Papercrafter digital sample issue 87 by PaperCrafter magazine

Love your 12 FREE

SNOWFLAKE TEMPLATES!

149festive

cArds & ideAs

PAPERS INSIDE!

PaperCrafter CHRISTMAS PROJECTS

HAVE A CRAFTY CHRISTMAS!

FOR MAKERS WHO LOVE PAPER

CARD IDEAS

you’ll love

EASY TUTORIALS

PAPERCRAFTER ISSUE 87

£4.99

Darling die-cuts

Try iris folding

CRAFTY

masterclasses LEARN FROM THE BEST!

Jolly cards

Brands you

LOVE…

£1200+ TO WIN! OF PRIZES

PHOTO GUIDES  TOP TIPS  FESTIVE IDEAS 

Inside...

PaperCrafter

ISSUE 87

90 ate Recre lous bu our fa t tree adven dec EVERY ISSUE 7

TRENDS AND TREATS

11 CLUB PAPERCRAFTER 15 DESIGNER FOR THE DAY 30 CRAFT AWARDS 79 COMING NEXT MONTH 92 PAPERCRAFTER BASKET

LOVE TO MAKE 17 THREE-STEP CARD

Try out festive paper-cutting techniques today

19 PAMPER PACKAGE

Keren Baker’s beautiful ways to decorate bottles

CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN

25 WITCHES’ BREW

Make spooky projects with the Cricut Explore Air

37 JOLLY CHRISTMAS Enjoy seven pages of festive creations

44 SCANNING SUCCESS

How to cut motifs accurately using the Brother ScanNCut

58 FIRST LOOK: CHRISTMAS BASICS

Get set for December with Dovecraft’s latest collection

82 STASH BUSTERS!

Your free gift! CREATE WINTRY DECORATIONS USING YOUR FREE SNOWFLAKE MAKER – SEE PAGE 20!

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Use up your scraps to create festive favourites

90 ADVENT CALENDER

A fun make for the countdown to Christmas

Goodies for you 20 YOUR FREE GIFTS 34 GIVEAWAYS 45 FREE PAPER MAKES 48 YOUR EXCLUSIVE PAPERS 72 SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Tu page rn to 34 an am to win azi prize ng !

94 DIGITAL DELIGHTS

JOLLY CHRISTMAS TOP TECHNIQUES

BE INSPIRED

54 COLOUR SCHOOL

28 8 WAYS TO... CUT COSTS THIS CHRISTMAS

60 BEAUTIFUL BAUBLES Discover Keren Baker’s easy-to-make tree decs

76 TRIED & TESTED: FISKARS CRAFT KNIFE

62 EVERYONE LOVES

86 CRAFT SCHOOL

64 FAVOURITE THINGS

Must-have products certain to be on every crafter’s wish list Jayme McGowan on her picture book for children

ON SALE 23rd october

2015

h.. .

98 THE LAST WORD

month... next

next mont

Learn how to experiment with pretty tape designs

80 ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

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88 CRAFTERS’ GUIDE TO WASHI TAPE CARDS

Our pick of winter wonders

Follow our easy guide for a handy new year make

We talk to Stephanie Weightman about Tattered Lace

Corinne Bradd tests out this new fingertip cutting tool

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Discover this traditional technique with Elizabeth Moad

Handmade seasonal ideas you’ll love to try

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74 IRIS FOLDING

57 CRAFT NOTES

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Crafty advice from people in the know

Feel inspired by masculine greetings

ENJOY YOUR FREE FESTIVE DIES THAT WILL MAKE CHRISTMAS CARD-MAKING A BREEZE!

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69 ASK THE EXPERTS

32 SIX MAKES FOR BOYS

Follow Rebecca James’ simple steps to creating paper trees

NEXT MONTH

month... next

66 ORIGAMI TREES

Thrifty ideas that will save you money

Coming

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Learn professional colouring with expert Colette Smith

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Club

PaperCrafter Welcome, crafters! This issue, we have plenty of Christmas inspiration and projects for you to sink your teeth into. Have you made something you’re proud of recently? Well, why not get in touch and share your creations, ideas and handy tips with not only us, but the rest of our lovely community too? You’ll find even more of what you love on our social media pages this month, so don’t forget to check them out.

