Randi's Review	Andrea's Review	Rachel's Review	Cathy's Review	Kathleen's Review

Review by Randi

I was so excited when my prototype of the "Creative Clazzic Handbag" from z becky brown arrived! I was even MORE excited when the box with the REAL THING arrived for the rest of the team! These are sturdy acrylic purses, approximately eight inches long by five inches wide and six inches tall. They are designed to allow you to put photos, or better yet scrapbooking layouts under the clear acrylic sides!

We got our bags in time to take them to CHA in Chicago, and we were stopped over and over and over with "WHERE did you get those???" accompanied by "oooohs" and "aaaaahs." I thought, "Ok, it's a scrapbooking thing, of COURSE it is going to be a sensation here." Upon my return home I found that the compliments and comments continued -- at church, the store, you name it!

The Creative Clazzic Handbag retails for $79.00 -$89.00 and the zbb website shows 11 basic styles. The handbag has a mirror inside the top cover, and the insides of the bag are padded with foam and fabric. I was surprised at how much "stuff" fit inside of the small space too! It easily held my phone, camera, notepad and other little necessities that I needed at CHA.

My prototype came with two sets of templates inside, but it appears that the bags sold on their website do not. You may print the templates from the z becky brown website, however, so you can have a new one whenever you'd like. You may find the pdf for the front side template here, and the back here.

The templates were super easy to use to trace the specific sizes of paper needed for my bag. If you arrange your rectangles carefully, it will take only one 12" x 12" piece of paper to fill all four sides of your bag. As I said before, I took mine to CHA. I chose to design my bag for the occasion. Since only part of our team could attend, I took them all with me on my bag!

Supplies:
z becky brown "Creative Clazzic" Handbag
Pish Posh Paper, FooFaLa
Pish Posh Twill, FooFaLa
Pish Posh Monogram Stickers, FooFaLa
Antiquing Spray, Krylon
Permanent Glue Runner, Adhesive Tech

When I got home, I swapped out my layouts for some of my daughter with our new kittens!

Supplies:
z becky brown "Creative Clazzic" Handbag
Paper: Cats and Dogs, American Traditional Designs (courtesy of Scrapbook Dreamer.com)
Cat Stickers, American Traditional Designs (courtesty of Scrapbook Dreamer.com)
Island Mist Medium Prismatics Cardstock, Prism
Permanent Glue Runner, Adhesive Tech

The really fun thing about this bag is that you can redo your inserts over and over and over! I invite you to see the z becky brown Gallery folder for even more ways that we have decorated our bags.

My bag got ROUGH treatment at CHA and was tested thoroughly. The only thing I would note is that one of the little screws worked its way out of the handle the day I returned home, and was lost. Because of the "ratchet" action of how the handle sways, I can see that this is a potential problem that is apt to occur again. I recommend that you check the handle periodically and perhaps even carry one of those little eyeglass screwdrivers INSIDE your bag for a quick and secure repair. The company is good about sending a replacement if a screw is lost, but save yourself the frustration and just check your handle frequently!

The one suggestion I would have for z becky brown would be to routinely enclose an extra post or two inside the bags when shipping. Aside from that, they have a great thing here! I highly recommend them!

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Review by Andrea

Portable Scrapbook On The Go!

Have you ever met people with new grandchildren? As soon as you sit down, out comes the wallet full of pictures of the brand new baby! Well z becky brown has accomplished the art of showing off your pictures while being fashionable at the same time!

This fantastic new item is called the Creative Clazzic Handbag and can be customized to your liking. By this I mean selection of a 2 color combination and hardware choice. Five of the purse's sides are clear allowing you to add your special touches (pictures) and the top is a solid black or white color. The half-circle handle is also available in black or white. The hardware (attachment of the handle to the lid and closure) comes in nickel (silver-tone) or brass (gold-tone). The purse is actually rectangular, measuring approximately 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches deep. The lid has two hinges in the back so that the entire inside of the purse is accessible - GREAT feature! There is a rectangular mirror on the inside of the lid also. The clasp closure is very easy to work. It is a press-in shaft with a simple finger pull-to-release feature. There is an inside lining that is really neat! It's a thin sheet of textured white plastic on the side facing out and a black thin foam facing the inside! It is removable for easy cleaning yet protects the purse contents from coming in contact with your design layouts. Very smart indeed!

Upon receiving the purse in a simple white cardboard box, I immediately took it out to start designing the layouts to put inside. There are two colored glossy inserts included to simulate the layouts you can put inside. One has a "how-to" for the layouts and the other has more product information with cleaning instructions. I was told that there were templates online to download so that I would get the layout size correct for the purse. By looking at those templates and the insert that came with the bag, I found that all the sides added up to approximately the size of one 12 x 12 inch sheet of paper. I chose the cardstock that I wanted to use and cut a small amount off then in half. I lined up my half sheets with the insert and folded them in the same location. Voila! My four sides were created! I continued to decorate and embellish to complete "My Kids" layouts.

