Cutting Fabric with the Big Kick by Sizzix

Reported by Donna Lannerd

Okay, I finally broke down and purchased a die-cut gadget. I swore this would never happen (but I swore that about paper-crafting as well). I mean it would just give me more excuses to buy more paper. Then I read on the Ellison company's website that their die-cutters including Sizzix cut fabric. "Wow", I thought. I could really use one that does that, really, I could. So for several months I sat on this idea and contemplated whether or not to purchase one and then I got one of those retailer's 50% off coupons, so I finally took the plunge.

What I found is that it does work for fabric for the regular Sizzix dies but not the thinner dies such as the Sizzlets. For me I found that felt cuts really well. I actually was able to cut 2 layers of acrylic felt although when the felt was a little thicker it was more comfortable to cut just one layer. I was just a little scared as the tension became harder rolling the die through the machine with the 2 layers of thicker felt.

I also tried cutting cotton fabric applied to paper-backed fusible web, fleece and denim which are shown in the photo below. These all cut just fine. I was a little concerned with the fusible web but the Heat and Bond Lite cut just fine and didn't seem to leave any residue on the die which was my biggest fear. Some fusible webs may leave a residue but if you completely cool it this should reduce the risk. I've never had it stick to scissors unless the web was still warm. Fleece cut more smoothly than the felt did. Denim also easily cut very smoothly. If you have a thin fabric you can iron on freezer paper to one side of the fabric to make it more stable. Freezer paper simply peels off when you are ready to use your shape.


Overall, I was very satisfied with the results. I am disappointed that I couldn't use the thinner dies even for the thinnest cotton. As you can see below I was able to complete a small penny rug using my circle die. It was great to have all the same size circles that I didn't have to cut out each one by hand and hope they were all the same. It was definitely speedier and now I have an excuse to not only have fabric embellishments quicker but I can buy more of that paper!

Getting Inky with Inkabilities

Reported by Heather Strenzwilk

I had the opportunity to play with Posh Impressions Inkabilities dye inks and Luminous Metallic inks by Ranger. Applied with Rainbow Sponges, these inks can be used to create vividly colorful backgrounds and patterns.

Each Inkability set contains 6 color coordinated .25 ounce reinker bottles and have needle nose tips for precise inking. Inks are applied to the edges of the sponge and are dragged or stamped. These sponges are ultra dense and hold the ink without sucking it into the sponge like a make-up sponge does.


I tried the inks on various surfaces with different degrees of success. The inks worked best on King James Cast Coat glossy cardstock because it was easier to drag the sponge to apply the ink. I tried a few other coated cardstocks and matte cardstock with limited success because the ink saturated the papers. Synthetic surfaces such as polyester ribbon and Prima flowers worked very well with the metallic inks and once dry the ink did not smear.


I tested the Inkabilities dye inks in Earthtone colors: Terra Cotta, Bottle, Eggplant, Butterscotch, Cranberry and Denim. These are darker colors which was further intensified by using the Rainbow Sponge- especially when I tried a plaid technique. I was disappointed because these backgrounds were so dark that I wasn't able to overstamp them as I had planned. The inks also pooled in some areas (as see in the sample above). I used the same colors on the glossy and on the ribbon but the colors look very different. Because these inks were so dark, it was hard to tell which color was which on the sponge which made it challenging when it came to reink the sponge. I wasn't very happy with my dark results and I wonder if I would have had better results with lighter colors. These inks in particular stained my fingers.

I also tested Luminous Metallic colors: Metallic Red, Teal, Pink Green, Blue and Violet. After shaking them very well, I really enjoyed working with this set. The colors worked very well together although I thought the red was more magenta and the pink was more peach. The inks offered smoother and more even coverage than the dye inks. The colors blended but did not muddy like the dye inks. I absolutely loved how the inks glowed on Stardream metallic text paper.

The dye inks came with a 1.5 x 3 inch Rainbow Sponge and the metallic inks do not come with a sponge. Tileabilities are 1.5" square Rainbow Sponges which come in a 6-pack and are ideal for creating mosaic patterns by using the square face of the sponge. I preferred the smaller sponges and I found you could turn the sponge to use various edges and faces. The sponges rinsed easily with water and were stained a bit but are definitely reusable.

