Have you ever used fleece to upholster a piece of wood furniture you made by hand? At the outset taking the initiative to make furniture for your house by hand can be daunting and may even appear impossible. Whether it be a table, bookcase or a set of shelves, many people let the fear of failure stop them from even getting started. The thought may occur that it takes a master craftsman to make anything that will look as good as a store-bought piece of furniture. For others it could simply be the lack of knowledge and experience that holds them back. Luckily there is a type of furniture crafting that is both easy and inexpensive that will turn out looking great in many home decors. For someone looking to get started as a craftsman a piece of pallet furniture, upholstered with fleece may just be the perfect place to begin.

You know the wooden pallets used in warehouses to store large quantities of products? Well with a little work they can be turned into a beautiful and fully functional piece of furniture. Many people have already made a hobby out of turning these simple wooden carriers into everything from nightstands to a chifforobe.

These projects are easy, and depending on what you are trying to make, do not require too many materials. To make a pallet bed frame, for example, all you have to do is follow four easy steps.

1. Gather the necessary materials. All you need for this are two 44X48 wooden pallets, a few feet of uncut lengths of fleece, a dozen nails, a hammer, a crowbar, and a wrench. One of these pallets should be completely dismantled and the other will have one side free of wood. The strips of wood that are left will make up the legs of the bed. A bed like this can have anywhere from six to fourteen legs but eight is probably ideal.

2. Taking apart the pallets. Use the crowbar by wedging it under planks and then hammering it in until it creates a gap. Once one side comes loose repeat on the other side. When the plank is free use either the back of your hammer or a wrench to pry the nails out of the plank. Repeat until one pallet is completely dismantled and the other only has one side with planks attached.

3. Cutting the wood. Use the pieces of wood you now have to make legs for the bed. The size of the legs do not matter but a good rule of thumb is about half the length of one plank. Make sure that all of the legs are of equal length. Cut twice as many legs as you plan on having for the bed.

4. Attach the legs. The legs should be attached at the corners. The legs can be attached using a hammer and nails. At each corner hammer in two half planks. Attach as many legs as you feel will be needed to give the bed the necessary strength; this depends on the kind of wood used to make your pallets. If needed use a clamp to hold the legs in place while hammering.

5. Upholster the furniture using the fleece and staple gun. Just like that you have made a wood bed frame out of a pallet. The wood can be painted or stained depending on the look you are going for. Also the steps above don’t have to be followed exactly. Try experimenting with different designs and techniques, that’s what makes building with pallets so fun.

 Paisley Hansen is a freelance writer and expert in fleece fabric and beauty. When she isn’t writing she can usually be found reading a good book.

Just a quick mail today to help you bag a freebie. As you probably know Craftsy does a really great range of online classes, that you can watch again and again from your PC/Mac or iPad.

Just for today you can pick up a free class and in the process help Donors Choose. If Craftsy reaches 10,000 new students today then they are going to make a donation of $5,000 to DonorsChoose.org to fund projects for classrooms in need.

Head over there now (only available today) and check out the details to pick up your free class. Enjoy

Inspired by our recent interviews with ceramicists Lelsey McShea and Jo Lucksted, I have chosen pottery as our craft for this month. I have to admit that I have always wanted to have a go at hand-thrown pottery, but it is just something that I have never had the chance to do, maybe now is the time.

If you look back to the early days of the blog, we did have two great posts by Mike Morrison on Seven Steps To Throwing a Pot and Some Things To Remember When Throwing Pots, both of these are great quides for someone just starting out. If you want to try your hand at pottery, the best idea is to look initially for a local class, this will give you an idea of whether it is a craft that is right for you, without you having to buy a lot of equipment.

For the giveaway this month I have chosen something a little different, but something that I think you are going to love. It is this gorgeous Spring White Porcelain Flower Necklace from Jo Lucksted (which will come either on the cream or a pink cord). I think this necklace is simply beautiful and could be worn for a whole range of occasions.

To be in with a chance of winning the necklace, please read through the following T&Cs and then you can enter by completing the three steps below.

Terms & Conditions

*   No purchase is necessary to enter the giveaway.

*   The winner will be drawn randomly.

*   Odds of winning are based on the number of entries.

*   You may enter from today and entries will be closed at 11.59 pm GMT on the 31st May 2013.

*   Only one entry is allowed per person.

*   Anyone 13 or over may enter from any country.

