5 Favorite Tools????

Whew, this week is kickin' my butt and it's only Wednesday!  I totally lost yesterday ~ medical and farm stuff took most of the day.  Today I've been working on bills (ick!), laundry and fun stuff like that.  What is up with all this work getting in the way of the fun stuff???

So, Monday John (from IMAGINE Crafts) asked us all what our 5 favorite tools were....  Wow, have you ever thought about that?  I was so excited...I knew right away what I would choose because I used them every day I sit down to create.

Here they are....

My 5 favorite tools are: my IMAGINE Crafts Craft Mat; IC Sponge Daubers; Fiskars SoftTouch Micro Tip Scissors; Carl Rotary Trimmer & my Scotch ATG 700.

Why are these my favorites:

These are my most essential tools in my studio as I use each of them day in and day out. 

IMAGINE Crafts Craft Mat is leaps and bounds better than my old craft mat as it is more durable, holds up well under lots of use and abuse and cleans up to "new" condition each and every time I use it.  It is the only craft mat I've ever owned that after 6 months of use still looks like it did when I took it out of the package.  I can ink on it, paint on it, emboss, stamp, fold it, scrunch it and it's no worse for the wear.  

Next would be my Fiskars SoftTouch Micro Tip Scissors - After 12+ years of use the same pair of scissors I bought so long ago is still extremely sharp and my hand never tires no matter how long or intricate my cutting job is.

Another new addition to my stash are the IMAGINE Craft Sponge Daubers.  These little finger tip tools are a dream. I am a very tactile artist - I like to dive right into my art and get messy.  These Sponge Daubers allow me to create with my hands without getting as inky as I might in the past.  The fingertip control allows for precise inking and holds up well under extreme use.

The Carl Rotary Trimmer is another old timer here in my Studio.  It is well built, rugged and durable.  I replace the knife and cutting mat once a year and it continues to cut like a pro.

The final tool in my must have arsenal of tools is my ATG gun. I use LOTS of adhesive and this is by far the most economical and Earth friendly solution I have found when it comes to dry double-stick adhesive.  I wouldn't use anything else.

Be sure to check out what other folks Top 5 are here - Top 5 Crafting Tools.

How do mine compare to yours?