Album Review for R&R Scrapbooking by Rhea

All albums we currently stock that indicate 12x12 are a true 12x12 size!

We R Memory Keepers  This may well be my new favorite! These albums are suited to those doing a bit of a bigger album, as they feature a solid album spine that measures about 2” that hasn’t been done before in traditional post albums.  They like forever yours are triple post!!! The Linen finish is Elegant beyond words and the colours available are second to none.  I love how the covers have sturdy silver corner protectors and the spines have silver label holders. The refills are super affordable and available in generous 25 packs for a great price.  The page protectors have the ample extra space on the spine that ensure a flat laying page that really is the top sell for me.  This line has inspired me to co-ordinate my next project that will be done with a basic grey multipack, and this album! And those who know me know that it must be an exceptional album to inspire me to work a whole project around it J

Making Memories Albums: Right now these are the ones that are holding top prize in my books for the most well rounded album. They are available in great colours, a faux leather cover with window, linen with either window or label holder, they start with 10 page protectors, the plastic for the page protectors are a good quality, the refills (10 to a pack) are really to my liking as they don’t come with paper (which I almost always do a page on a colour other than black or white), MM does have replacement posts so that you’re not using screw in posts like the old pioneer albums they come in 2 sizes, 20mm and 40 mm, nice and sturdy. The cost of the refills are great and the pages lie nice and flat. These also are available in 6x6 in a great kit with extras to make that special album for an event or gift.

Forever Yours Albums: OK these are simply in a league of their own. The spine balancing system is amazing, no more cardboard fillers or gaps, there is no seeing the posts. The plastic for the page protectors are the best! The cost is more for sure but honestly I personally wish I could go back to the days when I worried about the cost of the actual album as being a factor in how much a completed book costs ha ha ha, the embellishments and tools etc that I “think” I need have far surpassed the cost of the album! Now more about the albums, they are a triple post for added stability and right now we have in stock the leather collection as well as the 6x6 and 8x8 sizes. The Leather collection is perfect for that heritage or wedding album when nothing but the best will do. Careful though once you start with them you won’t be able to go back!  We also carry longer posts, just ask.

 

MBI albums have been an affordable staple in the scrapbooking industry for years.  They are a good album for a fair price.  I’m especially pleased with the expressions line with the metal photo frame front that are nicely suited for a gift album or special event. For example they have a series for family, wedding, graduation, and baby. I wouldn’t say that they would be an album that you’d want to expand much beyond one refill maybe 2 but they are a nice option to have. MBI has also come out with a lovely 3 ring album that is different from any others out there.  They have integrated a photo window in both the album and the slipcase, the slipcase is what sets this album apart, up till now 3 ring albums that weren’t completely full did a type of triangle trick on your bookshelf, no longer! This album in the sturdy slipcover sits  square as can be full or not.  Always super popular are the 6x6 and 8x8 canvas and bookcloth versions of this amazingly well priced line, you can’t beat these smaller sizes for gift albums.

 

Pioneer has really come a long way vs albums of yester year.  I know this is where I started out, trimming my pages and struggling with non true 12x12 pages.  We do carry a small selection for the die hard pioneer followers in the snap load line.  But it’s the 3 ring versions that really command the market.  These super affordable albums are favorites for those who are looking for bulky, highly embellished pages that 3 rings are really flexible with. Also amazingly popular with those who want 3 ring binders for storing paper!  An affordable option to fill these albums are the Provocraft 50 pack page protectors.  This combination is always a top seller!

 

Doodlebug  These are newish on the market and are nothing short of stunning, I love how the album covers can be reversible and are sturdy, easily wipe able and work for so many different types of projects.  The colours are classic Doodlebug and will soon become a favorite.  These are high end albums available in 12x12, 8x8 and an accordion size of 3x3, they have elastic detailing to keep the albums closed, which is a very nice feature.  The refills are affordable and are of really nice quality.  Keep this line in mind for an album that pops off your shelf of completed books and stand out as something really special!  A must have for the dedicated Doodlebug fans.

Expanding Albums  This section is about the options of expanding your albums.  There are a few choices out there, and traditionally we’ve had few options except for the awkward and cumbersome screw posts.  For those of you out there who have struggled with the small extension posts and trying to re-assemble the album know exactly what I’m talking about.  It’s a feat more suited to an octopus! Now there are options such as the making memories 20 and 40 mm posts, these will replace the smaller posts that come with your album completely, and be more sturdy.  The only downsides of those posts is that you need to pretty much have completed all the pages that you want to go into your album before selecting the size… once it’s as thick as it’s going to get these are a great option, the other downside is what if ideally a 30 mm post would be perfect??  Glad you asked, now the pioneer snap load retro fit kit comes into play.  Also for those of you who work on albums and like the option of expanding as you go and moving pages around, this is an excellent system.  This is how it works; you remove your posts completely, to the front and back of your album you secure what I’ll call the landing strips, these are small grooved plastic pieces that go under the folded flap of most albums.  The strips of super strong plastic that replaces the posts, which I refer to as zip strips go where your posts were and then out through the holes and snap down into the landing strips.  These are just like the tie wraps that you find securing merchandise into boxes that have to be cut with scissors to release, they are tradionally only tighten able in one direction and once secure will not slip back.  They also use them as handcuffs in the police force for mass riots etc.  I digress. In any case these are like that same product except for the way they are secured, the landing strips bite into the zip strips and you can open and release them over and over again.  The ratcheting action is what makes it snap into place making them the perfect option for those old albums that are still fine but the binding makes them unstable or wobbly. They will work with any post album but not the strap style as the strips would be going the wrong direction.  I hope this is clear, I often get orders for multiple screw posts but once I explain this system Gals love it! And are almost always back for more sets to update old and tired albums. The goal in expanding albums is to have the right and left sides of your album to be equal and stable.  One of the biggest helps in achieving this is the use of cardboard spacers, between the pioneer spacers and the retrofit kits you’re off to the races! One retro fit package will do one album.