PenScore Foam

Reported by Sara McKenzie

Penscore Foam is a man-made material that softens significantly when exposed to heat from a standard heat gun. When it is soft, impressions can be made in the foam using 3-D objects- and the impressions will remain until the Penscore is heated again. It is a great toy to play with when you have some time to experiment.

I bought my package some time ago- and the packaging has changed a bit, but the material remains the same. When I Googled "Penscore foam" I came up with tons of online sources, too numerous to mention here. The sheet stock (which is approximately 8" X 10") sells for upwards of $6.99 for a package of three sheets. You can also purchase it in 4" X 3" blocks for about $1.00 each.

Keeping in mind that this is not the toy to pull out when you are in a time crunch to create a stamp or a gift, it is a wonderfully fun thing to play with!! When you are in an artsy mood and ready to experiment, pull out some Penscore. Look at the everyday objects around you with a different eye: what is the texture of that thing? What will it look like if I make an impression of it? I recommend using a piece that is about the size of the blocks that they sell. The reason is that it takes a bit of time to heat it up, and if you are using too large a piece, it starts to cool off before you have a chance to heat the entire surface up uniformly. So stick with something no bigger than 5" X 4" (a suitable size for a background of a greeting card). Below is a picture of the surface of the foam- this is an 8" X 10" sheet that I already cut in half.

Collect some ordinary, everyday things from around the house to make impressions from. They can't be delicate, because you have to exert some pressure in order to make the impression in the foam deep enough. Below is a picture of some of the things I tried: a handful of raffia, a plastic fern, a large paper doily, some fabric netting, an old key, and a dry kitchen sponge. You can also make impressions of existing stamps- keeping in mind that you will end up with a reverse of the image; ie words won't work!

Here are my individual experiments, and the results. For all of them , I used Tsukineko's Kalieidacolor rainbow ink pads to give a little more interest to the image. The first is an impression of the key and the fabric netting.

Below is the dry kitchen sponge.

Here is a handful of raffia and the image it produces.

Finally, this is a combination of the plastic fern and the doily.

I had a really good time using this last piece as inspiration for a collage, which is shown below. You can get the details of how this came together on my blog, clicking here.

I hope you can see that I really enjoyed myself while I was playing with the Penscore Foam!

Overall, here is my assessment:

Pros:

• It calls upon your creativity! You can go anywhere you want with this.
• It is an inexpensive toy to play with.
• If you end up with something you really want to keep, you can! The image stays intact until you heat it again.
• If you get something you really hate, you can heat it up to "erase" the image, and start again.
• It does not take a long time to get to a usable impression: a few minutes to heat it, then about 20-30 seconds to make an impression, and you can use it right away.
• You can use dye inks, pigment inks, and even paint. I have not tried solvent inks- they might well eat-away at the foam. Try it on a small piece before you commit.

Cons

• You have to press REALLY hard. I mean, REALLY hard, to get your impression. Thus, you cannot use anything delicate as the image.
• The sheets are thin- only about 1/2". It makes them a little difficult to use as a stamp. I ended up attaching mine temporarily to an acrylic block in order to get an even impression.
• I've not seen it recently in brick-and-mortar stores. You might have to order it online.

For me, the Pros definitely outweight the Cons, and I'll be reaching for this toy again soon! What do you think? Have you ever used it? Are you inspired to try? Let us know by leaving a comment below, and Keep creating!

Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks by Ranger

Reported by Kristine Fowler

If you’re looking to add color to surfaces other than regular paper, you might want to try Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks by Ranger Ink. Widely available in both online and brick and mortar craft and stamping stores, the inks come in 24 colors, and are sold both individually and in 3-color sets. Pricing is fairly consistent at all of the locations I checked, with the individual bottles priced around $3.49 US and $9.99 US for the sets of three. Four (4) Metallic Mixatives round out the palette (gold, silver, copper and pearl) which are a little more expensive at around $4.99 US each.

Since I wanted to begin at the beginning so to speak when researching this article, I started my journey with a visit to the Ranger Ink Website to see just what they had to say about the Adirondack Alchol Inks. Here is the description I found there.

“Acid-free, fast drying, transparent Earthtone dye inks specially formulated to create a colorful, polished stone effect. Use on glossy paper, dominoes, metal, shrink plastic, glass, and other slick surfaces.”

Ranger goes on to list the following details:

• Acid-Free
• Fade-Resistant Dye Inks
• Multi-Surface Inks
• .5 fluid oz. bottles
• Precision Tips
• Coordinating Colors
• Available in eight 3-color kits and individual bottles of 24 Earthtone colors

Surprisingly, the Adirondack Alcohol Ink line is not featured on Ranger's Tips and Technique page. Honestly, I had at least expected to find a tip sheet and perhaps a tutorial here on exactly how to use the inks to create the polished stone background that they mention in their product description -- but that wasn't the case. In the video section however, you can find 2 short clips demonstrating the product, one featuring Tim Holtz himself – and the other by Ali Edwards of CK fame. While both are helpful from a how-to perspective, neither one worked particularly well to ‘sell’ me on the product.

What did work though (and the reason I have some of these inks in my stash) was to see these inks demonstrated live – and to see the beauty of the art created with them in person. In my opinion photographs and images on video tend not to do these products justice (Please keep this in mind while reading this article). I think you will find that seeing them up close, and experiencing the versatility of the line for yourself would be well worth the effort.

The next step for me in preparing this piece, was to collect several different test surface materials. I chose plain paper, glossy paper, a tranparent plastic charm, a flat metal word, a 'lumpy' metal embellishment, some 'bling', gold & silver foil and an old CD. On all test surfaces, I used some combination of Red Pepper, Oregano and/or Mushroom Adirondack Alcohol Inks. I also used Adirondack Blending Solution in some cases (more on that later). You will see below that for the most part, the Red Pepper seemed to overpower the other two colors though -- but this is more than likely my error, and not the fault of the inks themselves. Perhaps if I had used less of the Red Pepper ink I would have seen a different result. (Ya think?)

Here's what I found.

1. Paper -- While plain paper wasn't listed by Ranger as a suitable surface for inking, I gave it a try anyway. The result ---- not great. While the ink will transfer (why wouldn't it right?), it permeates the paper, making blending literally impossible. Here I used a combination of Red Pepper and Oregano Inks and then applied Blending Solution. Not so pretty. It's very very splotchy.
   
   


2. Glossy Paper (CTMH) -- Love it! If the inks are applied on their own, you may at first get something that looks a little splotchy....but by applying Blending Solution, you can really smooth this and the result is a really beautiful background that can be stamped on, or used on it's own. (Remember though when stamping on glossy that you need to use something other than a dye-based ink. Try an oil based ink or something labeled 'archival'.) In creating the background for the simple card below, I used Red Pepper & Oregano Alcohol Inks along with Copper Metallic Mixative all applied with Blending Solution. Remember what I said about these backgrounds not photographing well? It's next to impossible to recognize the metallic in here, so you'll just have to trust me. It's much nicer in person.
   
   


3. Transparent Plastic Charm (CTMH) -- This is definately one of my favorites. The charm remained transparent even after the ink was applied which means that if I was to place this on a scrapbook page or card, the background colour would show through. Very cool. (Here I used Red Pepper Only)



4. A Flat Metal Word (by Making Memories) -- Another winner. Applying Red Pepper Alcohol Ink I was able to transform the piece which was initially silver, entirely. Interesting to note though is that the ink does not appear at all marbled on the metal word as it did on the plastic. This, I cannot explain.



5. A Lumpy Metal Embellishment, a Bookplate from HodgePodge Hardware by SU -- This metal piece took the ink very differently than the flat one as it does in fact appear a bit marbled. (You might not be able to see this in the picture). This piece started out copper-colored and while it has definately taken on a red hue, it almost looks antiqued or worn. It was also a bit more difficult to apply the color to this piece as it is 'lumpy'. Getting the ink into the 'depressed' areas was a bit tricky. (Red Pepper Ink only)




6. Gemstones, by Hero Arts -- As suggested by Tim Holtz in the Ranger video, I used the alcohol inks (Red Pepper only) to add color to the bling. As you can see, the acrylic Gemstones took the color beautifully. They dried fast and retained their shine. This is definately a keeper trick! Again, these unfortunately didn't photograph well, and they look MUCH better in person.



7. Gold & Silver Foil Sheets (CTMH) -- For these, I used all three of the Alcohol Inks, along with the Blending Solution, and something quite interesting happened here. First off, the red definately took over moreso on the foils than with any other media (not sure why). More imporantly though, I noticed right away that the two samples didn't wind up looking all that much different, and the Gold that I expected to see on the Gold Foil piece was practically non-existent, only truly visible along the edges. Investigating further, I discovered that the Blending Solution was the culprit -- interacting with the Gold surface on the foil sheet, essentially removing it. Guess what? The surface below is silver -- thus the similarities in the two samples.
   
   


8. Last but not least, I colored the surface of an old CD. Why? Well, why not? I suppose I could use this as a decorative element on a scrapbook page, or embellish it further and it would officially become altered art. For this I used all three colors yet again, along with the Blending Solution. {This probably photographed the worst of them all, due mostly to the fact that the CD is really shiny}

So what does all this mean?

Essentially it means that Adirondack Alcohol Inks do exactly what Ranger promises they can -- add color to non-porous surfaces. Are you surprised? I'm not -- but I did learn the following key lessons while testing.

1. Always do a test patch before applying alcohol inks to any project surface. Even different metals will react/respond differently when alcohol inks and/or Blending Solution is applied.
2. It can be tricky to get off your hands, so you might consider wearing gloves while playing. (You can if you wish use a bit of the Blending Solution to assist in removal, but wash thoroughly with soap and water when you're done as the solution is a chemical.)
3. The Blending Solution (sold seperately) is a must have to create the polished stone backgrounds that Ranger promises the Inks to be designed for creating. This is particularly true if you use the Metallic Mixatives which are highly concentrated and don't blend well without it.

Pros:

• If you stamp on a transparent surface (like plastic, glass, or vellum), the material remains transparent even after the ink is applied. Think custom embellishments here!
• You can create beautiful unique backgrounds for stamping and scrapbooking projects that are unlike anything you can create with dye-based inks or reinkers.
• Colors coordinate with other products in the Adirondack line, like the Colour Washes & Paint Daubers.
• Because the inks dry incredibly quickly - there is no creative 'down-time' while you wait for things to set.

Cons:

• Adirondack Alcohol Ink line are all Earthtones. What this means is that while they will coordinate with all other products in the Adirondack line, what you won't find are brighter hues like say those you might find in a crayon box. Bright Reds, Vibrant Blues, Sunny Yellows and so on.
• While you can use them on their own, Blending Solution is recommended (and in my opinion necessary) to achieve optimum blending potential. This is a con simply because it means addtional investment beyond the inks themselves.
• Since they are not water-based inks, they will stain any surface they come into contact with. So....make sure you protect your work area with a non-stick craft mat.
• While not a huge deal, it is worth mentioning that the bottle tops are not color-marked making it possible to 'mix' them up. In his video Tim Holtz suggests marking the bottle tops with a punched out piece of cardstock that has the ink applied so that mixing them up can be avoided. Wouldn't you think that if it was important enough for Tim to suggest, that it perhaps should be done 'before' I buy them?
  

Where can you buy them? Well, as I mentioned earlier they are widely available both online and elsewhere. Here are a couple of places that I found.

• JoAnn.com
• scrapbook.com
• discountscrapbooksupplies.com (but remember prices there are in Canadian dollars)

In general, I rate Adirondack Alcohol Inks a 9 out of 10 because most importantly they do what they promise, and the potential is there to create incredible art if you embrace them. I considered rating them slightly lower initially due to their price tag, but when I considered that there was enough ink and blending solution in those little bottles to create literally hundreds of projects - on a per project basis, the cost is marginal. One bottle of Adirondack Alcohol Ink is after all less expensive than most ink pads on the market.

Last but not least if you're not yet convinced and are looking to see more samples of backgrounds made with Adirondack Alcohol Inks, check out this website that I found while surfing. And remember if you can -- see if you can find a live demonstration somewhere in your local area. Try your local scrapbook/stamping store, hobby store or a craft expo. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. As I said before, the art created with them really needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.

Have you tried Adirondack Alcohol Inks? Do you love them or hate them? Have you made the investment and they sit idle on your shelf or do you rely on them frequently when you craft? Let us know. We always love to hear what you think!

Dove of the East

Reported by Mary Chong

My review today is on Dove of the East products. There is a niche market out there for ethnic theme paper especially with the increase in world travel, adoption abroad, not to mention the fact that scrapbooking and cardmaking are international hobbies. Personally, when I scrap trips to Mexico I don't want tacos and sombreros all over my pages - it just isn't my style - but the gorgeous patterns of the Mexican culture - NOW that would be gorgeous. Also, I am of Asian descent and I've always found it difficult to scrap old family photos because there just aren't that many "nice" Asian theme papers out there. Don't get me wrong - you see them but often they are stereotypical with rice bowls and chopsticks etc.

That's why I was overjoyed when I found Dove of the East papers at my local scrapbooking store Scrapalicious.

When you visit the Dove of the East website it is clearly organized by their lines of product — each entitled "Journeys"

• Russia
• Japan
• India
• China
• Beach Baby - Love

To be honest, I don't really understand the new "Beach Baby - Love" line because it doesn't go with the "journey" theme plus it consists entirely of charms - odd?

