features
Armorel
Rose mortem
CREATIVE
Issue 25, OCTOBER 2013
Crafting
By Crafters, for Crafters
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CREATIVE Hello again! Can you believe that our first issue came out four years ago? Where has the time gone! I think you will agree that we have come a long way since then, made changes, met some fabulous people and heard some tales. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal readers for following us on this journey. The crafters who have been within these pages appreciate the time that you spend admiring their creations, reading their stories and visiting them at their websites and we all hope that their will be many, many more to come. Now back to this issue and we have some fabulous articles waiting for you. We have amazing interviews with Armorel Hamilton (the creator of the gorgeous Faybles), Rose Mortem (Gothic Clothing Designer, Science Fiction writer and band member of ‘The Awakening’) and Dee from Wingsmiths Beaded Creations (Spookily gorgeous jewellery). Have you ever fancied trying your hand at one of those incredible Art Journals? Well, we have a tutorial for one. We have recipes, projects, features, a Halloween Parade of creations, Fairy doors and much, much more! A big thank you to everyone that purchased a copy of our August Issue, we would love to be able to keep offering Creative Crafting for free but unfortunately we can no longer do this. We do appreciate your support so that we can continue to publish each and every one of you. If you would like to contribute to our Christmas 2013 issue please contact us via email, through our site or our Facebook Page. Feet up, kettle on and dive on in…
Anna CREATIVE EDITORIAL Editor - Anna-Marie Miles Technical Editor - Avril White CONTRIBUTORS Tina Tracey - WowThankYou Pat - Starlight Gifts by Pat Jane - Jane Cameron Claire - Elderberry Arts Tina - Shinyies Gill - Personal Space Interiors Vicky - Live Learn Dream Joy - Beaded Bazaar Karen - Bridgits Bell
INTERVIEWS with Armorel Hamelton Rose Mortem Wingroves Beaded Creations ADVERTISING Anna-Marie Miles theycrystallady@creative-crafting.com Tel: 07763 566636
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Creative Crafting publishes articles, features and projects provided to us by crafters and suppliers. By submitting articles to be published the author grants Creative Crafting copyright of each piece.
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CONTENTS
CREATIVE
Issue 25 Welcome to the latest issue of Creative Crafting Magazine.
6 INTERVIEW
15 HALLOWEEN PARADE
22 TINA IN THE GARDEN
Meet Armorel Hamilton - Welcome to Armorel’s World which is populated by incredible creatures called Faybles. A few of them have come along to say Hello.
We have a splendidly spooky parade of handcrafted Halloween creations for you.
10 ENTER THE
18 PHOTOGRAPHY 28 INTERVIEW
WORLD OF FAIRIES
TIPS
Our regular visit to see Tina in ‘The Garden’ Tina has been discovering even more mysterious plants.
Dee from Wingroves Beaded Creations shares her unusual beaded jewellery with us.
We have been hunting out some fascinating styles of Fairy Doors. Let a little piece of magic into your home.
Jane Cameron is back with more useful tips. This issue Jane tells us how to get those all important clear images.
12 INTERVIEW
20 CREATE AN ART 30 SPELL BOOK
Enter the gothic world of seamstress Rose Mortem as she writes sci-fi novels in St Louis, Missouri.
JOURNAL Now is the time to create a beautiful art journal of your very own with the help of Vicky Grant.
Jane Cameron has a beautiful Silk Spell Book Project for us.
33 FAIRY FOLK Pat from Starlight Gifts is back with a Fairy inspired project.
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CONTENTS
36 FAMILY RECIPE
43 BRACELET MAKE 48 CRAFTfest
Millie-Mae, Toby & Mummy make… Seedless Berry Hunter Jam.
Claire from Elderberry Arts shows us how to make a Glow in the Dark Macrame Bracelet.
39 WIN!
46 A CHIP OFF THE 50 THE CRAFT BOX
Justbake have a competition for us and also a money off voucher for all!
OLD BLOG Joy from Beaded Bazaar kicks off her new craft blog review feature.
40 KITCHEN CAPERS 47 WIN! Gill from Personal Space Interiors is sharing her recipes and ideas for Party Time and Preserving/
Find out about the craft fair you can take part in where you don’t have to leave the house!
Tina from Shinyies shows us how to make a wire and beadwork apple.
54 REVIEWS
Shinyies is offering a lovely handcrafted charm bracelet to one lucky winner.
As seen by Creative Crafting.
56 PEG DOLLS
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Karen Traversy brings our attention to Peg Dolls.
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INTERVIEW
Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated by the illustrated documentation of new found creatures from far off lands. By the time I got here all earthly worlds had been discovered…but everyone is a gate keeper to much more. My inspiration is rooted in the natural history of the earths biology, I have a huge interest in how plants and animals function. 6
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INTERVIEW I spend a lot of my time out and about in nature exploring ancient woodlands waterfalls and gorges, trying to get as lost in it as possible, this has always been my favourite thing to do. Ever since I was a child I have loved Faeries and animals and have always drawn inspiration from them. I studied art avidly and went on to become an illustrator, however nothing satisfies me more than sculpting. So if I’m not lost out side I’m normally lost in my studio creating what over time I have come to call Faybles. The world of Fayble is a place right here and now but not entirely so... it lies between reality and imagination, a place where anything is possible and in fact everything is real. Imagination I see as a very real thing, a very powerful tool. I find the more I work with Imagination the more it becomes a reality. Its hard to say when I first started creating Faybles as I’ve been drawing them and making creatures all my life but we did come up with the name in 2006. It works as it needed to be indicative of what these creatures are. Each Fayble has an individual life story to tell and with the link to Faeries, Fayble seemed fitting. What I enjoy most about my work is the people that make it possible for me to do this. It is every artists dream to be able to submerge themselves in their art. The Fayble companions are all so lovely and share their pictures and stories on the Internet, they organise get togethers that is just amazing and I couldn’t wish for more.
My biggest challenge so far has been bringing what I do into reality. I’m not very business minded and needed help with a few things. When I became endorsed by Brian and Wendy Froud I asked for help with pricing my art as I had no idea of how much to charge. I have had help with the business side from friends too. Other than that I think always keeping the creatures fresh and different is always something I consider. Other than making, if I’m not lost in the outside I love to chat to the Fayble companions on Facebook, they are always up to crazy things that make me smile. If I had to choose one Fayble to be my favourite it would be my trusty side kick Red.. he knows where it’s at, always helps me out and picks me up whenever I need it. He was made to be sold in a shop before I even had commissions and after setting him in the window I drove home and couldn’t sleep, I knew he had to come home so I drove back to Glastonbury the next day and picked him up.
