Crafts Beautiful March 2018: A Digital Sample

BEST FOKRING CARDMA

MAR 2018

16

FAB WAYS WITH YOUR

STAMPS

Steph’s Secrets for Perfect Cards

55+ DESIGNER

CARDS

Get started today!

EASY STITCH SOFTIE

❁ LISH FINISHING STY

COPY & COLOUR

❁ ❁ Die-Cutting Magic in Easy Steps

Top Gadgets ✿ New Dies ✿ Cute Cards ✿ Clever Shapes

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10 Top Techniques

4 Stamping 4 Paper cutting 4 Watercolour 4 Decoupage...

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New ideas to make and share!

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45 Free Papers and templates to download

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WIN! £2,400

PRIZES FROM YOUR FAVE BRANDS

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March 2018 24

56 “The joy of meeting crafters and seeing what they've made with Tattered Lace products never goes away”

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Stephanie Weightman

What’s inside...

Every Month

12 YOUR CRAFT CHAT 14 AT HOME WITH JULIE & WENDY 16 NEW FOR YOU 31 CREATE AND CRAFT 46 SUBSCRIBE TODAY 48 ASK THE EXPERTS 108 COMING NEXT MONTH 114 PEEK INTO MY WEEK

Make It

7 BIRTHDAY BEARS

There's nothing scary about these stamped characters

21 HUGGABLE KOALAS

Create cute little critters for a very special birthday treat

22 FUN OWL SET

Adorable twists on a classic woodland character

24 LIZ MOAD QUILLS

59 FIVE CARD CHALLENGE

26 CHEEKY LEPRECHAUNS

62 SARA NAUMANN'S

This month's inspiration comes from our favourite fluttering friend

Celebrate St Patrick's Day with this quilled duo

28 TRY SOMETHING NEW

Embrace fancy florals using simple stamping and die-cutting

30 FLORAL GREETING

Mums do a lot for us, so return the favour with a handmade card

36 3-D PAPER FLOWERS

Gift your mum some blooms that will last a lifetime

40 CREATIVITY WITH DOCRAFTS Fill yourself with inspiration for upcoming projects

Embrace your inner Attenborough with winged motifs

MASTERCLASS

Share the love with a quick resin heart greeting

65 TEA PARTY

A picture-perfect set in time for Mother's Day

CB Chats To...

18 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WI Get the latest from the Women's Institute

44 FLOWER POWER!

Author Hannah Read-Baldrey stops by to chat all things floral

Share it! with the rest of the CB community via 04

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74 BONUS

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GOODIES...

Plus, your craft extras this month

Craft It!

“I can always rely on Crafts Beautiful for my crafting projects!”

Julie Royle, via Facebook

TREATS forYOU 8 Your Free Gift | 20 + 38 Prizes

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38

WIN PRIZES WORTH

Read It!

£2,400!

8

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76 BLOOMING GIFTS

Use up fabric scraps for a unique springtime set

78 MR. BEAR

This crochet keepsake is sure to be a favourite amongst the kiddies

80 LAYERED CHEESECAKE

A chocolate and raspberry treat to satisfy any sweet tooth

And More!

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85 QUEEN BEE

Spoil mum with a decorated ceramic mug and matching card

89 ON TREND RIGHT NOW

The church bells are ringing out for this month's jewellery trend

90 SPARKLE BACK NECKLACE

Stunning from the front, but all the more impressive from the back

Try It!

97 51 ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIE-CUTTING

Get the low-down on this clever crafting method

69 STITCHED WITH LOVE

92 SILVER PENDANT

82 READER SURVEY

74 SOCK KITTY

95 NAPKIN DECOUPAGE

84 READER OFFER

Decorate your children's bedrooms with handmade goodies The simplest stitched cat you'll ever lay your eyes upon

Suitable for day or night, plus it's easier to make than it looks Jill Alblas turns a plain, inexpensive lamp into something really special

crafts-beautiful.com

Answer the questions for your chance to win fab prizes Claim your Creative Collage book, worth £12.99!

97 YOUR CRAFTY ESSENTIALS Find your papers and templates all in one handy pack!

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Find six more card designs online

YOUR FREE SPRING DAYS STAMP SET l The pack contains 36 beautiful stamps for all your Easter and spring needs. l Featuring sweet animals, heartfelt sentiments and an array of blooms. l Use them on your greetings cards, gift tags and boxes.

