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I've never really looked at a SU scrap book album to see how it is put together and wonder if it compares to the CM albums. I am impressed by the CM albums construct, but am not crazy about their designs. They just don't seem very hip to me. I bought a CM album in an olive color and can make that work with what I want it for, but I wish they made albums that had cute designs that are a little more up to date looking. But of course I want something that will grow with my needs easily and that will last years after I'm gone. KWIM?
I guess I'm wondering if our albums are constructed as well and if they offer the longevity that CM albums do. Any thoughts ladies?
I'm just the opposite. I love the classy look of the CM albums and the variety of colors, but I really hate the way the pages are attached to the album. I have done pages upside down too many times and they are usually my more elaborate. Then you have to try to unstick everything and salvage the page. With the SU albums, there's not enough variety, but the top load system is nice. If you get something out of order, you can just move it. Plus, all your pages don't have to be white!
I have used the 6 x 6 SU albums and other size CM albums and prefer SU. SU is as nice as CM and uses page sleeves which is convenient for rearranging pages and you don't have to wall paper.
Well, here's my opinion after having seen both.
The SU albums definately have the quality, imo, that CM albums have. Here are the drawbacks I have experienced--they are HUGE! The 12 by 12 albums are at least 2 inches wider and over an inch taller than CM or other 12 by 12 albums, making them akward to hold and they don't fit well in bookshelves. The page protectors are very good quality, but I do find lots of dust in my pages because they are top loading and slightly oversized. I like the album choices; I have the navy linen album but have seen the retired leafy glade and the leather albums, and I love them all. I would definately recommend post over ring. I bought a ring bound brag book and the pages are not at all stable. The post bound type keeps the pages more upright and sturdy.
I hope that all helps!
~Sally
I've wondered about this, too. I have all CM albums, 1 black leather which is nice, and one baby boy book that needs to be completed for my youngest son. I've also done a lot of pages upside down, or out of order, and hate the stress that causes. I also want to get away from the white pages. I guess I'll have to order a small album of ours and see if I like it. ;)
I wonder if anyone has a scan of the inside of an album? That would be such a great help!
Personally, I think it is all about personal preference. I started scrapping using CM albums and thought all the rest out there were not up to par. K and Co have some good ones, as does Making Memories, if you want to buy on the open market. Here are my two cents on the two:
Disadvantages of CM albums:
1. Can't really scrap other than chronologically, as it's too hard to move pages around...
2. Hate those WHITE pages staring up at me - really zaps my creativity
3. Books don't lie flat to scrap in - otherwise you have all these white pages floating around that could get damaged
4. Irregular sizes (7x7) and stupid paper sizes that don't fit anything! 12 x 12 is not really 12 x 12...always have to trim about 1/8" of paper on one side - drives me nuts!!!!
**On the positive side, their albums are guaranteed for life, as long as you don't muck 'em up (in their humble opinion) with stamps and other embellishments (oh, the horror!) :shock:
Advantage of SU albums:
1. Top loading - love it, love it, love it
2. Very well constructed and expandable - the metal post expanders are actually quite easy to use and I didn't even use the directions!
3. I like the variety of designs, although think we could use more. The new linen albums are incredible!
4. True size - 12 x 12 is really 12 x 12...
**Haven't found any real disadvantages yet...yes, I am a demo, but I am very picky about my albums.**
I think SU's prices are market comparable and are very nice too. I've priced Mrs. Grossman's albums at Archiver's and the 12 x 12 are at least 29.95. Overall, I think SU is a good deal - plus, IMHO, I'd rather support a company I know and trust rather than buying it at a retail store and wondering if the album will coordinate with anything I already have. JMHO!
__________________
*Shari*
�Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.� ― W.B. Yeats
�I think you learn more if you're laughing at the same time.� ― Mary Ann Shaffer
I've bought several of SU!'s albums and love them all. The quality is very good; especially the leather. I bought one of the navy linen post-bound albums and the fabric was split in one spot. Not a problem; a call to DS and they sent me a new one and I shipped mine back at no cost to me.