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INTERVIEW The advice I would give to someone starting out in the craft world is to find out what you love. Try lots of media and experiment as much as you can. Once you have found what you love you will find inspiration everywhere and keep drawing... I had a fantastic tutor in Uni and he always said.. draw!! draw because only then do you see. If I could change anything about what I do, I would train the Faybles to sew! In the future I will be writing a long awaited book, when I get time. My parents have been fantastic, always showing me how to adventure, and my longest and best friend Kim, she has always been my muse.. we call it my a-muse-ment, (she is the funniest person I have ever met) also known as the giant doodle. My partner Alun has been here for anything business or magical if the call occurs. A random fact???... I hate cake!! (Its just not done that way in Fayble!!)
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INTERVIEW
Introducing …
Wild Faybles .... This year I gave a name to the none commission Faybles... none domesticated Faybles if you will. Wild Faybles, for the show in Glastonbury this year 26 27 of October I will be delving in deep into the realms of possibility in Fayble. I will be investigating what lurks in the darkness... what is creaking in the tree tops and rustling around the cracks and crevasses of the world of Fayble. So far I have pulled from the damp roots of the under growth two Trolls Majibob and Jackaboo. Who I I’m yet to find I don’t know.. who knows where the realms of imagination will take me.
www.armorelhamilton.com
www.facebook.com/pages/ Armorel-Hamilton/393323737422492 www.creative-crafting.com
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Enter the World of the Fairies! Fairy doors are miniature portals to middle-earth. By installing one in your home or garden you will be inviting fairies, pixies, gnomes and all other wee folk from their world to yours. This door is lovingly sculpted, moulded, cast and painted by hand. It is made from resin so is durable and weatherproof, therefore suitable for outdoor use.
£15 €85 A wet-felted tree- Fairy house. The fairy house is about 40cm tall. The garden is 33x33cm.
£19
Handmade Tooth Fairy Kit with Door and Ladders A very tiny front door designed to let the Tooth Fairy visit your home with charm and ease.
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Fairy door Bookmark A lovely OOAK Handmade fairy bookmark to keep your page for you. www.folksy.com/shops/Made4yourBooks
£9
£6 Little Wooden Fairy Door These are hand painted wooden doors, with felt flowers & grass and a little wooden heart sign embellishment which reads 'Fairies only' www.wowthankyou.co.uk/beau-cadeaux-wooden-keepsakes
Polymer clay pumpkin fairy house candle holder Decorative candle holder made over a glass votive with polymer clay, then finished with acrylic paint and a sealant. Perfect little hideaway for fairy folk to live in.
£8
Fairy Door and Root Sculpture A hand carved pine fairy door set into an old tree root that was found in a hedgerow near the ancient site of Stonehenge.
£45 www.creative-crafting.com
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INTERVIEW
Entirely original handmade clothing for the dark fashion connoisseur. Tell us about the lady behind Rose Mortem I live in the Victorian neighbourhood of Webster Groves, in Saint Louis, Missouri. It's an old French city, the sister city to New Orleans. The natural and architectural beauty of our home makes it a fertile ground for inspiration and creativity. Music and books are my foremost inspirations; in addition to designing for Rose Mortem I also publish fiction and non-fiction, play in a rather amazing gothic rock band, and lead the occasional software application development project.
When did you first begin creating your designs, and why? I started designing as soon as I was old enough to want clothing that couldn't be purchased in a shop. I loved historic clothing patterns, but I also loved the flare of the 80's new wave, gothic and punk culture that I was growing up in. Combining them and creating my own wardrobe seemed the most natural thing to do. Before I knew it, people wanted to buy what I was wearing‌ and so, RoseMortem.com was born in 1998.
What is it that you enjoy about your work? Realizing a fantasy, and helping someone look the way they've always dreamed of looking. Clothing has a great deal of influence over behaviour - both by the wearer, and others who observe and interact with them. I love that for my clients, my designs help to support their feelings of confidence and beauty, and help them to see themselves both for who they are and for who they can also simply let themselves be.
What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? There were quite elaborate things that I did for my own collection when I was rather young, that I'm very proud of. It was before I had to think about how to reproduce or recreate anything!
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INTERVIEW Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? Write, primarily. I'll be putting out my first fiction work this year. I also play piano / keys for The Awakening (http://www.facebook.com/theawakeningofficial), which was quite an honour to become a part of and something I enjoy just as much as fashion design! If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? The Aislinn Hooded Gown. It's simple, yet absolutely mystical - I love the delicate lacing at the bodice, the drawstrings in the massively draping sleeves, the gentle cling of the bias cut velvet‌ and of course, the hood! What advice would you offer to someone new starting out in the craft world? Develop a strong relationship with a niche market. Being "all things to all people" isn't nearly as rewarding as developing relationships with people who love your work, and with whom you can personally relate. The concept is called "edgecraft" and it's certainly proven true in my case. It's based on the principle that it's smarter and easier to develop marketing strategies for a demographic that you personally are a part of and understand, than it is to reach and sell to absolutely everyone. If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? I would love to tour every single line I release, like a band tours an album. It would be amazing to put together a traveling fashion show! What do you think has helped your business the most? Etsy is the most valuable tool I have. It has significantly increased our business over the years because it accomplishes both getting us in front of new clients, and it supports the "word of mouth" concept through meaningful feedback. Customer confidence used to be a significant barrier for my prospects because they just didn't know if they should trust me. Having literally hundreds of people on Etsy sharing their positive experience with me has removed that obstacle and shown people that I do wonderful work and I'm here to stay.
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INTERVIEW Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? My husband, Ashton Nyte, has kept me both inspired and sane over the years - he's continued to push me to release new lines and believe in my work. I don't think I would still be designing if it weren't for his support and influence. Tell us a random fact about yourself! I love old convertibles. Particularly British sports cars. If anyone wants to trade a 1968 MGB for a custom made wardrobe, I'm listening!
www.rosemortem.com
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HALLOWEEN
The Creative Crafting
Halloween PARADE It was a tough job but someone had to do it! We have scoured the online marketplaces looking for fabulous Halloween goodies for you!