All papers are acid free, elemental chlorine free and come from commercially managed forests. They also have coordinating ribbon, rub-ons, stickers, charms and stamps.

The really neat thing that they've done is they have these "Treasure" boxes for the Russia and China line. Each box contains an assortment of embellishments. Now if only I could get my hands on this gorgeous item - this would look awesome in my scrap room!

In fact all of the Dove of the East embellishments are packaged in organza bags or mounted on printed cards, designed so that even the packaging can be used in your projects.

The colors and patterns are so gorgeous and intricate I actually have a hard time using them for layouts because I don't want to cover the patterns up with photos!

The other great thing is that on the China paper they have both Chinese characters PLUS the English translation of the poem. I can only read/write English (sorry Mom and Dad) and so the translation is super helpful because I always want to know what is written on the paper to match it to the appropriate photo/theme.

Here is an example of a layout from a past trip to India. The papers in the India line remind me of the beautiful silk saris we saw throughout the country.

(Paper is called "Tamarind")

Just because you aren't a world traveller or of a certain ethnicity doesn't mean that you can't use these papers. The colors and patterns are rich and vibrant and work beautifully for cards or other types of layouts. Just use your imagination and creativity!

(Paper is called "Lotus Lake")

Pros:

• nice quality
• heavy paper weight
• rich, vibrant colors
• coordinating rub-ons, ribbon, stamps and embellishments
• all papers are acid free, elemental chlorine free and come from commercially managed forests.
• unique reusable packaging

Cons:

• not a well known scrapbooking line so it may be difficult to find in your LSS
• they do not have their own online store
• limited pattern selection and availability

Price points are comparable to other manufacturers.

To find a list of online and brick & mortar stores that carry Dove of the East products:
http://www.doveoftheeast.com/04_store/store_locator.html

Have you seen these papers before? Do you like them? I'd love to hear from you....

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Prism Cardstock

Reported by Katie Skiff

When it comes to paper crafting, you must always start with a base. Whether you are scrapbooking or cardmaking, you most always use cardstock as that base. I have come to love Prism’s cardstock. This cardstock has a slight texture to one side, giving your projects that extra dimension, while smooth on the other side.

This photo shows the texture of the papers as well as the three shades available in a Prismatic Pack .

This cardstock is heavy weight, not at all flimsy. It is acid and lignin free making it perfect for your papercraft projects. The various colors of cardstock are sold in both 12x12 and 8.5x11. As usual, this cardstock is available individually. It can also be purchased in multi-packs, which are three shades of each color. This makes working on your projects much easier. Prismatics Accent packs are also available. Those are 6x12 paper packs of coordinating cardstock colors for each multi-pack. Once again taking the guess work out of it for you.

Another feature I found on their blog is the company is working hard to create similar color combinations for various designer paper companies. Thus making it easier to coordinate your cardstock with your favorite designer papers.

I have used this cardstock for many of my scrapbook pages. It’s a very sturdy base to start with and the accent packs help by taking the guess work out of the color combinations.
I used it as the base on this layout of my daughter. The rich chocolate brown is one of my favorite packs, and it coordinates well with other companies papers.

Supplies: Prism Cardstock – Suede Brown Dark; Piggy Tales designer papers – Cinderella; Piggy Tales ribbon; Piggy Tales rub ons; American Crafts thickers; various flowers and chipboard.

Pros

• Heavy duty cardstock, works well on all projects.
• Many varieties of colors and color schemes.
• Texture of paper takes well to the various adhesives.

Cons

• As far as cardstock, I am not aware of any problems nor was I unhappy with anything about this paper. I would however love to hear your comments about this.

These papers are now available to Notions Marketing and should be available at your local craft store. Online you can find them at:
Cornish Heritage Farms

All That Scraps

Memory Villa

Prices
Single 12x12 sheets retail at 50 cents each; 8.5x11 sheets retail at 35 cents each
12x12 Prismatic Pack, containing 12 papers in 3 shades retail for about $6.50 each

In the end I would rate this paper at a 10. The quality is great as well as the quanity and price. The paper is very user friendly and would make a great addition to your projects. If you are a fan of Prism Cardstock, let us know. We are anxious to hear about your projects using this cardstock.

Online Beginner Digital Scrapbooking Class: Up and Running w/Jessica Sprague

Reported by Kim Fox

If you are interested in learning the basics of digital scrapbooking, then you should consider taking Jesscia Sprague's beginner online class "Up and Running with Photoshop". This self-paced course will give you everything that you need to become proficient with Photoshop and/or Photoshop Elements, on a Mac or a PC, even working with the Vista operating system.
This course is great for digital scrapbooking, hybrid scrapbooking and some basic touching up of images. The cost is $45 and it does not include the software. The course is available whenever you are ready to dive in. Meaning you can get registered right now and gain instant access to all of the course materials.

There are a minimum of four projects to complete for this course. Sprague's delivery in the videos is easy to follow and understand. If you have questions, there is a forum where you can post a question. Someone from Sprague's staff or a class mate will respond to your query.

At first I thought that I could teach myself how to use Photoshop; there are a wealth of videos on the web. But there are so many tips and techniques offered in the Up and Running course that it proved invaluable for me.

I took the course earlier this year and I liked that I could pause the video if I needed more time to figure something out or to locate a tool. Or I could go back and view the instructions multiple times if needed. Also, although the lessons are mapped out, there is still room to improvise on your projects, you know, add your own creativity.

All of the digital kits were easy to download and Sprague walks you through that process as well. She makes it all seem so easy and the next thing you know, you've completed a digital layout.

Pros:

• detailed, step by step instructions via several short videos
• lots of freebies to compliment the course
• fast feedback to questions via the course forum or via email
• excellent price for what you get
• videos and digital kits are available infinitely; love that

Cons:

• purchasing the software along w/the course at the same time could be a bit costly (but an awesome investment)
  

Register for the $45 self-paced course at JessicaSprague.com, where you can also find of wealth of information to help you get started with digital scrapbooking. Oh, and there are a few free digital kits to download too.

Ease of use: Moderately easy - I feel very comfortable on the computer and it was really exciting to venture into a new arena and see such nice results

Value: Excellent value. If you sign up to take a course at the local community college, it might be around $99 and you have to drive there too on a particular day of the week. With this course, it is very convenient for you to view the videos when it is best for you. Additionally, there are lots and lots of freebies as a part of this course.

Rating: 10, Sprague and her crew have been at this for a while. They know what they are doing and are quickly responsive to issues, concerns and questions.

So are you an alum of a Jessica Sprague course? Feel free to share your experience with taking the Up and Running with Photoshop course or other courses offered via Jessica Sprague's website.

Berwick Offray Ribbon

Reported by Heather Strenzwilk

If you have purchased "store brand" ribbon or holiday bows from Target, Walmart or JoAnn's, chances are they made by Berwick Offray. In 2002 Berwick industries bought out Offray and continues to produce ribbon under several names. Offray ribbon has held Olympic medals, wrapped Godiva chocolates and Williams-Sonoma cookware and blue ribbons. The company also produces Cleo brand gift packaging products as well.

Recently, I relocated to the Hagerstown, MD area and I learned that there was a processing plant and an adjoining outlet store. Before my move, I owned about 20 rolls of ribbon (coincidentally many of them were Offray ribbon.) The prices in the outlet store are excellent and I quickly acquired 300 rolls of ribbon. I am not the only "local" with ribbonitis- local resellers, florists, crafters and scrapbookers are frequent visitors, too. As you can see, I am extremely partial to polka dots!



Adding ribbon has been a simple and cost effective way to recycle clothing. I recently decorated my daughter's plain white cotton shirt with flowers made with polka dot grosgrain ribbon and I added satin ribbon for the stems and trim around the sleeves. The project required a small amount of hand sewing to attach the flowers and trim. To prevent the ribbon from unraveling, I lightly dabbed the cut ends with clean nail polish. I have washed the shirt by hand without any problems.

Highlights of a visit to the Berwick Offray ribbon outlet in Hagerstown include:

• Large bins containing 10-cent rolls of ribbon- Rolls can contain anywhere from a few feet to 12 yards. These bins contain overruns, discontinued, defective or private label ribbon. For example I recently purchased rolls of Halloween ribbon labeled for the defunct Rag Shop. The selection varies from visit to visit and if you needed a large quantity of a particular ribbon it might not be available.
• Multiple tables of ribbon priced by the roll- The ribbon is roughly sorted by type- holiday, wire edged, organzas, velvets, etc. Great way to save money on shower or wedding favors or other large projects.
• Grab bags of pre-cut ribbon- Value priced and always a generous quantity of 2-3 styles. Prices range from 35 cents to $1.29 for the "stuff a bag full of ribbon remnants" option.
• Large bins of pre-made package bows- If you visit the store with children let them pick and choose their own bows to fill a plastic grocery size bag. For 25 cents per bag this is a very cost effective way to entertain kids while you shop.
• Large bins of scrapbooking embellishments- Cute bows, printed ribbon, flags and much more are priced from 50 cents to one dollar. Plan to spend some time "digging" into the pile.

You might wonder- do the extremely low outlet prices for ribbon speak for its quality? Many E-Bay resellers refuse to sell "Offray outlet ribbon". I consider myself a careful shopper because I inspect things before I purchase them. The Hagerstown facility doesn't manufacture the ribbon but rather it dyes and prints on it (12 million yards per week). Thus, I have seen very small lots of ribbon with misspelled words, misaligned polka dots and inconsistent color and it is priced accordingly. The inconsistent color might appear as variations between dye lots or satin ribbon that is darker along one edge than the other (I actually like some of those rolls!) For the most part, the ribbon appears defect free.


Several people have asked me how I organize my ribbon. I am in the process of removing it from the rolls and storing it in an Iris chest sorted by color. I have grand dreams of creating a master swatchbook which includes samples, color names and item numbers. For now swatches of some of my favorite ribbon adorns the spirals of the book.

Probably my biggest issue with ribbon in general (not just Offray) is that sometimes I don't have the right color for my project. I have used various online tutorial and have custom dyed ribbon with reinkers and inkpads. Both satin and grosgrain ribbon from Offray take color extremely well and I am partial to the 3/8 inch white satin ribbon for many projects.

Pros:

• Diverse product line- wide variety of colors and widths
• High quality product/ great value for the price
• Widely available in major chain craft stores
• 2 outlet stores with discount pricing

Cons:

• Very traditional styles- nothing very "trendy"
• No coordinating paper line

I have used Offray ribbon for many years and I have been very happy with their consistent quality and reliability. Offray ribbon is available at most major chain discount and craft stores, outlet stores in Berwick, PA and Hagerstown, MD and online at RibbonDeals.com. Before moving to Hagerstown I rated Offray: 8/10. Now that I have discovered their outlet store, I rate them 9.25/10.

Have you used this brand of ribbon for many years like me? Let us know what you think!

Wacom Tablet

Reported By Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Warning: Do not read any further if you are averse to glowing reviews…

Several months ago, I began digital scrapbooking. I kept reading about this Wacom Tablet thing that people were raving about. And then a gal I scrap with brought her laptop and tablet to a crop. She let me try it out. I felt like a three-year-old learning to hold a pencil for the first time, but I was hooked!

I bought a Wacom Intuos 3 Graphics Tablet (6x8), which retails for $329. It is compatible with both Mac and PC (including Windows Vista). The box contains the following:

- Intuos3 6X8 pen tablet
- Intuos3 Grip pen
- Intuos3 five button mouse
- Pen stand
- Replacement nib set: 1 stroke nib, 1 felt nib, and 3 standard nibs
- CD with Quick Start Guide
- CD with tablet driver software for installation
- Software DVD, which includes Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, Corel Painter Essentials 3, and Nik Color Efex Pro 2 IE.

I have never used the mouse, the replacement nibs, Corel Painter or Nik Color Efex Pro. But, I use the tablet and pen every single time I open Photoshop.

Here’s how tablets work (regardless of the size or model): The pen tool becomes your mouse. Whatever you do with the pen and the tablet, your mouse does. But the really cool part is that the tablet is smart. If you pick up the pen and move it through the air to another area of the tablet, the mouse will follow! You do not need to drag it across the surface of the tablet.

My second favorite feature of the pen and tablet are the programmable buttons. You can program a series of keystrokes into each button. For instance, instead of having to choose “Layer>Arrange>Bring to Front” or type in the shortcut key strokes (“shift-open apple-closed bracket”), you can simply program one of the buttons on either the pen or the tablet and press it instead! This has made my life so much better! I am able to work more quickly and more efficiently, because I have programmed my most used combinations into my tablet.

This brings me to my only complaint: I wish that there were more programmable buttons. I recognize the ridiculousness of this request, but it doesn’t keep me from wanting more. They’re just so cool!

Beyond the fact that I enjoy using the pen tool and tablet, I have been able to do some very cool things that would have been very difficult, if not impossible, with a mouse. Check out these layouts…


Above: I drew the frame and the title. It's so great to be able to integrate your own handwriting into your digital work. Below: The pen allowed me enough control to create the unique (and very handmade looking) hearts on this layout.


Below: I created this layout without a single purchased digital element. From the paint to the handwriting to the doodles to the stitches, this layout was entirely created using my tablet!


Even if you don't draw, the tablet makes tasks like rotating and resizing significantly easier. Check out this layout:


From manipulating all those ribbons to creating the lace alphabet paper (a lot of rotating and sizing), my Wacom Tablet made it easy and ergonomic!

