Back to Basics

The world of scrapbooking is filled with so many wonderful products. Products that fit every style imaginable but if you had to cut it down to the basics what would you choose? Today, I want to share my top five "basic" products. I reach for these product over and over again and they never fail me :)

1.) My Creative Memories tape runner. I have tried every adhesive under the sun and I always come back to this trust little blue darling. I find it to be the smoothest, strongest and easiest to use.
2.) We Are Memory Keepers page protectors. I changed over to these about 2 years ago and I have never looked back. Sturdy and strong, these protectors come in a variety of sizes and shapes and allow me freedom when I scrapbook which I love!

3.) American Crafts slick writer pens. In black thank you very much. I have a gazillion (literally) different colors and brands of pens but these are the ones I reach for most often.

4.) Bazzill cardstock. Love the colors. Love the texture. Love the weight. Love the line.

5.) Carl 12 inch personal rotary trimmer. This one may well be the biggest surprise on the list (I know it was to me!) I picked up this little baby about 8 years ago from Staples when I was heading to a over night crop because it was compact and cheap. I have tried many trimmers since that time but this is the only one that I have found that cuts straight time after time. I have a spare blade but have never had to change it yet and believe me when I say I have given this trimmer a good work out over the years.

So there you have it - my top 5 basics. What are yours?

Distress Crackle Paint

Have you used these cool paints? I bought several colors about a year and half ago and although I have used them many times, they still tend to end up in the back of a drawer and become forgotten treasures. I recently pulled them all out to give them new life and start using them.

If they sit around for awhile, they can get very thick or even almost solid.

You can renew them by adding a little water and stirring them very well. (Start with a couple of drops and keep adding more as needed.)

Here’s one of mine that was almost solid and the end result after lots of stirring and shaking. Since mine had been sitting around for months (um, ok, maybe even over a year) most of mine needed some attention. (Unfortunately, I did have one of my nine bottles completely harden and I wasn’t able to save it!)

These paints are so much fun to work with and add a lot of character to a project. You can paint chipboard elements or even paint directly onto a page. Here are a couple of places I have used them:

If you’ve never tried Distress Crackle Paints, I hope you’ll consider picking up a jar next time you are shopping for scrappy supplies. And if you have some collecting dust , I challenge you to pull them out, revitalize them and use them on a crafty project!

Stickles-an old favorite!

We probably all have at least one bottle of Stickles. Some of you might even have the entire color collection (or close to it! LOL). If you are one of the rare few who doesn't actually own a bottle of fun yet, maybe you'll be inspired to pick up a bottle or two next time you are in your local craft store.

After my initial excitement with this glittery goo, I began to neglect these colorful bottles of fun. I've recently revisted my bottles of Stickles and wanted to share a few ideas for using them.

You can use your Stickles to...

..."paint" the petals on your flowers.

...cover the center of a flower.

...trace designs on your paper.

...dab over painted chipboard elements.

...add shimmer to the center of a button.

...adhere small embellishments (just put a glob on the paper and push your button, dew drop or other item onto it! It will squish out around the sides for a fun effect.)

...add dots around papers and photos.
...add a bit of color and shine on a stamped image.

...brush over the top of letter stickers.

Here's a card I made using Stickles on my chipboard, flower and on the design in the patterned paper.

I love how the stickles give the pattern a slight raised and shimmery look.

**Remember to allow plenty of time for your Stickles to dry.

Last but not least, here's a storage tip. Store your bottles upside down so they are always ready to be used. This reduces the chance that you will have an air bubble pop out and mess up whatever you are working on. Here's how I store mine:

I hope you'll have as much fun playing with stickles as I have been lately. They add such a fun element to scrappy projects!

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!