Heat Tool Review and Heat Embossing how to

Hello Everyone,
First of all, thank you so much for the amazing response to my Dream cut review. All of your comments just kept making me smile...Thank you everyone..

Today is review from me, this time its again for the Itsy Bitsy store. Today I am checking out their newly launched Heat Tool.

As I have done in my Dream Cut video...I have used this tool, first time on camera. So whatever you see, is exactly what I feel.
The video looks long, but its only 15 mins long. The rest of it is a sneak peek of all the new Cardstocks that Itsy bitsy has come out with, and were kind enough to send to me for review.

To give you a brief idea, I am showing you how to get started with Heat embossing, and what kind of embossing powders to use with what kind of images. And small tips and tricks to getting colored embossed images and How to emboss on Vellum without warping or burning the Vellum.

So without further ado, lets get on to the video. 

Links to buy all the supplies shown in the video (Affiliate links used for Amazon)

Heat Tool 
Embossing Powders- Itsy Bitsy
Versamark _ The Craft Shop . Crafters Corner
Embossing Buddy (Goodbye Static Tool) - CraftersCorner , TheCraftShop
Non Stick Heat Resistant Craft Sheet - Itsy Bitsy
Black Craft Mat  -  Amazon
Vellum - Itsy Bitsy
Shilpi Parchment paper - At all your local Hobby Ideas or online at Craft universe


Links for all the Papers - All links are to Itsy Bitsy.
Handmade Paper White (12x12)
Handmade Paper White (A4)  
Handmade Paper BLACK (12x12)
Handmade Paper Black (A4)

Premium CardStock
Embossed Black Cardstock -12x12
Textured White 12x12
Textured White A4
Bright White A4
Fleece White 12x12
Fleece White A4 
Black Soot Cardstock (single sheets 12x12)

Please do keep leaving your comments..I love love reading all of them.

Thank you for stopping by..see you soon! 

Unboxing and First Impression of the Dream Cut Machine andddd a Surprise!

Sooo, Hello again

And lets get started, because it is going to be an insanely long post to read and watch!! Hehe Yes..I have got two videos lined up for you today! and some surprises in the end!

So Rashmi Harish, owner of Itsy Bitsy calls me up and asks, Have you seen our latest release? Would you like to try out one for a review.. I have to admit, I had no idea what she was talking about.
Because, during the release, I was abroad on vacation and kept off social media (well, almost did)
When I found out, she was talking about a die cut machine...I was like WHATTT?? Hell yeah! 😍 well not those words, but I was immediately on board to check out the new Dream Cut machine.

It arrived in 3 days, and they generously sent me loads of materials that the machine could cut, so I could try out everything. So I was very excited to check it out and I did an unboxing video. I show everything that comes in the machine, as well as how to assemble it.  You can also watch it on my Youtube Channel in HD here

Then I went to town experimenting and playing with it.
In the descrption box on Youtube, I have listed the time stops, if you want to just watch a particular aspect of the video..like just die cutting or just embossing etc..Do check the description box on the following video on Youtube here

ETA: I ended up cutting the acetate, felt, fabric, and canvas with my Bigz dies, and they cut flawlessly! So you can rest assured, these all these materials can be cut with the Dream Cut and the Bigz dies.

Also let me show you how Dream Cut compares in size to my current die machine, the Cuttlebug. Isn't it cute and compact? I will totally enjoy its addition to my craft room!

Now a little bit of technical specifications

Body is made up of high impact Polymer with smooth edges for easy handling.

1.       The platform & the frame is made of high quality, non – corrosive Alloy.

2.       The cog wheels ( gears ) are made of high speed steel for durability & rough use.

3.       The gear tips are smoothened to give excellent user experience.

4.       The Roller diameter is larger than many other standard machines to increase the point of contact with the cutting die which enables to get a superior cut quality.

5.       Roller mounts are designed to give a bit of cushion which helps in proper pressure distribution on the cutting die.

6.       High precision in the Casting and Assembly of this unit will last a long time compared to other machines.

7.       The cutting plates are made of moulded Acrylic which has self-healing properties compared to Acrylic sheets which are used in other machines.

8.       The Bevelled edges of the cutting plates is a great feature which puts slow pressure on the Rollers and really gives you a Dream Cut experience!

9.   Spare parts  and support from Itsy Bitsy will be made available.

Thank you Team Itsy Bitsy for this amazing machine and an opportunity to review it. I would definitely recommend it to all crafters especially Beginners who want to jump into this awesome hobby of cardmaking and scrapbooking! 

The Dream Cut is available online (remember it comes with free shipping) and can be purchased Here or visit your nearest store.

 So if you have made it this far, THANK YOU!! Now the 2nd most exciting part of the post!


