A Few of My Favorite TOOLS!

 Happy Labor Day! We're closed today and will open Tuesday at 9am. Enjoy the beautiful day!

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Hello, Memory Bound friends!

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens...
Brown paper packages tied up with strings...
These are a few of my favorite things!

Who knows and loves that song? I could add a few verses to include owls, caramel lattes from Starbucks, crisp fall days...and paper crafting tools! In today's post, I thought I'd share some of my favorite tools. I would have written lyrics, but (luckily) nothing rhymes with "Xyron"!

First on my list is the Xyron "X" Sticker Maker. I recommend it in my Beginners' Scrapbooking Classes as one tool that everyone needs. It puts adhesive on the back of anything you feed through it! Whether you're a card maker or a scrapbooker, this little machine comes in incredibly handy. No more sticky fingers or messy adhesive!

 

I also LOVE the Sizzix Texture Boutique, designed to look like a purse. Just sandwich your die cuts or punched pieces inside an embossing folder, place the folder in the slot, and turn the handle. Perfectly embossed pieces every time! Embossing adds so much interest to your projects!

 

 Next on my list: embossing folders! There are oodles of fun folders on the market right now and as you can see, we have lots and lots at Memory Bound! Folders allow you to add texture to cards or die cuts for any paper crafting project.

 

 Ahhh...next is the trusty Fiskars paper trimmer! I've used Fiskars paper trimmers forever and I think they're the best on the market. This particular model has very clear and easy-to-read grid markings and the fold-out arm makes it simple to measure your paper. Scoring blades are also available for the Fiskars trimmers so you can make clean fold-lines for your cards!

 

Next is the Retractable Craft Pick by Tonic. This is a piercing tool with a retractable pointy end -- a very valuable feature if you are like me and prone to craft-related injuries! I seriously use my Craft Pick all the time for making holes in cardstock and other materials.

 

 And who could forget divided page protectors?! Just slip your photos in the slots and intersperse them into your album. If you've got oodles and oodles of pictures, these page protectors, available in a host of sizes and configurations, will be your best friend! These days, manufacturers are making papers which correspond to the slots, making it fun and easy to create many pages quickly! See how they look in Diane's album here.

 If I had to choose one absolute favorite tool, it would be my Sizzix Big Shot! The new model comes in this beautiful blue color. I bought a Big Shot many years ago and use it on every paper crafting project I create. It's a universal cutting machine, meaning that it will cut every die on the market. And it embosses, too!

 

I also LOVE the dies on the market these days! As you can see, we carry a wide selection, including many Sizzix Alterations dies designed by Tim Holtz. If you have a Big Shot, you'll love choosing dies. They're fun and practical additions to your paper crafting tools!

 

Having the right tools makes all the difference in your paper crafting! Stop in and let us introduce you to these and many more tools to take your projects to the next level. They'll soon become some of your favorite things, too!
Janet