Craft It Up Christmas available now!

Our beautiful book Craft It Up Christmas Around The World is available now online and from all good bookstores.

This would be a fantastic addition to a pre-Christmas craft party. Just add wine...or milk and cookies!

I can see it rolled up in a stocking too. So maybe tip off Santa now? Or play Santa and buy it for all your pals!

Craft It Up Around The World and Craft It Up Christmas Around The World by Abadee and Armstrong are available from all good bookstores, online and also from our publisher.

http://www.rylandpeters.com/ourshop/craft/craft-it-up-christmas-around-the-world

http://www.rylandpeters.com/ourshop/craft-it-up-around-the-world

Reader craft: Estonia. Stack It Up Christmas Trees

I love it when readers send in photos of the craft they have done from the books! It's especially exciting when it's from the new book. These button trees were made by 2 lovely boys in England. Love your work boys!

Happy Publication Day Craft It Up Christmas!

Hey Happy Publication Day! Craft It Up Christmas is now officially here. Whoop whoop! 

I know it's a little early for Christmas but over the next few months I'll give you little prods! Because as well as making a beautiful Christmas gift it would make an even more awesome pre-Christmas gift to someone else...or for you and your family! You can get a head start on some lovely Christmas crafting. Or planning craft group Christmas nights. Or Christmas decoration swaps. 

I can see it rolled up in a stocking too. So maybe tip off Santa now? 

Craft It Up Around The World and Craft It Up Christmas Around The World by Abadee and Armstrong are available from all good bookstores, online and also from our publisher.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Craft-it-Up-Around-World-Libby-Abadee/9781782490388

http://www.bookdepository.com/Craft-it-Up-Christmas-Around-World-Libby-Abadee/9781782491569

'Spring has sprung' felt flower bouquet

Today's project has been influenced by my lovely Mother's Day tulips and by our Netherlands project in the book. But the finishing touches were provided by my 6 year old studio assistant today who was too sick to go to school, but miraculously recovered when I started cutting out the felt. She has designed the flowers and added the genius touches of detail on the leaves. 

These flowers are super easy to make, and because felt never fades, they really are everlasting flowers. If you don't have the book, you can buy it online...

http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Around-World-Traveling-Adventures/dp/1782490388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399860551&sr=1-1&keywords=craft+it+up

They're really quick to make. We used scraps of felt and a few pipe cleaners. Draw flowers onto paper to use as templates and then cut out the flowers and leaves. A couple of tiny snips in the centre of the shapes, feed the pipe cleaner through and you're done!

Revisiting Craft It Up Around The World and an exciting trip!

We've been busy in the office trying to catalogue projects in preparation for a super exciting business trip we're taking to England in the coming weeks. Maybe we'll see the Changing of the Guards and be able to wave our 'One is Amused' Royal Family Wooden Spoon Puppets!

 

At the end of the trip we're hopping over to say 'bonjour!' to Paris, which has to be one of our most favourite cities in the world! Can't wait to stand at the top of the Eiffel Tower and look down at Paris below!

 

Our beautiful book is available from all good retailers and online.

 

http://www.bookdepository.com/Craft-it-Up-Around-World-Libby-Abadee/9781782490388

 

 

Keep your eye out for a super quick travel project coming soon!

 

 

Reader pics: Jamaica: "Bang on Time" Tin Can Drum

How good is this? One of our awesome readers Zara made this drum. Love the way she has used 2 very different patterns and such a vibrant colour!

Book giveaway!

Here in Sydney we've just started 2 weeks of school holidays. If you're looking for ways to entertain the kids then look no further! We've got a shiny new copy of the book to give away!

 

Just leave a comment here, inbox us on Facebook or email us at craftitup (at) live (dot) com (dot) au

And because it's Spring here in Sydney, the sun is shining and we're feeling happy...we'll send the book out to you wherever you are!

The winner will be picked on Wednesday which gives us enough time to get the book to you in time for the second week of the holidays! Yippee!

