Issue 28, SUMMER 2014
CREATIVE
Craf�ing
By Crafters, for Crafters
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CREATIVE 5 Tie Dyeing with Becci, Maggie Mae & William Too
8 A Dream Come True
10 Dress a Girl Around the World
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Issue 28
12 Hobby or Business
22 An Interview with Moon River Jewellery
14 Recycled Denim 24 Tina In The Picnic Rug
20 Shoes Ooo La La
Garden
29 Summer Fashions
31 Millie-Mae, Toby, Daddy & Mummy have a handmade bbq
37 An Interview with Jane Cameron
41 A Chip Off The
49 As seen by
Old Blog
42 My Journey to Becoming A Professional Crafter
Creative Crafting
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Do It Yourself Cheese Making Kits
46 Crafting on a Budget
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CREATIVE
Welcome to our Summer 2014 Issue! This edition completes a full FIVE YEARS of publishing for Creative Crafting. Hasn’t it flown by! We have met so many crafters and writers and seen some fabulous projects and features, it’s been lots of fun hasn’t it. You may see some changes for us in the future but we hope that you will continue to follow our work and keep getting involved with everything that we do. We have some great projects and features for you in this issue so dive on in and have a read. Have a lovely Summer!
Anna
CREATIVE EDITORIAL Editor - Anna-Marie Miles Technical Editor - Avril White CONTRIBUTORS Tina Tracey - WowThankYou Joy - Beaded Bazaar Leanne - Small Surprises Boutique Sharon - The Old Button Regina - The Cutting Cafe Pat - Starlight Gifts by Pat Kate Teasedale
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INTERVIEWS with Heather - Moon River Jane Cameron ADVERTISING Anna-Marie Miles theycrystallady@creative-crafting.com Tel: 07763 566636 ARTICLE SUBMISSION To: articles@creative-crafting.com
CreativeCraftingMagazine CreativeCraftin
AvAnna
PURCHASE IN PRINT www.creative-crafting.com/buy_your-copy.html www.creative-crafting.com
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.
Publications
Tie Dyeing with Becci, Maggie Mai and William too Ingredients · T-shirts – white ones are best but light colours can work too · · · · · ·
Salt Water Plastic bowl and an old wooden or plastic spoon for stirring Rubber or plastic gloves Old clothes Adult assistant
Before you start - check with your adult assistant where you can do your tie dying! Dye stains don’t come out, so do it outside if you can – a bit of dye on the grass is better than on the carpet or kitchen table.
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Put the t-shirts in cold water so they are wet all the way through. Squeeze most of the water out of the t-shirts. Open them flat then fold or roll each one up in whatever style you like – the photos give you lots of ideas or you can look at videos on YouTube. Use elastic bands or string to tie it up – make sure it’s tied really tight to stop the dye getting in where you don’t want it. Mums and dads are great at this. Ask your adult to help mix up the dye in a plastic bowl. Tell them to follow the instructions on the packet – you usually have to dissolve the dye in water and then add salt – don’t forget this bit - the salt makes the dye come out a strong colour and stops it fading too much. Stir the mixed dye well with an old spoon – we love using wooden ones as the dye turns the spoon a great colour. Put the tied up t-shirts into the bowl of dye. Use gloves and put them in carefully - don’t drop it in – it will splash dye everywhere and you don’t want it in your eyes! And use the spoon to push the t-shirts under the dye and to stir them around a bit. Leave the t-shirts in the dye for as long as the instructions say – some dyes take ages and ages to work, others are really quick. But don’t take them out early or the dye will fade too much when you wash them. When the time is up, ask your adult to carry the bowl of dye to the sink. Tell them to be careful not to spill any on the floor! Wearing gloves, take the tied up t-shirts out of the bowl of dye and put them in the sink. Turn on the cold tap but don’t put the plug in - just swish the tied up t-shirts around in lots of running water. When most of the spare dye colour is washed away, you can untie the t-shirts. Ask your adult assistant to help if you can’t undo the knots or elastic bands. This is the really exciting bit - when you get to see what your t-shirt looks like. Remember each one is supposed to look different so they won’t be exactly like ours. And they may look a bit bright at first but they will fade a bit when you wash them. Keep swishing the t-shirts around in cold water until no more dye colour comes out. Then put your t-shirts in the washing machine and ask your adult to wash and dry them so you can wear them. We hope you enjoy tie-dying your own t-shirts as much as we do … Becci, Maggie Mai and William Keep reading for: Technical Bits from the crafty auntie 6
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Fabric dyes – you can use most fabric dyes that are soluble in water – just follow the instructions. Most use salt to fix the dye, but some specialist dyes use other fixatives so check before you buy. Cold water hand dye products like Dylon are great for first attempts – you can buy them at most supermarkets and fabric shops fairly cheaply; they come in pre-measured dosages and only need salt - but they can take a long time for the dye to take. You may want to distract the young dyers with a good film while the t-shirts soak. You can use special dyes for the washing machine too – but I don’t think the kids enjoy this as much as swishing around with water! You should be able to do 4 or 5 kids t-shirts from a standard dye packet – but you must be able to fit them all in the bowl so they are fully submerged. If you can’t fit them all in, keep the dye for a second batch but the colour will be paler so try leaving in longer. Supervision and help – depends on the age of the child, but even older kids will need help mixing the dye liquid as well as general safety supervision. You may need to help younger kids fold and tie the t-shirts to get a good pattern – I usually do a few myself while “helping” them do one each – that way there are lots to choose from at the end – essential to prevent tears if one doesn’t work out! Initial washing instructions – between 40 and 60 degrees without detergent or fabric conditioner. This first wash helps fix the dye but I usually add in a Dye Catcher – also known as colour catcher – a small sheet of special paper fabric that catch spare dye in the wash. Also great for washing new denim and other non-colourfast clothes – you can buy it at supermarkets with the laundry products. Subsequent washes can be as normal for cotton t-shirts – but try not to wash at too high a temperature to preserve the colours. Becci, Maggie Mai and William were helped by their crafty auntie - Sharon from The Old Button. Their mum Laura encourages their creative fun and has recently started crafting herself under the name of The Village Stitch. You can catch up both of them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheOldButton and https://www.facebook.com/Thevillagestitch
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I have been crafting for the last 21 years. I started out doing layouts of my four children out of a small space in my two car garage. Fast forward to the year of 2002 we moved into a much bigger house, but I still ended up crafting in our 3 car garage. I had a whole one car section to myself. Still doing layouts of my children and family but dibbling into creating a few cards and other crafty projects. All along I had dreams of what my space would look like when my oldest would move out of one of the upstairs rooms. Believe me it was tough! When it was cold outside it was FREEZING in the garage and when it was hot outside, oh my it was DOUBLE HOT in the garage‌ but I still loved it because it was MY SPACE. Fast forward to the later part of 2012. My oldest moved out and my dreams actually started to come true. It took a long 10 years. I already knew in my mind the flooring, colors etc that I wanted in my space. It is approximately 14 by 14 feet. 8
