Tag making and displaying

As Dotty's tea house is still closed for now and I am not selling my cards I have enjoyed making some new tags over the last few months. Lots of people keep asking the reason for my making tags. So I thought I would write a post and share some photos. My answer is that they are perfect for techniques. Also I do not keep any of the cards I make. They are either made as samples for design team posts, made for family and friends, designs for publication or sold at Dotty's. I would not know what to do with lots of cards or have the space to store them. 

Here is one of my set of tags from Lockdown.

Also if ever I am stuck for an idea I look through them and it often fires off a spark of inspiration. I store them on book rings.

 When closed together they are really small to store.

I write on the back the details of how I made it and the products used. 

Recently I bought a felt letter board for my studio to display my Speckled egg distress ink pin badge. 

I took a photo of it with one of my tags I made using all my new speckled egg products and planned to take the tag down and just keep the badges on there as I collect them. 

However I rather liked the idea of being able to display a few of my tags in my studio.

 I liked the board so much that I bought a second one, this time a rectangular one.

I can keep the square one for my badges and new distress colours as they are released. I can now use the rectangular one to display a few tags and can change them at a whim, including any words,  as they come with lots of letters, emojis and phrases. 

So my challenge project today is another of my tags. You may have seen this around in social media land but I have not blogged it.

with some close ups

I used all distress products including the new glazes, such fun!

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

Allsorts 1/3 flowers all over

Creative inspirations 1/3 in the garden

Remember that I have this 10th bloggerversary free giveaway, open to all 

running on my blog now until 8th August. One winner will win everything shown in the photo including my handmade silver heart charm and artisan glass bag charm. All the details of how you can enter are in this post.

Thanks for stopping by,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

Jane's Journal is 10 today...and has a giveaway!

Yes friends, today my blog is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Wow who could have thought that, certainly not me as I took that first tentative step all those years ago with my first post. I have made so many lovely friends over the years and even met some in the flesh too. I have had the very best time blogging and even though times are really changing I still enjoy writing Jane's Journal. I have always used my blog as my diary of all things craftyness and my love of Mother Nature. I have also give some peeps into special occasions I have celebrated over the years in my family life. We saw my daughter married, my grandchildren born and much much more. I decided from day 1 to always try to focus on the good things in life, not because bad things don't happen to me, of course they do, but I think that people enjoy a little positivity in their lives. Blogging has enabled me to document all those times and I can look back at the 1,297 (!) posts I have written. I know that a lot of my very original blogging friends have moved over to Instagram and Facebook. I must admit it is very easy and quick to share on Instagram and I do not write as many blog posts as I used to but I still enjoy writing some. 

My creative journey has been quite honestly just incredible.  10 years ago I did not share any of my papercrafting here as jewellery making was then my main hobby. I am also lover of knitting and crochet but never really get the time nowadays.  Here we are 10 years later and not only is my papercrafting my passion but my main hobby.

I am on 4 design teams; Country View Crafts, Visible Image, STAMPlorations and Creative Stamping Magazine . For the last 4 years (until closing for now but hopefully opening again soon!) I have sold over 1,000 cards in Dotty's Teahouse in Carshalton High Street. I have had my work published in Creative stamping magazine, Craft Stamper and Making Cards and I have demonstrated at Craft shows in the South of England for Jame's Dennison of Stamper's Grove. I have had my work displayed at Creativation in the USA and at Craft shows throughout the UK and also shown on TV.

It really has been a dream come true...having worked until I took retirement in  2016 as an NHS physiotherapist I would never have believed this would have happened. It has been the most exordinary journey. 

So I decided that my giveway to celebrate my 10th bloggerversary should have a mix of everything "Jane" and also a shout out to those who have made my creative journey such fun. This is what someone will win, I wish I could offer something to everyone but obviously that's never possible! 

OK to talk this through. The little piggy Artist trading card, top right (yes those who know me well know how much I love pigs) also has a little sterling silver charm, which I made, resting on it.  You can attach this to your own chain via the soldered jump ring.

