Chalk Couture… Is it worth the hype? Here’s my review of Chalk Couture‘s transfers, pastes, and inks.
Haven’t heard of Chalk Couture? Chalk Couture is a new set of products that is revolutionizing crafting. Chalk Couture makes reusable adhesive transfers that can be applied to almost any surface. They also make chalk paste, which can be used with their transfers and their beautiful line of magnetic chalkboards so you can switch out designs whenever you’d like. Couture Ink is a permanent link that can be used with their transfers to make mugs, pillows, shirts, signs, you name it.
I ordered a starter kit because I wanted to see what Chalk Couture was like. The videos online made it seem very easy and fun. So, did Chalk Couture live up to the hype?
Admittedly, I was very excited to get the kit in the mail. I opened it up as soon as I received it and attempted to get busy, but apparently, my kids were as excited as I was because it turned into a kid’s craft project. I got to experiment with everything, so did the kids, and all were happy and content. Win!
I followed the directions and cut apart multiple-piece transfers, then “fuzzed” them on a towel or T-shirt to make them less sticky. This is an important step, otherwise, the transfer could stick to the surface too much and you risk stretching the transfer and leaving a residue on your surface. Just ask me, when I had my Facebook Live #fail – my 3-month-old baby was screaming in the other room (and was inconsolable despite my husband trying to settle him down) while I demonstrated on Facebook live. I was in a hurry and forgot to fuzz, and a lot of my transfers stuck to my sign. Thankfully I was able to turn it around into a lesson on why fuzzing is important and how to fix it if you make the same mistake.
After fuzzing, you simply stick the transfer into your surface and press it down. Then, scoop up some paste or ink and squeegee it over the surface. You can put the extra back into its container. Then, peel it off, and voila!
Afterward, rinse the transfer out right away and wipe the back with a disinfecting wipe to help the adhesive continue working properly. Let it air dry and put it back on its backing.
So, what do I think about Chalk Couture and the starter kit?
My starter kit came with some very fun transfer designs, chalk pastel, a beautifully framed chalkboard, and around the chalkboard. I wasn’t a big fan of the combination of pastel colors that came in my kit (school bus yellow, light pink, white and dark green), but I have ended used all of them for separate projects. And, they change these colors often to go along with new kits they launch. The new kit that’s out right now is one in very envious of and wish I would have gotten. It has summer-themed designs and is super fun.
The whole concept is one I’m a big fan of. It’s better for the environment because the transfers are reusable. I go through many single-use stencils each week and it hurts to see all the excess material go into the garbage. They’re a HUGE time saver because I don’t have to weed vinyl! It’s so nice to just grab some transfers and get right into MAKING rather than spending so much time preparing to make it! Just THAT alone convinced me to try it out. The details in the transfers are amazing and I couldn’t get that look with regular stencils. Although I prefer to design all my stencils myself, I couldn’t resist giving it a shot given the ease of use and its huge time-saving abilities. While I find cleaning the transfers a bit of a pain and have been known to leave a mess in my office while they air dry, now that I’ve gotten into a routine and have down how to care for them, it’s second nature to me now.
It sounds crazy, but Chalk Couture‘s products have made me passionate about crafting again. I used to have to put off making projects because of the time they took and needing to juggle the many other hats I wear, but now I can grab a surface and some ink or paste, grab a transfer that’s all ready for me, but the ink on, peel it away, and I’m done! It’s a huge time saver and did I mention how EASY it is?! After I browsed the Facebook groups to see projects people have made, I found myself so inspired to create, and every day I want to make something. And I know that I can, because of how quickly I can make multiple projects in a short amount of time, instead of needing to set aside 5x the time because of prep work. It brought me out of the creative rut I was in and has me excited about making again.
Even though it was hard for me to buy products that are designed by someone else and premade, after using their products, I’m sold. The details, the fact that it saves so much time, they’re reusable, and I can use them on so many surfaces are all big selling points for me. It adds great versatility to my workshops at my studio because we can make so many more things now, and I can spark creativity in others. That is so important to me because I have a passion for getting others together and being creative even if they feel they aren’t. When someone who is admittedly not “artistic” tries to make a craft and they realize how easy and fun it is, the confidence and pride they have in themselves when they walk out of my studio is absolutely priceless.
If you haven’t checked out their products, please do yourself a favor and take a look today. You’ll love what you see and will be so inspired to create.
If you have any questions about Chalk Couture, please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to help! I even help place orders if you’re feeling overwhelmed. And if you have a serious Chalk Couture addiction and want to know how to save 40%, contact me today to find out how. I’m a part of an incredible team that is so encouraging and inspiring. To join my team, type in “Amanda Brissette” as your designer. I’d love to have you join me!