Speedball Carver Review

I was becoming more and more intrigued to create prints from a carving. I had watched numerous videos on YouTube to learn about the techniques and methods that people used. I was hooked, and ordered my Speedball Linoleum Cutter.

I had some dense foam on hand that was used in some basic picture frames. It seemed that they were soon going to have a new purpose. My Speedball cutting tool arrived and I looked forward to cutting out my first print. Nope! Didn't work. The foam was a bit too dense. I had grown up with the adage of 'make do with what you got.' Well sometimes that works, and sometimes not. It was time to get something that I saw people have success with.

I placed another order for the Speedball print making blocks, called Speedy Carve. I figured since my first try didn't work, I wasn't going to go with a less expensive brand. I definitely wanted it to work. I ordered the Speedball Carving block.

The time came. I was going to make a real print. Something I actually dreamed about printing, and not just some little things to give it a try. I drew a picture of my cat, Tori, from a photo. She is gorgeous, no matter if I didn't draw every change in fur color!

The method I used was to first trace around my Speedy Carve block, so that I would have the appropriate dimension for my upcoming drawing.

With photo on my phone off to the side, I commenced to drawing, and shaded in the areas that I wanted to print, on my paper. The areas that you don't want to print, are the ones that get carved away.

I darkened my drawing with my pencil, and then laid it on the carving block, face side down. I used the smooth round side of a marker to rub over the back of my paper, to transfer the drawing to the block.

Cool, the image was easily transferred. As per tips from the videos that I watched, I went over my drawing on the block with a pen, as the pencil marks can easily get smeared away.

Then the carving began. I started with the smaller V shaped carving tool to carve right around the edges that I wanted to make my prints from. I used a larger V shape carving tool to carve out the larger areas. I even laid the large V carving tool on its side to cover more area. That worked pretty good.

Overall, the Speedball carving tool works really well, and glides smoothly along the surface of the Speedy Carve block. Per instructions from videos that I watched, I held the carving tool at an angle and with light pressure, pushed the tool along, away from my body, and my other hand.

I found that it helps to have good eyesight, good lighting, steady hands, and being able to see all the lines and areas that you want left intact. With a bit of a slip, part of what you want to print can easily go away. The black in one of the cat's eyes, was mistakenly made smaller, more like a slit when a cat is looking at a light. So guess what, the cat now has black slits instead of the wider eyed look. Oh well. She's still gorgeous!

I have since cut away the areas around the cat, and glued the carved block to a piece of wood. It gives me a solid piece to hold, and isn't wobbly or flexible.

I also found that I get a cleaner print when I press the carved block down into brayered paint that is smoothed out, rather than using the brayer to apply the paint directly to the carved block.

Hope you found some helpful tips here. If you want to try making prints yourself, I do recommend the Speedball Carving Took, along with the Speedball Speedy Carve.

Speedball Carving Tool Set Check for price.

Speedball Speedy Carve Check for price.

Thank you for visiting and for your comments. My plan now is to fine tune my print making of this cute cat, and then design some products with the prints in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle. Let me know if you have a cat color request and or product type that is available on Zazzle. I will be glad to oblige.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Our Adoption Story, Book Review

Our Adoption Story: The Story of How We Met Our Baby, is a book for adoptive parents to fill out, so that each one can tell the story of how they met their baby.

This book has guided prompts to help the adoptive parents fill in the blanks, so that they can write their own adoption story, and also share information about their baby, such as how meeting their baby came about, things they did the day that they brought their baby home, things they did to prepare ahead of time for bringing their baby home, etc.

Some pages also include little images to help out with the written prompts, as a fun way for the parents to personalize their story.

There are also pages that include a simple picture frame to add a picture to help depict what that page is about.

The inspiration behind this book:

My husband and I became adoptive parents decades ago. It was before the internet, so most exchanges of information were done locally, and or reading magazines, finding a group, etc.

When a couple becomes adoptive parents, things can happen rather quickly. Adoptive parents can find out that they are 'expecting' their baby anywhere from a day, to weeks, or months, before their baby is ready for adoption. It can be a whirlwind to prepare and get things ready for the day, for this new bundle of life to enter their lives. Some perspective adoptive parents can also be on a waiting list that can take even longer.

We actually found out about our potential baby around a couple of weeks before the baby was to be born. We didn't know for sure which gender we were 'expecting', but we at least had an idea. We purchased baby clothes, a crib, a dresser that included a changing table on the top. We waited to see what formula the hospital was feeding our baby, before purchasing baby formula. We also purchased diapers, both cloth and disposables.

The day came and we were both excited and nervous. But all of that changed once our baby was handed to us.

We had already made an appointment with a local pediatrician; our first stop before arriving home was with with the pediatrician. There, the doctor showed us how to change the baby's diaper, take her temperature, and gave us other new parent information.

Some time after that, I joined a parenting group, where I could take our baby. The new parents could learn about being parents. That was a great learning experience; it was very helpful. I also noticed that the new moms also talked a lot about their pregnancy and birthing stories. There was no one in the group on that particular day of the week, that I could relate to. But I did hear about another adoptive mom that went to that parenting group on a different day of the week, that wanted to start a play group for adoptive parents. Yay!

There ended up being five of us adoptive moms and five babies in our adoption play group. We all had different adoption stories. And we all had a learning curve; there were many similarities to new moms of any type, learning how to be a mom, but also things that were unique to us, as adoptive moms.

After all of this, I decided to write a story, just for our child, for her to be able to read and know some basic background about our adoption experience and information about her.