Easy step-by-step guide l Pick the stamp you'd like to use and peel it off the sheet. l When ready, place your stamp on an acrylic block and press into the ink of your choice. l Press onto card and leave to dry, then colour in with markers if you wish.

Watercolour Magic

Mount gingham paper onto lilac card and layer onto a blank.

Stamp a flower basket onto white card and colour the image using watercolours. Matt onto lilac and stick in place. Add a strip of lilac card and stamp a sentiment on top.

Print and c

FREE 1

CREATE TRULY SENSATIONAL SPRINGTIME CARDS USING YOUR 36 DESIGNS

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Embossed Backgrounds

Emboss white card, 10cm square, using an embossing folder. Fix onto lilac card and glue onto a blank, 11cm square.

Layer spotty paper onto card and add a ribbon border. Stamp flowers onto card and colour with watercolours, then cut out and attach onto the greeting.

Mount a sentiment onto lilac card and fix in place.

TEN UNIQUE CARD IDEAS! 08

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CARDS & PAPER

d colour with your

KE IT, SH MA AR E IT !

Spring Days Stamp Set Grab your ink-pads, it's time to stamp the days away with your free Spring Days set. Containing a whopping 36 designs, you can create a multitude of unique greetings and papercraft projects. From sweet heartfelt sentiments, to a little lamb and choice of bouquets, simply press them onto your card, then colour-in or leave as is – they couldn't be simpler to use! We love to see how you use your free gift, so make sure you share pictures with us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or email. Don’t forget you can also download more while you’re online!

Repeat Patterns

Stamp butterflies and flowers onto white card, then watercolour the butterflies and apply a blue wash to the background. Add ribbon and lace, then fix a bow.

Stamp a sentiment, mount onto blue card and fix on a blank. Secure a resin flower to finish.

Create bands of colour with a paintbrush Stamp a Sentiment

Brush three thick lines of watercolour paint onto watercolour card and allow to dry.

Wrap bakers twine around the panel and tie into a bow, then stick onto a card blank.

Die-cut a small white circle and stamp a 'Hello Spring' wreath, then colour with watercolours and flick paint onto the panel.

Attach with foam pads, then twine and a gem to finish.

Add a Ribbon Trim

Make a card blank, 10.5cm square.

Stamp a flower onto pink card and mount onto yellow. Add a ribbon border and tie a bow at the top.

Press the bird house onto yellow card and round the corners.

Mount onto coloured card and attach onto the greeting, then decorate.

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Celebrate St Patrick's Day with

Cheeky Leprechauns Your eyes haven't deceived you, these really are a pair of quilled leprechauns! These mischievous chaps have the power to grant your wishes, but first of all you have to catch them. Dressed in their famed coat and hat, and surrounded by a pot of gold and a rainbow, Claire Willis' duo must be the most accurate representation of the Irish folklore characters!

Essentials...

Quilling papers, 3mm, green, black, yellow, white, peach Quilling tool Adhesives

Leprechaun

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Make the body by rolling four green strips consecutively onto a quilling tool. Slot one end of a strip into the tool and slowly roll, winding it up with a little tension. Once finished, tuck one end of the next strip into the first paper and continue the motion.

When four strips have been rolled tightly onto the tool, dab glue onto the end of the last one and seal firmly, then gently remove the coil from the tool.

Push into a long shape similar to a tall thimble. Apply PVA to the inside of the shape, making sure that it is completely covered, and set aside to dry.

For the head, roll two peach strips one after the other, then seal and remove from the tool and use your finger to push it into a bowl shape.

Repeat again and stick the two shapes together, then set aside to dry. Make each arm and leg from a tightly rolled green strip and push into a long cone shape using the pointed end of a knitting needle. Carefully assemble the body, head and limbs.

To make the hat, roll four black strips consecutively onto your quilling tool. Remove and close the final strip with glue. Begin to push the coil into a bowl shape, then carefully remove the centre two strips with

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a pair of tweezers to leave a tall black ring shape. Apply glue to the inside of the ring and make a tight black disc from one full strip and a threequarter length that can sit inside to become the top of the hat.

