Reddit reviews Scotch Thermal Laminator, 2 Roller System for a Professional Finish, Use for Home, Office or School, Suitable for use with Photos (TL901X)

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Thermal-Laminator-Roller-TL901/dp/B0010JEJPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406157729&sr=8-1&keywords=laminator

Hey, so these aren't card board, but I use paper minis.

What I got to get started:

Small/Medium creature base: https://www.amazon.com/LITKO-Paper-Miniature-Bases-Circle/dp/B00RKMIDNC

Large/Huge creature base: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RKGV8N0/

After that, simply get a laminator, which is super cheap: https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Thermal-Laminator-Professional-Laminate/dp/B0010JEJPC/ Lamiation sheets are generally like $10 for a pack of 100. The lamiation helps them keep, gives them a bit more thickness and studyness.

Then I used GIMP and printed out whole sheets with images I found online, giving creatures numbers so I could track individuals in combat. Laminate them, then cut them out. I could generally get about 50 medium creatures per sheet.

I also got a tackle box from walmart and some tiny paperclips to hold the paper minis when not in use.

This works really well, and assuming you already have the printer/ink, you can basically have infinite paper minis for like... $50-$60

I use one of these kinds of machines at work on the regular. It has trouble with the thickness of two sheets of paper, so I can't imagine a cross stitch would fare well.

I'm about to graduate but I bought my own about 2 years ago for a preschool I worked at and for some practicums. It has seriously paid for itself. I got mine on amazon and I get my sheets from there as well because they're so much cheaper than walmart or something. This is the laminator. I bought and these are the pouches I buy. It's a really simple but I've never had any problems or anything.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010JEJPC/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1

Not as good of a deal anymore it looks like. But that is the one I got, works great!

Magnetic clips, binding clips and paper clips of different sizes, adhesive putty, post-its, post-it pagemarkers, calculator, a few rulers, pairs of scissors and glue sticks (kids often misplace theirs, always good tove a few extra to lend them) white-out roller, popsicle sticks (write the names of the kids on them, stick 'em in a cup on your desk, easy way to randomly pick kids).

You can also invest in a laminator / laminating pouches. (something like this ) Your school might have one for the staff to use, but in my experience it was always a pain to chase it down around the school. Plus, if it's your first year, you'll have a LOT of things to laminate which will then last you forever (alphabet, sounds, math stuff to hang around class, but also homemade card games, etc.). You can also write on laminated paper with erasable markers... :)

Edit : also if your class has a chalkboard instead of a whiteboard, a good chalk holder or two...

Video games rock! I'm so happy about the steam sale. I think we're all going to be busy for awhile. :D

This takes a small amount of skill to use, but when I worked at Kinko's I had to use a much larger laminator. The largest thing I ever laminated was 12 feet long and five feet wide. THAT took a lot of skill. haha

I laminate most of my character sheets, reference cards, summary pages and so forth

Corner Rounder
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WWIPEE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

Laminator ( bought it last year at $17)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007VBXB48?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Laminating Pouches
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0010JEJPC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Edit: This helps as well
Trimmer
http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Titanium-SureCut-Trimmer-01-005454/dp/B003SLC3IU/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1450980581&sr=1-3&keywords=trimmer

I laminate mine

http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Thermal-Laminator-Roller-TL901/dp/B0010JEJPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404758006&sr=8-1&keywords=3M+Scotch+Thermal+Laminator

I use government ID sized pouches. You can get 100 of them for 10 bucks or 500 of them 15 bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0010JEJPC/ref=redir_mdp_mobile This is the machine I use and have seen other artists using at cons. It is cheap, and I have had one break on me in the past after multiple heavy con usages, but it is super portable and the sheets are sold in stores which is nice for last minute emergencies. It works well for what you pay for it, and is the least expensive option by far that I've seen.