• About
  • Press
  • Advertise

Craft Test Dummies

The Crafting Blog for Crafters, By Crafters

  • Craft News
    • CHA Coverage
    • Crafting for a Cause
    • Giveaways
    • CTD on TV
    • Quilt Market
  • Craft Product Reviews
    • Apps & Sites
    • Art Supplies/Mixed Media
    • Beads/Jewelry Products
    • Books, Magazines, Events
    • Comparisons
    • Crafty Tools
    • Fabric, Needle, & Quilting Arts
    • Food Crafts
    • Paints, Inks & Dyes
    • Paper Crafts
    • Polymer Clay & Tools
  • Craft Storage and Tips
  • Crafty People & Places
    • Crafty Field Trips
  • Kids Stuff
    • Hands On Crafts For Kids-TV show
  • Winter/Christmas
  • Home Decor
  • Food Crafting/ Party Crafts
  • Valentine’s /Sweetest Day
  • Spring/Easter
  • Wedding & Shower Crafts
  • Father’s Day Crafts
  • Baby & Shower Crafts
  • Mother’s Day Crafts
  • Patriotic crafts
  • Summer Crafts
  • Fall Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
  • Jenny Sez
    • Sponsored Posts
  • Periscope Superfans Page

Fall Deck Cleanup with Thompson’s WaterSeal

September 7, 2015

This post is sponsored by Thompson’s WaterSeal- but all images and opinions are my own.   It’s hard to believe that summer is winding down. For my family, Labor Day weekend is the time to start our fall-clean up in preparation for winter. Luckily, here in Ohio we have a lot of lovely fall days, and we can enjoy our deck into November. However, summer is not very kind to the fabric goods on our deck. The sun has bleached […]

Posted in Sponsored Posts | Leave a Comment

Coloring Books are NOT Art Therapy

August 18, 2015

Earlier this week I had a twitter exchange with a British Paper-crafting magazine company that sent out a tweet that said something like, “Colouring is so great! It’s Art Therapy and will help you de-stress.” (Or some such thing, I didn’t keep it.) Anyway, this got me stewing. Because Art Therapy is NOT coloring. It may be a technique USED by Art Therapists in a practice, but Art Therapy is a recognized profession. From the American Art Therapy Association: It’s […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 10 Comments

Backyard Makeover with Thompson’s WaterSeal

August 8, 2015

This post is sponsored by Thompson’s WaterSeal- but all images and opinions are my own.  It’s summer, and here in Ohio that means taking advantage of the lovely weather. It doesn’t last that long, so that means a lot of weeding, gardening, and then just sitting out and enjoying the lovely results. Earlier this summer we started work on our kitchen remodel- so we were neglecting our outdoor spaces. I have a little corner of the back garden that has […]

Posted in Home & Garden DIY, Sponsored Posts | 2 Comments

Picnic Basket Makeover with Krylon

August 5, 2015

We are in full-on summertime mode here, with hikes, road trips and picnics! I got our “new” picnic basket at a yard sale for $10- it’s clean, sturdy and BIG! But it was also pretty plain. So I gave it a makeover using Krylon spraypaint! Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Krylon brand but all opinions are my own.  For this Krylon challenge, our color of the month was “Honeydew.” We were asked to pick some accent colors, too. And […]

Posted in Recycled & Green, Sponsored Posts, Summer Crafts | 1 Comment

Overview and Demo of the Photo Sleeve Fuse by We R Memory Keepers

June 28, 2015

One of the coolest tools at CHA 2015 was the new Photo Sleeve Fuse tool. Used to cut and fuse plastic sheets and scrapbooking page protectors, this heat tool creates opportunities to make custom pockets for scrapbooking, waterfall cards and pages, and even attach embellishments. I am pleased to team up with WRMK today to share with you this overview and let you know that there is a special bundle coming soon to HSN!  Disclosure: Samples provided for review purposes; however my opinions are […]

Posted in HSN Updates, Sponsored Posts | 6 Comments

Hostess Tray Fit for a Queen (Or a Princess Charlotte!)

