Crafting Tools, one of my most favorite things in life! (lol) I love crafty tools and will share my favorites for this year below. There are a few that are the same from last year, but as you know, new crafty tools come out often so a lot of the thing son my list this year are new! Die cutting tools and stamping tools are not listed on this page but on their own pages.
The first thing on my list is not new however, and that is my beloved Brother ScanNCut2.
Brother ScanNCut2 – This nifty die cutting machine will scan in your stamped images in black or color and will cut them out for you! You can also cut “cut files” wirelessly. It is awesome! It is an investment (about $250-$299) but if you hate fussy cutting and want to save money on buying stamp companion die sets, it’s the way to go! (You really do save money if you buy a lot of dies to match your stamps).
I have two favorite paper trimmers, one I use for everyday projects and one I use for larger projects or chipboard, etc. The first is my everyday trimmer and this one is new this year.
Fiskars Deluxe 12 Inch Paper Trimmer with Aluminum Cut Rail – This paper trimmer is completely awesome. I absolutely love the aluminum rail. You can line things up so easily and no more pesky wire guide! It opens to 12″ so you can cut 12×12 paper with no problem. With the arm unextended you can easily cut up to a little over 6″ so you don’t have to extend the arm if you are working on smaller paper. (I like that) It also scores but I removed the scoring blade because I felt like it got in the way and I prefer to use my Scor-buddy and bone folder for scoring anyway. It doesn’t cut more than 2-3 sheets of cardstock at a time, however, and that’s when I use my big mama of paper trimmers, the Cutterpillar Pro.
Cutterpillar Pro – I have the original version but the newer version is just as nice. It is big and takes up some room but it cuts through chipboard like butter, heck, I’ve even cut through sheets of cardboard with it! The blade is self sharpening and NEVER needs replacing! I love this trimmer and wouldn’t want to craft without it!
On my list for another year is my trusty Scor-Buddy. This handy little scoring tool is the perfect size for cardmakers and doesn’t take up a lot of room.
Also remaining on my list again this year is my Teflon Bone Folder. This little tool is so handy. I use it with my Scor-Buddy and alone to score/crease my cards and projects. It glides right over your paper smoothly and doesn’t leave marks like some other bone folders. It is a little big of an investment but once you use it, you’ll never look back!
When working with small objects such as sequins, beads, even small die cuts, I always use my Crystal Katana. This little tool is amazing and makes crafting so much easier. No fumbling around, no sticky stuff and best of all, it releases the object when you lift it, unlike some other pick up tools. The inventor of this tool is a genius! The Crystal Katana is refillable too! It also comes in a smaller size which is not refillable called the Tanto. Last year I did a review and demonstration blog post and video which shows how it works.
Mini Minc Foiling Machine – This was a favorite of mine when it first came out and then I started to neglect it for awhile. But then my friend Laura from Creative Vision Stamps came out with a line called Foilables which are laser printed designs that you can foil with your Mini Minc (or laminator) and I’m happy to say that my Mini Minc has come out of retirement and is getting used again! I almost forgot how much fun it is to put something black and white in the machine and watch it come out in beautiful foiled colors. I highly recommend the Mini Minc for card makers.
New to my list this year are the Tim Holtz Non-Stick Micro Serrated Mini Snips 5″. I have all three sizes of the Tim Holtz’s Scissors but this year, this smaller one has quickly become a favorite of mine. They are just like the others only in a mini size!
EK Tools Craft Tweezers – These tweezers have a non slip, precision tip which makes picking up small items easy. I find myself reaching for these quite often.
My new favorite scissors are the Fiskars Titanium Micro-Tip Easy Action Scissors! They are easy to hold and control when cutting and don’t make your hands cramp up. Love Love Love these!
New to my list this year is the Tombow Mono Sand Eraser (Thanks Jennifer!) – This was recommended to me this year and I have to say it’s so very helpful when I make a mistake. It removes almost any mark from your paper including colored pencils, inks, pens and even some markers! If you just rub it gently over your paper it will remove the mark without leaving damage to your paper. It’s amazing.
Creative Expressions – Mini Smoothie Blending Sponges – These little sponges have changed my crafting world! And I’m totally not exaggerating! I used to avoid ink blending and backgrounds because I could never blend anything smoothly using the Ranger Blending Tools. I always left circles and marks on my cardstock. Now that I’ve discovered these little blending sponges, I create ink blended backgrounds quite often and I love it! Here and here are a couple of cards I made using these to create the background.
Action Wobbles have been around for ages but this year they came out with MINI Action Wobbles! They are great because they fit behind small stamped images. They are the perfect size for card makers! They come in packs of 12 or 48. They are so much fun and when placed behind your stamped and die cut image, it “wobbles” back and forth and I mean, who doesn’t love an interactive card!
All of the products I mention are listed and linked on the bottom of each post for your convenience. If you have a question about a specific product or something not listed in these posts, feel free to leave me a comment or contact me and I’ll get back to you asap.
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