Show Notes
So glad to have you in The Craft Room with me today. All through March we're talking about getting started, and since we're on a roll with paper crafting, there are two tools that we need to talk about. They often frustrate and freak out their new owners, so I thought we could chat about those today, so you're aware and prepared! Both tools are popular and can be expensive, and like most people, I learned these quirky issues the hard way. We're talking about trimmers and die cutting machines. Let's start with trimmers, as they're a real staple in a papercrafters tool box. Trimmers come in 3 different types Guillotine Rotary blade Sliding blade, either in a track or on a wire
GUILLOTINE Use the finger guard or the cardstock will move. Can't cut out a middle section – strips only. Pro – blade is self sharpening, no replacement blades needed for a very very long time.
ROTARY Can't cut out a middle section. Really large and heavy. Solid, but not portable or suitable for very small desks. Pro – blade is self sharpening, no replacement blades needed for a very very long time.
BLADE IN TRACK Blade has wiggle room in the track which can lead to crooked cutting lines. If you press the blade to one side of the track as a guide for straight lines, you can gradually trim away the track edge, leading to curved cutting lines. Constant blade replacement. Check you can get replacement blades It will cut out middle sections. You can use the track to do scoring
All trimmers have their quirks. Look for the following … When you place cardstock on the bumper / ledge, do you get a proper right angle, or is it off a little bit? Correction may be needed, or if extreme, return it or contact the manufacturer. Check they have cm and inches. Blades may dull quickly = fuzzy edges All blades are sharp, and trimmers should be kept safely locked away or out of reach of children. Read reviews. If you have a problem contact the manufacturer by phone, email or live chat via their website.
What can you do? Make adjustments and make do until it's time for an upgrade.
DIE CUTTING MACHINES We're talking about the type of die-cutting machine that has cutting plates, whether it's operated by turning a manual crank, or pressing a button for an automatic feed.
CRACKING MARKING THE CUTTING PLATE How it works: Rollers compress the plates together, the pressure forces the cutting edge of the die through the cardstock. PRO TIP Get more life from your cutting plates, and save money in the process. Use the bottom plate for cutting only. Rotate / flip the bottom cutting plate to prevent warping. Add a shim when the bottom cutting plate is starting to thin out. Eventually the bottom cutting plate with crack, warp or just be too damaged to continue using. Switch the top cutting plate to become the bottom cutting plate, take one new plate out of your replacement pack, and it becomes the top cutting plate.
If you are looking for dies in Australia, I invite you to check out my website at www.dawnlewis.com.au . I have a fairly extensive range, including some very cool interactive dies.
More from The Craft Room Podcast
Hello and welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I'm so glad you're joining me today, as we are talking about forgotten gems. If you've been crafting for a long time, like me, then you likely have a LOT of amazing products and resources. Back in episode 40 I talked about The Craft Stash, and this is kind of an extension of that episode. Usually when people talk about forgotten gems, they're referring to old movies or television shows, paintings or travel destinations. But this is a craft podcast, so, of course, we are going to be talking about them in the context of crafting. In thinking about this for a few weeks, I've found that forgotten crafty gems tend to fall into one of three categories … 1. Physical (which falls into 3 sub-categories - Consumables, Tools, References/Resources) 2. Virtual/digital 3. Techniques/knowledge So … what can we do to uncover our forgotten crafting gems. Well, before we talk about that, I would like to remind you of one important thing. If you were out in Lightning Ridge mining for opals, not everything you dig up is going to be a beautiful gem. There's going to be a whole lot of rubble, and, let's be honest … there's going to be some dirt. The same applies when searching for forgotten crafting gems, in your stash, on the internet, on your computer, your phone or in your memory. Be prepared to find a few things that you look at and wonder 'Why did I keep this?', and I suspect there will be some dust, and potentially a dead bug in there somewhere. The easiest way to find anything is to look for it, and I'll walk you through from low effort / low time options, then we'll level up. 1. Look 2. Closer Look 3. Sort 4. Organise If there's anything I hope you take away from this episode, I hope it is this … * It's worth pressing pause on bringing new things into your home so you can take some time to look at what you have, decide what you love and curate a craft stash that is a true treasure chest. * Keep track of your virtual and digital gems so you can enjoy them before they disappear. Block out some time to watch that video, look at old bookmarked pages, work your way through that online course or print those checklists and templates and use them. * Sometimes we need to clear the rubble and the dirt (and the dead fly) so our gems can truly shine. One crafters rubble is another crafters treasure. Mostly I hope that you find great joy in your craft stash, and if you find a truly amazing treasure, please feel free to share it, maybe in the Craft with Dawn Lewis Facebook group (link in show notes and on the blog). Enjoy the gem hunt, and happy crafting!
Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about something that most crafters will probably consider at some point in their lives … a no spend year. Sometimes it's a month, a quarter, six months … but most commonly I see people setting this goal for a whole year. It might sound drastic, even unthinkable to some, but in this economy, especially with the rising prices of craft supplies, there are plenty of people doing a no-spend year. I'm not trying to talk anyone into such a dramatic situation, and, of course, there are some alternatives, so let's talk about the difference between a no spend, low spend and mindful spend year, the reasons you might consider them, and how you can succeed at such a challenge.
Hello and welcome to The Craft Room Podcast. I'm so glad you're joining me today, as we are talking about the benefits of swatching. Yes, I am on a swatching kick right now and it all started thanks to my friend Sally. I went to visit her last month and she showed me her beautifully organised craft supplies, but more importantly she showed me her ink pad swatches. I knew the second I saw it that this was the solution I had been looking for for years. It's not like I've never swatched before. My Copic markers are swatched out on a hex chart, I've swatched some pencils and a watercolour palette. But I didn't have what I have always wanted … a swatch folder with all the colours in one place. Until I saw Sally's I didn't know why I was baulking at it, and the reality is … I wanted more swatches to a page. It's not like a plastic sleeve with pockets is a revolutionary product, but I'd never seen coin collecting sleeves used for swatching before. I will link to the ones I used below.
Today on The Craft Room Podcast, let's talk about my Big Announcement and Product Longevity.