Category Archives: Tool Tip Tuesday

Tool Tip Tuesday – Mouse Pad

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If you have a mouse pad around, you can use it as a crafting tool! Here are a couple of ways to get some use out of a mouse pad.

A mouse pad can be helpful in the craft room!

A mouse pad can be helpful in the craft room!

Turning a mouse pad over so that the spongy side is facing up, and you’ve got the perfect surface to use for stamping with acrylic stamps which don’t have a built in cushion.

  • Place your paper on top of the mouse pad
  • Place the acrylic stamp on an acrylic block
  • Add ink to your stamp
  • Gently but firmly stamp your image, and remove
  • Voila! A great image!

A mouse pad can also be the perfect tool to use with a piercing tool. Those piercing tools are sharp and can quickly poke and gouge into your work surface. There are sets available which include a mat to use with a piercing tool, but they are usually small. By using a mouse pad, you’ve got a much larger protective piece to work on. So if you’re doing paper piercing as a decorative element, or you are just poking a starter hole for a brad, try out a mouse pad!

How have you used a mouse pad in your craft room?

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Tool Tip Tuesday – Duck Duct Tape

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Most of you already know there a million things you can use duct tape for.

3 reasons to use duct tape on your stencils

3 reasons to use duct tape on your stencils.

We commonly refer to it as “Duck Tape,” which is actually a popular brand name of duct tape. I’m sure you’ve seen some of things people have made, from wallets to prom dresses. Today, we’re sticking with a crafty use. I recently noticed someone had used a pretty duck tape to edge her stencils. Brilliant! Having all the edges extend beyond the existing borders of the stencils was really helpful.

  • Duct tape edges give more space to cover the project beyond the stencil.
  • A stack of stencils slide more easily across each other.
  • There is more to hold on to as you clean your stencils.

We even soaked and cleaned stencils in a tub of water and the duct tape held up great!  We were actually encouraged to use Duck brand duct tape, as it seems to actually work better for this purpose. I had envisioned using some wild prints and really jazzing up the edges, until I found out that the solid colors had TWICE as many yards as the prints, for the SAME PRICE. Yes, I started with a solid color! However, you can grab a coupon for your big box craft store and get started with some wild prints more economically. If you have some doubts, just do a few to get started.

A final tip, if there is info on the stencil you want to keep, just grab a permanent marker and write it on the tape.

Write any info about the stencil right on the tape with a permanent marker

Write any info about the stencil right on the tape with a permanent marker.

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Tool Tip Tuesday – Cosmetic Sponges

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Have you ever thought about the fact that using colored cosmetics is like doing artwork on your face? Well, I think so, anyway! One of the tools of makeup application is the cosmetic sponge. It may be a lowly little tool on its own, but it can work magic with application techniques. Not only are sponges handy in front of the mirror, they can be just as useful on your art table!

Cosmetic sponges can serve a multitude of purposes in arts and crafts.

Cosmetic sponges can serve a multitude of purposes in arts and crafts.

 

Sea sponges and synthetic, manufactured sponges that are made to resemble sea sponges are often used in art. However, a bag of cosmetic sponges is usually rather inexpensive in comparison. Plus, the are often already available in our makeup bag!

What can you do with a sponge? Here are some ideas:

  • Use damp to apply and smooth on paint
  • Remove paint as needed
  • Create texture by using different motions with the sponge
  • Snip the sponge into a shape for a “stamp”
  • Use to apply paint or ink with stencils
  • Apply ink to edges, or buff over a project
  • Use as a blending tool
  • Use as a blotter for your paintbrush while watercoloring
  • Use for an extra applicator with PanPastels
  • Use as disposable applicator for any product

What else can you think of that may be a good idea to use a small sponge for? We would love to hear your ideas.

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Tool Tip Tuesday – Coffee Filters

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Did you know that inexpensive, disposable coffee filters can provide the perfect quick item to corral small items! I don’t know about you, but a seem to be a messy crafter. Once I get started on a project, it’s like an explosion has gone off around me. I am always looking for ways to contain small items I am using.
Artful-Adventures-Kristie-Sloan-tool-tip-tuesday-coffee-filters

The first time I realized how hand coffee filters could be was when I was working at an office job and had an unruly snack. I decided I would grab a coffee filter to use as a little bowl. Then I decided coffee filters could come in handy in the craft room!  They can also be used in different ways in things you may create, but today we are looking at them today for their versatility as a utility item, not a project component.

Not only can you use them to hold small parts of a project, they are great to use for embossing powder or glitter! Because they are static free, you may even like them better than the little trays which have the spout to pour your powder or glitter back into the container. When you are finished with your powder/glitter, just gather up the filter and make a little spout to pour it back into it’s container.

Beads, sequins, brads, eyelets… you get the idea! In fact, you can even use a filter as a little bowl to hold all the small items you may have ready for a project. They will stay right where you put them until you are ready to use them.

A stack of flat bottomed coffee filters can be handy for so many things, but in the craft area, I’m sure you’ll find them useful. You can even grab one to use instead of a paper towel to wipe your paint brush on, dabbing off a bit of water, or cleaning between changing colors. Just think, if you leave it to dry, it may even be the perfect item to add to a collage, art journal or mixed media piece!

Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it won’t work!

What small products do you find you are always chasing around after they get loose while you are working?

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures!

KS

Tool Tip Tuesday – Baby Wipes!

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Welcome to the first of my Tool Tip Tuesday posts! Hopefully you will have some ‘Aha!’ moments, or think, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ Even if we have used an item, or seen and idea before, we forget. So if you see an idea along those lines, just bear with me, and consider it a reminder; and maybe the next one will be something astonishing! Maybe not, but I can hope, right?

Today, I wanted to share with you something that has become a staple in my studio – baby wipes. Yes, baby wipes, even though the youngest person around here is my, almost eight year old, granddaughter!

Baby wipes - the unsung hero of the craft room!

Baby wipes – the unsung hero of the craft room!

There is not water in my studio, so something that is damp can be a real necessity at times. Having baby wipes handy can:

  • clean up inky fingers
  • clean up sticky fingers
  • quickly clean a stamp
  • wipe off the craft mat
  • wipe off a stencil
  • become an applicator
  • become a blending tool
  • …any ideas you come up with

Once I started using baby wipes, I was able to leave my studio with much cleaner hands than I previously did! The ones which contain alcohol will really help clean up inks which are alcohol based! Actually, I’m not even sure which kind I have on-hand right now, with or without alcohol, but I love having them handy!

What kind of things do you like to use in your craft room/studio? Leave a comment and let me know!

Cheers to YOUR Artful Adventures,

KS