interviews
Projects
Your items
CREATIVE 1
features
You are busy with your business, Working hard we know. You deserve a little trophy,
#COW
If your business is creative,
Every Thursday at a Twitter account near you!
Daisy is the one for you. She really is artistic,
An accolade to show. So here we are to help you, Three ladies of the grass. Creative, zany and of course, we have a little class.
And so good with colour too. Fabulous, Unique Badges to be won every week! Collect all three and receive the special Herd Award! www.cow-awards.com
So tweet us with your item/site,
Now Bessie is outstanding and prim and proper, so, If your business is quite classy She is the way to go.
We will check them out and see.
Then there is me, I am Cow Pat
Then award a little cameo,
And I am just a loon.
Yes, of the girls we three.
Yes, it is true, that was me who jumped over the moon
I go for the unusual ,the zany and bizarre, So I will check out all your details I really am a star. We know it is a little silly But let’s just have some fun Then you can tell your friends and neighbours Yes, it is a cow I have won!
‘The Green Grass Girls’ www.twitter.com/#!/CowAwards www.facebook.com/TheCowAwards
THE TEAM Editor and Ad Sales - Anna (The Crystal Lady)
CREATIVE
thecrystallady@creative-crafting.com Technical Editor - Avril (Sprinkles Sparkles) sprinks@creative-crafting.com Proof Reading- Martina (Sparrow Primitives)
FEATURE WRITERS Tina - In the Garden Tracey - Wowthankyou Claire - Elderberry Arts Sally - The Bead Bounty
Welcome to our August 2012 Issue. Summer has been a long time coming this year but we know that you have all been busy crafting away while it has been pouring with rain outside. I’m sure that so many of us will be crafting along to the London Olympics. We have features and projects from our regular writers for you this issue as well as the start of an exciting new series by Kerry from Scrapbookerry following her preparations for her handcrafted wedding. Wedding Wonders with No Wonga! Many of you know Kerry and that her family has been through a very difficult time this year so we are looking forward to helping her out with this wonderful occasion.
Jamie - Mr X Stitch Silvia - SlowLane Handmade Kerry - Scrapbookerry Kirsty - Little Floating Craft Co
Our favourite CRAFTfest online fair is going to be back again! This time you can book for both the September and Christmas MEGAfest right NOW! So don’t miss out! http://www.craftfest-events.com Whether your crafting is for a hobby or as a business we urge you to get out there into the online Crafting Community. There are many ways to find us all and we are waiting to meet you. Remember, if you would like a hard copy of this issue, look out for the links on our website. It is paid for by the page, but worth it if you would like to hold onto and read a hard copy! The magazine is printed by HP Magcloud. If you would like to submit an article, get in touch at articles@creative-crafting.com. We would love to hear from you! The Creative Crafting Team
Organisers of
CRAFT fest
www.creative-crafting.com www.creative-connections.ning.com
AvAnna
Publications
Raising the profile of the crafting community Your Creative Team
Anna - Editor Avril - Technical Editor 3
Visit our site using your mobile QR APP!
Get in touch! We always love to hear of your crafting experiences and read your feedback for Creative Crafting. Email us at: articles@creative-crafting.com
CREATIVE
2
There’s a new herd in town! The Crafting Worlds answer to #SBS has arrived!! It’s time to Win a COW! #COW
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Crystal Magic The Crystal Lady discovers some beautiful handcrafted Moonstone creations.
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Recipes from the Slowlane Silvia is with us again. This issue she shares her recipe for Lavender and Oat Biscuits.
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Do you have interest in Pinterest? Tracey from Wow Thank You asks a selection of crafters their opinions on using the Pinterest Social Network.
14 Wedding Wonders with No Wonga - Part 1
Kerry from Scrapbookerry is getting married! Help her to craft her wedding.
16 Create a Dragonfly Pendant Sally-Jo from The Bead Bounty has a beautiful project for us.
18 Memories Kirsty from the Little Floating Craft Company shows us some wonderful ways to remember precious moments.
20 In the spotlight with Mr X Stitch
This issue Jamie is introducing Lord Libidan.
22 Tina in the Garden
Tina is back with us in the Garden and is welcoming some warm weather.
25 An Interview with My Small World Katie from Chester tells us about her creations.
29 The Cow Awards
Have you entered yet?
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30 Millie-Mae and Mummy make ‌. An Olympic Kite
An Interview with noodleBubble
34 Meet noodleBubble owner Lisa who is addicted to felt and twitter!
36 Make your own ‌ Paper Beads Another fabulous beading project by Claire from Elderberry Arts
37 An Interview with Beads by Design Meet Karen from East Yorkshire and her many talents.
40 Crafty Summer Finds
We have been searching through your creative items again. Have we featured you?
42 Crafters Directory
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Become a part of a WONDERFUL COMMUNITY
Customise your OWN PROFILE PAGE
UPLOAD PHOTOS AND VIDEOS to promote your creations
Promote your business and NETWORK
Hosts of Join in on the FUN IN THE FORUM
CRAFT fest Take part in ONLINE CRAFT FAIRS
www.creative-connections.ning.com
Professional Crafter’s Guild
PCG
Do you own a small craft business? Are you fed up of friends and customers thinking it is just a hobby? Join us now and receive your unique registration number, certificate and badges for your website to show just how serious you are about being a working crafter. Help us to elevate the status of handmade gifts and take advantage of special Guild Discounts from craft suppliers.
www.procraftersguild.com
Spend time in our CHAT ROOM and host your own CHAT EVENTS
CHAT
CHAT Creative Connections is sponsored by
Moon Tree Sterling Silver and Moonstone Pendant In the far east, the orient and Europe it "I see the moon and the moon sees me, down through the leaves of an old OOAK tree..." on Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/ethora
$85
was thought to be a lucky stone and was used for love magic. ● Mentally - Intuition, encourages ‘happy coincidences’ ● Physically - Stimulates the pineal gland and balances the hormone cycles. Fertility. ● Chakra: Third Eye, Solar Plexus.