My GIVEAWAY!! ( GIVE AWAY IS OVER NOW)
My Facebook page crossed 10K likes a few months ago, and I had been looking for a perfect giveaway. So this will be the first of a series of giveaways. I plan to have random, unscheduled and out of the blue giveaways in the next 6 months 😃

So If you watched the Video , you know what is up for grabs..So I will not mention it here!! (Insert Evil Grin...you have to watch the video for it! )

AND then Rashmi  (Sorry but I am pretty informal!) bowls me over with her generosity AGAIN.
 Itsy Bitsy is sponsoring this Giveaway!! I am humbled by your generosity, Thank you!💓💗

To be eligible you just need to do a few steps.

1. Leave a comment under this post letting me know if you enjoyed the review, and what next would you like me to review.
2. Like my Page, Creative Expressions on FACEBOOK. --->; Here
3. I am sure you already do, but Go hit LIKE to Itsy Bitsy Facebook page --> Here
4. Follow my account on Instagram -->; Tejal's Cards 
5. Subscribe to my Youtube Channel -->Tejal's Cards --Here
6. Go to my post on Creative Expressions Facebook Page and Tag your friends to check out the Review. Especially if they are new to Crafting or Beginners in Crafting.
7. Share this post (optional.. I hate cluttering other people's time lines)

Once you have done all the above, come back and enter your name in the Inlinkz below.
I will pick two names...on 30th JUNE 2017.

Review of DYMO 160 Label maker

Hello everyone...Another quick review for today!

I am usually not the one to spend on expensive gadgets, but when my DIY hacks fail, I end up buying them.

So in this post (Stamp Storage and Labeling), I swore, I would never  buy a label maker. And that I would use my regular printer and I could use all the fonts I can find.
 Well, I eat my words. I had a slight laziness issue with my first idea.

I had to wait till I had enough new stamps so that I could cover a full new sheet of label sticker. I could not print 2-3 labels and save the paper..I tended to waste the paper, or the printer would not accept smaller paper. If I wasn't lazy enough, I could have made it work..but sadly I am lazy.

So I went to search for label makers. Asked a hundred questions around the forums and finally narrowed onto something that would not make me regret, if it did not work.

So say hello to my new Label Maker DYMO 160. I got it from Amazon.in. Funny story...The local store here carries this same product for Rs.3800 and I was able to score this for Rs.1700 on Amazon.
Keep a watch on the prices, they fluctuate once in a while.
( I got from the vendor called "Amazingly Fab")

NMP - Source Google Search

Its small, fits into the palm of my hand.

Of course this is not as awesome the Brother P200 that Jennifer uses, but this will have to do for now.

There are a few pros and cons...but then not everything can be awesome right?? Then you have to pay the price for it too..I rather buy a few more stamp sets with the money I saved here..

Lets start with the negatives first..

• Only one font.
• It uses 6 AAA batteries. Which is a lot..if it was AA, could have been a bit cheaper.
• Finding the cliparts and symbols, is a little tedious, but not impossible.
• I wish there was a way to save the tape when printing, it puts a lot of white space in the 
• front and back to the label..which is where I feel it wastes the tape.  
• No instruction manual is provided. But it is easy to use right out of the box without a manual. You can download one from the website .

Now the Positives according to me

• Prints two lines with the 12mm tape and 3/8th inch tape. (Score!!)
• Same machine can accept 3 widths of tape.. 1/4th, 3/8th and 1/2 inch.
• Has fonts from 8 point to 24 point.
• Lots of symbols and cliparts are built in
• The tape has split backing, so easier to remove.
• Feather touch buttons
• QWERTY keypad..makes it so much faster to type.
• Refills tapes come in packs of 5, which costs about 350 per refill. {About 1750 for a pack of 5 & has 7m (about 23 feet)} of tape per new refill, the box comes with 3m of trial tape)
• You can Underline, go italics, print Bold or print in boxes.

Basic but suffices for my use for now.

Since I am just starting to use it, I will update in a few days how it performs to my expectations.

And here is quick view of how it prints.

This works for me for now...so now, lets get labeling! :)

Hope this post is of some help to you...
Do not forget to check out my Stamp Storage post here


( affiliate link are used..in plain English it means, that every time you buy something using my link, I get a tiny bit of money..at no extra cost to you. And it helps me to continue finding such crazy stuff for you)

The best stamp Cleaner

Edited to Add

Now this post has a video too...
Do check out the video ... and while in there, you may get a sneak peek of something else coming in the next few days too..

 Or you can head over to my channel and watch it in HD.. here 
Links to find the cloth AMAZON

( affiliate link used..in plain English it means, that every time you buy something using my link, I get a tiny bit of money..at no extra cost to you. And it helps me to continue finding such crazy local stuff for you)

 
My older post
I had been meaning to share this hack/tip/product a long while ago, and never go around to it.
So finally I decided I should. Since I have now been using this for over 3 months.

