| Your scrapbooking, rubber stamping, and cardmaking | | | | interchangeable blades. You'll need to purchase a good |
| projects will look perfect when you use the proper | | | | self-healing cutting mat for your handheld rotary |
| cutting, trimming, and scoring tools. Understanding the | | | | trimmer. The self-healing cutting surface is designed to |
| differences between these tools helps to insure that | | | | allow you to use your rotary cutter many times |
| you are using the right tool for the right job. | | | | without perceived wear. |
| Popular trimming tools are the guillotine cutter, personal | | | | Cutting a circle or oval shapes with scissors can be |
| paper trimmer, and rotary cutter. Paper punches, | | | | very difficult. Shape cutters have quickly become a |
| scoring blades, T-squares, and shape cutters are also | | | | favorite tool for paper craft artists. Shape cutters |
| important tools and will assist with each and every | | | | come with plastic templates that allow you to cut |
| project. | | | | many different shape sizes. |
| The guillotine trimmer is the traditional paper trimmer | | | | Paper punches are the easiest way to make sure |
| you can find any office supply store. A long sharp | | | | your shape is perfectly cut every time. Your paper |
| blade (often curved) is hinged at the base and is lifted | | | | punches should be easy to use and have no trouble |
| above the paper and down directly on top to make a | | | | cutting through card stocks. If your paper punch |
| straight cut. Please keep in mind that not all guillotine | | | | becomes difficult to use, it could be a result of glues or |
| trimmers are made well. You're going to need a solid, | | | | adhesives getting into the die mechanism. Usually a |
| sturdy guillotine trimmer with tight fittings. Make sure the | | | | spray of a silicone lubricant will solve this problem. |
| handle doesn't flex at all or you will be consistently | | | | T-squares and the scoring blades are tools that can |
| frustrated by crooked cuts. Another great feature is a | | | | be very helpful while stamping and scrapbooking. |
| detachable blade which can be sharpened or replaced. | | | | Durable T-squares that will last many years can be |
| Rubber stamping projects often require simple cuts to | | | | purchased at your local hardware store. Cheaper |
| mattes and small pieces of stamped card stock. The | | | | styles can be purchased at a craft store. Buy a quality |
| personal trimmer is the perfect tool for the routine | | | | T-square that has a tooled edge for making perfectly |
| trimming and can fit inside your desk drawer. Small | | | | straight lines and cuts. You will be able to line up |
| paper trimmers usually have safety features that | | | | corners and make perfect mattes. Scoring blades are |
| make them especially suitable for trimming small items | | | | used to make straight tears and folds along the corner |
| held by hand close to the blade. This allows you to | | | | edges of handmade greeting cards. Designer scoring |
| crop small pieces of hand stamped card stock, trim | | | | blades allow you make decorative tears on |
| tiny wallet photos, and matte stocks. Personal paper | | | | scrapbooking paper and card stock. |
| trimmers are not suitable for long straight cuts | | | | All of your projects will benefit from having the proper |
| because they are usually made of lightweight plastic. | | | | cutting and trimming tools. Make sure to have these |
| Rotary trimmers are favorites for scrapbooking | | | | tools on hand so you can dive into those projects. Well |
| enthusiasts because you can purchase different styles | | | | trimmed projects with clean, straight cuts always stand |
| of blades. Want to make a curvy edge or a | | | | out above the rest. Keep your blades sharp and out of |
| perforated, stamped envelope? The rotary trimmer | | | | the reach of small children at all times. Try to purchase |
| makes these tasks simple. Many rotary trimmer | | | | at least one version of each of cutting tools to |
| systems also come with handheld trimmers that use | | | | experience the benefits of each one. |