Craft Test Dummies

I really enjoy adding texture and patterns to my mixed-media projects- and Melt Art Texture Treads from Ranger Industries does just that. While they were designed to be used with UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamels,) they can be used on so much more. Let’s take a look! Here’s how they are described on the Ranger [...]

Stampendous isn’t just for stampers anymore- mixed media artists and polymer clay afficionados, take note: Mica Fragments and Shaved Ice are some fun add-ins you’ll want to have in your studio. Mica Fragments are just that- colored flakes of mica that are much chunkier than glitter. Mica is a natural, heat-resistant form of sheet silicate [...]

One of the very best things about CHA is that you get exposed to new companies and products that you don’t usually see in stores. That’s why I was intrigued by the “Amazing Crafting Products” booth. Over the next two days I’ll be reviewing two of their products, and the first is Amazing Mold Putty. [...]

I enjoy using resin in some of my jewelry and mixed-media projects, but I know it’s intimidating to some. There’s mixing involved, and often the materials are considered “toxic.” Then there is the question of what resin is best for what applications. Today I’m reviewing SuperClear Resin: a non-toxic, 2-part casting resin for jewelry making [...]

I must admit that I’ve had this product tucked away on the shelf for quite a while now, but haven’t been doing much polymer clay. Since I had to make some new samples for an upcoming class, I thought this would be a great time to crack it open and try it out. Poly Bonder [...]

Day Four!  I’m having an “Adhesive Week” here at Craft Test Dummies! We need all kinds of adhesives for all kinds of crafting, and I’m so glad to be able to share some new favorites with you. So the genesis of this review came from an unlikely place- Twitter! Once of my followers asked me [...]

One of my crafty loves is polymer clay, and I’ve reviewed  Studio by Sculpey (may it rest in peace) and Pardo Jewellery Clay by Viva Decor. Newest version on the block? Pardo Art Clay by Viva Decor. Lisa Pavelka has been working with Viva Decor for a while now, and she likes this formulation so [...]

Here’s an article I wrote for CraftCritique back in May of 2009, and I realized I’d never shared it here. As you may know, I love Polymer Clay (and Lisa Pavelka), so it deserves another mention here, with a few edits. Enjoy! I love shimmer, shine, and glitz, so I was excited to get my [...]

I went to a stamping/scrapping convention last year, and every third booth had these little finger-nail polish looking bottles labeled “Smooch.” Huh? Well, I finally got my hands on some and played with it! Come to find out, Smooch is a shimmery acrylic paint manufactured by Clearsnap, and it’s meant for detail work in your [...]

Many of you faithful readers know that I love polymer clay and am excited to try out all of the different brands on the market. So when Amaco offered to send me samples of “Cloud Clay,” I thought, “FUN!” and told them to bring it on. First, a bit about Cloud Clay is not polymer [...]

  Ok, only a few of you will actually get the Vanilla Ice reference in the title- but I couldn’t resist! Today I’m talking about Ice Resin, a 2-part epoxy resin that is jewelry grade. The beautiful people at Objects and Elements told me it will never yellow, and the best part is that it’s [...]

As some of you know, I write for Craft Critique, and have been doing some CHA coverage for them. I got a chance to write a post about Ice Resin, a product I’m really excited to try out. It’s a non-toxic 2-part resin (most 2-part epoxy resins are HIGHLY toxic) and is touted as being [...]

I got a call last night from Christina (darling gal) from Viva Decor, giving me some scoop about the new Pardo clay they are bringing to CHA Winter in Anaheim. Since I’m going next week, I got super excited & took down the stats: The new clay is considered “professional grade” and will be firmer [...]

One of the things I picked up at the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) trade show last summer made me tingle with anticipation- Pardo Polymer Clay! Manufactured by Viva Decor, based in Germany, it’s the newest clay in the industry and has the distinction of being beeswax-based. It come is 70 yummy colors, and has [...]