The other Artist trading card is one from a recent swap. I adore ladybirds and had such fun with these Tim Holtz stamps |I bought during lockdown.  The bag charm I made is a nod to my favourite drink, tea. I am well know for enjoying my regularly cuppas, especially when outside in my studio and with Billy my sweet cat.

The bag charm has a spoon, tea cup and tea bags (of course) charms. The glass beads are artisan hand made by my lampworking friends I have made over the years.

My flower tag below was made recently during the Lockdown being inspired by Tim Holtz and the amazing Facebook Lives he gave over 16 weeks. He really is my inking hero and I am lucky enough to have attended the UK workshop he held here in the UK a few years ago. I use his distress inks in nearly every piece of paper crafting I make and the tag below is no exception, 

And finally my main Union Jack card is made up of elements from all my design teams, to thank them for all their support of my art over the years. I am so grateful to them and their belief in me. 

The Union Jack stencil is from Visible Image as are the cupcake stamps. The cup and saucer stamp is by STAMPlorations. The sentiment stamp is from a recent free set of stamps from Creative Stamping Magazine where I had a feature. (Oh and a little heads up I have a feature in the next magazine (#86) which is published in early August). The red and blue distress inks, the Stickles glitter glue and embossing powder are sold by Country View Crafts. 

 The smooth white card is sold by James of Stampers' Grove.

I always enjoy entering card challenges so I will enter this one into;

Time out 2/3 peaceful
As you like it 3/3 summer or autumn definitely  summer for me as I sit outside and craft and enjoy my tea!
A bit more time to craft 3/3 anything goes

Crafters' castle 3/3 anything goes

Crafty friends 3/3 anything goes

A gem of a challenge 3/3 anything goes

Crafty sentiments 2/3 anything goes

Through the dark room door 2/2 anything goes

Creative artiste 1/3 anything mixed media

The alphabet challenge 1/3 H for Hungry, favourite food mine has to be cake!

My giveaway is open to EVERYONE.  I will post world wide. I never have complex rules as to me a free giveaway should be just that. Just leave me a comment, mentioning that you would like to win, and your name will go into a hat. I will get my Hb to pull out a winner soon after the giveaway closes on 8th August.

However I do like giving a little "extra" to my loyal Blogger friends who have followed and supported me all the way on my blogging journey. Some have been with me from day 1, and one wonderful friend has commented on all my posts since we met a few posts in from my very first. Thanks V you are a super star. 

So, if you follow me here (and you are welcome to hit the follow button today in my sidebar) you can have a 2nd entry and if you mention this giveaway on your blog, Instagram or Facebook or share the photo just let me know and I will add a 3rd entry into the hat. Simples! I know that some people follow by email, no problem. Just let me know in your comments and you will get your extra entry/ies

Also I know a lot of people now follow me on Instagram (which I where you may have seen this post mentioned). To say thanks to those followers you can also have an extra entry. Please just let me know in your comments that you follow me on IG and I can add your extra entries in. If you want to find me over on Instagram today and follow me today this is the link. So some of you may well be able to have 4 entries into the draw. 

I think my sentiment sums up what I wish for every one of you all today and every day.

Thank you all for your friendship, your kind comments, your support and for reading Jane's Journal.

Hugs and love,

Jane

(and of course my sweetest cat and blogging avatar from day 1, Billy)

 xxx

Zoom crafting with Daisy

Over the last 4 months I have  Zoom crafted at least once a week with my sweet 6 year old granddaughter Daisy. Thank goodness for modern technology. I miss her so much, it's not the same as being with her but it is a good 2nd best. We have made sooo many things that I thought I would share a few here in Jane's Journal.

She has a doll called Sydney which is similar to the American doll sold in the USA, a sort of "grown up doll" and she loves to make things for her. During one of our early zoom session Daisy asked if we could make some "food" for Sydney. Now I am a crafter who never throws things away and a few years ago I bought some fimo type clay for my jewellery class. I got a really good deal at the time on a mixed colours pack so even though I only used 1 packet I kept all the other colours. I realized I could use these to show Daisy using them my end and if I bought her some air dry clay we could work together.