There is definitely a learning curve with a product like this. My biggest challenge was determining how much ink was enough for solid coverage without being enough to saturate the surface with ink. Some users raved about being able to make 20-30 backgrounds from 1 inking but as the colors faded sometimes the sponge didn't drag as well so I would switch sponges or reink. I also had some problems with the dye inks splattering as I applied them to the sponge or to the glossy cardstock.

A package insert discusses several different techniques to try including criss-cross, twist sponging, ribbon candy and even rainbow writing. I attempted a few of the techniques such as mosaic, criss-cross and plaid and I liked some of the results. Despite repeated attempts, I just didn't get the ribbon candy technique (it looks like marbling) where you pull it across the paper in a small "U" shape.

Overall, I liked the Luminous Metallic Inkabilities and the Tileabilities Rainbow Sponges and I will use them again. I didn't like the dye inks because the colors were too intense and the inks saturated the surface.

Edited 3/19/08: Regarding availability of King James Cast Coat Glossy paper- this product is no longer manufactured. Several artists in the paper art community recommended the following papers as replacements:

WorldWin High Gloss white

Smart Cast Coated

Many paper companies offer free samples of their products so try a few to find the product that works best for you.

CardMaker's Sketch Book

Reported by Julia Stainton


When card designing...one of my favorite things is to try out new layout ideas. Whether you follow the sketch directly or use it as a jumping off point for your creativity, card sketch ideas are a fabulous time saver. These helpful layouts also stretch your creativity to try out new ideas that you may never thought of yourself. The CardMaker's Sketch Book is a fabulous resource to add to your collection and is perfect for those times when you need to create a card but just do not know where to start. New papercrafter or experienced designer, we all have moments when we just want to get past the layout and get creating.

This paper-bound book collection of 45 sketches is sure to give you a myriad of ideas and become a much used book in your craft library. Edited by Tanya Fox, this book features original sketch layouts by Tami Mayberry. I first came across Tami's designs in many papercraft magazines and over the past year, Tami has been creating weekly layouts for Card Positioning Systems. This publication features four card designs for each sketch layout. These layouts give you great ideas on how to take a sketch and use it for different products and occasions. Card designs are high quality unique designs by designers whose names you will be familiar with... Sherry Wright, Lisa Johnson, Kim Hughes, Kathleen Paneitz, Julie Ebersole, Linda Beeson and many others.



This book is divided up into four main sections. Each of these sections feature sketch layouts for a specific card size. You'll find designs for 4" x9" cards as well as 5x5", 4.5" x 6" and 5.5" x 8". There are no sketch layouts specifically for what I think of as the most standard card designed out there...the A2 4.25 x 5.5" card size but that is really not a problem. I found that the 4.5x6 or 5.5x8 size layouts worked all worked well by just changing the proportion of the layouts. For that matter...changing a layout from a rectangle format to a square layout is really not that difficult. With a little practice, you can alter the layouts to meet your own needs. Each sketch layout is drawn in a clean linear format. My favorite way of designing from a sketch is to no look at the samples ahead of time. This allows my to keep my mind open to many possibilites.


The photographs of the card designs are beautiful clear shots and feature many color combos, styles and seasons on each page. No matter what your card making style, you are sure to find something here to inspire you. Some of the designs show you how you can flip a card layout 90° to get a new look. Don't be afraid to try and experiment. These are sketch layouts and not a mathematical equation. Many of the card designs feature patterned paper scrappy style designs but for the stamping enthusiast, there are still plenty of designs to look at for inspiration and these layouts work equally well for both mediums and styles of designing.



As part of this review, I decided that it would be good to try out a few sketch layouts in the different size cards and see how well I liked the actual sketches. I actually had a difficult time deciding which ones I'd like to do. 4 x 9 designs I love but find myself rarely creating them and I know I'll be having fun working my way through this book. If you are familiar with my design work, you'll know I love to create on a 5x5 card base. I'm always looking for new ideas for this card size and was delighted to find some great card layouts for these. You can see from my samples that I tried to make each sketch my own style. These sketch layouts work for stamping designs, and more scrappy style designs too. Keep in mind also that these layouts can be easily adapted for tags, artist trading cards, journals and other altered projects.

Tucked into the back of this book are four envelope templates so that you can create your own envelopes for each of your card designs....another great resource and lovely addition to the book. The one thing I would have loved to see included in this book is a double spread page of all the designs in miniature. This would make it super easy to scan for the perfect design for your needs. I'm hoping a CardMaker's Sketch Book 2 is planned for a future release!



