Just some thoughts

I am pursuing learning about paper crafting as in cards, bags and boxes.  However, when I get my Bosskut gazelle there are other things besides making cards that I can do with it.  It will also allow me to emboss and not just on paper if I remember correctly plus make custom magnets and even stamping on thin metals.  My boyfriend has claimed that he will purchase a gazelle for me as an early Christmas present sometime in early September.

Speaking of Christmas, the Christmas in July sale will end in 12 more days.  So visit my Christmas in July posts to see which shops you would like to purchase from.

I have also asked 4 other artisans to write about their craft.  The one I published I think yesterday and I have 3 more that I have made requests to.  One is working on her write up as we speak and the other two will need a little while.  One of them lives in the UK and she is spending a great deal of time with a dear friend who has cancer.  Not sure exactly which topics will be discussed as the other two are into more than 1 craft, but the one who has been working on hers is a high end jeweler.  She sells  precious gems including diamonds.

I have been studying techniques of card making from a book and the number of tools required plus the intricate work involved in making some really awesome cards has really surprised me.  It seems that for some things you would have to have a great deal of motor control in your hands.  For me that would take a great deal of practice.  At least that has been my experience in the past.  As far as blending, measuring and pouring as I do in for my bath and beauty products, well being a chemical technician prepared me well for that.

Of course I will need some time to practice and play around with my gazelle.  I heard it's easy to put too much pressure with the knife and that could ruin the blade, I guess you could also use too little pressure and not get a good cut nor emboss.

If you have never used a electronic cutter than you may be surprised at the things a cutter can do.  I will get over 600 shapes (I think actually 700) that I will be able to cut.  One is a really intricate looking butterfly, I couldn't imagine trying to cut something like that by hand.

It will be interesting to see which business I can create the most variety for since I do know that there are many more varieties and yes several product types I haven't yet touched.

With the gazelle as a cutter/embosser/printer the options seem really wide.  There is all kinds of glue you can use to glue just about anything to a card: a button, a feather, a sticker, beads, felt, foam, glitter,shells, clay, foam and ribbons.  Plus you could cut out a frame from one material and paste it onto the card's front.  Plus of course you can put holes in the cards and use brads or eyelets.  I am sure there are more possibilities to learn about.  Different authors will write different things but there will be some things in common.

I think one of the hot things right now to do with cutters and embossing is pop ups.