Cookie Decorating

When my mom was growing up, my grandma would bake sugar cookies and mix up colored frosting to decorate them. When my mom had children, she continued this tradition with us. Now, I do this very thing with my children and I hope to continue the tradition for years to come. Let me warn you, our cookies are not elegant or beautiful and would never win any sort of award for them. But they are fun to decorate and eat and we look forward to this tradition every year.

This year, I am going to make one change to the tradition. I am going to switch to gingerbread cookies instead of sugar. We don't care all that much for the taste of plain old sugar cookies but I have a fabulous gingerbread cookie recipe that we love (I'll be sharing the recipe with you in a couple of weeks!). So, I'll use the same cookie cutters my mom and grandma used, the same colored frosting and tools (good old butter knives and toothpicks) with a new cookie recipe this year.



Here's a layout I created a while back about Joshua's first year helping to decorate cookies:


I'd also like to share some sites I found about Christmas cookies. Enjoy!
http://www.karenscookies.net/shop/cookie-decorating-tutorials/info_7.html
http://www.christmas-cookies.com/bakingtips/decorating.php
http://www.marthastewart.com/cookies


Have a great Sunday!

Holiday traditions

Does your family have any holiday traditions? Traditions don't have to be elaborate and you can start new ones anytime! They make the holidays extra special and give everyone something to look forward to. Today, I want to share a new tradition we started last year as well as some ideas for your family.

Growing up, my parents always let us open a gift on Christmas Eve. It was something we could use right away such as an electric blanket for a cold night, new pjs or a necklace to wear to church. Last year, we decided to give the kids new pj's to open and wear every Christmas Eve. I plan on continuing this tradition every year.

Here are a few ideas for your family to do together this holiday season:
* Sing Christmas songs while trimming the tree.
* Bake and decorate cookies.
* Drive around town looking at Christmas lights. you could even bring some hot cocoa with you!
* Make ornaments for the tree. They don't have to be fancy!
* Cuddle up and watch a favorite holiday movie.
* Write and mail a letter to Santa.
* Donate toys and food to a family in need.

We'd love to hear about your family traditions. Leave us a comment and share a bit about what your family does every year together. Tomorrow, I will share a family tradition that my grandma started years and years ago as well as some sites that will help you create beautiful holiday cookies.

Winner Challenge #4 - Holiday Greetings

We had a great time getting started on our holiday cards. Thank you to those that played along with us! Without further delay, the random winner of our fourth challenge is...

DaisyMeh - Megan!

Congrats Megan Please email us at feelingscrappy@yahoo.com with your mailing information by Monday so you can receive your prize package!Be sure to check out our next challenge on December 5th!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you a day filled with the people you love, enjoying each other around a bountiful table while you count your blessings and make memories to relive in the future!

Sincerely,
The Feeling Scrappy team

Get started now on this quick gift idea!

With Thanksgiving tomorrow and holiday gift-giving upon us, I thought I would share this idea for a quick and easy gift that is perfect for teachers, friends, neighbors and family alike. I made these dry erase calendar boards for my mom and mother-in-law for Mothers' Day this year, and they were a hit! I managed to put two together in under an hour, which makes this a perfect last-minute project to tackle. And as an added bonus, the materials other than the photo frame are likely already a part of your current stash. How nice is that?

Materials:

1 8x10 photo frame with glass

1 8x10 sheet cardstock (preferably a neutral color, but this is just a base layer that won't be seen, so any color will do)

7 strips of colored cardstock, each 1.4 inches wide by 8 inches tall

7 1-inch squares white cardstock

Letter stickers

Ribbon

Up to 7 thumbnail-size photos, each approximately 1 inch square (optional)

Dry erase markers

Directions:

1. Trim your colored cardstock to the specified dimensions and adhere to your 8x10 sheet of cardstock to form 7 columns.

2. Adhere your white cardstock squares in the top portion of each column, then adhere letter stickers representing the days of the week on each square (S, M, T, W, R/Th, F, S).