I'd definitely recommend this book to any cardmaker. Perfect for beginners as well as all levels of cardmakers, the layouts in this book will not date even after the card sample designs and products are. Well worth your money at $14.95 US retail, you can also purchase this book on-line at Amazon for $10.17 For Canadian readers, here's another source...I purchased my copy from Chapters.Indigo.ca for $14.40 CDN Pick up or order a copy today. I know it is a resource you'll turn to time and time again.

PrimaHybrid First Blush Digital Kit

Reported By Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

In case you haven’t heard, your favorite flower manufacturer, Prima, has recently started a new division called, “PrimaHybrid.” The PrimaHyrid First Blush Digi kit is a collaborative kit created in order to celebrate the debut of PrimaHybrid. The images are by all twelve of PrimaHybrid’s designers: Carrie Stephens, Corina Nielsen, Dianne Rigdon, Doris Castle, Gina Miller, Iron Orchid Designs, Kim Christensen, Meredith Fenwick, Nancy Kubo, Trish Jones, Vera Lim and Weeds & Wildflowers Design.

This is a HUGE digi kit.

It downloads in 6 separate .zip files and includes 37 Background Papers, a Newsprint Alphabet with a-z lowercase and numbers, and 70+ Embellishments. I’ve been playing with it for almost a month and still haven’t exhausted the possibilities!

So far, my favorite elements from the kit are the soft and shabby papers by Doris Castle and Vera Lim. They’re just so pretty! I want to wallpaper my bedroom with them! I also really love the glitter flowers by Weeds & Wildflowers Design. They’re a spray of tiny glittery flowers you can splash over your layout. One set is black and the other is white. Also, Weeds & Wildflowers Design’s newsprint alphabet is so cool! There’s no other way to describe it. Each of the letters is made from slightly crumbled newsprint and they just jump off the page! These elements may not be your favorites, but with such a wide range of designers and designs, there’s sure to be something to please everyone in this kit.

Now, hang on. Before you walk away thinking, “Oh a digi kit. I don’t do digital scrapbooking, I’m not going to buy this kit,” imagine what else you can do with it.

There’s no question that hybrid is hot. For those of you who don’t know, hybrid scrapbooking is about combining paper and digital scrapbooking. A simple example would be computer journaling. Believe it or not, if you’ve ever put computer journaling on a paper page, you’re a hybrid scrapbooker! You can print out the high resolution papers and embellishments and use them on your paper pages (print on matte photo paper for best results). You can also make a digi page, print it out (I use my standard 8.5x11” printer even though I scrap 12x12) and then embellish it traditionally. There are so many possibilities!

Here are a few projects I have made with this kit:







The kit is currently selling for $9.99 and I think it’s worth every penny!

Card Keepers

Reported By: Tami Bayer

I am so excited to tell you about this Card Keepers album kit sized just right to hold A2 cards. At first glance, you might just brush off this product as nothing special. It is pretty basic including 2 metal rings, 2 pieces of very heavy chipboard with holes punched in them and 10 card sleeves. What makes this product unique is those perfectly sized crystal clear sleeves.

Most albums are sized for scrapbooking in the standard 6" x 6", 8" x 8", or 12" x 12". Occasionally I find albums in 4" x 6" for photos, but they are not right for our 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" cards. If you have a Bind It All or know how to do book binding you can make albums of any size. The part that's tricky is the sleeves.

I wanted a book to keep my growing gothic arch collection together, while preserving the integrity of the arches by not punching holes or adhering them to something. This little card keeper kit is perfect for that. I can add sleeves as needed and even change around the order of the pages. I just love the way they all look together in this book.

I can imagine lots of uses for this product. It would be a fun way to display card creations to show customers or students in a class. It could be a portfolio of your work to present to shop owners for teaching classes. Most of all, what a beautiful way to display those special cards that are sitting in a box somewhere.


This is the front cover of my cardkeeper after I altered it. It was a fun project to put together. I used glossy cardstock for the front and back covers that I covered with alcohol inks. I stamped on some sentiments that with Staz-on ink, keeping the covers simple. The Crop-A-Dile is the perfect size to punch the holes that match those already in the cover.


