GinaK Fuse Machine Review

I recently purchased a GinaK Designs Fuse machine. This machine "fuses" foil to toner (or other media). I've given it somewhat of a workout and have some experiences to share.  It works with Decofoil (or GinaK's brand) in the same way that a laminator does. This is not like the Spellbinders Glimmer machine that uses plates, foil, heat, and pressure. It's a different kind of foil and a different process.

I'm very pleased with how it foils on poly-glaze. This card was created using the Delicate Basket poly-glaze image from GinaK with butterscotch foil.  The image is crisp, clear, and complete.  

I'm not as please with using the remaining foil with a poly-glaze sheet. This should foil the opposite image, and it does, but it's not complete.  Maybe I need to use a higher heat setting? 

For this St. Patrick's Day card, I used the Simon Says Stamp Clover Wreath stencil with the fuse foiling gel and Emerald Coast GinaK foil.  It foiled very well, but you have to be very careful to avoid any "overgelling" beyond the stencil because any extra gel will catch the foil, too, and I couldn't find a way to remove it. 

One of the most disturbing issues I've had with the machine is that I've had two carrier sheets get stuck in the machine itself.  Both of these instances have been when I was foiling a sentiment strip.  The first time, the carrier sheet and strip were completely stuck in the machine. I contacted GinaK Design and received a quick response with a solution that worked to remove the carrier sheet. The second time I was able to remove it on my own, but that's two carrier sheets and sentiment strips ruined.  I'm not sure why, and I don't really want to keep trying at the expense of buying even more carrier sheets.

Overall, it's a nice machine that I'll keep using with a few caveats.  I would recommend.

February reading

 

January 2026 Reading summary

 

Creativity Goals

 

I usually set and share reading goals for each year.  I did that this year, but this year I also set some crafting/cardmaking goals for the year.

Last year, my cardmaking and card sending deteriorated to almost nothing. Life happens, and I'm certain that is why. I want to reenergize it this year, so here are my goals:

• Make cards every month - and not only make cards (but that is the basic goal) but also find time to play with card making and art.
• Send out cards as scheduled - It's just January, and I've already fallen down on this goal, but I'm working to recover quickly.
• Make 4 Christmas cards a month. Christmas card making also went very downhill last year. Luckily, I had a cushion of cards already made, so I was able to make about 25-30, add to the cushion, and send out 53 handmade cards. But the margin is completely gone, so I need to not wait until the end of the year.
• Send our guys (two adult sons) a card each per month. I did this in 2023 and 2024, but not last year, and I want to get back to it.

No, this is not my desk.  Nice, though, isn't it?
Thanks so Unsplash

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Blog goals are:

• Post on Sandpiper Creates at least twice a month - so far, so good.
• Post on Sandpiper's Thoughts three times each week - well, working on it.

I do have a couple of journaling goals.  First, I want to bullet journal at least 50% of the days of the month.  I don't skip days - I go back and enter them, but it is hard to catch up.  Secondly, I've started a new reading journal, and I want to use it as planned.  That's the easiest goal of all - I really enjoy and look forward to entering books in the reading journal.

Dried out Copics?

 Do you use Copic markers? Have you ever opened one and found that it was dried out?  I don't mean that it was out of ink. I mean that the nibs are hard with dried ink - both of them - and the pen is unusable.

I've had this happen several times now.  All five markers in the image above are just gone.  I don't know if the caps are faulty or if there were cracks in the marker caps somehow. I always "click" them closed when I am finished using them. Always. 

I've replaced these pens, but that is not an inexpensive endeavor.  Last time I tried buying new nibs and adding ink to the pen but I'm not sure that worked.  I'm going to try to regenerate the YG07 in the picture and then watch it to see what happens.

Singing Snowmen Cards

I bought this die set sometime last year, thinking it would be great for Christmas cards.  And then I lost it in my house. Par for the course for me.

I found it after Christmas cards were made, and I decided it would be good New Year's cards. I made three of these cards, with the scarf colors mixed on them. I made a fourth one with just two snowmen for Steve.

I really like this die set, and would definitely use it again - maybe for Christmas cards for new year.  My few criticisms:

• The trio as pictured on the packaging material (and as I made them) has six snowmen arms.  Two of them are the same - just out straight.  I guess that is way the die set cuts FIVE arms at a time.  To get the sixth one, you have to cut the die a second time.  Annoying.  I had arms galore when I was finished.
• The cut buttons and open singing mouths are not all the same.  I didn't realize that when I cut the snowmen.  I popped out the buttons and set them aside in a dish. I then colored them black.  I added tape behind the open tiny holes on the snowmen where the buttons go and then I realized that the nine buttons are not the same.  I had to figure out which of the buttons went where. And I was making 11 snowmen - 33 tiny buttons.  The same problem happened with the mouths - except there were only 11 of them - not 33, thank goodness. And they are larger than the tiny little buttons.

Otherwise, a great set of dies.  Recommend.

Update: Dupont Circle Scarf

 

I blogged about this project back in 2024 at this post, when I first started knitting it.  Wonder why the blog doesn't have a lot of knitting posts? Because I'm still knitting the same scarf!  This post talks about the yarn, which is from FibreSpace in Alexandria, Virginia. I'm knitting the scarf using one of my favorite patterns, Farrow Rib.  It's just K-K-P on a cast-on of 3 stitches (repeating) plus 1.  I'm using size seven needles. 

I think I am about at the end.  I hope I am about at the end!