The page protectors are the best I've ever seen. I have a number of Pioneer albums that I bought when I started scrapbooking. The page protectors are just awful and I always replaced them with better ones. And the albums are all falling to pieces now with the handling they get from my children; they all love looking at their books! Now I wish I'd spent a bit more to start out instead of buying these nasty things. I am going to have to gradually replace at least the ones that have started falling apart.
The nice thing about either one is the buffered paper...the CM pages are buffered and so is SU's US white or vanilla paper. That way any acid that sneaks into an album is contained within one page instead of eating up the whole album.
I started with CM and have only done 1 album before searching for something else. Since I'm a demo, I'm partial to SU. The only thing that I don't like is the amout of pages you can put into an album before it looks like its going to burst. At least with CM you can have upto 45 pages (or something like that) and it keeps it shape. I find that 20 pages is the max I can put into SU before the open side is twice as big as the spine (even with extenders). I'd rather not have to purchase twice as many albums.
Other than that, I love SU albums. I think they are a very good quality and like the designs. I use the leather albums for everyday scrapping and the decorative ones for trips or special events.
I also use the ring albums for my ABC technique book.
As an ex-CMC and a current SU Demo, I prefer the post bound. Though it is nice to not have to worry about dust getting into your pages, that is the only advantage of CM books IMHO. To prevent dust in your post bound store them upside down or if you don't have a lot of lumpy embellishments store them on their side. SU ALL THE WAY.
__________________ Me in my YUCKEE old Hilton room at Convention 2005. WOO HOO WOO HOO HOO
Wouldn't it be cool if SU made their own albums and they did them in the color families they offer now? I would love to have a few bold/bright albums to choose from for spring time stuff, and earth elements for fall stuff, etc...
Anyway, thanks for all the feedback so fast! I have things to ponder.
The main difference is going to be if you prefer a hinged album or a post bound or ring album...I use all CM albums, I just don't feel like top loading albums keep the pages as sturdy. That is my opinion though, I have seen the SU albums and they seem to be good construction. I undestand the gripes with CM albums of them not being true 12x12 for the paper, CM also does not sell 12x12 paper so that is an issue also. There are rumors that this is changing through next year though. As for the white pages in Cm albums, they also offer black, natural and now spargo...I personally love the Black pages,t hey make the colors pop in pictures...it is all a matter of opinion though.
__________________ My avatar is my adorable niece, she makes me smile, thought she might make you smile too!!
A hint for those of us who have scrapped an entire page upside down. Cut off both "hard" strips on the sides, and stick the whole page on top of another right side up. Then you don't have to peel everything off.
A hint for those of us who have scrapped an entire page upside down. Cut off both "hard" strips on the sides, and stick the whole page on top of another right side up. Then you don't have to peel everything off.
Unfortunately, They are only upside down once you put something on both sides. So either way, you are going to have to peel one page off. CM started making their pages so you didn't have to put them in any certain way.
As a SU demo, I am going to finish filling my present CM albums then start using the SU ones.
It is most definately personal preference, and I am partial to CM. I am a SU demo, so doing scrapbook parties is a bit of a challenge. I tell people the pros and cons of both and let them pick which one they prefer. My best friend is a CM consultant so I have a source for them to buy their albums. I would rather my customers be happy and lose the sale of the album.
And, I never take my pages out of my scrapbook. My style is more in line with CM as well. I'm not into a lot of patterned paper and embellishments. Give me some cardstock (all SU), stickers and stamps and I'm set.
My latest hobby is learning to do digital scrapbooks because I have gone totally digital with my pictures. Now that is cool! Email if you are interested, I don't want to hijack this thread.
I have a couple of hinge albums and MUCH prefer the post-bound top loading pages. I love the SU albums, and will only use those for all my future scrapbooks.
