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I find myself using old tools to speed up the assembly process. What are they? Paper punch labels and basic shapes: large and med ovals, large, med and sm circles, handheld hole punches regular and 1/8 hole, border strip punches, cluster flowers, tags and squares. Decorative scissors: postage, deckle, scallop edges. I purchased TH's deckle cutter and I'm not impressed. SU's deckle scissors do a much better job.
I have a BigShot and Scan-n-Cut which I also use, but when I'm mass producing cards and need a basic component I reach for my punches and scissors. I can quickly punch/cut out as many as I need without loosing my momentum. I don't have time (or patience) to die cut one label, tag, etc. over and over and over and over to get enough for project.
In addition, I print a lot of my own sentiments using the computer and go to Avery's template website to fit the shape of the punch. I can print a sheet of 20 sentiments and punch them out in no time. https://www.avery.com/
The following 9 users liked this post by Bohodiva:
I love and really prefer punches to die cuts. However, I have used dies a lot lately. I just sorted through my scissor collection and found some that I like so I'll probably start using them again!
I have kept all my punches over the years - I've got quite the collection!
I love and really prefer punches to die cuts. However, I have used dies a lot lately. I just sorted through my scissor collection and found some that I like so I'll probably start using them again!
I have kept all my punches over the years - I've got quite the collection!
Back in the day before die cutting machines (manual & electronic) I had a large collection of punches. However over the years I donated a good many of them keeping the basic shapes.
Another item I've collected and kept are the brass stencils which I'll be using in future projects.
The following 3 users liked this post by Bohodiva:
I love this thread. I was at a SU! Class recently and we were using several of the big punches. It reminded me how much I love them. I just wish they weren’t so heavy and big- storage wise. At least some of them fold closed now. I love using brads for tiny flower centers. I’m trying to use more embossing folders lately because they are so under appreciated.
The following 9 users liked this post by Sleepymom33:
I recently found a little box of all kinds and colors of sticky gems and doo-dads that I am going to use up on the Christmas cards I will be churning out this week. I guess I never got into the habit of using them but after a few cards I realize I do like the look of a few added gems. One less box on the shelf!
Mary Beth
The following 7 users liked this post by lutheran:
I enjoy using enamel dots but thought I didn’t have use for the star-shaped ones. Then I realized they look good as the center of some flowers! Now I’m going through my stash more quickly!
I’m trying to use more embossing folders lately because they are so under appreciated.
If you haven’t already found it, there’s a challenge blog for that! New challenge each month and a technique post and inspiration to go with it - I play most months, it’s usually a lovely bunch of players: Let’s Squash It
Oh my goodness do I love my "old favorites". My stuff is stored in large Thirty-One baskets stored in an Ikea Kallax shelving unit, but it isn't organized within each basket. Therefore, it's great fun to pull out a basket and rummage through it to see what I tossed in there. Shopping is not a favorite past time of mine (and, yes, that includes shopping for stamping stuff *gasp* I know) so much of what I own is old.
Call me weird, but a big reason why I love my old stuff is because of the memories attached to it. It's from when my girls were little and cute and funny and home with me around the clock and stamping/scrapbooking time was scarce and precious and something I dearly looked forward to (every NYE, my sisters-in-law and I would put the kids to bed and stay up ALL night to stamp and scrapbook). So every time I pull out a punch or embossing folder or wood-mounted set or even some paper or stickers, I get the warm fuzzies about the excitement and non-stop adventure life was then with 3 very little girls!
__________________ Nicole
The following 15 users liked this post by cnsteele:
Still have punches of the basic shapes and yes they definitely would be faster. Check you out! Printing and then punching! Go girl! With the MISTI now even doing repeat stamping to then punch out should be faster too.
I love that story about memories attached to supplies
I have a large thing of fancy scissors....I really need to ** or get off the pot with those. A huge set I got years ago. My problem is I can't cut a straight line anymore. Some of them might cover that a bit but not all.
Still loving my embossing folders and heat embossing after all these years. And stickles...can't forget making stickle borders by putting it on a finger tip and running it (carefully so I don't get a paper cut) bc yes...I can't make a straight line with that either so this way it hugs the paper edge.
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
The following 2 users liked this post by wavejumper:
Still have punches of the basic shapes and yes they definitely would be faster. Check you out! Printing and then punching! Go girl! With the MISTI now even doing repeat stamping to then punch out should be faster too.