Let me add that I abuse my tablet. I drop crumbs on it. I travel with it (cram it into a backpack). I drop it. And yet, it still keeps ticking! I wouldn't advise abusing your tablet, but I wanted to let you know that it has taken a beating and survived.

The bottom line is that I cannot imagine doing any digital work without a tablet. If you're at all serious about digital scrapbooking, a tablet is a very good investment. They have less expensive versions, including the new Bamboo Fun, which is only $79.

Do you digi-scrappers and artists use a tablet? Let us know what you think about yours!

Silpat - not just for cooking anymore...

Reported by Dana Vitek

Actually, I've never used it for cooking. But I have used it a TON in my crafting exploits. The Silpat holds a place of honor on my craft table (namely, under whatever stack I'm shifting from one place to the other to find whatever implement/embellishment/uh, stickerment, I've lost). Seriously, I use it as the base for all of my projects. It protects my work surface from inks, high heat, cleaners, polymer clay, alcohol (recreational and otherwise), and cleans up with a baby wipe. What's not to love?!

Originally designed for lining cookie sheets, the Silpat is French, and very ooh la la. It is thick and heavy (when compared to teflon-coated "craft" sheets), and lays flat on my work surface with no wrinkles or folds to flatten out. Its silicon coating is durable; I've yet to leave a stain on it, and I'm really not all that vigilant about keeping my area clean (I know, you can hardly believe it).

Its best feature, non-stickability, can also be its worst, though, if you're not careful. Since ink that is overstamped around the sides of your project does not dry, it transfers readily to the next piece of cardstock that you lay down. No big deal if you're not persnickity, or if the back won't show, but I can't tell you how many custom invitation reply postcards I've had to recycle because I forget about this "feature." The argument could be made that operator error is hardly the fault of the Silpat, but I'm the one writing this article, and I'd prefer not to look sloppy or forgetful.

I suppose you could turn the bug into a feature by laying down some ink on purpose and creating a monoprint. Here I used VersaMagic chalk ink Dew Drops directly to the Silpat, spritzed it once with water, placed a piece of Stampin' Up! Whisper White cardstock face down (where is my brayer, anyone?), squished it flat with the backside of my Stampin' Scrub because it was sitting right there, and voila, instant, one-of-a-kind background papers.

(ignore my mother's hand in the picture, I don't know how it got there, she wasn't even here.)

And can you see that canvas-like texture? A happy accident! The Silpat has fiberglass mesh at its core, and the pattern transfers along with the ink. Look how much work it looks like I did! Elapsed time, 20 seconds.

(Stamp: Stampin' Up!-Only Ovals; Cardstock: Stampin' Up Whisper White and Orchid Opulence, PaperTrey Ink Stamper's Select White; Ink: VersaMagic Dew Drops - Spring Pansy, Pretty Petunia, Brilliance - Pearlescent Purple; Ribbon: Offray.)

I also use it a lot with my polymer clay work. The Silpat has a surface that isn't exactly tacky, or sticky, or gritty, but it has a little "tooth" to it, if you will. Just enough to let friction hold your work in place. Here's a photo of the Silpat going right from my work surface, straight into the oven (on a cookie tray).


I love not having to transfer uncured clay from one place to the other; it gets less mangled this way. As in not mangled at all, which is great, because my polymer clay skills need all the help they can get.

(Stamp: PaperTrey Ink - Wise Owl Bellies; Clay: Sculpey III - Translucent & Purple Granitex; Ink: Brilliance - Pearlecent Purple)


Pros:

• Non-stick surface with just enough tack to hold your stuff still.
• Flat, flat, flat. No wrinkles. Did I mention that it's flat, because it is.
• Durable. I've abused the daylights out of mine, and it still looks (and works) great.
• Wipes clean with a baby wipe. I'm considering getting my kids' hands dipped in silicon.
• Multiple sizes to fit your work surface.

Cons:

• Price. It's not that $20 is a lot for all this thing does, but since it's not a traditional craft product, it's not available at craft stores where you could use a 40% off coupon. And I'm cheap frugal. Just ask my husband.
• That ink transfer issue I talked about above.
• You know, I've seen prettier colors.

You can find the Silpat at kitchen stores like Linens & Things, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Williams-Sonoma, as well as Amazon.com.

I love my Silpat, and definitely recommend it to anyone looking to not just protect their work surface, but add a tool to their arsenal. What do YOU use to protect your work surface? Leave us a comment and let us know! Also, if you know where my brayer is, you can mention that too.

Recipe Idea Box by Elsie Flannigan

Reported by Nancy Beyer

The Love Elsie recipe Idea Box, published by KI Memories includes 100 "recipe" cards for layouts with designer tips, index and color coding. The "recipes" are divided into art, home decor, books, fashion, music and movies.

To put it plainly: I adore this extremely inspirational and original "book".

Her "book" is seriously an amazing concept. She has captured the heart of what we paper crafters like to do: gather inspiration from our world, with or without kids. I so wish Elsie Flannigan would create more books like this because her ideas are truly unique.

I found the best way to use the Recipe Idea Box is to go through each recipe and examine which one you would like to do and create two piles: Pile A:I must do these layouts RIGHT NOW! Pile B: Okay, I can wait a bit on doing this layout because either I don't have the right photo, or I really need to think about how to do this layout.

After going through these cards, I found out that my pile of "I must do this layout right now!" grew to 30 cards! I basically wanted to do every Movie and Book idea. I would have chosen more art, fashion and home decor cards but neither my closet nor my house was in any shape to be photographed. The hardest idea cards for me were the music ones. I was never the one to listen to the words of a song, hence I really had to think about how to do those layouts - not that I didn't want to do them, these layouts were just going to take me a bit longer than usual.

As you can most likely imagine, I had the hardest time figuring out which layouts to do because - as I said - I had a stack of 30 cards begging me to be scrapped and limited amount of time to complete this article! I settled on my favorite subject - movies.

"The Early Years"
Sometimes we all get in a rut with pictures. The best part about these inspirational idea cards? One can take a trip down photograph memory lane. I found pictures that I forgot about or never saw that were quite literally older than me. Also, the cards give you ideas on what type of pictures you should take for these layouts. When you get in a picture or "no scrap mojo" rut, these cards will pull you right out of it!

Here is my version of this Recipe idea: Your inspiration is to take a romantic movie quote and create a layout with buttons and doodling. Mine was, "You had me at Hello" from Jerry Maguire.

Paper: Sassafras Lass Serendipity"Sunshine Lollipop" Sugary Love, Fruit Slice Land. Embellishments: Stickers: Creative Imaginations Narratives by Karen Russell Antique ABC, 12x12 Quote Cardstock Sticker Sheet Buttons and folder vintage. Ribbon unknown. Zig Silver metalic marker

Remember, the idea cards are created on the concept of a recipe - cooking time(estimate on how long it will take you to complete the layout), ingredients (what embellishments, paper etc. did the layout use), recipe (how to do the layout) and a Designer tip (or hint/inspirational note on how to make your layout dazzle).

How I "read" the recipe was by first looking at the inspiration (i.e. the designers tip), and then I did the "recipe". I only reviewed the "ingredients" when I wanted to know what specifics about an embellishment. Personally? I would have liked the order to be Designer Tip first, Recipe second and than Ingredients last. However, I understand "why" it was edited this way - and let's face it, the whole idea around this is to find inspiration and to learn new techniques. In regards to the cooking time, I took longer than usual but that is due to the fact that I sometimes get lost in the layouts details.

Back to the layout, I located a great engagement picture of my parents that needed some cleaning up. Since the tint of the photo was way off and was very hard to clean up electronically -I decided to mimic it in the paper. Per the instructions, I tucked another picture behind it - but I went off instruction and included a more recent and bigger photograph behind the first picture. The doodling aspect was fun and I found this challenge very inspirational.

That is why I love Elsie Flannigan's style - it is the details that make the project most fun.

Pros:

• Cards are easily portable, I took them to work and read them on the train! :) (Hey a working girl has to squeeze her scraping time in somehow!) Also I really like the fact that these can be used at crops. I don't know how many times I feel like I am taking my whole craft room with me to a crop - these idea cards makes your plan for your crops!
• The book delivers - every "recipe" is inspirational.
• Love the whole concept of an "idea box", I wish Elsie would make more of these types of "books".

Cons:

• One out of the 5 designers featured I couldn't quite understand what her inspiration was behind the "designer tip".
• I would have preferred the layout of the recipe cards to be - "Designer Tip", "Recipe" than Ingredients but I can understand why they chose to edit the book this way.
• An instruction type of card at the forefront of the book would have been extremely helpful. Basically a "how do I use this book" type of card.

This item retails for $24.00 USD and is at times hard to find. You will have the best luck at finding this book at a high end local scrapbooking store (CraftFancy, ScrapInStyleTV.com and Archivers.

Do you have this product? Let us know what you think. What are your tips and tricks for making it work? We can't wait to hear from you!

Cosmo Cricket Blackboard Albums

Reported by: Martha Bonneau

One of my favorite things to make lately has been mini-books, so I was excited to try one of Cosmo Cricket's Blackboard albums. The albums are available in several different shapes, for my project I chose Jack's Album, there are 6 other shapes available.

What is Blackboard you may ask, well it's just what it sounds like. Instead of the traditional grey-ish brown chipboard albums, this one is black and has the appearance of a blackboard. It is solid core black, so you can sand or distress the surface and edges and not lose the black.

The tips on the back of the packaging give you several ideas on how to use the albums and I gave a couple of those a try. The first thing I did was try colored pencils and a white Signo. I was very happy with how well the white Signo looked against the black, the colored pencils went on a little washed out so I found I had to really press down if I wanted brighter colors.

I then tried paint on the album. I tried a couple of things, the first of which was using a Heidi Swapp mask to apply circles onthe album. I had to try it a couple of times and learned that I had to apply the mask very, very lightly or when I removed it I would end up with fuzzy areas where the mask was removed.
I also applied paint to one entire page of the album. When I applied the paint (acrylic), I kind of started to worry as the page started to warp considerably. It went down as it dried, but I still ended up with a page that has a slight curl to it.



This did not affect my finished project as I was using the painted piece as my cover

All in all, I really loved working with this album. It is easy to alter, staple, sand etc. With a regular chipboard album I feel as though I need to paint or cover all of it to hide the chipboard, with the Blackboard, I love having glimpes of the black showing. I also like the variety of fun shapes they come in

Pros:

• Love the black surface, very striking.
• Solid core
• Surface is easy to alter
• Fun variety of shapes available
• Ideas on how to use album on packaging is a nice touch

Cons:

• When painting entire surface of a page, it tends to bend and stay that way.

The Jack's Album that I used for this project was purchased at Archiver's for $4.99 and I was able to use a coupon. A variety can also be found at Scrapbook.com, Scrapbooking-Warehouse.com, and Scrapbook Express.

So have you tried the blackboard albums? What are some of the things you did with it? Let us know!

Ikea for Craft Storage

Reported by Lexi Daly


I recently moved homes and into a new craft studio with lots of space to fill and no built in storage or closets. While researching my options for new furniture to fit my new needs, Ikea Workspaces came to mind and I soon discovered that a limited offering is available to order online for those of us who are not lucky to have one nearby. I ordered several pieces, but there are two that really stand out now that I have them in my new room--the Helmer and the Alex. Both of these would be perfect in any craft room. And since my life has been more about unpacking and organizing than stamping lately, I wanted to tell you all about them in case you need organizing ideas, too.



The Helmer, a small metal drawer unit on casters, retails for $39.99. I saw it in so many rooms for so many purposes all over the Ikea website, it was impossible not to notice it! And I was even more impressed when I got my hands on it in person. It is not very big, at 11"w x 16 3/4"d x 27 1/8"h and you can roll it around, so it's easy to place or bring to you as needed. You can also put several together for a bigger impact and lots of drawers, picking just the right number of units to fill the space you have. Although the size is great, the drawers are what make it perfect. The Helmer has six drawers, each measuring 15'' x 9.25" x 3.5", with a slot for labeling on the outside; perfect for all the little parts and pieces we collect. The drawers can also be pulled out all the way if needed for a project or simply to rearrange them. I chose to buy several units and put them together to form sort of a credenza.

The Alex is just as useful and maybe a little more impressive. I chose to list it second because it is bulkier, created mainly of particleboard, and measuring in at 26 3/8"w x 18 7/8"d x 26"h. Bigger and bulkier also means higher in price, at $119.00, but even so I wish I had room for one more! Like the Helmer, the Alex is shown in a variety of different rooms online and was hard not to notice. And also like the Helmer, I was even more impressed with it in person. This unit is very sturdy and the drawers are long and shallow--actually the top three are quite shallow and the bottom three, slightly deeper. These drawers are on metal rollers, so they don't come out all the way, but they hold heavy items like my punches and stamps quite well. The size of the drawers would also be perfect for larger pieces of artwork.


One thing I had heard about Ikea is that you have to put it all together yourself and that it's not always easy. As I mentioned earlier these are only two of the many pieces I purchased. All in all, I put together 12 total items, some like the Helmer more than once. While some pieces were easier than others, I didn't find any of them to be particularly difficult. The Helmer was probably one of the easiest, so I was happy to put that one together several times! Because it was metal, most of it was clicking this here, pushing that tab there--the only screws used were for the wheels and bottom of the unit. The Alex was a little more difficult and I needed a little extra strength from my husband for some screws, but all of the holes are pre-drilled and the picture directions were easy to follow. On both units, you repeat the same thing for each drawer, so that gets easier as you go along. I was actually wowed just as much by the construction and assembly design as I was with the functionality and appearance!


