Crayola Air Marker Sprayer

The Crayola Air Marker Sprayer is simply fabulous for the child in your life that possesses some artist skills. Basically, this took will allow the young artist to paint with an airbrush using markers that are made by Crayola. I tried with another kind of marker that I had at home and because they were thinner it did not work. However, if you have large marker that are not Crayola made it could work if it fits in the nozzle.

The use of the tool is easy. First after unboxing all the components, you will have to plug the base in an electric outlet. Part of me wish that this device would be chargeable so that you do not have to have is plugged in while using it. But it isn’t the case so let’s move on…

The box comes with the base to which a tube is attached to the sprayer itself. A docking area is also possible for when you do not use the sprayer. The nozzle is easy to use as you simply open the marker you desire inside it and twist in order to secure it. Once you are ready you press the on/off button which is located on the base and use the trigger to start the masterpiece you have in mind. Voilà! It is that simple to use.

The Crayola Air Marker Sprayer comes with a few of white pages, two stencils (one composed of letters and numbers and another one with designs like a feather, the sun, a dragon and so on), and five pip squeaks (red, yellow, green, blue and purple). Honestly for the price tag I would have expected a bit more colors included in the box. Because honestly there is more space in the box to include more colors… I guess you will have to purchase more pip squeaks or large Crayola markers if you place to give this as a gift.

Another aspect of the Crayola Air Marker Sprayer that I have notice while using it was the loud noise it makes when it is powered. The tool is easy to use but it is quite noisy when it runs.

Apart from my desires of having this device rechargeable or more markers included in the box, I think this product would be a fabulous gift to a young artist. It would be perfect for Christmas or birthdays for sure.

The Crayola Air Marker Sprayer is available for purchase at amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: This product has been provided courtesy of Amazon.ca Vine Voices for review purpose. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by Amazon.ca or the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Craft Boutique

Every once in a while I want to learn a new craft.   At times it could be difficult to find time to learn something new but the fulfillment of being able to do something new with your hands is something that will make you feel good.   That is why I think the Craft Boutique of DK Canada will allow you to expand your skills and discover something new.  From the books offered in the Craft Boutique, I have selected two which I hope will be interesting for everyone reading this blog post.  

The first one is a craft that I hope to develop hopefully this year – crochet.   The second book is one that I plan to use on a regular basis because I already do some interesting things involving paper.  Without any more ramblings of my part, let me present you the two books I have received from DK Canada.

Crochet -The Complete Step-by-step guide

Crochet: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide features a mix of classic and modern crochet projects, including things to wear, items for the home, decorative pieces, and cute gifts. Packed with 101 inspirational projects for crocheters of all levels of skill, Crochet: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide walks readers through the basic techniques — with useful practice projects — before embarking on more adventurous crochet patterns.  As a truly new beginner, I am looking forward to see if I can have the patience to embark on the adventure of crocheting.  Okay, I will be 100% honest.   My own maternal grand-mother was an amazing crocheter – she made numerous little things to put on desk, drapes, tablecloths and so much more.   The biggest project I think she ever did was to make a white bedspread for me when I was younger (see image below).  I still have the bedspread and other things she had crocheted in her life.  Another treasure I have from her that she crocheted is the red dress that I have worn at 18-24 months.

Needless to say, part of me wish that I could learn directly from her but she died tragically when I was a teenager.   So now as I grow older and my kids are slowly entering the teenager years, I think of how fun it would be if I can do something special when they have kids on their own…   And I remember how my grand-mother tenderly did things with her hands to pass down to me.   

The book is packed with easy to follow instructions and images to help the reader to slowly learn and make a variety of things.

The book contains two main sections: Tools and techniques as well as Project patterns,

Tools and techniques: Yarns, hooks and other equipment, basic stitches, beaded necklace, chunky bracelet, striped washcloths, cell phone covers, self-fringing scarf, textured pillow, pretty headbands, party bunting, coaster set, pot holders, circular pillow, following a crochet pattern, care of crochet, working crocheted edges, crochet-edged pillows, circular crochet, openwork, shell mesh scarf, colorwork, intarsia pillow, unusual stitches, unusual yarns, crocheted toys, teddy bear, and felted crochet.

