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I LOVE SU! I'm a faithful customer (ahem, addict). When I first went to a CM show, I thought the concept was so cool, but I'd never seen much in scrapbooking. Then I saw SU scrapbook pages & fell in love. Have I done much with it? NO! I'm somewhere between the 2 "styles" but I just could not do the plain white pages. And, I like the idea of toploading page protectors & all CM had were those white pages! Now they have this sparkly looking page that is pretty, a natural page, plus black & white. What really got me, though, is that they have toploading pages now! And you can buy the albums without pages in them, then add whichever type you like. Since SU has limited albums now (I was waiting for a pretty pink album), I may actually get a CM album. Maybe I'd be more motivated to do something! They also have Disney Princess stickers w/ matching paper (princess colors) and fairies. I just got the fairy stamp set, so I'm thinking this is a good match!
I also think I will do as my demo has been saying & use the craft inks in my books. We just put together a quick album w/ pics of my parents through their first 50 years of marriage & the writing has faded, etc. I think the craft ink might do that. I know it's safe but they say the other is better for scrapbooking. Now with the little sets of craft spots, I can get the colors! One CM consultant said you should NEVER stamp in your scrapbook. THe one I have is fine with it, but she won't stamp, simply because it's her business & she needs to show CM things. She is such a sweet lady.
The workshop I hosted last night (CM) was a Faithbooking. It was SO cool.
Anyone else use CM books & tools, but incorporate stamping?
I use CM albums and some of their tools (circle cutter, punches, etc.) I love them! I do incorporate my stamping into my albums. I am not a big fan of CM's papers and stickers; I think there are much cuter ones on the market. But their paper selection is getting better!
But I didn't know they had top loading albums now. I'll have to check it out!
__________________ mel mom to carson, cooper, cole, and cammie
You can buy just coversets now but they DO NOT offer top loading pages what they have introduced are perfect fit papers so you can cover a wholepage if you wish without trimming, Their page protectors slide on from the side and their albums are strap hinge. Sorry no top loaders. They offer their white, black, neutral and now Spargo pages. I Love them!
They've had the top loading pages for several years. It's just that now you can buy a coverset instead of having to buy one with white pages and then also the portrait pages. You get like 5 in a package. Love these for so many reasons.
__________________ Lost in Texas - Dreaming of Colorado
Texas, what you are talking about are called portrait sleeves and they have been around for at least 9 years. They are not meant to be top loading Page protectors. I gues you could use it for that but it would be pretty expensive, as they are $8.00 for 5 they are used more for memoribilia and large portraits you do not want permanately placed in the album. The paper that comes in them is for packing and shipping purposes only.
Actually, I've seen several people use them as top loading pages. I've done one album like it and it worked well. It's a little more expensive than a basic album - I think that's why most consultants don't promote it - but now that we can get coversets only, it make it a little more reasonable. I did have a few sheets of paper I had to trim, but I think that's the same as some regular top load page protectors. And if you use the perfect fit paper, no trimming.
Cost is actually pretty comparable.
Standard 15 page album with page protectors and white pages is $45.50 ($28 album, $7.50 page protectors)
Coverset and 3 sets of portrait sleeves (15 pages) is $49 ($25 coverset, $8 x 3 for pages) - so for $4.50 more my die hard top loading customers can have what they want in the CM album.
For an additional 15 pages - standard pages are $20.50 and the portrait are $24, so $3.50.
The original intent of the pages was to hold memoribilia and large portraits but they also do work great for top loading pages.
__________________ Lost in Texas - Dreaming of Colorado
I love my CM cutting systems for ovals and circles and their paper cutter. Great tools, IMO! I like their albums, too, but I haven't done much scrapping since I got into cards!
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
I love their cutting system and punches. I'm not much of a scrapper (I've done a little), so I don't really use their paper. I do have one of the albums that I will have to scrap someday.
Okay, the portrait sleeves are the top loading pages. I just did a search & read that Westrim crafts makes top loading pages for straphinge albums. I don't scrap much at all, but when I do it isn't chronological, so i like the idea of doing pages & filling them in where they need to go! We measured the portrait sleeve last night (now that I know that's what it is) & it's about 11 7/8 by 12". SU paper is, I believe 11 7/8 x 11 7/8. I might have to trim a tad, but can do that.
I've discovered that I'm trimmer happy. I got the Euro trimmer (the same as SU sells, but w/out the SU name) when it came out. I just got a Fiskars rotary to cut through thick pages (old pictures). Can't afford a Carl cutter (or justify it to dh!). Will get the personal trimmer for photos & small things from CM & want their wavy edge trimmer! Weird, huh? I guess it's better to be trimmer happy than trigger happy! At the CM party, one of my friends said she guesses the reason I'm a PC consultant is because of all the sharp knives!
