Papercrafter digital sample issue 90

NEW YEAR new skills!

STAS H BUSTERS

EASY MAKES FOr FrIENDS & FAMILY

41 to try

DIE-CUT

Techniques

TRICKS inside...

FOR CRAFTERS WHO LOVE CARDS

BEST EVER

card designs!

CALLIGRAPHY, FOILING, OMBrE, STAMPING & MOrE

WASH I WON DERS PAPERCRAFTER ISSUE 90

£4.99

Create & Craft’s

Nigel May

“My TV crAfting disAsters”

Free paper for you! s

PLUS

our Cherish y s ie r memo

Best brands

inside…

89

projects you’ll love making

WIN A SIZZIX BIG SHOT CALLIGrAPHY BASICS 8 FrEE PrINTABLES

Inside...

ISSUE 90

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28 EVErY ISSUE 7

TRENDS AND TREATS

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CLUB PAPERCRAFTER

18 DESIGNER FOR THE DAY 92 PAPERCRAFTER BASKET 94 COMING NEXT MONTH

LOVE TO MAKE 15 THREE-STEP CARD

Create this cute greeting using paper punches

17 SOAP SENSATION

Make gorgeous gift packaging for your handmade smellies

STORE YOUR MEMORIES

31 FINDERS KEEPERS

Vicky Sheridan gets creative with American Crafts’ vibrant new collection

58 TREASURE YOUR MEMORIES Hold on to precious moments with this cute project

63 GAMER CARD

Surprise your little one with a super cool greeting

68 BUTTERFLY BEAUTY

Embellish a concertina card with pretty die-cut elements

78 STASH BUSTERS!

Enjoy making these five projects using up your scraps

Your free gift!

CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL USING YOUR 36 PAGE DESIGNER PAPER AND PROJECT BOOK – SEE PAGE 19!

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82 CRAFT SUPERSTAR

Corinne Bradd tries out Craft Obsessions’ new adhesive

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84 FIVE MINUTE FANCIES

Heartfelt greetings to brighten up your loved ones’ days

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Goodies for you 19 YOUR FREE GIFTS 45 FREE PAPER MAKES 48 YOUR EXCLUSIVE PAPERS 25 GIVEAWAYS 86 DIGITAL DELIGHTS 90 SUBSCRIBE TODAY

BUTTERFLY BEAUTY

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45 TOP TECHNIQUES

BE INSPIrED

28 AMAZING OMBRE

27 CRAFT NOTES

41 ASK THE EXPERTS

40 SHOP TALK

60 DETAILED DIE CUTTING

56 CRAZY FOR CALLIGRAPHY

64 CRAFT SCHOOL

66 MILLIE MAROTTA

70 FLOWER POWER

72 FAVOURITE THINGS

74 CRAFTERS’ GUIDE TO INK DROPPER CARDS

87 10 THANK YOU CARDS 98 THE LAST WORD

Nigel May reveals his most embarrassing TV moments

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month... next

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ON SALE

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Let loved ones know how much you appreciate them

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15TH january

2016

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Keren Baker shows us how to fashion gifts using this versatile adhesive

Our pick of the most irresistible patterns around

next mont

76 TRIED AND TESTED: WASHI TAPE MAKES

We speak to the illustrator and colour therapy artist

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Discover an alternative purpose for your ink refills

A closer look at why everyone has fallen for this traditional writing technique

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Follow our handy guide to pressing florals to create beautiful motifs

Bev Tonks, co-owner of Bee Crafty, invites us into her crafty world

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Silhouette frames make perfect gifts for friends and family

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR FREE SELECTION OF STENCILS!

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Niki Rowland demonstrates why Tattered Lace dies are a wonder to work with

NEXT MONTH

month... next

It’s over to the crafty gurus to answer your queries

Add some zest to your makes with adorable fruit motifs

Coming

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Colette Smith tests out the new ombre ink pads from Hero Arts

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YOUR FrEE

Paper Book

Try out more fab ideas for your designer craft papers!