I think most of us use either an old rag, an old T-shirt, wet wipes, baby wipes, scrubber, and what not to clean your stamps after inking. This one thing will make you throw away everything.

Of course you will still need your stamp conditioner, like Cleans it All or Hero Arts Ultra clean for cleaning off traces of Archival inks, or stazon but other than that dump everything.

I used to use a water spray mister and an old T-shirt and wet wipes before I found this. Tshirt used to leave stray fibres and wet wipes dry by the time I finish a project... and then another wet wipe.

So what is it? Its a faux chamois cloth that is usually used to clean cars and is super super absorbent.

When you order, you will get a long roll stuffed in a plastic bottle. Almost the size of a baby towel.

It is packed slightly damp. Don't panic.  That's how its supposed to be kept. Cut it up into a tissue size or a small handkerchief size.
Find an old plastic box, any small box with a lid. And dump in it. That's it. That one small piece of faux chamois will last for almost 3-5 months depending how heavy you stamp. I used my Faux Chamois cloth for all my swatch samples. And I still use it. Its black, its dirty and it still cleans like a dream.

Why the box?
You need to keep the cloth moist for it to clean. If it becomes dry, it becomes like a stiff cardboard. Plus if you wipe and keep on your desk, the moist cloth may dampen your papers. So clean your stamps and dump it back into the box.

How to clean?
I simply wash with plain water and let it air dry. Once dry, it re-dampen it and put it back into the box. Where it will stay damp for almost a week.
Some times you may get a funny smell. If so, just let it air dry and the smell will go away.
You can even machine wash it if you want, but not necessary.

What Else??
Do you know when you use wet glue and it seeps out? And if you wipe with your hands, you get a long streak that well, shines once it dries? I hate that. So I tried once to clean with this cloth, and what do you know. The glue came off and there was no damn shiny streak left on the paper. Super happy me.

Anything more I want to add??
Oh yes, It cleans glitter off you table like magic. But getting the glitter off your cloth, well that's another story!!! (Bwahaha!!) 

So if I have convinced you to try this, jump right here and buy it. It's available in large and a small size. Check the size before you buy.
I got the large (66 X 43 X 0.2 cm) and it will last me a year for sure.
The small one is (43 x 32 x 0.2) Don't buy anything smaller than that size.

It does come in funky colors. On Amazon I see only yellow, but luckily I got a green one.

Run and get one...this is almost the same as the Absorber that the crafters in the US are using.

White Cardstock Comparision

Hello Everyone and Welcome to a long long post today!

Well, a few weeks ago Neha Gala (A-one craft) asked me if I could review some  white cardstock she had..and well that set the ball rolling. I already had a review of  Neenah white cardstock pending ( so Sorry for the delay Priya!)... so I combined all the white cardstock that I own.

Note- I am not including any watercolor paper in this review because, well those are completely different papers. And I am not trying any coloring with water because none of these papers are meant to hold water. They will all curl, wilt and lose shape if I use water with them.

So the papers I have with me are

 Neenah Solar White 230-250 gsm (not sure)
Brustro Sketching papers 200 gsm
Iris 170 gsm
Iris 270 gsm
Ivory Smooth 300 gsm


I will talk about individual papers at the end of the post. 

So whatever techniques I've tried, I've tried equally with all the papers. I have used the supplies which every beginner could have. I did not try Copics, Bic-it Markers, Prisma Pencils because not everyone has them. If you want I can do a separate comparison later on.

1. Distress Ink Blending

So far I used to use Brustro Papers for creating my inked backgrounds. But couple of people told me to try Iris paper for ink blending. So finally I gave it a go...And what amazing results. You can see for yourself.

The Iris paper 170 gsm was a little hard to hold down while blending, but 270 was just perfect. Out of the other 3, I think Neenah blended better than even Brustro.  Ivory was just okay.

So for ink blending, I will whole heartedly recommend to go for Iris Paper or Neenah Solar White.
One thing to remember though, Iris paper being a coated paper, will not absorb ink. So it takes a long while to dry. I suggest over night drying time, And it will go one shade lighter as it dries.

So if you want a dark background, go one shade darker than you want because overnight as the ink dries, it will go one shade lighter. As you can see the color difference between Brustro and Iris papers. Same colors, Same ink foams.

2. Stamping And Coloring.

Being a stamper, this was my foremost requirement. The Paper had to stamp well. So I tool 4 kinds of inks and went to town stamping with them. And here are the results.

I used Versafine Onyx black, Memento Black, Memento Ladybug red and Distress ink Abandoned Coral.

