Kat’s Favorite Crafting Papers

Card Bases

White Cardstock:

For card bases I have two favorite white cardstocks and it’s been the same for years.  Tried and true, nothing has ever come along that compares in my opinion.

• My first choice is Gina K Designs 120lb Pure Luxury Base Weight Cardstock.  It’s smooth and THICK and I like my card bases to be sturdy. It’s also great for copic coloring and stamping, etc.
• My second choice is Neenah Solar White 110 lb Cardstock

Layering Cardstock

• Gina K Designs 80lb Layering Weight Cardstock – I use this layers and for die cutting – not thick enough for a card base (for me) but perfect for stamping, coloring, die cutting, creating layers, etc.
• Neenah Solar White 80lb Cardstock – This is the same quality as the Gina K in my opinion, I have both and use them each equally.  It just depends on which one is closest when I’m crafting.

Colored Cardstock

MOST cardstocks that you purchase from stamp companies online are all the same quality in my opinion.  So I’d purchase them based on weight, color choices and price point.  These are the ones I use the most.

• Gina K 100lb Colored Cardstock – She has great colors and the paper weight is 100lb so it’s strong enough for card bases as well as layering and die cutting!
• My Favorite Things 100lb Cardstock – They also have a huge selection of colors and the paper is great quality.  I have a LOT of their paper!

I also have colored cardstock from other companies because I base my choices on color and paper weight.  But the two listed above are my favorites and what I use the most.

Specialty Papers

Ink Blending, Coloring, etc. 

Anytime I want to ink blend on a card or project, I always use Bristol Smooth Cardstock.  The cardstock is very smooth and therefore, the ink just glides on and blends beautifully.  I usually use this cardstock for top layer of a cards but if I’m doing a one layer card, then I use it for the entire card.  (I rarely make one layer cards).

Many crafters will agree that this is the best cardstock for ink blending. It’s also great for markers, pencils, and more.  It’s an all around great paper!

Translucent Vellum

Acetate

I use Acetate for shaker cards but you can also use it to make clear cards.  (You can find some great videos on Jennifer McGuire’s YouTube channel showing how to make clear cards).

My favorite acetate for shaker cards is my own brand, Kat Scrappiness.  We offer Acetate sheets in A2 size as well as Slimline size as well.  They come in packs of 10 or 25 each.

• A2 Acetate 10 pack
• A2 Acetate 25 pack
• Mini Slimline Acetate 10 pack
• Mini Slimline Acetate 25 pack
• Slimline Acetate 10 pack
• Slimline Acetate 25 pack

For 8.5 x 11 Acetate sheets I use Card Shoppe Essentials Clear Acetate Sheets by Spellbinders.  

For full size Acetate sheets that you can heat emboss on i recommend Heat Resistant Acetate Sheets.

Alcohol Ink Paper

The very best paper  for alcohol inks, in my opinion, is Yupo paper which is actually a synthetic paper.  It is waterproof, stain-resistant, and extremely strong and durable.  You can get less expensive options but nothing works like Yupo paper for me when using alcohol inks.  It comes in several different finishes which you can find at this link.

Patterned Paper

There are so many cute paper companies out there but these are my favorites.

For slimline patterned paper, my favorite is Kat Scrappiness slimline paper pads.  For 6×6 papers, I like (and stock) these brands.

These are my favorite papers for crafting.  If you have a question about a type of paper not listed here, or if there is a product you’d like to try, please contact me here.