Project patters: flower blanket, lap blanket, colorful granny blanket, baby blanket, chevron pillow, granny pillow, owl pillow, desktop storage pots, structured baskets, hanging toy basket, round stool cover, rustic ottomans, cat basket, fruit bowl, filigree bookmarks, fish and starfish garland, flower pin cushion, chunky rug, baby bonnet, child’s hat with ears, men’s beanie hat, child’s hat with earflaps, women’s beret, lacy scarf, broomstick lace shawl, tweed stitch cowl, men’s chunky scarf, child’s wrist warmers, child’s mittens with string, ladies’ wrist warmers, baby girld’s booties, baby boy’s booties, child’s edged slippers, ladies’ soft slippers, ladies’ ankle socks, men’s chunky socks, baby’s crossover cardigan, child’s poncho, summer tunic dress, cropped sweater, ladies’ textured cardigan, animal rattles, giant play ball, mother elephant and baby, rag doll, polar bear with scarf, floppy-eared bunny, jungle finger puppets, granny square bag, straw beach bag, super-stretchy shopper, everyday bag, diamond granny bag, clutch bag, child’s turtle backpack, change purses, and tablet sleeve.

Going through the pages of this book and seeing how the instructions are presented as well as the fabulous projects included in it encourage me to take the plunge and learn crochet.   All I have to do now is to find some precious time (not an easy task for an homeschool mom) so I can learn and practice this new skill.    Maybe the Christmas season would be a good time for me as we usually slow down in December until the new year.

Paper Craft

Paper Craft makes it easy — and affordable — to design handmade crafts that are guaranteed to impress. Transform your favorite paper into beautiful decorations and home decor, greeting cards, scrapbooks, and beyond, no matter what your skill level.  This visual, step-by-step guide outlines all the necessary equipment and materials and contains nifty techniques like scaling, embossing, and crumpling, as well as quilling, decoupage, and paper-mâché. Inside Paper Craft you'll find seasonal and special occasion paper craft ideas to suit a variety of tastes. And, templates and variation suggestions allow you to choose exactly the right look for your projects.  Cut, fold, roll, glue, and print your way to crafting heaven with Paper Craft.

I love the cover of this book and it did caught my eye when I first saw it.  But the project I have seen in it made me want to review it.   

The book is packed with fun projects to do with paper.  

• Cards and gift wrap: pop-up bouquet, feather gift tag, DIY envelopes, mini gift box, quilling, gift box, pyramid gift box, customized paper, and 3D star tag.
• Gifts to give: layered papercut, quilled earrings, bursery papercut, papercut locket, papercut lantern, and silhouette frame.
• Decorations: honeycomb pom-pom, origami fairy lights, hanging fan, hanging garlands, and snowflake ornament.
• Kids’ crafts: origami bird, animal mask, owl mobile, and party crown.
• Flowers: cherry blossoms, peony, ranunculus, daisy, anemone, daffodil, large rose, kusudama, wreath, boutonniere, large poppy, and festival headband.
• Scrapbooking: making a scrapbook, photo corners and frames, bunting and bows, storage pockets, rosettes, gilding and embossing, travel, wedding, baby’s first year and scrapbooking templates.
• Templates: this is were you will find all the templates used for projects in the book

I do have a few projects that I really enjoy in this book but I think my favorite one is definitively the feather gift tag.  However, I decided to use this specific project using my bible art journaling passion.   Two of my kids recently memorize Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” as part of their Sunday School curriculum.   I really liked the Scripture as it reminds me that God has everything in control.   So I decided to do some bible art journaling with it.  First you might wonder what bible art journaling is.  Well essentially you take a scripture that speak to you, write it in fancy lettering in your journaling bible which has specific space for taking notes and/or be creative.   Then I decided to paint the page a bit and decorate with it washi tape and stickers.   I used the feather project from the book to add some decoration in the page.   I used a yellow cardboard to make the feather but decided to use the burgundy and dark green pencils from my Prismacolor Scholar set to incorporate a bit of color.   Then I glued the feather in the bible.  

