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Saturday 4 August 2018

I've got a blue one and three pink ones...

A thousand years ago, I owned a craft shop. The introduction of the trays to catch the embossing powder occurred and were prompted I think, by a snap together tray from Judikins. It was a sheet of incredibly static stiff vinyl with good scores that could be folded and snapped together with big old silver snaps. At that time, there were very few UK wholesalers representing all of the American brands and I recall it costing nearly sixteen pounds. Yikes. Mind you, the first heat gun I put into stock were for sale at £25 each. It was a hard sell, until yo demonstrated the magic of embossing. With gold powder. Anyway, as with so many things, the idea of the powder tray was begging to be improved, reproduced and sold at a more attractive price. It took a while.
This incarnation with the funnel on one short end is the Woodware version, called a 'Tidy Tray' which is what I call anything of the sort, even if it's folded paper. There are versions with square funnels on the corner, versions that have a rubber cap to go over the hole, etc. Initially, this woodware version sold at £6.95, which was still a bit of a 'yikes' for a tray to put powder in. But, in use and as with s many things, they became indispensable for all sorts of jobs and when I abandoned retailing, I kept all of the ones I had in the workshop. 
There was some discussion last Wednesday about them. Mostly negative, people telling me that they are too static and powder ends up being wasted. I agree, to a certain extent, and no, I don't run an anti-static bag around it before I use it - my word, that would imply that I know when I'm going to emboss something and have the tools at hand! What I do, despite my desk slovenliness, is wash them frequently in hot soapy water. They are a bit paler for their experiences because sometimes that means a short holiday in the dishwasher; but they are very, very much less static and therefore very, very much more useful.
I could live without one, sure. But 99.9% of my stash falls under that phrase. 
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10 comments:

  1. Helen4 August 2018 at 16:45

    oh you do make me smile! what has being able to live without our crafting stash got to do with anything, ha ha!! It is interesting to hear about the washing of the tray mind you. I bought mine, not to catch embossing powder but to hold teeny tiny beads that I was sure I was going to use so often on projects......

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  2. Dotty Jo4 August 2018 at 17:04

    Great post, Julia! We've been at this a long time, Jo x

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  3. Sue4 August 2018 at 17:51

    Pat, Not sure how I have been able to live without one, although I don't do embossing, so don't have the powders. I did use to use glitter (I'd use a piece of cardboard to catch the glitter and then curve the cardboard enough to put the glitter back into the pot), but it's not my thing, so gave the glitter away.

    I like that you havemore than one:) LOL Sue

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  4. Bleubeard and Elizabeth4 August 2018 at 21:10

    Gosh Julia. How have I lived all these years and never had one of these tidy trays? Guess I am so low tech, I just use a used file folder. As for the heat tool, I own two of them: one for my craft room and one for my basement studio. I paid $19.95 (USD) for each of mine, so the cost of a brand new tool (at the time) is not that outrageous. I enjoyed your diatribe and laughed all the way through it, too.

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  5. Anne5 August 2018 at 08:17

    Hi Julia. Saw your post Wed but couldn't join in, looking after grandsons! I have two of the trays, wash mine ,never used embossing thing on them had no problems lol! Anne x

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  6. Anne5 August 2018 at 08:17

    Hi Julia. Saw your post Wed but couldn't join in, looking after grandsons! I have two of the trays, wash mine ,never used embossing thing on them had no problems lol! Anne x

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  7. April5 August 2018 at 18:43

    Anti static bags are for sissies. LOL . I'm with you on the tidy tray - I have 2 and they are always needing a washing. :-)

    April

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  8. Julia Dunnit6 August 2018 at 09:00

    . Hi, Julia.
    I also have two small ones and one very large one! I have not used the anti-static bag on them (although I have several of those, too) I have never washed them.
    Of late, I have taken to using coffee filters. Not just the regular size ones, the huge giant ones that restaurants use for the coffee "urns." I had to buy a zillion of them at a store that sells food and such to restaurants.
    Just pinch one side together and tip the remaining contents back into the bottle.
    These also work great when using glitter. The artwork can actually lay flat in the filter while working on it.
    Kathy

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  9. Jackie PN6 August 2018 at 12:38

    Great post Julia!
    I had a few giggles here as well!
    I use my try quite a bit as well. For the "static", I keep one of my Pearl-essence brushes close by and just clean down the excess powders into the funnel, it really does work well, and therefore no waste!
    Jackie xx

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  10. Aileen21 August 2018 at 12:18

    Julia I remember when these toys came out, a friend of mine had one or two....I thought it was brilliant especially with the funnel. I couldn't get one, cant remember why but ended up with some made from a type of disposable material with a lip on one edge. I think they came in a set of three and I bought two sets. I still use them, they are great, I waste very little and a tap with a paint brush as you tilt will bring all the powders together and down to the funnel/lip.

    Who tell me in crafting land could live without all their do dahs xx

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