design crumbs magazine
Special Feature: surface pattern designer rachael taylor
features:
Scandi Moodboard Christmas recipes Greengate Design Spotlight Pantone Colour Picks
EDITION 3 DECEMBER 2015
Interviews:
Shannon Hays of Shindig Studios
Arti c les: Showcases and interviews: Bryan Bevan Photograph Unlimited Shop Blue Anchor Bay
design crumbs magazine
Drowning in Paperwork? What is a Branding Identity? Learn More About...YouTube Maximising Your Potential...
DESIGN CRUMBS MAGAZINE: BROUGHT TO YOU BY WHITE SPACE CREATIVE DESIGN
contents
features 3-4
rachael taylor
5-6
moodboard - scandi
13
design spotlight - greengate
13
pantone colour picks - winter 2015
17-18
christmas gift guide
articles 1-2
white space creative design news
7 & 16
christmas recipes
10
drowning in paperwork? by sarah olsen of sarah olsen vpa
11-12
what is branding identity? by charlotte bevan of white space creative design
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social media series - learn more about...youtube
21-22
maximising your potential...on facebook by anna hamilton of tilly mint’s emporium
showcases 9
bryan bevan photography
15
unlimited shop
19-20
blue anchor bay
interviews 8
shannon hays of shindig studios
design crumbs magazine
EDITOR OF DESIGN CRUMBS MAGAZINE Charlotte Bevan Owner of white space creative design In 2011, I set up my graphic and web design business in order to help make my clients’ ideas come to life. And, with the aid of my lovely assistant, one rascal Miniature Schnauzer named Rosie {above!}, I feel I am really making a difference. It’s such an amazing feeling to be able to be a small part of helping a business start up or to increase their brand awareness and/or online presence. I also design digital illustrations which feature on greeting card, stationery and gift collections - available from my Etsy shop: lovewhitespace.etsy.com. With both of these aspects of my business progessing well, I thought it was about time I did something to help other designers, makers and small-business owners... Hence the creation of Design Crumbs Magazine! The purpose of the magazine is to provide a platform to raise awareness of others in the design industry. So, from graphics to homeware, baking to mixed media, interiors to embroidery, you’ll be sure to find something of interest to you! Please feel free to email if you’d like to feature - or if you have any feedback, suggestions or comments.
regular contributors
ISABEL BEVAN LOVER OF COLOUR & INTERIOR STYLING
ANNA HAMILTON OWNER OF TILLY MINT’S EMPORIUM
For many years, I have had a love of colour, interior styling and design and ceramics. I love living by the coast, holidays in the USA and in this country. My hobbies include family history research, crafting and scrapbooking. I’m so looking forward to my regular interior design slots in Design Crumbs Magazine and hope you will enjoy reading them!
Classically trained, as a 2011 graduate from the Manchester School of Art and with a strong passion for Embroidery, I am hugely passionate about conserving traditional techniques passed down from generations. These are combined with conceptual, contemporary themes to progress techniques for future generations.
guest contributors
SARAH OLSEN SARAH OLSEN VPA {VIRTUAL PERSONAL ASSISTANT}
JACQUELINE ADDIS PAPER CRAFTER & OWNER OF BLUE ACHOR BAY
JUDY BAKER AND SELLER OF VINTAGE TREASURES
Offering a high quality, professional and well-respected service comprising of myself and the Business Support Team who, together, are unique in dedication and focus. Now, having a highquality PA or Business Support Assistant is even easier! Whatever your needs - flexible, ad-hoc or regular support - we offer a simple and affordable hourly solution.
I set up Blue Anchor Bay as a way of sharing my creativity and so I could chat to like minded people. It is named after a place in Somerset where we took the children when they were small. My latest project includes decorating planners - I have been making my own dividers, library card pockets, page markers and envelopes. Read on to see how you can do it too!
I have always loved baking and anything vintage! At school one year, we made hundreds of Christmas puddings which got us on the local evening news! I haven’t made a Christmas pudding since!! I bake a lot at home - {five to feed!} - and we much prefer homemade to shop bought. I love to share recipes, so I really hope you enjoy the two we have published for you!
