Will you help me? Craft or Classic??

[SCRAPPERGALORE]

When I first started buying SU, I bought all classic pads. My demonstrator didn't make it clear that you could only use the craft for embossing. Now, as I'm adding to my supplies, I'm trying to decide whether to buy classic or craft. I know that craft takes a long time to dry if not embossed... but, still, I don't want to buy BOTH pads, and MAYBE I will want to emboss, maybe I won't. I like to have the option...

Tell me the pros & cons between craft & classic... and tell me what you do...

thanks!
Kara in MA

[shari stamper]

Kara --

I only have the classic spots and the classic pads. If I ever want to emboss, which is rare I do admit, I use a versamark pad or versamark pen, if I want to emboss small areas. Personally, I found the craft pads WAY too juicy and the ink was everywhere. I use my classic in my scrapbooks. Yes, I know Craft is supposedly made to last longer (say 100 years)...my thought is that if someone is reading them that long into the future and they are relatively intact, then great!! Personally, I didn't like the expense of the craft pads either, nor do I stamp on fabric, wood or other surfaces much so to me, it was a no brainer to stay with the classic and just use other embossing mediums as needed. HTH!

[LateBlossom]

This is such an individual call! Here's my thinking on the subject.

1. Making cards is easier with classic ink. It dries fast and you can use the flip lids for watercolor techniques that look really cool.

2. Embossing is way cool, and if you want to emboss, ya gotta have craft (pigment) ink, embossing ink, or versamark ink--something sticky and slow drying. If you want to emboss lots of colors, you have to either buy embossing ink and lots of colors of embossing powder, or you have to buy lots of colors of pigment ink and clear embossing powder. If you want to emboss metallic colors, all you need is embossing ink or versamark ink because the metallic embossing powders are opaque anyway.

I almost never emboss colors anymore. I usually emboss opaque gold, silver, glittery powders, or black. All the colored pigment inks I bought are drying up from lack of use now, but I just re-inked my embossing ink pad.

3. Some people prefer craft/pigment inks for general stamping as well because of the dense color saturation. Some like to do direct-to-paper techniques with them, and others want the archival quality for their scrapbooks. It's really just personal preference.

4. It stinks that no one ink will do everything!

I doubt this helps, but it might make you feel in good company!

[SCRAPPERGALORE]

You both have helped immensely! I think I'll stick with the classic ink pads & buy the embossing powders if I feel the urge to emboss! I already have quite a few, and I have all a few versamark pads & pens!

THANKS SO MUCH!!!

[shari stamper]

Kara --

COOL! Glad I could be of some assistance...for me when I was starting out as a demo, I couldn't decide either...took one time with the Craft pad and I was sold on Classic!! There are so many other ways to emboss...like I said, I like the versamark pen for small areas like flower centers to add some dimension, or little accents like candle flames, leaves, wings, etc. As Susan said, it's fun too to use metallic (I prefer silver) - I cased a card out of the gallery using the Winged Things set - stamp the large dragonfly with versamark on vellum - emboss with silver - I then used my markers to color the image in on the BACK of the vellum...such a cool effect!! I'm sure there are lots of dye-hard (pun intended!) craft ink people out there, and that's cool too, but as I said $$$ wise, for me it was best to get all the colors in Classic and then rework from there. Good luck and have fun!!

[miss]

I agree with the above, almost only use my classic pads & always use Versamark to emboss. I do have craft spots in RR so I can have a purple ink to emboss with clear powder (although I admit I think I only did this once).
I say buy a good versamark pad & slowly buy different embossing powders. You get a truer color (I think) with the actual embossing powder in the color you want than with using a colored ink & clear powder.

[judi]

yOU CAN ALSO stamp into the versamark pad then into your classic (for color) then unto the paper and emboss QUICKLY... the versamark helps it stay wet a little longer to emboss.. then you cna use the clear powder and get the embossed color...

[indyemmert]

If you stamp on your scrapbook pages, SU recommends the craft ink as it is less prone to fading. Personally, I have found that the craft spots are not as juicy as the craft pads, so I like them better. It is easy to heat set the ink quickly. Craft is also great for stamping on colored cardstock as the colors are truer. While I use classic a majority of the time, there have been plenty of times I've used craft. You can also emboss with any craft ink and clear EP.