I also want to point out that while a limited Ikea selection is available online, shipping can be very high depending on where you are. It really is best to go directly to the store if you can. But if you don't have an Ikea nearby, you might want to be sure you're ordering a lot to get your best shipping value or maybe order with a friend if you can.

So, here's the break down...

Pros:

• nice looking furniture
• perfect storage spaces for crafty pieces and parts
• casters for easy placement
• great price

Cons:

• you have to assemble yourself
• if you don't have a store nearby, shipping could be high

There are so many storage options out there and I love seeing what other people have and love. I hope this has helped some of you looking for something new for your space. And since I'm still putting my room together, I'd love to hear what storage solutions you can't live without, Ikea or otherwise!

Avery T-Shirt Transfers

Reported By: Julie Campbell

Are there any 80's children out there who remember when ringer Tee's and cut off jeans were the latest fashion? Growing up, I loved anything made from iron-ons and proudly sported my favorite cartoon character or TV personality on my shirts. Why not become nostalgic and share some of that fun with your own family with Avery's T-Shirt Transfers!

Avery has a full line of do-it-yourself products that are really easy to use. There are now T-shirt Transfers for both light and dark fabrics. These two products are very different from each other, so make sure you read the directions thoroughly before applying. Avery recommends turning garments inside out and washing in cold water to keep colors looking their best. Below is a chart that explains some of the differences between the products:

Light T-Shirt transfers are transparent, so any pigment in your fabric will show through your iron-on. I recommend only using white or ivory fabrics with this product so that the colors from your transfer will remain true. The Light T-Shirt Transfer is placed upside down before ironing, mirroring your image. This is especially important to remember if you're transferring any text onto your fabric!

Dark T-Shirt transfers are opaque and have a bright white background. You have to trim your transfer very closely because any negative space will be white once ironed on. The Dark T-Shirt Transfers are placed face-up and are NOT mirrored. I have found that after several washings, the pigment from your fabric will start to bleed through any white area on your design.

There are a lot of ways to create an image for your transfers. Avery Transfers are compatible with Ink Jet printers and there are downloadable free templates and clip art images from avery.com. One of my favorite things to do is to stamp directly onto the transfer sheets. I made my son a custom T-shirt using iron-on letters, rubber stamps and markers. I've had good luck with dye-based inks and markers. Copic markers are not a good choice because the alcohol in the ink 'eats away' at the transfer sheet.

Rubber Stamps: Proud Eagle by Cornish Heritage Farms
Markers: Stampin' Up!

Of course, there are a lot of other things that you can do with iron-ons. I love taking my children's artwork and scanning them onto the computer. Once they're uploaded, simply print them out onto a Transfer Sheet! I made this bag with some of my son's early artwork, and I think it would make a great gift for a teacher or grandparent!

Pros:

• Transfer Sheets come in packages for both light and dark fabric.
• Avery's new Color Shield™ formula ensures crisp, long-lasting image quality and the brightest colors - even after washing.
• Unprinted iron-on transfer sheets feed easily through most inkjet printers.
• Free downloadable images are available on the Avery website.
• You can create your own images by using rubber stamps and markers.

Cons:

• The Light T-Shirt Transfers are transparent, so any pigment in your fabric will show through and alter the colors in your transfer.
• The Dark T-Shirt Transfers are opaque, so any "negative" areas in your design will become bright white once applied. (Designs must be carefully & closely trimmed.)
• When using a Dark T-Shirt Transfer, any white areas that are part of your design may fade, allowing the color of the fabric to bleed through.

I think fabric transfers are a fun, versatile product that kids of all ages will love! They have stood the test of time and are a great creative outlet. With a little practice and imagination, I think you will love this product too! I would give this product a rating of 7 out of 10.

So what are you waiting for? Avery Transfer Sheets can be found at your local Wal-Mart stores or at any office supply store near you. 8.5" x 11" Dark Transfer Sheets (3 pack) retails for around $10. A similar pack of Light Transfer Sheets retails for around $6. (Larger packages are available and are more economical if you are planning on trying out several projects.) Let your child's imagination run wild and create a fun project that they will wear with pride! Have you tried Avery's products? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Leave us a comment and tell us about some other creative uses you have found for fabric transfers.

Palette Hybrid Inks

Reported by Katie Renz

Ink pads are essential to the world of stamping and there are multitudes of colors, styles, and brands out on the market. My review today is about Palette Hybrid inks and even more specifically about Papertrey Ink's (PTI) Perfect Match. In essence, I can't review the one without the other, but throughout the article I refer to Papertrey Ink's because those are the Palette inks that I have experience with. So with that in mind, I specifically asked Nichole Heady of PTI whether the two inks were the same and she said absolutely. The only difference is that PTI ink colors are made exclusively for PTI. Palette Hybrid inks are available in 36 colors and PTI offers 9 exclusive colors with more to come. The inks are available in full size pads, cubes, and as reinkers, plus additional pads such as a glue pad and an embossing pad are available.

So lets start with the structure of the ink pads. If you notice, these ink pads are shaped slightly differently from other ink pads. The lids are not attached to the pads and if you are one to lose lids fear not. The lids click right onto the bottom of the pad which in terms of space can be nice to keep the clutter at bay. The actual ink pad is raised above the surface which makes for easy inking whether you are a pad to stamp inker or a stamp to pad inker. Another positive which I find very pleasing is that the ink pads are stackable when not in use. I would have to say that the only negative aspect of these ink pads which is definitely not unique to these is that the color can be difficult to tell when the ink pads are closed. This is why you see the little labels on the outside of my pads. I just stamped on address labels and then cut them to shape and voila I am able to tell which color is which at a glance.

As I stated earlier, I'm specifically reviewing PTI Palette Hybrid inks. I have all the colors that have been released and have to honestly say I love them all. These particular inks were created to coordinate with their cardstock and ribbon. The following picture is a side by side example of the colors stamped on white cardstock and their coordinating colored cardstock.

Here are the colors from the left side down and then right side down: Plum Pudding, Lavender Moon, Berry Sorbet, Sweet Blush, Aqua Mist, Moss Green, Summer Sunrise, Lemon Tart, and finally Dark Chocolate (which was the Burnt Umber).

The only personal issue I have is with the Aqua Mist. I'm not quite satisfied with this particular color, but I have yet to try a reinker and I have to give kudos to Papertrey Ink, because in the end, I can honestly say that they will stand behind their products. If you are an individual who have or have had any issues, please e-mail their customer service and you will be taken care of.

In dealing with these inks and to be honest other dye inks, it does take a bit of time for all the color to settle into the image especially for solid images. Now, when I say that it takes time to settle, I'm not saying that it takes a while for the ink to dry because that is one of the factors that makes these inks so wonderful. They do dry instantly and with no smearing. I can't explain to you chemically what is happening here, but when you see the pictures you will see what I am referring to.

Here is a picture using the Plum Pudding ink immediately after stamping and then there is also a picture taken after some time had elapsed. There is a distinct difference. Again, I am not saying that this is ALWAYS the case, but I have read where some people are concerned about the quality right after stamping. In most instances, time seems to cure the issue.


So at this point, you might be saying so what? I have inks that I like and am perfectly satisfied with, why Palette Hybrid inks? Here is a direct quote from Stewart Superior Corporation, the makers of the Palette Hybrid Inks. "The new Palette Hybrid ink pad represents the latest innovation in stamping ink technology. It eliminates all the confusion over which ink to use for what surface - because it works on everything and is a non-solvent ink".

Yes, I have the entire set of Close to my Heart dye based inks and yes, I use them daily and yes, I love them, but... they are water based inks and although I love the instant dry and the variety of colors, they are limited in the surfaces they can be stamped on. One of my newest loves is decorating and altering simple plain t-shirts, bags, bandannas, etc. Have you seen all the cute altered onesies out there in blog land? I also have many pigment ink pads, but again great for a specific purpose , but I don't use them all the time. The key work here is Hybrid - a mix or a best of both worlds.

Here is a card that I made using all PTI products.

All supplies can be found at Papertrey Ink - Stamps: Floral Frenzy, Polka Dot Basics

And here is a t-shirt and matching little bag that I made for my friend's little girl. I used the exact same ink colors and stamps. Remember though that once your images are stamped you need to heat set with your iron as the final step in your project.

Here is one more close up picture. Just a note here though. 100% cotton fabrics seem to work the best, but at the time I went looking for a t-shirt, all I could find was a poly/cotton blend. The bag is a plain white canvas like tote that I found at Michaels for 5o cents. What a bargain huh?

Overall, I give Palette Hybrid Inks and in particular Papertrey Ink's Palette Hybrid colors a clear thumbs up. I honestly believe that it is impossible to have only one type or brand of ink in your stamping repertoire, but I do believe that these ink pads are the most versatile. If you are just entering the stamping world, then I would definitely suggest looking into obtaining Palette Hybrid Inks. If you are already deeply entrenched and haven't used these ink pads yet, I would still highly recommend getting choice colors for whatever project you might be doing. Keep in mind that most of the colors are available in small cubes so your investment can be kept to a minimum. And finally, remember that you don't have to put them out of the way when you are done with whatever project you are working on because more than likely they will definitely work for any future projects too!

Pros:

• Nice structure and shape of the ink pads
• Excellent variety of colors and in the case of PTI more to come
• Ability to use on a variety of surfaces
• Instant Drying ability
• No strong odors

Cons:

• I wish they either had the color label on the outside or at least a labeling system that you could attach yourself.
• Sometimes, the lighter colors just aren't as strong
• Lack of availability in my local craft stores

I haven't had much luck finding these ink pads in the retail stores in my area, but they can be found in many online stores. Here are several to choose from: Blockhead Stamps, Papertrey Ink (own exclusive line too), and Cornish Heritage Farms.

The running price for these ink pads are an average of $6.00 for the full size pad. I find them very easy to use and I feel that the value is huge due to the versatility of these ink pads.

I would rate these pads a 9 out of 10.

I know I said that the Palette Hybrid ink pads are versatile, but in reality I really only use them for 2 different purposes - paper and fabric. I would love it if you shared with us other ways you've used these ink pads and what you think of them.

Punch Needle Tool Comparison

Reported by Donna Lannerd

I have 2 punch needle tools not because I've started a collection but because I put one in a very safe place to make sure I would know where it was. Guess what? It was so safe even I couldn't harm it ... I mean ... find it. Unfortunately I was in the middle of a project and after an agonizing week of looking I finally gave in to buying a new one. But, my needle was not one I could find in just any craft store and I was already so far behind that I didn't want to wait for one to come in the mail. Luckily, punch needle or for some, needle punch, had gained some mainstream popularity and I picked up the Punch Needle Tool and Threader by Dimensions at my local Hobby Lobby.

Now, the only problem was that I was very skeptical of this small, bare-bones tool. For one thing it only cost about $3 and I probably used a coupon so it didn't even cost me that much. My professional looking (at least compared to the Dimensions gadget) Ultra Punch cost about $16 that I purchased from a vendor at a quilt show. I started to really miss my Ultra Punch by Cameo and I hadn't even taken the new one out of the package but I really needed to finish that project so I reluctantly opened the package.

First off, the Dimensions tool is much smaller. It is 4 1/2 inches long compared to the Ultra Punch that is 6 inches long on the shortest setting. That's another thing, this little one doesn't have extra settings (although I hadn't even used different settings yet). It is a one-size-is-it punch length. For those of you that are not familiar with punch needle, the whole concept is about making loops on the right side of your fabric with the needle and different settings gives you different lengths of loops.

Just like my larger one, the small one came with needle threaders which you absolutely need with this tool. I threaded the needle and went to work. Voila! It worked. Other than getting used to the smaller size it worked just fine. I finished my project and then I found my other needle which was stored near by with some new floss for another project. Well, at least I have a back up tool now.

Now that I have that extra needle, I am not going to get rid of my larger one. I mean I did pay way more for it than the smaller one but it definitely has its upsides like being able to adjust the loops. The flower pictured below is an example of what those different adjustments can do. I did the center of the flower using the shortest setting and did the petals with the longest. There are actually 12 settings which means you can add a sculptural look to a project.


This next photo is a card using a punch needle motif and I used both of the needles to see if there was any difference. The Dimensions tool's needle is actually minutely longer than the Ultra Punch on its lowest setting so the center heart is just ever so slightly higher than the outer heart. This effect was minimized when I pressed it.

Pros

• Ultra Punch has several length settings
• Ultra Punch needle stores with the needle covered
• Ultra Punch has 3 needle sizes that are interchangeable on one tool
• Dimension tool is inexpensive
• Dimension tool is easy to find at nationwide stores
• Both tools have a comfortable hold position

Cons

• Ultra Punch tool is more costly
• Dimension tool only has one setting
• Dimension tool is altogether short, making it (at least to me) a little harder to hold

Suggested price of the Dimensions Punch Needle Tool and Threader is $3.00 and is easily available at Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Joann's. It can also be found online at Dimensions, Joann's, and Ericas. The Ultra Punch by Cameo can be found online at Joann's, Nordic Needle and Country Threads and prices vary from $15 - 17.99 for the small and medium (I have the small). Some places only offer it in a 3 size needle set which is usually around $27.99.