First up we have some gorgeous GLOW IN THE DARK Halloween Bunting! Fabulous Halloween bunting made up of 15 flags, each double sided (stitched and turned) so this banner is washable and reusable. 8 amazing glow-in-the-dark spiderweb flags are interspersed with orange and black polka dot fabrics. Created and sold by Forest Flower on Folksy. £12.50 www.folksy.com/shops/ForestFlower
Next we have some gorgeously spooky cat and spider shelf blocks. Our signature and sought after shelf blocks are all carefully and expertly handmade. They are cut and sanded in Sparrow Primitives' studio from locally sourced FSC approved solid wood, then handpainted and distressed. No aspect of the work is outsourced, ensuring a top quality product. The picture block has an aged finish on the edges for a vintage look and the set has been finished with a protective coat of wax. These beautiful blocks look stunning on a mantlepiece, shelf, dresser or as part of a window or table display. Their timeless look suits any interior and they would make an excellent gift that could be treasured for many years to come. Created and sold by Sparrow Primitives on WowThankYou. £30 www.wowthankyou.co.uk/sparrow-primitives This vintage style pumpkin necklace looks as if it was just plucked from the vine. The ribbed lucite "pumpkin" is a beautiful muted frosty orange color. The pumpkin is adorned with antiqued brass vines, leaves and an olive Swarovski crystal "stem". The swirl clasp on the side has a filigree leaf, an acorn, and my signature cross dangling from it. Right above the clasp are two matching Swarovski crystals that are nestled within antiqued brass filigree caps and separated by a Swarovski crystal rondelle. A beautiful antiqued brass chain finishes off the necklace. Stunning and classy! I love this necklace! Created and sold by ForTheCrossJewelry on Etsy. £22.39 (approx) www.etsy.com/shop/forthecrossjewelry www.creative-crafting.com
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HALLOWEEN
Be noticed with this Zombie Queen Double Heart Necklace! Handmade and Hand Painted on Acrylic and hanging from a 16 inch silver plated chain. Created and sold by Fenix Designs on Misi. £12 www.misi.co.uk/handmade/fenixdesigns.html
A Batty Halloween Apron With Monsters! This cute apron is made with fabric from Robert Kaufman's pleasures and past times. There is Dracula, the Mummy, Frankenstein, and Wolfman. The bottom tier has bats on a black background. Perfect for any halloween occasion, or a night of watching horror movies! Fabrics are cotton. Created and sold by Ruffled Frenzy on Etsy. £33.90 (approx) www.etsy.com/shop/ruffledfrenzy
Although on different websites and created in different countries I think that the apron and the necklace go together rather well!
Smiley Spiders iPhone Phone Gadget Sleeve! Possibly the most non-threatening spiders ever spin their webs over this large padded gadget case. Fully lined in cotton and padded with fleece to protect your device from scratches and knocks. Fastens with velcro. Created and sold by Lemur Lady Handmade on WowThankYou. £10 www.wowthankyou.co.uk/lemur-lady-handmade
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HALLOWEEN Let’s not leave the little people out this year! Just look at these fabulous purple felted baby booties! These are so cute, they have purple felt uppers and soles, are lined in pale pink felt, and are decorated with aglitter skull motif on each toe, pale pink ribbon ties, 9.5cm inside length and 5cm inside width. These little beauties come in a hand stamped 'Cream Bun Bakery' box, wrapped in tissue. Created and sold by Cream Bun Bakery on Folksy. £10 www.folksy.com/shops/CreamBunBakery An unusual display alternative to classic pumpkins. Upcycled Book Pumpkin. It’s pumpkin harvest time! All of our book pumpkins are made from old Reader’s Digest books rescued from a local thrift store. They are painted orange with a touch of brown to give a beautiful aged look. Each one is then adorned with an origami folded paper leaf (striped paper no longer available, will sub with a lovely green), a stem made from branches collected from my neighborhood and a sweet little green gossamer bow. Just like in nature each one of these pumpkins is unique. Created and sold by Whimsy’s Worskhop on Etsy. £11.52 (approx) www.whimsysworkshop.etsy.com
Halloween pumpkin earrings with motifs on both sides. Made based on light wooden wheels. Using the decoupage method. Created and sold by Decorart on Misi. £10 www.misi.co.uk/handmade/Decorart.html
The Internet has a fabulous selection of handmade Halloween items just waiting for you to find. If you have favourite sellers don’t forget to check back with them regularly as most offer various seasonal ranges.
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Photography Tips
Photography Tips by
Taking good photos There are lots of books, blogs and articles out there which talk you through how to take good photographs. The main principles are ensuring your photos are well lit, clear, and that it is easy to see what you are selling (i.e. not too much clutter - make sure your product is the focus of the shot). A lot of online selling websites require items to be on a white background, but you can also do a “lifestyle” shot as a secondary picture, if you wish to show the item in use / in the home. “The Crafter’s Guide to Taking Great Photos” is a really good book by Heidi Adnum, published in December 2011. It looks at how to stage your photographs as well as the obvious things such as lighting and focus. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crafters-Guide-Taking-GreatPhotos/dp/1844487512) “Lighting for Product Photography” by Allison Earnest was published in March 2013 and is well worth a look if you want to get serious about photographing more awkward things such as glass or reflective surfaces. (www.amazon.co.uk/Lighting-Product-Photography-AllisonEarnest/dp/1608955443)
Bad Picture
Good Picture
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Photography Tips
Improving your photos You don’t need fancy software to perk up your pictures … taking good photographs in the first place is a much better way to go about things. Natural light is best, if you have it, and always use a tripod (or balance your camera on a pile of books!) as this will allow you to take clearer pictures. Also using the “time delay” option, if your camera has one, means you don’t get “shutter button shake” as you don’t have to press anything! If you need to improve your pictures, free online editors such as fotofuze and befunky can be a good starting point. (http://fotofuze.com / http://www.befunky.com/) If you don’t have the money for posh photo editing software, GIMP is a fantastic alternative and is free. There are loads of online tutorials, both written and video, which will talk you through improving your photos. (http://www.gimp.org/)
Watermarking This is a topic which often inspires a lot of debate – there are many ways to watermark an image, some are more obvious than others, and some people don’t like to watermark them at all. You could put your logo right in the middle of the picture, or use it as a background texture, or just put your website up one corner. Whichever you choose, it’s useful as it stops people from stealing your images and using them without your permission. If you do decide to watermark, keep the full resolution “clean” images too, as you may need these for magazines or other publicity. If you don’t know how to do this, google for a tutorial which will work with the software you are using. A free online watermarking service is picmarkr. (http://picmarkr.com/) Other hints and tips (ant dips!) Please don’t use photographs and graphics made by other people without getting permission – it’s a good idea to get this in writing. Remember that you may only have permission to use the image for the particular purpose (e.g. you can’t print it on 1000 tea towels and sell them if you only got permission to use it on your website)
Always check the license terms and conditions if buying an image off the internet for use on your website or in your work – some of the conditions (for instance on shutterstock) can be quite restrictive You need permission to post recognisable images of people on the internet. Look up “model release forms” for useful hints on how to do this appropriately. If you take pictures of children, a parent or guardian will need to give their permission for these to be published. There are some useful forms and tips here: http://www.professionalphotographer.co.uk/Magazine/Downloads/ModelRelease-Form Written by Jane Cameron http://www.janecameron.co.uk
Bad Background
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ART JOURNAL I’ve loved painting, drawing and crafting for as long as I can remember, and started keeping an art journal a few years ago. I quickly became addicted to the process, and now have so many sketchbooks lining my bookshelves, one of my friends refers to them as ‘the archives’! I’ll have a go at any craft, but particularly love to paint, and run the Etsy shop Live. Learn. Dream. (www.etsy.com/uk/shop/livelearndream), which is inspired by my experiences of anxiety and eating disorders and combines a love of colour and words. I’m also working towards qualifying as an Art Therapist, and really enjoy helping others to use their creativity. Art journaling is a great way to express your feelings and your creative side. The most important thing to remember is that there are no rules or limits to what you can do, no right or wrong, and nobody to judge. Make something for yourself, and it will always tell a story.
