Scrapbooking the NON-Creative Memories way

Ugh, I don't like Creative Memories scrapbooking. That is, I don't like the albums and papers. I do, however, like the cutting systems, adhesive and punches from CM. But the albums take too much planning and I don't care for the style. I prefer working out of order so I can add pages when and where I want to.

I like K & Company albums, I like KMA papers, and anything else I find cute at Hobby Lobby. Same with stickers. I really like Me and my big Ideas stickers, too.

I have always used Creative Memories since day one, so I have no idea what the difference is between the CM way and other ways. (Like I say, I am brand loyal to CM out of sheer laziness and a desire to avoid shopping.) I always thought it was just brand names -- like buying Glad Wrap or Saran Wrap, or GE instead of Kitchen Aid.

I also work out of order lots of the time and don't do much planning!

So I am really curious what the difference is. (I have no strong feelings about scrapbooking -- no more than I do about, say, copy paper or light bulbs -- so you can't offend me, just inform me.)

Shaun
www.homeschoolblogger.com/shaunms

I actually have never tried the CM way, just looked in the catalog. From what it looks like to me, CM pages start off with the actual blank white or black paper page in the album, you put your stuff on it. Then you put a clear sleeve on it. Please, correct me if I'm wrong. That is just the way it looks to me. I've never gone to a CM party or crop, because I am never without at least one child (literally) and usually all four, and while the lady I buy CM stuff doesn't mind children around (she is a friend of mine), she has told me that the other folks she does her crops with use them as a way to get away from children and probably wouldn't appreciate mine being there.

The way I scrapbook is this. Start off with a piece of cardstock or paper(and I have many, many colors, patterns, themes of these) just sitting all alone on your desk, add photos and matting, journaling, stickers, etc. THEN slip it into a clear sleeve in the album. You can move the pages around, take them out of the sleeves, whatever. It just seems more flexible to me. I use different brands of albums, but I have found that the cheap Hobby Lobby ones are just that. Cheap. Mine are falling apart already. K&Company are better, but more expensive (A 12x12 album runs about $25, plus you can usually get them on sale at Hobby Lobby for 1/3 to 1/2 off). I used one of these for Drew's baby album, and it is CUTE!

If you want to see some of the pages I have done, I put a few photos of some on my web site:
http://www.jandjessary.com/scrapbooking2