Treasures Aplenty in the Steampunk Apothecary

Always of fan of faeries being introduced to well, everything, I was intrigued to see how they had infiltrated the Steampunk Apothecary. Part fantastical adventure romp, part craft guide, Steampunk Apothecary is the latest book from Jema Hewitt, a talented jewellery and costume designer. Jema’s alter ego Miss Emilly Ladybird is on a mission to seek out strange and unusual artefacts for her employers Dickens and Rivett. Along the way she encounters a host of astounding creatures including fairies, vampires and mermaids and shares her observations and exploits in the book. The 20 themed projects are inspired by these tales and are aimed at all levels of crafting ability. The jewellery and accessories include a Fairystone pendant complete with polymer clay seeing stone, a Key to Elfland necklace, and a beautiful Fairy-wing Tiara. The projects encompass many techniques and materials so there is something to suit all crafters looking to blend a little magic and retro-futuristic technology to create something wonderful. And with the invaluable advise on creating patina and other tips, the book also serves as inspiration for creating your own unique pieces during your Steampunk adventures.

Steampunk Apothecary is published by GMC (ISBN 978-1861089755) AND PRICED AT £14.99.
Available from Amazon.co.uk

Jennifer Carson, Dragon Charmer

American artist and authoress Jennifer Carson sews charming fantasy creatures, not just Dragons but Faerie creatures too – including these cute Goblin babies. You can buy ready made dolls, or if you are feeling crafty Jennifer also offers patterns and hand-dyed materials to make your own. She has also recently turned to writing, with two lovely tales for children published so far, To Find A Wonder and Hapenny Magic.

Green Girl Studios

Green Girl Studios is a family run bead and jewellery business founded in 1997. Cynthia Thornton and Greg Ogden offer beautiful handmade sculptural beads, buttons, clasps and pendants in pewter, silver, bronze and shibuichi, inspired by fantasy and nature. In addition, the etsy store includes one off pieces of jewellery. Cynthia has also written the book Enchanted Adornments which gives tutorials on making your own mixed media jewellery.

Gateways to Faerie

The amazing creations of Fairy Woodland have featured previously on Fae Nation. Now artists John Curtis Crawford and Bridget Wolfe bring us Gateways to Faerie, a 2-disk DVD which takes the viewer on a journey of discovery. The documentary film shows us the value of seeing with our imagination – and gives us permission to believe what we see, while the second disk shows you how to build your very own Faerie House step-by-step.

Knitting for Faeries

I am (slowly) teaching myself to knit, and of course wanting to combine my love of Faerie with this new passion, I have been on the look out for fantasy-inspired patterns. I am most taken with the Fairy Castles from Tiny Owl Knits. Not only are they adorable, but they are also practical – the roofs lift off and they unroll to store all your knitting needles and crochet hooks.
There are some lovely crocheted baby booties on StudioKnits, from curly toed pixie boots to dainty butterfly adorned slippers for baby fairies. For little flower fairies I also love the Bluebell and Rose dress patterns. And the amazing Knitty archives have two free patterns that caught my eye – Sally the Eco-Fairy, a vintage style doll, and the very Miyasaki-inspired Woodins, complete with tree stump home.
I’d love suggestions for other suitably Faerie-inspired patterns… please leave a comment if you can think of any!

Mighty Oak Scarflette by Fable

As if I wasn’t busy enough, I now have to add ‘learn to crochet’ to my to-do list, after stumbling across this gorgeous Mighty Oak ‘Scarflette’ pattern, by Fable Handmade Goods. There are so many stunning yarns available these days (take a peek at Colinette for instance…) your scarf of leafy goodness will be as unique as yourself. And just think what else you could add those lovely oak leaves and acorns to…!

How to Make Faery Wings

Although there are many, many extremely talented wing makers out there it is always nice to have a go at making some yourself. An excellent starting point is Rosemilk’s ‘How to’ page (lots and lots of information here), and for those of you who like visual guides, watch the video above (in which Emilie Autumn makes a pair of wings using the nylon method for HGTV’s ‘Crafter’s Coat to Coast’). If you prefer cellophane wings there is a great tutorial on Jennifer Herbert’s Faery Muse site.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to making your own pair of wings. Have a go using the above construction methods, or experiment with different materials and techniques to form the basic wings. You can decorate your wings any way you want, the only limit is your imagination!
Have fun!

Mystic Stitch Inc.

‘Where fine art and needlework come together’ – Mystic Stitch is an American company offering an interesting selection of fantasy cross stitch charts. Choose from classic pre-Raphaelite artists such as Edward Burne-Jones, or contemporary faerie artists like James Browne, Maxine Gadd and Beth Hansen-Buth. Each pattern comes as a spiral bound booklet with full colour cover and guide to threads and care tips.

White Willow Stitching

Fantasy cross stitch seems very popular at the moment, with White Willow Stitching being another company who design and produce charts. Their mix of artists is a little more unusual than some of the others I have seen, with designs based on the art of Amy Edwards, Julien Hatswell (shown above), Nicole Cadet and Maria van Bruggen amongst others. Chose from Faeries, Elves, Mermaids, mythical creatures and more. Each chart pack comes with the pattern printed on heavy card stock, a colour reproduction of the finished piece, a floss key and a page of helpful hints.

Heaven and Earth Designs

Autumn, for me anyway, always seems like the perfect time to get creative. The nights are getting longer and making things nicely whiles away the long, dark evenings. If you are looking for something to do, Heaven and Earth Designs might be the answer. They make counted cross-stitch charts suitable for beginners to the more experienced, with a huge selection of designs based on art from many of the leading fantasy artists working today.