Product Spotlight: Xyron Create-a-Sticker

Hello again!

I'll be headed out soon for Thanksgiving dinner, but first, I had a quick product spotlight for you.  Like the craft scrubbie, this is another tool that I wasn't really sure I needed until I had one, and now I find it indispensible!

Without further ado:

My Xyron Create-a-Sticker!

Xyron makes these machines in various sizes, ranging from the Mini (1-inch wide), to 5 inches wide.  Mine is 2.5", which seemed to make the most sense, given that I primarily work on ATCs.  All of the models except the mini are refillable, and use cartridges.  (The mini is disposable.)  Both permanent and removable adhesives are available, and you can switch from one cartridge to another easily.  (I've only used permanent adhesive, but what can I say?  I do crosswords in pen, too.)  ;-)  Each refill cartridge is 20 feel long, and they usually run about $15 at the big box craft stores.  With a 40-50% off coupon, they're pretty reasonable.

So what is it good for?  It is the perfect tool for adding adhesive to small or oddly shaped items.  I purchased it a while back when I was creating wedding invitations for a friend.  I was using small die-cut letters on the front cover, and needed something better to stick them on with than gluestick.  I remembered having seen the Create-a-Sticker at the craft store, and it turned out to be just what I needed!  Now I use it for securing oddly shaped fussy-cut and die-cut pieces, as well as pieces too small for double-stick tape.

Using it is incredibly easy: place the item that you want to turn into a sticker inside face-up, turn the knob on the side, and it comes out the back on a piece of sticker backing sheet.

One minor thing to keep in mind, if there are holes in the middle of whatever you put through (die-cut gears come to mind), you may find some stray adhesive visible within those holes.  Same with some uneven edges on fussy-cut pieces (this occurred in the space between Kanga's feet on the above example).  While this can be a little annoying, it's easily removed with a craft pick, but do it BEFORE you apply it to the surface of your project.

Otherwise, I love it, and it's become an invaluable part of my craft setup!  Are there tools in your craft room that you never thought you'd need, until you did?

Well, dinner is calling, and I can't be late!

'Til next time,

BAC