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Review

Annie’s Creative Studio Review – Coupons & Free Trial

4 · Aug 14, 2023 · Leave a Comment

Thinking about joining Annie’s Creative Studio? Is it worth the cost or is it a waste of money? Well, I’ve got you covered!

If you’re short on time, I’ll get right to it.

Annie’s Creative Studio is definitely worth the cost, especially with the free trial.

Make sure you sign up using my special link here: Sign up for free here

What Is Annie’s Creative Studio?

If you’re reading this you probably already know what Annie’s is. But just in case you’re a long-time follower that hasn’t heard of it, then let me share my full Annie’s Creative Studio review with you. I think you’ll like it.

Annie’s is a creative resource website offering classes and patterns for a wide variety of crafts like sewing, quilting, crocheting, and more.

An Annie’s membership grants a subscriber access to over 2,000 classes.

What’s Included in Annie’s Creative Studio Membership?

Here’s everything that’s included.

  • Over 2,000 how-to video classes and tutorials
  • Crochet, quilting, sewing, home decorating, knitting and more
  • 1,600+ FREE downloadable patterns
  • Amazing techniques and skill-builders
  • Helpful tips for faster, easier crafting
  • Watch on phone, tablet or computer — 24/7
  • New episodes added regularly

Annie’s Classes and Video Quality

There is no shortage of online DIY videos available for just about any skill you’d want to learn. It can be frustrating because not all instructional videos are made the same!  The videos on Annie’s Creative Stuido are clearly produced and easy to follow.

How Much is Annie’s Creative Studio? 

Annie’s Creative Studio costs $7.99 per month. You can also get a free trial by clicking here: Sign up for free here

The free trial is 15 days. You can cancel it anytime by phone or email and they will never charge you. It really is a great deal.

Annie’s Creative Studio Coupons

There are currently no coupons that I know of. I signed up using the free trial, which is a heck of a deal to check it out for yourself for free.

Is Annie’s Creative Studio Right For You?

If you’re looking for an extremely affordable way to get access to patterns and classes on crafts you love, then absolutely. Even if you plan to use it a few times per month it’s cheaper than renting your favorite movie.

The patterns alone are worth the cost and with over 2,000 classes to browse through, you can always find something new and interesting.

This is NOT for you if you are already an expert and like to do your own projects. If you like to follow along and feel like you’re hanging out and  learning from friends, it will be a much better fit.

Conclusion: Is Annie’s Creative Studio Worth It?

I love it. I think it’s absolutely worth it. Give it a try for free. If you don’t like it you can cancel anytime with the first 2 weeks and you pay absolutely nothing. No risk to you at all.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Review – Is it Still Good? (2023)

7 · Dec 25, 2022 · Leave a Comment

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is the most popular machine in the Cricut brand of cutting machines, according to their website. It’s a popular choice for crafters, with the capability to create unique greeting cards, party decorations, custom t-shirts, home decor, and so much more. 

This machine can cut over 100 different materials, such as cardstock, adhesive vinyl, iron-on, glitter paper, window cling material, faux leather, and others. It can even cut some fabrics; perfect for anyone who enjoys sewing and quilting.

The Cricut Explore Air 2 is impressive right out of the box. It comes in a variety of attractive colors, in case you want the machine to complement your craft room decor.

It’s a fairly large machine, measuring 24″ wide by 9.5″ tall, with a depth of 9.5″. It weighs approximately 12 pounds.  Because this is a large, somewhat heavy machine, you’ll want to set it up on a strong stable surface. 

Short Verdict of this machine…

Get it instead of the Cricut 3. The Cricut Air 2, especially the bundle, is the way to go.

What Does the Cricut Explore Air 2 Come With?