3. Adhere your strip of ribbon just below your letter blocks, forming a border below which dates will be written.

4. If using, arrange your thumbnail photos in the bottom portion of your columns as you desire. Adhere. (I used four photos, placed in the first four columns.)

5. Place a message like "To Do" in the bottom right portion of your calendar, being sure to leave plenty of space for your recipient to write in his or her appointments.

6. Place your finished calendar sheet into your frame as you would a typical photo, and voila! A quick and easy gift!

Be sure to include a dry erase marker with your board, and pencil in a few dates/holidays so your recipient can see exactly what the board is intended for. When I went to visit my mom a month or so ago, I was thrilled to see hers that I made her still sits on her desk, filled with her appointments and commitments for the week!

If you decide to put one (or more!) of these together, we would love to see your creation! Feel free to share a picture in the comments below. :o)

And the winner is...

A few days ago I offered up a small blog candy here: http://feelingscrappyclasses.blogspot.com/2008/11/blog-candy.html

The winner is:
Beth said...
My favorite Thanksgiving things are the Macy's parade and Jellied Cranberry sauce!

Beth, please e-mail your mailing address to me at feelingscrappy@yahoo.com by next Monday to claim your prize! :)

Winter 2009 Classes - Sketchapalooza 3

Sketchapalooza 3!
March 2 - 30, 2009

Back by popular demand! Do you like using sketches when creating layouts for your scrapbooks? Do challenges and prizes motivate you? Are you looking to do some "catching up" in your scrapbooks? Then this is the class for you!

You will be provided with tons of brand new original sketches (5 per week!) with examples from our talented designers during this four-week course. This fast paced exciting class is suitable for any level of scrapper (paper or digital) who wants to get a lot of pages done and have a ball doing it! This class runs from March 2nd until March 30th 2009.

Cost: $25.00

Leftovers!

Turkey Day (I mean Thanksgiving LOL) is almost here and that means one thing. Ok, two things-wonderful family time and LEFTOVERS! Here is a recipe that everyone in my family loves.


Turkey Noodle Soup
A delicious comfort food!

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken (or turkey) broth
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped celery
1/8 tsp ground pepper
½ tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic (I actually used dehydrated garlic)
2 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used the lowfat variety)
2-3 cups dried egg noodles

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot, add the broth, veggies and seasonings. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Add the meat and dried noodles and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the soup and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the noodles are soft and the soup is done.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I didn’t use any salt because I used some chicken bouillon granules for the broth which are already salty.)

And here are some websites with lots of ideas for using up that leftover turkey:
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/thanksgiving/thanksleftovers.htm
http://members.cox.net/mmcnalley/Archives/turkey.htm
http://www.mindspring.com/~mgrosz/turkeys.htm
http://www.garvick.com/recipesmm/turkey_recipes.htm

Enjoy your feast and the leftovers afterwards!

Picture Perfect Turkey

Can you believe this is the last weekend before Thanksgiving?! I found the following tips for making the perfect turkey on the Butterball website (http://www.butterball.com/) In addition to the tips I am sharing here, you can also find lots of other ideas for your Thanksgiving meal on the site.

1. If your turkey is frozen, thaw in the refrigerator or in cold water. When the turkey is completely thawed and ready to cook, remove and discard the wrapper. Then preheat oven to 325 degrees.
   
2. Remove the neck from the body cavity and the giblets from the neck cavity. Then drain the juices and blot the cavities with clean paper towels to remove excess liquid.
   
3. Just before roasting, stuff the neck and body cavities lightly, if desired. DO NOT OVERSTUFF. Then turn the wings back to hold the neck skin in place and return legs to a tucked position. No trussing is necessary.
   
4. Place turkey breast side up on flat rack in a 2-inch deep in roasting pan.


5. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer deep into the lower part of the thigh next to the body, not touching the bone.
   
6. Brush the skin with cooking oil or spray with cooking spray to prevent the skin from drying. Further basting is unnecessary.
   
7. Wash preparation utensils and your hands in hot, soapy water following contact with uncooked turkey and juices. Make sure to thoroughly clean work surfaces to avoid cross contamination.
   
