Craft Critique

We Dare You by the "Dare Girls"

2008-05-15T16:00:00.000-05:00

Okay. Idea books in general don't tend to inspire me too terribly. The thing is....if you buy a book written by one person, even if you adore their work, you get project after project in the same style. And many idea book topics don't appeal to me.

But, at the last CHA, when I had an opportunity to get this book, I jumped all over it. Mainly because I had heard all of the praise about the challenge blog (http://www.efferdares.com/) on which this book is based. But also, I can admit it, because of all of the controversy surrounding one of the authors, CK's Hall of Fame fallen angel, Kristina Contes. Yeah...it's true.

The subtitle of this book is Scrapbook Challenges about Real Life. And this statement is completely true. It is a series of challenges split into differing categories. The categories are...

the Good
the Bad
the Ugly
the Silly, Wacky, Funny
the Random
the Best

Hoochie Hoops, my take based on the Dare titled Bling (pg. 18)

Within each category you will find multiple challenges based on that topic with accompanying layout by (at least) each of the four contributing authors, Kristina Contes, Meghan Heath Dymock, Genevieve Simmonds and Nisa Finn. What immediately appealed to me were the topics. One of the reasons I scrap is because I want to know myself inside and out. These dares cause you to really dig deep and scrap all of the parts of your life, not just the shiny-happy parts, but those are in there too. Some of the dares are titles, themes, scrapping techniques, etc. There is a wide variety to inspire you.

I also found the four designer's work to be very different from each other in many respects. This means that whatever your style, you will probably see something you identify with.

Dear Teenage Me, my take based on the Dare titled Little Me (pg. 64)

Many of the dares included in the book can be re-done over and over again. The topics inspired a myriad of creative possibilities to race through my mind...and, to me, that is the test of a truly great idea book.

With 127 pages, over 25 dares, over 100 project examples and endless possibilities, I found this book to be helpful, informative and inspiring. This book was published by Memory Makers and is available for sale at amazon.com, half.com and memorymakersmagazine.com. It retails for $22.99, but can be found for a more affordable price at the mentioned online stores. It was the cheapest on half.com.

Obsessed, my take based on the Dare titled Obsessed (pg. 14)

I also fell in love with Kristina's work in the process. Her layouts spoke to me every time. No matter what you think of the HOF situation, I think you may gain great insight into this woman's world by checking out this book.

Pros:

Well thought out challenges which can be used to inspire multiple layouts from each dare.
Many of the projects include new and innovative techniques that will appeal to the more advanced scrapper.
Many different scrapping styles mean you will likely identify with a Dare Girl whose style matches yours.

Cons:

Subject matter may not appeal to all scrappers. If you feel like you are just trying to race to document all of your children's birthdays before they leave for college, this is probably not for you.
Some techniques in the example projects are for the intermediate-advanced skill level. Some scrappers may find them daunting.

I highly recommend this idea book. It is the best I have ever purchased. I would love to know what you think! Do you have this book and love it/hate it? Do you like scrapping challenges or would you rather just scrap chronilogically?

Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife

2008-05-15T06:35:00.000-05:00

Reviewed By: Mary Chong

I have a background in Graphic Design, so it was only natural that when I started into the world of paper crafting that I went for the old basics from art school in terms of tools. Going back in time to all the usual standbys like a metal ruler and a straight edge blade. We've all heard the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it"... but how about MY new saying? "It may not be broken but maybe it CAN be better?" The Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife is part of my new bag of tricks and I'll tell you why.

On regular knives the shaft is like a pen but without any options of cushions or rubber to make it the handle more comfortable for your fingers. Also, I have small hands and I always found regular straight blades to be awkward especially after a long day of cutting fine details. So, when I saw this strange looking device on the wall of my local scrapbooking store, I was intrigued.

How it works is that you insert your index finger through the loop. The sides of the loop act as a place to "rest" your thumb and third finger. This gives you more control and comfort while you cut as the tip of your index finger is what's guiding the knife.

Here's a photo of the Fingertip knife next to my other knife by Stampin' Up.

I cut on a glass mat when I am doing fine detail work and because I wasn't used to the grip of the handle the first time I used the knife I broke off a teeny weeny piece of the tip - I actually heard a little snap. It is still totally usable and didn't affect the blade at all but just watch that you don't use too much pressure.

In this example you can see how the Fingertip knife made fast work of trimming around these flowers. One tip when using any knife is to keep the knife stationary and to actually move the paper instead.

Pros:

I do like the bright trademark Fiskars orange handle, it makes it easier to spot in my black craft tote.
The knife has great control when cutting.
It's comfortable in your hand and because of its odd shape it won't roll off the table (like my regular knife always does).

Cons:

Due to the design/shape I do find it gets lost sometimes in my craft bag - mainly because I don't have a "slot" for it and it doesn't fit in the pen slots like other knives do.
I do have a beef with all knives with "arrow head" shaped blades and it's that the normal paper crafter only really uses the top 25% of the blade. So, the top tip of the blade gets dull and you have to replace it, but yet the other 75% of the blade is still sharp as a knife (pun intended). I think it would be an awesome idea if they came up with blades that had different lengths and you could use the one that suited what you were cutting.
Speaking of blades; I do wish it came with a few replacement blades in the package just for convenience sake but that's just being picky on my part. Also, I know that the point to the design is that it is compact but I always wonder why they don't make allowances to have the replacement blades contained within the knife itself so you don't have to look through all your drawers to find that 1 replacement blade that you bought last month, tucked away for safe keeping, and NOW can no longer find the knife in the growing pile of scrap (grumble grumble).

