Adults and Crafts is a monthly DIY subscription that encourages subscribers to “learn new crafting techniques to help create useful, beautiful products you will be proud to have made."
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About this Monthly DIY Subscription
The Subscription Box: Adults & Crafts
The Cost: $33 + $6.95 shipping per month, with discounts for 3-, 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: The US for $6.95 and worldwide for $20
Adults & Crafts "Engraving Kit" Review November 2019
In this awesome Adults & Crafts project, they have provided the tools and instructions to safely customize a stainless steel water bottle, a set of 4 glass coasters, a keychain, and a tin container. I love how straight-forward these instructions are! They are written very clearly, and if you have any questions at all, you can contact their customer service for a fast response!
Let's get into the items included in this box:
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- Darice Engraving Tool - Retail Value $5.14
- 2 AA AmazonBasics Batteries - Estimated Value $0.58 (Buy a pack of 48 $13.97)
- Transfer Paper
- Gloves
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle (similar style found here for $8.18 each when you buy 12)
- Set of 4 Glass Coasters
- Keychain
- Round Tin Container
- Safety Goggles
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- Sample Designs
Here is the list of materials also needed, but not included:
- Pen
- Tape
- Scissors
- Paper Towel
Project #1: Tin Container
Honestly, I have never engraved anything in my life, so I was a bit hesitant to start "engraving" on the perfect items laid out before me. I decided I must start somewhere, and after reading the directions, they suggested starting on a flat surface such as the coasters or tin container. I went for the tin container since I felt like I may want to give the coasters as a gift (if they turn out.)
Safety first of course! It is very important to wear safety goggles while engraving your items. You definitely don't want glass or stainless steel dust in your eyes!
Don't forget the gloves! This project does produce a lot of tin container dust, so keeping your hands protected is a must!
The first step to engrave my tin container was to choose a template. Most of the included templates were too large to fit on the small container lid, so I decided to try the hearts as the instruction sheet suggested. To get the heart shape onto the container you must lay the transfer paper over the item, cut out the template, and use a pen to trace the design.
Tracing the design was a breeze, but I decided I didn't want to engrave a heart on the top, so I used the paper towel to easily wipe off the transfer.
I ultimately decided to try a free-hand design to get a feel for the engraving pen. Using different pressures and holding the pen at slightly different angles produces very different results. While I can't say I am exactly satisfied with my finished product, (I now wish I would have engraved a fancy monogram instead) I feel a lot more comfortable trying this process on those coasters.
Project #2: Glass Coasters
Because the coasters are clear, you are able to cut your template out and tape it on the backside of the coaster and trace.
The vibration from the pen was a little intimidating, and it was quite noisy. My husband loudly complained that this is NOT the project to be doing during game 7 of the World Series. I nicely went into another room...
See why the gloves are so important? It produces quite a bit of dust - which is easily wiped away with the paper towel, and a little water.
Voila! One coaster complete! I found I had an easier time with the cursive letters than the block print, but feel satisfied with my results.
In the process...
Finished products! I think they turned out really cute! By the 4th coaster I felt really comfortable using the engraving pen, and had a pretty easy time!
Here is the finished keychain. I wasn't sure what I wanted to engrave on this piece, so I just copied the instruction sheet and wrote "wish." Because this piece was black, I had a hard time creating a template to trace. I ended up using a piece of chalk, and while the chalk didn't leave a print, it seemed to produce a glossy effect which was enough for me to see to engrave. It engraved easily and looks fun!
I saved the water bottle for last because the curved shape of the bottle intimidated me!
Because I liked the look of the water bottle on the instruction sheet, I decided to go ahead and trace the flower template.
Tracing was fairly easy, and coloring in was even easier. Laying the bottle on a table runner to engrave made the process a lot easier than on the hard smooth table because it didn't roll as much. Dust did get on it so I would probably use a towel next time.
Here is the finished product. When the light hits it you can see the engraving strokes, but I was satisfied with it!
Engraving master at last? I wouldn't say that, but I did have a lot of fun, and learned a lot of new techniques! I am definitely going to get myself some more coasters to work on. I would love to do a fancy monogram on them and give them with a bottle of wine for a Christmas gift!
Verdict: This is the first time I have gotten to review Adults & Crafts, and I am totally digging it! I absolutely love crafting, and am always looking for new techniques to try. This month's projects were super fun, and I really like how they give you great instructions and supplies to create items that are completely designed and customized by you. The estimated time of completion is 1-3 hours, and I can say that it is all up to how detailed your designs are. My tin container only took a few minutes, whereas the coasters took a bit longer. I am really impressed with the quality of products, and the curation of this box. I had a lot of fun customizing these pieces, and will definitely be using the engraving pen on other items throughout my home! I can't wait to see what they send next month!
To Wrap Up:
Can I get this box if I sign up today?: No, this was the November box, so your subscription will likely begin with the December box. However, this craft kit is currently on sale for $34.00 in the Adults and Crafts shop here.
Value Breakdown: The cost of this box is $39.95 ($33 + $6.95 shipping) and it customizes a stainless steel water bottle, a set of 4 glass coasters, a keychain, and a tin container. I had a hard time finding a lot of the items online, but am very excited to have a tool that can be used on many future projects, and I did receive fantastic instructions! I feel $39.95 is a fair price for this box as it teaches a new skill, includes customizable items, was well-curated, and just plain fun!
Check out all of our Adults and Crafts reviews and the DIY + Crafting Subscription Box Directory for more crafting options!
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What do you think of November's Adults and Crafts project?
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