We received an expanded version of their Bracelet Kit. The bracelet kit, for purchase, has enough for 4 bracelets to be made, and each bracelet to have 3 charms on it. From their website, each kit contains:

“Make 4 stylish charm bracelets
Clay colors included – Teal pearl and Pearl
Kit includes: 2 oz. Sculpey III clay, 12 decals, 4 plastic squeegees, 4 metal circle cutters, 4 metal bangle bracelets, 12 eye pins, 12 6mm jump rings, 4 plastic rollers, 4 toothpicks, and instruction sheet.”

If you are new to this clay crafting world, I highly recommend watching their YouTube video for the bracelet kit. It is so well done, and easy to understand. After watching it, I was very confident that we would all do well and have a great time. You will need additional supplies. You will need a little container with water for each person to soak their decals in, an index card, or thin piece of cardboard, to place their charms on, as they are made, and then to bake on, at least one paper towel each to dab the water away off the applied decal, and to clean off the squeegee and hands, a pair of small needle nose pliers would be great. A pencil to outline the decals with, and a pair of scissors to cut out the decals. I prepared the decals prior to my guests arriving, to both save time, and to make it more relaxing and easier for everyone. I even wrote everyone’s name on the index card, so when I baked the charms, no one’s charms got mixed up. I placed the charms on their perspective index card, onto a baking sheet, and then into the oven for 20 minutes. It went so smoothly that way.

The included instruction pamphlet is bright, well-illustrated, and written. It has cut lines in it, so you can cut it apart, and then you and your guests can easily share it around the table. I decided to laminate mine, so the instructions would both, not get ruined, and be easier to use with wet hands. Also, when laminated they are sturdier, and easier to prop upright, if needed. The charms need to be baked for 20 minutes at 275 degrees F. They stress to not overbake them, so set a timer, and make sure your oven was preheated thoroughly, first. The laminated sheets ended up being so perfect. We even placed a block of clay to be cut, by the outline of how to cut one, so each was done perfectly.

Now, the clay can damage some surfaces, so make sure you put a smooth work surface down, prior to working with the clay. You can use smooth cutting boards, wax paper, foil, baking trays, and the like. You will also want to make sure you wash your hands prior to working on the clay, and wipe them in between each color, so you don’t accidentally mix the colors.

Now, we chose to invite couples to our party. Many couples love to craft and do things with each other. It is no different than the pottery and wine nights, or the paint and wine outings, that you see everywhere. This, I think, is more fun, because it can be done in home. You can relax and cut up more. Serve food and drinks that everyone will enjoy, and really make an evening out of it. It really is a no brainer. We unfortunately had 1 ½ couples cancel last minute due to both illness and family obligations, but we still had a blast.
I also chose to buy some glow in the dark clay, in case anyone wanted to use that for one of the charms, instead of the included clay. I went to our local Micheals, and they had almost an entire aisle done in just Sculpey clay and accessories. Soooo many colors to choose from. I couldn’t decide, until I saw glow in the dark, and I thought that was just too much fun, so I bought that pack quickly and then bolted, lol. One can easily get carried away with all of those choices. You can check out the Sculpey website and see all the different things they offer. You will be amazed, I promise you.

I am really impressed with the decals. They come in sheets, so you do need to cut them out. The pamphlet and the video show you how to do so. You just place your circle cutter on the sheet, starting from the bottom edge, so you don’t waste any of it. Then, take a pencil, and outline the inside of the circle cutter with the pencil. Now you just need to cut out the circle with a pair of scissors, place the decal in some water, and wait until it starts to flatten out in the water, and the decal should come right off the paper, with a little swipe of your fingers. Now, you just place the decal on the cut circle of clay you have prepared, dab with a paper towel, to get the excess water off of it, and a light scrape with the squeegee to get out all of the air bubbles. That’s all you have to do. Then, when you are done baking your beads, you have a beautiful design on your bead, that would have been impossible to do without it. I think the decals are truly ingenious.