All in all though, for the price, this is an awesome alternative to regular knives. It does take some time to get used to, mostly because we are all creatures of habit and knives just aren't meant to be held like this. Once you get used to the design you will love how much control you have all at your fingertips.

So, I guess you really can teach an old dog like me new tricks!

Fiskars online store sells the Fiskars Fingertip Knife for $5.50 US + tax/shipping
I saw it at my local Michael's store for $8.99 Cdn + tax.

Rating: 8 out of 10

We would love to hear what your comments are on this knife. Please fill us in on how you feel!

Jewelry Making Tool - Beadalon Crimper

2008-05-14T10:00:00.005-05:00

Reported by Shannon Schafer

Say goodbye to fishing line or thread!

The Beadalon Designer Crimper is a fantastic tool used with crimp beads and jewelry wire to give jewelry a finished, strong, and more professional look. The crimping pliers turn delicate jewelery into a fine accessory that will last for decades.

Beadalon is also a proud sponsor of the television show Beads, Baubles & Jewels on PBS. You can view a video tutorial using the crimper on their website here.

The Designer Crimper has been a tool in my jewelry box for over 3 years. It has withstood 100's of pieces that I have created thus far and hopefully many more to come. I have been beading and jewelry making for over 15 years and I currently sell jewelry on line and at local art shows and markets so you can image how much use it gets at my house! My only real complaint about this product would be the handle. For the price of the product I would like to see a little cushion to the handle. It tends to be rough on the hands after a few projects.

I prefer to use silver plated crimps that I purchase at any local bead store. Ibead.com carries a good solid crimp at a good price. I do not recommend the Beadalon Crimps. I have found the Beadalon Crimps to not be as sturdy as some I have purchased at online stores or bead stores. The Beadalon Crimps tend to break after crimped a few times. The metal is too fine.

To give your piece a more finished look I like to use the Beadalon Crimp Covers.

The Beadalon Designer Crimper can be purchased at the following online stores and ranges in price from $10 - $14. Beadland, JoAnn's Fabric and Craft Stores and ArtBeads.

Pros:

Durable
Gives jewelry a professional look
Easy to use

Cons:

Not comfortable after long periods of use. Needs cushion on the hand grip.
Beadalon Crimp Beads are not as durable as a silver plated crimp purchased from a bead store.

From one beader or crafter to the next, the Beadalon Designer Crimper gets a rating of 10 for durability. It has revolutionized the art of jewelry making by allowing designers to create more professional and long lasting pieces.

No more silly knots!

Do I have any interested beaders? It is easy to design beautiful pieces. All you need are beads, jewelry wire, a pair of crimping pliers, crimp beads, wire cutters, and a clasp. Jewelry always makes a great gift. New to jewelry making? Are you going to give this product a try? Let us know!

Bead-on!

The Quickutz Squeeze

2008-05-14T05:00:00.001-05:00

Reported by Kim Fox

The Quickutz Squeeze is a nice and portable hand tool. It’s one of many tools that are used for die cutting. The Squeeze was preceded by the original (blue) Quickutz hand tool, which many users had difficulty using effectively. The Squeeze requires less pressure, but still for those who are arthritic, it might be challenging to use; keyword: might (Quickutz also manufactures the KomfyKutz to create ease of use with the tool). There is a short video demo on the Quickutz website on how to use the tool.

Quickutz has a very large variety of 2x2 alphabets along with shape dies to choose from. In my opinion, the Quickutz alphabets are quite adorable. Two of my favorites are Blossom and Zoe. They are both unicase alphabets meaning you don’t have an uppercase and lowercase font – so it is just a one size font. Additionally, I like Star – it has a bit of thickness and seems universal (all of those alphabets, unfortunately, are on the discontinued list though).

Their shape dies are great too, like the dress. Just an all around cutie. Quickutz has a variety of flowers, tags, animals and other trinkets. I tend to stick to the single cut dies (MSRP $6.99) as opposed to the double cuts (MSRP $12.99) – double cuts are shapes dies that use more than one die to create the shape. Oh, and Quickutz recently released shape dies of all 50 states.

Pros:

Handy; easy to store and carry
You can cut only the letters that you will need for a layout or project
A huge variety of alphabets, shapes and embossing dies to choose from
Can cut through a variety of textures including cardstock, vellum, foil, some fabric and more
Accessories are available like a binder or nesting tins to store the dies, a carrying tote and a KomfyKutz
Website and blog with a wealth of ideas
Comes in a variety of colors: pink, black and purple/lavender
New releases monthly
The dies can be used with other die cutting systems

Cons:

Can’t cut through chipboard
Could be difficult to use for some crafters
Cost: at $89.99 MSRP (there are some die cutting machines are less expensive and more versatile)
Not available for purchase at larger stores like Joann and Michaels (where you could use a discount coupon for purchase)

You can find deals on the Quickutz Squeeze and other Quickutz products at various online stores such as The Scrapping Cottage, Scrap-Mart, Scrapbook Express (super fast shipping) and Shop Remember When.

I like the Squeeze because it is easy to use and convenient to store. What about you? What are your thoughts on the Squeeze?

