Vendor Spotlight & Giveaway: Donna Downey Products

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Reported by Jessica Ripley



When I received a collection of Donna Downey's unique products to play with I have to admit I was pretty darn excited. I've always been a fan of her style and art, but never purchased any of the products before to actually try. I'm not sure why, with her partnerships to bring these products to life with companies like Prima and Unity Stamp Company, I should have known I wouldn't be disappointed in the slightest!

While I enjoyed working with everything from the canvas shapes and buttons to the iron ons and stamps, the 'main event' of the package I received was certainly the fun and entirely alterable large canvas camera bag (meant for SLR cameras). I absolutely adore the look of canvas, and the unique shape and style of this bag make it my new favorite. (My other one is big and clunky, and not nearly as cute).

The bag itself has some wonderful features including removable protective inserts (that stay in place where you put them with strong Velcro), an adjustable heavy duty strap (that adjusts 1-2-3 with snaps rather than those pesky plastic slide things), a top handle, a front pocket, and even a draw string top. Though a bit smaller than other SLR bags you may find, it had ample room for my camera, an extra lens, and small tripod.



The true fun of the bag however is that it is a blank canvas (pun intended) for you to alter to your heart's content. In Donna's shop are several items to assist you along the way, including Donna Downey designed iron ons, canvas shapes and buttons from Prima. For my bag, I used the Blue Baby's Breath Iron Ons.

The first thing I noticed was that the backing was unlike any iron on I had ever used before. Rather than having to trim the design down to the very edge so I didn't get that "ghost" effect some iron-ons leave, I found that the adhesive part of the iron-on was only in the places it was needed to stick to a project. I loved this!


Adhering the iron-on to the bag did prove to be tricky. I'd chalk this up to the shape of the bag however, and just needed to apply more heat than the 15 seconds recommended by the instructions. The great thing about iron-ons is if you pull them off slowly and carefully, you can always go back and add more heat to any little bits that don't care to come off right away. Once I was done, I loved the result.



The iron-ons have wonderful texture, almost like flocking. They are smooth and velvety to the touch, and that adhesive raises them up ever so slightly to add some great dimension.



I loved the look of the bag so much I didn't care to alter it too much, though of course I can always go back and add a bit more. Below is the finished piece on which I also used a canvas flower (with some stitching I added for color) and a canvas button which came pre-stitched with an adorable design.

You can also see an incredibly adorable altered version of this bag here at Donna's shop.

Along with the package also came a set of the new Insightful Meadow collection of stamps designed by Donna for Unity Stamp Company.

These are unmounted, deeply etched, red-rubber stamps which have a peel off backing allowing you to attach them to any acrylic block for use.



I loved the crispness of the image I was able to achieve with them thanks to the rubber, however even though I could attach them to acrylic blocks I missed being able to see through the image as with a clear stamp. I'm really not great at getting an image on straight! Still, I love the fact that these are rubber stamps which would be incredibly easy to store. (You can read more about Unity Stamp Company here on Craft Critique).

I loved the designs of the stamps most of all. They have images true to Donna's style, so that I really felt like I could add to my own projects without looking like I was "copying" her style itself. I used them to create the layout below:

(Other items on layout are from Studio Calico's April 2010 Kit, Making Memories, Tsukineko, and American Crafts)

Another plus of these stamps? Since they are un-mounted I was able to use them to stamp a curved surface like on the frame below, loved that!

(Tsukineko Staz-On ink)

Over all I can't really say I had anything but fun finally getting to try out Donna Downey's products. The prices are reasonable, with the large camera bag at $49.99 it is a decent price for being able to make it your own when compared with other camera bags out there (if not less expensive, actually). At $3.00 for the iron on I find that a complete steal given the quality! The canvas embellishments range from $4.00-$5.00 and are extremely well made for this price, almost as if Donna had sewn them for you herself. Finally, the Insightful Meadow stamp set is priced at $24.99, which I also have to say is pretty great considering you get so many designs in one unique package.

In summary:

Pros:

• Unique and fun designs that are truly Donna Downey, but not only for those who are a fan of her style.
  
• Products come from trusted companies such as Unity Stamp Company and Prima.
• The Large Canvas Camera Bag is durable yet cute, and can be fully customized with anything your heart desires.
• The iron-ons and other embellishments are extremely well made. There is no 'cheapness' factor at all.
• The stamps combine the crispness of rubber with the storability of clear.
  

Cons:

• One may find the "Large" Camera Bag to be a little small compared to others on the market.
  
• I missed being able to see through the stamps like I can when using a clear stamp set.
• It was a little tricky to adhere an iron-on to the Camera Bag.

Overall everything I had a chance to review is not only well designed but truly well made, a win-win for anyone who decides to purchase them.

GIVEAWAY!

Donna Downey is giving away her brand new Unity Stamp Set, Insightful Meadow to one lucky reader. This stamp kit includes 4 image and 2 quote all Un-Mounted Deeply Etched Red Rubber stamps. The stamps are pre-cut and mounted on repositionable cling foam and they can be used with any acrylic block or Unity Handle. To enter this drawing leave a comment on this post or any Vendor Spotlight: Donna Downey Products. Have you had an opportunity to use any of the above products in a project? Or are you thinking about it? One comment per person, please. You have until Wednesday, May 5th 6pm CST to enter.

SPECIAL OFFER!
Also, Craft Critique readers can enjoy a 10% discount on all purchases at DonnaDowney.com until May 30th. Use coupon code DD101 at checkout to take advantage of this offer.

Disclosure - Donna Downey products

Disclosure - Other products used in this review