Wednesday 29 June 2016

Finding Pink Pig

No I haven't missed an "a" in my blog title, I have just found a brilliant on line company who make gorgeous sketch books, called Pink Pig.

I was searching the Internet (as you do) looking for some quality sketch books which can take ink, paint and water. I had looked at the usual ones available in the shops and I was just searching for a cheaper price when I stumbled upon Pink Pig. Now as you well know I am a huge pig fan and anything with pig in the name gets my attention. I was delighted to find that they sell an enormous range, all made in England in Yorkshire and their fly leaves feature pink pigs!! I have never heard of the brand but when I read more I found out that they have been making quality sketch books since 1991 and are also a best seller on Amazon.

I eventually narrowed my choice down to an A5 size sketch book containing fab thickness watercolour paper. I chose a cover and was delighted to find that postage was free! However once I pushed the button I suddenly thought that I had ordered the textured rather than the smooth finish. Eeek! There was a contact number which got me through to a lovely guy called James who checked my order and assured me that I had indeed ordered the smooth watercolour paper. We got chatting (as you do) and I mentioned I was a blogger and papercrafter and that I was impressed to see that they also sell scrapbooks. To cut a long story short James kindly put a free scrapbook in with my order for me to review on my blog. If you want to see the whole Pink Pig range this is the link. You can even create you own personalised covers.

So Mr Postie arrived with my parcel
 I love the sticker and I have peeled it off and added it to the inside of my scrapbook. What an address...Swine House!



Inside was my sketchbook and scrapbook.
I choose a mulberry paper cover for my A5 sketchbook..there are lots of colours...mine is Sienna...you will find out another time the significance of this ;0)








It contains 25 pages of 270gsm watercolour paper/
Their paper is acid free and again made in the UK.
It will be able to take all the ink and water that I can throw at it.
I chose the matte paper option...the paper is sooo stroke-able. Such a fabulous feel.








So onto the scrapbook I promised to review....
I chose (there are lots of other variations available) an landscape A4 size with recycled  pages. There are 20 leaves (40pages) of 150gsm cartridge paper pages. Amazingly they are party made of recycled coffee cups and are archival quality.



The strong wire binding allows for expansion. My cover is plain black and very strong and I shall at some point add some of my own decoration.
I love that the fly leaf is covered in pink pigs...squeal..!

You could stick your photos and ephemera neatly inside but of course what I love doing is making "Moments"....I  use mixed media paper and lots of mixed media techniques to make precious "Moments"of family events and keep them in a real life Jane's Journal (or 2).

I decided to make my first Moment for my scrapbook using a most appropriate occasion...it just had to include pigs didn't it. I using a recent photo of Daisy and my daughter at Peppa Pig World where we squealed with laughter a few weeks ago. If you missed that post this is the link.

I chose this lovely photo from our day out.  I wanted to reproduce the bright sunny greens from this happy photo in my Moment.


I trimmed a tiny piece off my piece of mixed media card and scribbled on some bright yellow and green Gelatos and started adding water to create some drippage, just like Daisy's ice cream that day!
I also added some yellow bister and more water

plus some stenciling and script stamping for the background. I still wanted to leave some white space too.
I then put on my creative hat and put together this layout....
Here it is
The stamps are all by Visible Image

and here is my first Moment stuck into my new Pink Pig scrapbook.

 I like to use a double spread as I write about the day and include tickets and ephemera from the day.

I then had a light bulb moment and decided that rather than the next Jane's Journal that this will be Daisy's Diary!

These scrapbooks are a new range for Pink Pig...they are testing out the market here and abroad.  As these are so reasonably priced I think I will be buying another one for me very soon. Their range of art books in incredible.

One day I will give this to Daisy...she will be able to re live some of the special Moments she shared with her Nanna when she was young.