As for the white pages with the CM - I don't think I've ever actually done a page on the pages they provide. I always do my scrapping on a piece of 12X12 paper and then adhere that to the page. I use the page protectors which keep them in place on the page. I even do that when I want a white background, but most of mine are colored. Also, I never have to worry about mounting everything upside down to a page, as the page is already done before it's put into the album. Does this make sense? It honestly never occurred to me to actually scrap directly to the pages which are hinged into the album!!!
I started with CM and have only done 1 album before searching for something else. Since I'm a demo, I'm partial to SU. The only thing that I don't like is the amout of pages you can put into an album before it looks like its going to burst. At least with CM you can have upto 45 pages (or something like that) and it keeps it shape. I find that 20 pages is the max I can put into SU before the open side is twice as big as the spine (even with extenders). I'd rather not have to purchase twice as many albums.
Are you using the spacers, too? (Not just the post extender thingies?) The spacers are the cardboard thingies that come with the add'l page protectors.
Right - it was probably just me that didn't know to use the spacers - but thought in case I wasn't the only one, I'd pass it on
Happy Stampin' and Scrappin'!
Susan Epler
Independent Stampin' UP Demonstrator
__________________ I'm still stampin', yeah, yeah, yeah!
I have both CM and SU albums. I have found that I prefer SU for many of the reasons already expressed by others. The quality of the SU albums is what sold me. Also, I love the way they are designed in that you can view the pages flat. This does create the disadvantage someone noted in that they are a couple of inches wider than CM. For me it's not a disadvantage since I have a special place I store my albums and they fit perfectly.
The disadvantage I see is not enough choice of designs and I haven't figured out a way to get around that yet. I stamped on my linen album cover as a test and it worked although the result is not what I wanted. I will continue to buy SU albums since I am absolutely sold on the quality. I use the 12 x 12 exclusively.
I LOVE CM albums - I have and will not use anything else for myself.....
The advantages are great as I see it ~
* they are buffered
* they lay flat when opened (as long as you do not have too much in there!)
* they are "Classy" looking
* they are guaranteed for life as far as manufacturing problems
* you can imprint on front and binding now to "customize" your album
* there are 4 different colors of pages that you can buy now (white, natural, speckled (sort of like the naturals white paper) and black)
* most of all they are closed at the top (very important to me) cuz as I see it page protectors are there to protect from hand prints, spills and dust - if you use top loading and sit it on a shelf where does your dust go??...right into your page.... and as I looked at a SU album just a couple hours ago at a open house as I turned the pages I had to constantly push the pages back into the sleeve....they kept falling out. Do not like that
I love the SU style of pages - they are awesome but I tend to be more of a quick scrapbooker in that I like to complete more than one layout in an hour!!! So I tend to lean toward the CM style layouts with many pics on a page and use the white background pages the most and add my own color. I do stamp directly on my pages and love that too!
I go to my SU demos scrapbooking classes and make pages that I LOVE and will use in my dd and ds 's CM albums and I just take off that 1/8 and put them right on the CM page.
I say use what you like the best and what will last the longest....
__________________
Shelley
The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.
I am so glad that someone posted this. Thanks. Not that I have figured anything out.
I am an ex CMC. I went inactive as soon as I attended my first SU demo. The demo was horrible....but I loved the stuff. Having been a CMC I know tons of people that scrap. But also, being a CMC, I was totally in love and devoted to their albums. I am trying to figure out what to do here. I do believe that CM albums are the best. I love the classic style. I don't need the outside to look frilly, I am more concerned about what's inside. I have ordered one 6x6 SU album and I am just not happy with the way it's made. Mostly I guess, because I don't like that the page protectors are top loading. Maybe if they were loaded from the left of the page it would be alright. But I can't see how dust can not get in there. Especaially if you have embelishments or alot of layers.