I wrote our story on index cards, and included pictures from magazines to help explain whatever, and pictures of us and her as well. I wrote answers to questions that might arise, using simple words. It became a favorite book for us to read together.

After many years, the idea came to me to make something that other adoptive parents could easily fill in and personalize, so that they could share their story with their baby.

This paperback booklet measures 6 by 9 inches and is 24 pages long. It is simple to fill out, and add photographs to. It will be a lovely, informative book for when the child is young, and also a wonderful keepsake for years to come.

Our Adoption Story - to be filled in by the adoptive parents. Check price.

Let me know in a comment below, if you think a similar booklet would be a good idea for adoptive parents that adopt a toddler or an older child. Thank you.

Update: Thank you for your comments. I will be designing three more adoption story books; one for toddlers, grade school children, and teens., each of which will include sections for the child to have some input.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Peace of Mind, my Review

Many times in the last few months, I have purposefully made time for Peace of Mind. Usually people think of piece of mind, when they hear this phrase. But I decided to give it an update.

I have given my "piece of mind" through the ethers, to names that I won't mention, and it may have helped to get bottled up stuff out. Even though I might have used positive words in my 'giving' I ultimately realized that I needed to give more time to Peace of Mind.

How might I do this, you may ask. Usually, I listen to a guided affirmation video on YouTube. I pick one that I find feels good to me in that moment, and also has soothing music that I like listening to. If that criteria doesn't seem to fit after a minute or so of listening, I go back and select another one. It is very important to me that I meet my needs and desires in that moment. It's important that I simply say no to what I don't want, for whatever reason, and to say Yes to my do wants.

I find that the more I say yes to me, the better my life and feelings actually go.

Sometimes I find that I really just want a female's voice to listen to, and other times it doesn't matter. Recently I listened to an affirmation video that had a lovely image of a young woman, and a soft voice from a man. I was intrigued and rather enjoyed it. It's on my save list to watch again later.

One of my regular voices that I listen to is a man's voice that is in the medium register. It's not always my favorite, but he does have some pretty good videos.

When I was watching more of the current event type videos, I found myself in a place that didn't feel so good. I told myself I needed to keep up, to find out if there was something I could do, to help change what I saw. I found out that those videos didn't really offer anything in that regard. I would end up, after a time, searching out an affirmation video, to lift my mood back up. I knew it was better for me to get to a better feeling place, than to hang out where I was.

Through this process, I started writing some specific affirmations in regards to the current events I was learning about. I incorporated those affirmations with some of my personal affirmations that I wrote for myself. I also reminded myself that some of my bigger affirmations that I wrote years ago, did come true. So who knows. To me it is worth it. It helps me with my Peace of Mind.

A favorite affirmation of mine is one that actually came from Proverbs. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." It reminds me that words are important. And I also know that words have power.

Apples of gold in pictures of silver, stickers
by CherylsArt

If this affirmation gives you Peace of mind, you can find it, along with my artwork, on various products in my CherylsArt store on Zazzle. https://www.zazzle.com/store/CherylsArt/proverbs

If you would like to know more about using affirmations, you can read Using Affirmations, Review, which is also on Review This Reviews.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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My KDP Review

KDP is the book publishing arm of Amazon. KDP stands for Kindle Direct Publishing. This is where authors can publish their books as hardbacks, paperbacks, and or as a Kindle electronic version.

KDP has been evolving over the years. The first book that I wrote and published through KDP was written completely offline. It also wasn't KDP back then. Then I had to figure out what size to make my pages and which font they accepted (I had to change mine.)

Now people can look at charts and guidelines on KDP and find out what they need to get started.

First you need to know what kind of book you want to make; i.e. hardback, paperback, or electronic. You can only make one at a time, but then you can make it in another version afterwards. Sizes and margins can be different. Also with the electronic version, you can make clickable links for each chapter, etc.

At some point, you will have to decide on a title, and also a subtitle if you want one. Once a book is published on Amazon, the title cannot be changed.

With KDP, the minimum number of pages is 24. So if you're looking to write a 10-20 page pamphlet type book, this isn't for you. If you've got a minimum of 20 pages already, you can add other pages, such as book recommendations that are related to what you are writing, other books by you, a title page, this book belongs to, etc.

There are also maximum page number restrictions based on the type of book you're writing, i.e. paperback, hardback, or electronic. Page length can also be affected by paper selection, page size, and trim. You can check out the various requirements and restrictions by searching on your book type and the text, KDP size guidelines.

Once you are ready to start writing, you can be a brave and venturous soul and write it on your computer, like I did with my first venture. However, I recommend a book creation site that gives you the kind of flexibility you might be looking for. Do you know that you just want to create coloring books, for instance? Do you want to write text only books? Search for what works for you.

The site that I went with is Canva. Some love it and some don't. As mentioned, go for what is going to be most helpful to you.

With Canva, I can use a mix of my images along with a mix of images on the Canva site. In some books I have created, I used only my images, some have been a mix, and a couple have been Canva images only. With Canva, you are supposed to change up the images on their site some how, perhaps layer them with other images to make them look different than what is presented initially. However you do this, you want to make this be unique somehow. I use the professional version of Canva which gives me more images to choose from.

Another reason that I like Canva, is that I can easily adjust the page sizes with a couple of clicks, in case I didn't get it quite right in the beginning. Also, from Canva, I can easily download my book creation, and then upload it from my download files to Amazon. The interior of the book is downloaded and uploaded separate from the cover. The cover and the interior are two different creations on Canva, at least with physical paper books. They are also two different uploads on KDP.

