Tuesday 29 April 2014

A Crafty Tuesday Tip!

Hello friends
Do you suffer from a mucky squidgy mat??
(If you stumbled across this blog and you do not craft you might wonder
what I'm talking about!) 
But for those of you with a Grand Calibur or Artisan X-Plorer you know what I mean.
So often bits of paper, glitter and dust gets attracted to the static of the mat.
Here is a little handy tip....
Take your mucky squidgy mat and a roll of parcel tape.
  
Place strips of parcel tape along your squidgy mat.
Create your embossing sandwich, base plate, squidgy mat with tape and pink embossing plate.
Run through the machine.
No need to use a shim and only run through once.
Peel back the parcel tape....
and pretty much all of the glitter and bits are off the mat and stuck to the tape!
I used a cheap parcel tape because it is a little thinner.
If you are a little unsure about your tape test a small area first.

Also today sharing with you a beautiful heart created by Jackie.
Having recently purchased the Create A Sunflower die Jackie combined these
with Graphic 45 papers and created this stunning heart.
I think she has done an amazing job and I asked her if she would not mind
me featuring it today.
The Create A Sunflower teamed with Foliage really looks effective.
Thank you Jackie for sending along the photo.

Other news - still joining the knitted squares...
I'm intending to have this blanket finished to display on Saturday
(if Bella parts with it!)
Saturday is a Charity Knit and Natter Pop-In event in the shop,
totally free - everyone welcome.
Just call in whether you want to knit, natter or both!
All the details are here.

Take care friends, I'm back tomorrow.

35 comments:

Carole Z said...

Hi Christine, what a fab tip, will have ti try it! love the heart by Jackie, gorgeous! I have the sunflower on order as part of my multi order with tool 'n one, so am looking forward to using it - it's beautiful! Have a good day, hugs Carole Z X

Domino said...

Brilliant tip. So simple but I would never have thought of it.

Happy crafting.
Kelly

baconbits said...

Morning Christine
Will be trying out this top tip.
Jackie's heart to gorgeous.
TFS
Hugs
Amanda x

Stamping Bubbles said...

Good morning Christine. Thanks for the tip I will give it a go. I've tried washing mine but it didn't work too well and it is very grubby now. Jackie's heart is beautiful.
Love the photo of Bella.
Enjoy your day
Lesley

Chris said...

Morning Christine, great tip for the rubber mat, I'm always spoiling bits and pieces when another impression appears that shouldn't be there. Jackie's heart is beautiful, thanks for sharing, and Bella looks beautiful too all snuggled up on the blanket.
Chris x

Janice said...

Morning Christine
Great tip today, thank you. I reckon we all have a messy rubber mat in our craft room!
Gorgeous heart from Jackie. Bella's looking very
comfy 😊
Have a good day.
Janice x

ElizabethS said...

Hi Christine, thanks for the brilliant tip. I usually use a baby wipe to clean mine but yours looks a great way.
I have a question regarding the blue base plate of the GC. My first one "bubbled up" with tiny raised pin pricks which then transfers and indents the card when embossing and my second base plate is going the same way. Am I doing something wrong Christine or am I just unlucky. Can you help.
Bella looks as though she is patiently waiting for Mummy to finish so she can go for her walk in the woods...hehehe. But secretly she is quite happy snuggled up in the blanket.
Have a lovely day everyone.
Elizabeth x

Magzeeann said...

Hi Christine. Many thanks for today's handy hint ~ I'll give it a try. The heart is beautiful, thanks for sharing Jackie. Love the photo of Bella! Hugs,
Maggie x

nattyboots said...

Hi Christine
A great tip for the squidgy mats , i am having a clearing out / tidy up with all my stash today so will be putting your idea to use .

Jackie's Heart is just gorgeous i really must get some Grafic45 papers ,it always looks so bold and colorful .

Take Care
Elaine H X

PharmacyMichele said...

Thanks for the tip. Bella looks beautiful snuggled up to your blanket.

Michele.

Patricia Howarth said...

Morning Christine, Fabulous tip with the tape, I will be trying that later, thank you for sharing.
Jackie your altered art 'heart' is stunning, I love it !!
Bella, Bella, Bella, she looks sooooo cosy there with her head on Mum's knee, she is sooooo cute !!
Lots of love from Patricia xx

Sally said...

Hi Christine. This is a great tip, so today I will be buying tape and cleaning my mats.
Jackies heart is lovely, the colours are beautiful.
Hope you don't upset Bella too much when you remove the blanket.
Sally x

Mrs B said...

Hi Christine. Thanks for the great tip, like Stamping Bubbles I wash mine, but it doesn't always get the tiny bits of glitter off so I will remember this. As we are talking about cutting machines I have a question for you or any of my fellow followers. I have a brand new Grand Calibur and mats as the handle cracked on my old one - and no, I didn't force the plates through! Arthritis in my hands wouldn't let me anyway! This is the second time - I got my first one just under 2 years ago- the handle has broken and Hobbycraft have been fantastic, offering to exchanged or refund it both times without any fuss at all. In fact the lady who dealt with me this time said it is a very common problem! Has anyone else had the same problem? I must say apart from that I would be lost without my lovely "Grandy" (Grand Calibur).
Jackie's heart is beautiful, such a gorgeous choice of papers etc: )
What a lovely picture of Bella snuggled up with you. You are going to have to make her a similar blanket all of her own, or does she already have one but just prefers which ever one you are working on, I wonder ? :)Take care.