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news
white space creative design news by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design}
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illustration
Christmas is fast approaching (argh!) but there’s still time to purchase and send cards before Santa Claus does the rounds! This year, I have designed two collections. The first is called ‘The Bestest Christmas...’ and is a bit silly! Each card displays a badge in red or green with banners containing wording like ‘bestest mince pie baker’, ‘greatest sprout eater’ and ‘wonderfulest present wrapper’ {shown below}.
Wirral Ark website launched in early October. I loved working on this site as the theme is so clear and fresh. The layout has clean lines; with a crisp grid format. The Home page is snapshot of the organisation, showcasing an animated slider {images of residents and brief statistics} with icon and text block sections displayed underneath. Latest news images with excerpts come nest, beneath which is a partners logos carousel. The website’s architecture is very easy to navigate, with pages sitting under relevant headings. The structure of the pages is also simple, however, elements such as accordians, iconed bullet points and internal links add interest. Check it out here: wirralark.org.uk.
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The other range is {very originally} named ‘Red and White’ and is more sensible! With festive wording such as ‘desk the halls’, ‘jingle all the way’ and ‘merry and bright’, this collection combines fairly traditional sayings with a contemporary typefaces {shown below}.
To purchase a greeting card, please visit my Etsy shop: lovewhitespace.etsy.com.
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I have been lucky enough to participate in this year’s digital creative advent, organised by my name twin Charlotte {Vogel}!
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My client and friend Sarah of Sarah Oslen VPA {Virtual Personal Assistant} mostly recently, commissioned an A6 flyer.
I’m so excited to be a part of this wonderful project, which showcases the work of artists, designers, illustrators. To view the calendar, please visit: charlottevogel.com/advent2015.html. *********************** Sarah {Sarah Olsen VPA} and I have created a Christmas Planner set of printables which we think you’ll find very useful! Included within the pack is separate gift and card lists, Christmas Day menu, master to do list and calendar. For just £3.50, you can purchase this set of instant downloads and easily print from home as many times as you like, as A4 or A5 pages, in colour or black and white. Please visit: stationerycupboard.etsy.com.
The aim of the flyer is to boost referrals from existing clients to prospective clients. Using a clever detachable business card idea, Sarah’s current client will keep the main part of the flyer with instructions and the potential client would receive the mini business card with introduction and contact details. If you are interested in finding out more about Sarah’s exective PA, lifestyle and business support team services, please visit her website: saraholsenvpa.co.uk. For more information about the services white space creative design offers, please visit the website: whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk. Alternatively, get in touch by emailing: hello@whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk.
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special feature
rachael taylor bright, contemporary and quirky
Rachael Taylor is a fun and energetic surface pattern designer and illustrator who creates ‘patterns to make you happy’! Since graduating from university in 2005, Rachael has been lucky enough to work for a number of prestigious clients worldwide.
Over fifty pieces of her work can also be found in a number of renowned design books from Print and Pattern (LKP Publishing) to A House Beautiful Home Business (Brightword publishing). The designer is also a hit with the press with her designs appearing in numerous leading publications and on the television.
Rachael also runs her own design label along with successfully licensing a number of global branded collections. Her designs feature on fashion, home decor, greetings, gadgets and ceramics. In addition Rachael is the sole author and designer for ’20 Ways to Draw a Doodle’ and ‘500 Dazzling Doodles’ both published by Quarry Books. They are the perfect creative books and resources for illustrators, cartoonists, doodlers and anyone who loves to sketch.
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special feature
She is also co-founder of the groundbreaking e-course ‘The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design’ in which the esteemed designer teaches and shares her expertise and knowledge in surface pattern design. The success of the e-course lead the exciting ventures, Make it in Design and MOYO Magazine. Rachael is also regularly hired to deliver seminars and lectures around the UK and, more recently, the USA.
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feature
moodboard - scandi by isabel bevan
Moodboards are an essential tool for any interior designer or stylist’s toolkit. Over the coming months’ editions, we will feature design style themes and identify what’s on trend. Colours, of course, play a vital part - look out for the colour palettes at the end of the piece!