Moonstone Earrings Moonstone two stone earrings. Handmade in 925 Sterling Silver. www.thesilvercart.co.uk
£10.00
Inspired by Angels Beautiful handmade Rainbow Moonstone bracelet with matching Tibetan Silver and foil heart angel inspired charm. www.angelicwishes.co.uk
£12.99
Luminous Moonstone Necklace White and silver handmade twisted necklace featuring semi precious stones. on Etsy www.etsy.com/shop/lapisbeach
$138
c i g a M Crystal
If you would like more information about Crystal Healing Jewellery, you can contact The Crystal Lady at: thecrystallady@mysticearth.co.uk or visit http://www.mysticearth.co.uk 7
Recipes Fr
Lavender and Oat Biscuits
t he m o
Slowlane
I love Lavender. These Biscuits are a summer favourite in our Household. They are quick and easy to make. The biscuits have a very crumbly texture and the delicate Lavender flavour is divine! Since I do not have a garden big enough I purchase my Lavender from a Health Food Store. Culinary Lavender is widely available on line. If you have never cooked with Lavender give it a try!
250 g Butter Egg 1 tbls Culinary Lavender 1 tsp Baking Powder 200 g Sugar 125 g Flour 250 g Fine Oats 180C/160C fan/gas 4
Step 3. Gradually add your dry ingredients to the butter mixture. If the mixture becomes too firm/dry at this stage, add a little Lemon Juice.
Step 1. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper in a bowl pre-mix all your dry ingredients.
Step 4. Place spoonful’s of the mixture onto the baking tray, not too close together as they will spread! Step 5. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Step 2. In another bowl mix the softened butter, sugar and egg until creamy.
Step 6. Remove from oven and let the Biscuits cool. Written By Slowlane Handmade
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Do you have Interest in
?
T
he world of social networking is forever changing and trying to capitalise on something new, with Pinterest being one of the latest additions. A dedicated photo sharing website, Pinterest was first launched in beta in March 2010; following the launch of an iPhone app in March the following year and magazine listing Pinterest in its ‘50 Best Websites of 2011’ (Aug 2011) the website took off and has now achieved global recognition. Currently Pinterest is considered the third largest social network in the US (March 2012) beating LinkedIn and Tagged. So what is Pinterest and what could it do for you? Basically the site operates by allowing users to organise and share online images that interest them. Once uploaded or shared on Pinterest, these images then become known as ‘pins’, which the user can place on customised, themed Boards. Boards can be created for any topic imaginable and of course this is especially useful for sharing images of craft items and gifts you may have produced. Currently to use Pinterest you have to be invited - you can either sign up on the website and wait, or get someone you know to invite you for immediate access. Some examples of the way people use Pinterest include creating an online wedding gift list, all the guests can see immediately the range of gifts to choose from by following your gift list board. In addition many wedding-planning brides have replaced their wedding planner binders with a Pinterest account to easily store their ideas. Some people have also been known create a board for each room in their house and then pin decorating ideas for each room as they come across them. Artists use Pinterest as a tool to organise inspiring images for their artwork. Cooks can share recipes and also keep an online recipe box. The possibilities are endless, especially for those who have something to sell and want to get exposure. However, as we will explain shortly, Pinterest does have its grey areas, which worry a great many people. WowThankYou asked some Pinterest-using sellers how it is working out for them. Gill Davidson of Personal Space Interiors is an avid fan of Pinterest and has pretty much used it since it was launched. Gill loves the way Pinterest works and says it helps her a lot in her work. “
” She finds Pinterest a refreshing change from Facebook and Twitter as it allows buyers to see products in the flesh. “
” Gill has had a number of sales through the website and believes it is a good resource, “
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Personal Space Interiors
” Cheryl Walton of tinyinc says that Pinterest is totally addictive and so inspiring. “ ” Cheryl has a very good tip - “
”
Tinyinc
Elloria’sBoutique Jacqueline Inglis of Elloria’s Boutique also loves Pinterest and is able to sum it up in just a few words: “ ” Jacqueline added, “ ” Amber Bain of FingerTips Designs uses Pinterest as a marketing tool to display products from her shop. She says, “
Fingertips Designs
” Another great advantage is feedback from repins Amber explained, “
” Valerie Rooney of BeauBangles has been observing the move towards Pinterest and raises some good points. There are sellers who prefer to keep their images away from Pinterest in case others steal their ideas (intellectual property) or infringe on or claim copyright. Other sellers think that it is a good way of getting your name and designs/products in the mainstream. There is currently a huge debate going on about the legal position of posting on Pinterest. Experts have agreed that posting content on Pinterest does not give them automatic 10
ownership of these designs and images. However they are granted a perpetual and irrevocable license to use and exploit the content in the context of the site (this is similar to Facebook). There is also a big issue with pinning other people’s images to Pinterest without their permission, as this could land you in trouble. The Terms and Conditions were modified on Pinterest early in April 2012 to clarify the ownership of material and reiterate that permission is required to post some content. Sadie Burleigh of Perfect Day Wishes has a Pinterest account but is still coming to grips with it. She worries about whether Pinterest is the marketing tool everyone expects. She told us, “
BeauBangles
” This is an interesting point but Pinterest actually made a change in April 2012 to their T&Cs to allow self-promotion. Most WowThankYou sellers have heard of, or use Pinterest, and the general consensus is that any tool that is free, allows self-promotion, attracts sales and is fun must be a good idea. Get an invite and give Pinterest a try – it might be just the thing you have been waiting for! Once you are set up, pop over and check out our boards www.pinterest.com/wowthankyou :-)
Perfect Day Wishes
Written by Tracey Kifford of http://www.wowthankyou.co.uk If you have missed any of Traceys regular articles in our magazines you can browse our back issues on our site. www.creative-crafting.com
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Wedding Wonders
with No Wonga! Part One
I
n January 2005 I first met my other half. We have bought two houses, had two children, own a dog, lizard, rabbit, hamster and a snail, but we have never got around to getting married.
