One of my favorite scrappy/art purchases this year has been my CutterPillar Pro paper trimmer. I had previously been using a guillotine style paper trimmer I picked up from Costco a few years back. It was okay but I never loved it. Last fall, I added the mini Guillotine paper trimmer (6-inch) from Tonic Studios for pocket scrapbooking and that worked for small cuts, was easy to keep next to me on my desk, but it wasn’t a lovefest either.
Recently, I started printing on a wide format printer and I really began having trouble. The lip of the trimmer stopped at 12 inches and my paper was 13×19. It was a paper wrestling match every time I’d go to cut. I put up with it for several months without realizing there was an alternative. Side note, some folks that use a wide format printer, cut with an X-Acto knife but there is no way I could ever get my cuts straight, so I knew that was not an option for me.
Enter the CutterPillar Pro. I saw someone using it on a Youtube video, and I immediately paused the video and went searching on Google. I was so excited because I realized it would cut larger sheets of paper. Not only does it cut larger sizes, but it has a light so you can see exactly where you are trimming. I’d always had trouble cutting cut apart sheets and branding strips. The light has been a game changer.
Once it arrived, I immediately wanted to cut all the things. I pulled out several sheets of Felicity Jane papers and started trimming off the branding strips. I dug into my stash and found a Shimelle cut apart sheet I’d been avoiding because I was scared I’d wreck it and cut that up. I did little tiny slices just to see what it would do. It was magic.
What was amazing to me, was I hadn’t realized that some of my resistance to actually getting in my studio and scrapping was because I hated fighting with the trimmer. I was so used to the struggle, that it was just part of my scrapping experience. All that disappeared when I started using the Pro. The right tools really can make a huge difference. This is a lesson I’ve learned before, but apparently need to keep on learning.
There are a couple of downsides to the trimmer. It is one of the more expensive trimmers on the market. They do have a portable option, the CutterPillar Crop, which is slightly less expensive. Check out both versions if you are in the market. The other thing I’m not crazy about is the bright green color. It’s not that big of a deal, but I would have preferred something more neutral since it lives out on my desk.
For me, it was worth every penny. I’m buying a second one to give to a crafty friend for Christmas because I love it so much.
I’m not affiliated in anyway with CutterPillar Pro. I purchased the trimmer myself. It’s such a great product, I had to share!
~Maribeth