WRITE IN

&WIN

Reader Claire Gibbs wins an impressive bundle of goodies from Kaisercraft’s popular Say Aloha range – congratulations! kaisercraft.com.au

star letter

Happy anniversary

BE MY BRIDESMAID

I recently got engaged and knew immediately who I would ask to be my bridesmaid – my Reader childhood friend, Aimee. LOUISE ABBOTT I wanted to find an original way to ask her, so when I came across our school tea towel drawings from year six, I thought it would work well as a card topper. The caption reads: ‘We’ve always stood side-by-side... so will you be my bridesmaid?’ She said yes!

‘80S CHICK

After feeling inspired by pop-up makes in PaperCrafter, I decided to try r e them out by making d Rea one for my sisterCLAIRE in-law’s birthday. GIBBS As she was born in 1985, I thought I’d use the ‘80s as my theme. I included Pacman, a record and a little ‘sticklebug’ that I made. After lots of cutting, sticking and rearranging, I was very happy with the final result. My ‘sis’ was thrilled too! Such a unique idea, Claire. You should be proud!

This month’s prize

Here’s an easel-style card I made to congratulate my Reader parents on their 50th CRISTIANA wedding anniversary. CONTI The flowers are stamped and embossed, then I outlined the design with a selection of elegant colours. To finish, I sprinkled white embossing enamel on the leaves and flowers and heated them with a tool to create a shiny effect. My parents and their friends really liked it, but the best part is, I had so much fun making it.

This is such a thoughtful idea, Louise! Glad to hear she said yes.

It looks lovely, Cristiana. What a stunning gesture.

Big thank you

I really enjoyed the first issue of PaperCrafter that I purchased a while back, and have since subscribed so I never miss an r Reade issue. I’ve learned so much over the past few months and have SHIRLEY PATERSON PaperCrafter to thank for it! My confidence has really grown, and now I make cards and donate them to Cats Protection to sell and raise money. Keep all the wonderful projects coming! We’re so happy to hear that we have been able to boost your confidence, Shirley!

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club papercrafter club papercrafter club papercrafter

COME & JOIN OUR #craft CHALLENGE Welcome to our Craft Challenge zone, where you can share your latest projects and win a fantastic prize from Fiskars. It’s really easy to enter — just get in touch with us via email, letter, Facebook or Twitter with an image of your make. Best of all, you can use any crafty materials your heart desires. When each new issue of PaperCrafter comes out, a new challenge starts. Good luck and have fun!

“Once I got a steampunk idea in my head, I just knew I had to roll with it!” Louise Blackstone, via Facebook

“These Christmas crackers were so easy to create!” Cathy Clowes, via Facebook

“Here’s a birdhouse I altered into a money box and decorated with Graphic 45 papers” Sandra Wright, via email

“Using the free stamps from issue 82 of PaperCrafter, I added design to this pastel background” Faye Wynn-Jones, via email

“I’m slowly getting back into card making and will be selling my creations to friends and family” Yvonne Crawford, via email

H A V E YO U r S A Y WE ASKED WHAT CRAFTY IDEAS YOU HAVE FOR HALLOWEEN THIS YEAR... SEW THERESA My daughter is hosting a party for children who are allergic to sweet treats. She’ll be selling nut and gluten-free candy, so I’ll be making some scary welcome signs and banners CATHY CLOWES I bought the Graphic 45 Eerie Tale collection last year and didn’t get around to using it, so I’d like to make some Halloween bunting to decorate the house ASHLINN LEYDEN I plan on making some paper bats to create a scary atmosphere in my home, and some little treat boxes and bags to put goodies in for the little ones

TWEET PICS

e n r n i is … w r u O SOMEONE’S BEEN BUSY CRAFTING OVER THE WEEKEND. @KEEPSAKEIT

“This greeting was made for my sisterin-law’s 70th birthday using Tattered Lace Charisma dies. I’m usually quite critical of my own creations, but on this occasion I surprised myself. When I went to her house and saw the card on the mantelpiece, I couldn’t believe that I’d actually made it!” Elizabeth Maplesden, via Facebook