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I can honestly say I spend no less than 6 plus hours in my room every day. My most favorite things to make in my craft room are sample projects for my business called The Cutting Cafe. I design cutting files and digital images for crafters to use with various cutting machines and for hand cutting. So I make lots of bags and boxes and cards. You can see more of my business here (www.thecuttingcafe.typepad.com) and if you like some of my work here. (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgall ery.php?cat=500&ppuser=91232) When I originally thought of how I wanted to design my space I thought I wanted to have most of my supplies hidden, well I have learned that when all is hidden you forget about all the stuff you have. So now I am displaying most of my craft supplies and I love it. Not only can I now see what I have, it also makes the room look very colorful – a true happy space for me. Thanks so much for letting me share my space. I am still on cloud nine and hope to never come down. If you want to see more pictures of my space, click here. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18232956@N02/) Thank You Regina Easter
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Dress A Girl Around the World to Celebrate Sewing Machine Day
J
une 13th marks National Sewing Machine Day; a day that celebrates and encourages people to use their sewing machines, whether they're experienced sewers or total beginners. What better way to celebrate than by using your sewing skills to help a good cause. The Dress A Girl Around the World campaign encourages sewers to make and donate a girl's dress - with the mission that all girls around the world should own at least one dress. The campaign is led by Hope 4 Women Internationals, they say: "By giving a girl a new dress you could be changing her destiny. Village pastors have told us that a new dress gives a girl an appearance of being cared for and may discourage would-be predators. We sew our Hope 4 Women label on the outside of each dress sending the message that this girl is under the care of an organization" Dresses are currently being made from all across the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, UK and Uganda. Getting involved doesn't mean having expert skills or spending a fortune on fabrics. Organisers and ambassadors for the cause have created easy to follow patterns and tutorials.Here's our top three tutorials for easy dresses: 1. Pillowcase Dress: http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/pillowcase-style-pattern The majority of the dresses donated are made from colourful pillowcases. This tutorial and printable patterns have different sizing charts and guidance on how best to make a dress from a pillowcase, for example some pillowcases are often too narrow for larger dresses. It also has a handy guide for armholes. This tutorial is great for beginners who are looking to make a simple but pretty dress.
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2. T-shirt dress This tutorial shows you step by step how to turn a t-shirt into a beautiful dress. It's easy to follow but requires some sewing skills. To make this you will need a t-shirt and some contrasting fabric. This design is particularly good for countries which require dresses to have sleeves. http://sewdelightful.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/t-shirt-dresses.html 3. Boys in the Background If you would like to create something for the little boys so that they aren’t left out you can also do this. http://dressagirlaroundtheworldva.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/boys-in-background.html
For more information on the scheme visit: http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com http://www.h4wi.org/ministry/dress-girl-around-world
This article was written by Kate Teasedale. Look out for more crafting for charity ideas from Kate in future issues.
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Hobby or Business?
S
o you love to create things, make things, draw things, stitch things, it a passion and something that means everything to you. Am I describing you? I know I am describing me, my creativity has seen me through many up’s and down’s and in a way I think keeps me quite sane. I suspect it’s the same for many other people being creative is a way of life. There comes a point when you have may be made all you can for your home, family and friends, what do you do with all of the stuff you hoard away? For me it was simple, I started to have stalls at local fairs a couple of years ago and have been doing so ever since. I also have small amounts of stock in three shops and sales are steady. Handmade has become a huge thing and many people, mainly women although a growing number of men too want to make and sell, to either substitute their day jobs or try and make a living. It can be a cut throat business as high street shops are all selling what look like handmade items such as cushions at such cheap prices, that you or I could not make as cheaply. This is because the high street stores can buy in large quantities from poorer counties and still make a profit, which the small business is not able to do. So when is the right time to jump from being what some call a hobby crafter to being a small business? Get all the paperwork done first, tax man, insurance and some sort of accounts in place. Find out who your ideal customer is, what age are they, men or women, what sort of outlet would be the best for the product? Do your research. Your next decision is to decide how you are going to sell your creations and as I have mentioned you can do events, fairs and if brave enough approach a local shop to see if they like what you make and would be willing to have some stock for you. This can be tricky, do you rent space or sell on commission or sale or return, something that needs to be thought about before jumping in feet first.
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So what is holding you back? This is a hard one to answer and will depend on your personal circumstances so you need to ask yourself; · Do I need my regular income? · Can I afford to buy materials in big enough quantities if I am not earning a regular income? · Am I near retirement and would going solo effect my pension? · Can I get enough outlets or fairs to make a living taking stall prices and travelling costs into consideration? · Am I prepared to work extra long hours? Each of us is different and will answer all of the above according to what we need, however I could also argue that even though I work part time like many women, I do actually spend just as much time being creative and making new stock. So personally I think that making and creating for me is already a small business on a micro scale. So food for thought, is being creative something you want to do for a living, is it something you want to do part time as well as earning a part time wage, or is it something that will remain a hobby which could be self funding? Whatever you decide to do there is no right or wrong way and although one day I would like to make this my living I am also happy with it being a part time micro business do what is right for you. Just be happy creating. Pat at www.starlightgiftsbypat.co.uk
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Recycled Denim Picnic Rug I just love working with denim – especially soft faded denim from old jeans. And I try to be environmentally friendly so I created this picnic rug entirely from recycled materials – preloved denim jeans, reclaimed Indonesian sarongs and a quilt wadding made from recycled plastic bottles. While I designed it as a picnic rug, it would also make a fantastic throw on a teenager’s bed – especially it included their own outgrown jeans and cotton clothes – I have made a similar one with red and blue checked shirts – it looked just as fantastic as this one.
Why not have a go yourself – just follow the instructions below. It’s not a beginner project, but you don’t need to be an experienced quilter. It is a quilt as you go method, making it a bit more manageable. And you can make it as big or as small as you like. However it is heavy – and you’ll need a pretty robust sewing machine with a strong needle suitable for jeans.
