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Post by paperaddict on Feb 18, 2020 6:38:20 GMT
I saw one of Jennifer McGuire's new video and she introduce Altenew's new cutting mat. I thought to myself "how many mats do we need?" I got the Tim Holtz media mat, and for reason, I thought I needed the Waffle Flower watercolor mat. Then I heard about the mat/magnets system used for stencils. Now, there is a smaller size Waffle Flower watercolor mat.
There are also new dye ink pads from Inkon3 and from Concord and 9th. Do you find that a lot of companies are coming up with very similar tools? Waffle Flower have nesting dies similar to Hero Arts, SSS,Spellbinders etc.
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camcas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,973 
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Post by camcas on Feb 18, 2020 10:20:30 GMT
It’s overwhelming isn’t it?!
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Post by freeatlast on Feb 18, 2020 12:03:22 GMT
Yes, and I am learning I don't need it all.
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kitbop
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,383
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Post by kitbop on Feb 18, 2020 12:30:44 GMT
I thought the same thing when I saw the video. I admit, the grey is nice, and I like the inches/cm option, but otherwise it's just a cutting mat.
A duplication that is driving my nuts currently is inks and liquid watercolours. I understand that each company wants it's share of the profits. But the choices are overwhelming and thus I buy nothing for fear of getting it "wrong" on my limited budget!!!
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Post by ghislaine on Feb 18, 2020 15:30:50 GMT
The self healing cutting mats do wear out after a while. I think for craft cutting it would take quite a while though. I have a couple of self healing mats for quilting and that involves a lot more cutting than scrapbooking or card making and I've yet to replace them.
The thing that's irritating me a little bit is all the options for blending inks! Daubers, foam pads, brushes, who knows what's next!
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Post by 950nancy on Feb 18, 2020 16:11:55 GMT
I think each company has a following and different people jump on getting tools at different times, so it makes sense to try to make a buck on something that you see is working. I think they also put their own little spin on the item so it seems better than the original.
Once I have something, I try not to look at other tools that are basically what I have. Except stamp positioners. Apparently I need four of those.
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Post by paperaddict on Feb 18, 2020 16:13:44 GMT
Yes, it seems new blending tools are the "in" thing now for every company to come up with their own version of it.
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kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,516
Location: The city that doesn't sleep
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Feb 18, 2020 16:43:41 GMT
Hear, hear!
I've seen YouTubers with 4 or 5 electric die cutters - and I don't mean a Big Shot and a Cricut; I mean Gemini in 3 sizes, Empress in two sizes, and Big Shot Express! Why have all those machines that do exactly the same thing???
Full disclosure: I do have 3 cutting mats. I bought one when I started papercrafting 15ish years ago, I got one for free from CTMH, and I got one from a guy in my building (some kind of designer) who was moving out and getting rid of a lot of supplies. When I have my crafting pals over, they all get used... And I have so far resisted buying the Tim Holtz glass mat. I want it, but real estate in my craft area is a real issue.
I agree about the blending brushes! First we have the overpriced Picket Fence ones (because we need one in each size!), then Taylored Expressions (because we DON'T really need one in each size, we need one in each COLOR!), then Pink and Main (because we DON'T need one in each size OR each color - just one with an ergonomic handle...?). But, again, I guess I shouldn't be casting stones. I have a set of brushes from Amazon in addition to the Tim Holtz original foam blenders - I love the TH ones because I can keep a foam pad nestled in the base of each Distress Mini cube, and I love the brushes (multiple sizes, please) for stencils.
The question of the moment for me is inks. I notice the YT stars all seem to use the inks from whatever company makes the stamps they're advertising - er, demonstrating. I would like a dye ink that stamps crisply for detailed stamps and tiny sentiments but also has good, even coverage when stamped with more solid images and clear stamps. I have a lot of CTMH inks from back in the day, when everyone else's inks beaded terribly on clear stamps. I don't know if their inks are the best out there anymore, and I'd love to buy a whole new suite of dye inks. I have my Distress and Oxides for blending and other techniques, but they're not the best for crisp images.
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Post by Embri on Feb 18, 2020 20:16:10 GMT
I have a standard grid cutting mat (ancient, probably from Staples) and a mini one from the dollar store. And a kids 'craft mat' which is really just a big ol' piece of plastic to keep ink and stuff off my wooden work surface. That's it. All these special surfaces are bollocks, you don't need them.