Create the brim of the hat by cutting a black strip into lengths of 4cm. Lay them beside each other and carefully overlap each section with the one next to it, gluing in position as you go. Once dried, stick the top section of the hat into place and trim the brim into a circular

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shape. Place the hat with ginger hair poking out, then add buckles, a hat band and a grin drawn with a fine liner. CB

Craft Shop

These Mid Green Quilling Strips are the perfect shade for your leprechaun. ÂŁ1.85 for 140 3mm strips, jjquilling.co.uk

CARDS & PAPER

Cute & Cuddly

Birthday Bears

These fun little critters are created using a combination of stamps and dies. Six bear images are stamped using different coloured inks onto a white background, then assembled in a grid layout.

Use Copic marker pens to fill in the bear bodies by applying a blending stroke.

Once you've got the knack, create a batch of cards so you always have one at hand for a special occasion.

Craft Clever If you don't have any inks, simply cut different squares of coloured card instead

Essentials...

Stamps: My Favorite Things, Bitty Bears Die, Die-namics, Blueprints 27 Card, various colours Inks: coloured; VersaMark; Memento, black Pens, Copic Embossing powder, white Heat gun

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Create a top-fold card blank, 10.5cm x 14cm.

Cover the front with a lilac panel. Die-cut a scallop-edged rectangle from white card and attach. Matt purple card, 9cm x 12cm, onto the panel.

Die-cut the stitched grid panel twice, then cut off the three window strips. Glue two strips together to create a six window rectangle. Apply six coloured inks to small squares of card and fix each one behind a window.

Glue the panel onto the front of the card. Stamp and colour five different bear images and icons using the pens. Cut each one and attach to the card with foam pads.

Stamp the sentiment onto black card using VersaMark ink. Sprinkle on white embossing powder, tap off the excess and heat dry. Attach the sentiment onto the card with foam pads to finish. CB

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“Cards don't always need just one image, use several smaller ones like these bears.

You could try putting them in a line or even stack them up!�

Kitty Frampton, Designer

Craft Shop

My Favorite Things Stamps and Die-namics Blueprints 27 die, diestodiefor.co.uk

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SOMETHI N G !

Y R W T E N

top techniques with FANCY FLORALS Keren Baker embraces this season's key motif using simple stamping and die-cutting

Take a deep breath and be spirited away to a rustic farmer's market, decorated with shabby chic crates that are filled with oodles of colourful, scented flowers.

This easy-make trio is perfect for celebrating a best friend's birthday – why not fill the wood-effect crate with your recipient's favourite sweeties?

Essentials...

Card: white, yellow, green, Dies: Stampin' Up, Wood Crate; Tonic Studios, Plush Peony Stamps: Stampin' Up, Badges and Banners, Confetti Celebration, Lots of Love Patterned Paper: Stampin' Up, Wood Textures Designer Series, Whole Lot of Lovely Ink-pads: Tim Holtz Distress Oxide, Spiced Marmalade, Cracked Pistachio, Worn Lipstick Nuvo drops, Tonic Studios, Dandelion Yellow Ribbon, orange Cellophane bag Acetate Adhesives

Create a Let’s Celebrate Card

1 Make a white blank, 11cm x 15cm, then mount yellow card and a smaller layer of green to the front.

Die-cut three wood crates and trim to just the slats. Add pink patterned paper to the base and affix the slats, spacing them equally.

2 Die-cut several layers of peony flowers in an array of pinks. Stack and adhere them on top of each other after shaping, then leave to

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dry. Stamp and cut out floral motifs and leaves. Arrange on top with the layered flowers and secure once you're happy.

3 Tap three ink colours onto a sentiment, then trim out and secure to the bottom of the card. Add yellow drops to the centre of the flowers.

“A vibrant orange and pink combo works all year round for greetings, from birthdays to thank yous” Kareb Baker, designer

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CARDS & PAPER

KEREN’S TOP TIP S Don’t just use dies the way they’re intended. You could trim them down to create fun backdrops or use them as pockets to really stretch their versatility.

When creating 3-D projects that are made of paper, reinforce the sides with acetate to give added structure.

Add shape and dimension to your peonies with a ball tool, or you could wrap the petals around a wooden skewer and release.

Make a Best Friend Greeting

Die-Cut A Hello Box

1 Cut white card, 14cm square, then mount a layer of yellow card and pink patterned paper. Die-cut a wood crate and trim so there’s a small tab either side to tuck backwards. Secure onto the card with 3-D foam pads.

2 Stamp flowers and leaves, then trim out and arrange behind the crate. Colour the sentiment with the ink trio, cut out and fix to the crate, then finish with yellow drops.

