TV Appearances

Create and Craft TV can be found on Freeview 36, Sky 674, Virgin 748 and FreeSat 813 - and if you choose your times then you'll be able to see Frances give some amazing demonstrations from a selection of her books.

The first show - aired on Sunday 21st September - seemed to be a great success, the producers were pleased and Frankie's FaceBook pages and email accounts went into melt down for hours afterwards. If you missed that show then you have two more opportunities to see her live - Sunday 2nd November in the afternoon and on December 14th. You can also look out for the re-runs but why not come to say hello at Cake International, the absolutely HUGE show held at the NEC from 7th November until 9th. Frances will be signing books and demonstrating her Tiny Sugar Shoes, Fancy Dress Babies, Sensational Animals and her Wonderful Fairies.

We'd love to see you.

Demonstrations...

Two of today's models...

Having advertised a new demonstration series on Saturday mornings in Tunbridge Wells, Frances has now completed the first of these - Sugar Animal Dogs from her "Twenty To Make.." Series. 

Seats were limited to ensure that all could get a close and intimate view of the whole demonstration and spaces went quickly, but the two and a half hours seemed to fly by and the home made, still warm muffins were also a great hit.

If you're interested in the coming demonstrations then keep your eye on the Frankly Sweet website, Facebook page and Twitter feed for news as they come up. You can also register to receive news emails as and when they are sent in order to keep abreast of all Frances's news. 

Twenty To Make Sugar Dogs Is Now Available.....

Following my other Twenty to make books, in this one I show how to make twenty adorable sugar dogs for cake decorating using sugarpaste and a few simple tools and techniques.  Popular breeds of dog include a Border Collie, Dachshund, Bichon Frise, Bassett hound, Dalmatian, King Charles Spaniel, Poodle, Shitzu, St Bernard and Yorkshire terrier.
The models are all recognisable as particular breeds but with plenty of humour and character built in. The constituent parts of the dogs are shown with the step by step instructions. Cake decorators will want to make these appealing pooches as cake toppers
that dog lovers will adore.

Until the end of May 2014 I am offering signed copies for £4.99 with free UK postage Enter the code SUGARDOGS at the checkout for UK orders
for single 'Sugar Dogs' books http://www.franklysweet.co.uk/shop.php
(Reduced postage if ordering outside UK -please
email franklysweet1@gmail.com stating your address).

Orders can also be made over the phone +44 (0)7850 105605
or by emailing me direct with your address to franklysweet1@gmail.com
If in doubt email me!!

I hope you will enjoy these cute little dogs as much as I enjoyed creating them.
Best wishes
Frances McNaughton

Dublin - The Craic

Old friendships last in Ireland...

It's not often one returns from a hectic two day exhibition feeling exhilerated - usually the feelings are tired, worn out, weary and looking forward to a few days of catch up - yet after our trips to Ireland we always seem to be invigorated and ready to face the world again.

I suppose one could put this down to Guinness, perhaps the sea air from the crossing or the change being in another country brings. I think that we put it down to our friends from Ireland who always appear to be so pleased to see us, our acquaintances and Frankie's fans who unfailingly make us feel welcome - and of course the Craic.

To borrow from Wiki:

"Craic" (/ʔkræk/ krak), or "crack", is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland.^[1][2][3] It is often used with the definite article – the craic.^[1] The word has an unusual history; the English crack was borrowed into Irish as craic in the mid-20th century and the Irish spelling was then reborrowed into English.^[1] Under either spelling, the term has great cultural currency and significance in Ireland.


I'm not at all sure about the word 'reborrowed' but that's Wikipedia for you.  Anyway, the sentiment is about right, it doesn't actually cover any one thing - it's about the whole deal, the entire package of friendship, company, food, drink, entertainment, ambiance (a mix of cultures, languages and etimology never did any harm - honest!) and atmosphere - or - the craic.
It's great that one word can cover a whole range of actions, feelings and environments but that's exactly what happened on our first evening back in Dublin after two years away. We met up with our friends at the Lemon Tree and immediately we were comfortable, deep in conversation with great drink and food instantly at hand and with a room full of friendly people, any one of whom we felt might interact with us at any time and in an equally friendly manner. It was an amazingly comfortable feeling. 

Only in Ireland though. I can rarely recall feeling that at ease in mixed company anywhere else; and even during the exhibition people would treat us as long list friends or family - even complete strangers. The Irish attitude is that we probably are all related anyway and with a surname like mine it's a given. I'm the Plastic Paddy though - an appellation I treasure, given to me years ago by some very dear friends. "Plastic" in this instance also means many things, a wannabe Irishman, a long, lost ancestor, third generation, English sounding, not really Irish, Kerryman. That's me - all of the above - but not the reason that Ireland is a wonderful country to visit. 

