See the first five of our top ten pro card making tools you can add to your collection!
Rubbernecker Stamps has rebranded and is now Brass & Bliss Craft Co. The items in this blog post can be found on our new website at www.BrassandBliss.com. The shopping links in this blog have been updated to take you to the correct location for purchase.
There’s a joke that being a crafter actually encompasses TWO hobbies – collecting crafting supplies and actually crafting! We though we would share our top ten pro card making tools that solve challenges we all have, making the “collecting” part more valuable. In no particular order, here are our first five suggestions:
Pro Card Making Tool One – Something sticky to pick up teeny pieces
Have you ever tried to place sequins just so on a card? Or add those itty bitty die cut details in the right spot? Made a dot of glue and then hoped and prayed that the little devil would end up in the right place on the adhesive? Broke a nail and realized that was your “gem nail”?
Ugh – forget that! Grab something like the Quickstick at Michael’s, the Pick Me Up Tool from Silhouette or the Embellishment Wand from Studio Katia. All of these tools have a sticky tip that makes picking up AND putting down teeny tiny elements so much easier and with excellent precision.
PRO TIP: if you choose one of the tools that use sticky putty as the grabber and it’s TOO sticky, just press it on your desktop or a piece of paper to reduce the adhesion.
Pro Card Making Tool Two – Angled Paint Brushes
Yes, many of us DO paint on our cards but these brushes are for a different reason and you will LOVE the results! Most of us know that despite the diligent use of an anti static tool, embossing powder LOVES to explore and no matter what, you can usually spot a couple of flecks here and there. A set of angled shading brushes like these are the perfect thing to “carve” away those errant granules to leave your heat embossing – and other effects using powder – looking as near perfect as you can get!
Pro Card Making Tool Three – Grid Paper
We know – how boring. But honestly, having a sheet of grid paper on your work surface can help with positioning and proportion in a way that plain old eyeballing it can’t always get just so. We love having a nice big sheet of grid paper like this for both coverage of our work space and to be able to have multiple elements laid out. You can also get a reusable grid mat if you prefer and they are every bit as handy!
Pro Card Making Tool Four – Shaping Tools
Our dear friend and designer Kittie Caracciolo uses these a lot to bring her die cuts to life and when you see the difference just a teeny bit of shaping can add, you will want to start using these every time! You can get a set of just the paper shaping tools like these or set yourself up with a whole kit – the tools and a shaping pad – like this one. Trust us, these are a total game changer to add real life shaping to flowers, critters, containers, leaves – anything that has any sort of curve to it.
Pro Card Making Tool Five – A Magnetic Bowl
A what, you say? Yes, we said a magnetic bowl. This handy little dish has saved us from losing many a teeny die. You can just toss them in there while you are creating and never worry about accidentally sweeping one up in the scraps and throwing it away, never to be seen again. You can get one of these handy magnetic bowls here or there’s a fancy pants version in the shape of a diamond available here.
Next week we will serve up the other five of our top ten pro card making tools, hopefully giving you more bang for your buck and some handy tips!
