• For all the latest techniques on 10 or more ways to use various products - like Opalites, Fantasy Film, Chalks, Kaleidacolor Ink Pads, Pearlex powders, which ink works for what and so much more, keep your eyes on our classes. We do specific 'Techniques' classes to cover all these subjects.

• If you don't have a perfectly straight eye (and who of us does?) try using a glue stick over top of your X-press it tape. this makes for a firmer bond when it dries, but more importantly it gives you the ability to have a look and see if it's lined up correctly, and if it's not you can just lift it off and replace.

• OFFCUTS -  Are you finding you have a million bits of paper that you keep because they're too big to throw away, but you never really get around to using them?  I found that if I put them all into plastic bags in their colours (ie: one bag for red, one for yellow etc..) then they suddenly become much more user friendly - especially for punching and die cutting with your Nestabilities etc.  Now I always go to my 'scraps' bags first and save a lot of extra paper this way.

• BRADS - Don't forget if you're looking for that perfect coloured brad and you can't find it, you can use your Versamark ink pad on the top, then dip in embossing powder and heat. Now you have the colour you want., You can do the same with craft glue and glitter for a glitzier look.      

• Nestabilities store well inside data CD cases, and if you cut a piece of a magnetic sheet to fit the inside of the disc, they'll stay where they're put without falling out.                                                                      
• Have you tried using Fantasy Film yet. It goes through the Cuttlebug really nicely and you can do a soft flimsy background by passing one sheet through in the desired folder - or fuse 3 sheets together to make a heavier more substantial background.
•   How about this for a great tip.  If you are having problems with your tiny jars of brads and eyelets all tipping out when you open them, try sticking a piece of magnet on the bottom of the jar and they'll all stay nicley inside the jar. 
• Speaking of magnets, the nestabilities work really well if you place a magnetic sheet underneath before you cut - particularly if you want to make sure they don't move, eg: when trying to line the cut up, or using two nests, one inside the other. 

•  Tack and peel - this product is great for holidng your unmounted stamps onto the acrylic block. It's sticky on both sides so you can use and reuse it. When it loses it's 'stick' just wash in warm soapy water and it'll be as good as new. However, it's not really recommended for use with the new clear stamps as they tend to stick on their own, and the extra tack can be enough to tear them, but it's marvelous for using with your rubber unmounteds. 
•  For a more masculine card simply change the colours used. Try blues, browns, greys or even blacks to make it more 'manly'. 
• Want to make 'Faux' Ivory: Here's how:  Take a piece of white shrink plastic. Scratch the surface lightly with a pair of scissors or a blade.  Apply a layer of cream chalk over the entire area. Shrink by heating and voila - looks just like the real thing.  Make some jewellery or embellish a card or a layout. 
• Don't forget if you're looking a nice background and you don't have the right stamp, you can always use a piece of colourful gift wrap or scrap booking paper and build up your design on top of it. (Yes of course we have a great range for you to choose from). 
• Having a hard time making perfect bows?  Try the  Bow Easy.  It makes seven different sized bows all sitting neat and flat.  Come in for a demonstration on how you tie them.

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