March 2011

whipup.net newsletter no.13 2011

by kath_red on March 31, 2011

in Features, Newsletter

Grab an Action Pack: A mini-mag for kids who like to do stuff

Issue 1 and Issue 2 now available in our shop

NEW

Issue 2 of Action Pack is here. The April issue’s theme is ‘Seeds & beads’ with a bonus Easter Supplement! Filled with craft, cooking, science and gardening + printables and art projects – for kids aged 7+ (and the young at heart). Whipup.net newsletter readers get a 20% discount coupon ‘APlaunch0006‘. And if you don’t yet have issue 1 you can use this coupon to get a 20% discount off issue 1 as well as issue 2! Thank you for all your support – love you guys!
++ For schools and Libraries we now have an education license available THIS MEANS THAT EDUCATION FACILITIES MAY REPRODUCE THIS PUBLICATION AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WITHIN THE SCHOOL, WITHOUT SEEKING FURTHER PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

This week at whipup… Last week of our Guest Blogger Series …

More

Next week

  • A week of eco crafting and lifestyle – including books, tutorials, resources and more

On my reading pile:

  • Quirky, interesting, funny, original – Faces in Places: A Photographic Collection of Faces found in Everyday Places (Jody Smith Ammonite Press February 1, 2011) is little book full of photographs of – yes you guessed it – faces in places, faces on bags, on streets, in nature, industrial zones, rusted faces, cloth faces, garbage faces, house faces! Its a cute and lovely little book.
  • Want to know what makes business visionaries tick and how you can become one? Ten Steps Ahead: What Separates Successful Business Visionaries from the Rest of Us (Erik Calonius, Portfolio Hardcover March, 2011) shows how intuition, courage, emotional intelligence and luck  play a huge part in becoming a business visionary. Fascinating reading!
  • I must be nearly 40! to read a book with ‘as you grow older’ in the title! But its true, as you grow older, you have kids, a mortgage, a family and home to care for, you suddenly begin to think more seriously about the implications for the future – your children’s future – it all comes into focus. But what can you do with only a smidge of free time each week – when all your time and energy goes into just living! And getting through each day, just surviving. Well I was attracted to Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older(Sydney Eddison Timber Press April, 2011) because of some of its claims “Accept imperfections”, “Learn labor-saving techniques”, and “Practice realistic garden care”. While I think this book is aimed at older gardeners, who no longer have the physical capacity to dig and weed and plant and prune quite so heartily, I think it offers a huge amount of practical advice for younger, busy people who want to garden, who love gardening, but who realistically just don’t have the time! I love that this book talks about simplicity and practicality in gardening, time saving, imperfection and living in harmony with nature. A lovely gentle book.

Crafty news and links

NEW:

So much to do – so little time.

Kathreen

xx

Did you miss last weeks roundup? Get them all here or subscribe to our weekly newsletter via email here.
Find out where to buy my book Whip Up Mini Quilts.
Find out how to ADVERTISE with whipup.net.
Follow us on twitter: whipup: @whipup and Nicole: @craftapalooza + join the Whipup flickr group : and our facebook page.
Send in letters, ideas and links to submit@whipup.net
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{ 1 comment }

Whipup.net Action Pack: Issue 2 {April 2011}

by kath_red on March 30, 2011

in Action Pack, Kids Crafts

Issue 2 (April) of Whipup.net’s printable Mini-Mag for kids (aged 7+) is bigger and better than issue 1 – if that is even possible.

Action Pack is available in an easy downloadable PDF format. Priced at only $5, and with no advertising, this month’s issue is jam packed with 25 pages of projects – with a Seeds & Beads theme for the new planting season – inside you will find craft projects, gardening projects, science, cooking, drawing and more, everything a kid needs for a weekend (or two) of activities. Plus – a bonus 4 pages of Easter cooking and experimenting!

Our philosophy for Action Pack is all about inspiring kids to be creative, to develop and nurture healthy habits, and to feed inquisitive minds, and challenge imaginations. This ‘Action Pack’, is for busy parents and creative energetic kids.

In this pack you will find: a whole slew of projects around the theme Seeds & Beads, with lots of delicious cooking, science experiments, simple craft projects and outdoor activities.

