Timeless Treasure # 10 Paper Trimmers

I've been "trimmer challenged" for as long as I can remember.  I've had so many paper trimmers over the years that I can't even begin to count them. I had the Fiskar trimmer first (the blade channel for the old model would become loose over time and then the paper wouldn't cut in a straight line.) and then moved onto the Carl Rotary Trimmer (could only cut one piece of paper at a time).  I've had a number of guillotine trimmers and the worse one had incorrect measurements on the base of the trimmer and every time I trimmed the paper it was off by an 1/8 of an inch. (I called the manufacturer and they said it was within the acceptable margin of error! How can a measuring device have a margin of error???)  I had two Cutterpillar trimmers and both were faulty - they left a fuzzy edge on the paper. (Why did I have two?  The manufacturer sent me a replacement - both of which I threw away.)  I am partial to the guillotine trimmers and I use the Tonic 12 x 12 trimmer below in my craft room as my primary trimmer. I have the Cutterpillar Crop paper trimmer and that has been a phenomenal cutter and I use that when I travel.  I have a small trimmer for photos (Creative Memories) and a smaller version of the Tonic below that I also use for travel.  I had a medium sized Tonic trimmer that I gave to my daughter - which was also a great tool. The heavy duty guillotine cutter at the end of this post I use to cut multiple pieces of paper at a time - usually for class prep.








    Tonic



   Cutterpillar Crop


  X-acto

Timeless Treasure #9 Scissors

I have many scissors for many different tasks, but by far the Cutter Bee Scissors (on the left) and the Stampin' Up! Paper Snips are by far my favorites.  They are great for detail cutting and both stay sharp for a very long time! 



  

Timeless Treasure #8 Sand eraser

How many times have you completed the perfect card and then noticed a smudge of ink where it doesn't belong? You either had ink on your hands or set the card on a stamp you have yet to clean. Or dropped a dirty stamp on the finished card! I've done all of these so many times I can't even begin to count.  A lot of the time an embellishment or the relocation of one of the card elements can cover the boo boo, but sometimes not. If the mark is small it can easily be removed with a sand eraser. I purchased my first eraser at  a local stamp store but have subsequently found them less expensive for a package of four on Amazon than I paid for just one at the store.  Great tool to have on hand! 

Tip:  Make sure the ink is dry before you attempt to erase it so it doesn't smudge any more.  Gently erase with a small circular motion.

Link below to the item on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Bulk-Buy-Tombow-Crafts-Eraser/dp/B005P1RKM0/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1U3ZWTUGW5UG1&keywords=sand+eraser&qid=1561914420&s=gateway&sprefix=sand+e%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-6

Timeless Treasure #7 Stamp Storage Shelves

When I first moved to our home in Manchester my craft room was in the finished basement and it was HUGE!!! I had a large storage closet and all kinds of shelves on which to put my treasures.  Though there was heat, and natural light, I found that I wasn't going down there very often after work as by the time it warmed up I didn't usually have the energy to play any longer. So after much thought I decided to move my craft room to my son's bedroom on the second floor of our home and move him to the basement (He was thrilled!)  The room is a lot smaller than I was used to. Every square inch of it is maximized and I couldn't fit another piece of furniture - or really anything else for that matter - in here if I tried.  But the truth is - I LOVE it! It is the perfect size for me and I have enough space to create - even with a buddy in here. Now that Michael is married I now have the basement back and it is my classroom/play area/workout space - but most of where I do all my creating is in my craft room. (I'll show it one day!) 

But today's Timeless Treasure is the media tower (Gnedby) from Ikea.  As you can see in the photos below I have five of them. The two that are to the right of the door were just purchased last weekend for the specific purpose of housing my SU current items. They took up the ONLY available wall space left in the room. The other three are for retired SU sets as well as some of my other favorite manufacturers.

GNEDBYShelf unit, white

$50.00

Adjustable shelves can be arranged according to your needs.