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Materials: - between 3 and 4 pairs depending on how big they are. I find men’s jeans the best – they are bigger and straight legged so you can cut more squares from them. Using different colours is good – I love to alternate dark and pale denim. Avoid stretch denim – old jeans work best especially traditional brands such as Wrangler, Lee or Levi (if you can bear to cut them up) – they are less stiff than modern brands. – I used material from vintage and reclaimed sarongs - but you could use any cotton fabric including shirts, dresses or skirts (but not t-shirts – too stretchy) as well as cotton fat quarters or yardage. You’ll need between 1.5m and 2m. – go for a “low loft” wadding which is fairly flat. You could use bamboo or cotton wadding instead of recycled. A standard crib sized piece of wadding (60 by 46 inches) will be more than enough. Instructions Step 1 – Picture 1 · Cut off the legs of the jeans and cut out 6-inch squares – try and stay square to the grain. You will need 36 squares for the checked centre plus 56 squares for the plain denim border. · Cut out 36 6-inch squares from the cotton fabric. · Cut out 40 5-inch squares from the wadding (1 inch smaller). · Keep additional wadding for step 7 and additional cotton fabric for step 10.
Step 2 – Picture 2 ·
· · ·
Sandwich wadding between a denim and cotton square – making sure it is central with equal distance from edges. (Fabrics are right side out.) Pin and mark diagonal lines with self erasing pencil or chalk. Machine along diagonal lines to form quilted cross. Press. Repeat for all 36 central squares.
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Step 3 – Picture 3 · · · ·
Lay squares on floor in a checked pattern – alternating denim sides up with fabric side up. Rearrange colours until you are happy with the layout. Carefully turn each square over in turn and check you are happy with the other side. You may want to photograph them or pin a number to each one so you know where each one goes when sewing them together.
Step 4 – Picture 4 · ·
·
· ·
Sew each piece from the first row together in order. Your seam should be 0.5 inch (you only sew through the denim and cotton – not the wadding.) Ensure all the raw edges are on the same side. These exposed seams will be the raw fringing of the rug. Repeat for each row in turn. Press seams open.
Step 5 – Picture 5 ·
·
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Sew the first two rows to each other along the long edges with 0.5 inch seam – smooth sides together so the raw edges are on the correct side. Check the check pattern is correct and try and match up seams of each square so the corners and diagonal stitching lines intersect neatly.
Step 6 – Picture 6 · · ·
Add other rows in the same way – making sure the pattern stays correct. Press all seams open – it will be difficult where there are lots of denim layers. You will now have a central panel of 36 squares – with raw exposed seams on one side with a smooth reverse.
Step 7 – Picture 7 ·
·
Sew together 6 denim patches into a long strip, right sides together so the seams are not exposed. Press seams open. Make 8 strips in total, using 48 of the 56 remaining denim squares. Cut 4 pieces of wadding exactly half an inch smaller on all sides than the strip and sandwich each one between two denim strips – with right sides out. Pin.
Step 8 – Picture 8 ·
·
·
Mark and stitch along diagonal lines on each square – starting at the corners of the outer squares, but 0.5 inch down on the central squares. Make 4 corner squares in the same way as the central squares, but using 2 pieces of denim instead of 1 denim and 1 fabric. Sew 2 corners to each of 2 strips – keeping exposed seam on same side.
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Step 9 – Picture 9 · ·
·
You will now have 2 strips of 8 squares and 2 strips of six squares. Sew the 6-square strips to the top and bottom of the rug – keeping raw edges on same side and matching seams where possible. Sew 8-square strips to the other sides in the same way. Press seams open.
Step 10 – Picture 10 ·
· ·
·
Join scraps of fabric for binding - you need 4 lengths in total -3-inch wide and slightly longer than rug. Press binding in half along length and press – it will now be 1.5 inches wide. Pin first binding to one edge of rug on the ragged side with raw edges of binding towards to outside of the rug. Sew together 0.5 inch from edge.
Step 11 – Picture 11 ·
·
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Fold over binding to the other side and pin. It should just cover the machine seam line where you sewed binding on. If not, trim a bit of the edge away. Add binding to other sides in same way – folding back corners to conceal raw edges. Press and pin.
Step 12 – Picture 12 – the finish! ·
·
·
Stitch the binding at the back of the quilt – I prefer to hand stitch but you can machine sew it. Carefully snip all of the exposed seams with a small sharp scissors – about an inch apart and about halfway into the seam – don’t cut too deep. This starts the raggedness. Wash in machine at 40o and tumble dry – this also encourages fraying – subsequent washes will make the rug softer and more frayed. Enjoy your picnic – if you can bear to put your fabulous rug on the ground.
This recycled picnic rug tutorial was designed and created by The Old Button for your personal use. You are welcome to use this tutorial to make rugs or quilts for yourself and as gifts for your friends and family. But please don’t copy this design for items you are planning on selling. You can find out what The Old Button is up to, and how to buy her unique hand crafted gifts for children and the home on her blog http://theoldbutton.blogspot.co.uk/ www.creative-crafting.com 19
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SatansSlippers
SHOES www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Shoebidooo
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Hand painted shoes Shoebidooo www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Shoebidooo www.LauraGrishamDesigns.etsy.com
www.folksy.com/shops/YourLovelyHome
www.folksy.com/shops/wickedlywardrobe
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Moon River Meet the lady behind the beautiful silver fingerprint jewellery with a difference. Jewellery inspired by Nature. Have you always been interested in crafts/how did you start? I have made and created things for as long as I can remember. My Gran taught me to knit when I was young - I used to make 'clothes' for my teddies and of course never ending scarves from oddments of wool - and then I taught myself to crochet. After I left school I trained as a florist and worked in the trade for several years before having my children - so much of the natural style I liked best back then comes back to me for my inspiration now, and the wire work for wedding flowers has put me in good stead for my wire work jewellery. What made you decide to go into working with silver? I work with precious metal clay rather than as a traditional silversmith. I got started when I trained to make silver fingerprint keepsake jewellery as a new business when my husband had been made redundant and I felt I should perhaps get a job! I soon moved on to creating other designs from the silver clay I was working with and now run the two branches of my business alongside each other. Where do you get your inspiration? I draw my inspiration from the natural world around us - what more inspiration do we need! I can't improve on nature, but I can try and capture something of its magic in my pieces for people to keep and treasure. Trees and leaves are by far my favourite influences as you can probably see from my work.