  • Instructions to make garden lanterns and beaded dragonflies to decorate your garden.
  • Instructions to show you how-to draw realistic and cartoon dragonflies – the good insect!. Plus lots of fun facts and interesting information throughout.
  • How to grow seeds – make seed bombs, recycled plant containers and bird seed treats to attract birds to your garden + printable seed packets to save and store your seeds.
  • Learn all about how to use edible seeds in your cooking, make cakes, crackers and salad sprinkles as well as a refreshing Lavender Lemonade!
  • Plus an a bonus Easter supplement with a recipe for Hot Cross Spice Buns and Experiments with naturally dyeing eggs.

Our philosophy:
- We see kids as competent, creative and capable people.
- We believe that our kids are resourceful and clever and we try to enable them to develop their independence and creative minds within a secure and nurturing environment.
- We see learning opportunities everywhere. Learning should and can be fun.
- But we also know that parents are busy and cannot realistically be spending all weekend ‘playing’ with their kids.
- We want kids to get off the couch, away from the computer and learn the value and fun in making and doing stuff.

We really love the end result and hope you do too. Available now in our shop.

Instructions: After you have purchased the Action Pack you will receive an email with the link to where you can download the pdf. This is a 24 hour link – Save it onto your computer and then print out. It is a full colour 30 page document – but you can print the pages as you need them. You can also print out the whole pack and bind it and store it in a folder to be used over and over. For optimum quality choose ‘best quality’ when printing, especially for the pages with illustrations. However feel free to print it out in black and white too.

Contact for more information: Action-pack@whipup.net

 

If you would like to find out more you can download the press release here.

{ 15 comments }

For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

Guest blogger series: Felted finger puppets

by kath_red on March 29, 2011

in Guest Series 2011, Kids Crafts, Whip Up Tutorials

I am very happy to finish up this wonderful guest blogger series with a fabulous visit from Marcie who has a newish blog mossymossy which I urge you all to go visit!

I have lived as an organic lettuce farmer, a tropical rainforest field technician, an Alaskan tent-dwelling field biologist, and a Manhattan biology teacher. I now have two young girls. After a few years of babywearing, Lego-playing, Play-doh-making, puppet-showing, costume-making, fort-making, worm-digging, goop-making, tadpole rearing, mudpie-making, tomato-growing, and forgetting myself and forgetting just about everything I knew while kid-less, I developed Mossy.

Posts on my blog Mossy include thoughts about child-rearing and family life, as well as craft and gardening tutorials such as how to felt wool, plan a simple family vegetable garden, turn an old sweater into mittens, and make handmade paper. As well, there is a focus on simple natural science projects such as understanding the science behind making oobleck or baking bread.

This is a fantastic project for both kids and grownups since there is really no way to mess up the outcome. In the end, you will have at least one small new friend that you will just love.

For this project, you will need the following:

  • A bowl of hot water and a bowl of cold water
  • Natural liquid dish soap
  • Carded wool
  • Scraps of wool felt
  • Needle and thread
  • A crafty little design team with lots of small fingers

Often called “wool roving,” carded wool can be purchased at local farms, craft stores or online through local or national distributors. To find a local farm or folks who card wool, check the LocalHarvest website, or search Etsy. Remnant wool roving may be purchased online through Halcyon Yarn—check out their “Babooshka Soup”—a random mix of remnant wool batts and pencil roving (also their Peace Fleece which also offers a “Rainbow Felting Pack” that is perfect for this project).

1: With carded wool in hand, pull off (don’t cut with scissors) a small length of wool and divide it into many thin longish strips—multiple thin layers will produce the sturdiest felted material.

Wrap one strip as you would wind a ball of string—in thin layers around your index finger, making sure you cover the fingertip. Wrap the remaining wool strips around the first, adding layers, until you can no longer feel your knuckle. The wool should be snug, but not too tight (about 0.3 cm or 1/8 in thick when pressed).

2. Dip your wooly finger into the bowl of hot, slightly soapy water until it is thoroughly soaked. Remove your wooly finger from the water and gently press and roll the wool with the fingertips of your other hand, squeezing gently.

Continue to re-wet and agitate the fibers, squeezing and lathering the wool until you feel the fibers become entangled and you feel the fabric becoming firmer (you will notice this within a few minutes). Pay attention to the fingertip—it needs attention too. When is it done? When the wool is completely felted, it should form a semi- snug casing around your finger.

