Quick Tip Tuesday - My Favorite Glue

 

Many crafters would agree... Bearly Art is the best glue!  Why?  It's acid free, archival quality, dries clear, adheres well, but the top-most reason is... The Precision Tip!  You can use it on the smallest of areas.

In addition to being my favorite glue, I found a product on Etsy (Store name WhimsicalWishesUS) that keeps me from having to put a pin in it to keep it clear.  I can store it upside down with no leaks so it is ready to use right away.

I am not affiliated with this Etsy shop.  It's just a useful product that I really like.

What glue do you use?

Planner Stencils

 

Many of today's planners come with blank or very basic pages, so I decided to make a planner stencil for my daughter.  She can use this in a bullet journal or junk journal as well.

The materials include Matte Stencil Film (I purchased from Hobby Lobby, but it's also available on Amazon), a cutting machine and standard grip mat, and a design. 

You can purchase stencil designs or you can create your own.  I got my design from Abbi Kirsten Collections, but you could also use Canva or another graphic design software.  Here is my stencil as seen in Cricut Design Space, 

Once your design looks the way you want it and you have opened it in your cutting machine software, all that is left to do is load the stencil on a mat and cut. And here is the finished product.  My Cricut cut it beautifully.

Visit Sew Can Do and Handmade Monday for more crafty inspiration.

Quick Tip Tuesday-Protect Your Fingers

 Today I made some cute decorations for paper clips to give my daughter for use in her planner.  

The superglue was not working.  It wouldn't adhere my faux leather to the paper clip, so I got out my hot glue gun.  It worked like a charm, but... I forgot to use my silicone finger protectors and I paid for it when a big driiiiip from the glue gun hit two of my fingers.

  I've got a blister coming up on one of my fingers now.  Don't forget to use your finger protectors!

Scrapbook Pages

 My sister and I and our husbands went on a cruise together last year.  We had never taken a vacation with just the four of us!  This trip gave me layouts to demonstrate how I make pages with one photo or multiple photos.  The bottom line, if the picture was taken professionally and is at least 5x7, I will usually put it on its own page.  Otherwise, I use multiple snapshots on each page.  Below are some examples from our trip.

Have a crafty week!  And check out my Etsy shopEtsy shop if you get a chance. Thank you.

Escape Room for Kids

 Here is a brand-new indoor escape roombrand-new indoor escape room for kids ages 7-12!  Includes 8 puzzles and a secret code to crack. Will the kids be able to escape from the watrpark?  No preparation for parents or caregivers.  Just print, cut puzzles in half, and use.  Lots of other themes are available in my Etsy shopEtsy shop, and printables are on sale till them end of June!  Create an amazing experience using printable escape rooms for kids.

Quick Tip Tuesday- Cleaning Your Stamps

 

One of my favorite crafts is card-making. When I first started making them, I only used my Cricut, but once I had gathered enough supplies, I started incorporating stamping and die cutting.  I love to use my stamps such as the ones I used for my daughter's card after she had surgery (the cat and the words).

Photopolymer stamps are easy to clean with water, but  getting up and taking the stamp to the bathroom to wash it every time I use one is inconvenient. My tip is to keep water wipes (baby wipes but mostly water) and paper towels handy in my craft room.

  Using wipes gets them cleaned.  If I need to use it right away with a different color, I can dry them with a paper towel.  Hope this helps!  Happy crafting!

Quick Tip Tuesday - Scissors

 

I like to sew, and I like paper crafts, and I also use scissors for other things like cutting a thread that is hanging or opening a package.  I have a lot of scissors!

If you want to cut fabric, it is best to get fabric scissors.  They will not have serrations, and they will have a very sharp angle.  I label mine!

Paper scissors, on the other hand, have blades with a blunter angle.  Using fabric scissors on paper will dull your blade due to the minerals in paper (or cardboard).

It's best to designate a pair or scissors for each use:  fabric, paper, general family use.