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It’s no coincidence that we are featuring Scandi style as our Moodboard in the December edition of Design Crumbs Magazine as everyone knows Santa lives in Lapland which is part of Scandinavia! Scandi style’s main attributes are clean, white lines and is minimalist. Texture is provided through the use of throws and rugs and furniture is usually wooden, left bare or white-painted. Although the style is basically minimalist, this Nordic look does include pretty ceramics such as these jugs by Greengate. Plenty of plain white pottery and tableware is incorporated and mixed with pretty patterns in grey.
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Colours to integrate with the base white are watery Eau de nil, duck egg, pale blue and grey. But used sparingly! Touches of black can also be used but not overpoweringly. Stools, benches and side tables are used in each room of the house. Wooden floors are featured painted white or in a pale colour. Light is very important for the Scandi look, whether it is by leaving windows undressed or with a sheer net, or by the use of floor lamps, table lamps or central lighting.
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Accessories include glassware, candles, votives, together with baskets, twigs and lanterns.
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Christmas in Scandinavia is celebrated from the beginning of December. Decorations include red-coloured items such as candle holders, placemats and napkins.
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Real Christmas trees are decorated with cute little felt figures called “tomte” who bring warmth and good luck into the home. They are obtainable online from websites such as: fjorn.com. If you’re feeling brave, you can always attempt to make one yourself! Patterns are available from pinterest.com. {Images below are all from Pinterest.}
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As you will be aware, IKEA is a one-stop shop for all things Swedish. Other online shops from which to purchase items in this style are: simplyscandinavian.bigcartel.com | maisonbyemmajane.co.uk | greengate.dk
And as they say in Scandinavia “God Jul” - Happy Christmas!
SCANDI CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPING You may have expected to see red galore in this section but we thought we’d show you something a little bit different. As showcased throughout this article, Scandinavian style incorporates a lot of white - so why not let it take center stage on your Christmas wrapping. Highlighted with greys and silvers, this look is sophisticated and stylish - with its clean lines and simple decoration. Your gifts will definitely stand out under the tree! Accessorise your plain crisp white paper with bakers twine, stars and snowflakes. Pom poms and buttons can give a playful spin on the classic Scandi style.
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Try visiting websites like etsy.com for unusual trimmings!
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recipe
christmas recipes festive deliciousness
ole faithful!
A family favourite! CHEESE STRAWS | by Judy @mardlecottage
MINCE PIES | by Judy @mardlecottage
INGREDIENTS 100g plain flour | 50g butter | 70g strong cheddar cheese | half teaspoon coarse sea salt | pinch ground black pepper | tablespoon cold water | 1 egg
INGREDIENTS 225g cold diced butter | 350g plain flour | 100g golden caster sugar | tablespoon water | pinch of salt | 1 egg | icing sugar | jar of mincemeat
RECIPE Preheat the oven to 180° {fan} In a bowl, rub butter and flour together to make fine breadcrumbs, Add grated cheddar cheese, along with salt and pepper Add enough cold water to form a soft dough (that’s not too sticky) and roll onto a floured surface so it’s about 1cm thick Brush beaten egg over the dough Sprinkle generously with more grated cheese, salt and pepper, pressing down into the dough Cut into strips about 6cm long by 1.5cm wide and use a fish slice {or similar} to transfer to a lightly dusted baking tray Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes on the middle shelf Once out of the oven, transfer to a wire rack until cool Keep in an airtight container - they won’t last long!
RECIPE Preheat the oven to 180° {fan} Rub butter into flour to make fine breadcrumbs, mix in the golden caster sugar and then add enough water to bring the mixture together Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick and use a 10cm round cutter to cut out the bases, then line two 12-whole tins Spoon a generous teaspoon of mincemeat into each base and then re-roll the pastry and cut out the lids with a 7cm cutter, gently pressing the lids on to cover, sealing the edges as you go Brush with a beaten egg and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Leave in the tins to cool for five minutes before moving to wire racks to cool. When cold, dust with icing sugar. They will keep for a few days in an airtight container or one month in the freezer.
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makes 18
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interview
shannon hays owner of shindig studios
Shannon Hays is a designer, illustrator, surface pattern designer and doodler. A freelance logo and print designer for many years, she recently discovered the world of surface pattern design and realized her true calling. Shannon loves creating sweet, upbeat designs perfect for stationery and juvenile markets.
me to further develop my surface pattern design skills as well as validation that I was creating designs that resonated with people. So far, I’ve really been enjoying the classes and very much looking forward to the start of Module 3 this Fall.