This entire process should take about 10 to 15 minutes. When the fabric is very firm, submerge your wooly finger into the bowl of cold (soapless) water to set the fibers and rinse. Remove excess water by gently squeezing your wooly finger. Carefully remove your finger from the wool.

3. After air-drying the wool overnight (radiators are advantageous), you and your starry-eyed design team must envision the outcome— cow, wolf, librarian, martian—the brainstorming starts now. The puppets can be embellished with needle felting (e.g. bumblebee stripes, eyes, nostrils), cut wool sweaters (e.g. lion mane, dragon wings) and embroidery thread.

Note: Don’t attempt perfection. Quirky outcomes should be preferred over conventional.

That said, remind yourself that, in nature, some critters are smaller, some are fatter, some lean to the left, some to the right, and some even have lost fur or scales. Of course, this uniqueness should be celebrated.

These little friends, as seductive as they are, often are central to my operation— with their cheerful banter, they lure my kids into unappealing household tasks such as eating veggies, washing dishes or brushing their teeth. These little friends are known to appreciate clean plates and good attitudes. As well, they provide teeny shoulders to cry on after challenging days.

{ 4 comments }

For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

Guest blogger series: mask making

by kath_red on March 28, 2011

in Guest Series 2011, Kids Crafts, Whip Up Tutorials

In this second to last installment of this guest blogger series – I am very happy to welcome Kellie from the blog Ricebabies. Today Kellie is sharing a tutorial for making these super cute paper animal masks.

My name is Kellie and I teach art to little ones and love making fun things to inspire the imagination. I have three little ones of my own and we often find fun ways to make art together which I share on my blog and I make fun toys for my shop, all inspired by children.  I enjoy simple clean designs. This mask we made over Spring Break and it was lots of fun.

For this mask you will need:

  • Cardstock (or a thicker paper),
  • Scissors
  • Paint
  • Hot glue or staples
  • And twine
  • Template

Think about what animals you want to make, talk and think about how it looks. What are its distinct features? The lovely part about this simple shape is that it could just about become anything you can imagine. We made a dragon, bunny and a fox.

  1. Hand draw or download and print the mask template. Our mask is about 14 inches (about 35 cm) wide and 13 inches (about 33 cm) high. For a large mask, you may want to rescale the pattern. You can always wing it, as long as the shape is there and the cut marks, it should work.
  2. Draw the features on your mask lightly in pencil. Then fold the mask in at the bottom where the cuts marks were previously made so that they overlap. It should start to look like a chin shape. Also fold in the middle to make sure eyeholes will be in the right place. I had my sons try theirs on so I could fit it to their face.
  3. We used hot glue but you could staple the seams (or cuts) in place. Next, paint and let dry.
  4. We added twine to the inside middle of the mask to tie on but they would have worked on a stick as well.

{ 6 comments }

For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

Refashion favourites

by kath_red on March 27, 2011

in Fashion, Green Crafting

I am a huge fan of the refashioning and diy fashion movement. I love the creativity, the frugality and the recycling going on! Its huge. Here are a just a teensy tiny hint at what is happening.

Accessories

Resources

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Creative mending

by kath_red on March 26, 2011

in Green Crafting

Giving new life to old clothes – making them last just that bit longer – either old faves or new clothes too good to give up on – here are some super creative mending ideas to stretch out the life of your clothing.

Tutorials

Articles and resources

{ 4 comments }

Whipup newsletter no.12. 2011

by kath_red on March 25, 2011

in Features, Newsletter, Reviews

We love the Action Pack and hope you do too – if you don’t yet have a copy you can get it here:

NEW

Issue 2 of Action Pack is launching 1 April. The April issue’s theme is ‘Seeds & beads’ with a bonus Easter Supplement! Filled with craft, cooking, science and gardening + printables and art projects – for kids aged 7+ (and the young at heart). I will be offering Whipup.net newsletter readers a 20% discount coupon and will be sending it out in a midweek newsletter next week with more information. Thank you for all your support – love you guys!

