Hi everyone !

I hope you're having fun on our Blog Hop ! Did you pop over here after visiting Tina's "Forever Memories for You" Blog ? If you did, then you are in the right place, if you didn’t, then I recommend you go back to the Paperthreads store’s main page, http://www.paperthreads.com/store and start from the beginning…so you get all your secret words in order!!


If you're surprised to see me here on a real BLOG I'm shocked too ! Michelle surprised me by setting it up for me so now I have no choice but to get with the program. Resistant to change ? Who me ? LOL ! Hopefully next time you pop in I will have figured out how to make it look like my own and I'll have added some personal touches : )

Here's my tip for you today!

Even though we know that our cutting mats won't last forever we all want to make them last as long as possible so we can spend out craft money on more fun things. So here's a list of ideas to help.

  • Always keep your mat covered when you're not using it. I even cover mine in between cuts if it's going to be more than a few mintes before I cut again. You can use the plastic sheet that came with the mat, a sheet of paper or even another mat.
  • To get lint off your mat try using a lint roller like the kind made to remove pet hair from clothing or furniture. I reduce the tack a bit when it's new so it doesn't take the "sticky" off the mat Just roll it over the surface a few times until you've removed all the loose bits.
  • When removing your cut pieces from your mat lift the edges a bit and lift them rather than scraping them off. If you look at your mat after scraping a piece off you'll notice scrape marks in the adhesive on the mat which can leave spaces where your paper won't hold as well the next time you cut.
  • Rotating your mat so you don't always cut in the same place will slow down the wear and tear on your mat.
  • When your paper starts slipping and has lost it's "tack" use a repositionable adhesive spray to make it sticky again. If the surface has a lot of embedded paper lint you can wash it in the sink before spraying using soap or dish liquid. That will remove a lot of the lint that's ground into the adhesive so your mat won't be lumpy after you spray it. A smooth surface will give you better cutting results.
  • Some of the cutters come with Krylon repositionable adhesive but it's no longer available in my area so I use June Tailor Quilter's Basting Spray which is available at JoAnn's and Michael's. I know some people also use Xyron repositionable adhesive. You don't need a Xyron machine. Just cut a piece of the refill that will fit your mat, remove the plastic film, press it in place on your mat and remove the backing. I've found this method too sticky but some people prefer it.
  • When spraying I spray quickly in 3 directions; vertically, horizontally and diagonally, making sure that I get the edges and I try not to apply too much. You can always add more if it's not sticky enough. I spray outdoors so I don't breathe the chemical fumes and to prevent overspray on my floor.
  • After spraying set your mat aside to dry a bit before using it. I let it dry for at least 30 minutes. You'll know if you use it too soon if your paper is sticky on the back when you remove it from the mat.

    I hope this will help keep your mat in great shape so you can use it for a long time.


    My secret word to give you is the word " WONDERFUL" , and you can find the next word along the hop by visiting I Scrap Designs at http://iscrapdesigns.blogspot.com/ .

    Thanks for stopping by and have fun on the rest of the Hop !

    Ginny : )