You'll know by now that making is something of a illness around here! We love making and inventing though this next tutorial isn't ours to claim but we love it so much that we thought we'd share it with you.
Also because we know a lot of summer babies we thought as per usual that we'd make them their birthday gifts!
And if your lovely friend loves sewing as much as ours do then this is the bestest prezzie ever- and it works for boys too as they never seem to have sewing equipment at hand! - plus you can bookmark it for Chrimbo as it's also a good and inexpensive secret Santa gift too!
D.I.Y Mason Jar Sewing Pin cushion...
You'll need:
fabric
small mason jar
glue gun
stuffing
pencil/pen
scissors
•bits and bobs like pins, needles, cotton thread, bias tape, buttons and so on!
Place the inner top bit over the back of the fabric and trace leaving a small -circa 5 cm edge- and cut.
Cut another circle but this time to size...
you'll now have two circles!
dab some glue -use a glue gun for best results- around the red edge of your top...
...and fold over but remember to leave an open edge for the stuffing...
...like this!
Add some stuffing until nice and plump but don't over fill.
Glue the opening so it's not completely closed like...
...this!!!
Glue the smaller circle over for a neat finish!
Add small dabs of glue in the inner jar top and press your pin cushion top through. Press down firmly!!!
Remove any strands of glue to tidy up!
Ta Dah, that's it! Simple but very cute!!!
Add sewing supplies like buttons, spools of thread and even a small pair of scissors if you can!
We've been so busy of late that only now have we had the chance to finish off our Spring/Summer publication! Ha, you'd think that craft was all about sitting around making stuff, drinking tea, knitting and living
in a perfectly "frosted" Martha Stewart kind of world but far from it!!!
But it's ready, finally, and yes it's well worth the wait plus it's a corker too! It's got everything from recipes, tutorials, interviews and a few fabulous illustrations by some very talented folk. Thank you to: Bex Drawings www.belsartworld.com www.danniandcharlie.wordpress.com www.vickysworld.co.uk www.munano.weebly.com and Laurie Richardson
for their generosity in donating their work to our zine!!!
• Crafty! A sample of the content of our zine...•
You can buy your Craft Guerrilla zine from our shop on our website so
if you fancy some guerrilla reading get your sweet patooties to our web-shop and order your PDF copy from Tuesday the 9th of July!
Thanks Vicky Scott for your beautiful illustration!
••Please note that we are only selling our zines in a PDF format so to save on trees!!!••
As summer strides past it's middle... er yes, that's right, we've gone past midsummer and even though it hasn't felt all that summery... the great thing about this season is that it does throw us a few bountiful treats and if you're anything like me you'll be happy to hear that those treats can be foraged for free!
Yup, absolutely free though I do suggest that you check if anyone owns the land especially f it's not obviously public land, but everywhere I looked there were tons of elderflower trees and so I took myself up to the Walthamstow Village cemetery and began picking!
Walthamstow Village...ST Mary's Church cemetery. Great for Elderflower and blackberries too!
So this weekend get out there and get ready to make some cordial
which is an absolute summertime treat! Use it with soda water to create a
refreshing drink or drizzle onto ice cream, desserts or even in
cocktails. Yeah... that's pretty much why I made it... I do love a
cocktail and a white rum and elderflower cordial punch is something I'm
looking forward to drinking when it gets hot!!!
So here's a little recipe for you to try...
Elderflower Cordial...
prep time 40 minutes
steeping time 48 hours
ingredients:
1k /2 ¼ lbs sugar
1.5 litres / 6 cups boiling water
2 medium un-waxed lemons, washed
2 large limes, washed
30 large Elderflower heads, shake to remove any insects or dust
55g / 2 oz citric acid (available from a chemist or Wilkinson's in their home brew section)
Recipe:
Place the sugar into a large saucepan/stockpot or a large heat proof
bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir until all the sugar has
dissolved. Leave to cool.
Grate the rind of the lemons and the limes with a fine grater, add to the sugar water.
Slice
the lemons and limes into thick slices and add to the water. Add the citric acid
and stir, then finally add the flower heads to the water and stir
again.Remove as much as the stalk as you can.
Cover with a clean cloth or lid and leave to steep for 48 hours.
Strain through clean fine muslin cloth into a clean bowl.We've used a colander with a jiffy cloth and strained it twice into a measuring jug to remove any bits.
Using a funnel, fill sterilised bottles (see note below). Seal and
store in a cool, dark place (not the refrigerator) for a few weeks or
freeze in plastic bottles to keep for longer (see note below).
Pick large heads which are in full bloom...
It's really easy to make and I for one am converted to making my own cordial now. In previous years I had thought it might be too complicated to make but as you can see from the recipe it's super easy. I'm planning on going to get some more so I can make some Elderflower Liqueur also there's another variant I want to try... I hear that if you add a couple of teaspoons of lavender flowers that it's even more yummy! Can't wait to try!!!
