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Beautiful pom poms but they won't last. Yes, it's fun and easy to use. And yes it makes beautiful full pom poms BUT no matter how tight you tie the center the pom poms are still very easy to pull yarn out of and there is really no way to stitch in the center to hold it together for longer life of the pom pom. It uses a lot of yarn so the large size for hats or booties makes the pom pom heavy. As pretty of a pom pom it makes I will not use them again but go back to the old DIY method so that I can run stitches through the center before I cut the yarn loops to have a pom pom that won't fall apart. After all the time you spend making something what good is it if the pom pom will fall apart after washing or children playing with them.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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At best this acts as a guide. At worst you get uneven fringe that is not completely cut & if you use tissue paper it might tear. Basically this is a big board that clamps to hold paper/tissue and there is a handle on top with blades in between that you move back and forth to cut the perfect fringe. However, you don't get the perfect fringe. The cutting sometimes tears the tissue but mostly it just doesn't cut all of the area it supposed to so you have straight lines and gaps in areas. The instructions state to have at least 4 pieces of tissue with a piece of regular paper underneath for better support. This did help prevent the tissue paper from tearing but even going back and forth several times the blades could not cut through all the 4 pieces of tissue paper. And the more back and forth I went I noticed the paper started to slightly move and some lines were no longer straight anymore. Augh! You WILL have to cut the other areas it can't do with scissors. I also tried this with regular paper- same thing won't cut completely through but no tearing/ripping of the edges like the tissue paper.
So at best this acts as a guide. At worst you get uneven fringe that is not completely cut and if you use tissue paper it might tear.
I should have read the other reviews. I like Martha Stewart products but this one was a big bomb. First of all, the blades that cut aren't as sharp as you would expect- so they won't last that long. Second they are flimsy and don't cut all the way through the paper. So you will have to follow the indentations (if you get any from the blades) or try to guess the rest of the lines and cut the areas it didn't cut yourself. Which might be worse that just doing it by hand yourself.
Basically this needs a lot better clamp to hold the paper securely in its place and a LOT better quality blades for it to work. Good idea but poor execution.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Who designed these things? Was safety even considered. Whoever designed this system clearly didn't care much for safety. These handles are extremely difficult to take apart when they aren't on a blade, but just try to do it when you're also trying to manage and support and extremely sharp object. Crazy! (I actually had to google how to install them because the instructions were useless). Also, given the fact that they are so hazardous to install/remove, you'd think the company would have wanted to minimize the danger by including a set of these cheap, plastic handles for each blade. Last but not least, I now have four very, very sharp blades and absolutely nowhere to store them. I can't even speak to the functionality of the blades themselves at this point but am extremely displeased with the set in general.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Neat product, but doesn't quite live up to the hype. Not as durable as I had hoped. I mostly got this to fix a key that had broken loose where it clipped onto the key chain. I superglued the piece back together and then wrapped it up in sugru after it dried. It held up just a couple of days before peeling off and falling off my keychain again. Worked well for patching up my dishwasher rack, though, and a couple of other small projects around the house. Most everything I thought of to use this for either seemed frivolous or could have been done with electric tape, glue, or traditional silicone. Check out the sugru homepage for ideas on things you could make with it, but keep in mind that, although they promote it as a miracle product, it does have some limitations.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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I think I received a used punch. Telltale signs that the punch I received is used is from the outside packaging. There are several scratches on the clear plastics part of the box. At first I thought it could have been just scuff marks due to rough handling. The next sign is the yellow (paint?) marks on the corner punch handle. It is visibly dirty and has few yellow stains. Definitely doesn't look like a new punch fresh out from the factory. True enough, when I start punching, it is very dull, leaving some dangling chads from the flower part. Too bad I can't return the product as I am in Indonesia now. I know the punch blade is dull because I have 2 other Martha Steward punches (cherish and lace doily) that punch perfectly clean and crisp designs on the first try.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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this is a good deal. This is for school use. i bought this because i was tired of using coupons to purchase glitter glue individually at Michaels. For the price, this is a good deal. This is for school use, so i don't expect to last too long. Like another reviewer pointed out, there is not enough glitter in the mix. There is simply too much glue compared to glitter. This makes it very difficult to make "glitter lines" on projects, especially where precision is important. The Michael's glitter glue comes out nice and thick, more glitter than glue. This is what i expected, but not what I got. The Michael's glitter cost more per bottle (thats where the 40% coupon comes in handy), but it will last longer. This product is not bad, but if you are used to the Michael's stuff, you will easily notice the difference in this stuff.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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It does glow in the dark, but barely. Arrived on time and packaged securely. Each color block contains 30 strips. The paper is a bit thinner than what I have handled in the past, but it is not a game changer. I do have to be a bit more gentle when handling the paper, and I had just cut my nails so creating the indents for the stars are a bit more challenging. As far as I can tell, these paper stars are NOT glow in the dark, I held a piece up to the light and it did not glow in the dark like mentioned. This does not bother me, because I did not purchase it for the glow in the dark factor. I will deduct 1 star, however, because it is a false claim on the product page.
Overall, it is a good item for the price. I would purchase again.
Edit: It does glow in the dark, but barely. It is not outstanding. I would not purchase these for glow in the dark purposes, but I would purchase again.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Awful, Maybe I got a bad batch. I bought Snazaroo Face Paint (2 in light grey, 1 in white and 1 in black) and no matter what I did, the makeup would cake and crumble before I could get even coverage. I used very little water as recommended (I also tried more and less in other attempts hoping to fix the issue) and nothing helped. I tried applying with high quality smooth makeup sponges, my fingers and a foundation brush as well, hoping one of those might help but nothing did. I was left with makeup that kept wanting to get crumbly and flake off, and even after setting it, trying to apply shading lightly with a powder was a nightmare. I see so many good reviews for this, which is why I tried it over all others, but honestly, it really let me down and I am frustrated that I chose to use Snazaroo. All I wanted was a body paint with good coverage, non shiny finish, and no caking/crumbling/flaking/cracking. I give it two stars, as by the 5th try I had an ok looking application, but not even an hour later it was getting crumbly still. It did come off pretty easy and didn't irritate my skin, so another plus there. I didn't apply it with a heavy hand, and used the recommended smooth upward strokes. Overall though I am disappointed. From faraway it still looked fine, but any close ups and all you could see was a crumbly textured mess on my face.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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The Last Scissors You'll Ever Need. These scissors are absolutely AMAZING! We have a slight problem with scissors disappearing in our house. For some reason they seem to just vanish! So the fact that we got 3 scissors in one pack is absolutely fantastic and means that we'll have scissors for awhile! Not only is the amount of scissors you get amazing, the fact that these scissors cut almost effortlessly is honestly one of the most amazing things ever. I've cut a few things with these including paper, light cardboard, tape and even fabric and they cut through all of these things with very little effort from me.
I am very, VERY impressed with these scissors and I won't be going without them again!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Worth every penny. I was looking for an emergency tooth replacement until I could get in to see the dentist. I found a product that cost an outrageous amount of money for what I was getting. So I did some research and discovered that Moldable Plastic was the same stuff. I purchased this and watched a few DIY YouTube videos. I found that a Dremel tool and toothpicks came in handy when I was forming the tooth. And while you're forming your tooth, don't forget to anchor it to one of your adjacent teeth. The pictures show the results of my efforts. I am very pleased with this product and I'm not afraid to smile anymore! Also. I gave the rest of the bag (which was larger than I was expecting) to my son who used it to make his own little toy figurines. I highly recommend this product!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Disappointed. I purchased this to turn my skeins of yarn into balls. It worked the first few skeins and I was loving it until it stopped working properly. I have no clue as to why it stopped winding the skeins. I did not do anything different. I even tried a different skein to see if it was the yarn. I wanted it to work so badly because it is a great tool. One thing that did frustrate me is the slits that hold the yard they are not very deep so you lose the end of the yarn and have to dig in the center of the ball and pull a wad of yarn out to find it. It was easy to put together and take apart to send back to Amazon. I am returning the product hoping to find something better.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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If you like silicone, this is a good choice. This is my third silicone muffin tray and works as expected. Muffins cook a bit faster in it, pop out very easily, and it is also easy to store since it isn't rigid. As with most silicon type baking trays/pans, you do need a firm surface underneath when baking. To maximize space, I don't use a cokkie tin, I put it directly on the rack and then slide the whole rack with two of these on it (a bit tricky due to weight, not size).
It really is important to put the oil on this before using, as directed in the instructions. If you don't, you'll find that the tray stains easily and a burnt 'film' is very hard to get out (very unsightly looking). I found this the hard way with my first silicon muffin tray.
In all, this is on par, quality wise, with competitive silicone trays and cooks my muffins fine.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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lacquer them to make them water resistant and glue them along the rim of a plastic planter pot and fill the pot with beautiful s. I'm so excited to have received these and can't wait to start some projects with them, I have so many ideas doe these that I may just have to buy a few more bags of them, especially after looking at ideas on Pinterest. One thing specifically I am going to be using these for is to create a special mother's day gift and will paint these different colors, lacquer them to make them water resistant and glue them along the rim of a plastic planter pot and fill the pot with beautiful summer flowers. Also on each of the hearts will be a letter to spell out "Happy Mother's Day." So many ideas so little time! I found Pinterest boards for these for everything from bridal and baby showers to DIY projects and gender reveal parties! The wood heart cut outs are thin but sturdy and easy to manipulate. They are just larger than the size of a quarter and with there being 50 of them to a pack there are so many things that can be done with these!
Disclaimer: I have received these for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Thankful this stuff exists. I used this product on a patio coffee table and will use it again on a bar I'm putting outside. My stepdad has used it on numerous projects including 2 large bars in a restaurant they own. People are complaining about soft spots and this will occur if not mixed correctly. You have to stir for 4 minutes and then pour new container and mix 4 more minutes before pouring on table. If you try to pour directly after the first container, residual from the firs chemical will be stuck on sides of the container. This will cause it to come out last all together and cause soft spots. You must also stay with the project at least 1.5 hours after pouring to catch any drips and keep sides smooth. I use a torch on top to pop any air bubbles that form. Last but very important, you need to level out the project before pouring. It is a liquid that hardens so will find its own level. I've seen some bars in our are try this and fail miserably because all te steps were not followed. If you follow all steps, projects come out fantastic. A cold climate may effect the hardening process. I live in Louisiana so it isn't a problem. Doesn't hurt to have an extra hand brushing the first few minutes after pouring either.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Where do free-range scissors go. I was watching a program about time travel and the fourth dimension before I started to write this review. It made me wonder if that's where scissors go along with one sock from every pair. And don't get me started on my disappearing soup spoons.
Nevertheless with this many scissors you should be able to find at least one pair for a few months. They're called a "teacher pack "but they're great for a family of kids or just someone who likes to keep scissors in lots of places...the craft room, the bathroom, where you open mail and clip coupons etc. They would make a nice gift for a teacher, also. You would probably be surprised how much of their class supplies teachers still have to purchase with their own money
The scissors do a good job of cutting construction paper and craft items. They are easy for the four year old to use but the soft-grip handles are comfortable for an older child or adult.