I rate the Dimension's tool at an 8 while giving the Cameo a 9 because I can make the different lengths. I also would recommend the Dimension one to any beginner because punch needle can take some practice before getting the feel of how to do it.

Have you tried either or both of these tools, or perhaps you have another tool we don't know about?

Twinkling H2Os by Luminarte

Reported by Tami Bayer

These fun little shimmery pots of watercolors are made by Luminarte. They come in two sizes, are non-toxic, acid free, and are available in 168 colors. The large pots retail for $3.70 each. These paints can also be purchased in sets of small 5 gram or large 10 gram pots with price varying depending on the size of the set. The pots now come with a see through lid, which is wonderful. I stored my old ones upside down so I could see the color. The new ones are so much better.

These paints can be used on many different surfaces and are safe for children. The website lists all of these surfaces as appropriate; paper, canvas, rocks, wood and even Easter eggs. I must admit that I've not tried real Easter eggs, but I love the idea of that. I've had good success with this product on paper and canvas.

My favorite way to use these paints is to spritz a bit of water into the pots, wait a couple of minutes for the paint to get soft. Then I use an aqua brush and color in stamped images. I prefer using embossed images so the paint stays in the lines. The paints can also be used direct to rubber giving a beautiful stamped image. I've also made beautiful backgrounds with them.

What I don't love about this product is that it takes some effort to use them. The pots all have to be opened individually and then spritzed and wait a bit. I find I don't use them often because of the extra time factor. I'm into quick stamping. But, when I take the time I am always pleased with the results.

Pros:

• 168 colors available
• beautiful shimmery effect
• non-toxic, acid free

Cons:

• spendy at $3.70 per color
• takes some time to prepare cakes for painting
• doesn't work on non-porous surfaces

These paints retail for $3.70-$36 depending on the size of the set you purchase or if you purchase individually. If you'd like to add these paints to your collection, check first with your local scrapbook or stamping store. I've seen them in most every small shop I've visited. If you can't find what you like there, then you can purchase online at Luminarte, Addicted to Rubber Stamps, or Frantic Stamper. I would rate this product 8 out of 10.

I would love to hear if you tried this product and any tips you have to share with us.

Tombow Dual Brush Pens (ABT)

Reported by Kristine Fowler

Unlike many other paper crafters, I have to admit that one of my least favorite techniques is hand-coloring. I think the reason I dislike it, is because I am generally in a hurry when I create – and I quite often don’t have the time that I think it takes to color properly. With that said, while I don’t do it often, I do hand-color sometimes, and have tried various methods and medium over the years.

Most recently, the coloring medium I find myself relying on are the Tombow Dual Brush Pens (ABT). I was introduced to these pens last fall at the CreativFestival in Toronto, and since then I’ve picked up quite a few of these markers and added them to my toolbox.

Since I am partial to supporting local businesses first, I buy the Tombows at my local scrapbook store – The Memory Keeper for $3.29 ($CDN) each. All pens are priced individually, and no sets are available. At another local retailer, Curry’s, they are priced a bit less at $2.99 ($CDN) each but for me, their location is a little inconvenient to attend. At Curry’s though, you can purchase sets of 10 pens for a slightly discounted $29.17. For those of you Stateside, if you are interested in purchasing the Tombows, try AllArtSupplies.com, where they are currently listed at $1.91 ($USD) a piece, and sets of 6 markers are available for $10.49 ($USD) – a substantial savings. I have never ordered from them, but it might be worth the investigation given their pricing – of course when ordering online, shipping & handling charges need to be factored into the equation as well.

Tombow Dual Brush Pens are available in 144 colors, and they feature as you might have guessed; two tips. The one end is the flexible nylon fiber ‘brush’ tip which I love. It works like a paint brush and you can use it to create fine, medium or bold strokes by simply changing the pressure on the point. The other end hosts a ‘fine’ tip which is great for drawing borders, writing and coloring tight drawings.

The ink in the Tombows is water based and thus is non-toxic, acid free, and odorless. Each pen is 7 ¾” long and the brush caps are colored to match the ink inside. Unlike Copics, the pens are not refillable and the tips are not replaceable but so long as you keep the lids on them tightly and don’t inadvertently damage a tip, they should last a long time.

One thing in particular that I like to do with the Tombows is watercoloring. After stamping my image with permanent ink on watercolor paper (yes, watercolor paper is recommended to get optimum blending potential), I color the edge of my image with the Tombow. Then, using a regular paint brush dipped in water, I blend the color toward the center of the image creating a graduated colored effect. If necessary, I can go back and add more color to certain sections of an image to achieve shadows, or blend some areas with more water to achieve highlights. The cards below were created using this technique.

I’m not sure what is special about the ink in the Tombows, but it watercolors beautifully. I have tried to achieve the same effect with other waterbased markers and have been disappointed with the result. Other markers tend not to work as well with this technique, and you are left with very distinct ‘lines’ of color as opposed to the Tombows smooth graduated appearance.

Another great feature of the Tombows is that the inks from two or more pens can be blended to create custom colors. Here, I took 2 different colors – a blue and a yellow and drew directly on an old CD (any other non-porous surface would also work). I then took a water brush, and ‘blended’ the two colors together. As you can see, I have now created a lovely green. I can now use this green, together with my waterbrush to paint an image of my choice. Blending custom color is a great way to maximize your investment and perhaps limit the number of markers you need to buy in the long run.



Pros:

• Flexible brush end eliminates the need to buy pens of varying thickness.
• The brush tip holds its shape well even after much use and considerable pressure.
• The fine tip is firm enough that even with varied pressure, strokes are of consistent thickness.
• Ink is water soluble – so clean up is easy if you happen to get messy.
• Because the ink is water-based it is also odorless – great news if you’re sensitive to smells.
• The brush and the fine tip are fed from the same ink reservoir, ensuring exact colour matching.
• Dual tip design makes them more economical than purchasing pens with only a single tip.
• Ink is acid-free – so great for scrapbookers.
• The caps are slotted, which means that they won’t roll of the table when you least expect it.
• The ink is blendable – using either the colorless Tombow blender or a regular water brush - so they are great for watercoloring.

Cons:

• They are not refillable and the nibs are not replaceable.
• Purchasing a full set would be a significant investment. Perhaps not so much as some of the other ‘professional’ quality markers, but certainly more than your average set.
• Because they are water-based they are non-permanent and thus colored images will run if exposed to water. Eventually colored images will also fade over time if exposed to too much direct light (this is typical of any water or dye-based marker or ink and is not a fault in manufacture).
• The barrel of the marker is round thus it is possible for an ‘uncapped’ marker to roll off the table onto the floor.
• In my experience they are a bit tricky to find. Because they are positioned as a ‘professional’ artist material, you won’t likely find them at Michael’s or in the craft section at WalMart. You’ll have to look to an art supply store, a scrapbook store, or some other type of specialty shop. Once you find your source though, this won’t be a problem anymore.

Despite these disadvantages, I would rate the Tombow Dual Brush Pens an 8½ out of 10. Inability to refill, and cost weighed heavily on my judgement, although I do suspect that if they were refillable, they would cost even more, so perhaps I shouldn’t complain! You can’t have everything I suppose.

For more information about how to use Tombows – I suggest that you to visit this site http://www.tombow-creative.de/en/index.php and then choose Creative Pens from the Menu at the left. There are 4 video clips that offer great tips and I found them all to be full of useful information.

Have you tried the Tombow Dual Brush Pens? How do you think they compare to some of the others markers out there? We’d love to hear what you think! Leave us a comment and let us know!

Glimmer Mist Q&A

Reported By Julie Fei-Fan Balzer

Q: What is Glimmer Mist?

A: Glimmer Mist is a glittery dye from Tattered Angels. It comes packaged in a spray bottle with a sticker showing the color of the contents.

Q: Why the sticker?

A: Glimmer Mist is basically dye with metallic pigment powders mixed in with it. You need to shake the bottle to get the powder to mix with the dye because it’s heavier and sinks to the bottom when left alone.

Q: What does it look like?

A: With over sixty different colors to choose from, it’s hard to make a blanket statement. Generally speaking they’re very transparent, though I have found that the darker blues and browns tend to be a bit more opaque. Some of the lighter colors are almost completely transparent adding just a bit of a sheen to your work.

Check out this layout:


I wanted the background paper to capture the feeling of New York. So I used a combination of water, walnut ink, Glimmer Mist, ink and crumpling to get that grungy but shiny and definitely aged feeling.

Q: Cool! So, what does it stick to besides paper?

A: Wood, metal, plastic, glass, photos, fabric, paint…almost everything I’ve tried it on! Here’s a canvas I made using Glimmer Mist:


Q: So I can use it on anything?

A: Well, yeah. But here’s the thing: It’s not waterproof. So, even after it has dried, if you spray it with water, it will start running again. So, if you’re using it for an altered piece or something that is going to be in any kind of weather or humidity, you need to seal it with something.

Q: Is it hard to use?

A: If you can use hairspray, you can use Glimmer Mist! It’s in a little pump spray bottle and you just push the button down and move across your project. Couldn’t be easier!

Q: Speaking of hairspray, I’ve heard that you can make your own using hairspray and pigment powders….

A: Yep, I’ve heard that too. But, with over 60 colors to choose from and such a reasonable price ($6.95 for 2oz), why bother?! Plus, I don’t love the idea of hairspray all over my stuff… And it's acid free, so if that is a concern for you, Glimmer Mist has you covered.

Q: 2 oz. doesn’t sound like a lot…

A: Trust me, I use my Glimmer Mists all the time and I still haven’t run out of a single color!

Q: Wow! That’s great! Is there anything else I need to know before I go out and buy a bunch of Glimmer Mist?

A: Nope! Just grab a bottle or two and start experimenting!

Derwent Inktense Pencils

Reported by Heather Strenzwilk

Inktense Pencils by Derwent are described as "watersoluble ink pencils" meaning they offer the best of three worlds: 1) Control of pencils 2) Blendability of watercolors and 3) Highly pigmented, intense color. These pencils come in 71 assorted colors plus an outliner which can be used to draw non-smearing, permanent outlines.

Aside from their intense pigment, what sets these aside from ordinary watercolor pencils is that inktense pencils are permanent once they dry. They can be used just like regular watercolor pencils and while wet, the colors are blendable. Once the ink has dried, the built in glaze makes it permanent so additional layers of color or other mediums can be applied on top. Unlike regular watercolors, the artwork will not become "muddy" with the addition of more color (one of the things I hate about regular watercolors).


Because my watercoloring skills are amateur, I prefer the control of pencils. By varying the amount of pressure The above sample shows four different looks for the same blue pencil. Applying color directly to the paper provides more intense color and applying color from the pencil tip with a wet brush gives a softer, more traditional watercolor look. My favorite look was a combination of lightly shading the paper and adding extra color from the brush because it had lots of smooth color.


Like many of you, I own several styles of pencils and I wanted to see how they compared to other products. But because Inktense pencils are unique in nature, so it is difficult to do a direct comparison because there are no like products. But just to give you a rough idea, I did a side-by-side comparison of both wet and dry of three products on Canson 120lb Watercolor Paper. From left to right are Lyra Aquacolor Crayons, Staedtler Karat Aquarell Watercolor Pencils and Inktense Pencils. The Staedtlers were the smoothest to apply to the paper but the Inktense blended the smoothest.

I started with a set of 24 and at the same time I also purchased a Derwent blender and burnisher set, and two good brushes. The artist who demoed the pencils for me (and made it look really easy and fun) recommended good brushes and a using the Derwent blender with Derwent pencils. I definitely agree and the proper tools did make a large difference. Since my initial purchase I have purchased: Thistle, Fern, Payne's Gray, Sienna Gold and Crimson and I have found these colors to be among my favorites.


Pros

• Intense color
• Permanent- no smearing, easy to add additional layers of color
• Versatile- watercolor and pen and ink looks from 1 product

Cons

• Set of 24 had too many dark colors and no pink
• Product difficult to find- available in art supply stores or online only
• Skilled watercolorists might prefer traditional watercolor pencils

In summary, Derwent Inktense pencils are my favorite pencils for their plentiful pigment, blendability, versatility and permanence. They are available in fine art stores or discounted online from Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama and Amazon for about $1.50 or so each. This is the best product I have reviewed for Craft Critique and I rate them a 10 out of 10!

Have you tried Inktense pencils yet? Do you think they'll take the place of more traditional watercolor pencils?

Prismacolor 4-in-1 Premier Art Markers

Reported by Dana Vitek

Rubber stampers have been treading not-so-lightly into the world of alcohol-based markers, due to their versatility and extreme awesomeness. Traditional marker artists and designers are all, "yeah, well...DUH!" but we stampers are pretty new to the art marker scene.

Prismacolor art markers have been around for a long, long time. I used them (poorly) during my stint in interior design school, and my husband used them 1000 years ago in graphic design school. Their nibs and label design have changed over the years, but their ink formulation has endured. The newest version, the 4-in-1 Premier Art Marker, is double-ended, with a fine tip on one end and a beveled chisel on the other. The large end allows for quick coverage of large areas, as well as three different line-widths, depending on how you hold the marker, while the fine tip lets you get into tiny detailed areas.

