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MagazineIssue one
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Contents
3 Welcome4 Cover artist feature5 Crafty Kids7 Paper Craft11
Scrap Happy12 Material world16 Art18 Wearables 24 Crafty trends26
Aussie Crafters27 Blogosphere29 Handmade sellers list
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Hello and welcome to the f irst issu e of Crafted Magazine!
WOW! I am so exited to get this magazine off the ground!
It has been a dream of mine for a while and one day I just
thought what am I waiting for?! I wanted to start this mag
because I feel there are not enough crafty publications
out there on the market. Most of the magazines I have
come across seem to just focus on one area of crafting:
scrapbooking or quilting for example. Its my goal to change
that! I am dedicated to bringing you a great crafty magazine
every two months.
One day I hope to develop this into a print publication. I
am
such a tactile person, as most crafters are and I think
there
is nothing better than getting a good magazine and actually
feeling it in your own two hands.
I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Dominique,
but most people just call me Dom. I am a 23 year old lady
from Sydney, Australia. I have been working in the art and
craft industry for almost 5 years now. I have started
running
craft classes too, which I love and hope to do more of in
the
near future! My passion for craft really has taken over my
life. Many would say I am obsessed or maybe even addicted
but you know what, I wouldnt want to live any other way.
Now I will let you read on...
I cant wait to hear what you think of it. :)
Dom. xo
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Katarzyna is a fabulous crafter from Amsterdam. Her store
Forestblue Factory if full of great little creatures.
From a young age Katarzyna was made a lot of her toys. She would
use whatever she could get her hands on. T-shirts, tights or socks.
She would bring her dolls to life by giving them buttons for eyes
and used yarn to give them hair. She has only kept one of her toys
from back then: a black horse she made when she was around the age
of 9 years old.
Katarzyna makes the body of her absolutely adorable bears and
moose from a high quality merino or alpaca wool. Any other bits and
pieces they might come with, like scarfs for example, are usually
crocheted or created from sweaters.
I think Katarzynas creations are just perfect little creatures.
I was so exited when she agreed to lend us Blueberry Bear for the
cover (though after speaking to Katarzyna since then I believe he
has gotten quite a big head from being the star of this issue.)
The way she photographs her products is excellent! She really
furthers their little personalities by placing them in different
locations. The pictures, as you can see on this page, each create a
wonderful unique story. Something that amazes me is that even with
these detailed backgrounds the product still stands out clear and
proud.
Katarzynas Forestblue Factory blog is full of greatness. She
posts updates of products she is making as well as all the things
that make her happy, like craft, design, photography and her nature
and adventure travels.
Cover Artist
Where to find Forestblue FactoryBlog -
www.forestblue-factory.com
Shop - www.forestblue.etsy.comTwitter -
www.twitter.com/_forestblue
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super cool
goodies for the
1.Whale Cradle Quilt & Pillow AlphabetMonkey.etsy.com
2.Hippo and Bluebird Collage mapleshadekids.etsy.com 3. Fish Bowl
Embroidery Hoop DreamingInCraft.etsy.com 4.Yoda-ish Infant Bodysuit
micielomicielo.etsy.com 5.Vegetable Finger Puppets
lookhappy.etsy.com 6. Woodland Fox Bookend
graphicspaceswood.etsy.com 7.Monsters Necklace
palmtreecutie.etsy.com 8.Monster - acrylic painting
art4barewalls.etsy.com 9.Cyclops Pocket Alien
www.butterflylove1.etsy.com
4.
1.
2.
3.
8.6. 7.
5.
9.
Crafty Kids
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6Crafty Kids
We all know kids like to get messy. Getting covered in paint is
such a great memory from my childhood and I really encourage
parents to get their kids painting! This project was the brilliant
idea of my fabulous friend Sally! Its fun for any age of child, OK
not just kids, I loved making it too! These cute little creatures
where created with my own two hands, quite literally.
Heres how to make your own handy creatures...
Step 1 Cover a canvas in blue paint. It doesnt need to be neat,
its supposed to look like water so if there are a few
inconsistencies that is actually a good thing. If you have a sponge
lying around use that in stead of a paint brush. A sponge is a
great texture maker when it comes to painting. Leave the canvas to
dry.