Jean Z said...

Hi Christine, what a good idea for the mat as mine is terrible. love the heart so pretty . I have the sunflower but not tried it yet looks good love Jean Z xx

Lucycat said...

Hi Christine,
Thank you for the tape tip,will have a try later.
Jackie's heart lovely, and Bella looks so sweet.
When looking at your website I see you are now No 42 on the top 50 Crafters list of crafting sites in the UK. Congratulations.
I hope you have a good day ,Take care. x.

Lacelady said...

Awe, Bella looks so cozy there, it would be hard to get her to part with it! I love the treatment to the heart, but I'm still not keen on the shape, I like the rounder, fatter hearts, not the stretched ones.

marg said...

Good Morning Christine!
I love the Graphics paper beautiful colours and the Sunflower looks lovely!
I'm on my 2nd Calibur in 14mths, and I have Arthritis! to much stress on the 1st... apparently!!!
I will use this tip Christine to clear the rubber mat!
Bella looks so cosy on the blanket, shame she has to move..I hope she has her own though Christine!
Take Care
Love Marg

Sandra said...

Good morning Christine,
What a genius idea, I will definitely try out the masking tape as my squidgey mat looks like it's been kicking round the craft room floor!
Jackie your heRt is very pretty.
That's all for now,
Hugs to all
Sandra xxxx

lydia jordan said...

Morning Christine,
Great tip thank you, will give it a go. Bella looks so comfortable, such a cutie.
Love the heart well done to Jackie.
Lydia
X

Janice said...

A stunning heart, love the colours and the design. Well done to Jackie. Keep going with the knitted squares, you are doing a marvellous job. Janice x

Val Jones said...

Hi Christine. Thanks for the great tip. Mines really mucky.

Lovely heart by Jackie and Bella looks so comfy in amongst the squares.

Love Val in Spain x

EmmaT said...

Morning Christine, great tip, I also rub over mine with a tumble dryer sheet now and then and it helps stop the bits sticking to the mate. Beautiful sunflower heart, love the papers. Hugs Emma x

Layerlass67 said...

Morning Christine. Jackie's heart is absolutely beautiful. Love these sunflowers. Haven't bought these dies as thought they were too fiddly for me but may rethink that. Bella must have her own blanket though I suspect she just likes to be with her 'mum'. I have one square which I didn't send in with the others and will start knitting again now all my big projects are out of the way. Have a lovely day. GemmaC xx

utilitygirl said...

Thanks for the parcel tape tip Christine, will have to give that a try, warm soapy water doesn't seem to get rid of everything.
Love Jackie's heart, stunning
Bella looks very cosy in the blanket, she wont want to part with it.

Jackie said...

Hello Christine
Thank you for showing my heart.
I'm so grateful for all the lovely comments.
I had the paper and the die but it was your blog post on 16th April, home decor hearts, that gave me the inspiration and the nerve! ! to start cutting up the paper x

Carolyn h said...

HiChristine, that is a wow heart that Jackie has made, love it.
What a wonderful tip for Tuesday, must purchase some parcel tape next trip to Post Office. My mat could do with a clean - thank you.
Carolyn xx

Ita said...

Hi Christen wow the heart is lovely,and great tip.
If i do not comment. Every day it is because my brain is slow after being so ill.
Writing on comments,and e.mails but the words or letters
Take
Time
Ita

JJ said...

Great tip Christine, Jackie has made a great design. Fancy taking the blanket off Bella, you will have to buy it for her or knit another one lol!

Love & Hugs

Jacquie J xxx

JJ said...

Great tip Christine, Jackie has made a great design. Fancy taking the blanket off Bella, you will have to buy it for her or knit another one lol!

Love & Hugs

Jacquie J xxx

LyndA said...

Great tip. Thank you. I'm off to try it now! xx

SusanP, Kent said...

Hi Christine. I never thought of this as a cure for a mucky squidgy mat. I just run mine under the tap! Or, if it's REALLY mucky and squidgy, I give it a bath with a little washing up liquid. Jackie's heart is lovely.
Sue

Cinders61 said...

Great tip with the parcel tape. Love Jackie's heart. I wish I lived closer to your shop Christine. I would love to have a feel of all the lovely new card and purchase a boxful. Gillian x

LoraineC said...

Jackies heart is stunning, and a great tip today as well and I just love Bella to pieces x

Anonymous said...

Great tip will try that! How weird I was only thinking the other day " Elaine your mat is a disgrace " lol
Jackie has done a fab job with her heart xx

Pat S Witney said...

Hi Christine
What a fantastic tip. thanks for sharing. Jackie I love your sun flower heart. Bella looks so cute as well.

Mrs B. I also had this problem with my grand Caliber handle. I emailed craft world (where I bought it) and they ignored me. So I emailed Sue Wilson asking where I could get another one. She said that she had a spare and sent it to me. Just shows what a caring person she is.

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