They're great when all the little friends get together for a crafting session and each one can have his/her own scissor. No sharing. At less than $1.45 for each pair (at the present time)the 12 pack is economical.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Deceptively useful . I try to crank out two three film scripts a year and after doing this diligently for the last several years, I thought I had my process of creation down pat. I'm a writer who likes routine and repeating my steps along the way to get to the end even if one story is vastly different than the other. I was a bit hesitant when I saw this product and it got to my house. I'll be honest and tell you that I even laughed a bit. At first glance I thought it was silly.
About a month later though, I started another script and thought about my moleskin journal and started filling in the details on page one from day one. The point of something like this is twofold:
1. It directs your pen to a specific thought when you have an idea and the object is to be specific.
2. Portability. Yeah, other journals are, too, but i kept remembering i had this crazy little thing and kept putting notes into it.
Maybe it's novelty, maybe it's a fad. I don't know. But I'm getting ready to purchase my third one now as I'll be starting a new script in November. If you use it to contain and direct yourself, you'll appreciate the results.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great quality scissors. Very good quality scissors at a great price (lightening deal)! If the titanium coating on the blades lasts for a few years, I'd consider these a 5 star product. Since I can't yet tell if they'll last as long as I hope, I've only given them 4 stars for now.
I can definitely say these scissors are excellent for general cutting needs. I've used them on multiple types & thicknesses of paper, cardboard, thread & leather cord. They've cut cleanly & easily. I have medium sized women's hands & these scissors are very comfortable to hold & use, even for an extended period of time (approx, 1/2 hour cutting paper).
At present, I highly recommend them!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Very good for projects. Quick drying for sculpting and hardens in an hour or less varying on how much you use. Having looked around for new projects to do I've found one in particular where you can do moldings of a foot/hand with sand and plaster. Interested in this project I went to fetch the needed item though I wasn't able to find any plaster of paris around the craft stores around here. Wanting to really do the project I went on Amazon to try my luck and was happy when I was able to find it.
The mixing instruction is very easy. 2 parts plaster and 1 part water. It basically means if you use 2 cups of plaster you use 1 cup of water and that has worked well for my project. The plaster was already hardening in the mold in 10 minutes to where you can probably sculpt it with the proper tools if you were gentle enough. I hadn't been able to do any scraping or sculpting but the mold worked out perfectly and hardened fully in less than an hour, though it was only a small picture frame sized mold.
I would say to handle it with a bit of caution and not to be too rough on it or drop it since it can still break. It's not like glass or anything too brittle but if you're too rough or strong on it the plaster may snap or break.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Tandy Leather Screw Post gets High Praises for style and convenience. The Tandy Leather Screw Post 1/4" Black is a very usable product for binding paper documents and other materials together. It's an aged product but one that should be reconsider by corporate offices and students alike.
The Tandy Leather Screw Post is not just for leather products but can be used with any paper product that needs to be held together. It's so easy to use and not too small either. You can purchase these screw post in various sizes and different types and styles. Depending on what you need to bind will determine the size of the screw post you will need. The types vary from metal to aluminum. The style of the post can be a round head, a round embossed style, or simply flat.
What I like most about using this product is that it's very economical and no special equipment is required. All I had to do was punch holes in my paper, grab the top post with the threading inside and then grab the bottom post, insert them through the paper and screw. Another great benefit was that the screws were magnetized so that made it easier to line the screws up without even looking. I would recommend this product to any office or student needing to bind papers together. There are many similar products on the market but right now I will stick with this one until it no longer accomplishes what I need it for.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Very happy - did the exact thing for which I purchased it. I purchased this primarily to cut the top off a glass bottle that was actually made for an oil lamp so I could use it as a candle holder. First I cut a couple of wine bottles to get the hang of it - it works really well. But one must follow the instructions closely...the scoring always needed more than one application of heat and cold before the bottle would separate. The oil lamp bottle was very thick and required more than one pass to score, and many applications of heat and cold before I finally got it to separate - the break was a little uneven, but I'm sure that it's because of the multiple times I had to use the cutter. But I'm thrilled that it did work! I've had the lamp for a long time and can finally use it!
My only reason for not giving it 5 stars was that there was supposed to be a finer polishing paper that was not in the package, and I also wasn't aware that there is a 'deluxe' version of this cutter - it seems I can't cut something as small as the neck of a bottle with this basic model, and it can't be adapted - would have to purchase the other one. But overall I am satisfied with this item...as I make more items with it I could see buying the deluxe model.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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great little gadget. this it a nice addition for looming people
just like the little round looms, this can make cute flowers (YouTube is full with how-to videos!), icords and small flat panels
No, you don't get yarn with this, but a sturdy yarn pick (these things tend to bend and this one hasn't, knfty knitters are my favorite pick tool of them all!) and a needle to help you finish off designs.
it has 2 sizes of looming to add versatility to the patterns that can be created: flowers, coasters, scarf tubes, bag handles, belts jewelry, and on and on and on. again, the World Wide Web is FULL with free patterns and videos.
easy to use by any age and can be use with yarn, cords, raffia, ribbons, any string material that can be woven!
enjoy!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Bummed about the color options. Being unable to pick a color is ... less than desirable particularly when they send out gender specific colors (and no, colors should not be considered gender specific, but society being what it is and public schools being what they are -- so then you have to go to Target buy another set of scissors because the ones you bought online won't do, and the whole reason you bought online was because you have disabilities that make it hard to shop in the normal way in the first place. So thanks, Fiskars. This was not helpful at all.)
Other than that, the scissors are reasonably well-made and I'm hoping will keep the kids' hands off my sewing scissors at home, anyway. Maybe. Possibly? In a perfect world? Until they get lost ...
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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head ache. okay!!!
I bought the designer edition and was so freaking excited to begin playing with rhinestones. I've been heat setting rhinestones on items for years, but the idea of customizing them was all I needed.
I bought this pack, as a trial, etc... To see how it worked, learn to use the system etc...
Set up my design, designated that I was using the Rhinestone template, etc... Settings I think are: 5speed, 33 thickness,doublt cut...
No problem. Placed it on the cutting mat. Waited the near hour ((large design took up most of the template)).
It finished, and I was excited to remove the template and see what i'd gotten... ONLY the cameo had cut right through the backing sheet of the template.
Too me over an hour to peel off each circle that had either flipped off or got stuck someplace else, and to peel off the now shredded backing from my stick cutting mat....
Tried it again ((on the second sheet)) and reduced the pressure to ~19. Didn't cut through the entire design... Some parts were just scored.... ARGH!!!!!
Adjusted the settings again, pressure at 29 now... Hopefully it works out. I'm currently sitting here as it's cutting now ((on the last sheet of template...))
The template material is like a velour with a sticky adhesive on the back. The backing of that it just a sheet of paper with a light gloss on one side...
****UPDATE****
Here's a tip for those of you who may have trouble cutting multiple templates... CLEAN YOUR BLADE!!!
I was wondering why the template was only being scored, and it was because after cutting the first, larger piece, all of the fluff from the cuts got all inside of the blade. Make sure to clean that, and then you should be okay... also, reduce the pressure slightly to avoud destroying your flock.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Four stars for a tool to make tightly wrapped pieces for 3D quilling. I agree with everyone else, that this is the least useful quilling tool in general.
The Border Buddy is great. The crimper is great. The comb with the numbers is great. For twisting a circle to a specific size, this is pretty much unnecessary. For make super tight circles to pressed against the dome molds when making 3D figures, this is great. It holds the paper firmly and evenly throughout wrapping. Thesizing circles can be used to determine when to add the next strip of paper. When you are done wrapping, it's easy to keep the paper pressed against it while you glue. (The paper doesn't burst out and unwrap itself - the worst!)
So, if you are quilling pieces for mounting on cards or frames, totally unnecessary tool. If you want to make round shapes, it's a big help.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Better than the rest of the hot sauce kits on Amazon for sure. Great Product! I bought it as a gift for Fathers day since my dad enjoys spicy food as well as cooking in general! I would highly suggest this particular product after researching other type products on Amazon and other websites. This kit had everything we needed and more! It was very well packed. When we opened the product it had everything as described and a nice personal note inside!
It was fun, thoughtful, exciting, creative, and interesting all wrapped inside of one box!
Once again, after reading the reviews from other customers, I figured this was the most promising and complete box out there. My expectations were exceeded.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Good for Cold Process Soap Making. This mold works great for cold process soap making with a few recommendations: If you have a recipe that solidifies quickly, it can be very tricky to get all the nooks and crannies of the bike filled in without gaps and/or bubbles. Always rap the mold on a solid surface to encourage bubbles to rise. Do not put the mold in the dishwasher or use extremely hot water in cleaning; it can cause the plastic to become brittle and crack - this happened to one of my molds, and while I have cut the 3 tray mold into individual bikes in order to salvage them, it is nicer to work with the tray of molds.
Sometimes the soap doesn't want to come out of the mold. I have found that placing the mold with soap in the freezer for 1/2-1 hour and then dipping the mold in hot tap water makes for easier release.
This would probably work well to make jello bikes!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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A few Ideas after using Glaze Coat. (Note, I did not buy this on Amazon, but at Menard's -the two quart version- at slightly less than the Amazon price. I have been using high gloss epoxy resin as a final top finish for art-design-painted furniture for 10 years. Over the years I have used two other brands of epoxy. I bought Glaze Coat and used it just last week. Here are my initial thoughts and I hope a few helpful comments for others:
#1 - The instructions are very well written. Follow them exactly for best results. Interestingly, other brands say to mix for 3 + 3 minutes (not 6 + 6) - this seems to indicate great care in this company to ensure quality end result.
#2- This resin is a little thinner than two other brands I have used. THUS: plan on likely needing two or three thin layers vs a nice, settling thicker coat that is gained by other brands (ie: UltraClear Epoxy) The second coat, applied after 4.5 hours after applying the first coat, went on smoothly and gave complete coverage with no indication of there being a second pour.
#3- It never mentions this in the instructions: MAKE SURE what you are coating is absolutely level (use a level instrument) as the epoxy will slowly and steadily settle and move toward the lowest side and therefore producing unequal coverage.
#4- Also not mentioned in these instructions: DO NOT use windex type cleaner or any kind of abrasive sponge, and preferably not a spray wax-based polish to clean when cured. The best thing to use is simply lightly soapy water. (clouding can otherwise occur).
