MPE: My Box Challenge #1 Tools

July 8, 2015

MPE: My Box Challenge #1 Tools

Brenda left a comment and asked me about the tools I use the most - the ones that survived the Big Tool Purge of '14. Thanks, Brenda, for asking!

So here are the tools I use 90% of the time - the first three are on my desk, the Vag is on a table to my right, and the MISTI is in a rolling storage cart on my left:

I love my MISTI so much, the paper trimmer is beginning to get nervous!

All these bad boys are in my Making Memories tool carousel (I LOVE this caddy!):

Tim Holtz scissors by Tonic
Awl (Cathy Andronicou calls this her "little pokey tool")
Non-Stick Silicone Mat for glue tape (keeps tape runner adhesive from getting everywhere)
CutterBee detail scissors
Teflon Bone folder (accept no substitute!)
EK Success tweezers
T-square
Centering ruler
Water brush
Clean tooth brush (for removing chads from dies)

Here are the tools I use 50% of the time:

Milwaukee Heat Gun
Glass cutting mat
Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife
Mini Perfect Layers
Creating Memories spatula
QuickStick
Small acrylic stamp mounts
Pencil sharpener
Electric eraser
Packet of needles (in various sizes)

I also have technique-specific tools that don't have an "absolute" rating. I get on these kicks where I'll do nothing but one technique for a few weeks until I over-stuff myself on it. (During these times, they're 90%-er tools.) But then I'll move onto another thing and these tools will promptly lie dormant for awhile (0%-ers). However, I know I'll need them again, so purging them would be impractical. I use them enough, though, that they average out to 50%-er tools, I suspect.

1 set Claudine Hellmuth Studio Brushes
Silver Black Velvet squirrel brushes
Tim Holtz mini-round foam ink applicators
Inky toothbrush (for spattering)
Marker Spritzer
Ranger Mini-Misters

And here are the tools that I don't use in the actual production of cards but are necessary:

Button Shank remover (to separate dies)
Kai scissors (for sheets of red rubber stamps I cut and mount myself)
Husqvarna sewing machine and serger (once a seamstress, always a seamstress)
Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher (I use those tiny little staples with other things in my life.)

Not included in the list above (because they aren't a part of yesterday's Box Challenge) are:

Stamps
Dies
Punches
Stencils
Templates
Embossing folders

Their time is coming, but it's not today - lol! Purging is hard enough without trying to start off with the most fun stuff, you know?

Thanks for stopping and have a blessed day!

Deborah

This is a series of articles concerning some changes I've made to increase the quality of my papercrafting experience. I hope something here will speak to you!

Posted at 05:00 AM in Organization | Permalink

Comments

When we first "met"' about 6 years ago, you were purging! It never ends. What do you do with the excess? I am drowning in "stuff".

Posted by: judy Jung | July 8, 2015 at 05:24 AM

LOL, Judy! Yes, I was attempting to purge AND not buy anything for at least a few months but nobody would join me, and I had no willpower on my own. So THAT idea went out the door.

I'm getting ready to take some of the excess to a LSS about 45 minutes away. There is an annual summer yard sale where we can sell our purged items. The owner gets 20% of the take and the rest we get in store credit. As a seller, I also get to come two hours early and shop before it's open to the public at large.

(And before anybody cracks wise about there being an ugly little cycle here, I want the record to show that I'm planning on using my credit on things that are necessary but boring - like adhesives.)

Ok, maybe I'll get a little something else....

Geez, this is like offering the Cookie Monster only one cookie, isn't it? And we all know what happened to HIM....

Now if you aren't lucky enough to have a community craft sale happening near you, you can (1) organize one yourself; (2) donate items to hospitals, senior centers, schools, churches, or the Goodwill; (3)have giveaways on your blog; or (4) send me everything so I can have giveaways on MY blog (LOL!); or (5) hold onto it and participate in the online yard sale/swap I'm planning on hosting.

Are any of those options attractive to anyone?

Posted by: Deborah | July 8, 2015 at 02:02 PM

When do you think you'll hold your online yard sale? I might be interested in doing that (or getting my DDIL to do it for me!)... We used to have a LSS that had a sale sort of like the one you described, but sadly they are no longer there. Loved being able to turn some of the old/unused stuff into new stuff, LOL!

Posted by: Paula B | July 9, 2015 at 03:25 AM