Book Review: Kids’ Crafternoon Felting by Kathreen Ricketson

ISBN 9781742700441 (Felting) - Publishing date: 1^st December 2011 – cost £14.99 Hardback

This is my second book review for hardie grant books which has made all the more exciting because I was given this Kids’ Carfternoon Felting to peruse several months before it’s actual release date, so I was one of the first people to get my little mitts on it!

As is my usual way when writing a review, rather than rewrite the publishers blurb which was sent to me and which also covers the Crafternoon series of books I’ve just copied and pasted it, so that I don’t miss out any of the important details.

  

“The Kids’ Crafternoon series puts the fun back into a kid’s afternoon – turn off the TV and get crafting! Each title contains 25 appealing projects from specialist crafters across the globe. The projects vary in complexity and the time required for completion (though never longer than a whole afternoon), while the books are structured by project themes designed to appeal to young crafters. The four titles in the series are Papercraft, Sewing, Beading and Felting.

The author Kathreen Ricketson is the founder of the phenomenally successful website WhipUp.net, which receives over 10,000 visitors each day. The projects in the Kids’ Crafternoon titles have been carefully selected by Kathreen from crafters around the world. Each book features 25 fun projects that can be completed in an afternoon With step-by-step instructions and illustrations, the projects will appeal to both boys and girls, and they range from quick and easy projects to ones that will occupy kids for a few hours Modern, colourful, appealing design”

  ….. And, so what did I think of the book? ………. Well, I really liked it, especially as the projects are pretty simple and can be completed in an afternoon, which is just right for me because I am pretty hopeless at following things through if they take too long.

I love the quality and feel of the book and the paper it is made from, plus the template pocket in the front cover containing all the templates you will need for the projects, the ring binding and the beautiful coloured photos, page borders and simple diagrams that illustrate the instructions. There is something for all abilities from the Eraser Heads (my level) …..

….to an Upcycled Sherpa Hat (above) made from an old jumper and the Zombie Critter Charms, there is something for all ages and interests, all using either felted wool or felt.

 

For the purposes of this review I decided to tackle the Eraser Head pencil toppers ….. done in four simple steps, but I substituted button eyes for googly ones and small ric rac braid for the mouth … as my hand sewing is pants!

For more information about this and other books from hardie grant please check out these links

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kids-Crafternoon-Felting-Kathreen-Ricketson/dp/1742700446

http://twitter.com/HardieGrantUK

http://www.facebook.com/HardieGrantBooksLondon

*Please note that this review is only my opinion

Do You Have A Penchant For Men In Uniform .... ...???

Louise sent me this link ..... and it NEEDS to be shared!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDZcGz4vmJc&feature=youtu.be

Nom, nom, nom!

Little Angels Christmas Cards

Each of these cards measures 5 x 5 ins and one is made using white linen effect card and the other ivory.

I’ve had these resin angels for about 4 years from a QVC sale, every year I’ve got them out and every year they’ve gone back in my Christmas box …in fact I got so fed up with them I gave a lot away.

However, this year I’ve finally done it and used them! I’ve cut a small square from a snowy blue 12 x 12 paper and mat and layered it on silver/gold.  Then I’ve added an angel and a few doodles using a white gel pen.

They are quite thick, so I am thinking that these are cards I would give personally rather than put in the post.

Are you like me, do you have a thing about which way an embellishment faces?  I always look for embellishments that face both ways …. but they are few and far between, it’s just that on some cards it’s nice to have the characters facing one another…. or am I just anal?

Christmas Tree Card

This card measures   15.5 x 11cms and is made using white linen effect card.

As I have said before,  the grounds of the school  where I work are stunning, especially after a frost or in the snow.  It was when we had snow earlier on in the year that I went out and took lots of photographs with Christmas cards 2011 in mind. 

This tree is right next to the Geography block, which is one of the departments I work for, and as soon as I saw it’s shape I thought Christmas tree, so with this in mind I have made this card is for the Head of Geography, I wonder if she will recognise it?

After printing the picture I’ve simply added a bit of Stampin’Up Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the branches and on the ground, I was going to add some flat backed gems for baubles but they didn’t add anything and just made the card look tacky.

I Love Santa

This card measures 14cm x 14cm and is made using white linen effect card.

This card looks deceptively easy, and it is now that I have got the spacings right.  The font I’ve used is 2peas High Tide, font size 80.  The glitter heart is made using a large heart punch.

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/shop/fonts/

Festive Takeaway Favor Box

I’ve had a pile of packs of these takeaway boxes for a couple of years after I finding them in The Works and thinking I could do “something” with them! I’ve forgotten how much they were, but they were either 99p or £1.99 and still available in some shops.