Create an …
Art Journal
A blank journal Glue Paintbrushes Paints/pastels/pencils – whatever you choose! A selection of papers, photos, drawings or anything else you’d like to include (eg. glitter, sequins, washi tape… but the options are endless) To start off, it’s helpful to have an idea of the general theme for your page, but I find my plans always evolve as I go along, so it’s absolutely fine if you don’t know.
Begin by creating a background on your page. I’ve coloured one side with a quick layer of chalk pastel, and on the other I stuck down some scraps of paper.
Adding quotes which resonate with you can be a good way to start. Recently, I’ve been realising how much I value being outside and spending time in nature, so I wanted that to be the focus of my page – I need to make more effort to prioritise it in my life. I found a quote from Henri Matisse I really love, so added that in. I then realised I didn’t like the paper I’d used at the top of the page (see what I meant about ideas evolving?!), but the good thing about art journaling is there are absolutely no rules, and you’re free to chop and change until your heart’s content. So I simply ripped the paper out and replaced it with a scrap of brighter fabric I had left over, plus some gold sequins for sparkle.
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ART JOURNAL
As the final touch, I added a little note I’d written to myself as a reminder of all I love about being outdoors, and how lucky I am to live near to lots of green spaces.
So, for the other side of the page, I wanted to continue the theme of nature. I started out with a postcard I picked up at an art fair recently.
I like to add drawings too, and having recently spent some time sketching leaves, I added a quick outline sketch to the bottom of the page. You could just as easily add a cutting from a magazine, a photo or a print out, if drawing isn’t your thing! I’m a big fan of mind maps too as a way to keep track of my thoughts and ideas, so created a simple little one to include.
There really is no limit to the things you can include, and I often find looking back at the most overflowing pages is fascinating. Keep adding, layering and repositioning until you’re satisfied with your design, but remember it never needs to be ‘finished’. It’s your journal, and the most important thing is that it reflects what like. Here, I added another sketch, and cut some letters from my local free newspaper to give a bit of a title.
Give it a go!
And there you have it – you’ve just successfully started an art journal! It really is all about playing and having fun; finding what works for you and ignoring any preconceptions about what it ‘should’ look like. It’s brilliantly addictive and really does offer something for everyone. Written by Vicky Grant www.etsy.com/uk/shop/LiveLearnDream
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The Garden
Hi! I'm Tina Welcome once more to ‘The Garden’. I am so glad that you took the time to visit again. Do sit down and enjoy the lovely September sunshine. We must mention September to the readers as this article is of course in the October issue of the magazine. The Garden is beautiful throughout the year, but there is just something extra special about the early Autumn or as I like to call it, late summer. First of all here are some of the performers in the Garden since your last visit.
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The Garden We were away for a couple of weeks in late July, not a good idea, look what happened while we were away its Bind Weed and it was everywhere. Just cannot take your eyes off this garden in the growing season. Boy does it grow!
It’s a Mystery! In the last Issue we had the saga of the unusual foxglove. Well, I have another intriguing plant. Now please no yawning, it is interesting so please bear with me. How excited I was! Off to the gardening books, wildflower books, I could not find out what it was. It really became an obsession. My poor better half despaired of me. Oh! You are not looking for that plant again are you? Well, I was every minute in all of those books. Then I mentioned it to my dear friend the Crystal Lady. Well in no time at all she had it. Looked on the Internet of course, as I said in the very first issue she is a wiz with technology. So I had it, was it some exotic unknown plant? or a new hybrid? No I am afraid it was a bit of a let down, it was Buckwheat. How did it get in the garden?, well evidently according to the Internet the seeds are used in bird food, and yes I have a bird. He is a cockatiel and when he sorts through his seed any left in the pot I put out for the wild birds. So mystery solved, not half as exciting as I hoped, but it is quite a pretty plant and I do love them all. Ok you may all yawn now, I will understand. Well, it is the first week of September so the Autumn plants are just starting to perform. The Common Fleabane is a wild flower some may say weed. I prefer wild flower and it's golden daisies are a real rich Autumn colour.
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The Garden
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The fruit is just unbelievable this year the trees cannot stand the weight it will be an early and fantastic harvest.
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Phormium Pentstemon Crab Apples Pears Blackcurrants Apple Tree
The Garden As this is the October issue, Halloween and all that, here are some toadstools. Are they a little spooky? Ok maybe not, I do try you know. There is unfortunately not a photo of the Bog as I have not ventured in there as it is an insects paradise at the moment. I know they have to live somewhere, but they do bite when disturbed so I will leave them to enjoy having it to themselves for a while. My better half was trimming the hedge and had to cut these hops off. They are so delicate and unusual. The Butterflies this year have been just wonderful, and here is just one of the many photos I have taken.
When you see this article in the October magazine it will remind you of the close of the really beautiful summer of 2013.
The Garden
My better half has the barbecue going and this may be the last this year. But enough talking, lets enjoy the food. Yes, maybe we will over indulge, just a little. See you all again in the next issue, oh no! It will be nearly Christmas again, time sure does fly. Your green fingered friend,
Tina
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The Garden
Tina’s Fun Plant Fact Bindweed Common names are Withy Wind ( in basket making), Morning Glory and Possession Vine. Well it certainly is trying to possess my garden. In a Brothers Grimm tale it was used by the Virgin Mary as a wine vessel and is still called our Lady's Little Glass.