When you purchase an Explore Air 2, you’ll get the following:

  • The Explore Air 2 machine
  • Premium Fine-Point Blade + Housing to hold the blade
  • A fine-point black Cricut pen
  • 12” X 12” LightGrip Cricut Machine Mat (this is suitable for most cutting projects)
  • USB cable and power adapter
  • Cricut Welcome Book and start-up instructions
  • Materials for a small practice project
  • One Year Limited Warranty information
  • Free trial membership to Cricut Access

 

The included Welcome Book outlines the basic features of the machine and what it can do. It also has a useful quick reference guide with easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations.

Of course, to start crafting with your machine you’ll need to purchase more materials, and maybe a few basic accessories. Instead of trying to decide what supplies you need to buy separately, Cricut sells this machine in a couple of different bundled packages that include a variety of materials and tools. These bundle packages are a great value, and you’ll have what you need to start creating right away.

Cricut Explore Air 2 Features

The Explore Air 2 is a versatile machine, with wide capabilities. Here are the Explore Air 2’s basic features:

Versatility

The most prominent feature of the Explore Air 2 might simply be how versatile it is! This machine can cut over 100 types of materials. It can also draw, write, score, and add foil accents to paper crafts.

The Explore Air 2 comes with the Premium Fine-Point Blade, made of German carbide steel, which is good for most card stock, vinyl, and iron-on materials. This long-lasting blade provides potentially dozens of precision cuts. You can purchase replacements when the original blade gets dull, and they’re easy to replace in the blade housing.

Additionally, you can purchase specialty blades, such as the Deep Point Blade for cutting faux leather, cardboard, and craft foam, or the Bonded-Fabric Blade to cut fabric pieces. Another accessory that adds to this machine’s versatility is the foiling tool. With this tool and foil sheets, you can add eye-catching metallic accents to your crafts.

Easy To Use Smart Set Dial

In order to set the blade to the proper pressure for different materials, all you have to do is turn a dial. It’s that easy! The Smart Set Dial on the Explore Air 2 has settings for the most commonly used materials, as well as a “custom” setting.  When you load your materials into the machine, just adjust the dial for whatever material you are cutting.

The custom setting on the dial is used in conjunction with Cricut Design Space software to create your own material descriptions and settings.

The custom setting is especially useful if you’re using non-Cricut brand materials that might work best with different cutting settings than the standardized Cricut material settings.

2X Fast Mode For Cutting

The Explore Air 2 has a “fast mode” option that works beautifully with thinner materials such as cardstock, paper, and vinyl. It cuts twice as fast as the previous Cricut machine models.

This can be a huge time saver, as large projects can take quite a bit of time to cut. It’s also handy if you’re making multiples of one project. 

Setting the machine to use the fast mode feature is as easy as clicking on a button when you’re setting up your project for cutting in Design Space software.

Fast Mode doesn’t work as well for very intricate cuts. In that case, you’ll get better results by cutting at the normal speed, even if it does take a little bit longer.

Another thing to keep in mind when using Fast Mode is that the machine does sound louder when this feature is used. It’s not an unreasonable noise level, but it’s good to keep in mind if you need a quieter work environment.

Double Tool Clamps

Another useful time-saving feature is the double tool clamps. With two clamps, you can load a Cricut pen in one clamp, and your cutting blade in the other clamp, and the machine will perform the cutting and draw/write functions without interruption. There is no need for you to pause and switch out the tools in the middle of your project.

The double tool clamps can also be used to hold the scoring stylus (sold separately). This is great if you’re making cards or decorations that need to be folded and assembled. The machine will cut your project, and score along any fold lines in one process.

Tool Storage

A small, but useful feature is a compartment on top of the machine to hold your tools. Cricut sells a variety of tools to assist with your Cricut craft projects. The tool storage compartment easily holds tweezers, a Cricut weeding tool, extra pens, small scissors, and more.

Compatibility With Cricut Cartridges

Older Cricut machines had data cartridges to store your projects and image files, instead of utilizing the cloud-based Design Space software. If you had one of these older machines, the Explore Air 2 has a cartridge port, so you can link your old cartridges to Design Space. 