Step 2 Cover the palms of your hands and your fingers in paint.
And stamp away! You can use your other hand to help really push
your hand onto the canvas to get a better hand print. Take your
hand away and check you are happy with the print.
Step 3 Make the extra legs. Because I wanted the creatures in my
painting to be octopuses they needed eight legs, but we only have
five fingers right... No problemo! Repeat the process of step two
but only put three fingers onto the canvas rather than your whole
hand. You dont have to put them all together add the extra finger
legs wherever you think they should go.
Step 4 Glue on some goggley eyes. Ta da!
The smaller creatures in the painting are created by making a
fist and painting the side of your hand (not the side with your
thumb, the other side) I just love these guys. They are like little
squids.
wall art for the
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Paper Craft
1. Paper Clip Notebook zoetropa.etsy.com 2. Love Letter Card
Bombus.etsy.com 3. Quilled Holga Camera Sweet-SpotCardShop.etsy.com
4. Star Garland LittleKorboose.etsy.com 5. Bright bird greeting
card moonmum.etsy.com 6. Paper Fortune Cookie
imeondesign.etsy.com
Paper Craft
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Caroline Rose is a fabulous crafter. Her paper craft works are
so beautiful. What this lady can do with paper is just amazing. I
just had to ask her to do an interview for us!
Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Caroline?Im an Australian
living in Nottingham in the UK, missing the sunshine!! I have two
great kids and I love being able to work at home and spend time
with them, and to be there to pick them up from school.I have
always been creative and get a bit frustrated if I am not creating
something. I studied Fine Arts and Interior Design, then went on to
work as an interior designer, but art was always there too. I
stopped working to have my children and just never went back!
Instead I took advantage of being at home with them to set up my
art and grow my business.And I havent looked back, Im just waiting
for my son to start school in September so I can really throw
myself into it.
What would we see when we look at your etsy shop?Colour!! Lots
and lots of colour! Im a total colour addict, it just makes me so
happy, so everything I create is bright and happy. You will see a
range of items in my shop as I love a bit of variety! I have
original collage, prints of collages, cards, postcards, and
recently I have added some fabric owls and giraffes.
Tell us about your design process. I do tend to sketch out an
idea first, sometimes it is a really simple sketch just capturing
the feel and shape of the collage, and sometimes I get caught up in
adding detail. I then go through my papers and think about what
colour the dominant image will be, I then pick out any other papers
I feel will work. I tend to use plain colours and add cut out
stripes and spots to make my own patterns up. I tend to make up
individual elements of my design - like the flowers, or a boat, and
glue everything down at the end. It is very satisfying to see it
all come together.
You must spend HOURS cutting. That is your weapon of choice? Do
you prefer to use knives or scissors?I mainly use scissors, I use
long embroidery scissors which are very sharp all the way to the
tip. I will use a craft knife for straight lines and also for
really curly pieces where you cant get scissors in - sometimes I
use both to cut out a shape. I love cutting out, there is something
quite satisfying in cutting out tiny circles or a really whimsical
bird.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?Inspiration comes
from all over the place, beautiful spring gardens, flowers, a walk
through the woods, magazines, photos, childrens stories, nursery
rhymes, all mixed up together in my own imagination.
Paper Craft
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What is your work space like?My work space is the kitchen table
at the moment. Once my youngest starts school, I will be claiming
my art room back (aka the spare room) I am really looking forward
to getting organised and creating a nice space to create in. And Im
also looking forward to being able to eat at the table again!
Is it always super clean and organised or generally covered in
bits and pieces?I try to clean up when I finish a collage, it is
nice to start fresh on a new one in a tidy space. It doesnt take
long for papers and tiny scraps of paper to be spread from one end
to the other. I have a great set of drawers where all my papers are
stored, it sits next to me when I work, so it is easy to rummage
through to find a particular paper, or just to get inspired. The
drawers are on wheels, so I can pop it away at the end of the table
when Im not working.