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Post by aj2hall on Feb 18, 2020 21:03:03 GMT
I have an inexpensive cutting mat from amazon that I use at home and bring to crops. I bought the Tim Holtz glass mat on sale at Js but have not yet used it. And I bought the altenew stamping one for blending and also the Wendi Vecchi one to use with stencils. No, I don’t need all of them, but they do serve different purposes
as far as brushes, I have lots if those, too. A few of the original Tim Holtz ones, the scrapbook.com ones with the dome top, the makeup ones from amazon, a set of Simon says stamp knock offs in pretty colors from amazon and a few relatively inexpensive detail ones from honey bee. No, I don’t need all of them either, I just wanted to try some different ones
as far as inks, I have some really old CTMH ones, a few distress and a few oxides. I’ve been wanting to get a new set of inks but have not decided which ones yet. Gina K and altenew are supposed to be good, I will probably just get the smaller ones
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Post by scrapbookmomof4 on Feb 19, 2020 3:34:03 GMT
It drives me nuts too! I've been collecting ink pads from one company and recently completed my collection. This was based on Jennifer's recommendation. When YouTubers say this is the greatest and then a month later say the new thing is the greatest, I question whether or not they are being sincere in their recommendations.
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Post by Embri on Feb 19, 2020 4:49:50 GMT
It drives me nuts too! I've been collecting ink pads from one company and recently completed my collection. This was based on Jennifer's recommendation. When YouTubers say this is the greatest and then a month later say the new thing is the greatest, I question whether or not they are being sincere in their recommendations. If they're sponsored (or even just hoping to be) you can count that as a 'no'. I see most of the so-called professional videos as nothing more than advertisements, because that's what they are. |
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Post by gmcwife1 on Feb 19, 2020 7:22:13 GMT
It drives me nuts too! I've been collecting ink pads from one company and recently completed my collection. This was based on Jennifer's recommendation. When YouTubers say this is the greatest and then a month later say the new thing is the greatest, I question whether or not they are being sincere in their recommendations. If they're sponsored (or even just hoping to be) you can count that as a 'no'. I see most of the so-called professional videos as nothing more than advertisements, because that's what they are. I felt like Jennifer M used to give good recommendations on things she actually used, a few years ago. Now I don’t listen to her recommendations, I feel she is just pushing product for whoever is paying  |
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Post by mrssch on Feb 19, 2020 16:11:50 GMT
I still use my large AQUA American Crafts Mat and my even older MAKING MEMORIES black grid mat.
I'm cleaning out my studio, yesteryear I un-earthed the Heidi Swapp mixed media mat (still in box) and a glass mat (unused) that I thrifted a year or two ago (I'm sure I have another one somewhere in the rubble). These are in addition to the "travel mats" that I took to crops (about 10 years ago).
I'm learning valuable lessons regarding how I've wasted my money and cluttered my space. I plan to make the lesson stick this time.
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Post by hop2 on Feb 20, 2020 15:26:34 GMT
I use semi clear plastic ‘cutting mats’ 2 in a package from the dollar tree as my desk surface.
I do have a WRMK glass ‘mat’ but I’ve used it once it sits off to the side of my desk most of the time.
I got a small WRMK magnetic cutting mat free- haven’t used it.
I do have the wendi vecchi work thing I’ve used that 3 times and once at a class where my neighbor ruined the painted lines on it with some sort of cleaner I was angry but didn’t say anything I’m more annoyed at the manufacturer would make a surface where the lines pretty much wipe off.