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FISKARS IS TREATING OUR #CRAFTCHALLENGE WINNER TO AN ADVANTEDGE, LARGE PAPER TRIMMER, SQUEEZE PUNCH AND HOBBY SCISSORS, WORTH MORE THAN £100! FISKARS.CO.UK

WE LOVE THIS UNIQUE DESIGN, CREATED BY @CCPARCHYNESS

PaperCrafter

Masterclass

colour school

Learn how to achieve professional colouring results with expert Colette Smith LIKE A PRO Cute characters are always popular on Christmas cards, so I’ve illustrated some adorable creatures for you to download for free and use in your greetings. When colouring them, I’d recommend using alcohol pens such as Winsor & Newton ProMarkers. These popular pens (previously called Letraset ProMarkers) are a personal favourite, as they make it easy to shade and blend, creating a professional looking result. When it comes to colouring, it really is a case of ‘practice makes perfect’. Alcohol pens can yield amazing results, but they can take a little getting used to.

FIRST STEPS Once you’ve chosen an image, it’s best to start by colouring the area a pale shade of your desired hue. Then think about where the light is coming from, and draw a faint pencil arrow to show its direction (you can erase this later). Bear this in mind when deciding where to add shadows, thinking about where they would fall. Your aim is to create a realistic 3D effect.

LIGHT & SHADE Once you’ve decided where they should go, you can create shadows by adding a darker colour of your original hue. Blend this in carefully using a paler colour or a blender pen. Highlights are formed in the opposite way, by adding a paler shade or simply using a blender pen. Some colours will work better with the blender pen than others. Always try out your technique on scrap paper first.

Free to motifs ad o downl

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masterclass

masterclass How to shade with alcohol markers

1 Colour in the penguin’s body with a pale shade of grey. Add a darker hue where you want to create shadow, blending with the paler pen

2 Colour the scarf pale aqua. Use a darker tone where creases or folds would form, blending with a lighter shade. Add highlights with a blender pen

You will need  Craft essentials (see p92)  Online template from papercraftermagazine.co.uk  ProMarkers  Baker’s twine  Button: red  Gems

3 Matt the image onto the bottom of a top-fold 10.5cm x 15cm blank and trim away any excess. Cover the blank’s top with blue card. Wrap black twine around the blue section four times and tie in a bow.

ROMANTIC ROBINS SKATING PENGUIN 1 Download and print the penguin motif onto white card. Colour the body and eyelids grey. Add darker grey where you want to create shadow, blending carefully. Make the beak and feet orange, using a blender pen to create highlights. 2 Colour the scarf and earmuffs with pale aqua. Use a darker tone to add deep colour where creases or folds would form. Blend the colours together with the lighter shade and then add highlights with a blender pen. Go around the image’s outline with a pale blue or grey pen.

1 Download and print the robins image. Colour the bodies in brown, the breasts in red and the beaks yellow, creating shading where needed. Add a little green to the mistletoe leaves. 2 Attach the motif to the top of a 12.5cm square blank, trimming away any excess. Cover the bottom of the greeting with red card. Wrap three lengths of black twine around the join and tie in a bow.

TUrN THE PAGE…

3 Outline the image with pale blue or grey to make it pop. Leave this as it is or soften with a blender pen if you wish

“If you’re colouring small areas, it’s worth getting some ultra fine nibs. Available from Winsor & Newton, these simply click on to the end of your ProMarker” KATY MCINTOSH, DEPUTY EDITOR papercraftermagazine.co.uk

PaperCrafter

Masterclass

beautiful baubles Ensure your tree sparkles this year with Keren Baker’s easy-to-make decorations

uring the build-up to Christmas Day, there’s nothing quite as exciting as digging out the tinsel and fairy lights to transform a rather dull tree into a festive work of art. Although every branch deserves the twinkle of lights, the most satisfying part is adding your very own personal touch. With Keren’s stylish bauble ideas, you can ensure your tree will have the entire street talking! If you’d like co-ordinating decs, why not make more baubles and attach them to ribbon to create pretty bunting you can hang above your fireplace?

