Last-minute Gifts

by Taylor Hagerty

Published 1 October 2008
When there's only an hour to spare - look to the "Make It In Minutes" series, which offers more than 30 last-minute gifts that take 60 minutes or less to make, including linens, paper crafts, jewellery, home decor and gift and card holders. A simple bottle of bath salts quickly becomes special when topped with a beautiful silk flower, while a gorgeous hand-beaded necklace takes just a moment to thread. Or, for something sure to be cherished, gather some favourite recipes, log them in a clever handmade book and bind them together with a useful set of measuring spoons. They're so exquisite, no one will realise how easy they are to make!

Felt Accessories

by Taylor Hagerty

Published 1 October 2007
Lovely and vibrant, embroidered felted wool is the perfect material for delightful, durable accessories. And these small projects for everyday use will bring a little colour to your life! Each item can be made using readily available felted wool sheets, but more ambitious crafters will find a handy primer on creating and dyeing felt from scratch. (There's even a shortcut for shrinking an old knitted item into "fast felt.") Explore a simple guide to fundamental embroidery stitches, including beading techniques, for embellishing a wool surface. Lovely watercolours illustrate each stitch and the forty projects range from a small purse and mobile phone cover to a pincushion, needle holder and sewing kit.

Wreaths

by Taylor Hagerty

Published 1 September 2008
Perfect for holidays, special occasions, or just to celebrate the arrival of a new season, wreaths are a mainstay of the crafting world and a lovely way to enhance a home. They're also amazingly easy and fast to make, thanks to this attractive collection of diverse projects, all organised by theme: Nature; Flowers, Fruits and Greens; Collections and Memories; Found Objects; and, more. Create the perfect door decor for a beach house using painted twigs and delicate starfish, or perhaps a sparkling Christmas wreath made from hollow ornaments filled with shiny tinsel. From a whimsical metallic swirl using salvaged spoons to a show-stopper out of peacock feathers, each one is fantastic.

Greeting Cards

by Taylor Hagerty

Published 1 May 2007
Why go and buy from the shop when it's so easy to hand-make a personal card? This snappy guide offers simple and lovely designs which cover almost any imaginable occasion. There are gift tags, postcards, tri-folded cards, decorated with paint, beads, craft wire, fabric and even polymer clay and silk flowers. An introductory section teaches techniques ranging from adhering sequins and applying glitter to embossing and rubber stamping - along with instructions on making matching envelopes.