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I was just cutting apart a brand new die set and one flew off into my desktop. Of course it is covered with creative tools, papers etc. I moved everything off piece by piece but no little leaf die was to be found. Have you ever had a die take flight and found it? This makes me sad, I do not like incomplete sets of anything. Maybe I will find it when I least expect it.Marcia
Yes I've had that happen and kinda drives me nuts. I find it after I've stopped looking. I have a little magnetic dish that I use for dies I'm currently using. Got it at a Harbor Tool Store.
Sad to say...I've had this happen several times and happy to say...I eventually recovered the missing dies (one flew into a tote that sits on the floor, one stuck onto the bottom of my MISTI because that has magnets inside and the third one flew into the crevice of my printer that sits on my desk!! I even prayed about it at the time...thinking God is interested in every detail in our lives! :-)
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Wanda Cullen ~ Dirty Dozen Alumni, On design team for Papertrey Ink, Designer for Color Throwdown and Fusion Card Challenges Cullen-ary Creations[/URL]...my blogHERE'S MY GALLERY[/URL]
Sad to say...I've had this happen several times and happy to say...I eventually recovered the missing dies (one flew into a tote that sits on the floor, one stuck onto the bottom of my MISTI because that has magnets inside and the third one flew into the crevice of my printer that sits on my desk!! I even prayed about it at the time...thinking God is interested in every detail in our lives! :-)
I prayed, too, when I lost a stamp for the very same reason as yours - God's interested in every detail - and lo and behold I found it when I opened my eyes (I posted that story at the beginning of this thread). He really does want me to stamp lol.
I HATE when that happens. I feel ill. lol I lost 2 tiny stamps that I
loved, from 2 different sets. No matter how careful and aware I try to
be. I never found them and I searched EVERYWHERE! I figured they must be
hiding out with all those "missing socks".
There's something smile-worthy to discover that so many of us experience the same little issues along the way while enjoying this opportunity to create! We're quite a big 'club'!
I would Really like to buy a telescoping magnet want, but it appears they are mostly made in China on Amazon. Does anyone know a source for Made In USA?
I bought both my magnetic telescoping wand and magnet bowl at Harbor Freight. I love my magnetic wand for the eyelets and brads that fall out of my fumble fingers. And my magnetic bowl holds the little dies and other metal embellies while I'm working on a project = https://www.harborfreight.com/
The magnetic bowl is about $3.00 and the wand is $5.00. I even purchased one for the store where our ATC club meetings were held at as we had a jam session creating ATC's during the later part of the meeting. Somebody invariably lost an eyelet or brad under the table and they were always borrowing my wand to go fishing for it. So I bought it for the store to have one in case I wasn't there. Most handy tools.
You will find it when you are not looking! . I finally found one that had been missing for over six months. Found it under the 9 X 12 indoor-outdoor area rug I have in my craft room. I was rolling it up to take outside to wash and there it was. Guess I should have washed it sooner!!
I had that happen to me once it was a tiny little heart and I had looked everywhere, tried with a magnet etc then my daughter gave me a tip that paid off. She told me to get my vacuum cleaner out and take a nylon stocking even a knee high will work and put it over the open end of the hose and turn it on low and go everywhere in the area and I did find it. I had landed on it's side and was leaning against the table leg. Also if you have any magnets around that you were working with check to see if it's stuck to it. Hope you find it. Magee
I have a file drawer that isn't completely sealed by my work area. Never fails when I drop something, it somehow manages to fly into the file drawer! Searching in there is no fun! I'm ready to empty the drawer to make future hunting easier! LOL And, yes I'm a member of the "missing stamp club" and it's making me crazy wondering where it went...