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How do you use real items in your beautiful silver jewellery? It depends on the item! For my leaf jewellery, I use the silver clay as a paste and literally paint it on to the surface of the leaf. When there are enough layers, I fire the piece which burns away the original leaf and leaves a beautiful silver leaf in its place. For pieces like shells and acorns, I take a mould of the original item in the same putty I use to take fingerprints and use this to recreate the item in silver. Do you do other crafts as well? I still like to knit and crochet when I have time, but somehow there never seem to be enough hours in the day at the moment. I do a lot of crafts with children, both at home with my own and in groups that I help to run - it's lovely to see them inspired to make something. Is there something you'd like to do/try or somewhere you'd like to go if time or money was no barrier? Now there's a question! Over the next few months I'm planning on incorporating more copper into my work (watch this space!) and more gem stones as well. On a personal note, one day I am determined to learn to paint and draw 'properly'. Where can people find you? website, shop etc? I have a website at www.moonriverjewellery.co.uk and a Folksy shop at www.moonriverjewellery.folksy.com. I also sell my work through the Gloucestershire Arts and Crafts Centre in Gloucester (www.facebook.com/GloucestershireArtsAndCraftsCentre) (a collective of local artists and makers working together) as well as other local shops and markets.
Visit Heather for a beautiful, personalised, nature inspired gift!
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Hi I'm Tina, It is the second week of May and I would like to welcome you all back to the garden. Do make yourselves comfortable I have made the tea and have chocolate biscuits today, yummy. If you are one of my regular readers you will know that we have been visiting Florida for a number of years in the winter while the garden is sleeping. Well, now we have a small home there with guess what‌ a garden! Nothing like the English one as there could never be one quite like this one, but a small space with colourful flowers. This means that in the winter when we visit I will be able to show you the Floridian Garden. So watch this space next spring, to see our new garden. In the last article do you remember our visit to the Azores with the dull weather? Well on our way home from Florida we visited again and I just had to show you the difference. The sun was shining it was beautiful but it was about 5 months later. In the town square there were some plants for sale. Gardening is the same the world over.
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I was away for longer this year and missed the spring flowers, which I love so much. My good neighbour told me they were beautiful. The garden is just romping away, everything is trying to come into bloom at once. Everyday there is something new I just can't keep up, my camera will be red hot. When we returned, unfortunately the strong winds had done some damage although not too much, we were really lucky. The greenhouse has lost some panes, but that can be replaced. The main damage was to a large fir tree. As you will see it had two trunks one has completely broken off, the wind must have been really strong to have caused this. It has not done too much damage that we can see at the moment. We are waiting for a friend with a chainsaw to help my better half to cut it up and remove it. I should then be able to see just how many plants have been flattened. But they are very resilient and will soon pop up again I am sure. The two crab apple trees are safe so that is good. Here is the first picture of the year of the Bog, especially for our lady editor. It has dried out a lot but there is still a lot of water in there somewhere. The bluebells are as wonderful as ever and with the fresh green leaves it is truly magical.
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Also the Sycamore trees are in full flower, maybe we don't always notice how special these trees are. Their leaves are so crisp and fresh after the winter, but just look at the detail in these flowers, another wonderful shade of green. Better not get me started about the shades of green in nature, I could go on all day. But just one then I will stop just look at this it is lichen very different, it is like fine lace.
I think we checked on some of the usual areas, now let's see which plants are performing in the garden at the moment.
Iris
Wisteria
The apple trees are just full of blossom this year, the winds seem to have missed them, we are so lucky. The Butterflies are out early, here is a cabbage white. Good job I don't have cabbage.
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Aquilegia
Rhododendron & Wallflowers
The foxglove are not so big this year and there are not so many, no special ones this time just the ordinary. But they are beautiful and are bending their heads so I guess the fairies are still with us, that's good.
The clematis on the pergola looks good but the one in the secret garden has been completely damaged by the wind, I will have to cut it right down.
I just have to show you a sample of the wild flowers they are so delicate and have a beauty all of their own. The red champion, and my very favourite the cow parsley. Well, the garden is still bathed in sunlight and so peaceful and still, I think Summer is on its way. Maybe you would like to stay a while and walk around, just enjoy its wonderful feeling. But I will say goodbye until the next issue when I look forward to welcoming you all again to the garden. Your green fingered friend
Tina
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FUN FACTS The Bluebell or Wild Hyacinth Another flower beloved by the faerie. ( Yes I do find them don't I.) Folklore says that mortals who wander into bluebell rings will fall asleep and wake in a hundred years. That would be interesting, but maybe I will stay on the path. Seems a good way to deter clumsy mortals from crushing them underfoot too. Also not so magical, the crushed bulbs provided starch for the ruffs of Elizabethan collars.
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£15
£29.99
Iphone 4 Case : Last Day Of Summer Mypipsqueak www.folksy.com/shops/mypipsqueak
Childrens Maxi Dress 2-6 yrs Pink Chevron Love in the Clouds
www.wowthankyou.co.uk/love-in-the-clouds
Green shorts with turtle applique on the back.
Summer Fashions
Ecattus
£36.43
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Ecattus
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Beach Huts Toiletries Bag
Boys Cotton Summer Sun Hat
Katherine Thompson Handmade
Little Ones Clothing
13.95
£16.95
www.folksy.com/shops/KatherineThompsonHandmade
Cute Crocodile and Ted Colourful Handbag www.wowthankyou.co.uk/little-ones-clothing
£18
Tig and Tom Boutique www.wowthankyou.co.uk/tig-and-tom-boutique
£24.26
Custom Ladybug Toddler Outfit Sweet Birthday Giggles www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SweetBirthdayGiggles
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Millie-Mae, Toby, Mummy & Daddy … Have a ‘handmade’ BBQ!
B
BQs can be one of the simplest and quickest meals going – light up, slap on some food, put food in a roll with some tomato sauce and serve with salad (from a bag!) Who wants easy though?! Last weekend the children wanted to do some cooking, and their daddy wanted to have a BBQ – so we did both. The children made [wait for it] handmade burgers, handmade rolls, handmade tomato relish and handmade potato wedges … and the feast was finished off with handmade ice-cream served in a handmade brandy snap basket [and breathe]! What did daddy do? He sat drinking lager while waiting for the coals to heat up …
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Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream You will need: Cream … we used single (1 large pot and 1 small tub) and double (1 small tub) 200g Sugar 2 tsp Vanilla essence Seed from 2 vanilla pods Grated Milk Chocolate (a generous portion!) Fruit and Sprinkles to serve
Using an ice-cream making machine, it’s really difficult … throw everything in (except grated chocolate), and press ‘go’! It churns and freezes at the same time – only annoyance is the noise it makes! When it looks thick and ice-creamy (anything from 30mins to an hour), add the grated milk chocolate, and when thoroughly mixed, pour into a tub and leave in freezer until ready to eat. Oh, and don’t forget to do a taste test before you tub it up! Yum!