20+

cards inside!

FrEE PAPEr IDEAS! Katie Skilton’s inspiring projects start overleaf

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s well as 20 card ideas in this issue’s amazing free Paper & Project Book, we’ve also got six more exclusive ideas about what you can use your papers for. Follow Katie Skilton’s step-by-step instructions to recreate pretty cards, a gift box and a fancy sticky notes holder. Let us know what you make with your papers via our contact details on page 3.

Next issue

FrEE 5esi0gns!

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Shape & Font Stencil Pack

Issue 91 is on sale 15th January

Turn the PAge… papercraftermagazine.co.uk

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your free gift

your free gift

your free gift

SA EMBOS ND OU BACKGr

YOU WILL NEED  Craft essentials (see p92)  FREE PaperCrafter Paper & Project Book  Sizzix Textured Impressions Arrows embossing folder  Sizzix Bigz Garden Flower die  Sizzix Frameworks Chevron die  Sizzix Thinlits Intricate Garden Flowers die  Sizzix Thinlits Plus Box With Fancy Lid die  Scallop-edged square die: 10cm  Heart die: 7.5cm  Resin flower  Vellum quote  Sequins

HEART TO HEART 1 Place a 2.5cm wide strip of spotty green paper down the right edge of a 13cm x 17.5cm white blank.

Emboss a 10cm x 14cm panel with an arrow pattern and fix to the blank with foam pads.

2 Trim two more strips of pattered paper into banner shapes and glue to the card. Die cut a heart from chipboard and chevron patterned paper.

3 Wrap black and white baker’s twine around the heart and add a resin flower before attaching it the card. Embellish with three black gems and a ‘Hi’ sentiment.

“I find that Sizzix dies help to speed up my crafting and give a great result, but you can draw and cut out the shapes by hand if desired” KATIE SKILTON, DESIGNER 20

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Shopping List Sizzix Textured Impressions Arrows embossing folder, £7.99; Sizzix dies, from £10-£34.99, 0844 499 8181, sizzix.co.uk

Crazy for calligraphy Words by Samantha Lewis

I

n an increasingly digital era, many of us still find beauty in snail mail and the traditional art of calligraphy. Mostly due to the boom of DIY wedding invitations, this forgotten art has taken the craft industry by storm once again. There are calligraphy workshops popping up all over the country teaching eager crafters, hobbyists and bridezillas how to write sentimental phrases worthy of showing off in an array of modernised styles and colourful effects. Here, we speak to author and calligraphy expert Vivien Lunniss about her journey to becoming a professional, and editorial assistant Samantha Lewis even has a go at mastering the skill herself!

We caught up with the author of Complete Guide to Calligraphy, Vivien Lunniss...

classes deepened my understanding of basic calligraphy skills dramatically.

WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED YOU TO THIS CRAFT?

ARE SOME LETTERS MORE DIFFICULT THAN OTHERS?

I once worked with someone who could do Gothic script and was often persuaded to write fancy envelopes when it was a colleague’s birthday.

It really interested me at the time, but I didn’t start experimenting with calligraphy until I was given a quality pen set for Christmas, back in 1982.

In my early days, ‘M’ was my bogey letter. Now, individual letters tend not to be so problematic, although different scripts vary in their degree of difficulty.

For example, italic writing can be a little tricky. I’ve always been a fan of curves in letters, so ‘B’ and ‘S’ are a joy to write out, but I wouldn’t necessary say they are the easiest to grasp. Everyone is faced with different challenges, but with enough practice you should be able to write out the entire alphabet in no time!

