Storing my dies

I am working on a big project (well... big for me) that will be delivered this Thursday and until that time I can't show it, for today I wanted to share how I store my dies. I think it's a clever way and I hope someone will benefit from it.

I started with storing the dies in their original packaging, but for the life of me, I can't understand why the dies manufactures choose to put them in containers that the jaws or life have a hard time opening (Yes - I'm talking to you LifeStyle Crafts and Nestabilities...). So that method was quickly determined as time waster and at least once I managed to cut myself trying to get the die out of the package.

I put the dies on a piece of cartoon with a magnet, and store it all in a clear plastic protector in a binder. It is real easy to find the one I'm looking for and pick just the right size. This method also helps me keep track of the dies I used and need to put back in place.

I also try to put the original image of the dies along with their name. It makes it easier to pick them when I'm looking for specific one.

 

Here is how my binder is looking today. Currently I have 15 dies stored in that binder, I think I can fit a few more, but probably not more then 20.

 The plastic package itself I cut into flat squares and am planning on using it sometime in the future. The rest goes to the trash.

Low cost Embossing helper

לפני מספר שבועות רכשתי לי אקדח חום ואני נהנית מאוד מהנסיונות איתו. אבל מאוד לא אהבתי את השאריות של האבקה שנשארות דבוקות מסביב להחתמה.

חיפוש מהיר בגוגל העלה שיש כרית מיוחדת או כלי של EK שאפשר לקנות לנטרול החשמל הסטטי. כמובן שפה בארץ אי אפשר לקנות את זה באופן מהיר אז הייתי צריכה למצוא פתרון ביתי מהיר.

מסתבר שקורנפלור פשוט עושה את העבודה מצויין ולא עולה הרבה. שמתי בגרב של אחד הילדים (אחת מהגרביים שנשארה יתומה...) ווואו! התוצאות פשוט מדהימות.

A few weeks ago I purchased a heat tool for embossing and am having lots of fun experimenting with it, but I was really  not loving all the extra small sprinkles that were left around most of the embossed images.

Quick Google searched turned out that there is a pouch I can buy called the Embossing Buddy. Being here is Israel means I can't just buy it and have it the next day, and being the impatient person that I am I tried to find an alternative. 

Turns out that if you put Corn Starch in a kid sock, it will work just as great and really doesn't cost anything, since it's two things that every house hold has :-)

And - WOW!! the results are just magnificent. So of course I had to share.

Here is how the image looks without the help of the embossing sock

הנה החתמה ללא האבקה לפני

 And here is after using it

והנה עם האבקה לפני, תראו איך אין בכלל נקודות מעצבנות

Such a big difference!!

Here is a picture of the sock :-)

והנה הגרב במלוא תפארתה....