Brandy Snap Baskets You will need: 55g Butter 55g Demerara Sugar 55g Golden Syrup 50g Plain Flour ½ teaspoon of Ground Ginger ½ teaspoon of Lemon Juice 1.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with baking parchment then oil 4 small upturned dishes (to mould the baskets over).
2.
Measure the butter, sugar and syrup into a small pan.
3.
Heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. This will take about 15 minutes over a low heat. Don’t let the mixture boil.
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4.
Leave the mixture to cool slightly (2-3 minutes) then add the flour and ginger. Pour in the lemon juice and stir well to mix thoroughly.
5.
Make 4 x 2 tablespoon ‘puddles’ onto each of the prepared baking trays, well spaced out.
6.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is well spread out, looks lacey and is a dark golden colour.
7.
Remove each tray from the oven and leave for a minute or so to firm up slightly, then lift from the baking parchment using a fish slice.
8.
Lay the pancake over one of the oiled upturned bowls – use your hands to wrap it down the sides to make a basin shape. Leave it to firm up and repeat with the other three.
9.
Leave to cool – they can be stored in an airtight container for around a week .
Handmade White Rolls You will need: 600g Strong Bread Flour 1 ½ tablespoons Sugar 25g Butter 1 ¼ teaspoons Yeast 2 tablespoons Milk Powder 1 ½ teaspoons Salt 400ml Warm Water
This is another really tricky one! You basically add everything into the bread machine and set it at a ‘dough only’ setting. It takes around an hour, maybe a little bit less, to complete its cycle – it will double in size. Once done, turn it out onto a floured surface, have an extra kneed for a couple of minutes, then split into rolls – remembering the dough will continue to grow, so start small! Put onto baking trays covered in greaseproof paper and leave for at least an hour somewhere warm (like the hob if the oven is on). After an hour, pop into the oven for 15-20 mins until brown and cooked! Simples! www.creative-crafting.com 33
Homemade, 100% Beef Burgers You will need: Minced beef – not the extra lean one as it needs a little bit of fat to cook Salt Pepper Put the mince in a bowl and add some salt and lots of pepper and give a good mix. Take palm-sized patties and shape in your hands. Wrap in clingfilm and put into the fridge until you are ready to cook. Because we’ve not used any binding agent, the best way to cook them is to place an old baking sheet onto the hot BBQ grill and cook them on the sheet first. Just before serving, move them onto the BBQ grill for a minute on each side.
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Tomato Relish (with a hint of Chilli) You will need: 250g red onions, finely sliced 500g mixed tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded, sliced (home grown!) 75ml red wine vinegar 140g brown sugar
Put everything in a pan, season to taste and stir well to combine. Simmer for 30–40 minutes or until jam-like. Pour into sterilised jars (wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse and put into a hot oven for 20 mins) and leave to cool before transferring to the fridge. The chutney will keep for up to 4 weeks.
You will need: Wait for it …. Potatoes (4-5 large ones) A packet of Potato Wedge seasoning – we had a Cajun style one A tablespoon of Cooking Oil www.creative-crafting.com 35
Wash the potatoes, cut into wedges and pat as dry as possible. Place into an Actifry machine and sprinkle over the sachet of seasoning. Pour the small amount of oil over the potatoes and turn on for 35 minutes. Turn out into a serving bowl – job done!
After all that preparation, we let daddy cook the burgers while we enjoyed a nice drink – and a rest! It was all very yummy though, and the children (because they made it all) ate every last crumb! Millie-Mae and Toby’s mum Tracey is the owner of the UK handmade marketplace, WowThankYou (www.wowthankyou.co.uk)
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Tell us about Jane Cameron, how would describe yourself? Hi everyone! I’m Jane Cameron, Vice-Chairman of the Guild of Silk Painters and I run silk painting courses in Surrey. I normally work in hand painted silk or fused glass, and I also teach the cello. My creations are accompanied by classic rock music and often inspired by fantasy novels, retro computers and the natural world. I’m bubbly, passionate about my work and often quite well organised. Here’s a picture of me demonstrating silk painting at Amberley Museum:
We can see on your website that you are a very busy lady. How do you manage to keep up with so many different things? I have a diary. I use it a lot! I also take a bit of time every week or two to have a look at what’s coming up and block out time to work on the bigger things. I also have a very understanding husband who doesn’t mind me working late...
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What is it that you enjoy about your work, is one aspect your favourite? I love it all! I think the thing I love the most is coming up with the new ideas – they sometimes wake me up in the night … and also the first time you open the kiln when you’re creating a new piece – it’s like Christmas! The other thing I absolutely love is teaching silk painting – I love the fact I can take people from “can’t paint” to “can paint” in the course of a day or a few hours. You can book my courses at www.janecameron.co.uk/courses.html
What is your biggest crafting achievement, and why? I have three projects published in a book by Dorling Kindersley. I was thrilled to be approached to be part of this new book, and really enjoyed working with them. I also took part in the filming for the BBC series Paul Martin’s Handmade Revolution. You can still see me on the series trailer – I’m demonstrating silk painting in the gazebo! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00zh7bs at 00:45
Other than your crafting, what else do you like to do? I love reading books, a bit of gardening and the odd computer game. I occasionally bake slightly experimental cupcakes! I also teach cello, violin and piano to school and private pupils several days a week (find out more at www.surreycelloteacher.co.uk and enjoy taking photos. If you had to choose your favourite from your creations which one would it be? I think at the moment it’s my dragon painting, which I did for Project Two Thousand and Fourteen last month.
Although the big silk abstracts I’ve been working on for my Exhibition come a close second …
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What advice would you offer to someone new starting out in the craft world?
What do you think has helped your business the most?
Do your research. Be aware that success may not come overnight. Persevere. Remember that experiments are fine too – everything doesn’t have to be a grand piano! When creating, take more notes than you think you will ever need and store them somewhere you can find them again. Read up on the basics of copyright and intellectual property law. Be nice.
I’ve had some fabulous advice from the University for the Creative Arts, where I did an art & design diploma. I also read a lot of books and blogs and am a member of various local and online networks.
If you could change one thing about what you do, what would it be?