Technically, “Super Glue” isn’t a craft product….unless you’re crafty. If you are, you know how important it is to have a variety of adhesives/glues that you can depend on to keep your crafts held together &  lookin’ good.  And one of my faves is Loctite brand super-glue. First of all, the reason I bought it [...]

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 previews the projects she made and introduces her review of Lisa Pavelka Signature Series Craft Foils on www.CraftCritique.com

I decided to try out Lisa Pavelka’s Magic Glos today on a polymer clay pendant I’m working on. I spread out the material, being careful to use enough product so that the edges wouldn’t pull back. Happy with my progress, I set it under the UV lamp that I bought from her. I clicked on [...]

I’ve been playing around with my bottle cap jewelry, and the question of what to put on top has perplexed me. I like Diamond Glaze, but it’s really only good for a thin layer. I wanted something more dimensional and shiny, something more glass like. I played around with using melted UTEE, but at the [...]

I got a new favorite tool in my studio – it’s the Dremel Stylus rotary tool.  I had a traditional Dremel, and used it when I had to. I found that it’s thick barrel made it difficult for me to hold and drill with accurately. The folks at Dremel seemed to have read my mind [...]

Cindy Lietz is a polymer clay artist and Craftista who has put together a series of polymer clay tutorials available by subscription. Since the PC world is smallish and fairly interconnected, she offered me the chance to view her tutorials (for free, for full disclosure) and write a review of what I saw. If you [...]

Honey, I’m home! And I’ve brought back new pieces and techniques from my workshop with Julie Picarello at her lovely home studio in El Dorado, California. I’ll get more into details soon, but I just HAD to get some photos up ASAP of the work I produced, and my co-conspirators in class…. feast your eyes, [...]

I’ve finally finished my samples for my June class…. right under the wire! I made a bunch of samples, actually, because for the first time class participants will get to decide what they are going to make. I’m offerening charms for jewelry or scrapbooking, candle embellishments, magnets, or pins. (This may not go over well. [...]

I was surfing through some Etsy Polymer Clay artists’ sites, and I ran across a jewelry maker who goes by the name of Naftali. In addition to some lovely polymer clay beads and jewelry, she also sells these EZ Bead Changer necklaces. I bought one on Monday, and I was delighted to receive it on [...]

Well, this is a story of a Mother’s Day gift thwarted- and it was for me! My dear hubby knew that I secretly longed to go on a polymer clay cruise featuring Donna Kato and Carol Blackburn in the fall. And the sweet man decided to book it for me for my Mother’s Day gift. [...]

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately with liquid polymer clay, this time playing with stained glass effects. In my previous tests of liquid clay, I checked to see which brand cured the clearest. Consequently I determined Kato Liquid Medium was really the best product for this set of samples. I really lucked out [...]

This is phase two of comparing the three major brands of liquid polymer clays: Fimo Deco Gel, Kato Liquid Polyclay, and Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS).  Phase one consisted of checking out viscosity, odor, and results after one layer was applied and baked in the oven. Since I’m interested in building up multiple layers for dimension, [...]

Recently I’ve heard alot about the three main polymer clays – Kato Liquid PolyClay, Translucent Liquid Sculpey (TLS), and Fimo Deko Gel. What are the pros and cons of each one? Well, in true Craft Test Dummies fashion, I decided to do a little comparison and check them out. I did look and find one [...]

Ever since I was introduced to polymer clay, it’s been labeled as “non-toxic” and that’s been a major selling point for me. You can cure it in your home oven with no ill effects, your kids can use it, it’s appropriate for institutional use, it’s safe. But is it? Recently on one of my PC [...]

This is the third extruder I’ve tried, and by gum, we’ve found a winner! My hands are not so strong and they tire easily. I’ve used both the Kemper clay gun, and a version of Makin’s that is a push extruder. Both are lost causes for me… by the time I get 2 inches of [...]