Title: My Kids
Products used:
Paper (Prism Prismatics, Majestic Purple Medium)
Patterned Paper (NRN Designs, Cat Chat)
Purse (z becky brown)
Fiber (Fun Furr)
Decorated Twill (unknown)
Ink (Ranger Distress, Weathered Wood)
Letter Stickers (Club Scrap)
Adhesive (Adhesive Tech, Permanent Glue Runner)

I had a ton of fun decorating my z becky brown Clazzic Handbag! It was quick, easy and straightforward. Once I completed my layouts, I slid them in between the lining and purse. It was that easy! I would recommend avoiding any metal embellishments on your layouts so that they do not scratch the clear plastic. I would also avoid any "lumpy" embellishments too. One feature that I liked was the clasp. It is easy to operate with any length fingernail! Women with long manicured nails will be especially thankful!

Although I have not used my z becky brown handbag as a "real" purse yet, I intend to use it when attending crops and conventions. The size is more than adequate for carrying those essential items like a wallet, camera and cell phone. I can easily personalize the purse to my mood - great feature! Long gone is the day of the closet full of expensive purses for changing with the season - enter z becky brown! One purse, many seasons! Get yours today for that favorite scrapping buddy, they will thank you for it many times over.

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Review by Rachel

I was so excited and thrilled when I heard that we would be reviewing a new company called z becky brown. z becky brown manufactures purses that you are able to decorate yourself whether it be by using layouts, ribbon, or anything your heart desires. The purse is made of mostly acrylic with either black or white lids. The handles come in two different colors: black and white. The purse measures 8” x 5” x 6”. It is a lunch box style purse. The hardware on the purse comes in two different colors also. Those colors would be brass and nickel. This purse retails for $79.00 - $89.00.

We received our purses in time for CHA in Chicago. We decided we would be able to give it a good workout there and took them with us. I printed the template off the z becky brown site and did up my layouts for my purse. When I received my purse, I opened it right up and slid out the insert and slid my layouts right in. They fit great and no adjustment was required. I do think that the templates are just a little bit too small because you can see a lot of the white side of the foam behind the layout.

I received a purse that has a black lid and black handles. My hardware is nickel. It is very classic looking. The black does show fingerprints quite a bit but just a swipe with a wet washcloth clears that right up. Inside the purse is a foam insert that protects your layout and the acrylic of your purse. The side that shows behind your layout is white and the inside of the foam is black. I found that this foam is great for providing extra protection to your camera when you carry it in your purse. When you open the top of the purse, you will find a mirror perfect for touching up your makeup or lipstick. This purse looks small but I can attest to the fact that it holds a whole lot of junk! It was actually amazing how much stuff I had in my purse at one point. Here are pictures of the current layout I have in my purse!

Front:

Side 1:

Side 2:

Back:

Products used:
Purse: z becky brown
Cardstock: Spring Willow Light, Majestic Purple Light – Prism
Patterned Paper: Spring Stack II – Die cuts with a View
Spray: Make It Pearl – Krylon
Transparency: Narratives – Brenda Russell
Ink: Violet/Gold – Two Tone Color – Pearl Ex
Stamp: Stampin’ Up!
Adhesive: Permanent Glue Runner – Adhesive Tech

We stopped traffic where ever we went with these purses. Many ladies were literally running to catch up with us and ask where they could find our purses. They are fun, versatile, and incredibly eye catching.

One drawback though happened on Friday evening when we all went out to dinner. I put my purse on the floor while we were eating. When we were finished, I reached down to get my purse to pay for my meal and the post that connects the handle to the lid of the purse was gone. We found it and I was able to screw it back in. Thank goodness. Two days later, I lost that post permanently in the grocery store. The company did send me two replacements posts which was great! So whenever you are carrying this purse, be sure to keep the posts screwed in tightly. I now carry a small eyeglass repair kit in my purse. It is the perfect size for tightening the posts. Adam at z becky brown stated that they chose the post so that it would be easy to switch out the handles on your purse. That is a great idea!

In conclusion, I am having so much fun with my purse. I can change my purse to match the holidays or a special occasion. I love it! With August looming in the near future, I think it would make a great purse for that special teen or college student in your life as well. What better way to remind them to call Mom! I would love to see more styles including some with a strap so you could carry it on your shoulder and would love to see a couple extra posts included with each purse. I am thoroughly enjoying carrying my purse and would highly recommend this purse to stampers and scrapbookers alike.

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Review by Cathy

z becky brown has a brand new product and it is so cute and funky. It is a scrapbook display case, a conversation piece and a wonderful way to show off your photos. The cute little acrylic box purse can be personalized using pictures, fabric, ribbon and other scrapbook supplies. I definitely think this product is a winner.

