Have you ever talked yourself into buying something, then talked yourself right back out of it? That was me with the new Hot Foil System from Stampin’ Up! I must have looked at it ten times. I watched videos, read reviews, added it to my cart, took it out, added it, removed it, then repeated the whole process a few days later.

Perhaps you’ve done the same thing with a stamp set, die bundle or tool. You know it would be fun to have, but there’s that little voice asking, “Will I actually use it?”

Those questions aren’t a bad thing. In fact, I think they’re definitely worth asking.

Why I Didn’t Buy the Hot Foil System Right Away

If you’ve crafted with me for any length of time, you’ll know I’m not someone who believes every new tool belongs in every craft room. I’m a big believer in getting the most from the supplies you already own before rushing out to buy something new. I love showing you fresh ways to use what you have because creativity doesn’t always require another shopping trip…yes, really! 😉

So when we demos first heard about the new Hot Foil System, my reaction wasn’t, “I have to have that!” It was more like, “That’s pretty cool. But do I really need it?”

After all, I already had heat embossing. I already had dies and stamp sets I love. Did I really need another way to add shine to a card?

So I figured I would give it a miss.

Not because I wasn’t interested, but because I wanted to know if I was still interested after some of the excitement wore off. Sometimes that little pause helps separate real honest-to-goodness excitement from ‘shiny object syndrome’.

What Changed My Mind

Then just as the system was about to go live to customers, I had an A-HA moment. I stopped asking whether I needed another tool and started asking whether I’d genuinely enjoy creating with it.

That’s a very different question.

The more projects I saw, the more I realized this wasn’t replacing anything I already owned. It was simply adding another creative option to my toolbox.

So for me, the answer eventually became an easy yes.

But I also didn’t grab EVERYthing available. I selected just a couple dies and all the colours of foil to give it a test drive. To see if I really loved it.

My First Card Told Me Everything

When my machine and my couple dies arrived, I first spent a bit of time playing and making a few different foiled pieces. I tried the gold, the silver and the pink and each has such a gorgeous sheen.

OK. Spoiler…this is addictive…and fun…and I love what I’ve done so far, after only about 3 hours playtime!

This get well card was the very first complete project I made with my foiled greetings.

The design itself is wonderfully simple. Barely Blush pink, fresh Soft SeaFoam green, plenty of white space, a narrow embossed strip, ribbon, linen thread and just a few pearls. I love how easy it was to pair the foiled greeting with my existing stamps for a card for a friend.

Without the foiled greeting, I’d still like this card. And yes, you could easily replace the foiled greeting with a heat embossed one. But the difference is this:

While you think the foiled will be indented into the cardstock by looking at it, it isn’t. It’s totally smooth. So you can stamp right over top of it (or stamp first, the choice is yours). It doesn’t lift and doesn’t have texture. And every time I tilt it toward the light, that shiny greeting catches the reflection and is the star of the show.

On this Secret Sea blue design, I tried something different. I dry embossed the panel AFTER I hot foiled the greeting for a cool look. A super simple card with tons of shine, and fun texture too.

How to Decide if a New Tool Is Worth It

Before I invest in a new crafting tool, I like to ask myself a few questions.

• Will I use it for more than one type of project?
• Does it fit the style of cards I already enjoy making?
• Will it make my crafting time more efficient?
• Will it encourage me to spend more time creating?
• Can I picture myself reaching for it six months from now?
• Am I excited because it suits the way I craft, or simply because it’s new?

Those questions don’t always lead to the same answer. Sometimes I decide to wait. Sometimes I decide not to buy something at all.

And sometimes, I discover a tool that makes me smile every time I use it.

If you’ve been collecting ideas for adding shine to your cards, this project pairs beautifully with my Heat Embossing Mistakes: Simple Fixes for Better Card Making Results post. It’s another technique that creates a polished finish and gives you even more ways to make your greetings stand out.

How to Make This Idea Your Own

Whether it’s a new Hot Foil System or another crafting tool you’ve been considering, here are a few ideas to help you decide.

• Borrow one from a crafty friend if you can and give it a test drive.
• Watch several different creators to see how versatile it really is.
• Think about how it works with the supplies you already own.
• Give yourself permission to wait a week or two before deciding.
• Remember that the best tool isn’t always the newest one. It’s the one you’ll actually use.

Heat embossing and hot foiling each create their own beautiful effect, and it’s fun having both techniques in your creative toolkit.

Sometimes Waiting Is the Right Decision

Thinking about it now, I’m actually glad I waited a little bit. Those few weeks gave me time to decide whether I wanted the Hot Foil System because it was new, or because it genuinely fit the way I love to create.

This time, I know it was the right investment.

If you’re considering a new crafting tool, don’t feel like you have to decide today. Give yourself permission to think it over, watch a few demonstrations and imagine how you’d actually use it. If you’re still excited a little later, you’ll probably feel much more confident about your decision.

I’d love to hear from you.

What’s one crafting tool you hesitated to buy but are now so glad you did?

Click here to leave a comment.

I have a feeling I’m not the only one who’s played a long game of “Add to Cart…Remove from Cart…Add to Cart!” 😊