Update: Making Memories Modular System

As reported in the review of the Making Memories Modular Storage System, I had problems with two of the accessories. After hearing about a form on the Making Memories website, I went to investigate. I found the Request a Product Replacement form and filled it in. Within a couple of days I had someone from Making Memories contact me about my problem. Normally, they request that defective items be returned, but since I am located in Australia, they just sent me the replacements. These arrived in about 10 days, which is pretty good time from the USA. So, while it was a bit of a pain that the original product had problems, I have to say I am most impressed by the great customer service from Making Memories. Many manufacturers would take the head in the sand approach and pretend there are never problems. It's nice to see a business recognize that problems can occur and have a quick and fairly painless process already in place to deal with the problems when they occur.

Heidi Swap Boxed Chipboard Alphabets

From the growing range of Heidi Swapp products come the Boxed Chipboard Alphabets. This is a review of the 3" pink, upper and lowercase letters. First off, for our international audience, the chipboard referred to is NOT wood, but a thick heavy cardboard.

The letters are nicely packaged (as is most Heidi Swapp stuff) in a glossy black box with pink label. The box is nice in that it protects the letters. However, when I pulled mine out of the box, they all had a definate warp. Normally, I would attribute this to over tight shrink wrap, but these were not wrapped as such.

The colour is added as a layer to the cardboard and seems pretty robust. Since it is card, these letters would be fairly easy to distress, paint or do just about anything to. Also, you get to keep the negative and use that as well.

In the uppercase set, you receive one of each letter of the alphabet, and a full set of numbers (0-9). In the lowercase set, you receive 3 each of a, e, i and o, 2 each of h, l, m, n, r, s, t and u, and one each of the rest. You also receive punctuation of !, &, #, ?, :, . and ,

It is with letter distribution that I have my biggest problems with this set. Yet again, we see a manufacturer not thinking or not caring about the consumer. We are in the first decade of a new century, therefore, when most people are writing the date they will need more than ONE zero and ONE two!!!! Basically, if you want to use these sets to write the year 2005, you will need to buy two sets of the uppercase letters. At approx. $11 AU per set, that makes for a very expensive year.

In the lowercase the issue is slightly different, this one is about wasted space. Insdead of putting multiple items where possible, they are just put in the middle of the square. I can understand that one per square is necessary for items such as letters and some punctuation, but in the examples below, you could get at least four of the punctuation symbols on each square without reducing usability, infact, you would increase it considerably.

Also to be considered is the slightly misleading name of the items. While the full square is 3", the actual letters are NOT that size. The uppercase are 2 1/4" tall and the lower cases just over 1 1/2" tall (for an "a", taller letter would be slightly bigger). When you are wanting impact, there is a big difference between 3" and 2 1/4".

Pros: Great way to add emphasis or visual impact to a title or page. Versitile materials mean they can be customized easily and in a large variety of ways.

Cons: Lack of relevant numbers in uppercase set and wasted space in lowercase letters detract from the value and usability of these products. Also, the fact that they letters (uppercase) are not true 3" in size but 2 1/4".

Quick Review (Out of 5 Stars)

Cost/Value for Money: 2
Usefulness: 3
Ease of Use: 5

Provocraft Silent Setter

The Provocraft Silent Setter is an attempt to solve the very noisy problem of setting eyelets. The system is made up of the silent setter tool, three interchangeable heads, a small container with 50 eyelets and a small setting mat. All this is contained in a padded, zippered carry case.

The interchangeable heads are double ended. One end acts as a hole punch and the other end allows you to set the eyelets. The sizes of the heads suit 1/16", 1/8" and 1/4" eyelets. The system works by putting the hole punch end in the setting tool. You then hold the tool by the very large handle, and press down, twisting at the same time. Because the handle is so large, you can use the whole palm to apply pressure.

To set the eyelet, you just flip the head around and repeat the process.

I found the tool fairly easy to use and it was definately alot quieter than using a hammer. However, I think that your wrist would get quite sore after a while. I think you would have to be very careful to use it as ergonomically as possible to prevent injury.

On the whole it was quite effective in setting the eyelets. My only concern would be that they eyelet is not set flat. If you look at the image below, you can see how the back of the orange eyelet is bowed and doesn't sit flat. The yellow eyelet was set with the Silent Setter and then the back flattened with the hammer.

I've seen this on sale for between $20 AU and $40 AU. I paid $25 AU. For that price, I think it's OK value.

One small issue with the small container of eyelets comes with the set. It is stored in a small screw top container. I found that my container was defective, the lid just slipped off the bottom of the container, the screw thread on the lid had stripped and no longer worked. This meant that each time I opened the tool case, I had to be very careful not to spill the eyelets everywhere. Only a small issue, but one to be aware of.

