Cutting Mats

Cutting mats give you a great surface to work on. Using the proper tool with a self healing or hard cutting mat will insure neat, clean cut projects

Pazzles Inspiration 12"x12" Cutting Mat
Cutting mats are a terrific tool! Not only do they protect the surface you're working on, they help keep your crafting tools sharper for longer periods of time. This will help save you money in the long run because replacement blades are not cheap and some blades cannot be sharpened.

Cutting mats come in two basic styles: self-healing cutting mats made of several layers of a softer material and hard cutting mats. Self-healing styles show very little or no evidence of being cut, where hard styles leave cuts on the surface. These little cuts can sometimes cause irregularities in your project, if you choose to make difficult cuts in the direction of the existing grooves.
Making Memories Self Healing Cutting Mat 10'' x 10''
Most cutting mats come in a large variety of sizes from 6 inch x 6 inch all the way up to 40 inch x 60 inch. You always want to choose a size that is larger than your project. The smaller sizes being great for traveling and fitting in your gear bag are a nice choice if you like to work on the go. Choosing a larger size for your work space at home is recommended.

Another nice feature about cutting mats is that most of them have grid lines and measurements imprinted on the surface. This is terrific for the measure twice cut once rule, so that you don't make costly mistakes with your special paper. Grid lines are a god send for those of us without steady hands. Just place your ruler on the grid lines, and you have a nice straight line to cut up against. Some cutting mats even feature diagonal guide lines for great angle cuts.

 You will want to use the type of cutting mat recommended by the manufacturer of your particular tool. They also come in a few different colors (some companies use different colors for special promotions). I would recommend getting one with a brighter color so you can see the grid work better.
EK Success Glass Mat Cutting Surface w/Photo Grid Lines
You will find that working with these cutting mats is a lot better than the cramped fingers you get trying to navigate tight cuts with your scissors.

Happy Scrapping.