Make two crates from wooden paper and adhere together. Fix two pieces of acetate on either side for added strength. Stamp a wreath and sentiment, then cut out and attach to the side of the crate. Add a cellophane bag inside and fill with treats. Tie with a ribbon and add yellow drops to the wreath. CB

Craft Shop

Add a little drop of sunshine to your flowers with Tonic Studios' Nuvo Drops in shade Dandelion Yellow. For stockists, visit tonic-studios.com

Get the rustic look with Stampin' Up's range of Wood Texture paper – each pack contains 48 sheets. For stockists, visit stampinup.com Wish your loved ones a truly special day with the Confetti Celebration stamp kit. For stockists, visit stampinup.com

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®

ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

Die-cutting Get the low-down on this clever crafting method

If you still haven’t jumped onto the die-cutting bandwagon, you’re missing out on a whole host of papercrafting magic. In this month’s eight-page special, we’ve gathered everything you need to get up and running: from the very latest products on the die-cutting scene to fun projects for the upcoming season. The queen of die-cutting herself, Stephanie Weightman also stopped by to give us the back story on her incredible crafting career.

You won’t want to miss it!

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SPEEDY DIE-CUT CARDS

In a hurry? Discover 20 simple greetings you can whip up in a flash.

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Make this cheeky monkey card on page 57, designed

by Steph!

A QUICK CUPPA WITH STEPHANIE WEIGHTMAN The doyenne of die-cutting chats craft-spiration.

DIES TO TRY

Hop into the new season with our die-cutting products.

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TOP TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS Our crafty pros share handy snippets for achieving that perfect finish.

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RD

Peek into

CA R A T S

m

MY WEEK...

STEPHANIE WEIGHTMAN KEEPS IT SWEET WITH TASTEFUL CRAFTING INSPIRATION

I Feed your chocolate fix with some truly sweet dies CHOCS AWAY Cut a blank, 15cm x 19cm.

Mount with mirrored and patterned layers. Use Chocolate Squares on brown, then create a mirror die-cut using Chocolate Comes From Cocoa. Make two mugs in white and gold mirror card using Hot Chocolate, then die-cut Chocolate Splash on brown. Tint and matt all the die-cuts onto the card.

t's been a time of simple comforts, and I've loved the long, cosy nights snuggling in front of the TV, but I must confess I’m excited about the changing seasons. With the clocks springing forward comes the promise of longer days and more daylight for crafting, which we're going to need with all the big events coming up. Of course, the big one is Easter, which means a chance to indulge in another of my all-time passions: chocolate! With such scrumptious inspiration, I've enjoyed keeping my hands busy making these sweet cards. The Tattered Lace Chocolate die collection is chock-a-block with ideas, motifs, splashes, fun sentiments and all kinds of goodies, including the delightfully versatile Chocolate Drops – with so many yummy options, how could I possibly resist?

Make Your Own...

In this example, I'm lifting the lid on a birthday greeting constructed using the Triple Chocolate Box die. Create a white card blank, 15cm square, then mount with increasingly smaller black and white layers, leaving an even border around the edges. Stamp a ‘Happy Birthday, script sentiment into the top right-hand corner. Using the die, cut two heart-shaped boxes and tint with red, brown, tan and black pens.

Use gilding flakes for the gold detail on one of the heart shapes and layer the chocolate box bow, then matt the boxes onto the main front of the card. Add paper flowers and other decorative embellishments to the corners of the card to finish.

PRETTY IN PINK Prepare a pink easel card using Circles 19. Create brown, pink and patterned discs using 18, 17 and 16, and add to the front.

Make pink and white hearts with Triple Chocolate Box, then cut Chocolate Drops 3 in pink and tint. Stamp a sentiment on white, 3cm x 8cm. Attach all die-cuts to the card. Finish with a bow and paper flowers.

Perfect partners Triple Chocolate Box (440562)

Chocolate Comes From Cocoa (439194)

WEEKEND TREAT Matt brown and pink rectangles onto a blank, 14cm x 17cm. Tint a die-cut made from Calories Don’t Count At The Weekend. Create a Chocolate Splash die-cut in brown and white, then cut Chocolate Drops 3 in brown. Matt all the die-cuts onto the card.

Attach a brown bow and top with a silver embellishment to finish. CB

Hot Chocolate (440554) Bring a touch of sweetness into your crafts createandcraft.com/shop

Tune into Create and Craft TV to see Stephanie Live!

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