#5- Note the shelf life on the instructions says 1 year. Well, that's probably short. But after 2 years, throw out what you haven't used. I have taken some of my supply off the shelf after a number of years and they begin to yellow and the resin slowly thickens, softens and will not result in the longest lasting clear finish you want.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great for safety. My family orders quite a bit from amazon as prime members with their great free shipping. We've always kept little "box stations" with your typical box cutters to open boxes. As we have a 2 year old around the house now, we did not feel safe with such sharp objects hanging around. After a little reading I decided to try both this and the blue version of the safety cutters. The green ones are definitely better and even seem a little safer. These are not perfect in that they take a little more effort to cut the thick shipping tape but since they are so safe that I have no concern when my little toddler has one in her hands that I could not be happier with the product. I do not use these for coupon clipping or precision tasks like some people have left some comments about, but as a safe alternative to box cutters, I highly recommend it.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Just a great little kit for a great price. I'm kinda new to wood carving. I own several Flexcut carving knifes and wanted a kit like this. I done my homework and found this to be the best price. It's from Flexcut...got to be good right?...So i bought it.... Man I'm glad i did. This is really a great kit! Extremely sharp and very useful for relief carvings from start to finish....Their just useful all around. The only thing one might want add in the future is an extra handle. Changing the bits is easy and really not a big deal. Heck, i even use them without the handle for small areas, but an extra handle would be useful. Also, i've used them for several months before leaving this feedback.
I would highly recommend this to anyone thinking about buying it.
IT'S A LOT OF FUN!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Pleasantly surprised- better than cricut. I ordered this product because the cricut transfer paper was getting too expensive. I have to say, I really like this product. It's true that is not completely clear, it definitely gives your image a milky cloud look but for my purposes it doesn't matter.
I used it to transfer vinyl to glass. When I tried this with the cricut transfer paper last week I got so many air bubbles in the vinyl, even while using a credit card to squeeze them out. This paper is textured which I didn't think I'd like at first but then it did awesome helping to squeeze the air bubbles out. It also wasn't super sticky so it was easy to control and picked up and dropped the decal perfectly. I'm really glad I gave this a try.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Somewhat useful. There is a reversible ceramic blade that is about a quarter inch high by about an inch and a quarter long with a rounded tip. It has a three position slide, one of which is "closed", so two workable lengths. At the other end, there is a hole through the handle for a key chain.
I could find no storage space for extra blades. The handle itself tapered from about a half inch to about five eighths inch in diameter. The cap that covers the blade housing comes off with just a slight twist on the end that can be done with the blade extended. Several bad things can occur when that happens the least of which is that the blade gets lost.
This will stay in the kitchen to cut open packaging tape, but not clam shell type packaging (no point on the blade). The price is high and the blades are nearly four dollars each. Packaged with a set of blades (they sell them in packs of four) at the same price as the knife along and it might be a good deal. I like it for what it does, but don't see it replacing my utility knife, or any other knife.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Well, darn . IT SAYS "white" right on the box. These things usually (i thought) have two colors to mix and, in fact, the directions in this box say knead thoroughly until colors are completely blended. Hard to do though when both colors are white. Gotta give 'em credit however for trying to make you THINK there are two colors in the box - one part wrapped in clear plastic, the other wrapped in blue - only when the plastic comes off, both parts are white - maybe a slightly different shade of white, but still both white.
IF YOU WANT TO BE SURE that it is thoroughly mixed, add a pinch of red pepper or tumeric powder, and when you have a completely even color, it's ready. But it works good, even if you leave it white - hard as a rock.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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and this is perfect and saves me money from having to get several . This is a very versatile tool. It comes (thankfully) with it's own small storage container and the small wrenches and punches fit perfectly. This is a big deal, because you won't lose your punches!!
I don't have an industrial use for it, I bought it so I would have a tool on hand to add snaps, grommet holes and the occasional extra belt loop hole (or dog collar hole), and this is perfect and saves me money from having to get several tools.. I don't have specific size needs, so can't speak to what is included or not for specific needs. I'm thrilled to have it on hand, and I don't see another multi-use tool like it on Amazon.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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I may get a larger one. I clicked four stars because it is better than "OK" but I would not say I love it. I never had one before, and have been folding my bias strips manually, which was time consuming and a bit cumbersome. IT HELPED me to use an inch-wide strip of heavy paper to get the folds straight and even. The first time I used this I was pleased, but because I make A LOT of bias tape, I've had opportunity to run into a few glitches - some of which were corrected by reverting to my inch-wide strip of heavy paper - not exactly progress.
Here are two of the issues that I have with this device that can be problematic.
ONE is the seams. When you sew two-inch strips of fabric together end to end, to fold into half-inch bias tape, the first step is to fold in the edges, iron, then fold that strip in half. That's all there is to making bias tape. Before taking that first step, I like to iron open all of the seams in the strip, which makes the final tape less bulky around the seam areas. Since you insert the end of the strip into this device and pull it through, it does not like open seams; they tend to bunch up. It wants all the seams to be pressed away from the direction you are pulling the fabric. Hence, more bulk than necessary where two pieces of fabric meet. Maybe not a problem with long strips of the same color, but when the effect you are working for is a colorful patchwork with many short pieces, it can be an issue.
Issue TWO is that this works best with a certain weight of smooth fabric. As I am using a variety of colors in my tape, not all the fabrics are the same weight. If it is too thick, it does not pull easily through the device. If it is too thin, the fabric can be too relaxed and may twist in on itself halfway through and come out in a gnarled mess. It may or may not be possible to correct the problem by backing up into a section that was already done (as long as you don't run into a seam, that is) and ironing out (with a little spray starch) the part that got messed up and trying it again very slowly. Sometimes you have to just get past the rough spot and straighten it out manually - using the old inch-wide strip of heavy paper comes in handy for that.
A third issue is maybe not a problem, but you are constrained with this device to the specific measurements it was created for - so if you wanted your bias tape to be, say, five-eights instead of a half inch you'd still have to do that manually. They do make these in other sizes of course, but if you are designing something with nonstandard measurements, your creativity is restricted.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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I'm sure it would work better with a traditional. I had a very hard time getting the frame I am using to stay put in this stand. After analyzing the problem, the only conclusion I can come to is that the pieces that hold it in place cannot maintain their grip because they are not deep enough...the screws that you need to tighten interfere with the ability to push the canvas frame all the way in. I do see that there are slots that would accommodate a hoop, but I'm using a rectangular frame, much as the type an artist would use to mount their canvases for use on an easel. I'm sure it would work better with a traditional, round embroidery hoop. For the money it cost, however, I have learned to live with it and keep an eye out for when the frame is loosening. It does make it easier for me while working, so I'm not complaining too much!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Southpaw Heaven. I recently purchased a pair of 8" dressmaker's shears from a reputable manufacturer for half the price of the Gingher shears. Not only was the cutting a nightmare (difficult to see the cutting position on the fabric, while free cutting the scissors skipped fabric, cut edges were not tight AT ALL), my poor pinky finger was cramping followed shortly by overall hand fatigue and discomfort. I couldn't imagine any seamstress struggling with the simplicity of cutting fabric in the way I was struggling. I splurged and bought what I needed in these Gingher cutters. If you are a true lefty then please don't cheat yourself by purchasing cheaply priced and ordinary scissors. Get what you want. True left-handed shears with sharp sharp sharp blades, and from company with a good customer service reputation. Are these the best shears on the market? Not sure. But even a novice sewer like me knows the diff between cutting cotton with Gingher and cutting cotton with a butter knife. Get 'em. These are a southpaw's dream.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Mislabeled, They are 3", not 2.5. I bought these for a very specific small space I wanted to put a pair of scissors into, that could take a max length of 2.75". These scissors are labeled as 2.5" but they are NOT, they are clearly 3" scissors. If you are okay with a 3" pair then these may be fine, keep in mind they are designed as a VERY compact set of scissors so aren't going to be easy to use particularly for someone with larger hands, but the additional length is in the grips so probably work better than a true 2.5" pair would. They do cut easily and are nice and sharp. They are just NOT the size that is advertised, so I have to buy something else since they don't fit my available storage space.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Premo vs. Sculpey III. I've been working with clay for a number of years- and let me tell you, I adore premo.
Sculpey III is great, but too soft to work with. Premo is much firmer, and holds details amazingly well. You can get a clean, sharp detail or impression with premo that would be impossible with sculpey III.
Pros:
The colors they offer are nice, I particularly like the effects colors. Granite, gold, silver, bronze, pearl, etc. the translucent premo baked much clearer than sculpey III l, which yellows a LOT.
Note: premo translucent does yellow a bit and is not completely translucent, but does have a lovely 'frosted' effect.
Cons:
Premo is firm. Very firm. It takes a lot of conditioning to get it warm enough to be workable and you'll never get it as soft as sculpey III.
I don't recommend it for children or people who can't spend the time conditioning the clay.
However! You can mix sculpey III and premo to get a nice medium. Something that gets soft, but not mushy, and holds fine details well. That's what I do.
Mixing will obviously effect the colors but not so drastically as to cause a problem.
I usually mix premo translucent into colored sculpey and it doesn't change the color enough that it's ever been an issue for me.
The image is a mixture of black sculpey III AND premo translucent, about a 50/50 mix. I used some metallic powders (I use eyeshadow, it works awesome) to get the rainbow effect I. The center.
As you can see the base is still quite black, despite the premo translucent being mixed in.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Very disappointing. First 1star review I've ever written... I'm a watercolor artist and I've tried a few artist tapes but this stuff is the WORST. It's the first artist tape to entirely lift away during a controlled wash. Even while unrolling the first time the tape it started shedding apart. I had to be VERY methodical to get 9 inch strip. It does have high tack but only while pulling it off the roll. Tried setting up both cold press Arches (9"x12") on Masonite board and hot press Arches as I be done a thousand times with half a dozen brands of artist tape. Both sheets came right off from the wash. Useless. Also no indication that it is acid-free. No idea why they call it premium or "artist" tape. They say Satisfaction Guaranteed. I plan to take them up on that.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Good if it starts up. Just received mine, plugged it in to an airline.... NOTHING!!! Then a few moments later it started when the compressor kicked on only to stop after about 4 seconds of running. Can't get it started again, no clue. No trouble shooting info online I can find. It's Friday after CP has closed and I'm not a happy customer!
Took the tool apart following the CP YouTube maintenance guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2PmTtbzdg The piston to cylinder fit felt rough and a little too tight to me so I honed the piston a little using a drill to spin it and some 400 grit sand paper. After that it's been working pretty good, although I think it still seems a little too tight or rough as it still tends to stall, so I should probably hone it some more. The cylinder housing pin is difficult to remove as I had to clamp it to my welding table, shim all my supports so as to ensure that all the energy I applied to strike and remove the spring pin was applied effectively. It actually ought to hone itself in the cylinder, you'd think, if one could get it running for a while.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Pretty easy. Works well enough. At first, I was worried about the reviews saying that there is a learning curve, but I got a perfect cut on the first bottle (the rest aren't all as nice, I'll admit). I used it to cut large (750mL) beer bottles into pint glasses. Somehow I lost the instructions before I even used it, so I ended up watching the kinkajou video on youtube. The device is different, but the principle is the same. I'll describe my process here in full, simply because I don't know what the "key" is for getting a nice cut.
1. Score the bottle (duh). This is the trickiest part. If you don't use enough force, nothing will happen (which isn't so bad, since you can just try again in a different spot). If you use too much force you can end up cracking the bottle, especially if you're trying to score a slanted portion of the bottle. I didn't measure it, but I think 5-7 lb is what I used. Basically, what you want is to push just hard enough so that you can hear the carbide cutter biting into the glass.
