Crafts Beautiful January 2015: A Digital Sample

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CRAFTS BEAUTIFUL ISSUE 275 JANUARY 2015

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ISSUE 275 JANUARY 2015

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ContentsJan15qx_Crafts Project Template 27/11/2014 15:31 Page 2

Contents JANUARY 2015

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REGULARS 7

CARDS & PAPER

FIRST STEPS

Add a subtle shine to your cards with glitzy illustrations and washi tape

INSPIRATION FOR JANUARY

Give your cards elegance with pretty 3-D butterflies

22 ASK THE EXPERTS

24 BIRTHDAY PLANNER

Tricks, tips and handy know-how from our team of top craft designers

Bring lovely butterflies to life with this handy organiser

28 YOUR SPACE

42 COLOURFUL STITCHERY

Share makes and stories with your fellow CB readers

Make Tracey Daykin-Jones' mixed media cards featuring bright colours

40 OUR PAPERCRAFT HERO

45 RETRO FLORALS

Freshen up your projects for spring using punch art and Katie Skilton's unique style

57 HANDMADE HOME

Create Cathie Shuttleworth's fun feline papercraft collection

68 MY CRAFT SPACE

53 PAPER CUT BIRDS

Corinne Bradd uncovers craft stash busters and storage solutions

104 REALLY USEFUL CRAFT TIPS CB readers offer their crafty advice

122 BEHIND THE CAMERA Leonie Pujol gets hooked on crochet this new year

Create a gorgeous set of 1950s-inspired cards and accessories with flower motifs

49 CAT'S WHISKERS

Give your home a whimsical update with house motifs

Kick-start 2015 with a fabulous selection of wonders from around the web

102 BEHIND THE BOOK Nicki Trench talks about her new book, Crochet Basics, and the influence behind it

19 MAKE ME QUICK

Celebrate the new year with our creative things to do, see and buy

72 BROWSE & CREATE

Stitch our copyright-free scented hearts which could double up as stylish pincushions

11 5 WAYS WITH... A TOUCH OF GOLD

Spruce up your stationery with colourful washi tape pencils

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74 MAKE & SELL

Delight a loved one with Ellen Kharade's delicately crafted critters

STITCH

31 NEW YEAR GIFTS Carolyn Letten turns fabric odds and ends into a celebratory set

63 BIRDHOUSE TRINKETS Prepare for spring with Helen Philipps' bright and colourful makes

70 LEATHER BOOTEES Beautiful baby girls will look the part in Amanda Walker's shoes

84 POMPOM BEANIE Keep little ones' ears warm on cold days with a snug, soft hat

98 MEMORY CUSHION Treasure the outgrown clothes of your child with a patchwork keepsake

80 FLYING HEARTS Let your love soar high in the sky with our dreamy designs

PEOPLE & PLACES

LEARN & MAKE

14 SARA NAUMANN'S MASTERCLASS

30 A DAY IN THE LIFE

We caught up with Sof McVeigh as she goes about life in an entrepreneur's world

Share it!with the rest of the CB community via 4 CRAFTS-BEAUTIFUL.COM

Spritz your stencils for an easy way to add colour and texture to cards

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ContentsJan15qx_Crafts Project Template 27/11/2014 15:31 Page 3

In This Issue

26 FIND FREE TEMPLATES FOR THIS ISSUE AND MORE ON OUR WEBSITE

crafts-beautiful.com

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105 26 PRETTY PASTELS MASTERCLASS Colour and blend subtle backgrounds for your cards or papercrafts

38 ELIZABETH MOAD QUILLS Cream and sugar? Wow guests with a quintessential British tea set

86 BACK TO BASICS: WATERCOLOUR We take a look at the ins and outs of this timeless art

BROWSE & BUY 17 CRAFT CRUSH

Embrace all things lovely with our woodland favourites

MIXED MEDIA

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CROCHET

100 BUNNY TOY Treat a little one to an adorable amigurumi softie

BAKE & CRAFT

96 LAVENDER CAKE Refresh your palette and create a stunning floral bake

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66 SILK PAINTING

77 LAPDOG TRAY GIVEAWAY

Combine soft felt and floral prints to create these stitched ladies

Enter our giveaway for your chance to win one of five 'craft anywhere' trays

94 MADE BY YOU: UPCYCLED DOG BED

82 FREEBIES & OFFERS

Love thriftiness? Turn an unwanted box or crate into a cosy bed for your pooch to enjoy

Team botanical imagery with antique bezels to make Helen Cant's adornments

To celebrate a new year of crafting, we've got bonus giveaways and offers for you to enjoy Get your hands on Bake Me I'm Yours...