8. Roast at 325 degrees. For approximate cooking times, see the Butterball Roasting section or check the package for weight. When the skin is light golden brown, about 2/3 done, shield the breast loosely with a piece of lightweight foil to prevent overcooking.
   
9. Check for doneness 30 minutes before turkey is expected to be done. Turkey is fully cooked when the thigh’s internal temperature is 180 degrees. The thickest part of the breast should read 170 degrees and the center of the stuffing should be 165 degrees.
   
10. When done, let the turkey stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Blog Candy :)

Just thought it would be fun to have a little give away this weekend. Up for grabs is this set by My Mind's Eye. To be entered just leave a comment here and tell us what you love about Thanksgiving by Monday, November 24th. The winner will be drawn at random and announced on Tuesday, November 25th. Open to everyone! :)

Challenge #4 - Holiday Greetings

Handmade greetings are so special during the holidays. Cards and thank-you notes made by hand for those you love add such a personal touch to the season, but it can often be hard during the harried days of November and December to find the time and inspiration to get them done. We have decided to jump start your creativity and inspire you to build up your holiday (or everyday!) card stash with a challenge series that will extend till after the first of the year designed specifically for that purpose!

For this week's installment of the challenge, I created a card sketch that can easily be adapted to whatever theme you choose. Create a card using this sketch and post a link to a place we can view your project in the comment thread, and you will be entered for a chance to win the prize package below: tons of fabulous rub-on goodies!

The sketch

My sample

Jayne's sample

Stacey's sample

Please note: All submissions are due by next Wednesday, November 26. All projects should be new and created specifically for this challenge. Because of shipping costs, only US residents are qualified to win this week, but we of course would love to see all of your lovely work!

Our Featured Scrapper!

Trudy Walker!

We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Trudy and seeing her wonderful layouts on Feeling Scrappy. Here's a bit about her so you can get to know her as well.




How and when did you first start scrapbooking?
I was invited to a Creative Memories party in late Nov. 2001 and it was then that I bought the blue cutter and the corner rounder. I was so excited, I went straight home and cut and rounded all of my pictures! I stayed with CM until 2007 and then I began stepping out of my box and trying new ways of scrapbooking.

What is the most important aspect to scrapbooking to you?
The most important aspect to me is journaling. I capture the moment along with the emotions and feelings when I tell the story behind the picture(s). I feel like I am preserving a memory that can be revisited at anytime. I also feel scrapbooking is a part of my genealogy. It's a documentation of our life. What better way to record the past than by scrapbooking?

What are your favorite pages to work on?
I love scrappin' my two children, Forrest (14) and Sadie(11). I have to make sure that after I create one about Forrest, then I need to do one of Sadie and vice versa. I don't want one to think I'm "favoring" the other!

What if anything do you find hard to scrap?
Myself! Out of all of my albums, I have only two pages dedicated to me . I can scrap all day about my children, my husband, friends and even our two dogs, but scrappin' myself is very difficult. Maybe it's because I'm always behind the camera and not in front of the camera and do not have many shots of just me. When I do have a picture, it takes me forever to think about the things that make me who I am and then put it on paper.

What kind of camera do you use? Do you love it or hate it?
I have a Nikon D70s. I started out with a Cannon Rebel 35 mm. and finally went digital about a year and a half ago. Last year, my friend said he had a camera for sale. I thought it was another small digital but when I saw him holding the D70s, I almost flipped out. I had many initial thoughts of not wanting this camera- too big, intimidating, do not know how to use it, too costly, etc. My friend told me to take it for a couple of weeks to check it out and when I did, I feel in love with it! It was a once-in-a-lfe opportunity and I jumped on it. I love my camera. I just do not know the in's and out's of it. I'm perfectly happy with point,shoot,cuss delete!