Some of us did go a little rogue from the kit. I had holiday themed clay cutters that I bought, so we made bat designs with glow in the dark clay. One made an Easter themed charm, and my husband made a couple actual skull shaped charms. You can really be so creative with this product.
Overall, I am really impressed with both the product, and the company. They really have done a fantastic job of creating well thought out kits, individual product, incredible instructional videos found on Youtube, and instructions that are easy enough for a complete novice to understand. Thank you Tryazon and Sculpey for such a wonderful experience.

How to video via Sculpey:

Scupley sites to check out and follow:
Website: https://www.sculpey.com/
Bracelet Kit: https://www.sculpey.com/web-exclusive/161-sculpey-iii-charm-bracelet-kit-diy-party-for-4
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PolyformProducts
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/PolyformProducts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SculpeyPolyform?s=17
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sculpey/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sculpey_polyform/

Tryazon: https://www.tryazon.com/

I received this product to test. All opinions are my own and honest. I received no monetary payment for my review, and I do not make any money off of the sale of the product.

I am always thrilled to be accepted for one of Tryazons’ parties. I was exceptionally excited to be able to participate in the 3Doodler Campaign. I love creating things, but I have yet to even come close to mastering the 3D pens on the market. 3D doodler has a great product, I am very impressed. I received their 3Doodler Create Pens to play and party with, but they also carry a beginner’s line, and a line great for younger kids, called #Doodler Start. Now, if you are a pro at it, or a professional, they even have a line for you, called 3Doodler Pro, and it looks impressive. Last, but not least, they even offer a kit for classrooms, called the 3Doodler EDU. The 3Doodler Start was The Best Creative Toy of the Year for 2017, too! We took the pen on the road as well, since it is so portable. You can really have fun with it anywhere.

They have a wonderful website, with 5 main sections on it: Store, Projects, Educators, Support, and Blog. The website is very easy and clear to follow and understand. I am highly impressed with their Projects section. It is a lot better than others I have used, and looked at. Their projects are actually free to print out as well, which I really love! I printed out a few to use at my party.

In my package I received 2 3Doodler Create Pen Starter Kits, 1 DoodleStand 2.0, 2 Different Color Packs of ABS Plastic Sticks, and 2 Doodle Pads. The Create Pen Starter Kits include: 1 Pen, 1 AC Power adapter, 1 instruction pamphlet, 1 Quickstart Guide, 1 wrench, 1 mini screwdriver, and 1 long tool to clear the passage with. I love the stand that this company offers. It can hold up to 75 Doodlestrands, and 1 Pen. Because the pen has a rubber guard by the tip of it, it will even hold the pen if you have the power cord attached to it. The power cord attaches to the top of the pen. It plugs into a regular 2 prong outlet. The included pamphlet offers some easy to read, and understand instructions. You can also go their website, and on the first page of the Shop section, you will see a Getting Started Tab. Press that, and it takes you to a page, where you can choose your pen. So, I clicked Create, which is the pen I have, and it took me to a plethora of information. This is the direct link for that section: http://the3doodler.com/getting-started/create/?_ga=2.159286396.778643117.1500502727-1931972569.1497930577 There are videos and manuals there to help you on your journey. Here is the main Youtube video for getting started: https://youtu.be/LVPqK4L5p2Y   Have your pen ready, so you can follow along. It is basic, for example: On the side of you pen is the off, low, and high switch, as well as, the ports for accessories. It shows you that the top of the pen houses the air vent, the power port, and the port for your plastic strips to be inserted. The buttons to make the melted plastic come out, are called extrusion buttons.

These are on the front of the pen. The larger one makes it go faster, and the smaller one, makes it go slower. It’s a fast visual, which makes it easier to adjust your speed. I really like that. I also like how they are not located on the side, like some other brands. I would always hit it while trying to create, and that was sooo annoying. Now, the back side of the pen houses a clear section, which is the Maintenance Housing. You can see how mush plastic you have left in the pen, and access the inside of the pen from here, if you have an issue, like needing to clear a blockage. Last but not least, it warns you about the tip, or nozzle of the pen. It gets very hot while in use, and takes a bit to cool down after the pen is turned off, so be careful! Then it will go through other videos about turning on and operating your pen. You can choose to just read the pamphlet, but having a video visual, can make it easier for a lot of people. The pen has two settings: low, and high. On the low setting, the lightbar turns green when ready, and blue when ready for the high setting. The bar is on the front, top of the pen. The included plastic with the kit is ABS, which has to be used on the High setting. The low setting is for PLA, which was not included, but can be purchased separately. This pen can accommodate it. Now, to operate it, after you place a piece of plastic in it, and the light is on, go ahead and press one of the extrusion buttons once to start it. Pressing once again, will stop it, and double clicking one of these buttons will reverse the direction of your plastic, so you can remove it, and start a new color; easy peasey. Now, they state to trim the ends of your plastic after removing it from the pen, so it’s ready to be reused. This is easily done with a pair of scissors. Now, if you are trying to reverse your plastic, and it won’t, that means it’s too short to reverse, and you will have to use the rest of it, to remove it. They have videos on how to use the included tools to troubleshoot, in case you have an issue removing any plastic.