Here is a peek at the inside of the front cover and the first page. For the inside covers I used regular cardstock colored with Distress Inks and sentiments stamped with Staz-on ink. I adhered the cardstock to the covers with a layer of Mod Podge and used a brayer to smooth the paper down. You can see the first page in the album here with my most recent gothic arch.

I love that this product is the perfect size for card makers, and that it is expandable. The kit comes with 2 covers, 2 rings and 10 card sleeves for $6.99. You can buy additional or just the card sleeves in quantities of 10 for 2.99 or 100 for 29.99. This is available online at a small company called Card Keepers . The flat rate shipping fee is discounted to new customers. I plan to buy more of the sleeves since I only have two left from my original kit, and I just know I'll want to add to my album.

Luxe Designs

Reported by Melissa Norris

I have always loved the products from Luxe Designs, and their CHA releases didn't disappoint. Their products are top notch and their relationship with Maya Road on their chipboard and other embellishment products, shows their commitment to high quality.

Here's the new line Sundress. I'm loving the browns, oranges, and pinks. Such great color combos! This line will be shipping in May.

They also have transparency overlays for their most popular patterns.

Shipping in March are their new line of acrylic stamps. These are high quality stamps and are perfect for cardmakers or scrapbookers.

And high quality ribbon to coordinate with their product lines.

Luxe is working to provide it's customers with the highest quality products in a huge variety of choices and styles. Be sure to check out their blog for tons of great ideas!

Sassafrass Lass

Reported by: Kimberly Brimhall

One of the crowd favorites at CHA was Sassafrass Lass. It seemed everyone I spoke to mentioned their booth. And it definitely did not dissappoint. I thought the color and texture combo of their new line was amazing. Scrapbookers will enjoy the paper and cutouts...and stampers will enjoy the funky new clear stamps to this line.

Graphics such as deer, owls, little birds, woodgrain, clouds and stripes decorate this very colorful line. Each piece of paper was amazing all by itself, but the examples they had of the mix of them, was exciting. They all coordinate to make up a fresh, fun style. There is a pattern for everyone.








This line is so popular in fact that people have already started scrapbooking the catalog while waiting for it to become retail. I can't wait to get my hands on this. I might even use the poster they handed out:)

Creative Cafe

Reported by : Kimberly Brimhall

My favorite all around at CHA had to be Creative Cafe. They had a huge variety of new products that could be used in a large number of ways. Their new line included bright colors and large graphics.

They added a lot of little details to change pretty average pieces...such as, scalloped edges on their mini clip boards and mini books, as well as rings for mini books in multiple colors. My favorite had to be the polka-dotted felt. It comes in a variety of colors as well.





I love the versatility of their new line. Each product coordinates perfectly. So if you only buy a few pieces, you can use them all together. The entire line is made up of bold colors, and they have added a few nostalgic pieces such as tickets and vintage ribbon to balance. The options are endless with this line.

Cosmo Cricket

Reported by: Martha Bonneau

One of my unexpected favorites from Winter CHA had to be Cosmo Cricket

















I was really impressed by a couple of their lines that were fun, bright, bold and graphic. The first one is their Cogsmo line which features robots and mechanical elements...very fun double sided papers with coordinating journaling cards, die cuts and even rub-ons. Their booth was full of great ideas and projects like this one:

















Another pick is their Get Happy line...Kim and I both fell in love with the Tank Mix die cut sheet and can't wait to get our hands on some!
























Another must have is their Blackboard line of albums

























These 6 page albums are made of solid core Blackboard and come in 5 different shapes, there are also alphabets and shapes offered in the Blackboard line

Pink Paislee

Reported by Kimberly Brimhall

New to CHA this year was Pink Paislee. Debuting two new lines: Office Lingo and Spring Fling, this new company is making a statement. Officially established in January 2008, they have something for everyone. I found these two collections fresh and funky, with a playful feeling.

For scrapbookers and card makers...they offer bright and coordinating papers for every style.
For stampers...they are offering a whole new line of clear stamps made out of non-yellowing photopolymer material, for a longer lasting, more durable stamp. They also have die-cut pages in funky shapes for journaling and embellishments. I love that each collection contains coordinating pieces, making it easier to use them. They go with each other, as well as, other products you may already have and are waiting to use.