*   If you win you will be contacted via the e-mail address that you use to enter the giveaway. We will contact the winner by the 6th June 2013 and you will have 14 days to respond. If we do not hear from you within that time then another winner will be randomly drawn.

How To Enter:

Step 1: If you are on Facebook, please Like my Art of Crafts page.

Step 2: If you are on Twitter, please send out a Tweet about this giveaway by Clicking Here – it’s all done for you, just need to click and send.

Step 3: Please leave a comment below which will count as your entry.  (Please do not worry if your comment does not appear immediately, comments are moderated and it will show up soon)

Good luck everyone.

For today’s interview please welcome Lesley, a potter and ceramicist, who you can find over on her website www.lesleymcshea.com.

1. Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us a little about where you are based, for example in which country and part of that country? My name is Lesley McShea, ceramicist / Punk Potter. I reside/ pot in my studio (15 years last year) Church Street Workshops in Stoke Newington, London, England N16.

2. Please tell us a little about the nature of your craft/design based business. I produce one off combined wheel thrown/ pressmoulded functional stoneware vessels, birdbaths, urns amongst other items.

I exhibit several times a year in Galleries, and have a Folksy shop on my website: www.lesleymcshea.com

I also teach Adults of all abilities, and also run pre booked classes in my studio. I run Birthday and Hen parties as well.

3. How did the idea for your business come about and how love have you been established? I set up my workshop upon completing my degree in 1992, and have been creating since then.

4. How do you decide what to make, and how do you come up with your great ideas? The ideas seem to evolve, often morphing into other than my initial ideas.

My brightly painted animal print designs came about after decorating my husbands leg plaster cast, which he has had to wear for over 24 months, changed monthly with a different design each month, due to diabetic Charcot foot.

5. Do you undertake your business on a full-time basis or do you have other work/family commitments? I run my business on a part time basis, as I also work in a college as part time Tutor and Ceramics Technician. I also care for my husband.

6. Tell us a little about your typical day and what is involved in running the business? My typical day is never typical, as every day has different challenges, no two days are the same. They usually relate to Ceramics at some point, juggling travelling between home, college workplace–(one and a half hours journey on a good day)–and via my studio, not necessarily in that order. Many students are catered for, and I seldom have “me” time for my work…

7. What advice would you give to others who are considering running a craft based business? I would always advise to have “proper” paid work to rely on, for the lean times, so at least there is money for food.

8. As this is Art of Crafts I have to ask, do you enjoy any crafts yourself in your spare time? If so, please tell us more. I adore doing my own Ceramic work, it is my passion and my sanctuary. I do love animals, especially bats. Architecture. Punk Rock and Roll bands, music, and singing loudly when I am alone.

9. Finally, if people want to learn more about your business/website do you have a web address, Facebook page or Twitter profile where they can find out more ?
Some of My websites are:
www.lesleymcshea.com (My own website)
www.crafts.co.uk
www.artcourses.co.uk
www.studiopottery.co.uk
www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lesley.mcshea Ceramic Customised Hand Made Designs by Lesley McShea
Crafts Council Database of Makers
londonpotters.com

So today we come to the May competition, and I know we are going to see some very cute and very beautiful entries for this one.

The theme this month is animals, which can mean pets, wildlife, farm animals, insects, birds, fish…..anything animal related.

You need to create a piece of unique craft or art work that has in some way an animal or animals as a theme. You can enter any type of craft, as long as it is your own work. Professional crafters and hobby crafters are both equally welcome.

Please read down for the T&Cs, the very cool prizes and ‘how to enter’.

Terms & Conditions:

*   To enter you need to send a photo of your Animal themed craft piece

*   Only one entry per person is allowed

*   The winners will be decided by how many ‘Likes’ the photo has on Pinterest. Please feel free to repin the entry as many times as you wish in order to gain more exposure and Likes. However, the winning three will only be judged by how many ‘Likes’ the entry has on my Animal Themed Craft Competition Board on Pinterest (not on the Repins).

*   You may enter from today and entries will be closed at 11.59 pm on the 31st May 2013

*   Anyone 13 or over may enter

*   If you are in the top 3 you will be contacted via email. We will contact the winners by the 6th June 2013 and you will have 21 days to respond. If we do not hear from you within that time then another winner will be selected from voting. Art of Craft’s decision on how the prizes are awarded is final.