Time to create and enjoy. Being aggravated is not allowed, lol! I printed out a few projects ideas, but you can find others for free, or for purchase on the internet. I am ecstatic by the free library of projects 3Doddler’s website offers, though. Their videos give you hints on how to do 3D drawings, and more. Nothing takes the place of practice, though. With their DoodlePads, which have grid measurements on them, it was easy to place a project paper under the mat, and then create from there. Here is a link to some of their videos, for ideas: http://the3doodler.com/videos/ . Some hints I learned from their website. For a flat pattern, press form onto the surface. For a 3D pattern, when creating a line up, hold it for a few seconds, so it can solidify, and then pull quickly away, to separate from the creation.

I have a 10 year old son, who has tried 3D pens before too. He is at my skill level, which is, we will say, the fun level, lol. I feel safer with him using this pen. Since the plastic inserts are straight, and not long and curvy, the pen is easier for him to handle, which in turn makes it safer to use. I homeschool him, so I love to bring creative items into our home. This definitely fits the bill. Their website also shows all types of kits they offer, which can be highly fun, and educational for children. I am really impressed with this company overall! Under their Educators section on their website, the even have STEM included, which is beyond wonderful. You can create, or copy patterns. Learn how physics work in 3D builds. You can even have your friends create their own wine glass, or beer bottle markers, at the beginning of a party. Scientists do say, that as we age, are brain ages also. To keep It young, and quick, we need to keep using it, challenging it. This is definitely more fun than brain games on a tablet or phone, that’s for sure.

You can purchase any of their pens directly from their website, or Amazon. Here is a link to their community page: http://the3doodler.com/community/ 

All opinions are honest and my own. I have no financial ties to Tryazon or 3Doodler. I received this set in exchange for testing their items, and sharing my experience, only.

Whether you are in the middle of a remodel, or just want to freshen up a room, these wall panels sent to me from 3D Wall Panels – CSI Wall Panels, will definitely do the trick. We happen to be in the middle of a renovation. The home is from the 1960’s, and definitely needs some modernization. What I love about these wall panels, is that you do not have to only choose an ultra-modern design, but you can choose more neutral designs as well. There is something for everyone. They offer a YouTube video to show you how simple it is to install these panels. You do not need a professional to install, which is always a benefit to the wallet, lol. Although, my husband is a master carpenter and a commercial electrician, so I did have the upper hand. These wall panels are appropriate for home, office, and commercial properties. They come unfinished, and will need to be painted by you. I was given a panel of wall panel choices to choose from. They were made from either one of these choices:

A.      Panel Size: 19.68?x 19.68?inch, 725g

Material: MDF Wood fiber.

Thickness: 3mm on flat areas, Upto 1/2 inch on Dimensional areas.

Features: DIY Product, Eco Friendly, Lightweight & Paintable

Package: 10 panels/Box. Covers 27 sqft/box

Color: Comes only in its Natural wood color

B.       Panel Size: 19.68?x 19.68?inch, 275g

Material: Sugarcane fiber (Bagasse) Paper pulp.

Thickness: 1.5mm on flat areas, .50? on Dimension areas.

Features: DIY Product, flexible, Lightweight & Paintable

Package: 12 panels/Box. Covers 32.29 sqft/box

Color: Comes only in its Natural off white color

I chose the wood wall look, done in the MDF wood fiber material. The natural finish is more of a light brown. Besides providing the paint to finish, we also had to buy adhesive to mount them to the wall. We repainted our wall before applying the panels. You will want to mount them to a clean, dry surface. These wall panels have an A+ air emissions rating, so they are healthy to have them in home. They are 100% Natural, eco-friendly, and 100% of the wood is from well managed forests. I am really happy with these panels over all. I have insane allergies and asthma, and I have had absolutely no irritation from thee panels at all. The company obviously has pride in the products they sell, and it shows.

I received two boxes of  wall panels. Each box contained 10 panels, which covers approx.. 27sqft each. Make sure you let the panels acclimate to the temperature in your room, where you are doing the install, approx.. 24 hours before you apply them. We let them sit about 4 days, since we were waiting for the weekend. Each panel measures out at 19.68?x 19.68? inches. However, they are all nominal. The way the come out of the machine, they are not all exactly the same. So, measure and trim before install. That is what we discovered. My husband said this is too be expected, and experiences this with tile all of the time, too. The adhesive we used to install the panels is Power Grab by Loctite. He really liked how well this adhesive worked. The panels held very well, and didn’t need to be taped while the adhesive took hold. Now, besides measuring and trimming your panels, you will also want to sand down the edges. Really check out each panel. Ours had mildly rough edges, from the way they were made. So, sand them down before mounting them. Below are two pictures of a painted sample with rough edges. You can sand the edges down and repaint without difficulty.

Then, make sure you mark your center line when you start your layout. You want to apply your adhesive to the back of the panel, on all of the raised surfaces, then apply them to your wall. Once all of your panels are up, according to your plan, it is time to prime, and then paint your panels. The panels dry fairly quickly, as the boards are quite absorbent.

You may need to re-sand the edges after the primer dries. That is something you will have to decide. We chose a high gloss paint, for that smooth, modern finish. We set up our own spray tent area with visqueen and painters tape. That way our area was protected from any overspray mist. The spray technique really allows you to get that smooth, sleek finish. We used Valspar High Gloss Lacquer in White. This paint really worked well on the panels, and no special sprayer was needed. Since we only did a section on our wall, we trimmed out the panels with premium grade 1x2s. Then we used caulk to fill in the gap. That was also really simple and fairly inexpensive to do. You want to prime and paint the panels after they are installed on the wall. That way you can also make sure any spacing between the panels is also painted, for a smooth finished product.

Our panels were nice and solid, and easy to work with. We did not have any damaged panels in our shipment.  We are extremely happy with the finished product. We love it as our background for the electric fireplace we installed. It adds so much style and flare to the room. With the lacquer finish that we chose, it adds a lot of shine to them when the light hits it just so. I can’t wait to hang my new chandelier in the room as the finishing touch. 3D Wall Panels at www.csiwallpanels.com, is definitely worth a visit and a purchase.

You can follow them through social media here:

     https://www.facebook.com/CSI3DWallPanels/

     https://twitter.com/CSIWallPanels

     https://www.pinterest.com/CSIwallpanels/

     https://plus.google.com/101918191842325655654

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COi_fyvDxtE

I was provided a sample. All opinions are honest and my own. I received no payment for this review, and do not receive any payment from any of their sales, in any way.

Editorial Note: I was told by WallArt that this company buys the panels through them, then sells them, and had me blog about the product. WallArt threatened me with legal action, because they wanted their name mentioned. I have no prior knowledge of their company, and they have been ugly to me to deal with. Personally, I do not like their ethics. Their information is:  www.mywallart.com. They are the ones that make the Select Wall Panels, supplied to me by CSI Wall Panels.

3800 decorative beads

 6200 crystal accent beads

1 roll of elastic cord

3 rolls of embroidery threads (pink, red, and orange)

1 plastic Butterfly jewelry designer work station tray

Now, do not try and poor the little beads into the tray. The tray is thin plastic, and it makes for the perfect trampoline surface for the beads, lol. Boy, do they ping, ping, ping, everywhere. I was not overly happy about it, either. So, take a few out at a time, with your hands, and place them in one of the compartments directly. I had the bag close to the tray too, when I tried to pour them. I made one bracelet and one creation that can attach to a hairclip, for this blog. I made the bracelet with the elastic, and the hair accessory with the embroidery thread. I could only get so far with the embroidery thread though. That type of thread starts to unravel, and unravel. I placed all types of emollients on the end to keep it together, so I could thread the beads, and it didn’t work. You could use a needle if you had one with a bigger eye, for that type of thread. There are so many designs and how tos, that you can find online. Our internet is a great resource tool. This set is a great source of beads. The tray can definitely help you organize your beads, especially if you have a specific design planned. You can count out, and place the beads into their own compartment on the butterfly tray, making them easy to spot and use. If you are getting this for a child, you will need to help. I also advise getting some additional jewelry making tools to make the process more efficient and easier. With those additional items, this would really be a fun and creative hobby to participate in.

I received this kit for free. I was under no obligation to leave my honest and unbiased review. – Liberty Imports’ 10,000 Beads DIY Bracelet Making Kit Mix & Match Style Jewelry Designer Studio      

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0CODCT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

#GotItFree #CheapDealMagic

Calligraphy is such a beautiful art form. There is something so elegant about a piece written in calligraphy. Some people have such an amazing talent for it. From scriptures to gift tags, it is always so beautiful to look at. I am so excited about this set. I had a simple one, years ago when I was very young. This set is absolutely perfect for anyone getting into calligraphy. It has everything needed to get started. In this set you get: 5 different inks to choose from, 1 ink bottle stand with ink holder, 6 nibs (writing tips), and 1 calligraphy pen. Since this set was hand crafted, and made alongside the companies that make professional pens, you can rest assured this pen will work the way it should.  You just need to provide paper, and an eagerness to learn. After a quick search online, I found so many free templates to begin your calligraphy lessons with. So, you do not have to wing it, no worries. The pen is well balanced, and the different tips are nice and smooth to work with. If you are new, like me, to this, make sure you are in an area, where no one will knock your bottle of ink over. I knocked my well over, lol. It’s a new experience to get used too.

The ink included is pretty nice to deal with as well. It does not have a pungent odor to it all. I have asthma and allergies, and it doesn’t bother me one bit. No animal products were used in these inks. They are “non-toxic soluble dyes and pigments suspended in acrylic shellac”. This tips are supposed to last awhile. They are made out of stainless steel and are “tipped with iridium alloy”, to keep rolling smoothly for years. The handcrafted pen is so pretty, and made out of a pretty Birch wood. I am new to this set, but I am believing the hype. It is easy to hold and use. It’s a fun experience. This pen is nicer than the one I had many years ago, and that does make a difference. I love having the different heads to really be able to try the different styles with, as well as the different ink colors. It’s the perfect beginners’ for me, and I think it would make a great gift.

I received this for free. I was in no way obligated to leave my unbiased and honest review. – GC Quill Writing Calligraphy Pen Set Writing Case 100% Handcrafted – 5 Bottle Ink – Best Calligraphy DIp Pen For Kids and Beginners – 100% Quality Guarantee

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KZ8KFOC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The handles are made out of the same material that the bag is made out of. It is made out of 100% cotton canvas material. The measurements are 17 ½” wide, by 3 ¼” deep, by 17” long. This is only the bag, not the straps. These are my measurements. I like that. It actually makes the bag bigger than stated. The drop on the handles is 11 ½”. I was excited about this bag, because it is easy to personalize. Since it is a cotton canvas material, it can even take photo transfers to it. I did a lot of research on it, and actually ordered some photo mod podge like product, so I can do it, lol. You can also decorate it with buttons, jewels, and other crafting Knick knacks. You can paint on a design, or even do your children’s handprints, as a gift for Grandma. Overall, I love the size of this bag, I love the material, and the storage this bag provides. Mine arrived in perfect condition. It had no stains, tears, holes, or odor to it upon arrival. I am very happy with this bag.

(Now excuse my messy Mod Podge attempt, lol. You have to be careful on getting Mod Podge on anything but your photo you want to transfer. Lesson learned. Otherwise, the material of this page took this craft process perfectly.)