I love that story about memories attached to supplies
I have a large thing of fancy scissors....I really need to ** or get off the pot with those. A huge set I got years ago. My problem is I can't cut a straight line anymore. Some of them might cover that a bit but not all.
Still loving my embossing folders and heat embossing after all these years. And stickles...can't forget making stickle borders by putting it on a finger tip and running it (carefully so I don't get a paper cut) bc yes...I can't make a straight line with that either so this way it hugs the paper edge.
When using scissors use a ruler and pencil to draw a faint line where you want to cut on the wrong side of paper.
As for Stickle borders line the edge of your paper with a post it note or removable tape for a clean straight border.
The following 6 users liked this post by Bohodiva:
A lot of the layering card front dies aren't suitable for Europe (or Australia/ New Zealand) because they're USA size, not metric. I've been trying to remember to pull out my corner rounder punches a bit more to ring the changes a little on my layers. Stickles are still a staple. Been using my Cropadile and eyelets a bit recently too. I need to use up more of my hardware, but it's not as easy to mail.
A lot of the layering card front dies aren't suitable for Europe (or Australia/ New Zealand) because they're USA size, not metric.
Which is why I was so pleased to find a set of A6 stitched rectangle dies a couple of years back! Paper Rose is an Australian company and make supplies to fit metric cards. (Interesting aside - I believe North America is the only region not to use the ISO paper sizes.)
Which is why I was so pleased to find a set of A6 stitched rectangle dies a couple of years back! Paper Rose is an Australian company and make supplies to fit metric cards. (Interesting aside - I believe North America is the only region not to use the ISO paper sizes.)
LOL, I am sticking mostly with stitched squares and circles as they are universal, but Heffy Doodle did a set of metric stitched rectangles which I use all the time. At least it saves being tempted by a whole lot of fancy stitch variations.
I have been using my old Martha Stewart punches again. I have a pop-up Thanksgiving one that the turkey and dishes and glasses fold up from the paper after punching. She had some wonderful punches, grass,fence and my favorite, the lace doily edges. That some of the border ones folded up was also a plus.
Wow, what an interesting topic! I started scrap booking and stamping over 20 years ago. At that time I purchased way too many embellishments, paper, punches, scissors and pens/markers. You name it.
Boy, I wish I could break this habit. Because I still buy way too much.
I gave most of my punches to my little crafting mini me, granddaughter.
I still have one of those many drawers, that my honey used to use for screws, etc. 50 drawers of brads and eyelets. I really should use them up. I'm sure my honey didn't appreciate the box of screws, nuts and bolts I left when I "borrowed" his drawer box sorter thingy.
Before I purchased several Cricuts, I bought too many of those packs you can get a 3D built up embellishment with a sticky tape on the back. Oh I have Snoopy Halloween ones, Transformer Christmas ones, along with so many decorative ones.
What's a woman to do? Of course, put them in cute boxes and baskets and say, "I know I"ll use these!"
My honey, he says I'm a craft-a-holic and a craft hoarder. I say, "Basically, it's art I'm creating!"
Great thread! I remember when the Big Shot (or equivalent) came out. I thought to myself-too expensive, I won't be using this...Fast forward-love it! And this month, I've been pulling out different nested shapes to use. I did a whole bunch of monoprints using leaves as the focal point, then backed them with the colored cardstock that matched the print. Wow! They are beautiful. And I have some finished for Christmas gifts.
I knew there was something else...Twinkling H20s. I've never stopped using them, but I've been pulling them out a lot more lately. Today I discovered how great they look on black watercolour paper. It must be 17 years since I bought them.
I just used my Twinkling' H2O paints this past week. Several years ago I removed all of the caps and hot-glued the paint pots into a stacked container with a lidded handle. They are organized into color families and now are more like a box of paints. I love using them this way and do so way more often than when I had to open each little pot.
I just used my Twinkling' H2O paints this past week. Several years ago I removed all of the caps and hot-glued the paint pots into a stacked container with a lidded handle. They are organized into color families and now are more like a box of paints. I love using them this way and do so way more often than when I had to open each little pot.
Hot-gluing them sounds like a great idea. I too took the lids off years ago - much easier. Mine are in a shallow lidded document tray, which keeps them dust-free.
New luv for old favorites. Do you have any?
