Craft Test Dummies

Resin has always been on my list of intimidating crafts. I’m also incredibly lazy. Mix two bottles together? I ain’t got time for that! So I’ve avoided the stuff, even though I love the way resin jewelry looks. But I had a great first experience with Envirotex Jewelry Resin, and I’m no longer afraid (Cue [...]

Mod Podge One-Step Crackle Medium I am so excited to be giving you my very first review here on CTD and I’m elated to be a part of this amazing team. Hi everyone, Erika Taylor here today with a review of the Mod Podge one-Step Crackle Medium. Being a medium junkie, when I received this [...]

I was lucky enough to get to try out the glass paint markers from DecoArt.  I have wanted to play with these for some time.  I dove right into the product I received.  I tested seven different colors. The DecoArt website has the following to say about the markers: DecoArt glass paint markers are designed [...]

Even though it’s technically designed with diapers in mind, and I definitely don’t have any rugrats of my own running around, I couldn’t wait to review the Babyville Boutiqueâ„¢ line from Prym Consumer USA! I may not be a mom, but the promise of breathable, waterproof fabric still sets my heart all aflutter, and polka [...]

When I received a sample of the LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel Yarn from Lion Brand Yarn, I immediately fell in love with the packaging and presentation. Plus, with such an odd name, I couldn’t wait to try it out and see what it could do (and how it would treat my hands). After testing [...]

When I first saw the Leese Design Neo Stitch Cross-Stitch iPhone Case, I was absolutely giddy with excitement. The idea of being able to cross-stitch a custom case for my phone was almost too much for my little embroidery-loving heart. But, before I got too excited, I knew that I would need to create a [...]

When Jenny handed me these Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers at CHA, I knew that I’d be reviewing them during National Sewing Month, but I had no idea how great the timing would be! As it turns out, a few weeks later, my husband was nominated for an Emmy, and I suddenly found myself making my [...]

I had never used a serger (overlock machine) before I got my Brother 1034D, but I knew that I needed one if I wanted to sew knits and stretch fabrics (among a million other things) well. So, after being deterred for months by stories of fashion students taking leave of their senses at the mere [...]

I’ve been using my Brother CS-6000i regularly for about a year and a half, after my fabulous mother gave it to me as a birthday gift to replace the ancient avocado green Sears Kenmore that she inherited from my godmother, and I inherited from her. (Nobody freak out—I kept the old machine too!) Overall, I’ve [...]

When I was first given the opportunity to review the Martha Stewart Crafts Embroidery Kits, I was a bit nervous. While I’m certainly not an expert stitcher, I’m not new to embroidery, so I wasn’t sure that I would be able to objectively judge the quality of the directions and the ease of use of [...]

A while ago I posted a great recycled soda can craft using the Nestabilities Dies made by Spellbinder- and then I realized that I’d never really reviewed them! If you follow CTD with any sort of regularity, you see these dies popping up all OVER my crafts. (I’ll have a list at the end for you, [...]

This post originally was written for and was posted on CraftCritique.com. I have a love/hate relationship with craft blades. Every crafter needs one- or a few- but sometimes they are tricky to work with. Either they are uncomfortable to hold, or it’s difficult to change the blade without nicking yourself, or they are just unwieldy [...]

I use Mod Podge for a lot of my projects. A LOT. But there are some projects that need that extra “pop” of a raised glaze, or to fill a bezel. Enter Mod Podge Dimensional Magic by Plaid. Now, back in the day, I was addicted to a glaze product by Plaid called Royal  Coat [...]

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’ve got a crafty household, and my kids like crafting, too- especially my 5-year-old daughter, who put Bendaroos at the top of her Christmas list. I wasn’t so sure this would be a successful  product for a pre-Kindergartner, but as it turns out, the are AWESOME. Let’s discuss, shall we? Despite my hesitancy, we got [...]

  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 [...]

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 [...]

I love photo crafts, so I when Tilano Decorative Products offered to send me a kit to try, I said, “Yes, yes, YES!”  I had seen these online, but not in retail stores, and I was itching for a closer look. Opening the box, I found a rather daunting array of supplies. Mud? Check. Crackle [...]

Jenny Barnett Rohrs reviews Shimmerz watercolor paints for CraftCritique.com and shares her opinions and projects.

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 [...]

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, [...]

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 [...]

Yesterday I test-drove the new 5-in-1 tool in the Donna Dewberry Line of Studio by Sculpey. I tried to like it. Really. But it fell short of my expectations in a number of ways. The idea was brilliant: a stylus type tool with interchangeable tips to make clay work more efficient. The set includes a [...]

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 [...]

I’m continuing to explore the Studio by Sculpey clay and tool lines, and today I’m giving you the poop on the new Super Slicer blades.The retail price of the package was $14.99 (available at JoAnn’s ETC stores, and online) and includes 4 blades: a stiff, shorter blade, a long, flexible tissue blade, a scallop blade, [...]