Crafting is a lot of fun and it’s one of the best ways to get creative. Plus, it’s always fun to go to the craft store and pick up a 
bunch of new supplies such as stickers, embellishments, scrapbook paper, glitter, and so on. There are also plenty of crafting devices out there that can make your pastime more fun and allow you to protect your creations. One of these is a laminator. Laminators can be used for a variety of crafts including scrapbooking and anything involving photographs. If you are interested in adding the perfect laminator to your crafting arsenal, here are three to consider:
- The Fellowes Cosmic 2. The Fellowes Cosmic 2 is a new pouch laminator that is perfect for crafting. This device features a 9.5-inch feed opening so it’s ideal for things like bookmarks and scrapbook pages. You can also laminate photographs with this machine so you will be able to treasure them for years to come. You will find the Cosmic 2 easy to use – all you really need to do is turn it on, place your item in a laminating pouch, and then run it through the machine. The Cosmic 2 is compact (it approximately measures 4” x 18” x 6”) so you can easily store it away in between crafting sessions. This machine is inexpensive and it comes with a 2-year warranty.
- The Xyron Creatopia. If you want an all-in-one laminator for your crafting endeavors, you should check out the Xyron Creatopia. This device will work with items that are up to 12” wide so it’s perfect for scrapbooking. The Creatopia utilizes cartridges instead of laminating pouches or film. Depending on which cartridge you use, you will be able to laminate your items, emboss them, or apply adhesive to them. You can also use special blades with this device for fancy paper cutting. With this device, you will be able to make stickers, scrapbooks, photo albums, and more. Plus, the Creatopia is nicely designed and it’s small enough to be taken to crafting parties. This device comes with a 1-year warranty.
- The GBC HeatSeal H100. Finally, there is the GBC HeatSeal H100. This is a great laminator to get if you don’t have a lot of room because it is quite small. It’s designed for use with small items such as bookmarks, snapshots, and flash cards. The feed opening is 4.5” wide and it is compatible with laminating pouches that are 3 and 5 mil thick. Although the HeatSeal H100 is small, it produces great results since it has two rollers to smooth everything out. This laminator is really affordable and it’s nice to have around for occasional crafting. The HeatSeal H100 comes with a limited 1-year warranty.
These three laminators are all great choices for crafting and you should pick the one that appeals to you the most. A lot of people end up going with the Xyron Creatopia since it can do so many different things. But don’t forget that the Fellowes Cosmic 2 and the GBC HeatSeal H100 are also good crafting tools to have around. Whichever laminator you choose, it will enhance your creativity. Have fun!
Brie Beazley is a Staff Writer for MyBinding.com, an Oregon-based retailer of document finishing equipment and supplies.