June 1, 2015

I had this old hostess tray sitting around, and it really needed….something. It was plain and cheap, and faded into the background. I decided it needed some “oomph” and that when I used it, my guests should feel like a royalty! (Or maybe even me, on Mother’s Day?)  So I set to work. Here’s a sneak peek! (Disclosure: this is a sponsored tutorial designed my little ol’ me on behalf of Krylon. They supplied the paint and compensation. Thanks, Krylon!)    […]

Posted in Craft Projects, Home Decor, Mother's Day Crafts, Recycled & Green, Sponsored Posts | 3 Comments

New “We Made It” Craft Line by Jennifer Garner for JoAnn Fabric And Crafts

May 19, 2015

Today I ran across a little tidbit on JoAnn Fabric And Crafts’ Facebook page: they are partnering with actress Jennifer Garner on a line of kid’s crafting kids, called “We Made It.” Here’s how it’s described on the website: Jennifer Garner presents a new line of creative kits and projects for kids ages 4 to 11… coming exclusively to Jo-Ann this June. We Made It by Jennifer Garner is more than 100 durable, high quality choices designed to last as […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

Overview of the PixScan Mat from Silhouette (Paper)

May 7, 2015

Last fall I attended Quilt Market in Houston, and Silhouette was really making a splash with the new PixScan Mat. They gave me one to try, so I here are my first impressions! Disclosure: This is an unsponsored review. Product was provided for review. All opinions are honest and my own and based on my personal, first-hand experience with the product. Links below may include affiliate links and purchases made using them support CTD. Here’s the description from the Silhouette website:  […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

Craft Field Trip in Melbourne and CRAFT HAUL!

April 6, 2015

I really had SUCH an amazing time in Melbourne Australia…. and part of the reason why is that there were so many artistic and crafty places there. Graffiti Alley, great architecture… and CRAFT STORES!   I made you this video- it’s almost 10 minutes long, so fair warning- but it includes photos of my trip and a video of my craft haul at the very end. I hope you enjoy it! I hope you enjoyed this crafty field trip around […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 8 Comments

Glue Resist Wall Art Featuring Faber-Castel Gel Crayons

April 2, 2015

Here’s a fun project that you can do with your kids or even for yourself! Make some wall art that speaks to you! You’ll need: canvas paper (it comes in pads and is very economical) or a stretched canvas if you prefer Gesso (read my primer on gesso if you are not sure what that is or why you should use it pencil white glue or gel-style glue. I found that the glitter glue from Elmer’s worked best. (affiliate link) Faber Castell […]

Posted in Kids Stuff, Paper Crafts, Sponsored Posts | 3 Comments

Review: Faber-Castell Gel Crayons

March 31, 2015

Faber-Castel Gel Crayons

What do you get when you cross a twist-up crayon and watercolor paints? A GEL CRAYON from Faber-Castell! These “crayons” are very soft and creamy- like a lipstick- and they are water-soluable, too. So it’s a two-fer. Here’s how they are described on the website: Budding artists ages 3+ love to experiment by drawing on different surfaces. Gel crayons are a great way of drawing on large surfaces, with their soft stroke and bright colors. Super soft and buttery Gel […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 15 Comments

DIY Travel Accessories Tutorial

March 30, 2015

Thanks again to Fairfield World for sponsoring content on CTD. Please visit their site for more product information and free projects!  As I was preparing my post about Poly Pellets and Micro Beads for Fairfield World, I got inspired to get out my machine and make a few things. I had a pair of my daughter’s old leggings and knew that the knit fabric would be great to recycle – so I created a travel neck pillow AND a stress/sleeping […]

Posted in Fabric Crafts, Recycled & Green, Sponsored Posts | Leave a Comment

Stuff It! Micro Beads or Poly-Pellets?

March 26, 2015

Howdy Crafty Friends! Today I’m here with a little “the more you know” moment courtesy of Fairfield World. We’ve teamed up to help you pick the best stuffing for your project, as well as to introduce you to two of their products- Poly-Fil Micro Beads and Poly-Pellets Stuffing Beads. So let’s just dive right in! First, let’s take a look at….well, how they LOOK. Micro Beads are white, super teeny, and a little squishy. Pellets are twice as large, clear, […]

Posted in Sponsored Posts | Leave a Comment

CHA 2015 – Tim Holtz Idea-ology Booth Tour

March 18, 2015

Every CHA I cannot wait to go and visit the Tim Holtz idea-ology booth; It reminds me of visiting my great-grandmother’s house when I was little with vintage goodies hiding in every nook and cranny.  She had one of those big, bronze cash register with the giant buttons, hundreds of spools of thread lined up in rainbow formation and large room partitions that had postcards, stickers, and other memorabilia from her extensive travels.  What Tim and his creative team of […]

