I have always loved and appreciated good quality tools - probably instilled in me by my parents and their 'right tool for the job' philosophy. Neither myself nor my sister would even comtemplate being caught cutting anything other than fabric with Mum's dressmaking shears, the threatened consequences were simply too dire!
When I was working as a research scientist, I had a fabbo pair of the finest microscopy tweezers and a you-beaut pair of surgical scissors. Both were so good they would often 'visit' other lab benches, usually when I needed them ASAP. Aunty Jack style labels were thus affixed: "Take my XYZ again and I'll rip yer bl**dy arms off" Did the trick, and I have both to this day!
The same love of quality tools goes for papercrafting scissors too. There are scissors and then there are Stampin' Up! paper snips. I thought I had not one, but several good pairs of paper scissors, ideal for getting into the various nooks and crannies for cutting out delicate shapes, snipping ribbon ends just-so etc. I resisted buying the SU paper snips for many months - don't need em, I thought. Hmmmm. Yes. Well. Then I actually got to use a pair at a Stampin' Up gathering. I was so instantly sold on them that a pair went on my very next order. This very same thing has happened to several other people I know too, so it's no co-incidence.
They really aren't expensive, just $18.95, and are worth every single cent 10 times over! They have precision tips that cut all the way to the end, and even though I am left handed, I can see and cut in the exact position I want, no 'oops' with these little wonders! They are perfect for trimming the fussiest of ribbon ends too. They have a protective snap on cover to protect those precious blades when not in use, and to stop you from stabbing yourself on their sharp tips in your craft caddy! Find them on page 149 of the IB&C, code 103579, and contact me to order your very own pair!
OK, I'm back - picture taken at night again, it was a busy day around here! Please excuse the reflected light spot! In the photo above you can see the black handled paper snips with their blade cover - unassuming in appearance, yet simply the best ever papercrafting scissors - so good in fact that they have won Creating Keepsakes Magazine Readers Choice Awards in 2003, 2005 and 2006 to date! Beside them is a bargain find, well worth picking up a few pairs of. They are from IKEA, and a set of this small pair of aqua handled ones, a medium sized pair with yellow handles and a large pair with red handles costs a massive $3.95. The aqua and yellow handled ones are pretty darn good for general purpose cutting in the craft room. So, keep some on hand for the kids to use, to cut sticky gunky adhesive with, and anything else you should NOT subject your SU Paper Snips to!
A couple of tips to finish with - the bright braid tied around the handles of my scissors is a quick identity tag - all my scissors have the same tag, easy to recognise at a glance, even across a cluttered bench. The second tip is that you can clean your scissor blades from time to time with either a small amount of eucalyptus oil, or a squirt of the 'goo remover' type citrus based products available from your supermarket. This will get any yuk off and leave them cutting smooth as silk all over again :)
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