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The Crafting Blog for Crafters, By Crafters

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Unboxing, Set-Up and First Projects with Cricut Explore Air 2!

December 13, 2016

Disclosure: I received the Cricut Explore Air 2 in exchange for my honest review. My opinion is based on my first-hand experience. Some links below may be affiliate links.   A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I owned a Cricut Expression and LOVED it. I even demonstrated them for the company! They were cartridge-based and SO easy to use if you didn’t really want to use your computer. But as time evolved, the Cricut machines became […]

Posted in Crafty Tools | 3 Comments

Simon Says Stamp April 2015 Card Kit & Inspiration

April 17, 2015

Hey Crafty Friends! I’m finally back from an early spring’s worth of travel,  and now I’m really enjoying getting back into the swing of things in the studio. First, I’m cracking open the Simon Says Stamp Card Kit for April 2015 and getting my creative juices flowing! This kit challenged me a bit- while I loved the stamp set, the bright neon colors (to me) didn’t gel well with the kraft and gold-foiled accent papers. So take a look at […]

Posted in Paper Crafts | 3 Comments

CHA Show 2014 Product Update: Gelatos Double Scoops!

February 10, 2014

Remember how I shared some of the new/and or improved products of CHA show? Well, this is the first one I’ve gotten in my hot little hands- Gelatos Double Scoops! Look at ALL THE YUMMY COLORS. Yes, even the metallics have been “super sized.” Compared to the original version (bottom one) you can see that it’s about twice the size. And you get a LOT more product in the tube. So of course I had to play with them! (By […]

Posted in Craft News, Paints, Inks & Dyes, Paper Crafts | 4 Comments

Jenny’s Picks from #CHAshow: Spellbinders Tool-in-One

January 23, 2014

As I mentioned earlier, I often have folks ask me what my CHA show favorites are. Sometimes it’s a wowzer new machine like the Brother Scan-N-Cut, but sometimes its a simple thing that makes life easier. Enter the new Spellbinder Tool-In-One. This cute little gizmo features a rolling brush and a little tool kit to help you separate your detail thin-rule dies from your paper without tearing. It will also eject the little paper bits from your dies easily. And […]

Posted in CHA Coverage, Craft News, Paper Crafts | 11 Comments

CHA 2014: Three Top Trends in Paper Crafting

January 21, 2014

I’ve been up and down the oodles of aisles at CHA hunting for the latest and greatest products and it’s been no easy feat! It can be overwhelming to search out the best of the best, but I’ve narrowed down everything I’ve looked at into the Three Top Trends in Paper Crafting for 2014. Now here’s the thing: the top three trends I’ve found have been around for awhile; they really aren’t that new. How they’re being incorporated and used […]

Posted in CHA Coverage | 2 Comments

Book Review: Practical Origami: Folding Your Way to Everyday Accessories

April 4, 2013

practical origami, craft test dummies, craft book, book review, paper craft, paper, japanese, polly conway

It took me 33 years to make a paper crane without crying. Succeeding at origami requires both patience and precision, two skills that are not my forte. It also requires clear instruction, something that can be rare in the origami world. Ever try to use one of the patterns on the paper package? Inscrutable! Frustrating. Rage-inducing. However, Practical Origami: Folding Your Way to Everyday Accessories, is an excellent instructional book with fun, doable projects. The tagline for Practical Origami: Tuck, […]

Posted in Books, Magazines, Events, Craft Product Reviews, Paper Crafts | 3 Comments

Introduction to Embossing Paste and Gels for Stencilling

January 5, 2013

Ever wonder just what Dreamweaver embossing paste is for? Ever hope that there were different  products to use with the same result? Ever want to see a demo in real time and get some good tips? Well, this is the post for you! I have created this 10-minute mini masterclass to get you started!   Since this is the kind of content that really benefits from a video explanation, watch the one below. Any questions? Leave them below! And to […]

Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Paper Crafts | 12 Comments

SCACD Blog Hop: New Susana Loves Stamps Release

June 29, 2012

Today I’m participating in a blog hop for one of our CTD sponsors, Susana’s Custom Art and Card Design- SCACD. Here’s a little intro from her, before I show you the stamp I got and the project I made! Today SCACD releases fun and fresh stamps from the Susana Loves Stamps Collections!!! We start off with the Oddly Sweet Curiosities Set which harbors the cutest little Curiosities with matching sentiments. These are Fab and definitely year around fun!!! The second […]