How Does the Cricut Explore Air Work?

To get started with your Explore Air 2, you’ll need Cricut Design Space, their managing software. Design Space is online software that works anywhere you can get an internet connection. 

Software updates are done automatically on a regular basis, both to fix any software bugs and introduce fun new design features.  

Cricut Design Space is very user-friendly, and not at all difficult to learn. If you have a basic familiarity with any designing or graphic software, you’ll be using Design Space like a pro in no time.

Otherwise, new users can go to learn.cricut.com for excellent tutorials on how to use all the features of Design Space. Don’t let the thought of learning new software intimidate you; it is quite intuitive.

In addition to the thousands of files already available on Design Space, you can also upload your own SVG (scalable vector graphics) files to make your own one-of-a-kind projects.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

The Design Space homepage is where you’ll find files and project ideas for your machine. The “canvas” page is the workspace where you can customize and make your project, or where you can play around with your own designs. Once you have your design just the way you like it on your canvas, you simply click the “make it” button, then follow the on-screen instructions for your machine.

Buttons on top of the Explore Air 2 control loading the materials, when to begin cutting, and then unloading the materials when done. The buttons light up when you need to press each one; it couldn’t be much easier!

Design Space connects to your machine via a Bluetooth connection, so there is no need to plug the machine into your computer or mobile device. It is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled desktop computer or laptop, and there is even a version for use with tablets and cell phones.

Design Space is free for any Cricut user.

There are hundreds of free projects and images available, and literally thousands that can be purchased for very low costs. If you don’t want to purchase files individually, there is a subscription service known as Cricut Access.

Subscriptions to Cricut Access start as low as $9.99 a month, and you get access to literally thousands of images, projects, and fonts.  When you purchase a new Cricut machine, new subscribers can get a free 30-day trial membership to Cricut Access. This is a great way to decide if the paid subscription option is something you’ll make good use of.

How Much Does a Cricut Explore Air 2 Cost?

A Cricut Explore Air 2 has a regular price of  $249.99 on the Cricut website. That may seem like a sizeable investment for a hobby, but when you consider all the capabilities this machine has to offer, it is not an unreasonable price. Cricut machines are also available at most major craft supply stores. The Cricut website frequently has these machines on sale, so it’s a good idea to check for good deals.

Cricut also sells the Explore Air 2 in bundles that include a variety of tools and supplies. The “Essentials Bundle” is regularly priced at $383.42, and includes the machine plus various material samples, mats, and tools.

The “Everything Bundle” has a regular price of $497.82, and includes an even larger amount of material samples, mats, and various tools/accessories.

These bundles are only available on the Cricut website, and they do frequently go on sale. While purchasing a bundle is still a sizeable cost, it’s a better deal than separately buying a machine, tools, and materials to get started. 

Cricut Support and Community

Buying a Cricut machine is a sizeable expense, and before you buy one you might be wondering such things as “who can help me if my machine isn’t working properly?”, or “how can I get help with Design Space?”

Fortunately, Cricut has toll-free phone numbers for every region where they sell Cricut products. Although the time on hold can be a little bit long at times, their friendly representatives are very knowledgeable and helpful.

They’ll help troubleshoot any technical issues with the machines or walk you through anything you’re trying to accomplish on Design Space. If the hold times on the phone lines are excessively long, there is an option for a representative to call you back.

In addition to the excellent telephone help, the Cricut website has resources for all their products. There is also a Cricut YouTube channel that is filled with videos showcasing everything from how to use their products, to instructions for specific projects. If you are a visual learner, these videos make it easy to see exactly how to use your machine, as well as how to navigate the Design Space software.

For more useful yet social interactions, there are official Cricut Facebook groups where members can exchange ideas, ask questions and share crafting tips, and show off their creations.

Is The Cricut Explore Air 2 Right for You?

