the leather. And this occurs when the album is only being viewed, not necessarily when the album is being disassembled and reassembled to have additional page protected added. Further - I don't like that the SU! albums only have cardboard "spacers" - they are too flimsy, they don't hold up over time, and they don't do a good job in general.

Now...my *favorite albums* are called: "Mrs. Grossman's Favorite Album" and "The Perfect Album" by Colorbok. They come in a variety of colors and both in 12x12 and 8x8 sizes. The covers can be "embossed" in the same manner that CM's strap-hinge albums can. The "spacers" are 1/4" thick foam rubber and are *very* reliable at what they do. The page protectors are thick and of very high quality. Additional posts fit very well together. The albums are very reasonably priced, as are additional page protectors. Now - Mrs. Grossman's are slightly more "traditional" and limited - much like the selection of stickers. However, i just bought three of the TPA Colorbok albums in a rich denim fabric - a 12x12 and 2 8x8s....*LOVIN'* all 3 of them!

Now I'll answer the rest of your questions:

* Do the SU albums just come with page protectors and no paper? Correct. And then you furnish your own 12 x 12 white or colored paper and create a page as if it were a large card? Correct.

* Has anyone ever figured out the cost difference between a CM vs. SU album factoring in the addl paper and page protectors required? This will be different for every person. Do you like to "wallpaper" your pages? If so, then there will be extra cost. Do you both stamp and use pre-fabricated patterned papers? That will be a factor. Do you layer and cut to create dimensional embellishments? That will be a factor. Do you use eyelets and brads? That will be a factor (and remember that you can't go through the strap-hinge page directly....you *must* wallpaper to use those in a s/h album!)

* When you put them in the page protectors, do you put two finished pages in back to back? I personally do, but I know others who stamp both the front and back of the same page in order to decrease "bulk" in their albums.

* Can you stamp directly on the CM blank white pages or will it bleed? Depends on which ink you use - if you use the Craft (pigment) ink, it will *not* bleed, but it will take a while to dry. If you use the Classic (dye-based) ink, there is the potential that it *could* bleed, though it is not a guarantee.

* The paper that comes in a K & Co album looks very thin. It is. Is it meant to mount photos directly on or is it just to keep the plastic from sticking? It's pretty much just a "filler" sheet, meant to keep the plastic from sticking. Can you stamp on it? I don't see why not.

* Post vs. strap bound? Or does it really matter once that particular album is completely finished? Oh, it matters! If you use dimensional embellishments (fibers, brads, eyelets, etc.) that will be visible on both sides of the page, then you need to consider whether or not a strap-hinge is the best album for you. Also see my #1 above - if you are a scrapper who likes to keep memories in the "order" in which they happened, what will you do if you accidentally scrap one event out of sequence into your strap-hinge album? Another concern is that many strap-hinge albums are not true 12x12...though many patterned paper manufacturers, and even SU!'s c/s, are not true 12x12, either.

Hope that some of this information is helpful to you! ~ K

[Margaret64]

WOW!!!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. No. I can't see myself scrapping in sequence. I can't plan that far ahead. I would really love something that is more like a binder. I guess post bound is the closest thing to that.

I'm pretty sure I can sell my CM albums here, where I live.

What do you mean, the covers can be embossed? Personalized in some way? How and who does that? Thanks!

[Vintage Redhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret64

What do you mean, the covers can be embossed? Personalized in some way? How and who does that? Thanks!

Okay....if you've got a Creative Memories rep near you, then she likely has an "Embosser" that she works with (and some have more than one.) This is a person who own a heat-embossing machine - and that is a machine that is *nothing* like a heat gun!!! A machine has alphabet & symbol "dies" that when heated, will imprint *your* chosen message onto the front of certain albums. CM albums are the biggest user of this service, but Mrs. Grossman's albums, some Pioneer (try to stay away from Pioneer - they don't hold up well) and some of the TPA Colorbok albums can also be embossed because of the sturdiness of the man-made materials on their covers. I'd bet that even SU's Leather albums could be embossed, but after that kind of investment, I'm not going to give it a try any time soon! I am going to get some of my Grossman's albums embossed in the future, though.

As for unloading your CM albums: if you can't find a buyer locally, you can always try eBay...especially if you've got those "specialty" pages! ~ K

[jbalcer]

My LSS will emboss scrapbooks ~ my mom just had embossing done on the cover of a 12x12 burgandy leather. It took two days, looks gorgeous. You can try there, too!

[Shelby stamps]

Ok lots of great info, but where can you purchase Mrs Grosman's Albums and The perfect Album?

