Hey Kelly ~ your posts are always so bright, happy and encouraging! Thanks so much for being such a "ray of light" here on the Forums! I always enjoy hearing from you!
I did a TON of reading up on the ink problem, and unfortunately, it's not a bad printer -- that would be just TOO easy! No, it's the formulation of the Durabrite ink which just isn't made to hold up to all that heat. I think it's a problem with the black as well as a problem with the yellow. Now I have to look into which 3rd party ink to go with, and there are so many choices, it's mind boggling! Right now I'm thinking of going with pre-filled, refillable cartridges to avoid the initial setup which also sounds confusing for a newbie like me -- but at least I won't have to worry about the color shifting after working so hard at creating the design!
It's just frustrating because that first I bought the JP12 hobby press, and it had a bad thermostat, and wound up upgrading to the Mighty Press 15 x 15. Then, I had a problem with the paper cracking and having a heavy hand, so I bought the IronAll. That solved the cracking and the hand problem, but it faded. So, I bought the C88+ with the Durabrite ink hoping for better permanence and washability. Then
JPSS came out, and I bought that to solve the fading problem with the IronAll, and discovered the ink problem! Bought the stock transfers and totes, and that didn't work out at all (but I still haven't given up on that yet!). Uuugghh. Sometimes I just wish I could get past all this crap so I could just "get down to business" like I'd like to! I do understand, though, that everything good takes time to learn, and this is a skill that's taking time to hone as well.
Even though the
JPSS is a bit sticky upon peeling (and I remember Lou saying so both on the Forum and on the YouTube video), I still love it. I did use really high pressure and pressed for at least 31 seconds plus time to open the press. Unfortunately, all of my
JPSS creations are still new and cherished so they haven't gotten the wash test yet, but I am hoping they'll wash nicely. I'm hoping this paper is everything I was hoping it was! As for the sweatshirts, I got them from S&S Activewear, and I was very happy with the entire experience! S&S was great, and delivered pretty quickly, and the sweatshirt quality is awesome -- they're thick, soft and have an expensive feel for only $3 or so! I specifically bought the 50/50 because of the problem you had with your sweats
I'll look up the item number and let you know so you can order them too, although I don't know if they have kids or doll sizes...
It was "back to work" today, and I don't mean doing shirts, so I guess I better get to bed! Glad to hear that the pressure is off of you!!! Feels good, right? I remember when I was selling books on Ebay, I was SOOOOO happy when all my orders got to their destinations by Christmas, and I could finally sit back and relax a little. Nothing like it, and you certainly deserve it, girly! So sit back, relax and enjoy a cold one!
(Isn't that how the commercial goes?)
All of my best to you this Holiday Season, and every day!
Melissa