WELLBEING
CRAFT
BOOKS
MINDFULNESS
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EXTRAS PAPERCUT GREETINGS CARD DIY PENNANT FLAGS PALMISTRY PRINTS PAINT-BY-NUMBERS PROJECTS JAR LABELS
S ta y Curious Use your power for positivity, learn to live a low-waste life, be inspired by beautiful patterns, nurture your skin with simple remedies, treasure what you already have…
W E LO V E C R A F T
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E XT RAS I N T H I S I SSU E Make all these projects using o u r exc l u s i ve p r i n ts, pa p e rs and templates.
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Complete a paint by numbers scene
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Send a caring hands card
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Labels for jars of dried goods
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Nature postcards to write & send
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Hang up a bright palmistry print
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Raise funds with a bake sale!
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CO N TE N TS 06 Profile: Karolin Schnoor 08 MIND & BODY 10 Wellbeing news 14 How our hands are used in communication & more 20 Profile: Stacie Bloomfield 22 Make your own natural handcreams 26 A story about love and palm reading 060
30 The power of palmistry 34 Palmistry poster and linked hands card
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36 Inspired by: hands 38 How we can all make a difference 44 Books that will change your life 50 Motivational pennants 52 Inspired by: making a difference 54 HOME 118
56 Home news 60 Living with zero waste 66 Jar labels 67 Made by hand: meet four designer-makers 76 NATURE 78 Paint by numbers 82 Paint by numbers scene and nature postcards 84 Nature news 87 Frost, nature and folklore 94 Inspired by: things to treasure 96 Get outdoors into nature 104 Conscious creativity 106 TRAVEL 108 Travel news 112 Learning to love winter 118 Patterns from around the Arctic Circle 126 Listen to our playlist 128 Susannah Conway’s
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Illustrations: Stacie Bloomfield
Our hands are unique. Kate O’Sullivan takes a closer look at how hands are used in communication, ceremonies and art.
The hand is one of the most frequently symbolised parts of the human body. It appears in art, rituals and ceremonies as well as forming an essential part of communication. Hands are unique and individual to each person. There’s a wealth of information to interpret whenever we see hands and it’s unsurprising that they’ve come to appear as signposts in many cultures. Connecting to one another with our hands can be incredibly nourishing. From birth, we seek to hold hands, and as we grow hand-holding becomes a matter of safety and guidance as much as it does a gesture of love and connection. Children hold hands as they join in a circle to play, and seek the reassuring warmth of a caregiver’s hand. As we mature, we begin to understand that consent must be given to hold another’s hand, and that without it, the gesture is intrusive. Reaching for someone’s hand is a gentle way to request intimacy. Different cultures express themselves with hand gestures. From waving to signalling and adding emphasis, hand signals speak almost as much as words. Following common etiquette can often be tricky to navigate too. For example, the thumbsup gesture has become widely popularised in the UK and US as a way to show approval, particularly on Facebook. However, this gesture in Afghanistan, Iran and some parts of
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Using right-hand gestures can be a powerful tactic when delivering a speech. The TED talks that went viral featured speakers who used their hands. Greece would be deemed highly offensive in person. What’s more, communicating with our hands is often hierarchical. The first person to shake hands in a room or be greeted with a hand gesture often denotes power and importance. In many countries, such as Singapore or Japan, certain hand signals like crooking your finger to beckon someone is a gesture used only for canines. Hands can welcome but also cause offence. It’s not just about the conscious way we use our hands either. Non-verbal communication is the way in which our gestures signal deeper meaning. So a clenched fist might tell us a person is angry or defensive. Using right-hand gestures can be a powerful tactic when delivering a speech. Author and behavioural investigator Vanessa Van Edwards studied famous TED talks and found that the ones that went viral all featured the speakers who used their hands the most. For years, political commentary has focused on politicians’ gestures when they deliver speeches because so much can be construed from the way a person talks with their hands. It’s something that forms one of the layers of communication in signed language, in fact. While signing words or letters with hands for those who are hearing or sensory impaired, emphasis or distraction play a pivotal role in communicating intentions clearly.
Notice how your hands play an important part in non-verbal com munication, as well as in ceremony and identity.