I ordered her some via Amazon which were delivered to her house. I used my ancient packs, they were a little tough to roll out but worked fine.

We have had such fun.  My colours are limited by the ones I had so when I had used some up I had to resort to magical blue cookies and even a pink banana!

Here are some photos I took quickly before I sent my versions to her.

You can see I had to make green cookies, with purple choc chips!!

Green and purple spaghetti bolognase, purple sausages and even blue bread for the sandwiches.

The pizza colours though weren't too bad

I made rubber ducks so that Sydney had similar ones to Daisy and Jack's in their bath.

and then Daisy decided they needed a pond....

so I had to quickly make that.

We have also upcycled tomato tins, made cards and today we will me making some more artist trading cards and coins (ATCs). We have also been doing a Nanna and Daisy lockdown ATC swap. Our themes have ranged from garden, to butterflies and the seaside.

Here are a few that she sent me.

and I thought I would share the latest few I have made for her.
By the way I have been sharing a lots of my crafting makes over on Instagram, I could not possibly write a blog post for every one as there are literally dozens. If you would like to see them you can find me as jane.tyrrell on IG or via this link. I also have the address in my blog side bar.

What I have noticed is what a competent stamper Daisy has become. I can't be with her to stamp so she has been doing this completely unaided, as my crafting genes skipped a generation and her darling Mummy's eyes roll in their sockets when Daisy mentions the word "crafting!"

Below is a Thank you card for her teacher she made, she use her Visible Image Alice stamp which she then coloured. The only help her Mummy gave her was to spell the word "teacher" 

As my daughter is a doctor and both her and her husband Key workers so Daisy has been attending school throughout lock down. They are so grateful to them. I am sure her teacher will be thrilled with this. School finishes this week for everyone.

I am also really hoping that in the next few weeks I will be seeing my grandbabies again...there is a plan we are working on!

My own card challenge share today is one of my makes during lock down.This has been shared on social media but not entered into any challenges or seen on my blog.
Daisy lives at the seaside and we usually go over to the beach to collect shells whenever the weather is good. So that was my inspiration.
I made an alcohol ink background on silver sparkle card

 I altered some die cut acetate shells with alcohol inks.

and made this,
 It's very hard to photograph as the sparkle is so reflective. I love the words, they are from my small talk Tim Holtz stickers book and felt just right for my project.

I will be giving it to my sweet Daisy when I next see her.

I would like my seashells canvas into the following challenges;

Time out 1/3 peaceful
As you like it 1/3 summer or autumn definitely  summer for me as I can go to the beach and be warm!
A bit more time to craft 2/3 anything goes

Crafters' castle 2/3 anything goes

Crafty friends 2/3 anything goes

A gem of a challenge 2/3 anything goes

Try it on Tuesday 1/3 summertime

Crafty sentiments 1/3 anything goes

Through the dark room door 1/2 anything goes

 I want to look back at this post in years to come and try to remember the good things which happened during the Lock down to me. Zoom crafting with Daisy will be one of them.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope that life continues to treat you all as well as it can during this dreadful pandemic.

Stay safe,

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

PS Jane's Journal is 10 (gulp) on Sunday and I have a giveaway open to EVERYONE worldwide. You don't have to jump through any hoops to enter, just stop by and leave a comment. All the details of what you can win will be in Sunday's post but here is a sneak peek.

See you on Sunday, Jx

Time flies

Happy Monday welcome to a new week and my latest design team post for Visible Image. The 9 new stencils were released on Friday and are for sale now on their website and from stockists worldwide. Today I am sharing my first make with the very appropriately named new stencil

Time flies

 I must admit time really is flying by and we find ourselves in the last 10 days of July. This new stencil comes with the mask of the bird too so you have 2 ways of using it. The words and bird can be also be used separately by masking them off but I thought that for a first make I would use the whole stencil to make a really bold canvas.

This is what I got up to.

I sprayed a mix of antique lines, vintage photos and ground espresso distress stain sprays onto watercolour card.