Now if only my dirty dishes were so much fun to take care of!
I LOVE CM and I LOVE SU! I am fine with the white pages and I add color by stamping or using color or patterned paper - the way I see it the pictures are surpost to be the focal point anyway!
I was a CMC for 5 years and I love the products - top quality
I would love to be a SU demo (still working on the hubby for this one!) now
I do stamp in my albums and I do not use craft ink - the way I see it I do not leave my albums open all the time or in a sunny location ( you should not do that anyway!) AND if my albums get wet for the ink to run then I have bigger problems than the Stamped image ruining!
I love the CM power layouts - fast way to get some scrapbooking done and I love most of their products - I feel that the more I branch out the more I get overwhelmed....so I do have a huge stash of 12x12 patterned and solid papers from the local SBS But I use those for special projects ie my dd and ds's albums where I have purchased the paper with something in mind....otherwise I use CM paper to highlight my pics.
The cutting system is the best and the punches are way cool too....
OH and the punches are awesome for layering behind the SU stamped Alpha's!!!!
I could go on but I will hush now!
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
I love both companies. I started out scrapbooking 5 1/2 years ago with CM and still use only their albums, except I just bought my first 6 X 6 SU album and look forward to making it up as a gift for my mother. I do stamp in my albums and am making the transition to craft ink now (Some of you don't want to hear this but some colors of classic SU ink have faded and it has only been 4 years since I made the page!) There are terrific products from both companies and my love for the both keeps me from being a demo for either one of them!
(Some of you don't want to hear this but some colors of classic SU ink have faded and it has only been 4 years since I made the page!)
I had heard that - but I just stamped in my album for the first time a couple years ago so I have not noticed it yet.....is it more a problem with the pastel colors?? Or do you think it is all of them?
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
i started stampin up about 12 years ago, then started CM 9 years ago, and you can do your stamps in your scrapbooks and it looks great. I stamp on paper first then put it on the album page. With versaMark your background papers are endless and cheep. CM has the best tools and album hands down. They also back their products, and will will replace, not may companys will do that. I know so many people who have bought the cheeper products and then bought CM and love them. So save yourself money in the long run and start out with CM tools. I use the new 12 cutters with my cards all the time. It makes it easy to cut my papers in half for my cards....Charlene
Goodness, if you like a product & it works for you, don't limit yourself to one company or one style even!! Variety is the spice of life, right!!!! Make a scrapbook page with a little CM, a little SU , a little CTMH & throw some stuff from your local scrapbook store on it too. It will probably turn out great!! (a little crowded maybe but that's another story!!) The point is scrapbooking and crafts in general are for enjoyment & pleasure!!! Have a good time & use what you like!!
__________________ Cindy Nagel Stampin' Up-The stamp & scrapbook store that comes to your house!!! http://cindynagel.stampinup.net
I have mostly had problems with some of the soft subtles ink colors as well as lovely lilac, positive pink (maybe pixie pink will not fade as much?) and yo yo yellow fading in my scrapbooks! I have not noticed that the rich regals and earth elements have shown any fading yet, though. Yes, my scrapbooks have been closed and away from the sunlight, but I do live in a very dry environment, so that might have something to do with it? For those of you who are frustrated with craft pads, they do get better with age! Maybe it is because of my dry environment again, but I notice my craft ink is drying faster now they are more than a year old!
[QUOTE=lost-in-texas]Actually, I've seen several people use them as top loading pages. I've done one album like it and it worked well. It's a little more expensive than a basic album - I think that's why most consultants don't promote it - but now that we can get coversets only, it make it a little more reasonable. I did have a few sheets of paper I had to trim, but I think that's the same as some regular top load page protectors. And if you use the perfect fit paper, no trimming.
Cost is actually pretty comparable.
Standard 15 page album with page protectors and white pages is $45.50 ($28 album, $7.50 page protectors)
Coverset and 3 sets of portrait sleeves (15 pages) is $49 ($25 coverset, $8 x 3 for pages) - so for $4.50 more my die hard top loading customers can have what they want in the CM album.
For an additional 15 pages - standard pages are $20.50 and the portrait are $24, so $3.50.
QUOTE]
Thank you so much for breaking it down like that. I have wanted to use the PS because I think I want to change over to a top loading album when I am done with my currant one, but the cost was bugging me. I was also wondering if it is as sturdy as other top loading pages.