2. I put a couple silicone bands on either side of the score, as a kind of guide for the water. Grifiti 4" bands are perfect for this size bottle. I got the idea for this from the kinkajou.
3. Pour hot/cold water over the score. I used boiling water from a kettle and ice water. Use a steady stream that doesn't overflow the rubber bands while you turn the bottle. It takes a bit of time, say 30s, for the bottle to be affected by each temperature. Repeat as necessary, though in my experience it shouldn't take more than 1 or 2 iterations.
I have a fairly frequent problem where a small section, around 1/4" long, will not crack, and it results in a small spur on the otherwise perfect cut. I believe it's a problem with the amount of force I use while scoring the bottle, but I honestly don't know. In the attached picture of the bottles I cut, you can see that only one is perfect, but the others aren't so bad.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Why did I wait so long to buy this. I love this thing! I never even thought to wind my yarn skeins into balls until watching some crochet podcasts. It really winds them into cakes, which are much easier to crochet/knit from & store. All I can say, is why did I wait so long to buy this?? It was very easy to set up, once I realized the instructions were right on the side of the box. It can easily be taken apart to store in the box if needed. I don't think this would work for any yarns above a #4 weight, but I did use it for some novelty yarn. It caused some static to build up as you can see in the photos. I'm happy with my purchase & have been using it all weekend to wind yarn!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Be warned: it's more like four smaller stamps than it is one big one! Picture is deceiving. Great tho. I was impressed, as I didn't expect as much as I got! Nice surprise. However- people ordering this should know: there are 4 "panes" on this stamp, like a window, with very clear lines dividing the four stamp parts. It very much shows when you stamp. This might not be a bad thing depending on your personal preferences, but you should know as it looks like in the picture this is one big stamp with a continuos design- it's more like four smaller stamps all on the same backing. You could even cut them if you wish. I am stamping on paper, and this gives a really nice, clear impression. I like it quite a bit, would recommend. :)
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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A very unique glaze that gives a nice crackle on low fired ceramics. A very unique glaze that gives a nice crackle on low fired ceramics. (I was not aware that it could also be used on cone 5/6 ceramic pieces.) My local ceramic/pottery supply/studio has been firing all my stuff, so I think bisque fire is to cone 04 AND low fire glaze is to cone 04 as well (rather than the recommended 06). I have noticed that this glaze does better on lighter colored clays. I have used it on only one light colored clay: Flint Hills Raku clay body - and it looks nice. I used it on some raku pieces the other day and they turned out great too - except on the red clay (Dixon Sculpture Clay). So in both regular low-fire electric kiln to cone 04 and in a raku kiln firing to ?? - on the light buff colored raku clay, this glaze looks nice. On a local terracotta clay that I dig up here in NW Arkansas, this glaze didn't fair so well (another iron oxide bearing clay). It seems to form a strange thin "scum" layer of glaze in the very lowest spot on the inside of a vessel. Other than that though, I like this glaze a lot. It looks cool even when it runs together with other glazes that I have used with it too.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Titanium blade snips, some nice qualities overshadowed by bad lock and poor machining of mechanism. I sew/knit/crochet/tat daily so I have scissors all over the house in every room. Still, they never seem to be exactly where I need them. I have other Westcott titanium scissors that are very functional. I have specialty shears for fabric; I was looking for a back up pair of utility scissors I could hang from a hook near my knitting chair.
The good news: I like the lanyard for hanging. That way I can always find them and have a dedicated hook for them. I'd not wear this around my neck. The action on the scissors is very easy for arthritic hands and the grip is ergo friendly. The blades are extremely sharp, right down to the points. The packaging highlights their scrapbooking uses and I can see why...you can get every tiny thread very cleanly and closely. The blade cover effectively prevents unintentional stabbings.
Sadly, I can't go higher than 3 stars for these scissors. The locking mechanism is a mess. I need both thumbs to jam it into locked mode and then I only get it about 50% of the time. The blades do not stop at closed but cross over creating a safety hazard. After cutting 2 sheets of paper and a thin layer of cardboard, one blade was already nicked.
The sharpness and over-closing of the blades make these unsuitable for anyone with kids in the house. Or a clumsy adult. I will use them for threads and yarn ends because they make a fine sharp cut but I do not think they will go the distance as a package opener or box cutter. If you lose the blade guard, these are a menace.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Saved my marriage! Don't waste your time with cheaper brands. Got a tear in the leather seat in hubby's new vehicle! When that happened to our sofa it cost 3 figures to have a repairman fix it. Needless to say he wasn't happy. Did my homework and found this product had the best reviews. What did I have to lose trying to fix it myself? 1) The video is wonderful! I am all thumbs and would have made a mess without the step by step instructions. 2) The service is bar none. Had a question and the seller got right back to me! Does this ever happen with other online orders?!? Not that I've ever had occur and I shop online all the time
3) The product is amazing. Took several applications as the cut was deep in thick leather. I just kept applying a little more like you would with nail polish until it filled in the groove. 4) The color match was beautiful. Just a tip - my leather is grey. Instruction was to take white. Add black THEN add 3rd color to adjust shade. The chart to mix colors is very helpful. I took a toothpick to add a tiny bit of the 3rd color as you don't need much. Also use a drop cloth! When I closed the plastic pots of color they got an air bubble in them. Close them slowly to get out the air or droplets will go flying. If I hadn't used a drop cloth I'd have color on my carpet. Hubby is happy, The seat looks great! THANK YOU LEATHER PLUS. The PLUS part in your name is that we should be able to give you 5 stars ++++++!!!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great scissors except for one big flaw. I really like these scissors, they're easy to use, cut well and most importantly: are easy on the hands. I got these because my mother purchased a pair for herself due to her arthritis and I really liked them. I would recommend them to anyone with arthritis or anyone who has to use scissors quite a bit. It takes a lot less force to make a cut so they don't fatigue the hand the way regular scissors do, and are particular easy on the thumbs since most of the cutting action is done by the fingers and the thumb is not surrounded by the handle creating painful pressure points.
The big caveat: the locking mechanism is weak. The first pair I ordered would not lock right out of the package. It actually sprung open as I got them out. I had to return it for a replacement. Just now as I was sitting at my desk they sprung open and startled me. I think that the orange plastic of the lock has worn down the ridges on the handle that locks it in place. I'm very disappointed and will probably contact the company so they can do something about it. After two failed locks, one from light use and another from no use at all, I won't be purchasing another pair until changes are made.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Tooth replacement. I had a tooth removed in my lower back part of mouth. This resulted in a two tooth gap since I had another removed 10 years ago next to it. It was very uncomfortable and even painful after eating. I don't have dental insurance, but I was considering a partial denture, bridge or implants. After being told by my dentist that a bridge would not work because it was a two tooth width, I was resigned to the denture or implants. I went online and discovered this product and decided to give it a try before spending approx. 4k on implants. I was able after a few attempts to make a small bridge that snapped into place in the gap that works great! I had to grind it down a bit for fit and comfort, but now it doesn't feel any different than an expensive implant or denture I imagine. I do use a little denture adhesive to hold it in place during the day . No one can see it and I feel much better. I can even eat with it . I am considering buying dental glue to permanently hold it in. For now I take it out at night. So try this product and don't give up, just keep working until it's comfortable.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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The original selfie. These are really fun for crafts and . . . whatever. The photo strips are on cardstock, pleasantly heavy -- high quality at a very reasonable price. They have a semi-gloss back, so I can't write on them as I'd planned, but I'll use them for all kinds of other projects. The photos include a really interesting assortment of folks from different eras -- diverse in every way except ethnically, but that is probably a reflection of the era in which the photos were taken. One thing: If you're planning to use a whole strip for your project, keep in mind that every picture features a different person, so you don't have 3 poses from one individual. Whatever your plans, you'll have fun just looking through these photos from a bygone time.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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It's T and it's Square, accept no cheap imitations. How to illuminate to others about just how T and Square this T Square is? This is a marvel of 21st century engineering! The ruler portion is, beyond any doubt, metal and 12 inches long. As a bonus, the 12 individual inches are further subdivided into 16th of an inch increments... Each one of them, not just 6 or 8 like some cheap imitators. The square part is solidly riveted to the ruler part, and as far as I can tell, short of taking it to work for testing with the calibrated digital protractor, forms a perfect square. Testing on several so-called "square" objects found them lacking in the 90 degree department (My bread slice was not even close, but the marble countertop was...) So, if you need a 12" metal T-Square, this one definitely has those properties in abundance!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Recommended. I would certainly recommend this glue gun because of several features that make it a very different and dependable glue gun.
1) It comes with a support to level the gun and keep the angle constant. You can simply attach or detach the support as needed.
2) The glue sticks that come with gun are pretty long. I'd say almost 10-12 inches as compared to the smaller ones we generally get from the stores.
3) The is a power on/off button the gun, which compared to others that I have tested, really set this glue gun apart. Instead of having to unplug the gun when you are adjusting the crafts and making them ready, you can simply flip the power button off and prevent any hot glue dripping on your table.
4) It came with 25 glue sticks, a support, user manual and a 20 watt blue glue gun with orange-red buttons.
5) The cord is a little longer than a feet. I feel like this could be improved.
