Product Review: Stazon Stamp Pad and Crafter's Companion Rock-A-Blocks

I have a new found love for stamping. I bought stamps ages ago because I thought they were cool and that I could use them in my scrapbooking. To accompany the stamps, I bought ink pads from HobbyCraft, their own brand. I couldn't achieve the quality of stamping that I was hoping for. It was really frustrating me that it wasn't working how I wanted to so I did some research and found that it matters what stamping ink pad you use. After looking at a lot of stamping blog posts and Instagram posts, I found that there were raving reviews of Stazon Solvent Ink Stamp Pad. The pictures that accompanied them had really high quality, high pigmented stamping and that was what I was looking for. The price that accompanies the Stazon inks is quite high, but I soon realised, you get what you pay for.

My mum was nice enough to buy me a set of 4 stamping blocks. I'd originally been looking at acrylic ones because that seemed to be what most people were using but these ones are so much better in my opinion!

Crafter's Companion Rock-A-Blocks are curved and have a raised edge on the sides. It enables a rocking motion when stamping so you get a nice even amount of pressure while stamping. It's ingenious really! It makes stamping so much easier. When inking up your stamp, it's also so much more handy because the edges of the block don't get ink on them.

 The first thing you need to do is place your stamp in the middle of the Rock-A-Block. Sometimes you need a spray mount adhesive to do this, but my stamps were sticky enough not to need any help. Good stamps!
Then you need to ink up the stamp. This is best achieved by dabbing the ink pad on the stamp until there's even coverage over the stamp. After this, place the bottom edge of the stamp on the paper and rock the stamp forward with a even pressure. ONLY push it forwards. Don't rock it back and forth, because it will let you have a shadow and no one wants that!

This first one I did, didn't have very good pressure so it's not a complete stamp, but keep going, I got better!

 

These ones are probably the best stamping I've ever done. This is the effect I was hoping for. It was so perfect, I had to take more than one picture. I'm feeling very proud of myself right now!

So good! I have to say that if you want good results, you'll have to spend money for quality, but it's well worth it. I see this stamp pad lasting longer than the Hobby Craft ones, so it was money well spent.

Excuse me while I go stamp everything now!

Laura Bee's Craft space

Hi guys,
This is my craft space, Joey was the first to use it for her pouches! The Ikea IVAR range is so versatile you can move the shelving around to suit your needs, I love it and now I can sew! 

I store all my books in one place too along with my boxes of stamps, post it notes, tapes and paper for my Filofax.

The Zac Efron drawing you can see was drawn by Joey for my birthday present so many years ago! I love it!

All my books, I love love love the cluttered look!

These are all the books are swear by

The knitting book
knitting for dummies 
knitting patterns for dummies 
45 quilt blocks FLOWERS
Blankets and throws
Cath Kidston PATCH
sewing 
Cath Kidston SEW
knitwear design workshop
the complete dressmaker
100 flowers to knit and crochet
75 birds, butterflies and beautiful beasties to knit and crochet

K and Company SMASH book

The good thing about all these books they aren't going to break the bank and they teach you soooo much they are all worth the investment!

click on the links below and they'll take you to amazon!

the knitting book

knitting for dummies 

Knitting pattern for dummies

knitwear design workshop

100 flowers to knit and crochet

75 birds, butterflies and beautiful beasties to knit and crochet

k and company SMASH

Keep Crafting

Laura B x x

Laura Bee's Knitting Travel Bag

I was inspired by Pinterest to sew a knitting bag for my ongoing projects... so here it is. I wanted a bag I could take any where with me and hold all my essential such as needles, pattern, notebook, gauge measure, tape measure, scissors, and of course wool!

I bought this fabric at Bromley market just before Christmas, the polka dots was  £6, the pink fabric was £2 per meter and the interfacing was £2.50 per meter

My pattern cutting, I had to piece A4 paper together with  green Ikea washi tape...

 Going through the processes... but at least I'm smiling

I love pressing seams...

There's me... sewing the shoulder strap

Sewing the lining in... almost done

 1, 2, 3, 4... 

 Ta Dah!

It's so puuuuurty :)

It's in use too! a long lost scarf project I'm finishing (my bad habit)

Keep Crafting

Laura B x x

Laura Bee's Broccoli and Courgette Soup

Hi guys I'm posting another delicious soup I made for Joey and me at our craft day!

Joey bought triple cheesy loaf from Tesco it went lovely with our soup.

ingredients: 

half a bag of frozen broccoli (you can you a whole fresh one if you've got it on the fridge)

one courgette (optional- add peas instead)

1 medium size red onion 

2 garlic cloves

4 small-ish potatoes

litre of vegetable stock

sprinkling on mixed herbs

method: 

fry onions, garlic and courgette together with a little bit of vegetable oil

once soft and browned off add the potatoes and broccoli along with the stock

bring to the boil, add the sprinkling of herbs and some salt and pepper

once to the boil, simmer till vegetables are soft

BLEND!

TA DAH... broccoli and courgette soup!

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Sewing: Pencil Cases

I had a sewing day at Laura's house because my machine decided it would lose the zipper foot! It was nice to hang out with her and I actually got quite a lot done. This pencil case is my greatest achievement from the day. I also made a coin purse and another pencil case. The other pencil case was very pretty but I made a silly mistake of sewing the fabric too close to the zipper teeth and it kept getting stuck in the zip. We learn from our mistakes! I had to unpick it today but when it's all sewed up again, I'll show you guys. 

I decided I like Laura's sewing machine more than mine because a) It has pink on it and b) It's so simple use...except for that time the bobbin got stuck a few times, and that time when I didn't know how to thread it, and that time when I had a zig zag and wanted a straight stitch. Once Laura fixed those things for me, it was so simple!

The longest part of everything was cutting out the fabric.

But look how pretty it is with everything all done. I've been using this one for myself and I love it. It makes me feel so happy to know that it's something I've made. I have a sewing bug now so I'm going to order a new zipper foot and lots of zips!

Due to the fabric cutting out and pressing taking the longest, I decided to do a lot of it in one go. Much better this way because now I'm just ready to sew. I have enough fabric for 3 more pencil cases and one coin purse. They'll be for sale soon so keep an eye out.

P.S. Here's a picture of Laura doing what she's best at!

Craft with a Conscience: The Craftivist Collective

I have always been interested in charity and campaigning for change, and work for a charity now, but as a quiet and shy person activism is something out of my comfort zone. A few years ago I came across a group called the Craftivist Collective, started by Sarah Corbett, who use craft as a form of peaceful activism (craftivism!).

Sarah hanging her 'Encouraging Bunting' (from Flickr)

My 'Mini Protest Banner' about equal marriage placed at Westminster Tube.

Me in front of Westminster- this was before the equal marriage bill was passed! (Not sure I can claim that as my doing.) 

'I'm a Piece' Jigsaw project in support of Save the Children's Race Against Hunger campaign (from Flickr)

My 'piece' on it's own and on the wall at the exhibition in London.

So if you love craft and want to make a change, then get involved! It's a great group of people.

For more information about craftivism, you can visit the website, or even buy Sarah's book 'A Little Book of Craftivism' which has loads of lovely photos and inspiring project ideas, and is only £5.50! (Plus my name is in the back as a crowd funder!)