What do you enjoy most about scrapbooking?
There are many things I enjoy about scrapbooking. I enjoy the "me" time I get when I scrap. I enjoy the feeling of being productive in my spare time and having something to show for it. I enjoy scrapping with my friends and having girl-time together. I enjoy capturing the moments and preserving the memories of my family. I enjoy the challenges and the growth scrapbooking brings me. I enjoy watching my daughter scrapbook. I enjoy watching the smiles on my family as we look through albums together. I really enjoy buying scrappin' supplies! These are just several things I enjoy about scrappin' !

Tell us a little about your family.
George and I have been married for 15 1/2 years and have two beautiful children, Forrest (14) and Sadie(11). My husband is a certified mechanic and works for NASA. Forrest is in 9th grade and is the athlete in our family. Sadie is in 6th grade and plays the piano and flute. I just recently became a stay-at-home mom after teaching elementary Physical Education for almost nine years. We have two dogs. Carhartt is a weiner dog and Benny is our standard poodle.

Tell us about the things outside of scrapbooking that you enjoy.
I want to say I enjoy quilting, cooking and photography. These are some things I would like to pursue now that I'm a SAHM and I have 10 hours back in my day. I've never had the time or desire to explore other talents and hobbies outside of scrapbooking until now. I would love to play around with quilting and learn more about my camera and photography. I would like to learn how to cook real food, not just a casserole or meat and potatoes kind of meals and try baking breads and desserts. (my family will really love me !) I also want to do some kind of service project, possibly making baby blankets for the hospitals.

Tell us something about yourself that your Feeling Scrappy friends do not know.
I love to paint, esecially the trim! I could do this all day long and never be bored with it. It's the challenge of not getting paint on the wall/ceiling that keeps me going. I have painted for several friends and will go to Georgia during the holidays to paint all of my sister's trim in her house. My motto is, "Have brush, will travel!"

Here are two of Trudy's favorite layouts:





I hope you've enjoyed getting to know Trudy as much as we have! Have a great day and be looking for a new challenge on Friday!

Looking for Thanksgiving inspiration? Read on!

This past week, I was thrilled to have my parents in town for a pre-Thanksgiving visit, and we opted to have our little Thanksgiving meal last night since we won't be able to be together during the holidays. With Thanksgiving day just a little over a week away (wow!) and menu planning probably in full swing for many of us, I thought I would share the recipes for our side items and tasty pumpkin pie from last night to help get you going! We opted to leave Tom for next Thursday, choosing instead to have a pork prime rib roast. Thanksgiving dinner really can be centered around your likes and dislikes, so don't feel hemmed in when it comes to your food options. The sky is really the limit!

Many of these recipes are old family favorites, but a couple are ones I've discovered over the course of the last few years and incorporated into my repertoire. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Braised Green Beans
My husband came up with this recipe, his own brand of green beans. Delish!

2 slices thick-sliced peppered bacon, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed

1 lb. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place bacon in large saute pan (or dutch oven) over medium-high heat and saute until fat is rendered. Saute shallots and garlic in rendered fat until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute, then add trimmed green beans and saute for about 3 minutes more. Add white wine, using a spoon to scrape up browned bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken stock and next three ingredients, stirring to incorporate. Reduce heat to low, cover and braise until desired doneness (time will vary depending on how firm or soft you prefer your green beans).



















Cornbread Dressing
I have discovered few recipes are more endearing to a cook than his or her personal dressing recipe. So often, these are recipes that have been passed down through generations, with a dash of this and a smidgen of that serving as a guide for preparation. This is dressing as my mother has always made it, and it is by far my favorite part of the Thanksgiving feast. Yummy and moist! You can easily adjust the cornbread-to-biscuit ratio here to fit your preference.

6 cups cornbread crumbs
5 cups crumbled canned biscuits (cooked according to package)
4 cups boiling water
6 chicken bouillon cubes
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 eggs, beaten

Combine cornbread and biscuit crumbs in a LARGE bowl. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water; pour over crumb mixture, and stir well. Saute celery and onion in butter until tender; add to crumb mixture, stirring well. Stir in remaining ingredients and spoon mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. (I use my lasagna pan for this, as I find the extra size accommodates the amount of dressing better than a typical 9x13 pan.) Bake at 350 for about an hour.

