CraftJunkieToo Design Team Challenge

Happy Wednesday my Blogger Friends and also to my CraftJunkieToo Guest - Welcome to my Blog! 

Today our fearless leader Tracy (http://craftjunkietoo.blogspot.com/) has asked her design team to post "My Favorite Things".   She requested we show five (or more) of our favorite things we use when crafting.  WOW... HOW AWESOME is this challenge going to be!  Let's not waste any time.....Let's get this challenge started:

First up, and without a doubt - my three "GO TO" crafting tools that I use for every single card/project I make are: 1) My Paper Snips which have a precision-ground tip which allows me to cut my cardstock to the end of the blade (which other scissors just can't do).  2) My snail adhesive - which is my GO-TO double-sided permanent adhesive that I just can't live without......AND....3) My bone folder - which helps me to score my paper and make seriously tight/crisp folds.

I can't even begin to start  papercrafting without my number two crafting tool an that is my 12" paper trimmer.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Fiskar trimmer - it features solid black grid lines that allow me to measure and cut widths up to 15-1/2" and as detailed as 1/16th of an inch.  I can also opt to pop in my black score blade which allows me to score my cards or project too.

My third MUST HAVE are my Sketch Books that I've created for both Scrapbooking and Cardmaking.  I have (and continue to) gather sketches that appear in publications and on the internet as resources for layouts and recipes to help me create my cards and scrapbook pages.

When I struggling for a card layout - the first place I go is my CardMaking Sketche Book and I can basically flip to any page and I have a layout that I can custom design to whatever my spirit is feeling on that day.

My fourth MUST HAVE are those sassy little Stampin' Dimensionals that are double-sided foam adhesive which add both depth and dimension to my projects.  I seriously LOVE Stampin' Dimensionals and probably use them on ever card I create.

My number five MUST HAVE is my Big Shot.  I swear...if there is ever a fire in my house....you will see me running out of my house with my Big Shot tucked under my arm.  I LOVE this DieCut machine.

I think what I love the most about the Big Shot.......It Does It ALL.  It helps me create fabulous shapes - It allows me to emboss and I can even use as a letterpress machine.  It's my GO TO DieCuting Machine!

The number Six spot (and YES.....I did go over the five items which Tracy requested).....is held for my Stamp-a-ma-jig.  Once you try this little tool - You will be HOOKED!  It is used as a stamp positioner that allows you precise stamp alignment every single time.  I urge you to ask your Stampin' UP! demonstrator to show you how this little puppy works - It is one of those tools that you have to see to understand.

Though it's at spot Seven - I have to say that my ribbon drawer(s) are probably my favorite part of my studio design.  When I had my studio designed I asked my designer to give me a fun little way to store my ribbons and he did not fail me.  He designed two drawers (one on each side of my upper cabinets between my window) and each of these drawers slide out to reveal a ribbon drawer that has been designed with seven dowels that store all my ribbon (well.....almost all of it - I must admit - I have serious Ribbon Issues!).

I keep my ribbon grouped into sizes and that way if I'm looking for a particular ribbon width - I just run through that section and start pulling off the amount of ribbon I need for that particular project and I'm good to go! I even have a pair (okay I do have two pairs) of the Stampin' UP! Craft Scissors tucked inside this cabinet - These scissors are the highest quality scissors that cut my ribbon like butter.

And my final favorite thing I use when papercrafting has to be my Stampin' UP! tool kit.  It's a retired tool kit that Stampin' UP! offered a couple years ago.  It basically holds every tool I might need when papercrafting in a zipper case and is perfect when heading out to crops to just toss into my bag and that way I'm ready for any papercrafting project need.

Here's a close-up of a few of the tools that are tucked inside this fun little zipper case.  

SO....that's it for my favorite things to use when papercrafting.  I hope you enjoyed the stop and maybe picked up a few ideas to help make your papercrafting be more productive and fun. 

If you are interested in checking out what the rest of the CraftJunkieToo Design Team members posted - head on over to Tracy's blog at http://craftjunkietoo.blogspotlcom/.  I just know they are going to blow you away with their amazing posts.

I'll be back tomorrow to share some more Kards by Kadie creations......Keep Living Your Dream!