[Babsnelson]

I'm a classic gal but I love to emboss - I use Versamark for that. I did just purchase a black craft because I can't stand black embossing powder. Black craft with clear embossing is beautiful to me though.

I've never tried the versamark/classic combo to emboss - that really sounds cool. I'll have to try that next time I want to emboss.

[amysings]

I use my craft spots to scrapbook with. I prefer the spots to the full-size craft pads--but have all the classic full-sized pads, too. I would say, buy one family of craft spots--then you have all kinds of scrapping and embossing options. You can still mainly own classic. Just a note--I have actually embossed with just classic ink. Make sure your inkpad is really juicy, and have your EP ready as soon as you stamp!

I do use my classic inks more on cards and for the classes I teach. It would be too cumbersome for everyone to have to emboss everything to get it to dry. But I *love* the feel and richness of hte craft inks. Yummy.

[Stampinsue]

I love both, but I would buy the classic first because there are so many uses and then buy the craft. You need both!!

[AZShann]

I have a few classic pads and the rest craft. I like the craft for the juciness of the pad, I can emboss, and I can leave the ink on the stamp until I am finished with the card (or overnight, what ever) and it doesnt' stay on the stamp or stain it. I do like the classic ink for the more crisp image, however, do not like that I have to clean the stamp right away. I love how juicy my white pad is and wish they were all like that. I also do not feel I get good coverage on the stamp with the classic---but I think that's just a ME situation.

[Laurie FW]

I have to tell you that I have scrapbook pages made just 5 or 6 years ago with bold brights classic inks that have faded already to look more like soft subtles! (And no, I didn't leave them out in the sun, they were closed up in scrapbooks not in the direct sunlight and they still faded!) It was mostly the pink and purple colors, but I am dissappointed and glad I bought the craft spots! You don't have to emboss the craft ink, you can just dry it with your embosser. The more you use the craft ink, the less juicy it gets and it dries faster!

[Taminnc]

Another way to emboss using the dye ink pads. I stamp with the dye ink and use my stamp-a-ma-jig to apply the versamark after cleaning the dye ink off the stamp. Use clear embossing powder over that. Shake off excess and heat emboss. That way there is no cross contamination with the versamark ink unto the dye ink pads. Just thought I would pass this along. I use craft inks for my scrapbooks though because I wanted the colors to last as long as possible.

[danssister]

I have only the craft pads. My demo (now my upline) only had craft pads, so that's what I got used to using, and we were scrapbooking. But I'm thinking of getting all the classic pads (a few here and there over time) because they do different things, and I like them for different reasons than the craft pads. You can stamp versamark over your classic stamped image and then emboss in clear EP. Or you can try the craft spots, too. HTH

[k_cove]

I own both because I love embossing. I find that if I want to emboss with classic ink colors I own, I first ink my stamp in Versamark and then onto the classic ink before stamping my image. That way the color is on the stamp but the Versamark is also on there to hold the embossing powder on.

[inkymommy]

Since you already have the classic pads, I would advise you to get the craft spots. I started with classic pads but I am IN LOVE with the craft pads. The color really stands up on the paper and stays true even on darker cardstock. One bottle of clear EP is all I need to emboss any color. Also, the Black craft pad is an essential in my book.

Knowing what I know now, I would have started with craft ink. Actually, I could function very well with all of the spots (craft and classic), markers, and one bottle of clear EP. I do seem to be a mobile stamper, though.

While I am NOT finding my classic ink to be fading in my scrapbooks, I have started to use solely craft ink for my pages.

Good luck with your decision.

[Momofoneson]

I am buying bold bright, rich regals, and earth elements craft spots next month.
I will eventually get the pastel colors, but I don't really use them so don't need them all at once.

[colee_dupont]

I started as a scrapper, and found SU! and began doing it all, but I'm mainly still a scrapper. I received all the full size dye inks from SU! as a gift from my aunt, and I love them, but I am buying the craft inks myself (almost have them all) in the full size pads (a) because I like the archival quality of them, and (b) because I love the look of them.