With the forms on KDP, you can choose up to three categories for your book to be listed in. They used to give you up to ten options, and could then even add more. Those days have passed.

You can choose up to seven sets of keywords and or keyword phrases to help customers find your books.

You can also choose black and white only books, or ones with premium colored ink. Colored ink is more expensive to print and the price you set should allow for this additional upcharge for the printing of your book.

KDP gives a section to write a description that will get printed on its Amazon product page.

When writing on KDP, you can create a free author page on Amazon. Once your book is published and live on Amazon, you can create your author page. You can find it by searching for the phrase, Amazon Author Central.

When writing on KDP, you can also create and run ads for your book(s) on Amazon. These are paid ads and there are quite a few options to choose from. I recommend doing searches on YouTube for guidance and for how to videos there.

I have done some ads from time to time. For me, I prefer to do some blogs about the books instead. I also prefer shopping on Amazon when there are a lot less ads to maneuver through.

So would I recommend writing on KDP to self publish on Amazon? That depends on your goals. Authors that write on KDP are not suppose to publish those same books elsewhere. Amazon does have an option for certain types of books to be available through book stores. The main thing is that they must have text as part of their makeup. So no coloring books unless they also include words. These books can be included in a book store's web site offerings; but you may need to contact the individual book store if you would like them to carry it as an option on their shelves. Our local Barnes and Noble has a book stand dedicated to local authors.

For me, I am glad that I write through KDP. I went the old school way before the internet became available, and almost had an interested publisher for one of my children's books. It was a very long process. Also for me, although I have some text type books, I now prefer creating more artsy type books, and prefer to spend my time creating more designs, than writing cover letters, etc.

I hope that you have found some helpful information here. If you think of a question that I didn't cover, ask it in a comment below, and I will help you if I can.

Here is link for my author page on Amazon. Author page for Cheryl Paton on Amazon You can find all of my published books here.

Here is a link for my Scrapbook Paper options which is on my blog. Scrapbook Paper by Cheryl Paton. These are sorted by category.

Cheryl Paton

Using Affirmations - A Review

When I first started using affirmations, I was a novice. I had worked through a book and came up with ten affirmations that I would write down, and then read and recite daily.

I was floored when I noticed that some of them were coming true. I continued on a bit more, and became flabbergasted. I really started watching what I was saying; so much so, that I became very quiet. I didn't want to let words slip out that were not affirmative of what I wanted and or liked.

But then I also began to miss having conversations. I didn't know how to be discerning of what I watched on TV or listened to as background noise, etc.

Having been raised as a Christian, I also began to wonder if this what was God wanted me to do. I wrote about that in another blog, and will share a link to that at the bottom of this post.

My main point of writing about using affirmations, is that I have found and also developed some tips and tricks that have helped me out in my continuing journey.

As much as possible, I try to notice more of what I do like.

As much as possible, I try to see the good. If that didn't seem to be working, I would leave a certain situation, and continue to work on me.

If it is a situation I want to stay in and make the best of, I have tried to state more of what it is I want, and only sticking to that. Sometimes I might rephrase something in a more positive way. I have found that to be helpful.

When it comes to reading, I take the time to transform the word I, used by others to refer to themselves, to they, he, she, etc. I have become more conscientious of when I use the word I, so I don't want to take on that word when I am reading in regards to someone else's I. So yes, I book has to really sound good for me to want to read it. Or, if the writer is coming from a place that I would like to be, then I can be okay with reading their I as also my I. Hope that makes sense.

When it comes to singing, I have found that singing words, has actually created more energy for those words as I sing them. So when my favorite tunes come on and I want to sing, I either replace the words with more positive words that I can align to, or just think my replacement words in my head, or just repeat a string of syllables to go along with the tune. Like lots of la la la, do rah do, etc.

Yes, these are all things that I have done to help me in my journey of using affirmations, without having to resort to a very quiet life. I don't like the idea of becoming a monk or be monk like. Did you notice what I just did, I used the word like with a derivative of not. I read about someone else doing that, to get out of the habit of using less positive descriptions.

I have also done quiet self talk. Early on in my affirmation journey, when I was out in a restaurant and the person across from me had said something I didn't like and I wanted things to go better, I cupped my hand up over my mouth and would quietly say the affirmation that I was trying to foster. I knew that what they were saying was triggering my old beliefs, so it was nothing I had to try and get them to change in that moment. This was my own personal way of working on me. I learned later that I could also say to myself, I dissolve this energy, and would mentally just think it to the area that I was feeling it in my body.

Another thing I have decided to do, is when I am with others who may not be talking very affirmatively, I have asked them, "What is it that you do want to happen?" Sometimes I have responded with what I may like to have happen, to give them an idea of what I mean. Sometimes, this has proven helpful.

I have found that I like various ways of doing affirmations. Sometimes I just like to chill and listen to them as background. Other times I follow along and repeat what I am listening to. If there is enough time, I repeat each one out loud and then again silently to myself.

I also like saying affirmations while doing physical activity. An example is saying that "I am strong," while exercising. I can find that quite invigorating. Physical activity can also be beneficial by itself.

You may not equate massage with affirmations, however our bodies can store energy of our beliefs. Massage from another or even one's self can help to release that stored energy through massage. It doesn't have to be a whole body massage, it can be as simple as massaging one's hands or feet. When I do that, sometimes I feel like I just need to take a deeper breath and let it go. I find it very helpful. Physical exercise can also loosen up stored energy.

Those are some of the things that I have done to improve my self well-being. I am glad that I pursued this journey of affirmations. I hope that you have found some help here, either with new tools that you may find helpful, and also that if you are going through anything similar, that you know you are with others who are on a path of transformation as well.

