Shop Scissors Blog

DIY Inspiration: Wallpaper Headboards

Looking for a way to spruce up your bedroom that won't break your piggy bank? We knew you'd be interested. We love how something as simple as wallpaper can give your bedroom a whole new look.

What you'll need for a wallpaper headboard:

• Tape measure
• Level
• pencil
• carpenter's square
• 1x2 inch strips of wood trim
• handsaw
• fine-grit sandpaper
• tack cloth
• polyurethane
• paintbrush
• prepasted wallpaper
• scissors
• hand drill with bits
• decorative drawer pull
• hot-glue gun
• framed picture
• paper shears
• two small picture-hanging loops with screws
• 2 yards of 2-inch-wide ribbon
• double-sided foam tape

Check out the how-to at Point Click Home

Thinking ahead: Cute Halloween spider cupcakes

How cute is this little spider. Make these delectable Halloween cupcakes at your next Halloween party, or have your child bring them to school.

**Don't forget your kitchen scissors to cut the licorice legs to size**

Ingredients:

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box devil's food cake mix
• 1 (26.5-ounce) bag Snickers or Milky Way Fun Size Bars, unwrapped
• 1 (14-ounce) bag M&M'S Milk Chocolate Candies for Halloween
• 1 (16-ounce) can dark chocolate frosting
• 1 (10.5-ounce) can chocolate sprinkles
• 24 large marshmallows
• 48 black licorice laces

Directions:   

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Fill 2 muffin tins with paper liners.
2. Fold candy bars into batter, then transfer to prepared pans.
3. Bake 18 to 21 minutes. Remove pans from oven, transfer to wire rack and let cool completely.
4. Reserve 2 tablespoons of chocolate frosting in resealable plastic bag.
5. Spread tops of cupcakes with remaining frosting, then coat with chocolate sprinkles.
6. Cut marshmallows in half horizontally. Using reserved frosting, attach marshmallows to cupcakes as eyes.
7. Evenly quarter licorice laces. Press 4 pieces on two sides of each cupcake for spider legs. Dot marshmallow centers with frosting and attach an M&M'S to each. Attach another M&M'S for mouth.

            

Personalized backpack tags help kids express personalities

Required uniforms are becoming common in schools across the country, but as kids are required to blend in with the crowd, they're looking for ways to stand out. That's where personalized backpack tags come into play.

Supplies:

• Shrinkable plastic
• Key rings or lanyard hooks
• Clear jewelry cord
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Water based markers
• Acrylic sealer spray, matte finish
• Cookie sheet
• Brown paper grocery bag or a few brown lunch bags
• Rubber stamps (optional)

Directions:

1. There are a few different types of shrinkable plastic to choose from. We found the kind made specifically for ink jet printers worked best because it allows you to use clip art and photographs for this project. Note that you will need to have a graphics or photo program on your computer that allows you to change the lightness setting of your images. You can also scan images to use for this project. If you're using inkjet shrinkable plastic, please follow the instructions on the package for best results. If you're using standard shrinkable plastic, use markers or colored pencils to write the child’s name and grade (along with their teacher’s name), and use a rubber stamp to add a design or character for your child to color in. Remember to write the words large enough to allow for the shrinkage that will occur.
2. Cut out the designs and use a hole punch at the end of the “tag”. Remember that the plastic shrinks to about a third its size which means the holes shrink too! You will need to make it about three times larger than you think it should be.
3. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for baking your designs.  
4. Spray with acrylic sealer spray and allow to dry.
5. Run a piece of clear jewelry cord through the hole and attach both ends to a lanyard hook or key ring.

 

Try TigerSharp hunting knives for a successful hunting season

Besides brisk air and vibrant leaves, the autumn season traditionally marks the beginning of deer hunting season in several states. For some hunters, the sport is a family tradition that can be traced back for decades. With such a rich history, you want to have the best tools possible to making this hunting season the best yet.

Try our sharpest, most durable hunting knife:

The TigerSharp hunting knife and sheath - It has a revolutionary replacement blade system. This knife is packaged with a black nylon sheath & replacement stainless steel blades.

• Fixed Blade Hunting Knife
• Nylon Sheath
• 2 Smooth Replacement Blades
• Dimensions:
  • Blade: 3.75"
  • Handle: 4.5"
  • Total: 8.25"

Check out hunting information for your state

Fun bookcovers for back to school

All of those textbooks...You can tell it's a new school year when children everywhere are beginning to lug multiple five-pound books home. First order of business? Cover them. Back in the day, that meant reusing brown paper bags from the store. Today, kids want fun bookcovers with personality. Here's how:

The Supplies:

• Pocket off of an old pair of cargo pants
• Bag from a favorite store or designer
• Wrapping paper
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Double-sided tape
• 1-inch wide electrical tape
• Post-it Pad

Directions:

