Boy Craft!

As a craft-loving mum of two children, a boy and a girl, I'm always on the look out for child friendly project ideas. They both enjoy creating various things but have such a big sense of achievement when they don't have any assistance from me. The market seems to be swamped with books for girls so I was delighted when I came across "Boy Craft". 

I left the book out in the living room and waited for my son to discover it. It didn't take long. He was very quickly immersed whist reading all about the different projects. He thought the book was 'cool' because he didn't have to 'share with any of the girls'! 

The first project he chose to make was the water bomb! We just used plain paper to practise but he agrees with me that using pages from an old comic is a great idea. The method is clear and easy to follow. I personally liked that the written instructions were accompanied with simple diagrams for each step. My son hadn't realised how we were going to get from a flat folded piece of paper to a 3D object. He was so surprised when he blew into it, "It's like magic!" I suspect he'll be making quite a few of these as water bombs when the weather warms up and he can play outside!

He then flicked through the book again and decided he wanted to make a bat! I didn't have any old fashioned pegs but a local friend came to my rescue. He really enjoyed making this but needed some help with the overall shape of the wings because he had trouble enlarging the template from the back of the book. It's a shame it couldn't be full sized but it was an obstacle easily overcome with a bit of my help.  Once he made his bat, he decided that the idea would work well as a butterfly. He is planning on making a seagull next and hanging them all on a mobile in his bedroom! 

From a mum's point of view, I think the projects are great. There are some quick and easy ones to make, but also some that are a bit more fiddly. I like that it isn't full of stereotypical things for boys. Yes there is a section on 'Creepy Craft' but this is accompanied by 'Stitch Craft' and 'Wool Craft'. Some of the projects need some advance planning with a few tools and materials but I reckon most of them can be made with supplies that can be recycled from the average household. As the name of the book suggests, this is primarily full of projects that would appeal more to boys but my daughter is keen to try out a few of them! 

When buying books like this, I'm always a bit dubious if they will be worth the money. With this one, if you take into consideration the number of hours of entertainment it contains, i am certain it is worth every penny!

All in all, this gets a big thumbs up from the whole family!

X 

Nicola 

And here's the special offer for our lovely readers...

To order Boycraft by Sara Duchars and Sarah Marks for £10 including UK P&P, telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk, quoting the offer code APG99 and the book ISBN 9780711234895.

Phone Case Knitting Tutorial

Alas, now the weather is warming up, the need for cosy knits is fading faster than you can say "where's the suntan lotion?"
Here's something you can make at any time of year to protect your precious phone from bumps and scratches (but not from being dropped down the toilet), using a devilishly simple way of knitting in the round on ordinary needles.

Read on for our fully-illustrated instructions, or click here to download the no-nonsense 1 sheet pdf version.

Pattern by No Idle Han. Many thanks to Penny Vickers for her astute pattern testing and Sayed Hasan for his photographic expertise.

Difficulty level: average
Sizing: One size fits most smart phones (approx. 14cm circumference)

..and you're done!

Join the merriment!

Calling all London makers... We're opening up membership to all lovely London based designer makers! We'd love to share our success and what better way is there then by adding your very own banner to our membership page onto our highly visited web site? Yup, It's a great deal as all you need to do is pay a petite yearly membership fee and we'll add your banner with a direct link back to you!

It's that easy... plus there's no strings attached. If you look at it as an ad then that's pretty much what we're offering but you'll be showing your hand made talents to a captive and receptive audience... yes we get tons of hand made lovers visiting our website every day so yes... get in touch! E-mail: craftguerrilla@yahoo.com

*Please note that there is an aesthetic criteria which we follow and so we ask that you send us a few images or the link to your site so we can check if it's appropriate! Because we want our designer makers to be in the company of other bright sparks we choose only the best and most promising designer maker talent. But don't be offended if your items /products aren't quite what we are after... we really don't want to turn anyone down but in order to keep the quality and originality on par with what we already offer then we need to chose accordingly! Honestly it's only a matter of taste so... it's nothing personal!!!

Also we do not accept other craft groups/collectives, craft market providers or craft event/workshop providers or third parties who work as an agent for a designer. This is solely for designer makers!