The handbags come with clear side panels and a solid colored top and handle. There are eight different versions of the top and handle. The metal clasp and hardware has a nickel finish. This purse retails for $79.00 - $89.00.

To decorate the clear acrylic panels, I used the template that comes inside the purse. It is easy to slip photos directly into the display area. The photos below are 4"by 6" photos cropped a tiny bit to fit. Imagine putting those new pictures of your kids, grandkids or pets, new house or special occasions.

I decorated these panels with some K&CO- Studio K Paper, some Doodlebug Design Ribbon and Fun Fall Photos. The handle is decorated with Offray Ribbon. I think this purse is going to be fun for holiday parties and special occasions.

Supplies:
z becky brown: Creative Clazzic handbag: black lid, white handle, nickel hardware;
K&CO Studio K- Dots;
Doodlebug Design: Ribbon;
Doodlebug Design: Ric Rac; and
Adhesive Tech: Permanent Glue Runner

I have been using my purse for two weeks. I have dusted the top with a soft cloth. I carried the purse to a wedding and to the pool. Everywhere I went, the purse attracted a lot of attention. The inside is roomy enough for my wallet, checkbook, cell phone and some makeup. I really like the cute little mirror on the cover. I think this would be an awesome gift for a bride to be, bridal attendants, a new mom or grandma, or other special occasions. My son and daughter's teenage friends loved this product. I definitely recommend this product for purchase. Thank you, z becky brown for a terrific product.

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Review by Kathleen

z becky brown Creative Clazzic Handbag

When told I would have the opportunity to review a new handbag from z becky brown, I must admit, this caught my interest. Even though I have not been a “handbag” lady since having children and steadily use a diaper bag as my purse, I was excited to see this unique handbag in person. I was fortunate to receive the Creative Clazzic Handbag right before CHA, the big craft and hobby tradeshow. Can you say “showstopper”? While walking around the tradeshow with bags in hand, Randi, Rachel, and I were stopped so many times with admirers of the handbags. It was fascinating to see the response and such a fun way to show off my children as well as have them “with me” all day.

The Creative Clazzic Handbag is 8”x5”x6” and made from clear acrylic. My Creative Clazzic Handbag has a white lid with a white soft vinyl lining that is removable and serves as the backdrop to any artwork you put in your bag. Note, the vinyl lining is white on the outside and black on the inside. The hardware is brass for the handle and clasp. The hinges for the lid are white. All four sides of the Creative Clazzic Handbag are a potential palette for your artwork. There is even the possibility of a fifth palette if you use the bottom of the handbag!

When you open the Creative Clazzic Handbag, there is a small mirror on the lid. The Creative Clazzic Handbag secures shut with a small, metal clasp. I was very impressed with how much room there was inside the handbag, it was quite deceptive really. While at the tradeshow, I was able to hold my wallet, cell phone, digital camera, and small assortment of snacks.

I really like the concept that I can change my handbag whenever I want to, to match an event or outfit. Currently I have mini-layouts with my children and copies of some of my work. But you can do anything you want to decorate the Creative Clazzic Handbag. You can use fabric, paper, photos, needlework, the possibilities are amazing. And because the lining is flexible, you can even have some thickness to your inserts. You will just want to take care not to use products that may scratch the acrylic.

Following are some photos of my Creative Clazzic Handbag showing some of the different features.

Creative Clazzic Handbag - front

Creative Clazzic Handbag – right side

Creative Clazzic Handbag – back side

Creative Clazzic Handbag – left side

Inside lid with mirror

Inside Creative Clazzic Handbag – so much room!

Creative Clazzic Handbag clasp

This last photo shows my daughter, Vivian, who is just fascinated with the Creative Clazzic Handbag. Both my children love seeing themselves on my mini-layouts!

She’s starting young!

In summary, the Creative Clazzic Handbag from z becky brown is fun and I really enjoy it. Since I usually have a child on one hip, it is not a handbag that I would carry around for running everyday errands. Because the clasp opens up the lid on the top, it is not a practical accessory when wrangling two toddlers. But for other activities where a diaper bag is not involved, I would definitely sport this handbag. Take care when cleaning the Creative Clazzic Handbag. You do not want to use any abrasive cleaners or cleaners with ammonia as these will scratch or cloud the acrylic, respectively. Using a soft cloth and mild soap and water will work just fine. Unfortunately my Creative Clazzic Handbag did not come with a template, but the templates are available on their website.

The Creative Clazzic Handbag from z becky brown retails for $79.00 - $89.00. Since I live on a budget, that price is a little steep, but the showcase potential, quality workmanship, and plain fun factor more than make up for it. So, if you have a little spending money and you have a penchant for unique fashion, you will love the Creative Clazzic Handbag from z becky brown.

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See the z becky brown examples uploaded by the review team in our gallery!

 

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