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od. r go nce. o f ere wer diff r po i a e ake g th l m sin l u a are can we ere h w w o y s h ver lain n e p e x m e Wo our m A ri Che
39 During During the the United United Nations Nations talks talks in in Poland Poland at at the the end end of of 2018, 2018, David David Attenborough Attenborough delivered delivered aa stark stark message message that that climate climate change change is is our our greatest greatest threat threat in in thousands thousands of of years. years. He He urged urged world world leaders leaders to to take take action action to to drive drive down down greenhouse greenhouse gas gas emissions, emissions, telling telling them: them: “The “The world’s world’s people people have have spoken, spoken, their their message message is is clear... clear... they they want want you, you, the the decision-makers, decision-makers, to to act act now. now. They’re They’re supporting supporting you you in in making making tough tough decisions decisions but but they’re they’re also also willing willing to to make make sacrifices sacrifices in in their their daily daily lives.” lives.” His His assertions assertions ring ring true true as as rising rising environmental environmental concerns concerns have have captivated captivated communities communities across across the the world world to to take take action, action, with with or or without without the the support support of of these these so-called so-called decision-makers. decision-makers. It’s It’s something something cultural cultural practitioner practitioner and and activist activist Pua Pua Case Case knows knows only only too too well. well. Case Case is is one one of of the the leading leading figures figures in in the the opposition opposition against against building building aa 30-metre 30-metre telescope telescope on on the the ancient ancient site site of of Hawaii’s Hawaii’s sacred sacred mountain, mountain, Mauna Mauna Kea. Kea. While While astronomers astronomers believe believe the the telescope telescope would would be be aa nextnextgeneration generation tool tool to to peer peer into into the the cores cores of of ancient ancient galaxies, galaxies, Case Case and and her her team team are are adamant adamant that that decades decades of of telescope-building telescope-building (there (there are are 13 13 already already on on Mauna Mauna Kea) Kea) have have polluted polluted the the area. area. Giving Giving up up her her career career as as aa teacher, teacher, she she has has spent spent the the past past three three years years standing standing firm firm on on the the cause, cause, encouraging encouraging like-minded like-minded individuals individuals to to join join in in prayer prayer and and in in ceremony ceremony for for an an issue issue they they believe believe in. in. But But when when itit comes comes to to making making change, change, you you don’t don’t have have to to move move mountains mountains to to make make aa difference. difference. It It can can be be the the smallest smallest steps steps that that collectively collectively work work towards towards aa far far grander grander goal. goal. When When Help Help Refugees Refugees began began back back in in August August 2015, 2015, itit was was nothing nothing more more than than aa hashtag hashtag and and aa group group of of friends friends keen keen to to raise raise £1,000 £1,000 to to fill fill aa van van with with donations donations for for families families on on the the Calais Calais border. border. Within Within aa week, week, the the group group (whose (whose tagline tagline reads reads ‘Ordinary ‘Ordinary people people doing doing extraordinary extraordinary things’) things’) had had raised raised £56,000. £56,000. More More recently, recently, the the team team has has collaborated collaborated with with other other organisations organisations to to open open aa bricks-and-mortar bricks-and-mortar store, store, Choose Choose Love, Love, giving giving members members of of the the public public the the opportunity opportunity to to purchase purchase much-needed much-needed items items for for the the refugees, refugees, such such as as aa hot hot meal, meal, shower shower facilities facilities and and warm warm clothing. clothing. It’s It’s aa trend trend we’ve we’ve seen seen across across numerous numerous industries industries where, where, against against aa backdrop backdrop of of red red tape tape and and bottle-necking bottle-necking bureaucracy, bureaucracy, agile agile and and innovative innovative organisations organisations have have sprung sprung into into action action to to fill fill the the gaps gaps that that larger, larger, longlongstanding standing companies companies and and governments governments cannot. cannot.
Eloise Renouf
C0 LOU R F U L TE XT I LES Eloise is an artist, designer and illustrator living and working in Nottingham, UK. Her work is based around her love of strong shapes, textural markmaking, dynamic colour combinations and clean, crisp lines. Eloise’s background is in printed textiles; this is reflected in the pattern, repetition and texture that feature prominently in her pieces. Largely abstract, they reflect a diverse range of influences from fashion, interiors, textiles, architecture, landscapes, sculpture, ceramics and graphic art. eloiserenouf.com | @eloiserenouf
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“I’m inspired by textiles of all different sorts, particularly the textures and surfaces found in weave and embroidery.” M A K I N G PAT T E R N S IN THE BEGINNING “I love working with my hands – painting, drawing, collaging and sewing – and this is the basis for everything I produce. Every piece of work I create starts life with some sort of handmade element, be it a texture, a hand-drawn motif or a cut paper shape.”
