scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 22, 2015 13:34:13 GMT
At the recent Chantilly, Virginia Scrapbook Expo, a friend and I bought mini album kits from Pinecone Press. They're very cute, but the pictures are rather small and hard to see. They occasionally don't explain something, and in one case (I bought 3 kits), they actually showed that you cut the entire image out of a frame, when it was only supposed to be cut on one edge for a photo to slip underneath.
On the other hand, the instructions are better than some LSS classes have given out. The disadvantage is that no one is available for hands on instruction, and no video tutorials are available. A person has to be very good at reading and following directions. My friend and I are doing them together. She has trouble just learning something by reading it, but her close up sight is better than mine. Together we can usually figure it out.
I do wish they offered video tutorials, but I guess they are worried that people will just copy their projects instead of buying them. Nothing they do is earth shatteringly unique, but they are cute, and someone else put in the design time, so they go quicker than creating something on my own would.
My friend and I figured they cost less than taking a class, and we can go at our own pace. They were selling them for 20% off at the Expo. My friend bought two, and I bought three. Afterward we asked ourselves "What were we thinking?!?!" However, we have enjoyed working on the kits together.
Just curious, has anyone else bought their kits? This is the first time that I have tried them. I think the LSS carried a few for a short time, but other than that, I had never seen them at convention or anywhere else. Two of the kits I bought used Graphic 45 papers, so I would have thought they would be more popular, available, whatever.
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Post by alissa103 on Jul 22, 2015 14:10:01 GMT
Archivers used to carry their kits, although I never bought one.
I have heard they have terrible customer service, so don't order any of their kits online! Or if your kit is missing anything, or you have a question about the instructions, they most likely won't be very helpful. A friend of mine owned a LSS and bought a bunch of kits to do for classes and she said NEVER again.
So I think it's one of those buyer beware things. But buying in person at an Expo is less risky if you check the kit contents before you leave.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 22, 2015 15:35:14 GMT
I'm not surprised. Ditto what Alissa said. Their customer service when I attempted to order from them years ago (buying for my business) was so bad that I vowed never again. I planned several month's worth of projects around product that was never shipped, even after countless phone messages (never returned) and emails (never replied). Thank God I wasn't charged and didn't have to try to get a refund too, but I was still left in the lurch trying to find suitable replacement items at the last minute for projects that had been designed months earlier.  Not fun. At all. |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,144
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 22, 2015 16:13:37 GMT
Oh, thank you both so much for the feedback!
The one friend was thinking of ordering another from them, and a different scrapping friend was going to order from them, too. I will let them know what you said.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 22, 2015 16:54:14 GMT
@scrananna, my friend makes kits for sale. The pages have a large picture and the directions are written below each picture. Most of the time I have helped he make the kits. She sends them home with me and I try to make them according to her directions. She's had a few directions that I have to call her about to clarify. I think what one person is thinking definitely doesn't come off on paper too well. Once in a while they are just completely wrong. You would think the Pinecone Press would have a few people make the kit before they print off their directions.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,144
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 22, 2015 17:00:12 GMT
950nancy, are they mini album kits that your friend sells? And does your friend have an online store you'd like to share, please? I'm willing to see what she has to offer.
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Deleted
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May 17, 2024 3:46:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2015 17:20:38 GMT
Pine cone Press? They are still around?
They had a horrible reputation when I was working in the SB world. Horrible.
There are lots of kits available on Etsy.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 22, 2015 20:54:54 GMT
950nancy, are they mini album kits that your friend sells? And does your friend have an online store you'd like to share, please? I'm willing to see what she has to offer. They don't do mini album kits online. They do regular 2 page layouts on etsy. Her store is called Crop-a-latte. They probably have 300 or so page kits. Not sure if they are all online though. Lots of choices. They sell a lot at large crops in Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas. |
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Deleted
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May 17, 2024 3:46:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2015 22:21:39 GMT
Check out The Scrappy Gourmet. She is going through ownership changes (she was going to close then a buyer came forward), so I think stock is lower right now. I thought the directions were the best I had seen and they give you a cd with step by step pics of the project. There are also pics on the website.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,144
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 22, 2015 23:05:04 GMT
I am not interested in page kits, just mini album kits. And I want a glimpse of the whole album, not just the front cover like the ones on The Scrappy Gourmet site.