 

Gorgeous review from Jenny from The Gingerbread House

reposted from http://www.rylandpeters.com/blog/craft-your-way-around-the-globe/

Craft your way around the globe

A few weeks ago, we sent out a review copy of the forthcoming 'Craft it Up Around the World' to one of our favourite bloggers, Jenny Kearney (aka The Gingerbread Mum). Here's what she made of the book:
The cold wet weather has kept us indoors the last few days. Fortunately we were sent a really fun craft book which has kept us busy and helped us explore new things. Craft It Up Around The World brings the great wide world into the home with 35 travel-inspired craft projects! The toddler and I enjoyed sitting down and looking through it together, we’ve already chosen a couple of fun projects to do.

The authors, Libby Abadee and Cath Armstrong have created Craft It Up Around The World to inspire children to look at the world around them in a new way. They can discover the Americas by bagging themselves a potato print tote from Argentina and painted pebbles with Colombian rainforest designs. Other projects include making a bouquet of Dutch felt tulips and creating salt dough coins fit for the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Children can celebrate the wonder of Asia with a Japanese sushi brooch and make their own Vietnamese juice box boat like the boats in Ha Long Bay. They will love creating African art by making a Ghanaian clay bead necklace, and will remember Sydney, Australia forever with their very own memory jar.
We tried “The Mounties Always Get Their (Gingerbread) Man. I think you can probably guess that they didn’t last long enough to be iced.

Next we made Howard’s Treasure Hunt Bottle with the treasures we picked up from the beach last weekend.

Today we’ve been working on the Yarn Bombed “Baaaaaaa” Stool but I have to admit that both children have been looking at me like I’m mad! My toddler doesn’t quite understand about other countries but I’d like to think he’s beginning to grasp the concept of different people and cultures and this book will definitely help.
This is such a lovely craft book. Well illustrated with clear instructions, makes it accessible for many ages. Most of the crafts can be completed with items you already have around the home which makes this a great book for all ages and abilities. It’s brilliant to have such an unusual craft book on our craft shelves, who wouldn’t want to craft their way around the globe and learn some fun facts about other cultures and countries along the way!?

Craft It Up Around the World by Libby Abadee and Cath Armstrong is published by CICO Kidz and is available from all good bookshops or online outlets.

About our guest blogger:

My name is Jenny and I’ve been blogging here since 2005 about London life, crafts, baking (we love gingerbread!) and life with two children. I’m a mother of two small terrors who never sleep – Big Brother the toddler and Little Sis his baby sister. You can find me here on twitter. I love to blog and also write a parenting photoblog, a family history blog and baking blog called flour sugar eggs and butter.

Love this post from our publishers CICO books!

Posted on August 16, 2013

School's Out!

Week four of the school holidays and time might be starting to drag, as it seems a different source of entertainment needs to be plucked from thin air with each passing day!  Here at RPS and CICO books we have ideas galore to get you and the kids through the last two weeks of the holidays!

A Perfect Day For a Picnic

How does a teddy bear picnic sound? Or a seaside snack? Take advantage of the gorgeous weather with a picnic of home-made sausage and squished tomato rolls. Turn the preparation itself into an activity by encouraging your children to join in, or whip up a feast and invite all your family and friends. Just don’t forget to invite Teddy!


Craft It Up Around the World

If you’re stuck inside during the holidays, try making these wonderful butterfly fridge magnets – or even if it’s still sunny, make them out in the garden and pop them on the fridge to keep the essence of summer alive all year round!

You will need:

• Florists’ wire
• 2 wooden dolly clothespins
• Glue
• Acrylic paints of your color choice
• Paintbrush
• Black permanent marker
• Coffee filter papers (large and small)
• Paper towel
• Food coloring
• Magnet

1. Cut a length of florists’ wire in half and wrap it once around the neck of a dolly clothespin. Twist it, and secure it with a small dab of glue to the back of the clothespin.



