Help I am confused about cardstock

Ok so I understand that there are all these different companies that make cardstock.

I've been purchasing mine at michaels or joann's.

How do you guys buy cardstock? Is it one sheet at a time or do you buy it in more bulk if so where?

I've heard Bazill is a good one.

Just not sure how to create all these great cardstock piles that everyone on here seems to have.

Being a newbie I ususally scrap 12x12. So do you think it's more cost efficent to buy that size instead of the 8.5x11?

So many questions...lol

I typically buy Bazzill from my LSS. Making Memories has thick cs too. I like buying the sheets individually because I usually don't use all of the colors in a pack unless it's a pack with all of the same shade of color.

Hi, your best bet for cardstock is to go to your local scrapbooking store and ask them a few questions:

First, is their cardstock acid free and lignin free(almost all scrapbook store s will say a resonding "yes"). Then you need to ask the weight of the cardstock, the most common and best weight for scrapbooking is 60-80lbs.

As far as size, if you know exactly which color cardstock is your background and which is for matting then you can usually get two pieces of 8.5X11 for the same price as one 12X12(in Canada anyway) for you matting(which you will cut up)and you get slightly more cardstock. Otherwise you are better off buying 12X12 because you never know if you need a strip long enough to make a border or what not.

Personally, I buy cardstock individually, it may be a little more pricey but there is way more selection in color and texture and the packs usually carry a lighter weight cardstock in some pretty basic colors.

As for brand names, it doesn't matter as long as it's archivally safe and the right weight.

Hope that helps.

I do not like Bazzill cardstock. I have had a number of sheets of Bazzill where the color has faded significantly. I have had other cropping buddies notice the same thing. I usually buy 10-20 sheets at a time online of colors I use a lot. I buy from another website that sells a different brand. I buy single sheets of other colors as I need them through my LSS.

I love Bazzill -haven't noticed any fading, love the colors and textures. I do buy other brands though, especially when they match patterned paper (MM, for example). Also, I normally buy individually, though I sometimes buy the Bazzill in packs for colors I use a lot.

I am a sucker for the cheap cs at walmart. I know its not the best, but Its what I can afford. I also like when joann's or michales puts thier 8.5x11 cs on sale...its a good weight and like scrapbook queen sd-if your just using it for matting and such, its perfect. When the heavier cs goes on sale at joann's (open stock) I buy that to in individual sheets. I havent run into a prob with having too many colors I will never use....lol...I use pretty much all of it...though I do tend to run out of blue, white and black alot.
HTH!

I use Stampin' Up! cardstock for cardmaking but for layouts I buy up 12x12 CS from Michaels & Joannes. When matting pics I find it doesn't have to be the thicker CS but when I make a mini album I use the thicker stuff....there's a lot of choices out there, just touch & feel as much as you can & you'll see what you can afford & what you like.

Rae

I use Bazzill ...I first bought a few sheets at my LSS to see what the fuss was about. Then...completely understanding the fuss...I took the plunge and bought a huge lot of it on ebay for $80...all the Chatterbox line of Bazzill so that I would have a good variety. When I was finding I was running low on certain colors..i bought another big lot of all the Doodlebug colors (on sb.com on sale). I spend a lot at once...but I always have the colors I need...and I only buy it once a year.

I'm also a scrapbooker on a budget, but once I used the heavier, textured cardstock, I was hooked. So here's what I do: I buy the 8 1/2 x 11 CS that Michael's and Joann's has (by the Paper Company, I think) when it goes on sale and I use this only for matting, because I find that you really can't tell the difference. For my backgrounds, I usually buy the DCWV Textured Cardstock stacks (either on sale at Joann's or with one of their coupons). It's much heavier paper and much, much, cheaper than buying CS by the sheet. I haven't had too many problems with leftover colors, and if I need a specific color, then I'll buy that color individually.

I've saved a lot of money this way and still get to use the "good" cardstock.

I havent tried the cs from the stacks but I have been wanting too. may pick some up when I get by there...if it is thicker then wm's brand and just as cheep I am all over it!!!