The top red ink is Lady Bug Memento and bottom is Distress ink. As you can see, most of the places it smeared and gave splotchy images. Distress ink is anyways not meant for stamping, You will always get a splotchy effect, unless you want that kind of a result or are trying a technique, avoid stamping with Distress ink.

The stack of books was with Tuxedo black. On the Iris paper, you have to be careful while stamping  else the image shifts while stamping. (see last paper) Since its a slick surface.
(Click to see image in detail)

Rest all inks stamp exceedingly well on every paper. Neenah Solar White had more crispness to it than others.

This is with Versafine Onyx Black on all the papers.  (Click to see image in detail)

Versafine did not dry quickly on Iris papers. Since its a coated paper, even after 24 hours, I could not get it to dry on Iris papers. I did not use a heat gun or heat emboss it. You can see the shine on the image below. This is after half an hour of stamping.

Coloring
I have used my favorite medium to color here... the Faber Castell Bi-Pencils. And I love blending with my blending tool and Odorless thinner. If you want to know how to use it, I do have a video showing how exactly I use these. These are fabulous colors and work exactly like Prisma Pencils. And easily available in every stationary store! :D Click here for the video

Neenah was the best in giving me an effortless blending. Followed by Brustro. But Ivory was a little tough to blend..but not impossible. It just took a little more time.
But But But, Iris didn't so well. Being a coated paper, the ink sat on top of the paper, and when I blended with the solvent, the ink itself smeared.
So Iris Paper + Versafine ink + Odorless thinner = smeared image.

However, if you stamp with Memento Tuxedo black on Iris paper and let it dry for a while and then used the same method to color it. No smearing!! So you can try that if you wish.

3. Flower Shaping

     Lastly I decided to see if I could die cut these papers and shape them into flowers. Die cutting is easy on every paper. Ivory takes a bit of extra pressure since its thick, but cut out well anyways. But when it came to shaping, it just fell apart. That's why you only see four samples below.

Aren't they just gorgeous???  Even in creating these flowers, I found Neenah and Brustro to be the best. Iris shaped well, but it wouldn't take on the darker shade. No matter how much ink I applied, after every half hour, it would turn a shade lighter. So I left it at that. That will be my go to paper when I need pastel flowers.

Phew!! So that's how I did it. Now to summarize in terms of the paper...

Right off the bat you can see that Neenah Solar White is the only true white among all the samples here.
Rest all are a pale cream.

IRIS PAPERS

• They are the best for distress ink blending.
• You can shape them well into flowers, but colors of inks may be subdued. You can try with non-distress inks and see how they do.
• the 170 and 270 are excellent for die cutting as well. 
• I wouldn't recommend them for exclusive coloring.
• Few things to remember, it is a slightly coated sheet of paper. If you hold it to the light, you will see slight shining areas on it. That coating is what makes the distress inks move so well on it. But because of the coating, no ink will dry on it quickly. 

IVORY PAPER 300 GSM

• Ivory paper doesn't blend ink well, nor does it shape well into flowers. 
• It is a somewhat hard paper to color on. 
• BUT BUT it is an excellent base for your  CARDS with multiple layers, SCRAPBOOKS and EXPLOSION BOXES. I scored it multiple times and absolute no cracking of the paper. They Ivory I used to buy, used to crack on every score line and eventually the paper used to tear. I am so glad this paper does not crack...And it is fabulous thickness!! 

NEENAH SOLAR WHITE

•  Blends well with distress inks
•  EXCELLENT FOR COLORING IMAGES
• EXCELLENT for shaping the paper into flowers as well.
• Perfect White to be used as a card base, (though a higher GSM would be better, say 280gsm)

       Quick peek of some earlier bookmarks. All coloring on Neenah Classic white

BRUSTRO SKETCHING PAPER 200 gsm

• Good for blending distress inks but needs a bit of effort. 
• EXCELLENT for coloring images. 
• Die cuts superbly
• EXCELLENT for shaping into flowers. 
• Good for solid image stamping (sorry did not click any pictures, but all my ink swatch images on this post are stamped on Brustro paper)

So that's it. Hope this review helps you to make a choice when you are deciding papers for your next project.

One paper will never do everything. Know what you want to do in your project and select your paper accordingly.

My MISTI review

Hello everyone,

I'm just here to share my newest love...MY PRECIOUS!! My newest stamping tool, The MISTI... It is nothing related to misting, just that the word MISTI stands for Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented. And I can promise you, it is all that and more!

Here is my short review on MISTI...I have been using it for almost 4 weeks now. I simply love it. I am so planning to sell off my Fiskars Stamp Press. (If anyone is interested, please send me an email)

Photo courtesy - My Sweet Petunia

What it does? 
Its a stamping placement tool. Its design is such that you can stamp again and again in the same spot without getting ghost images.
Its hinge lid ensures the perfect placement every time. It will be confusing if you have never seen it in action. So hop over to My Sweet petunia's Channel and check out this video..and most of her other videos.

