mlktwins Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 (edited) For those that are avid (traditional) scrapbookers, I'm FINALLY getting ready to scrap the first 5 years of my twin's lives. I have a ton of Creative Memories stuff (I am NOT a consultant) that I have collected over the years. I love their albums and pages (and will continue to use these), but I really love a lot of the embellishments made by other companies. For those that use stuff other than CM, have they held up well (have the colors bled or faded)? Are there any particular brands that I should look at or stay away from? I had it in my head that CM was the only way to go, but there are so many other embellishment themes that would be perfect for their books and I'm now thinking I should just be happy how they look and hope they hold up well. Any thoughts? Thanks so much! Mendy Edited June 26, 2011 by mlktwins correct spelling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I haven't had a chance to scrapbook for awhile, but I've found that it's not a problem to use embellishments that are not CM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrissySC Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I have used a ton of scrapbook stuff. I look on the packaging for acid-free and other little comments. I use photo paper and ink that has a 25 year life too. I think the best that you can do is watch the glue that you use. Some of it is very toxic and will change the colors of the items that are fixed with it. I make sure that I use photo safe glues. They are marked. I prefer traditional scrapbooking, but to preserve my creation I will copy the item and store it as a file too. :) You know - just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 (edited) I've been scrapbooking both traditionally and digitally for that last 11 years and have no problem with anything that's labeled photo safe and acid free. :iagree: some cm consultants used to make a big deal abut their products being the only safe ones.... I never bought that particular piece of propaganda and my album pages still look great. Edited June 26, 2011 by RanchGirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 CM scrapbooks are great quality, and I use them. But until I switched to digital scrapbooking I used mostly non-CM materials. Those scrapbooks still look great 15+ years later. There has been no fading or discoloring. I made sure to use acid free/lignin free papers and embellishments and most the time I used CM adhesives because I liked them. My CM consultant was horrified that I would use anything non-CM and insisted the papers, etc. would ruin my scrapbooks, but she was wrong. (It got ridiculous when she told me I shouldn't use the corner rounder punch I was using because CM didn't make it and it would hurt my album. She really took CM loyalty too far, but CM didn't make any punches then and I liked the corner rounded look at the time.) Just look at the labels on the products you want to use to be sure you are using products that will last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyto2 Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I check to make sure that it is acid free, and that adhesives are also lignin free. I stay away from embellishments from Wal-mart because although they are cheap, they are cheap and don't hold up well. If you have a Hobby Lobby or JoAnns ETC close to you they are good options, for reasonable prices. (They both have good sales and good coupons.) Welcome back to the scrapbooking world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 My daughter (who is a fanatic scrapbooker)loves two peas in a bucket (http://www.twopeasinabucket.com). She has never purchased anything she has not been happy with the quality of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtroad Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 I check to make sure that it is acid free, and that adhesives are also lignin free. I stay away from embellishments from Wal-mart because although they are cheap, they are cheap and don't hold up well. If you have a Hobby Lobby or JoAnns ETC close to you they are good options, for reasonable prices. (They both have good sales and good coupons.) Welcome back to the scrapbooking world. :iagree: Be cautious of 3-D embellishments b/c pressure points when book is closed could be an issue with pictures on other side, etc. Also, watch out for glitter - over time (I think) it can work like sand on wood... scratch. If you use stamps/inks... be sure to buy the safe ones and pigment inks (more permanent). They take longer to dry... but will last longer. DD is about to be 2.... I haven't been able to work since she was born & hubby's job took in 3 hours from home . I am so ready to get started again. Digital developing has also put a kink in my world. I miss dropping off my film and picking it up on the next grocery store run.... now, it takes forever and every single computer wants to crop my pictures again or differently. I don't have hours to stand in Walgreens or fight online. That has been tough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I was a huge scrapbooker about 10 years ago. I'd love to start up again. I never used CM (well, I do have one item from them....a corner rounder....which I rarely used). I would get my paper from Walmart and a few craft stores in town. Once in a great while I was able to go to Michaels. Some of the paper was Paper Pizazz, which looks like this (the explanation and the reviews are wrong....they are not even about the paper!). All my scrapbooks today look like they did 10 years ago. Have fun....it's addicting (but in a good way). :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnbacademy Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 11 year old pages look great with no CM products. I even use eyelets and other metal embellishments with no problems yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I use a variety of items, just making sure that they are acid and lignen-free. Hobby Lobby has a good selection and runs frequent sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I use a variety of items, just making sure that they are acid and lignen-free. Hobby Lobby has a good selection and runs frequent sales. :iagree: My oldest scrapbooks are 8 years old and not CM. They still look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlktwins Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 My CM consultant was horrified that I would use anything non-CM and insisted the papers, etc. would ruin my scrapbooks, but she was wrong. (It got ridiculous when she told me I shouldn't use the corner rounder punch I was using because CM didn't make it and it would hurt my album. She really took CM loyalty too far, but CM didn't make any punches then and I liked the corner rounded look at the time.) My consultant is like this except I don't think she would tell me the punches would hurt the books :lol:. Crazy... Thanks so much everyone for the wonderful comments and advice. I think I'm going to take a walk on the wild side and go to a big scrapbook store in the area tomorrow! Mendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I would steer clear of acrylic or epoxy stickers - I have had some of those yellow in books I did several years ago. I would also stay away from bulky items or metal stuff - those were very trendy in scrapping a while back but probably not so much now, just thought I'd mention it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I wish I could get back into scrapbooking. Maybe I will be able to once the olders are off in college and I just have Youngest at home... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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