Heya! It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted…because, well, let’s be honest- I was starting to feel like there wasn’t anyone reading. I post videos on YouTube and see immediate responses- comments, likes, and views. With the blog, it’s slowed waaaaaaay down. I mean, who has time to read blogs anymore? Well, at least a few of you….. because I got a couple of emails wondering if I was okay, or if we’ve moved again (god forbid!)…. so I decided […]
Digitizing Your Die Cuts with Cricut Design Space!
Have you ever looked at one of your manual dies and thought- “DANG! I wish it was bigger!” or “I wish I could use this thin-ruled die to cut out thick materials!” The truth is, sometimes manual dies (thin-ruled and steel-ruled) have limitations. But if you have a digital die-cutting machine like the Cricut Maker, you can work around this by digitizing your manual dies- and then you can really get your money’s worth out of them. T Disclaimer: This […]
Kit XChange Organization System
Kit XChange Organization System One of the issues that plagues any crafter- beaders, sewists, scrapbookers, and mixed media artists alike…is…STUFF. We accumulate a lot of beads, charms, embellishments, buttons, stickers, brads and more. For many of us, the key to using our amazing supplies is seeing them… so being able to take in our inventory at a glance is essential. I recently was offered a new line of craft organization tools from Kit XChange, so I gave them a go […]
NEW New Jersey Studio- Volume One!
Well, it’s hard to imagine that as of today we have been in New Jersey only six weeks. In some ways, it feels a lot longer. I’m now in the home stretch of organizing and I wanted to give y’all an update! The funny thing is… I realized I never even gave you the FIRST glances at the craft room! I had done quite a few Periscopes on the craft room– from the first look, to the painted version, to […]
How to Clean And Restore Acrylic Stamping Blocks
As a stamper, I use my clear acrylic blocks almost daily. And I try to wipe them down and keep them clear- but then something weird happens over time. They get cloudy! I wonder why that is? I’m sure there is some chemical explanation. But the cloudiness isn’t just on the surface- it’s actually INSIDE the acrylic block. I use these blocks as palettes and polymer clay- but lately I’ve been running out of blocks that I can use for […]
NYC Studio Update (Sept. 2016)
So I’ve been here in NYC for a whole EIGHT WEEKS now…time is flying…and my studio, while small, is finally organized. Do you have a small space? Or struggle with craft room organization? I know I did. Actually, it’s an ongoing process. So while this works for me now, that may change in six months when I’ve been here a while. (By the way, if you want to see how it first started out- and what I left behind- check out […]
Fabric Storage with Polar Notions
If you’ve been following along on Instagram or Periscope, you know that I’m working to reorganize the studio once again. (Does it ever end?) I’m getting my fabric stash wrangled with Polar Notions Fabric Organizers. These are simply pieces of stiff plastic with a little notch. You fold your fabric from selvedge to selvedge, and fold again. You can fit a whole bolt on the large size, and up to a yard on the smaller ones. Here’s a little video […]
My Favorite Crafty Things: Creative Options Project Boxes!
It’s been a while since I did a “My Favorite Things” post…and this one is long overdue. I’m in love with BOXES. As you can imagine, I have a TON of crafty stuff. And it’s almost a full-time job trying to keep it all organized! You know what happens when you don’t? It takes you forever to FIND what you want to craft with, and by the time you DO, you are out of time. (And patience!) So I’ve […]
Tips for Cutting Jewel “Bling” Sheets in Silhoutte & Cricut Die Cutters
So say you’ve bought some of the gorgeous Jewel Sheets from Buckle Boutique or DCWV…and now you want to cut them out using your digital die cutting machines. But how do you prep them for the Cricut? What is the proper setting for the Silhouette? Well today Sara has all the answers for us! First, we have a video on how to cut the bling sheets with the Silhouette Brand cutters. Here are Sara’s top takeaways: Place sheet upside down […]
Markers 101: Water Color Markers v Alcohol Based Markers
Got Marker Problems? One of my viewers did. So here’s some basic differences between water-based and alcohol-based markers. Today we are going to go over the markers and what you can expect from each type. Recently I had a YouTube subscriber leave me the following comment on the CraftTestDummies channel: Genesis Not Exodus: This was helpful thank you! Although, when I do multiple layers of colors, the paper starts scraping away and I am not pressing hard. Do I have […]
Three Push Clay Extruder Hacks (& use a caulk gun!)
Quite a while ago (and back when I was claying regularly) I wrote a love letter to the Makin’s Clay Extruder. I had been trying to use the Sculpey push-extruder and it was KILLING my hands. I switched over to the screw type and never looked back. But for those of you who have the push-extruder type (Sculpey or otherwise) here’s a great hack from Cindy Lietz on her YouTube Channel. So while I still love and endorse my Makin’s Clay […]
Using The PixScan Mat with the Silhouette Studio Software- LIVE DEMO
Last week I gave you an overview of the PixSxan Mat, showing you how it scanned & cut out shapes. Today I have a LIVE demo for you, via screen capture. This 8-minute demo is for folks who might want start scanning, but who may be intimidated- but I’ll walk you through it! In this video, I walk you through how to import your file, which icons to use, how to trace, and even adding an offset (border) around a stamped […]
Craft Room Confessional: How I Organize My Stickers and Rhinestones
I love “bling”- and it seems that adhesive stickers and rhinestones are a staple in many crafters’ stashes. But how do you keep them organized? Here is my solution! I made you a quick 3 minute video: Here are some of the supplies I used: these are affiliate links and if you make a purchase I will make a few pennies that help support free content here on CTD. Thank you! Amazon.com Widgets
Craft Room Confessional, Ep 10; Storing Sprays, Inks & Daubers
Lord knows I love my craft products- and I have an extra SPECIAL place in my heart for all of the wonderful shimmery colors. I have quite a collection of Distress Stains, Adirondack Inks, Distress Paints, Radiant Rains, and more. But lately I’ve been hitting the wall of frustration because A) I can’t always find what I’m looking for right away, and B) some of my products have even dried up and gone “bad” because I haven’t used them in […]
Craft Room Confessional: Die Storage
I absolutely LOVE manual die-cutting. For me, it’s easier than firing up a program and setting up a digital machine. But my theory is if you don’t see your dies, you won’t use them. Take a peek and see how I store my thin-rule dies so I use them all the time! Here’s another look at those doors: I’d love to hear how you store your dies. Leave me a comment and a link if you’ve got […]
