Feeling Rosey

I love roses, my garden is full of them, so the brief for this rose cake was my idea of heaven! If you want to see how to paint the free-flowing design and make the edible roses on the top, then check out the project in full at docrafts.com

Jewel in the Crown

I love working with a monochrome colour palette and this commission for docrafts Creativity was the prefect platform for using luscious silvers, greys and black. You can see how make the edible embellishments at docrafts.com.

Welcome to the new docrafts Design Team!

2015 sees a sad goodbye to some of our last Design Team but also a very welcome ‘Hello!’ to some fabulously creative peeps!

The lovely Katie Lamb suggested a Blog Hop as the perfect way to introduce our new team, so, here goes...

Part of my job at docrafts HQ is to talent spot inventive and original designers/crafters who can create projects to inspire members of the docrafts.com website (I love doing this!). The rest of the time I am a graphic designer, generating the FREE printable papers (my favorite task) and other marketing graphics all of which fits into part time hours, as I am also a mum of two beautiful (I am obviously biased...) daughters.

 

I also make and decorate cakes on a commission basis for the docrafts Creativity magazine – I sort of fell into this after winning a docrafts charity Bake Off and now spend a lot of time dreaming of all thing sugar (ok, not much change there then!). All in all, I have been in the craft industry for over twenty years – have been on QVC, demonstrated in-store, created new crafts brands, packaging, kits, managed a creative team of pees (before kids)...phew, it’s been a real journey and I love it!

 

I have also designed cakes for some of the Little Venice Cake Company kits which is pretty challenging. Here are a couple of my favs from last year boxed up ready to go into HQ for photography...

 

 

If you want to see our new DT’s docrafts galleries (so worth a look), then click here...

 

And please take the time to visit their blogs – we have some hugely talented ladies on the team...

 

Katie Lamb www.whatkatiedid2.blogspot.co.uk

 

Mary Johnson http://maryjdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Sarah Douglas Www.stickerkitten.co.uk

 

Michelle Gower www.scrapthology.blogspot.co.uk

  

Jill http://deliciousdesignsbyjillpryor.blogspot.co.uk/ You are here!

  

Doreen OBrien http://www.doreensdream.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Julie Wilson http://newnanny.blogspot.co.uk

  

Mags woodcock https://thetaglady.wordpress.com/

 

Plus Claire Green (Guest Designer) http://talesfromthe-craftroom.blogspot.co.uk/

 

You may also like to take a peek at the following crafty blogs (not taking part in the blog hop)...

Paula http://justforoneday11.blogspot.co.uk/

Katie Skilton http://www.katieskilton.com/category/blog

 Heather https://heathermitchelldesign.wordpress.com

Denise https://denisefletcher60.wordpress.com

Thanks for looking!

 

Jill x

#docraftsmonday - Thank you to two special Dads

It's been a long couple of stressful weeks. My Dad has been in hospital twice, the most recent time was very serious; luckily, he is now through the worst. It puts everything in life into perspective and had made me re-focus on what is important; we should cherish every moment of every day.

 

I didn't have much time to pull together cards for Father's Day but I found a window yesterday and cobbled these together - it doesn't feel right buying cards for those special to me anymore!

 

My husband and I are each lucky enough to have great Dad's, so here are the designs I came up with using some docrafts Club printables from my stash...

The stamps were one of the free gifts from May's docrafts Creativity magazine. I used chocolate brown and dark blue ink to stamp and add a vintage effect around the edges of the Xcut die-cut shapes.

 

 I then added some buttons and string to finish off the designs.

 

Thank you for looking!

 

Jill x

 

Thrilling Quilling Sugarpaste Style

When the editor of docrafts Creativity asked me to create a cake with quilling on, I thought she was joking! Well, she certainly wasn't, so off I went to spent several evenings experimenting with different techniques to recreate a quilled design using sugarpaste - here’s the result…

 

I have to say that I LOVED the process of making this quilled hummingbird and I am now an official sugar quilling addict! Our Creative Director Katy Godbeer and Senior Photographer Jon Mackenzie made a fabulous job of taking the perfect snap of this cake – hats off to you both!

If you would like to find out how to make this cake step by step then pop down to your nearest stockists of the docrafts Creativity Magazine Issue 47 which is available now (June 2014 whilst stocks last). 

 

Find your nearest stockist and more info at www.docrafts.com

Thank you for looking!

 

Jill x

 

 

Cath Kidston Inspired Birthday Cake

My favourite mug at home was a gift from my lovely girls and features a beautiful Cath Kidston rose design on blue. I've always planned on making a cake using it as inspiration, so when my Mother-in-law's birthday came around, it was the perfect opportunity! The cake is completely gluten free (so my daughter, Nan and I could tuck in too!), vanilla sponge on the base with lemon on top.

 

It was actually a very quick cake to make and probably one I have enjoyed the most. I love that each time I design a cake, I learn something new to take onto the next one - I hope that never changes!

 

 I found that by being relaxed about the decorating process, making more impulsive decisions rather than mapping everything out, made the creative process much more fun. I am looking forward to my next docrafts Creativity Magazine commission now!

Thanks for looking!

Jill x

 

Gingerbread House Cupcakes as seen in the docrafts Creativity Magazine

If you fancy being a little creative with your cake making this Christmas, then
why not have a go at creating this little collection!

 

The cupcakes and houses were all made using the Little Venice Cake Company Tools, 

which you can view at docrafts.com

 

I have to say, I really enjoyed this project - it was just a little tricky stopping the girls 

from eating them before they were photographed!

To see how to make them step by step visit my docrafts gallery here

Thank you for looking!

Jill x