Scene on Screen - Mister Maker

I don't often have an excuse to watch CBBC but with friends visiting at the weekend with their kids, I found myself in front of the telly on Saturday morning watching Mister Maker and discovered a great programme full of ideas for things to make.

And since it's half term for most of you, I thought you might like this idea (which is still available on i-player for a few more days and this demo is about 16 minutes into the programme). 

Gloopy Glue Splat Monsters.

You will need

• a baking tray
• pink card, felt tip pen and scissors
• PVA glue and brush
• googly eyes
• glitter (and sequins)

First, take your baking tray and put in a big splodge of glue in the centre.  Using your brush flick out the glue to make your splat shape.

 Then add the googly eyes and sequins before sprinkling on some glitter.

 Next you need to make the tongue.  Draw out a tongue shape on your pink card and carefully cut round it with some scissors.

 Gently place the tongue into the glue mixture and leave it to dry over night.

 The following day, when it's dry, carefully peel your splat bug off the baking tray, shake off any excess glitter and there you have it .... a splat bug.

 You can make them in lots of colourful shapes and use them to decorate mirrors, windows, books or storage boxes.  A little bit of sellotape will help to secure them in place.

 If you have a go at making them, do send us your pictures and let us know how you got on.  We'd love to see them.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Boutique and Unique - McQueens

In my previous life as a TV producer I was lucky enough to meet and film with Kally Ellis of McQueens. Their designs were trendsetting at the time and revisiting their website they clearly still are today. From early on they were feted and flown to LA to decorate the Vanity Fair Oscar bash. 

And of course part of the reason for blogging about them today is because it's Valentine's Day.  And McQueens have themed their bouquets with the names of romantic films including Love, Actually, An Affair to Remember, The Age of Innocence and From Here to Eternity.

When Kally Ellis set up McQueens in 1991,she had one aim in mind. “I wanted to sell simple, stylish flowers, beautifully presented, to the London market. And I knew people would love it.” Kally drew on her business experience working in the marketing team of a large international French merchant bank. With a strong sense of colour and design, and a genuine passion for flowers, it has proved to be a winning combination, establishing McQueens as the premier name in the UK flower market – and beyond.  “It never fails to surprise me when I receive calls about our flowers from Hollywood and Japan,” says Kally. “It’s amazing to think that from a small shop in Clerkenwell, we’ve built a reputation for quality and innovation that’s known the world over. Yes, I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved.”

I have always loved flowers and did nurture a dream that if I won the lottery I'd set up my own shop but I've settled for making the odd display including arrangements for my sister in law's reception and my own altar piece at my wedding. But nothing as impressive as this by McQueens.

I have always meant to treat myself to taking a course (I don't think the visiting florist to our guide company when I was about 12 was enough, although I did learn about the rule of using triangles which has probably long gone out the window!).   

So although I doubt I'll be able to make it to McQueens in London, I'm sure that there are some great courses available to me locally and to you where-ever you live in the UK. So get googling and find yourself a course now.

But of course I did make my own flowers of a fashion and can make up a bouquet of lilies, roses and tulips.  You can see them here and buy them from our website too.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Meet the Maker - Cardboard Collective

 

If you fancy yourself as a whizz with the old fancy dress, I think I've found something to challenge your skill levels, especially when you discover they're all made from cardboard.

These creative masterpieces are all the handiwork of Amber who hails from the US originally but, having travelled all over the world for the past 10 years with her husband, has finally settled in Japan where she started her family. 

She started her blog in October 2011 and tries to post once a week. Here you’ll find inspiration for projects, cardboard links, information about tools and techniques, and also a bit about sustainable building, crafting and living.

Each year she runs a challenge and this year's no different. You can find out more here. The standard varies but looks pretty high!

   

   

And they also offer some awesome tutorials with great instructions and easy to follow photos.   This one will allow you to create your own unicorn costume.  Check it out here.

If you do have a go, please let us know. Post your photos. We'd love to see them.  We must find someone who can make something like this for our photographers.  Check out our stunning images in our professional gallery here.

www.cobwebkbnits.co.uk

Surf's Up - The Sweetest Occasion

Is it possible to fall in love with a website?  I have.  The Sweetest Occasion is great for all of you looking for inspiration with parties, handmade gifts or fashion.

This eyecatching blog is the brainchild of Cyd Converse who founded The Sweetest Occasion in 2008, bringing her lifelong passion for design, entertaining, fashion and photography to life. 

By day, Cyd can be found blogging, day dreaming, keeping company with her lovable old black lab, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and planning weekend trips to the farmer’s market. She holds an undergraduate degree in architecture and a Master of Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University. Cyd resides in Syracuse, New York where she also writes for Babble, a wildly popular parenting and lifestyle website.

I'm not surprised that she has a devoted following of readers who visit her blog  for trendsetting DIY tutorials, party inspiration, fashion finds, entertaining tips and ideas, home decor, design ideas and tasty cocktail recipes. 

You'll need to visit her website for the full DIY-tutorials, but here's a taster of what she offers ....

Valentine Day ideas

 

Easter bunny pouches
  

There are stunning images of themed and other celebratory parties that are sure to inspire ...

  

and she also provides downloads for lovely printables, perfect for Valentines, Xmas, Halloween and other special occasions.

It's no wonder that she's been featured by publications such as Better Homes & Gardens, Every Day with Rachael Ray, The Today Show, People, Country Living, BRIDES, The Huffington Post and DailyCandy, Definitely worth checking out if you're looking for entertaining and design ideas.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Meet the Maker - Kirsty Elson

I keep being drawn back to artists based in Cornwall for some reason, but I think a lot of it has to do with their skill for using natural objects to help create their unique pieces.  Kirsty Elson is another such artist.  And I agree with Sarah Pitt's description when she says "there's a special charm about Kirsty's driftwood houses.  With their tiny windows, weather driftwood doors and roofs of wood or slate held on with rusty nails, they evoke the naive art of St Ives 19th century fisherman-painter Alfred Wallis."

She has a background in illustration and printmaking, but now prefers to combine her love of beachcombing, textiles and all things nautical to create lovely handcrafted cards and home accessories.

I'll let Kirsty continue in her own words : 'I am a multi-media artist lucky enough to live in beautiful Cornwall with my partner and two young sons.  We all love the beach and I am inspired by my coastal surroundings.  My work is heavily influenced by the worn materials I discover washed up on local beaches and I love the idea of using found objects like driftwood and turning them into something beautiful and unique. I hope my work makes you smile!'

As well as featuring in the media her work crops up in less likely places too and eagle-eyed fans will have spotted her work in the home of one of the contestants in the BBC's recent Interior Design Challenge series.  But for her, one of her greatest accolades was being featured in a Russian magazine called Art, which is produced for teachers and pupils. The idea is they learn about a new artist, then there is a suggested project taking inspiration from that person. This little town is made from matchboxes. As she says herself, "How cool is that?!"

As well as selling her work online, she can be found in galleries and will soon feature in an exhibition at Unit Twelve from the 6th March in Staffordshire. The gallery hosts a regularly changing programme and this one showcases madebyhandonline, a curate website championing high quality contemporary craft from some of the UK's finest makers, including, of course, Kirsty.

And can I meet my challenge of finding something to link with our products?  I guess the pirate T-shirt would have to be the closest.  They did have pirates and smugglers off the coast of Cornwall after all.

You can buy your own T-shirt here.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk