WRMK Crazy 8 Punch

Welcome to another one of my reviews of a new product....

(sorry for the iphone photos again "somebody" has lost the cord that hooks my dslr camera to the computer & I can't upload my photos grrrr .

I couldn't resist getting the We R Memory Keepers new Crazy 8 Punches.  Watching all the videos from CHA (since I don't go to the winter show) and then seeing the demo on HSN when it was the world wide launch as the today's special value.... I just had to get it ordered for my birthday (thanks Dad).  The Lace/Doily set was calling my name so that is what was ordered by operator & a conformation was sent to our account.  I even got the auto ship (sets of 2 would ship quarterly for the same price as TSV) since I could always cancel if I didn't want but couldn't add it later.  Quick shipping as it was on my porch within 2 days had me super excited until I opened the box and saw that I received the floral/circle set instead of the the lace/doily.  I love the circle it's super versatile but the floral is just not my style & it would be sitting in the drawer if I kept it.

I called HSN customer service and they acknowledged the mistake and credited my account $10 so I could reorder the lace/doily set which was still in stock (apparently people reserve and say they will send in a check and then don't) and authorized free return shipping.  (but by the time I shipped these back on Monday the lace/doily set was sold out so I didn't end up getting it).  HSN allows you to use and return so I had to try them out to see if I wanted to try to exchange for the lace/doily set because you never know until you try for yourself... right?

Well these punches sure deserve and live up to all the hype.  I loved them!

You can feel the quality they are heavy, durable, carefully crafted & designed.

They are super easy to use - You know how it's tricky to line up traditional border punches not with these punches just line up each corner and punch then flip and do it again.  

The punch has the ability to turn off either the inner or outer cutting with the flip of a switch.

For this scallop circle cut from a 12 x 12 piece of paper I had both settings turned on.

Very clean die cut - no raggedy edges and not lining up.  Again I can't say it enough how it's so easy to achieve professional results.  

These are as nice as the die cut cardstock shapes that Archiver's sells for over $1

On the top of the punch it shows with pictures & words what each setting looks like

This is inner only

this is a closeup of outer only

I did notice a slight problem if I used inexpensive cardstock that was not true 12x12 size

This could be covered up with embellishments to use in a layout

But I think I would just use Bazzill cardstock 

or another premium brand that is true to size to get the best results.

You can also cut different sizes other than 12x12 and get a graduated look.

All in all these are a great tool.  Yes they are a bit pricey since even on HSN the sets of 2 are sold for $59.99 plus shipping.

I have a Cricut Expression but that doesn't stop me from buying border punches so I think I would invest in some basic yet stylish shapes.

TWO BIG CRAFTY THUMBS UP 

FROM ME FOR THE 

WRMK CRAZY 8 SCALLOPED CIRCLE PUNCH

Disclaimer:  WRMK did not provide me with products or encourage me to say I liked it.   I purchased  it myself.  This is an honest review of what I think of the product.

WRMK Sew Stamper Review

I LOVE the look of sewing on all my projects.  I use the sewing machine, hand stitch, and use stamps or rub-ons and even hand drawing to mimic the look.

I recently purchased the We R Memory Keepers Sew Stamper set from HSN here.  I already own the WRMK Sew Easy that perforates paper in different stitch patterns to easily add thread so I am familiar with & like the handle and interchanging stitch heads.

The Sew Stamper starter package comes with the handle & double straight stitch stamp.   The other stitch patterns are sold separately.  The set I purchased came with all that is pictured below.  Handle + 6 additional stamp heads.  I think this covers all the basic & decorative stitches I would want so I am pleased with the collection.

What You Get 

Sew Stamper tool with straight head Cross Sew stamper head Zig Zag Sew stamper head Scallop Sew stamper head Burst Sew stamper head Blanket Sew stamper head Hem Sew stamper head

Since each head has ink already inside it's important to keep it covered.  WRMK made that easy by designing a lid that slides away when in use....  This is super impressive to me as someone who easily misplaces things all the time in the chaos of creating - they usually show up again but why risk it right.  (sorry for the blurry photo I was trying out using the iphone 3gs camera instead of dragging out the big boy but you get the idea)

Trying the straight stitch stamp head on plain non textured cardstock.  There was a slight random dotting on the right side of the stamped images as I rolled it the first time (left side) so I did it again & adjusted the angle of handle/pressure slightly & the pretty much took care of the problem (right side).

Then I tried the cross stitch patterned stamp.  There was a slight discoloration on both edges as I rolled along the paper.  You can see how as I adjusted the angle of the handle a bit the marks changed position.  There's a fine line between just enough pressure for a good image & too much pressure with lots of extra marks.  The random marks don't bother me much since I like a "home made" and distressed look

I purchased this for mini books & mini book kits since stitching can be lumpy it's not always desirable but I didn't want to give up the stitch look.  This tool is going to be perfect for achieving that quickly & will great results.

Here is what the X stitch stamp looks like on a mixed media canvas that I was working on.

This picture shows the zig zag stamp head.  The top is a rub-on and the bottom is the WRMK stamp

Finally I love this large folky hand stitched scallop of this stamp.

