My 7th bloggerversary and a giveaway

Yes it is hard to believe but Jane's Journal is 7 years old today!

7 years....844 (gulp) posts

7 years of wonderful blogging friendship.

261 loyal followers (and many more who have signed up and get my posts by email)

Goodness know how many photos....

This post is written to thank every single one of you who stops by here and reads my ramblings. I know that a lot of you are "silent" readers and I am waving to you today. Many of you also take the time to leave comments and there are a few (yes you know who) who leave comments on every, (barring holidays), post since I started blogging! 

Wow! What else can I say other than I honestly still love being a part the blogging community. I love blogging and it gives me a great deal of pleasure. I find it a positive, supportive and friendly place to be. I know that everyone has difficulties in their lives at some point but my ethos for writing my blog is to keep a record of my creative journey and hopefully, at the same time, put a smile on peoples' faces when they visit me here. I am a glass half full kind of girl and I believe that positive thoughts and words are contagious. My life has its fair share of ups and downs, the last few months have indeed had more than their fair share of testing times, but through it all I know that I am blessed and so thankful of the life I have been given.

Thank you for being a part of it. 

I am offering a small giveaway as a little thank you, with a choice of prize to the winner. This is open to everyone world wide...no gimmicks, no restrictions...just leave a comment that you would like to be included and your name will be put into the hat. As an extra thank you to my loyal followers I would like to offer you a second entry, just mention that you follow my blog (don't be shy if you want to join me today) or leave an extra comment. And if anyone would like to promote my little blog giveaway on their own blog or on social media, using the photo below, you are welcome to have a 3rd entry.
Below is the photo to use, if would like an extra entry. Just pop it into your side bar or share it in a post or on social media and let me know.
My giveaway is running from today and closes on 9th August at 4pm GMT.

There are 3 choices of prize for the winner, pulled out of the hat on 9th August. You may choose one of these;

• £10 gift voucher for Country View Crafts (Susan posts worldwide) to choose something crafty or put it toward something you have had you eye on.  Postage on your spend is free to any UK winner but if the winner is from overseas you will need to be be responsible for your own postage or other charges. I will send the £10 voucher by email worldwide. This prize has not been sponsored by CVC but I buy most of my crafting goodies from Susan as her prices and free postage are brilliant.

•  I know some of my dear blogging friends are not paper crafters so should you not have any use for a CVC voucher you may choose a £10 Amazon Voucher, sent by email.

or

• Some of you like my handmade bag charms, so my 3rd choice of  prize is the little cat bag charm, inspired by Billy and hand made by me using artisan glass lampwork one of a kind beads. I will post the bag charm worldwide. 

You don't need to make up your minds  re your prize choice yet, I will check with the winner after 9th August to see which prize they would like.

I can't send flowers so I am sharing these recent photos of my tiny sunny garden and my beloved studio, which give me so much inspiration

 and also a photo of my darling cat Billy who shares my outside space in the summer months.

 How easy it is to be inspired by Mother Nature.

Billy was caught napping on the garden table cover but instantly forgiven, he is just the best cat, my little shadow. He recently celebrated his 9th birthday 😺

My challenge project today is a thank you one...of course..
It's a thank you bottle tag I made for a good friend of mine who has stepped in to look after Billy at short notice several times this year. There was a bottle attached!

I used Distress Oxides for the background, a Tim Stencil and die cut sentiment and the long discontinued Bronte verse stamp by Visible Image which remains my all time favourite script stamp. I really wish Mark would bring it back...hint hint!!

I would like to enter my bottle tag into the following challenges;

That's Crafty 1/3 all things grunge

Fussy and Fancy 1/3 anything goes

Crafty Catz 1/3 anything goes

Emerald Creek Dares 2/3 sparkle/celebrations mine is of course my 7 year bloggerversary

Noor use die cuts

Happy Little Stampers (watercolour) 3/3 July
Artistic Inspirations 1/3 anything goes

Thank you again for stopping by and for making blogging such fun. Remember to leave a comment on this post if you would like to be included in my giveaway. Good luck to you all!

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x