Cupcake Fun

78 MATRYOSHKA DOLLS

105 AVIAN JEWELS

44 EXTRA FREEBIES 48 FREE* CUPCAKE BOOK

Create mini works of art and beautiful greeting cards with Jill Alblas' tutorial

JEWELLERY

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Browse& create KICK-START 2015 WITH A FABULOUS SELECTION OF WONDERS FROM AROUND THE WEB

Bloglove

Laurel Stavros is a mother of two, wife and full-time blogger of A Bubbly Life.

We chat with her about her website, crafting favourites and tips on how to set up your own blog.

Why did you set up the blog?

I wanted to spend time on creative projects and blog about them, but I was so busy with a career, life and excuses that I never did. After I had my first daughter, it put everything into perspective and I decided to do all the things I said I wanted to do.

I want to be an example to her and hopefully have her one day look up to me as a mother, friend and woman. A year later, I quit my job and started A Bubbly Life. I realised the best way to show my daughter (and my other daughter – I now have two!) that dreams are achievable was by living my own.

What do you think the key things are to making a successful blog?

By working hard and being nice! Manners cost nothing and you can make some wonderful connections just with a few kind words and gestures. Sharing other posts you love, uplifting and encouraging other bloggers and thanking your readers are just some of the ways to do this. Readers are seeing the blog from your viewpoint, so your passion and enthusiasm needs to shine through. Blogs are a dime a dozen – what makes it special is you!

How do you balance a blog and home life?

Where does it fit into your daily routine?

I shoot my photos during the day and I’m active on social media all the time thanks to my phone, but most of my work (final crafting, tutorial writing, photo editing, emails and so on) is done at night when my girls are asleep. I never feel ‘balanced’ so to speak; I just keep my head above water most of the time! But the outlet it provides me for all my creative whims is definitely worth the juggle, and for the people who read it and make the projects.

How has your blogging changed over time, if at all?

I have improved and honed my skills since I first started A Bubbly Life. The blog is a long journey and I hope that I never stop learning.

Over time my photography, styling and focus has sharpened. I think I still have a little way to go, but I’m very much enjoying the ride.

What’s your most memorable post?

According to the blog statistics it is my nail polish keys post, where I show how to decorate colourful keys using varnishes.

A personal favourite of mine is ‘happy birthday in a box’ – it was my birthday and I had no agenda in mind, so I decorated a box and filled it with confetti, champagne and balloons, then I took photos of it. I had so much fun!

What would your advice be for someone wanting to set up their own blog?

Start a blog. That’s it. Starting is the hardest part – you will pick up everything you need as you go. It’s also handy to follow other blogs

STARTING UP Want to start up your own crafting blog? The best way to do so is to make one on an existing blog platform such as wordpress.com or blogger.com.

Simply follow the template, customise the page, then add your own entries!

These blogs are free, though you can pay to upgrade your site. If you want something even more simple and easy to use, sign up to tumblr.com, which is great for microblogging.

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that focus on the same interests that you want to expand on, and see how they go about it. Whether you use it 24/7 or top it up occasionally, I think that many people simply love putting their creativity to use and blogs provide so many different ways to do so.

abubblylife.com

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People & Places

Share your favourite oj pr ects with us at twitter.com/l craftsbeautifu

Bestbuy DOWNLOADER

FREEBIES FOR YOU TO USE IN YOUR CRAFT PROJECTS mojimojidesign.com/ nesting-rainbow-owls Free crochet pattern for nesting rainbow owls designlovefest.com Downloadable watercolour prints for you to use caronedmunds.wordpress.com Vintage butterfly motifs, labels and tags for you to enjoy mamamiss.com ABC alphabet cards to print and use with your child

Just because Christmas is over, who says that the decorating fun has to stop? Get your abode ready for spring with a selection of perfect accessories and trinkets, and where else better to start than with these adorable potted plant decorations from Retreat Home! With cute, bright motifs perched on sticks, these cheery critters would make a perfect addition to any indoor our outdoor floral arrangement. retreat-home.com

intimateweddings.com Vintage fashion dolls to cut out and keep

YOURS FOR FREE! To download these super sweet designer floral papers for free, ‘Like’ our Facebook page at FACEBOOK.COM/CRAFTSBEAUTIFUL

it!

Must VFTis SHOP.COM

ONESTOPCRA ing to Are you an all-round crafter, look try to ting wan or h stock up your stas One Stop something new? You’re in luck: tive Craft Shop is here for all your crea making, needs! Full to the brim with card erials, papercraft and scrapbooking mat mer clay, they also stock sewing kits, poly much bakeware, quilling, painting and young more. There’s even a section for ones little your that ns mea crafters, which today and don’t miss out on the fun! Visit see what catches your eye.

