It's Christmas Eve eve!

Whoop whoop, good morning all, it's Christmas Eve Eve and I am here to share my final design team inspiration for our Country View Crafts December "Christmas" challenge.  The monthly challenges are now being hosted over on Facebook as it makes it easier for everyone who wants to enter, to do so. You don't need a blog or an Instagram account, just head over to the group and join in with the fun! The link is here and if you are not already a member just request to join and we will love to welcome you over there. It will also be a place you can see Country View Craft products, the latest releases etc etc. We have a happy membership of over 250 crafters already and we are growing every day. 

I try to link up the products I use in my posts but obviously stock on the CVC website sells out quickly . Some may be out of stock when you click on the links. If they are just fill in the email notification and you will be emailed when they are back in stock.

As tomorrow is the night when Father Christmas will deliver presents to good girls and boys I just had to make a card creating the scene I have in my head from my 1960s childhood Christmas Eves.

This is what I got up to 

I stuck various pieces of Tim Holtz Christmas Christmas ephemera (mine is from a previous year but all his packs are awesome) onto black card using distress collage medium

When dry I cut off the overhangs.

I added some distress crayons to the edges and stitched around the perimeter of the background (seen in the final photos). I also stitched the border using my trusty sewing machine,

I stamped the Father Christmas from "Yuletide", coloured him with distress pencils fussy cut him out. I also stamped and cut out the sentiment from "Department store". I had some left over Tim Christmas die cuts in my box and added them to create my Christmas Eve scene. 

Here is my finished card;

with a couple of close ups;

and one final shot;

I really hope that I may have inspired you to join in with the "Christmas" fun. Do head over to the challenge on Facebook here.  There is also an amazing prize for one randomly selected winner to win...a £25 voucher to spend on the Country View Crafts website. You can enter up to 5 different projects.

Remember you can find me most days over on Instagram here @jane.tyrrell where I do share many, many more makes then I have the time to blog. 

This is the last of my design team blog posts for 2023. I will be back in the new year with lots more inspiration. "See" you on the other side. Wishing you a very merry Christmas, thanks for all your blog support this year. I can see by my stats that you are still out there reading Jane's Journal after all these years. 

I thought I would close with a little Christmas poem, one of my favourites.

It is just to try to set the scene and to remind us that material things at Christmas are nothing compared to making memories with those you love.

We will be raising our glasses on Monday with my daughter and her family and my son. We will remember our Christmases past, present and yet to come and our darling loved ones who sit or have sat at our tables over the years. They will always be a part of our Christmas.

Somehow not only for Christmas
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.

And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart's possessing
Returns to make you glad.

(John Greenleaf Whittier)

Merry Christmas dear blogging friends. Have a peaceful time, make those memories and tell those you love that you love them. Find joy in the small things in life and try to look for the best in everything.

Bye for now,

Jane x

Christmas inspiration for the Country View Crafts challenge

Hello everyone it's time for my first design team inspiration for our current "Christmas" challenge over at Country View Crafts. The monthly challenges are now being hosted over on Facebook as it makes it easier for everyone who wants to enter, to do so. You don't need a blog or an Instagram account, just head over to the group and join in with the fun! The link is here and if you are not already a member just request to join and we will love to welcome you over there. It will also be a place you can see Country View Craft products, the latest releases etc etc. We have a happy membership of over 250 crafters already and we are growing every day. 

I try to link up the products I use in my posts but obviously stock on the CVC website sells out quickly . Some may be out of stock when you click on the links. If they are just fill in the email notification and you will be emailed when they are back in stock.

 I decided to make a very special card for a special person (she knows who she is and has now received it).

This is what I got up to;

I chose these pieces from Tim Holtz' awesome Christmas ephemera pack to use as focals. I added some vintage photo and candied apple distress ink to the edges for extra detailing, which you can see in the final photos. 

I selected a festive green distress inked background from my stash. Then I stamped some Christmas imagery in red . I used papers from Tim's backdrops papers (similar available here) adding pieces of material and stitched everything down using my trusty sewing machine.

I also added some Tim remnant rubs (similar ones are available here)

Then I put my design together adding a few finishing die cut stars.

