Stampin' Up! Papers

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Reported By Colleen Schaan

Paper...it comes in an array of weights, styles, textures, patterns, sizes, and finishes and can add character to any crafting project. As we continue to celebrate it this week, I would like to share some information and my own opinions on Stampin’Up! brand paper products.

First the facts. Stampin’ Up! (referred to as SU from this point forward in the article) may best be known for its exclusive color families. There are 4 basic color families (Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals, and Soft Subtles) with 12 colors in each family. That means there are 48 unique colors to choose from. In addition, there is a neutrals line, an In-Color line that consists of 6 very trendy colors that are available for only one year (before being retired and making way for the next year’s color grouping), a number of designer paper lines (I’ll talk about these more later), and a specialties paper line. So with all that said, SU offers a huge variety of paper products...something for everyone!

The Recollections patterns coordinate with various stamp sets and add an elegant touch to this card.

Let’s start with cardstock...the basic supply for card makers and scrapbookers. SU’s exclusive cardstock comes in packages of 8 1/2 x 11 or 12 x 12 and is dyed so it has pure color throughout. This means there is no white core! You can rip or tear the cardstock and not have to worry about having that glaring white show through. The cardstock is 80lb. weight and I like that is is heavy enough to use as a card base and light enough to layer. SU’s cardstock comes in all 48 exclusive colors in addition to the six In Color colors and also comes in neutrals (black, white, vanilla, sand, brown, and grey). All of these have a smooth, flat finish to allow for clean, crisp stamping.

True Thyme and Buckaroo Blue work together with Sahara Sand and the Journeys designer paper.

SU also offers a specialty line of papers. This line includes watercolor paper (140 lb., 100% cotton, cold-pressed), confetti white and vanilla (80 lb. with flecks of color throughout), glossy white (80 lb. with a shinny surface), gold, silver, and copper metallic (92 lb. with a metallic shine throughout), shimmery white (89 lb. with shimmer on both sides), mulberry (white), and vellum (regular or cardstock weight). The specialty papers are a bit more spendy, but well worth the price to add some elegance to your projects. One final note about SU’s cardstock and specialty papers...all of them are acid free with the exception of the shimmery white.

Lastly, SU offers up an array of Designer Papers. There are 18 original assortments in the regular catalog with many more being offered throughout the year. Each collection of Designer Papers comes 12 sheets per package (2 each of 6 designs). Each pattern matches SU’s artwork and coordinates with their exclusive colors to make creating projects a cinch. The single-sided Designer Papers are much lighter at 70 lb weight while the double-sided is a much stiffer 100 lb weight.

Three different patterns from the Sarah designer paper series meld together to create a delightful card.

Them’s the facts...so what do I think?

I believe SU is keeping up with the papercrafting market by offering fresh new cardstock colors and patterned paper with fun, bold colors and simple, elegant designs. I LOVE the fact that SU exclusive colored cardstock perfectly matches their inks and coordinates with so many of their other products. It is super simple to pick a designer paper and find some matching cardstock to completely coordinate your project. I really like to use the single-sided papers for altered items. They are thin and flexible enough to cover like a dream. I don’t often use the double-sided papers for altering items because they are a bit stiff and it takes a really strong adhesive to get them to stay put, but I love mixing and matching the patterns on cards and scrapbook pages. I like that SU’s cardstock is thick enough to use as a sturdy cardbase, and I like the fact that it takes ink so well. The only exception to this would be the whisper white. I do think it is a bit thin to use alone as a cardbase. When I do use it as a base, I always layer another color onto the card to give it a bit more stability.

The bold, bright patterns of Dots and Dashes help to create this "sweet" altered tin and matching beaded pen.

Overall, I am very pleased with the paper quality and selection from Stampin’ Up! For even more information about SU’s products or a glimpse at their on-line catalog, please click HERE.