I'm trying to understand something. Someone said that they don't like that the CM albums don't lie flat and that SU's does. I find it just the opposite I have my 6x6 out right now laying open on the table. THe pages are bent and do not lay flat. I'm afraid that if there was a picture in there it would get bent. How's that preserving your memories? BUT... I will say this, I don't have anything in it right now. When they are filled do they lay better.
Thanks to everyone that posted the pros of the SU albums. I guess since I am a demo I need to bite the bullet and complete a few. Until then all my dislikes are unfounde. (except the top loading issue, I just don't like that) I hate that I can buy all the stuff at a discount and it count toward my volume and then me go buy something else. I think that I could add so much to my business if I would offer scrap classes. Everyone in town thinks that the local scrap book store (mom and pop) is just the world of scrapbooking. The lady who owns it is a very nice lady. But I don't care for her business practices and she overcharges for her classes. So I would love to offer people an alternative.
Thanks....I hope people keep posting with their opinions. I'd love to read more. I think that my challenge this week will be to complete my 6x6 album. Wish me luck.
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
I too have always used CM and I think they are made very well but I hate the strap hinges. As for the white pages, only my very first scrapbook page did I actually put the pics and accessories on the page, after that I started scrapbooking on 12 x 12 c/s or p/p and then gluing that to the CM page which from metal to metal is 12 x 12, which was fine and I do also like the CM page protectors but I have been seriously considering ordering a SU one now that I am a demo and this thread has convinced me to go ahead and do it.
I have used both SU and CM scrapbooks. I prefer SU for several reasons. CM's pages are not true 12" by 12". Since I like to mat and layer most of my pictures, the base page of a CM scrapbook becomes very bulky. I do not like their page protectors- very flimsy in my opinion. I also like top loading page protectors that are SU.
I used to use CM style albums & swore I would never chan
But I LOVE my SU albums & now will never go back. The biggest things for me is that I can take the pages out. Partly because I don't have to scrap in time order & can change the order later. But the biggest reason is since I can take the pages out so easily I can work on just one page without the bulk of the scrapbook sitting there. I know you can take out the pages in the CM books as I used to do, but it is a PAIN in the you know what.
Not to mention I like to have colorful pages. The whole scrapbook on white, black, etc... is just not for me. I see my pages more as artwork & not just a place to slap in pictures. If I did I would keep them in the old style photo albums. (OK I know I'm bias on this ) I just hate that CM wants to tell me how to do my books. I did consider buying some of their paper, but they don't make it in 12 x 12 which forces you to do it their way. Each to their own I guess, but don't tell me how to do my book. I will spend my money on SU stuff instead. Oh & don't even get me started on them telling people stamping in your books will ruin them. :oops:
Another advantage is using less supplies. I used to have to buy the pages, buy the cardstock (cut the paper to fit the pages & more time wasted), then when I was done buy more page protectors. Now my page is the cardstock & the protectors are part of the book. So I save money on the pages, protectors & the album since CM books are more expensive.
SU books are just as safe for pictures as CM & you can stamp on them. One demo said she stamped snowflakes on her blue linen album & it was beautiful. I haven't tried this yet, but I plan on it.
Oh & as for the albums in all the colors.....Shelli said at convention that they are considering that. So basically the more we buy the more colors they will come out with. This year was basically a trial.
I have to say, on the top-loading page protectors - I much prefer having the opening at the top of my album, rather than running along the entire side. Yes, dust might settle in - but more serious damage, eg from flooding, being put in sitting water, etc, is much less likely with the opening only at the top of the page vs. being along the entire side. Plus little fingers (I have two small children) are much likelier to pull at the sides of the pages (and get past the page protector) as they look through them, than to reach in from the top and get at the pages. (I used to use CM albums and switched to SU albums 2 years ago.) While I definitely want my albums to last for my family later, I also want to have them as accessible as possible for my family (including the littles, who love looking at the pages) now.
JMHO-
Happy Stampin' and Scrappin'!