WHICH THREE WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRI B E YOUR ORGANI S ATI O N? Creative, whimsical, evolving
who are your favourite designers? I have lots and lots of design heroes. Some
why did you go into business - what do you love about what you do? I began freelancing as a graphic designer
WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS? It depends on the brief, but usually everything
about 15 years ago - around the time I wanted to start a family. I concentrated mostly on logo design and small business collateral. Recently, I discovered the world of surface pattern design and since then, I’ve been focusing on developing new skills, like illustration and creating technical repeats. I love that I can challenge myself and grow my business in new and exciting directions.
who or what inspires you? My three daughters are an endlesss source of inspiration to me. I’m also fascinated by all kinds of animals, flowers and nature.
WHAT I S YOUR greatest achievement? I was thrilled to be chosen last January
as the recipient of Print & Pattern’s 2015 Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design Scholarship! It was a fantastic opportunity for
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contemporary and some from the past. Alexander Girard, Dick Bruna, Ed Emberley, Orla Kiely, Suzy Ultman, JillyP. and Flora Chang, to name a few of my favorites.
starts with thumbnail sketches, then larger sketches, then perhaps scanning and redrawing, and almost always finishing in Illustrator.
DO YOU HAVE ANY HINTS OR TIPS ON HOW TO ENTER YOUR DESI G N FI E LD? Take classes. I highly recommend Lilla
Rogers’ Make Art That Sells for those who are interested in licensing their art. Explore what’s out there. Go shopping and turn over products you love to find who is manufacturing them. Send samples to creative directors at your favorite companies. And don’t forget about social media! Instagram, in particular, has been an invaluable avenue for me to draw attention to my business. For more information, please visit: shindigdesignstudio.com.
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showcase
bryan bevan photography atmostpheric imagery
I may be biased by I think my father, Bryan, takes the most beautiful photographs. And some of my favourites are when it’s chilly outside! I thought I’d share some with you here... Winter brings around mystical scenes of mist and fog. And including these, sometimes eerie, elements within your images is a surefire way to add some atmosphere!
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When showcasing your photographs, why not identify the key colours and display a palette alongside? It’s fun to do and adds another dimension to your images to really make the colours pop. Take a look at my dad’s website to see more of his photos: bryanbevanphotography.wordpress.com.
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article
drowning in paperwork? by sarah olsen, owner of sarah olsen vpa
Several years ago, I was the director of a portrait and wedding photography company. It was an exciting time in the industry, as many photographers were still transitioning to digital images from film and no one was really sure how far the digital revolution would go.
Once you’ve established an internet presence, you’ll need to drive traffic to your online marketplace.
A VPA can also assist in marketing you online in many ways, including creating a mailing list, sending promotional Today, much has changed, as many photography clients don’t want any prints at all emails, building a social media audience and and instead only want digital copies of images. keeping your fans updated on your latest offerings. The digital age has changed many aspects of being an artist. Perhaps most importantly, the In addition to these internet-era tasks, a VPA can give you more time to devote to your craft internet has brought about a resurgence of by taking on some of the more traditional artists who are selling their creations directly burdens of running your own business. to the public. Websites like Etsy and Artspan make it easier than ever for artists, designers, and makers to connect with would-be patrons. Imagine how much more time you’d have for creating if you handed over management of According to BBC News, more art is now being your schedule, bookkeeping tasks, bill paying, and business correspondence. These are viewed and sold online than in person as jobs which, while completely necessary, most originals. This presents a major shift in the artists find tedious and time-consuming. way artists and artisans must promote their work and brings with it new challenges. Hiring a VPA to manage business and online tasks on an as-needed, ad hoc basis might Hiring a virtual personal assistant (VPA) to help be more affordable than you realise. And if it tackle those challenges could make a huge allows you the time to create more revenuedifference in the success of your business. generating art, it’s an opportunity you can’t Allowing customers to purchase your creations afford to miss. and products online, whether through your own website or through a third party like those mentioned earlier, is key in today’s market. t twitter.com/saraholsenvpa A VPA can aid in tasks like uploading photos in uk.linkedin.com/pub/sarah-olsen/98/734/660 of your merchandise, creating online entries for each product, handling communication sarah@saraholsenvpa.co.uk between you and your customers and tracking packages. To learn more about Sarah’s exective PA, lifestyle and business support team services, please visit her website: saraholsenvpa.co.uk.