WHERE DID YOU GO FROM THERE? You need to be able to dedicate time and space to practise this skill, but with three small children and little room in my house, it wasn’t always easy. When we moved in 1991, I joined the North West Calligrapher’s Association and benefited from their monthly workshop programme. My daughter enjoyed coming with me, which made it easier to attend. Teaching Adult Education

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PHRASE TO WRITE OUT? I work best with words that resonate with me in some way. I like to ensure that the way that I write them is sympathetic to the words and their meaning.

What you need to get started...

Complete Guide to Calligraphy

by Vivien Lunniss covers a range of scripts, explains their history, and also includes a stunning gallery of work from other calligraphers to help inspire you.

J Herbin Calligraphy £14.99, Search Press, 01892 510 850, Exercise Book, £6.50, searchpress.com quilllondon.com

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Daler Rowney Calli 6 Colour Calligraphy Ink Set, £22, hobbycraft.co.uk

Nikko G Nib, £2; Pen Holder, £2.50, quilllondon.com

BE INSPIRED

My workshop experience Quill London

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MODERN CALLIGRAPHY TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD, LONDON

Editorial assistant Samantha puts ink to paper and tries her hand at calligraphy...

“Usually when I’m heading to the capital, I’ll be hitting the shops looking for bargains or seeing the sites like a true tourist. This time, I was venturing out of my comfort zone of shop-hopping to learn something new. When the opportunity arose in my office to attend a calligraphy workshop, I jumped at the chance. My cousin recently tied the knot and designed her own wedding invitations after attending a similar craft class. Her invitations were simple, but gorgeous and so effective. Crafting has never been her forte, but she managed to create very professional-looking invites – I thought, if she can do it, surely I can too, right?

“The workshop was held in West Elm, a lovely, modern furniture store.

I took my seat and in front me was an exercise book, black ink, a pen and nib – everything you need to enter the world of fancy writing. Once everyone had taken their seat, our tutor Megan Riera talked us through the basics and set us the challenge of drawing out lines and squiggles using our products.

She explained that getting to grips with holding the pen correctly, and mastering the different amount of pressure you need to apply to achieve certain shapes

“THE LADIES ON MY TABLE SCRIBING AWAY”

is essential. It wasn’t until this point that I remembered I’m left-handed – oh great, so I can’t cut well with scissors and now I may not be able to scribe like a pro?

Or so I first thought! Megan explained that it might be slightly harder, but really it doesn’t make that much difference which hand you use. This made me happy, but there was one downside...

I now had no excuse if I couldn’t quite get the hang of it!

“After many flicks and swirls, we moved onto lower and upper case letters, and Megan taught us how to join them to form a word. We were provided with alphabet sheets to copy from, which was very useful. You could trace each letter, or doodle on high-quality paper to begin writing out your choice of word or phrase. I dived straight into the deep end and got to work perfecting my obvious choice, ‘PaperCrafter’.

“When the two hours were up, we were all well and truly addicted.

If we could have stayed another two, I know everyone would have! Megan was a fantastic tutor, with a wealth of knowledge and the patience of a saint.

She made time for us all, and if she thought your technique wasn’t quite accurate, she wouldn’t give up until you nailed it. When speaking with my table of calligraphy newbies, we all had different reasons for attending. One lady wanted to design her own business cards using this technique, another was an artist looking to expand her skills (she was instantly amazing of course),

“I’d recommend this workshop to anyone interested in calligraphy, or even just looking for a new hobby” and the pair opposite had come simply for some mother-daughter time. I’d recommend this workshop to anyone who’s interested in learning the art of calligraphy or even just looking for a new hobby. The best part is, you get to keep all the goodies you use on the day, so the fun can continue in the comfort of your own home too!”

Book your Beginner’s Guide to Calligraphy workshop with Megan Riera at quilllondon.com

“HERE’S MY PROUD PIECE OF WORK!”

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Butterfly BEAUTY

Get yourself in a flutter with this stunning Katie Skilton concertina greeting

B

utterflies are beautiful creatures and make lovely motifs to feature throughout your card crafting.

