Crafter's Companion
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Inspirational Tutorial: Book folding
Looking to decorate a special book folding project? The Sara Signature English Country Garden flower dies give a beautiful floral dimension to this project. The flowers are perfect cascading down and create such a decorative feature. Designer Susanne shows you step by step how she made this beautiful project so you can make one too! Change the papers and make one for all occasions! Directions: Step 1: Using lavender pearlescent cardstock and paper, die cut and emboss a selection of flowers in all different sizes from the English Country Garden collection. Using both paper and card stock...
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Fantastic week of Demos and Classes
Hello Crafters! We have had a fantastic week of demos and classes in store, full of great crafts! Our demo days are great for gaining inspiration and also meeting fellow crafters. If you would like to attend any demos or classes be sure to check out our booking page. There are classes for all levels of crafters. But hurry places go fast! Demos and Classes last week We had the lovely Jennie Rayment in store demonstrating some amazing hand-sewing techniques. [gallery ids="12477,12449,12450,12451,12452,12453,12454,12455,12476"] Our crafters made such amazing items with Jennie. We can't wait to see what the panels...
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Inspirational Tutorial: New baby shaker card
Shaker cards are such fun to make and so easy too! Designer Ann-Marie shows you just how easy they are to make in her tutorial below! Just change the colour from blue to pink for a new baby girl and of course you could make it in neutral colours if your making cards without knowing beforehand if the baby is a boy or girl! Directions: Step 1 To start you will need a 6 x 6 card base. Trim a sheet of ‘Fresh Blue’ Centura Pearl cardstock to measure 14.5 cm x 14.5 cm...
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New crafts for the new year!
A very happy new year crafters! Well its a new year and that means new crafts ! We hope you enjoyed the festive period with your families. Have you made any new years resolutions? Our resolution this year is to craft even more than last year! New crafts and classes This year we have some fantastic classes in store for you this January! Everything from card making, paper crafting, mixed media , sewing and our new up-cycling classes. We started this year off with crafting with catitudes with Julia Gailes. This was followed by kids craft group which created some...
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13% off for Friday 13th at Aycliffe Store
Hello crafters! We hope you have had a fantastic week filled with crafts! In this weeks blog post we have a sneak peak into our classes in February. We also a discount of 13% off for our customers for Friday 13th! Here at Aycliffe store we have had some fantastic classes running this week, we held our first up-cycling class with Helen Johnson. Helen's class was great fun and all our crafters made amazing items! This class is great for getting home deco inspiration and giving old furniture a new look. We are hoping to hold another one of...
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Inspirational Tutorial: A groovy gift box
Create a fun gift box with that 60's feeling! This is perfect for any music lover! Having a 60's party? You could use it as a party bag and fill it full of fun things linked to the 60's for your guests as they leave! Chrissie shows you step by step how she created this fun box in her tutorial below, let's get started! Directions: Step 1: Trim two pieces of white cardstock to 5.5 x 5.5. Step 2: Stamp the image in black in. Cover with clear embossing powder and...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Gatefold cards using Edge'able dies
Give your Gatefold cards an extra special look by giving them four fancy edges. This tutorial from designer Angela Clerehugh will show you how to use the Die’Sire Edge’ables to give a fabulous look to your cards. The best part is, you can use any of the Die’Sire Edge’ables to make this card. Directions: Step 1: Take a piece of A3 Centura Pearl measure and cut to 6” wide x 16 ½” long . Score at 2 6/8” and 5 ½“. Turn the card around and score the same measurements again. ...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Get inky with your stencils and masks!
This is such a fun and original project from designer Soraya made using fun Leonie Pujol stencils and masks! Transform a simple notebook into a personalised and unique item. This stunning notebook makes an adorable present for a special friend! Directions: Step 1: Lay the notebook on top of the white Neenah card and mark out the area to decorate. Stick the Leonie Pujol stencil in the bottom with a repositionable adhesive. Step 2: Add the distress inks with the smoothies blending sponge starting with the lightest colour. Keep adding the other colours...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Make-up/wash bags
We all love something to put our make up or wash things in when we go away, these nesting bags from Emily are perfect for this! The smaller one would be great for use in your handbag keeping your things together and easily available for use! No more rummaging looking for things! Follow Emily's make up bag tutorial and have fun! You could make them in so many different colours and give them as gifts...along side some cosmetics for that extra special surprise. Measurements for cutting the material for the outer of front and back of the make...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Eat cake hoop art
Have your very own vibrant wall art for your kitchen or dining room when you make this funky hoop art using the fabulous Sew Inspired 4 magazine free baking template. Follow this fabulous tutorial from Designer Angela Harkness to create your very own piece of beautiful hoop art! Directions: Step 1: Using the embroidery hoop as a guide, cut out a rough circle shape out of the plain pink Verona pink fat quarter and one out of the fusible fleece. Fuse the fleece to the fabric using a dry iron. ...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Decorate a MDF tissue box using Crafter's Companion elements
Create a piece of home decor either for yourself or as a gift. Designer Gemma has had lots of fun playing with Gilding Wax to create this gorgeous tissue box! You could make this in colours to fit in with your home too, just change the papers! Have fun making one too, let's begin! Directions: Step 1: Cover an MDF tissue box blank with book paper, and rub gilding wax around the edges. Step 2: Cut five square of card to fit the top and sides of the box, emboss them...
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Tutorial of the month: January - a colouring tutorial for beginners
Happy new Crafters! Can you believe it's January 2017 already? To celebrate we're giving you a colouring tutorial for beginners. We're wanting to challenge our customers to try out a new craft for 2017 - so we're going to be providing tutorials throughout the year for you to be able to gain inspiration from and try new things! Why not?! Jen has provided a fantastic colouring tutorial to convince you to make a 'getting into colouring' your New Year Resolution! If you have never tried colouring with Spectrum Noir Alcohol markers, then this could be the tutorial for you...
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Inspirational Tutorial: A wedding card
Marie has created a beautiful stepper wedding card for you in her tutorial below. It would make a stunning birthday card too, just change the sentiment on it! Have fun making lots of these, lets get started! Directions: Step 1. Diagram for score lines and cut lines to make stepper card. Step 2. Cut A4 Centura Pearl card to 29cm long. Score and cut as shown on the diagram to create stepper card base. Step 3. Die-cut the Chandelier and corners at the centre fold, taping the dies in...
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Inspirational Tutorial: A concertina card
If you love adult colouring you will love this concertina card from Susanne! Take your colouring pages and create fabulous dimensional cards with them! You can make cards for many occasions, even make sets in different colours and give them as gifts. Just have lots of fun colouring and making cards! Directions: Step 1. Using The Big score place A3 Centura Pearl card upright (portrait) on the big score, and score the card at 8 inches. Step 2. Place the width of card against left edge of big score (box lid) and score at 2 ½ inches...
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Inspirational Tutorial: Half Apron
Do you or anyone you know love to cook up a storm in the kitchen? Emily has a tutorial for you to create a half apron, it's great for keeping things handy in while you are having fun in the kitchen! Dimensions to cut your fabric Main apron piece- 22 ¾ inches by 11.5 inches Pocket piece- 22 ¾ inches by 8 inches Apron ties- 22 ¾ inches by 4 inches ( You will need 3 of these) Bias Binding- 2 metres Step 1: Round the corners of the material for the main apron piece and the pocket piece. ...