The Creative HotKnife

2008-05-13T15:20:00.000-05:00

Reported by Katie Skiff

One of my latest tool investments was the Creative HotKnife, by Walnut Hollow. I had originally purchased this tool to use for mounting my rubber stamps. However, I was surprised to see all the uses that this tool has. With a very sharp blade, the Creative HotKinfe uses heat to penetrate through a variety of surfaces.

So far, I have used this to cut though EZ Mount foam for mounting rubber stamps. When heated, the HotKnife reaches temperatures of 950 degrees, and makes cutting through the foam very simple. The HotKnife can also be used for most Foam Core, including foam pumpkins at Halloween. Other uses list Styrofoam, wax and soap.

The HotKnife comes with 2 extra blades, a stand and instructions for use. It also features an on/off switch for safety. When the HotKnife is on, all of the metal parts are extremely hot, so caution should be used as well as keeping it out of reach from children. Some residue may also be left on the blade after use, but once the blade is cool, it can be easily cleaned off.

Pros

This tool is very easy to use, I feel especially for those who may have a harder time trimming with scissors.
The HotKnife heats up in less than 5 minutes, letting you get right to your project, as well as staying hot to finish the project.
When comparing the HotKnife to using scissors to trim stamps, there is much less gumming up.

Cons

It does take a while to cool off after use so caution should be exercised.
The stand that is included is not very steady and does not do a good job of holding the HotKnife off the table. Many times the stand and HotKnife have fallen off the table.
If you already own a good pair of scissors, the HotKnife is not a necessity for trimming.
This product does not trim through rubber easily, just the foam. So you would probably have an easier time using rubber scissors.

The Creative HotKnife is manufactured by Walnut Hollow. It retails between $15 and $20, and most suppliers carry replacement blades for under $5.00.

You can purchase the HotKnife at Joanns.com, Stamping Bella.com, and Sunday International.

I would rate this at an 9 out of 10.

Do you have this product? Please tell us what your experience has been!

Paper Transformed by Julia Andrus

2008-05-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

Reported by Heather Strenzwilk

Several months ago, I discovered Paper Transformed: A Handbook of Surface-Design Recipes and Creative Paper Projects at a chain bookstore. Written by hybrid artist Julia Andrus, this book is filled with techniques for paper based projects. Most of the projects require 3-6 ingredients and many have under 7 steps and can be completed in 20 minutes or less. I was attracted to the vibrant samples and the easy to follow instructions with supplies I had on hand.

The 176 page softbound book has 8 chapters. Each chapter with a sampler of finished techniques and each sub technique in a chapter gets a brief overview including an extensive tool discussion. More experienced artists might be more inclined to skim some of this background material if they are familiar with the technique. The chapters start with the most basic technique and build on it in subsequent samples.

Here is a list of chapter titles:
Old favorites and new variations: marbling, watercolors, paste paper and pastels
Original designer papers
Metal look-alikes
Special paper treatments: alcohol ink, beeswax, dry embossing
Stamping techniques: inks, embossing powder
Stippling, sponging, and stenciling
Paper finales: finishing, aging techniques, dyeing and staining

The last chapter in the book is called "Sparkling Paper Projects" and unlike the previous chapters which focus on specific techniques, this section highlights completed projects utilizing multiple recipes and techniques. These are very inspirational and offer some ideas for unique embellishments and 3-D items. For the sample below I combined the following techniques: stamped watercolor effects, painted tin and dry embossing (with glaze).

As a long time paper crafter, I can often "figure it out" if I look at a sample or see a supply list. I looked at this book as a springboard to add new twists to time honored techniques such as watercoloring or resist. Andrus offers many tips to help achieve the desired results- for example, a meat tenderizer can make great pitted surfaces. She also notes variations for many of the projects for a different look. When possible, she mentions substitutions that can be made for certain supplies. I found her advice to be sound and some suggestions for using ordinary objects as tools helpful.

Pros:

The techniques feature readily available supplies such as Ranger products and many basic supplies that many artists already own. Many techniques can be completed in under 10 minutes.
Many unique insider tips and ways to use common household objects as creative tools.
Andrus incorporates a wide variety of styles (altered, grunge, collage, etc) and project types (cards, journals, boxes, vases, etc) to appeal to a wide audience.

Cons:

The instructions are brief and while adequate for a more seasoned artist, less experienced artists might need additional instructions.
Many of the techniques in the book have been around for years such as waxed paper resist, marbling, bleaching and polished stone. While there are some new and unique twists on the techniques, more experienced artists might not be as inspired.
The book should be spiral bound so it will open and stay flat.

The suggested retail price of the book is $24.99 and is available at chain bookstores but is available online at Amazon and straight from her website.

We want to hear from our readers. Have you read "Paper Transformed"? Did you like it? Would you recommend it? Please share your thoughts with us.

Romantic Home Sewing by Christina Strutt

2008-05-12T07:05:00.000-05:00

Reported by Tracy Schultz

I'm a self-taught sewer who adores the popular shabby style, so when I received Romantic Home Sewing: Cottage-Style Projects to Stitch for the Home as a gift, I was ecstatic. But my enthusiasm faded somewhat after reading the book and trying out a few projects.

The book is 144 pages long and full of gorgeous photos and ideas on how to infuse your home with easy, cottage-inspired charm. It is divided into several sections: Living room, Bedroom & bathroom, Clothes & accessories, Gifts, Instructions, and Templates. In each section, there are photos and a brief description about each project. In some cases, the author shares with the reader her inspiration behind each project. In other cases, she mentions ways to alter the project slightly, embellish it differently than shown, or recommends a particular fabric to be used.