In April 2012 he proposed, and we have now gone from a couple to two people engaged. But we have a little problem when it comes to the wedding. We really do not have any spare cash to do anything too lavish. So we are using all the means that we have, pulling in all our resources and intend having as much of a Handmade Wedding as possible. We don’t want to spend too much on things that can be made. We don’t want to waste money on things that are really not needed. Instead we would like one off pieces that are original, personal to us and made by either ourselves or our friends, and small business owners within the craft community. We want an intimate wedding, one that has all of our personality within it and not a big commercial wedding. Since the proposal we have been thinking a lot about our wedding and have come up with a few ideas, but more important than ideas, are the things we actually need! On the list so far: Wedding Dress Two Bridesmaids dresses, one adult, one teenager One Flower girl Dress One Ring Bearer’s suit Two Ushers suits, one adult, one child Two Best Men’s suits Grooms suit Flowers for Bride, Bridesmaids, Flower Girls and Button Holes Bridal Shoes Shoes for Bridesmaids, Ushers, Flower Girl, Ring Bearer and Groom Tiara Rings Necklaces and Earrings Venue Food Photographer Cake Transport Save the Date Cards Invites Favours Decorations for the Wedding Hairdresser
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Hairdresser Make Up Seating Plans Name Places Order of Service Menus for the Wedding Breakfast Entertainment Books for Children Guestbook Music Things may be taken off, things may be added but at the moment this is how it stands. We are planning on doing lots of things ourselves, but there are some things that we will have to look to others for. We are looking for creative folk who can help us make this the wedding that we want it to be, but with no Wonga! It is going to be a challenge. We have two years to achieve this but we are determined and we will have the wedding that we want. So welcome to Wedding Wonders with No Wonga. We hope you enjoy the creative journey to our wedding day! It is going to be interesting, a little bit different and lots and lots of fun so why not get involved and be part of the journey. If you are interested in helping us along the Wedding Wonders with No Wonga journey then please do contact us at weddingwonderswithnowonga@gmail.com
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Written By The Bead Bounty
o nfly g a r D Pendant
4 x Dagger Beads, plain or patterned (approximately 16 mm) Size 11 Seed Beads 5 x 4 mm Facetted Beads 1 x Head Pin Bead Needle Beading Thread Sharp Scissors Flat nose pliers Round nose pliers
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Perfect to go with your
summer wardrobe, this pretty little Dragonfly
pendant will fit right in.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6a.
6b.
7.
8.
9.
Step 1. Thread needle with approximately 20� of beading thread. Pick up 2 seed beads, 1 dagger, 1 seed bead, 1 dagger, 4 seed beads, 1 dagger, 1 seed bead, 1 dagger and 2 seed beads. Step 2. Tie the two ends of the cotton in a tight knot.
N.B. If you are using daggers with a pattern or coating make sure that they are all facing the same way. Step 3. Add the head bead. Pick up 1 seed bead, 1 facetted bead, and 10 seed beads. Step 4. Pass the needle back through the facetted bead and the single seed bead and tie another tight knot. Step 5. Pass the needle back down through all the beads to emerge at the second of the 4 bead group at the bottom of the body of the Dragonfly. Step 6. Repeat with the second thread going through the opposite beads and tie the threads in a knot. Neaten the threads off by passing them through several Beads and cutting off the excess. Step 7. On the head pin, pick up 4 facetted beads with seed beads either side. Step 8. Using a pair of flat nose pliers, bend the wire at the top of the beads to a right angle and cut the excess wire leaving approximately 8 mm. Step 9. Make a loop with a pair of round nose pliers. Step 10. Open the loop and attach it to the bottom of the Dragonfly body to form the tail. Close the loop.
The Earrings shown in the picture were made in exactly the same way as the pendant but I used smaller daggers (approximately 10 mm) size 15 seed beads and 3 mm facetted beads instead. www.thebeadbounty.weebly.com www.thebeadbounty.blogspot.co.uk
10.
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…memories
Written By Little Floating Craft Company
T
his may sound rather odd but it’s taken me many years to realise that I work my memories of special events or people into quite a lot of my work. I often think of loved ones or of days out we’ve had while I’m creating and it really does influence the end results. Living in a metal box (that doesn’t sound nearly as romantic as saying “house boat”, does it?) also influences what you do and means that you must think carefully and creatively about the furnishing and décor you choose to turn your abode into a home, and even those clothes and accessories you keep on board, as space is at such a premium.
But as houses get smaller and more expensive it’s not just ‘floaty’ types like me who must consider the dimensions of their home when choosing gorgeous things to keep and to decorate their surroundings. So when I design things which hold these special memories it’s important to me that these things serve a purpose. It’s lovely to carry memories with you but it’s rather hard to excuse ornaments and a photo album in your handbag but if you were to incorporate those memories into a make-up bag for example, well, that’s just fine!