Anyway this year I finally decided that they were no good languishing at the back of the cupboard, they HAD to be used and gone by Christmas!

I’ve stuck a snow line on each side of the box using white glitter card and then used a varitey of stickers that also needed to be used up to embellish them.

Because the boxes are made of plastic I was unsure about what pens to use on them but I used a permenamt black pen for the faux stitching and a white Posca pen for the snowflakes and they look pretty ok!

I’ve filled them with Tesco chocolate Christmas puddings and money, Kinder bars, chuppa pops and chocolate Santa's.  My cupboards are slowly emptying BUT I could craft for the next twenty years, twenty four hours a day and there would still be a pile to use up!

Top Tip To Tart Up A Quick Card?

No crafting today just a top tip  ….. with Christmas fast approaching perhaps like me you just haven’t got the time now to whip up yet another card, but have a few shop bought cards that you could tart up just a little and make your own ……

I found this pack of Charity bird cards in an Oxfam shop reduced to 99p in the summer ……  birds do it for me every time! All I’ve done is add twinkly clear flat backed gems to the centre of the larger snowflakes for extra festive sparkle……. sorted!

With Love At Christmas Card

This card measures 4ins x 4ins.

No faux stitching today … it’s the real thing! The heart embellishment is from a pack from Paper Bliss with a bit of mat and layering and the background paper is from Stampin’Up.  It’s funny how just a bit of stitching changes the whole tactile feel of a card.  

Dove Christmas Card

This card measures 5ins x 5ins and is made using a darkish blue linen effect card.

This was a bit of an experiment and to be honest I’m not entirely struck on it, so perhaps next year I could fine tune it …(next year, we haven’t done this year yet … have I lost my mind?)

The dove is from a small pack from PaperCellar (EMB/WD/013)).  I drew a circle round the dove directly onto the card and then added the holly leaf confetti and berries as evenly as I could with a white dot using a Signo Uni Ball gel pen.

It’s Christmas ……And I'm Flashing Like A Good 'Un!

It’s Advent Calendars akimbo and I can finally use my new shopping bag from Tesco (£3)

Hmmmm pretty but nothing special you may say …….. but … wait for this.... 


How brilliant is that????!!!  You can see me coming a mile off!!  There are little lights in middle of eight of the snowflakes which flash alternately

Old Wooden Brick Box

I have made my mum a pile her favourite cards as a small Christmas present, but I wanted to put them in a nice box too … and then remembered this old brick box I had leftover from another project, it was just the right fit for the cards measuring 19cm x 14cm x 6.5cm deep.

I decided to cover it with some paper from Limetree Craft that I got at NEC the Hobby Craft Show last year, there were 10 sheets in a pack for £1.  I thought it was perfect for the box as it just looks like a woodcut pattern.

 Before I covered it, I went round all the edges with a Promaker pen as I had cut the paper just short of the sides. I did the top in the same way, mindful that after a couple of coats of varnish it needed to slide smoothly in and out of the box. I also lined the bottom of the box. And that’s all there was to it.  I loved seeing how the tones of the box changed under the varnish and I am so pleased with how classy it looks.

All I need is to do now is add the cards, a nice pen and a book of stamps and hope my mum likes it.

Snowman Card

This card measures 5ins by 5ins and is made using white linen effect card.

Not much to this card today.  The papers are 8 x 8 papers from Pepper’s Christmas Party from Trimcraft, to which I have added a little faux stitching to try to give the card a patchwork effect. The embellishments were part of a RAK from my lovely follower Carly, to which I’ve added a few clear flat backed gems and a little Ranger Glossy Accents on the snowman's eyes, nose and snowballs. 

A HUGE Thank You

A HUGE “Thank You” to Tracy for sending me a glorious parcel full of wonderful bits and pieces.  I cannot believe the kindness of my readers and when I saw who the parcel was addressed to it made me howl! Soooo funny.

Amongst all the treasure was a box filled with all sorts of die cuts, including lots of hearts (and ….. I’m thinking Valentines Day already!)  I can’t wait to get stuck into it all once Christmas is over.

Tracy also put in this lovely card in the parcel which is now on my craftroom window sill…. I will also add it to our blog gallery when I have five minutes. Thank you, thank you, thank you, your kindness and thoughtfulness is very much appreciated and treasured xxxx

Forever Friends Cards

These cards measure 5ins x 5ins and are made using white linen effect card.

I quite like the Forever Friends range of toppers as they are well made and good quality but for doing a batch of cards they are a little expensive,  so I only tend to buy them in the sales or when they are on offer. 