I then added Prima rust effect paste through the bird part of the stencil including the little birds above the letters I and E.

I used gold embossing paste through the "time flies" words on the stencil.

Once everything was dry I added some shadows under the letters using a Vintage photo distress marker.

and I finished off with some splatters of gold ink.

Here is my finished piece

with a couple of close ups

and one final shot.

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

Crafters' castle 1/3 anything goes

Crafty friends 1/3 anything goes

A gem of a challenge 1/3 anything goes

Simon says stamp Monday early birds

A bit more time to craft 1/3 anything goes

Through the dark room door 1/3 anything goes
We love 2 create 1/3 anything mixed media

All the Visible Image links are listed below

Visible Image group page on Facebook. Our friendly Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you there. You will see lots of gorgeous makes by the DT and customers to inspire your own creativity.

The main Visible Image Facebook page is here; there are regular giveaways...open world wide. Do check out the Facebook LIVES and videos where you will be able to see lots more samples and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here

Pinterest here

And once again the shop web site is here; where all their gorgeous stamps and stencils can be purchased.

Thanks so much for stopping by.


Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

PS a little heads up that Jane's Journal is 10 (gulp) on Sunday and I have a 10th anniversary giveaway planned...more details on Wednesday. Stay tuned!

Christmas in July

Hello it's Billy here, Jane's cat and yes we have arrived at that mad day of the year when she has that Christmas in July moment. 

Summer is in full swing my garden is looking lush with so much new growth. I have been amazed at the new sprouts that have appeared on Baby Choc. He is Jane's little Christmas tree she bought last year to replace Old Choc who went to the Tree in the Sky land. I think he actually found a new home locally as he disappeared from the grass verge the day before the Christmas tree collection van came.  Baby Choc holds  her vintage Christmas ornaments and Christmas chocolates. If you are not a regular reader of my blog you can read all about  my first meeting with him here.

You can spot him in the far right of this photo below, just outside Jane's studio. 

Just look at all his new growth. He told me he loves his new branches. There will be more room to hang things from. It was hard to keep him still as he kept dancing around showing off all his new greeness.

These will turn darker green as the season goes on. 

He is also sporting a rather spiffing new hair style, just look at that. He really is looking most handsome.

So while Jane drove me mad humming Christmas tunes from her studio I had a little snooze in the shade but I did manage to snap these photos before my doze when she went indoor to make her cuppa.

Jane made these alcohol ink tag backgrounds on embossed foiled card a little while back. (You can see that I am very well informed for a cat on all things crafting. I have had years of practice). She made up and the botanical tag which she shared here

I noticed that she had taken out the lumber/wood effect tag and made some Christmas bits and bobs including a stamped coloured image of none other that Father Christmas in his original green outfit. This stamp is from one of her favourite Christmas Tim Holtz stamp sets, called Yuletide.

She had also die cut some greenery too, some in foil and some card. She used alcohol inks again on the foil and distress inks on the card.

So I left her to it and after dinner time I asked if it was safe to pop into her studio and take a peep at what she made. She said yes!

This is what I found; ho ho ho!

with a close up 

she added a sentiment at the bottom....yes Jane will always believe, will you?

one last shot

Jane says she would like me to enter her tag into some challenges..here goes.

Simon says stamp Wednesday early bird

Lil patch of crafty friends 1/3 anything goes

Pixie's snippets playground #381

ABC Christmas N and O I have gone for O for over the top! Jane loves adding lots of extras to her work, she is definitely not a CAS girl.

Die cut Divas Christmas in July

So after all that excitement I found myself a nice shady patch on the lawn for one more doze.

I will be back again in early December with my annual Billy and the Trees post. Baby Choc and I will be rapping together in the garden until then. We also look forward to seeing the Man in the red suit (or will he revert to the old green, who knows?) on the 24th December.  Goodness me this typing is hard work, time for me to go now.  Jane will be back again soon with a new post. I am also going to have a little think about what I will be doing to celebrate my 12th birthday on Friday...gulp...how did that happen!

Until then,

Bye for now,

Billy x