Everywhere! I’ve got a bit of a thing for wrought iron and I LOVE ferns!
You know, I’m not sure that I would … maybe a larger office space and a proper filing cabinet would be nice … or a larger glass fusing kiln … but I’m quite happy with the way things are. More hours in the day are always helpful …
Tell us a random fact about yourself!
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I also play the mandolin.
Exhibition “Fun, Fusion and Fantasy” Wednesday 4th – Friday 20th June 2014.
A celebration of exciting colour and pattern in hand painted silk and fused glass. Inspired by music and the natural world and created by Surrey artist Jane Cameron (www.janecameron.co.uk). Silk Painting Demonstrations on 7th and 14th June. The Gallery, West End Centre, Aldershot, GU11 3JD. Open daily (closed Sundays). Free admission. www3.hants.gov.uk/westendcentre/westend-exhibitions.htm
Courses Jane Cameron, Vice Chairman of the Guild of Silk Painters, runs a range of creative silk painting day courses in Woking, including: ● Silk Painting for Beginners ● Klimt on Silk ● Scarf / Cushion Course Prices start from £50 per person. Birthday parties for children age 8+ and workshops for larger groups are also available. Visit www.janecameron.co.uk to book online. For more information, email jane@janecameron.co.uk or phone 07958 580 598.
You can find out more about me at: www.janecameron.co.uk
Guild of Silk Painters The Surrey Branch of the Guild of Silk Painters meets monthly, with meetings in Woking and surrounding areas on the third Sunday of the month. Members and non-members are most welcome to attend. Find out more about your local Branch at www.silkartists.org.uk or about the Guild at www.silkpaintersguild.co.uk. You can also phone Jane Cameron on 07958 580 598 if you would like more information.
www.facebook.com/JaneCameronArtist
@JaneCameronUK
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Cola Creations Browse through a wide range of gorgeous and unique handmade items; perfect as a treat for yourself or home, or as a gift for someone else. Including beautiful resin cast coasters and patterned tile coasters, stunning candles, snuggly chunky knits, functional and pretty magnets, unusual jewellery and lots more! If you’re celebrating a wedding or new baby, why not do it with a personalised piece of artwork? All items are handmade by my-self and reasonably priced. I have a variety of items ready for immediate despatch, and I can also create a custom order based on your requirements. Just contact me for further details. www.colacreations.wix.com/colacreations
Best Bits By Bloggers Written by Joy from www.beadedbazaar.weebly.com Hello and welcome to this issues craft blog review. This time I’ve been browsing the Internet and stumbled across a wonderful blog, with over 2000 ideas for things to make!
www.crafterholic.blogspot.co.uk Crafterholic is written by Fern, who is also the owner at The Wellington Boot Jewellery shop. The blog is set out very simply, making everything easy to read and find. Down the left hand side you’ll find Fern’s tutorials, and links to other tutorials on Squidoo. At the top of the right hand side are category lists for all the blog posts. There are several categories for you to browse, from things to make and craft techniques to recipes and fancy dress ideas. I started in the Things to Make category, where there are currently 2256 posts. There are many tutorials from Fern, and there are a huge compilation of tutorial posts she has discovered across the web. These include unusual paper mache techniques, rug making, finger puppets and my personal favourite, the wall mounted Wampa head! The Bored at Home category has lots of fun ideas you can try at home, including bubble making toys, jelly eggs and fabulous mosaic walls.
Wall Mounted Wampa Head
Although you have to search for them if you are looking for something specific; there are tutorials for creating things for your home, gifts and for you and your family. There are very regular posts, and they are all brief – giving you a description and a link to the tutorial. With such a huge range of topics and tutorials within this blog, there is bound to be something for everyone to try. You don’t need to be a seasoned crafter to be able to try the tutorials, and there is something for every skill level. There is plenty to inspire you on this blog, and perhaps even give you ideas for things you’d never thought of trying – I know that I’d love to try painting my washer and dryer! Overall this is blog is packed full of unusual and interesting ideas. The blog posts are simple and photographs are clear. Fern’s tutorials are very easy to read and have lots of photographs with them. If you are searching for a certain tutorial it would probably be easier to use the search function – but if you enjoy browsing and scrolling down through the posts there are lots to catch your eye. A very interesting blog, full of fun and inventive ideas. www.creative-crafting.com 41
We asked some of our members to tell us their stories about how they started their craft businesses. Here are three of them: Lucy from Button Fayre www.buttonfayre.com www.etsy.com/shop/ButtonFayre www.pinterest.com/ButtonFayre www.twitter.com/ButtonFayre
I'm Lucy and was brought up in a very creative atmosphere which definitely shaped my future. My father is a jewellery maker and professional guitarist and my mother a singer and seamstress and I was given lots of creative opportunities as a child. I can play the piano, a little bit of guitar, I danced with the Royal Academy of dancing for 10 years ( tap ), went to art school in my early twenties and studied a BTEC in interior design in the 1990's too. As well as all of this I studied for my NNEB diploma at Cambridge, have an A levels in sociology, studied for my psychology degree with the Open University and also studied and practiced reflexology and hot stone massage from home. My interests are pretty vast and I plan on studying for a Masters in evolutionary psychology and also studying the history of art further along with philosophy at degree level in the future, I don't think I'll ever stop learning, I love it and there's too much to know! I've never been happy in one place and so moved to France 12 years ago to do some exploring and give my children an experience that they could hold on to forever too. We were down South in the foothills of the Pyrenees, not too far from where Paolo Coelho ( one of my favourite authors ) has a home, where I met some amazing people from all over the world with the most incredible life stories. I then moved us up to the Limousin, centre France, 6 years ago and have found the architecture amazing in my travels around France, I love shapes and I adore colour, especially the colour that comes from nature. I'm heavily inspired by nature and love to take any flower and turn it into something from fantasy land ....anything goes with my designs and I think the colourful life I've had has definitely inspired me into starting Button Fayre. After giving birth to my 5th and 6th children (twins, a girl and a boy ) almost two and a half years ago, I realised that I wasn't going to be practicing reflexology for a while because my body was so tired. I tend to accept where life takes me, embrace it even, because we all have a path to follow, even if we don't understand why or what at the time. So, when they were around a year old I started to sew again having not done so for years! I used to sew quite a lot when my older children were small ( they're adults now ) and loved making up colour boards for friends who wanted advice with my interior design experience. I'm not the kind of person that makes plans, I'm rather spontaneous, and was sewing appliquĂŠ to brighten up my hallway curtain in January 2013 when baff, it hit me! I realised that maybe I could design and sew for a living and immediately wanted to give it a go. I came up with the 42 www.creative-crafting.com