I received this, for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Dimayar 15.7″x15.7″x3.3″ Reusable Plain Cotton Canvas Tote Bag for Women&Tote Bags for School Teens Grocery Shopping Tote Bag Canvas Tote Bag Craft and Canvas Tote Bags to Decorate

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JYMN8LW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Customized products are so fun to both do and receive. I’ve been able to do a few customized products recently, and it is always a memorable experience. Our photo albums are so different from years ago, and we don’t just sit and randomly go through old photos. So, seeing products with special photos on them, is such a great experience. This aluminum dog tag necklace with chain is beyond cute. You can do anything with it too. The theme and feeling of the dog tag will depend on the photo you choose for it. My younger son is really into FNAF (Five Nights at Freddys). He loves the character Foxy, too. They do sell FNAF dog tag necklaces, but you can’t pick and choose. They are only available in surprise packs. So, I had a picture of him in his costume. I chose to upload that picture. Now he has his Foxy necklace, and it’s really him. He just loves, loves, loves it. The chain is the usual ball chain that accompanies this style necklace. It can fit over your head, at 24”. But, it does have the usual clasp opening as well. The charm itself is 2” long and 1 ¼” wide. The photo will be printed on one side, and the backside is all white. The photo I uploaded is bright, vivid, and clear. When you go to purchase this item, you have to have your photo ready to upload. You cannot even put the item in your cart without having the photo ready. So have that in mind when ordering a customized product. If it comes up as your file is too large, just crop your photo and reload it. It works almost every time. Since it is aluminum, you won’t have to worry about it rusting. The finish was done professionally, and we just love it. This is a great product for anyone as a gift, or of your spouses or family members’ photo, while they are deployed. Or even as a memento of a loved one that has passed.

I received this, for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – RitzPix Customizable Aluminum ID Tag With Chain – Perfect Personalized Gift with Custom Image or Text

If you would like to purchase this product, I can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M0EXU7W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I absolutely love fairy lights on copper wire. First off, I love, love, love copper. No clue why, but I do. The color is so rich and vibrant. It has always been a favorite of mine. I was thrilled when they first came out with these lights. So, I am not new to them. This set is waterproof, but the waterproofing of the outdoor outlet will be up to you. That part is not waterproof. This particular set from the Gao Ge store on Amazon, is 33 feet long, and has 100 LEDs on it. 100 beautiful, warm white, LEDs. The thin copper wire is surprisingly more durable than you would think, and the LEDs are interwoven into the wire. I think it’s pretty cool how they do this. This particular set is a one mode set. They stay steady on. The cord does separate; in case you have a remote set up. These lights will accept it. Fortunately, the lead line is a good length (18”), which makes setup easier. This wire really stays put too. You can wrap it around almost anything, and it won’t budge. For example, I had a set of solar powered fairy lights, copper ones like these. I wrapped them around the landing banister of the deck. It stayed out for almost a year, before the cord was cut by the edger. We had a hurricane go through, and a ton of storms. They never, ever budged an inch. I just wrapped them around the banister too. I did not use anything at all to keep them in place. I love LEDs, they are so durable, and just keep on going, no matter what. They have a really long life span, thousands of hours. This company did not state the specific amount of hours from what I could find. From my past with this type of light, it’s normally around 50,000 hours.

These lights do not get hot to the touch at all, so little ones won’t hurt themselves if they accidently touch them. These lights use so little energy as well. They only consume 12W of power. You can do almost anything with these, as long as you have a nearby outlet. They have a regular 2 prong plug on them. You can place them inside a bottle. You can decorate your patio like I did, or your bedroom, wreaths, pictures, behind frames, and more. With the holidays coming up, you can decorate around your decorations with these. Since they are so neutral, and offer a warm white light, they can be used year round as well. There is really nothing I do not like about these lights. I am a big, big fan.

I received these for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Gao Ges’ LED String Lights -100 Leds, 33 feet Copper Wire, Warm White Outdoor Decor Lighting, Water-Proof.