Some projects in this book are ones I've seen time and time again: fabric headboards, pillows, and tote bags. But there were quite a few projects that were new to me like the hot water bottle cover and fabric pencil cups. Some, like the cutlery roll, caused a light bulb to go off in my head- "Why didn't I think of that? That's such a great idea!"

After reading through the book, I decided to try making a couple projects. The first being the bolster pillow on page thirty-two. I read through the instructions on how to make it listed in the back of the book, cut my fabric out, and began sewing. But when it came time to finish the ends, I had a difficult time getting mine to turn out as they were supposed to. So instead, I improvised and used a ribbon-tie closure.

There were several other more in-depth projects I would have liked to make from the book, like the cutlery roll I mentioned. But after my experience with the bolster pillow, I was afraid they too would not turn out as planned. And I hate to waste fabric!! I stuck to an easy project for my second: the placemat and napkins on page sixty-nine. This is probably the easiest project in the book and I'm happy to report mine turned out just fine.

Pros:

Gorgeous photos
Range of projects from simple to more in-depth
Ideas for all areas of your home

Cons:

Instructions are a bit vague for some projects
No full-size patterns
Limited amount of photos of projects during the sewing process to help readers (like me!) visualize

All in all, this book is a nice source of inspiration to get you thinking of how to incorporate handmade items into your decor and everyday life. I would have liked to see more in-depth instructions and detailed photos to help create the projects in the book. If you don't mind improvising, then this book would be a wonderful addition to your collection. But if you're like me and prefer detailed instructions, then you might want to save your money for another book.

Romantic Home Sewing retails for $25.95 and can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Quiltology.

Were you thinking about buying this book? What do you think now after reading this review? Already own it?? Then I'd love to know how your projects turned out!

The Art of the Family Tree

2008-05-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

Reported by: Kimberly Brimhall

Back in February at the winter CHA, I was given a copy of The Art of the Family Tree: Creative Family History Projects Using Art, Fabric & Collage. I immediately loved the cover so of course I kept it. Author Jenn Mason references why she believes she was destined to write this book because she has a big family, her mother made family trees, her family members are interested in family research and she is an artist. She includes tips for getting started from finding and organizing your space to tools and materials.

This book really made me look at the family tree in a different light. Rather than looking at pages of random names printed on paper, Mason shows the art of making a visible record of family members. She outlines step by step how to arrange your family tree, even solving tricky dilemmas for things such as divorce and adoption.

The Art of the Family Tree is filled with so many ideas for making a a visual family tree or documenting it. Some are done on canvases, some in shadow boxes, some in journals. There is something for everyone's style from journaling to collage art.
I decided to make a collage family tree and a library of relatives mini journal collection...
The idea was to take an old hardcover book and remove the pages and use the the outside for the journal holder.

Eyelets were used to string the ribbons that hold the mini journals inside. I made one for each member of my family...here I can record important events, awards, allergies, things that might not go in a scrapbook. I also added a small envelope for little memories such as movie tickets, stamps, things with the date so years from now we can look back on the past.

This book is step by step easy to follow. I am usually not a big "project" person, unless I can figure it out in under 5 minutes, so this book was perfect for me. Mason and other artists are spotlighted in this book. There are visual examples of projects from canvas art to family wreath trees to postcards. If you are someome who has is interested in family history or just want to make a family tree, this book is a good fit. It's easy to follow steps are wonderful for people who are just getting started as well. I enjoyed this different perspective on family history and I am still working on a canvas family tree. Have you taken a look at this book? Let us know what you think!

In Stitches, by Amy Butler

2008-05-08T12:30:00.000-05:00

Reported by Nancy Beyer

I love anything Amy Butler. I want to basically dress myself and my house in all her fabrics. She seriously has an almost William Morris like modern day interpretation of fabric that I love. I wish she would have more clothes patterns because if I had time, I would make every single one of them. However, I was a bit disappointed about her latest book, In Stitches. I bought my copy from Amazon for under $20.00 USD but it can also be found at Barnes and Noble and Chronicle Books.

Using this book, I created this kitty tunnel. Simple enough right? It should have taken me about an hour at tops. Instead of faux fur, I used fuzzy wuzzy flannel. See the picture of Mogaley the Cat ( above) modeling the result. It took me four hours due to the directions. At one point, in Step # 5, I really messed up and had to rip out the seams because I was testing to see how well the directions would work without looking at a diagram.

If you read the directions for Step # 5, "with the exterior tunnel wrong side facing out and the fur lining right side facing out....slip the exterior tunnel over the fur lining making ..." you would have not sewed the item correctly. However, if you were to look at the at the mini diagram for Step 5, it doesn't match the written word. The diagram above shows, "wrong side of the exterior and the wrong side of the the fur". This was the critical issue I saw throughout the entire book. Even though the writer would bold the words RIGHT side and WRONG side in an attempt to differentiate between the fabric's "sides", in my viewpoint, those descriptors didn’t make sense at all when reading the instructions. Yes, there is a right and wrong side to every fabric, but again, from a beginner’s standpoint, it would have behooved the author to explain what they really meant. Something as simple as, the "patterned side" of the fabric equates to the "right" side of the fabric, and the "wrong" side of the fabric equates to the "non patterned" side.