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INTERVIEW
Beautiful Gothic Inspired Beadery Tell us about the lady behind Wingsmiths Beaded Creations Behind the name is Dee, I am amongst other things a beadaholic, mother, wife and PA. I live in Kent and I design and make beadwoven jewellery, I use mostly tiny seed beads, crystals and semi-precious gemstones.
When did first begin creating your designs, and why? I started making beadwoven jewellery in 2009 and it has become my passion. If I won the lottery I would pay off my mortgage and open my own beadshop/workshop so I can sell and teach beads/beading.
Your creations are very original, where do you get your inspiration? I am usually inspired by the materials I find, colour schemes come easily to me and I like to experiment and learn new techniques. There are still lots of techniques I need to learn about.
What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? I think my biggest achievement was the largest piece I have ever made, a necklace for a recent competition. I made it through to the second round before being knocked out. I was very pleased to have made it that far! The piece took over 100 hours to complete and contains several different components.
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INTERVIEW
Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? I enjoy spending time with my family, trying new foods and also reading.
If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? I think my favourite is hard to pick, every new piece I make is my favourite. My current one is a red and black pendant made for a friend at my work.
What advice would you offer to someone new starting out in the craft world? Have faith and keep trying. Everyone has to start somewhere and I would recommend that you don't be put off by your first attempts. It takes time to learn new crafts and you need to find your own style.
If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be? I think I would change my job, I'd prefer to be beading every day rather than working in an office.
What do you think has helped your business the most? Facebook has helped immensely in so many ways, inspiration, support from friends and peers, and to reach new suppliers and customers.
Has any person helped or supported you more than any other? My husband, son and mother have always been there and are my biggest fans.
Tell us a random fact about yourself! I have seven tattoos, three of which are very large!
www.WingSmith2010.etsy.com www.creative-crafting.com
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Spell Book
Silk Painted
www.janecameron.co.uk
spell book
Materials ●Piece of A4 silk ●Piece of A4 “freezer paper” (www.silkcraft.co.uk) ●A6 notebook (hardback is best) ●Silk paints (iron fixed) ●Silver silk painting outliner ●Brush, Palette ●Scissors ●Uhu (or other similar glue, tube not pritt stick) Iron
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Spell Book 1. Using a cool iron, iron your piece of silk on to the “greasy” side of the freezer paper. (Freezer paper is special silicone backed paper – you can buy it from Silkcraft or look for Reynolds Freezer Paper in your local craft shop. This means you don’t need frames and pins. An A4 size piece of silk will cover an A6 size notebook.
2. Draw round your notebook on a piece of paper, then draw your design on the paper using dark coloured pen (felt tip pen is best). Put this underneath your piece of silk and trace it on using the silver outliner. Leave it to dry. As this is a spellbook, I decided to go with motifs which would remind me of Halloween. When the outliner has dried, you will have flat silver lines on your silk.
3. Next, paint your silk. Paint the smaller areas and let them dry, then add the background colours.
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Spell Book
4. Once all the paint has dried, you can cover your notebook.
5. Then open out the book and cut diagonally down towards the spine at the top and bottom, folding the triangles inside.
Wrap the silk round the outside and tuck it in on the front and back, then glue the front and back flaps to the front covers of the book.
6. Then fold and glue your top and bottom edges.
Ta-da! You now have a covered book. If you want to, you can glue a piece of paper or card over the insides of the covers to hide them. Your completed Spell Book.
Written by Jane Cameron www.janecameron.co.uk 32
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Fairy Folk
Fairy Folk
For as long as I can remember I have loved anything to do with magical fairies so here is a mixed media piece that you can have a go at and make yourself. Mixed media is the art of using a number of different materials and is something new to me just let your imagination run wild. All the materials are available from any good craft shops.
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Fairy Folk
Materials 1 x small canvas Acrylic paints at least three colours Stamped images of your choice Air dried clay Treasure Gold wax in Aquamarine Old pieces of vintage lace Adirondack inks and duster brush Glossy accents Glitter glue PVA glue
Firstly make your air dried clay embellishments by rolling your clay out to about 4mm and pressing your chosen stamps in to it. These will need approximately 48 hours to dry if you make a selection of different ones they can be kept to use on future projects.
Once they are dry pick out two and use the Treasure Gold wax to rub over them and allow to dry for about 20 minutes before you buff with a dry cloth.
Take your blank canvas and apply paint, I used Rose Pink, Driftwood and White and blend together till you are happy with the result. Other colours can be chosen if you prefer something more vivid. Allow to dry.
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Fairy Folk
Once your paint is dry glue down your piece of vintage lace on one side of the canvas and apply some paint on top of this so that it blends into the canvas. Allow to dry.
Stamp your image on to a piece of paper and then cut to size, with your duster brush apply some Adirondack ink so that the paper is lightly coloured and not to stark in contrast to the rest of your project. I used Wild Plum and then stick the image down on the other side of the canvas when the ink has dried.
Apply some of the glitter glue over your lace and around the edges of your canvas and allow to dry. Glue your fairy picture down and apply Glossy Accents to this so that the image is glossy and stands out, please allow to dry. Glue your clay embellishments down and leave to dry. So there you have it a completed mixed media project I hope you have enjoyed making your own Fairy realms. Just remember there are no rules you can play around with all the materials and produce something unique and no two will ever be the same.
Written by Pat Wilkes from www.starlightgiftsbypat.co.uk www.creative-crafting.com
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Berry Hunters Jam
Millie-Mae, Toby & Mummy Makes … Seedless Berry Hunter Jam If you go down to the woods today, You're sure of a big surprise. …..well we never actually got to the woods as the hedgerows on the edge were what we were after. Tubs and tubs of juicy blackberries! What you need: Most important of all, you need a Berry Map with an ‘x’ that marks the spot of the best blackberries in the land! As many pickers as possible, who don’t mind getting prickled – taller the better (as the best ones are always ‘just out of reach’) Containers to collect the bounty
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Berry Hunters Jam To make the jam you’ll need: A large jam kettle – big big saucepan Sieve/colander Wooden spoon Potato masher Kitchen scales Measuring jug Muslin and stand (or stocking/tights!) Bowl Jar funnel Jars Waxed discs Labels
Ingredients: 4lbs Blackberries 2 x Lemons Jam sugar Recipe:
Step 1. Pick, then wash, your blackberries. Weigh out 4lb of them and put in your preserving pan. Add the juice from the two lemons and add half a pint of water. Simmer for 1 hour.