As for the hallmark of alcohol markers, blendability, Prismacolors do that well too. As a beginner during design school, I was frustrated by the lines left by these markers when you don't keep what's known as a "wet edge" and it's hard to keep a wet edge over a large space when rendering an interior drawing (by the way, don't Google "wet edge" Oy.) It wasn't until reading the one billion blog entries about that other alcohol-based marker (you know the one I'm talking about), that I figured out what I was doing wrong. Here is an example of the right way to blend:


Color with lightest color, shade with slightly darker color, accent with darkest color, color over the whole thing with the lightest color again... voila!

Now, I know what you're saying: "Dana... should I buy the Prismacolors or the Copics?! Just TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" and my answer is... I just don't know. It really depends on how much you color, what your budget is, blah, blah, blah. Here's honest truth from my point-of-view:

• I think the Copic ink blends easier than the Prismacolor ink.
• I think the Prismacolor large end is better than the Copic Sketch chisel end.
• I think the Copic Sketch brush end is really nice.
• I think the refillabillity of the Copics is a big selling point, if you do a lot of coloring.
• I think the Prismacolors do a decent job for half the price of Copics.

Personally, I have over 100 Prismacolor markers, and 17 Copics (only 5 of them are the Sketch variety, because my dear husband surprised me with the 12B set of Copic Originals. "Surprise!" "These aren't the ones I wanted; I mean, THANKS!"). I think as my Prismacolors run dry, I'll replace them with the Copics, but I don't think I'll dump a ton of money on the Copic sets right now. There's just not that big a difference, IN MY OPINION, in their performance, to invest in the Copics immediately.

[is the one on the right worth $7.50 (for three markers) more? You tell me!]

Of course, that's not going to stop me from drinking at the fount of Copic wisdom, and applying it to what I have available.

Here's a card using said wisdom:

(Stamp: "Poo Happens" Inkadinkado; Ink: "Lamp Black" Nick Bantock Collection, Ranger; Markers: Prismacolor PM-133, PM-78, PM-10, PM-71, PM-108, PM-109, PM-48, PM-170, PM-16, PM-172, PM-121; Cardstock: PaperTrey Ink Stampers Select White, Making Memories"Max")

For more info on why I picked the black ink I used, check out the MOTHER of all black ink tests on my blog...

Another fab aspect of Prismacolor markers (and other alcohol-based markers), is the ability to color on non-paper stuff. I've successfully used my Prismacolor markers on shrink plastic, metal, and cured polymer clay. Since the ink repels itself on non-porous materials, you can get this cool mottled effect (think polished stone technique without the cotton ball mess).

Here's a pendant I made with polymer clay, colored with Prismacolor markers:

(Stamp: PaperTrey Ink; Markers: Prismacolors in many shades of blue & green; Ink: Pearl-Ex Copper)

Enough with the "TA-DAH!" already... cut to the chase:

Pros:

• Price. Prismacolor markers retail for between $2.09-$3.25 USD (depending on where you find them), about half the price of other professional-quality alcohol-based art markers.
• Availability. I've seen Prismacolor art markers in every big-box craft store I've been to, both as open-stock and sets. Their prevalence in places where you can use a 40% off coupon is a huge plus.
• Label. Their labels are actually in color, so it's pretty easy to find what you're looking for if you're digging through a box because you're too lazy to put them back on the rack, for example. Ahem.
• Consistency. Prismacolor makes a huge number of art media (e.g. colored pencils, pastels, watercolor pencils) and they name the same colors the same thing across the board, so the "Deco Pink" marker is the same color as the "Deco Pink" colored pencil. That's nice when you're mixing media for layering and shading.

Cons:

• Naming/numbering system. Their numbers seem to be arbitrary, not grouped by hue or value. That's one of the big advantages that Copic has: intuitive, or at least intelligent, numbering.
• Not refillable. Score another point for the Copics here.
• They're round. Meaning cylindrical, and therefore have the tendency to roll off your work surface into the realm of two-year-old children and marker-eating dogs. Ask me how I know.

So do I recommend them? Sure. Will I buy more of them now that I've gotten my hands on the Copic Sketch markers? Maybe not. But they do a good job at a good price, and sometimes, that's all you need. They're available online at Dick Blick, Joann & Amazon, as well as your local craft or art supply store.

Anybody out there have Prismacolor markers? What do you think? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

Reported By Tracy Schultz

There's a reason every child loves to color- it's just plain fun! One of my favorite parts of stamping is when I get to color in an image. I can customize it to match my project perfectly. Prismacolor premier colored pencils are my pencil of choice because they're artist-grade pencils that work well for blending and shading. They really help give my cards that finished touch.

Prismacolor pencils can be purchased in sets ranging from 12 up to 132; they can also be purchased individually. While they are more expensive than your regular colored pencils, once you try them you will know why. These aren't your standard Crayolas!

The lead is soft, or what is considered artist-grade. This softer lead allows you to blend the pencils more easily than standard pencils. You can also use odorless mineral spirits (OMS), baby oil, or other products, to blend the pigment into a smoother, almost water-colored look.


Here's the run-down on these pencils.

Pros:

• Huge selection of colors
• High quality
• Soft lead allows for easy blending and shading
• Availability- most craft stores and art supply stores carry these, as well as many online vendors

Cons:

• More expensive than regular colored pencils
• Lead can be fragile
• Must use care when sharpening

One of my favorite things to do with my Prismacolor pencils is to use baby oil to create a water-colored look on my image. First, you want to start with your supplies: baby oil (you can use mineral spirits if you like), blending stumps, a nail file (or some other filing tool to remove color from the stump), and your stamped image.


You can color your image one of two ways: You can add the colors one at a time OR you can add them all at once. I've done it both ways and to me the difference is hardly noticeable.


Here, I have stamped my image on white cardstock. I like to use Palette Noir ink and allow it a few minutes to dry. I've never had a problem with my ink running because Palette inks are hybrid and dry more quickly than most other inks. Still, you should allow whatever ink you're using to dry before blending.


Then, using my Prismacolor pencils, I outline the inside edge of my image. You can lay down as much or as little color as you like. You'll have to experiment to see what amount you prefer. Then, dip the tip of your blending stump into the baby oil, allowing the end to soak up some of the oil. Make sure it's not dripping wet though- you don't want to damage your image. Using a circular motion, push the pigment around your image towards the center. This will create natural highlights.


To blend different colors of pencil you will want to clean your stump. That's what your nail file is for- simply file off the old color. Then dip your stump back in baby oil and continue with blending the second color. I find it easiest to work from lightest color to darkest when blending. But if you clean your stump well between colors you can blend in any order you choose.


[In the image above, the left bird was colored in with the pencils and not blended. The middle bird, the colors were added and blended one at a time. The right bird, all colors were added at once and blended all together.]

Once you try this a few times, you'll be hooked. I know I was! Your colored images will have a more finished appearance than if you had just colored them in and not blended. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give these pencils a 9. The only reason they won't receive a perfect score is because you do have to use more care with them to keep the lead from breaking.

Prismacolor premier colored pencils retail for $1.45 per pencil, but are usually sold for less when purchased in sets. You can find them in most craft and art supply stores, and online at Dick Blick, Utrecht, and Carpe Diem.

Do you own these pencils? We'd love to hear what you think of them or see some projects you've made with them.

Crayola Fabric Crayons

Reported By: Susie Ziegler


Crayola crayons are standard in most homes with kids. My children's school requires this brand specifically as part of our school supplies. These fabric crayons are part of Crayola's specialty crayon line. They are formulated so that they will be permanent on fabric after heat setting with an iron. Crayola indicates that their Fabric Crayons have better adhesion with 100% synthetic fabrics. Fabric should be at least 50-60% synthetic for less fading.

Once, I was faced with large swaths of blank areas on an embroidery project. More stitching was necessary, but I was under the wire to get my project finished for a gift and I got the idea to color in the areas with these fabric crayons. The crayons were very inexpensive and easy to find. I colored right onto my fabric and then set the color with my iron and a press cloth. It worked great and grandma got her mermaid pillow just in time for Christmas.


In the two years this little mermaid has been on display at Grandma's there has been no fading or alterations to the color, even though the fabric is 100% natural cotton. Grandma doesn't launder that first fabric crayon project, so I got curious about how these fabric crayons will stand up to the laundry.

We tested the product on some squares of synthetic blend white fabric I had at home. My daughter drew pictures right onto the fabric. We also tried drawing onto a separate page and then we heat set all our samples with an iron to set the color.


It was very quick and easy to get started with this project. The only preparation I did was to iron a piece of freezer paper to the back of the fabric to make a better drawing surface. We would have liked to have a larger variety of colors to choose from though. There are only eight basic colors here. The package has no red, but my daughter didn't care: "I love magenta!" she said. Before heat setting, the wax sort of sits on the surface of the fabric and the color doesn't quite look right, particularly with the purple and the green. After heat setting, the texture evens out and the color soaks right in. Daughter and I both liked the effect of coloring right onto the fabric better than doing the side drawing on paper and then transferring it.

Here's what our samples looked like after washing and drying in our regular wash cycle:

I'm pretty impressed! Some fading occurred from the very intense before washing color, but not nearly as much as you might expect. The thick twill in the upper right really held the color well, even though it is 100% cotton. The black crayon especially changed to a stony grey. Magenta got a bit more pink. I'm not sure that this is the best method to use on items you will launder regularly (like napkins or dishtowels) but on less washable things like tote bags or pillows, color away! It would be best to follow the package instructions and wash in cold water then line dry your colored in fabrics. Find some synthetic fabrics for best results with these.

The heat setting is absolutely not a skippable step. We laundered a drawing without ironing it first and it almost completely faded, although not entirely. Use a piece of plain white paper between your drawing and your iron to protect your iron from goo.

Pros:

• Easy to use. They color just like ordinary high quality crayons
• Readily available
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Only a few colors available: no red!
  
• Colors look a little murky before setting with iron
• Probably best to use care in the wash
• Synthetic fabrics are preferable (For me this is a con since I am a cotton fabric hoarder.)
  

I give these crayons an overall score of 8 out of 10, mostly because I want to use more colors. I got my Crayola Fabric Crayons at my local Hobby Lobby, but they are available online for under $3.00 at Amazon, Dick Blick, Oriental Trading Company, and many other retailers.


They are tinting linens with crayon at this Flickr group and on this Craftster board. What projects would you make with these cool crayons?

The new Provo Craft Screenprinting machine!

Lookie what we found! Check it out!

Click Here

Watercolor Crayons from Stampin' Up!

Reported by Sara McKenzie

The watercolor crayons offered by Stampin' Up! are called "Watercolor Wonder Crayons", and come packaged in a tin, in four sets of 12 colors each to match their families of colors: Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals, and Soft Subtles. There is also a set of 6 Neutral colors, that includes white, vanilla, sand, two shades of grey, and black. (These come in a simple cardboard box.)

These really are the best watercolor crayons that I have tried. The colors are bright and true, the consistency is creamy and smooth, and it blends and spreads well. You can use standard watercolor techniques, such as creating washes and blotting excess water to lighten areas.

I've had the best results using watercolor paper as my base. (Stampin' Up! also provides precut 140 lb cold press watercolor paper, in 3-3/4" X 5" pieces sized for cards. It is $6.95 for 20 sheets.) I also prefer to use the "Aqua Painter" paint brush, rather than a standard brush. Since the Aqua Painter contains its own water, I find it easier to work with, and to control how much water I am using at any given moment. (Plus you don't need to worry about an open cup of water on your workspace, just waiting to be spilled!)

Here are some examples of techniques, using Rose Red:

On the left, below, the crayon was used to scribble directly onto the paper, and left dry. On the right, the crayon was scribbled, and then water was applied with the Aqua Painter brush to blend the color. It takes a lot of water to make it blend, but you can see that it does blend nicely, and leaves a very dense layer of color.

One of my favorite ways to apply color is the one shown below. Basically, you use a wet brush to pick up color from the tip of the crayon. You can pick up just a little, or a lot, and then further control the saturation by how much additional water you use when you paint your paper.

The last example, below, is an example of a wash. In this technique, you flood the area first with plain water. In the sample on the left, I then scribbled a bit of color on top of the wet paper, and then used the brush to spread the color further. You can still see some of the scribbles remain on the paper underneath-almost as if the paper has been stained. In the sample on the right, I picked up a little color with my brush, and added it to the already-wet area on the paper. You can see how this provides the most translucent and "soft" version of your color.


In the images below, you can see how I used these techniques in a couple of cards.

This first card uses the stamp set Blooming with Love, and the card design is directly from the catalog.

I started by stamping the limage of the wheelbarrow using Craft Black Ink, and embossing it with black embossing powder. (Note that you can also use any black ink that is permanent, or solvent based. What I like about embossing is that it provides a physical barrier for the watercolor, so you won't go "outside the lines". If you don't mind that look, then don't bother embossing.)

I used a wash technique on the body of the wheelbarrow, with the Chocolate Chip crayon. I kept adding color, and blotting it with a paper towel, until I had the intensity that I wanted. I made sure the color was not completely uniform to help with the illusion of a 3-dimensional shape with shadows and bright spots.

Wheelbarrow flooded with water:

Picking up brown "paint":

Applying a brown wash to the wheelbarrow:

Blotting excess water and color with a paper towel:

I used the same techniques to add the green background behind the flowers. I used a few different shades of green, starting with the lightest color, and kept layering them until I got the look that I wanted.