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KRPUWPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love how organized this lighting kit arrives. I am a nut for storage and organization. I do a lot of videos. I have a backdrop that is a little plain right now, but the lighting is never what it should be. I also homeschool my son, and he obviously never gets school photos done. I was so inspired by this lighting set. I’m going to initiate my own, taken at home, homeschool yearly photo. I constitute this a homeschool win, and any homeschooling family can do the same. This set arrives with a great, well-constructed storage bag. It is made out of the material like backpacks are made out of. It has a double zipper on the bag, which make access very easy. Inside of the bag you have 2 white umbrellas, and 2 black umbrellas. They operate just like any regular umbrella. They just do not have a handle. You then have 3 lights, 3 light bulbs, 2 tall tripod stands, 1 smaller tripod stand, and 1 book of instructions. The bulbs included are compact fluorescents, and they are 45 watts each, and have a 5500K. That is close to natural daylight. I recommend trading them out for LED, if you are going to be traveling with them. Compact fluorescents have Mercury in them, and can be broken easily. I like how they included a separate bag for the actual lights. I thought that was a very nice touch. It is not padded, however. You can easily throw a couple microfiber cloths in the bag as padding, which can then be used to clean your lenses with as well. The bulbs that can fit are the regular type bulbs, E26. The white umbrellas the translucent ones, and the black umbrellas are the Reflex ones, or more reflective ones. The instruction pamphlet is pretty nice and easy to follow. Even for a first timer like me. I am used to tripods from my past in music as well as my tripods I use for my backdrop. The tripods are metal, and easy to operate. They very bottom of the tripods are like flat plastic. They do not have a lot of grip to them, but I can’t see that being an issue. Otherwise, they are solid tripods. They function smoothly, and are just like all my other tripods I have currently, and the ones from my past. You screw to tighten into position, and it holds well. You attach each lamp base to the tripod, screw in the lightbulb, and thread the umbrella through the lamp base as well. It’s pretty easy to do. If you are new to this system like I am, it’s a test and see situation with where to angle the lights and umbrellas to achieve the desired lighting. I’m sure a pro can do it in minutes. The umbrellas are made well. They open and close with ease. One of my umbrellas had the end cap fall out a couple times. I glued it back in, and I no longer have issues. The material is in perfect condition. The bags are constructed well. There was no odor to any part of the kit. All the stitching is tight and on point, and my zippers are performing smoothly. Overall, this is a great kit. It really covers all the basic needs. You can change the light bulbs out for what your preference is for your situations. I am comfortable recommending this product.

I received this, for free, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Emart’s 600W Photography Light Photo Video Studio Umbrella Lighting Kit.

If you would like to purchase this kit, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018KE5XUO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have been to a couple of art schools in my past. I have also raised three boys. So, I have gone through my share of colored pencils. Colored pencils are all the rage nowadays with adults. Especially because of the wide spread adult coloring phase that is wide spread. Coloring is a creative, mind opening, and relaxing habit. It’s very cathartic to those who have a lot of stress in their lives. I am really happy with this set of colored pencils from StrapRight.

They are soft core colored pencils, and come in a great tin storage case. So many companies are skimping on the packaging nowadays, and I think this tin really makes a difference. It was definitely a thing I looked for when I went to art school. Your pencils had a much better chance of not getting broken that way. It really does help to prolong their lifespan. When you open this tin, you will only see one tray of colored pencils. The other tray is located underneath it. When you are using them, you can place the top tray in the open lid spot, thus enabling you to have both trays of colored pencils available to you at once. These are 7” pencils, and you get a whopping 72 of them. To top it off, they are all different colors as well. They all come pre-sharpened, so they are ready to go upon arrival. All of my pencils arrived in perfect condition. The colors are true to what you see. You do not have to do layer upon layer to get the hue you are going for. They have a medium softness value, so you do not have to apply a lot of pressure when coloring, like you do with your kids cheap Crayola or Roseart colored pencils. My son hates those now, after trying my better quality pencils. They really don’t compare. Also included with these pencils is an EBook , 50 page, adult coloring book. You can print and color. It’s nice to have that options, especially if your kids want to color too. The value of this set is incredible. The colors are vibrant, and you have so many choices. It really is a great, well rounded set.

I received these, at a discount, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review. – Premium Colored Pencils, 72 Piece Set | Huge Range of Color Pencils Perfect for Art | No Repeat Colors; Great for Shading, Drawing & Sketching | Comes in a Steel Box & Bonus Coloring Ebook.

If you would like to purchase this product, it can be found here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B212OUO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1