I wanted to make sure I was not being to harsh, so I brought it over to my neighbor who is a seasoned sewer. She read the directions about three times and agreed with me that yes, this is difficult - especially if you don't have the terminology ingrained in your head.

I will admit, I was a technical writer - so little picky inconsistencies like this drive me nuts. Will I still finish the rest of the book? Maybe. I am currently eying up an apron and bag pattern. I am sure a good cup of java and a speed dial call to my neighbor will help me through it! Also, I found that Amy Butler's site lists corrections to the book.

Pros -

Patterns are clear and well drawn.
The variety of projects is good but I would prefer a rating system on level of difficulty

Cons-

This is not a beginners sewing book at all, something that shocked me.
The directions are very hard to follow - in fact - almost hard to comprehend. I found myself rereading the directions, sometimes 4 times. That is what took the longest - reading the directions and than looking at the diagrams to see if they matched.
Questions for beginners? One had to go to Page 172 to find out information. I prefer to have all information needed on the page that I am reading.
The diagrams are extremely small and were also hard to follow. They needed to be a bit bigger, especially when one puts five diagrams on one 8 x8 page. For example:

However, if you truly are a newbie at sewing, this is not your book. I would recommend reading like "Bend -the- Rules Sewing" by Amy Karol of Angrychicken fame or "Sew, Sew Everything Workshop" by Dianna Rupp. I love those books and they are extremely helpful.

Tell us what you think! Have you used the book In Stiches?

Teflon Bone Folder

2008-05-08T06:15:00.001-05:00

Reported by: Lexi Daly

One of my very first tools in the early days of stamping and card making was a bone folder. I used it a lot right from the beginning--to score and press down my folds, to burnish the back of my chalked designs, or to help better stick my layers onto my cards. I continue to use one pretty much every day. But while that first bone folder worked just fine, I was so excited to find out about the Teflon Bone Folder by Akkra. It was a classic case of not knowing how much better it could be. Here is what Akkra has to say about their tool:

The bone folder is used by book binders, graphic artists and crafts people for creasing, burnishing and gluing materials together. It is also highly useful in medical, biomedical, pharmaceutical, chemical, and manufacturing fields. It is excellent for removing molded parts from molds without damaging their nonstick coating.

Key Benefits

Size: 5 1/4" x 5/8" x 1/4"
Non-stick due to PTFE composition.
Heat Resistant up to 600 º F
Chemically Inert, non-corrosive, and non-contaminating.
Strong
Reusable
Working with our customers we have updated the shape of this tool. We have made it more ergonomically correct by rounding the chiseled end. This makes for a better hand grip.

I think the biggest benefit to card makers is the non-stick properties, which basically means that it doesn't leave a shiny mark when rubbed over your work. The perfectionist in me hated that shiny mark. It was random and didn't seem to happen every use, but it was annoying and I love not having to deal with that at all now. Another plus is that adhesives, inks and paints won't stick to it, which is great if you're burnishing stickers from your Xyron machine--or if your desk is as messy as mine!

Here's a side by side comparison to my old bone folder. Notice the green ink stain on the original, while the new Teflon Folder is as good as new! I also like that it's smaller and thicker and I use the flat chisel end a lot. I could not get a good picture of the shine that the original bone folder leaves behind, so you'll have to take my word for it, but it did happen on the first swipe.

The Teflon Bone Folder retails for $15.00, which might make some crafters think twice about it. But, for a tool that I've used every day for more than a year now, I feel like I've gotten my money's worth! In addition to pressing my creases and layers and burnishing Xyron stickers before peeling off the backing, the bone folder is also great for applying those rub-ons I've been collecting.

If you need one of these simple, but handy tools, you can find it online at Paper Source or Ellen Hutson. And if you're using one already, we'd love to hear what else you wouldn't want to do without it!

Cropadile 2 Big Bite

2008-05-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

Reported By Julia Stainton

A popular theme on the scrapbooking market is manufacturers always trying to come up with great new eyelet setting tools. The wild success of the Crop-a-dile from We R Memory Keepers has prompted a new release from this company, the Crop-a-dile 2 Big Bite. Released just a few months ago for the CHA Anaheim 2008 show, this product looked exciting and able to take on all the limitations that the Crop-a-dile faced. The original Crop-a-dile is a fabulous tool and well loved by many including myself. It's main limitation was the size of its "bite". You could only punch and set just over one inch from the edge of your project or layer... hence the name of this latest offering...The Big Bite. As a huge fan of the Crop-a-dile, I just had to order this new tool and give it a try.

The Crop-a-dile Big Bite is a very large punch and eyelet setter. Sturdy and heavy, it can punch through almost anything you could wish to punch and with ease. Chipboard, fabric, leather, layers of cardstock, tin and thin metal all punch well with this tool. The increased size of the "bite" allows you to now punch and set over 6" from the edge...a huge improvement over the first model. This makes it a very handy tool to have for scrapbookers who tend to design in 12x12 layouts. Like the original model, this tool will set eyelets and snaps in two different sizes... 1/8" and 3/16". We R Memory Keepers has a great variety of designer and unique eyelets to give you lots of options with this setter. I especially love their Jewelled Snaps and the embossed sentiment ones as well. They can really add a special touch to your project. Also available for purchase separately is a great storage case for your Big Bite. It comes with a matching orange case, and a selection of metal grommets...a new feature for use with the Crop-a-dile.