Die cutting the shapes means that every one is identical, making this card quicker to make than you might think.

Katie Skilton’s project features a swarm of pink and lilac flutterers, embellished with gems and set atop an intricate green scene. By clipping on a vellum sentiment, this versatile project can be made for any occasion.

1 Trim a white 12cm x 15.5cm blank and cover both inside panels with green card. Using the Spring Garden die, cut the background butterfly scenery from light green and adhere to the blank.

You Will Need

3 Die cut the Spring Garden shape again from co-ordinating card, trimming out butterflies and layering on top of the green scenery. Apply gems to the insects’ bodies. Print or stamp a sentiment onto vellum and clip on the card as shown.

 Craft essentials (see p92)  Sizzix Thinlits dies: Spring Garden, Graceful Butterfly #2  Vellum

2 Die cut six plain butterflies and six intricate ones. Join the plain ones together on the side of their wings to create a long chain. Affix the chain to the card as shown. Adhere the intricate butterflies on top of the plain ones, glueing just the bodies so the wings are left free.

THIS CARD WOULD MAKE A BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT FOR VALENTINE’S DAY. USE RED, PINK AND WHITE COLOURS AND ADD HEART GEMS FOR THAT EXTRA ROMANTIC TOUCH

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LOVE TO MAKE

Shopping List Sizzix Thinlits dies: Spring Garden, £9.60, Graceful Butterfly #2, £5.60, creativerox.com

“Curl the butterflies’ wings with your fingers to create realistic shapes. A die-cutting machine makes greetings like this really easy to create” KATIE SKILTON, DESIGNER

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Masterclass

flower power

Use the traditional technique (or our easy cheat) with Elizabeth Moad’s handy guide

CRAFT KNOWLEDGE The process of collecting plants and pressing them between the pages of a book is very simple, but does require some time and patience. The length of time for a flower or foliage to dry fully depends on how big and dense the item is, the temperature of the room it is stored in and the absorbency of the paper used. Generally flowers need to be left for at least six weeks in a book with a weight on top, however there are ways to speed up the process.

CHEAT’S CHOICE You may want to consider a botanical press, which is two pieces of wood that hold a sandwich of absorbent paper. The wood is screwed tight to apply pressure.

If you’d like a faster method, microwave flower presses can be bought or made.

To create a quick press at home, all you need is two ceramic tiles, blotting paper and card. Simply follow the steps on the right to find out how. Some flowers may be too brittle for microwave pressing so you’ll need to do it the old-fashioned way. Experiment with different varieties before doing a whole batch.

BEST RESULTS For successful flower pressing, the blooms need to be picked fresh and just opened. They should not be damp with moisture, so pick them during the day, preferably in mid-morning before the sun becomes too bright. If you are a beginner, choose smaller and flatter flowers that will press more easily, as larger varieties such as roses or gerbera can be too big and bulky. Flowers are variable and quite temperamental, so some will press better than others.

Therefore it is best to press more than you think you need and use a wide variety to allow for a few failures.

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You will need       

Craft essentials (see p92) Flowers Microwave Ceramic tiles Blotting paper Cardboard Picture frame

TRAD CARD 1 Press a variety of flowers using the steps on the right, making sure to use a range of colours, shapes and sizes to add interest to your design. Ensure the flowers are fully dry before you begin.

2 Cut a rectangle of cream card and start by arranging a base of greenery onto it.

Splay the pieces out from a central point near the card’s base to create a natural

masterclass

masterclass

masterclass

1 Cut two squares of blotting paper and two of cardboard, the same size as your ceramic tiles

2 shape. Build up the design by adding flowers and leaves. Be very careful when applying the glue so that you do not damage the plants.

Shopping List These traditional presses are available in three sizes and are beautifully decorated.

From £2.99, 0116 269 7733, homecrafts.co.uk

3 Stamp or write a sentiment onto a strip of cream card and attach to the panel with foam pads, covering the bottom of the flower design. Mount a rectangle of blue card onto a cream blank and attach the floral piece near the top of the card.