Craft Guerrilla blog opportunity:
However we do also have advertising space on the blog for independent retailers who sell hand made gifts, galleries, fabric shops and haberdashers as well as craft book publishers, zine makers and creative magazines! We will not accept any high street companies or companies who sell massed produced products. Get in touch for fees and T&C's. 

 

The Great Sewing Bee!

Calling all sewers, Love Productions is on the look out for some new sewing talent for the upcoming series of The Great British Sewing Bee!

I know,  it seems like it was only yesterday that we put the call out for this series but time does really whizz by! I so wish my dress making was up to scratch but alas this past year it wasn't really a priority but I must learn to make more clothes. Properly! As I've mentioned many a times before I can sew but I really wouldn't feel comfortable having anyone scrutinize my work too closely as it might just unravel with one glance from the judges! They are amazing but they kind of scare me too.

Seamstressing and tailoring is an art and I'm still perfecting it so maybe in a couple of years so... I'll leave it to you talented people. For now!

 

All you need is enthusiasm, a bit of talent and some sewing skills, man or woman,

as long as you have a passion for sewing then this might be your chance to escape from behind the sewing machine and onto the Great British television screen!

So if you know your way around a hem and the difference between cotton and spandex then contact sewing@loveproductions.co.uk to find out more.

Applications will close at midnight
Sunday 16th of March 2014
http://loveproductions.co.uk/

German design guru, Peter Fehrentz's "Made by Yourself"... we review his new book!

Peter Fehrentz is a German stylist, product designer and photographer so this book is so much more then a simple straight forward step by step instruction manual!
"Made by Yourself" isn't an ordinary D.I.Y. craft book either it's also an amazing design portfolio packed with great projects and ideas which you can make too!

Made by Yourself by Peter Fehrentz

You can really get a feel for the style, ideas process, inspirations and ethos behind the man and his work.
He offers well thought out, effortless projects with a very crafty approach to the overall production. Though the projects are far from basic. It's the perfect project book for the home, from furniture to accessories! Plus I love the way the costs, difficult levels and making time are clearly denoted using a score system of 01 (easy) to 06 (difficult).

Setting the bench mark! Brilliant man friendly projects which are both handsome and useful!

I was really impressed and surprised by it mainly because it's very man friendly. Oh yes, I say this because this has to be the first time ever that my partner asked to look at one of my craft books!
He's not adverse to making in general but he's not into the whole "cup cake crafting" which is how he calls the mainly female dominated craft industry... "fluffy, sickly sweet -like a cup cake- and not geared up to the male species at all"! Hey, these are his words not mine... but I do see his point.

My partner was after all a scout so he loves whittling, tinkering and general man crafts but shies away from the overly decorative, frilly type of craft which usually means he takes no notice of craft books... however with this one he was intrigued.
As it sat on the table -and may I add that at first glance he had no idea that this book was written by a man!- he asked to have a look at it.

After I managed to pick up my jaw from the table - and it's not often that he shocks me but he did this time hence the gaping mouth!- I decided that maybe he could review it and give me a bloke's perception on this nifty book...

Industrial masculinity can look great with softer female hues... like the grey walls behind the metal letters. Love it!!!

So I asked him "What do you think about this book?"
"First..." he said " it's really nicely defined, as in each chapter uses a certain material. The projects also look good and are practical not just decorative even though there are a few things in there which are pure decoration like the mesh dog sculptures but... it's not just nic-nacs! There's stuff I'd actually want to make to use. Even the mesh dogs (sculptures), I'm sure I could make them into a light fitting or something."

"What about the overall design of the book, the look and feel, what about that?" 
He picked up the book as if weighing a bag of sugar " It's nice and chunky, feels substantial. The photography is cool too and it's nicely styled."
Remember he has no idea who Peter Fehrentz is least of all that he is a stylist. Pensively he then adds "... he's got a good eye for design plus it's explained (the tutorials) in a clear and concise way. I like that."

