Tools of the Trade- Scrapbook Edition

Here are some of my favorite scrapbook tools. I don’t necessarily use them all the time, but they are some of my favorite, fun tools to utilize.

 

1) Cricut Expression machine

It’s a Cricut- need I say more?! Ok, I know some of you all don’t use electronic die cut machines, but I do and I love it. I use Cricut Craft Room with mine. It works similar to the gypsy but it’s free. I think there are some things on the Gypsy you can do that aren’t included on Craft Room but I haven’t felt the need to buy a Gypsy yet. I register all my cartridges with Craft Room so I don’t have to physically install them to cut from them. If you don’t want to register your carts (because you can only register them once), you can use a Jukebox to let you cut from multiple carts at one time. Craft Room is supposed to be hooking up with Gypsy soon so you won’t suffer from registering your carts to one or the other. Your accounts will be linked, so once registered you can cut from that cart with either design tool. I haven’t paid too much attention to this development because I don’t have a Gypsy. Maybe eventually.

 

2) Cuttlebug embosser

You can use your Cuttlebug to die-cut also but I only use mine as an embosser. There are lots of different embossing folders, including ones designed to coordinate with some Cricut cartridges. You can use folders (or dies for that matter) from any of the major machine brands (Sissix, Spellbinders, etc). One thing about my Cuttlebug is that I wish I would have bought the embossing machine to go with my letterpress kit.  I already had the Cuttlebug before the letterpress so that’s just what I use. I don’t want to have two of the same type of machine. The result though is that I have to use multiple layers of paper to get the impressions right.

 

3) L Letterpress Machine

This is the only Letterpress kit of its kind on the market. I don’t use it super frequently because it’s kind of a messy business. But when I need that something special to put my project over the edge, letterpress usually does it. There are several different plates you can use and Lifestyle Crafts is even developing a way to order custom plates. The tool is meant to be used with Lifestyle Epic 6 machine which is what I now wish I had instead of my Cuttlebug. But I make do and still get good results. If this is something you want to get into, you’re in luck- the starter kit is now available at Jo-Anns! When I was buying mine it was sold out for Lifestyle’s website and the few stores that carried it didn’t have it in stock. I ended up getting mine on Amazon. Archivers carries the Letterpress materials also.

 

4) Lifestyle Crafts Quickstick

Remember ticky-tacky? Well this tool has a ticky-tacky tip on one end and then a couple of acrylic tips for the other. This has solved my problems of dealing with tiny embellishments. You pick them up with the tacky end then use the acrylic part to pull it off. You can pick up the small piece, dab your glue on the back, and set it down on your page wherever you desire- all without getting any glue on your fingers or ruffling the embellishment!

 

5) Cutterpede Straight Edge Trimmer

I use this to trim down all my paper pieces, well for everything. I like Cutterpede because it’s just always served me well. They have different decorative blades you can use- like wavy edge or perforated. Their stuff is really affordable which I appreciate since cutting blades do have to be replaced fairly regularly.

 

Other items that deserve honorable mention:

·         Scotch Tape roller- kiss massive amounts of glue goodbye!

·         Embossing heat tool

·         ZIG markers (by EK Success)