Review: Sizzix's Stamper's Secret Weapon

In my quest to get better stamped images, I stumble across Sizzix's Stamper's Secret Weapon. This is an item that many people say they can't live without. Me - I'm not so sure. I generally don't have issues with stamping, and learning to use the Stamper's Secret Weapon is a trick all its own.

So what is it?
Available on Amazon for around $12.99, the actual product is a foam mat that measures 12in x 10.5in x 0.5in. The mat feels both firm, but squishes down nicely.

Does it work?
Without a doubt. Once you learn that you don't need to apply the same pressure you applied before. I was working on a card for Mother's Day. The actual big image looked great:

The image came out rather striking. When it came to text, my end result was a bit different:

Notice how the A in the upper left is totally smeared. Now I could have had too much ink, but that's never been an issue before. I chalk a portion of the blame up to applying too much pressure. With this mat, say goodbye to firm pressure. Instead, a lighter pressure approach works best.

Once you know this, the mat works great.

So the question is: is it worth it?

I'm not quite sold on this product. There is definitely a trial and error period with using this. If you already are a good stamper, I see no reason to purchase the secret weapon. That said, if you're a person who consistently has issues with stamping, then this might just be the product you're looking for. Just be sure you practice with scrap before trying it on your good cardstock.

So how did my card come out? Pretty good. I made two different versions. One simple and the other one I collaged using washi tape.

It's not my favorite ever, but the collage technique is always a reliable standby for left over scraps.

After I got comfortable with the mat, I ended up stamping inside the card and hoping for the best (it worked!).

So there you have it. A new product tried out, and I'm fairly happy with the results.

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