[Soni B]

Hello...First of all Creative Memories are by far the most expensive...If I add one and half packages of refill pages and protectors I have over $70.00 in my album before any scrapbooking material...they are my favorite but of course I cannot afford to use all the time, so I use them for my most important albums which is one a year of my grandchildren...then I use what ever strikes me but I also really like the "Perfect Album" by colorbok... as scrapbooking grows unfortunately the quality diminishes on these... they have people hooked so they think they can get by with it...
also is another company on internet..Leaving Prints.com they have the three ring leather albums...those you use just the protectors( clear plastic)
and then your choice of background paper plus with these you can change pages around as long as you only scrap on one side...( these are designed similar to Stampin up ones)
But if you have the baby album by Creative Memories I would use it that is one album that you want to last...and it will...their albums and cutting system are superior to most others...
Good luck now put as much love in those albums as you have thought and consideration into the beginning stages and I am sure they will be beautiful...and enjoy yourself along the way. Happy Scrapping

[sbqueen]

Iabsolutely adore Colorbok's "Perfect scrapbook". My favorites are the ones with the cloth covers. There is a beautiful selection of colors as well as easy to install refill pages. I would highly recommend these. Also, I would recommend post-bound over strap hinge. I had a strap hinge album that just fell apart and ripped the hinges off of the page because it was so difficult to assemble! I wasn't a fan of gluing my pages to the refill page, it didn't allow for any re-arranging for chronology or fixing errors in the page. Just a few thoughts! Good luck embarking on your scrapbooking journey!

[Mahloumel]

"When you mat a picture, do you let all that paper underneath your photo go to waste? Can you just cut out a frame type border?"

I personally let all that paper go to waste for a few reasons:

1) it's way faster and more convenient for me to layer rather than cut out a frame, and it's hard enough for me to find the time/energy/inspiration to scrapbook to begin with. I think I also get a little more wiggle room this way too. I'm just happy to be using my paper, period. If I worried about whether I was using it in the most efficient manner, my happiness factor would decrease. Plus I have enough paper to last three lifetimes!

2) I worry about the cut-out shapes embossing my photos. This is more a concern for the technique some scrappers use of cutting a circle or oval or some shape out of the middle of every layer of paper that is going to be covered by another layer of paper or photos.

This is just my perspective. If you are a heavy-duty stamper, you very likely have more patience and ingenuity than I do!

[Margaret64]

Wow.... I wish I had cardstock to spare! My situation is unique. I have to bring everything I buy here (middle east) in a suitcase, so my space is at a premium. I tried to bring alot, but I use it so fast. I know about the instant gratification thing... I try and buy a bunch of the pre-cut papers offered through various eBay sellers. You can't beat that for convenience!

I never thought of uneven layers embossing the photos. Thanks for that significant observation!

[Geneal]

You asked about albums. I like SU's albums very much, and I also like Colorbok and K & Co. I used to be a Creative Memories demonstrator, but I quit because I hated to always scrapbook on white, natural, or black. I added so much bulk to the pages because I covered the whole page with colored cardstock and all of my embellishments. Their paper only comes in 10x12 too. I bought cardstock from SU and local stores to cover the pages.

I just make my pages on 12x12 cardstock and put them back to back. It works great. I have used three-ring binders from SU too. They allow me to scrapbook out of chronological order. When I get a page done I just place it in its correct spot. If I had to always worry about doing it in order, I'd be nuts!

You asked about the photo mats and the paper under the photos. I always use the inside of the mats for punching circles or squares, or I use the paper for another smaller mat. I use the paper under the mat too. Because I put the pages back to back, no one is the wiser!

Hope this helps.

[carita]

I personally like the "The Perfect Album" by Colorbok albums the best as well. They are the only albums that I now use! I love the fact that they are true 12x12 sizes and not 11 3/4x11 3/4. They come with the post attachments and like others have said "It DOES matter what type you use. I have found that the strap and hinge method doesn't keep your pages as secure as the post bound albums. Good luck!

[carita]

I also add a lot of embellishments and put my pages back to back in my albums. I wouldn't use the white paper that is in the sleeves of your albums because it just isn't thick enough to add pictures and embellishments to.

[Vintage Redhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shelby stamps

Ok lots of great info, but where can you purchase Mrs Grosman's Albums and The perfect Album?

I buy mine locally. I notice that you're in MN - try Archivers. I think they have both - but it could depend on the location. Here are some other resources, some of my *favorite* online retailers:

www.twopeasinabucket.com

www.lifetimemoments.com

www.stampington.com/html/the_shoppe.html

www.creativexpress.com/

www.dmariedirect.com

Hope that some of this info helps! ~ K

[veramats]

I have the following observations about albums:

CM was my first album. Great quality, but I prefer top-loading because I like to do several pages then drop them down into the order I want them in. I also use craft ink, so leaving open a strap hinge and not being able to turn to the next page would be annoying.

SU albums are OK. I'm not totally thrilled, but their page protectors are really great! They are very thick and durable! I have several 'cheap' page protector brands and they have torn!

My favorite album is actually a faux leather album made by Westrim that I got at my LSS. I'm very please with it and I went back and bought two more! The faux leather is very durable. My album gets handled a lot and has taken the wear and tear very well.

Hope that helps!
Vera