While there are other cutting machines on the market that perform similar functions as the Explore Air 2, and at a comparable price, most of them don’t have the versatility and cutting power of this machine.

Get the Cricut Air 2 Here

If you enjoy making cards and decorations for your home, or maybe want to make custom t-shirts for your friends and family, you’ll be thrilled with the Explore Air 2.

This is also a good choice for teachers to use to create classroom decorations and fun supplies for their students. Small business owners who sell their art and handmade creations can use the Explore Air 2 to make personalized packaging for their products. The Explore Air 2 is an excellent choice for any creative person. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Online Sewing School Reviews

3 · Aug 28, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Looking for online sewing classes? It can be really confusing which sewing school to sign up for. Lucky for you, I’ve been a member of around 10 different online sewing schools and taken a lot of classes, so I’m going to review them here for you and link to the full reviews.

Short on time? Check out these Key Takeaways

  • Craftsy offers the best online sewing classes for  most people
  • Vintage Sewing School is amazing if you like Evelyn Wood
  • Avoid Sew it Academy completely
  • Creativebug is ok but isn’t as good as Craftsy

Get Craftsy Now

What Makes Good Online Sewing Classes?

I think the things you need for good online sewing classes are a fair price, new classes every week or month, good instructors, and sewing classes related to your current ability.

If you’re a beginner in sewing most of the online classes would be helpful. But, which one would actually be the best? Most of the time this is really up to you.

Best Sewing Classes for Beginners

I have to go with Craftsy as the number one and the Vintage Sewing school as the number two. The reason for this is that Craftsy just has SO many classes for beginners that are easy to follow. The second would be Evelyn Wood’s Vintage Sewing School. She is great for beginners and goes into a lot of depth on the basics. In fact, she probably has over 50 hours dedicated to just the extreme basics of sewing.

Which Online Sewing Classes are the Best?

This is a bit subjective but I can give you my answers below based on your needs. Do you like a specific instructor? Do you want the cheapest course because money is tight? It really depends on what you want out of your sewing classes. Are you a beginner in sewing or are you looking for advanced classes? Anyways, you understand what I mean by it being subjective. Below are my opinions on some of the more popular sewing schools.

Craftsy

I think Craftsy is the best overall online sewing school and offers the best classes for most people. They have so many different classes and options of instructors. The only way I’d suggest signing up for anything else is if you just truly like some other online personalities and want to take their classes instead. You can read the full Craftsy Review here.

Get Craftsy Now

 

Vintage Sewing School

Evelyn Wood is a great person and her classes are awesome too. She is bubbly and fun and makes learning a breeze. Her online school is priced well but she’s not for everyone. If you like her personality as I do, then you’ll find her classes amazing. You can read the full Vintage Sewing School Review here.

Sew It Academy

I really can’t recommend Sew it Academy to anyone. I think it’s just a thrown-together business that focuses all of its energy on marketing. The owner, Mimi G, seems more caught up in being a famous business person that makes a lot of money instead of having the best sewing classes. You can read the full Sew it Academy Review here.

CreativeBug

Creativebug sewing classes are great overall. The only problem is that I think Craftsy is better and Craftsy has more classes and options. If you just want more content than Craftsy has to offer then I’d definitely sign up with Creativebug too. You can read the full CreativeBug review here.

How Much Are Online Sewing Classes?

The prices for online sewing classes are all similar. Most are between $10 per month and $20 per month. If you really like sewing and it’s a great hobby for you then the price is very cheap. Where else can you get 20 hours of entertainment for so cheap? Craftsy and Creatviebug are probably the cheapest online courses if you buy the monthly membership. Their one-off classes are a little more expensive though.

Final Verdict

All online sewing classes aren’t created equally. Taking a local class may be hit or miss but there’s no reason to limit your options to local if you want to do it online. As you can tell I think Craftsy is probably the best online sewing school for most people out there but you can also go with Evelyn’s school if you like her personality.