This week at whipup… Last week of our Guest Blogger Series …

Books:

  • I am currently reading Creating an Australian Garden (published by Allen and Unwin) – Do you love gardening, do you love Australia? Oh glorious big beautiful book full of gardening advice and plants and design for the Australian climate. Lots of practical advice and design inspiration!
  • Also gazing lovingly upon Quilts Around the World: The Story of Quilting from Alabama to Zimbabwe Voyageur Press; First edition (November 21, 2010). Visually stunning, incredible stories and historic perspectives, the people – the cultures – the fabrics – and the quilts! Wow!
  • And In the Kitchen: More Than 1000 Recipes for Every Day by Allan Campion and Michelle Curtis. Published by Hardie Grant Books (November 1, 2010). A big solid book, full of family favourites – beautifully laid out, written, photographed and styled – the total package. And the recipes too – From basics like Pot roast chicken and Easy sponge cake to more special treats (but still easy) like Raspberry and mascarpone tart and Sichuan Eggplant – I love that dish mmm – brings back memories of travelling in China – such a hearty and earthy dish. There is a whole chapter on slow cooking – I am addicted to slow cooking lately – just put it all in a dish and leave alone for hours for it to do its thing. As well as being big on everyday family friendly meals, this book also all about desserts and simplicity and heart warming and family and togetherness  and good food and ingredients and all those lovely things!
  • Lists: To-dos, Illustrated Inventories, Collected Thoughts, and Other Artists’ Enumerations from the Collections of the Smithsonian Museum (Princeton Architectural Press March 24, 2010) - yes! – don’t you just love lists – and other people’s lists can be so interesting don’t you think – a real window into the soul or at least the mind! Having fun dipping into this book.

Crafty news and links

NEW:

So much to do – so little time.

Kathreen

xx

Did you miss last weeks roundup? Get them all here or subscribe to our weekly newsletter via email here.
Find out where to buy my book Whip Up Mini Quilts.
Find out how to ADVERTISE with whipup.net.
Follow us on twitter: whipup: @whipup and Nicole: @craftapalooza + join the Whipup flickr group : and our facebook page.
Send in letters, ideas and links to submit@whipup.net
We use and recommend Igloo self service ads: igloo

Subscribe to our newsletter via email

{ 2 comments }

Guest blogger series: Shirty pillow

by kath_red on March 24, 2011

in Guest Series 2011, Whip Up Tutorials

Laura and Annie write to each other via their blog across the Atlantic ocean. Laura lives in Bristol, England and Annie lives in DC. I love their blog name Nimble Fingers and Steady Eyebrows – The phrase comes from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities and it describes Madame Defarge, who knitted “with nimble fingers and steady eyebrows and said nothing”.

Recycled Shirt Cushion Cover: This is a great way to recycle an unwanted or thrifted shirt. The shirt buttons form the cushion fastening, so all that’s required is some simple sewing and as much (or as little) appliqué decoration as you like. Our final cushion was 18in x 18in (46 cm x 46cm) but you could vary the size depending on the size of your shirt and/or cushion filler.

You will need:
- an unwanted shirt (ours was a man’s cotton suit shirt)
- a cushion filler
- assorted scraps of fabric
- buttons and embellishments as required
- sewing thread

Tools
- sewing machine (optional), scissors, ruler & pencil
- paper (or print out the pattern with the house templates)
- hand sewing needle, pins, iron (optional)

Step 1 – Preparation: Cut the templates for the pattern on the front of the cushion. Remember that there is an extra 0.5cm (1/4 inch) boarder around the pieces for tucking under to leave a neat edge. You can check if they fit on the shirt and the cushion by placing them roughly before you begin sewing.

Step 2 – Cutting the fabric: Pin the templates (see below) to the scraps of fabric of your choice (we used fabric in shades of blue and green to match our shirt, but you can use whatever you choose). Cut the shapes out.

Step 3 – Sewing the windows to the houses: Pin the rectangles you cut out for the windows onto the rectangles you cut for the houses. Sew on the fabric for windows using slip stitch (to be neat and to give it a more hand made look, I like to go around the piece with slip stitch one way and then back around the other way – this creates little crosses) and sew on the buttons for door handles.

Step 4 – Placing the Shapes on the Cushion: Lay the shapes out onto the back of the shirt near the bottom and arrange as you like (remember don’t worry if they overlap as 0.5cm will be folded under. Fold under the edges of each piece by 0.5cm (1/4 inch) pinning to keep them in place. Make sure that once you have pinned the pieces on you are happy with the look of the design. This is how it will look once you have sewn it all together. Sometimes it helps to press your pieces with an iron – this keeps the folds neat and secure.