Your piece the Paper Peacock is one of my favourites in your
store! If you had to pick a favourite which one would it be?This is
also one of my favourites, but I have just finished a new one
called Houseboat - this is my new favourite!! It is the first in a
series of places to live that I am working on. I would love to live
on this boat, with its garden on the roof, traveling wherever you
want.
When did you start playing with paper?I have always been
creative - so I guess I started playing with paper as soon as I
could cut with scissors! I started creating collages 3 years ago.
My son was 1 1/2 and I really needed to get crafting again, I
started with collages on painted canvas and I havent stopped since!
I guess it is a bit of an addiction, I just really love creating
them.
Paper Craft
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Do you create in any other mediums? My second love (after paper)
is fabric. I used to make quilts as an excuse to play with fabric,
then I experimented with designing a giraffe for my son, it worked
out really well and I still make them. My latest creation is a fat,
round owl. I really enjoyed making the owls, the inspiration came
from my Perched collage of an owl on a branch. I tend to make them
for craft fairs as people love to pick them up and they tend to
fall in love with them!
Have you sold your goodies at markets or just online?I do some
small local craft fairs, mainly at Christmas and a couple in the
summer. I enjoy them, it is lovely to see people enjoying and
commenting on my products. Its a great way to get some feedback and
to see what sells well and what doesnt, although this can be very
variable.
Do you prefer selling online or in person?I prefer to sell
online, it is nice to be able to escape from it if I want to, I can
also spread my energy more evenly through the week. It is very easy
for me to post orders as well, as I pass four post boxes and the
post office every time I take the kids to school and
pre-school.
Any advice for people trying to get into the handmade biz?I
think that first you need to stay true to yourself, find your
style, make sure that you like what you create and go for it! Be
professional, and make your product to be the best that you can.
Also consider creating a cohesive brand so that it is easy for
people to find you, there are so many different online places you
can be at nowdays, you want to be able to have the same business
name where ever you are.
find your style, make sure that you like what you create and go
for it!
Do you have any crafty websites you check out regularly? I have
a couple of favourite blogs: hopeitrains.com,
creativethursday.typepad.com, printpattern.blogspot.com, I dont
have a lot of time at the moment to spend looking, and I also find
I get frustrated at not having the time to make everything that I
would like to! Facebook is also a really great place to meet lots
of creative people and I have made some amazing friends that
way!
Last one. If you could have any animal in the world as a pet
what would you choose?I think a dragon would be pretty cool! -
wouldnt need a car anymore!
Check out these web addresses to see more of Carolines
work...Website - carolineroseart.comEtsy -
carolineroseart.ety.comFolksy - carolineroseart.folksy.com
Paper Craft
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ScrapbookingScrapolicious!There are some amazing scrapbooking
embellishments available online! Here is a small collection of some
of my favourites. Definitely worth checking out for your self!
Scrap Happy
Steampunk Brass Gears tangledmetal.etsy.comThese great brass
gears have been recycled from turn of the century clocks.
Wonderful!
Deco Tissue Tape Assortment leboxboutique.etsy.comFour assorted
rolls of tissue tape hand wound on wooden spools. Just
beautiful!
World travel packaging and supply kit Marmalime.etsy.comThis
wonderful package includes an assortment of handmade, vintage and
new supplies which would create an amazing travel scrapbook
layout!
Bakers Twinetwistedsugartwine.etsy.comThis little baby is one of
the most popular supplies on the market at the moment. A must have
for any crafter.
Miniature Letter Alphabet Playing Cardspomkats.etsy.comThey come
from a 1964 Parker Bros. Board word game called Probe.Love
these!!
Clear Polymer Rubber Stampmoxiepear.etsy.comSuper cute original
design made into a polymer stamp. So gorgeous!
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1.
5.
4.2.
6.
3.
7.
1. Grab some felt, glue strong enough to hold felt together and
some scissors.
2. Cut a circle out of the felt.
3. Cut a spiral shape into the circle. Leave the middle section
whole. This will make a base for the flower.
4. Roll the felt into a circular shape.
5. Continue the rolling until you have only the large end
section left and flip it upside down.