Note: This dressing is too moist to bake in a turkey.

Sweet Potato Hash
I found this little jewel of a recipe on Epicurious.com last year, and from the moment I took the first bite, I knew it was a keeper! I really prefer savory sweet potato preparations, so if you are looking for a change-up for your typical sweet recipe, this might be just the ticket. Even my mother-in-law, not a fan of sweet potatoes, conceded last year that this was downright tasty!

1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels, reserving fat in skillet.
Add onions, bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Stir in potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Stir in thyme, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste.

















Pumpkin Eggnog Pie
This delicious recipe has been part of Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember. It is so easy, yet so tasty!

1 package refrigerated pie crust (or your own recipe for a single-crust pie)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups pumpkin pie filling
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup eggnog
2 Tbsp. amaretto

Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 450 for 5 minutes; cool. Combine eggs and next 3 ingredients; stir in amaretto. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Bake at 375 for 55-60 minutes, shielding the edges with strips of aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool pie completely on a wire rack. Serve with fresh whipped cream and a touch of finely chopped crystallized ginger.

Tackle that gift list!

As the holidays approach, I am always trying to think of great gift ideas that are cost effective and can help me mark off many of the names on my gift list in one fell swoop. I absolutely love to give personalized, photo-filled gifts to friends and family, and I have discovered over the years that these types of gifts are always well received and very appreciated. And the best part of all is that many of the gifts I have to share with you are a snap to put together! Here are some of my favorites...

Last year, I put together these photo calendars from Shutterfly for my husband and both of our mothers (and myself, too!), and everyone absolutely loved them. There is something so fun about looking forward to each month's different pictures and themes. Shutterfly has some really great style options, and I loved their plethora of layout options and the ability I had to tweak the design as I desired. And the best part is that once you have your calendar arranged as you like, you can have copies made for multiple people. What a great way to save precious time during the holidays! I found their prices, especially when making multiple copies of a calendar, to be very reasonable. The first calendar is a set price, but then every subsequent copy is discounted after that. Nice!

Another product offered by Shutterfly will be perfect for the little ones on your list! I had one of these personalized story books made for my son for his last birthday, and it was an absolute hit! After I took a photo of him according to their specifications and then uploaded it to the site, the people at Shutterfly worked their magic to superimpose his cute little face on the pages of his very own book. And the personalization in these books doesn't stop with the photo; every page is filled with your child's name and special tidbits like his or her birthday. Too cool!

Since my son's birth, I have been a huge fan of One True Media photo montages. These are such a fun and fresh way to consolidate all of the photos from each year into one dynamic and memorable presentation, complete with favorite songs and video clips. I have put together one of these for each child's first year, and I also make one at year's end for our family to document our special events and milestones. Grandparents and great-grandparents alike love to receive copies, too! I think you'll find the interface to be user-friendly and very simple to use. In addition to sharing your presentation in a DVD format, you can also easily share online with friends and family. This is a blogger's dream!

I hope you like these gift ideas. With a little preparation early in the season, you can have your gift list tackled even before Santa's elves get to work! :o)

Thinking ahead to Black Friday!

I know I can't be the only one of us who loves to scope out a great deal the Friday after Thanksgiving. To help plan your Black Friday shopping spree, I thought I'd share a few good sites for Black Friday ads. Some have already been released, but there are many more sure to surface over the course of the next couple of weeks. Isn't it hard to believe that this big shopping day is less than two weeks away?

http://www.blackfriday.info/

http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/

http://www.black-friday.net/

Happy planning - and happy shopping!

Winner of Challenge #3 - Gratitude

We had a fabulous time thinking about and recognizing important people in our lives. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt layouts and sentiments with us. This time of the year always makes me so thankful for my family and friends!

Without further delay, the *totally random* winner of our third challenge is...

Tracy!

Congrats Tracy! Please email us at feelingscrappy@yahoo.com with your information by Monday so you can receive your free class credit!

Be sure to check out our next challenge on November 21!

