Layouts not fitting into sb

HELP!!!

I finally found a scrapbook album at my LSS that I liked. I sat down tonight to finally put my layouts in it and they DO NOT FIT!!! I need to cut at least 1/2" off the side and top of the layout which will ruin my layouts. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE? WHAT DID YOU DO TO FIT IT? I am so upset I just put the Snapload things on this album! I have heard in the past that 12x12 pp isn't truly 12x12 but I didn't think by this much. Please if anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate them.

oh yes, this happens to me frequently enough that i've started carrying a tape measure whenever i go buy a new book. the only thing i can do is to make sure to have the bulk of my scrapping inside a 1/4 inch border all the way around and then trim it, or trim the cardstock before i start.

Thanks so much, I really think it might be the page protectors that came with the album. I have the BG Magnetic Mat that measure 12x12 and I usually check to make sure it measures right.

Thanks again!!!

Take the page protectors that came with the album out, and replace with page protector refills which are true 12X12. There are some of those out there.

I agree with Rosita, replace the page protectors .

Just make sure that the holes will line up. I have one album that my normal page protectors won't fit because the holes are not the same space apart. Normally I don't have any problems swapping out page protectors .

I put my paper into the page protector before I start scrapping and trim if necessary. It is really frustrating to complete a LO and find you have to start trimming away at the ends. This happened quite a bit to me over the summer -- I think it was the refill pages I was buying. Anyway, now I trim BEFORE I start if necessary. Of course, now that I take the time to see if they fit before I scrap, I'm finding that most of them do fit!!

It's happened here. I would try switching out the page protectors first before you go trimming your pages. Good luck!

May someday 12X12 truly mean 12X12 to ALL companies! (my Christmas wish this year)

Yep! I only buy American Craft large page protectors . They're big enough to fit pages with the bulkiest embelishments.

I have had that problem too where I wound up having to trim the CS by a 1/2".

I wound up replacing them with MM page protectors .

I quit buying cheap albums because of this. It seems I had the most problems with them. I usually go with American Crafts although I have good luck with the Pioneer ones too.

My only problem with switching page protectors is that sometimes they're too big for the book and they stick out, which drives me crazy.

I think we have all had this happen to us in the past and it is very frustrating. I have found that the less expensive albums always come with the smaller page protectors .

Don't cut up your layouts, just switch out the page protectors .

FYI, the albums that I have found to have true 12 x 12 pages in them are Making Memories , Me and My Big Ideas , Sandy Lion, Close to My Heart, K and Company .

Good Luck!

Pioneer seems true to size...Most of my 12x12 albums are Pioneer and K and Co. Still once in awhile I have to trim a bit. I've learned to put the blank paper in the page protector first to make sure it fits as I have also learned I can't trust the books are true to the size stated. Some papers aren't true to the stated size either.
I'd like to know why K and Co makes 8 1/2 by 8 1/2...what's with the extra half inch...didn't realize (read) that til I'd made a layout that didn't fit in my 8x8 book.
We feel your pain.

My experience was that I didn't find a book I liked for my wedding album when I started,it took about three years 'til I found one that I liked.

A friend asked me if I was sure the pages I'd already made would fit - and let me tell you it was an emotional moment when I put the first picture in the sleeve! Luckily it fit, so I was very relieved.

However, much to my frustration - the refill packs of pages (by the same company that match the book)the extension posts did not work together! I had to get my husband involved in the process to figure out that the posts were different from each other. Still haven't figured out how there could be such a problem.
So I guess the addage: if its not one thing, its another - lives on...

Oh thank goodies I have not had that problem yet!

I feel your pain. I have had this happen. I have cardstock that is bigger than 12" and some that is smaller than 12". Aggghhhh!!

Welcome to the wacky world of scrapbooking, where '12x12' does NOT always mean 12 INCHES!!!

Thanks everyone..

Has anyone ever tried We R Memory Keepers Albums. I have found one that I really like..

CM new albums are true 12x12. Hoorah!

I concur with the group - switch out the page protectors .

I've recently started using Colorbok albums, and I love them. I never have to trim down my pages. I get them at Michaels.

yeppers.. sounds like new page protectors . I started using the Colobok ones also and they seem really good. I took my album to my LSS cause I was having problems with them "buckling" and it was bending my paper all up. She showed me to look for protectors with a doube seam on them. Like beside where the holes are at to look for 2 sets of seams. While my pages technically fit into the protectors they didnt lay correctly when I got more pages in the book. Might be something to remember to watch for too.

My first few albums were top loading Pioneer s and all of them were slightly smaller than 12x12. I've stopped buying those altogether. My last two were DCWV and they are perfect. I love it when my pages lay together perfectly.