6. Apply a generous amount of glue to the underside of the
flower and put the large end section over the
top to cover the glue.
7. FINISHED! You now have a pretty little flower you can attach
to anything! I have used some on cards.
Curious? You can see these in my etsy store at
getcrafted.etsy.com
Material World
How to make a super easy...
to easy!
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Tell us a little about yourself. Who is the lady behind Ponder
and Stitch? My name is Amy and live in Illinois with my daughter
and two cats. I love vintage, reading, tea, and being warm.
How did you choose the name Ponder and Stitch? Well, I'm always
finding old things and will get caught up thinking about the life
those things had before they came into my possession. A lot of
pondering! Ponder and Stitch seemed just right. :)
Have you always been creative? Well, I've definitely always felt
the need to make things. I remember being very little and trying to
make things from flowers/stems, and pressing autumn leaves in
books, arranged in a pretty design.
Material World
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When did you start sewing? I actually decided about three years
ago that I would buy a sewing machine and teach myself to sew. I
knew absolutely nothing at that point, and learned from books and
videos online. I'm so glad I decided to learn!
Do you paint or draw at all? I do paint sometimes, though not
very well. lol. I have a canvas beside me right now that has to be
completely painted over because it just looks awful. haha
Your fabrics are so so pretty! What do you look for when you are
choosing your fabrics? For some reason, my eye is drawn to very
dainty floral prints, or fabrics with a retro feel. I usually steer
clear of contemporary prints.
What is your work space like? Right now it's a gigantic
mess.
I only have a little corner in my bedroom where I can have my
sewing machine. I'm so envious of all the people who have a nice,
organized craft room. I just snapped this photo for you a minute
ago!
If you had to pick one of the items in your etsy store right now
to be your favourite which would it be? Hmmmm. I think I like this
one [lower right image] best right now, It's just so adorable in
person.
The necklaces are your newest products. Do you have plans for
more items to add to your store? I am hoping to bring some
headbands back to the shop, and some pouches and bags, as well. I
did used to sell all of these things, but the cuffs kind of took
over!
Material World
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When you make a piece do you do any sketching of your ideas or
just get straight on to making? I definitely sketch, especially
with the necklaces. I had a lot of bad ideas that worked on paper,
but not in real life. It's important to keep trying until you get
something that works!
Have you ever sold your beautiful handmade goodies at markets?
No, not yet. Maybe one day!
Does selling in person interest you? Right now I prefer selling
online (well, Ive never done the other, yet!) I am kind of a
loner/homebody so Im not sure how Id be if I were to try and sell
in person. Fairs sound like fun, but I guess I would probably be
one of the laid back types who doesn't push to sell anything.
Do you have any advice for creative peeps wanting to be in your
shoes? I say it's never too late to learn a new craft. I didn't
decide to teach myself to sew until I was just about 30 years
old. It's great fun!
I love the rocks in your photos! Did you make those covers? No,
I can't crochet! Well, I can make granny squares, but I have no
idea how to cover a rock. I got most of them from here:
knitalatte.etsy.com and others from sweet friends. I have quite a
collection!
Any crafty websites you regularly stalk? This one is really
good: www.howaboutorange.blogspot.com
Last of all if you could be any type of fruit what would you be
and why? :) Hmmm. I'd say cherries. There's nothing like a bowl of
cherries. :)
Check out Amys beautiful creations...
ponderandstitch.etsy.com
Material World
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Art
Art
silverridgestudio.etsy.com
Watercolour
There is a really amazing sense of beauty and calm that you can
only get from watercolours. The way they blend so nicely. I have
such a HUGE respect for watercolour artists. Having really only
found success with acrylics myself I find the permanency of water
colours very daunting. I have gathered what I think is an amazing
collection of watercolour artworks. If you like the works of these
very talented artists I urge you to check out the stores of these
wonderful creatives! Theres heaps more where these came from...
lorisworld.etsy.com
dogartstudio.etsy.com maiautumn.etsy.com
helendardik.etsy.com
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How to use...