If you would like to read more about my transitioning went as far as me wondering what God wanted to me do, you can check that out here. It's my blog on Proverbs as Affirmations.

If you'd like some books that foster a more affirmative life, check these out. They are on Amazon.

Proverbs as Affirmations: An Affirmation Journal for Self Transformation This is especially good for those who want to experience the lessons in Proverbs said in a kind manner.

Positive Affirmation Coloring Book Coloring while focusing on an affirmation can be a relaxing and calm way to incorporate affirmations.

Proverbs as Affirmations Coloring Book: Words to Live By

May you have a great and blessed day.

Do you have an affirmation tip to share? Please do.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing My Favorite Cat Mug

I had originally purchased this mug for my daughter; but when she moved, she figured I would use it more than she would. We're both cat lovers, but I'm the one who is more apt to drink a hot or warm beverage. So she regifted it to me.

I'm glad she did. It has become my favorite mug. Not only do I love it because I designed it and it's got cats on it, but because it is smooth, and the print quality is great. The bottom round edge of the mug does have a somewhat rough surface, which probably helps it to stay in place, like most mugs do.

The mug is also a good weight, not super heavy like some mugs, and definitely heavier than a coffee cup that one might get in a set of dishes.

Other great things about this mug:

* It is dishwasher safe.

* It is microwave save.

* It is made of strong ceramic.

* It meets the food and beverage safety requirements of the FDA, (Food and Drug Administration.)

* The blue color behind the cat drawing can be customized to a color that coordinates with your kitchen. Once you're on the product page, click on Edit this design to get started.

If you're thinking of purchasing a mug from Zazzle, there are a variety of choice to choose from. The 11 ounce and 15 ounce sizes come in a choice of a basic white background, a color in the inside of the mug, a color in the inside and on the handle, or a color just on the handle. Ten and 16 ounce sizes come in a basic white background. The picture can also be ordered on a couple of color options as steins and or travel mugs.

This link will take you to my CherylsArt page on Zazzle, where you can pick and choose your color options.

Keep Calm and Pet Cats Custom Mugs
by CherylsArt

Visit more mugs by CherylsArt to see more CherylsArt designs on mugs.

Cheryl Paton

As a Zazzle associate, Cheryl Paton earns income on qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to the customer. Zazzle is a print on demand company, and the associates include designers and artists that submit their artwork on various products that Zazzle sells, to Zazzle. Zazzle does the printing and shipping.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Blue Diamond Frying Pan, Review

I was browsing the cookware isle in our local grocery store, just to see what might be new. One of the things that caught my attention were the words on a package of a Blue Diamond Frying Pan. PFAS and PFOA-Free. They had my attention. The package also said, Toxin-Free coating - free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium. I was sold!

I had been working on using more environmentally friendly items. I did a quick lookup on Amazon, and most customers were pretty happy with their purchase. I bought an 10" one on that very shopping trip.

The company says that this metal utensil safe surface with diamond-infused ceramic nonstick cooks food faster than those made with copper. They are most definitely right!

On my first use of the Blue Diamond frying pan, I set the heater knob on the setting that I had used for my previous frying pan. Pretty quickly I heard the sizzling. Whoa. I quickly turned it down to around two, and that is the setting that I have used since. With my previous frying pan, I usually put the heat setting around 4. So in about half the time and around half the heat, I had my breakfast cooked rather quickly. I was and am still very impressed.

I usually fry my eggs only in a little bit of olive oil. When I include some fresh spinach, I use less oil, with a little bit of water, and sauté the spinach first and then add the eggs. It comes out great every time. When I cooked the fresh asparagus in it, I even had to turn the temperature knob down to below two. I also covered the pan with a 10 inch lid that I had on hand; it cooked in under 10 minutes.

Other pluses listed on the web page include warp control, oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees F, dishwasher safe, and has an ergonomic handle. It works on most stove tops, but is not compatible with the induction stove top.

You can purchase this skillet to match your kitchen decor. The color choices include, blue, black, gray, pink, turquoise, red, and white.

Pan size choices are 8", 10", 12", and 14". The twelve inch pan apparently comes with a choice of no lid or no lid, with a price difference for with lid. Customers for the most part weren't as impressed with the 14 inch pan size. For one, it is very large; it's quite a bit bigger than the burner. And one was missing part of the coating.

I use an Oxo nylon flexible pancake turner when using the pan, and the finish of the pan continues to look as good as when I first used it. Here is a link for the pancake turner. https://amzn.to/4gutPCV

Overall I am very pleased with mine. I can't comment on the pan's versatility; I haven't used it in the oven, nor have I used any other pan in the oven. However I am happy with my purchase and with how I use it.

If this sounds like a good fit for you, they are available on Amazon.

Blue Diamond Cookware - Check price.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Scrapbook Paper in Paperbacks, Review

I have been designing scrapbook paper and selling it in paperback books. Recently, I purchased two different types of this scrapbook paper; one in black and white book and one in color. This is my review.

The paper weight/thickness:

To the touch, the paper used in the colored paperback book has a smoother texture, and is slightly thicker than the paper in the black and white book. I took a photo of the two books edge to edge, and you can see a difference. The paper used in the book with colored paper is printed with premium color on white paper. The black and white image books did not specify white paper, though the color is white, just a different texture.

Visibility of images through the paper:

With both types of books, I could see some images, or parts of images show through to the other side of the paper. For instance, they were more noticeable if the image on the reverse side was black. But not so much if the image was black and you were looking through say a dark red color. The colors showed up less than the black, and it did make a difference whether the top was printed with color rather than a space of white.

