Queen of cool fabrics, Amy Butler, is behind a gorgeous new sewing kit that we loved so much it went in the August issue! It includes 15 simple sewing projects, an illustrated booklet, pattern sheets, thread and a couple of fabrics - all for £15.99. The good news is Chronicle Books are running a You Can Craft reader offer – simply email orders@gbs.tbs-ltd.co.uk or call 01476 541080, stating reference code 'ucancraftpguk' to get £2 off and postage paid.

Celebrate!

For a really quick card, use up simple strips of left over papers by sticking them down a card for an instant pattern. A few decorative greetings, like these ones from the issue 10 kit, make the finishing touch. It's a 'make in minutes!'

If you loved the baby pink and chocolate brown ribbon-stitched cards in the August issue, you're going to love this competition! We have five McGill ribbon-stitch punches that we used for the project, kindly supplied by Craftime, to give away. Recreate the look at home with ease! Simply click here for the competition.

Get racey with this great idea for beaded cards for boys. It can be tricky to incorporate beads into masculine cards but we think you'll agree that this one, and the bow-tie idea, do the job rather well!

Boy racer

First, cut out shapes from green and black paper to make the grass and road panels and attach them in position on a blue card. Now, the beading! Glue white and black bugle beads onto scrap paper using the corner of the paper as a guide to make sure you're following right-angle! Place the beads in groups of three, first horizontally, then vertically for great texture. Once, dry, trim the paper backing to size. Cut a cocktail stick in half and trim to fit between the flag and the road, then stick in position. Outline the road with red and white bugle beads to finish and add a finishing line too.

Suitably attired

Take a white card and make a 3cm long incision in the middle of the top edge. Fold the card forward on each side to make a wing collar. Glue your beads in a bow tie shape on to scrap paper and once dry, cut it out and stick it on to the card. Attach black corner panels of paper at an angle to create the waistcoat and make the fancy bead button the same way as before, sticking in position once dry. This card would make a great invitation to a dressy occasion.

The sweetie paper embellishments in the issue 10 kit really got our designers' creative juices flowing! Here's another idea for a sweet thank you card.

Thanks, sweetie

This is a really quick and easy card to make. Give the cut-out sweets from your embellishment sheet in issue 10's kit a 3D look by placing them on red paper panels with sticky pads. Do the same with a greeting. Place these on a trimmed yellow card and cut strips from patterned paper to make decorative divisions.

We loved the sweetie designs in issue 10 so much we couldn't get enough! Always the way with sugary things in this office... So, here's another idea for you in the shape of a gift bag.

Bag it

Cut a piece of pink gingham paper to fit the bottom half of a white paper bag front. Give the top edge a zig zag with pinking shears, and attach. Stick two strips of pink organza ribbon at the top and bottom of the paper panel and wrap ribbon around the handles, fixing it on the inside. Use the template to cut a large blue sweet shape and stick it on, overlapping the top right corner. Cut a patterned paper circle and thread it with ribbon through two slits on opposite sides, then stick it on top of the blue sweet shape. Cut two red paper circles and thread with ribbons as before, layering an epoxy sticker 'Birthday Wishes' from your issue 10 it over the large circle, and a paper flower over the other. Stick these randomly down the side of the bag front to finish this sugary treat.

Show us how you get on by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.co.uk

If you fancy the look of the ribbon book we featured in the August issue of You Can Craft, here's your chance to get your hands on a copy at a discounted price!

Readers can order Ribbons! for the special price of £5.99 (that's £2 off the RRP) with free p&p (UK only). To order, please call the David & Charles hotline on 0870 9908222 or email dcdirect@davidandcharles.co.uk and quote code A0370.

…Janie Pearce from Carmathenshire, who won our bumper giveaway competition. LOADS of goodies are winging their way to you Janie - in fact I had to split it all into two boxes as there was just so much!

If you weren't lucky this time, keep your eyes peeled for more of our competitions - we'll be running another massive giveaway next month, and you could also be in with a chance to win a handy gadget that'll help you create some of the looks in issue 10, out today!

Hi there, and I hope you’ve been having a productive crafting month. I feel like I’ve been on a crafty whirlwind lately! It’s been a busy time making new baby cards for friends, family anniversary celebrations and a few birthdays too. But getting busy making cards and gifts is no bad thing of course, and I’ve been loving crafting heaps of personal greetings, lots of them using ideas and inspiration from You Can Craft! projects. My crafty passion lately is using the epoxy stickers in this month’s kit – they make a great focal point for a card, adding texture and interest. I’m sure you’ll love them too.

I’ve found time to plan my summer hols as well though. Our super sunny-style projects that shout “summer’s here!”, are a perfect inspiration. I’ll be carrying on with more irresistible makes while on my break, then I’ll get on with some homely projects. I’m loving the Oriental trend that we’ve captured in our silk kimono styled cards.

Well done to the following ladies for winning Papermania goodie bags:

Wendy Puse from Isle of Wight, Nicki Stannard from Essex, Christine Smith from Basingstoke, Lynn Robertson from Midlothian and Amanda Speller from Dublin. Your prize is on its way!

Who remembers The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle? It was one of my most treasured children's books when I was a wee tot so you can imagine my delight at seeing these fabrics from Makower UK, which have been produced under license by Andover Fabrics. It's hardly surprising the collection is selling like (half-eaten) hot cakes. Makower has a great free throw pattern using the fabric on its website too - check it out.

It's my brother's 22nd birthday and as he's a bit of a guitar wizard I was leaning towards a musical embellished card using the templates from issue 9 but decided on something simpler in the end. The main reason was that I was desperate to use these great Doodlebug Design letters (click on the link and scroll down the page to see them) that I've had kicking around my craft box for a while. What do you think? The idea of dividing a card or scrapbook page up into a grid often really helps the composition - try it! If you like the papers (I love them!) they're available from DCWV at Trimcraft stockists. My buttons are a mixture of The Button Company's Vintage pack, RICO glittery ones and a green one from You Can Craft issue 2 has also snuck in there!

We love to see what Christine in Nottingham makes with her You Can Craft kit every issue and these two are no exception!

We especially love this take on the dragonfly card that featured in our regular 'Start now!" feature. Christine says "I opted to use a lavender circle instead of white as you did in the original design, and I thought I'd add a blue starfish shape to each of the corners of the seahorse card. Hope you like my attempts - I do!"

Show us what you've been crafting by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.com or posting your cards to You Can Craft, Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW.

It's always nice to come in on a Monday morning with a pile of post from creative readers. This morning I opened the following cards from David and Violet - thanks for sharing them with us!

David Whysall from Derbyshire made this card using the kit from issue 9 of You Can Craft - thanks for sending it in David, we love to see the designs inspired by each issue's embellishments - keep them coming!

Violet Pitt from Tipton used issue 9's kit too to make this topical Glastonbury-inspired card.

She says, "I buy every issue of your magazine. I get very excited to find out what's inside, you never fail me. Like always, these papers are fantastic. I started to use them as soon as possible. My youngest son loves playing on his guitar and he'll love the papers. They'll help me a lot when it's his birthday. This is a different card to the ones I usually make - I hope you like it."

We do indeed Violet, glad the musical paper has come in handy. We thought it would help with crafting for boys!

Show us what you've been crafting by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.com or posting your cards to You Can Craft, Future Publishing, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW.