New Tools

2010 has been a huge learning year for me. I participated in my first card swap because I wanted to start making more cards. It was a lot of fun but discovered that I am limited in what I make because I don't have all the tools I need. I have a ton of supplies thanks to different themed envelop swaps so don't really need to spend much there except when it comes to my DCWV Card Stock Addiction, lol.
Towards the end of the year I purchased my first MS punches. I have to say I am not a fan of MS so I stay away from her products but Michael's had a couple of her corner and boarder sets on sale so I picked one up to try. Loved them, very easy to use, comfortable in the hand and once I figure out were I will store them they are easy to store. I need to get more of these set and have decided they will be a splurge item this year, maybe if I am lucky I will get one set a month :).
I also received from a pal on sb.com, love pal swaps, an i-Rock. What a incredible wonderful tool this is. I LOVE bling and tend to try and use it on all my projects, even for my son LOL. At Christmas's I received all the little containers of metallic studs now just need to pick up all the rhinestone sets. This is one tool that I think every crafter should have, it is very easy to use and it sits on my desk in easy reach because I tend to grab it so much. Other brands of heat sink rhinestones work with it but Imaginisce brad works the best. Now on to the new tools I think I need this year. Imaginisce has several that they have put out that I was not sure I needed but since then after seeing some wonderful products using them know they are now a MUST have.
First on my list is the i-Top, I cant believe all the wonderful things you can do with this tool, it is definitely multipurpose which for me is important. You can make brads, magnets, badges, pins, snaps, rings, headbands, hair accessories the list goes on and it looks like they are coming out with more things this incredible tool can do. I have 2 little girls and the idea of making my own headbands and other hair accessories for them is a thrill. I also have 2 teenagers that have lockers at school so the fact I could make them magnets for them is exciting too.
Second is a Crop-a-Dile. I have a eyelet punch and setter but it is hand held and a pain to use. Plus because I have to hit it with a hammer, loud, which is not good to use at night, which is when I tend to do most of my crafting. But since the i-Rock came out this has another function as well. I watched a tutorial on how to make your own i-Rock templates and the Crop-a-Dile is use to make the holes. So it has now become a MUST have as well.
Third as said above more corner and boarder punches. I have plenty of the other type of punches but I never really use them. I guess that is the out of site out of mind issue so I might have to think of a different way to store them.
Fourth is a biggie. I want to upgrade to a circut Expressions. I love my personal cutter but some of the things I have been coming up with need a large machine to cut LOL. Also with that would love a gypsy but I think I might put that one off until next year.
Fifth I need a new camera. The digital one I have is a few year old and there is a huge delay in taking pictures so I miss some of the great facial expressions my little girls make. So time to do some shopping around and find one I like and is not too much money LOL.
And last but not least a new computer. This may not seem like a tool for scrap booking but I am finding I use it a lot more for digital storage, editing of pictures and really I am on it everyday. So I plan on buy a new one and moving my old Hard Drives from it to put into the new one. That way I don't have to do a file transfer which can take forever. Besides I have 2 huge size HDs in this computer and my kids don't need them in their computer because that is what happens to my old ones, the kids get them.
Well I think that is along enough post since there is now crafty goodness in it. I am looking forward to learning new techniques and being more inspired and sharing that all with you. Thanks for stopping by and remember to follow, I would love to have 50 followers then I could raffle off a Rak that would include some of my favourite things!