Sample provided without any obligations.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Not very good quality control from Walnut Hollow. I have used many S, M, L and XL. If you need one or two go to Michal's or Jo Ann Fabrics or other hobby store and pick out a decent one for your project. Use the discount coupons in your local newspaper. If you need a quantity beware. They will not all be a nice white clean surface and a round or slight oval like on the pictures they put out. Especially the L and XL. The quality control from this company is not good. You will get some up to three times longer than wide, Some with terrible knots and imperfections, some with no bark, and even some in an hour glass shape. If you order a dozen, at least three may be unusable making any discount like free shipping meaningless.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Airbrush. Surprised at how fast it was delivered. The compressor is the quietest I've ever worked with. Instructions on putting the 3 parts together on the compressor were a bit lost in translation- but really easy for a ten year old who wants to make it work right away. The rest of the instructions that came with it were great and well thought out and clear English. The examples in the instructions were a great training tool. It worked, after putting the compressor together, quite well. No problems at all, just read the booklet and all will go well. Some buyers expressed that the compressor cuts out. It's supposed to when it reaches the set PSI. Then it comes back on the second the airbrush is used. This is a built in safety. If it didn't shut down when you are not using it, it it would blow out the seals. It also helps keep the machine from over heating. Bottom line.. If you bought the same brand pieces separately at Hobby Lobby (and they are only sold separately there)the cost would be three time as much as on Amazon. Great value/great product.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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First order was great, reorder was not with damaged packaging. I ordered one of these to test and the color is great and spreads very well on the skin. It's great for sensitive skin and washes off great with just soap and warm water. I'm working on a show where several of our performers are painted green and blue so I ordered 5 more of the Amazon green color. They came package in a dry cardboard box however the package that the actual product came in were all soppin wet. I thought that maybe it was just caught in the rain but the delivery box was completely dry and looked perfectly intact as well as being completely dry inside, so I'm very confused as to why this vendor would send products with wet damaged packaging which could potentially cause mold to grow in the makeup.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Honestly didn't care much for these paints. Yes, the paints were super easy to use. However, I found the results less than satisfactory. I bought these as opposed to purchasing heat-set paints to do "reborn" vinyl dolls. When I received the paints, the instructions stated to apply sealer first. I did this and the doll just got shinier and shinier. The 2nd try, I did not apply the sealer first. However, the paint did not stick well, rubbing off easily even after it dried for several days. Even after applying a couple coats of the spray-on sealer from the same company, the paint could still be scraped off easily. The third doll turned out somewhat better as the kit was a different type of vinyl. However, once again, after applying THREE coats of Luminaire's spray-on sealer, if I take my fingernail, I can still scrape the paint right off. The product description states it will not scrape off, but it did on ALL three dolls. Yes, I waited the 72 hours after painting to apply the sealer. Yes, I pounced it until dry. I even waited days between the coats. (And the doll sat around here for weeks until I gave it away and the paint still easily scraped off). I am leery of how well the paint will hold up long term even if just displayed and not handled. Therefore, I cannot in good conscience sell the dolls. The product description states there is no shine, but yet there was shine on all 3 dolls, with or without sealer. The description also states that the product is a good alternative to heat set paints to avoid "harmful effects of heating vinyl" which I assumed meant no fumes, etc. I didn't want to strip the dolls due to strong fumes with those types of agents - I have asthma and my 7 year old son has asthma. I was hoping for a good alternative to heat-set paints as I do not feel comfortable heating the vinyl parts. However, this product is one I will not use again.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great Soy Candle Starter Kit W/Video - Highly Recommended. The Candles and Supplies "Soy Kit" is a great way to learn how to make Soy candles. My wife and I got the chance to use the kit last year and we were very impressed with how easy the kit made to make beautiful Soy container candles. We are experienced candle makers, but wish this kit was available when we were getting started.
The kit includes the container wax, wicks, scent, dye, safety labels, instruction sheet, and instructional DVD. You will need your own pouring pot and miscellaneous equipment (thermometer, etc), which is detailed in the instructions and on the DVD. The instructional DVD also shows you exactly how to use the kit to get the best results.
This kit is a great way to get started making candles as a hobby or side business as the skills you learn can be used to make other types of candles.
Highly recommended! You might also be interested in some of their other kits and videos as well: <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Complete-Pillar-Candle-Making-Kit-Learn-how-fast-easy-fun-it-is-to-make-your-own-pillar-candles-Perfect-for-beginners/dp/B001DYMAP0/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Complete Pillar Candle Making Kit: Learn how fast, easy & fun it is to make your own pillar candles. Perfect for beginners!</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Tealight-Candle-Making-Kit-Learn-how-fast-easy-fun-it-is-to-make-your-own-tealight-candles-Perfect-for-beginners/dp/B001DYO9DQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Tealight Candle Making Kit: Learn how fast, easy & fun it is to make your own tealight candles. Perfect for beginners!</a>, and <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Introduction-to-Candle-Making-DVD/dp/B001DYHGB8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Introduction to Candle Making DVD</a>
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Halloween Regrets. Like a few other reviewers who are in the minority here, I really had a bad experience with my batch of Snazaroo paint. It was very difficult to get on, even experimenting with different amount of water application. Every coat was extremely thin and smeared easily, which meant I had to wait for each layer to dry before putting on the next...and the next...and the next. Even as I was finishing another part of my body, the first area I did was already crumbly and cracked. For the rest of the night, anything that touched the paint would make it crumble off, including the clothes I was wearing, so all around the edges of my clothes, there was a line of missing paint. Very disappointing and I really regret going with Snazaroo for my Halloween costume!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Seems to work well, but doesn't last. I had a small acetone spill on the left arm of my bonded-leather desk chair, which caused the leather to begin to peel in an area less 2x3" (inches) at the widest portions. I chose this patch because I didn't want to use black duct tape, I wanted to match the leather of the chair as closely as possible.
This patch applied easily (I cleaned the area with mild soap and water to remove skin oils, any residue of the acetone, etc, then dried it for about two days before application) and at first seemed to work very well. The patch does not match the picture, it in fact has a large crown logo embossed in the middle, about 2.25x1.75" in area of the total 4x2.5". I knew that would likely be the case from other reviews, but it's the wall-facing arm of the chair, and is still less obnoxious and noticeable than the peeling hole.
However, after about 2-3 months, the area around the patch began to peel away from the edges of the patch, and at almost 4 months, the patch has shifted along the front edge almost an inch from its initial location, and the peeling continues to spread. It has also separated from the chair along the front. The rest is still stuck on pretty firmly, so I'll likely have to damage the chair further to remove this patch before applying some hopefully-superior solution.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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YAAAAS. YAAAS I LOVE THESE. Perfect for bullet journalling, for those productivity nerds out there, heh. Really nice colors--they're on the pastel side, which I love, love, love. I use them all the time for my bullet journal, and they're really nice. They tear well by hand, but I prefer scissors since they give a cleaner cut.
I prefer washi tapes with solid colors because patterns get a little to distracting, and these are perfect! Last a long time, and these colors can be used in a lot of different settings. When I run out I'll totally be getting these again! Although that'll probably be like in two years. These tapes last a long time (at least for me). :)
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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As Good as a Royal. The price was great on this yarn ball winder and it works great. I recommend that you put a bit of tension on the yarn as you are winding it and not try to go super fast. When it starts getting to the end of how much you can wind on a ball, the yarn will begin to wrap around the bottom and slip off the top. This means you are done. Make sure you secure the center thread in the slices provided and that it doesn't pull out, because you will never be able to find it and I have had to actually start over. I tie a little knot in the end and put it right past the slit it goes into. I wrap a piece of blue (painters) tape on the pull thread when its done and actually wrap a long peice of paper around the ball and tape it (just like a yarn skein label or a rubber band and tuck the taped end into the rubber band or tape it to the paper. It takes a bit of figuring out, but it is definitely as good as the (almost twice as expensive) Royal winder and the bottom is covered so that the yarn doesn't get tangled in the gears on the bottom. I highly recommend to those who want a ball of yarn that just sits there while you knit rather than have to have a container so the cat doesn't think its a new toy. Happy knitting.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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they are quite beautiful, I was surprised at how thin the vinyl . These arrived today, they are quite beautiful, I was surprised at how thin the vinyl was, though they seem pretty sturdy, so I am not really worried about ripping, they are extremely thin, think paper thin.. That being said, I got all of the patterns featured which is awesome, I love the patterns and colors I got, and can't wait to come up with projects to use them with. The glitter does not shed which is great, since Glitter tends to shed everywhere typically. Very happy with these.
Disclaimer: I received this product for free or at a discount, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I believe that if you are reading my review, you want to hear how I honestly felt about a product. Regardless of how much I paid for something, I'll tell the reader how I honestly felt about using it. Thank you for reading my review!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Very easy to use and clean. This extruder is very easy to use and clean. The disks have held up to a lot of use. As the instructions mention, working the clay before putting it into the extruding tube mage pushing it out easier and all but eliminated any cracking. If there is one thing I'd like changed it it's to have a canister to keep the discs in. They either pop out of the plastic pack too easily (usually the ones I don't want to use) or the plastic had to be twisted just right to get the others lose.
I'm currently storing my disks threaded on a doubled piece of button thread.
The disks are the same size as the other crank type extruder. I usually use both types when I'm working with clay, using this set solely for light colored clay and the other for dark or mixed clay.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great. I'm very happy with this item. It works exactly as described, and is easy to assemble and use. It lost a start for a couple of reasons:
1. The clamp that grips the table is all metal and plastic, which when tightened down can leave scratches or marks on my good wood furniture (the only things that have a ledge/lip I can attach to). It would be nice to have something like weather stripping or similar foam tape with a little grip to put on the clamp.
2. I have to pull pretty darn hard to get the guide into a position where it won't snap out of place and fall down. It makes me worried I'm going to break it. I feel like that could be designed a little better.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Still sticks with a lot of muffins. I got this muffin pan so I wouldn't have to use liners or spray my pan. However, about half the time my muffins stick with this pan. I feel like for it to work in its non-stick way, the muffins must be almost completely cooled (who has that kind of time), but not left to sit in the pan for several hours. In my experience, if the muffins are warm or you let them cool too long, they'll stick. This is so annoying to me because I feel you need a good half hour to let them cool enough and I don't want to wait that long to turn them out of the pan. This isn't necessarily the manufacturer's fault, but I thought it's something consumers might want to know. Also, if the muffins are low-fat or don't use enough oil, I find that they stick a bit more. Also, if you use a fruit like strawberries in the muffins they stick. Again--just annoying because I don't want to have to guess when I can use my pan without greasing it first and when I don't need to.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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I purchased this to make a mold from a leaf. The end result is a great Leaf platter mold. I am very pleased. I purchased this to make a mold from a leaf. (Background, I found a leaf in my backyard that looks like it came from a prehistoric tree - extremely large.) I dried the leaf and sealed it with Modge Podge and then proceeded to make a mold. The leaf (after adding about 1/4 inch of depth) has turned into a great platter mold. I am thrilled. This is my first mold making experience. I did call the company and talk to the technicians one time, and was thrilled to receive such great assistance. I now have a Lilly Pad that I am turning into a platter mold.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great product. The very first time I used Ice Resin it did not set up properly, it was sticky after a few days like it never dried. I later figured out why. It was not mixed properly. You have to get the same amount of each bottle and mix THROUGHLY, which means scraping down the sides and making sure you really scrape the bottom of the cup you're mixing in too. Stir for at least 2 minutes then let it sit for about 5 minutes before you pour it. This will give the bubbles time to come to the surface & pop. I have had a few bubbles come up but was able to pop them before it set up. I used a long Bic lighter (the one you'd use to light candles) and waved it over the bubbles & they popped. On the Ice website it ways not to do that because it might cause discoloration, but I didn't have a problem, mine dried crystal clear. One time I had a bubble that I didn't pop in time and was able to drill it out when it was completely dry then I placed a small drop of Ice on the hole and put a flat back rhinestone over it and it looks great.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Work small with this. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this stuff. I've seen videos and gifsets of people messing around with other moldable plastic and I figured it would be a better alternative for making little figures (to later put in a mold and make copies of) rather than trying to figure out how to do CGI stuff and make a 3D printed model with it. Let me tell you, my first 4 hours or so with this were an adventure. I am so glad it can be melted again since I kinda went overboard and tried to make way too much at once. The pictures below show my sculpture in progress, and the final product of my prototype (and all the extra I digged out so I could use it again later)
-First off, don't do what I did and pour enough to fill most of a plastic coffee mug and THEN try and put hot water in there. It won't melt very well and you'll be stuck with a big chunk of half melted pellets that are very hard to work with. I think some of them stuck to the plastic cup.