This is a water based dye ink & it limits the use slightly.  I made the mistake of not looking before I leap so the faux stitches on the canvas pictured above were wiped off as they would not dry over Mod Podge layers & if I would have put more Mod Podge over them it would have reacted with the ink to smear ruining the piece... thankfully I called WRMK customer service when it wasn't drying to ask & they were super helpful.  So I just wiped off with a damp paper towel avoiding disaster.   This was my own fault for not checking before using & expecting it to do more than the product was designed to do.  If you are using on paper for cards, mini albums, scrapbook pages, etc it will work perfectly with no problems.

Pros
Ease of use getting that hand stitched look that I like
Ability to change the stitch head stamps quickly
Ink dries quickly on PAPER
Very economical compared to rub-ons with similar results
Fast to use - in the past I drew my own "faux stitches" with a fine tip marker this was a little time consuming.

Cons
Slight marks show up when rolling depending on the pressure/angle but this lessens once you get the hang of using it.
Waterbased dye ink only limits applications


Summary:
WRMK makes some of my favorite tools (Crop-A-Dile, Brad Setter, Corner Chomper, & Sew Easy).  The Sew Stamper is now added to that list.  I loved the hand stitched look of the length of stitches & it gives me the ability to have a stitched look without the bulk of thread.  I love that the lid is attached so it will not get lost.  It is economical compared to rub-ons since the head can be used over and over again.  It was super easy to change heads.   No more hand drawing my own "faux stitches" this is so much faster & easier with a more even look.  I would recommend this tool to any of my friends and blog readers - 2 crafty thumbs up

Disclaimer - I was in no way compensated for this review or was given this or any other product from WRMK for free at the time of this blog post.  I'm a consumer & these are my honest thoughts on the product.

My Scrapbooking Room in Progress - part 3

Now for the last part of the tour.....



This shelf is also a very inexpensive one from Staples - I store paint, buttons, ribbon, books, magazines & sewing needs on this easy to access shelf.































Scrap storage is always a dilemma I've tried them all. Keeping them in a bin works best for me. I sometimes get the best inspiration from 2 unexpected papers/color combos just waiting in the box for me....


Now for the closet.... The woman who owned the house before us put "cubbies" in the closet because she was a quilter. The doors have seen better days & were always falling off so I hung a shower curtain to hide the clutter. I really didn't do a lot of organizing here yet. It's just sorted by like theme on each shelf for now.....

















The Home Made "Clip it Up" type storage is made with a metal paper towel holder & page protectors. It holds an amazing amount of flat items & it's easy to page thru. Cost me $10









I have a metal shelf hanging outside the closet. It doesn't hold a lot but I put on fav rubber stamps. Hanging items with binder rings stretches the storage too. I have my bling, small rub-ons & small chipboard albums hanging on it.

Behind the door I have an over the door shoe caddy to hold my punches.

My Scrapbooking Room in Progress - part 2

OK - now continuing the tour....

These shelves are on the same wall as the dresser.

Now for the most important part of any scrap area... THE DESK

I had 3 of the Michael's cubes & this week my darling hubby bought me 3 more & a piece of finish grade wood for the top to make a desk. It's very useful & stores a lot

Inside the drawers I've stored my most used tools/supplies. It's not totally finished since I still have 2 empty drawers.

The workspace though not very deep is perfect for working on a layout. I like a longer table as my last workspace was a dining room table that was wide but not long. I can sew right where the machine is if it's just a quick seam around a layout & move it to the middle for a longer quilting session.

A Few of My Favorite Things

For today I thought I'd share some of my favorite & most used products...

Any kind of buttons... I love vintage ones but Basic Grey has some great colors to add to my stash.

Bo Bunny has a double sided cardstock called Double Dots. It comes in a variety of rich tone on tone colors. It is one of the best papers I've used for distressing. I always keep many of the colors in my stash. (some are subtle & others are a little brighter)

I have a love affair with patterned paper that shows in my ever growing stash...

Webster's Pages is a favorite paper line of mine right now. It's just so pretty! They have journaling cards & ribbon that is to die for. Their website is a favorite hang out for inspiration http://websterspages.ning.com/

Other favorites that I will buy multi pages of is October Afternoon, Crate, My Mind's Eye, Scenic Route always has great paper for boys, & with release of newer lines Basic Grey is a new favorite.

I also never pass up a die cut Making Memories 12x12 paper. They really are versitile & can "make" a layout something special.


Jenni Bowlin Bingo Cards are a perfect addition to many of my pages & even make great mini albums

I use this EVERYWHERE! Love the shadowing on edges of layers so the Chestnut Roan "Cat Eye" is a perfect soft finishing touch.

American Crafts sells cardstock now in packs. It's very similar to Bazzill (which I will never give up for their great color choices but I like being able to buy in a package - with a discount coupon). I always have a pack of white 12x12 on hand.

Other cardstock I always have on hand is a pack of 25 kraft paper available at Hobby Lobby for $3.99 each (then they do 50% sale on that!)

The Cricut Expression is a workhorse in my scraproom. I love making my own layered letters for layouts - I can have that "Thicker" look in the perfect color/font/size without the cost.

I don't have a lot of carts - the 2 that come with the machine are still my favs - though my wish list is gradually getting bigger lol

Just got "Joy of the Season" cart this weekend & it makes amazing cards quick & easy. I sure am having fun playing around with different techniques to get my cards made.

The Cricut website has great tips on how to use this tool to it's fullest.

You all know how much I love to sew on my pages. So last but not least is a sewing machine - no layout is complete without a little attention from this most used tool.