Size

80 "

The link below is directly to the item. FYI, it comes in other colors besides white.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50277147/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjMfoBRDDARIsAMUjNZooiHDMCVoTT0-kCwFFGgg2CUPHTfrt_3ST0yN0w0MIm1n8l96dlMsaAq3OEALw_wcB#/40277143

Timeless Treasure #6 - Cart

Sooooo, I'm back to organizing.  This cart is a fan favorite of a lot of crafters - and just people in general, it seems. I have four of them - one, in my craft room that I put bulky items on that I need on a regular basis that are too big to put on my desk and one in my classroom that I use for current class supplies.  (The other two are for the kids' stuff and live in closets most of the time.)

They are super easy to put together and very sturdy.  And for around $30, I don't think they are awfully expensive.

RÅSKOGUtility cart, dark blue

This utility cart fits in the smallest of spaces and can be moved to wherever you need it. Use it as extra storage for all your kitchen utensils, desk accessories or for gloves, keys and mobile phones.

Size 13 3/4x17 3/4x30 3/4 "

Here is the link directly to the item on the Ikea website.

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30401789/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgLLoBRDyARIsACRAZe58IunE5CTvECEFTGq36SB4RD0-7jLXW53-H6Pnzg-KyadnaHHpifsaAnESEALw_wcB

Timeless Treasure #5 - Easy Read Ruler

Today's post is short and sweet!

I admit it - I'm a measurer! (Is that even a word?)  I am not one to eyeball the layers for my cards. Of course my ruler and all my trimmers have different increments and it's sometimes a pain in the patottie to have to count the eighths or the sixteenths! Though the dilemma with the trimmer is another story, using this ruler has made life so much easier!  Especially also now that I am visually challenged (a pitfall of aging!) I find this ruler especially helpful. I found it on Amazon.  Thanks Lynn Wallick for bringing it to my attention!

Victor EZ12SBL 12" Easy Read Ruler, No-Glare Straight Edge, Labeled in MM, cm & in (1/2", 1/4", 1/8", 1/16") Stainless Steel, Blue

Below is a link to the item in Amazon. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KTZ77S4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Timeless Treasure #4 - ATG Tape Dispenser

ATG tape....the big honking "gun" that intimidates even a seasoned stamper or scrapper - until they've used it a few times.  I've been using the Scotch ATG 700 Tape Dispenser (yellow) for probably 15 years or so.  I use the ATG 085 Tape Dispenser (pink) for my classes.  The tape is VERY sticky and once you adhere together two pieces of paper you'd better be happy with the placement as it adheres fast and it adheres firmly.  If you are very quick you can use the warmth of your breath to separate the pieces by slowly peeling away the layers while breathing on the tape where the two pieces of paper are joined.  I can't stress enough the words "quick" and "slowly."

The ATG 700 has an adapter and can accommodate multiple-sized rolls of tape. The ATG 085 can only accommodate 1/4 wide tape.

I've been purchasing my tape from The Tape Depot for years.  At first I went through eBay but now order directly from their website. I joined the "Creators Club" and I have the tape mailed to me automatically every three months. There is a discount when joining the club and also free shipping for club members.

   ATG 700

ATG 085








The Tape Depot

https://www.tapedepot.com/



The link below takes you directly to the product. You can join the Creators Club from this link as well.

https://www.tapedepot.com/product/standard-atg-tape-56720/

Timeless Treasure #3 - Full Wide Cases

Still talking about storage!  And one of my favorite go to items is a SU! item!  I am a super huge fan of the Full Wide stamp cases (127551) found in the "Stampin' Accessories" section of the annual catalog.  What do I use these for, you ask?  All kinds of stuff! They were originally designed by SU! to store wood-mounted stamps. Now they are used by many for so much more.  I use them to store bling, my "chopped paper," projects, oh what the heck - check out the photos!

  

I like to keep my bling close at hand so the bling cases sit on my desk. I store smaller projects in some of the cases, like the one for my Breast Cancer cards (I also keep my breast cancer postage stamps in the case with the cards.) And all the little stamp sets from my Paper Pumpkin subscriptions I keep in these boxes. (I have an Excel spreadsheet with all the sentiments so I know right where to find them!)

I save retired DSP for use in my Stamp-a-Stack classes. I have a number of customers who have no desire to purchase anything or stamp on their own - using retired DSP is perfect for these events. I know exactly which box to grab when designing a card. 