Step 2. Towards the end of the hour, mash the mixture up with the potato masher to release more of the juice. Set up a straining stand. You can buy ‘posh’ ones, or just get a stocking or leg off a pair of tights and stretch it over a frame. Place a bowl underneath and slowly ladle the blackberries into the muslin. DO NOT push/force the liquid through as this will make your jam cloudy – be patient! Again, wait a good hour while the blackberries strain. Step 3. Towards the end of this hour-long wait – sterilise your jars. We washed ours in hot soapy water, rinsed, then put in a hot oven until we were ready to bottle the jam.
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Berry Hunters Jam
Step 4. Once strained, measure the extracted juice. For every pint you have, you will need 1lb of jam sugar.
Step 5. Pour the blackberry juice into the pan, add the sugar, and heat on low stirring all the time until the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, leave to simmer for again, ``` 1 hour J You need to keep checking from about 40 minutes onwards for the ‘setting point’. To check this, take a plate or dish and pour a tiny amount of the juice onto it. If you can ‘push it’ with your finger and it doesn’t flow back into the space, it is ready to bottle.
Step 6. Take your hot jars out of the oven, and using a jar funnel, pour the juice into the jar.
Step 7. Label your jars and leave to cool. Then, show it off and give as gifts! Millie-Mae is the daughter and Toby is the son of Tracey Kifford, founder and owner of the online marketplace WowThankYou.
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Just Bake
Competition are offering a fantastic prize giveaway this issue.. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning
of these
please answer the question below!
www.justbake.co.uk Please email justbake@creative-crafting.com with your answer in the
heading.
Remember to include your Name and Address so we can contact you if you are the lucky winner.
|||||||||| Creative Crafting readers can also receive a 10% off discount off their next order. Just enter the code ‘CRAFT’ at the checkout and the discount will automatically be applied. There is no minimum spend and the code expires on the 30th November 2013 when the competition closes. www.creative-crafting.com
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COOKING
With Gill
and a spot of batch baking I love making party food and it can be a great help to the self-catering party host if you can make something to take along. Cupcakes are great for parties. They’re quick to make, versatile and look great. And if you’re not catering for a party, cupcakes without icing freeze really well; just pop them in a freezer bag and defrost naturally when you need them. My top tips 1. Use spread rather than butter – your mix will be lighter, easier to blend and will stay moist for longer. Not to mention cheaper! 2. Weigh your cakes. No, I haven’t gone mad. You want uniform cakes so you need to either weigh them if you have digital scales or use an ice cream scoop to make sure they’re the same size. 3. Know your oven. Ovens vary massively so make sure you test yours to check the temperature on each shelf. 4. It’s obvious, but make sure you let the cakes cool completely before you ice them. You can’t rush this so allow yourself plenty of time. 5. Make sure you have something suitable to transport your cupcakes and pack them snuggly to avoid toppling. Popcorn cupcakes - Makes 24 large cupcakes For the cupcakes: · 250g sunflower spread – not low fat · 250g caster sugar · 250g self raising flour, sifted · 5 large eggs · 1 tsp almond extract · 1 tsp baking powder
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For buttercream icing: · 250g sunflower spread – not low fat · 300g icing sugar · 1 tsp vanilla extract · Toffee popcorn to decorate Note: if you want to decorate your cupcakes with a swirl of icing like this, you’ll need to make extra
COOKING
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C 2. Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl 3. Whisk on a high speed for 2 minutes until thoroughly mixed; it should be light and airy with a soft dropping consistency. Add a little milk if the mixture needs loosening. 4. Place 45g mixture in each muffin case and place in a muffin tray. 5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden 6. Meanwhile, place all the buttercream ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. 7. Leave the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack then decorate with the buttercream icing and toffee popcorn.
Anyone who grows their own fruit and vegetables regularly knows that with good weather and a bit of luck the end of summer will bring abundance. Preserving was the traditional way to keep a store of fruits and vegetables through the colder months beyond the growing season. Of course, we now have access to fresh produce all year round and preserving is no longer necessary. I think it’s high time we revisited this age old practice. It’s cheap, fun and easy to do. And homemade preserves make gorgeous little gifts, perfect for making ahead for Christmas.
Top 5 preserving tips 1. If you don’t have a preserving pan, use a large deep high-sided stock pot. This is important; as your jam / pickle boils it will rise considerably in the pan. 2. Make sure you sterilise your jars and lids thoroughly – either put them through a dishwasher cycle or place them in the oven at 150°C for 10 minutes. 3. You don’t need expensive equipment, but some things are essential and others really useful. A long handled wooden spoon, sterilised jars and wax discs are essential. A jam funnel and a sugar thermometer will make life a lot easier. 4. You don’t need to buy expensive “jam sugar” which contains added pectin for setting. Lemon juice does the job just as well and adds flavour too. 5. Buy up discounted fruits and veg at the supermarket for preserving. As long as you use them the same day you’ll save a fortune.
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COOKING
Strawberry Jam Is there anything nicer than fresh crusty bread, butter and homemade jam? Such a treat! This jam takes 60 minutes from start to finish. Makes approximately 1.5kg jam · 1kg strawberries, washed and hulled · 875g granulated sugar · Juice of a lemon 1. Place the strawberries and lemon juice in the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes until soft. 2. Add the sugar and stir carefully over a low heat until completely dissolved. 3. Increase the heat and boil rapidly without stirring until the jam reaches setting point (105°C if you are using a sugar thermometer). 4. Leave to cool for 15 minutes then fill your warm sterilised jars, seal with wax discs and cover. Runner bean pickle This is · · · · · · · ·
perfect with ham and cheese. Sweet, sour and gently spiced with a glorious colour. 900g runner beans, trimmed and cut into 4cm pieces 700g onions, chopped 575ml malt vinegar 275ml cider vinegar 40g cornflour 1 heaped tbsp mustard powder 1 rounded tbsp turmeric 675g brown sugar
1. Place the onion and half the malt vinegar in your pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes until soft 2. Boil the runner beans in salted water for 5 minutes, drain and add to the onions. 3. Mix the spices and cornflour in a small bowl with a little of the vinegar to form a smooth paste. Add this to the runner bean mix with the rest of the vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. 4. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Simmer for 15 minutes then fill your warm sterilised jars, seal with wax discs and cover. 5. Keep in a cool dark place and allow the pickle to develop for at least a month before eating.