When I first opened my new Big Bite...I did have a few difficulties getting it to work. First of all, the punching mechanisms did not line up with the holes that they should slide into. Apparently this seems to be an alignment problem that can happen with shipping. It does take some strength to slightly adjust the bite of the Big Bite so that they do line up but I was glad to find that it is a problem that is fairly easily solved. I also found, like the original Crop-a-dile, this product does have a bit of a learning curve to it. The pivoting setting bits are almost identical to the previous version. I discovered that you do need to use more pressure than the original Crop-a-dile to set your eyelets and brads. With this added pressure, I found myself crushing my first few eyelet setting attempts. If you purchase this product, I'd suggest practicing on scrap paper first until you get the hang of it.

When repeatedly punching holes with the Big Bite in a pattern, it is a little difficult to line up with precision. The original Crop-a-dile has a separate punch mechanism that makes it easy to see down the barrel to line up your punching. This new design requires you to really try to see from the side edge exactly where the punch will hit the paper. That being said...it is still possible as you can see in the above photo where I stamped a backgrounder stamp and then embellished the design with eyelets.

A detail I needed to adjust to in this new model is the sliding bar on the top of the unit. You slide this to use either the setter or the punch. It is very easy to use but I did have to keep reminding myself to move it each time. During a few uses, I almost forgot and punched a new hole in my project instead of setting my eyelet.

The feature I did find easier to use was the new orange plastic sliding ruler in the bite of the Big Bite. When punching with the original, if you wanted a constant depth of holes from the edge, you needed to set a metal sliding piece and screw it into place. I often found it difficult to screw as the metal piece would slip on me. The new orange plastic measuring strip is very easy to use and the slider bar clicks along and stays where you wish it to be. One thing to keep in mind when using this tool is to use the correct one of the three measuring bars. Depending on whether you are punching with the 3/16 or 1/8" holes or setting your eyelets, verify that you are measuring the correct scale. Always check the setting with every use!

I was hoping to find extra details about this product on the We R Memory Keepers web-site. Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated with this new product yet. When the original Crop-a-dile came out, there was a great on-line tutorial to help customers. I would love to have a helpful tip sheet to go with the Big Bite as well. If you need help remembering the correct combinations to use with each type of eyelet, the original Crop-a-dile on-line tip sheet can help you with that.

(layout sketch from www.pagemaps.com)

Pros:

Very sturdy, quality tool that will last for years
I love the easy to use measuring feature on the "bite" that allows you to punch up to 6". This allows you to set anywhere you wish on a 12x12 scrapbook layout
This tool is fabulous for punching and setting those hard to punch products
no parts to lose....love this! ;)
Easy to punch holes and set eyelets for people with wrist and hand problems...you do need more pressure to set the holes than the original though
Quiet
will set a large variety of sizes and styles of eyelets and snaps

Cons:

Some users may find the different settings confusing to use. Making sure the bits are at the correct setting was a challenge on the original and is the same design here.
This design is not as easy to line up for precision punching as the original design. I had difficulty lining up the punch mechanism as this design makes it more difficult to see the area. It is also easier to make a mistake with punching settings on this design.
Heavy and not very portable
Practice is needed to find the correct pressure to use with this tool. Too heavy results in squashed eyelets.

Where to Purchase:

Cost: varies approximately 29.99 - 39.99 US/ 39.99CDN

Ease of Use: 6 out of 10

I'm enjoying this new version of the Crop-a-dile now that I've had some time to get used to the new format. Perhaps I am just a creature of habit, but I won't be getting rid of my original any time soon. For a quick eyelet though, the original is easiest for me to work with. I do love the reach of this newer model and the flexibility it gives me. I also love the durability and the ability to work quietly while small children are sleeping. And so, while the Big Bite won't be replacing my original Crop-a-dile, the new Big Bite along with its brother, will have a permanent place on my shelf. If you have this tool, how do you feel about it? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Knitting for Baby

2008-05-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Reported by Katie Renz

The book I’m reviewing today is titled Knitting for Baby - 30 Heirloom projects with Complete How-to-Knit Instructions by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas and photographs by Ross Whitaker. It is published by Stewart, Tabori, and Chang/New York. I happened upon this book several years ago while I was shopping in my local knitting store and fell in love with it and still love it to this day.

The book is well organized and covers a full gambit of stitches and techniques. This is a list of the chapters: Introduction, Getting Started, Garter Stitch, The Purl Stitch & A New World of Texture, Shaping, Discovering A New World of Color, Circular Knitting Cables & Ribs, Exploring the Possibilities, Yarn Sources, and Acknowledgments.

So, let’s begin with the meat of the book – projects for babies (newborn to age two). First of all, a handmade item especially a knitted one makes a beautiful gift and as the title states on the book – an heirloom. One might think that an 'heirloom' item would have to be extremely complicated and gorgeous beyond belief, but in reality an heirloom item is one that is made from the heart, is a classic, and yes indeed can be simple to make.

First of all, I would like to point out why I was drawn to this particular book. The photos are absolutely gorgeous and the book is filled with them. There are pictures of all the items that can be made, both independently and canvassed on those, oh so cute babies, and a couple of great Mom items too, such as a felted diaper bag and an elegant, yet roomy new mom sweater. There are also a couple of baby toys to knit too. Not only are the items beautifully shot, but they are mostly full page pictures! Along with actual photographs, there are wonderfully detailed, colored illustrations with step by step directions to help you with your projects.