I bought both my magnetic telescoping wand and magnet bowl at Harbor Freight. I love my magnetic wand for the eyelets and brads that fall out of my fumble fingers. And my magnetic bowl holds the little dies and other metal embellies while I'm working on a project = https://www.harborfreight.com/
The magnetic bowl is about $3.00 and the wand is $5.00. I even purchased one for the store where our ATC club meetings were held at as we had a jam session creating ATC's during the later part of the meeting. Somebody invariably lost an eyelet or brad under the table and they were always borrowing my wand to go fishing for it. So I bought it for the store to have one in case I wasn't there. Most handy tools.
Exactly where I was going to suggest. It’s where I got both items too! I use metal barrettes with crochet work and keep those in one of the magnetic bowls by my side.
Consider putting a row of strong magnets on the front side of your vacuum as well. Permanently. I worked in the office of a janitorial service and we had them on the front of all of the vacs so they would catch any metal objects and prevent them from being sucked in and ruining the machine.
So that's three of us who voted for Harbor Freight! Who knew? Another weird source for art supplies and other peculiar stuff is American Science and Surplus: sciplus.com/
__________________ Diana B
-We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all. ~John Hughes
A lot of stamps and dies come in cellophane envelopes that have a really sticky line of adhesive. I found a missing alphabet die stuck to such an envelope; since the packaging was for stamps and not dies I didn't think to look there.
I also have luck using a flashlight. I lay it on the floor so the beam goes across the floor for a foot or two. That helps light up the edges that may be visible from the side instead of from above.
Just a couple years ago, I lost the small "lock" die that went to a great Halloween Gate by Stampin Up. The lock die just disappeared. I looked everywhere, went through the trash, my paper clippings, and wouldn't let a vacuum in there until I ran my fingers along the edges of everything. No die.
About three months later, I was getting out a new set of cutting plates and guess what had flown from the table to that shelf and was clinging to the plastic wrap?
Yep. The lock die.
So you never know!!!
__________________ Kathy Wrose "Fun must be always." - Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks "It was fun." - Kirk, Star Trek: Generations
I have had this happen to me more times then I’d like to admit. Not necessarily from cutting them apart either! I now look under my Misti, or ANYTHING that has a magnet near or on it. I have found them stuck underneath my Misti on occasion, as well as a magnetic piece I store my dies on!!
I use the magnet wand that I use for canning, picking up hot jar lids. I had the same thing happen to me and eventually found it using the magnet. Hope you find it!
Harvest Moon most auto parts store will carry a magnetic wand or a version thereof. Mechanics use them to find small screws and bolts they make drop. Good Luck
Been there & feel your pain!!! I USUALLY find it stuck to something magnetic! LOL After fussing & fuming! I TRY clip the dies apart now, by holding the die I cut in particular, to keep it from flying! I have one set of SB Heart Dies--I just cut off the top & a side & store them in the original package. I had been using them & my daughter was goofing off one day & grabbed them from where I had them.... one of the dies slipped from the package as she waved it around.... It was the one heart die I use the MOST! I STILL haven't found it! It went into my husbands closet.... UGH!!!
I feel your pain. Happens to me too, tho more with stamps than dies. Some I have found, so I have a small drawer full of dies and stamps that I no longer know where they belong. Sigh.
__________________ My word for the year 2024 is CLEAR
Well ladies I have tried all your suggestions. Check shoes, clothes, floor and my desk hasn't been this clean since I put it here. I looked over into and under everything here and no little leaf die. I will just have to resign myself to it may show up when I least expect it or it's just gone. The upside I do have a nice clean workspace now but no leaf :( I will be sure to let you all know if it ever turns up.
Marcia
My go to look for missing dies is the bottom of any MISTI close by or Tim Holtz stamp positioner. I can't tell you how many dies I've found on the bottom of those! HTH
__________________ The future is uncertain, because love changes everything!
These bowls are SO MAGNETIC!!! They're GREAT! I got one for my sewing pins, & one for my stamping table for dies! AND any other little things that accumulate!