Would either of these be an issue when creating scrapbooks?

For my taste, I would say not much. If the creator was however very detailed oriented, then they might want to consider a different option such as actual cardstock for their backgrounds and embellishments for their scrapbooking creations. Otherwise, I would say to go with one of these books that have more color than white. See the next section below for clarification.

Here are some sample creations:

The creation on the left is the one that my daughter made. She used a black pattern butterfly design printed on white. With the coloring done on top of the image, one does not even notice that black butterflies were printed on the back side of this page.

I made the creation on the right. If you look at the lower left butterfly and the one in the middle of the white area, you may notice some dark lines underneath that weren't colored in in any way. I didn't color over that area, and there is some light shadows of black showing through from the other side.

Below is a section of colored hearts that have different colored hearts on the reverse side of the paper. The hearts on the reverse side of the paper don't show through.

Overall, I would say to consider what it is the creator person will be making. If you like the images in the books, choose one with very little if any white showing throughout the images if you are concerned about anything showing through. Keep in mind that if coloring over the images, that will probably take care of the issue.

What should I color any images with?

Colored pencils work great, and without a lot of pressure, the image on the reverse side still looks great. We used Liquitex Value Series which is also rated to be highly blendable. That brand was not showing on Amazon. Another brand that I recommend is Prismacolor.

The brush pens that I used on my butterflies look very vibrant and I love the look. However, I could tell where it was colored in on the reverse side of the paper. It didn't actually bleed through, color wise, it was just noticeable. But if you are using it as scrapbook paper anyway, that shouldn't be an issue, as the reverse side of where that image will no longer be needed.

For this project, I used Dual brush Pens by Tombow. They are water-based, blendable, and acid free. They have a brush tip on one end, which gets into the tiny areas great. The other end has a fine tip which is great for drawing and writing. There are quite a few sets to choose from for Tombow.

If you are inspired to do some scrapbooking with either of these scrapbook paper options; they are on Amazon.

Hearts Scrapbook Paper

Black and White Butterfly Scrapbook Paper

On a side note, we tried using an old glue stick. It had turned to gel! Yes, it was very old. The double sided tape worked though.

Happy creating. Hope I explained everything clearly. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Cheryl Paton

You can find more Scrapbook Paper in paperbacks, by category, on my blog: https://artonproducts.blogspot.com/2024/03/cheryl-paton-scrapbook-paper.html

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Preferred Water Bowl for Cats, Review

Our preferred water bowl for our cat is a human grade dessert bowl made for humans.

We had tried water fountains before with other cats that we had, to encourage them to drink more water. Actually, we didn't see a big difference and there was the additional upkeep of the fountain and filters, etc. So we switched to metal pet bowls. They seemed to last a long time.

When our cat Tori came into our lives, I bought her a new metal bowl of the same brand that we had purchased before. It didn't seem to last long at all. As before, I rinsed it each day and put in fresh water. After a month or so there was a roughness that I noticed when I rinsed the bowl out. I thought perhaps it was a fluke, and bought another one. Same thing happened. I purchased a different style metal bowl that was a different brand. Again, the same thing happened.

These were decent bowls, I had thought. They had a good weight to them and were coated on the bottom to prevent sliding. And I didn't have that issue before.

I decided to move up to human grade bowls and kept my eye out for one that would be a good size for our cat. I found an 11-ounce dessert bowl by Corelle. It was a great height for our cat and held a decent amount of water. This bowl is thicker than the cereal bowls in this style.

It worked! I do the same routine, and the insides of the bowl have remained smooth for months and months. And our cat even drinks more water now than she did before. The bowl doesn't have the rubber grip stuff under it, but I can live with that. A cloth mat under the bowl suffices. It is now our favorite bowl for our cat's water.

These bowls are available on Amazon as a set. Amazon wouldn't allow linking to the specific bowl, but did allow me to link to the page it is on. It is the 11-ounce size and is sold as a dessert bowl.

Corelle bowls on Amazon

I bought mine as an individual bowl from Walmart.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Decorative Window Film Review

I purchased a DIY decorative window film for my sliding glass door. This is my review and experience with it.

Years ago, I had installed a tinted window film to reduce the affect of the sun's rays. It served it's purpose and did a pretty decent job. Although on very bright sunny days, I still had to close the curtain to make the space more comfortable.

Spring forward to me getting a new computer desk and deciding to have it face the window instead of the wall. I wanted to see something more decorative, other than a tinted view of my neighbor's shed. I wanted something that was colorful.

I decided on the one with the grapevine design. (This is the view from below my desk.)

I love that I now have colors to look at. I can glance to the other glass panel to see what the weather and the birds are doing. So far, when the sun is bright, it gets scattered a bit and works as long as I don't look directly at the brightest spots.

I am happy with my purchase.

Installation Supplies:

The brand that I purchased is by Gila, and they recommend buying a separate installation kit. It comes with a liquid solution that gets applied to both sides of the film, and the glass that you are applying the film to. It also includes a spreader, cutter for spreading out the bubbles, and to do a final cut of the film around the edges.

I didn't go with an installation kit and instead did some searches on YouTube. I found out I could use distilled water with a couple of drops of dish detergent mixed in. (I didn't have distilled water on hand, and instead used some of my purchased drinking water.) As for the spreader, I used a 12 inch plastic ruler that has smooth edges and is see through. Here is a link for one if you need a ruler. https://amzn.to/3BGdr4d

I also used a utility knife and scissors.

