First of Many Amazing Pop-Up Craft Events - Tooting

I was a little choked up this morning, when I saw the pictures from our first craft pop-up event, which took place yesterday in Tooting and so I’m not going to say much in this week’s blog post, the images speak for themselves and I dedicate it to the amazing local companies who took part, the volunteers and of course the people who came along on the day. 

Thanks all for making it a great day.

Our next event is in Clapham on 7^th August 12-4pm, Click to find out more information: Clapham summer Pop-Up

Upcycling demonstration from Join-Up Streatham

Interior Design classes from London Property Makeover

Knitting & Crochet demonstrations from Affinity Yarns

 

Mosaic workshops from Glittering Shards

 

Ms Cupcake offered cupcake icing & decoration demonstrations

Clothes Swapping by Swish & Pout

Pretty broach making workshops by Crafty Pint

Got Craft? offered tasters into badge making

 

Blue Velvet Cake

One for the Oven

adapted from One Particular Kitchen

Ingredients

cake:
2 cups sugar
2 sticks of unsalted room temperature butter [i've learned that keeping it out the night before really REALLY helps]
2 eggs
1 1/2 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon royal blue food coloring
1 small dab of violet food coloring [use a toothpick to get the dab]
2 1/2 cups cake flower
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon white vinegar

frosting:
1 pound of cream cheese [at room temperature]
2 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups sifted confectioners sugar

1 package of blueberries [about half a cup]

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 8-inch cake pans. Line bottom of cake pans with fitted parchment paper rounds and grease everything again with butter or Pam.
Cream sugar and butter in a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each one.
In a smaller bowl mix cocoa powder and food coloring together. *I didn’t get it all mixed thoroughly, because the food coloring i used was a gel, so i kind of mashed it together and then dumped everything into the sugar mixture.
Sift flour and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the sugar mixture alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with flour. Mix in vanilla extract.
Combine baking soda and vinegar in a smaller bowl, then add to the cake mixture. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix one last time.
Fill cake pans half way full with batter and bake for 20 minutes or until the cake starts to seperate from the sides of the cake pan and a toothpick comes out cleanish.
Keep on wire rack until completely cooled.
*I took my cakes out, let it cool for about 45 minutes, when they felt not so scalding hot, i flipped them over onto a wire cooling rack lined with parchment paper and then stuck the whole rack with the cakes on it into the freezer for about 30 minutes. It kind of speeds up the cooling process.

Frosting time:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
Add powdered sugar gradually and taste along the way, stop adding sugar when it gets to your desired sweetness.

Frost bottom layer first, then add blueberries in an even tight packed layer. Frost one side of your top cake layer and place the frosted side down on top of the blueberries. Frost the top of your now 2-layered cake and then around the sides. Top with a blueberry or whatever else you want!

Craft Competition Number 3!

This is our last competition before we pop-up in Tooting on the 24th July and it’s a cracker! For a chance to win afternoon tea for two at Earl Gray & Rose in Streatham, all you need to do is tell us how many beads and buttons are in Morph’s jar?

You can put your answer on the blog, facebook or tweet it to us and the winner will be announced next Thursday.

Good Luck!

Book Review: Paper + Craft

Based in New York, day to day Minhee and Truman Cho are owners of an upmarket stationary and paper company, Paper + Cup  and this chic book is obviously an extension of their passion. The book has 25 design projects with step by step tutorials, easy for all to do from the novice to the more experienced crafter. If you’ve never thought about paper crafts, think again, all you need to get started are paper, scissors and glue.

Paper +Craft is a credit to the crafting world, this book is an excellent example of being able to bring vintage inspired crafts into the twenty first century.

Memorable Nuggets  - We Loved the animal drink tags, the picture is really exciting, this project can be used for kids parties and adult drinks.

This book has thought of everything, from the materials you’ll need, to a resource page of where you can buy what, the ‘Additional Ideal’ section at the end of each project, ensures the project don’t get boring, with different examples of how to experiment with the materials and finally this is my favourite part of the book, a link taking you to the website to download the templates for each of the projects.

