Check out the Xyron Design Runner

By Christina VanGinkel

If you are the sort that likes to have all the newest scrapping tools and gadgets, then you have probably heard of the Xyron Design Runner. If not, this is something you will definitely want to check out.

From the manufacturer of such design inspirations as the Wishblade Media Cutter, and innovative adhesive and lamination products, the Xyron Design Runner looks like a small handheld mouse with a handle when you first glance at it. The handle is a small flip screen, and the top of the mouse like contraption is home to its controls. The runner itself sits atop its chargeable base, as it is cordless, making it even easier to use than one could even imagine. What exactly is it? It is a hand held printer.

Imagine all of the things you would love to print on, but you could not because they would not fit through your typical printer. Odd sized paper or cardstock, fabric, leather, wood block blanks, or just about anything, your imagination could think up. If you would want to print on it, chances are the Xyron Design Runner can. It has interchangeable ink cartridges too, and can print in black, green, or red ink. The ink cartridges look similar to those in a typical printer and are easy to change.

The Xyron Design Runner comes with a convenient to swap design disk, similar to the memory cards that are so popular in various other electronics, such as digital cameras and handhelds. The Design Runner Design Discs are pre-loaded and come in a variety of designs including:

Baby Design Disc
Calendar Design Disc
Emotions Design Disc
Flowers Design Disc
Generations Design Disc
Greetings Design Disc
Holiday Design Disc
Occasions Design Disc
Pet Design Disc
Romance Design Disc
Summer Design Disc
Travel Design Disc
Junkitz Patternz Karen Foster Design Festive Greetings
Scrapworks Celebrations
Scrapworks Memories

Depending on the disc, it might contain words, sayings and phrases, border designs, and individual designs.

When I first saw the Xyron Design Runner, I thought that it would have very limited uses, but then I saw the many designs it has available and I could think of all sorts of things I would love to print on that never seem to work out right with my printer or are just impossible. For example, I love printing on ribbon, and have always done so by first printing on a sheet of printer paper, taping my ribbon over the printing, and then running my ribbon and paper back through the printer. Doable, but it has jammed my printer on occasion (though rare), and had the ribbon slip (quite common), meaning I have had to start over and toss the ribbon if it printed partially on it before slipping. With the Xyron Design Runner, you can print on ribbon and get near perfect results each time.

I was worried there would be a learning curve as to how to hold the unit, but the one time I was able to try one, it seemed quite intuitive and worked well. I do not think this would be an issue at all. I have talked to a few people, who actually own one, they have all voiced the same opinion, and that is that they are very easy to use, not to mention fun and even more useful than they had thought before they bought theirs.

I have added a Xyron Design Runner to the top of my scrapbook wish list. It has joined a long list of things I would love to own when it comes to scrapbooking and paper crafting tools, and just as long of a list of projects, I know I would use it on. One such project includes note cards made of a handcrafted paper that is a bit too bulky to run through my printer. Up until now, I have printed my sentiments I use in these on other cardstock, and then glued them in place. Being able to print directly onto them would make them look all the more elegant than they already do.

If you love scrapbooking and are shopping for a new tool to have fun and get lots done with, the Xyron Design Runner might be just what you have been looking for.