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scrapnnana
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,130
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Post by scrapnnana on Feb 20, 2020 16:46:33 GMT
I think each company has a following and different people jump on getting tools at different times, so it makes sense to try to make a buck on something that you see is working. I think they also put their own little spin on the item so it seems better than the original. Once I have something, I try not to look at other tools that are basically what I have. Except stamp positioners. Apparently I need four of those. Ditto. |
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Post by infochick on Feb 20, 2020 17:49:52 GMT
I saw one of Jennifer McGuire's new video and she introduce Altenew's new cutting mat. I thought to myself "how many mats do we need?" I got the Tim Holtz media mat, and for reason, I thought I needed the Waffle Flower watercolor mat. Then I heard about the mat/magnets system used for stencils. Now, there is a smaller size Waffle Flower watercolor mat. There are also new dye ink pads from Inkon3 and from Concord and 9th. Do you find that a lot of companies are coming up with very similar tools? Waffle Flower have nesting dies similar to Hero Arts, SSS,Spellbinders etc. I totally agree with you! Your post also gave me a great idea to repurpose my old magnetic Basic Grey mat to use with stencils. It has been sitting largely unused, but since I struggle with my stencils moving, this would be the perfect use for it! |
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ditzydoodle
Junior Member
Posts: 81
Jun 2, 2019 19:02:16 GMT
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Post by ditzydoodle on Feb 20, 2020 21:44:30 GMT
Yes! It is actually saving me a lot of money because I am done buying the same thing with only a brand name to differentiate it  I have wasted a lot of money buying things I saw used in popular maker videos just because they said it was a good product. I have the brown craft sheet (Tim Hotlz?) from when I first started getting serious, and only used it once or twice. I also got some kind of rubber grid mat to help with stamping. I don't recall the brand, because I only used it a few times and now have no idea where it is. I almost bought the Tim Holtz media mat, but common sense prevailed. I have a large self healing mat I got ages ago when I thought I was going to learn to sew that I have down on my craft table, and on top of that a few pieces of 12x17 paper. When the top sheet gets icky, I turn it over then eventually throw it away. I find the healing mat and paper is the only 'mat' I need . Blender brushes - I wasn't about to pay Picket Fence prices, so I got what appears to be an identical set on the cheap from amazon. Then I did also get the Taylored Expressions brushes, even though they were expensive, because they were all the same size, which is the one I use the most for my ink blending.... and I just love the colors! I also don't understand having die cut machines in different sizes. I have a Cuttlebug and Vagabond 2; the bug didn't have the same pressure as when I first bought it, and I was having some shoulder problems so splurged on the electric machine. When I heard the Cuttlebug was being discontinued, I bought the pink one and as many cutting pads as I could find, in case the Vagabond 2 dies on me I have a backup. I thought that was reasonable - at least that is what my enabler mother convinced me of, haha! I see no need to have multiple Gemini machines  |
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Post by joblackford on Feb 21, 2020 2:36:08 GMT
I'm learning that if I wait a good while after the new hot thing comes out that version 2 or 3 might actually be the one that has the features I want. I'm trying not to rush into things that don't really serve a need in my crafting life.
I don't have any kind of mat on my table. I have a roll of the TH teflon sheet stuff and some really big pieces of cardboard and a really old quilting mat tucked away but 95% of the time I just work on my folding table surface, sometimes with a piece of paper underneath to catch stray ink. Mats get in my way more than they help. I have a tiny self healing mat from Japan (therefore 20+ years old) that I keep nearby just in case I really need it. It's not much bigger than an A2 card so I can usually make space for it on my desk without doing a massive tidy up, unlike my quilting mat.
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I have wasted a lot of money buying things I saw used in popular maker videos just because they said it was a good product. I have the brown craft sheet (Tim Hotlz?) from when I first started getting serious, and only used it once or twice. I also got some kind of rubber grid mat to help with stamping. I don't recall the brand, because I only used it a few times and now have no idea where it is. I almost bought the Tim Holtz media mat, but common sense prevailed. I have a large self healing mat I got ages ago when I thought I was going to learn to sew that I have down on my craft table, and on top of that a few pieces of 12x17 paper. When the top sheet gets icky, I turn it over then eventually throw it away. I find the healing mat and paper is the only 'mat' I need . Blender brushes - I wasn't about to pay Picket Fence prices, so I got what appears to be an identical set on the cheap from amazon. Then I did also get the Taylored Expressions brushes, even though they were expensive, because they were all the same size, which is the one I use the most for my ink blending.... and I just love the colors! I also don't understand having die cut machines in different sizes. I have a Cuttlebug and Vagabond 2; the bug didn't have the same pressure as when I first bought it, and I was having some shoulder problems so splurged on the electric machine. When I heard the Cuttlebug was being discontinued, I bought the pink one and as many cutting pads as I could find, in case the Vagabond 2 dies on me I have a backup. I thought that was reasonable - at least that is what my enabler mother convinced me of, haha! I see no need to have multiple Gemini machines 