Susan Epler
Independent Stampin' Up Demonstrator
__________________ I'm still stampin', yeah, yeah, yeah!
What a great topic! I first heard about scrapbooking at a CM party, but was so disappointed in the lack of creativity I felt using them. I tried to add some embellishments, but when I got the page home, they fell out of the side of the page protector!! Granted it was much faster to scrapbook that way, I felt like the page was more like a template and not really me.
I also love color and coordination. It just didn't make sense to pay for a white page and then cover it all up with the color I wanted to use. As soon as I saw SU scrapbooks, I signed up as a demo (so yes, I am biased!!)
The top loading pages are so great! As a demo, I bring one of each size scrapbook to every party. Once I demo a page, I show how easy it is to slide it in, and that if somthing isn't attached quite right, the bottom of the page protector will hold it. The page protectors are also a great way to prepare for a page. I throw my pictures, ribbon, eyelets and paper in there to save until I can finish the page. I have had my SU scrapbooks for over 2 years and have never noticed any dust (and believe me, my house is full of it!)
I love using the 8x11 album because I can use the same cardstock to make my cards and my pages. The cardstock is heavy enough to make the page good and sturdy (like the white paper does in CM scrapbooks) especially when you have the front and back of each page done. My pages lie flat, are easy to reorganize, and full of color and embellishments.
When choosing a scrapbook, you need use what represents you and your memories. Use what you feel comfortable using. You are preserving priceless memories and the thoughts and stories you share are what is important. Do what is right for you and you are guaranteed to always be happy!!
Re: I used to use CM style albums & swore I would never
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carebear530
Oh & don't even get me started on them telling people stamping in your books will ruin them. :oops:
Another advantage is using less supplies.
Ok, they are telling people that stamping will ruin them? What about stamping in them will ruin them?
And yes, the supply thing is a good point. I always have tons of paper on hand. But with CM if you run out of those white pages you have to get more. So I guess that is alright.
Keep it up and you ladies will have me convinced that SU's are better. I am going to start making some pages tonight...(if my sick little baby lets me.)
__________________ Angie
Mother of three wonderful children (Brayton-17 months, Brianna- 5 & Kyle-eight) and one grown man (my DH).
Everyone complains about the white pages of CM. Isn't the point of scrapbooking to show off your PICTURES? I don't want all that extra stuff on there and then only have 1 or 2 pictures on a page. I'd probably end up having more albums than I had originally started with. That just seems silly to me.
IMO, SU! is the stampin' king and CM is the scrappin' king.
__________________ Sara
Fort Atkinson WI
My favorite color is Relay purple! My Gallery
I have a friend that had CM and SU albums and said she loved them and then had a flood in her scrapping room and all the CM albums were ruined. All her Su albums survived without much damage to it or the photos she said. I like the SU albums, but I'm bias towards them since I'm a demo.
__________________ LeAne SCS#2819 & Grandma to Lindsey! [email protected]
I have 2 CM albums because when I first started scrapping I read a million different posts about how great CM albums were. Well I strongly disagree! I really do, I don't even want to use them and they were not cheap! I don't even like working on the albums that I started in them. They are great quality and I love the designs they offer, but the strap hinge just does not work with my way of scrapping. I don't scrap in order and I don't scrap with white paper on 11.7x11.7 pieces of paper. I haven't tried the SU albums yet, but I'm a big fan of the top loading albums, I don't care about dust enough to deal with wallpapering my albums.
Well, I am completely new to scrapping and have never used CM aside from a MOPS thing where a demo came. I like to do extremely simple pages with color being the main thing. I always choose the color to bring out the focus of the picture. I'd hate to use white as I don't do much embellishing and it'd be pretty plain. My humble opinion is that if I wanted the pictures in something I'd put them in my albums with the space to write next to them. To me this is a creative outlet and I want to have the freedom to do them how I choose.
