Favorite Things: Day 1 - Scrapbooking

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

(comment: be glad you’re reading the lyrics and I’m not singing them to you)

So in the spirit of Christmas and a new year being right around the corner, I thought I would do some of my favorite things from 2012.  I think I’ll break this into 3 posts: scrapbooking tools, around the house and beauty.  Today’s favorite things will be… scrapbooking tools!

First up:  Cricut Craft Room software.  Best part?  It’s free!  I’ve had my Cricut since 2008 and have used it hands down 100% more and more efficiently since downloading this software from Provo Craft.  I use a lot less paper trying to get the perfect cut and now put all the paper on the mat at once to cut all layers at one time (saves time AND paper!).  This weekend I even expanded my Cricut Craft Room skill set by welding 2 cupcakes to make the cutest card ever!

 

Next, is my pink ATG gun.  I use to always use rubber cement on my scrapbooks because it was acid free and pretty mess free as well.  Since I’ve discovered the tape gun I haven’t touched regular glue! LOVE this thing.  Plus, the fact that it’s pink doesn’t hurt either.  No more glue drying out or million bottles to store… just my lovely tape gun.  I’ve found that the refills last me a long time as well.  I made a pretty large order of tape refills back when I was living in Baton Rouge (so probably 2 years ago) and still have a box of 12 left to go.  Michaels carries the pink ATG gun and it’s often on sale if you’re looking for your own.

Another glue that I do use for small Cricut cuts is the Zig 2-Way Glue Pen.  This glue is like concrete and perfect for those oh so tiny slivers of paper that I always end up trying to assemble. 

Earlier this year I had to replace my large paper trimmer – the one I had was starting to really mess up paper when I’d cut with it … supposedly the blade was supposed to be self-sharpening but mine had issues.  So out it went and in came a lovely new pink cutter by Making Memories.  I use this on 98% of my projects and it makes me smile because it’s pink.  Win win.

My paper storage.  Remember from this post about how I organize my paper?  Love both my tall paper racks and the little ones I keep on my desk for scraps.  Organized and pretty to look at.

There’s lots of other things I use in my crafting, but these items are things that I have used the most in 2012. 

Oh, and a black Friday addition.. this 10-drawer rolling cart.  I actually bought 2, one's assembled and sitting in my scrapbook room - just haven't decided what to put in it yet but I can already tell  -- it's a favorite.