Hi crafty friends! Today I am sharing my top 5 crafty tools that I use in my craft room practically every day. I bet you could guess a couple of them, but maybe the others you didn't know about! I wanted to share a complied list here of all my favorites so you can start the New Year out with some fun new stuff, you deserve it. ;)
Most of these products I've also done full video tutorials on, but if there's anything else you'd like to see, just let me know!
Let's start from the "bottom" up.
5. Sizzix Tweezers
These tweezers are a life saver in my craft room more than I'd like to admit! I LOVE using these tweezers for really small and intricate die pieces that layer. I also use them for placing sequins. My favorite thing about these tweezers is they are OPEN & are NOT the reverse tweezers you will find from others. I understand why people may like the reverse tweezers (these are tweezers that are permanently closed, and you squeeze them to open) --> my brain does not enjoy these LOL - may be personal preference, but I've had these tweezers for ages, and tried others and always come back to my Sizzix tweezers. They also come with a little silicone cap so you can keep them nice and clean & don't poke yourself.
4. Non-Stick Scissors - Fiskars
These Non-Stick Scissors from Fiskars are a life saver in the craft room - no more sticky scissors! If you don't already have some Non-Stick Scissors (which I would previously call "Adhesive Scissors") - you need these! These scissors cut through foam & regular adhesive with EASE. This one is a game changer, I can honestly say before I found these, I ruined 4 pairs of nice scissors. Considering how many scissors you will save in the long run, the price of these are totally worth it!
3. 12 Inch Fiskars "SureCut" Trimmer
It is imperative to me that I describe I have the 12 inch Fiskars trimmer, called "SureCut Deluxe"-- this one will fit all 12x12 papers with ease. My Fiskars trimmer has never let me down. The minute the paper starts getting a little distressed when trimming, all you need to do is replace the blade. The Fiskars trimmer has a nice thin wire, showing where the paper will cut. I just created a FULL process video on all the different aspects of the Fiskars 12 inch Trimmer, and you can find that HERE.
2. The Misti (Stamping Platform)
Ah the Misti, this is the tool I receive most questions about in my videos, because I use it almost every video! Once you have this stamping platform, you will not want to go back to using acrylic blocks. The Misti is a stamping tool that allows you to restamp with ease, so you can take the anxiety out of getting that perfect first impression. I have the Misti with its updated features, sized at 8x10, but you can also get a smaller version if you wish. The Misti, while a little pricy at first glance, is completely worth it. Not only can you use this for stamping, but also stenciling. I love using the Sticky Mats for this. I have a separate blog post HERE including a full process video on all the ways you can use the Misti.
1. The Sizzix Big Shot
If you know me, you know this would be my number one crafty tool. Die Cutting completely changed the way I crafted, and elevated my crafty game to the next level. What I love about the Sizzix Big Shot is it has a 6 inch opening, which will fit most die cuts on the market today, and this size will also fit our famous Gift Card Holder Die (I get this question a lot!). You can also use the machine with embossing folders to create impressions, and now there are plenty of coordinating stamping & die cutting products out there that are always so fun to use. I have a full blog post HERE on the Sizzix Big Shot, including a video tutorial of all the different ways you can use it!
I hope this was helpful in getting you kickstarted with some quality crafty tools for the new year! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I'd also love to hear what you want to see next!
With heart,
Disclosure: Compensated affiliate links may be used above at no cost to you. I only show you products from companies that I believe in and purchase from personally. Thank you for supporting me so that I can continue to bring you lots of fun crafting content!
Patty Gwin
Loved the tutorials for beginners, its helped me to decide to buy….
Amy Solovay
That was a good read, Emily! I found it really interesting and learned bunches from reading it. I loved your recommendations; thanks for sharing them.