Adults and Crafts is a monthly DIY subscription that helps subscribers "learn new crafting techniques to help you create useful, beautiful products you will be proud to have made."
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Adults & Crafts
The Cost: $33 + $6.95 shipping per month, with discounts for 6 and 12-month prepaid subscriptions
The Products: A kit with printed instructions for an adult-level project to use or display in your home.
Ships to: US
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October's project was marbling! I've seen this craft on Instagram and various blogs, and I've been curious about trying it. The box included a materials list and step-by-step instructions with pictures.
Darice Glass Candle Holders, set of two – Retail Value $9.47
Pair of White Taper Candles – Estimated Value $2.17? (similar item is $12.99 for 12)
The glass candle holders come in a clear plastic box that would be perfect for giving them as a gift. The candles can be marbled too!
Mini Glass Bottles – Retail Value $7.24? (value based on a similar item)
These little bottles have cork stoppers. They could be used for spices or craft supplies.
Darice Ceramic Jewelry Ring Dish – Retail Value $14.31
This dish is white on the outside and shiny silver on the inside.
Darice Porcelain Star Ornament – Retail Value $11.94
This star ornament could be used on a tree or to embellish a wrapped gift.
Marabu Easy Marble Paints, 4 paints – Total Retail Value $15.84 ($3.96 each)
Four colors of paint were provided: light blue, royal blue, gold and a very dark purple. The paints smell a lot like nail polish; I recommend using a respirator or at least working in a room that's easy to air out. Since you only use a few drops at a time, these will last for many projects.
Foil pans, gloves and some skewers and toothpicks were also included to complete the projects.
The first step was to put cold water into the pan.
Next, I shook the paint and added droplets to the water. You're supposed to start with the darkest color, but the directions also said that the colors on top would be the most prominent.
I swirled the colors with a toothpick before slowly dipping the items into the paint. The paint dries fast, so there's not much time to work.
These were the first items I dipped. I was surprised at the translucency of the colors, but I like how they turned out.
The paint adheres well to the glass and won't come off easily from regular handling, however, it won't stand up to abrasive cleaning. It comes off if you scratch it with a fingernail.
For the candlesticks, I tried using more paint and it became gloppy.
These took a couple of days to dry. It's probably because I used too much paint, but it reminds me of the way certain nail polish never fully dries for me. The product description says the paint should be dry to the touch in 20 minutes, but that was not the case with anything I made, even when the paint was translucently thin.
I went with plain gold for the candles. They turned out kind of mottled, but I don't mind.
Here are the candles in the holders... it's overkill. I'd prefer the painted candles in just the plain holders.
The poor star looks a bit melted!
For the bowl, I went back to a lighter application of paint, and while it didn't turn out as I expected, I like the result. This was my favorite item of the lot.
Overall, my items didn't turn out anything like the example photos, which showed a thin application of opaque colors. The technique is quick but I don't feel that I really got the hang of it, despite getting a fair bit of practice. Either the paint was so thin that it was translucent and runny, or it was so thick that it got bubbles and wouldn't dry properly. I'd need more experimentation to master the technique.
Verdict: I calculate a retail value over $60 for the supplies, which is great for a $40 box. Once again, I'm really impressed with the number of different projects Adults and Crafts sent in the box. I really like all the items that were included, but some of my marbling looks like a second grade art project gone horribly wrong. However, I'm glad to be able to cross this one off the 'crafts I've been meaning to try someday' bucket list.
What do you think of October's Adults and Crafts? If you've tried marbling before, how did it turn out?
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