Take a Trip Down Memory Lane to Your Local 'Recollections' Scrapbooking Store

I've been scrapbooking for a while now and as my fellow scrappers know, there is no shortage of places to buy supplies. There's craft stores, Wal-Mart, specialty scrapbook stores, and even direct sales companies that have consultants that will allow you to shop from home. Everyone sells the same basic stuff, like scissors, papers, albums, stickers, etc., and you have to do something really special to set yourself apart in the world of scrapbooking.

A few weeks ago, I came across a store that did just that. I was recently talking about scrapbooking with my aunt, when her eyes lit up and she told me about "her new favorite store," which was apparently a recently-opened scrapbooking store in Columbia, Maryland. She got so excited that she insisted on getting in the car right then and taking me there.

I wasn't expecting much....I have been in scrapbooking stores before and as I stated earlier, they all seem pretty much the same to me. After a short drive, we arrived at a store called "Recollections," and as soon as I stepped inside, I knew just why my aunt had gotten so excited. The place was huge, with aisle after aisle of the cutest stickers, papers, and other scrapbooking accoutrements that you've ever seen.

Besides for offering one of the biggest assortments of scrapbooking supplies you'll find under one roof, what really sets Recollections apart is the work studio. Each Recollections location has a work studio where you are free to go and work on your albums during store hours, free of charge. You can use all of the paper cutters and die-cut machines for free, and you can "start a tab," use all the supplies you need, and pay for them at the end.

The studio also features computers so you can scan & print photographs, as well as print words & titles for your albums. There is a small kitchenette off the work studio where they have some vending machines and a refrigerator, so you can bring lunch or grab a snack without interrupting your work on your albums too much. Plus, each location offers a variety of classes and "crop" sessions that are open to the public, which is a great way to meet other people interested in scrapbooking.

I've always found the staff at Recollections to be very friendly, and always willing to help out when you need them to. They've taken the chance to get to know me, and always ask me about my albums and how they're coming along. The prices are very competitive to other scrapbook retailers, but the service & amenities are second to none.

So far, Recollections only has locations in four states (Arizona, Maryland, Texas, and Virginia), but they just started in 2003 and are looking to expand into other areas soon. If there is a Recollections store in your area, you should definitely stop by and check it out. If you're anything like me, you won't want to shop for your scrapbook supplies anywhere else.