Yesterday was the first of GiGi's annual cheerleading competitions. It was the most horrid day I have experienced in a long time and all that will probably come out later. But now, I want to share the 10 Things post that should have went out last night had I not been utterly exhausted...
This month, I am going to do my 10 Things on my favorite scrapbooking supplies/tools (these are the things that sit on my scrap 'desk' at all times). A lot of these I have stated throughout past blog posts, but I think its time to make a consolidated list. So here it is in no specific order (as my own sense of the importance of each changes from day to day):
1. Sharpie Ultrafine Pens... yes, I have talked about them before and they are in every list of layout supplies. Brown, gray and black are my favorite - but honestly, I love them all. I use them for all my journaling as well as calendar entries, card signing and love notes to the kiddos. Is there anything more perfect?
2. EK Success border punches... again, I've said it before but it's worth repeating. Compact, spot on indicators, easy mechanism, precise cuts. What more can you ask for?
3. Ranger Distress Ink Pads... used on almost every single layout to ink the edges of my papers, on all my heritage layouts to give that vintage feel, used with stamps so that my imperfections look purposeful. What would I do without them?
4. Martha Stewart butterfly punches... specifically the two butterflies punches. I love these punches!!! I use them so often that I actually forget that I have chipboard or wooden elements to use in lieu of them. My philosophy: Is a layout actually finished if there's not a bird or butterfly somewhere on it?
5. Thermoweb Sticky Dots... the 8.5x11 die-cut sheets. I've been using them for as long as I can remember and when I run out, I panick. Everything from punches to gems to ribbons. Its absolutely the perfect product. Is there anything better than what we consider perfection?
6. American Crafts papers... While I lusted for Echo Park papers during the 'black days' (and absolutely for good reason as they are my favorite paper lines ever!), it's the AC papers that I got at a discount house that sneak into almost every layout. These papers are all small, bright prints (basically what we'd call B-sides) with solid flip-sides. So, if I'm using them on every layout, doesn't that qualify as an absolute necessary supply?
7. Pop Dots... or squares. This was one of the first things I purchased after an album and patterned paper 13 years ago and they are still my absolutely favorite go-to item - so much so that I almost forgot about them as I just take them for granted. Now I have two size of black as well as teeny white dots, tiny white squares, tiny dots, medium dots, regular dots and squares. While I love the square, I even like the fact that after I use the dots, I cut up the 'leftovers' to make small 'sheets' of pop adhesive (does that make sense?). Can you imagine me making three consecutive layouts without them?
8. Avon tweezers... I use my tweezers constantly. Since I have no fingernails, I use them to place everything from gems to little letter stickers to pop dots. What would a girl do without a good pair of tweezers?
9. Recollections scissors... okay this is a new purchase. I have a lovely trio of scissors in their own zipper case that I got at Michaels (on sale) about a month ago and they have been a life saver. From cutting out cameras on my 'This & That' paper to snipping corners on my pinwheels, they are the absolute best purchase I have made. Besides, how can anyone scrapbook without scissors?
10. Thickers... of course. It's an obsession. Especially the foam ones. I use the others of course, but my absolute favorites are any of the foam - I love the texture and durability. Seriously, what did we do before Thickers?
Of course, I could go on and on: flowers, CM square punch, 3-ring Binder Albums (best thing since Hersheys Syrup), 1,000s of decorative brads, Glue Dots, CM Corner Rounder, Gelly Roll White Pen... Honestly, my desk is just a little crowded but there is nothing there that I don't use regularly. I may very well do this post on any other given month with an entirely different lists of 'favorites'.
What are the absolute necessities in your scrap world?
Cheerio!
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes." - Scott Adams
This blog is about my Life. It's about Scrapbooking because I think about it all the time. It's about movies because they are my second passion. It's about disabilities, living with four generations under one roof and all that other crap that just happens to us everyday.
LOL!! You crack me up! =D Yeah, I totally agree with your list. I cut up the bits around the foam pop dots too--I use them for tiny areas. They work perfectly when just a tiny dot is needed. *sigh* What would we do without all our scrap addictions??? =D
ReplyDeleteOh my, I believe my scrapbooking addictions may be a little out of hand at the moment; and, there is probably an intervention being planned right now as I type this! My dad says my supplies are multiplying instead of being used up; but, that's just because the more I use, the more I pull out - and it's all on his kitchen table!
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