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Photo Inspiration Challenge

March 18, 2008

We had a challenge in my Ohio Beaders Yahoo Group to make something that was inspired by a photo. Our group’s moderator provided us with 20 or so pictures, and I was moved by this one: And these were the pieces I made: The top piece is horizontally pierced for a pendant, the pod on the left is a cabochon, and the one on the right is also a pendant. I’m really feeling some copper wire work… but we’ll see […]

Posted in Craft Projects, Jenny Sez, Polymer & Air-Dry Clays | 1 Comment

Happiness is… Boxes From the Mailman!

March 15, 2008

My online shopping spree finally resulted in boxes arriving on my porch. Whoopie! So much fun! And from so many places…. The smallest box was my order from Prairie Craft. I’ve been experimenting with clear liquid clay mediums, and I hadn’t tried out Kato Liquid Polyclay yet. And you really can just order one thing, can you? I mean, don’t you have to make it worth your shipping? So I also got some “fabulous flakes”- (inclusions for faux dichro effects), […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 1 Comment

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

March 7, 2008

(But technically, isn’t it, “I guess that’s why they call THEM the blues?” but who’s picking.) My online group Ohio Beaders is having a little get-together next month and we’re having a monochromatic swap. Doesn’t really matter what you make, or what you make it from, it just has to be shades of. My swap person has chosen blue, and her favorite thing is…. oh, wait. I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise. Now, what direction do I take? Fiber […]

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Birthday Mail

March 6, 2008

I love my birthday. No, not because I haven’t hit forty yet, but because it brings mail. REAL mail, ya know? Like cards and goodies, not like flyers and credit card applications.  Anyhoo, got some goodies this week, and I thought I’d share them: These are two fabric postcards I got on the same day. The heart one is from my guild, North Coast Needlers. The pretty green one is from my artsy-craftsy pal Terri. How did she know I […]

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First Wire Wrapping Class

March 1, 2008

I had my first wire wrapping class today with Melissa M. at Grand River Beads. As you may know, I’ve gone off of the deep end with polymer clay cabochons using metal leaf and inks. So I figure I have to learn what to do with them! I’m so glad I took the class. I’d seen some tutorials online, but there’s no way I’d have gotten the bale to turn out if I hadn’t seen someone else do it first. […]

Posted in Beads/Jewelry Projects, Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

Gung Hay Fa Choi- Happy Lunar New Year!

February 8, 2008

OK, so I’m a day late…. but Lunar New Year holds a place in my heart because my dear, sweet baby girl was born on Lundar New Year 3 years ago… which is also Ash Wednesday. Quite auspicious, no? Anyhoo, one of my new sisters on City-O-Clay tipped me off to this site where you can calculate your Chinese Zodiac. (Don’t believe everything those restaurant placemats tell you!!!) Go find your Zodiac animal, make peace with it, (I’m a dog. […]

Posted in Craft Projects, Holidays/Themes, Jenny Sez | Leave a Comment

Craft Haiku #1

February 4, 2008

Bad dog eats my crafts. I have the last laugh – I see Glitter in her poop.

Posted in Jenny Sez | 1 Comment

Snarky Candy Hearts from Despair.com

January 31, 2008

Ok, so this is Valentine’s Day for snarky people. Despair.com has launched a “candy heart generator” so that you can put your message on conversation hearts. This is mine: Go play and have fun…. and maybe I’ll think up some conversation heart crafts!

Posted in Jenny Sez | 1 Comment

Happy Birthday, Jackson Pollack!

January 28, 2008

Today is Jackson Pollack’s birthday…. why not celebrate it by making a Pollack-inspired piece of artwork? I found this nifty place where you can make your own Pollack-esque digital art. Just drag around your mouse and virtual “paint” drips and runs where ever you move your mouse. To change colors, simply right-click your mouse. Fun! Or, if you have some extra paint on hand, try it out yourself. Jackson liked to use house paint. (I have enough leftover house paint […]

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Tips for Listing Items On Etsy

January 24, 2008

I spent the AM posting things on Etsy, listing some craft samples I had lying around. What? You’ve never heard of Etsy? Well! Let me school ya… Etsy is a site for artist/crafters to sell their creations… and for folks to love to buy unique, hand-made or one of a kind (OOAK to the uninitiated) items direct from the artisans.  You can also find craft supplies on Etsy, as well as Vintage Items. In their words, Our mission is to […]

Posted in Apps & Sites, Craft News, Craft Product Reviews, Jenny Sez | Leave a Comment

Had an Awesome Polymer Clay Class Today at Grand River Beads

January 19, 2008

I taught my Polyclay Pendants class today at GRB… and got a whole new appreciation for jewelry makers / crafters. Some folks were brand-new to clay, some had some limited experience… and then, God bless Nadine, I had one repeat offender! They all qualify as official “Craft Test Dummies”- trying out something new. We had amazing art being made, most especially from our two “junior dummies”- young pre-teens who made incredible pieces. The lighting was poor, but here are a […]

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Picasso Had It Right

January 19, 2008

Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” I think he got it right. He just didn’t have a glue gun. Do you think he would’ve worked in some other material if it had been available to him? I mean, I work in polyclay because it’s what’s affordable and readily available.  I wonder…. but I bet he would have dug PhotoShop!

Posted in Jenny Sez | Leave a Comment

Quotes to Inspire You

January 15, 2008

I love quotes. (And music lyrics!) All kinds inspire me…. so here’s a quote- from an artist- to get you thinkin’ today: Happy is he who causes scandal. – Salvadore Dali Really? I’m more of the “Happy is she whose husband unloads the dishwasher.” How would you finish the sentence? And what kind of artwork could that inspire?

Posted in Jenny Sez | Leave a Comment

The Crafter’s Arc…

January 10, 2008

I was chillin’ over at GRB today, having a nice chit-chat with my friend and shop proprietrix, Eva. We were discussing how new jewelry makers (or any newbie crafter, for that matter) have a tendency to be project-driven. That is, they want to see a craft and duplicate it exactly, with little chance for error. It’s my theory that we all pretty much start out this way- we want things to be pretty safe. Then, with skill/medium/technique mastered, it’s time […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | Leave a Comment

Greetings from the Chief Dummy!

January 6, 2008

Hiya! New year, new venture. I’ve been blogging for about 2 years at CraftTherapy.com and I’ve been thinking about all of the stuff I’d like to say or try… but it just doesn’t seem right for that venue. I am sometimes a little um..opinionated (Jeff, my husband is rolling his eyes) and maybe even verging on snarky. And cranky. (Now he’s nodding.) But I love crafting, exploring new products, techniques and sharing ideas with others… and being honest- brutally, scathingly […]

Posted in Craft News, Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

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Hi! I’m Jenny, the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS and the Head Dummy behind CraftTestDummies.com where you’ll find craft product reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news.

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CraftTestDummies is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Jenny Barnett Rohrs is Head Dummy and Pied Piper behind CTD, which focuses on reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news. Jenny has appeared on HSN, Scrapbook Soup PBS series, and is currently the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS.

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Copyrighted Content Permission All images and tutorials on this blog are copyrighted material. Please contact me if you would like to borrow any media (photos, video or audio files), tutorials, or ideas from this blog. 99% of the time I would be happy to allow you to use one photo with appropriate credit and link back to CraftTestDummies.com (preferably to the same post it was borrowed from.)
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