Kylie Bertucci is a fellow SU! demonstrator in Australia and is the creator of #loveitchopit - a concept which I am working to adapt into my own process.  The above collections of DSP are in the current catalog (except the retired Painted Seasons) and I've "chopped" all the paper from the entire 12 x 12 package to fit in the cases.  You can get the .pdf case inserts from her website for free. (See link in right sidebar.)  I'll post something about Kylie's #loveitchopit when I've mastered it!

And if you have access to a drill and a hardware store you can make this cute case as a gift. You can store your class kit in here to take with you to your classes or just to store some of your favorite toys. Add some DSP and a tag to personalize. This was a gift from my up-line Sara Cimbaro. 

Timeless Treasure #2 - Stamp Cases

Today's Timeless Treasure is clear stamp cases. (In the old days I think we might have called them DVD cases.)

The product I purchase, and link to actual product, below has no "clips" on the inside of the case, but there is an option available if you'd like the clips. I personally prefer the cases without the clips but I accidentally bought a bunch once with the clip and it's really not intrusive at all.  A magnetic sheet fits just fine under the clip, so it might actually be preferred by some people.

I've purchased in increments of 100 and have shared with some friends - a great way to get the cost down!

If  you don't need a boatload of cases, SU! actually sells them for less per item in smaller quantities. You may purchase a set of four cases from SU! for $6.00. They are in the annual catalog (item 119105) in the back under "Stampin' Accessories."

I am also a huge fan of the larger cases made by SU!, but that will be a Timeless Treasure all on it's own!

BuyMediaSupply.com is the best resource that I have found to purchase these cases.

http://www.buymediasupply.com/

The link below will take you directly to the product.

http://www.buymediasupply.com/14mm-Standard-Clear-Rubber-Stamp-Storage-Case--No-Clips--100-Pack-A01429-100/

SKU: A01429_100

Rating:   

Specification:

• Size: 7 1/2"" x 5 5/16"" x 1/2""
• Shape: Rectangular

Buy More Save More!

Quantity	Our Price	Unit Price
5 Pack	$9.95	$1.99 Each
6 Pack	$10.95	$1.83 Each
10 Pack	$13.95	$1.40 Each
25 Pack	$25.95	$1.04 Each
50 Pack	$45.95	$0.92 Each
100 Pack	$84.95	$0.85 Each
200 Pack	$157.96	$0.79 Each
600 Pack	$452.94	$0.75 Each
1000 Pack	$748.00	$0.75 Each

Timeless Treasures #1 - Magnetic Sheets

I think I like organizing my treasures almost as much as I like creating one of a kind cards to share with my loved ones.  I thought I'd start to share some of the best products I've found and links to their websites. I'll try to remember to put the link to their websites (I'm an avid online shopper!) on the right sidebar of this blog under favorite links.  The link for discount magnet has been there for a long while!

A large number of my stamp collection are from Stampin' Up! Makes sense, right, me being a demonstrator and all?  I love the cases in which the stamps are packaged - their slim design is important for space saving purposes.  I also like the fact that they are 5 x 7 and will also store a magnetic sheet on which I store my dies. (I almost ALWAYS purchase the stamps and dies as a bundle!)

The below photo is an example of how I store my dies/stamps. This is the SU! Colorful Seasons stamps and the Seasonal Layers coordinating dies. Note the yellow label on the magnet sheet. This is the name of the die set and the number "17" indicates how many dies are in the set. (I've been known to accidentally throw away a die and this makes it simple for me to determine if there is a missing die.

The photo below is the backside of the magnet sheet. I cut the image from a retired catalog and adhere it on the backside so I know exactly which dies are in the set and what I'm searching for when one is missing from the count!

Thanks Donna Cipriano for the resource! 


Discountmagnet.com, I feel, offers a fair price for the magnets and I typically purchase either in sets of 25 or 50.  Tomorrow's Darling Gem will be storage cases!

https://www.discountmagnet.com/

The link below will take you directly to the item.

http://www.discountmagnet.com/products/5-x-7-plain-30-mil-magnet-sheets/

5″ x 7″ Plain 30 mil Magnet Sheets

$7.95 – $53.95

• 5″ x 7″ Plain Magnet Sheets
• 30 mil magnet thickness
• Easy to cut with sharp scissors
• Plain black on both sides and magnetized on just one side
• Available in packs of 10, 25, 50 and 100 sheets