Sunday, February 4, 2018

Video Killed The Radio Star, So Hey, Let's Give That A Shot

I've been hinting around long enough, so here it is: our first-ever attempt at a craft video! This is all John's videography magic at work; he handles the gear, shooting, and editing, while I handle the... well, hands. (John says I should probably get a manicure for these. UG. Assuming I don't wanna, any tips, ladies? You know, BESIDES "stop picking at your hangnails, Jen"?)

Getting back to the video, I know you guys have seen this DIY before, but it was an easy test run and perfect for Valentines week:


I'd like to point out that's John's handwriting at the end. YEAH.

I do think we nailed the most important part, which is keeping it short. :D I know there's nothing more excruciating than watching someone fumble around looking for the scissors, so we spent a lot of  time (ironically) making this short and sweet. It was surprisingly fun to put together, and I like the challenge of trying something new.

Going forward I hope to do videos for both new crafts and revisit some old favorites, so feel free to suggest stuff from the Craft Page you'd like to see me redo!

If you subscribe to Epbot over Youtube you'll see new videos before they hit the blog here, plus that helps us qualify for their Associate status, I think it is? Which I guess is good? (I'm new at this.) In time I hope to have a whole library of DIY and geeky goodness up there, so watch that space for more crafts and cosplay features!


35 comments:

  1. Yay! That was really well done. I'm looking forward to more.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope you also keep up your regular content, as I thoroughly enjoy your writing, but am not fond of video anything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Never fear, nothing's changing on that front! All our videos - cosplay *and* craft - will be in addition to my usual posting. This is just something extra that will (hopefully) point more Youtubers back here to Epbot.

      Delete
  3. I think your hands are lovely just as they are :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bless you. I drenched my cuticles in oil first to hide my shame. :p

      Delete
    2. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is a lifesaver for me. My hands get really dried out from washing my hands all the time at work, and the Burt's Bees keeps me from getting hangnails constantly.

      Delete
  4. Def add painting videos! I still don’t understand how wiping off watered down paint ends up looking so pretty

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great video! It looks very easy to follow. Can't wait for more crafty goodness! And I have to agree with Jessica above; your hands are lovely just as they are :).

    ReplyDelete
  6. THIS!
    So much this - "I know there's nothing more excruciating than watching someone fumble around looking for the scissors"
    Whether it is a craft tutorial or a dungeon run, nothing is more important than editing. Hearing "oh man, this is the first time I have tried this so bear with me" makes my teeth hurt.
    You guys rock.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I don't see why (or how, honestly) a crafty person should have neatly manicured hands! My hands never survive any project without either stains or cuts :P Your hands look super neat to me!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Y'all are the best! Thanks for this new tool.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well done! I prefer videos that are less than 5 minutes. Show me the important bits and don't waste a lot of time with titles and talking. Yours is a win on all levels.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Maybe not a manicure, but I second John's suggestion for some hand care. A little moisturising hand cream a while before crafting can help prevent dry fingers and cracking skin, and I know you don't need telling that certain crafts are tough on your fingertips!
    If you want to, it can be fun to play around with funky nail polish - crafting is great when you can't help but grin every time you see a flash of day-glo orange/glittery purple/anything else your heart desires!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Fabulous video! You hit all the high points just right. I'll second the request for some painting/aging videos. My efforts never come out very well.

    I think your hands are perfect just the way they are. I actually prefer not seeing fancy manicures/bright nail polish because for me that distracts from the craft at hand.

    Here's to your and John's continued awesomeness!
    -Zippy

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love your hands. They are the hands of a crafter. The only suggestion I would have is having your cats appear. Especially Tonks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The real challenge was keeping the cats OUT of frame, good to know that'll count as a bonus. :D

      Delete
  13. Your hands look great. Just keep your nails clean. If your hang nails bug you, try a daily cuticle cream. I like Badger cuticle cream or Burt's Bees lemon cuticle cream. Great to rub into your fingers while binging shows. The Badger is more oily and requires more work to soak in to your fingers. Burt's Bees rubs in pretty quick. Great video.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You nailed the fun, peppy feel and cutting it down to the essentials! There's nothing more irritating than unnecessary narration- I liked that yours was soundtrack only.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Short, sweet, and to the point = more likely to be shared viral style on FB and such. Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Great video! That was perfect! Would it be too much to ask for videos of all the things???? Seriously, I'd do a variety out of the gate - let people know you're not just a one trick pony. I'd personally love a video on how you did the Harry Potter speakers (want to do that for my office), the big Christmas tree cauldron, and how to make resin jewelry. Looking forward to the next one!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I agree- lovely crafting hands! If you want to have fun, there are Star Wars nail wraps! https://geekchic.jamberry.com/us/en/shop/shop/for/nail-wraps?collection=collection%3A%2F%2F1159&pageSize=24

