Hi everyone, did you think that I forgot about our Sunday Starter date today. Well, I didn’t forget but I was so busy that I am just sitting down to the computer and it is almost midnight here in my neck of the woods.

Which brings me to the title of my blog post today… Cutting it Close. I am cutting it close to getting this post in on the proper day, if I don’t type fast, I just might not! And our topic today is cutting tools.

There are so many tools out there on the market that are promoted to be the next best thing, the must have item for scrapbooking that it can be overwhelming to say the least. Especially if you are new to scrapbooking or hybrid and you are on a limited budget. Do you really need that $300 machine that can cut out a life sized model of your head… maybe it might be fun but no you don’t need it.

To start with Hybrid scrapping there are 3 things that you should have. They aren’t even must have’s but these are the things that are going to make your hybriding easier and you really won’t need anything else later on. Now if you want that $300 dohickey that is another blog post all together.

So what do you need.

1. A paper slicer.

There are a number of kinds, some have a slider, some are like those old choppers with the big handle that you used to have in elementry school and the teachers were always scared someone was going to cut off a finger or other appendage, or there are some that have a rotary trimmer that rolls along a track. They range in price but a simple slider one is what I purchased years ago is what I use and I have never had a problem so you don’t need to go fancy.

2. A pair of microtipped scissors.

These are essential for getting into those tight corners and trimming a fine scalloped edge or little tiny details on a project. Get the lightest sharpest ones that you can as they are what you will use most of all. But becareful, they are really sharp, I currently am sporting a bright pink bandaid to prove it.

3. A craft knife (AKA an exacto knife).

One of these is perfect for cutting out the insides of things like letters or circles, somewhere that you can’t get your scissors into without making a big dent or crease in the project. I also find them useful for lettering and words.

Here is a visual of what I use for my crafting.

So there you have it, all you really need to get started and stay hybrid creating in the line of cutting are these 3 little things.

I hope you all are trying out this hybrid adventure and having some fun while you are doing it. I will be back soon with another Sunday Started Blog Post!

Until then,

~Lori~

Hi there again folks, Lori back with you on this sunshiney Sunday. Or at least it is here. I hope you all have wonderful weather as well in your part of the world.

So lets see where we left off in our starter Sunday lessons. Last week I gave you all the reasons that you should try hybrid and squashed some of the old excuses that you might have had not too. I outlined a few of the necessary tools that you would need in order to jump right in.

So this week we are going to have a bit more of a focused post on one of those necessary items. Adhesives!

What kind of adhesive is best for you? What is the difference between the kinds and why should it matter what I use?

Well, it is like anything, sometimes there are different types of the same thing that work better than others. Sometimes it is personal preferance and sometimes it is cost and availability.

Lets take a look at a couple of the most common ones.

GLUE STICKS

Easy to find, portable, inexpensive and not as messy as other types of glue. However sometimes the strenght of the stick is not great and sometimes the hold will let go after it is dry a while. Might best be used on lightweight papers

LIQUID GLUES

When you think of these you might think of white glue or musilage but there are many different types on the market these days that are specific to scrapbooking. Although these can be a bit messy at times especially if the nozzle on the end isn’t the right size or gets clumpy however they often dry to a very good hold.

ADHESIVE ROLLERS

These are a handy roller that holds double sided adhesive that you roll on to your paper. It is usually a permenant adhesive although there are repositionable types on the market as well which is convienient if you do a lot of moving your elements around. They are portable and relatively inexpensive and refills are often availble.

FOAM DOTS

These are a piece of foam that has glue on both sides and are used for giving your embellishment or element depth on your project. They are very useful for giving that realistic look to a project.

Now there are lots of other types of adhesives out there on the market but since this is supposed be an introductory tutorial, I am going to leave it at the basics. What I will suggest is that you take some time and go and visit your local craft store and ask them what they think, what seems to be the ones that work well and the ones that don’t. Glue and adhesives can be a very personal thing so finding the one that works for you is worth the time you put into it.

Until next time ~

~Lori~

Hi there everyone! I am Lori one of the new Hybrid Geeks and I am thrilled to be here! Many of you will know me as LoriJ on many of the digiscrapping forums and I have been digiscrapping for about 4 years now and I love it. So much in fact that when I started I completly turned a blind eye to the thousands of dollars worth of paper scrapping supplies and equipment that I bought when I was a paper scrapper. But lately I have recently gotten hooked into hybrid scrapbooking and I am really enjoying it alot. Not only do I get to use my digi-knowhow and stash but I have remembered how much I like to get my hands on the scrapping materials. And as much as I love having my layouts printed there is something really cool to having an immediate 3d item to show off.

So what if you are a newbie and you are thinking about trying hybrid out but can’t seem to get started. Are you thinking that it is too hard, too much work, too expensive? Let me just clear some of those misconceptions up for you.

1. Hybrid is too hard. I wouldn’t know how to do it.

Hybrid can be as difficult as you want it to be. There are some hybrid projects out there that I am sure you need a degree in rocket science for but most of them you don’t. Hybrid can be as simple as making and printing a card. Most good template makers (and Mel is right up there on the great list) include very clear step by step instructions that are easy to follow. And as long as you do something consistently (even if it is a “mistake”) you just call it a design feature and pretend like you always meant it to be that way!

2. Hybrid is too much work. I don’t have the time.

If you are already digiscrapping, hybrid is only a few minutes more of your time. Now the first couple of projects that you do might take a bit longer until you get the feel of the old scissors again or choosing embellishments can be a bit time consuming if you find it hard to make a decesion but otherwise, you design as usual and then print. The cutting and assembling can be done in stages and the fun thing is it can be portable, you can cut in the car on your way to work – just as long as you aren’t the one driving!

3. Hybrid is expensive. I can’t afford it.

The main cost with hybrid is the printing. Either you have to buy a good quality color printer and ink or you need to have your pages printed somewhere else. There are benefits and pirfalls to both but it shouldn’t cost a fortune for a hybrid project. I don’t believe I have ever spent more than $5 making one and that is getting my pages printed at the local Staples (business supply store). Now if you want to purchase all sorts of things to make your hybrid life “easier” there are multitudes of things to spend your money on but not too many are necessary. (see number 4)

4. I can’t do it, I don’ t have any of the tools.

As I mentioned, there are all sorts of things that you can buy to make hybrid projects a snap and 99% of them are NOT necessary. Sure some of them are fun, some of them are cool and yes, I have a lot of them but are they needed, NO! So then what do you need in order to do some hybrid projects.

a.  An idea of what you want to create. This could be something as simple as a card or it could involve a template from a favorite designer, someone like Mel for example!

b. The papers that you want to use. Any of your current digital kits will do just fine. Design your project as you would a digital page and print in whatever manner that you choose.

c. A Cutting device. A good pair of scissors, a paper slicer, a rotary cutter, whatever cuts your papers in the way that you want is all you need. Here are some examples:

d. A Scoring tool. In hybrid there can be a lot of folding and in order to make a nice crisp fold a scoring tool is key. This can be a fancy one or it can be a butter knife and a ruler. You just need the line to be straight and not cut through. These are the simplest ones to find:

e. An Adhesive. This is the glue that holds it all together, literally. It can be a glue stick, white glue, glue roller or dots. There are tons of kinds of adhesives and everyone has a personal preference. Next week we will talk about the differences in these in a lot more detail. Here are just a few of the ones that I have.

So you see, you don’t need anything fancy, or a lot of time or money to get started! Just gather up some of the things you probably have laying around your house already and get started. I promise you, you will have a lot of fun!

So until next week when I will be back with a lesson on Adhesives, I hope you have a scrappy week!

~Lori~