Sorry to be so picky. Overall I do like how the Pinecone Press albums are turning out. They do seem to have all the pieces, even if the instructions aren't perfect. It's a shame that their customer service and ordering departments both leave a lot to be desired. I'm glad I got the ones of theirs that I wanted at the Expo instead of ordering online.
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 23, 2015 2:48:53 GMT
I am not interested in page kits, just mini album kits. And I want a glimpse of the whole album, not just the front cover like the ones on The Scrappy Gourmet site. Sorry to be so picky. Overall I do like how the Pinecone Press albums are turning out. They do seem to have all the pieces, even if the instructions aren't perfect. It's a shame that their customer service and ordering departments both leave a lot to be desired. I'm glad I got the ones of theirs that I wanted at the Expo instead of ordering online. I don't think it is picky to spend your money on what you want. Do you do scrap all of your pictures this way? One of my favorite mini albums I made is a travel album that has one favorite picture from 15 different vacations. I love to see the kids age in the book. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 23, 2015 3:53:57 GMT
scrapnnana have you checked out the mini book kits from Scrapscription.com? They have a lot of fun ones. I bought one of their "established" wedding/anniversary kits last year to use for pics from our anniversary party. It came with tons of stuff, complete directions with photos and an 8x8 album and I'm pretty happy with the value for the money. The directions seem to be pretty good. The pages are more themed toward wedding than anniversary so I'm not following their plan exactly, but it should work out nicely for what I needed and wanted. I'll just change some of the page titles and add some extra pages of my own to fill in the gaps.
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Post by robinm on Jul 23, 2015 4:48:27 GMT
Layle Koncar is doing some kits too. July was a mini album. August is page layouts. She does current product and has very detailed instructions with tons of photos. It's on her blog.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,144
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 23, 2015 5:12:20 GMT
950nancy, I scrap 12x12 pages, but I prefer to do my own page designs. I am just having fun with mini albums right now, and since we are working on getting our house ready to sell so we can move halfway across the country, kits are just easier. It's an easier way to do paper crafting at a time when I don't have much time. I have my own style for my page layouts, but the minis I've been doing are closer to my layout style.
I have not heard of either scrapscription or Layle Koncar. I will have to look them up and see what they offer.
Thank you, everyone.
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Post by wagleg on Jul 23, 2015 13:14:01 GMT
Have you checked out the Button Farm club. They do a mini book every month. Her directions are great. And the finished results are gorgeous.
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scrapnnana
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 23, 2015 16:28:01 GMT
Thanks, I had forgotten about Button Farm. Off to check!
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Deleted
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May 17, 2024 3:46:23 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2015 19:09:08 GMT
I was just going to tell you to check out Button Farm Club, too. I never have ordered them, but they look amazing and seems that by how well organized their website and detailed photos are, the directions are likely good. I may have to take a closer look at them, too  I had always heard horrible things about Pinecone Press, and their finished product never completely appealed to me. On the other hand, I actually had some Archivers mini book kits that I loved (I had a Halloween one that was my absolute fave ever!). Still miss their stores.... Good luck finding something you like! |
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Post by finally~a~mama on Jul 23, 2015 21:42:09 GMT
Glad I opened this thread. Have nothing helpful to add, but some fun new stuff to check out.  |
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,144
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 23, 2015 22:54:53 GMT
The Button Farm kits were cute, but I couldn't see more than just the front cover of the album, unless I am missing something. Not sure I want to pay that much without seeing what it looks on the inside, too.