You will need  Craft essentials (see p92)  Dovecraft North Pole Christmas Paper Pad  Punch: Xcut Small Icy Snowflake  Gems: red, blue, clear  Beads: red  Polystyrene ball  Baker’s twine  Pins

SNAZZY SNOWFLAKE 1 Using cream and brown patterned paper, punch enough snowflakes to cover a polystyrene ball and set them aside. With a different snowflake punch, create a selection of shapes from red and blue card. 2 Form a loop of twine and attach it to the top of a blank polystyrene ball using pins. Cover the ball with the patterned snowflakes one by one, securing them in the centre with pins. 3 Add the coloured flakes around the bottom half of the ball and affix red gems to the pin heads.

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masterclass

USING A WET GLUE GIVES YOU MORE CHANCE TO MATCH UP EDGES PRECISELY

SIMPLE STRIPS 1 Cut out 12 1cm x 12cm strips of patterned and coloured card, punching holes in the middle and ends of each one. Secure a strip via the centre hole onto a brad with the legs facing up. 2 Add glue until they are arranged

equally. With a brad facing downwards, slot both ends of the strip onto it. Repeat this process with each piece. 3 When all the loose sides are placed on the brad, secure the bauble by opening the brad legs. Decorate with beads and add a loop of baker’s twine to the top.

How to make a fan-effect bauble

Cut eight 6cm circles from a mix of patterned and coloured card, scoring along the centre of each one

Fold the crease lines and adhere four of the circles together

“It’s so easy to decorate your tree with handmade baubles that you can cherish year after year” KEREN BAKER, DESIGNER

Shopping List 3 Make a loop with twine and stick the middle onto the back of the joined circles using a glue gun

Dovecraft North Pole 12 x 12 Christmas Paper Pad, £6.99, theglitterpot.co.uk

4 Attach the rest of the folded pieces together to form one circle. Decorate as desired

EG 106 Hot Melt Glue Gun, from £6.60, 01428 751358, gluesdirect.co.uk papercraftermagazine.co.uk

Ask the

Here to answer your crafty queries

EXPErTS Q

HOW CAN I MAKE A CHRISTMAS LANTERN? LOUISE COLLINS SAYS:

When thinking about making any decorations that will hold a naked flame, the first consideration must always be safety. Flammable materials such as paper must not come into contact with a candle, so a glass jar with decoration on the outside only makes a perfect lantern. LED tea lights are also a good option. To make the lantern, first mix iridescent glitter with a clear drying

glue and paint this thinly and evenly over the glass jar to create a subtle sparkly finish. You’ll then need to create a winter scene. To save time, I downloaded one to my Graphtec Silhouette machine and cut it out from white core cardstock in a dark teal colour. However, if you’ve got more time, you could easily draw and cut one by hand. By using white core cardstock, I was then able to sand the upper edges of the scene to mimic snow on the roof and tree tops. Alternatively, you could add white paint or paper. Stick the scene around the jar, near the base, using hot glue. Wrap hessian around the bottom to finish. Louise is a designer and blogger with a passion for all things crafty

HOW CAN A CRAFT MACHINE SAVE ME TIME?

CLEMMIE JONES SAYS:

A craft machine such as the Silhouette Portrait or Silhouette Cameo can be a life saver. If, like me, you have ever been caught out by a forgotten birthday, you can easily make a professional-looking card in less than 15 minutes from all the bits of paper, card and embellishments you have in your stash. You could also create a pretty box or pillow envelope for a little gift that looks like you have spent hours crafting it. If you buy gift cards for all your grandchildren, nieces, nephews and more at Christmas, you can easily and quickly make special envelopes for them to add a personal touch. The Silhouette Studio Design Store has some really amazing designs from as little as 39p which can quickly be downloaded and utilised. 01978 666700, graphtecgb.co.uk Clemmie Jones, Customer Relations & Marketing Executive at Graphtec

TUrN THE PAGE… papercraftermagazine.co.uk

ask the experts

ask the ex

How to paper piece a panel

CREATE AN HEIRLOOM CARD

1 Cut out a 3.5cm square from yellow patterned paper and a 4cm square from blue, then matt together

2 Stamp a baby grow motif once onto cream card and then again onto yellow patterned paper

HAVE YOU ANY IDEAS FOR A KEEPSAKE NEW BABY CARD?