It's a beautiful place: flat rolling fields, heather covered mountains, water everywhere and a heritage that could take several lifetimes to explore. All this and wonderful bars where you're made to feel instantly at home, locals who make your welfare their concern and food delivered to the bar if you can't stagger to the restaurant. 

Directions that start with "Well.... You can't get there from here...", a stone that needs kissing if you're going to want the charm, a beer as black as night with a white foam head - yet a music culture second to none, art and dance as intriguing as any, a love of horses and horse racing and of all sport that is spoken of in hushed tones in pubs all over the country. 

We always look forward to our trips to Ireland, they're always different, yet always with the same result - a relaxed feeling of satisfaction and time well spent in good company, a feeling that you're liked - treasured even - and a longing to return. 

Twenty To Make Sugar Dogs

Soon to be published by Search Press is Frances' latest book in the 'Twenty To Make' range.

Featuring another twenty simple ideas of modelling in sugar, this book features dogs of all shapes and sizes in cute positions and poses for dog lovers, pet lovers and sugarcraft modellers everywhere.

Available from June, this latest book compliments the other modelling books Frances has written in the range and will be available from her web shop HERE, but please take a look around at her other books and products that are available.

Did you know Frances also has an ebay shop? HERE it is...enjoy

The Latest Class List

Sugarcraft classes with Frances McNaughton in Tunbridge Wells, Kent

• Saturday 29 March     Peony Spray

Beautiful realistic peony with leaves and buds, perfect for using on wedding cakes and for other special occasions.

• Saturday 19 April     Modelling chocolate - Introduction

Easter is here- that must mean CHOCOLATE!! In this class you will learn how to make modelling chocolate, and make chocolate roses and simple models. The big advantage of using modelling chocolate is of course that your cake decorations will also be delicious!

• Saturday 10 May     Tiny Sugar Shoes and Bags- Introduction

Come and make a large selection of tiny shoes and bags. Perfect for anyone who hasn’t tried making miniatures before. Just the right size for cupcakes. Discover how easy it is to use different basic shapes to make different parts for the shoes and bags.

• Saturday 17 May     Buxom Fairy

Make this delightful ‘voluptuous’ fairy. A lovely modelling class in which you can personalise your own fairy with suggestions from Frances.

• Saturday 24 May     Introduction to Royal Icing

Learn how to make Royal Icing, piping bags, basic piping skills including writing. Build your confidence in a skill which is very useful in many styles of cake decorating.

• Saturday 31 May     Fairy Dressmaker’s and shoemaker’s workshop

Let your imagination fly when designing dresses and shoes for fairies. Final designs will be displayed on a tiny dressmaker’s dummy.

• Saturday 7 June      Tiny Sugar Shoes and Bags - Glitz and Bling

Create a gorgeous selection of shoes and bags to include animal prints, edible glitter and ‘bling’. A lovely follow-on class for anyone who has already started making tiny shoes.
 

• Saturday 14 June     Fancy Dress Babies

Make two sweet babies dressed in character ‘onesies’. One is dressed as a tiger, the other as a flower.

• Saturday 21 June     Introduction to Wired Sugar Flowers- Rose and Lily Spray

Learn how to make this delightful wired spray of roses, lily and leaves. This is a good introduction to flowermaking and colouring flowers with realistic powder colours.

• Saturday 28 June     Sugar Dogs

Be the first to come and learn how to make simple sugar dogs with the author following the release of Twenty to make, Sugar Dogs by Frances McNaughton. Great fun for anyone who loves dogs, or who makes cakes and would like to add another set of models to their skills.
 

ALL CLASSES START AT 10 am AND FINISH AT APPROX 4.30pm

MAXIMIUM FOUR PEOPLE PER CLASS

For full details please contact frances.mcnaughton@gmail.com

Dublin Sugarcraft Guild 22-23 March 2014

We'll be in Dublin this weekend for the Sugarcraft Show there - we hope you'll come and say hello as we're looking forward to seeing all our friends and our Irish "family".

Frances said; "I'm looking forward to the Dublin Sugarcraft Exhibitio - I'll be demonstrating this little sleeping baby fairy in the demonstaration room, and the rest of the time I'll be demonstrating other techniques on my stand."

We'll be selling Frances' books, cutters, moulds and the tools she uses for her work and she'll be signing her books at her stand. See you at the City West Hotel at 10 am on Saturday.

Check out the details HERE