The Prizes are as follows:

1st Prize – $35/£35 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize -$25/£25 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize – $15/£15 Amazon Gift Card

(Prizes are offered in both $ and £ to cater for where the winners are based)

How To Enter:

*   Send me your entry and please include your name and the title of your entry. If you have a craft based website, blog or Etsy/Artfire/Folksy etc shop you may also include 1 link, which I will add to the entry.

I will then upload it to the Pinterest Competition Board  and the voting can begin.

Please send your entry, and attach the photo at my Contact Page.

*   All valid entries will appear and can be voted on here:

http://pinterest.com/midnighteden/art-of-crafts-animal-themed-craft-competition-may-/

*    The photos which have the most Likes on my Animal Themed Craft Competition Board on Pinterest (not on repins) by the closing date will be awarded the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes.

Any questions then please let me know.

Please Retweet This Competition by Clicking Here – it’s already set up, just click and Tweet and share the Love! Thank You.

Good luck everyone and I can’t wait to see the entries 

Lots of people feel a little cautious about sending parcels overseas. This is because they spend so long in transit that it is easy to imagine how easily they get lost or become damaged. However, there are some measures you can put in place to ensure that your parcel to Canada arrives in one piece.

Use the correct packaging

Don’t try to cram an item into packaging which is too small or not a suitable shape or material. If an object has sharp corners, put it in a cardboard box. In a padded envelope or parcel paper, the corners might break through, exposing the product to damage. If you’re only sending something small and not breakable, a padded envelope should suffice, but make sure it’s properly taped up in case it opens in transit.

Label clearly

If your handwriting isn’t very clear, print the recipient’s address, along with your own as a return address if anything happens, and glue them onto the envelope or box. Secure the edges of the paper with sellotape. If you would prefer to handwrite your label, use a pen relative to the size of the box. On a smaller envelope, use a ballpoint pen to avoid any smudging if it gets wet, or for a big box, use a large, thick pen to make sure the address stands out.

Weigh and measure correctly

If you miscalculate the weight or size of your parcel, the recipient may end up having to pay extra to receive your parcel at best, or at worst the parcel could be returned to you undelivered. This is another reason it’s so important to add a return address to your parcel – in case there is a mistake with the measurements or weight so that it can be returned and resent when the corrected postage has been added.

Customs

Be sure to check the customs laws for Canada. Don’t try to send items which are on the disallowed list or they will be returned or possibly destroyed, or the package may be opened in order to remove the banned items. Attach a customs declaration form to give the Canadian postal service an idea of what is in your parcel. In order to avoid your labels becoming illegible, don’t place addresses over any openings in the box, as if the customs team decide to randomly check your parcel, the address will be torn in half, making it hard for the postal team to know where to send the package.

Esther Martin has become well acquainted with sending goods overseas as she has family located across the globe and endeavours to keep in touch with all of them.

I was very excited to see all the lovely entries in the Book themed craft competition, you all did such a great job, and here today we have the three lucky winners. Many congratulations to the top three, I will be contacting you about your prizes shortly.

1st Place – 44 Likes

Russian Dolls Book Cover Bag by Shirley Woosey

2nd Place – 34 Likes

Dog bookmark by Gina Rahman

3rd Place – 18 Likes

Quilled Flowers using Vintage Book Pages from Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice by Maxine Pring

Again many congratulations to the winners and thanks to all who took part and who voted. There will be another competition coming soon, please do join our newsletter so that you can learn about all the news, giveaways and competitions coming up in 2013.

For today’s interview, please welcome Scholastica from Handstitched With Love.

1.Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us a little about where you are based, for example in which country and part of that country? Hello, I’m Scholastica – a bit of a mouthful I know! The story has it that my parents wanted me to have a name with the same number of letters as Christopher (my brother’s name). I live with my husband and our two gorgeous girls in Hertfordshire near Welwyn. I love being surrounded by all the greenery, having spent 7 years in London before we moved.

2. Please tell us a little about the nature of your craft/design based business. I make jewellery and men’s accessories by setting small pieces of cross stitch in miniature wooden frames. I do a lot of custom orders – the latest being matching cufflinks for a groom and his groomsmen – all featuring cross-stitched Barbados flags! In the past I have made jewellery from cross-stitched owls to Pac-man to mathematical functions.

3. How did the idea for your business come about? I have always been creative and dreamt of selling my handmade creations – though I was never brave enough to do something about it! Then in 2011 I got quite ill when I was carrying my second daughter, and I did a lot of cross-stitching to help wind away the long hours of being stuck in bed. It was at the point when we were running out of wall space for my embroidered work that my husband challenged me to make something “useful” out of my cross-stitching! I started making cufflinks for friends and family and shortly after Handstitched With Love was born.

