Doodling....

I bought this plywood box 'J' from Hobbycraft with an idea to fill it with a layer of buttons (using up some my stash of buttons) but wasn't happy with it.
I had a lightbulb moment while making my JoFY Bingo Week15 project (HERE)... I could stamp and doodle inside the 'J' !!!  Stamp my doodle images to doodle around!!
Couldn't get started fast enough! lol

Here's how I did it - nice and simple!

The J is about 3cm deep (22cm tall) but I wanted the contents (buttons was the plan) to sit higher so I cut lots of bits of cardboard and arranged them in stacks inside the 'J' so the base was raised by about 2cm... (you could lay contents in the base)

Drew around the plywood shape and cut it out..

... and laid it on top of the stacks...  When happy with the height and fit I glued everything in place.. (PVA will do the job)

Next I painted it in my chosen colour - I went for dark grey (PaperArtsy Fresco Finish 'Slate') but later changed it for black gesso.  Set it aside to dry.

To create a base for the doodles and stamping:  I drew around the letter on black cardstock...

I chose to stamp with white paint ('Snowflake' Fresco Finish - brilliant opaque white!) because I knew it would match white gel pens that I was going to use for additional doodling..
I started with stars from JOFY70.. leaving a nice amount of space around them.. (for additional stamping and doodling..)... and followed with the large doodle flower from JOFY64, and flowers from JOFY54

... and here is the stamping finished...  you can just see the outline of the 'J'...

The 'J' was cut out and I doodled into all the open spaces - but not inside the outline of the doodle flower from JOFY64

Here is the finished 'J' - the top edge of the sides of the structure has also been painted white to outline the 'J'

Detail of the doodling and stamping... I really like the monochromatic colour scheme.. (it reminds me of Mexican 'day of the dead' artworks)

We went to America (ahem) number of years ago and I bought this large papermache 'J' - I 'had' to have it!  

So it came home with us, along with its matching 'M' (for Jo and Matt (my husband)) because I was going to do 'something' with them.. they've come across the Atlantic and been through two house moves -Now is the time - its now or never - I am ready to work on the big 'J'.

I can feel a bit more doodling coming on! (I'll keep you posted!)

There are lots of paper mache letters available, & you could do stamp and doodle onto all sorts of objects - inside objects (a friend recently gave me a wine box to work with - thats definitely getting a doodled interior!)... they'd make great christmas presents! (oops did I drop the 'C' word... sorry - I was hoping to get through a blog post without mentioning it again).

Thanks for stopping by

#30daysoflists September....

...update

I've decided to keep the #30daysoflists as an Instagram project - I won't be posting a round-up once a week - because I remembered that all the pages appear across the top of the blog!

So if any of you lovely readers wanted to take a closer look you can just click on the photo and it will take you to my Instagram page!... clever eh!*

Thanks for stopping by!

* I didn't create that feature ... I'm grateful a very nice techy person programmed it for me! :o)

Workshop: Tag! Slate you're it!

15 September 2018

Birds in the Barn @ Studio36

In this workshop you'll upcycle a large slate tag using stamps, paints, ink and a bit of fussy cutting... & personalise it with your choice of monogram - it'll make a lovely present for someone at christmas (or for yourself!).

Go to the Birds in the Barn website for more information and to book your place.

Look forward to seeing you there!

#30daysoflists September

#30daysoflists is an Instagram project that happens twice a year, and because I'm partial to making a list or two (I always have a to-do list on the go!) I thought I'd join in.

I find that I'm more likely to finish a project if I've done all the preparation before hand, set it up  - so I made myself a book with pages ready to fill in each day.

Its quite a simple book of pages 6x4inches in size and bound with book rings...

... and the pages are laid out so their colours flow into each other through the book...

(can we just pause here for a moment to appreciate the loveliness of those pages - the pattern and colour...)

OK, moving on... On signing up to the project you're provided with a list prompts that can be printed out and used however you want... I printed them out and then covered the logo with with papers that coordinated with the main pages... (yes, I may have started to overthink things - but bear with me...)...

The project is about answering the list prompt but each day & I wanted to limit how much time I spent on filling the lists in so I stamped 30 of these cards (yay for stamping platforms!!) to attach to a page each day.... limiting myself to 5 or pushing myself to 5, depending on the question...