Even on a boat as big as ours there isn’t that much space for lots of decorative items and we also must take into account an adventurous cat, N’Eville (pronounced N-evil, trust me, he earned this pronunciation!) who enjoys climbing. Everywhere. Sigh. I love to build up elements that make those memories stir. It might be a colour or a texture, or I might incorporate some beads or other physical element I actually collected on the day but more recently I’ve worked out various means of actually getting the images from my camera onto my material or object surfaces. I can pick and choose the best method for the finished item. This has widened my horizons from my existing block printing or free hand illustrating of different things - decorating and embellishing a storage box, giving a comfy cushion a beautiful finish with an old family
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photo, a case for your glasses, having a favourite joke or picture of your garden; the possibilities are endless and I’m so excited about it!
There are all sorts of ways of transferring your images to fabric – probably the simplest is fabric transfer sheets which are easily available from craft shops or eBay. You simply print your chosen image from your computer and then iron them onto your chosen fabric. In this way it can be perfectly positioned and you can then go on and customise the piece incorporating charms and text and whatever means something to you, or simply makes your finished piece pretty. There are also decal sheets you can use to transfer images on to wooden/glass/ceramic surfaces. They don’t need ironing though! Don’t forget, it’s always a good idea to seal your work afterwards and something like matte Modge Podge is a great product for doing this, but even a thin coating of PVA glue carefully applied would do the job. Take a look around you and see if you can give something already in your home a new lease of life and a little more significance? If you absolutely adore the spring flowers from your garden, keep them with
…memories you all year round and make a wall hanging perhaps, or take a memorable holiday or occasion photo and make it centre piece on a cushion or if it’s having your kids smiling faces grinning at you that melts your heart the most, then why not make bunting with lots of different pictures of them having fun combined with their date of birth or the year the photo was taken? Think about what’s important to you and you’re bound to love the end results! That’s why most of my creations end up involving the water, boats or campervans… Mr LFCC doesn’t like his photo being taken or I’d have Mr LFCC bunting!
Buy handcrafted cards, jewellery and textiles online at: http://www.littlefloatingcraftco.folksy.com http://www.littlefloatingcraft.etsy.com
See more of what we do on cakes, boats, anything that grabs my attention! www.facebook.com/littlefloatingcraftco
You can also read my blog at www.littlefloatingcraftco.blogspot.com
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In the Spotlight with
mr x stitch mrxstitch.com This issue we meet:
http://lordlibidan.com
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Name: Lord Libidan Medium: Cross stitch and embroidery What’s your story? I'm best known for my 3D transforming transformers, but to put it shortly, I like to push the boundaries and do something no one else has done, whilst centring it around video games and pop culture. Oh, and pretending I'm an aristocrat. What’s your favourite piece of work thus far? I'd have to say my stereoscopic Pokemon stitch. When making it I wasn't sure it would work, but afterwards I realised just how awesome it was. What do you find challenging? I find a fair bit challenging. As I work in the edge of possible I usually have ideas which are impossible to do, but if I had to put it down to just one thing, it would be sticking to an idea. As a perfectionist every idea I have changes drastically during planning, and I think it might not be for the best sometimes.
^
Any advice for newbies? Stick with it. Cross stitching can take a mammoth time to complete, but it's not until you finish it that you get that elated feeling of doing something awesome and can be proud of. Also never be afraid to ask. I get people emailing me all the time asking for help, and I don't know anyone that wouldn't be happy to give it.
You can also visit Lord Libidan at his Etsy Store http://www.etsy.com/shop/LordLibidan
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Tina in the Garden
Hi! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Tina Good morning! Well not really as it is still pouring with rain, and it is the second week in July. Where is the lovely sunshine? You should all know the drill with the macs and umbrellas after your last visit. Please sit down have a hot cup of tea and help yourselves to a biscuit. Custard creams today, yummy. A lot has been happening in the garden since your last visit. It so enjoys all the rain and is growing like crazy and is beginning to look just like the Amazon jungle. The trouble, is when I do manage to get out there I need a machete, not a hoe. However the garden does not really need me at all, the weeds are just flourishing and I have to say that some look quite good. I did manage to get some photos on the odd day when it did not rain so here is a selection of what has been appearing in the garden since your last visit. The honeysuckle is just beautiful growing at the side of the old shed. < 22
Laburnum
Foxglove
Solomonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seal
Escallonia
The roses are wonderful again, although they are not lasting long as the heavy rain dashes them and they lose their petals quickly, but here are a few photos. The plants are all from cuttings taken over the years. The Bog has almost disappeared under the lush undergrowth and is very boggy now, as the stream has flooded into it.
The Very Boggy Bog As I have just mentioned, the stream is in full flood. Here is a photo. The second photo is of the drive which now has its own little brook thanks to the overflowing stream.
The Stream The bedding plants are doing well, I do still have more to plant out and it is getting a bit late, but I will get them planted somehow dressed in my mac and wellies.