The "Office Lingo" collection is full office inspired design with understated patterns and texture, while the "Spring Fling" collection, my favorite, is more bold, yet still vintage.

Each collection is filled with adorable mix and match accessories, making the creative possiblities endless. I am looking forward to seeing what else they come up with.

So Many Questions...

Lots of great questions and comments coming in... so I thought I'd address some answers publicly...

mnhyrkas has left a new comment on your post "Clip It Up-Ribbon Organizer":

I know you have staff that writes about product that they try that they seem to really love, but I'd really love to see some articles that are more particular. An occasional thumbs down might give your site some more credibility instead of just being another advertising outlet for manufacturers. Just something to think about- I do like reading the articles but it would really spice things up about to get some negative/neutral feedback along with all the positive stuff. Or maybe it's just that the manufacterers are getting so good at meeting our need they arent making any "miss" products :) Sorry about the public post, usually this kind of thing I'd write a private message but I'm short on time today. looking forward to what you bring us in the future, adelle

Adelle,
Thanks so much for your honest feedback! One think you might not know if you are new to Craft Critique... right now we are running all the CHA highlights... and there is a lot we are NOT reporting on... it seems sort of silly for us to report on the CHA product/line releases we didn't like. With over 6000 vendors, if we didn't like a product line or tool we just kept on walkin'!

Also know that Craft Critique does not at this time charge for advertising... so our reports are always unbiased. We do however TURN DOWN a lot of free product... if we don't like the looks of it from afar; why waste your time! In the future we will be taking some advertising... but never for TOOLS.... only design lines (in paper, stamps and fabrics) and crafty retailers. That way we can never have our opinions bought or sold!

As far as the everyday articles we run... we try to always state the pros and cons... because we agree; every product is NOT right for every crafter... BUT, we are not into public bashing of companies either. But the negative reviews are out there... keep reading Craft Critique and you'll spot em! :)

As for this article you've commented on... I would state that this system seems to be the most promising I have seen in ribbon storage... but PLEASE let us know if there is a competitive product you'd like us to check out... we will!

Part of the NEW Craft Critique (coming soon!) will be more interaction and reviews posted by readers like you! Stay tuned for more direct side-by-side product comparisons based on industry standards.

We aim to be the "Consumer Reports" of Craft... We love and appreciate honest opinions, so thanks for yours! We hope you will keep reading and writing!



Scrapbook Mama has left a new comment on your post "Clip It Up-Ribbon Organizer":

HMMM another reason why I need my own craft room!!! Question: I couldn't really tell but could that be mounted on a wall? Thank you!! :)

-Ellie

Ellie,
YES... We saw it wall mounted... I think that's the best way to mount this product.


NanaBeth said... New Trimmer from X-Acto

Now for the big question-does it cut straight? If it does-it's well worth the money!

NanaBeth,

We will absolutely try to work with Elmers to test this product as we feel it has potential! But we don't have anything more to share on the quality YET.


Debby Winters said... Slice: Making Memories

This is definitely a gotta have! Do you know when it is going to be available?

Debby,
The Slice will begin shipping to your local retailer in July 2008. Stay tuned for more specific reviews.


Ashley said... Slice: Making Memories

that would be great if it let's you use your own fonts. I have tons of fonts. What about dingbats? I have some silly images.
The only thing I don't think I like about this is that you have to hold it for awhile.

Ashley,
As far as we understood, EVENTUALLY you will be able to use any downloadable image or font... you will only be limited by your ability to use photoshop! :) But stay tuned for the direct testing. For now, the Making Memories Blog might be a good resource for your basic questions.


Scrapbook Mama said... ProvoCraft

HMMM I love Provocraft.. I kept sighing and trying to tell my DH why I need a Laptop (my computer is far from where my craft area is..and its a family computer)cause I want that program.

I have a question... you guys showcased the Pazzle I believe thats what its called and all I could think of when I saw it was hey thats the Expression Cricut w/extras.. was it me or does it have the same shape and wayyyy loads of the Similarities?? I see you need a computer to run the software..
I really would like to see those 2 compared in the future :) All Provocraft has to do is get me that needle so I can emboss and my Cricut is prefect! :)

Thank you again guys you soo Rocked CHA!