Posted in Craft News, Jenny Sez | 3 Comments

Mod Podge Mod Melter by Plaid

March 9, 2015

Disclosure: sample provided for review, but all opinions are my own and based on my first-hand experience with the product. Back at the CHA show in January 2015, the Plaid booth was all abuzz with Cathie and Steve and their new tool for the Mod Podge line, the Mod Melter. The Mod Melter dovetails with their other products, specifically the Mod Melts and Mod Molds– which we’ve reviewed on here already. So let’s dive in! From Plaid: The Mod Melter […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

My Favorite Crafty Things: Brad Setter and Piercing Tool

February 27, 2015

The other day when I published my video on Start-To-Finish Watercolor Cards, I got a comment about the tool I was using for the Inlaid Die-Cutting Technique. I realized that once again I’d reached for one of my favorite crafty tools: the We R Memory Keepers Brad Setter and Piercing Tool. . I reviewed this tool AGES ago…but it’s still on my worktable and I think I use it almost every day! I made you this little video to show you […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 1 Comment

Overview of Oly-Fun

February 26, 2015

Disclosure: Oly-Fun sponsored this video, but all opinions or my own and based on my first-hand experience with the product.  I’m so excited to bring you today’s post- I’m going to show you what I learned about Oly-Fun! Ever heard of it? From the Oly-Fun website: “The everything material” This is one of the easiest, most versatile materials you will ever find. You can sew it, glue it, staple it, pin it or tie it. You can write on it, […]

Posted in NeedleCraft, Sponsored Posts | 12 Comments

Just for Fun: Craft Haul!

January 28, 2015

The other day my crafty BFF Vicki O’Dell and I met for lunch and retail therapy. Here’s the video of my craft haul- all those goodies for under $50! I got all of these goodies for under $50! What should I play with first?

Posted in Jenny Sez | 2 Comments

#OLW (One Little Word) for 2015 & Round-Up

January 6, 2015

I’m not a big resolution-maker; as a former music therapist, I’ve been trained to make short term or long term goals with measurable and observable data. But I do like the idea of taking stock and re-evaluating my life’s mission statement. And on our long drive to NYC last week, I had a lot of time to think. I’m always rushing from one task to another, from one event to another, and sometimes it feels like it’s all just washing […]

Posted in Jenny Sez | 5 Comments

Top Ten Posts on CraftTestDummies 2014

December 29, 2014

I love to take a look at the end of the year and see what has been resonating with you, my readers. For this review, we will look at the top posts on CraftTestDummies and break it down by pageviews. Here are we go! In order: #1: Comparison of Stamp Pads on Fabric (31.5K views!) It just goes to show that good information doesn’t die. This post was written in 2011 (and lucky for us, all of these brands are […]

Posted in Jenny Sez, Quilt Market | 4 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 10
  • Next Page »
ctd-headshot-round

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.

ctd-fb ctd-pin ctd-twitter cts-insta ctd-youtube ctd-g ctd-email

Search

ctd-subscribe
Want weekly craft projects delivered straight to your inbox?

YouTube

Disclosure

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.

jenny-headshot-square

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.

ctd-fb-30  ctd-pin-30  ctd-twitter-30  cts-insta-30  ctd-youtube-30  ctd-g-30  ctd-email-30  ctd-rss-30

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.)
clever-network  linqia  viglink

All content copyright © 2015 Craft Test Dummies | Privacy Policy | Disclosures | Site design by XO Sarah

MENU
  • Craft News
    • CHA Coverage
    • Crafting for a Cause
    • Giveaways
    • CTD on TV
    • Quilt Market
  • Craft Product Reviews
    • Apps & Sites
    • Art Supplies/Mixed Media
    • Beads/Jewelry Products
    • Books, Magazines, Events
    • Comparisons
    • Crafty Tools
    • Fabric, Needle, & Quilting Arts
    • Food Crafts
    • Paints, Inks & Dyes
    • Paper Crafts
    • Polymer Clay & Tools
  • Craft Storage and Tips
  • Crafty People & Places
    • Crafty Field Trips
  • Kids Stuff
    • Hands On Crafts For Kids-TV show
  • Winter/Christmas
  • Home Decor
  • Food Crafting/ Party Crafts
  • Valentine’s /Sweetest Day
  • Spring/Easter
  • Wedding & Shower Crafts
  • Father’s Day Crafts
  • Baby & Shower Crafts
  • Mother’s Day Crafts
  • Patriotic crafts
  • Summer Crafts
  • Fall Crafts
    • Halloween Crafts
  • Jenny Sez
    • Sponsored Posts
  • Periscope Superfans Page