Glad to see some other CM enthusiasts. DDIL got me involed in CM - I now have 6 albums going and have finished at least one. Then, last year she went and got me involved in SU! That was Christmas, I became a demo on 1/31, and haven't looked back. I've been so into my cards and stamp things that I haven't done much in my albums for months, but I really need to get back to that. I haven't stamped in my CM albums yet, but probably will when I get back to my albums.
I am not a "purist" with stuff for my cards and albums. Tho I am an SU! demo (right now mostly hobby), and I use only SU! products for demos and SU! only swaps, I like to use a variety of things from a variety of places. My stamps, right now are only SU! and my albums and pages will always be only CM! Otherwise - it's open store for me! I LOVE different background papers and will spend my heart out at a scrapbooking store. I am a sticker junkie. Now, I am an embellishment junkie! OK, I'm just a JUNKIE!!!
Happy Stampin' and Scrappin!
__________________ I stamp ~ therefore....I work!
NavyWifeArmyMom Come Visit Me At ... A Work In Progress
I've been using CM products for at least seven years now .. and I never did understand why people take issue with white pages. If I'm doing a page that won't work on a white background, I cover it with the color I want to use. Or I color block -- or stamp or whatever.
I do some stamping in my books but I've been using the classic pads. Now that the craft pads are available in spots, I may start using those.
I absolutely love CM products - I've used Westrim's albums and wasn't happy with the quality - staples pulling out of pages, etc.
I have several stampin up albums and I love them all. Fabulous quality. I have never used nor been to a CM meeting (although I have seen it at craft fairs and in the work of some of the ladies here). The simple style they promote is not my style. I love to spend hours on a layout and embellish and use techniques-- all that stuff.
I would like to say that right now one of my favorite albums in one from SEI. It has side loading page protectors and is 8 1/2 x 11 landscape style. The side loading page protectors offer all the flexibility of the top loading, with none of the fear of the layout sneaking out of the top when I'm turning the page or getting dust in the top (although I keep my scrapbooks in a big office credenza-- so dust is unlikely).
There are some really great companies out there at your Local Scrapbook Store. I find it interesting that people get in long discussions about CM and SU when there are several out there-- many of equal quality.
BTW-- I LOVE THE CRAFT INK. And it does improve with age. So beautifully opaque and rich in color. Love it. My sister owns the classic pads and I'm not planning on buying them. Craft for me all the way. Oh, and the occasional Adarondak pad for techniques that require dye based ink. It's a bit thicker and it's fade resistant.
Have a great night.
__________________ Life is too short: eat chocolate and stamp up a storm. It will come out OK in the end.
The only CM thing that I have is a sidekick for holding my drink. Some of their tools are neat, but I have been scrapping for a long time, so I already owned most of them in a different form, or discovered that I really didn't use them.
One of my friends here, who is also my biggest customer (other than me), sells CM to get the discount, so she is really into it and SU!
For those who know about Texas Bluebonnets, the CM consultant has a whole book just of bluebonnets (w/ her family in them). One I just loved was a checkerboard she made by punching squares out of pictures she pulled out of the trash! She was going to dump them, then thought about making squares! It is so pretty! I guess you can add a lot of color.
[QUOTE=Chef Mama]Since SU has limited albums now (I was waiting for a pretty pink album),
Just a suggestion--have you thought of buying the SU! natural linen album and then using a direct to "linen" technique with a pink craft pad? I've made some awesome cards with the direct to paper technique and a pink pad. If you decide to try it email me a scan!
I have alot of CM products and love my cutters.
I had bought all creative memories punches and use them, but once I used the SU square punches I had to sale my CM punches and buy SU ones.
SU punches are so much easier on your hands, CM are hard to punch.
I have all shapes of cutter from CM and tryed the coluzell from SU, now I love my CM cutters even more.
So you shouldnt limit yourself to one company, I am now a SU demonstrator, but I only use CM albums for my scrapbooking.
I think it is great to check out all companies, even if you are an SU devotee. I have the CM oval and round cutting system and it is great. I don't do scrapbooking, but if I was making anything that I wanted to last, I would not use dye ink -- it will fade eventually. Always use craft ink for long lasting items, regardless of where you purchase it!
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
Lost-in-texas,
I want to thank you for your suggestion for using the portrait pages as page protectors, I am so excited! I have several stamped pages I want to use in my CM albums, but they are so thick I was worried about pasting them to the CM pages. Now, I will make front to back stamped pages and just buy some portrait pages to put them in my CM albums!! Thanks so much for the suggestion! I have so many CM albums that I need to fill them up before considering a change to another style of album and I am trying to incorporate more stamping in my albums and this is a perfect solution for me!! Thanks again!
Laurie
Beginning to like Creative Memories!
