August 2026

Hey hey! Dotty here!

The summer holidays are officially in full swing, which means six weeks of trying to keep little hands busy, creative and preferably away from redecorating the walls with felt-tip pens…

Luckily, we have plenty happening at The Home Crafters this August! There are colourful children’s workshops, dozens of tiny new worlds beginning to take shape, plenty of outdoor painting inspiration and lots for budding Warhammer hobbyists to discover.

So grab yourself a cuppa and let’s see what’s happening…

You asked, we listened — Paint by Numbers kits have arrived! 🎨

We now have a growing selection of Paint by Numbers and creative craft kits in store, with designs for children, beginners and grown-up makers looking for a relaxing new project.

With kits starting from just £3, they’re perfect for keeping busy during the summer holidays, try something new with all the supplies included, or pick up a thoughtful little gift.

Pop into the shop to browse the full selection, or take a look online to find your next project.

Browse our Paint by Numbers kits here

We’re very excited to welcome Olly from Alley Cat Games to The Home Crafters for a fun, free afternoon of game demonstrations!

Alley Cat Games brilliantly compact tin line series are quick to learn, easy to take anywhere and great fun for children and grown-ups alike. They’re perfect for popping into your bag for holidays, family outings and rainy days — and they make fantastic gifts too!

Come along, meet Olly and try a selection of games for yourself. There’s no experience necessary — simply drop in and join the fun!

Booking is encouraged but not essential. Reserve one free place for your family or group to let us know you’re coming, or simply drop in on the day.

Find out more and reserve your free place

The summer holidays are officially in full swing, which means sunshine, snacks and the legendary phrase: “I’m bored.”

Luckily, we’ve got plenty of colourful, hands-on activities planned to keep young creators busy!

Our kids’ summer craft workshops are available to book now, with projects including painting, sculpting, decoupage, marbling, needle felting and lots more. Our sessions are suitable for children aged 5–15, with a selection of specialist workshops designed especially for older children aged 12+.

Every workshop is friendly, fully guided and includes all the materials needed. Best of all, somebody else gets to deal with the glitter afterwards.

You’re welcome!

View and book summer workshops here

Our Tiny Worlds Summer Diorama Challenge is now fully underway — and more than 30 official wooden bases have already been collected!

That means there are currently over 30 miniature beaches, enchanted forests, tiny campsites, secret gardens and wonderfully strange little scenes beginning to take shape across the local area… and we cannot wait to see what everyone creates!

There’s still time to join in. Simply collect your free official 4" wooden base from the shop and create a tiny world inspired by this year’s theme:

There are separate Adult and Junior categories, so makers of all ages and experience levels can take part.

• The challenge closes at the end of August
• Submit your finished entry by 24th August to have it displayed in store
• Entries submitted by 24th August will also be in with a chance of winning a prize
• Adult and Junior categories
• Warhammer welcome, but definitely not required

Go on — think small and create something enormous!

Find all the Tiny Worlds details here

One of our favourite things is seeing what happens to the supplies that leave our shelves — and this month we’re shining the spotlight on a fabulous customer project created using DecoArt Patio Paint.

Patio Paint is a brilliant choice for bringing colour to outdoor projects such as plant pots, ornaments, signs, stones and garden decorations. It comes in a wonderful range of colours and is designed especially for use outdoors, making it perfect for a sunny afternoon project.

Have you created something using materials bought from The Home Crafters? Send us a photograph or tag us on social media — your creation could be featured in a future Crafty Catch-Up!

Browse DecoArt Patio Paint here

Long summer days are the perfect opportunity to begin a brand-new hobby — or finally tackle that box of miniatures that has been watching you accusingly from the shelf.

With the arrival of Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition, we now have starter sets available to help complete beginners take their first steps into building, painting and playing Warhammer.

We also have our specially created Combat Patrol starter bundles, designed to give new hobbyists everything they need to begin the Warhammer hobby properly.

Each bundle pairs a full Combat Patrol army with all the essential paints, brushes, tools and hobby equipment needed to build, paint and prepare the miniatures for the battlefield. Unlike the standard Warhammer introductory sets, we’ve included carefully selected hobby products beyond the standard Warhammer range, making these bundles a more complete starting point than the usual introductory sets.

Simply choose the faction you love and get started, without having to work out which individual paints and supplies you need or make repeated trips back to the shop because you’ve forgotten the glue, a brush or that one essential paint!

Whether you’re completely new, returning after a few years away or helping a younger hobbyist get started during the holidays, there’s never been a better time to give the hobby a go.

Explore Warhammer at The Home Crafters

Warhammer is even better when you have other people to build, paint and play alongside — and we’re lucky to have a brilliant local hobby community.

Our friends at Warzone welcome local tabletop gamers at their fortnightly sessions, giving players the chance to meet opponents, enjoy all types of games and become part of a friendly local group.

We also host our own Warhammer Wednesdays at The Home Crafters, with an open hobby table where you can bring along your current project, meet other painters and enjoy working on your miniatures in good company.

You don’t need to be an expert or arrive with a beautifully painted army. Half-built models, experimental colour schemes and “I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing yet” are all extremely welcome.

Ask us in store if you’d like help finding a local group or getting involved.

The Natural-Light Check

Before declaring a painted project finished, take it to a window — or briefly outside — and look at it in natural daylight.

Indoor lighting can hide thin patches, missed areas and colours that don’t quite work together. Natural light makes them much easier to spot, particularly when you’re painting plant pots, garden ornaments, miniatures or anything with lots of texture.

Just remember to bring it back inside before becoming distracted by a cup of tea. One gust of wind and your beautifully painted project may begin an exciting new life three gardens away.

You may remember that last year on Facebook we shared a post from the wonderful Loose Ends Project. It became our first — and so far only! — viral post, shared thousands of times and reaching far beyond our usual little corner of the internet.

Loose Ends has since contacted us to help spread the word that its work is expanding around the world, with a growing network of volunteers and projects right here in the UK.

If you haven’t come across Loose Ends before, it connects unfinished handmade projects with skilled volunteer “finishers”. When someone dies or can no longer continue crafting because of illness or disability, a volunteer completes the piece before returning it to the family or loved one it was originally intended for.

They know there are many more unfinished blankets, garments and handmade gifts quietly waiting in cupboards, often kept for years because families simply don’t know what else to do with them. That’s why we’re helping to spread the word again.

Whether you have a loved one’s unfinished project in need of help or would like to volunteer your own crafting skills, visit Loose Ends to find out how you can get involved.

Learn more about the Loose Ends Project here

There’s plenty more arriving and happening throughout August — although Dotty may need a lie down in a pile of ribbon before September gets here.

Coming up over the next few weeks:

• More craft workshops for adults & kids
  
• The Tiny Worlds in-store exhibition and prize judging
• More Warhammer releases and hobby arrivals
• Back-to-school supplies
• And yes… the first hints of autumn crafting

Keep an eye on our socials for the latest updates, new stock, workshop spaces and all the crafty chaos as it happens.

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That’s all from me this month! Whether you’re booking workshops, building tiny worlds, brightening the garden, painting miniatures or simply popping in for a browse — thank you for supporting our wonderfully creative little shop.

Here’s to a bright, busy and very crafty August.