4. How long now have you been established? I started selling at the beginning of 2012, so we have just had our anniversary! It’s been a steep learning curve, and I am still very much learning as I go along.

5. How do you decide what to make, and how do you come up with your great ideas? I take inspiration from all manner of things, but have a great love for vintage cross stitch designs. I like trawling antique shops and online for old copies and I particularly like French designs from the early 1900s. Equally fun though is coming up with designs for custom requests – many customers are very creative and I am guided by their ideas!

6. Do you undertake your business on a full-time basis or do you have other work/family commitments? I work as a pensions consultant 3 days a week and try to fit everything around that and looking after my girls. I definitely don’t get to spend as much time stitching as I would like! My husband is brilliantly supportive and he helps out around the house to give me as much time to pursue my dream as possible.

7. Tell us a little about your typical day and what is involved in running the business? I don’t really have a typical day and it’s a bit of a juggling act between fulfilling orders and working on new designs to be honest. On the days that I am in the office, I normally spend my lunch breaks responding to emails and working on my shop listings and photos. In the evenings I’m usually stitching with chocolates and a glass of wine! In between there are trips to the post office, filing, researching and a bit of accounts when I am feeling strong.

8. What advice would you give to others who are considering running a craft based business? I am still learning so not sure I’m best placed to give advice, but I think you need to have a real passion for what you do, as it will show through on your creations. And be prepared for long hours spent on tedious admin jobs. Make lots of like-minded friends – there is such a supportive handmade community both on- and offline – and have fun!

9. As this is Art of Crafts I have to ask, do you enjoy any crafts yourself in your spare time? If so, please tell us more. I love all things crafty! When I do get a bit of spare time I love knitting and crocheting, and I have a few cross-stitch projects on the go including name plaques for the girls’ room. The girls love their crafts too, so we can often be found sitting down for a couple of hours in the afternoon painting, gluing and and making all sorts of masterpieces!

10. Finally, if people want to learn more about your business/website do you have a web address, Facebook page or Twitter profile where they can find out more ? I would love it if you want to find out more about Handstitched With Love! You can find me at my Etsy shop (www.handstitchedwithlove.etsy.com ) or on Twitter (@HandstitchedWL).

One of the biggest difficulties I hear people complain about is that they aren’t able to easily find a range of craft courses that are close to their home.  Looking around online I haven’t been able to discover a comprehensive resource that provides this information and therefore I decided to create one.

Initially I have created two sites, one for the UK and one for the USA and I want to make these the go-to places for anyone looking for local craft classes, courses, workshops and meetups.

Of course this means that those classes need to get listed and to get us off and running, for the month of April I am giving away free listings. So if you run a craft class or know someone that does, please read on for more information.

The sites are UK Craft Classes & USA Craft Classes and they will both be receiving a great deal of promotion over the coming weeks and months, which should lead to more visitors to your business. Here are just a few of the benefits to you:

• Clearly Defined Categories means more people can find you
• Fully searchable so that people can find you locally
• Easy to use WYSIWYG editor to describe and brand your business
• Add links to your website, your social sites including Facebook Pages, Twitter and Pinterest
• Add the times/date/locations of any of your courses, and you have complete freedom to login and update these details at any time
• Include a screenshot of your website homepage
• Optionally add your business address and phone number if you wish to
• Upload promotional images of your logo and examples of your craft or pictures of your classes or workshops
• With the Deluxe package and receive a Featured Listing, place your business in multiple categories and optionally include a Google Map of your location (you can choose either package and have it free for 12 months with this offer)

For a limited time I am offering FREE listings in the directory for the first 12 months. After this you can choose whether you would like the listing to continue, hopefully it will have added value to your business, but no payment details are taken at this time.

If you would like to go ahead, then please create an account and add your listing – please choose the listing that works best for you, out of the two. The code for the free listing (regardless of which package you choose), which should be entered in the coupon box once you have added your listing, is:

For the UK Site http://ukcraftclasses.com : UK100

For the USA Site http://usacraftclasses.com : USA 100

If you would like any other information or further details on adding a listing then please do not hesitate to contact me. If you know of anyone else who runs craft classes or arranges meetups, then do please pass this information on to them. Together, lets help craft classes get found!