Embossed Journaling Strips

Our fabulous Guest Designer, Becky Rico, prepared these instructions and samples for you. Thanks Becky!

Embossed Journaling Strips

Here is a fun way to add a little texture to your journaling.

Needed supplies:
Strips of cardstock (dark with a white core or a light color work best)
Ink
Sandpaper or emery board
Embossing label maker (I’ve recently seen these with changeable font wheels)

DIRECTIONS:
1) Cut cardstock into strips to fit your label maker. (Mine take 3/8” strips)
2) Feed your strip into the label maker as you would the label maker tape by clicking the advance. Feed through until you have a about a 1/2 inch of the strip showing.

3) Type in your message and remove your strip from the label maker.

4) If you used a dark cardstock with a white core use the sandpaper or emery board to reveal your message. If you used a lighter colored cardstock gently ink the embossed area to expose the message.

5) Use your journaling strip on a card or on a scrapbook page! How easy is that?!

Baked Cauliflower

With all the family gatherings coming up in the next few months, I thought it would be nice to share our favorite vegetable side dish with you. :)



Baked Cauliflower

1 medium head of cauliflower
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter (melted)
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp onion salt (or to taste)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or to taste)

Core the cauliflower and break into florets then steam to desired tenderness (12-15 minutes) Place cauliflower in ungreased casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients until crumbly and place on top of the cauliflower.

Bake at 375 degrees until light brown - about 15 minutes.

We like lots of the topping and so I double those ingredients. I also add extra red pepper and onion powder. Enjoy!

Turkey Day Crafts

I can't believe it's less than three weeks until Thanksgiving! I dug up a few sites for you that have lots of great T-day craft ideas for both you and any special children in your life.

A few sites with crafts specifically for children-young and older:
Kaboose
Family Fun
Amazing Moms
Apples for the teacher

Here's a site with crafts mostly geared towards older children and adults:
Martha Stewart

Have fun being crafty this month!




pl

Challenge #3 - Gratitude

For me November is all about gratitude and expressing how thankful I am for the things in my life. So your challenge today comes from that!

I challenge you to create a page about someone or a group of someones and list at least 10 things that you love (or feel grateful for) about them. Be sure to share your page with them - it will make their day! :)

The prize for this challenge will be randomly drawn from all that enter by the deadline and will be free admission into our January class! We have not revealed our new class schedule yet but trust me when I say it is a class you will want to win! Good news - everyone is eligible to win this week - open to both US and International gals!

The fine print:
All layout submissions are due by next Wednesday, November 12th.
Layouts can be submitted by providing a link in the comment section of this post.
All layout submissions must be new and created for this challenge.

Jayne's page:

Amy's page:
Stacey's page:

Product Review: Tombow Mono Adhesive Diamond Dots

In the scrapbooking world, adhesives are the thing that holds it all together. No matter the cute embellishment or fun patterned paper, without the right adhesive, your page simply won't take flight. For a long time I didn't understand that not all adhesives are created equal. I would buy a product because it was on sale, in the process creating needless work for myself as I fiddled with the little square backings on the tedious adhesive squares that left my scrap space looking like it had been visited by the abominable snow cropper. All that changed when I discovered the new style of the Tombow Mono Adhesive Diamond Dots!

I cannot say enough how much this product has streamlined my scrapbooking life. The Diamond Dots glide on smoothly every single time: no clumping, no curling or rolling. The runner is small enough to make it easy to apply the adhesive in tight spots, but not so small that the work becomes tedious. I purchased the permanent variety of this adhesive, and I cannot believe how beautifully it holds! Even textured or coated cardstocks are held tightly from the first try. For my paper adhering needs, these are now my go-to product, without a doubt.

Another great thing about this new runner style for Tombow is that it is refillable, and very easily so! I found mine at Hobby Lobby while all of their adhesives were on sale half off. Even when you go the more expensive route for products like this, if you play your cards right, you can buy during sales or use coupons to wind up spending almost the same amount as you would on less expensive ones.

So, from one fellow scrapbooker to another: check out this product. It gets my enthusiastic thumbs-up!