The Drive 23
There were so many projects I had in mind for this summer that are not even started, let alone finished trellis to put up, sheds to paint for example. However there is always another year and the garden still manages to take your breath away just doing its own thing. I hope I can at least get something done to show you in the next issues. The main fight I have at the moment is with the snails! They are everywhere and so huge, just eating everything day and night. My usual coffee grounds do not work as the rain washes them onto the soil. So off they go, chomping everything before them. I have a new everlasting sweet pea plant and they just love it. It must taste extra special to them. I suppose Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d better stop ranting on. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll just keep removing them from my plants and taking them down to the copse; they have to eat and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind them eating the weeds down there. Here is a photo. I suppose they are unusual creatures. This one has been caught in the act of eating my new sweet pea. It has nearly made it to the top of the trellis, and boy can these things eat. I see that the photo of the snail did not put you off the custard creams as they have all disappeared, though I think I had more than my share. Oh look, it has actually stopped raining so I will let you get your coats! You may even get home before it starts again but I am not making any guarantees. Thank you again for joining me. I enjoyed your visit as always, and look forward to meeting with you again in the next issue. Until then, think of me chasing snails in the rain in The Garden. Your green fingered friend Tina
Good Morning to Moo! 24
An Interview with Tell us about the lady behind My Small World My name is Katie and I live in Chester with my husband Stephen. We’re both originally from Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, but moved to Cheshire around fourteen years ago when my husband had a job offer up here. I’ve always had a passion for making things and crafting as far back as I can remember. I currently have an Etsy shop called My Small World and I make and sell traditional hand sewn collectable bears, freemotion embroidered and appliqué brooches, felt card and needle cases and also badges, jewellery and anything else that takes my fancy. This year I decided to turn my crafting obsession into my full time day job. This wasn’t really planned but happened when I heard that the office I worked at in Chester, was closing. After quite a bit of thought, I decided that I didn’t want to relocate to their office in Wales and so I took a huge scary leap and left my job. It’s hard work but I love being my own boss and it’s given my crafting a whole new sense of freedom. When did first begin creating your designs, and why? I’ve always been messing about with some sort of creative hobby and I’ve tried a number of different crafts over the years, to see what I really like doing. These include card making, making earrings, knitting and painting, to name a few. I still have the embroidered felt handkerchief case I made when I was around 7 or 8 and when I started making things from felt again a few years ago, I discovered that I really love working with it. It’s really versatile, comes in lots of colours, it takes embroidery really well and it doesn’t fray when cut. I’ve noticed a definite style change in what I’ve been making recently, especially since I bought a new sewing machine and started to do free-motion embroidery. Free-motion embroidery is really enjoyable and I get a lot out of doing it, at the moment it’s my favourite craft of choice. As a result, I’m not doing as many hand-embroidered pieces as I used to and I’ve been trying out more complicated designs, like my tattoo inspired pieces. I’ve also recently started to make miniature picture canvases, which combine free-motion embroidery and appliqué and I’m thinking of adding more mixed media to some of my canvases, to give them a slightly different look. 25
What is it that you enjoy about your work? Apart from the actual creative process, I enjoy having the freedom to create what I like, and being able to work how and when I like. There are no rules to follow, I can work in total peace and quiet, or have some music on in the background while I work, and there aren’t any of the usual distractions of a professional office environment. The only boss (and employee) is myself, which is really great; although this can have it’s down side, especially if you’re the only one motivating yourself. You also have to be pretty flexible because you’ll need to be able to do quite a few different jobs, such as be your own office staff, IT and publicity officer. What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? Without a doubt I’d have to say making our wedding cake and invitations. When we got married in 2008, I designed and made all our booklet style invitations by hand and made and decorated a three tier, vegan ‘chocolate raspberry blackout’ cake. I’m still really proud of that cake but I don’t have plans to repeat making another one soon, as it was the hardest and most nerve wracking thing I’ve ever made. Taking the cake to the venue in the back of our car was really scary and we had to construct it ourselves when we got there. I was terrified we would drop one of the cake boxes and couldn’t relax until I saw it at the reception the next day. The cake got rave reviews, even from guests who weren’t big chocolate lovers and it’s still talked about today. Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? My biggest obsession has to be Blythe dolls and since getting into the hobby (yes I know some people find the dolls weird or creepy!), I’ve made lots of new friends from around the world. Some I’ve actually met in person, which has been really amazing. I’m hoping to meet another friend I made on the Internet soon. She lives in Japan and is hopefully coming to England for the annual Blythecon UK charity event, which this year is held in Manchester. Last year it was held at Baden Powell house in London and we raised over £3,000 for charity. I also love visiting proper teashops when we are out and about and I’ve discovered a love of gardening, now that I’m no longer working in an office. Our garden is a bit on the wild side and weeds are sometimes left to grow but the wildlife gets the benefit of them. I’m hoping for lots of home grown courgettes, squash and beans this year (fingers crossed we start getting better weather!) My husband and myself are both Vegetarian and so I like cooking. Last year I added foraging to the list of things I like to do and made lots of edible and drinkable things for our store cupboard. At the moment I have a cupboard full of jams and marmalades and some sloe and some wild damson gin maturing, all made from our own homegrown and foraged fruit. 26
If you had to choose your favorite from your creations which one would it be? Apart from my wedding cake, I’d have to say one of my collectable bears. He’s called Theakston (or Theakie for short) and my husband got attached to him before we were due to go to a bear fair in Wales. There was no way I could put Theakie up for adoption once my husband had named and got attached to him, so he was an additional surprise Christmas present for my husband. Theakie has been part of our family of bears and Blythe dolls ever since, and he’s had a few adventures. He’s been with us on our honeymoon to Brighton (apparently he stowed away in my husband’s bag!) and he’s also been away on a weekend motorbike trip with my husband.
Where does your inspiration come from? It’s hard to say where my inspiration actually comes from. Sometimes colours give me inspiration and sometimes ideas just pop into my head or things ‘happen’ when I’m sewing. I like looking through books for ideas and I also like to have a good sit and think about what I would love to buy for myself. As for my free-motion embroidery designs, once I have a rough idea of what design I’d like to sew, I sit down with my sketchbook and do some rough sketches, or if it’s a small flower or leaf design I’ll just sit down at my machine and sew it without a predrawn design.