Finally, I added the color to the flowers, picking up the color from the tip of the crayon with my brush, and applying a pretty thick amount of color (since the flowers are relatively small- I wanted them to pop.)

A close-up is shown below.

Here is another card, using the "Time Well Spent" hostess set from the Spring/Summer 2008 catalog (retired as of 8/10/08). I cased this design from SplitCoastStampers, changing the colors up to make a bright and cheerful birthday card for a 90 year old (!!) friend of mine. I stamped all of the images using StazOn Jet Black ink, and used the single technique of picking up color with my brush and applying it to dry paper. This gives the brightest version of each color.






So, what do I really think of these Watercolor Wonders?

Pros:

• Love the colors, and love that they are sold in sets coordinating with the Stampin' Up! color families.
• Terrific consistency when wet, they spread and blend well.
• You can mix the crayon colors with each other to create an endless number of hues. (I've not tried mixing with watercolor pencils or other watercolors.)
• You can mimic pretty much all watercolor techniques.

Cons:

• Somewhat pricey at $19.95 for a set of 12. This is in the mid-range of other artist quality crayons I've seen. So you can find them more and less expensive than the SU brand.
• You can only purchase them through a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

Have you used them yourself? What do you think? I'd love to hear from you!

Colored Pencils/Pencil Crayons

Reported by Mary Chong

Colored Pencils/Pencil Crayons...we all have them in our pencil cases. I think I got my first set when I was a child right after I graduated from kindergarten and wax crayons. But the question is - what do you look for and which brand is the best for you? In this review I compare 7 different brands from my stash.

Here's the scoop on what I discovered in preparing this review.

• I have a lot in my stash! I'm not sure how I've collected so many but I gotta stop!
• Americans call them Colored Pencils - we Canadians call them Pencil Crayons. Both are the same.
• For an easy to understand explanation (with video) of how colored pencils/pencil crayons are made visit this link at Laurentien
• Each brand has a different softness/hardness to the lead. A good quality pencil will be soft enough not to scratch the paper/surface but hard enough not to break (I personally hate it when you sharpen a pencil and the lead is all shattered within the wood)
• Each brand has a different shape to the wood and thus fits in your hand differently - think ergonomics
• They really should be blendable and for this I mean truly blendable so that you can mix two colours together and get a "true" third colour. (Remember colour theory? Mixing two primary colours together gets you a secondary colour etc)
• Price does not equal quality

Explanation of my tests:

• All pencils were tested on Canson 120 lb Watercolor Paper
• I tried to find all the same shades of blue and yellow for the tests but you can see variances in the shades
• Gamsol (odorless mineral spirits) was applied with a fresh cotton swab between each test
• Dove blender was cleaned between each test
• Water colour test is plain water and a brush - fresh water and clean brush for each test

Explanation of the results/brands tested
Brands are charted/reviewed in alphabetical order and are all from my stash.
Number of dollar signs = price
Score = number of tests passed out of 6

• Create Like Crazy (Target Brands Inc.) a USA based company - I wasn't able to locate where these pencils are manufactured. I consider these to be generic, inexpensive brand - suitable for the kids. The lead was more on the hard side and did not shatter when sharpening. They really only did well at plain colouring and with Gamsol producing a true green when blended with a second colour. ($ - 2 out of 6)
• Conté a Paris - Made in France. They are considered to be of fine artist grade, soft and smooth on paper, and did not shatter when sharpened. These are actually water colour pencils and they tested well with water (as expected), well with the dove blender but failed with the Gamsol. ($$$ - 4 out of 6)
• Laurentien - Made in Canada. These are the old standard school brand here in Canada and therefore are fairly inexpensive. I would say that these are better in quality then the Create Like Crazy and Maped brands but I still would leave these for the kids. They passed the Gamsol tests but neither the dove blender or water. ($ - 2 out of 6)
• Lyra - Made in Germany. They are considered to be of fine artist grade - soft, sharpen without breakage and have a nice ergonomic triangular shape. These are the brand that I normally go to when colouring AND they surprisingly failed the blending test. I'm not sure why I never noticed this before but they produced a mucky shade of "I don't know" when blended. They did well when used with Gamsol, Blender and water alone though ($$$ - 3 out of 6)
• Maped Color'Peps - Made in France. These failed all the tests - so give these to the kids - good, inexpensive generic brand. ($ - 0 out of 6)
• Prismacolour - Made in Canada. They are considered to be of fine artist grade. These are soft and I find shatter when sharpening. They passed the Gamsol test but neither the Dove blender nor the water tests. ($$ - 2 out of 6)
• Stampin' Up! - Made in Germany for Stampin' Up!. Purchased only through a Stampin' Up independent demonstrator these are labeled as water colour pencils. They sharpen easily without breakage and are soft on paper. They passed all the tests with flying colours (get it - flying colours LOL) ($$$ - 6 out of 6)
  

I have to say I was quite surprised by the results because my pencil of choice has been the Lyra brand. Now that I've done these tests I am switching to the Stampin' Up! brand just for the versatility and blending (I've had these for years and I've probably only used them twice.) I realize that you may not be using your pencil crayons to do all these things... but to me why not get your moneys worth and get multiple uses out of one product?

Here's a pic of a project using my new "go to" brand.




Tips:

• To help prevent breakage If your pencils are stored in a tin - cushion the inside. I line my tin with paper towel and make rolled up little "bumpers" for the sides
• Make a colour reference chart on a scrap piece of card stock and store it with the pencils. With this you can see what the actual colour is without guessing. It's difficult to tell just by looking at the lead and the paint on the wood is not accurate - don't forget to label the shades/numbers on your reference chart. (trust me on this - DOH!)
• Get a good quality pencil sharpener.
• I take my pencils on vacation with me. I get bored reading and so I pre-stamp a stack of designs using permanent ink, bring my tin of pencils (and sharpener), bottle of water and a brush and paint away. Works perfectly for a long plane ride - great and portable!
  

In general Colored Pencils/Pencil Crayons are a great, inexpensive, portable, colouring medium with multiple uses. As you can see by my stash, they are easy to find, easy to use and not too expensive to collect all the colours in the rainbow. They can be purchased anywhere but check out Dick Blick, Curry's, Michaels.

Do you use pencil crayons in your scrapbooking and card making? What brands do you love/hate? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

EK Success Memory Pencils

Reported by Kim Fox

EK Success has a very large cache of crafting products including colored pencils - Memory Pencils to be exact.

Sometimes when I am stamping I use a variety of inks: chalk, distressed, pigment, etc. I even break out my heat gun and heat emboss to add a smooth effect. However, color can really make stamped images jump off the page.

That's why I grabbed these pencils that I picked up at a nearby Hobby Lobby and decided to colorize my world.

The primary color pack is just that - a basic set which is quite likable in terms of colors; there are two tones of green - a grass green and a green, blue, red, orange, yellow, teal, purple, raspberry (which looks more like pink), smoke and black. There is also a wedding white; that could come in handy when you are working with darker colors and you do not want to break out your white paint, but you want that white on dark effect. You could also mix colors to get the color that you desire. The pencils do, however, come in two additional color packs: earth and primary.

The natural wood pencils come in a box that makes them easy to see and use - the box converts into an easel so that you can visibly see the colors, yet keep them from cluttering your work area.

The price is ideal. They run about $4.99 for each set of 12 pencils. That's a good deal for a craft product that is so simple to use and it could brighten up your project. You can find the colored pencils at most of the big box stores like Michaels, Joann, A.C. Moore and as I mentioned Hobby Lobby. You can find this item online too, try Scrapbook Finds, Shopping.com and Joann Online.
If you are good at freehand drawing and doodling, these pencils will add a light and colorful touch to your projects. They are acid-free, photo safe, fade proof and waterproof.

I did not do anything earth shattering in my project samples, but I like the way the colored pencils do what they are intended to do - add color. The good news is that I did not encounter any issues with this product.

Pros

• Easy to use; no directions needed
• Affordable
• Available in 36 different colors (12 in each pack: earth, primary and pastel)

Cons

• The colors available may not exactly match your projects
• No pencil sharpener included (for when the pencils dull)

I rate these colored pencils at 9; I'd give them a 10 if a pencil sharpener were included. Just super simple and fun!

How are you using your colored pencils? Let us know your thoughts.

Copic Sketch Markers

Reported by Julia Stainton

Copic markers have been taking the papercrafting world by storm. It seems that almost everywhere you look these days, Copic markers are the coloring tool of choice. Copic actually created these markers 25 years ago with the professional designer in mind. What makes these markers so special, how do you use them and the big question...do you really need them?

I'll admit to falling for this trend. At first I didn't think I really needed them. After all...I'd gotten along fine for years by mostly using watercoloring techniques to color my stamped images. My chalks and colored pencils were languishing on the shelf and I already owned a rarely used set of dye markers. Due to some great samples I'd seen while blog-hopping and my very inquisitive nature...I decided to invest in a set of 48 markers. I think it may have been the airbrushing capabilities that really threw me over the edge. An art teacher from way back when had an airbrush system I had never gotten a chance to use and I was dying to try one out.

Copic has four different types of alcohol based marker. The COPIC, Sketch, Ciao and Wide versions all use the same ink. The difference of features lay in the features of the barrel and nib itself. While the Sketch version is one of the most expensive, I chose it for its versatility and it was the one that best suited my needs. For the purpose of this review...I'll be focusing on the Copic Sketch marker for ease and because that is the one I am familiar with.

The Copic Sketch marker has some fabulous features. When you pick one up you'll discover it is very easy and comfortable to hold. Because the barrel is flat on two sides, it is easy to put down and not have it roll off your work surface. These markers have two capped ends with different nibs inside to maximize your flexibility. I love the brush end of the marker and it is the one I used for most of my coloring applications. The chisel-tip end is perfect for a more graphic style coloring and is the end you use in the airbrush system. The great thing about these markers is that they will last for a life-time. With much use you may run out of ink but the barrels are refillable with Copic ink refills. If you mistakenly leave out a marker uncapped...the nibs can also be replaced. Either the Superb Brush or Medium Broad nibs can also be replaced with the optional Medium Round nib for finer work or writing with. These nibs are extremely long-lasting and hold up better than any marker nib I've seen.

The alcohol based ink in these markers are what makes them so special. Have you ever colored a solid image with regular dye markers and gotten streaky lines. You just can't help it. The alcohol formulation in the Copic ink allows colors to blend with no streaks. This is fabulous for large solid images and in instances where you want to blend colors. This ink is also acid free once the alcohol has evaporated, making them perfectly safe for scrapbooking. You can create many looks with these markers. Designed for use by graphic designers and professional artists as well as Manga Art...these markers give a beautiful professional look. Available in 332 colors, these markers provide and incredible selection to suit every need.


There are a few key techniques to using the Copic Marker system. First of all it is best to have two or three tints of the same shade. This means a light, medium and dark blue that is essentially the same color...just a variation. This allows you to color the section with the light color first...then add in the darker shadows. To blend simply take your lightest Copic marker and blend them together. If you find that you have too dark of a color...simply bring back in that lightest tint and go over it until you get the lightest color back. With most markers...if you add more color, you add color...the Copics allow you to move it around a little even after the marker is dry.


There may be occasions when you do not have the exact color you need. One very easy way to get a mid-tone is to dab your lightest tone onto the nib of a darker one. This will blend color right on your brush nib. As the color runs lighter...simply touch nibs again until you get your desired amount of color. This does not affect your marker in any way. To prevent staining of your nib just rub on a scrap sheet of paper until the nib is back to its original color. You can also blend colors with these markers, just like you would on a palette. Take a piece of acetate or plastic and scribble some ink onto it. You can pick up color with another marker in this fashion as well. This works really well if you are working with two different colors.

The Colorless Blender Pen is one marker from this set that you won't want to be without. This blender pen is fabulous for blending colors. If you need to lighten an area to add a highlight...simply dab on the pen and watch the color lighten. The Colorless Blender Pen is also fabulous for fading off a background. Soften the edges of your color by running this pen along them.

While there are some purists out there, mixed media art and designing is a very accepted design style. No one medium can be the ultimate in artistic expression. The Copic Sketch Markers are very compatible with other art products and techniques. Combine the Copic markers with colored pencils to get fine precision detail after coloring. The soft, subtle properties of watercolor are beautiful with some styles and images. The Copic markers are easily combined with this medium as well.


If you are going to use these markers for coloring rubber stamped images, you'll want to look into getting the correct ink for these markers. As some inks may run or bleed with the alcohol..using the correct ink with them is essential. There has been a lot of testing done on inks with the alcohol pens and my favorite to use is Ranger's Pitch Black or Espresso Adirondack inks. Other inks that will work well are Tsukineko's Graphite Black Brilliance Ink if heat-set and their Memento ink as well. Paper is not as critical a choice as ink but a smooth tight finish on the paper is your best bet to prevent bleeding. Prism's Simply Smooth White cardstock, the Neenah Classic Crest Solar White and even Staple's Cardstock all work well with this product.

One of the things that sold me on these markers is the ability to use them to alter other products and embellishments to get a custom look. You can use them to color on fabric, color ribbon and silk flowers to the color you wish...even brads and acrylic items such as Dew Drops or Tim Holtz Fragments can be colored with these markers.