Here’s one we made earlier.

Marks out of 5

We highly recommend this book as a gift or just as a treat to yourself. The charming projects can be easily achieved with the minimal fuss and you’ll look like a crafting god or goddess when you show your friends. 

We give this book a 4.5/ 5

Have you got your, Got Craft?

Zoe from the SW Craft Club asked me to write a guest post about Got Craft?, so to start off, I figured I better tell you a little about ourselves! Got Craft? is made up of Andrea and Robert. Originally from Vancouver, BC, we are a husband and wife team that has moved to London, UK in search of new experiences and adventures. Our background is in event management and wedding coordination, but we are also makers and love all things handmade. This love led to us starting Got Craft? in 2007, a modern twist on the conventional craft fair.

Focusing on the indie craft culture, Got Craft? aims to bring together a community that fosters handmade and a D.I.Y. ethos. Held twice a year in Vancouver, BC and soon, London, UK, we feature a curated array of handmade goods in a wide range of wares including jewelry, clothing and accessories, bath and body, paper goods, ceramics, house wares, wall art, plush objects, fresh and baked goods and more!

We are super excited to partner up with the SW Craft Club and present a button workshop at their two Summer Pop-Up events in July and August! We’ll have blank templates for you to draw your own designs and a selection of pretty papers and Got Craft? images for you to choose from. Both events are free to attend and fantastic for a family day out. Hope to see you there!

Follow our blog to read about what inspires us, the D.I.Y. community, handmade artists, crafty things to do, tutorials and life from both sides of the pond. Watch this space for news about Got Craft? UK and our upcoming Christmas market!

Check out our past events: http://player.vimeo.com/video/17102123?title=0&byline=0&portrai

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all images by STUDIO jeanie

Welcome to Streatham Knit Wits

By Knitting Regular Astrid

A few months ago, I was on the prowl for a knitting group. I needed a good excuse to get out of the house on a regular basis, and meet some local, like-minded knitters. Oh, and drink whilst knitting. Very important, that.

Unfortunately, the only knitting group I could find that was local to me was the Balham stitch’n’bitch – I say unfortunately, because they meet on a Wednesday evening, and up until a few weeks ago, Wednesday night was lecture night (I’m a full-time student – not for much longer though!)

I would have loved to join the folks at the Balham Bowls Club, but woe – it was not to be.

But via SWCraftClub, I was put in touch with other Streatham knitters – apparently, I wasn’t the only one mourning the lack of non-Wednesday-night-Streatham-based-knitting. With some help and organisation from Zoe, we soon had our first knit-night organised, at Streatham Hill’s cosy Perfect Blend.

Things have evolved a bit since that first night – we’ve kept a sort of nucleus of about 5 regular members, who meet up every two weeks, Tuesday night at 7:30pm. Oh, and we’re not at Perfect Blend anymore – we’ve moved up the road to the Manor Arms. It’s a bit more roomy, and the lighting is better. And the comfy chairs help, too.

It’s been lovely watching people’s projects evolve – Sarah’s popcorn-stitch vintage cardigan has grown and grown, Victoria’s cable knit shrug is half done, and it feels like Lian has brought a different project every week. As for poor Claire – despite having dislocated her shoulder a few weeks ago (we’re a rowdy bunch), she has still attended get togethers, and is making gentle progress with some crochet.

And me? Well, after two and a half years, one failed attempt (and subsequent frogging), I have finally finished my boyfriend’s mammoth jumper commission. Only dozens of ends to weave in, now... those can wait.

We don’t just knit, you know. If you fancy dropping by, but your needles are of the embroidery variety, or you think hooks are best, then our next meeting is at the Manor Arms, Streatham, at 7:30pm, 28^th June. You can either just turn up (ask the barman where the knitters are – he’ll know what you mean), or let us know via Facebook or Twitter. Looking forward to seeing some new faces!