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If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? I think I would give myself a lot more drive and motivation, sometimes it’s really hard to get the motivation to do something when you’re working on your own and the Internet can be such a lovely distraction sometimes. Do you have a favourite website? There are so many I visit, that it’s been hard to choose a favourite, but I’ll choose Flickr.com. I’ve chosen it for a few reasons, firstly, because I visit it the most, the second reason is because I have made a lot of really good friends on there, mostly through collecting Blythe dolls. The third is because it’s also a really good way to find out about other peoples lives and cultures and fourth, it’s lovely to see other peoples creations and I’ve seen some amazing handmade items on there. Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? I’d have to say my husband Stephen, he’s always told me to “go for it” and has always encouraged me to make new things and be creative. He’s been really supportive from the beginning and especially now I’m working at home. He also helps me at craft fairs, as my ‘assistant’. Luckily he has very reasonable demands, I just have to pay him in tea and cake!
Tell us a random fact about yourself! You can find me at various vintage motorcycle events throughout the year (usually crouched down or on my knees) taking photos of old engines and gear boxes, which are for the bike club magazine my husband edits. Some of my bike photos are hopefully going to be published in a Wolverhampton based glossy magazine this year, in an article promoting the centenary celebrations of the Marston Sunbeam motorcycle. My husband also uses quite a few of my photos on his website (also Sunbeam related) and for the MSCR club magazine. I sometimes ‘help out’ at events such as the annual Cosford bike meeting – I manned the magazine stand one year while my husband had to go out in the rescue van, to find a club member who’d broken down (something quite common with bikes that old).
Find Katie at: Shop link for My Small World: http://www.etsy.com/shop/mysmallworld
My blog: http://mysmallworldblog.blogspot.co.uk I can also be found at Creative Connections here: http://creative-connections.ning.com/profile/KatieC
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into the spotlight with
Daisy’s recent Winners!
Bessie’s recent Winners!
Pats’s recent Winners!
Incahoots
Pants and Paper
21st June 2012
28th June 2012
Waterlily Cards 5th July 2012
Just Mosaics
Joys of Glass
21st June 2012
28th June 2012
Pure Thoughts 5th July 2012
Rags’N’Stitches
Libby’s Made It
Woollymammothzone
21st
28th
June 2012
5th July 2012
June 2012
Belles & Whistles 12th July 2012
Pollyanna Jewellery 12th July 2012
Array of Cakes 12th July 2012
We have had some fantastic winners so far! Don’t forget to enter your creative item between 4 - 7pm (UK time) by tweeting it at @CowAwards www.cow-awards.com 29
Tartan Pictsie 19th July
Bustle & Sew 19th July 2012
Amigurumi Barmy
19th July 2012
Written By WowThankYou
Millie-Mae & Mummy Makes … … an Olympic Kite! Expecting the Summer holidays to be full of blue skies and heatwaves and picnics we thought a good activity for this issue would be to make a kite! Alas it has yet to stop raining so we’ve not yet ventured outdoors for the maiden flight … but any day now … Truthfully this wasn’t just a Millie-Mae and Mummy activity, but Daddy and Toby joined in too …
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You will need: Canes (I had a pack of indoor plant canes) Tape (opaque tape as well as masking/‘gaffer’ tape) Sail material (we used old PVC party tablecloths) Ribbon for the tail String Scissors Pen/Pencil Hacksaw/knife to trim canes Stapler Measuring tape
Instructions 1. To make a traditional ‘diamond-shaped’ kite you first need to get two lengths of cane – one that’s 36” and the other 33”. Our canes were shorter than this, so we carefully bound two together using the masking tape.
2. Position the 33” cane across the longer one 10” down from the top. Secure them together using the masking tape following a figure of eight pattern until it is securely held in place.
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3. Using the knife or small saw, cut a small notch into the ends of each cane (if you are worried about them splitting, first wrap a small piece of tape around the top) – this is to attach string around the outside to attach the sail to. Make sure the notches are in line …
4. Take your string, and starting at the top feed the string into the notch and then run it round the outside of the frame. Keep it taut, while making sure the diamond shape is maintained. When you’ve gone all the way around, snip the top of the string – you should now be left with the kite skeleton.
5. Lay out your sail. We used old thin PVC party tablecloths that you can buy in most supermarkets, but you can use a dustbin bag, strong wrapping paper, or even newspaper (it just needs to be light). Lay the kite skeleton over the sail and then draw around it, leaving a margin of 1-1.5”. I found it easier to tape the frame to the sail to prevent it from slipping.
6. Take your clear tape. Fold the sail over the string and tape down. Repeat all the way around – now it looks like a kite!
7. To attach the tail, we used 3 ribbons each of 2 metres long. We stapled the ribbon to the end of the kite to secure it, and then taped over it.
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8. If you are serious about flying the kite (which we are), you will need to carry out adjustments in the field – as it all comes down to balance. We attached some string 2” above the cross-piece and approximately 4” below it. We then tied our single line to this loop. The kite is now finished and is ready to fly!!
As you can see we made two kites, which the children are excited about taking outdoors to fly. They are so light, we’re optimistically confident that (with a bit of patience) we’ll get them airborne on a breezy, dry day. Until then, they take pride of place in our dining room and have become the ‘must see’ items for any unsuspecting visitors! Millie-Mae is the nearly 6 year old daughter of Tracey Kifford, founder and owner of the marketplace WowThankYou (www.wowthankyou.co.uk). Toby is 3¾. Happy flying! xxx
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Tell us about the lady behind Noodle Bubble. Crafty sort that possibly spends rather too long on Twitter to be properly productive. Very fond of vintage fabric, utterly addicted to buttons, she could (and does) fiddle with felt till the cows come home. noodleBubble pieces are sold in a few shops in the UK and are also available online at Folksy~ http://noodleBubble.folksy.com. noodleBubble pieces are handsewn so each piece is quite unique. When she's not sewing (Or on Twitter) Miss noodleBubble is usually to be found with her head in a book. Predominantly inspired by the natural world, occasionally ideas pop out of books for her to sew. When did first begin creating your designs, and why? I've always made things for friends & family. A friend suggested I have a stall at a fair 5 years ago... noodleBubble grew from there - I began to sell on Folksy. Did more fairs, then approached a few shops. Although I still do the occasional fair I now predominantly make to sell through shops. What is it that you enjoy about your work? I like being able to do the school run and generally be able to move my work around school and family. To be honest, it's not like work... I drop off at school get home & pop on a film, sit in front of the fire stitching OR Spend the day in a deckchair sewing. Please don't print that I like to perpetuate ) the myth that my work is HARD. ( What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? For me my greatest achievement is being able to earn money from what I love to do. Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? I enjoy being outdoors and I like a rummage through a junk shop (Old appeals so much more to me than new) If I'm not out, sewing or on Twitter, you can guarantee I'll have my head in a book. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a regular at the local library and always have a list I want to read and a teetering pile by my bed. 34
If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? I think my Cheshire cat brooch- He has a great many teeth and makes everyone smile!