    ReplyDelete
  18. I've been an accidental hand model in educational videos at work, and here are some things that helped me: cuticle oil at bedtime, heavy lotion under cotton gloves while I sleep when I've got dry skin, trying soooo hard not to pick at hangnails and loose skin, and a good 'nude' sheer nail polish to make things glossy and natural.

    That said, I think you'd really enjoy something like Espionage nail wraps, where you could fly a fandom-appropriate geek flag in close-ups!

    But really... your hands look like awesome maker hands (actually, very clean and tidy and neat compared to many), and didn't distract. Don't be pressured!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love it! Great job by both you & John! <3

    ReplyDelete
  20. Very fun and peppy!

    One thing: when listing the materials needed, I’d keep the list up and add each new item on as you showed it, rather than taking off the whole list and flashing the updated list with the new item each time. I found that distracting; made it hard to focus on what the new item was because I’d start reading the whole list from the top again when it reappeared. Just my two cents.

    And yes, please show the craft paint wiping that you use to age toys!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love this style! That's a craft video I'd actually watch. Fun!

    And I think natural hands is the best look for something like this. =-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Superb video - I like the cheerful music, too! - You guys are fantastic in everything you do! (& I thought your hands looked gorgeous, Jen!)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great video, stoked you guys are branching out into new things :)

    Just thought you might find this video I watched recently by a crafting YouTuber I follow interesting - food for thought.
    She talks about how her videos get way more traction on Facebook than they do on YouTube- again just thought you might find it interesting. Love your work :)
    https://youtu.be/4Oj-289I-Uo

    ReplyDelete
  24. I love the simple look and feel to the video - well planned out and executed :) As for the manicure - I think your hands and fingernails look just fine! No manicure needed unless you really feel like some pampering ;) I find crafting videos featuring freshly manicured hands and nails ( especially super long fingernails ) to be oddly irritating... those are NOT the hands of a crafter... where are their paper cuts, hot glue burns, ink and paint stains...? lol That said, if you do feel the need for a bit of pampering and find someone who can do some nice nailart... go for it at least once - just keep your nails the length they are ;)

    ReplyDelete
  25. LOVE the video and you guys are TOO cute!

    If you want to skip the manicure, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. You'll notice the hangnails start to ease up (at least I notice fewer when the cold weather hits up here in New England if I'm putting good lotion on regularly - yay for 28 degrees today!)

    Also - some stores sell these nifty square block style nail files with different sides for different purposes... One will shape your nail, then 3 are used in a specific order to sort of "polish" the surface of the nail. The first helps soften any ridges, then the next smooths, then the last is like a buffer. They're only a couple bucks and it's almost like clear polish without the fuss. (Maybe a good, fast option for a "mom-icure" now that I've got a little one who likes mama snuggles ALL THE TIME <3... see you guys spark all kinds of ideas)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Wear opera gloves? As someone who also picks at my cuticles, i understand feeling embarrassed by your hands. Like I’m trying to be all sleek and put together but my fingers are giving away that I’m anxious and scattered.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Awesome little video! While your hands look perfectly fine as they are, I'll add to the recommendation for Espionage Cosmetics nail wraps - not only are they fun and geeky, I'll put a set of those puppies on my nails (once you know what you're doing it shouldn't take more than 15 minutes or so), cover with a clear top coat, and my nails are set for 2-3 weeks. Plus, when I have something on my nails I'm less inclined to pick at them, so bonus for this picker/biter of hangnails (I also love bliss kiss nail oil to soften the cuticles)!

    ReplyDelete

Please be respectful when commenting; dissenting opinions are great, but personal attacks or hateful remarks will be removed. Also, including a link? Then here's your html cheat sheet: <a href="LINK ADDRESS">YOUR TEXT</a>