Shop Scissors Blog

Feature Friday: 5” Junior Splat Scissors, Pointed Tip

You may be feeling that the 80s have returned to haunt you, but your student will love to take these fun, brightly colored scissors to school with them this fall. The 5” Junior Splat Scissors have stainless steel blades that will cut easily through craft material when it’s time for arts and crafts. Do keep in mind, however, that with the pointed tip, they are only appropriate for ages 6 and up. They also come with a free paint splash erase for every two pair that you order.

To order a pair of 5” Junior Splat Scissors or to look at our other children’s scissors, visit ShopScissors.com.

10 Steps to Making a Boutonniere

With approximately another month to go in “wedding season,” it is not too late to consider saving money by putting together your own flowers for your wedding. The boutonniere for the groomsmen can actually be put together in ten easy steps.

 

1. You will need florist tape, florist wire, floral shears, small flowers, leather leaf, baby’s breath if desired, a plastic baggie, and a pins. Gather all of your tools and flower and lay them out in your working area. Gather enough to be able to put together between one and three at a time.
2. If you are using roses, cut the stem to approximately four inches and pierce the flower head through the base with a half piece of wire, approximately 10 inches long. Bend both sides of the wire down along the stem and tape the wire and stem together using floral tape.
3. Take two pieces of leather leaf and layer them off center so they overlap each other but still allow you to see each piece clearly.
4. If you desire baby’s breath to be part of the boutonniere, add it over the top of the leather leaf at this time.
5. Add the rose or other flower to the top of the baby’s breath or leather leaf. The foliage should extend above the head of the flower by approximately 1.5 inches.
6. Secure the flower, baby’s breath and foliage together with tape, taping tightly from the stem to the bottom.
7. If you desire, add another piece of leather leaf or baby’s breath in the bare spot in front of the flower and tape it to the rest of the boutonniere.
8. Add a pin to the back of the stem for attaching it to the suit or tux.
9. Spray the boutonniere with a water mister.
10. Package in a clear baggie. Keep them cool in either a cooler or refrigerator until it’s time to wear.

To order a pair of florist shears or another pair of scissors, go to ShopScissors.com.

Tips for Sewing with a Rotary Cutter

Quilting made easy!!

The rotary cutter has revolutionized the art of quilting, cutting time in half and improving the accuracy of cutting fabric. With these few simple tips you will be well on your way to mastering the rotary cutter in no time.

Safety first. The blade on the rotary cutter is extremely sharp and can easily cut your hand. Always keep the protective cover over the blade until you are ready to cut. Be sure to keep it out of the hands of children.

Sharp blades only. While it is possible to sharpen blades, it is easier and safer to simply purchase replacement blades and avoid problems. Avoid cutting over pins or other metal objects.

Holding the rotary cutter. Hold it firmly with your index finger aligned with the blade, giving you full control. Try to avoid tensing your wrist.

Work space. Always cut on a cutting mat in an area where you have plenty of room to lay out your fabric. Before cutting, smooth the fabric to remove any bumps that could affect your cut.

Kitchen Tip: Try Kitchen Scissors

It’s important when handling raw meat to take precautionary measures to avoid contaminating your cutting board and tools. More than your tools, you have to be particularly careful with the cutting board, as there is always the risk of bacteria permeating a wooden board. Always be sure to wash it with hot, soapy water after you are finished. However, for those of you who would like to avoid the risk of contaminating your cutting board altogether, consider kitchen scissors!

Putting on a pair of vinyl gloves will protect your hands from the raw meat while you use the scissors to trim fat from the meat or cut beef or chicken into strips. You will find that it is also much easier to cut with scissors than a sharp knife. The kitchen scissors allows you the freedom to cut the raw meat directly over a plate or bowl and let the pieces drop directly down, avoiding contaminating your cutting board. Kitchen shears are also highly resistant to rust and corrosion-dishwasher safe, so they will be free from bacteria and ready and waiting for your next use.

Top Tips for Keeping Your Child Healthy this School Season

With school just around the corner it’s important to start thinking about keeping your child healthy and practicing good health habits. While your child will, inevitably, catch something, just a few steps can make a substantial difference in the frequency he or she gets sick.

1. Wash, wash, wash. This is one of the most important things your child can do to stay healthy. Teach them to wash their hands before and after eating and whenever they use the restroom.
2. Keeping hands away from the face. Teach your children to keep their hands away from their faces most of the time. The exception to this rule is if they are coughing or sneezing. On these occasions, they should be taught to wash their hands afterwards.
3. Touch-free policy. Teach your child to keep his hands to himself. Explain how germs can be found on doorways and doorknobs and show them how to use a paper towel to open a bathroom door.
4. Diet is important. Serve immunity-boosting foods in your home. Make sure your kids get lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and limit the amount of sugar they are consuming. The antioxidants paired with the lack of empty calories will go a long way toward improving their immune systems.

To purchase Kids Scissors with Microban Antimicrobial Product Protection to inhibit the growth of bacteria, go to ShopScissors.com.