Yes, this was quite a lot of preparation for a project - but I know that by doing this I can now just pick the book up and fill it in each day.

Oh, did I forget to mention that I'm going to customise each page by adding die-cut elements, mini bits of 'stuff' and sewing... and I also decided that each page needed a tab showing the day (of the week) and date...

Not such a quick project after all lol but its one I'm really looking forward to. I like taking part in this kind of project because:
1. Its uses up the paper stash! (the seemingly never decreasing stash!)
2. Its a quick creative mini project every day - gets the creative gears going.
3. No pressure.
4. No right or wrong - it can be whatever I want it to be.
5. I like making mini books! - I enjoy making the book as much as filling it in!
(ooh look! a list!)

Its mainly an Instagram/Facebook project but each Saturday I'll do a round-up of the pages here on my blog.

I'm up to date with the lists but I'll just show you the first one for now...

If you fancy joining in, you're not too late - go to instagram and search #30daysoflist and you'll find the information.

There are lots of prompts each month on Instagram for all sorts of challenges - take a look.

JoFY Bingo Wk.15

Welcome!  Bingo week 15 - and the numbers 17 and 39 have provided a very festive selection!  (which is handy as I'm still feeling very festive after the release of my NEW JOFY christmas stamps on Friday - you can see them here).

Aaaanyhoo I wanted to make some un-christmassy with the stamps... so I made a gift card and envelope:

I stamped the star border from JOFY17 in lines all over a sheet of black card using Snowflake Fresco Finish paint - its a REALLY good bright white opaque paint.

I cut out a gift bag using the Sizzix die ('gift card bag' ref 662687) - dinky little bag designed for store/gift cards...

I coloured the surface with neon and metallic gel pens...

I stamped the star from JOFY39 onto white card and coloured them with the same pens as the gift bag... 
To create the greeting card I cut a square of the star stamped background, matted it onto green card and attached it to white greeting card base.  I die cut the word 'happy', wrote 'birthday' on a strip of white card and assembled these along with the stars onto the card...

I have several nephew's birthdays coming up and I think this will make a great card design for them!... and it doesn't look at all christmassy (in my humble opinion!) (would make a great 'celebration' card too!)

Thanks for stopping by... see you next monday for week 16 of JoFY Bingo!  

If you'd like to join in with this 'game' - its dead easy - here are the details:

The numbers are drawn on Monday, along with a project I've made using the corresponding stamp sets, then the plan is to:

• Use/combine 1 or 2 stamp sets (use only those stamp sets - but not all the stamps in each set - that would be too much of an ask but as long as there are one or two stamps from each set then its OK!)
• 7 days to create 1 project, makers choice:  cards... atc... journal page... dimensional project... tag...
• Use any paints/media, colours, embellishments, stencils/masks
• Load up your project to Instagram any time during the week.  Please use Instagram links #jofybingo and @jofyjo in the text (not 'tagging' me please) so I can find it :o)

I'm going to use/combine 2 stamps sets each week but if you'd like to join in but only have one of the chosen sets then join in using that set! 

Christmas!!!!!

2018 CHRISTMAS STAMP RELEASE!!!

Now I can breathe freely and talk about christmas stamps!!  

I have six, yes SIX new sets of christmas stamps released today with PaperArtsy... you can see a full blog post over on the PA blog tonight with samples I've made using the stamps... so head on over there and take a look.  SIX plates of stamps will hopefully mean there will be something in there to please everyone... well almost everyone - but maybe not the bah humbugs out there..!! lol

This set has a more tradition feel to it - the candle with baubles around will be great as a stand alone image on a card.

All the single words on the left hand side of the plate fit into the little boxes with the rings...  They can be mixed and matched to create sentiments - and not just for christmas... here is the birthday card I made for my Husband's birthday:

How adorable is this Angel!!!  She is opening her arms and sharing happiness and all the good wishes (and sprarkles) that christmas brings... she makes me smile!

Meet Santas's Little Helper - be nice or he'll put you on the naughty list! lol  The festive words background is going be such a useful stamp!

These big words are going to look great on journal pages and on cards - they look lovely when embossed in glitter!