Crackle medium is super easy and you can use it on many many
different surfaces! Im using a canvas to demonstraite this medium
for you. I am using Jo Sonjas Decor Crackle medium. There are many
different types and brands of crackle medium but so far, all the
ones I have come across seem to work in the same way. And heres
how...First, paint the canvas with the colour you want to show
through the cracks of your work. When thats dry, brush on a layer
of crackle medium. The way you brush the medium on will influence
the cracks, so if you want your cracks to go in a particular
direction you need to do your brush strokes in the same direction.
For
example if you have a look at the 4th picture you can see all
cracks are somewhat horizontal. This is because when I applied the
medium to the canvas my brush strokes went in that direction. Once
the crackle medium has dried you can put the top coat on. This is
the colour that will crack. Once you have done this there is
nothing left to do but to sit back and watch it crack! Now you know
how to use it you can apply this technique to any painting! You can
even use it to decorate scrapbooking or card making embellishments
if youre not an artist as such. Plus its just plain fun watching it
crack because you never know exactly whats going to happen!
Its the most fun you can have watching paint dry!
Art
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18Wearables
I am so exited about this interview because this is the first
time I have done an interview with a fashion designer. Fashion is
probably the craftiest career there is! Heidi, seen above on the
left in a great shot by her photographer Mike Severloh
(michaelthomasphotography.squarespace.com)
Tell us a bit about yourself. My name is Heidi, I'm 24 years
old, and I'm from Canada. I love being creative in any sense of the
word. Give me a needle and thread, a glue gun and some paper, a
camera, you name it- I'm set! And I'm engaged to the most wonderful
man in the world.
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Describe your etsy store to those who haven't yet taken a peek.
My store, Heidi-and-Seek Boutique is full of fun, bright, colorful
items for young women. I love coming up with fun styles and
creating new designs. Everything you see is made from recycled
materials. I believe in trying to create less waste and re-using
what we already have.
Sorry, Dom here, just wanted to butt in... I love that Heidi
creates from already made items. Trash into treasure in a way!
Anyway, on with the interview...
I think its so awesome that you donate 10% of your profits to
charity! What made you decide you wanted to do that? Thanks! I
spent four years at a school in Abbotsford, BC and we did a few
urban mission 'adventures' to downtown Vancouver to serve the
people who are homeless. I was really moved by the devastation and
tragedy we saw, but also by the hope that the people were able to
have.
In one of the classes I was taking they brought in a guest
speaker from a local homeless youth shelter called The Cyrus
Center. They told us about how young kids were being kicked out of
their houses, or running away from bad home lives and how they had
created a safe place for youth to come to receive love and care. I
feel that I have been blessed with my gift to create and that if we
are given so much we should use it to help people who are not so
fortunate. So I decided I would donate a portion of my earnings to
The Cyrus Center, who makes a difference in those kids lives every
day.
Your designs are great! Tell us about your design process. How
do you come up with your designs? Well, I kind of just started at
square one, I didn't really have a lot of sewing skills but I had
determination! If I look back at the first few things I made, I
laugh. It's fun to see where I started and where I am now!
Wearables
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All my designs are handmade by me and I do not use a pattern,
it's all in my head! Usually I'll see something that triggers an
idea and I can barely sleep, I'm so excited to try it! I always
make the first prototype for myself, just in case something goes
wrong and if it works out, it's something I'll make for the shop.
If not, I figure out what needs changing and try again!With every
new item I make I learn something, and all of a sudden I'll get an
inspiration for a new and better product!
What is your work space like? My work space is a bit of a
disaster, I have a kitchen/living room/sewing space all in one room
of the basement I live in, so there's fabric EVERYWHERE! It's a bit
chaotic. I'm looking forward to being married and having a house
where I have a sewing room- I cannot wait!
How do you choose the fabrics you use in your pieces? I'm all
about bright colors and vintage fabrics! For my dresses and teacup
tops I make them entirely out of pillowcases so when I go thrift
store shopping I head straight for the bedding section and grab
whatever catches my eye! Solid colors or patterns, whatever I can
see making a great piece. For my scarves and Heidi Hoods it's much
the same, but I make sure the material is soft, cozy and fun!
