I-Rock Rocks!

A girl can never have too many tools! So when I heard about I-Rock from Imaginisce, I got curious. I-Rock is an applicator for bling. Just what I need, a marriage of two things I love - Tools + Bling!

l-r: Jewel-Setter Sticks, Crystal and Stud Heat-Setting Tool, Stencil Kit, Hot Rocks Compact

The Crystal and Stud Heat-Setting Tool - runs on 3 AA Batteries

The system is very easy to use. First, dip the Jewel Setter Stick into a little bit of water to dampen the tip. Then, pick up a piece of crystal using the tip. You can also opt to use tweezers instead. Please ignore my nails. I know they badly need some loving!

Use the stencil to create a pattern for your crystals. Simply set appropriate size of bling on the hole of the stencil.

Then switch the tool to the "on" position. This does not heat the tip yet. You have to press the small button on the switch to start heating the tool. You have to keep this pressed until the crystal is set, which won't take longer than a few seconds. Just lightly press the tip of the tool on the crystal to prevent it from sliding. Note that the stencil is made of heat proof material similar to the Ranger Craft Mat or Bazzil Splat Mat.

You can also opt not to use the stencil and just make your own designs.

Add bling to embellish a stamped image

Use the stencil for easy patterns

Here is one of the finished cards. I used a die cutter to cut the label shape and embossed it using an embossing folder. Then I distressed the edges using Distress Ink. The butterfly is a digital stamp which I colored using Copic Markers, then cut and adhered to the card. I added a handwritten sentiment on a piece of scrap paper. The jewel swirl was created using an I-Rock stencil.

On this second card, I adhered jewels on the butterfly image. Then I applied more jewels randomly on the card using the I-Rock tool.

What can I say? I-Rock rocks!!! Overall, the I-Rock tool is very easy to use. There is a huge selection of crystals, pearls and studs. Different patterned stencils are also available. The Jewel-Setter Sticks are very useful specially for the teeny tiny pieces of crystal. For the bigger pieces of bling, you can either use tweezers or just pick them up with your fingers.

I-Rock products are now available at My Little Attic. Nenette just got the box of goodies late last week so these aren't posted yet on the website as of this writing. Just send her a quick email to reserve. If you hurry, you might just get your hands on this cool tool.

UPDATE: I-Rock products are already posted at the MLA website. To check them out, click here.

Sewing Machine or Lens?

In less than a month, I will celebrate my birthday. It will be a different celebration this time since I'm spending a couple of days with my entire family in Singapore, instead of just with Ariel which has been the case for the past 8 years.

Anyway, I've been thinking of my "wish list" for quite some time now. At some point, I was considering an iPhone.

I have an iPod touch and I love it. So I thought my next phone should be an iPhone. Later I thought it to be impractical considering that we have "free" phone with Ariel's corporate plan. And even if I ended up adding a few thousand bucks for the Nokia N97 model that I opted for, it's still tons cheaper than if I got the iPhone. After all, I've always had Nokia from the very first analog phone. And I still have my iPod Touch, which I now use as a portable movie payer. I'm not much of a music person anyway.

Then I went on a weekend crop with some friends in Tagaytay.

I grew up with two dressmakers for grandmothers. I've learned to sew at an early age and my Barbie doll matched my own outfits. It was only natural that I use stitching in my scrapbooks. In fact, I've already bought 2 sewing machines - an old heavy duty one which survived the Milenyo flooding but is no longer working at optimal levels, and a small portable one that can't handle cardstock. So I went on a hunt for the perfect sewing machine. And I found this.

I showed this to Ariel in one of our visits to Anson's. I told him I am considering this as a possible birthday gift from him to me. Anyway, when we went on a weekend crop in Tagaytay, Mia brought her Singer baby and let me use it. In fact, I made a couple of layouts and cards with machine stitching. I got to use ALL of the stitches available in this baby. Needless to say, when I got back home, I told Ariel that this is what I want for my birthday.

That is until August 15th when I attended the food photography workshop by Mr. Ricky Ladia. I went home thinking "I've got to have a macro lens!"

I am still researching but this is what I have in mind, so far.

Of course, an L lens is out of the question unless I plan to make money out of it so this is the next best thing. Since we are going to Singapore, I thought we'll check out the prices there first before actually making the purchase.

Any reco from my photography friends? I really have to make a good decision here. I can't afford to buy new lenses every now and then so this has to be THE macro lens I will be committing with for the rest of my life, probably. Is there a cheaper option? :D