So happy to see that Tim's scissors are able to cut the cutting mats. Thanks so much!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Tim's scissors have been able to cut red rubber stamps too....they're great for hard to cut things...

I have the 'MagicMat' and use Dollar Tree mats as well. I found if I place the ''shim'' on top of the die rather than gluing or taping it underneath, that it keeps my top plate from warping AND from getting the marks in it, keeping my top plate in perfect condition. It works beautifully - 'cept the time I put it in reverse order, lol! You can also use a piece of plastic from a set of sheets, or bedspread, etc. That also works well. Also, if your Dollar Tree mat (or MagicMat) starts to warp, you can use your heat gun to warm it, place it on a flat surface and let it cool and it will flatten. I put it under a weight just to be sure, but it worked perfectly. I also, have been doing this for quite a while using the chopping mat and I love how well it works. Blessings and thank you!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Since using this mat configuration, I haven't had any plates warp, and that in itself, has been so great. My top plate still looks like it did when I changed over to this system over 2 years ago.

@christiedecker2724

Жыл бұрын

@@craftingforalmosteveryone I was thinking if the mat from Dollar Tree warped, that sometimes has if I had too many shims or the dies were thicker...but the plates, no warping! :)

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

@@christiedecker2724 It's been amazing to me that they haven't warped at all. I think it's because the plastic plates you buy with it are so inflexible, but these plates bend more easily..

SO!!! helpful. Thank you I am going to make one. Genius ... solution and with your detailed tutorial I shall succeed.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

5 ай бұрын

I made an earlier video using one of the same type of plate only from Hobby Lobby..it was maybe $4...anyway, if I missed explaining anything in this video, hopefully I cover it in this other video. kzread.info/dash/bejne/aKOOksdtnNDFiLA.html By the way, I'm still using the cutting plate I made in the first video I linked here, and it's at least 3 years ago. Hope if you can't get yours thick enough, you understood to add more of the Dollar Tree cutting mats to the back. Over time they also get thinner, so I've just added more of the mats to the back for thickness...and weirdly enough, mine hasn''t warped in all this time using it..If you've used the regular plates, I'm sure you've experienced a lot of warping. I always make my sandwiches the same way, with this homemade plate on the bottom, paper I'm cutting on top of it, die on top of the paper cut side down, then the top plate. My top plate looks great and i haven't changed it either, but i do flip it around so it doesn't warp. Hope this additional info helped a little too...Sandy

I bought some Dollar Tree cutting mats to try to make some new plates for my cuttlebug, but have not done it yet. I recently bought the Sizzix mat that is like a cutting mat that doesn’t warp and if it does, you supposedly heat it and it goes back into shape. It wasn’t cheap, but I got it on a good sale so it wasn’t too bad. Thanks for showing this. I’ll keep it in my list for future use.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Hope you give it a try as my last one is over 2 years old and still going strong.

My husband has a caliper that I can use to match the thickness exactly. It is a handy tool but I know not everyone has one. Thanks so much for this video. I have extra plates for my cuttlebug, but I only have one set for the Gemini Jr. and have no plans to buy more. Bought 3 cutting mats from Dollar tree and 2 chopping mats, so I should be all set .😊

@craftingforalmosteveryone

6 ай бұрын

I think you'll love this system, I know I do. I haven't replaced the first one I made even before this one. Let me know how it goes...Sandy

Sandy, this is a great idea! I have used a self-healing mat for a couple of years, but I have to use extra shims. I save laminated leaflets (junk mail) to add to the sandwich, but it takes 3-4 of them and they don't quite cover the entire surface. I have never thought to use a chopping mat. 💡👍❤ This is wonderful and will streamline my process quite a bit! Thanks so much for sharing! Janet 💕

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

So happy to help. Hope it works as well for you as it has for me. Sandy

@JH-wd7ul

Жыл бұрын

@@craftingforalmosteveryone ❤❤❤

@paulineking1968

Жыл бұрын

I will let you. Pauline

I just got a Craft Buddy and thought I was doing something wrong when I had cuts on my bottom plate and it didn't cut some of the intricate areas well. I love this idea and happy to know I didn't wreck my new machine. Thank you for sharing this money saving idea.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Your bottom plates will always be basically destroyed by the dies, as long as your cutting side of your die is facing down. I try to make sure mine always point down so I don't destroy the top plate too, and I've accidentally cut into them as well....so I hope this works for you. I made my first replacement from a Hobby Lobby mat several years ago and I'm still using that one, and as it gets flatter with time, just add another shim from the Dollar Tree clear mats I show in this video. Hope it works well for you. Sandy