2. Paint your clothespins. Be sure to paint in between the clothespin legs because the bottom part will remain visible. Allow the paint to dry and then, using a permanent black pen, mark in facial details such as eyes and mouth.



3. Use an extra dolly clothespin to curl the florists’ wire you have attached to the first two clothespins to make butterfly antenna shapes.



4. Take two coffee filters and on one draw a large wing and on the other draw a smaller wing of the same design. Cut them out leaving the bottom join of the coffee filter paper intact.



5. Put your filter papers on the paper towel and place drops of food coloring onto the opened papers. Keep the design symmetrical by doing the same to both sides. Repeat the process for your smaller butterfly wings.



6. When the colored papers are dry, place the wings together and push them up between the clothespin legs. Glue a magnet on the back of the clothespin.



You can find the original post here:

http://www.rylandpeters.com/US/blog/schools-out/

Book release day in Australia!

We shared our book release with some wonderful friends at the fabulous Prints Charming Studio in Annandale. (Thanks Cath!)

To check out the wonderful courses run by Prints Charming (we were on the screen printing course) visit their website:

http://www.printscharming.typepad.com/

To see the range of extraordinary cakes at Buttercreme Lane (thanks Danni!), hop on over to:

http://buttercremelane.com.au/

Reader pics: Worldwide. 'I'd Like to Teach the World to String'.

Isn't this bunting amazing?

Ollie's Mum writes from the UK,

"This is Ollie's first time using the sewing machine. We cut cirlces from his fav British comics, Dr Who, maps of where we live, special places etc. We think it's ace! Next time we might laminate circles so it can go out in the tree house!"

Well Ollie, at Craft It Up we think you've done a brilliant job! The way you've adapted the project to include things you love is great! And we also think you are super clever using a sewing machine too. When you make another one for your treehouse will you send us some more photos please?

Full list of Australian stockists for Craft It Up Around The World!

Craft It Up Around The World should have hit bookstores around Australia and the US today which is so exciting!

We checked out our local bookstore, Dymocks at Chatswood and were thrilled to find we didn't even need to do a bit of cheeky repositioning!

Here is the full list of Australian stockists. Remember, if your local store doesn't carry it or has run out, ask them to order it for you!