Trim first:

I purchased the 3' by 6.5' size for the window film. The sliding door was two to three inches smaller than the film. Gila recommends cutting off excess film, leaving only around an inch of extra film before applying it to the window, glass. It is quite awkward to apply the film, so I do recommend trimming the film as well. I laid it down on my lightly carpeted floor to do the trimming.

Apply tape and separate top corners from backing:

The window film comes with an attached adhesive layer to keep the film from sticking to itself. This layer will need to be removed before applying the film to the glass. Gila recommends applying tape to the two upper corners on both outer sides of these corners. This is a big help to separate the film from its' backing. See diagram.

The upper ends of the tape are to be kept separated. The holder will then pull the two pieces of tape apart and watch for the film to separate from the backing. Separate a small section, then repeat on the other corner.

Spray on solution:

Spray on solution; either from kit or homemade mix of distilled water and a couple drops of dish detergent. I sprayed the top side of the film, the part that was facing up once I removed the backing. I kept spraying it in sections as I continued pulling the backing from the film.

While that was sitting, I sprayed the glass window that it was to get applied to. Then as best I could, I sprayed that back of the film that had been laying on the carpet, and then carried it to the sprayed window. You need to keep the film away from sticking to itself.

Apply the prepared film to the window:

I placed the smooth side of the film to the prepared window. It is quite slippery, which it is meant to be, so that you can slide it into position. I sprayed on more solution as needed. Since my desk was already in place, I had to work around and under it to get things in place. Oh well.

Once I got the film straightened out on the glass, I used the plastic ruler to squeegee the film to the glass, working from center areas out toward the edges. The goal is to work the bubbles out from under the film. Don't worry if the film starts to come down when you first doing this. I just pulled the film out and sprayed more solution on wherever it was needed.

Final trim:

After I got the bubbles all worked out, I did a final trim with the utility knife and scissors. The utility knife didn't always cut through the film, so I pulled it away from the glass, and used the scissors. I then applied more solution when needed and squeegeed again with the ruler.

Voila! I got it done. It took me longer than I thought, but would have went better had I decided to decorate my window before building my desk!

Anyway, I got it done and I am pleased with how it turned out.

Smaller windows should be a lot easier and also when nothing is as close as five inches in front of it; i.e. my desk. {grin}

Amazon did not show the grapevine scene that I purchased. If you want the grapevine scene, you can check with Menards. You can also peruse other designs on Amazon by visiting the link below.

If you're looking for an inspiring way to add more color to your life, and you're okay with DIY, I recommend a decorative window film.

Gila Glass Scenes Spiral Mosaic Decorative Window Film on Amazon.

Hope you enjoyed this project and that you learned some helpful tips.

Cheryl Paton

As an Amazon affiliate, Cheryl Paton earns income from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to the purchasers.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Cat Tunnel Bed Review

This donut shaped cat bed caught my attention the very first time that I saw it. Even I was intrigued by the circular donut shape, and then my cat was as well.

Well actually, my cat was intrigued by it the minute I started trying to put it together. For me, that presented the tricky part.

A simple tip, to tell which side is up, is to place the curved pieces on the floor and observe where the hanging balls are. If a hanging ball isn't hanging, flip it over so that it becomes hanging. Then try to do the zippers!

Another tip for the zipper, I found was when I held the outer zipper in a downward fashion and pushed it down onto the corresponding zipper, while holding the corresponding zipper stationary with my left hand. Once I did that maneuver, I easily zipped the zippers. Before that little maneuver, I was contemplating putting two half tunnels in two different locations!

And before I got those two half tunnels together, my cat was already enjoying laying in the end of one of them. I didn't even realize she was there until I went to move it. It had gotten heavier pretty quickly. It was a hit.

And then when it became whole, it was even more of a hit. She could go around the whole inside.

Our cat was more smitten with the round bed part that fits within the circle, when it wasn't yet attached. It took her a bit of time to reconsider laying on the round bed part, after she figured out getting over the the raised tunnel area. After that, she was okay with that too.

Once I got the tunnel with center round bed assembled, I placed it in my bedroom.

Here is our cat Tori venturing inside the assembled bed.

She has slept in it most nights since then, which is three weeks now. I think that she is in agreement that this is a winner.

This bed does take up quite a bit of space. The measurements given on Amazon are 47.2"L x 9"W x 9"H. Once I put it together as a round tunnel, the overall width is approximately 33-34 inches across. The height of the tunnel part is around 9 inches high. The tunnel part can be left open on two of the ends and shaped into an S shape or a C shape, so that will give cat parents more options on where to place it. The tunnel pieces are also collapsible if they need to be stored.

The fabric is soft and plush on the outside and feels more like a nylon on the interior (kind of like umbrella material). It has a bit of crackle noise to it when the cat is walking in it, touch it, etc.

There are stars designs on the exterior fabric that can glow in the dark for awhile, if you have light or sunlight on it for awhile first. It can be quite intriguing to look over after having gone to bed and seeing the glowing stars. Hmmm. Anyway, I don't seem to notice that much anymore.

If you're looking for a new cat bed for your purr-baby, that can also provide some extra play fun, I recommend the cat tunnel by Nasonet. The current one that shows up is pink with stars and moons. The one I got is gray with large and small stars.

Cat Tunnel Bed by Nasonet on Amazon

Cheryl Paton

As an Amazon affiliate, Cheryl Paton earns income from qualifying purchases made through links on this blog.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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I Love Cats Coloring Book Review

I love cats from way back. I had even started doing drawings from photos of our cats over the years, before the internet was even a thing. I had hopes and dreams that our lovey kitties would be the stars in a coloring book.