Feature Friday: 9 Piece School Math Set

With only about a month to go before school begins, it’s time to begin stocking up on school supplies for the coming year. For this week’s Feature Friday Product, we have selected the 9 Piece School Math Set. This set includes a calculator, beveled edge ruler, triangles, protractor, compass, pencil, pencil sharpener, and erase. It also includes a carrying case so your student will be able to keep all of his items together and have them readily available when it’s time for math. This convenient set includes everything your math wizard should need!

To purchase the 9 Piece School Math Set or other school supplies, go to ShopScissors.com.

Tips for Handling and Storing Chicken Safely

Few things are better during the summer months than a piece of chicken hot off the grill. It’s important, however, to practice good safety habits with handling and storing chicken to hurting yourself or becoming ill.

• Make sure you wash your hands both before and after handling raw chicken. Ensure that your cooking area is clean and that, after finishing, you clean both the cooking area and tools with hot, soapy water to avoid contaminating other foods.
• Raw chicken should be refrigerated immediately after being purchased to limit the amount of time it is exposed unsafe temperatures.
• If you are keeping a cooked chicken hot, try to keep it at 140 degrees Fahrenheit and if it is cold, it should be kept at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make sure chicken is always cooked completely to eliminate the likelihood of food borne illness.
• When dividing hot chicken for serving, use poultry shears to reduce the risk of burning yourself.
• Make sure chicken is as fresh as possible before freezing and encourage the freezing process along by placing it on the floor of your freezer. A whole chicken can be safely frozen for up to a year and chicken pieces, nine months.

To order poultry shears or other kitchen scissors, go to ShopScissors.com.

Kid’s Birthday Party Idea: Jungle Themed Party

Looking for a fun birthday party theme? Consider throwing your child a jungle-themed party. Great for boys and girls, your child will be begging for this theme for years to come. Here are a few ideas for how to turn your home unto a jungle safari.

Invitations. Create your own invitations using scrapbooking supplies and stickers. Anything that has an animal theme is perfect. You could also wrap animal crackers with brown paper and a note attached with the party details. While these will have to be hand-delivered, it is a great way to kick your theme off right.

Decorations. Animal print balloons are a fun way to bring your home to life. Another inexpensive option is using green crepe paper streamers as vines hanging from the ceiling. Make fun signs like “Elephant Crossing” or “Please don’t feed the animals.”

Games. Instead of pin the tail on the donkey, try pin the tail on the monkey…or lion…or zebra. Another fun game is Simon Says, except this time call it Monkey Says, Monkey do. Kids who follow the instructions without hearing “Monkey says…” are out. The Jungle Animal Freeze is another fun option. You play music as the kids dance around. When the music stops playing, the kids have to freeze and post like an animal.

Party favors. Animal crackers are an obvious option. Other options are animal party blowers, animal stickers or animal themed scissors, like the Ooh Ooh Monkey Scissors.

Food. You can make Monkey Mix, combining mini chocolate chips with banana chips, cashews and shredded coconut. Gummy worms or Tiger Tails, more commonly known as Cheetos, are other options.

Brighten Summer Events with Flowers

Summertime is full of special events: birthdays, family reunions, barbeques. Decorating for these events does not have to be expensive, however. Just use what Mother Nature gave you! Our yards are full of summer flowers…or if you don’t have any available, pick up some inexpensive wildflowers from your local supermarket. Here we have provided a few ideas to brighten your summer events.

Having guests?

Housing out-of-towners doesn’t have to mean time and money spent fixing up that guest room. Grab a pair of floral shears and cut some hydrangeas for next to the bed. Pull up the blinds to bring some sunshine into the room. You will be amazed at how cozy the newly brightened room will feel.

Barbeques?

Place potted plants around the patio area where you plan to have the barbeque. Thinking about giving gifts to guest? Consider little potted flowers. You can pick up some flowers and cheap clay pots from your local nursery. You can even get creative and paint the pots, customized for each individual.

Birthday party?

Consider taking a potted flower or potted plant in addition to that bottle of wine. It can be a great addition to anyone’s home, one that they could potentially enjoy for years to come.

History of Scissors

Scissors. We use them so often we don’t even think twice about them or how specialized they have become based on our needs. There are florist shears, kitchen scissors, sewing scissors, etc, all customized for their particular purpose. But it wasn’t always so convenient. With the help of Helium, we have provided a brief history of scissors.

The earliest scissors can be traced back to Egypt around 1500 BC. The rudimentary device was comprised of a single piece of bronze metal that was formed into a U shape. The ends of the U were sharpened into blades, with the curve acting like a spring so the blades moved apart after each cut.

The idea of the cross-bladed scissors was not invented until approximately 100 AD. These newer scissors resemble scissors used by gardeners or sheep-shearers. No further major developments were made again until 1761, when Robert Hinchiffe used cast steel to make a pair of scissors, increasing the durability and efficiency. Since then, many developments have been made to create highly specialized scissors for different uses: specialist tools for surgeons, safety scissors for children, electrician's scissors, and the list goes on and on.