Do you have a favourite item in your store? My favorite item
right now is the Teacup Tops. I love the different colors
and patterns, it's super cute and it feels sort of fancy at the
same time, it makes me happy!
You have a vintage shop too. How do you score your great vintage
finds? That's a good question!! I mostly shop at our local thrift
store and occasionally ones in surrounding towns as well. I love to
find unique things that someone else wouldn't have looked twice at!
Because I already love to shop for vintage, it's already my habit
to seek out treasures.
Have you always been a crafty person? Yes. I loved arts and
crafts as a child, I took art classes in school and in college I
started to sew. If you were to ask anyone who knows me to describe
me, I'm sure one of the first things they would say is "she's very
creative.
When did you first get into sewing? Well I took a Home
Ecconomics class in junior high, but at the time I had no interest
in sewing whatsoever. Later in college my sister bought me the book
108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt and I was hooked. There were so
many cool ideas to make new things from old, and that's where it
really started for me.
Do you dabble in any other mediums? I have painted in the past,
but I am no Picasso. I also LOVE doing ink pen sketching. I've done
a few cards, and I'm going to be hand drawing our wedding
invitations, I'm pretty excited about it!
Wearables
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Have you sold your goodies at markets or just online? I actually
sell more outside of Etsy, I've done a few local flea markets, and
craft sales as well. It's a good way to get your name out there
locally.
Do you prefer selling online or in person? At first I wanted to
only sell on Etsy, but the community I live in isn't really into
shopping online (haha) so it started to make more sense to try to
sell locally as well as on Etsy. I'm going to try an open house in
the near future where people can come try things on, request custom
orders, and just see what Heidi-and-See, Boutique is all about!
:)
Any advice for people who want to get into the handmade
business? Have patience, and have fun! Sometimes it can be
frustrating starting out when you're really excited about it and it
doesn't really go the way that you want it to. If you're doing it
on the side like me, make sure you're really intentional about your
creative time. I keep one evening every week for sewing because if
I don't set aside time, it doesn't happen.
Do you have any crafty websites you stalk?Oh yes! Just to name a
few: abeautifulmess.typepad, frecklednest.typepad.com/la
createloves.blogspot.com
ponderandstitch.blogspot.compoorpitifulpearlclothing.blogspot.comsunshineandcarousels.blogspot.comand
of course recently wedding blogs like:
greenweddingshoes.comruffledblog.comweddinggawker.com/ I could be
on the internet all day!
Last one. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it
be? Hmm that's a tough one! I don't know if I could decide on a
specific place, but I will say that where I live has 8 months of
bitter cold which I despise (but I do it for love), so I would like
to live in a place where it's warm year round. A beach bungalow in
Hawaii sounds pretty good...
Heidi.www.heidi-and-seek.blogspot.com
Wearables
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You will need:Wooden bangle could be any kind of bangle
really...Lace stretchy lace is best for this projectThread try to
match it as close as you can to the laceScissors not much to tell
here, just make sure they can cut laceThe next page this where you
find out how to do it.
Wearables
How to:
Make a super pretty lace bangle
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Step 3 Now that you have stitched the lace into a circle put it
back onto the bangle. You can leave the thread attached as you will
be using it in the next step.
Step 4 Wrap the lace that is sticking over the top and the
bottom of the bangle to the back. To join the two sides simply
stitch one to the other. It doesnt need to look fabulous, you wont
see this bit when you are wearing it. Take a look at how I am
stitching the pieces in the picture. I only stitched downward
making sure the needle goes through both the top and the bottom
sides of the lace. When you have done one stitch simply do another
the same way. The thread will pull the bottom side together with
the top half.
Keep going. Just keep on stitching until all the lace is sewn
together. soon you will have a bangle that looks like this
one...
Aww yeah! Pretty cool huh! Sew pretty, sew easy. ;)So what are
you waiting for? Get making!
Step 1 Wrap the lace around the bangle. This will show you how
much lace you need. Pin one end of the lace to the other and take
it off the bangle.
Step 2 At the point that you pinned the lace together stitch the
two ends of the lace together.