Years later, after having gotten a computer, and having learned how to do drawings on my computer, I finally got around to creating the book of my dreams. I named it, I Love Cats Coloring Book.

I published it through KDP - Kindle Direct Publishing, which is a subsidiary of Amazon. This is my review.

The print quality of both the cover and the interior turned out great. The only colors are on the cover.

The coloring pages are printed on the top side of each page and a background page of cats on gray is printed on the reverse side of each page. The gray does not show through to the top page, and it does a good job of reducing and or preventing bleed through to the next coloring page.

As with my other coloring books, there are two pages to test out your coloring media in the back of the book. There you can try out blending techniques, color coordinating, and whether or not the chosen media will bleed through to the next page or not.

This book is more than a coloring book. It has cute little sayings that go along with each picture. I like the added interest; it gives the book a more heartfelt feeling to it and also some humor.

The pages have a good weight to them and are perfect for coloring. If you are purchasing this for children, then I recommend these colored pencils by Prang. In this set, the core is 3.3 mm thick, making them thicker than some of the others, so they should hold up better for the kids: Prang 3.3 mm colored pencils.

Instead of burnishing with the colored pencils themselves, (laying down lots of color on top of already colored areas), I recommend less pressure and using paper blending stumps to rub over the initial layers. Then color on top of that layer. That helps to spread the colors out better, and it's easier to lay new or more color down on top, and is less damaging to the paper: Blending Stumps. This pack also includes an artist eraser which is also less damaging to the paper. It also includes a sandpaper pencil sharpener.

If you want to get one color off of the blending stump, you can just rub it on a scrap sheet of paper to rub off any excess color. This will make your blending look more like the color that you want it to be, in the picture.

Overall, I am pleased with how the book turned out and highly recommend it to other cat lovers, of any age.

I Love Cats Coloring Book on Amazon

For a coloring relaxing coloring book for adults, check out Signs of Autumn Coloring Book for Adults Review.

For a list of all of my coloring books by category, check out Coloring Books by Cheryl Paton.

Cheryl Paton

As an Amazon affiliate, Cheryl Paton earns income on qualifying purchases made through links on this page at no additional cost to the purchasers.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Atmoko Hair Clippers Review

I did it! I gave myself a full haircut using Atmoko hair clippers for men and women.

I have given myself partial haircuts using hair clippers over the last couple of years or so. But I had done the top part of my hair using scissors. This time I took the plunge. I did the all over cut using clippers!

Here is the before photo. This haircut was mostly done by a salon person in a beauty shop. I had since trimmed my bangs and the back. Believe me when I tell you that the trim in the back was straighter by me than it was done by the stylist. Anyway.... Also, my hair does have some wave to it; that left side usually has a mind of its own, lol.

Before photo.

The process:

I combed my hair. I left my hair dry as per the instructions for using the clippers, and also added oil to the cutting part; I use sewing machine oil.

Then I gathered my supplies. My plan is to use four comb attachments that came with the Atmoko clippers. Ten actually come with the set, but I chose four of the ten. The largest one is for one inch. I used the one inch, the 3/4 inch, the 1/2 inch, and the 3/8 inch.

I placed rows of paper towels over the bathroom sink. With the clippers in hand, with the one inch comb attachment, a cut my hair, combing it in an upward direction. I also cut it with the same one inch comb attachment, combing my hair in a horizontal direction, going one way and then the opposite way.

I then pinned the upper part of my hair up on top of my head, so that I would accidentally cut off any more from the top than what I had already cut.

Then I used the 3/4 inch attachment on the clippers and followed pretty much the same cutting pattern; up and also horizontally. As I come up with the clippers (with attachment attached), I comb away as I get to the top part of cutting upward.

Then I repeated the previous step with the 1/2 inch comb attachment, but not going up quite as far as I did in the previous step.

Then I only did the process with the 3/8 inch comb attachment on the lower back part of my hair.

I combed it with a regular comb, trimmed the neck with scissors, and gave myself a neck shave.

Here are the results.

After photo.

I am pretty pleased. 

Here are the clipper supplies that I used.

Having used most of these supplies before, I do recommend them. They give a good cut, and I like that I can do various hair lengths on the back of my head, without always having to have someone else do it.

Other supplies that I used:

(Updated.) I forgot to mention before, that it is recommended to oil the cutting blades each time before using the clippers. I use Singer All Purpose Machine Oil. You can find that on Amazon: Singer Oil.

Also needed are scissors; I used them to trim around my ears and to cut the line across at the back of my neck.

Styling clips, to hold the top part of my hair out of the way; these are so much better than bobby pins. This is a link for the brand that I used. https://amzn.to/3YZNHaF

And an Olay five blade razor. I like that these have the lotion strips on them and that the five blades gives a closer shave than ones with three or less blades. Here is the link for that. https://amzn.to/3OjgxxE I hold the razor in one hand, a small mirror in the other hand, while I sit in front of a large mirror.

And the star of this hair cutting venture, is the Atmoko Hair Clippers. It is relatively quiet, the attachments are easy to put on, and it is pretty easy to use. They are sold on Amazon.

This looks to have some different combs for over the ears than the ones that came in my set. The ones below look longer. They are the angled ones.

Atmoko Hair Clippers for Men and Women


One BIG tip that I give you, is to lay out your comb attachments that you plan to use, in plain sight, before you start clipping! I didn't do this step one time, and I gave myself a really short haircut! I didn't reach the top of my head, so I was pleased about that. My daughter thought it was cool, but I wasn't a big fan. So yes, do lay those little comb attachments out in plain sight before you start.