Pros: Very easy to use and the fact that it comes with tools to set the three main sizes of eyelets, its really six tools in one. Great if noise is an issue. I also like the storage case, the padding provides protections for the items, stops them moving around and means they are less likely to get lost.

Cons: My only concerns would be the fact that the eyelets are not set completely flat (and this many not be an issue for everyone) and also the possible pain issue from repeated use.

Quick Review (Out of 5 Stars)

Cost/Value for Money: 4
Usefulness: 5
Ease of Use: 5

Chatterbox Luggage - Pink

One of the most anticipted products of 2005 (well, by me anyway!) has been the limited edition Chatterbox Luggage Collection. Announced at the beginning of the year, and finally delivered now, the collection was promoted as a stylish storage and tote system in one. The collection came in two colours (standard brown and the much harder to get hold of pink) and was made up of the following items:

• Trunk with Paper Storage Box and Business Card Holder
  
• Handbag
  
• Corner Punch with Storage Box
  

Above is an image of the entire collection. Each item was available separately for purchase but many retailers offered discounts if you bought everything. The reason for pink being hard to get hold of was the Chatterbox policy of selling the trunks in sets of four, one pink and three brown. This meant pink was hard to get hold of as retailers didn't want to be stuck with unsold brown ones. Understandable as it would be quite a financial investment.

Trunk

The trunk is equiped with sturdy rollers (double rollers on each of two sides). The telescopic handle is black. Unlike similar rolling totes, the handle runs on the inside of the bag (see image below). I think this is a good and important design decision as black handles/poles on the back would have ruined the asthetic of the bag. It is about the size of a standard carry on suitcase.

There are straps which go around the entire trunk and are fully functional, being held in place with buckles. For the security conscious, there is a double combination lock. On the bottom of the trunk, there are strudy metal studs to protect the bottom of the trunk. The material used to make the trunk (and other items in the collection) is not leather, but some sort of synthetic. It has a matt (not totally smooth texture) and the colour is just very PINK.

The above images shows how the telescopic handles are located on the inside of the trunk. While this does mean the bottom of the trunk is not flat and there is some loss of space, for me, I find this an acceptable compromise as this keeps the overall look and style of the bag intact. I would think it would also add to the strength of the handles as they are given extra support by the back of the case.

The inside top of the trunk has an expanding section that could house papers or other materials, held in place by two straps and press studs. There is a zipper pocket that would be suitable for pens or similar items.

Paper Storage Box

The Paper Storage box comes as part of the package with the trunk. It is large enough to hold 12 x 12 paper (but not, ironically enough, the latest range of Chatterbox room papers, which have that little extra strip of info at the bottom which you have to cut off!). I would think it would hold 50 sheets of paper.

The box is made in two separate sections. The top of the box slides over the bottom and is held in place by two lots of press studs (top and bottom). This box will fit inside the trunk.

Business Card Briefcase

This is also part of the trunk package. It is so cute! The little combination lock doesn't work, but the clasps holding it closed do work. Just a very cute way to store business cards.

Handbag

The handbag has similar features to the trunk, combination lock, an expandable pocket on the lid and studs on two sides for when sitting flat or upright. The straps, however are decorative and are held in place by press studs. There is, in addition to the handle, a small strap. This can by slipped over the open telescopic handle of the trunk to allow both to be moved at the same time. The dimensions of the handbard are 12" long, by 9" wide and 4" deep.

A long strap is provided which allows use as a traditional handbag. From looking at the original photo posted on the Chatterbox site earlier this year, it seams that a major improvement was made with this strap. In the earlier photos it seemed to be made of webbing. The one that arrived with the case is made of the same material as the case and has solid metal fixtures (clips and slides).

Corner Press

The corner press comes in a small, relatively plain box with none of the metal work on the corners or straps but it does have the combination lock. It holds the corner press tool and two bags of corners. The corners themselves are covered in a removable plastic so that they can be applied without scratching the metal. The plastic is easy to remove. Chatterbox is supposed to be coming out with a line of decorative corners at some future date. The ones that come with the tool are plain brass.

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the collection. While marketed as a functional item, style is also a major selling factor. As such, I think the prices reflect this. I got the trunk for approx $180 AU. This included the paper storage box and business card briefcase. When you look at comparable systems, I think this is pretty much on par as far as price goes.

The handbag was $58 AU and the corner press set $40 AU.

Pros: It is stylish. You can't deny that a major reason for buying this system is that it is just very cool to look at. It is sturdily built and I think that with care, it will last quite a while. The rollers are strong and will make moving it pretty easy.

Cons: As a storage system, the trunk isn't that big. It would be suitable for day crops but no good for packing for a retreat. The colour will take a bit of looking after as small scrapes and dings will show up pretty easily. The weight of the system, if you are carrying everything at once is not minor, and when full would be quite difficult to move without care.

