Tools of the Trade

Tools of the Trade: Scissors!

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Stampin’ Up! Paper Snips

It’s time for another episode of Tools of the Trade. Today we’re going to talk about one of the most basic tools that a paper crafter needs….scissors! We use scissors to snip things, cut ribbon or twine and of course “fussy cut”. “Fussy Cutting” is when you don’t have a die for an image or shape and you have to cut it out by hand. Most of us do not like to fussy cut. But when you do need to fussy cut something a good pair of scissors is a must.

I own quite a few pairs of scissors. How about you? One of my favorite pairs is Stampin’ Up!’s Paper Snips. They are small at an overall length of 5″. They’re the perfect size for traveling. They even come with a little guard for the blades.

These little scissors can cut your ribbon as well as the most intricate of fussy cuts. A little tip I want to share with you about scissors is that you want to have a different pairs of scissors for cutting different mediums. Don’t use the same pair of scissors to cut ribbon/fabric as you do to cut paper. That is why quilters and others that work with fabric will be very possessive of their scissors. Paper and other non-fabric mediums may dull the blades so that you don’t get a clean cut on fabric/ribbon. That is why I have a separate pair of scissors in my craft room to cut ribbon and twine.

I also like to use my Paper Snips to pick up self-adhesive jewels and such. I open the blades just a tiny bit and slide the tip of the blades under the jewel making sure to pick up the adhesive and then place the jewel on my project. It works pretty slick.

I have a confession to make. I actually own about 6 pairs of Stampin’ Up! Paper Snips. I always seem to misplace them. I don’t think I’m going to admit how many pairs of other scissors I own. Let’s just say….alot!

How many of you own (or used to own) multiple pairs of the scissors with decorative edges? I used to have quite a few of them when I started scrapbooking years ago.

We’ll leave today’s episode of Tools of the Trade with this thought….you can never have too many pairs of scissors. 🙂

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Tools of the Trade: Die-Cutting Machine

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I want to go on record saying that I think every craft room needs a die-cutting machine of some sort. It’s really hard for me to make a card without my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine by Stampin’ Up!. If I haven’t used die cut shapes on my card I’ve embossed the background or some portion of my card.

Die-cutting and embossing can add so much to card They will take your card from basic to WOW with just a crank or two of the handle. Why use your scissors to cut out an image if you can die cut it? I had a customer who would always ask “Isn’t there a die for this” whenever we had to “fussy cut” an image for a card during class. If a stamp set comes with coordinating dies I’m going to buy them!

Stampin’ Up!’s Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

As I mentioned above, I love my Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine and couldn’t create without it. The platform base where the dies and embossing folders go through is about 6 1/2″ wide platform area which gives your plates plenty of room to roll through. This is great for crafters like me who don’t always get things lined up perfectly straight when running them through. Each side of the platform folds up to save space for storage. I haven’t got around to trying out that feature though as I’m always using the machine!

The machine comes with 1 Base Plate, 1 Die Plate, 2 Cutting Plates, and 1 Specialty Plate. What’s great is that all of these accessories are numbered which comes in handy because the Base Plate and the Die Plate have pictures with numbers on them telling you how to layer your “sandwiches” of plates, dies and embossing folders! I love this feature! No more guessing!

Stampin’ Up!’s Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

DId you know that the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine had a little sibling? Check out the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine. It’s just like the big one only…mini! The platform on this cute little machine is only 3 1/2″ wide so not all dies or embossing folders will go through it. Stampin’ Up! has designed some narrow embossing folders that will work perfectly in it.

Like it’s bigger sibling, both sides of the platform fold up for easy storage. This little machine come with 1 Mini Base Plate, 2 Mini Cutting Plates, 1 Mini Embossing Plate, and 1 Mini 3D Embossing Plate. All these pieces are numbered also to help you get the right “sandwich” to run through.

Here’s the question of the day: Do you have a die-cutting machine in your craft room? If not, head on over to my on-line store and check out the Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine.

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!

Tools of the Trade: Simply Scored

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Simply Scored Scoring Tool

In my first Tools of the Trade post that I shared with you last week I talked about Paper Trimmers. I mentioned how the ones (like Stampin’ Up!’s) that have sliding cutting blades also may come with a scoring blade.

These type of paper trimmers with the scoring blades are great but when I want accurate score lines and need to make multiple score lines on the same piece of cardstock my go to is Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Scored.

To use a scoring board like this you just butt your cardstock in the upper left corner, find the mark on the ruler at the top, place the scoring tool in the corresponding grove and score down!

The little tool that you use to make your score marks comes with two tips, one slightly larger than the other. You want to make sure to use the larger end when using a lighter piece of paper like patterned paper so you don’t go through the paper. You also may want to use a light touch when scoring a lighter paper.

Stampin’ Up!’s Simply Scored also comes with little markers that you can use on the ruler at the top to mark your measurements if you’d like. There’s also a little storage compartment on the back for these little markers and your scoring tool.

I love my Simply Scored tool. I use it every time I make a card to give me the perfect fold in my card. I like to use the Simply Scored over the Paper Trimmer when I’m making the fold in my card because as long as I butt the paper in the upper left corner before scoring I know that my card will be scored in half perfectly. Whereas if I’m using the paper trimmer I could be off a little depending on where I line up the paper on the ruler.

I would definitely recommend a Simply Scored tool. You can check it out in my online store if you’re interested.

Have a great day! Take care and Happy Stamping!