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

Sapphires for my Mum

Today is my dear Mum's birthday and I can now share my latest silversmithing project as well as the card I made her as she will have opened them this morning.

We have been "flush setting" stones in our class. Most people made rings but I decided to make a pendant for my Mum. In my stash I had some very small sapphires and I thought they would work really well for this project. 

It was very fiddly indeed as the stones only measure 1.75mm in diameter.

First I made the pendant from silver square wire and added a handmade bail to the top. I had to drill holes through ready to receive the sapphires. Then I soldered on the bail.

Sorry the photo below is so blurred but it was taken on my bench peg!

I have no photos of the setting process but it was very tricky!
Eventually my 3 stones were set and I polished it up and put it on a chain for my Mum. As always silver jewellery is so difficult to photograph but here are a couple of snaps.

It's much prettier IRL!

So I am also able to share my card...my Mum loves vintage images so I used one from the Graphic fairy to make her card.

The stamped sentiment is an old Lili of the Valley one.
The backing paper is by Craft Consortium....this is a gorgeous pad which I keep for those special cards. I added lots of die cuts and embellies. As I didn't have to post my card I was able to use some of my paper flowers from my stash, which my Mum loves, and add lots of layers.

all finished off with a ribbon.

 I would like to enter my card (and my pendant if it is appropriate) into the following challenges;

Pixie's snippets playground #340
Simon says stamp Wednesday anything goes
Simon says stamp Monday gift it
A vintage journey paper stash
Let's craft and create anything goes
Frilly and funkie tis the season for gift giving
Little patch of crafty friends 1/3 anything goes

Happy Birthday to my dear Mum...85 years young today..and so very precious to me.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and have a wonderful weekend.
I am back again in the morning...yes it's 1st December and our last Country View Challenge for 2018!

Bye for now,

Jane x

Pea pods

Good morning I thought today I would share a recent project from my silversmithing class. We were designing projects using fold forming which is something I  used a few years back when I made my daughter a peas in a pods silver pendant. 

I shared this post 6 (!) years ago and photos of the pendant I made.  Here it is again, not the best photos as they were taken with a very old camera.

Now this pendant was sooo complex to make as I had to thread the pearls onto silver wire which I had drilled a hole for. I also made silver tendrils. My daughter loves this pendant and
over the years many people (including my own Mum and Daisy) have admired it.  When I knew that we were re visiting the technique of fold forming in our class I hatched a plan to remake some very simple mini versions of my daughter's peas in a pod pendant for them.
Below are some photo I snapped with my phone on my jewellery bench showing how I brought my idea to life.
I used sheet silver and folded small pieces into rectangles onto which I drew my outline and then cut out.

I then hammered along the rounded edge, re annealing the metal regularly as it work hardens.

This gradually causes the metal to stretch and curve and creates the pod shape.
Once I was happy with the curve I pickled the silver to remove the oxidization and then opened the pod up with pliers (seen on the left side of the photo)

I then drilled holes into tips of the pods.
You can also see in the photo below that if you hammer on the opposite side of the metal you can get a reverse shape rather than a pod....I also made some leaf forms.
I had a play with several versions.

To finish them off I glued in some tiny freshwater pearls.
So here is the mini peas in a pod version..it's always so hard to photograph silver...which Daisy and my Mum really loved.

My card today links in with my pea pod necklaces and is the Lili of the Valley sweet pea pod digi image. I made a new baby card which is up for sale at Dotty's Teahouse where my cards are sold. I added a LOTV stamped sentiment and some fun die cuts.

I would like to enter my new baby card into the following challenges;

Crafteezee summer

That's crafty 1/3 A summer's day

Fussy and fancy 1/3 summer fling

Happy little stampers 1/3 anything goes with dies

Thanks for stopping by and for your kind comments. Have a lovely weekend. I'm back on Monday with my Monday DT make for Visible Image.

Bye for now,

Jane x

A jewellery reveal

Now that my daughter's birthday has been and gone I can finally share one of my latest jewellery projects from my silversmithing class. It was a real labour of love but worth every second.
I bought some lovely stones a long while back and made some silver pins for them.

Next I made a toggle fastening

and then it was time to make lots of links for my chain from silver wire. First I made rings, which I soldered. Some I pulled them ovals and then flattened them all through a rolling mill. This took lots of 2 hour classes!

I then put together my design. First I had to saw through the ovals to put on the rings

and then re soldered them as I made my chain in stages.

Finally I polished everything before wiring in the stones. 

So here it is

with a couple of close ups

Made with lots of love xxx

My card today is a  near white on white wedding card. As today the sun is shining and the sap is rising in the plants I added in some greenery. Everything is looking lush outside and I am looking ahead to summer and the wedding season for my cards I make for Dotty's Tearooms. The image is a Lili of the Valley simply print. I glittered up their headdresses. The stamped sentiment is also LOTV.