Pinterest Make everything baby with our selection of sewn softies on Pinterest!

FIND US ON PINTEREST PINTEREST.COM/CRAFTSBEAUTIFUL

retro-mama. blogspot.co.uk

purlbee.com

so-sew-easy.com

sewdaily.com

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COLETTE SMITH’S

Pretty Pastel Design COLOUR AND BLEND SUBTLE BACKGROUNDS FOR YOUR CARDS OR PAPERCRAFTS When planning backgrounds for cards using stencils, inks or mists are the go-to-tool for most crafters. However, I have discovered that soft pastels also give a lovely subtle effect. The pastels are easily blended to give really impressive results as they seem to have a more intense tone than chalks. Pastels come in either sticks or pencil format and are found at your local art and craft store. The sticks can be messy and need to be used with care, whereas the pencils are cleaner and give more control when applying the colour. Using the pastel colouring technique, I’ve created a stencilled background on this spring-themed design, finished with a cluster of handmade paper flowers to make a subtle and elegant all-occasion card.

the basic technique stencil with pastels Don’t worry about applying the pastel to the very edge of the stencil; the blender will push the colour into the details.

The paper stumps wear down so clean and sharpen using a sandpaper block.

You can use cotton buds or even your finger tip to smudge and blend the colours.

Pastels create a lot of dust between each application; blow away excess dust and place a tissue under your hand to help stop any smudging.

Take care when sharpening the pastel pencils as they are delicate and break easily. Rub the tip along some sandpaper to sharpen the point.

A putty rubber can be moulded to get into tight corners and help to clean up any smudges around the image.

“To stop the image smudging, lightly coat with hairspray or use a specialist fixative” “After lifting off the stencil, remove any

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MASTERCLASS

Cards

WHAT YOU NEED Paper pad, Daler Rowney: Mixed Media, A5 Card, pale yellow, mid yellow, bright yellow Pencils, pastel, Derwent: emerald green, fresh green

Stencil, Memory Box: Garden Leafy Stems Blender, Derwent: Paper Stumps Pearls, ivory Ribbon: green organza Adhesives

Tape the stencil onto paper with low-tack masking tape. Select an area of the stencil you wish to colour in. Use the lightest shade (fresh green) to colour in the chosen area of stencil; don’t be too exact with the application.

Blend the pastel evenly into the stencil using the paper stump, working it into the edges of the design.

Apply the darker shade (emerald green) to the stencil, concentrating on the stems and the bottom edges of the leaves.

With the paper stump, blend the emerald green into the first colour. Continue to apply and blend the two shades of pastel until you reach the desired depth of colour.

Trim the stencilled image, 10.5cm square. Matt onto pale yellow card, 11.5cm square, then onto a white blank,12.5cm square. Use scissors to cut three circles from yellow card, snipping each into a spiral. Gently roll up the paper to make three yellow roses and glue to the bottom right. Add a sentiment, ribbon bow and a few pearls to finish. CB

SOURCE IT...

Pastel pencils, paper stumps, Pencils 4 Artists, 01803 833281, pencils4artists.co.uk Mixed media pad, The Pen & Paper, 02920 373738, penandpaper.co.uk Memory Box stencil, Crafts U Love, 01293 863576, craftsulove.co.uk

excess dust using a soft clean paintbrush�

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Baking Lavender cake_Layout 1 27/11/2014 10:52 Page 1

REFRESH YOUR PALETTE FOR THE NEW YEAR AND CREATE A STUNNING

Lavender CAKE WHAT YOU NEED Flour, spelt, 260g Butter, unsalted, 270g Sugar: caster, superfine, 340g; icing, 140g Eggs, medium, 3 Milk, whole, 180ml Lavender, dried, 5g Baking powder, 7.2g Salt, pinch Cream, double, 30ml Food colouring, paste, purple Flowers, fresh Parchment, baking Cake tins, round: 15cm, 20cm Board, cake, circular

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Gently heat milk and lavender, 3g, in a saucepan for two minutes, then strain into a jug. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease cake tins, 15cm and 20cm, and line the bases with baking parchment. Mix 180g of butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs a little at a time.

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Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Combine a third of the flour mixture to the butter one. Add half the lavender milk and, continuing to beat, add in a third of the flour batter and milk, then the rest of the flour. Spoon into the tins and bake for 35 minutes. Leave for ten minutes in their tins, then remove and put both onto a wire rack to cool.

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Beat butter, 90g, until pale and creamy.

