Did You Know? Fun Facts and Crafty Tips! July 2019 Edition

Hello, friends! Its Nina-Marie here, bringing you the July 2019 edition of our Did You Know series!

If it’s your first time seeing this feature, each month we bring you fun facts, creative tips and even crafty hacks about your favorite supplies and brands; you can then use these awesome tips that you learn in your next crafting projects! Are you ready to learn some fun tricks? Keep on reading!

AVERY ELLE ZIPPER STORAGE POUCHES

Staying organized is such an important part of my crafty-life! When I know where things are, I can create more efficiently… which means I have more fun!

One of my favorite ways to stay organized is to use zippered pouches, like the ones from Avery Elle! These heavy duty mesh pouches are clear, allowing you to see inside (I also like to label mine with my Label Maker). I use them most often for holding all the contents of the latest Simon Says Stamp Card Kits, new products I’ve yet to create with, projects that are not complete… the uses are endless!

WE R MEMORY KEEPERS STICKY PIERCER

If you love sequins and fun embellishments like I do, I can’t tell you how much I have been enjoying the We R Memory Keepers Sticky Piercer tool.

Did you know that this dual-ended tool can be pulled apart to have both a tacky end for picking up those hard-to-hold embellishments, and a piercer for applying them into your adhesive? So handy! 

STUDIO KATIA TRIANGLE TRAY

Speaking of embellishments, I also can’t go without the Studio Katia Triangle Tray! Simply pour your embellishments into the tray for sorting and selecting! When you are done, the convenient triangular shape of this tray puts the sequins back into their original container for super-easy cleanup. No more sequins all over your craft table (or worse, the floor!). 

DISTRESS MICRO GLAZE

There are a lot of uses for this little jar of glaze, but one of my favorites is for protecting envelope art! When we mail our cards, the envelopes brave all of Nature’s elements on their journey from mailbox to mailbox… and if the envelope is decorated, its hard to help but wonder if it will still look beautiful by the time it gets to the recipient.

Did you know that a thin coat of Micro Glaze helps protect your envelope art? It won’t be a permanent seal if your envelope were to fall into a puddle, but from light moisture, dirty fingers and the like, your envelope will fare the elements far better than if left uncoated! I love to apply the glaze with a mini ink blending tool (which happens to fit inside the jar PERFECTLY!).

METAL DIE SNIPS


Sharp edges on a die are painful! For all my multi-die sets, I love to use a pair of metal die snips to trim them apart and cut off the little pieces of steel that may be left behind. Definitely a must-have tool if you love to use dies! 

I hope these tips have helped you learn a few tricks for your upcoming crafting projects… Thanks for tuning in today and spending some time with me!

SUPPLIES

Avery Elle AQUA LARGE Zipper Vinyl…
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Avery Elle AQUA SMALL Zipper Vinyl…
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Avery Elle WHITE SMALL Zipper Vinyl…
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Avery Elle WHITE LARGE Zipper Vinyl…
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We R Memory Keepers STICKY PIERCER…
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Maker’s Movement METAL SNIPPERS mmt208
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Tool Basics FLUSH CUTTERS 4463
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Tim Holtz DISTRESS MICRO GLAZE Ranger…
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Studio Katia TRIANGLE TRAY sk2119
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cardmaking blog grab bag

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  1. Love the tips. I use one of my husband wire cutters to cut my dies, as he is a electrician as has a assortment of different “cutters” it comes in handy!

  2. Thanks for the fun facts and tips. I really like the idea of using Distress Glaze to protect envelope art!! :)

  3. Thanks for the tips, Nina. I’ve had my eye on that SK triangle tray for awhile. I am constantly finding stray sequins, beads, etc. everywhere so it’s a must have!

  4. These are all such great tips and I can attest to the zipper pouches being so handy for organization! The dual-ended tool is something I need to add to my next order – I just bought a bunch of amazing embellishments from Trinity Stamps and it sounds like that tool will make them a million times easier to work with!

  5. The triangle tray is my favorite! I need one because it would help to get things back into bottles and pouches.

  6. Awesome tips, I love the micro glaze tip & discovered a new product this time in the Sticky Piercer Tool.

  7. Great tips Nina-Marie. I especially like the tool for picking up sequins and other small items. Thanks for sharing.

  8. Thank you so much for all of the great tips!!! I have just received my first large mesh zippered bag. I purchased it just for my incoming kit components. It is just prefect to hold everything together until I can play with the new kit.
    Great to have tips and tricks to help with my crafting. Thank you so much!

  9. Very helpful tips, just remember not to cover the postage stamps with micro glaze, if the stamp is covered and can’t be canceled, they will return the letter to you.

  10. Love the Micro Glaze tip. I will try this on my next decorated envelope. Thank you for all the wonderful tips!

  11. What useful fun tips. I need that sticky tool. I do not like the one I have. Whatever I pick up falls off before I get to the glue. Ugh!!

  12. Nina, I love my Avery Elle bags, they are awesome! I haven’t seen (or heard of) the WRMK Sticky tool but I think it would be very handy to have… Would L♥VE to have some of those Triangle trays as well. The Glaze is awesome and I too keep my sponge right in the jar, awesome stuff and the snips are fantastic! TFS this info, this is how I learn about new product and ideas for older ones!

  13. I have some triangle bead trays which are great for use with sequins. Wondering which of the cutters you list will fit the tightest space as some of my die sets are very close together & difficult to cut apart without bending them. Thanks for the tips!

  14. Great tips! Couldn’t live without my metal die snips and never thought to use the distress glaze to help protect my envelope art. Thank you.

  15. Wonderful tips- thank you! Will have to purchase the die snipper – I have been using a wire cutter, but it is sometimes difficult to get into the tighter spots.

  16. Thanks for the tip with the glaze. I will definitely try this because often envelopes look not so good after arriving. And I can’t live without my metal snipper, too !

  17. Great tips especially for beginners! The zippered bags are really nice but using the micro glaze to protect envelop art will come in so handy!

  18. Love seeing new and useful products to help with crafting. I could have really used that metal snip. So glad to know they are out there as well as the Micro Glaze. I have the tray and love it!

  19. Loved your tips and tried to purchase the snips but they were out of stock. I can understand what you’re saying about these little nibs biting you. Thanks for all you do!

  20. Love these tips. I have the die cutter and it is the best! I am putting some of the pouches and the triangle trays on my “purchase next” list.

  21. Thanks for all these crafty tips! I actually have a jar of the Distress Glaze, but (please don’t laugh) I can’t remember why I needed it! Maybe I bought it to use on my envelopes — at lease that’s what I’ll be doing from now on.

  22. Thanks for the great tips–I have a triangle tray, perfect for pouring sequins into. I have micro glaze, haven’t used it on envelopes, great idea.

  23. Great tips, thanks so much Nina! This is the second or third time in a few days I’ve seen or read about the micro glaze. Must be meant to get it -like I needed an excuse. Lol.

  24. those metal snips are new to me, haven’t seen them in any of the craft stores…what I did buy is big, heavy and not too user friendly for the small dies!

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