-Second, while normal coffee mugs are the way to go for melting this, DON'T MELT A HUGE CHUNK ALL AT ONCE. The actually melted bits stick and sting in a manner similar to hot glue (they do peel off painlessly later though) and trying to grab it while it's in the hot water hurts. Use a spatula or some cheap plastic spoon (probably one of those "Crystal" ones that can manage the heat, or a metal one solely for working with this stuff) to get a sufficient chunk out to work with. I used a dowel this first time.
(Also it's probably good to just never use that mug for drinking anything again, it is now the designated Plastic Pellet Mug)
- Third, when you get it in your hands, and it's stopped sticking to them, keep molding the shape for a little bit, it'll still be blobby for another minute. Wait until it's starting to retain it's shape to grab another bit. And make sure to dunk the older piece in the hot water so it melds better with the newer piece. (and having way too much goop in the mug will make the older bits stick to the still melted stuff inside, maybe get a second cup just for hot water to dunk the half finished model in so pieces are easier to stick together)
- Fourth, WORK FAST, it takes about 5 minutes or so for the hot water to cool down and make the plastic less moldable as a result, 10 minutes and you start getting semi-cooled down bits that make smooth shapes a little harder to accomplish when bits of it keep sticking out. Sometimes a reheat is needed to keep things moldable for a bit longer. Part of why it's easier to work in smaller chunks rather than a big blob all at once (which YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T DO if you're not used to the stuff, or at all actually)
So yeah, significant learning curve in terms of working with the material. Course I'm way better with 2D art rather than 3D, so anything requiring sculpting was always going to be weird for me. But this wasn't too bad as far as first tries go! I hope to get better with practice :D
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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This Wonderful Sculpey Medium Blend Clay Has Quickly Become My Go-To Polymer Clay for Detailed Sculptures. As of late Ive been going back through some of my art supply purchases over the years and reviewing the ones that stood out in order to hopefully help other artists make informed purchases, and Sculpey Medium Blend is one that definitely warrants a five-star review.
I enjoy art and sculpture, and over the last few years I've really been digging into physical sculpture in particular, and with it, I've been trying a lot of new tools and materials along the way. For years I used to use an electric meat-grinder and pasta roller in order to mix my "perfect" clay (which was a blend of Super Sculpey, Sculpey Firm, and a little Sculpey III), so when Sculpey Medium Blend was announced awhile back, I was interested in checking it out and comparing and contrasting it to clays and blends I already used. I must say: I've been exceptionally pleased and surprised with the results!
I think the best way I could describe Sculpey Medium Blend is that it is about the grey color of Sculpey Firm, but with a consistency between Sculpey Firm and Super Sculpey. I love working in a neutral grey clay because it really helps details pop, and in reverse: it makes you aware of rough areas or areas with fingerprints you might want to smooth out. This clay smooths just the same as other polymer clays I've used (with Turpenoid or rubbing alcohol), and it's really quite pleasant to work with!
While I'm sure there will be times I will want to crack open my meat grinder and pasta roller once again to mix clays, I can honestly tell you that since I've started using Sculpey Medium Blend, I've all-but stuck to it. It's just that good, and it's contributed to all of my sculptures that you see in the photos below.
That said, this clay has become my go-to polymer clay for detailed sculptures, and I would highly recommend it to any artist or sculptor who is interested in adding a new clay to their creative arsenal.
I am a longtime Amazon Prime customer who enjoys writing reviews in my free time. If you have any questions or comments about this product or my review, feel free to message me and I'll be glad to help!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Hundreds of Uses: Great for Custom Firearm Holsters. Following instructions on line, you can form this material into any shape you care to mold it too. For custom holsters for pistols, heat the plastic sheet as instructed, then press over firearm with form-fitting foam. Its helpful to tape a dowel rod between the front and rear sites, so you create a channel for the front site to pass through--you'll learn the ins & outs with practice. There are hundreds of uses besides firearm holsters, use your imagination. Once this plastic cools, it is ultra durable--requiring a small saw (Dremel) to cleanly shape the finished piece. A little grinding/sanding to smooth out any sharp edges and you are good to go!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Misleading photo. This was very disappointing. The picture shows a wide range of neutrals and rainbow hues, but what I got was an assortment of all intensely garish colors. I think that if I got one sheet of each color there would be a better chance of including some subtle colors or neutrals, but instead I got 2 sheets of a really garish sulphur yellow, and two sheets of a muddy olive green, and two sheets of a very dark purple--other single sheets include an orange and a turquoise that threaten to shatter one's corneas. The lesson is: beware of letting the seller make the selections. The picture would lead one to believe that one can't go wrong with this selection--wrong again!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Wonderful and fun. I saw this new kind of craft in Pinterest and really wanted to learn how to do it so I saw these kits and I thought I would try it and I am loving it. It is a really awesome kind of art that is very easy to do and learn. It can be done using patterns that come with the kits, or you can purchase the patterns separately, or you can go over top of old pictures just to rejuvenate them and give them a new look. This was a very simple and easy craft to learn. It is one of those things that you can start and stop on a dime put aside and start back up later. Even for someone like me who has no artistic talent whatsoever can learn this. I actually find it very relaxing. I love all the colors and waves. It's fun.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Horrible Product. Okay,
So let me start by first off, I see the picture which leads me to believe that I'm getting 4 pairs of scissors...I understand completely that I must've missed the part that states its 2 Pcs, and not 4 Pcs but that's misleading with the picture, and you can't even choose colors so what's the point in even showing all 4 colors when in reality you're just going to get whatever they feel like sending? That's how I look at it. At least change the product picture and somewhere in the picture photoshop "2 Pcs" somewhere on it, so when I click the product and just hit "one click buy" I'm At least knowing that I'm only getting 2 Pcs. By the time I realized it was only 2 Pcs it was already shipped so I decided to continue with the transaction anyways.
Upon receiving the items, the packaging was fine, normal manilla bubble wrap envelope, wrapped in a clear plastic bag. I opened the scissors and inspected the items, they seemed okay quality for what I paid, so completely understandable that they aren't made of titanium or something. I received a blue one, and an orange one. I then opened them up, and inspected further, the orange pair cuts a piece of paper in a rating scale of 1-10 I would give it a 4. Then I opened the blue pair, on a scale of 1-10, they would be a -10.....they barely cut paper, I tried to cut a paper towel, it basically ripped it. Both pair won't even cut cotton. The way they are made makes it impossible to even put them in a scissor sharpener, so I now have two pairs of scissors that won't even do what a pair of dollar store scissors will.
Like I said above, I didn't expect titanium coated solid gold super cutting scissors, but I wanted more than two pretty colored pieces of plastic with some metal tips sticking out the front. I would give this product 4 stars atleast if they were actually halfway sharp, but they arent. So I'm unhappy with this purchase/transaction. I could've ordered better for the same price somewhere else.
They do however look nice just sitting on the corner of my desk with no purpose.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Fine Product, but fulfillment issues. You can buy the same item from Jo-Ann's for cheaper, but it's the shipping cost at Jo-Ann's that makes this a better deal (assuming you can't get a free shipping deal from Jo-Ann's). However, it was supposed to be a pack of 3, and the fulfillment team only sent me 1 pack. When I contacted them, they were apologetic and ensured me the missing 2 packs would be sent right away. A week later and once again I receive just 1 pack. I had to contact them AGAIN and finally received the final missing pack the other day. It took almost a whole month to get my complete order because it took a little over week to receive each pack individually. If you really need this item, you may want to call the company and ask them to ensure the fulfillment team gets the shipment right.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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AWFUL. Yes, I read the reviews and thought that maybe, just maybe the reviews that said it worked were right! WRONG! This is the worst piece of equipment, and the worst Martha Stewart I've ever used. Unless I used an extremely light-weight, (even regular copy-paper was hard to use!) very light colored paper it just is not capable of being strong enough or light enough to use. I tried her stencils and letters, there's no way I would use this, much less take up valuable space for things that do work. Total waste of money. Actually, I could probably make my own with LOTS more light, a LOT cheaper, hmm, now I'll have to think about that, haven't had a 'project' like that in awhile! Anyway -DO NOT BUY - HORRIBLE!!!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Best glue gun I've used. I ordered this glue gun about a month and a half ago based on the recommendation of a YouTuber who creates felt flowers and I couldn't be happier with the purchase. I've been using it almost on a daily basis to glue felt. The smaller nozzle makes it very easy to control how much glue you're using compared to the nozzle on standard glue guns - this is especially helpful when creating smaller, delicate flowers. Another huge advantage to this glue gun is the on-off switch which means I no longer have to unplug my glue gun after I'm done working. I haven't used it with Surebonder branded glue sticks, but have found it works great with other brands. My only complaint would be that the little kickstand isn't very sturdy and I end up keeping the glue gun on its side when I'm not using it - which for me isn't really a deal breaker. I would highly recommend it for crafters and felt florists.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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This stuff is awesome. I have never used anything like this before now so I didn't know what to expect. I also found some at Wal-Mart but a different brand and a much smaller can for more money! I was so very impressed with this. I sprayed the backing and cotton batting of a quilt I was making (about a twin size), put the layers together and machine quilted it without basting! I have a hard time getting down to the floor to baste and this was so very easy. If you turn your quilt over and find you have wrinkles on the back, you can separate them and redo. Redoing is a little difficult and you MAY have to spray on a little more but not as much as the first time and well.... I could go on and on. I really really like this stuff. It has made quilting a lot easier and machine quilting a pleasure. I am actually on here to order more. lol. Great stuff
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Expiration an issue. The number of applications where Sugru offers a better fix than glue or double sided tape are limited:
- Something that takes advantage of the moldability and structure of Sugru. I fixed a child's toy this way where superglue wouldn't cut it.
- Something that needs to be stronger than double-sided tape (which is much cheaper), but not as strong a say Gorilla-glue (which is also cheaper).
Because the number of projects Sugru is uniquely best for are limited, I wish I would have gotten the full 13 months to use before expiration. Mine arrived with about 10 months remaining. Yes, you can theoretically triple that time by storing it in the fridge, but this means effectively lost 9 months.
And if you have interest, applications where Sugru is less helpful:
- Where you need a really strong hold, like various construction applications.
- Where you need a lot of the stuff. As others have mentioned, it's not practical to make projects with it since it's so darn expensive.
- Applications where aesthetics matter. Coming in such bold colors, it's not meant to be a hidden solution.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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worked great, but the jar was half full so I got half what I thought I was buying. It worked great for making a mold.
there are 2 things I want to point out.
1.i opened the sealed jar and it was only half filled with silicone so it makes it hard to judge how much volume you have to do the job, so minus 1 star for deceptive packaging, you think one jar will be enough but when you open it and see it is half full then you can only do half the job.