Get Craftsy Now

 

BB Frosch Reviews – Is it Worth it or Worthless?

47 · Aug 21, 2022 · Leave a Comment

I used to travel the country as a BB Frosch representative. But, not anymore. Now I can finally give an honest review of BB Frosch and their entire lineup.

I think most of the products are high-quality, but will they work for exactly what you need it for? Scroll to the product you’re looking for a review of and see what the verdict is.

Key Takeaways

  • BB Frosch Paint transformer is great
  • If you’re thinking about buying it then get it!

Get BB Frosch Here

What is BB Frösch?

BB Frösch is a company that sells paint-transforming products and accessories. They offer painting kits, brushes, wax, and powders that you can add to regular paint. What they really specialize in is the paint transformers. The paint transformers are powders you add to regular paint to get chalk paint or mineral paints. In this BB Frosch review, I’ll be covering the paint transformers the most.

BB Frosch Paint Transformer  Powder Review

There are quite a few benefits to using BB Frosch chalk paint powder. This product makes it so you can turn any kind of paint into chalk paint. This means you can use any color you want. There are no health hazards with it either like the homemade powder that some people promote online. Do NOT make your own chalk paint powder at home because it can be very dangerous for your health.

Get BB Frosch Here

Is BB Frosch Chalk Paint Transformer Worth the Cost?

It’s cheaper than pre-mixed chalk paint. The cost of the powder to mix up to one gallon is under $40. A gallon of normal chalk paint is around $160 and you can mix your own chalk paint by using BB Frosch for under $60. That’s $100 of savings!

The price of it fluctuates sometimes because of how crazy the economy is right now so I don’t want to say exactly how much it is. Their paint transformer will leave you with more chalk paint for a lower price. All of the pre-made chalk paints are so expensive! There’s not really a benefit of using the premade chalk paint either. Why not get more for less?

One of the main questions people are always asking about BB Frosch is…

Does BB Frosch Chalk Paint Powder Really Work?

Short answer, yes. There aren’t really any problems with using this paint transformer to create your own. The purpose of using chalk paint in the first place is to avoid prep work. This means no priming, no sanding, and no stripping. Then, you want a nice chalk-paint-looking finish too, right? Well, this is exactly what you get with BB Frosch. As I mentioned before, I used to travel around the country as a representative for the company. I would NOT have done this if their products didn’t work.

Get BB Frosch Here

Want to see some BB Frosch projects that I’ve done over the years? Yes? I thought you might! I’ve painted so many things with chalk paint powder and I’m going to share some photos with you below.

I have so many more photos that I could share with you but I’m having a hard time finding them. These should be enough to give you an idea that BB Frosch does actually work!

Get BB Frosch Here

What about the BB Frosch Wax?

Well, this is how you know I’m being honest and not getting paid to say this. The BB Frosch Premium Wax is not really for me. It kind of gave me a headache because the smell is strong. The product itself is good but I don’t use it anymore.

I would recommend using Jolie Wax instead. It was cheaper and it didn’t give me a headache.

Get BB Frosch Here

The premium wax is eco-friendly and does a good job. You probably won’t ever have to re-wax anything that you use it on again. I really just can’t get over the headaches from the smell.

 

BB Frosch – The Final Verdict

Their products are great overall. I would definitely get the BB Frosch Chalk Paint Powder but I’d skip out on the wax if you’re sensitive to smell. The paint transformer is such a game-changer when it comes to painting furniture or any DIY project at home. Not having to prep everything to paint it is great. The paint powder helps cover everything evenly and you don’t have to put a protective coat over it if you don’t want to.

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Heather from Whipperberry
Hello... my name is Heather and I'm the creator of WhipperBerry a creative lifestyle blog packed full of great recipes and creative ideas for your home and family. I find I am happiest when I'm living a creative life and I love to share what I've been up to along the way... Come explore, my hope is that you'll leave inspired!

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