Here are some of my most recommended products & websites to purchase supplies. I am pretty particular about my tools, so I only recommend my absolute favorites. If you're new to crafting you may find this page particularly helpful. Of course, everyone has different preferences - but I really believe in the quality of all the things I'm recommending.
I think this is the best paper trimmer. I love it because it has a wired
cutting guide along the blade. So, you can see exactly where you're
going to cut. It really comes in handy when you are trying to cut a
specific part of a pattern, or if you stamp something that is not
perfectly straight with your paper and you want to cut it out as a
square or rectangle. It also has a nice, wide surface of a bit over 6
inches WITHOUT the arm open - so I hardly ever have to open the arm. It
is only $30 and so worth it!
You can check it out on Fiskars website here, and purchase it. It is also available from other
craft stores that you may have locally so be sure and check for it. If
you use a coupon you can really get it for an absolute steal of a price!
Scor-Tape
This stuff is truly amazing!
It is REALLY sticky, so it is ideal for making 3 dimensional items, adhering plastics, etc. My favorite feature is that you can just tear it with your hand - so you don't have to get your scissors sticky or try and pre-cut pieces to get nice edges. The multiple widths it's available in make it even more versatile.
I haven't provided a link because I can't find the official company website. It is available from many stores online, and also in many craft stores.
I have the original version of this which is a Scotch ATG 714. So, mine was originally designed for framers. It is red and not pretty at all. This photo is of the new version they came out with for scrapbookers. It's pink, but the size and way it works are exactly the same.
It is large - so it can be a bit hard to get used to at first - however the SAVINGS is SO worth it! Buying smaller tape runners and their refills all the time adds up so quick, and I like to use a lot of adhesive on my projects. I don't ever want anything to fall apart on me.
When you buy a roll of tape for this it is very affordable, and lasts a long time. The tape is also nice and strong - which I put a lot of importance on. You can check it out on the Scotch website here, I have also seen it in my local Michaels so you can find it and use a 40% off coupon for a great deal.
These things help me SO much when I am assembling die cuts. The design is pretty simple. The tweezers stay closed until you squeeze them gently, so not like regular tweezers. The reason this is SO great is that they will hold your paper without you having to hold them closed. I will grab a tiny layer of a die cut with them. Then I can flip the die cut over and apply a little glue. After I apply the glue all I have to do is hold the tweezers to apply the layer. This avoids me getting glue all over my fingers. It also helps me get the layering just right because my big hand isn't covering part of the layer. You can check them out on the EK Success website here, or several places sell them.
In my opinion, these are the BEST for doing detail cutting. I frequently cut out stamped images and other fine detail work and these are the ONLY scissors I enjoy using. I currently have 4 pairs of scissors small enough for detail work but these are the ones for the job. I think they are smooth and easy to control, have a comfortable grip, and the BEST part is that you can adjust the tension easily. That is important to me for the best possible cuts! I have a different set that have green handles, but they work the same way. You can check them out on the EK Success Brands website here. Also you can check the places that carry the Martha Stewart brand. I know Michael's does.