2.make sure the thing you are molding is secured so it can't move, this stuff is thick like molasses and it pushed the thing I was molding across the bottom of the mold and I had to reposition it.
other than that it worked great and make a good mold with a lot of detail
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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This is balsa wood; and it serves it's purpose. First of all, this is not scrap wood. This is balsa wood which is intended for modeling, carving, etc. This wood is light weight for a purpose. I'm using this product to make my own modeled rc boat and the wood is very flexible to fit around the hull of my ship. I was speculating the quality of this product since I've seen many bad reviews of people who don't know the proper intended purpose of balsa wood. There are different objects in the bag for a purpose and if your expect the wood to be exactly measured to your convience and primed cut then your better off simply going to a hobby shop; these pieces can easily be cut to the demensions I need so that is definitely not a problem for me. The wood is soft and light weight containing about 25,5 by 3 1/2 balsa squares. About 4 stalks and 6 shorter stalks. A wooden cube that could be used for carving and overall this product fits my needs completely. This is not oak wood; this is balsa and it serves it's purpose completely. All of the negatvie reviews need to show some respect for their ignorance on purchasing wood online. I'm very pleased overall and hope to be buying more balsa from here.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Bad ball winder. Due to a mishap with shipping, I ended up with two of these. I unpacked the first one and set it up, everything looked good. I loaded up my swift and started to wind, kind of. There was so much tension on the yarn that I could barely turn the crank. After some tweaking, I tried again with the same results. I tried rewinding a ball I wound on my other ball winder, thinking that it might be easier. I was wrong. I got the same results no matter what I tried. I gave up on the first one and unpacked the second one. It looked a little bit different than the first one. The gears moved a bit easier. I thought this was a great sign. I was wrong, again. The second one was worse than the first one. It too, was terribly hard to crank. Not only that, it made one goofy looking ball. I called the manufacturer and a rep advised me to bend the arms to guide the yarn differently. I tried that and found no difference in the ball shape or ease of turning the crank. I packed both units up and sent them back to Amazon.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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YES YES YES LOOK NO FURTHER. 10000% SATISFACTION!!!!!!!! The ONLY glue stick I will use and I use it for EVERY project from miniatures to furniture repair, I hav used it on metal, wood, plastic, rubber, jewelry, glass, indoors/outdoors, shoe repairs, clothing, everything!!! If u use it to decorate or repair clothing or fabrics you cannot however put them through the dryer. As it is intended to melt under heat, it won't hold up; but it does not turn into a sticky mess. I hav accidentally thrown shirts in dryer that were embellished and all that happened was the embellishments fell off and glue remained on garment or came off in one solid piece. (And I glue EVERYTHING! My kids say "I" am Doc Mcstuffins! Lol) I have used this glue many times to make purses out of an old skirt that was too cute to part with bc of size and a belt by glueing bottom of the skirt shut al usu g belt as strap instead of through belt loops (and I REEEEAAALLLLY overload my purse every day, it weighs a ton!!!!!) and I hav never had ANY failure!!!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Fun and Easy Mosaic Craft. These coasters (2 per kit) are easy to make and fun for older kids, with adult supervision. I have the same kit, but I bought mine at Hobby Lobby or Michael's (for much less than the advertised price here). The glass comes in squares you cut with tile cutters and then arrange and glue onto an acrylic 4 inch square to make the desired design. The kit also comes with a piece of felt to glue to the bottom of the coaster. I've had mine for several years now and have been very happy with it.
I advise not working on this project in a place where you regularly eat, as there may be splinters of glass when you use the tile cutters. It's also a good idea to wear closed toe shoes and to keep pets away while working on this project. You're breaking glass, so there is some risk of being cut while working on it. It's still a fun project though and it's a great conversation piece on my desk at work.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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The standard in fabric shears (but for the left handed. These are the best fabric shears you can buy. I have had a pair of right-handed shears from this company for many years, and my wife, who is left handed, has been recently attempting to use them. While the right handed shears do work for her, the left-handed version is much much much better. These are nearly identical to the right handed shears in quality and construction. For the price listed on Amazon, you won't find a better fabric shear. Top notch all the way.
One thing though this pair did not come with an embossed metal tin like my original right handed shears did. These just come with the plastic tip protector. Perhaps the packaging has just changed in the years since I bought my originals, but it's a small thing and doesn't affect the quality of the shears themselves.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Not perfect, but an excellent set nonetheless. This is close to being a perfect set but falls short in a couple of areas from being the-only-set-you'll-ever-need.
PROS: quality tools (e.g. no burrs/etc.), comfortable to use, not oversized (spatulate 4-set is kinda big, but make for good cutting tools), good variety
CONS: no real needle-head tool, no ball-head tool(s), small additive spatulate tools (the colored set) are a tad on the thick end
If the set were slightly adjusted to include the two common tools missing in CONS, it would be a 5-star for me. I think bigger-diameter wood-handles would be lighter and more comfortable to handle (in place of the solid metal colored set), but that is not worth taking stars off for.
(Using this for small polymer clay sculpting).
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great crafting item. Who doesnt love those awesome paper figures like the swan, flowers, or even complex geometric shapes known as origami? Theyve been a hit for a long time in my house, and so to get this Orchid Origami Paper filled with the special origami paper plus instructions was perfect!
Origami was always a project that I never thought I could get a grasp on, even though I always admire the pieces I find at museums or even at craft shows. Like, my brain understands its just paper and folding, but my hands never catch on!
What I really liked about this set is I have a choice of 10 colors in the same pack, plus step by step visual instructions! And that seemed to be the ticket, instead of just reading the words or following only pictures with no explanation. It took a few tries to get the hang of it, but now my office and mantle are filled with various pieces of art.
I enjoyed how the paper folded for the different pieces we were making. It held its shape very well but didn't tear like some other kinds weve tried in the past. And the nice thing about the eBook that comes with the paper is you can start right away since no other supplies are required.
Promotional or discounted product provided for review.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. I purchased this at my local craft store. I have experience stenciling but cold not find any other stencil adhesives locally so I purchased it.. I had a very intricate medallion stencil. I followed instructions for use and had an idea of what to expect. I know how careful you must be to avoid excess paint from seeping under the stencil. You need to use light coats and sort of a dry brush or dabber. Attempts to keep paint from seeping were futile. Upon examining my results I found the adhesive had dried up very quickly and released from the canvas. After several hours' work, I was left with blobs and seepage all over my canvas. Very frustrating! I will stick with spray adhesives with good recommendations. When I saw this listed here, I felt I really needed to warn folks! I am going to purchase Aleene's adhesive. I will let you know how it works.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Technology moves on and on . If you think Instamorph will just 'read your thoughts' and simply fall into line with whatever you shakily desire to make ... than you'll be disapointed. If on the other hand you 'catch the vision' of how to work with the hot plastic you will simply be overjoyed. One of the best craft examples to exemplify this incredible materials workability TO THOSE WITH SKILL is the making of a denture plate. This project in and of itself will immediately nullify those silly reviews that claim the product will not do detailed molding, cools too fast, is toxic, can't make a good upper plate liner, or the host of other silly negative remarks ... probably from excited and non skilled crafters . Probably every trick necessary to understand this stuff will be learned in making a bottom denture. I wear a 4 toothed bridge that has 2 holes to fit around my existing lower teeth. Here are some facts to greatly help you enjoy this marvelous plastic.
1. 'Levels' of meltability ... While the initial first melting of the beads needs to be 140 to 150 degrees, the first rough forming of the shapes desired after cooling can be worked just like a sculpter uses clay. No artist just molds a bust in clay from one quick pressurized push of his hands to form a face or entire head and neither does a skilled crafter using Instamorph. You can dip the entire project rough shape into boiling water for only 1 to 3 seconds and even though the material stays bright white, still it is workable to press into the subtle curves and edges you desire. When you understand that you needn't wait for total clearness of the material nor must you ruin perfect parts to reform a different section of the project you'll 'catch the vision' of how to avoid too much heat, have continued workability all the way up to , as I did ... work the material even as it sat in my mouth without burning yourself. To experiment with it's workability melt some beads and form it into a small 'superball' and let it cool. Now dip only one half into boiling water and leaving the white side totally alone, mold the ball into round on one side and flat on the other. this will let you understand 'spot' melting and just light softening techniques.
2. thinness of the material does not make it weaker after cooling. There might be a tendency to make a project too bulky because you don't understand how tough this material is when cooled ... the holes in my project for example are nearly 'see through' where my real teeth must pass through yet it's impossible to break or tear these thin walled holes. So yes, delicate projects like a sailing ship with sails and guy lines CAN be done.
3. Many warn against using the product for car interiors because of the extreme heat that might be built up inside a vehicle on a summer day. Thin delicate molds would soften, but thicker and bulkier ideas that required at least a tablespoon or two of beads will get a bit 'rubbery' but not totally 'deform' as claimed. Test this by making a rod about 2 inches long and about as thick as a cigarette and press it into a second piece of plastic about as round as a nickel and just a bit thicker. then place it on your dashboard in summer heat to see it shouldn't become droopy nor deform, and any slight rubberyness will disappear as soon as the car is brought back to passenger comfort level.
4. making holes .... if for example your project needs two quarter inch holes through it, don't just punch that size through the hot material as it might deform the material to the left, right, and bottom of the project. for any hole, dip a screwdriver, punch, ice pick or similar tool in boiling water and you can 'spot melt' delicate detail areas.
5. controlling color pellet intensity ... the optional color pellets are incredibly brilliant. So, for example how would one make a light pink project from the intensely dark cranberry color that just one pellet produces ? It's easy ! never add any color pellets to your project mix when you care about color intensity. Make instead strips or circles of the pure color. I flatten these 'new' pellets into cuttable disks by using a drinking glass to flatten every new color disk to an equal thickness. Now when you need a more pastel color than the color pellet produces, add small cut pieces fron your color disk to your clear project mix to create much lighter hues that you can increase color intensity to gradually by slowly kneading in another piece of color strip.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Genius Idea, Execution Is Very Poor. **Update** The seller refunded my money. It doesn't change the star count for the product but I did appreciate that they did so.
I bought these earrings and was very dissatisfied with the quality. Upon arrival I opened the package and when I went to remove the back from the post, the entire metal post popped out of the clay piranha plant. Shocked I was extra gentle with the second only to get a duplicate result. I pulled the earring back off of the now unattached post and when I tried to put the post back into the piranha plant thinking maybe I'd be able to glue the posts in securely the earring broke in two! At that stage I got fed up and am done with these earrings. The idea is wonderful, but I don't believe these are made sturdy and wonder how well the four-five star reviewer's earrings have held up.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Easy to use, but not pretty. I purchased this wax to learn how to make my own candles. I used this with Natures Garden fragrances and liquid colorant. This was my first experience with soy wax and prior to using this I was not aware of the characteristics of soy wax.
Pros - Burns cleanly, decent scent throw, easy to measure and use, doesn't crack
Cons - After initial burn, surface of candle develops craters/indentations, white crystallized frosting marks, and separation of wax which is especially noticeable when using colorants
The cons are purely cosmetic, however I prefer my candles to look as nice as they smell.
As you can see from the pictures, the orange and light blue candles are are unburned, but the white candle (w/no color added) and the dark blue candle both have sigificant cratering after hardening after the initial burn.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Gorgeous metallic rub-ons for any paper project. I'll admit it, I'm a papercrafting supply hoarder. I have tons of rub-ons in my stash, but have already used 2 packs of these, because they are amazing. They go on easily, don't stick to the backing or pull off halfway through and stay on the surface well.
