5 Crafty Tips for Beginner Crafters

Crafters always have tips stashed away in their back pocket. These tricks are discovered through everyday making or are passed down from crafty mothers. It’s amazing the ingenious tricks I learn from the artists and crafters I hang out with. Here are some crafty tips of my own:

1. DIFFERENT SHEARS FOR DIFFERENT MATERIALS

I’ve always lived in households with a million pairs of scissors. Each pair neatly labeled paper, fabric, tape or plants. Trust me, there is some method to this madness. By limiting each pair’s use to one material, you prolong it’s life! Gone are the days of trying to cut gift wrapping paper with annoyingly blunt or ridiculously sticky scissors. My favorite pair of scissors? Fiskars Everyday Titanium Scissors are a definite must-have for any crafter.

2. PAD ON STAMP vs. STAMP ON PAD

Do you have problems making the perfect smudge-free impressions with your stamps? Try this. One of my favorite tips is lightly tapping the ink pads onto the stamps instead. It keeps the ink from seeping through the crevices, making for clean prints. Want to use two or more colors on a stamp? Instead of ink pads, try using brush pens instead. Color directly onto the stamp for perfect multi-colored stamp impressions.

3. SERVICE MAINTENANCE FOR YOUR PUNCHERS

Punchers age with poor storage and constant or careless use. Punching through stickers make them sticky, thick sheets of paper make them blunt. Just like cars, punchers need regular maintenance. Regularly check on your punchers to see if they’re still in good condition. If you the blades start getting stuck or sticky, punch sheets of wax paper a couple times to smoothen the punches. If the cuts aren’t clean, punch aluminum foil a few times to sharpen the edges. Always make sure you store your punchers in a sealed container in a dry area in your home.

4. FOLLOW THE FOLDS, NOT THE EDGES.

Here’s a fact. Sheets of paper are very rarely cut as perfect squares or rectangles. You’ll sometimes find that scrapbook or origami paper edges are cut at a slant. That’s totally fine! When you fold paper for origami or other paper crafts, align the folds instead of the paper edges. That way you don’t struggle with the paper when you craft.

5. OPEN JUMP RINGS SIDEWAYS, NOT APART.

Jump rings are the important joints of handmade jewelry. It’s important that they hold everything in place. Although malleable, these tiny round wire pieces can only take so much tweaks and twists. Sometimes opening and closing the rounds repeatedly, cause the wire to bend and break. To prevent this from happening, always make sure to open the rings sideways instead of apart.