Tools of the Trade

 Welcome!

Sea life mobile, inkspired

As I was thinking of doing my next blog, it occurred to me that perhaps a few of you would like to know what tools I find most useful in my Craft/Stamp Studio.

Let me be clear -

I do not get paid for anything I say or show on my blog. I have never received any product of any kind for free or reduced prices. (Not saying that wouldn’t be maybe nice, just saying it has never happened!)

What you see here is simply what I like.

And I think you might like it too!

I adore my Cricut Explore Air 2 cutting machine. From the first day I got it I have had fun with it, in so many different ways! I still feel like I have barely scratched the surface of what all it can do. Here are a couple of my projects that I made with my Cricut.

Created for a friend’s Farmer’s Market table, selling homemade honey.

Bookmarks made for a teacher friend’s students.

Apertures, accessories & words cut with my Cricut.

My next foray will be felt. Little gnome and fairy felt figures to be exact!

Suzy Woozy, Pinterest

The next large investment I have made and loved since the very first day-

My Spellbinder’s Platinum die cutting machine.

Card by inkspired

These 2 machines I leave out on my counter top as I use them almost every day. I also have a Sizzix Sidekick for quick, small die cutting projects.

Some indispensable Cricut tools are:

This basic package came with my machine. I use the  square scraper tool (in the back) for other things also. The sharp curved tool on the far right is a must for picking card and paper off your Cricut mat, and poking out little pieces of paper stuck inside a cutting. The other 3 tools come in handy also.

Painter’s tape. If you are not familiar with this tape, prepare to fall in love. It is a low tack tape that is temporary and peels off (mostly) without a problem or sticky residue left behind. It will hold your metal dies in place so they don’t slide around on your cutting platform. When your Cricut mat has lost some of its stickiness, painter’s tape will hold everything in place so you can still get cutting life out of your mats. It also is a great way to keep tiny metal die pieces together and not get lost. When I want straight lines on my cards, such as when I am sponging ink around an edge, it works great. It is reusable many times before you have to throw a bit away.

I use my paper cutter every day. Really! Invest in a good one and you will never regret it. Here is a ‘guillotine’ style I prefer. Mine also has exchangeable decorative blades.

Card by inkspired

In no particular order, here are other tools I often find helpful. There are a couple kinds of scissors I like. The ones with the closed handles are great for relieving hand stress and muscle cramps. Basically you only have to squeeze them together; the spring will force the blades open for you. The next pair are regular mechanism, but have shorter 2-3” blades and very sharp tips.

For detail cutting and inside corners you really need a shorter blade, like these 2.

I love these straight, needle tip tweezers that stay shut until you squeeze them open. I also have a curved tip pair I use all the time.

I have a variety of specialty scissors with decorative blades. One can never have too many choices! Although my favorite ones are the deckle edge blades.

So you’ve made all these elements and now you need to stick them onto your card. I use a combination of double stick tape and glue. The absolute best double stick tape is sold by

Vlvstamps.com

Otherwise you can find pretty good tape from Hobby Lobby/Michael’s. Stampin’Up! sells a good one too. Just be sure you get permanent and not temporary hold.

My favorite glue has always been Aleene’s Tacky glue in the gold bottle. They now carry one with a lid to store it upside down so the glue is always ready to come out. About time!

My new favorite glue for all purpose but especially paper items is art glitter glue. You can purchase a special tip that is super tiny and just perfect for all those little pieces added for embellishment. It also holds layers of cardstock together without warping.

Valentines with hand punched flower embellishments; by inkspired

I love my Bead Scooper tool. It just comes in handy for all sorts of different jobs.

If you don’t have a label maker, you are missing out! I have a Brother label maker that I use all the time. It helps me so much to be organized so I spend my time crafting instead of looking for things. (Think “now where did I put my keys?”).

You can see quite a few things I have labeled!

Without going into detail here are a few more tools I find myself using almost daily.

I hope you have found this helpful, and perhaps you have seen something new-to-you that you would like to try out.

Questions? Just ask me!