"So what's you favourite piece?" I asked.
"I  really like the clothes rail. It's made using industrial piping plus it's really nicely designed with a shelf space at the bottom. And it's on castors! Actually I'm quite tempted to make one... and the glass display cases are pretty cool too."

Pipe clothes rail... quite cool and very good to store all my frocks!

Ha, result! Maybe he will make those clothes rails which we desperately need which means he also gets a chance to put his d.i.y. and creative skills into making home stuff with my approval!
It's great when you can agree on and make something together that you both like! You know "many hands make light work" kind of thing too plus it's nice to share a creative interest, so yes... if you also live with a partner who's not super receptive to your usual crafting pursuits then get this book!

Lots of projects which will tickle the ladies too and not just the men folk!

Finally I just need to add that this book is not a super macho, testosterone packed book either as for example it suits me too! I'm neither a fan of the overly soft or the saccharine infused craft books which can dominate the industry. I actually feel like those overly girlie type of books can alienate the more "tom boy" crafter like me.
Overall it's a handsome, stylish book yet it's not afraid to explore the "female" side of design & craft either... it's got plenty of colour, pattern and soft edges to sit harmoniously along side the concrete, glass and the metal piping. We loved it and we look forward to making quite a few of the projects to add to our home. Together.

Another project we really need to make!

Available from the 20th of February// Jacqui Small Publishing// £18.00// Hardback

Special offer to our readers:
To order "Made by Yourself" by Peter Fehrentz for £15 including UK P&P simply telephone
01903 828503
or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk
quoting the offer code APG99 and the book ISBN 978071123424895

 

Feel the love!

As the little plump winged cherub gets ready to aim and pluck his bow with fiercely sharp arrows we're reminded of just how much we LOVE you guys!!! So here's our top pick of the lot which are sure to set your lovers heart on fire... but please be careful, we really can't have any of you with burnt fingers, you'll need them to craft!



Love me, buy me...

Sannapanda Sleep Mask...
perfect if your lover needs a good nights sleep. Or not. We'll leave that to your own imagination! Available in our boutique: craftguerrilla.weebly.com

Alex Garnett Doll Face ceramic jewellery Brooch// Necklace!
Treat your doll with a cute, yet slightly scary doll brooch or necklace. Available in our shop but if it's not quite your thing don't worry, we have lots of great jewellery! www.craftguerrilla.weebly.com

A Fluttered Collection Wooden Bow Tie...
Fun and quirky bow tie for your fella! We think this is a great alternative to the traditional ties and guaranteed to bring a smile. www.etsy.com

 JimBob Ceramics "Will DJ for Cheese" plate.
The perfect gift for any budding king or queen of the decks. Lots more on the web site including stacking coffee sets... www.jimbobart.com




Love me, make me...

photo © The Recipe Girl Cookbook by Lori Lange. Copyright © 2013. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Red Velvet Cheese cake....
If your sweetheart has a sweet tooth then try making this American classic... A red velvet cheese cake is not just pretty it's also yummy! And remember food is the way to a man/woman's heart so... bake away!!! Here's the recipe: www.ivillage.com

©Silvia Chelazzi

Two hearts, Bracelet tutorial via  Silvia Chelazzi.
You'll be sure to impress your lady (or mum, or nana too! They also deserve some lovin') with this amazing bracelet. Follow the instructions to make something your lovely sweet heart can treasure forever!
Tutorial here: http://bornineightytwo.com/2013/01/21/two-hearts-bracelet/

©InchMark

Little Little Valentine, tiny love boxes by Inch mark... 
full tutorial on how to make these cute little boxes which can be filled with love tokens, glitter, candy or poems from secret admirers! Tutorial here: inchmark.squarespace.com

©Kate Pruitt via Design Sponge

You Light up my life, Valentine's project...
Surely this has to be one of the best craft; stroke; up-cycling tutorial ever. I love the whole soppy romanticism behind it and the simple yet effective idea... this crafter had one of those "light bulb" moments when she cam up with this one! (Teehee!) See the tutorial here: www.designsponge.com



Whatever you decide to do... whether you buy it or make it... don't forget that it's the thought that counts and make it count even more by making it "Hand Made"! Happy Valentine's day Craft lovers.