1. Fold paper in half around a closed book. Crease the paper sharply around all edges of the book
2. Remove the book and trim the paper -- leaving a 2- to 3-inch margin around the creased rectangle. (Tip: Measure and mark the margin with a ruler and a pencil before you cut.)
3. Fold in the top and bottom edges of the paper along the lengthwise crease lines.  
4. Then fold in the right and left edges of the paper along the side crease lines. 
5. Slide the front cover of the book into the folded paper "sleeve" along the left edge of the paper cover. Repeat with back cover and right side. Cargo Pants Pocket Cover: This cover is ideal for carrying cargo, such as pens and milk money.
6. Cover the book following the directions above, then cut a pocket off an old pair of cargo pants and attach it to the cover with double-sided tape.
7. Designer Bag Cover: Here's an easy and inexpensive way to give textbooks en vogue style. Flatten a bag from the store, and fold it around the book using the directions above with one modification: Step A is the time to center the words or pictures you'd like to show. If you use a plastic bag, tape each fold in place.  
8. Pen and Pad Cover: This cover makes jotting down homework assignments a breeze. Start with a covered book. To create the pen holder, cut a 6-inch piece of 1-inch-wide electrical tape. Stick a 1/4-inch piece of tape to the center of the 6-inch piece (sticky sides together). Next, wrap the nonsticky part around your pen, and attach the sticky ends to the edge of the cover. Repeat to make the second band. Attach a Post-it note pad to the inside flap of the book cover with double-sided tape or a glue    

Tips for teaching children how to use scissors

As school approaches, parents are working with their children to get ahead and test their developmental skills. A big test of a child's fine motor skills is observing how well he or she uses scissors. Here are some great tips from About.com:

Children and Scissor Size

• Choose a pair of scissors that is the appropriate size for your child's hand.
  
• Demonstrate the proper grasping technique for your child by placing your thumb middle and ring fingers in the handles of the scissors. Place your index finger on the outside of the handle to stabilize the scissors and offer a better grip. Then, just curl the pinky finger into your palm.

Choose Easy Objects to Cut

• Give her some sturdy paper to cut.
  
• You can use construction paper, junk mail or anything that is fairly sturdy but not too hard to cut.
  

Scissors and Safety

• Using scissors should always be a supervised activity that is done while sitting. Because scissors seem like such a grown-up tool, my kids are really careful with scissors.
  
•  Reinforce the safety aspect by showing kids how to properly hold a scissors while walking.
  
• Have your child close her fist around the closed scissors blades. March around the kitchen or living room holding scissors safely. Teaching this custom will prevent injury if the child falls while walking with the scissors.

Back to school supplies for teachers and students

We can smell the scent of crayons and freshly sharpened pencils already. It's back-to-school time, and we've got great tools for teachers and students.

• Zigzagz paper edgers - Creative teachers look for creative and economical products. With these paper edgers, it's like having six scissors in one. Perfect for customizing stationary, photographs, rubber stamp projects, stencil and other paper crafting projects.Cushioned handles and plastic blades ensure safe,comfortable cutting 

• Stripes Children's Scissors - Attention Moms and Dads: Children love items with fresh colors and patterns. Help your little one develop his or her motor skills with these fun stripes children's scissors. We also love Scissor Critters butterfly scissors.

• Starting geometry? Don't forget the protractor. It's a must-have.  Want to cover your bases? Buy the eight-piece school math set.

Feature Friday: Titanium rotary blade refill

It's never been easier to add a creative edge to your crafts--just check out this easy-change rotary blade refill with a pinking edge.

Product Details:

• No touch safety shield for quick and easy changing
• Includes instructions for changing blade
• Titanium blades
• Pinking blade

*Crafty Tip* Hosting a back-to-school Moms gathering? Buy some patterned cardstock and make your own invitations.

It's August. Got back-to-school on the brain?

It's August? So soon?! That means there's less than a month until the new school year in some areas. Whether your kids head back to the classroom during the summer heat or with fall's crisp air, they're going to need great school supplies to help them succeed.

Don't send them off to math class without this nine-piece school supply math set.

Product Details:

This flip top case holds all the essential for math projects.

Includes: calculator, beveled edge ruler, triangles, protractor, compass, pencil, pencil sharpener and eraser. Includes carry case.

Click here for suggested school supplies for middle schoolers.

Summer flowers help you in a pinch

Summer is full of fun celebrations from graduations and weddings to birthdays and barbecues, but sometimes an event can sneak up on you. That's where summer flowers come in.

• Hosting family this summer? Help add warmth to your guest room with an arrangement of summery hydrangeas. ** Don't forget your floral knife for trimming stems and cutting flowers down to size**

• Why not organize a welcome barbecue for some new neighbors on the block? You can hand out tiny potted flowers as a gift to the new neighbors.

• Know someone who is feeling under the weather? Brighten their day with some fresh blooms.

From left: Sunflower; Purple Cone Flower; Daylily; Hydrangea