-Ellie

Ellie,
What you see int his video IS the Cricut Expression! As far as the similarities... we are going to be contacting Pazzle ASAP to discuss this issue... we are interested too! The Cricut is limited however to the Cricut software ONLY... but with the new Cricut Design Studio you have thousands of possibilities there! As we understand it... Pazzles allows you to download and create your own images for use. Stay tuned for more!


Michelle said... CHA Day One, Update

The Project Runway Lounge?!?!?!?
Please, tell me more!

Michelle,
We wish there was more to tell... no Heidi Klum or Tim Gunn... they had showcased a series of products by multiple companies... You can see them HERE... Simplicity, Brother, Robert Kaufman Fabrics (these were cool... and featured HERE on CC)... but we missed the free lunch and were disappointed there wasn't a cool tote-bag designed by Christian.


Email Question...
I have been making some altered frames using Provocraft frames and decorating with various papers from a local scrapbook store and ribbons etc. - my question is can I sell the decorated frames at a church craft show without any copyright problems? - I know I can’t use photos or images unless they are copyright-free, but are there any copyright/re-sale issues with the frame itself or the papers?

Thank you very much for your help! -Laurie

Laurie,
HERE are the details about the ProvoCraft Angel Policy from their website. We hope this helps!

Clip It Up-Ribbon Organizer

Reported by Melissa


The Clip It Up became hugely popular when it hit the market last year, now the company has followed up on that success with the new Clip It Up-Ribbon Organizer. This item is similar to the rain gutter system many people use, but better! It's made of the same sturdy, molded plastic as the Clip It Up and has many great features.




There is no center dowel, so spools of ribbon can be removed easily. Just slide the ribbon holder over to keep all the other rolls from falling over when some get removed. There is also a bar to slide the ribbon under, to keep everything neat and tidy.

The each end of the organizer features a holder for your scissors, so keep the regular shears on one end and the pinking shears on the other.

The bottom features the signature Clip It Up clips, to keep ribbon scraps, or, if hanging over your scrapping space, you can always keep stuff like rub ons, stickers and more there. Use it just like a regular Clip It Up. It is also 1 yard long, making it easy to measure pieces of ribbon.

The Clip It Up-Ribbon Organizer will be coming your way in May and will retail for $70. I know it's going to be on my list!



ETA:....ignore that silver part in the picture. Just the black part is the actual piece you will get when ordering. The silver was just added for the display. This is a wall mounted item, so it would be perfect over a desk!!

New Trimmer from X-Acto

Reported by Melissa

One of the items we've covered most here at Craft Critique has to be trimmers. There are so many options out there and here's a new choice to add to your list, the Laser Trimmer by X-Acto. This is a guillotine style trimmer, with a laser guide to see exactly where your paper is going to be cut. You get the choice of a wood or plastic base. The wood is featured in our pics from CHA and the plastic is shown on the website.

Here you can see the laser showing where the paper will be cut when the handle is in the up position.

There is a sliding guard to mark your favorite measurement and hold your paper in place.

The handle completely locks into place for safety when not in use. Unlike many guillotine cutters that just have the little metal piece that slides around, this snaps and you have to push the button to unlock it, similar to putting a car in drive.

The plastic based version of this cutter retails for $69.99 and the wood base for $99.99.

Slice: Making Memories

Here is a little video about how to use the Slice by Making Memories... This vid shows a customer using the product for the first time... pretty small learning curve! This product retails for $150... it has some pros and cons... but it might be the perfect product for the card maker. We like that eventually you will be able to create your own designs for this product... and that MM ENCOURAGES users to utilize their own custom shapes and true type fonts.

The con's... not for thicker cardstock... but it will cut Bazzill... only cuts a 4x4" max... for now!



Here's some video of the cartridges that will be availible... we likey!

ProvoCraft

Melissa here. We already showed you a few of the new goodies from ProvoCraft at the winter show, but here are some more must haves. (All of the new products can be found online here)

I think I can definitely say that we all love the Terrifically Tacky Tape, but it can get a bit messy. Well, it now comes in a dispenser. The 1/4" variety comes in a refillable dispenser to keep our hands a bit less sticky.

The Cricut line has also been extended with Cricut Decor. There are signs and wood elements, which are designed to work with Cricut cartridges to make decorating simple.

Also, we've included a video on the newly released Cricut Design Studio software. Be aware that the video is a bit long and hard to see sometimes but you get the general idea of the way the product works to enhance your Cricut experience.