Paper Craft is a great book for the paper crafter in your life.  This book would make a wonderful Christmas gift under the tree if you have someone passionate with scrapbooking.   I am delighted to have it myself and plan to use it quite a bit in the future.

Both books are available at your favorite bookstore, even at amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned books for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Washi Tape Crafts

A year ago I knew nothing of washi tape.  What is washi tape you may ask?  Well essentially washi tape is a low-tack tape, traditionally made of paper, that is mostly used in craft projects.   I was introduced to washi tape when I stumbled on Bible Art Journaling and Illustrated Faith.   I usually purchase mine on sale or at Dollar Stores because they can be quite expensive.    As much as I would like to have a variety of colors, there is quite a bit of tape in a roll of washi tape and sometimes you have to be reasonable not to have too many. As I mentioned I usually use my washi tape in my bible journal when I create a drawing to remember a specific scripture. And though the first things I think of when it comes to washi tape would be scripture journaling, scrapbooking and homemade cards, I suspected that this media could be used for many other things.

So imagine my delight when I discovered a fun little book titled Washi Tape Crafts from Workman.   This fun little book also comes with ten rolls of washi tape of about 18’ of tape in each roll.   This makes the book a complete kit and an amazing value for the crafter you know. 

This book is packed full of amazing projects and ideas.   The book and tape kit  will show you all the ways to be creative with washi tape. The book includes techniques: precision tearing, wrapping, and weaving, how to make bows, rosettes, and other shapes, how to seal and weatherproof designs to make them permanent and much more. With over 110 projects, with color photographs and step-by-step instructions, from custom photo frames to one-of-a-kind gifts, the possibilities are endless for the craft person in you.

You will find projects for:

• Goods and Gifts: Dressed-Up Notebooks, Friendly Photo Coasters, Personalized Coffee Tumbler, Custom Clipboard, Pet Silhouette Art, 5-Minute Garden Markers, Dress ‘em Up Clothing Hangers, Wrapped Papier-Mâché Letters, Aboslutely Magnetic, Simple Striped Frame, Quick-and-Easy Gift Tags, Out-of-the-Box Gift Wrap, Easy-to-Embellish Envelopes, Cord Organization Systems, and Priceless Photo Mat.
• Home Décor: Statement Ceiling Fan, Gnomenclature Bookends, Shipshape Wall Art, Paper Planes Wall Mural, Cross-Stitch Canvas, Switch Plate Update, Wooden Washi Tray, Tumbling Gems Table Runner, Clothespin Wreath, Dreamy Headboard, Sofa Stem Refresh, Dry-Erase Labels, Faux Floor Rug, Insta-Wall Art, Upcyled Desk Organizer, Sweet Spice Jars, Photo-Transfer Pillow, Cheery Chair Upgrade, Woven-Top End Table, Washi Wall Frames, Scrappy Jar Storage, Colorblock Wall Clock, Charming Chore Charts, Winning Window Decals, Dollar Store Home Décor Vases, Doodle Dry-Erase Board, and Decorated Door.
• Jewelry and Fashion: Bold Bangle Bracelets, Bohemian Belt Buckle, Designer Shades, DIY Envelope Clutch, Handsome Hair Clips, Playful Pinwheel Earrings, Charmed Bracelet, Make It Modern Pendant, Tromp l’Oeil Faux-Pocket Tee, Glamour Rings, Jewelry Hanger, Headband du Jour, Wooden Wonder Bead Necklace, Popsicle Stick Bracelets, Custom Nail Art, and Washi Brooch Bouquet.
• Holidays and Celebrations: Pretty party Cups and Spoons, No-Sew No- Glue Party Bunting, Punched-Up Party Hats, Perfect Package Gift Bow, Faux Floral Bouquet, Easter Egg Wreath, Paper Party Lanterns, Award-Winning Ribbon, Favor Take-Out Boxes, Festive Votive Holders, Party Mask, Moonlit Mummy Lanterns, Spooky Treat Bags, Jack-O’-Lamp, Costumed Pumpkins, Fluttery Feather Napkin Rings, Fringed Party Banner, Sensational Swizzle Sticks, Classic Photo Booth Props, Pretty Place Cards, Super Straw Flags, Marvelous Matchbox Favors, Modern Menorah, 2-D Christmas Tree, Advent Calendar Mobile, Holiday Gift Stationery Set, Jolly Holiday Ornaments, Yuketide Candles, and Mini Pallet Coasters.
• Just for Fun: Wooden Matching Game, Washi Tape ID System, Washi Tape Dowel Display, Decorated Keyboard, Color-Coded Day Planner, Washi Tape Dispenser, Bonny Business Cards, Fancy Bandages for Boo-Boos, Fold-Up Play Mat, Snappy Cell Phone Cover, Spiffy Reusable Strips, Key Identification, Tiny Tin Storage, Sewing Tape Measure, Number Flash Cards, Whimsical Ribbon Wand, Crafty Stick Frame, Patchwork Puzzle and City Skyline Tablet Case Makeover.