Doing the taste test!!! Mix with water to your own taste... we like it strong with plenty of rum though this one in the photo was just with cold spring water!
Once bottled keep your brew in a dark cool place preferably out of the fridge! We've added a brown paper label to help keep the light out...
Note:
To sterilise your bottles wash well with soapy water then dry in a medium/hot oven (gas mark 5 or 6) for about 10 minutes.
To
freeze your cordial either fill ice cube trays or if you're freezing it
in a bottle make sure to leave plenty of room as the liquid will expand
during freezing.
The best way to pick your elderflower
heads is to do it on a dry warm day as you want them to be at their
most fragrant. Also make sure they are away from any busy roads as the
elderflower tree will soak up all the nasty car fumes... yuck that's
something you really don't want to bottle and drink!
P.S. Please forage responsibly. Even though we love free stuff we're also aware that nature also needs these Elderflower to feed all the beasties who are dependent on it for food so please pick only what you need!
For so many city dwellers outside space comes at a premium and lots of them are like me... without a garden!
Being surrounded by grey, brick and mortar structures can take a lot out of a gal so finding softness and comfort is something I tend to look for inside the home through the use of soft furnishings and home wares but also in living things like plants.
BUT because of the very small issue of not having a garden - plus my window boxes have been transformed into Kitty lawns- I've been looking at alternatives. Planting has come a long way since the days of hanging baskets and people are getting more and more creative by
using large glass cloches, glass bowls or pretty ceramic bowls to create mini masterpieces.
This is something which I find pleasing and absolutely inspiring!
Think outside the window box and plant something that will give you
lots of joy but will also feed the senses. Use plants and flowers which
don't just look good but smell and feel good too.
Don't tell me you've never passed a "money tree" plant without giving the leaves a gentle squeeze? It's pure pleasure and in a way it connects me with nature. It's true! However small the gesture may seem it really does!
I
love the idea of having small indoor gardens in a container... a bit
like dioramas. I was obsessed with these as a child and had boxes under
my bed filled with scenarios usually of forests and nature landscapes... and taking a cue from that memory... I absolutely adore the little colourful cacti pictured below, nestled together, all bunched up in a herd like they've found a turquoise oasis in the hot desert. It's such a simple idea but absolutely beautiful too! Hum, I think I may just have to make my own desert diorama...
There'sa buzz around the Craft world at the moment and it's all about experienced people teaching the younger generation about making!It goes by the nameThe Amazings? Have you heard about it? No?! OK so you've either been on a long holiday or living completely off grid because The Amazingsare the hottest topic around at the moment!!! We'll forgive you for it because we know how quick information moves and just how darn hard it is keeping up with everything! But we'll tell you all about it...
Through out time elders have passed on skills to younger folk...
mosaic plant pots...one of the classes available to join!
So what are The Amazings? The Amazings is
an online platform where retired and retiring people pass on
craft skills through classes and courses.
There are now over
200 real life workshops on offer.
Demand for the classes has far outstripped what the individual Amazings
can provide, so in order to widen the availability of the
courses, they will now be available through a digital platform.
Beauty is not just skin deep... learn to make it from the experts!
Knitting got you in a twist and granny doesn't live close enough to pop in to teach you? Fear not you can learn from an elder on line!
We love the concept behind this project and because we've been harping on about "Sharing your craft skills" for the past 5 years or so we're very happy to see it's something
others are also aware of and striving to keep alive!
It's so important that we as a society pass on
creativity because a society with out CRAFT is like a banjo with out
strings!!! More and more people have become engaged with making as the modern world moves at a colossal rate people of all ages have found craft a therapeutic respite from the constant evolution in technology.
Jewellery making!
Learn from others and maybe one day you too can pass it on to the next generation!
So how do you get a piece of the action? Online classes will be offered in everything from
knitting and sewing, to bookbinding and retro-hair dos. Courses
consist of 2 hour video tutorials, commentary, teacher’s notes and
you'll also be able to ask the teacher a question!
Once enrolled, users will be able to watch a class anywhere, anytime, and for as long as they like. That's the magic of the inter net and we think this offer is magic too!!! So no hurrying as you'll be able to watch and learn at your own pace and whenever you have time.
Fun and fab... make a dress from a shirt...
...just another brilliant workshop by the people at The Amazings!
So if you're after some creative classes here's a list of what will be available:
*Make Natural Beauty Products
*Three Retro Hair Dos
*Make a Mosaic Flower Pot
*Learn to Patchwork Quilt
*Try Altered Books
*Turn a man’s shirt into a summer dress
*Create a Silver Metal Clay Butterfly
*Loom knit a woolly hat
Altered Book...
And because we love to share the creativity The Amazings have offered an exclusive and brilliant treat for our blog readers... so if you'd like to book an online class visit www.theamazings.com and get your first class for free!