FRAMED FLORALS 1 Remove the backing and glass from a picture frame. Cut a piece of purple card big enough to fit inside the frame, then mount a slightly smaller panel of green on top using foam pads.

If you want to create this effect without the waiting, you can find a variety of beautiful readypressed flowers at daisyshop.co.uk

2 Cut a heart shape from white paper and stick to the centre of the green card. Start by carefully glueing pieces of greenery to it. Continue by adding flowers and leaves until the heart is covered. Slot the card into the frame and replace the back.

3 Place the cardboard and tiles on either side and secure with an elastic band.

Put in a microwave on a low heat for 30 seconds. Allow the tile to cool, then repeat. Continue until the flowers are dry

This microwave press from My Living World makes drying flowers quick and easy. £9.99, 0845 468 5411, myadventurekit.co.uk

“If you’re not using your dried flowers straight away, store them in an airtight bag or container and keep them out of direct sunlight” KATY MCINTOSH, DEPUTY EDITOR

Place fresh flowers between the sheets of blotting paper, face-side down with the petals flat and evenly spaced

4 Once cool, place the flowers in fresh sheets of blotting paper, then under a pile of books if needed. Leave for a couple of days until completely dried out papercraftermagazine.co.uk

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C kee rafty psa ke

Fill this stylish album with your best photographs and memories from 2015. Floral Scrapbook, £10, paperchase.co.uk

You won’t be able to resist these pretty designs at such a bargain price!

Embossed Metallic Paper, £1, poundland. co.uk

favourite

THINGS

There’s no time for a siesta when you have Kaisercraft’s Fiesta! collection close by. From £2.95, craftie-charlie.co.uk

Start the new year off beautifully with a stash full of irresistible patterns...

Personalise gifts with funky tags that best suit your recipient or the occasion. Birthday Gift Tags, £1.25 each, 0845 130 8229, tch.net

Ecofriendly

Indulge in the colours of the rainbow. Cotton Baker’s Twine, £4 each, 0345 259 1359, notonthehighstreet. com/peachblossom

This Sunflower wrapping paper is 100% biodegradable and recyclable, making it the perfect choice for an eco-crafter. £4.50, 01227 733487, wildflower-favours.co.uk

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Surprise party guests with a groovy favour bag full of yummy treats. Geometric Bags and Seals, £2.75 for ten, 01953 797200, candleandcake.co.uk

Decorate projects, furniture and more using patterns that will make even the most enthusiastic craft lover swoon! mt Washi Tapes, from £2.50, 01732 771771, stonegift.com

Use these pretty tassels to decorate backdrops, table displays and even balloons. Pastel Tassel Garland, £12.49, 01953 797200, candleandcake.co.uk

If you like all things girly, this Posies Floral Ribbon is sure to please! £4, 0845 130 8229, tch.net

Add a romantic touch to your creations using Floral Heart and Craft Pegs, £1.99 for 20, 01707 257175, oakroomshop.co.uk

Hosting a party? Hot pink Pinwheel Fan Decorations are guaranteed to set the mood! £5.99 for three, 0845 680 2975, gingerray.co.uk

This joyful paper pad features bright floral prints, patchwork designs and co-ordinating illustrations. Dovecraft Serendipity Designer Paper Pack, £6.99, 01444 831445, theglitterpot.co.uk

The perfect addition to a fruity cocktail. Floral Fiesta Paper Straws, £2.99 for 30, partyark.co.uk

NEXT ISSUE

ON SALE 15TH JANUARY

Featuring exclusive artwork, each topper sheet boasts stunning silver or rich gold accent foil to give your makes a professional look. Especially for Her Luxury Card Collection, £29.99, hunkydorycrafts.co.uk

LOVEY DOVEY papercraftermagazine.co.uk

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