your gifted welcome pack
you're in. here's everything.
read it with a cup of tea, then put it out of your mind - i'll nudge you when it's time.
we start
monday 19 october
first tutorial premieres at 7pm uk · four weeks · ends sunday 15 november
the short version
- four weeks, four gifts, one craft a week - air dry clay, hand sewing, polymer clay, metal embossing.
- one tutorial a week, around 45 minutes, filmed by me. it premieres on monday at 7pm uk and then it's yours to keep forever.
- one live q&a a week on zoom, thursdays at 7.30pm uk, recorded if you can't make it.
- one group chat on whatsapp - the cosiest corner of the internet. mute it whenever you like.
- two bonus makes unlock at the end of week four - a little well done for finishing.
- by sunday 15 november you'll have four finished presents, with a whole month still to go before christmas.
how a week goes
the same rhythm every week, so it never feels like homework
a full-length tutorial premieres on youtube. filmed in advance so it's the best it can be, premiered at a set time so we all watch together. catch it live and chat along, or watch whenever suits - it's yours to keep. budget about an hour.
an hour or two, at your own table, at your own pace. pause, rewind, make a mess. the group chat is open the whole time for "is this right?!" moments.
bring whatever went wrong and we'll sort it together, live. week one is special - we paint our frames together once they've dried. recorded if you can't make it.
pop a photo in the group chat. finished, half-finished, slightly wonky - all of it counts, and it's the best bit of the whole thing.
the dates
pop these in your diary
diy photo frames
fabric coasters
egg tray
metal match box case
bonus makes unlock
tutorials premiere on those mondays at 7pm uk. live q&as are the thursdays after, at 7.30pm uk - 22 oct, 29 oct, 5 nov and 12 nov.
or let your calendar do it. all four tutorials and all four q&as, at the right time wherever you are in the world. the youtube and zoom links come by email and in the group chat.
google takes two clicks, one for each. apple and outlook get everything in one file, including the bonus drop on the 15th.
where everything lives
three places, that's it
tutorials - youtube
each monday's tutorial is an unlisted youtube premiere. the link lands in your inbox on the monday morning, and all six stay in one place for you afterwards.
group chat - whatsapp
the invite lands the week before we start. one big group, all of us. share makes, ask anything, mute it when life's loud.
q&as - zoom
thursdays at 7.30pm uk. the same link every week, in the group chat and in monday's email. cameras optional. pyjamas encouraged.
one small job today: add kit@themakingbox.co.uk to your contacts so the monday emails never land in spam. anything about your order or refunds goes to ed@themakingbox.co.uk - ed's the sensible one.
a guide to every craft
four crafts, explained before you touch a thing
each one's a real skill you'll keep. none of them need experience, a machine or a kiln.
diy photo frames
what it is: clay that hardens in the air. no oven, no kiln - you roll it, shape it, leave it on the side for a day or two and it sets hard. then you paint it, seal it and pop a magnet on the back so it lives on the fridge.
the one thing to know: it shrinks a tiny bit and can crack if it dries too fast. keep it away from radiators, and if it cracks, a dab of wet clay fixes it. this is normal and not a you problem.
what you'll learn: rolling an even slab, cutting clean edges from a template, joining pieces so they stay joined, smoothing with water, then painting and sealing so it lasts for years.
tutorial ~45 mins · making ~1 hr · drying a day or two · painting together in the q&a
hand sewn fabric coasters
what it is: soft, padded flower coasters, sewn by hand. two pieces of cotton, a layer of iron-on wadding for the squish, a needle and some thread. you sew it inside out, turn it the right way round, and the seam hides inside. no machine needed.
the one thing to know: trace the flower template before you cut - it comes with your week two email. and snip into the corners between the petals before you turn it, or they won't sit flat. small sharp scissors are your best friend this week.
what you'll learn: cutting from a template, fusing wadding with an iron, threading and knotting, a strong little stitch that holds, turning and pressing so the petals pop out, and closing the gap so nobody can tell where it was.
tutorial ~45 mins · making ~1-2 hrs for two coasters
polymer clay egg tray
what it is: the fimo / sculpey kind of clay. it stays soft until you bake it in your normal oven at a normal temperature, then it's hard for good. the pattern comes from a paper napkin, glued on with mod podge, and it comes out looking shop-bought.
the one thing to know: condition it first - a minute of squishing in warm hands makes it soft and crack-free. and it doesn't shrink, so what you make is what you get.
what you'll learn: conditioning the clay, rolling an even sheet, shaping it over an egg carton so the cups hold their shape, baking it right (and knowing when it's done), and napkin decoupage for the pattern and a glossy finish.
tutorial ~45 mins · making ~1 hr · baking ~30 mins
metal match box case
what it is: pressing a design into thin aluminium so it stands out in relief. the flat base of a takeaway foil tray is perfect, and an old pen is the tool. it looks like something from a very expensive shop, and it's far easier than it has any right to be.
the one thing to know: cut edges can be sharp - fold them under and mind your fingers. and press on something soft, like a mouse mat or a folded tea towel, or nothing happens.
what you'll learn: transferring a design, embossing from the back and the front, adding texture, folding and finishing a metal sleeve, and making it fit the box.
tutorial ~45 mins · making ~1 hr
the bonus makes
jellycat-style polaroid holders and christmas wine stoppers (a hat, a mince pie and a candy cane). both polymer clay, both use your week three bits. they unlock at the end of week four - a little well done for finishing - and they're yours to keep, so make them whenever you fancy.
one honest thing
the gifts are the excuse. the craft is the point.
i'm going to share as much detail as i can about each craft inside the videos. you won't just be making a gift from each lesson - my aim is for you to come away with the skill, the knowledge and the confidence to make many more things with every technique we cover. by christmas you'll have four presents. by january you'll have four crafts.
your materials
around £50 for everything, and most of it stays on the shelf
the full list is on one page, with a uk link and a us link next to every item, and a tick box so you can see what's left. you don't need it all on day one - week one only needs the air dry clay bits.
a lot of people already have half of it. a kitchen rolling pin is a rolling pin.
open the materials listbefore the 19th
five little things, none of them urgent
- add kit@themakingbox.co.uk to your contacts. two minutes, saves a week of "where's my email".
- get your week one bits. air dry clay, paint, brushes, mod podge and some sticky magnets. everything else can wait.
- decide who week one is for. the frame's the sentimental one - pick the person, then find a photo that means something. that's half the gift done already.
- claim a corner. a bit of table you can leave things drying on for a couple of days. a tray works if the table's needed for dinner.
- say hi in the group chat when the invite lands. tell us who you're making for. half the fun is having people to make with.
that's everything. i'm SO glad you're here. see you on the 19th - i'll be the one with clay on my jumper.
kit xxx