By Carol Duvall
I was tempted to call this one "Toys of the Trade" as we have in the past, but item number one is certainly more of a necessity than a toy. Good lighting is something every crafter not only wants but needs. The Daylight Company has their version of table top lighting (figure A) that not only features daylight lighting, which is particularly important when accuracy in color is necessary, but the flexible neck makes it easy to direct the light exactly where you want it. The weighted base keeps it steady and in place and, as a wonderful bonus, a second spiral neck that ends in a magnifying glass (figure B) with 1.75x magnification can be easily slipped in or out of a small holder attached to the base. The glass can be moved in or out of your viewing area with a touch of your finger, so that you can use it while you work on your entire project or to simply check on a particular detail. This lamp also seemed to cover a larger work area with light than some I have tried. For those who do a lot of needlework, the company also has a magnifying glass with 2.25x magnification that clips right onto your embroidery hoop (figure C). Lighting is not usually part of a paper trimmer, but it plays an important part of the trimmer from Bonnie’s Best Art Tools. Called the Genesis Safety Trimmer (figure D), it is well named as far as the safety features are concerned. Though it did not seem to show up to advantage on the television screen, the light under the cutting area (figure E) made it much easier to cut exactly where and how you want. This was a great help, especially when working with photographs. The blade is hardly visible (figure F), but it does the job accurately and safely. Is it a die or a punch? These days it’s sometimes hard to tell when you see the final item. Dies are getting smaller and punches are getting bigger. Case in point is the Wonder Punch and Emboss System from Presto Craft Company. Though the items demonstrated on the show all came in one complete set packaged in a storage and carrying case (figure G), they are also available individually. The holder into which the metal plates are slipped holds both the plates that punch and those that emboss, and each plate is marked so that you can emboss or punch in any direction (figure H). Also available is an alignment guide (figure I), which is a board into which the holder fits so that repetitive punching can be easily accomplished. The board is marked in different increments so that making a measured pattern of punches or embossing is quick and easy. This unusual punching/embossing tool makes it possible to create decorative cards, mosaic photo pages (figure J), and a variety of gift items. Both the negatives and the positives of the punch-outs can be used. The QuickKutz Hand Tool on the other hand is a personal die-cutting system (figure K) weighing less than two pounds. The company originally offered just alphabet cuts, but now they also have available a line of different shapes (figure L). The dies are magnetized so they slip easily into position in the holder. And to keep everything organized, a small three-ring notebook holds plastic sheets with pockets that will hold all of the plates where they are easily visible and readily available. From KJ Krafts comes what they have named Mosaic-in-a-Minute, which makes it possible to do your own mosaic photos for your scrapbooks without getting totally confused or err by cutting into faces. The "tool" is actually a 4" x 6" clear plastic template full of 1-inch squares. You simply place it on top of the photograph and move it around until you have the area you want to include (figure M). You can see exactly where you will be cutting. After using a craft knife to cut where indicated, you remove the template and will be able to move the entire photograph without it separating into a dozen or more pieces. It will stay intact until you make the final snips when you are ready to start assembling the page. Also available is a large plastic gridded sheet that is meant for you write on with a wipe-off marking pen. Here you draw the shape into which you wish to place your photos. If for example you want to place the photos in the shape of a large letter or number, simply draw it out on the grid, place it over your photo to see how much of the letter or number it will fill, mark off that area, and go to another photo. You may use parts of several pictures for one letter or numeral (figure N). And after you have these wonderful craft tools that you want to take with you when you go to a friend's house to craft, or to the scrapbooking store to crop, or that you simply want to store at home without taking up more drawer space, then you might want to check out some of the Creative Gear from Plain Enterprises. Available are any number of plastic pocketed items (figure O) designed for your paint brushes or rubber stamps or paint or scissors or punches or whatever you have that you want to store or take along. The system was designed for you to be on the go with your crafts and has a wheeled cart onto which the large container will fit (figure P). All pieces are priced separately.
RESOURCES :
Table Top Magnifying Lamp / Flexlens on Mini-clip
Daylight Company LLC
New Holland, PA
Toll Free Phone: 866-DAYLIGHT (329-5444)
E-mail: info@daylightcompany.com
Website: www.daylightcompany.com
Genesis Safety Trimmer
Bonnie's Best ArtTools / Genesis II Sales
Atlanta, GA
Phone: 404-869-0081
Website: www.genesistrimmer.com
Wonder Press Punch & Emboss System
The WonderPress punch and emboss system have been discontinued by Presto Craft. Order via website until inventory is depleted.
This product has been licensed to EK Success and will be marketed under a new name Empunchlar. This product will have all the same functionality as the WonderPress, however, existing WonderPress patterns will not be compatible with the Empunchlar. Please check EK Success website for product availability. Website: www.eksuccess.com
Presto Craft Company
Website: www.prestocraft.com
The QuicKutz Hand Tool
Quickutz
Website: www.quickutz.com
Mosaic-in-a-Minute template - discontinued
Creative Gear; Paint Brush Holder, Wheel Cart, Multi-Pocket Holder
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