I've used them on plain paper as well as photos and they look great. They are not repositionable once they're on, and not easily lifted if you make a mistake, so be sure where you want them before rubbing them down. They work equally well with a popsicle stick, or my preferred tool, the <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Martha-Stewart-Crafts-Bone-Folder/dp/B001PX893Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Martha Stewart Crafts Bone Folder</a>.
They blend in nicely once rubbed in - you can't see the edges or a "shadow" around the designs like you can with some lesser-quality ones.
I highly recommend these and the <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Luxe-Rub-Ons-Copper-Black-Confetti/dp/B00B5HXSHY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Luxe Rub-Ons-Copper & Black Confetti</a> one as well. My only quibble is that they are expensive for the small number you get and I use them up quickly on larger projects.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Awesome, handy stuff. The plastic part that holds the cord on my vacuum cleaner (cord keeper?) broke off. I used epoxy to glue it back on, but it didn't hold. I didn't want to spend a lot of money to replace the whole wand (since you can't just replace that one little part on its own). So for over a year, I've been annoyed by not being able to neatly wind up the cord. I found out about this stuff and gave it a try. After putting some of the pellets in hot water, you have to work pretty fast, as it begins hardening immediately. No problem, as you can just put it back in the hot water to soften it up again.
I'm not a sculptor so it's not the prettiest job, but it works! It does not stick to the plastic parts of my vacuum, but I was able to mold it around and onto itself so that it stays. But because it doesn't stick, I'm still able to turn it like it's supposed to in order to quickly free the cord. In fact, it actually works better than the original part because I was able to construct it longer to hold the cord better. This is great stuff. I'm sure I'll find more uses for it!
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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A great medium for small to medium sized sculptures. This is a good clay for just abut any of your modeling requirements. Working with this medium has its shortcomings but if you are willing to put a bit of extra effort into the detail effort, you will be more than satisfied with the results. Most items that exhibit extensions from the main body of the sculpture will required internal support. It should also be noted that sculpted objects thicker than 3/4" will show stress lines after baking. I recommend that artist treat this medium like regular earthen clay and they will have little if any problems. One final note. Finishing an object by carving or sanding is a breeze.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Quality tabs paired with 1.0mm pre-waxed hemp wick. Good product for the price. I used a 1.0mm bees waxed hemp wick I got from Amazon with the 14mm tabs and they worked fine. Could have used the 12mm but the price was double so I got these instead. The wick thickness varies due to the wax so the extra room in the stem was good. I crimped close to the top as recommended by other reviewers but 10% of my bases would bend slightly so they wouldn't lay flat. Then I found that crimping from the top and not the side is the trick to having a 100% flat bases =)
The hemp wick is very slow burning so the flame stays high. It may not be the right wick material for making soy tealights for essential oil warmers but the quality of the burn is very nice for larger slow burning natural wax candles.
I'm new to candle crafting and found 1:1 wick/tab compatibility info hard to find. I am looking for another pre-waxed natural wick alternative to hemp. Any help or comprehensive resource suggestions from experienced candle crafters is greatly appreciated :)
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Best Beginner Kit without putting a hole in your pocket. If you are like me who are easily influenced while browsing Pinterest and get bit by the crafting bug for a small period of time this kit is for you. I got attracted to Paper Quilling on pinterest and wanted to try it . At the same time I didn't want to invest too much money because I am not going to end up opening an ETSY store for sure.
It has all the necessary things you need to kick start making little things. I loved making a few and I did waste a few strips of paper as well. Ultimately this will help you decide if you actually possess the patience and knack to make elaborate designs so that you can further go ahead and spend money getting the necessary accessories.
This is coming from a person who is not so good at crafting.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Great For Replacing Teeth Or Making Your Own Craft Molds. LOVE these beads! They are awesome for replacing a missing tooth OR for creating craft molds. (I use them for both.) As they are affected by temperature, I recommend storing unused beads in the fridge until used. Otherwise they may melt together. Although even if this happens, they are still usable by simply placing in hot water to soften again.
The only thing about using them to replace teeth is that, over time, they stain badly and need to be reheated and reworked. HOWEVER, they can be heated time and again without any problem. You can also add fresh bead/gel (it turns to a clear gel when heated) over the previous stains.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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husband's face for an event and it did not disappoint. The colors are vibrant and the paint is . I purchased this kit to paint my husband's face for an event and it did not disappoint. The colors are vibrant and the paint is easy to apply. The kit came with three sponges but no brush which is not a big deal as a basic paint brush will suffice. The paint dries quickly but does not crack and washes off with ease. Tip: do not over-do it when applying water to the brush, you really don't need much! When rinsing the brush off to apply a new color, be sure to get as much paint off the brush as possible as it will mix and streak. I've added a photo of my husband's face paint to provide an example of how truly vibrant the colors are with minimal effort.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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A Staple for the hobbyist for decades. This product has been a standard for hobbyists, railroaders and diorama makers for decades now. It works well and you can make very thick casts of clear material that look like water.
This isn't for children though! It is toxic and you have to mix it properly with drops of catalyst. You also have to absolutely do this either outside or in an extremely well ventilated area.
Four stars because it works well and sets into a beautiful clear form but it does take some effort to mix and keep ventilated.
If you are looking to make water effects for dioramas and you don't need it to be any thicker than 3/8 inch you should try <a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Realistic-Water-16-fl-oz/dp/B000A7PPOE/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Realistic Water, 16 fl oz</a>. Theres no mixing and no fumes.
If you need a really thick water landscape poured then this is then this casting resin is the way to go.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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I Like Locking Loops. I became interested in Locker Hooking about three years ago, collecting the required tools (a locker hook and a tapestry needle) and materials (rug canvas, material yardage, and yarn.) I never did anything with it though, because I was left unmoved by the books I'd found on the subject. I felt trapped in the grid of that rug canvas. Then I stumbled across Theresa Pulido's book "Hook, Loop, and Lock" and my interest and creative fires were kindled once again. I draw inspiration and encouragement through other people's work, which encourages me to step out and try out my own ideas. Ms Pulido's ideas and designs make it pretty clear that there are few limits to Locker Hooking. Her books are well written, providing clear, concise directions throughout, using colored photographs, line drawings, and step by step.
In addition to her books, she has come up with several different kits, created to open up the world of locker hooking to beginners without a lot of fuss and bother, providing a simple way to experience the craft for the first time. Ms. Pulido has provided me with one of these kits, and asked that in return I give an honest review of this item. For the record, I don't know Theresa Pulido at all. I just happened to register on her Color Crazy website and was asked to participate in a review.
This particular kit, Locking Loops Locker Hooking Kit Plus Book - Mosaic Mat, provides instructions and all tools and materials needed to create a 6"x6" mat - a 7"x7 square of rug canvas, locker hook, tapestry needle, anchoring yarn, edging ribbon, and approx. 40 yards of 1/2" strips of fabric. Included with the Kit is the Locking Loops Book, filled with page after page of clever and inspiring projects.
The kit is well thought out and equipped. Ms. Pulido has pulled together some beautifully matched, hand-dyed, batik-style cotton fabrics in vibrant colors. The fabric arrives pre-cut in tidy strips, each color bundled with twine (which, by the way, can also be utilized in your design - look to the book.) This particular kit also came with one 1/2" spool of fabric, which must, in itself, hold at least 10 yards of fabric on it. I can tell you that, having completed the kit, it comes with a generous supply of working materials which allows you lots of leeway for varying your design. If you prefer one color over another, you can use more of that color and not be too concerned about running out. I have quite a bit of fabric left, to my delight!
Besides the book, the kit comes with kit-specific directions. Included in those directions are page references for the book. There are four simple steps to completing the mat. The detailed directions, with pictures, will be found in the book. It's very easy to follow the step-by-step on the enclosure and go to the book for the referred instruction. She provides you with directions for two different methods, spiral or linear. Your choice. I'm sorry, I was never one to "stay within the lines" - I did both, and ended up with a mouse-maze kind of pattern. I like it! So did my sister. I showed it to her, and she "surreptitiously" stuck it in her purse! I had to wrestle it out of her hands so that I could take pictures to post.
All in all, using everything in the kit, making the mat was very simple - especially since all the fabric was neatly cut for me! There was no work to this at all. Only fun! Just a note...In my kit, the instruction card and its images demonstrate a simple mat, which is what the kit provides for - however, within the instructions there is mention of a tile that's to be placed in the center. That doesn't apply to this particular kit. And finally, I seriously considered withholding one star, because I feel that the asking price is a bit high, but considering that you get the book, all the tools, an abundance of prepared material, and a few hours of satisfying crafting pleasure, it might be well worth it to a beginner to get such a jump-start into the locker hooking adventure.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Very Well Built knife Sharpener. <div id="video-block-RZDAW5TU3N5GB" class="a-section a-spacing-small a-spacing-top-mini video-block"></div><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/D1QcxETdF4S.mp4" class="video-url"><input type="hidden" name="" value="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51e2D-OZZnS.png" class="video-slate-img-url"> As you can see in my video I had an old one-stage knife sharpener...Now while it did work, it didn't work as well or as safe as this PreciSharp - Knife Sharpener 3 Stage Knife Sharpening System. This one has a nice large handle to hang on to and slip guard edges that will prevent you from slipping up and hitting your hand while your working with it. The three stages of this allow for use in ceramic knives and then a 2 stage system of course and fine for regular knives. Its easy to use...a few swipes down the course side to remove any blemishes or knicks in the blade and then a few swipes down the fine side to add a super sharp edge. Takes about 15 seconds to put a decent edge on your knife. Make sure to always wash the knife after you sharpen it to make sure you remove any fine metal that the sharpener has taken off the blade. You don't want that in your food.
I am giving the PreciSharp - Knife Sharpener 3 Stage Knife Sharpening System a 5 star review as of right now. For the price is a very well built and designed knife sharpener.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments. I will respond. If you found my review helpful, let me know. Lets keep making better buying decisions together. Thank you and as always Be Safe & Happy Shopping!!
I received a sample product to test and evaluate. If anything changes during my usage, I will update my review.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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Sometimes memories are the best review a person can give because of the impressions . If only I had the pictures of what I created with this. Sometimes memories are the best review a person can give because of the impressions the product gave us. With that said, I remember it being very easy to work with. Put it your hands, not much save the size of a deck of cards, let it warm up with your body heat a little then mush it around. The baking times aren't ridiculous. I bought this solely to get my feet wet in the clay world without spending a thousand dollars and possibly finding out I hated it or I was terrible at it. This product would be great for the little ones as well because they can create something small in a matter of ten or twenty minutes and then bake it, I just used the kitchen oven (it did make the kitchen smell like clay but the oven was fine), and voila there's something they created and can be proud of to show to their friends or simply cherish like a pet rock. My pet rock. How I miss it.
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arts-crafts-and-sewing_crafting
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