Written by Gill from Personal Space Interiors - wwww.personal-space-interiors.co.uk I hope you enjoy my recipes. Why not follow my blog for other foodie treats www.personal-space-interiors.blogspot.co.uk
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Halloween Bracelet
Materials 1 10mm acrylic black disk bead 40cm length 2mm black waxed cotton cord 150cm length 2mm black waxed cotton cord 6 6x8mm orange glow in the dark pony beads 6 6x8mm yellow glow in the dark pony beads 6 6x8mm green glow in the dark pony beads Pointed scissors or craft knife Clear nail varnish or superglue
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Halloween Bracelet Instructions
Step 1. Dip the ends of the shorter length of waxed cord into the nail varnish or a tiny amount of superglue. This makes it easier to thread on the beads and stops the cord from fraying. Step 2. Fold over the first 4cm of the shorter length of waxed cord. Step 3. Fold the longer length of cord in half and tie one square knot around the shorter cord. Step 4. Slide the square knot to create a loop at the top of the central (shorter) cord. This loop needs to be sized so that the disk bead will fit through snugly. Step 5. Tie another square knot directly under the first. Step 6. Trim off the remaining short end of cord (that was folded over in step 2).
Step 7. Thread on a yellow bead. Step 8. Tie another square knot directly underneath the bead. Step 9. Repeat steps 7 and 8 using an orange bead. Step 10. Repeat steps 7 and 8 using a green bead.
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Halloween Bracelet
Step 11. Continue to add beads in this way until they have all been added to the bracelet. Step 12. Tie a final square knot. Step 13. Thread the disk bead onto all three lengths of cords.
Step 14. Leaving a gap of a few millimetres between the knots and the bead, tie an overhand knot in all three cords. Step 15. Trim off the remaining cords leaving a short end. The cord ends can be dipped into clear nail varnish or superglue as in step 1 to stop them from fraying. Thread the disk bead through the loop to fasten the bracelet. As this bracelet has no metal parts it is especially suitable for allergy sufferers.
Written by Claire from www.elderberryarts.co.uk
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BLOGGING
Best Bits By Bloggers As this is my first Craft Blog review, I thought I’d start with one I’ve been following and who’s tutorials I’ve been using for a while – How About Orange. Jessica Jones is a textile and graphic designer who has created How About Orange Blog - a comprehensive and easy to follow blog full of varied tutorials covering everything from papercraft to decorating bananas! Jessica also shares her love for reupholstering furniture and creating pieces for her own home, which gives the blog a lovely personal feel. The blog is regularly published with sometimes several posts in a week – covering all manner of craft and DIY tutorials, as well online quizzes, links to interesting finds and lots more. There are hundreds of DIY makes including origami, paper craft, printing, upholstery and creating artwork for your home. The tutorials themselves are set out in steps making it easy to follow. They all have lots of photographs to guide you as to what your masterpiece should look like . I have tried some of the paper tutorials, and even as a complete novice at paper craft I have managed to create some lovely Christmas ornaments. As well as How About Orange ideas, there are also other makes Jessica has tried and links to other site’s tutorials. Although some of the items used are USA based products (it is a USA based blog), I’m sure it would be easy to find a supplier who ships to the UK or a UK alternative if needed. On How About Orange’s blog, as well as tutorials there are also free downloads, useful resources and timewasters – each easy to find by clicking the title at the top of the webpage. The free downloads section includes links to free fonts, printables, desktop wallpaper, notecards and cards from How About Orange too. The useful resources section covers everything from custom box template generators, printable images, images and wallpapers for use on the web and label generators. The timewasters section is full of links to quizzes, printable certificates and lots of links to free drawing and effect websites. However, I would say that time wasters is an excellent title as you can literally lose an hour or more trying all the quizzes! Overall, I would recommend this blog to everyone. It is entertaining with lots of easy to follow tutorials covering all skill levels and many types of craft. There are also lots of other things to try, various tutorial sites and blogs to be introduced to and lots of quizzes and goodies to discover.
How About Orange Blog can be found here: www.howaboutorange.blogspot.co.uk Written by Joy from www.beadedbazaar.weebly.com 46
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Competition
is a handcrafted contemporary jeweller, with ranges from semi-precious gemstone and Swarovski crystal charm bracelets to our exclusive Portrait Jewellery, incorporating hand drawn portraits made into charms and displayed on quality jewellery.
Competition This is a one-of-a-kind bracelet using only Swarovski crystals and quality metal charms. The theme is harvest, as depicted by the tree, 2 apples, pear and leaf charms. The beautiful warm colours of the crystals are a reflection of the fruit and the coming Autumn season.
The bracelet is approx. 18cm/8in and made with silver plated chain, fastened with a lobster clasp.
What are Shinyies fine jewellery designs inspired by? http://www.shinyies.co.uk Please email your answers to Entries by midnight 15 November 2013
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craftfest
CRAFTfest is held on the Creative Connections website, www.creative-connections.ning.com. During the event itself, the entire Creative network will be transformed into CRAFTfest. From the 16th – 23rd November 2013, the virtual fair will be open 24 hours a day throughout the entire 8 days. CRAFTfest was one of the first online craft fairs holding its first event in September 2011. But it is MORE than just a craft fair! The main difference with CRAFTfest is that it is a community experience. It is about the bigger picture, making friends, interacting with other crafters, people who understand your passion, and your craft. CRAFTfest is not just about uploading items to your stall and trying to sell things, it is about having fun in the forums and chatting in the chat room, exchanging tips, learning new ideas and speaking to other crafters that have weeks, months or years of experience. Throughout the 8 day long event all of the stall holders will be busy promoting themselves, the event and you throughout this time. Why struggle to promote yourself when you can have hundreds of others promoting with you! There is promotional material free to download that includes buttons, banners and posters and ongoing promotional events every day throughout the week, covering a vast range of social media sites. You'll be part of a team who are there to support each other, give advice and share promotional skills. We can all learn something new from other people doing the same as us, running a business by ourselves and trying to make a living from crafting. The previous Christmas virtual fair brought in over 112,560 views with 250 stalls. For more information, please go to www.craftfest-events.com or email admin@craftfest-events.com
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The Craft Box
The Craft Box Wirework and Beaded Apple The arrival of October signals the beginning of Autumn, of harvest, and of course Halloween. Although I live in London I did spend some years of my childhood in a small farming town. I still have very fond memories of harvest celebrations, so I rummaged through my craft box to find some inspiration for a harvest theme. A Wirework and Beaded Apple.
Materials 3/4 packets of 6m brass wire 0.8mm, mixed selection of glass and plastic beads in greens and gold's Pliers and wire cutters.
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The Craft Box
Step 1. I began by cutting a length of wire for the bottom of the apple, as it naturally curved, all I needed to do was wrap the two strands around the coil to secure it.
Step 2. I then cut 4 lengths of the brass wire approximately 40cm long. These were criss-crossed over the base, wrapping around the base to hold it in place.
Step 3. Another, much larger coil was then cut from the brass wire, same as the base piece. The eight lengths of wire were then wrapped around the coil. This was to give the wirework frame a more rounded appearance and extra stability.