Step 5 – Securing the Houses: Hand sew the shapes in place using slip stitch and using the crossing technique if you wish. Then add the buttons for door handles. Be sure to only sew through one layer of fabric.

Step 6 – Centre the cushion: Place your cushion filler centered over the finished design and draw roughly around it, leaving a few centimeters seam allowance. Cut out the cushion shape from the back of the shirt. Pin it to the front of the shirt with the right sides facing, ensuring that the shirt buttons run straight down the middle of the shape. Cut out so that both pieces are identical in size and shape.

Step 7 – Sewing the Cushion: Using a sewing machine (or by hand, if you prefer), sew all the way around the cushion shape. Trim any excess fabric from the edges and corners, being sure not to trim too close to the stitches. If you are very keen you can even iron out the inside seam before Undoing the buttons and turning right-side out. Insert your cushion filler and button up at the back. Your cushion is complete!


Annie Sewing


Laura Sewing

Templates:

{ 7 comments }

Guest blogger series: magnetic flower garden

by kath_red on March 23, 2011

in Guest Series 2011, Kids Crafts, Whip Up Tutorials

Today I want to welcome Helen Bird to whipup, Helen is the creator of Curly Birds, a blog dedicated to crafts for children. Her blog, and small line of children’s play accessories, are aptly named for her sweet, curly-haired twin girls.

How to Make a Magnetic Flower Garden
After planting a real garden outside, waiting for the flowers to grow can be more work for children than the actual gardening. For instant gardening success make a magnetic flower garden. Your kids can spend hours of imaginative play and maybe the wait for real garden to grow will not be so hard.

Materials:
Black and White photograph enlarged to fit your fridge or other metal surface
Magnetic paper (available at office supply stores)
Flower pictures from magazines
Double-sided tape
Glue
Scissors

Step 1. Cut out magazine pictures of flowers leaving a border around each flower
Step 2. Apply glue to the back of each picture and stick it to the magnetic paper
Step 3. When the glue has dried, carefully cut each flower out
Step 4. Attach black and white photograph to fridge with double-sided tape
Step 5. Arrange flowers on picture

I also made magnets from photographs of the girls – they were quite a hit!

{ 9 comments }

For more kids craft, creative ideas and activities go to the Action Pack website

Guest blogger series: Stitching with Prints Charming

by kath_red on March 22, 2011

in Fibre+Needlework, Guest Series 2011

I am very happy to welcome the Kirsten and Cath, the girls from Prints Charming to Whipup today. They are sharing a tutorial for embellishing fabric with hand stitches.

Crafted is a great word- it means it was made by hand, it means it was made for someone special and that is a wonderful thing. We print and stitch our own designs because we love them and would love to craft with them. Our book Sew Charming has been written with “handmade” in mind, we want to introduce you to the Prints Charming world of colour and embellishment.

And it’s embellishment that we have written this tutorial for Whip Up. We love the use of basic stitches over and over with simple thread types and colours you can create wonderful effects. Perle 8 and six stranded threads are our favourites of the moment, sometimes doubled some times single just depends on the look you need! At our classes we hold in our studio one of the points we often make with embroidery is don’t worry when you start just keep adding colour and stitches you’ll know when you are finished. The other point is watch out it’s addictive!

We made this video about our work and making philosophy for our US Sew Charmingbook launch – take a peak at our studio here and our making processes here too…

Stitch guide to some basic stitches you can use to embellish:


Running Stitch: We call this the up and down stitch and use it all the time. It can be worked along a line that is straight or curved. It is as simple as guiding your needle up and down through the fabric. Running stitch done row after row can create a great effect.


Backstitch: This simple stitch makes a great outline and combined with other stitches is another favourite of ours. As the name suggests you bring the needle up and then go “back”. Bring the needle up and then behind the stitch take the needle down and then come up in front of the first point. Continue to create an unbroken line of stitching.


Chain Stitch. What a wonderful stitch, once you’ve learnt this you will use it over and over. Bring the needle up through the fabric, hold a loop with your thumb and insert your needle again just next to the place where you just bought it through. Bring the needle up a short distance away, in the direction your chain is going, with the thread looped under the needle. Repeat.


French Knot. Go dotty with these “knots”. Bring your thread up through the fabric. Wrap the thread over and under the needle then insert the needle close to where it came up. Make thicker knots by using thicker threads.

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