Here is my finished card;

with a couple of close ups;

and one final shot;

I really hope that I may have inspired you to join in with the "Christmas" fun. Do head over to the challenge on Facebook here.  There is also an amazing prize for one randomly selected winner to win...a £25 voucher to spend on the Country View Crafts website. You can enter up to 5 different projects.

Remember you can find me most days over on Instagram here @jane.tyrrell where I do share many, many more makes then I have the time to blog. 

I will be back on Saturday 23rd December with my last DT make for the December challenge. Until then enjoy all your Christmas festivities.

Bye for now,

Jane x

Wishing you a Visible Image Merry Christmas

Hello it's time for my final design team make of 2022 for Visible Image. The DT will be taking a break over Christmas and I will be back with my first make of 2023 on 4th January. 

I decided to use my favourite Christmas release stamp set from 2022, which is the awesome Christmas robin set, and paired it with a few other of my older Christmas favourites. There are live links to the website if you click on them in my post. 

Christmas robin

Sentimental Christmas

and 99% chance of wine

with their co ordinating dies 

This is what I got up to;

I stamped and cut out all 3 robins then coloured them using distress inks. I cut the legs off all the robins. 

I stamped the wine bottle and coloured with Zig markers and then cut out using the coordinating die.

I stamped the glasses and cut them out with the dies ( I always do a big batch in one go as they are so useful for other projects).

I stamped the sentiment and large robin onto kraft card 6 1/2 by 4 1/2"

I stamped the small holly from the sentiment set twice on the card and once to cut out. I coloured them all using Zig markers.

I then stamped the wine splashes.

I stamped a wine splash in the glass and glued it in place so that I could stamp the medium robin on the rim. I then added my images. I also added some extra wine rings and drips to the background using the stamps in the set. The large and medium cut out robins were placed over the images stamped directly on the card to give them their legs back. For finishing touches I stuck the cut out holly into the large robin's beak and added some Stickles glitter glue for sparkle. I then matted onto black card and a kraft card blank. 

Here is my finished card;

with a couple of close ups;

and one final shot;

All the Visible Image links are listed below;

The Visible Image Group page is over on Facebook. Our friendly Group is here ...it would be lovely to see you join us.  You will be warmly welcomed and see lots of inspiration from the DT and customers to inspire your own creativity. 

 I also organize a monthly artist trading card swap in the group.  We celebrated a whole year of swapping in May. Whether you are a new stamper or a seasoned one you are most welcome to join us. Over 110 members, worldwide, have taken part since it started. It's been such fun and it's so lovely to receive a unique piece of art from your partner in the post. The details and sign up for each swap are posted in the group on the 23rd of the month. So the next sign up, for January, opens on 23rd December,  if you would like to join us.  There is no "monthly" commitment, just join in when you have the time and if you live in the UK can you choose to post to the UK only if that suits you best.

The main Visible Image Facebook business page is here

Visible Image also has its own You Tube channel here where you can see videos and Lives to give you lots of inspiration and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here 

Pinterest here

and their website is here. 

 You will also find me on Instagram here; @jane.tyrrell where I share many more samples than I have the time to blog.

Enjoy all the festive celebrations...are you ready? 

Bye for now,

Jane x

My November Christmas card workshop at Dotty's teahouse

Hello blogging friends I know I rarely post something that is not a design team make these days, but today is an exception as I have some very exciting news; I am going to be hosting a Christmas card Creative Workshop at Dotty's Teahouse in Carshalton, where I sell my cards.

 It will be held upstairs at Dotty’s on Thursday 24th November from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. We are planning a fun festive event in a small group setting.

You will learn how to make distress ink backgrounds using a mixture of sprays and ink pads. You can choose to create with traditional Christmas colours or go more contemporary, the choice will be yours.

The stamp set we will be using for the images is the beautiful Christmas Robin set by Visible Image stamps. I will also demonstrate stamping techniques and heat embossing and will share lots of card making design tips and techniques.

These tips and techniques will enable you to make your own unique handmade Christmas robin card. If there is time you can make a second (or take it home to finish). Everyone will also receive a little Christmas bag with some festive die cuts, papers etc to take home too.

Here is a little taster.

The workshop is suitable for beginners or those with crafting/card making experience. It is for ages 16 years and over.