I’ve teamed them up with 6 x 6 papers from the Papermania Back to Basics pack and Anita’s Happy Christmas message tags.

Microscope Slide Pendant/Christmas Decoration

Remember in the summer when I finally got round to experimenting with my microscope slides? Well, I made this as well, but wanted to keep it until I started my Christmas blogging.

I’ve used paper from Basic Grey’s Blitzen Collection, Jack Frost (BL1-337)  for the background with added punched snowflakes, prisma micro glitter, and tiny pale blue metallic stars.  I’ve put glass flat back gems to the front of the pendant for extra dimension along with the metal Christmas tree, which is from Crafting for Christmas range. It really is very twinkly and magical, but it’s so hard to capture in a photo. I will be wearing it throughout December with a couple of others I have made.

Christmas Wish Bottle Tree Decoration.

This bottle came from a child’s bead/jewellery making set of 12 bottles all filled with beads for 99p.  I’d tried looking for similar empty bottles on e-bay but the prices were stupid, so I’ve emptied the beads into a big pot for another project, and just used the bottles.

The bottle is approximately 4cms tall (not including the stopper).  I’ve put a piece of paper into it with “wish” written on both sides and then added a few punched silver snowflakes.  On the outside I have stuck some small silver glittery self adhesive snowflakes (Anita’s I think). Finally I’ve put an eye with a screw end (not sure what they are really called) into the cork, all it needs now is a thread to hang it on a Christmas tree branch.

Doodled Christmas Tree Card

This card measures 7ins x 5ins and is made using Kraft ribbed effect card.

Hmmmmm not sure about this card …. I went a bit berserk on the doodling!  I think it has a sort of ethnicy feel to it.

Christmas Bucket Tea Light Holder

This is probably a VERY naughty thing for me to do, but I have always have my camera with me and in January I was in a gift shop when I saw this festive bucket in the sale, I was too mean to buy it, but I took a sneaky pic because I liked the idea. Shhhhh!

Below is my version ….

I got home and was looking through my bits and stumbled upon the little green bucket I had forgotten I had, which is almost an identical colour, ‘twas fate.

I set about making the fringe using white felt and sewing small jingle bells on it.
 

And then used some red Dylon 3D glitter paint for the lines.  When the paint was dried I stuck the fringe onto the bucket using a strong PVA glue.  To be honest I think the 3D paint is too thick and blobby and if I were to have another go, I think I would just use a red micro glitter and PVA glue.

Christmas Hearts Card

This card measures 15 cm x 10.5 cm and is made using  white linen effect card and Basic Grey – Blitzen – Jack Frost BL1 –377 12 x 12 scrapbook paper

I love Christmas cards that are simple and unfussy, less is more.  I’ve just punched out two 2in scalloped hearts and stuck them down using foam pads for extra dimension.  The centre panel, mat and layered on silver  is stuck down in the same way too.

I’ve added two small snowflake punches to each heart with a silver nail head in the middle and a scattering of tiny clear flat back gems. It took not time at all to make, but is so effective.

Pepper’s Christmas Party

Each of these cards measure 5ins x 5 ins and is made using white linen effect card.

I got this box of Pepper’s Christmas Party (Trimcraft) chipboard shapes and a pack of matching 8ins x 8ins papers (also reduced) to go with them in a sale at the Range.

I am hoping to get about 6 plus cards from the box, 36 shapes sounds a lot, but some of the shapes are quite small and not so easy to use and some of the larger ones just didn’t appeal, like festive carol singing frogs …. which I just don’t get, but perhaps frog  lovers might???

Anyway, these are the first three cards I’ve made from the pack.

Perhaps not my taste but I have learnt that the cards that I I really like don’t necessarily disappear from my box in the staffroom first!

Cat Christmas Card

This card measures 16cms x 11cms and is made using a ribbed Kraft card.

I’ve made this card for a friend at work who is mad about cats.  I’ve had the wooden embellishment for a couple of years and as I am on a real mission to use a lot of my existing Christmas stash this year I was determined to use it.

The embellishment was from http://designsonpine.co.uk/categories.php – they have a cracking craft section – and worth a visit, especially when they have a sale!

Decorated Wooden Child’s Domino Box.

This box, which measures 9cm x 16cm x 5.5 cm deep was left over after I had made all my festive wooden tags, I didn’t want to throw it away, so I thought I would make a little desk tidy/trinket box with it.

I’ve covered the sides, top and inside bottom with K & Co. Classic Margo Patchwork Stripes paper (643077 645776), and couple of layers of clear gloss varnish. A small wooden knob finishes it off.  I think I  put a few sweets in it and give it to a colleague as a small Christmas present.