name ' Button Fayre ' that evening as I love buttons, especially old ones that have real history in them, and love fayres too so it made sense. I had absolutely no idea how to set up a business but knew I could set up a business page on Facebook and so did that straight away too to test the water as such. Things were a little slow to start with because I soon realised that you have to put in hours and hours of networking to get a business moving on Facebook but wow, how lucky are we really to have this free, worldwide, service? Living in France isn't easy because they take ' artisans ' very seriously, more so than in the UK, but it's harder here to network and meet like minded others, there isn't the whole craft fair culture like in the UK and so I've had to work extra hard to get Button Fayre moving and evolving. I remember hitting 1,000 likes on Facebook and that's when I really started to get orders coming in which was fantastic. I wasn't really prepared at that moment though for the organisation of the whole thing, I had no idea what to expect of course, and so September to December of 2013 was tough, I started to feel like a robot, unable to come up with new designs because I just didn't have the time to sew for myself, there were too many orders. I'm not complaining of course but it was a big business lesson and now I'm a lot more organised and state when and if I can take orders, etc, etc. I'm a registered business here in France and unlike the UK I've had to pay high taxes and fees from day one, I even have to pay 250 euros a year for working in my home! It's tough but I wouldn't change it, I've found my calling, the passion that comes from deep within, and adore it, especially the design process. I do love to sew because it brings my designs to life and I would advise anyone wanting to make crafting a professional business to just go for it! It can be quite daunting but if you have 100% passion and dedication in your heart for what you do then you'll be fine BUT you have to work for it, there is no easy way to network, make friends and acquaintances or climb the business ladder, be prepared to put hours in every single day to build up your business and make it a brand people will remember. Lisa from Dream Designs 2000 www.facebook.com/DreamDesigns2000 www.dreamdesigns2000.com
13 years ago my Aunt was making decoupage in frames, I thought ooh that looks good lol. I helped a little and it all escalated from there. I decided to start with cards and began just making the odd cards for Easter and Christmas for family and friends. Over the years my designs just got better, more skilled and I would end up making 60-100 Christmas cards each year for free as a hobby. Once I got more experienced, I started to wonder whether I could take it further, whether people would buy them. At the time I was ill and off work a number of years in-between hospital visits to have my spine sorted so I filled my day crafting when I could. I had an ongoing spinal problem and had to have damaged nerves burned away every year. Not something I'd wish upon my worst enemy. I also at that time lost the favourite Aunt who helped me get into crafting in the first place. Someone I owe it all too. Anyway, I gave up my government post and remained at home for two years then I was asked if I would do an event and display my wares. It was an NHS Pakistani Doctor charity and they were raising money to build a Maternity hospital in Pakistan. They asked me to make religious cards for muslims for Eid and items with their charity logo on so I made tissue boxes, cards and candles to begin with. When I did their events I made a donation to the charity from my sales. I began to have belief in myself as a crafter. I began to think of the bigger picture. My eldest daughter said, " If you can dream it, then you can do it"! So she came up with the name - Dream Designs. Because there were other Dream Designs registered, I added the 2000 to it, as that was when it all started. :) From that event things grew for me. I registered with HMRC and got my insurance and public liability. I met lots of influential people at the events and 80% were Asian. For those who aren't aware, Asian weddings are huge business. They have www.creative-crafting.com 43
500+ at a wedding each time and also have celebrations for the men and Mehndi parties etc too. I decided to make my own wedding invites which were obviously with a Chinese theme as my husband is Chinese. And you can guess what came next. Yes, I began on Asian wedding invites, favours and then Personalised Chocolate bars. I had tons of interest and set up my webpage www.dreamdesigns2000.com. I now specialise in Asian/Jewish/British and Chinese weddings. Then last year I set up a Facebook page www.facebook.com/Dreamdesigns2000. I gained almost 3000 likes in a year!!! After one of the charity events the Venue director got in touch and we arranged a business meeting. They wanted me to supply them as a regular thing for their Asian weddings. It was the Asian wedding venue of the year 2013 and is an amazing place so of course I was thrilled. Since then I registered with the Food Standards Agency as I supply chocolate I thought it was best. I now have a 5* rating and supply tons of UK venues, restaurants, Corporate, Major Charities and well as brides across the world with my range. I also became a member of the PCG too:) I couldn't be happier doing a job I love. Last year I donated to 12 Charities. In November I returned to Hong Kong and met with a Lasercut Manufacturer who makes some of my range. This is a world exclusive range that I designed and is in demand. My clients I'd say are 75% Asian and 25% British market. When I do one wedding I get orders in ten fold. I am now booked up until February 2015 with orders for weddings etc. I bring out new designs all the time. Some of my clients have had cards etc for years and although I don't really make much on a card that takes me sometimes 7 - 9 hours to create I do it because they are regular clients and for the love of my job. But the majority of my work is weddings, favours and personalised chocolate bars, invites,candles etc, I am even making the Royal 1st Birthday card for HRH Price George. I sent off my design 2 weeks ago! Watch this space. ... Dream Designs 2000 UK is going places. This year I have weddings in Pakistan, Tunisia and Cyprus on my list. Creating dreams of more precious tomorrows. My advice to anyone would be - Never give up on your dream. Whilst I am bringing happiness to others through my creativity, I will continue to work at it.
Kay from The Shiny Zone www.etsy.com/shop/Shinyzone www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shiny-Zone/272360642833465 I started a long time ago. I wear a lot of pretty things but as money got tighter I found that it was far cheaper to make these things for myself. So I brought a few beads and beading wire with no clue how to join them all together, After much inspection of the jewellery I had already and a few notes on the Internet, I decided to take the plunge and give it a go. I wore one of my creations out on a girls night out and got so many compliments. I was even asked where I had bought it, so I explained that I made it. Well it all started from there We have always rescued animals. We take in all the strays and injured animals which has now grown to a farm and 15 kitty residents taking over my heart and soul. Hubby said we need to find some way to fund all your love. So after selling so many bracelets at boot fairs and to friends and family it was suggested to me to set up a Facebook page. That was 4 years ago now. I'm so glad I did, I've never looked back. My business supports all the needy little faces that pass my door or ones that get dropped to us. It's hard work with all the networking and self publication but I think it's so worth it. I can tell myself when to work, when to knock off, when to have a holiday. That sense of freedom is just perfect for me. I never thought I would love working from home but I do. It was scary at first and there have been times that my out goings have been more then my income. I've had days where I have wondered if should go back to work for someone. It's an up hill climb but now I stand here today so proud of myself and all those others too who take the plunge. Today I am a professional and with all your support and the support of my fans I know I CAN DO THIS!! Every day is a treasure to me. So this is my story. This is how it happened. I'm not going to say it was easy because it's far from it. I will however say IT'S WORTH IT. Much love to you all. Thank you for reading.