The other reason that I love, yes LOVE this ,is the fact that I can pick it up after a year of not knitting and find a project that I can complete. Now mind you, I pick items that are time sensitive and in my mind easy to do which would be hats, blankets, and booties. I almost always have to refresh my memory regarding the correct stitches and some of the basics, but it’s so effortless to do because the information is easily accessible and easy to understand.

Which then leads me to my final reason I think this book is so great. I consider myself an intermediate knitter that only knits sporadically, yet I can pick up this book and pick out a simple, yet timeless pattern and create a beautiful 'heirloom' to give as a baby gift. But, when and if the extra time appears and I want to create a more intricate garment, there are plenty to choose from. Anything from a beautiful cabled sweater, a lacy topped little girl's dress, or more detailed color patterned sweaters.

Here is an item that I have made plenty of. I love that it is a hat (simple), yet this hat has a fun twist to it with the ear flaps. There is some sewing to this particular pattern (attaching the ear flaps to the main head piece), but really very simple. The suggested yarns in this book are wools, cashmeres, or mixes of natural fibers. If you have a local knitting store, they are sure to have a wide selection of luxurious fibers, but if you are on a budget, a visit to your local craft store will have plenty of choices that will work with these patterns. This particular hat was made with Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease in Avocado and took less than 1 skein which I purchased at my local Joanns store.

Pros:

Gorgeous full size photographs of the items that can be made
Easy to follow directions for a beginner knitter
Lots of great baby and toddler projects

Cons:

This really isn't the book for you if you are looking for contemporary baby gifts to knit
Not necessarily for the advanced knitter, if you are looking for a huge challenge
Limited baby blanket patterns

Knitting for Baby can most likely be found in your local knitting store, but here are some online sources:

Retail Value for this book is $24.95, but can be found for a variety of prices.

In conclusion, I really had to pull at straws to think of any cons to this book. It really is for all levels of knitters and provides excellent projects for the new baby in your life. If you have this book, make sure to let us know what projects you have made or would like to make.

Japanese Craft Books

2008-05-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Reported by Susie Ziegler

My confession today is that I am a Japanese Craft Book addict. I know that I am not the only one. Other craft books are great and we all like having varied craft book libraries, but you know how it is when you get a new book or magazine and you really only like one or two projects and the rest are just… meh...not so great? Well, in these books, it’s like craft heaven. I pretty much want to make every single thing. The projects are simple, gorgeous, cute, and a celebration of a life filled with handmade things. Projects are both contemporary and timeless with tremendous visual appeal.

Just look at this! I could get my preschooler to wash the windows if only she had just the right handmade crochet “Magic Scrubber”!
Here, a felt mascot boy and girl take a felt teddy bear on a little perfect picnic all made in miniature.
Pattern books aren’t all of the “Cute” variety such as the mascot books above, although that is what I am personally drawn to. Some books feature “zakka” (zakka= general merchandise) of all kinds. In fact there is a whole series of books titled “Handmade Zakka”. Cotton Paint and Cotton Time are bi-monthly publications full of inspiration and patterns for all kinds of handmade things.
I have a great collection of these books and I do go a little bit crazy when it’s time for me to make a new order for more. I force myself to craft from several books before I let myself buy any new ones.

I know what you are thinking: I don’t read Japanese! How can I possibly use those books? That’s the amazing thing! You don’t need to be able to read them! The instructions are printed visually, step-by-step. If you have a basic knowledge of a craft like crochet, felt craft, embroidery, or sewing, a Japanese pattern book in that medium will not be difficult. Measurements are given in metric, and numbers are always in our familiar Arabic style. Sometimes the books read from “back to front” but I see that as an exciting novelty and not a problem.

Okay, so sometimes the books with pattern inserts are intimidating. If you have strong visual/perceptual skills, you can figure these out.

Many books are much simpler with instructions like these:
If you simply must know what these books say, you can use this handy Japanese pattern help pdf posted at My Little Mochi.

Browse around at Crafting Japanese. This site was very quiet for awhile, but is back up and running with current photographs and links to blogs with photos, projects, and ISBN numbers.

Also check out the Flickr groups, "crafting in japanese" and
"inspiring images from craft books". Both groups have well over 1000 members and several thousand photos of books and projects to keep you salivating for days and days.

Ready to buy and start your own collection? Brick and mortar sellers include Kinokuniya on the east and west coasts of the USA, and Mitsuwa in other locations. Your city or region just might have a Japanese bookseller or market, but you'll have to check your local yellow pages.

Shopping online is much easier. You can order directly from Japan at Amazon Japan. People use them all the time and I know you can get the pages translated into English, but in this case, the Japanese freaks me out a little bit. I prefer to shop at YesAsia. At YesAsia, they offer free shipping for orders in the USA over a certain amount. Expect your orders from these sellers to take about a month to arrive from overseas.

Other online sources include Etsy, ebay, SuperBuzzy, and KittyCraft. Crafting Japanese has an online guide to sellers HERE.
You'll need to know the ISBN number to do any searching at YesAsia or Amazon Japan. I find that doing keyword searches like "craft" "crochet" or "felt" yield very limited results. It is much better to search by ISBN number, but leave out the letters in your search and use the numbers only. You can also browse around these sites by clicking on the "Customers who bought ---- also bought ----", crossing your fingers that you'll see the specific one you want.

