Creative Memories or ....... ?

I have been a Creative Memories user since I began scrapbooking. Now, however, finances make that a bit difficult. I saw an album in Wal Mart that is $4 less than a CM coverset and it has 50 pages!! The problems-- I've heard bad things about top loading pages and I'm worried about quality.

Thoughts??

I use lots of top loading pages in a strap hinge album. Never have had a problem other than the one you always have with the strap hinge...pages are smaller and have to be trimmed.

all I use is top loading pages, you just want to make sure that your lo is not too big. some 12x12 paper is not really 12x12 and requires some trimming to fit without being "squished"

All of my albums are top loading. I haven't had any problems with them (all different brands). I wouldn't want any other kind.

Kim

I love the top loading, it is all I use too.

I use only top-loading albums and think they are the most versitile. You get get a postbound or a 3-ring style in top-loaing also. I use both. You are capable of scrapbooking out of order, on different papers and then putting them in any order you want.

There are TONS of different brands of top-loading albums out there and of course some are better than others. I wouldn't reccommend one from walmart though-just my opinion. I like Harbour, NCL and Pioneer brands. One tip is I find it best to use the same brand of page protectors as the album you are using-some are slightly different in size, material, etc.
I'm sure other people here have other brand reccommendations! Good luck in your search.

I personally don't use top loading nor do I like them. I became a Cm consultant b/c I saw what can happen to top loading pages ... if you've never seen what damage what dust and dirt can do to your pages, you'd be shocked! ....

If you really can't afford CM albums or pages...I'd recommend hunting around on ebay for CM items. You can get great deals (cheaper prices) but the same great quality.

Or ... if you really want to pull away from CM, I recommend the Ek Success albums. These albums are pretty decently priced, but they contain side-loading page protectors .

Personally I use 3-ring top-loading albums, They are easy and versatile.

I also have a box-album from Scrapworks for each of my children where I put only the"special" layouts, maybe 2 or 3 each year. These are fantastic if you really are worried about dust.

It annoys me when companies use scare tactics to sell their products.

l use the Creative Meomries pages and l love them. I would not use anything else.

All my albums are top loading. I've never had any problems (I've been scrapping for 8 years).

Thanks, guys. I do have some pages in my CM albums that aren't protected yet and have dark spots from dust so I think that the concern brought up by my consultant is valid. However, it seems like people I ask about it seem to all say the same thing... that they don't have problems.

In either case, CM has priced themselves out of my market. I mean, $38 for an album cover with no pages is just insane!


Randi

A 12 x 12 Creative Memories premier album is $38, but it DOES come with pages. The coversets (without pages) are only $25.

Page refilss are $13. The benefit of the coversets is that they come in more colors, and you can choose the colors of the refill pages.

Stepnut

I use all top loading. I started with cm, but had issues with the idea that I could not change things. I don't like to have my pages so permanently part of the album. CM albums scare me because they would be hard to fix if the actual page was damaged. I have one old CM album with pages in it, but I will never purchase another. The funny thing is I even gave away a few of them for free because I sooo dislike them.
I have not had issues with dust on my pages, then again CM reccomends storing standing up becuase thier page protectors protect the tops. I rarely remember to stand mine up so the dust might be different. I also have so many colors of papers in backgrounds rather than just white. Yes some papers have to be cut down, but so does any paper that you are adding to a CM album. Also, in a CM there is that tiny little side of the page that is not protected. I have had it get icky with lots of use. I would be more bothered by that then the dust on top.

I used CM for years, switched to toploading and would NEVER go back. I use Colorbok albums and I love them. They are holding up MUCH better than my CM ones.

Another extra bonus...you don't have to buy page protectors

I have both CM and top loading books and prefer the top loading more. The page protectors for the CM books are thin and puncture easily if you're into lumpy scrapbooking. Dust has never been as issue with my top loading. I just run the sweeper across the books on the shelf once is awhile!

• dawnie]I personally don't use top loading nor do I like them. I became a Cm consultant b/c I saw what can happen to top loading pages ... if you've never seen what damage what dust and dirt can do to your pages, you'd be shocked! ....
  
  If you really can't afford CM albums or pages...I'd recommend hunting around on ebay for CM items. You can get great deals (cheaper prices) but the same great quality.
  quote Said:

Like I said I prefer top-loading and I have to say I've never had a problem with dust and dirt on the pages! The benfits of top-loading outway the possiblity of a little dust in my opinion!

I agree with Jennie, running the sweeper over tham once in a while is enough for me.

I suppose since CM albums are side loading and you store them vertically that is their way to keep dust out.

I use top loading and have never had a problem with dust in the pages. I would not use any other kind!

I too started out with CM albums but have switched for a number of reasons. I don't like that 12 x 12 papers have to be cut down. I also don't like that you can't change the order of pages. I actually stopped gluing my colored papers onto the white paper and just started sliding them in. At some point, I am going to use undu and change all my CM albums over to top loading.

I do however store all my albums standing up. Roirabbit said she seldom stands her albums up. I would be concerned with bulky embellies or efen just brads or eyelets leaving imprints on the pages around them. Just my opinion.

Westrim makes albums that are just like CM. Those are the strap hinge that i use because, like for you, CM has gotten expensive. The only thing about using the westrim albums is that I"m a 8 1/2 x 11 scrapper mainly and it's hard to find them in assorted colors now and to find refills. M's and ACM only carry a few albums in that size now, but have a bunch in the 12 x 12. The pages aren't quite as strong as CM, but they have the buffering and what not that CM does.

I use the top loading pages and the Scrapworks smartscrap and baybox books only. I can move my LO with ease if necessary, I can keep what I want to make my LO in a top loading protector like a baggie and the box books keep out dust, animal hair, and light. I've never been disappointed. If I have something that I consider to be sacred I purchase the CIS page protectors that have a flap over the top of the protector opening. These are also sold as the sticker holders for their PSB book. My LSS sells them for .99 singles and 3 for $2.

I love my top loading. It's so easy, and I can shuffle and reorder my los whenever I need to.

I love the CM albums too! Lately I have been using the Westrim albums. I am interested in the colorblok though....