Creative Memories Returning?

Yeah! I have most of their cutting systems. Afraid to use them recently because once the blades dull no replacements that are reasonably priced.

How has this happened? Does anyone know?

TracieClaiborne I read here somewhere that another company bought them. He, the owner was interested in revamping it all, and relaunching. I guess this might be the result. I think I remember the company might be based in Japan but owner is from the UK? I can't remember for sure now.

Interesting. They at least are offering the replacement blades (yay!), but so far none of the rest of the cutting system. At least I will be able to get spare blades.

Here are some excerpts I received yesterday from my former CM rep, for those who want some background on the situation:

Almost one year ago, in February 2014, Creative Memories co-Founder, Rhonda Anderson, resigned from Ahni & Zoe/Creative Memories. She went to Heritage Makers which offers digital products and she immediately started creating her own traditional scrapbooking product line called Our Memories for Life through Heritage Makers. They are under the parent company, Youngevity.

Creative Memories/Ahni & Zoe closed their doors late 2014 and was recently purchased by a Hong Kong Investor who received the rights to the name Creative Memories/Ahni & Zoe as well as client emails and is giving it a try again. I am very happy with my decision to offer digital products through Heritage Makers (founded in 2005) and offer traditional scrapbooking products through Our Memories for Life (founded in May 2014 by Rhonda Anderson). I'm also proud to be part of the parent company, Youngevity (founded in 1997) which is dedicated to delivering solutions to help health-conscious consumers live younger, longer.

Here's a short video link of Rhonda introducing her new traditional scrapbooking product line - www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2EUtsHLWDI. She has since added Black and Creme Linen (Natural) refill pages besides White pages and her beautiful Designer pages. All refill pages work with the existing CM line. She also updated and improved them. Rhonda has added many more new traditional products since this video and continues to add new products introduced every month.

I still don't understand why they didn't just keep the CM name in the first place. I thought it had to go because of the bankruptcy. They have all have a tough road ahead to overcome the damage that was done in a declining/reinvented market.

I am glad to see the replacement blades for the cutting system, but WOWZA, $7.50 each? I just used my system last night and wondered if I could get replacement blades. OUCH!

Creative Memories has returned and is separate from Heritage Makers and Rhonda Anderson. Rhonda Anderson resigned from CM and went over to Heritage Makers to launch her own line under their company which is the video that Oaksong posted the link for in her post. At first I considered buying their page protectors because I need some for the many albums I bought when CM went out of business, but I held off for a few weeks to see what the reviews would be like. I was glad I did. Turned out they were tearing at the sides and the company's fix for them was to supply stickers to place over the tears. No thank you.

Around this time I read that a man named Caleb Hayhoe bought the CM company, including the manufacturing equipment in St. Cloud. He also acquired the CM Japan business. I was thrilled to read this because I am a long time user of the CM albums and was hoping that in time they'd reintroduce the 12x12 slide in pages-which they have! They albums are back as are a few of the tools, with more to come. You can see what is available at http://www.creativememories.com  I'm not a consultant, just a happy customer.

Debbie in MD.

the Dark Blue trimmer with the Yellow Blades?   There is a rumor that those *might* be COMING!!!!  That is also what I so desperately need!  that trimmer is the best.  I have tried others and nothing cuts like that one does!

I held off buying also, and after reading this I'm glad I did. I had been using Pioneer page protectors in the CM albums, and while they work, they are a bit flimsy. Does anyone know if this new CM's page protectors will fit in the true 12x12 original CM albums? I have a bunch of albums with no protectors.

I know CM is expensive, but their albums and tools IMO are the best quality.

      I haven't ordered any yet myself (still recovering from Christmas), but they say that the new page protectors will fit the true 12x12 original CM albums, and that the new CM albums are just like the one's they were selling when they closed. I haven't seen any of the new product in person, but that's what I read online and on facebook from my consultant's posting. I hope this info helps.

At first I was taken aback by the slide in page protector's prices (they are now called Large Single Pocket Pages for 12x12) as they are $19.50 for a 12 pack. But I feel exactly like you do-No can beat the quality of CM albums, and I'd much rather pay for quality and have my albums last! I have an album that is 20 years old and looks brand new. BTW, does anyone remember how much the old 12x12 slide in pages cost? I don't.

Debbie in MD.

I have been thinking about what to do with myself when I retire in June. So I have looked at the (craft) direct sales options available in Canada. Neither of the big two here are my style and I just cannot see me being able to create outside of my style so they are not on my radar.

So when I saw this thread I thought what the heck I'll take a look. I was disappointed to say the least. Very little to offer. I couldn't imagine being able to sell enough to make it worth my time. And being Canadian makes things even worse. Who would want to pay a basic shipping cost of 18.95.

This is not a company for someone selling in Canada, with prices in US dollars only, the Cdn price would change daily.

Guess I will stick to my original idea and start my own studio based business.

I guess my biggest question is who will be manufacturing the tools, albums , etc. I'm hoping they'd be the same quality as before and that the company doesn't cheap out and go with inferior products. I don't mind paying a little extra for things that work well and will last.

ArtisticScrapper-from what I can tell CM themselves are manufacturing the albums and tools. Like I said I'm not a consultant but I have a very active consultant who posts a lot on Facebook so I read all of her updates and keep up with all of the news. As I mentioned above a man named Caleb Hayhoe bought the CM company and the manufacturing plant including all of the equipment (to make the albums) in St. Cloud (where they used to be made). You can read about this on the CM website at http://www.creativememories.com.  So from what I've read the albums they are now selling are identical to the albums they were selling before they declared bankruptsy-since they are being made again on the same machines. How lucky are we? I am so thrilled by this because I really believe these are the best albums out there quality wise!

I think the same thing will apply to the tools they've introduced and are selling again-will it be the same CM quality? I don't know. I haven't bought any myself yet. My budget is pretty tight at the moment. But I have every reason to believe they will be as good as before or close to it since they have their reputation to maintain.

Njinkerbelle-Yes, I love those Valentine albums too! I only wish they were available in a smaller option for a mini album like an 8x8 version too instead of just a 12x12. But they are adorable!

Debbie in MD.