Thanks Sandy, another great video. This will truly help..I'll grab a few chopping mats next week. A few of the self heal cutting mats that I bought thru Amazon are just too thin. Making shims definitely makes sense. Thanks again.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Hope this works for you. The last one I made with a cutting mat from Hobby Lobby has been working great for over two years. Only thing, you might need to add another shim as it gets pressed down over time by your machine...Sandy

So clever! My girl you sure out did yourself on this. I am going to do this. Thank you.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Pauline!

OMG THANX A MILLION SANDY !! THIS IS A LIFE AND MONEY SAVER !! plus you have been very inspiring to me since I have RA too , and I know I how much this must affect your hands ESPECIALLY with those scissors !! God bless you !!😊🎉 ❤

@craftingforalmosteveryone

6 ай бұрын

Carol, Thanks so much for the kind note. My channel isn't monetized as I never thought people would want to watch my hands, but I did want to inspire people with issues like mine to continue doing crafts..but mainly I had trouble finding tools that worked for me and have done so many videos on which tools I can use. I have been using the first replacement plate I made and still haven't used this one. The only thing you may need to do over time, is add another of the cutting mats stuck to the bottom as these will get thinner with age, but I think I've only ever added one to mine. You won't believe how long these last. I always do my sandwich the same way with this on the bottom then the paper on top of this then the die facing down and then the top original type plate. It always stays nice and hasn't warped at all, which is amazing. Sandy

I got a big shot at Christmas and tbh was thinking of giving it away as it's so difficult to run thing through it with a bad back and even my son said this should not be so difficult ..but now I have used these type of shims it is much easier and it cuts!..Thankyou

@craftingforalmosteveryone

6 ай бұрын

It never occurred to me that these shims would make the manual die cutters work easier. I had a manual machine at first and quickly realized I was never going to be able to crank it, so bought a Tim Holtz Vagabond that's electric and have been using it for years and I love it. I don't even know if they still make them or not, but they will take the old fashioned thick dies as well as the thin ones. I'm so glad you got your big shot to work for you as I know from my own experience how depressing it is when you spend so much money and then can't use something like this. If you ever have any questions about using your die cutter let me know, as they're all pretty much the same from that generation of die cutting machines. saundralparker@yahoo.com Sandy

Thank you!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Ай бұрын

I made another one of these plates from a Hobby Lobby sewing no cut mat, and I've been using it for 4-5 years and haven't needed to use this one yet as the first one is still going strong. The only thing I've done is added additional shims as the plates get a little thinner with use over time, but, they don't warp, and you can't see the cuts like with the clear plastic plates you get with your unit. Here's the other video in case you'd like to check it out. kzread.info/dash/bejne/aKOOksdtnNDFiLA.html Sandy

Oh how great, the cutting plates r too expensive to buy a set everytime I want to change. I did get one of these mats, n a pkg if cutting mats, n used carpet tape. Tyfs, love your channel muss sandy.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

So glad you liked it and hope you make one. Mine has lasted over 2 years as is still going strong and the ones you buy from Sizzix never hold up or look good for very long. I can't believe mine hasn't warped and the plastic plate hasn't either.

Hello Sandy. New subbie here. Great ideas on mats for die cutting machines. I have a teeny tiny die cutting machine by Bira. I enjoy the daylights out of it even tho I can only use 3 inch dies. I'm getting the larger one in the coming new year....it has a dial for making the dies tight enough so cutting is done swiftly. It's the only one on the market who has this. Alas the tiny one does not have the dial. It's still fun, and I have used it a ton. My daughter was diagnosed with RA. Her fingers are just beginning to twist and curl. She's 39. She is staying with us as she is homeless now. She uses my spring loaded scissors. Her insurance doesn't cover any decent biologic medications. HUMIRA but she used it enough it stopped working now. I want her to watch you work. She gives up easily. I know her pain is extreme. Of course we know it's not just her fingers but other joints too. She works as a waitress. Some days she's in tears when she comes home. I wait on her then. Make dinner, we do her laundry. She does clean the bathroom well. And she likes to help cook when she isn't suffering too hard. Are you on a biologic Sandy? I see you doing things and you get a lot done with this horrid disease. I applaud your perseverance in always crafting and keepin us on top of fun things to make. Will you do a Christmas crafting video? I hope you can. Hugs and much love

