Rating Vendors: Scrapbooking Stores

By Michele Blandino

Over the last several years, scrapbooking has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity. Once confined to hard-to-find specialty stores, scrapbooking products are now commonplace in retail stores such as Target and Walmart as well as in craft chains like Michaels, A.C. Moore and Hobby Lobby.

As would be expected, a number of online outlets have also joined the market. And, as in any type of online shopping, it takes some time to identify the merchants that best meet our needs. There are also a few popular direct sales companies that carry or specialize in scrapbooking; Stampin Up! and Creative Memories are two of the most widely known direct sales merchants.

With all the choices available, it’s easy to see how many people may be too intimidated to even become involved in scrapbooking. To help make this process somewhat easier, we will review some of the most popular merchants.

Retail Stores

Michael’s and A.C. Moore are two of the most widely known craft “super-stores” that carry an extensive supply of scrapbooking supplies. The inventories in both stores are fairly similar: albums, paper, embellishments, stamps, and tools such as decorative scissors and punches are in wide abundance.

Both stores also have weekly specials which usually result in a 25% discount on a particular item (i.e. albums or paper). In addition, their weekly circular regularly offers a coupon for 40% off of the regular price of one item. It’s important to know that this coupon cannot be applied to items that are already on sale.

Stores such as Michael’s and A.C. Moore can provide terrific bargains for the price-conscious scrapbooker, and while they do seem to make an effort to remain abreast of the current trends in scrapbooking, overall, their inventory tends to remain fairly consistent.

Online Merchants

One of the best online merchants I’ve encountered so far has been Scrapjammies. This company with the funny name was founded by two Midwestern women who wanted to find a fun and convenient way to share their beloved hobby with others.

For $26.56 (plus $7.75 shipping and handling) a month, you will have three themed scrapbooking kits delivered right to your door – enough to make 6 12x12 pages. This translates to a little less than $5.75 per page. The kits come with step-by-step instructions and a picture of what the final product will look like. It also includes all the paper and embellishments needed to recreate the pages. All you need to supply are the pictures and the adhesive.

And, while the instructions and template are meant for those who need direction in their scrapbooking efforts, there is no reason why you can’t use the materials in any way you wish.

Direct Sales

Stampin’ Up! has been in business for 16 years. Originally started as a direct sales company specializing in rubber stamps, Stampin’ Up! has expanded its product line over the years to include a full line of scrapbooking supplies. One of the best products offered by Stampin’ Up! are its Simply Scrappin’® kits. The kits which sell for $12.95 contain enough materials to make 8 8 1/2 x 11 pages. Although these kits are less expensive than those offered by Scrapjammies, they do not provide detailed instructions which may frustrate novice scrapbookers. Nonetheless, these kits are a terrific way help spark your creativity and start you on your way to preserving your family’s memories.

Creative Memories got its start in 1987. Since that time, this company has built its reputation based not only on their full line of scrapbooking products, but also on their expertise and knowledge of the techniques needed to truly preserve the photos that go into the scrapbooks. Creative Memories consultants not only teach you how to put your scrapbook together, but also provide valuable information on the importance of selecting the right types of papers and how to store your photos.

Only the Beginning

These are just a few of the hundreds of companies that sell scrapbook products. To find others, you can do a simple Internet search or ask friends or neighbors for their opinion. Considering how fast this hobby has grown, chances are you won’t have to look very far.