I love Bazzill and buy it individually. Though when my LSS has it on sale I buy bunches of all the colors I like and know I will use. I still will buy some other brands to match a color or when I wnat it smooth, but generally I love the texture.

I too love the cs packs at walmart I really like the smooth and love the colors and the variety you get in the "large" 50 sht packs they have for the price even if you don't use some of the colors it is still way cheaper
I like the cardstock stacks also, have gotten the big one 102 shts and thought that I would not use some of the colors, but I have! I usually don't buy cs unless it is on sale at joann's or michael and I do prefer to get the 12x12 size. I have bought a couple 8 1/2x11 packs (of course on sale)
I kind of feel the same way about the DCWV pp stacks, with your 40% off coupon, it's like 6-10cents a sheet, even if you only use 1/2 of it or even 1/3 it's still a bargain
As fo Bazzill , I do like it and the colors! and I am lucky my local crafts-n-stuff carries it everyday for $.33 a sheet! woohoo

I love Bazzill , but I also like Color mates. I buy a sheet at a time because I'm matching it to other papers. The only bulk packs I have bought are by DCWV which I really like.

I love the textured cardstock and usually get the DCWV stacks at Joanns, when they are 50% off or when I have a coupon, I get both the 12x12 and the 8.5x11, I scrap 12x12 but like having the larger and the smaller. I do sometimes by it by the sheet, but have hardly any stores around me that sell it by the sheet.

Ill buy the DCWV stacks if theyre on sale. And I buy huge lots of Bazzill on ebay. But I also still buy cheapo cardstock from walmart for certain things.

I also purchase Bazzill scrap packs for matting and such.

I purchase all sorts myself.
The difference between the brands are texture, weight, and color. With regard to color, some are dyed differently than others and may change color depending on light, humidity, etc. Bazzill is what I traditionally buy, and I find it is cheaper in a pack than by the sheet. I don't buy indiv. sheets unless they are on sale.

National CS is another favorite brand...they are similar to Bazzill with diff color choices.

I really love Bazzill , but I have smooth cs also, I usually buy mine in HUGE amounts, so that it works out to less than .25 a sheet for 12x12.

I love love love Bazzill and buy it wherever i can find it and it matches lines of pp perfectly so if i can find it i buy it. i bought SU cardstock,DCWV cs and MM cs. all of it i like, i just like heavier cs, that said, i did buy 8.5X11 packs of su, cuz they were cheaper. hope this helps.

I'm frequently particular about getting just the right shade for some of my items. Unfortunately the only places I've found some of the shades I liked were in large multicolored packs. So I buy from everywhere! Walmart, Michael's, Stampin Up, the JoAnne Stack's, now that AC Moore has Fourz I even have some Bazzill . Usually I buy packs as its cheaper, and sometimes the only way a color is available, but I have been known to buy a single sheet or 2.

At Michael's they occasionally run the packs of 50 8.5x11 sheets on sale for $1.99 so I buy them and use it for mats, etc.

Wow. Thanks for all the replies ladies.

So I am in the right direction.

I just see in the pictures of everyones scraprooms how many stacks of cs they have.

I have purchased alot of the patterned paper i think I am drawn to the 'cuteness' of them but I would like to do more pages with 12x12cs and pp in certain areas.

I buy individual cardstock sheets, packs when I am doing an album with a particular color shade. I buy smaller packs, unless there is a sale somewhere then I buy a big one or two. I get them from Walmart, JoAnns, Michaels, and HLobby. I have found some nice ones at Dollar Tree and also Big Lots as well. Have to save money.

Yeah thanks for all the great replies ladies. I myself buy CS anywhere I can, I'm not a brand hog at the moment probably because I am such a newbie to this, but I do buy a lot of cutesy pp too and I am just learning to use it as additions to a page instead of making it the whole page, because no matter how cute it is sometimes I can't see using it as the whole background ya know?

I also like CS that you can get at Wal-Mart.