‘Til next time,

inkspired

 

Batman Day coming up!

 Welcome!

(Revised 5/30/25)

Unknown, Pinterest

There’s still time to get ready!

May 1 is the Official Batman Day!!!

I have collected a few quick and easy ways for you to celebrate this 

Important Holiday Occasion!

With no time to waste, let’s put on our Batman Thinking Caps and get going!

Icedragon529, Deviant Art

The holiday does not state which Batman we are honoring, so we probably should just do all of them.

Here’s what my son calls 

‘The Blue Batman’

LIFE, March 1966

BB, as I fondly call him, gave us wonderful new words to use in work situations, as needed.

(You should be prepared with extra samples as your co-workers will most likely want some for their work-day usage  also!)

Delving into the rich history of the American Language, BB has given us choice words to use for everyday encounters - such as:

Red Bubble

No need to resort to childish cuss words - you can Batmantize them!

I have found this…

…to be oddly satisfying.

And versatile!

Sometimes we get flustered while trying to remember just all the special words we want to use in a situation.

Can-O-Batman fixes the problem.

All you need do is grab 1 or more sticks and insert the chosen word(s) into your sentences. It’s even okay if you repeat a word a few times. This can add to the authentic BB Effect.

To make your own get some wood skewers (your local grocery store probably carries them), some fun foam and some good glue. I like Aleene’s Tacky Glue in the gold bottle. Hot glue gun might work if you are adventurous.

Trace and cut out letters. Refer to the above photos. Layer letters onto spiky-cut  fun foam backgrounds, sandwiching the skewer between 2 layers. Cover a large, clean can with fun foam. Add a Batman symbol to the side of the can. Place florist styrofoam or something similar in the bottom of the can. Glue in place. Stick skewers in a pleasing arrangement.

Pinterest 

Later you can recycle the can to hold pens and pencils.

The ‘Gray Batman’ comes next.

In fact, he is a lot like the Blue Batman.

Let’s call him GB.

Pinterest

How about we paint an easy to do Batman Clay Pot?

Pinterest, no credit found
Don’t want to get that fancy? Then just paint his head!

You will probably need a clip board or file folder at some point May 1. (After making this one, be sure you need one!)

Here’s a fun idea-

Folder, construction paper or cardstock, Batman logo, glue. Optional: clear Contact paper to cover all as a protector.

Look at the photo again. It’s made up of circles, triangles, rectangles and ovals!

Here is a symbol you can use for any of these projects, just resize to your item:

I found many Batman logos on Pinterest. 

Are you in the mood for Batman Day yet? I sure am!

Let’s give a brief nod to 

Batman’s Essential Sidekick-

Robin.

(Please please add an apostrophe in ‘we’re’. Can’t believe all the grammatical snafoos out there now…)

There have been so many versions of Batman you can celebrate whatever vision you choose - they are all Batman!

Unknown, Pinterest

Lastly, we have ‘The Dark Knight’ or 

The Black Batman.

I’ll call him DK for short.

Christian Bale as Batman

I always thought it humorous that directors seemed to think that in the movies, the Batman with the funny lips would be unrecognizable if they put a mask on him.

Seriously?

Batman Foreve

Let’s make a cool corner bookmark that you can adapt to so many more ideas-

Here is the basic fold:

Marigami.com

Now make a Batman symbol to be glued onto your corner bookmark-

Drawingtutorials101.com

…and the finished bookmark-

Now fold and cut 5 more for your friends!

Let’s end today’s blog with some Bat Treats. After all, it is for a 

‘Special Batman Holiday-

 Dip marshmallows in some melted chocolate wafers (our craft stores carry these in the party/Wilton aisle) Place on a wire rack to let excess chocolate drip off. Set in refrigerator or freezer until firm. 

Cut strips of crepe paper, with jagged ends to look like bat wings. Place marshmallow in center and wrap and tie both ends. Refer to the photo.

Jolly Rancher hard candies would also fit well for inside the bat.

Keep these in a bowl close-by to give to whomever happens to be walking by.

That’s it for today.

‘Til next time,

inkspired