I was immediately drawn to some of these projects.  Looking at the Washi Brooch Bouquet, it reminded me of the flowers my mom was doing when I was growing up.   She made them of cotton and they were marvelous.   The party mask idea will come in handy if my oldest goes back to the mystery dinner next year.   There are definitively a ton of ideas within this little book that could make your life a bit more brighter.  As for me, I plan to use the roll of washi included with this book in my scripture art journaling.   in 2016, I would like to start one special journal for each of my kids to give to them when they graduate from high school. 

Washi Tape Crafts is available for purchase at amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Star Wars Origami

Star Wars Origami
Published at Workman

About the book

Kids love origami—and what could be cooler than transforming a piece of paper into Boba Fett, Princess Leia, Yoda, or R2-D2? And not just any paper, but custom-designed paper illustrated with art from the movies. Star Wars® Origami marries the fun of paper folding with the obsession of Star Wars. Like The Joy of Origami and Origami on the Go, this book puts an original spin on an ancient art. And like Star Wars® Scanimation®and Star Wars® Fandex®, it’s a fresh take on Star Warsmania.

Chris Alexander is a master folder and founder of the popular website StarWarsOrigami.com, and here are 36 models, clearly explained, that range in difficulty from Youngling (easy) to Padawan (medium), Jedi Knight (difficult), and Jedi Master (tricky!). A front section introduces origami definitions and basic folds. Bound in the back is the book’s unique folding paper, two sheets for each figure. Illustrated with original art, it makes each creation—the essential lightsabers, the Death Star, and much more—true to the movies.

Star Wars Origami includes a foreword by Tom Angleberger, author of the New York Times bestsellersThe Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper Strikes Back, and is scheduled to be published at the same time as Angleberger’s upcoming book, The Secret of the Fortune Wookiee.

My Thoughts

This book is fabulous and will make a Star Wars fan really happy – particularly the crafty kind of fan.  In this out-of-the-ordinary book, you will have the opportunity to do origami but making projects based on Star Wars whether it is characters, spacecrafts, droids, weapons and more.   Each projects have a level of difficulty associated to them which will be easy to discover with a special index at the end of the book.  The levels of difficulty are the following:  easy, medium, difficult, and very tricky.  So wisdom suggest that you start at the beginning and slowly get more difficult items as you advance in your skills of origami.  The book also contains an alphabetical list of projects.  

The book starts by introducing the basics of origami in a special section.  In this section, the reader will discover the definitions, symbols and basic folds in origami as well as learn important origami bases.  Once this is mastered, the person can immediately dig into the projects covered in this book.  And the best part is that inside this book you will found unique folding paper (72 sheets) which were specifically designed in order to make your creations even more realistic.  The pages are somewhat perforated in order to detach them from the book.  However, I suggest that you go slowly in removing these from the book. 

