Card Making Tools & Toys

The blog theme this week is nails When carpenters build houses, they use hammer and nails. They have a tool box with all their tools to build what they want to build. Well, with card makers, it is no different. While we don't use a hammer or nails, we do have our own tool box, or what I like to call my toy box.

Toy Box

When I started scrap booking, 16 years ago, my very first tool, next to my paper cutter, was my corner rounder. To this day, it is probably one of the tools I use the most. Many of the items I used back then were stickers and some die cuts. Once I got into card making I really started to build my toy box. I started to watch more You Tube video, read more blogs and participate in card challenges. It opened my eyes to all the toys out there for card makers. I would think to myself, boy if I only had that die cut, I could make that card. But if you are a card maker, you know how expensive this hobby can get. I have had to wait for sales, find things at garage sales and yes, even buy on Ebay. I have always loved vintage grunge and tend to go towards the "Tim Holtz" style of card making. I also like the product that Graphic 45 puts out. It is a Vintage/Grunge style as well. I am just now starting to build my collection of his products, enabling me to learn more of his techniques. But I also like the "frilly style". This leans more towards what Becca does on her blog Amazing Grace. Well,I wanted to share with you a couple of my latest toys.

Toys

I purchased an envelope maker. More recently I have been making non traditional sized cards. It is sometimes difficult to find envelopes, so I decided to buy this gadget. Now I know there are several videos on line that show you how to make envelopes without a gadget, but this is so easy, I just had to have it. I have included a video to show you how cool this envelope punch board is. I also purchased this Majestic Elements Nestabilities Die Cut from Spellbinder as well. I had a 40% coupon from Cut at home that I used. If you sign up for their mailing list, you will get a VIP 40% coupon every month to use towards Spellbinders or Quickutz or a 30% coupon to use towards Sizzix or Tim Holtz Sizzix. I included their link in case you want to check it out. I was able to create this Happy Holidays card using my Majestic Elements die cut. I added some holly, gems, pearls and ribbon and this was the result. So easy, yet so elegant by just using this die cut.  It is amazing what you can do with new toys.

 I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Happy Holidays

• 613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes
• Challenges for Everybody - #30 Anything Goes
• Make it Monday - Anything Goes
• Christmas Cards all year Round - Getting Ready for Christmas