All equipment will be provided plus a card making take home bag.

The cost, which will include a mince pie and hot drink, is £25

And just in case you are new to my blog;

+++A little bit about me+++

I have 30+ years of crafting and card making experience. For the last 6 1/2 years I have been on the design team for 2 UK companies (Visible Image and Country View crafts) and 1 in the USA. I demonstrate distress inks, stamping and paper crafts at craft shows, including the annual Alexander Palace Craft show in London. My work has been shown on TV and is regularly published in craft magazines. I am proud to have been Dotty’s in- house card maker and sold my cards there since the day she opened. Check me out on Instagram; @jane.tyrrell

If you would like to attend the workshop please book via the Dotty’s Teahouse website here. Or you can phone to book on 0203 754 4613. You will find Dotty's at 108 High street, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3AE. Carshalton railway station is a short walk away. Buses from Croydon, Sutton and Morden tube station all stop in the High Street.

Places are limited so please book asap if you would like to come.

Please feel free to share this info with to anyone who is near the Sutton, Surrey area and might be interested. 

I am so looking forward to the evening. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me by email via the link in my side bar. 

(PS and if you don't like mince pies I am sure that Dotty's will find you something else!) Ho Ho Ho!

Thanks so much, 

Bye for now,

Jane x

Christmas in July ATCs for Visible Image

 Hello again after the fun of my Billy cat taking over my blog on Saturday  I am back with my regular fortnightly blogged design team make for Visible Image. If you missed his blog post you can see it here. For today's make I am sharing the artist trading cards (ATCs) I made recently, one was for our monthly swap over in the Visible Image Facebook group. If you haven't found the group yet do come on over. It's great fun and if you would like to join in with our ATC swap you would be most welcome. It's open to everyone, internationally. If you live in the UK you can also request to swap just within the UK if that is better for you. The theme for this month is "Christmas in July" so I decided to use the brand new gorgeous

Christmas Robin set 

with the awesome script stamp from the Distressed Christmas set. 

And of course added the details on the back using brilliant ATC/Mail art stamp set.

Love of ATCs

 Here are some of my previous backs. I use the reverse of a Weetabix carton for my kraft card.

I always make 4 ATCs; 1 to keep, 1 to swap, 1 for my granddaughter and 1 for a crafting partner I swap with abroad. 

Here ARE some of my previous ATC swaps which have made their way around the UK and abroad.

This is what I got up to;

I made a snowy background using white linen distress ink on black card (technically it is an oxide). I plan to demo this at the Stamperarma show in Bedford in September so if you would like to see it up close and personal do come along. I will give details nearer the time but the date for your diary is Sunday 25th September. 

I cut my card into 4 X 3 1/2  by 2 1/2 inch size pieces for the backgrounds. 

Using white embossing powder I added some text using the awesome Distressed Christmas stamp. 

I stamped all the elements from the Christmas Robin set onto white card

I stamped the holly and branch several times onto white card. The branch is easily repeat stamped to make a longer branch if you need to. I coloured some of the berries red.

After cutting everything out I added some festive frost using Glamour dust and Stickles glitter.

I stamped, coloured and cut out all 3 sizes of the robin.

 I then started to put together 4 different festive scenes.

I stamped a little more snow using the snow flurry stamp in the Christmas robin set  using picket fence ink again. 

I also added a little gold sparkle pen to the robins as a finishing touch.

Here they all are together

individually 

and one final shot.

All the Visible Image links are listed below;

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

 I organize a monthly artist trading card swap there.  We are celebrated a whole year of swapping in May. Whether you are a new stamper or a seasoned one you are most welcome to join us. Nearly 100 members, worldwide, have taken part since it started. It's been such fun and it's so lovely to receive a unique piece of art from your partner in the post. The details for each swap are  put up in the group on 23rd of the month. There is no "monthly" commitment, just join in when you have the time! 

The main Visible Image Facebook business page is here

Visible Image also has its own You Tube channel here where you can see videos and Lives to give you lots of inspiration and ideas. 

Their Instagram page can be found here 

Pinterest here

and their website is here. 

 You will also find me on Instagram here; @jane.tyrrell where I share many more samples than I have the time to blog.

Back soon,

Bye for now. 

Jane x