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article
what is branding identity?
by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design} In this short series of articles, I will explain what social media, email the difference between logo, identity and brand signature, newsletters, signage, package design, is. This piece will focus branding identity. uniforms (amongst many other items!)– bascially, all customer touch points. There is so much confusion regarding the varying meanings of logo, identity and brand Very often your graphic or creative designer – and how they connect. Many designers, authors and bloggers have had their say about will devise branding guidelines in relation to your identity to ensure your logo, typefaces and what’s what…so I thought I’d have mine! colour palettes are used consistently across all online and offline artwork, documents and communications. This consistency can help An identity {visual identity or branding build brand recognition with customers. identity} is…
Another way to describe it is as a reflection of the look and feel of your organisation.
Conversely, for example, if your logo is used in many different colours for various items of marketing collateral, signage and on your website, potential customers may not realise all of these elements are from the same organisation. This negatively impacts the building of your brand.
Your identity includes your logo, business stationery, marketing materials, website,
Below is artwork of white space creative design’s visual identity...
…the package of your organisation’s individual visual devices, which work together to communicate your brand.
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A cohesive, holistic approach is best. Using branding guidelines not only provides you with consistency but also a common theme to run through your marketing materials, newsletters and e(s).
that your organisation is not in sync. Your customers need to feel that your organisation runs as a whole, believing in the same ethos, aiming to achieve the same goals. This will foster trust and loyalty.
A branding board like the one shown below is often included within these guildelines, which offers a visual snapshot of branding elements.
I would advise that the management of your brand identity is by one designated person, department, designer or agency in order to maintain its strength. Your identity will be diluted should a skewed version of your logo appear on your invoices or if your old logo features on distributed letters on headed paper. And, as a designer, there’s not much worse for us to see! We will cringe on your behalf! So, think of branding identity as the visual design of your business. When working together, consistently and integrated, your brand awareness and recognition can be built by using business cards, marketing collateral and package design. If you’d like me to design a branding identity for you, from scratch or a rebrand, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d love to hear from you! Please email: hello@whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk.
Whilst I did identify branding identity with just visuals, I also include written communication within identity. I believe the same type of language should be used, with the same message and tone to create an interconnection between all online and offline communications. Fragmentation within design or language gives the impression
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If you would like white space creative design to help you with your logo or rebrand, please don’t hesitate to contact Charlotte by email: hello@whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk or for more information about the services offered, please visit: whitespacecreativedesign.co.uk.
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design spotlight: greengate by isabel bevan
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contributor’s own
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Greengate is a Danish company and its philosophy is: ‘simple, everyday moments in life can be the most memorable and cherished’. With less time in a complex world, they aim to help “slow down time” - enriching and giving more meaning to each of these small moments shared. As Mona says: “You can’t make something that inspires love and sharing, unless it has been made with love and sharing in the first place”. Each collection begins with Mona and Jesper
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going through unique archive of thousands of antique, hand painted designs from 19th Century France and choosing the patterns that fit the trends of the coming season. The designs are developed, modified and given new colour ways to reflect the Nordic background of Greengate’s founders and designers. Greengate items are available online and on their website you can find a list of stockists: greengate.dk.
hot picks
pantone colour picks: winter 2015 by isabel bevan
Pantone issue their Fashion Colour Report each spring and fall. Here are our winter colour picks from their earthy-neutral-with-pops-of-bold-colour fall palette!