Quick Review (Out of 5 Stars)

Cost: 4
Usefulness: 4
Ease of Use: 5
Style: 5

Update: Making Memories Foam Stamps

I received this email from a reader about the Making Memories Foam Stamps:

I have found with the stencil fonts that the "negative" side has very thin walls and can cave on one side. Your picture of the M shows this perfectly... see how the wall is less than 1 mm on one side, and 2-3mm on the other side? With constant use, the thin side actually breaks away.

I have to say that this is a valid comment. When I was cleaning the "M" stamp, I was concerned about the wall of the stamp, it bent rather worringly during the cleaning process. I think this is something people should keep in mind when using these stamps (or similar products).

Making Memories Modular Organization System

The Modular Organization System is a new product from Making Memories. The system is based on a series of panels (three metalic, one cloth) and a series of storage options which incorporate magnets. This allows them to stick to the panels. As with most things from Making Memories, the system is very stylish, with a clean, modern look.

Below is the package for the Brushed Metal Panel. Each panel comes shrink wrapped in plastic. When you open the side of the box, be careful as this is where the supplied screws and plasterboard/drywall plugs are stored.

The chalkboard panel is also metal so the various magnetic accessories will stick to it. It is a smooth chalkboard surface and the chalk rubs off easily with a cotton cloth. The range also has a Cloth panel, which used stick pins and a Mesh Panel, which can use the push pin accessories or the magnetic ones.

There is a large variety of accessories for this system of various usefulness. Prices listed below are approximate and will vary from retailer to retailer:

• Panels (Brushed Metal, Metal Mesh and Chalkboard- $40 AU, Cloth - $30 AU)
  
• Magnetic Half Round Cup (2 sizes) - $9.90 and $11.90 AU
  
• Magnetic Round Tin (3 sizes) - $11.90, $12.90 & $13.90 AU
  
• Supply Trays (2 sizes) - $11.90 and $13.90 AU
  
• Bulldog Clips - $7.95 AU
  
• Hooks - $6.95 AU
  
• Decorative Push Pins 12 pieces (4 each-3 styles) - $7.95 AU
• Small Magnetic Clips
• Decorative Magnets
• Magnetic Square Tin
• Zip Bags

You can see the selection of items that I tested below. The magnets used are fairly strong, on the larger items such as the cups and the supply tray, the whole back is a magnet and it takes some force to remove them from the panels. I stacked 800 grams of weight onto the large cup and it took the weight without falling off. I did have one problem with the large items. The large supply tray was warped. This meant that it did not sit flat on the panel. This made it a bit unstable. While still able to hold things, if its bumped, the tray comes off the panel quite easily. Because of the sturdy construction of the tray, it's impossible to bend it flat. I can only assume this is a manufacturing problem rather than damage that occured during shipping.

Of the smaller items I had the small round tin and the bulldog clips. The small round tins will comfortably hold about 75 1/8" eyelets. However, I don't think this would be a suitable method for mass storage of eyes (not with two tins costing just under $10 AUD). But they would be good for items that you needed to access regularly or wanted to show off. The round tins come in two larger sizes (which I ordered but wasn't able to get). I think these would be a more useful size. The lids fit tightly and are secure.

Again, with this product there was a small problem. The black plastic inserts in one of the tins was very thin, and had been crushed. It also had a small hole in it. This caused items (such as eyelets) to fall under the insert. Also, because the insert had collapsed on one side due to the thinness, it didn't reach the rim and items could move from one segment to another.

Here you can see the thinness of the plastic and the hole.

Actual installation is pretty simple. It only requires drilling two holes, using the supplied screws and mounting the board. Below is the before shot of my wall. The holes are from the previous storage system that was there. A paper template is provided to help with drilling the holes. I didn't use it, this was a mistake on my part. As someone who does multiple hobbies requiring measuring, I did a very bad job of it on this project. Entirely my fault, not the product!

This is the panel up. As you can see, they sit very flush to the walls. This is a definate advantage if working with a small space.

This is the panels up with the various storage systems attached.

Pros: It looks good. A large part of the appeal of this system is the way it looks. However, the modular nature of the systems means that it can be customised to suit the needs of each user. The shapes and sizes are good. I would like to see a supply tray that will take a full six bottles of the paint sets. And its robust enough to take the weight of heavier items such as hammers, scissors etc.

Cons: The manufacturing flaws in the supply tray and round tins were disappointing. While not enough to mean the were unusable, for the price, one would expect top quality. The cost is another issue. Using this system for mass storage would be extremely expensive. As a decorative as well as storage system, the price is a bit more reasonable.

Quick Review (Out of 5 Stars)

Cost: 2
Usefulness: 4
Ease of Use: 5