Wearables
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OwlsThese gorgeous little guys have been a very strong trending
topic for a while now, so what is it about these nocturnal
creatures that we just cant get enough of? I hit the Etsy messaging
system to find out what sellers love about our feathered
friends.Several sellers came back with comments along the lines of
them being cute, which I totally agree with of course! Some said
its because they are very wise animals. Having owls on an item
can
From prints on scrapbook paper to items being sold on Etsy,
there is no denying there are always very strong trends to be found
in the crafting world. In each issue of Crafted Mag we will be
looking at one particular trend floating through our crafts and
talk about why these are so popular.
make them a lot more meaningful. One answer I found very
interesting was from Etsy seller Susan Farrell from Susan Farrell
Art. Owls have for centuries been recognised as the wise oracles of
the bird world. Linked to magic. I believe their popularity is
increasing because the world is becoming more and more aware of the
power of the universe. She has a beautiful painting of an owl and
she said this particular one came to her during meditation. You can
see the painting on the left hand side of this page. However I
highly recommend you go to her store and take a look at a larger
picture. The small one here just does not do it justice... However
the owls that seem to be the largest part of this trend are not
realistic ones. They are strongly stylised. Simple cartoon owls
seem to be very popular. And when it comes to fabric owls they
usually have a variety of patterned fabrics which have been
collaged to create the lovable creature. The fabrics are a whole
new style trend; we can look at that another time...A few Etsy
sellers also gave the simple view of I dont know why they are
popular, but they sell well so I keep making them... To be
successful you gotta give the people what they want.Personally, I
think it has something to do with their eyes. They are so hypnotic.
Again, looking at Susan Farrells owl paintings, your eye is drawn
straight into theirs. Its hard to look away... They draw you in and
hold you there like they are controlling your mind. Well thats
where I think the interest began and then we made them super cute
by cartoonising them. Well I guess no one really knows what made
them so popular but quite frankly I dont think we really mind. We
love them and thats all that matters?Check out the next page for a
bunch of awesome owl creations!
feltmeupdesigns.etsy.com
Crafty Trends
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SusanFarrellArt.etsy.com
mylilowls.etsy.com
freshstitches.etsy.com
Lulubugjewelry.etsy.com
Lovelia.etsy.com
hollgobrightlyetsy.com Sassandperil.etsy.com
Kikuike.etsy.com
Rabbitsmile.etsy.com
Claylicious.etsy.com
Crafty Trends
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Aussie Aussie Aussie!The online crafty world is overflowing with
great creative people, a large portion of them coming from America.
However, we have some really awesome crafty peeps down here in
Australia too. I hope to feature several Aussie crafters in the not
too distant future, both on the blog and in the next magazine
issue. Until then, here are some great works from some local
crafters for you to enjoy!p.s. I am also going to do features
spotlighting other contries too... I could be looking your way very
soon.
4.
Aussie Crafters
3.2.
7.6.5.
1.Sea Green and Aqua Brooch lesalikes.etsy.com, Melbourne 2.Art
Deco Darlings matouenpeluche.etsy.com, Sydney 3.Thank You Birds
able-
andgame.etsy.com, Melbourne 4.Happy Panda with a Pink Balloon
Brooch DustyJo.etsy.com, Melbourne 5.Hemp/cotton clutch bag
sirtom.etsy.
com, Sydney 6. Silver Leaf Necklace Pendant
jewelrydeli.etsy.com, Sydney 7.Pet Portrait Custom
Splodgepodge.etsy.com, Coffs Harbour
1.
Aussie Crafters
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One of my favoutie blogging ladies, Kam, writes a fabulous blog
called Campfire Chic. Its a must follow blog for all of you. She
has managed to squeeze some time out of her busy schedule for this
little mag and has some fabulous advice for any bloggers or
potential bloggers.
What is Campfire Chic all about?Campfire Chic is both a blog and
a shop that covers a myriad of topics from the outdoors, social
media, running a small indie-business, and my everyday life. I
strive to be a resource as well as a source for inspiration and
motivation to get outdoors and enjoy nature. I am currently
focusing on a project called 30 Days of Lists, which starts
September 1st. Pre-registration is currently open. It focuses on
making lists but, not on how pretty somebody can make the list, or
how quickly they can write/photography/upload, it focuses on the
fact that there is no wrong way to make a list.
