Great finds of '09!

Last year I made the decision to start a "My Favorite Things" list...just in time for Christmas. This year I've found a couple of more things to add to my list. I'm calling it "Great Finds of '09"! :o)

First, Martha Stewart's paper trimmer. Cuts like butter! And the best part? It cuts STRAIGHT!! I should probably state that I have tried many paper trimmers over the years, but this one is by far, the best that I have found! Another feature I love is that it has an arm that you can "set. Here is a great video demonstrating that feature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC54B5a6bIs

The only con of this trimmer is that it only goes up to 10 1/2 inches. Not a huge issue in my opinion because most times you're cutting down a 12x12 page anyway.

Another great find is the Martha Stewart border puches. There are two that I absolutely fell in love with. One is the "Punch around the Page" loop border/corner set. There are many other designs that are available all the way from whimsical to the most elegant designs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p1p5yV2NpI

If you haven't heard of the Drippy Goo punch, be sure to check that one out too. It's been on the market for awhile. It was a "must have" item last year but this year, you can probably find one at your local Walmart. You can use this punch in sooo many different ways on cards or layouts: icing for cake; drippings from an ice cream; icicles. Lots of fun ideas! If you look at my calendar pages below, for the June page, I used this punch on the photo mat. Isn't it cute?

Aleene's Tacky Glue Pen is another wonderful product. What makes this glue pen different than others, you may be asking? It's refillable!! Last night I spent less than $3 for a huge 16 FL. OZ bottle of Tacky Glue at Walmart...which will last me a looong time! I also love that this glue pen has a fine tip which allows much more control with tiny embellishments.

**If you haven't already, check out my archived Money Saving Tip on how to make your own glue dots using Aleene's Tack It Over and Over. It's another great product that will save you some money.**

And one more thing: Whether you're a card maker or an avid scrapbooker, my best find so far has been the Cricut machine. No words can express how much I love my machine or how much use out of it I've gotten. It was well worth the investment and I highly recommend it. It will help you make beautiful pages in a fraction of the time...and it's incredibly user friendly!!

Hope these suggestions help with your Christmas shopping!