Are you a professional crafter? Join our friendly community at the Professional Crafters Guild and meet some of our fabulous members who work hard every day to make their dreams come true.
www.procraftersguild.com
Hello everyone, hope you are all enjoying Spring. As I sit here writing this article I can see the sun trying to escape the clouds, which is really helping to get me in the summery mood. I've been very much looking forward to this issue, I love all things summery, so it's been exciting playing around with this theme - the hardest bit was narrowing down my choice for this month's Crafting on a Budget! I will keep you in suspense no longer, I decided to use my Summer holidays 'things to do' board. It is ideal for children and parents alike, perfect for planning lots of activities and days out with your little cherubs. If you don't have children, it's ideal for reminding you about those all important tasks you need to get done, or it can be a nice place to store your holiday wish list. Yes it works well for Summer, but this is something that can be altered to fit any season.
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Materials I have used include: ● Wooden rectangular board ● Jute twine ● A6 shopping list style note pad or pastel coloured large post-it notes. ● Paint & paint brushes ● Extra strong glue ● Permanent marker ● Extra decorations (optional) Now to focus on the 'budget' aspect of my creation. As you may know my budget is somewhat limited, so finding low cost items for my crafts is essential. I have mentioned various stockists in the past - the market, Country Baskets, Hobby Craft, etc - but stockists such as eBay and www.craftshapes.co.uk have also proven very useful for this project, particularly when buying in bulk.
I have used both of these when buying packs of wooden boards (and the shopping list note pads) and have found them ideally priced. For this project I have used an MDF board, sized eight inches by four inches, with two holes drilled in the top corners (there are some stockists on eBay who will drill holes in your boards for free, one of them even threw in some free jute twine!). If you choose to drill the holes yourself make sure to do them before you start painting to ensure your paint stays intact.
Step1: Once you have your board, complete with holes, you are ready to start being creative. I recommend a quick coat of white paint, which acts as a good base to add your final colour to. I used acrylic paint, but I'm sure whatever you have to hand will work just as well.
Step 2: When your base coat has dried you are ready to add your top coat of paint, why not opt for a nice light 'summery' colour yellow, peach, pale green, light blue, for instance. It is entirely up to you how many coats you add, depending on the density of your colour choice. A weathered paint effect always works well for Summer, particularly if you are using a beach theme.
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Step 3: Once your paint is dry you can add your jute twine through the holes to quickly swap your creation from an ordinary board into a hanging decoration. I tend to tie each end on the back of each hole, but you may have a preference for how you want to tie your twine.
Step 4: Now it is time to add your notepad to your board. Cover the back of the of the notepad with your extra strong glue and place on the centre of the board. Of course you may wish to add it further up or down, it is what suits you best, just make sure you leave enough room to write at the top or add decoration to the bottom.
An alternative to adding your notepad in this way is to glue some small pegs to your board and clip your notepad into them.
Step 5: The fifth and final step is all about those finishing touches. If you want to add a little 'title' to your board, grab your permanent marker and go for it. I have used various titles, such as 'things to do', or just simply 'notes'. If you have space at the bottom or around the edges, you may wish to add flowers, ladybirds, butterflies, or animals for instance, or how about a very summery nautical theme to complete your design.
I hope you enjoy making this if you give it a go, and more importantly I hope you enjoy planning all of your lovely summer trips out. Bring on the heat wave! Written by Leanne from www.facebook.com/SmallSuprisesBoutique
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AS SEEN BY CREATIVE
Craf�ing
We received a lovely email from a lady called DonnĂŠ Waltham from East Yorkshire who asked if she could send us some of the cards that she makes. Of course we said yes and awaited our package and what a lovely bundle arrived! The cards themselves were all created using wonderful thick card stock and each design was totally different to the next in both style and size. There was a great selection of both 2D and 3D designs including a new baby wallet that opened out into something very special.
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ROARING BROOK DAIRY CREATES KITS FOR DO-IT-YOURSELF COOKING Make Food from Scratch With The Help Of Kits and Online Resources The DIY era is here and Roaring Brook Dairy is meeting consumer demand with kits and online resources for cooks and non-cooks alike to try their hand at making cheese, butter, and tofu at home. Over the past decade many people from amateur chefs to food lovers to concerned parents have embraced the making of specialty foods in efforts to save money, reduce chemicals and preservatives in food, and create family cooking traditions. Roaring Brook Dairy’s Mozzarella Cheesemaking Kit, Chèvre Cheesemaking Kit, Homemade Fresh & Creamy Butter Kit, and Tofu Making Kit help customers gain confidence and have fun by giving them the tools to succeed. After working in the imported cheese business for close to 30 years, Leslie Kozupsky founded Roaring Brook Dairy in 2010 to share the art of cheesemaking with fellow cheese lovers. She designed the Mozzarella Cheesemaking Kit with the necessary supplies to make multiple batches of cheese in less than an hour per batch. The Homemade Butter Kit and Chèvre Cheesemaking Kit soon followed suit to introduce the ease of making fresh butter and goat cheese. The kits are available for $19 to $24 at a growing number of fine gourmet stores, gift shops, and houseware retailers, and they do not require refrigeration. “More and more people are saying ‘I think I can do that at home,’” explains Kozupsky. “We want to help our customers gain skills in the kitchen and experience the feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment that come from doing it yourself.” The recent introduction of the Tofu Making Kit to the line has helped Roaring Brook Dairy expand its reach with a vegetarian staple using remarkably similar steps to cheesemaking. Consumers need only a blender and a lemon to turn the kit’s organic, non-GMO soybeans into fresh tofu. Each kit includes an instruction manual with a glossary of terms, troubleshooting tips, and recipe suggestions. Roaring Brook Dairy’s online videos, Frequently Asked Questions, and social media sites round out the assistance available to those making their first attempt or looking for support to perfect their craft. Available online from the Roaring Brook Dairy website Also from Sur La Table and Grocery.com. roaringbrookdairy@gmail.com www.roaringbrookdairy.com
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