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you've given me more information on your daughter's arthritis. My first suggestion is an over-the-counter product called Salon Pas. They're small patches that you can wrap around your fingers, wrists, etc, and I find they really help with the pain and to give me some stability, Don't buy the generics, as they never stick as well. The cheapest place to find them if she likes them is on ebay, where you can get 140 of them for under $20. Walmart sells a pack of 20 for around $5. Here's a link for ones on ebay. tinyurl.com/3k9a4hfp They're small, but come in larger sizes if she needs ones for larger areas, ie hip, knee... I wrap one around my wrists to give them stability and one can easily wrap around one finger to help with pain and stability. I commend your daughter for waittressing, as that is not an easy profession for someone without the limitations and pain she experiences. It's amazing she can carry trays, hand over heavy plates across people, etc. I think it's amazing she continues to work, as so many people would have quit. I spent my career in banking and finally had to take disability after 25 years as the stress of the position I held was giving me migraines from my blood pressure being too high. Once I stopped working, lucking my blood pressure dropped and the migraines went away. I have been on the pill form of methotrexate since 1991. I've tried several other biologics, but always seemed to get urinary tract infections from them so never could stay on them. The best pain relief I ever found was taking 600 mg of Ibuprofen 4 times a day. Unfortunately, after 25 years on it, my kidneys started having issues, so had to discontinue it and go on other meds that never gave me the same kind of relief, but I still believe the risk of side effects was worth the pain relief I gained from it. If you go to my home page and find the magnifying glass and click on it, then type in Christmas, you should find at least 75 videos. I'm not sure what Christmas videos I'll be doing, but will try to make some quit and easy ideas to inspire your daughter. If your daughter loves die cutting, but can't use your machine, I really recommend the Vagabond II by Tim Holtz. It's an easy button to push and you can use thick dies, embossing folders, and it so easy to work. I wish I could give your daughter words of encouragement, as this disease can be so overwhelming at times. I've had it for 40 years and have had lots of surgeries and still, there are joints they just can't fix. It might help her to know that I never talk about my disease on videos if I can avoid it, as I want people to focus on the joy of creating instead of what my limitations are. It sounds like your daughter does the absolute best that she can, and I applaud her for that. If I can be of any help to either of you, please email me and I'd be happy to share. saundralparker@yahoo.com These plates are easy to make and last a really long time, so if you need to replace one of yours, I really recommend you try it. Sandy

@betseyforbes8254

11 күн бұрын

I too have RA (10 years) and had to use several biologics before I found one that works for me (Xeljanz) - often rheumatologists can advocate for their patients - my insurance changed and wasn't going to pay for this particular medication but my doctor sent a letter and made a few calls and worked to get them to cover it. I know how painful RA is but with this drug, I am in remission and have a good quality of life. I hope your daughter finds relief.

Thank you so much for this video!!! Wonderful tips!!! ❤❤❤

@craftingforalmosteveryone

11 ай бұрын

I've been using the first replacement plate I made for at least 3 years now, and it's still going strong. Best hack I've ever tried.

Thank you for this .. can't wait to try!!!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Let me know how it works for you.

Wow this is so much better. Great idea. I loved it 😃💡so useful 💟 thanks ❣️ sandy. Lovya!!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Really glad I can help save you money and aggravation with the plates they sell...

Great idea. Thanks so much for sharing.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Glad to help.

I need to make this. Thank you so much for sharing this again.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I think you'll be really happy with this as I've been using the same one for over 2 years and it's still working great. The secret is the shims you'll need to add made out of the cutting mats from Dollar Tree...adding those underneath will ensure it's thick enough for your machine..Hope you like it as much as I do. Sandy

@Elizabeth45840

Жыл бұрын

@@craftingforalmosteveryone I have the cutting mat. I need to get the healing mat. I don't like it when I mess up my clean plate. I do it though. Lol

Oh my goodness!!! Thank you for this video.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

3 ай бұрын

This is the second one of these videos I made, as the first mat I used was from Hobby Lobby and was around $4 and I wanted to see if the cheaper version would work and it does. I''m still using the Hobby Lobby one and it's been going strong for 4 years. The only thing that happens over time is that it gets thinner from the pressure, so you can add more of the shims like I did with the Dollar Tree chopping mats I used in this video. Hope you love yours like I do mine. Oh, and my top mat doesn't warp like it used to using their plates....such a bonus. Sandy