You'll need this code to access the freebie page, just sign in and follow the steps: http://bit.ly/11tdram
We first came across these lovely creative people through twitter and we think they should definitely be better know in the UK. "Flow" is a Dutch based creative magazine which also manages to create and sell beautiful paper goods plus their blog/website is pretty darn good too!
So what makes Flow different from all the others?
Stamps available to buy and other paper goods like diaries and wrapping paper!
There are so many Craft mags out there at the moment but what is seriously lacking is a publication which stands out both in the design stakes and the content.
After a huge dry spell of "good looking" UK craft magazines our market is now flooded with a hundred and one "Molly Makes" look-a-likes.
I do Like Molly's, don't get me wrong, but now other magazines are emulating too closely so it kind of loses it's sparkle as everything out there becomes very samey.
I
often think that the majority of craft magazines are very one
dimensional. OK so it's a craft mag, so shouldn't it be all about CRAFT making? Yes and no. I love the projects and the d.i.y. content but I
also don't see the point of a magazine packed solely with projects you can easily find on Pinterest and an endless showcasing of work spaces.
OK not everyone is a natural born crafter so I understand why all the projects but how many of these magazines can a market sustain?
Not just a note book...but a beautiful ideas note book!
What Flow manages to do is offer a magazine which is bright, inspiring and inviting without making you feel like all the people featured in the inside pages are living a dream while you fester in reality... a bit like being tormented by a fantastical cake shop which never opens though you have the munchies like no body's business so you're left tapping on the window, wishing it was you on the other side of the double glazing stuffing your face with sweet fluffy cake and not just left out in the cold looking in!
So why all the love? Flow does tap into the hand made zeitgeist yet it's done in an original way. Though it features projects, recipes, freebies and even life mantras it's definitely a marriage of the creative and the philosophical world.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that an article titled "Life is about finding the balance" would be all about offering advise on how to run a designer maker business while balancing a home life but far from it. It taps into a shared aspect -humanity- and it offers content which is open to all and not just to people working within the creative industry. That my friends is awesome... there isn't one mention of craft but it's all about living a better life as a human being and we can all relate to that!
I do like our UK magazines but sometimes I wish they would just "be themselves" rather then try too hard to be a copy of someone else.
Though Flow does subscribe to a certain aesthetic it still comes across as fresh! With a sub heading of: Simplify your life - feel connected - live mindfully- spoil yourself... It's not surprising there is such a huge worldwide following.
This is what they say about their magazine...
Flow is a magazine for women who are looking for more peace and quiet in their busy lives.
Flow offers inspiration, insights and solutions. Authentic, made with love, a magazine with lots of extras.
Each issue has four parts:
1. FEEL CONNECTED:
about family, relationships, friends, but also about the world around you.
2. SPOIL YOURSELF:
indulge yourself with pretty and fun products.
3. LIVE MINDFULLY:
living with awareness, attention for the now, mindfulness and psyche.
4. SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE:
practical solutions to make life easier, even inside your head
We hope Flow manages to keep going in this fast paced multi media world, though I'm sure they will, and if anything we hope we've managed to turn you on to something a little bit different and exciting... so go on if you have some time this weekend go check out their blog... it's definitely worth a few hours of your time!
Then let me invite you down to the Red Door Studios biggest ever Yard Sale!
From the creators of the successful 'Homemaker Pop-up Sale'
comes THE YARD SALE on the 14th to 16th of June, for a bohemian collection of pre-loved items –
ready to take home for cheap as chips prices! They have a jumble of retro, new
and used items for your to re-love and re-cycle.
Hours of the sale are:
Friday 14th June: 7pm to 10pm
Saturday 15th June: 10am to 4pm
Sunday 16th June: 10am to 4pm
Red Door are located in East Ham, just off High Street South on
Masterman Road, the address is:
Rear of 120 High Street South,
East Ham, London
E6 3RW
For those anxious 'early birds' there is a pre-view
sale on the Friday evening from 7pm to 10pm where you can browse and buy with a
glass of wine in hand, entrance fee for the evening event is £1.00
The Creative Director of Red Door Studios has lived in the UK
for 14 years and has collected a lot of stuff so before her shipping
containers leave for North America, she is offering bargain hunters a chance
to re-claim many collected British items including;
1950’s retro furniture, architectural
salvage, sewing and haberdashery supplies, fabric ... and millions of buttons!
The Red Door Cafe will be open with garden treats from the
local gardening project 'Grow together, Be Together... Eat Together'.
Proceeds of the sale will go towards renovations at the
Studio as well as go to the East Ham Air Cadets Squadron and 'Grow together, Be
Together' gardening project in East Ham.
For inspiration do take a gander at my blog post Yard Sale Bohemia I'll hope to see many East End locals at the Studio over the weekend!