Mix icing sugar and cream with a tiny amount of purple food colouring. Fix the 20cm cake to a board using buttercream, then spread the top with two thirds of the mixture. Place the 15cm cake onto it and coat the top with buttercream. Scatter dried lavender around the base and decorate with fresh flowers. CB

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IN THE KITCHEN “After all the indulgence of the festive season, fresh blooms are a lovely alternative to decorate with” April Carter, Baker

Bake & Craft

Photographing your cakes • Natural light is best for taking food pics. If there's colour in your cake, try adding a prop which brings it out, such as a deep pink napkin with a raspberry cake. A piece of crumpled baking parchment under treats looks great, too.

• Try experimenting with different angles. Does the top of your cake have some beautiful piping or artfully placed sprinkles? Try showing it off with an overhead shot.

• It’s nice to tell a story in your photos sometimes. Maybe there’s a knife or a stack of plates nearby, or you’ve just finished sprinkling some icing onto a cake and there’s a bit left on the table? It all adds to the realism of the overall image.

Decorating with flowers Fresh blooms are a beautiful and easy way of adding colour and style to your bakes. The important thing to remember is that they should be pesticide-free, so check with your florist or use wild or garden flowers that you know are safe. It’s best to add the flowers just before you serve the cake (as they will start to wilt once they’re out of water) and remove them before cutting and serving. If buying from a florist, let them know what size the cake is and ask them to arrange the flowers for you.

KIT LIST

A cake slice makes the transition from bake to plate much easier, and coming in at just £1 from Poundland, this Jane Asher utensil is a must-have! To find your local store, visit poundland.co.uk

Using food colour paste is the best way to maintain an icing's consistency, and this violet shade is perfect for the job. Priced £2.15, squires-shop.co.uk

Complement the soft tones and floral elements of this cake with a set of beautiful woodland-themed cake tins. Priced £20.99, creative-tops.com

READER DETAILS..

This recipe has been adapted from Decorated by April Carter (Hardie Grant, £20). hardiegrant.co.uk

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Craft

Browse & Buy

Crush

INTO THE WOODS EMBRACE ALL THINGS LOVELY WITH OUR WOODLAND FAVOURITES

Woodland motifs are here to stay, so why not update them for spring with pretty colours and whimsical ideas in mind? Go to town with a themed paper pack that has everything you need – we love True Friend by Fancy Pants Designs – or simply add a smidgen of the forest to your creations. Trim a deer from patterned fabric and stitch it onto a homemade coaster for easy appliqué, or finish gift wrapping with strips of fun ribbon or washi tape.

Clockwise from top-left: 1 Utopia and Indian Summer fabric collections, artgalleryfabrics.com 2 Woodland-themed craft blanks, from £2.50 for 10, daisymoondesigns.co.uk 3 Dreamscape wrapping paper, £3.50 for three metres, paperchase.co.uk 4 Marble chunky knitting wool, £7.50 for 200g, sewcraftyonline.co.uk 5 Woodland Walk rubber stamp, £16, noolibird.com 6 Tonic Studios Simplicity geared pattern punch in 'Butterfly Strip', £11.99, craftsuperstore.co.uk 7 Forest friend ribbons, £2.16 per metre, bertiesbows.co.uk 8 Patterned rabbit buttons, £1.99 for 20, thelittlebuttonshop.co.uk 9 Wildflower Wood card, £13.49 for 24 sheets, onestopcraftshop.com 10 MT ex Plant washi tape, £5.50, thefoxandstar.co.uk 11 October Afternoon Woodland Park Chip n Stick shapes, £4.75, papermaze.co.uk 12 True Friend papercraft pack, fancypantsdesigns.com CRAFTS-BEAUTIFUL.COM 17

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Out Now!

Projects Make colourful cards to kick the new year off in style Stitch copyright-free lavender sachets with Corinne Bradd's guide Try your hand at silk painting with our mini canvas, card and tag set Display your memories lovingly with our keepsake cushion tutorial Our cat-themed papercrafts are completely paw-some Combine stencilling and blending techniques to make unique cards

JANUARY

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ON SALE 12th December 2014

DON'T MISS OUR CREATIVE PROJECTS FOR THE NEW YEAR, PLUS A LITTLE BOOK OF KEEPSAKE CRAFTS

Don’t miss out!

Features Projects subject to change

We get back to basics with watercolour painting Hear from top crafters, including crocheter Nicki Trench and natural beauty expert Sof McVeigh Handmade Home is back with trendy house motifs Take a trip into the woods with our forest-themed craft trends page

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A Little Book of Keepsake Crafts comes FREE with our January issue. Featuring bonus projects reminiscent of what mother used to make, plus vintage-inspired products, household remedies and decorative papers, it's really not to be missed. We've also got bumper giveaways for you, including six brand-new Lapdog Trays, allowing you to crafty anywhere you like!