Happy hair cutting.

Update:

It has been approximately two months since I gave myself the hair cut that is shown above. I have since trimmed my bangs, and also the hair in the back at the bottom. I did that with scissors and did any neck shaving as I noticed. But after two months, I decided to do the haircut, as described above, again. I felt more confident with what I was doing; it looks very similar to the above photo. Two things I purposely did different was to not trim around my ears as much, and to cut off less in the back at the bottom; thereby not having as much neck to shave. I like it and will continue with these self hair cuts with clippers.

If you are interested in learning how I give a straight haircut at home, check out this blog: How to give a straight haircut at home.

Cheryl Paton

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Joomra Barefoot Shoes for Women, Review

I got my first pair of Joomra barefoot shoes for women in April of 2024. I was looking so forward to them. I had been gradually shifting from well padded soles, curved soles, and a slew of other types of shoes from my past. Things had become gradually uncomfortable over the years, that even with wearing low based running and walking shoes as my regular shoe attire, I still longed for something that was better for my feet. Even without having a local shoe store to try any of these barefoot shoes on, it was time to take the plunge. I placed my order with Amazon.

The main difference about barefoot shoes, in general, is the wide toe box. They also usually have a soft upper fabric, so toes can stretch out and up to, without being blocked.

Another main difference is their flexibility. I can actually bend my foot from right behind my toes, without any restriction from the shoe.

The other main difference is the zero heal drop. The heal is not raised, so it is like you are walking on level ground when barefoot. They also don't come with arch support, which I am fine with.

My overall impressions:

I love being able to stretch my toes in various directions while wearing my barefoot shoes. Since I work from home, I usually go barefoot or wear flipflops around the house. I thought it would be a breeze switching to wearing barefoot shoes. Overall, it was pretty easy. But new muscles were being used, adjustments in my feet were being made. New aches were beginning to show up.

For awhile, I switched back and forth between my favorite running shoes (I used them for walking.), and the barefoot shoes. That just seemed more confusing to my feet, so I decided to just wear the barefoot shoes.

I started feeling quite a bit of soreness near my big toe, especially on my right foot. I would stretch it out with my foot stretched out behind me, both with the bottom of my toes facing the floor, and then with the top of my toes facing the floor. I would do this several times a day. The stretches helped somewhat.

I did not consider going back to the old style of shoes; they were the reason I had decided to give barefoot shoes a try. So I continued with doing the stretches, and also did some massaging of my feet. My feet started improving. I ordered another pair of barefoot shoes to have another color choice.

One day, as I was scrolling through YouTube videos, I came across ones about fixing your bunion. Hmmm. I didn't really know what a bunion was. But the feet shape looked somewhat familiar. I recognized how the base knuckle of my big toes protruded more outward. Ah, so that's what they are.

Apparently bunions are caused from wearing shoes that cramp your toes. Yep, even as a kid, my toes were cramped. Narrow shoes weren't very common then, and I ended up getting shoes that were too short for my foot length so that they wouldn't be too wide. Then as I grew up, there was the wanting to wear heals. Yep, did that too. Anyway, those past behaviors had contributed to what I was now dealing with.

So low and behold, I have found out about some exercises that I found to be helpful.

The one that I have found most helpful, is wearing a somewhat wide stretchy hair tie, around both big toes at the same time. Both big toes are inside the hair tie. (My feet are elevated on the chair support while I watch some TV.)

When I first started doing this exercise, it was rather uncomfortable, so I place a thick sock folded in half and placed it in the space between big toes. I would wear that for 15 minutes and after a few days, for 20 minutes at a time. Then I was okay with going without the folded sock. My bunions are feeling better. I don't have to do those original toe stretches so much any more. My feet are improving! Smiles.

Other exercises that I have been doing, is squeezing all my toes under, followed by stretching them up and then spreading them out. Since I have added the above exercise, I am able to spread my toes further now. I have also heard that this particular exercise for toes, is helpful in improving circulation in the feet.

The other main thing to mention about barefoot shoes, is that they aren't as padded. I have found that if I am wearing barefoot shoes and walking across a grassy area in my yard, that they are rather comfortable on the bottom of my feet, even without extra padding. But when I am walking on hard surfaces, I usually walk on hard floors and blacktop pavement, I want some extra padding. So I am using Doctor Scholl's air pillow inner soles, no arch support, no bends, just the flat plain inner soles. And I do mean plural, I have two pair of the plain flat inner soles in my barefoot shoes, and that works pretty good.

Was it worth it?

Yes.

My feet are getting stronger. They are healing from my past habits. I'm glad I took a new step.

The local stores where I live still do not sell any barefoot shoes that I know of, but I know I can get them on Amazon.

Joomra Barefoot Shoes on Amazon

These particular shoes come in a variety of colors and patterns. I chose the Joomra brand because I like the shoe style, I resonated with a lot of the reviews, and they are reasonably priced.

I have since tried on a couple of wide rounded toe shoes in a couple of stores, and they did not provide the room and comfort that I found in the Joomra shoes.

Update:

It's been approximately two months since I wrote this blog, and I recently noticed that I'm not even noticing any pains that I had in my feet before. I maybe do some toe stretches from time to time when I think of it, but other than that, I have just been doing the same thing. I'm wearing Joomra barefoot shoes when I go out, other than my flat boots if there is snow on the ground, and flat slippers when I'm home; and my feet have continued to improve.

Cheryl Paton

If you want to find another use for the wide stretchy hair ties, check out my blog on Alternative Toys for Cats, Review.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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