Paper Woods

I don’t know how long the retractable craft knife design has been around, but I am certainly glad that it is here. It’s one of those engineering feats that just make so much sense, you wonder why nobody thought of it sooner! I believe there are a couple of different companies that make a craft knife with a retractable blade, but I own the one made by Excel Hobby Blades. It is fantastic! Its small blade allows you to make very precise cuts, and it is the ultimate in safety since you never have to worry about a lost or broken cap. I have owned and used it exclusively for almost two years and it has not needed a new blade yet!

Fantastic! Easy to use, safe, and well-made. A must buy.

Synopsis:

• Price: $8 - 9; refill blades $2 - 3

• Availability: I have not been able to find the Excel blade in stores, but it is available online at Paper Wishes and Widget Supply

• Rating: Very good

• Recommended?: Absolutely

I made this card for a friend who was going through a tough time. It’s the first time I tried making my own template for paper piecing, and I really like the way it turned out! For those of you unfamiliar with paper piecing, it is a technique in which you cut different colored paper and layer them together to make images. The lighthouse was really simple to make, but I can’t wait to try my hand at more difficult designs!

Click here to download my template (pdf file) and make your own: Lighthouse paper piecing pattern