Today’s mission challenge is all about rethinking the tools we use every day, and how sometimes, out of sheer frustration, we discover brand-new purposes for them. If you read my mood check-in, you already know it’s been… a day. After patiently babysitting two TPU purse panels for nine hours (yes, nine!), one tore while I was prying it off the metal build plate. Even alcohol spray wasn’t enough to loosen that stubborn filament. But here’s where the shift happened: I remembered my flat metal spatula, the same one I use to gently lift cardstock, vinyl, and other materials from sticky mats, and carefully paired that with the alcohol to ease the TPU away. I had to be extra mindful not to scratch the build plate, but it worked well enough to get me through the second panel. And it made me stop and think: how many tools do we have that quietly serve double duty?
So today’s challenge is this, look at your crafting space with fresh eyes. What tool was designed for one machine or one material, but you’ve discovered works beautifully in another application? Maybe your weeding tool doubles as a precision glue applicator. Perhaps your sublimation heat-resistant tape now moonlights as layout tape for framing shadow boxes. Or maybe that brayer you bought for vinyl now smooths paper layers like a dream. These little cross-purpose wins can save time, frustration, and sometimes an entire project.
Share your discoveries whether they be big or small. Tell the story behind how you figured it out. Was it intentional experimentation, or a desperate “please let this work” moment like mine? These are the tricks that help the entire crafting community grow stronger, more resourceful, and more supportive. Especially on the days when things don’t go as planned. And remember: creativity isn’t just in what we make. It’s also in how we solve problems along the way.
Let’s celebrate the tools that refuse to stay in one box and the crafters who keep pushing forward, even when TPU has other plans.
Of course, it’s hard for me to think of specifics when asked, but the one I can remember is the light box that I bought for tracing my art to do tattoos. I ended up using it for weeding vinyl, which comes in very handy for that. Oh, and I’ve used the tiny hammer that came with my cube organizer to hammer a thumbtack that I, apparently, was trying to push into a stud. I’ve tried using real hammers which led to me ending up with a busted thumbtack. I knew there would be a good reason to keep that tiny hammer. 