Hi Friends! Did you see the nifty looking Fuse tool from We R Memory Keepers that debuted at CHA this year? It is a hot tool that allowed you to make shaker pockets or divided page protectors (like for Project Life type projects) out of ordinary page protectors. I liked the ideas of making divided page protectors for stamp storage since I keep all my unmounted stamps in binders and divided page protectors cost 10 times more than the standard ones. However what would I be saving if I dropped $30 on another tool? So I thought of other similar tools I owned and after chatting with Kathy we determined that I should test out my Creative Hot Marks tool (basically a pretty wood burner by Walnut Hallow) to see if it would do the same thing. I was excited to use that tool again because it was all the rage a few years ago but I have not touched it in quite a while. I am happy to report that it does a great job! In today’s video I will show you how! BTW, don’t worry if you do not have this exact tool because I will suggest some other things that will work!
Video!
So you might be thinking, oh great, now we need to drop $20 on THIS Creative Hot Marks (Wal-Mart seems to have the best price if you are interested at $19.97 but it is on sale at Joann.com for $22 as well) but you probably have something at home that will work just as well. After posting the video on YouTube many viewers chimed in with their DIY success stories (mind you I have not tried these myself so take care when experimenting and use any heat tool with caution especially if you have kids and pets and ALWAYS unplug it after use!)
More ideas that may work!
- Hot glue gun (with no glue in it)
- Food Saver
- Soldering Iron (preferably a low wattage one or one with an adjustable dial)
- Small iron
- Stencil Cutter
- Regular wood burning tool
Make sure you have a heatproof surface. A glass mat or silicone mat is ideal, you might even want a silicone mat on a glass mat just to be sure you don’t burn or warp anything underneath. If you have tried this (great minds think alike!) already and have another device that will work please let me know in the comments. If you like this tip I would love it if you shared it with your friends on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter or ANY of your social media places. It really helps me grow and I appreciate it so much! Thanks so much for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 
LOVE THIS… why buy a “new” tool when you have something else that does the same.
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Wow love shaker cards. I think I have one of those bought it years ago. I don’t know what I was planning on doing with it that was so long ago. I will have to give it a try. Who would of thunk it. Funny story in elementary school we were conjugating verbs and one class mate had drink drank drunk and then Rodney had think and he said think thank thunk. I always think of that and it makes me laugh. So who would of thought of that.
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Great idea!
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Thank you Lindsey, this is a very good solution to at last keep my stamps in place!
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I was just wondering how to make this without all the “official items”…and there before me was the answer! You are amazing and always keep us so informed! Thanks so much!
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So glad you did this video! I have been longing for a Fuse tool. I have a Walnut Hollow wood burner and thought about trying it but was afraid to. Tomorrow it is down to the craft room to try to make custom pockets. Thanks for another great idea.
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You are totally amazing. It never ceases to amaze me what kind of brilliant idea you will come up with next. Thank you ever so much. I love all your ideas.
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Me thinks I’m going to have to find DH’s wood burner and give it a try. I never would have thought of this, thanks for the nifty idea.
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The other day Blitsy had the Fuse on sale for a pretty good price and I put it into my cart then thought to myself, Maybe my wood burner will work instead of wasting the money on this tool. Off to the craft room I went and YES, it worked!! $20 saved and an unused tool made new again!! LOVE it when that happens!! Thanks for the post on this to let everyone know about this moneysaving idea!!
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What a great idea! I also have one of these tools. I love shakers, but they tend to be too bulky, now this is a way to make them without all the bulk. Thank you so much for this wonderful tip!
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Great idea!
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Fun, fun, fun… and guess what I have found in my cluttered craft room?! I brand new, never been opened wood burning tool set. Mine is pink. 🙂 Got it ages ago… Thanks for the video.
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Yippee! Thank you. I was wondering if my multipurpose burner would work. Now to find the tips. I know I put them somewhere safe
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WOW! Lindsay Brilliant Idea would never of thought of that! Your Amazing Girl!!!
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This is a great idea. I’m tired of using tape to make small bags. I’ll give this a try for sure. Thanks so much.
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I can think of so many uses for this. This is a fantastic little printer. Love it. Thank you for showing us non-technical people, Lindsay!
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Thanks a bunch Kindsay. I was actually thinking about doing the same thing! I’m glad your experiment worked!
Hugs, Carmen L
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Why am I not seeing a video?
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Hi Lindsay my internet friend. I love the shaker bookmark idea so I was tending my grands and we made some and for the life of me I could not get they to stay fused together. Do you think my plastic may have been to wimpy? Also have you done a video on the darling glitter earrings you were wearing in the video talking about your experience at the latest Farmers Market? They were so beautiful. I love you so much Thanks for allllll you do you are a wonder.
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I tried my hot glue gun (without glue) with no success. Drat! I don’t have any of the other options mentioned.
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Thank you, thank you Lindsay for this great idea and video. I had tried to use my food saver to seal the page protector but the seal was not strong enough. But I had an unused Creative Hot Marks stashed away for many years, so with great trepidation I took it out. And after only a couple of tries, I was getting a great seal!! So now I have my cutting dies out of their awkward packaging and in a form I can see/use more and I am using one of those tools I had to have but never used!
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So as I searched Google for ” how to fuse page protectors without fuser” the first thing that popped up was this article and the only other thing I had on the list was a glue gun…so I tried it, ( thinking that it wouldn’t work cus its got such a blunt point ) but I was so excited to find that it worked…after a few practices. Just have to get a ruler and run the circular tip ( sideways, so your glue gun is close to the surface, to get as close as u can to the edge of ruler and page protector) along the edge of the ruler .you can run it over a few times to make sure but I try to go over once but go a little slower cus the slower u go the thicker of a line/fuse you’ll get) but yeh just thought I’d share cus u can get a cheap glue gun at the dollar store instead of buying a 30$ fuser . thank you very much for the idea!
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This was helpful. Thank you. I almost bought the We R Memory Keepers fuse tool today but ended up with a wood burning tool.
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