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

Fussy and Fancy 3/3 add a sentiment
Simon says stamp Wednesday add some texture
Happy Little stampers 2/3 anything goes with dies
Creative moments 2/3 anything goes
That's Crafty 2/3 circles I used a circular sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy a lovely weekend. We are off to visit friends in Essex, the return of the sunshine is an added bonus. 

Back soon

Bye for now,

Jane x

Water casting fun

I have been a little AWOL this week as I had a rather special girlie staying. Daisy and I had some magical days and as the weather was horrible we crafted non stop. Today though I am going to share another of my silversmithing projects from last year which got forgotten about with all the excitement of Christmas. 

A couple of weeks ago I showed you my up-cycled Murano pendant. If you missed that project you can see it here

With every project I make there are always little bits of silver left over. As I have been attending classes for over 16 years in all that time those little pieces of silver have turned into a whole bag full of "waste" and our tutor decided that our valuable silver could be turned into something usable using a technique called water casting. 

Boy was that fun...but without proper safety measures could be really dangerous.

We put some of our off cut silver waste into the furnace and melted it. We then carefully took it out using long tongs protected by aprons, gloves and gauntlets. This photo was our tutor showing us how to hold the container.it was cold at this point..when we actually did the technique we were well gloved up. 

 Once the silver came to temperature and was liquid we tossed it into a water bath.

 

 Out came these very cool, rather organic shaped pieces of silver. These pieces below came from 3 separate water casts. I could see leaves, branches...

and a "rose". Can you see it too?

I cut off the spare silver under the "flower."

 I then designed myself a pendant....as I could also see leaves and a stalk in my water-cast pieces.
  I soldered my "leaf" under the bud....looking more floral at this point.

 Then saw a "stalk" which I filed down and soldered this on too. 

I then filed everything and soldered a hanging loop to the back.

After a final polish my "rose" pendant was finished.

Here it is.

My card today is one I recently made having enjoyed a day being able to play with my Lavinina fairies. This one is for my sister in law 's birthday.  I made an oxide background using black soot and antique linen. The sentiment is a Tim Holtz die cut.

I would like to enter her into the following challenges;

C.R.A.F.T 1/2  distress your project/vintage
The house that stamps built 1/3 anything goes
Creative Moments 1/3 anything goes

Let's Craft and Create 3/3 anything goes

Noor UK anything goes
Shopping our stash 1/3 birthdays

How quickly the week is flying by. It is nearly the weekend again. Thanks so much for stopping by today and for the kind comments you take the time to leave. The sun seems to have returned today thank goodness and today was quite mild and sunny. Let's hope it hangs in there for a good weekend.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x

A new life for a Murano bead

 My silversmithing class re started after the Christmas break and I realised that I have not shared any of my recent makes.  So I thought that today I will share a pendant I made last year.

Like most crafters I tend to hoard  keep things just in case they will come in useful. I had a lovely Murano pendant I bought years ago in Italy and the bail had come off. I had every intention to fix it but it remained in a drawer for years. I decided that this glass star would be perfect for my project which was to fuse glass with silver metal clay. I designed a heart and using silver metal clay and I cut it out and added some texture. I also made 3 small heart to use as "claws" to hold in the star in place once fired. I also cut a star shape out (covered up by the bead) so that the light can shine through.

Unfired it doesn't look like much...this was a photo of it drying. We use playing cards when cutting out the clay so they are useful to dry the pieces on too. If the clay is wet when fired it explodes! Not a good idea really 😂

These were the texture plates I used.

Once fired and polished things look very different. This shows how the little hearts hold the glass in place.

This is the reverse where I cut out a star to let the light shine through. The texture worked out really well and the back is as pretty as the front.

I held it up to the window to show how the bead shines (these photos were taken last year)

and yes someone photobombed 😺

 One more photo

I have been busy making new cards for Dotty's Tea Rooms in Carshalton, where I sell my cards. Tea themed cards always sell really well so today's card is one I sold there recently.

I used a new teapot stamp and die set which I bought in a sale and had yet to be inked. I made an inky background using distress inks and added some stenciling and stamping.  The sentiment is Visible Image and you can see their old Bronte script too (sadly long discontinued but still my fave for adding some inky words to backgrounds). The dies are a mix of Memory Box, Marianne, Sizzix and The Works.

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

Allsorts 1/3 No patterned paper
Sweet stampin 1/3 Lots of layers
Fussy and fancy 1/3 distress it
Crafty Catz 1/3 anything goes
Happy little stampers anything goes with dies

Thanks so much for stopping by. Enjoy a lovely weekend, we have a nice quiet one ahead....I can craft to my heart's content.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane (and Billy 😼) xx