Now you must be wondering what are the projects included in this book… well there is something for everyone in there.   Here’s a list of the projects:  lightsabers, Trade Federation Battleship, Naboo Royal Starship, R2-D2, Darth Sidious (Emperor Palpatine), Anakin Skywalker’s podracer, Jabba the Hutt, Yoda,  armored assault tank, Naboo starfighter, vulture droid starfighter, Jango Fett and Boba Fett, Slave I, Taun We, C-3PO, republic clone trooper, Eta-2 Jedi starfighter, droid tri-fighter, General Grievous, Naboo Star Skiff, Imperial Star Destroyer, Darth Vader, Princess Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Jawa, sandcrawler, landspeeder, Bantha, The Death Star, Millennium Falcon, TIE fighter, X-wing starfighter, Darth Vader’s TIE advanced fighter X1, and Imperial shuttle.

Each project details the steps very clearly and will guide the child in making beautiful origami based on Star Wars.   See below for an example.

This book contains 36 amazing paper-folding projects from a Galaxy far, far away…   It is a perfect gift for the Star Wars fan in your life who also likes origami.  

Star Wars Origami is available for purchase at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

PomTree Creative Craft Kits

As a mom of a beautiful almost seven years old girl, I know she loves things that are different than her three brothers – crafts being one of them.

But I will be honest with you – I dislike the mess of glue, glitters and paint.   So I was pleasantly surprise to learn about craft kits the reduce the mess when you want your child to create something new.    PomTree offers numerous fun crafts for your child to bloom the creative side.     Their kids contains quality materials like foam, felt and mixed media stickers all offered in bright colors and interesting shapes.   Each package encourages self-expression and offer a great opportunity to bond with you while having fun.

I have received three items from their more recent products which I am presenting to you today. Note that each kits are geared for kids ages 5 and up.

Pom Jewelry Activity Tub

This activity tub will allow your child to create soft and colorful necklaces, bracelets, hair bands, and more bu stringing poms, shapes, and beads together.   This Pom Jewelry kit is packed with pom beads, felt shapes, foam charms, satin cord, lanyard hooks, and pony beads.   In all it contains over 405 pieces which will allow to create a dozen of fun accessories.

The kit contains 50 acrylic pom heads, 8 acrylic poms, 64 felt shapes, 42 foam charms, 12 non-woven strips, 1 108inches satin cord, 10 plastic “o” rings, 10 plastic lanyard hooks, 200 pony heads, 6 foam rings, as well as 6 grams of spangles.  The creativity to be unleashed could be endless since you can make keychains, rings, bracelets, hair bands,  and much more.  

PomTree Mommy & Baby Owl Pom Pals Kit

I love birds of all kinds and this fun kit will allow your child to create owls.   The kit allows you to make a Momma owl from a soft, bright pink mega size plush pompom and huge googly eyes.  But Momma wouldn’t be complete with a cute baby owl who also has big googly eyes.   The kit contains 21 pieces and all the embellishments have their own sticky backing, so there's no glue needed and no mess to pick up after you have completed your project.

The kit contains everything you need to create this fun craft.   The finished Mommy owl will be 11.3 inches x 13.6 inches while baby owl is 2.3 inches x 3.3 inches.  The only thing that is required from you is to spend time with your child in order to create this fun project together. 

Another Pom Pals Kit available is the Momma Bird & Chick.

 

PomTree Felt Kitty & Mouse Pillow Puff Kit

The Pillow Puff Kit will allow your child to make a cute and cuddly kitty pillow.   The best part is that it is super easy to assemble.  No sewing is needed since all the materials have their own sticky backing.   The colors are cheerfull and the pillow is made of soft felt.    It also includes a little blue mouse for kitty to play with. 