Posted in Craft News, Craft Projects, Paper Crafts | 10 Comments

Craft Product Favorite: Lawn Fawn “Bright Side” Papers and Acrylic Stamps

March 28, 2012

When I went to CHA this last January Lawn Fawn was on my top five picks of products that caught my eye.  Lawn Fawn is a fairly new company that started in 2010 with their amazing photopolymer stamps and this year they debuted a brand new paper line, “The Bright Side,” as well as more adorable stamps and twine. The owner, Kelly Marie, as I’ve mentioned before is an absolute sweetheart. If you watch her YouTube videos, you can actually […]

Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Paper Crafts | 5 Comments

Craft Product Review: {New} Scor-Pal and Scor Mat

January 4, 2012

Scoring boards (tools designed to assist with making scored lines on paper) are fairly new on the crafting scene- it’s a specialized tool for die-hard paper crafters. Even within that group, scoring boards are primarily helpful to folks to make cards, envelopes, and boxes. But for those who do, scoring boards like the Scor-Pal are indispensable. Today I’ll be reviewing both the Scor-Pal and the Scor Mat, which are sold separately but are designed to work together. First, let’s take […]

Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Crafty Tools, Paper Crafts | 5 Comments

Cricut Imagine Goodies

August 1, 2010

So you probably saw my footage of the Cricut Imagine & video I posted of David Garibaldi, but I wanted to share with you what was actually IN our goody bag that we received as we walked out the door. You can’t imagine…. A cool tee-shirt, a full-content cartridge (I got Happy Hauntings), a pair of “Imagine” sunglasses…and…. A GOLDEN TICKET! Ok, not really. No Willy Wonka here…but it’s a certificate for a Cricut Imagine when it’s released in September. […]

Posted in CHA Coverage, Craft News | 8 Comments

Quick and Easy Gift- Altered Notepad

March 30, 2009

Jenny shares an altered notebook craft from Craft Cafe, perfect for Mothers Day.

Posted in Craft Projects, Holidays/Themes, Mother's Day Crafts, Paper Crafts | 1 Comment

Twirled Paper- Quilling Kit Book Review

February 25, 2009

I had a request for a suggestion for a quilling resource, so I thought I’d share a book that I got a few years ago for Christmas that I really enjoyed. It’s by Klutz publishing, and it’s called “Twirled Paper” by Jacqueline Lee. I’m pretty sure it’s geared for the teen market- I found it at Michael’s in the kid’s kit section- but it’s suitable for adult beginners, too. It comes with a slew of qulling paper- 1/8 inch strips […]

Posted in Craft Product Reviews, Kids Stuff, Paper Crafts | 10 Comments

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

March 17, 2008

I’m home with baby girl today, making green applesauce and hoping that the parade is going to be televised.  I do have some crafty goodness to share, though. I received two St. Patrick’s Day cards this season. One was from Katherine on my CPS group. She send out this lovely card that has an Irish Blessing inside.  (PS: that link has multiple Irish blessings, if you ever need one!) The other is from my dear Mom, who found great uses […]

Posted in Craft Projects, Holidays/Themes, Paper Crafts, Spring/Easter | Leave a Comment

Altered Art Bobbins

February 15, 2008

So, I’m still on my Random Act of Kindness crafting kick. Our dear moderator Diane reminded me that March is rapidly approaching, so I got a-thinkin’. My challenge to myself is to a) create a handmade item b) using what I’ve got in my studio c) can be duplicated a dozen or so times, and d) can be sent in an envelope requiring no extra postage! Really, quite a tall order, if you think about it. Now, I’ve made bookmarks […]

Posted in Beads/Jewelry Projects, Craft Projects, Paper Crafts, Recycled & Green | 1 Comment

Paper Butterflies

February 10, 2008

Yesterday was a busy day…. it was my dear sweet girl’s third birthday, and she wanted a “Butterfly Party.” I couldn’t find any butterfly decorations at our local stores, so I whipped up a few paper butterflies to hang on our chandelier for her party. Here’s how they turned out: First I cut out a butterfly shape from plain cardstock. Then I took decorative card stock and folded it in half (to get mirror images) and cut out some hearts, […]

Posted in Kids Stuff | Leave a Comment

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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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