I do remember loosing a WHOLE SET of stamps! They slid off my desk when I didn't realize it, I probably wasn't in the room.... They slid right into my trashcan next to the desk! I looked EVERYWHERE! My hubby went out to the trash & rummaged through the trash, before the trash man came to pick up the trash & my hubby found it IN THE TRASH! I was SICK at the thought of what had happened, & moved the trash can to UNDER THE DESK, so it wouldn't happen again!!!! No more problems of almost throwing out my stamps! LOL
I received the "Captions Numbers" die set from My Favorite Things as an incentive set. When I was cutting the dies apart--admittedly rather carelessly--one of the numbers flew away. :P Thankfully, I found it. But, did I learn from my mistake and not have a repeat performance? NOOOOOO!!! I have yet to find the "0" that went flying next! I pulled out & carefully went through every piece of trash from my garbage can. Looked all over my desk & floor. Carefully swept the (hardwood) floor and went through the sweepings. I swear, that craft room had never been so clean as by the time I finished. I even took my magnetic want and swept around on the floor where I was sure the die had gone. I finally gave up. Recently ordered the coordinating alphabet die set, that comes with an "O." Assuming I can be more responsible and keep ALL the dies, I figure that's close enough to a "0"! As Charlie Brown would say, "Good grief!" :P
My latest loss is one of the small, circular magnets typically used in a Misti Stamp positioner. I had just removed it from the positioner and set it on my desk only to hear it "fly" from where I put it. I heard it make contact to another metal surface or, possibly, another magnet. However, I have looked everywhere (lamp bases, light poles, metal rulers, my other Misti magnets) to no avail. I cannot imagine where it is hiding.
Check all around your rolling metal frame chairs. My magnet was hiding in the well near wheel. I knew it was there because I had heard it attach. Took me awhile to find it.
What did your tiny leaf look like....can you draw a little pen drawing of it and put a photo of the drawing in a note here? Maybe one of us has something similar that we can send you.....it may be worth a try if we are allowed to do something like that through this forum. Just a thought!!!
Stamp I can do draw not so much. It was the maple leaf in the MFT Jumping For Joy set. they just released from the vault. It's maybe 3/4" across. Still has not shown its face :(
My awol lostie was a small alphabet die 's'. It was gone for weeks & weeks. I had completely given up the search and "let it go".
But then one day, it was just right over there where it didn't belong at all, due no doubt to an amazing bounce off the floor or whatever! Happy surprises can happen.
I lost my "s" too. Alas, mine was never found. I asked the manufacturer if I could purchase an "s" but I could not. It's been about 6 years and I still haven't gotten over it. I really need that "s". LOL! Crafter's problems.
Judging by the number of replies, we've all lost a tiny die somewhere! Mine was gone for months so I bought another set. Later I found it on the bottom of the package of magnetic sheets I use to keep the dies in place inside the envelope. I eventually sold the extra set of dies to a friend at a discount. Have been very carefully putting small dies in an open container when in use. So far so good...
Is there a heating register near your desk? I have lost stuff down the one close to my desk, just a thought since you may not think to check there. Hope you find it, you know it is there somewhere.
The register is on the other side of the room but a good thought. I'll keep looking but my hope is getting slimmer. thanks everyone for your suggestions.
The fastest way to find it is to buy another set. As soon as you bring it home, you know that little stinker is going to show up.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
I HATE when that happens. I feel ill. lol I lost 2 tiny stamps that I
loved, from 2 different sets. No matter how careful and aware I try to
be. I never found them and I searched EVERYWHERE! I figured they must be
hiding out with all those "missing socks".
I know what you mean. I still keep looking for a sentiment stamp that was lost 8 years ago! It's a fairly large stamp and just can't believe it disappeared. Since it was a clear stamp, it probably got stuck to the bottom of something and may have fallen into the waste basket. My sister was stamping at my house that day so I didn't realize it was missing until several days later. I always put my stamps away the same day, so would have realized it and looked for it earlier. Silly to get obsessed with these crazy things but that's the life of a stamper, haha!
Missing die piece
Missing die piece
