Products That Help Craft With Your Computer

by Carol Duvall

Who would have guessed that I would be doing a segment on computer crafting products? Linda was our computer expert who experimented and invented many wonderful projects that she made with the help of her computer/scanner/printer—I only showed what she made and explained what she taught me. Now, however, there are a growing number of products out there that are made for helping you craft on your computer and we discovered some that are so easy that even I can follow the directions and get good results!

The product that really appealed to me was the CD-ROM from Red Castle called Fit -It Volume 1. It appealed not only because it was so incredibly easy to use, but it printed out patterns for making little gift boxes...one of my favorite things! In this case, put the CD into the computer and directions immediately come up on your screen. There is a list of some 30 different box shapes with no guessing about what each one looks like because you can click to get a photograph of the box, click to see a pattern and click to get directions. The directions are incredibly easy to follow because the boxes are all printed indicating where to cut and where to fold. If you want a different size, simply hit the keys to enlarge. You can print out patterns 8-1/2" x 11" paper, and then tape them together and transfer the pattern to whatever you will make your box from. You can also enlarge individual parts of the box; a flat envelope box can become a cube by simply clicking to make the sides higher. Print on patterned card stock and then you don't even have to decorate it. Ordinarily when I show a product I don't necessarily give an endorsement, but this one I tried and really would recommend.

Also from Red Castle is a CD that prints patterns for making frames. As with the CD for making boxes, you can enlarge the patterns with a click of a key.

Included in the list of computer craft programs is Marshall's Photo Coloring System. Marshall's is not new to photo coloring, but now they have their coloring products available together with an inkjet canvas so that you can print your photos onto canvas before coloring them, which really gives them a different look. The necessary materials are available individually or in a starter kit that includes everything, even an eraser for removing your painting mistakes.

Avery Dennison is a name that has been long known in the office supply business and they are now realizing how many crafters use their products for making stickers, rubber stamping, etc. They were among the first to come out with a product that would allow you to print your photos and then transfer them to fabric, such as a t-shirt or apron. The product has become very popular, but until now they could only be used on white or light colored backgrounds. The newest Avery Dennison contribution to the crafting world is a transfer that can be applied to black or other dark colored backgrounds, and they look great.

Another new computer item that I enjoyed using was The Art Of Creative Lettering from the folks at Creative Keepsakes. This is another CD that you just pop into the computer and the images come up on the screen. There are dozens of different fonts available at the click of a key, and another click will color them in whichever color you select. Make them large or small, plain for fancy— they should be a great help to you scrapbookers and a number of other c rafty projects. This one is one of the few products that offers both a Mac and a PC version.

Although I did get the opportunity to try The Hallmark Scrapbook Studio Deluxe and the Print Artist Grande Suite A, I saw some of the resulting projects and I'd say that these products will inspire your creativity and make you want to keep on crafting! The Hallmark Scrapbook Studio Deluxe includes a wide variety of original Hallmark scrapbook designs, artwork and sentiments for creating scrapbook pages, paper dolls and memorabilia.

Print Artist Grande Suite, Volume 12 comes with a book of over 200,000 images you will find on their CD. The Grande Suite has all the tools to make unique printed projects including greeting cards, stickers, labels, banners, placecards, boxes, 3-D crafts and more. All in all, it should supply you with enough to keep you crafting on your computer for a long time to come.