VICKY SHERIDAN SAYS:

The arrival of a new baby is a wonderful time to celebrate with a special card for the recipient to treasure. A sampler style greeting gives you nine small square panels to add lots of detail and interest to your card and make it extra special. It’s really easy to personalise, for example the baby’s initials could be a nice touch. Each square in this design is different and it’s up to you what you’d like on each one.

I used the lovely Leane Creatief Baby Things clear stamp set (£3.25, maddylisacrafts.co.uk) for the baby grow, bottle, dummy, footprints and nappy pin motifs. You can use the guide (right) to see how to paper piece the baby grow motif. I printed the others onto vellum to create a softer effect. For the remaining squares, punch out star and heart shapes from glitter card and layer in place, then cut a wedge from a circle and add two buttons to form a pram. Stamp a sentiment on the final panel and add a small peg to its top. Fix to a patterned blank to finish.

VICKY SHERIDAN, DESIGNER papercraftermagazine.co.uk

Trim around the outside edge of the cream card motif and cut out the inner detail of the paper baby grow

Vicky is a card maker and craft blogger who also enjoys knitting and crochet

“Raised elements really make this card pop. 3D embellishments such as charms would add an extra something special”

4 Layer and glue the two together, then adhere them to the square panel using foam pads

All I wAnt for

Christmas The gifts every crafter hopes Santa will come bearing

ou’re never too old to write a Christmas wish list, and with so many amazing crafty products on the market, we’d be lying if we said that nothing had caught our eye. So let’s wish for something a little more exciting than our two front teeth this year, and hope that on Christmas morning at least one of these goodies will be waiting for us underneath the tree! WORDS BY SAMANTHA LEWIS

SOPHISTICATED STATIONERY We’re sure you’ll agree with us when we say that 2016 is going to be our most creative year yet! To ensure we stick to our New Year’s resolution, stationery, journals and diaries are essential – especially when they are as stylish as these Busy B designs. From £6.99, busyb.co.uk

Wonderful washi tapes You can never have too many pretty washi tapes buried in your stash, and if you don’t have any, these unique designs are a good place to start! They are great for jazzing up almost anything – especially when you’re in a hurry or crafting on a budget. From £2.95, thefoxandstar.co.uk

FISKARS 3-IN-1 TAG MAKER Whether you opt for the classic, round or scallop-edged style, creating beautiful tags will be easy with a Fiskars Tag Maker in hand. Not only will it punch out shapes quickly and with crisp edges, it will also make a hole and set the eyelet – meaning the fiddly parts are taken care of! £24.99, hobbycraft.co.uk

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WAYS TO DISPLAY When you create something really special, why not show it proudly in your home? These wooden box frames are neutral in colour, meaning they’ll complement most interior styles and won’t distract from your wonderful creations. Real Wood Mahogany Veneer, £30; Solid Oak Frame, £20, 01970 828453, 3dboxframesuk.com

DO YOU LIKE YOUR GIFTS BEAUTIFULLY WRAPPED? TRY THESE GIFT BOXES FROM SAMMS.CO.UK

Pretty papers Colour choice

Metallic colours are an everlasting statement suitable for all year round. This pack of versatile markers from STAEDTLER is ideal for scrapbookers, or even just for crafty folk looking to add a shimmery effect to their makes. The pens work well on both light and dark paper, and can also decorate items made from FIMO modelling clay. £7.50, 0845 600 5930, staedtler.co.uk

THE AMAZING TODO MACHINE This revolutionary machine helps make your ideas become reality, and is sure to be at the top of your wish list. It’s the only gadget that combines hot foil, letterpress, die cutting and embossing, giving you the freedom to create beautiful mixed media projects to a professional standard! £299.99, 08431 681680, createandcraft.tv

Every crafter needs a stack of stunning papers and card to kick-start the new year. Hunkydory’s Shimmering Pearl Luxury Card collection contains a mix of beautiful patterns and foiled toppers, enabling you to make greetings that loved ones will adore. £24.99, 01772 272577, hunkydorycrafts.co.uk

Do you need a gift for a crafty friend before Christmas? This lovely stamp from IndigoBlu is the perfect seasonal print! £8.99, 01777 701980, indigoblu.com

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