If you're looking for more information to help you expand your knowledge of this marker system, there are a lot of on-line links that are worth checking out. At the Copic site, their FAQ page has a wealth of information. I first learned about these markers from Ellen Hutson and she has some fabulous articles on the use of this product. Cornish Heritage Farms has a great tutorial on coloring detail images. For continued inspiration, Marianne Walker, The Copic Certification Instructor has a fabulous blog called I Like Markers. A wealth of techniques, concepts and art instruction with both beginner and advanced applications.



Pros

• Professional Artist Quality product
• Permanent...will not run with water
• The alcohol based markers don't give you lines when coloring and are easy to blend
• This product will last you for a lifetime
• Love the versatility of these markers and the fabulous airbrush system
• Extremely portable

Cons

• These markers are not inexpensive
• For proper blending of shadows and highlights you need a good variety of markers
• For optimal quality, you need to be careful what inks and papers you use with these markers
• Quite a high learning curve for this product if you are wanting to achieve expert coloring and shading

Online Sources

• EllenHutson
• Dick Blick
• Carpe Diem

The Copic Sketch markers retail at $4.99 US per marker. While this can be rather expensive to invest in a large set, some retailers sell pre-designed sets for you. These sets are a better value and often come with a storage system included such as a marker wallet. This is a great way to start as they have done the hard work for you choosing a very workable set of colors to start with. The Copic Sketch Markers are extremely easy to use...simply uncap and start coloring. The markers do need practice if you are expecting to achieve professional blending and shading. If you are not a good colorer...these markers will not make you one. Only practice and instruction will do that. While the price of collecting these markers can be expensive....I feel that the longevity and flexibility of this product make it a worthwhile purchase and good value. I rarely rate products a 10 out of 10 but these markers are so well-designed, I can't imagine how they could be improved upon.

Copic's by-line is..."the markers created for creative people." If you're someone who loves to explore your creativity through coloring and art...I know you'll love them. I'm thrilled with my Copic marker purchase and love using them. I enjoy sitting down to relax with them and am excited about all the skills I have yet to learn. Have you tried the Copic Markers? I'd love to hear what you think.

Stampin' Up! Stampin' Pastels

Reported by Katie Skiff

When I first started stamping, the choices of a coloring medium were limited, and living in a rural town made the options fewer. I quickly found Stampin’ Pastels from Stampin’ Up!

I have used these as a coloring medium for over 7 years now. Sometimes forgotten, they are fun to pull out and add a new dash of color and variety to my card creations. Simply apply the chalk to the image or project with either the provided applicator or a makeup brush. I’ve also used cotton balls at times.
For this card I used my Blender pen to add chalk color to my image. I simply touched the edge of the chalk and applied.



Another technique that I learned long ago, and can be found on the company website, is Poppin’ Pastels. Simply stamp your images with a Versamark pad and then use an applicator to add the chalk to the image. This is my favorite use for Stampin’ Pastels. There are other variations to this as well, that make this technique fun.

Whenever I’ve used chalks on a larger or more detailed image, I like to spray over the image simply with hairspray. This will help protect it from smudging and getting chalk on anything else.

Pros

• This coloring medium is perfect for not so perfect coloring. The soft, chalky look doesn’t need to in the lines and neat.
• The colors of Stampin’ Pastels coordinate with the 48 colors of Stampin’ Up! This makes creating so much easier.
• These chalks will last you a long time as long they are taken care of. That makes the price worth the investment.

Cons

• You wouldn’t be able to depend only on the Pastels as a coloring medium. They do not work well for coloring finer details or smaller images.
• They are not held into the case with anything, so they may fall out and disappear.
• The small spots of chalk break very easily so if you were to drop the case, you may end up with broken pieces of chalk.

Stampin’ Pastels are only available through your Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator. The 48 colors plus white, black and grey. They also include 6 applicators and eraser for the price of $24.95 plus shipping. You can find a demonstator here.

Stampin’ Pastels are very easy to use, and I would rate them a 9 of 10. I do feel that that is a very reasonable price for the quantity and especially for Stampin’ Up!’s quality product.

These have been on the market for a number of years, so I am curious, are Stampin’ Pastels in your stash of coloring mediums? We’d love to know how you feel about them.

Prang DAS Air-Hardening Modeling Clay

Reported by Tami Bayer

This air dry clay is made by Prang. It is available in 1.1 pound and 2.2 pound packages in either white or terra cotta. It takes approximately 24 hours for projects to dry depending on thickness and is certified non-toxic.

Ok, let's get down to the nitty gritty. This is a fun product to play with. I think it helps that I took ceramics in high school, so the tactile part of it takes me back. It doesn't have the same qualities of firing clay, but the beauty is that you don't need a kiln or even a toaster oven. Just play, create, and set aside until the next day. I think the setting aside part is a real exercise in patience. I don't have a small child here to test the product, but instead a reluctant teen who helped me with my product testing.

Here is what we discovered when working with this product. It dries out quickly if you handle it a lot, so keep the clay you aren't using in a ziplock bag. It doesn't work well to attach pieces together. Try to make your creation from one piece of clay. It rolls out beautifully to cut out shapes. This is what we focused our efforts on, rather than molding pieces with our hands. We rolled out the clay with a small wooden dowel on a sheet of thick plastic. A piercing tool and plastic knife worked well to help us cut out and make holes in things. It takes well to molding with various products such as cookie cutters, cookie molds, plastic molds, and even a metal charm. It stamps like a dream with a rubber stamp. I put Stazon ink on the stamp first and then stamped it. The ink didn't transfer much, but the image is beautiful. Here is a peek of our trials and what we used to make them.

I noticed when working with this clay that it has qualities to it similar to paper. When I didn't cut it cleanly if left little pieces similar to what happens when you tear paper. I believe there might be paper pulp in this product, but I can't find a list of ingredients anywhere. It is lightweight after drying. It takes a very fine sanding from an emery board well. As far as painting your final project, just about any paint works well, including inks. The only thing I would avoid is anything that uses a lot of water, as you don't want to get the clay too wet. I would seal the final product if it will be handled much. I wish we'd had this product back when we were making salt dough ornaments. This would have been so much smoother to work with for handmade ornaments. I plan to use this to make some more stamped embellishments. I just love the way it took to the rubber stamp.

Pros:

• Don't need to heat up the house, this air dries
• Non-toxic
• Takes on texture and shape beautifully

Cons:

• Patience is needed to wait 24 hours for drying time
• Difficult to attach pieces of clay together
• Dries out if you don't keep it in ziplock bag

The manufacturer suggested retail price for the 1.1 pound package is $6.35 and for the 2.2 pound package is $10.55. This product is available online from the manufacturer , from Dick Blick, and from Office Depot. Since it is back to school time in the stores, you may find it other places with school supplies. Let us know if you find it in your local stores since it's always best to keep your business in the local community.

I would rate this product as an 8 out of 10. I'd love to know if you've tried it and if you have any other tips for us.

Paw Print Kit Paver Stones

Reported by Nancy Beyer

I have been meaning to try the Milestone's Paw Print Kit for a while now because it looked like a great project for my neices and nephews. I am so glad I tried this kit before I gave it to them, the product is not worth the money.

The whole process takes about 30 minutes from start to finish and it is really easy to do. Make sure you have all your supplies on hand... bucket, measuring cup and dog. Once the cement is mixed, make sure you transfer it to the plastic tray as soon as possible. From there you can create to your hearts content.

However - it is the mixing of the cement and the final result of the dried cement that I was so not pleased with.

If you follow the directions, this is what you receive.

Um Yea. I think it is a poor outcome too.

I was so not expecting this result.

By the way - don't let that picture fool you. My dog didn't cooperate as much as the golden in the picture. Also, I recommend NOT putting your dog's paw directly into the cement. Believe me, I enclosed my dog's paw in a plastic bag but she still got her other paw in the cement. Let's just say the aftermath was fraught by tantrums of the "I hate bath's" kind.

Pros:

• Everything is in the kit
• Very quick to make - just make sure you are prepared
• This can be used for cats or dogs.
• They sell additional cement, pepples and broken glass for the plastic reusable holder. If you have better luck than me with the cement - you too can have a paver filled yard with fun kiddie projects.

Cons:

• Cement issues, does not mix well
• Takes two days to dry
• Does not look anything like the picture.

You can buy this product and like products at Target, Joanns and Meijer's stores. Pricing runs from $10- $16.00.

Have you tried this product? What do you think?

Creativity for Kids Kits from Faber-Castell

Reported by Donna Lannerd

Summer is just about over and school will begin soon (too soon for my daughter, not soon enough for her parents) but until the end comes there will be days where according to most kids "there isn't anything to do." I've found an inexpensive, all-inclusive kit that parents and caretakers can have on hand to put a stop to the end of vacation boredom. These Creativity for Kids Kits from Faber-Castell are small in size but come in several different kinds - I counted 23 on their website - and there are some for boys as well as girls.

These particular kits are small on investment but big on return. A few of the kits only have one item but many of them have supplies to make several such as the 2 shown in the photo: 10 Opti-Art Rings and 12 Clip-on Cuties. With being able to make multiple projects you can use it for a group or kids can make gifts for their friends. Price for each kit is only $5.99. There are larger kits that cost more but I really like these smaller ones.

I didn't have much trouble with getting my daughter to make the Opti-Art Rings. In fact, she wouldn't stop asking about when we were finally going to make them. Her favorite part about this kit was painting on the designs. I made the palm tree ring below by using a mini-punch, gluing the tree on paper, using the stone to draw around the design and cutting it out before gluing the design on. Directions for this is in the kit though it suggest using a photo. This persuaded my daughter to do the same with a seahorse punch. The ring on the pinky finger is simply a piece of ribbon that we used the stone as a template and glued it on. You may also notice the faux mood ring we made together by swirling paint. When your stones have dried it is then glued to the metal ring. That's it!


The second kit, Clip-on Cuties, ended up being harder to convince my daughter to make. I don't think the front of the box does them justice because once I made one she was much more enthused. My favorite thing about this particular kit is that they use "pipe cleaners" not chenille stems. How many kits/pattern books have I seen that avoids the term pipe cleaners like the plague? This kit's directions were actually harder to follow because it has you bend the pipe cleaner into a certain form and then trim the excess off which becomes the arms. The photo below shows the point at which seemed not to make that much sense to me or my daughter.


But after getting past this point the Cutie is much easier to assemble. Now, the suggested age for this kit is 6 to 96 (yes the kits actually say 96) but my 7 year old had trouble understanding the above formation and then as she added beads she just wanted to keep adding them without leaving room to bend the pipe cleaner so the beads wouldn't fall off. But the 7 year old was much more creative than me and didn't want to put the beads on exactly like the photos. She used some of the large beads for the legs as well as wanting more pipe cleaner to show. I think hers (the purple one) looks much livelier. Anyway, we finished them both and are sharing them here with you.


Pros

• Inexpensive $5.99
• ALL supplies are in each box.
• Supplies are easy to put back in the box. Inside tray holds supplies for easy in and out. Boxes stack nice for easy storing.
• Quick projects.
  Company has an excellent web site where you can find the instructions for the projects in case you lose yours.
• A plus: the kits I had each came with a duck. (I don't know why.) See photo at the end of the article.

Cons

• Paintbrush in the rings was not adequate. I had to get out some of my brushes that had a finer tip to get the detail needed.
• Not in all major craft stores.
• None for the 3-4 age although they do have larger kits for this age range but the cost is significantly more.

I found the kits at Joann's which have them online as well. Amazon has a few in this kit type but carries others by this company. You can also purchase them directly from the Creativity for Kids website which I recommend doing a product search and use the price range criteria for finding this kit type.

I would give these small kits a 9 out of 10 rating for value and for fun especially since with the surprise of the little ducks. Let us know about your favorite kids' kits or any feedback if you purchased these particular kits before.

Beads and Jewelry Making at CHA

Reported by Shannon Schafer

A few bead and jewelry finding companies came out to CHA this year to show off their new lines.

One of my favorites was Creativity Inc's line of Blue Moon Beads simply for their variety. This season the company was highlighting two of their newest lines the "Enchanted Planet" and "Global Nomad" .

The "Global Nomad" line had a thai / indian flare. Lots of silver tones with vibrant colors and intricate designs. The line also featured hanks of seed beads which I have never seen a bead company do. It is usually hard to find the seed beads on a hank (pre-strung). Hanks make it much easier for the beader to string onto jewelry wire.

"Enchanted Planet" had a vintage vibe to it. Colors were more muted and earth tones yet shared some natural vibrance from stones. This line seemed to feature more pictures from nature. Several pendants of shells, wildlife, sun/moon, plants and insects.

Plaid Enterprises debuted a new jewelry line titled "fresh"(A refreshingly simple approach to jewelry design). They offered a make and take session where we were able to make rings and earrings using the new acrylic line. I LOVE IT! The designs are whimsical and sharp. Colors had a matte vibrance with some silvers. The silver charms feature several inspirational sayings. I hope to see it out in stores soon. I did not even see it on their website yet it is so new and HOT! (Added by Melissa, Fresh is now available at Michael's stores.)

Last but not least of my favorite new twists to jewelry making is Simply Swank soldering kits. I just can't wait to get my hands on one. I think I dreamed up projects for a week after I got home from CHA. The staff was great to talk to and the examples of projects they had on hand were amazing. Pendants, Picture Frames, Boxes, Wall hangings.... it's endless. The kits and supplies were extremely reasonably priced making it a must have for any background of crafter.

Keep your eye out for these hot new products for your jewelry making boxes! I hope to be making some projects with them soon!