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marsala
biscay bay
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social media series
learn more about... youtube by charlotte bevan {editor of design crumbs and owner of white space creative design} Sweeping generalisation but it’s probably true: you have used YouTube. Maybe it’s to watch a cooking tutorial or see a band’s new music video. Whatever the purpose, you are one of over a billion users {YouTube press statistics, August 2015}. That’s a massive audience you can tap into! Directions of how to set up your YouTube business account can be found here. You may wish to upload videos showcasing your products, tours of your studio or workspace or even Q&A sessions. Each of these ideas could help build your brand awareness and give a face to your organisation. Not only does having a YouTube channel expand your social media presence but it can also help with search engine optimisation. Why not give it a try!
hints and tips YouTube is a community with its own rules and culture... Before you begin uploading videos to your channel, it’s worthwhile to research how it all works; checking out statistics like views and engagement levels of brands and competitors. You may get a sense of what works and what doesn’t, which will make it easier to create your own videos. Ensure your branding is consistent As with all social media platforms, you need to make sure that logos, colours, typefaces and so on are all consistent throughout - this builds the strength of your brand. Remember to link to your website wherever appropriate! Show your personality It’s great for customers {existing or prospective} to put a face to the name. If you show your character to your audience, they will immediately have a connection with you which could foster trust and loyalty. Collaborate It can be a great idea to connect with other YouTube users; whether like-minded organisations or individuals; or those who have no link with your business. Their viewers may become your viewers and you have an instant new audience! Purposeful call to action Whether it’s to ‘like’ the video, share, comment or visit your website, make sure your viewers know what they are expected to do at the end of your video. Increasing engagement not only looks good but is affecting your brand awareness.
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showcase
unlimited shop
contemporary design, illustration and creativity Following the success of its pop-up store in 2010, in 2013 Brighton’s North Laine became home to Unlimited Shop. A gallery and shop curated by Sara Morrissey, showcasing the very best in contemporary design, illustration and creativity from a collective of new and emerging creative talent. Whilst Sara is aware “there are plenty of craft shops, brand-led concepts stores and fine art galleries out there,” Unlimited Shop is a unique space that reflects an individual, playful voice, which also offers affordable alternatives. “A place that can evolve and change but always has its roots in the graphic arts and great design.” Step inside the shop and you will find an eclectic mix of prints, jewellery, accessories, decorative homewares, textiles and furniture. All having been chosen by Sara, based on her gut instinct of “would we have it in our home?” All the items selected have a graphic arts leaning and an emphasis on conceptual design over novelty aesthetics. Sara loves the challenge of curating the shop as a whole and although the product range is diverse, as a designer she instinctively creates a visual harmony across the whole store.
Sara is always keen to present work that has been created by new and emerging talent, which has previously included jewellery from One We Made Earlier, fashion accessories from Anna Joyce, home textiles by Kitty McCall and Laura Slater and ceramics by Mr Wingate and Edge of Home. As well as a shop, Unlimited have also held solo shows within their gallery space for various designers, Imeus Design, Will Scobie, Paul Farrell and Lucie Sheridan. The positive outcome of the gallery space has resulted in them bringing together a talented body of over 60 contemporary creatives. For more information, please visit: unlimitedshop.co.uk.
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Mini wooden forest by forge {set of 6} £72 individual concrete letters £2.50 each
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recipe
christmas recipes festive deliciousness
MINCEMEAT CRUMBLE| by Charlotte
OATIE COOKIES | by Charlotte
INGREDIENTS FOR INDIVIDUAL CRUMBLE third cup mincemeat | 3 tablespoons oats | 1 tablespoon brown sugar | 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 and a half tablespoon softened butter | pinch of salt | pinch of bicarbonate of soda | drop of vanilla
INGREDIENTS 1 cup flour | half teaspoon bicarbonate soda half cup brown sugar and half cup caster sugar 1 cup oats | half cup raisins and dried cranberries teaspoon cinnamon and/or nutmeg | half cup melted butter | 1 beaten egg | 1 teaspoon vanilla
