How to make a reusable fabric gift bag

Step by step guide – How to make a reusable fabric gift bag… Read More

Assembling my Australian bush animals plywood laser cut ornament

A self assembly plywood open box Each wood panel features a different animal – kangaroo, wombat, kookaburra and Koala, in eucalyptus trees. The 3mm thick plywood panels are backed with translucent paper to emphasize the outline designs. How to put the box together There are 5 components to the box, 4 rectangular panels with cut out designs and a square … Read More

Watercolour Oranges

Taking a painting from an initial idea to finished piece I recently resolved to make a quick sketch of any idea I had for a painting. I normally just write a quick note down in my daily sketchbook, but the other day I was flicking back through some ideas for pictures, and really couldn’t remember quite what I had wanted … Read More

Making Gum Leaves from silk threads

Free motion embroidery on water soluble film I recently experimented with water soluble stabiliser, a film that is used in the machine embroidery process. I came across it on an internet wander, and I suddenly realised that I could use it with some Mulberry silk strands I bought nearly 2 years ago at a Halls Gap craft fair, from a … Read More

Watercolour Baubles

Painting onto baubles I recently picked up some Daniel Smith Watercolour Ground in Titanium White.Its a medium that you can paint on many surfaces, creating a paper like finish that a watercolour painting can be applied to. I Chose some plastic craft baubles (sold in Lincraft hobby stores in Australia), to paint a design on. I wanted to create a … Read More

Painting on laser engraved plywood

Watercolour painting on laser engraved plywood Laser engraving a design onto wood such as plywood, creates a wonderfully crisp image, but more importantly if you want to to add colour, it provides a ready made indented work surface, which helps to contain liquid paint colours to each separate element. Essentially its colouring in, on wood. Types of paint Water based … Read More

Frame free watercolour mount method

A fresh, modern way to mount and protect watercolour paintings It’s quite a simple process: glue a painting to a wooden board or panel and give it a protective coating. I have used a cradled wooden panel as my mount and protected the painting at various stages of the process with varnish and wax, to create the look of a … Read More

How to sew a felt ornament

This tutorial includes a materials list and easy to follow instructions so you can make a padded felt sun ornament. The finished sun measures 9cm in diameter, and is approx 1.5cm thick, and hangs by a length of embroidery thread / floss. If you have bought one of my Happy Sun Sewing Kits, then you will already have all the … Read More

How to assemble my press out laser cut boxes.

If you have bought one of my press out, self assembly  laser cut boxes, chances are you have followed this link for a detailed and illustrated tutorial on how to assemble your box. The boxes, in their component form are laser cut out onto 3mm thick plywood sheets, approx A4 in size, they have assembly instructions written onto the press … Read More

Made-to-measure place mat tutorial

Some of my best project ideas come to me when I’m browsing though fabric stores. When I saw this striped material I wanted to make place mats, with a bright orange binding. I started by working out some measurements for the mats. I laid out my (small) dining table as though for guests, and measured just how big I could … Read More