Step 4. When that was completed, another, much smaller coil was cut from the brass wire. This would become the frame for the top of the apple. Again the eight wires were wrapped over the coil, but this time were pulled down, making the last coil slightly inset. The wire ends were then wrapped around each other and left inside the apple shape.
Step 5. For a little more stability I wrapped the brass wire through and across the centre of the base, it also helped it to look more pleasing.
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The Craft Box
Step 6. Not looking too much like an apple, and being quite delicate to handle, I then wrapped wire over the alternating sections of the lower half, then repeated the process on the top half, wrapping the wire over opposite sections to the bottom. This was more for looks but also so that items could be placed inside (i.e. battery operated tea lights).
Step 7. Then over the covered sections, lengths of brass wire with beads were weaved through the wirework.
Step 8. When it was completed it was time to give the apple a stalk. A length of brass wire was cut and threaded with gold coloured beads. The stalk was approximately 4in long and the excess wire was wrapped around it. The stork was then attached to the top of the apple.
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The Craft Box
Step 9. Finally it came to making the leaf. Again a length of brass wire was cut and threaded with green and gold beads. Bent into a leaf-like shape it was then attached to the top of the apple at the base of the stork. Then the apple was complete.
This is a really fun make and very easy to do, although it does use a lot of wire. *Instead of green beads you could use orange, for a Halloween pumpkin.
Written by Tina from www.shinyies.co.uk
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REVIEWS
AS SEEN BY CREATIVE
Crafting
Followers of our Facebook page and Twitter Account may have seen that we now offer product reviews. This can either be your creations, your service or your course/workshop etc. If you would like us to conduct a review for you further information can be found on our website. www.creative-crafting.com/product_reviews.html Depending on how many products we get submitted we may offer single or multiple reviews per issue. Our next review is of:
Sonia Subash co-founded Styles of Sonia with her husband, Fabian which to date, carries a jewellery design line called Twinkle, Sparkle & Tinsel Me Now; specializing in handmade jewellery with Swarovski & oriental crystals. Sonia describes her designs to as a mixture between Indian and Bohemian. Her creations are mostly influenced by Indian fashion accessories as her designs are mostly ‘big & chunky’ with crystals. Sonia receives her inspiration from architectures, plants, landscapes, nature, culture, colours and love & support from her husband, children, parents and siblings. Sonia creates her fabulous items from her home in Malaysia. Sonia created two designs for us to review at Creative Crafting and we have to admit that WE LOVE THEM! The first style is Sonia’s Signature ‘S’ Design. These earrings are simply stunning and and extremely eye catching. Now I will be the first to say that I have very ‘fussy’ ears, for many years now I haven’t worn earrings very much as I find them uncomfortable. After wearing the ‘S’ earrings I hardly noticed them at all and they looked fabulous! Sonia offers a wide range of these beautiful earrings, all different Swarovski colours, gold, silver, you name it! You can purchase them directly from The Styles of Sonia Etsy store here www.etsy.com/uk/listing/153802417/signature-s-earrings for £22.39 plus postage. (Approx exchange rate)
Keep reading to see the second pair of earrings created for us by Sonia… 54
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REVIEWS We also received a second pair of beautiful earrings from Sonia. ‘Wau Bulan’ Earrings. The Wau Bulan is one of Malaysia’s National Symbols. Sonia has created these from compact disc pieces,soutache thread, felt, beads and batik. These earrings were presented in a beautiful batik cloth wrap. These substantial earring were fascinating to look at and feel at the same time as they are thick with a luscious felt backing and surrounded by tiny seed beads.
Sonia offers a range of truly beautiful jewellery and don’t be put off by the distance it will need to travel. It may have taken that bit longer than buying from a local crafter but the experience on opening up the carefully wrapped packages was well worth the wait. If you would like something very different to add to your collection it is worth getting in touch with a lovely lady who would be only too pleased to create for you. You can find Sonia at her website here www.stylesofsonia.com Her Etsy store here www.etsy.com/shop/StylesOfSonia On Facebook here www.facebook.com/soniaashleycollections
Sonia’s creations have recently been worn by singer Prema Yin.
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Peg dolls
Peg Dolls are miniature table top dolls that originated in Europe and are widely used in Waldorf/Steiner classrooms, home-schools, families and events. They lend themselves to children's imaginative play, storytelling and nature table or seasonal decoration. They are garbed in simple felt or fabric costumes as human figures or characters from fairy tales, myths, and other stories, and flora and fauna the natural world.
A search on Google, Pinterest or Etsy brings up multiple peg doll entries. Many are painted rather than garbed. I was surprised to see them used as wedding cake toppers! They are extremely popular in Japan now. I have made them for years for my classroom, first learning about them as a Waldorf teacher. Now that I am no longer teaching I make them for others to enjoy. A number of teachers, both Waldorf and mainstream buy them from my Etsy shop for their classrooms. They are sturdy, stand up on their own and children love them. This photo was taken when I was in the midst of making many gnomes. You can get an idea of the process- I make paper templates from design ideas I have worked on. The garment pieces are cut from wool felt or cotton fabric, embroidered or beaded and then the peg doll is dressed.
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Peg dolls I only use natural materials for a rich sensory experience, both for me as the crafter and for the child playing or the adult using for decoration or meditation. The angels I make have been ordered with spiritual or healing intentions.
Right now I am struggling a bit with a special order. An Etsy customer wants 12 peg dolls for a birthday ring. Two of them are insects which I have not made before. I had some ideas and am testing them out. I covered the wooden peg with wool felt and wool roving, cut out the body parts and began sewing. Off the doll the body looks good. On the doll looking at it sideways I am not happy with it.
From the back it looks fine. So I will keep fussing with it till I am satisfied. It might mean I scrap this design and attach the wings in a different way. And the antenna? Hmmm... Peg Dolls can be a simple or elaborate as you want. So simple that children have a wonderful time making them, whether painting or sewing or a combination of the two. Or an adult can created an elaborately styled doll, beautifully clothed and embellished with great detail.
Written by Karen Traversy I am a New Englander and love it. I am close to the ocean, the White Mountains and Boston. I am a former Waldorf teacher, currently loving not working for someone else. Wife, mother to a 20 something daughter who is working in Germany as an au pair and practitioner of needle arts and mixed media.
Find Karen on Etsy here www.etsy.com/shop/BRIDGITSBELL
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Don’t miss our Christmas issue out on 1st december 2013
More projects, more interviews, more crafting possibilities. Don’t forget that luscious printed copies can be purchased from www.magcloud.com/user/creativecrafting
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