Thanks for such a great tip. Hugs and Blessings Jeanne

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

thanks Sandy i am getting a Vagabond second hand on Wednesday as my health is making the Big Shot to hard to use thanks for the info re the cutting mats great ideas I am a new subscriber to your channel

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I think you'll really like the Vagabond. I always run things in and then run them back out so I don't have to reach around the Vagabond to pick up whats been cut..Hope you like your Vagabond as much as I like mine. I especially like it because you can still use thick dies in it, unlike most electric die cutters. Thanks for subscribing...always love to talk to viewers, so if you ever have an idea of something you'd like me to cover in a video, please let me know saundralparker@yahoo.com So sorry to hear your health hasn't been good...Sandy

@callycat6660

6 ай бұрын

Hi Darlene I know this was a year ago ..but I have problems running things through the big shot ..did you get a Vagabond and is it better ? and I hope you are feeling much better now 🥰

Another great idea. Love your beautiful bracelet tfs

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

So glad you liked it. The bracelet is what I wear instead of a wedding ring. Rich bought it for me for my 50th birthday and since I rarely wear rings, it's replaced them. I love it.

This is a brilliant idea, thanks so much for the video. Have you seen the metal oval shaped signs in the craft section at the dollar store? They fit the die cut machine and can be used as a metal shim.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

That's genius...No I haven't seen them at my Dollar Tree. I have a metal shim and should use it more. I used it when I first started and ended up putting it in the wrong place so I have the shape of a butterfly die pressed into mine...live and learn, right? Thanks for the tip. Sandy

Awesome idea.

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Glad you think so!

Love your videos! I’d heard of the Dollar Tree mat but don’t remember about the shim. Is it too slippery to just make the sandwich without adhering the shim?

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

It's not thick enough to get the dies to cut without the shim. It's not slippery at all. I always place the shim on the bottom so the green mat is what the paper sits on and the die sits on the paper, and the plastic plate that came with the machine, goes on top. This sandwich might not work for your machine, as you'll want to check to see how thick your plastic plate is and replicate that thickness so it works well. Hope you give this a try as I love mine and my old one that I made in 2020 is still working well. Sandy

Brilliant

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I've been using the first one I made since 2020 and it's still going strong, but wanted to see if the Dollar Tree mats worked as well as the one I bought at Hobby Lobby. Sandy

Love it!

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

So happy you do...

Great, TFS

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I've been using the first one I made from a Hobby Lobby similar product for over 3 years and it's still going strong. Looks ugly, but doesn't warp, nor does my top plate. And if you do try this, over time it will get a little flatter, so I just add another of the Dollar Tree cutting board pieces as another shim and it's back in action. When I think of all the warped plates I couldn't flatten that I used in the first 3-4 yrs of using my die cutting machine, I could kick myself for not doing this sooner. Hope it works for you. Sandy

tyvm

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I've been using the original "plate I made for at least 3-4 years now and it's still going strong. I can't tell you how many of the plates that are sold to go with my Vagabond that I would've used in that same time frame. Hope you make some for yourself, as I think you'll be glad that you did. Sandy

What do you use for a shim?

@craftingforalmosteveryone

5 ай бұрын

The clear plastic cutting mats from Dollar Tree. I show you how I use them in the video, but I add more layers as time goes on and the cutting plate gets thinner. I think my current one has 2-3 layers on it. If your machine requires a thicker plate, just add more of the clear cutting mats until you get the desired thickness.

Nice one Sandy wish we had a dollar tree.... have you opened last years Christmas present yet? How are feeling today

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

I'm embarrassed to say the Scan n cut is still in its Christmas wrap. I haven't cleaned the craft room but may just break it out and use it as I probably will never feel well enough to really clean that room...

@francesinglis6078

Жыл бұрын

@@craftingforalmosteveryone think that a good idea 💡 have fun when you do

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

@@francesinglis6078 I hope so.

I was wondering how you were going to cut that board .

@craftingforalmosteveryone

Жыл бұрын

Bet you were shocked it cut so easily.

@francesinglis6078

Жыл бұрын

@@craftingforalmosteveryone YES !

@craftingforalmosteveryone

3 ай бұрын

Hope it works well for you!