Blogosphere
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How long have you been blogging?I started a personal blog once I
graduated from college in 2008. It was a way for me to document my
post-college summer and my two years of graduate school. I decided
to create a new blog for Campfire Chic that wouldnt give so much of
my personal life away. I started the Campfire Chic blog in June of
2010. Any tips for creatives out there wanting to start a blog?- I
suggest taking a look at (and reading!) other blogs and seeing what
you like and how you can incorporate different elements into your
blogging style.- Write down your plans and goals. Maybe this
includes how often you plan on posting on the blog, what your goals
are for the first month/three months/year, having goals and plans
will help keep you organized and will help you track your
progress.- While it is your space to show off your creative spirit,
it is a good platform to use to build relationships with other
bloggers and share your story. The thing with indie/handmade
blogging is that buyers are paying more money because they are also
buying a part of your story.
- I also suggest taking the time to take well-lit photosit isnt
the camera that takes amazing photos, it is the person behind the
lens. Readers are generally skimming posts, but if they see nice
photos, they will take the time to read your content.
What do you think makes a successful blog? I think a blog is
successful if it meets the bloggers expectations and the
goals/plans set out at the start (and hopefully updated as time
goes on) I feel my blogs success is dependent on the content I
create reflecting the overall theme and message I wish to convey. A
personal blog aiming at documenting a study abroad trip is
successful if the blogger does just that documents his/her time
while studying abroad! I dont think GFC (google friend
connect)numbers or monetizing a blog show success, necessarily.It
starts with goals and plans and continues with follow-through and
revisions to goals and plans. A blogger needs to ask herself, What
am I trying to do here? How can I do that?. I have a post about
creating SMART goals and developing action plans
(campfirechicblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/lets-talk-about-setting-goals.html),
which I think is a good way to start.
Blogosphere
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Handmade Sellers
Caroline Rose ArtCaroline
Store www.carolineroseart.etsy.comWebsite
www.carolineroseart.com
www.
Campfire ChicKam
Store www.campfirechic.etsy.comBlog
www.campfirechicblog.blogspot.com
Forestblue FactoryKatarzyna
Store www.forestblue.etsy.comBlog www.forestblue-factory.com
Heidi and SeekHeidi
Store www.heidiandseekboutique.etsy.comBlog
www.heidi-and-seek.blogspot.com
MaryszaAgnieszka
Store www.marysza.etsy.comWebsite www.marysza.blogspot.com
Ponder and StitchAmy
Store www.ponderandstitch.etsy.comBlog
www.marysza.blogspot.com
Must read crafty blogs...punkprojects.blogspot.com
amyistheparty.com
colormekatie.blogspot.com
howjoyful.com
redcraftyfox.blogspot.com
spunkyjunky.blogspot.com
merriweathercouncilblog.com
totallytutorials.blogspot.com
youseriouslymadethat.blogspot.com
nicolemdesign.blogspot.com
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Thanks guys!I just wanted to use this last page to thank
everyone
who was involved in this, the very first issue of Crafted
Magazine.
To all the amazing crafters that agreed to give up
their super valuable time to answer my questions and
gather together some great photos to go with their
answers photos.
To all the people who allowed me to use their beautiful
handmade goodies in the mag and show them off to
all of the readers.
To all the people in my off line life. Thank you for all
your support and for putting up with my crazyness...
Last of all thanks to all of you. Thank you for going to
the effort of downloading the mag and reading all the
way to the end. You are awesome!
I hope you all loved reading the mag as much as I
loved making it! Soon I will put up a link to a google
docs survey that I would love you guys to fill out if
you get the chance. I want to know what you loved
about the mag, thought could be a bit better and what
you want to see more of! I want to know how I can
make the next issue better for you! After all you guys
are 100% the reason I am putting the magazine out
there!
To b
e co
ntin
ued.
..
