Danny's Cards Blog

Today is a 24 hours of crafts on HSN! We know how these days go. A host of craft items are showcased throughout the day, along with numerous deals. Today's big craft item is We R Keeper's all new Colop E-Mark Create Craft Printer . Normally retailing for $349.99, the price today on HSN is $299.99. To me, it looks amazing. If you haven't seen it in action, take a look: I love the idea of it, especially as a replacement for all those times where I'm looking for that perfect stamp. That said, I do have some big questions. Most importantly, how long does the ink last? Does it run for a 100 prints? 50 prints? 1,000 prints? There's no way of knowing, and no specification clarifies this.  Additionally, extra ink cartridges cost a startling $49.99. That's steep, even by ink cartridges standards.  This is rife with potential, but until a bigger bundle comes out with extra inks and those first reviews clarify some of my concerns, this item is getting a hard pass. Anna Gri...

For the past few months, I've really given my Anna Griffin Empress Machine a workout. For those not in the know, The Empress is a high powered non-crank emboss and die cutting machine. It's akin to devices such as the Cuttlebug, The Big Shot, or the Gemini. I Have a Cricut / Cameo / Silhouette - Why This? The short answer is, you can create texture in your cards. While the aforementioned devices are no doubt powerful and create designs that the Empress can only dream about, there's no doubt that emboss machines give textures and creates intricacy that cutting machines cannot compete with. My most complimented cards are not the ones with the most layers or even the most elegant, rather it's the cards with texture. Cricut and other Cutting Machines just lack that  ability to create the"feel" of a higher quality card. Pros of the Empress I absolutely adore my Empress. For those with arthritis or other mobility issues, a device like the Empress is a ...