A few months ago I was asked by Craft-Ease if I would like to try one of their diamond paintings. I knew a little bit about them, because my boyfriend's mother had made a few in the past year. We also bought a small kit for his daughter last Christmas as a gift, since she liked to craft. I knew how much they liked their kits, so I said I would love to try it too. While I was asked by Craft-Ease to try a kit, this review is 100% my own opinion.
On the website they have a large selections of kits to choose from. I was drawn to one in particular, and if you have followed me for awhile you will know why. My kit arrived in the mail in a nice sturdy box.
I pulled out the kit from the box. The painting was rolled up and protected by a plastic bag. Also inside the bag was the supplies that I would need to make the diamond painting.
I chose the Rainbow Unicorn Kit, because you have followed me for awhile you know I LOVE unicorn. This kit is so colorful, and I know it will be beautiful when it is finished.
The kit came with all the supplies I needed. It included 2 applicators and the applicator gum, a tray to hold the diamonds while applying them, a pair of tweezers, applicator grips, and all the diamonds I need to complete the painting.
When I received the kit, I did not know yet how busy I was going to become over the summer until now. Between my boyfriends health scare, working full time and a couple of side jobs, I do not have a lot of time to get as much done on my kit as I would have liked at this point. I do feel though that I have enough information that I can share my review now, instead of waiting until I finish.
I sit down in front of the TV in the evening, and work on a few rows at a time . It is very relaxing to do, but it is also a little bit time consuming for someone super busy like me. I have a hard time sitting still for very long because of my ADD, and I also have a hard time seeing the pattern once the sun goes down. I have "older eyes" and not the best light in my apartment, so the codes can be hard to see on some colors. Even with the lack of time and lighting, I really enjoy working on my kit.
As you can see in this picture each color diamond has a small letter or shape code. This is the upper left hand corner of my painting that I flipped upside down. My boyfriend's mother gave me some good tips like start working at the top and then flipping it around, because you do not lean on any of the diamonds and the glue on the painting can easily stay covered with it's protective plastic. When working on it, I pull just a little bit of the plastic off one small section at a time, and then recover it when finished.
I do have a few helpful tips of my own that have worked for me while working on my kit. I found the perfect storage box for me at the Dollar Tree. It is the Teaching Tree Rectangle Storage box. It is 10 inches by 8 inches and has a clasping lid. They are available online if you can't find them currently in the store. It is just the right size to hold all of my supplies and diamonds.
I put the diamonds in their own individual plastic bags and labeled them with their code so they are easy
for me to find and use. Craft Ease has similar storage box on their site that has 28 clear containers to keep the diamonds organized with inventory labels.
Another tip of something I found very helpful, since I do not have a location where I can keep my painting sitting out is to keep it inside a project display board. My painting fits safely inside when I need to store it, and it also is a sturdy work space when I am unable to sit at the table.
Would you be interested in trying your own kit? Craft Ease has offered my readers a discount. If you use the code PAMSPARTY-20 you will get 20% off. A diamond dot kit would make a great gift!