The kit contains 3 felt shapes, 13 felt stickers, 3 foam stickers, 1 polyfill quilt batting, 2 adhesive back wiggle eye, and 1 pom pom.  The only thing required for this project is that mom or dad spend some time with their child to put it together.   No glue is needed which means no mess will be made when putting the pillow together.   In the end, your child will have a cute pillow to snuggle with.   When finished the cat will be 7 inches by 12 inches.

Another Pillow Puff Kit available is the Puppy & Bone.

In conclusion, I think these kids are great for you to spend time with your child doing something creative (especially if you dislike the mess and the glue projects).  Maybe some will say it removes the fun out of a craft but if you have a down day and feel particularly low, having these projects in stock would allow you to spend quality time with your child even though you might be a bit sick.    That way you won’t have to clean afterwards and your child will be delighted to have spent time with you even if you had a difficult day.    Spending time with your kids is important and your child need to be able to develop his/her creativity side.    The kits are about 10-15$ so it is a small expense for some great memories.

GIVEAWAY!

One of my reader will get one of the kits mentioned below.  The winner can choose ONE kit from those mentioned in this post.

Winners must reside in the US.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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These kits would make a fun gift under the tree this Christmas.   All kits from PomTree are available at ToysRUs.

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of the game for review purposes from KidStuff PR and PomTree. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Idiot’s Guide Crochet

Complete Idiot’s Guide Crochet
By DK Canada

About the book

Idiot's Guides: Crochet will show you how to make lovely crochet projects, from decorative bunting to a colourful cushion cover or a lace shawl.

If you're hooked on learning to crochet cute projects, this is the book for you. Easy-to-follow instructions accompanied by clear colour photos explain each stitch step-by-step and show you how to execute each finger movement and yarn movement. You'll be able to make 16 simple, stylish and fun projects, helping you try out your new crochet skills on designs like a crochet headband or coaster. Handy guides teach you how to decipher a chart, read a pattern and buy the right yarn for your project, plus the book includes nearly 2 dozen patterns, and stitch galleries for decorative stitches, such as moss, rib and chevron. Combination stitches will allow you to create puffs, popcorn and clusters, making your projects even more beautiful.

Pick up your needles and make crocheting stunning pieces your new hobby with Idiot's Guides: Crochet.

My Thoughts

As I was growing up, I observed my grand-mother knitting and crocheting various things.    Part of me wish that I would be gifted like her but I never really took the time to ask her to show me how to do it.   Today, I am blessed to have mittens and socks knitted by her hands as well as quilts and crochet items. 

On of the few things I have from her that she crocheted for me was the red dress that even my own daughter has worn when she was a baby.   She even had made a similar one for my mom.

In this picture below you can have an idea of the bedspread she had crocheted when I was younger.

Nevertheless, since I became a mother, I wish I would be able to crochet like she did so I can do things for my daughter and her doll.    So when I was offered to review one of the Idiot’s Guides from DK Canada, I immediately selected the crochet one.   I have seen marvellous crochet items on pinterest and dream of making some of my own.  So now I do not have any excuses with this book in hand apart for time to learn.

This book is packed with hundreds of inspirational color photos and easy-to-follow instructions.  you will get advices on choosing your hook, yarn and other helpful tools, you will follow lessons in learning how to make pretty and practical stitches, you will learn to increase and decrease, you will have at the tip of your finger to guidance necessary to read crochet patterns and decoding crochet charts as well as you will have fifteen projects and patterns to build.

With step-by-steps instructions and the color photos included in this book, I feel a little bit more at peace in my ability in learning to crochet.   All I have to do now is to get a crochet hooks and yarn and follow the instructions in order to learn.  And knowing that practice makes perfect, I need to remind myself to continue to persevere and try again and again.  My grand-mother was quick while she did things on crochet but I suspect that she would have been a bit slower while she learned it.   Bottom line is that anything can be accomplished if we take the time to learn it. 