Where does your inspiration come from? - friends, family, books etc?
Has any person helped or supported you more than any other?
Most of my inspiration is from nature - flowers in particular. I've found Hilary Pullen that runs the Craft Blog UK an The occasional creation has been known to leap out to be infinite supplier of online craft wisdom & life saver. She's sewn straight from the covers of a book i.e. my favourite fantastic http://www.ukcraftblog.com/ Cheshire Cat or as a result of junk shopping... Dala horses. I can't walk past a charity shop without going in for a ferret... and can't pass a box of stuff marked ÂŁ1 without buying something...Anything! What is it? "I don't know It's a POUND!''
If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? Probably NOTHING! One part of me would like a studio somewhere - Working at home on my own I miss human contact & consequently I spend a lot of time on Twitter it's my water cooler during the day. There's ALWAYS someone on Twitter that can pass 5 minutes while the kettle boils. Indeed, I am answering these questions in response to a Tweet. The good side is that being at home I can nip to get washing in etc (although I do try to be strict about 'working hours' during the day. Luckily I'm not house proud so am rarely tempted away by household chores.) My family would probably want me to get a studio - all too often my workroom is 'too full of creativity' so I end up spreading felt, buttons... etc...over the dining table.... Do you have a favourite website? I (like so many others) find Pinterest amazing. I've always pulled pics and articles from mags (OK I still do) and this is a way of A. storing them neatly *glances at teetering pile on desk* and more importantly it's a way of finding all your reference material immediately. http://pinterest.com/noodlebubble/
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Tell us a random fact about yourself! I find it VERY difficult to talk about myself, am squirming as I answer these questions and honestly? I wish I hadn't said I'd do it! *blushes*
Written By Elderberry Arts
â&#x20AC;Ś n w o r u o y e k Ma
r e p a P ds a e B
Pencil Craft knife Metal ruler Cutting board
Glue stick Needle or similar (this will determine the size of the beads hole) Paper - these beads can be made with pretty much any paper you chose, even old magazines, leaflets etc. Great for recycling!
2.
Step 1. Mark the paper at 1/2 inch intervals 1. along one side. Repeat along the opposite side. Step 2. Align your ruler with one corner of the paper and draw a line from here to the second 1/2 inch pencil mark.` Step 3. Continue to mark out the triangles until your paper is filled. 3.
4.
5.
6.
Step 4. Now cut out each triangle with the knife. You can also just cut the triangle without marking them first if preferred. Step 5. I prefer to put a sheet of scrap paper on my board for this step as it stops it getting covered in glue but this is not essential. Take one of your paper triangles and cover the back with glue leaving about an inch at the top (the widest point) without glue. Roll paper around the needle until you reach the end. Press the paper end down firmly, adding more glue if needed. Step 6. Continue with the remaining paper triangles. Beads can now be used for a variety of projects and can also be glazed to make them shiny and more durable. Though they are surprisingly strong just as they are. If you wanted to make larger or smaller beads, the width of the widest end of the triangle determines the finished length. 36
Tell us about the lady behind Beads by Design My name is Karen Clark. I live in a beautiful village called South Cave in East Yorkshire. I am a professionally qualified interior designer who has moved into the creative arts field. Previously I trained as a nurse, worked as a childminder and I now work full time as a creative designer and produce jewellery, tiaras, acrylic paintings, papier mache, fabric goods, polymer clay, mixed media, cards, wedding stationery, notebooks etc. I am a free style crafter. I prefer to use my own approach to using materials rather than working from traditional method or instruction. I am inventive in my approaches. I am a mum of three children, married and juggle family life with the crafting. I work in creative clutter! When did first begin creating your designs, and why? When I qualified as an interior designer, I wanted to get my self out in to the community to show what I do. I applied for a stall at the local farmers market and was turned down because “they didn’t do interior design”. I met the challenge head on, got a copy of the requirements for the market which stated that products had “to be made by hand, use local ingredients etc” I went around local hedgerows collecting berries, bark, twigs and pine cones, dried them and made pot pourri, gathered drift wood from the banks of the Humber and made clocks, mirrors and lamps. I also made some jewellery items. I was given a stall. The creations were well received and so I made more. It was after this that I set up my website http://beadsbydesign.co.uk What is it that you enjoy about your work? Work? I don’t work in the traditional sense as everything I do, be it actively creating, designing, writing, researching etc is delving into a world of fun. I feel like I’m on a journey of exploration finding and discovering new ideas. I think along with many crafters, the most enjoyable part is assembly and creation. Ideas sketched out, planned, components ordered and then the item finally comes together and I can share it with other people.