I think it is totally up to you and what your scrappin style is. I also scrap 8.5x11 ( I know I am so in the minority on this one) but I like to put one or two pics on a page and there'd be so much space to fill on a 12 x 12 with only one or two pics. So anyway, I think it all depends on what your style is. But I will say that SU's album quality is awesome. I got a 6x6 linen and it is so nice! I have two 8.5 x 11 leather ones (the burgundy is gorgeous!!) and they are really exceptional quality.
i don't have any cm scrapbooks, or su ones, but i use 8x8 mrs. grossman's, which are basically the same as su. they are top loading page protectors. i like that i can move the pages around, and use whatever color cardstock as my page. i dont' do lumpy, (no eyelets, or anything bumpy) but i do stamp on almost every page. i wouldn't use a cm book just because i don't want every page to be white, and i can't really move the pages around if i need to.
Maybe I'm saying this from lack of experience, but it seems to me that you don't have to necessarily scrap in order when using the CM albums. I got mine out today and really looked it over. I put the page protectors on the pages and figured I could easily make all my pages and slip them in when I'm ready and in what ever order I feel like. Am I missing something here? Is this not as easy as I think it will be?
Virginia: Here's the problem with CM pages: say you do your Halloween page on front, then you turn it over and do Thanksgiving on the back. Well, school sends some pictures home from say a November 15 fall party, your pages are now going to be out of order since you attached the Thanksgiving page to the back of the Halloween page. Am I making sense?
I cannot stand the CM books anymore. I started with them and when I look back, the pictures are great but boy are those pages BORING!!! I got so tired of wallpapering the backgrounds since I could not stand the white anymore and I agree the CM way is more expensive if you're gonna add colored backgrounds. Never thought of that.
And, not to bash any CM consultants, I have two friends that sell it, I too got tired of some consultants saying all these negative things about "contraband" in the scrapbooks. And, if someone could find it, wasn't there a post a while ago posted on SCS where a CM consultant actually said eyelets "pass gas" and should never be used in scrapbooks? Oh, I want to laugh out loud all over again thinking of that thread!
I love the CM albums - I did my first 2 albums using Pioneer ones and both have broken covers around the post area (maybe I need to get some SU ones to replace the covers???)
I love my CM one's one thing that I do is use colored cardstock or patterned paper as my background for a lot of my spreads...I simply use my Fiskers rotary cutter and trim down one side by a bit (have a line marked on my cutter for it) so it fits perfectly between the 2 edges (I hate to "wallpaper" over the metal edges) - it gives it such a nice finish and no white background....
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
Yes I have heard of CM consultants telling their customer that it will ruin their books if they stamp in them or put anything else in them. Basically I think it is a way to scare their customers into only using their products. They used to have a great corner on the market because their pages were acid free, lignin free & buffered. But since ours & ever other company are now too they don't have as much of a hold on the market. Plus there are more scrapbook companies so I'm sure they are felling the crunch.
I say use what you want to use. If you hate SU albums then use CM & the other way around. But I would never just say CM stuff if junk to scare someone into buying SU. But I am bias & I think the only thing CM has on SU is the cutting tools. Which I admit I have a collection of. But don't tell anyone!
I love the eyelets passing gas thing. Oh my....I better keep my dh out of my stamping area then. Lord knows all of my albums would be ruined. :lol:
I honestly think SU! is missing out on a lot of scrapping customers that CTMH is getting. (I am a SU demo and I buy all my scrapping stuff from CTMH as far a paper and some albums. SU has very limited albums and paper. I think SU! should have a new paper pack in each mini catty to peak interest in scrapping. LOVE the 9 x 9 CTMH size! As for CM albums, they are great for beginners but you soon outgrow the WHITE pages and such. I like to construct my pages very artistically then insert the min the top loading albums. My sister uses CM for speed but loves to get the pages I make her for the SU album I gave her and make me make her page when I visit as she thinks her CM pages with all their products are pretty boring.
Creative Memories Albums vs. SU Albums