RECIPE Turn on the oven to 180° {fan} Place your chosen number of ramekins onto a baking tray Add mincemeat into the bottom of each ramekin In a bowl, mix all other ingredients with a fork {remembering to multiply the ingredients with your number of ramekins} Sprinkle two-thirds of the oat mixture over the mincemeat, stirring it a little to combine Then add the remaining third so it sits neatly on the top Pop your baking tray with ramekins into the oven for 25 minutes Enjoy this Christmassy treat! {Remember, you can always pop it in the microwave to warm it up!}
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RECIPE Turn on the oven to 180° {fan} In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, bicarb, sugar, oats and dried bits and bobs Stir in the melted butter, egg and vanilla Place onto a baking tray, using a cookie scoop Bake for 10 minutes
if you bake any of our recipes over the festive period, we’d love to know how you get on! please send us your pictures by emailing designcrumbsuk@gmail.com. 16
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christmas gift guide supporting independent businesses
We’ve done the hard work for you! Meadow Border Necklace by Emily Notman Each border necklace is machine embroidered using found material and decorated with haberdashery, pearls and lots of loopy hand stitch. Every necklace is completely unique and made as a one-off. Each measures about 4cm wide and is hung on a silver plated chain, approximately 30cm long. £30.00 including UK P&P | madebyhandonline.com/by/emily_notman
Vintage Paper Garland by Tilly Mint’s Emporium Repurposed from vintage maps and atlases, these hand cut hearts are the finishing touch to any room. The garland folds out into 3D hearts and can be folded away simply to save space, tangles and faff! £7.00 plus P&P | tillymintsemporium.etsy.com
Vintage Style Lace Tealight & Flower Jars by Betsy Blair Home Beautifully decorated jars for use as either tealight or flower holders, each adorned with delicate guipure lace in ivory or cream. £5.95 plus P&P | betsyblairhome.co.uk
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feature Layered Shapes Canvas Shopper Bag by Rachael Taylor Designs This heavyweight fabric shopper bag (with long handles) is exclusively hand drawn and designed by Rachael, in the ‘Layered Shapes’ pattern, printed on the front and the reverse. It is digitally printed and made in Britain. £26.00 plus P&P | rachaeltaylordesigns.co.uk
Retro Circles Pocket Mirror by white space creative design Each mirror is 58mm (2 1/4 inch) diammeter. The badge face is printed in bright, full colour on one side with a mirror on the other. The mirror comes packaged in a little organza bag. £3.50 plus P&P | lovewhitespace.etsy.com
Freshly Baked Cookies or Tiffin by SQUIDGES Five freshly baked cookies or four chunky pieces of tiffin beautifully packaged and delivered straight to your door. Choose your favourite flavour and the colour of packaging and even add a personal message! £14.95 plus P&P | squidges.com
‘Sending You Love’ Envelope Charm by Kutuu The perfect little pewter charm for posting - this double sided envelope is imprinted with the phrase “sending you love” complete with a tiny stamp and a heart on the back and measures 2.4 x 1.7cm. Can be placed on a chain to make a beautiful necklace. £7.00 plus P&P | kutuu.com
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SHOWCASE
decorating planners by jacqueline addis of blue anchor bay
Five years ago Hubby and I moved back to Scotland, it was a dream come true for us. We bought a brand new cottage in a small village with views across the countryside to the hills in the distance. I set up Blue Anchor Bay as a way of sharing my creativity and so I could chat to like minded people. It is named after a place in Somerset where we took the children when they were small. The sea has always been important to me and I often use ‘The Seaside’ and colours of the sea, as a theme for my work and in my home décor. I am essentially a home stylist but I have become a paper crafter since moving here. We are lucky enough to live near the coast, only ten miles as the seagull flies!
Starting with making envelopes and matching cards, hand stitched notebooks and Japanese stab-stitched journals, I decided to search for more paper projects. I have made a whole set of gift tags and turned them into tag albums; I also made mini albums. I plan to frame some of my makes and use them when I decorate my daughter’s bedroom. The great thing is, I continue to learn and thoroughly enjoy myself. My latest project includes decorating planners - I have been making my own dividers, library card pockets, page markers and envelopes.
simple steps of how to create your planner... 1 First choose your planner. This is not quite as simple as it sounds! They come in a variety of sizes, colours and materials. Some have ring-binders, whilst others are more like notebook covers. It all depends on your budget and what you want to use them for. Take a look in your high street stationery store to help you decide.
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After purchasing your planner, you need to decide on a colour scheme and maybe a theme. I have chosen some winter paper in teal and grey. I would strongly advise using good quality paper and card. Mine came in a pack with co-ordinating stickers, cards and letters. I also bought some tape. I am a stickler for colour matching but you can purchase all these things separately or you may already have some in your craft cupboard.