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What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? I think the biggest achievement for me was having the courage to actually get out there, doing craft demonstrations and public speaking and teaching as naturally I am a quiet and shy person. Having my first project published in a magazine was a big moment and gave me a real confidence boost. Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? I love music and sing in a local worship band. I grow my own vegetables and have gradually dug up my front garden to grow more. A large part of my non-crafting life is spent playing mum taxi for two of my three children who are gifted musicians and are forever needing to be taken to rehearsals. The upside is that we get to go to a lot of concerts and hear some wonderful talent. I am a prolific blogger and write four http://creativeandfaithful.blogspot.com http://crystalvelvetweddings.blogspot.com http://christmascreative.blogspot.com http://blog.craftsforum.co.uk/
Where does your inspiration come from? As an interior designer I specialised in the use of colour. I get a lot of my inspiration from colour. I love brave colour schemes and see potential in sunsets, floral borders etc. South Cave is a lovely village set in rolling hills with woods, fields and so much colour to take in and use in creations.
Memory Quilt If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? My Memory Quilts: I think it’s a fantastic thing to take someone’s treasured clothing and turn them into a lasting memento. I’ve made quilts from babies clothing, children’s clothing and a granddad’s shirts and ties. Often these are emotionally charged creations and it’s a honour to create them. I love my Nativity story bracelets which tell the Christmas story. I wrote a poem and created the representative beads for the various characters. The reception I get for these is lovely and I know they are going to be treasured. Each bracelet is different and unique and I like this approach rather than mass producing them.
My favourite place is Northumberland’s vast wild beaches. I have so many memories stored up in my head that provide me with starting points for new idea.
Nativity Story Bracelets
I always have stones, twigs and leaves in my bags because every time I venture out of the house, I pick up bits and pieces. If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? I would love to have a permanent workshop, so that I could leave my half done projects out. My current workshop doubles as a dining room /music practice room and so I have to share. (Still, it does make me tidier than my own personal workshop would be)
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Do you have a favourite website? Craft Juice. ( http://craftjuice.com) It is a fantastic resource for crafters to be able to showcase their creations and for others to admire them. It’s great for those who just want to share with other people what they have created and to receive feedback. I’ve had lots of work come through Craft Juice and so it’s always worth popping my latest design on there. It’s free and has some amazing work and designs to look at and be inspired. Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? My Grandma treasured each item I ever made for her as a child / teenager. She would store up my handmade Christmas cards and bring them all out every Christmas. I made her a plaster cast Peter Rabbit as a child, it was painted with garish colours and stood brash on her sideboard along with her “proper” ornaments. I quilled (paper curling) an egg and it was placed into her fine china cabinet. These things were her treasures, but seeing them there gave me a wonderful warm feeling.
Quilled egg project
It’s only as an adult and too late that I fully appreciated her belief in me. I hope that now I make her proud. Tell us a random fact about yourself! I hate cooking. I often boil pans dry because I get distracted making and doing crafty things!! There is currently proof sitting outside my back door!
Crystal Velvet Weddings
Beads by Design Supplies
Find all three of these lovely stores on Karens website:
Ra Ra Bazaar
www.beadsbydesign.co.uk
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Indian Summer Earrings www.folksy.com/shops/catonstilts
£8.00
Hooting Around Owl Dress www.wowthankyou.co.uk/isabeaucouture-ltd
£18.00
Crafty Summer Finds …
Mint Bird Ring www.etsy.com/shop/BeautySpot
$17.00
Summer Beach Ribbon Bookmark www.folksy.com/shops/Made4yourBooks
Glitter Fade Nails
£9.25
Summer Garden Reversible Bucket Bag www.wowthankyou.co.uk/love-jo-snow
£25.00 www.etsy.com/shop/originails
£6.00
Personlised Summer Rose Bunting www.folksy.com/shops/hollielollie
£27.99 40
Orange Blossom Bubble Bar www.wowthankyou.co.uk/oakwood -soaperie
£2.75
Summer Blue Fairy Door www.etsy.com/shop/PatsParaphernalia
£15.00
Last day of Summer Tree of life Pendant www.etsy.com/shop/LouiseGoodchild
£32.00
Perfect for those lazy days Summer Seas Felted Jewellery Set www.etsy.com/shop/PatsParaphernalia
£20.00
Heart of Britain Jumbo Teacup www.wowthankyou.co.uk/lauralee-designs
£20.00
Handmade Salad Goblet www.folksy.com/shops/rupertblamireceramics
£15.00 41
Creative crafting Directory of Crafters
Jewellery
www.folksy.com/shops/littlefloatingcraftco
www.elderberryarts.co.uk
www.llittlecraftybeaders.co.uk
www.sprinklessparkles.co.uk www.folksy.com/shops/BodkinandBead
www.shimmyliciousjewellery.co.uk www.lorrainedowdle.com
Treat
MYSTIC EARTH
Yourself
Beautiful Jewellery to help you through life! www.mysticearth.co.uk
For The Home
www.perfectpatchwork.co.uk
Love Your
www.folksy.com/shops/Cajame
Home
www.wowthankyou.co.uk/minxtures
Arts and Crafts
www.neatecrafts.co.uk
www.thecraftyattic.co.uk www.craftfest-events.com
MOOOOOOOOOO!
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Creative crafting Directory of Crafters
Gifts
www.zibbet.com/allaboutthebuttons www.sparrowprimitives.co.uk/
www.slowlanemade.me.uk www.scrapbookerry.com
Supplies
www.theverysmallcompany.co.uk www.thebeadbounty.weebly.com
ADVERTISE YOUR STORE HERE www.creative-crafting.com/advertise.html
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Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss our 3rd Anniversary issue Out on 1st october 2012
More projects, more interviews, more crafting possibilities. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget that you can embed our magazine reader into your blogs and websites.
www.creative-crafting.com