Day Four: Picks of the Day

Sorry for the delay... we are still recovering... and uploading/editing pics and articles... here are some more picks from Day four... More coming!

Sarah: Glitz

"these little Roller Doodles are the perfect size for zipping out a border or a free form strip of color on your work. I love that they are NOT self inking... so you can use your existing inks to customize. The designs are very trend focused too!"


Martha: October Afternoon

Loved the new lines from October Afternoon, cute little apples and deer and sweet stamps with turtles and mushrooms...need I say more?!



Melissa: Daisy D's 4 in 1 Stamp Kit

I really like the 4 in 1 stamp set. For around $15.99 (US) you get an acrylic alphabet stamp set, case, CD with a font of the stamp set, and a digital kit. They introduced 2 new sets at the show, that coordinate with the new paper lines, which is perfect for hybrid scrapbooking. I feel this is the future of papercrafting and am happy to see this great company embracing it.

Delay on Design Team Call

Attention Design Team applicants! Due to some new exciting directions we are taking with Craft Critique we are delaying the announcement of the design team... AND we are re-opening the call for applicants.

So many wonderful people applied... and they deserve our full evaluation. We met some of the wonderful at CHA and made some new Design Team connections too... plus since the call ended several people contacted us that we feel deserve a look.

So please re- review the call details... posted HERE... and note the following change in the call:

We are extending this call to February 29th. Plus we are now allowing applicants who have been blogging for less than 3 months. Please review the call again!

We especially seeking more scrapbookers and multi-media artists with a strength in papercraft. Digital and hybrid artists are also encouraged to apply!

If you applied already, no need to re-submit... we have your application on top of the pile. Unless you just sent in an incomplete application... applications must contain a full article and answers to the questions we listed. If you are unsure, please email me at sarah@craftcritique.com and I will confirm that your application was received.

Hot Shirt of the Day... Day 4

Meet Ginger, Laura and Erin... the owners of Glitz! We totally dug their booth and how they were all matchy-matchy... could they be more fashionable? Hot girls, hot shirts!

Stay tuned to Craft Critique for more on Glitz's new releases... they had some great new stuff!

More CHA Goodies

Tami here again. After letting my feet and mind rest a little, I'm ready to share more CHA goodness. All of the company names are clickable links and you can click on the pics to see them bigger. Here are a few new little things that really jumped out at me. Enjoy!

Memento Inks by Tsukineko:



Maya Road Flexible Die Cut 12" x 12" amazing stuff that would be awesome to use as a mask with ink. I don't know what it's called, but I can't wait to try it:



Lil Davis Felt by Fiskars:



Piggy Tales Text Message Rub-Ons:



Queen & Co. Felt Fusion:



Rusty Pickle Popstar:



Maya Road Flowers:



Tim Holtz Idea-ology is coming out with tiny Grungeboard:



Jenni Bowlin Tickets:



Heidi Swapp Memory Clock:



Simply Swank Solder Kit:

Day 3 "Pick of the Day" and Love, Elsie Video

Hey guys!!!! We're still standing! Everyday the products we see get better and better! Below you will find our top picks of the day. Much, much more to come!!!

KIM'S PICK: The Forrest line by Love, Elsie"

"I had a chance to talk with Elsie, who was generous enough to share her thoughts on her new line. Check back next week for the full interview with Elsie, where we'll go more in depth about her line, her life and her passions."

Check out video of Elsie here...

MARTHA'S PICK: Basic Grey's Cupcake Line:

"I really like the fun, bright colors and whimsical imagery in this line."

SARAH'S PICK: Piggy Tales Recycled Papers and "Pig Tale" spring-up mounts.

"What a fun gizmo... This little spiring, adorably called a Pig Tale, can now make pop up features on your cards spring to life!"

This is one of the few lines we saw featured at CHA that offered recycled papers dyed with Organic, soy-based ink! Hooray for Piggy Tales! Finally some cool paper Tipper Gore can scrap with!

"This line, called the Ballad of Mulan, is steeped in tradition, but it's got a contemporary funky edge that makes it pop... perfect to combine with all the fun kawaii imagery like those we saw in stamps at CHA".

"For those times you feel like a rock star... I love this paper collection called Twinkle. Twinkle Little Star."

MELISSA is under the weather today so she'll be sharing more of her faves when she returns home.