If you want to learn something new this Fall, why not check the books in the Idiot’s Guides series.  You might find something that would interest you and learn a new skill at the same time. All Idiot’s Guide are on sale at 30% off on the DK Canada Website for a limited time.

The Idiot’s Guide Crochet is also available at your favourite bookstore as well as amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned books for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

ScanNCut CM550DX

ScanNCut CM550DX
From Brother Canada

I recently receive an amazing product to review.   This post is essentially to present you the product itself.  In about a month or so I will blog once more about it and present some of the projects I have done with it.

Presenting the Brother ScanNCut CM550DX!

What it is:

ScanNCut is the world's first home and hobby cutting machine with a built-in scanner. It can create outline cutting designs from a hand drawn sketch, original art, or something you saw in a magazine, without the use of a PC. It includes 702 built-in designs, 140 quilting designs, 5 built-in fonts and a built-in 300 dpi colour scanner. The scanner itself will allow you to create sharp and highly personalized shapes for your projects.  Once you choose your design or scan in the image, photo or hand drawn sketch, ScanNcut will precisely cut the shapes or outlines you want. It can cut paper, fabric or plastic at the press of a button- all perfectly. The only thing limiting you is your imagination.

To expand your possibilities, please visit https://scanncutcanvas.brother.com/

The machine is very light and easy to transport.  A lady at our church organize a monthly get-together for women who wants to do some crafting.  It would be easy to bring this machine and use it to make cards and scrapbook pages while being in fellowship with other crafty women.  And don’t forget that this stand-alone machine doesn’t need a computer or software to work.   It will automatically converts your scanned images into a cut data from which you can work.  You can also use the ScanNCut to create intricate designs with easy by using the draw function.

Here’s the information sheet for the ScanNCut machine.

Brother has three models of ScanNCut available – depending of your budget.

CM 100DM Red – 500 Built-in Designs, 100 built-in quilt patterns, 5 fonts, standard mat 12x12, low tack adhesive mat 12x12, standard cut blade, standard cut blade holder, deep cut blade, deep cut blade holder,  high tack adhesive fabric support sheet (2 pcs), iron-on fabric appliqué contact sheet (2 pieces), simple spatula, stylus.   Price 399$

CM250 Purple – 600 Built-in Designs, 100 built-in quilt patterns, 5 fonts, standard mat 12x12, additional standard mat 12x12, low tack adhesive mat 12x12, standard cut blade, standard cut blade holder, deep cut blade, deep cut blade holder,  color pen set (6 pens), erase pen set (2 pens), pen holder, high tack adhesive fabric support sheet (2 pcs), iron-on fabric appliqué contact sheet (2 pieces), simple spatula, stylus.   Price 449$

CM550DX Light Blue – 700 Built-in Designs, 100 built-in quilt patterns, 5 fonts, standard mat 12x12, additional standard mat 12x12, low tack adhesive mat 12x12, standard cut blade, standard cut blade holder, deep cut blade, deep cut blade holder,  color pen set (6 pens), erase pen set (2 pens), pen holder, 50 appliqué patterns on a CD, Cut Up This Book, high tack adhesive fabric support sheet (2 pcs), iron-on fabric appliqué contact sheet (2 pieces), simple spatula, stylus.   Price 499$

On top of this amazing machine, Brother has put together ScanNCutCanvas which is a cloud-based web application that gives you the ability to easily convert .svg files to .fcm image tracing and processing overlapping patterns.   It allows you to expand your craftwork by importing projects that you have created or edited with ScanNCutCanvas into your ScanNCut cutting machine.  The best part is that it is free!

This ScanNCut machine will allow you to do a multitude of projects like artistic journal, fancy boxes, cards, table setting name cards, banners, beverage tumbler, calendar, lampshades, photo stands, pop-up cards,appliqué tote bag and more.   The possibilities are unending!

More project can be found on the official website of ScanNCut

The Brother ScanNCut is available at amazon.com.

