Review | Scrapbooking Attitude by Craft Attitude

Reported by Amanda Marks

I was extremely excited to try Scrapbooking Attitude by Craft Attitude because I had read and seen so many projects using it.  I do recommend reading all directions before starting a project with a new product.

After reading the directions on how to handle the paper and what side is the “printing” side, I decided I wanted to test to see exactly what other mediums could be used with this product.  I cut the a sheet into 2” x 2” squares, careful not to damage the “printing side" of the paper.

I used a variety of items - Pigma Micron pens, Sharpie pens, Bic Mark-it pens, Distress Ink, Staz-on Ink - and had fun experimenting. (I discovered that Prismacolor colored pencils do not work on this product).  Why did I do this, as opposed to the use-as-directed method at first?  I knew the paper worked with an inkjet printer but I wanted to know what else I could do with it.  When I purchase a product, I am looking for versatility.  I want to know what other things can I do with a product before I purchase an item; I personally am not a fan of "one item one use."

These are the results of my attempt to create images with the color mediums on the Scrapbooking Attitude film:

1. Pigma Micron 08 Pen - Worked great, clean crisp image.
2. Bic Mark-it Pen - The colors came through very vibrant, little loss of color.
3. Sharpie - Clean, crisp, dark image.
4. Prismacolor Markers - Worked but did have streaking with the marker.
5. StudioG Pigment Ink - Stamp nicely, solid image.
6. Dew Drop Brilliance Silver - Provided an okay image, not as dark as the Pigment Ink.
7. Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Worked surprisingly well, I was able to blend on the film and stamp
8. Staz-On - Amazing image, clean and crisp

Here's the result I got trying to write over the film, which requires more detail (shown in #9):

• Micron - Wrote great, smearing did occur (even after 10 minutes of drying)
• Bic Mark-it - Wrote great, no smearing
• Sharpie - Wrote great, no smearing
• Prismacolor Marker - Wrote great, no smearing
• Studio G - Good image, no smearing
• Dew Drop Brilliance - Not a good image and smeared
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Good image, smeared
• Staz On - Good image, no smearing

The title was an experiment with all the various mediums to create a layering effect.  The Pigma Micron pen was used to write the lettering.  The Bic Mark-it pen is the first "TEST".  A Sharpie pen was used for the second "TEST".  Prismacolor markers created the center of the flowers.  Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink was used to create the rainbow effect in the background.  Studio G Pigment Ink and Staz-On Ink was used to stamp the image in the background.  I did do this on the printing side so everything was backwards, meaning I started with the Pigma Micron pen and worked up to the stamping.

I also created a project on the film using my inkjet printer and Photoshop. Here is how it looked in Photoshop, before printing:

 I created the layer effect with graph paper and BasicGrey "Green at Heart" paper.  I used a glue stick to apply the film to the paper.

I personally think this product is a must if you are a mixed media artist or enjoy adding a layered look to your scrapbook pages or paper crafting. It is an extremely versatile product and can be used with many different mediums including an inkjet printer.

Pros:

• The paper produces a clean, crisp image when used with an inkjet printer
• It is easy to use
• Cuts easily with scissors or a paper trimmer
• It creates layering techniques like in digital scrapbooking
• Wonderful transparent look, even when printing darker photos
• Easy to add embellishments
• Works with permanent markers such as Sharpies and Bic Mark-Its
• Pigment, Solvent and Distress Inks can also be used on the film, either on the front or backside of the film.  Note if you do opt for stamping, use a stamp without words or your words will be backwards.

Cons:

• The matte side of the paper should really have a "Do Not Print On This Side" notice.  I know it seems silly, but you could quite easily accidentally print on the wrong side of the paper.
• The paper does have a smell to it when it is first opened.
• With a glue stick it was hard to get a full sheet smooth.  I did not run into this with the 2"x2" squares or the Title for the Testing Page.

Scrapbooking Attitude by Craft Attitude comes in packages of eight 8.5" x 11" sheets, and has an MSRP of $16.99.