Do you need it?
If you are a serious stamper...and I mean, you make more cards stamping than using dies and flowers and all that jazz, then yes, run and get it. You will love it.
If you like stamping and want to get serious about it, start saving for it. 

 If you are a crafter who only stamps sentiments on cards, or random stamping on your Scrapbook pages or only makes scrapbooks, don't invest in this right away(and this is my opinion specifically for a beginner stamper and crafter)

Simply because the cost factor is such that you cannot use it instead of your acrylic block. It costs 50$ plus the shipping and plus the customs. But if you have the means, then don't hesitate.

Simply put, it is more of a stamping tool which gives you perfect placement, perfect inking and if you don't get a clear impression the first time, you can re-ink and re-stamp in the exact same spot without any problems.You can stamp on your die cuts perfectly and you can make multiples of a card in a jiffy!
If you break down and get it, don't blame me!! :P

What all do you need with it?
For sure you need the magnets. And I recommend at least 2. I use 4, but then I am OCD about lining papers. You can buy magnets from locally... you need to get the size 20mmx2mm which is what I use. I brought them off Ebay long before my MISTI arrived.

Do not get the iron or ceramic magnets..they will stain your papers. You need to get Neodymium magnets or magnets that are coated with nickel.

Buying the spray and grid papers is optional...and I don't have either of those. I print out my own grid papers from free downloads on the internet.
And I use plain water and microfiber cloth to clean my acrylic lid. 

Being the crazy person I am, I would also recommend get a cover for it. Buy any tablet cover that is around 11 inches x8.5 inches (Apple ipad Air covers seem to fit well)
 It will hold your MISTI and make sure the acrylic doesn't break. 

There are some other things that I am looking into, that is an addition to the MISTI, and as soon I find that they are good enough, I will update you all!

Here is my card that I made with this border stamp...when I was just testing out my new tool.
The image is super sized so that you can see how perfectly I was able to line up the stamps.
And most of the colors, the orange, the yellows and the blue (I hate that blue, never stamps well..I stamped it 3 times here) are all stamped twice and some more than twice.

Because of the MISTI, I didn't have to worry about lining it up. I knew it would stamp exactly the same place! 

 I used 9 inks, all of then Ranger Dye inks...except the 4th from the bottom which is Memento Dandelion ink. Finished it off with a sentiment from Winnie and Walter and some gems.

If you still have doubts, shoot me a comment or an email.

Coming in my next post, how to make your ink-swatches, or rather, how I made my ink swatches!

Silhouette Cameo...Info Post

I thought its high time I did a post on the Silhouette Cameo...I've probably answered 50 mails and endless whatsapp conversations about this nifty gadget.

Simply put its a digital die cut machine. But it goes beyond that...If I sat down to list what all you can do with it, it would take me days. But lets get down to basics...

What you can cut - you can cut thick paper upto 250 gsm...I don't advocate 300 gsm because the machine is not built to handle that much pressure. But I have cut 300 gsm...but with a nifty trick. More on that later.

• Scrapbook paper
• Printer paper
• Cardstock
• Thin chipboard - like your cereal boxes 
• Fabric
• Vinyl
• Adhesive paper
• Transparency etc

This is vinyl I cut with my Silhouette and decorated my Cameo with! 

What else can it do - Replace the blade with a pen tool and you can fake a very fabulous handwriting with your Silhouette.

Print and Cut - Using it in conjunction with your printer, you can print the design and then feed that paper into your Cameo and it will cut around the design.  CAMEO does not print .. only cuts what you've printed... Saving you the trouble of cutting it by hand! Nifty eh!!  It does require a bit of software handling though...but easy once you get the hang of it.

What kind of designs you can cut - If you are a graphic artist or can dabble in Corel or Illustrator, you can cut any image on this earth. But if you are like me...you still can cut any image on earth.
Silhouette comes with a free software and free 50 designs to start you off. (The new Silhouette comes with 100 free designs )Then there is the Silhouette Online Store that has tens of thousands of images that you can download and use.
Most of these designs are priced at 99cents. During sales, they drop to 75 cents, sometimes 50 cents.
And if you buy a 3, 6,12 month subscription to the store the price per image can drop to 10cents too. Depending on your subscription.

Now- there is a Designer Edition of the software, which is basically an upgrade to the free software. It allows you to trace images, use .svg files and host of other features which I've yet to play with. But I use the tracing and svg feature the maximum.
What you can do is trace any vector and get a cut any image you can Google....There is a fabulous 8 part Youtube on tracing . Worth checking out.

This is free image I found on google and traced it to get the ECG line...had to play around with the file for while before I could get it correct...but it works!! 