Stockists in Australia
act	Paperchain Bookstore - MANUKA
act	National Library Bookshop - CANBERRA
act	McCauley & Co Booksellers - WANNIASSA
act	Dymocks Belconnen - BELCONNEN
act	Dymocks Canberra - CANBERRA
nsw	Dymocks Chatswood - CHATSWOOD
nsw	Hill of Content Sydney - BALMAIN
nsw	Berkelouw Books Balgowlah - BALGOWLAH
nsw	Get Hooked on Books - ALSTONVILLE
nsw	Berkelouw Cronulla - CRONULLA
nsw	Gleebooks Dulwich Hill - DULWICH HILL
nsw	Constant Reader Bookshop - CROWS NEST
nsw	Myer Bondi 203 - BONDI JUNCTION
nsw	Myer Chatswood 204 - CHATSWOOD
nsw	Myer Macquarie 215 - NORTH RYDE
nsw	Myer Roselands 209 - ROSELANDS
nsw	Myer Sydney City 219 - SYDNEY
nsw	Books Plus Bathurst - BATHURST
nsw	Modern Times Bookshop - NEWTOWN
nsw	The Bookshop Mullumbimby - MULLUMBIMBY
nsw	Bloomin' Books - CARINGBAH
nsw	Dymocks Nowra - NOWRA
nsw	The Bookshop Bowral - BOWRAL
nsw	Bookoccino Pty Ltd - AVALON BEACH
nsw	Oracle Books - MOSMAN
nsw	Pages & Pages Booksellers P/L - MOSMAN
nsw	Better Read Than Dead - NEWTOWN
nsw	Deniliquin Newsagency & B/stre - DENILIQUIN
nsw	Shearers On Norton - LEICHHARDT
nsw	Kinokuniya Bookstore Aust P/L - SYDNEY
nsw	Maclean's Booksellers - HAMILTON
nsw	Dymocks Sydney - SYDNEY
nsw	Snowprint Bookshop - JINDABYNE
nsw	The Brown Bookshop - BOWRAL
nsw	The Bookshop Kiama - KIAMA
nsw	Oscar & Friends Double Bay - DOUBLE BAY
qld	The Book House - NOOSAVILLE
qld	Mary Ryan New Farm - NEW FARM
qld	Rosetta Books - MALENY
qld	Whileaway Book & Coffee Shop - PORT DOUGLAS
qld	Berkelouw Eumundi - EUMUNDI
qld	Myer Pacific Fair 070 - BROADBEACH
qld	Myer Chermside 063 - CHERMSIDE
qld	Myer Brookside 067 - MITCHELTON
qld	Myer Carindale 068 - CARINA
qld	Myer Brisbane City 059 - BRISBANE
qld	Jeff Hills - DOUGLAS
qld	Queensland Art Gallery - SOUTH BRISBANE
qld	State Library of Queensland - SOUTH BANK
qld	Myer Maroochydore 057 - MAROOCHYDORE
qld	Myer Cairns 062 - CAIRNS
qld	Books of Buderim - BUDERIM
sa	Booked at North A - NORTH ADELAIDE
sa	Booked at North A - NORTH ADELAIDE
sa	Dymocks Burnside - GLENSIDE
sa	St Georges Books - MAGILL
sa	Collins Bookseller Edwardstown - EDWARDSTOWN
sa	Shakespeare's - PORT NOARLUNGA
sa	Dymocks West Lakes - WEST LAKES
sa	Collins Booksellers Arndale - KILKENNY
sa	Dillons Norwood Bookshop - NORWOOD
sa	Pegi Williams Book Shop - MODBURY
sa	Dymocks Rundle Mall - ADELAIDE
sa	Timeless Books - TANUNDA
tas	Dymocks Hobart - HOBART
tas	Birchalls General Books - LAUNCESTON
tas	The Hobart Bookshop - HOBART
vic	Benn's Books - BENTLEIGH
vic	Dymocks The Pines - DONCASTER EAST
vic	Readings Pty Ltd Carlton - CARLTON
vic	Collins Fountain Gate - FOUNTAIN GATE
vic	Dymocks Victoria Gardens - RICHMOND
vic	Readers Feast Bookstore - MELBOURNE
vic	Cow Lick Bookshop - COLAC
vic	Andrews Bookshop - IVANHOE
vic	Myer Melbourne City 001 - MELBOURNE
vic	Myer Chadstone 004 - CHADSTONE
vic	Myer Southland 007 - CHELTENHAM
vic	Myer Doncaster 008 - DONCASTER
vic	Myer Knox City 010 - WANTIRNA
vic	Readings Pty Ltd Hawthorn - HAWTHORN
vic	DLS Australia Pty Ltd - BRAESIDE
vic	Books in Print Pty Ltd - MALVERN
vic	Lamont Books Pty Ltd - HALLAM
vic	Collins Booksellers Sale - SALE
vic	The Avenue Bookstore Pty Ltd - ALBERT PARK
vic	Antipodes Bookshop Gallery - SORRENTO
vic	Farrells Bookshop - MORNINGTON
vic	Dymocks Melbourne - MELBOURNE
vic	Torquay Books - TORQUAY
vic	Readings St.Kilda - ST KILDA
wa	Matilda Bookshop - STIRLING
wa	Westbooks - VICTORIA PARK
wa	Westbooks Childrens - VICTORIA PARK
wa	Collins Booksellers Kalgoorlie - KALGOORLIE
wa	Child Education Services - EAST PERTH
wa	Dymocks Garden City - BOORAGOON
wa	Myer Garden City 047 - BOORAGOON
wa	Myer Karrinyup 093 - KARRINYUP
wa	Myer Perth City 041 - PERTH
wa	Paperbark Merchants - ALBANY