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FORMING A FRAMEWORK “I’m a big arranger and organiser of shapes and imagery – I like to move things around, rather like pieces in a jigsaw, until they find a pleasing position. I find it hard to approach a painting without some sort of plan or framework, so will create small collages or sketches to guide me.”
Photography: Jo Irvine
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EXPERIMENTING AND EVOLVING “When I’m designing, I scan my shapes and motifs and then arrange them on the computer. This enables me to be experimental with scale, colour and combinations of imagery, and makes it easy to alter things quickly. I often start with some sort of notion of what I want to create, but this almost always evolves. I like to be surprised by the end results.”
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SHADES AND TONES “Colour is a very important part of my process and often a new piece of work will start based purely on a desire to use a certain colour. I never work out a specific palette before I start, but might decide that a piece will be largely based around yellow shades, for instance, and it will develop from there.”
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Photograph: Jesse Wild, image by CSA Images
While some might consider this technique a less creative pastime, its limitations could encourage more creativity and mindfulness. Sarah Gane takes a fresh look.
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I N S P I R E D B Y T R E A S U R E
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1. Stash goodies in these leather pouches dyed in Cohana signature colours, shopbeyondmeasure.co.uk 2. Add sparkle to your everyday with bracelets made from recycled silver or gold, daisyknights.com 3. A screenprinted purse for tiny treasures, www.jennysibthorp.com 4. Iris De La Torre’s brooch is inspired by Frida Kahlo’s iconic style, vam.ac.uk 5. Fill fifty hearts with favourite words then pick at random throughout 2019, kikki-k.com 6. Pretty porcelain by Lenneke Wispelwey, ifeelsmug.com 7. Delightful and delicious trinket box from anthropologie.com 8. A handcrafted wooden mobile to cherish, bookhou.com
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Make a feature of keepsakes, treasures and photos using brass frames from thehambledon.com
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Patterns of The North 118
Lo t t i e S to rey d i scove rs t h e beguiling beauty of Arctic folk art. The countries around the Arctic Circle – Sweden, Norway, Russia, Finland, Canada, Iceland and Alaska – are lands of ice and snow. For those of us who reside in milder climes, the appeal of the frozen north is strong. With blankets of snow, endless pine forests and the Northern Lights, the closer you get to the North Pole, the more magical it feels. In a landscape dominated by tundra, glaciers, wildlife and extreme light variations, traditional designs have taken inspiration from motifs found in nature. The patterns in a floating field of sea ice, the scales of a wild salmon leaping upstream, and the curves and angles of reindeer antlers all feature in the traditional crafts found near the North Pole. Between April and August or thereabouts, the sun doesn’t set above the Arctic Circle, bathing the sky in a reddish yellow light. The Aurora Borealis (or Northern Lights) appear at the other end of the year, when darkness reigns from early afternoon until late morning. The Sámi are the only indigenous people of the European Union, living in Sweden, Norway and Finland, while the Inuit people live in northern Canada and Greenland. The citizens of Iceland are relative newcomers, their lands uninhabited before Vikings founded the country in 800AD. In the most part, indigenous culture, language and traditions have been maintained in defiance of various clumsy attempts to assimilate them and, more recently, via respectful acts including political autonomy and an increased interest in culture and language. It’s this blend of solitude and environment that has imbued Arctic folk art with a rare and unique beauty. Let’s explore…
Photograph: Oleh Slobodeniuk/Getty Images
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G E T T H E L AT E S T I S S U E ! WELLBEING
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Welcome to our beautiful magazine packed with creative projects & ideas, gorgeous photography and insightful features. Discover new ways to bring the joys of mindfulness & making into your life. £9.99*
ISSUE THIRTEEN
EXTRAS PAPERCUT GREETINGS CARD DIY PENNANT FLAGS PALMISTRY PRINTS PAINT-BY-NUMBERS PROJECTS JAR LABELS
EXTRAS IN THIS ISSUE INCLUDE...
Palmistry art prints in two colourways
Set of pennants for walls, cards or cakes
Swap plastic for glass with bespoke labels
Cut by hand: a unique greetings card
Five paint-bynumbers scenes to colour
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