Another set made with designs from Sihouette Store..the rays, the flowers and the banners...only the sentiments are stamped! 

There are host of graphic artists who design free svg files and you can download and use them. The internet and the Pinterest world is full of free designs that you can search.

What you can't do in Silhouette -
You can't cut glitter paper - Well actually you can cut American Crafts Glitter paper, but that will dull your blade faster. If you are cutting glitter paper, its better to keep that blade exclusively for glitter paper.
You cannot emboss. Not like you can in your die cut Machines. 
There is an engraving tool that is supposed to work, but I haven't tried it.

So what's the downside?
1. The first thing people crib is that they have to keep buying mats and blades. Its not like a darn trimmer where you have to buy a blade every 4 months...unless you are cranking 150 cuts a week...then you need a shitload of blades and mats.
I have had the same blade for almost 8 months...the same mat for 8 months...but I have a re-stick spray which I use every 3 months and the mat is as good as new.
Because I haven't used a whole lot of variety of cardstocks, my blade is good. If I used fibrous cardstock, my blade would have gone for a toss. I use just a standard few brands of cardstocks and that keeps my blade from wear and tear.


2. The learning curve for the Silhouette software is a little high, but not hard.
There are millions of tutorials and amazing amazing groups on Facebook that jump and guide you in a second. I love love those Groups. Absolutely free of negativity, and oh they love to share! Love those ladies!
I have always suggested to those who ever approach me about whether to buy the silhouette, download the software first. Its free to download even without the machine. Watch tutorials and play around with your software. Then buy the machine. Download the software here (scroll to the bottom and on the right is the Legacy Version. That is what I use. You can try the Basic Edition V3 if you are a little brave)
Coz I do know a lot of people who have just jumped and bought the machine and then don't use it because the software curve is high or they just don't know what to do with the machine once they get it.

Its not like your Big shot where you don't have to think. You need to know what you want to cut and how the design to look before you cut.
You need to figure out what kind of paper works for you, what kind of settings for the blade work for that paper.
If you think that's too much headache..its not for you.
Its kind of like getting to know someone ... what works, what doesn't work, how to trick it to get it to work for you...kind of like getting your boyfriend to do the work while making him think he is the boss!! hehe!!

So I'll wrap up this post here....and part 2 will have answers to whatever questions you have on this post!!

Toodles!! Till the next post!

P.s. I'm happy to answer questions and do some research. Because it widens my horizons, but please don't be so lazy that you just post the question and expect me to answer without you lifting a finger. If you want to buy a Cameo you at least need to know what the Cameo is. Read up, watch videos and use Google. After that if you have queries , feel free to ask me. I'll be happy to answer. But after all this big gyan you come and ask what is a Cameo....sigh....

P.P.S I am not going to compare this with other digital die cut machines...Simply because I own only the Silhouette Cameo. I'm not going to buy another one, so I'm not going to read up on The Brother Scan -n- Cut, The Cricut Expressions 2, The Cricut Explore etc. Unless you want to send me another one and have me compare!! I'm all game!! (Bwahhahaa!)

Product review - Crackle paint and Shabby Embossing enamel

Just thought I'd share this post here too..

 Today I'm showcasing two products in one Video and hope that you like them!

One is the Ranger's Crackle Paint...I'm using the Clear Rock Candy...you can see all the colors we have in the store here! You get them in all the colors of the distress ink plus a few more...like the metallic colors in Brass, Pewter and Bronze. Then there's Clear and the White picket fence.

So on to the next product that I'm talking about..
The Frantage Shabby White Embossing enamel...this is one of the coolest embossing powders ever...Check out the Video to know more...

                         

Here are some of the close ups of the projects and crackle effect I show in the Video..

This is the flower with small crackles because of the thin layer of paint

This is the flower with the larger cracks because of the thick layer of crackle paint on it!

Hope you enjoyed the Video and please leave any comments or queries below..

Much love
Tejal

Info Post | Lindy's Stamp Gang - Mists

Yeah yeah....so the know-it-all is back...to share some more info on what is probably my most favorite-est product so far!! If it has glitter in it, I'm loving it! And with Lindy's products, you can be assured, there is such amazing glitter, you'd probably not wash your hands! I sometimes don't!! :p

So what are they? They are mists...mostly used in mixed media, but I use them everywhere! These mists have binders so that the glimmer won't rub off your product once they're dry. Its not chunky glitter. Its very very fine and shimmery!

4 types of Mists are listed, when you go the Lindy's Shop.

The FLAT FABIO's- The are just color sprays...intense colors but without any glitter (somewhat like the memento fireworks)

The STAR-BURSTS - my most favorite kind of sprays.....they have intense colors and subtle glitter....and amazing names!!  I love how they're named!!

Just some pics to show the amazing glitters on these...