The Pinecone Press mini albums were just as cute as anything I saw at Button Farm, but two of the three kits I bought from Pinecone Press used Graphic 45 papers, which I love. I wasn't that excited about a lot of the Pinecone Press minis, but I really like the three that I bought from them.
I may just have to start designing my own, not to sell, just to help save my sanity by doing something cute and fun. I will probably have the second and third kits finished soon. I finished the first one pretty quick.
Thanks for all of the suggestions. Before I could warn her about what people said here, one of my friends already ordered from Pinecone Press after seeing the albums I was working on. I hope they come through for her.
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Post by ladytrisha on Jul 23, 2015 23:08:55 GMT
I bought the "Woody" Pinecone Press album and loved putting it together and love the finished product. I changed a couple of things to give it a little umph but loved it. The guy at the expo (this was a few years ago) was great and enthusiastic. Never heard of their problems until now - I remember I was going to order it online, but then decided to go to the expo instead. Got extra paper.
I love Button Farm Club's stuff - my friend got their kits. The monthly price I couldn't get over though as I have way too much stuff already. And I agree that I want to see what I'm getting first - I did the "surprise" stuff with kits back in the day (Club Scrap / Scrapgoods) ... way way too much "what the heck do I do with that?" so I'm not willing to do that again.
Oh, ETA ... Layle is with Simple Stories. Very cute kit last month - if I hadn't of already bought the entire line, I would have got it. I love their colors and her classes are SO much fun and instructions are super clear. She's one of the best out there right now.
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LisaDorothy
Full Member
"Do it now 'cuz tomorrow ain't promised today"
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Jun 30, 2014 15:47:18 GMT
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Post by LisaDorothy on Jul 24, 2015 4:49:53 GMT
I just took a class from Pinecone Press at the Duluth Scrapbook Expo and I was not impressed at all. The lady teaching it had to leave class, yep, leave the class to go downstairs to their booth for missing products from class kits. Not once, but twice. Most of those expo/convention classes are rushed, and this one was no exception. She talked about the first few pages of the mini-album but that was it. The directions were printed in color, and seemed pretty good, but were actually a bit confusing.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
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Post by scrapnnana on Jul 24, 2015 12:47:55 GMT
Nothing has been missing from any of my kits, or from my friend's kits, so 5 out of 5 is decent. The two that used Graphic 45 papers used the paper pad. The mini albums were designed around the paper pad, plus what few other items were needed. Maybe they are simplifying the kits to avoid missing product. I will definitely be buying more of the G45 paper pads from now on. They lend themselves very nicely to making mini albums.
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Post by dualmaestra on Jul 24, 2015 15:57:11 GMT
I also bought several of PineCone Press kits at an Expo. Very cute, easy to do. Can be done quickly and no thinking involved  I live about an hour from their store, have been there a couple of times to get kits as well. Greater selection because of course they cannot take everything to the expo. When I needed something to give to my room mom, I decided to make her a minibook from there. I ordered 2 with about 2 weeks anticipation of when I had to start it. After a week, still nothing. Then I decided to go online and saw all the negative reviews. I freaked and wrote them a not very friendly email  about how I needed them in a couple of days. I never received a response, but I did get the minibooks the next day. Apparently they were already on their way. My experience is they are not fast, but I did get my order, and on time. ETA: nothing has been missing from my kits as well and have bought about 8 kits from them. |
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Not fun. At all.
I had always heard horrible things about Pinecone Press, and their finished product never completely appealed to me. On the other hand, I actually had some Archivers mini book kits that I loved (I had a Halloween one that was my absolute fave ever!). Still miss their stores.... Good luck finding something you like!
I live about an hour from their store, have been there a couple of times to get kits as well. Greater selection because of course they cannot take everything to the expo.
about how I needed them in a couple of days. I never received a response, but I did get the minibooks the next day. Apparently they were already on their way.