Pros of buying at big online sellers like YesAsia:

Wide Selection of books
Excellent prices
Free shipping depending on your location

Cons

Difficult search engines don't handle the language barrier
Listings only have very small cover photos
Slow delivery takes several weeks

You can expect more photos and some personal service at smaller sellers, but prices will vary widely. Some sellers will even special order books for you. One ebay order I made before discovering YesAsia was very expensive, but it was packaged in the cutest way!

Prices for these books range from around $6 to over $50 for must-have out-of-print books. Publishers are getting wise to the Japanese craft book trend and are beginning to publish some books in English language versions. There are Aranzi Aronzo, Sock and Glove, and some amigurumi crochet books to name a few.
Inspired? We hope so! Let us know if you'd try out these highly inspirational books!

Bend the Rules Sewing

2008-05-05T12:00:00.000-05:00

Reported by: Martha Bonneau

Are you new to sewing or have limited experience with sewing? Are looking for a book to help shed some light on all of your questions? Well, look no further than Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. Many crafters may already be aware of Karol through her popular blog Angry Chicken. This book is written in a friendly, informative way that makes the reader instantly feel inspired to tackle the projects within. With it's easy to read text and hand drawn illustrations and patterns, it is very user friendly and less text-book like than many of the other sewing books I have tried to use in the past...this format immediately put me at ease.

This book is divided up into the following sections:

1. Learning to Sew 101
-Bending the rules in sewing
-Bending the rules in life
-Your attitude about mistakes

2. Let's Get Started!
-The sewing machine
-Basic sewing tools and notions
-Your sewing area

3. Start Your Machines!
-Sewing vocabulary 101
-Using the patterns in the book
-The Basics

Sections 4-6 are divided up into multiple projects ranging from tote bags, fashionable dog collars, curtains and pillows as well as cute items for children. Patterns and templates are also included.

The fun, colorful pictures of the finished projects in this book make you want to sit down and start sewing immediately! I have been wanting to make an apron for quite a while and was inspired by the Vintage Apron project to make this one:

I even felt confident enough with the instructions to add the optional pocket. This is my first attempt at an apron, so is it perfect? No. Is it pretty darn close to perfect? Yes! Karol lets you know that sewing is a process and that you should "throw caution to the wind", learn a few basics and find your favorite methods. If you finish a project and it looks homemade, well that's a good thing and not something to beat yourself up over. This is definitely a book for beginners. If you already know the basics and are looking for projects that will stretch you, this may not be the book for you. But if you need that first step to get your feet wet in the world of sewing it's definitely worth checking out.

Pros:

* Easy to read and understand
* Fun colorful pictures of finished projects
* Templates for projects are included
* Lots of helpful hints and tips...Sewing Vocabulary 101 is very helpful

Cons:

* Some of the templates and patterns are not to scale and must be enlarged
* Spiral bound would be nice as I found myself referring back to it several times during my project and losing my place

Where to buy:

I picked up my copy at Barnes & Noble, it can also be found at Amazon and Borders. It retails for $21.95 and in my opinion, was worth every penny! I would love to see Karol come out with another book with more advanced projects for those of us who want to build on our newly acquired sewing skills.

Speedball Rubber Brayer

2008-05-05T06:25:00.000-05:00

Reported By: Tami Bayer

When I first started stamping I bought a cheap 4" brayer with a metal handle from a discount store. The metal handle was uncomfortable in my hand, and it always squeaked when I used it, so I didn't use it much. Recently, my husband was placing an order with Dick Blick Art Supplies and asked if I needed anything. I took a peek on the website and spotted a Speedball 6" Soft Rubber Brayer which looked like a much better tool than the cheap squeaky brayer I currently had. I paid the Blick discount price of $11.49 which is almost $5 less than the retail list price of $16.39. It also comes in a 4" and 2" size at a lower price.

As soon as I opened the box and held this brayer in my hand, I knew I was in for a whole new background making experience. This brayer has a nice sturdy plastic handle that fits in my hand perfectly. I inked it up and found that the width of the brayer is so fantastic for making backgrounds. All I have to do is run it over the inkpad twice, once on each end to ink up a 6" wide background in one pass. The best part is, no squeak. It feels like magic that I can pick up a piece of white cardstock and use a brayer and a bit of ink to create something colorful and unique.

Now, if you are not familiar with using a brayer with your ink pads, just know that there are a ton of techniques you can create with a brayer. You can do everything from resist techniques to the more complex Jacob's coat technique. You can even use it simply to color your backgrounds with ink to match your project. The other thing that I love to use my brayer for is those tricky large background or collage stamps. I ink up my stamp and then lay the stamp down face up. Carefully place the cardstock on top of the stamp and hold it with one hand. Then take your brayer and roll over the cardstock. Perfect image nearly every time.

This is an ATC I made using the crayon resist technique. It starts with glossy white paper and an image stamped with staz-on. The fun part is coloring with white crayons. Then the ink is brayered over the whole thing.

This is a gothic arch I made using the plastic wrap technique. It starts with glossy white paper brayered with ink, then sprayed with water and plastic wrap is scrunched up and put over the whole thing, then left to dry.

Like I said before, you can find this at Dick Blick (carries 7 different sizes), Mister Art, and Dharma Trading Company.

I'd love to hear any brayer tips you have to share with us. Do you use it for a special technique? Do you have a favorite brand or size brayer?