 

Starter Packages:

 

Patterns for Quilts and Appliqués:

 

Other Accessories

 

  

  

  

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Brother Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Crafty Dolls and Jane Bull Canadian Tour

Crafty Dolls
Jane Bull Canadian Tour
Published at DK Canada

About the book

With a few hours and simple materials, even beginner crafters can make darling dolls with Jane Bull's help. In Crafty Dolls, Jane offers up original designs for dolls of all kinds that can be customized in hundreds of different ways. The Lottie Doll, a simple rag doll, can be adapted, dressed up, and accessorized to accommodate the hobbies and tastes of kids of all ages (what better holiday or birthday gift than a homemade doll!). The book also includes patterns for topsy-turvy dolls, tiny dolls, even a mermaid with glorious rainbow-yarn hair.

For crafters, sewers, and knitters, Crafty Dolls offers inspiration along with gorgeous and quirky doll projects that are fun to make, dress, and accessorize.

Who is Jane Bull?

 
By seeing the world through a child's eyes, Jane Bull's fresh, original, and energetic designs inspire children to get crafty. Since joining DK in 1982, she has been coming up with fresh, original, and energetic ideas to inspire children to get crafty. Her books for DK include Make It,Made by Me and Stitch by Stitch among many others. Jane lives in London and has three children of her own to practice her crafty ideas on.

My Thoughts

We hosted Jane Bull the doll from June 3rd to June 9th, 2014.  She arrived safely via FedEx and immediately won the heart of my sweet daughter, Jasmine.

The week was packed with final planning for a Comic Book Fundraising Sale for CHEO we were doing on Saturday.  But we brought Jane to swimming and told her that it was voting time in Ontario. 

On Saturday morning, we still didn’t know what to expect for the fundraising sale we were having.

Jane helped as much as she could early in the morning with helping Jasmine coloring an easel to announce the sale and serving lemonade.   She even got a huge hug from the CHEO Bear.

 

But all good thing come to an end and Jane has to travel to another destination this week.   So she sat with me and together we wrote the blog post about her new book.

I will be honest with you.   I have a nice list of dolls to make for Jasmine right now.   She looked dutifully in this book and told me which ones she really liked.  She even told me that I needed to do a camera as well for the dolls just like the one in the book.  So far, she requested the Lottie doll, the ballerina with the fairy wings, Shelly the Mermaid, and the double doll Cinders/Cinderella.  When she looked at the knitted dolls, I stopped her because you see I don’t know how to knit and honestly I don’t have the time or the patience to learn.  I would love to be able to do that but I must be honest with myself.  It’s just not a good time to start that kind of learning.

I like the fact that there is a wide variety of ideas included in this book.  It is packed with simple steps to sew and/or knit the cutest dolls I have ever seen.   Templates are also incorporated through the pages of this book.  The projects are explained in easy terms with clear step-by-step instructions.  Fabulous photos can be found at the instructions levels or to show the final product. You will find a wide variety of dolls in this book from ballerina to superhero as well as topsy-turvy dolls or tiny pocket dolls.   Accessories instructions like handbags hats, shoes camera and more are also explained.

I also find that you can adapt some of the smaller crafts for something else.  For example the Handy dolls which were originally created to be covers for scissors or key rings could also make an original book marker as well.   In the last section of the book, Jane Bull is showing you the step-by-step instructions on how to sew, knit or stitch.  I know I will refer to this quite often when I tackle the requests of my daughter.  

I am quite excited to have a new project to do this summer in making these sweet dolls for a sweet girl.    With over 30 variations included in the book I know that there is something for any kind of crafter out there.  These dolls could make fun gifts for your kids and/or grandkids at birthdays or Christmas. 

All good things come to an end unfortunately.   Jane Bull the doll has to fly to another destination.  I wish I would have had the time to bring her see the parliament but it just wasn’t possible.   Follow the adventures of Jane Bull on Canadian soil and her tweets by clicking on the image below.  You can also discover the various hosts she will be staying at by checking her Canadian Tour schedule and by checking out all the books written by her.

Crafty Dolls is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned title for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.