I would like to enter my Moment into the following challenges;

Frilly and Funkie All in the family
Little Claire's 3/3 create a scene
Happy Little stampers mixed media  texture
Noor summer
Creative Inspirations 3/3 bingo  I have gone along the bottom  horizontal; white, distress, dots (my stencilled dots).
Butterfly challenge yellow
Crafty Boots summer time
Crafty Card Makers 1/3 shabby chic
Simon says stamp Work it Wednesdays wafer thin dies my heart is a wafer thin Memory Box stitched heart.
Deep Ocean colours of summer


I hope you enjoyed seeing my first page of Daisy's Diary ;0) Incredibly tomorrow is the last day of our not so flaming June. I will be back on Friday as it will be the first of the month and time for my Design Team  inspiration post for our newest challenge over at Country View. I love this time of the hear and I'm enjoying watching Wimbledon on TV and just to tease you......

Yes we have tickets...Centre Court...and guess when they're for.....??! ;0)

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x




18 comments:

  1. Wow! what afabulous story leading to a great memory...love all the links and as for the 'hat'....I need one..a creative one that is, as you obviously are so creative when wearing yours! a lovely memory album in the making for Daisy.Wimbledon..center Court...you lucky thing.......best pack the brolly alongside the sun cream though!!

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  2. I love your first page of Daisy's Diary!
    Pink Pig are my favourite sketch books- my son bought my first about 10years ago and since then I have had several in different sizes - A5 being my favourite! I'm sure you will love yours! Lucky you off to Wimbledon! Chrisx

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  3. Thank you so much for sharing your creation with us at Creative Inspirations! What a keepsake you are creating! Good luck with our challenge!
    Rene

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  4. Awe love the books and I can certainly see why you do Jane with all the piggies!
    Daisys Diary is a wonderful idea, brilliant first page, can t wait to see it fill up.
    Lucky you going to Wimbledon, you're not heading to Sienna too are you?
    V x

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  5. What a story and a brilliant find on the web. Your scrap page is a lovely reminder for your day out. Thankou for fluttering by my new challenge. Hugs Mrs A.

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  6. I love the idea of you making Daisy's Diary and gifting it to her one day. I adore that first with the dripping watercolor, so clever of you! Good job! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  7. I know I've got a pink pig mini book somewhere like many things it has been hidden for ages, must try and find it. Love your Daisy Diary idea, perfect to keep and for her to cherish when she's older and what a fabulous start with that great page. June, did you say we were in June? Yep just where did it go??? Hope July is better xxx

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  8. Fabulous layout Jane, I love how created the background. Thank you for sharing your work with all of us at Crafty Boots Challenges.

    Dionne

    PS Thank you for the Pink Pig review, I shall have to check them out.

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  9. Hello dear Jane,

    What a fab idea...Daisy's Diary!
    Love the first page and great review!
    They must hire you ASAP ;)

    xx

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  10. Hello dear Jane,

    No wonder you fell in love with that shop - if something is YOU, it's that pig-shop! And lovely finds, and what a wonderful idea to start a Daisy-journal, she'll love to see that later! LOVE your first page!

    And aboutbthe Wimbledon... I might already know the answer ;) so I just say: Woop, woop! ;)

    Happy weekend, dear friend!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  11. Hi Jane, Love your story and how you made this art journal page. Beautiful. Good luck in the Butterfly Challenge crafty hugs Pen Guest DT Butterfly Challenge

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  12. Hilarious Jane, love that company name, and I love that they included a page of piggy images!! Great design for the first page and what a perfect image to design around. Love the addition of the butterflies!! Hope you are enjoying your weekend. hugs :)

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  13. Beautiful book cover. Pretty design. Thank you for joining us at Crafty CardMakers this week. Hope to see you back here again soon. Judy DT

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  14. What a beautiful memory that inspired this gorgeous page in Daisy's diary!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us at The Frilly and Funkie Challenge!
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  15. Beautifully done - love it! Boo humbug - this company does not ship to the US!
    Sandy xx

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  16. This challenge theme was made for you! Your family projects are always so beautiful and this is no exception Jane. I love how you've drawn the colours from the photo and really focused attention on it. Thank you for joining us at Frilly and Funkie xx

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  17. What a gorgeous way to capture a moment! I love that you "matched" your fabulous background with the colors in the photo. So many lovely layers of inking and stamping and texture! I'm so glad you shared this with us at the Frilly and Funkie "All in the Family" challenge!

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  18. What a darling layout! Love those greens with the cool toy ride. Congrats on your top 3 at F&F! <3

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Jane x