It’s finally September 1st and I’ve been just itching to post the Holiday Mini Catalog on my blog!  I had great intentions to wake up at 2 am to write this post as soon as Stampin’ Up loaded all the documents for us.  BUT I have a vicious cold and took some of that lovely nighttime medicine and that’s all I remember….until 8 am this morning!

If you are a customer of mine, you should have received a copy of the mini in your mailbox.  If you didn’t, maybe it got lost, the mailman ate it or your address changed.  Drop me a line and I have extras here on hand that I can mail to you.

If you’d like to view the Holiday Mini Catalog online, click HERE.

Do you like to know the supplies to make the projects in the Holiday Mini such as ink colors, stamp sets, etc?  I have the Stampin’ Supplies list HERE for you to print or save on your computer.

Of course all the catalogs and supplies are always up on my Demonstrator Website 24/7!  www.lindaheller.stampinup.net  You can shop there online

What is my FAVORITE THING in the Holiday Mini?   There are many wonderful things in there but ONE is a must have if you are a paper crafter.   We have waited a long time for this beauty, our  Simply Scored!

Here is what SU says about the Simply Scored:

“Take the chore out of scoring! The Simply Scored Scoring Tool’s base fits paper or card stock up to 12″ x 12″ and features score tracks every 1/8″. Features two easy-to-read rulers (with inch markings down to 1/8″) along top and left side for perfect scoring. (One standard left-to-right ruler and one zero center ruler.) Includes three markers and stylus. Bottom of base has non-marking and nonskid feet to secure it on your work areach Base measures Approximately
15-1/8″ x 13-1/4″ x 1”.     29.95      Item # 122334

I will be honest and say that I have compared it side by side, right next to the ‘martha’ brand scoring board.  I wanted to see which one was better.

Here is my Stampbusters evaluation:  M’s is white and to my eyes, harder to read the numbers.  It has score lines at every 1/8″ just like ours. (which is SO important for all projects to have those increments).  It has a storage area at the top end just like ours. It has numbers running down the side, just like ours, which should be mandatory on all of them!  They both have a zero center ruler, which is helpful for some projects.

Here is where the differences start to come in.   M’s has a triangle tool and we don’t.  Not a huge deal, I can get a triangle tool ruler anywhere but it would have been nice to have it.

M’s has a plastic bone folder rather than a metal stylus like ours. (ours does come with the metal stylus it when you buy it)  My first scoring board (called itself a pal but it wasn’t much of one with it’s ambiguous measurements)  came with a plastic bone folder tool for scoring.  After a few months of using it, it had worn away and created a big dent.   We papercrafters do a lot of scoring so it has to hold up!  The Simply Scored comes with a nice metal stylus, rubbery not slippery handle, and the ends have 2 sizes for your scoring needs.

The other advantage the Simply Scored has 3 place markers that come with it!  I am loving these markers because it is easy to lose your place with so many little lines.  Ever score a piece of card stock and realize you were off the track?  Now I just leave one at the 4-1/4 and one at the 5-1/2 and it’s so easy to see.     If I’m preparing a bunch of tri-fold cards, I can move the markers to those exact measurements and zip through a project!

If you are still scoring your projects on the old fiskars track with a butter knife or scoring blade, you just have to get one of these.  No more lifting up the track each time you need to score one piece of paper.

If you are a member of Stamping School, I’ll be doing a video on my new favorite thing this weekend!

And by the way, some of you have been asking questions about the new Stamping School that will be going LIVE soon.  Yes, we are hoping for a September release date and are in the testing stages now.  Y’all are going to love it!  Ipad and Iphone users will be able to watch all videos, too!  I’ll keep you posted.

Linda