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Next, I usually remove all the contents so I can examine the cover and decide what I want to keep/use and how I want to arrange things. Then I make the dividers. Decide how many you need and how big you want the tabs to be. You can either make plain ones and decorate them or use patterned papers. I use my envelope punch board to make my tabs (you can find video tutorials online) but you can also use the originals as templates. There is a special six hole punch but a single one works just as well, just mark where the holes need to go very accurately. I suggest trying it out on scrap paper first, using a page, or ruler, from the planner as a guide. Some people like to laminate their dividers. I have not felt the need for this, yet!
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Now comes the fun bit...deciding what extra bits and pieces to add. I love to make an envelope to secrete things in, a pocket or two and some page markers. Finally you can start decorating the pages using washi tape, coloured pens, paper clips, mini post it notes and so on. To keep my planner positive I have decided to use these to write doctor’s appointments on so I can remove them afterwards. Always use good quality pens in matching colours and try them out, beforehand, for bleeding and seepage.
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I hope I have inspired you. Now it’s up to you, use your imagination and have fun!
For more hints and tips on how to decorate your planner with envelopes, dividers and tabs, please visit Jacqueline’s website: blueanchorbay.blogspot.co.uk.
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article
maximising your potential.. by anna hamilton, owner of tilly mint’s emporium
...on facebook
Whether you own a start-up business waiting to flourish, or a big business with a globally recognised brand; social media is a fantastic tool to connect your customers and clients with you in an instant. The digital world is growing at a rapid rate, if you think back ten years ago, most of us had dial up internet connection, we used mobile phones for texting and making calls. Now we have the world in our pockets - we rely on our phones to wake us up in the morning, to tell us the weather and keep us connected with friends from across the globe. With an abundance of apps available to download onto our mobiles, it really is keeping us in touch with the big wide world but how do you effectively engage with new customers through your social media pages?
Marketing has reached a new age - the digital era. Businesses across the globe are embracing the innovative trend of social media in order to raise brand awareness, engage with customers and drive sales. Using social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram is a great way of broadcasting your business and amplifying your brand, you can do it all on a limited budget or with absolutely no budget at all! Over the next few editions of Design Crumbs Magazine, I will be bringing you the golden rules of social media management, so you can maximise your pages and ultimately get the full potential that your business deserves!
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In the past few months, the algorithms of Facebook have changed, meaning that the visibility of pages have been reduced - but by following a few tips you can transform your dwindling Facebook page into a major marketing tool for your business. Research, research, research It’s vital that you delve into your analytics. Yes, this does sound like a scary prospect but it’s so important that you understand your audience. Otherwise it’d be like looking for a needle in a haystack, with a blindfold on, wearing boxing gloves. Really use the analytics tool to discover who your audience are and establish when they are most active on Facebook. Then you can begin the master plan…
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Decide on a Cunning Plan
It’s all About the Apps
Use the status scheduling tool to create a plan of action, especially for folks who lead busy lives and can’t always post social media updates as they occur.
Investing in a few apps to personalise your page is a must! Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
By scheduling Facebook posts, you can experiment on what statuses work well for your audience. Start off by keeping your posts varied so you can try new things and see what works well for you and then you can fine tune your page once you have this perfected which you will be able to monitor by using your analytics tool.
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Quality not Quantity It’s a common misconception that to beat the infamous Facebook algorithms, you need to post updates every five minutes...but save yourself the unnecessary task! Take your time in creating two or three great posts per day, at the most. It’s also largely understood that blasting your audience with a large number of posts every day will actually disengage them - they lose interest and may even unfollow you. Audience Participation is Key Refrain from making posts with super hard sells to your customers - just think what it’s like to have a persistent shop keeper following you around as you browse. This is not the impression you’d like your customers to have of you as a business owner! It can be a tad off-putting because ultimately you’re not connecting with your customers, the conversation is only one-way - like you’re talking ‘at’ your customers. Ask questions, invite your customers to interact with you and your page. Not only is this a great way to actively promote your page but you appear approachable, personable and have a genuine interest in your customers.
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Please visit: tillymintsemporium.com
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