Sprayed with mix of Baby Blue eyes Aqua, and Royal Peacock Fire

Pink is sprayed with Wild honeysuckle Coral Startburst, and the brown flower with Cactus Gold

3. Then comes the Vintage toned sprays....The MOON SHADOW MISTS - All the colors have a base of light or dark brown glitter....these colors are faab for those doing vintage projects...I have just bought my very first Moon Shadow mists, and will put up a review soon!

4. Last but not the least, the GLITZ SPRITZ... these are just pure shimmer mists, without any base color. The color is only of the glitter. These are the ones that I use the most! I love love the gold glitter spray!

Scintillating Silver!!

Cactus Gold...my very very favorite color

Scintillating silver over the wood-grain CS

So once you can make your mind up as to which colors to buy, then what? How do you use them?

The mists arrive as dry powders within the bottle (best thing they ever did, as it weighs less, you can buy more bottles). Here's a link from Lindy's, as Tracey shows you how to prepare your mists!
First shake up the bottle so that the powder isn't sticking to the bottom.

Fill warm/slightly hot water (preferable if you can use mineral or Purified water) upto the mark indicated on the label of the bottle.
And then Stir the color around with a wooden skewer or small stirrer...
Leave it for 10 mins. (Its hard...you want to spray and see, but have patience..watch some videos till then!)

You are ready to spray.
But, everytime you use it, you have to mix the glitter that settles on the bottom....for that you have to shake the bottle.
Try not to shake the bottle up and down a lot. You might end up clogging the nozzle. ( I have had one clogged nozzle in 2 yrs of using 6 sprays...and if you write to them about it, they send you free replacements)
Hold it between your palms and roll it, like you roll your nail polish bottles. or turn the bottle upside down, and whack the lower end on the edge of your palm! (Arlene shows how she does it in this video!)

And that's it...spray away like crazy!!

Will be back with more on Magical Micas and the Two Toned Embossing Powders, in the next post....and if you want color recommendations, comment below and I'll set you up with my favorite colors!!

A big big thanks to Shalini at Crafter's Corner for listening to my whims and getting this product!! I am over the moon!!

Tonic Studio Paper trimmer review

These tutorials/reviews are a product of extensive reading, researching and lots of time spent on making them. Please do not copy, or share on your page (for promoting your items in your shop) unless I give you permission to do so. Please ask nicely....I won't say no...but you need to ask.... You can link it on your blogs if you have used these tutorials...please share the link with me when you do use these tutorials...I would love to stop by and see what you have done! 

I had a whole rant post typed up....but after I finished ranting...I felt so good...didn't want to post it...
Simply because people are not going to change by my ranting ... so I choose to walk away from such people... I tend to carry my heart on my sleeve and am not ashamed of it. That's what makes me who I am and maybe that's why I am prone to ranting so much... :p

So without further ranting ...here's my review.. Kinda picture heavy...

Here's my Tonic Studio 12x6 paper trimmer...its huge..I can tell you that..but worth every penny...There are many reasons why I chose this...over the Fiskars Sure Cut or any other trimmer. (sorry about the dark and glary photos, it is a cloudy day)

 This is how your trimmer looks when it arrives.... the other essential stuff is stored at the back...so its pretty compact...If I didn't have a space crunch, I would have gone for a 12x12 for sure....With a 40% discount from JoAnn's, this cost me around 20$. And free shipping courtesy mom and dad

 

This is how the extras store in the back. The extendable arm has slots which click in place. It will never fall off...that I can assure you. 

 

This is after I've attached the handle and the extendable arm. Usually I don't bother attaching the handle...but if I'm cutting heavy papers, I do use it. Its a fabulous soft grip...so if you're cutting 10 papers or 100, I doubt you would have a problem. 

My Pros

1.See the transparent thingie? It has two metal springs at each end...It holds your paper down, so that it doesnt shift while you're trimming or cutting. 

2. Space... I have a space crunch and needed something that would fit into a drawer and out of sight...this does the job perfectly. 

3. The foldout arm has a base that is again foldable. So your extendable arm doesn't bend down or break. Its a support.

  

4 .The top grid .. has markings in cms and inches....and has upto 6 inches... What I don't like though, is that I can't cut a half inch strip from a strip less than one inch. For that, my other small Fiskars guillotine comes handy.

5.. The bottom of the grid has markings for regular card sizes...4.25 and 5.5. I tend to use the top measuring scale. There is a scale again in the middle too...which I find useful in lining up. 

 6.  This is my biggest reason for buying a guillotine trimmer. Be it printer paper, thick 300 gsm card stock or 80 gsm papers, everything cuts like butter.  And I can challenge a Fiskars Sure cut to give me these cuts...I've seen thin papers get shredded like a blunt scissor cut it,on a Sure Cut...That made me sure that I needed this.

