Craft Test Dummies

This is another open-ended craft kit sent to me by ArtTerro- this time it’s a needle-felting kit they’re calling “Paint with Wool.” The Paint with Wool kit includes four 4X4 inch wool felt squares that are off-white, lots of strips of colorful wool roving, and 3 needle felting needles, and a basic instruction sheet. This [...]

While I’m not sure permanent markers really count as a “craft product” per se, I don’t know a single crafter worth his/her salt that doesn’t have a stash of permanent markers. And while another brand has kind of dominated the market, I was really drawn in (pardon the pun) by the Bic Mark-it colors and [...]

I have more pairs of scissors than I can count. Paper scissors, pinking shears, embroider scissors, kid’s scissors. I even have my “special” fabric scissors that I use for my heavier-duty cutting. However, none of them hold a candle to the Fiskars Tailor Shears that I just got! First of all, they’re made by Fiskars, [...]

I have done a number of projects now using Simply Spray, and I have to admit I’m a fan. I noticed today, though, that I’d never posted a review here on my blog, even though I’d written one for CraftsUnleashed.com. So I’m re-printing my review here with links out a slew of Simply Spray projects! [...]

I wrote this article for CraftsUnleashed, but I wanted to share it over here, too- because this is a trend that isn’t slowing down any time soon! What is “CHA”? It’s the Craft and Hobby Association trade show and it happens twice a year. I’ve just returned from the 2010 Summer show in Rosemont, Illinois, [...]

Last week was quiet here on CTD, because your crafty friend was called up for…JURY DUTY! I can hear the collective groans from you readers, but really, I didn’t mind too much. First of all, I believe in our judicial system and my civic and moral obligation to serve. The other reason I didn’t mind [...]

Every crafter I know has a ka-jillion pairs of scissors. And every crafter I know probably needs or will buy one more pair if they are worth it. Today I’m talking about that pair- Westcott Spring-Assist Scissors. Actually I have TWO pairs of Spring-Assist scissors- the 9″ Titanium Ultra-Smooth scissors and the 6″ “Blooms” . [...]

I love my rotary cutter for cutting fabric. And I love my paper trimmer for cutting paper. If those two tools got together and had a love-child, it would be the Free Style Mouse by Purple Cow- and I would adopt it and take it home! As you can see from the picture, it looks [...]

If you’ve been around CraftTestDummies a while, you know I’m a huge fan of Yo-Yo makers by Clover. (Read my review of the heart-shaped yo-yo maker here.) This year I saw that they came out with the “shamrock” shape and I had. To. Have. It. Like the other yo-yo makers, the Shamrock Yo-Yo Maker set [...]

Yeah, I’m crafting like a fiend these days…and my latest crafty play date and resulting review is on a vacuum-powered hot-fix crystal setter by Viva-Decor called the “Glitz-Up.” While I loved the idea, but it had a few issues. It didn’t knock my socks off, but still it’s a pretty cool tool. Head over to [...]

I admit- I’m a Pearl-Ex junkie! But the fabulous Suze Weinberg HERSELF gave me these, so I had to try ‘em out. And you know what? I LIKES ‘em! As a polymer clayer, I really like the fact that Perfect Pearls have a built-in resin, which helps it bond to the clay during the baking [...]

It goes without saying that I like a little bling in my world.  Last year I was at the Sewing and Quilting Expo and pick up one of these cute hot-fix crystal-setters, made by Kandi Corp and sold as the Victoria Lynne Crystal Crafter. I finally broke it out of the box and kicked the [...]

Jenny teases her coverage of the simply screen silk screen by plaid, and video demo.

Jenny teases her article on CraftCritique, shares video info.

Jenny receives her Stitch Simple Quilt Kit and kicks the tires.

Jenny found this awesome quilted tote bag at Neolasdaughter blog. Super cute and easy.

Just before the end of 2008, I was contacted by Jen Madsen of Stitch Simple, asking me to make and review one of their quilt kits. I had never heard of the company before, and was intriqued. Personalized quilt kits? The cutting is done? Hmmm. Sounded intriguing! {Note: I am not paid for my review, [...]

OK, so I blogged about the Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting show in Scotsdale AZ months ago, but Stephen Colbert also did a piece regarding “renegade knitters….”- very funny! Enjoy! The Colbert ReportMon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c Nailed ‘Em – Radical Knitting Colbert at Christmas Colbert Christmas DVD Green Screen Bill O’Reilly Interview

I got a package from the UK today containing my goodies from the Wild Women Swap I did on CPS. (To see the pins I made, click here.)  So here are my swaps: The top one is a hand-woven piece, topped with a yo-yo and a polymer clay face from Diane the YarnGoddess… the “Red-Headed [...]

Well, October is here, and in the middle of planning my holiday crafting, I though I’d share a Breast Cancer Awareness craft. Since you have the whole month of October to craft pink, here’s a cute one to get you going! Our friends over at CrossStitch.com have supplied FOUR different versions of the pink ribbon [...]

….is the name of a new exhibit in the Scottsdale, AZ Museum of Contemporary Art. I may be getting the chance to travel there next month, and I wanted to see what was shaking in S-town. I have no idea what else the exhibit holds, but this piece by Yoshiki Hishinuma (2005) is both beautiful [...]

Well, I’m back from the sewing expo and my head is swimming. I took four classes over 2 days this time, and a good time was had by all. My good friend Nicole made the trip up from Charlottesville, Va, and showed up to celebrate my birthday with some serious girl time. Three days of [...]

Just in case you missed Ricky Tims on CBS Sunday Morning, I’m hosting the clip here. His quilt designs are really phenomenal… which is impressive because he didn’t start quilting until he was 35! And he’s a musician. Sorry about the commercial- it’s part of the video. Enjoy the eye-candy!

I got a chance to get to the Lake Farm Park Quilt Show on Saturday – all by myself! It was lovely just to walk quietly through all of the quilts, without distractions from kids or hubby, and soak it all in. Coupla things I noticed: The show seemed smaller. I really think there were [...]

So, ok, originally the poem said, “MEND on Wednesday,” but what the heck. I pulled out my Mini Patchfolio pattern from Craft Apple, and got to work. The first dilemma was picking fabric. Yes, I have a 5-drawer chest filled with fabric in my sewing room. But upon closer inspection, I seem to have a [...]

Ok, so I am often inspired by other crafters, and this site is definitely worth mentioning. Skull-A-Day is the idea that you take a theme – in this case, a skull – and create one everyday, using every technique and medium you can. Since I couldn’t find an “about” page, I got no info to [...]

OK, so I sew. Usually on the machine, but occasionally I do some hand-work. And for some reason I am captivated by yo-yo’s. I was out at JoAnn’s the other day, ran across the Clover Heart Yo-Yo Maker, and got sucked in. Since I’d never made them before – any type of yo-yo – I [...]