I can cut multiples of these strips and with ease....I didn't know what to label the extreme left strip..its half of a 1/16th strip....these look big, but try cutting these yourself and you'll get an idea. I might take some comparison photos and put up at a later date.

7. The second biggest reason...I don't have to replace the blade. This is a self sharpening blade..the more I use, the sharper it stays.  Less/more usage doesn't affect  it. With a Sure Cut or any trimmer that uses a blade, you are dependent on the availability of blades. With Sure Cut, if you cut the guiding wire, your trimmer is gone...You have to replace the rubber guide on which the blade glides every 6 months, and change the blade every 3-6 months depending on your usage.
        Me, I don't have to worry for the next 5 years.

CONS

My only grudge is the small distance between 6 - 6.5 is not that easy to judge. So for this measurement again, I have to rely on my small trimmer. But other than this...I really don't have major grudges....
Sure, they could have numbered on the sides, and given measurements too. But then it is impossible to have everything  I guess....

So, if you're deciding between a guillotine and a line trimmer, my suggestion would be the Guillotine...as for the brands, there are tons...Everyone has come out with their own paper trimmer, and if you wanted my opinion, I would say the X-acto Laser Paper trimmer but it retails for around 70-80$. After that is the Tonic Studio.

I haven't tried to cut multiple sheets, but I think I can cut at least 5-6 easily at one go. And one teensy warning, don't run your finger down the edge of the newly cut paper. I've had more paper cuts than I can figure out how I've got them!

If  you have an questions, go ahead ask me.

Why I Chose a MS Score-board

These tutorials/reviews are a product of extensive reading, researching and lots of time spent on making them. Please do not copy, or share on your page (for promoting your items in your shop) unless I give you permission to do so. Please ask nicely....I won't say no...but you need to ask.... You can link it on your blogs if you have used these tutorials...please share the link with me when you do use these tutorials...I would love to stop by and see what you have done! 

I took at least 6 months to decide whether to buy or not to buy the scoreboard, and if yes, which one..the MS(Martha stewart) or the Score-pal. 

http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/marthastewartcrafts/

I am not a fun fold person, neither do I do 3D projects, but yes, I love doing crazy folds on my scrapbook pages...and if I had it, maybe I would give the fun folds a try...

My areas of contention were firstly, PRICE, PRICE, and then usability.

When it came to price, If you are buying from India, you can get it from anywhere between 1300-1800 depending where you buy from. I got a good deal and jumped in...In the end I paid 1500 including shipping for it. According to me, a good price.
If you are buying from the USA, Joann's or Micheals have really great prices, and if you have coupons, you can get it for as low as 10-12$. And if someone can go to the store and buy for you, you save on the shipping too..

The Score-pal on the other hand, isn't less than 2300 in India and around 40$ in the USA...its not easily available at most Joann's or Micheals, you have to order it online, so in the end it comes to around 50$, which was a huge NO for me.

Then comes the USAGE-
I have just played around with CS and printer paper to get the hang of it...and I love it..its everything I wanted. Some people don't like the flimsy scoring tool that comes with the MS board, but that is what gives you the crisp score...Because it is thin and pointed towards the end, it gives a very crisp line...

Photo credit - Valita @http://craftingwithsue.blogspot.in/

This photo shows the difference in the thickness..

Another plus point is the enveloper tool, that comes in to make envelopes. Agreed that envelopes end up being bigger than the card by 1/4th inch or more at times, but I would say something better than nothing on the score pal.

The deciding factor was the grooves on the MS  board...1/8th of an inch apart...fabulous for making rosettes and easier to calculate...no need to keep shifting your paper around ...
I have never been able to find a logic to the grid lines on Score Pal.

Also I like that the right edge of the MS board is open, meaning I can use longer sheets of paper on it, not limiting myself to 12x12 sheets

The only negative thing I can say for the MS  board is, Its flimsy and thin. Which was proven very well, when my scoreboard and Sharda's broke in transit. Her's worse than mine...

So whenever you get it, ask for extra packaging, and don't trust DTDC...this is my third fight with them. One extra tip....Open your package first as soon as you get it, and if it is in good condition, only then sign the delivery challan. Else have it returned back. And do write on the challan slip that it was in broken condition.

My NEGATIVES
for the other negative, coz the grooves are set together, if you try scoring very fast, you might skip a groove...My Solution, TAKE a second more to score, and hold your scoring tool at an angle of 45 deg rather than straight...

Pic copyright Valita@http://craftingwithsue.blogspot.in

The details printed on the tool box on top are pretty tiny..
 And what's with the hard to open door of the bone folder storage..I might break it one day!

So I am heavily in favor of MS scoreboard. Yes its not as sturdy as the scorepal, but as long as it does the work, I'm okay with it.