Oh Christmas Tree!  This big doodle tree is a favourite of mine!  I can see it being used in so many ways.

Aaaah here is this year's snowman!  Looking a bit (a lot) the worse for wear - I think he's had a bit too much christmas spirit!  The big word block is another great stand along image on a card.

Lots and lots of stamps to choose from - I hope some will inspire you to get started with your christmas crafting!

The stamps are available NOW from all the usual PaperArtsy stockists..

I am running a Christmas Card workshop on September 19th 2018, in Leigh-on-Sea - go HERE for details.  

Come and join me! 
I hope to see a few of you there!

Ho Ho Ho!!

JoFY Bingo Wk.14

Happy Monday everyone!  This week's Bingo numbers are 18 and 60!  These sets are at opposite ends of the JOFY range but I think I can still make them work together...

I started out by making a card using Distress Oxides (yummy!)....

and I thought I would make more... but then I spotted the little sign stamp on JOFY18! and thought how good it might look with the flowers on JOFY60... so I made a fairly quick, clean&simple journal spread..

I'm really enjoying art journaling at the moment and it might be because
1. I really like the size of this journal - its the small Dylusions journal
2. Its almost full! and I'm keen to finish it!

The blobby 'trees' in the background are a stencil by The Crafter's Workshop called 'Mini pods on sticks' (ref TCW546s) - I really like the way they look with the flowers... hhhmm would look great with doodles on them don't you think?!

I used Fresco paints and Tombow brush markers for colour, and paper piecing for flowers.

Another week of Bingo done!  If you have the stamps and want to join in then please do.

Thanks for stopping by..

Christmas Card Class

I'm really excited to start offering classes - the first of which is dedicated to making Christmas Cards.

Yes, you read that correctly - a Christmas Card Class! On the day the class runs there will be less than 100 days until christmas (!!) so why not make a headstart?!

We'll make a selection of cards in the 2.5 hours, but unfortunately I can't show you samples because we'll be using the latest JOFY stamps (yet unreleased).  If I showed you those I would go straight to the top of Father Christmas's Naughty List! lol  but I can tell you there will be glitter, stamps and paint! (oh my!!)

The cost of the class is £30.00* - you'll receive a class kit containing all the substrates you need to create the cards, and one of the new A5 JOFY stamp sets (rrp £20.50) we'll be using in the class.

Everything you need will be provided but please bring an apron if you're a clean&tidy sort of crafter!

The class will run at the Community Centre, Elm Road in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.  Its a great venue and there is a big public car park next door (free after 6pm).

I'm really looking forward to sharing the new JOFY designs with you - I hope you can join me for some festive crafting....

*To book your place, receive more details, or ask any questions please email me at jo@jofy.co.uk

(BOOKING EDIT: deposit of £10.00 (non-refundable) holds your place, payment in full on the day)

ALBOTAT..... cleaning tip

.. (A Little Bit Of This And That)... I don't often blog about 'cleaning tips' .... its not that sort of blog but if you're creative you've probably needed to clean a stencil (or two)... today's blog post is about....

Cleaning Stencils!!

Cleaning stencils can be a nightmare and I wanted to share something I found out earlier this month... sort of by accident...

I clean my stencils in the sink in a bathroom which is next to my workroom... I was looking around for my art-scrubbing-brush to remove the black gesso from my stencil but couldn't find it, then I spied the exfoliating gloves drying on the side of the bath!

Gloves would make a great scrubbing tool wouldn't they?!  They're soft so won't damage the stencil surface and edges, abrasive enough to remove paint...

They worked really well, as you can see here from my little video - please excuse the quality - its hard to scrub and hold the phone to record at the same time!

The gloves also really good for cleaning rollers/brayers with a bit of warm water.. win win

Exfoliating gloves are a bit of a cleaning winner in my book:

• great for cleaning stencils and brayers
• they come as a pair! almost like a bogoff - when one gets too dirty you can use the other while you wash the first one!
• they're inexpensive!

win win!!  (but as with everything - use with care!)

Hope you find this useful - I'm grateful for any tips on how to clean craft equipment!

(And yes, I have bought a new pair of gloves to use on my skin! lol)

Thanks for stopping by

JoFY Bingo Wk.13

Woo hoo!  Its Bingo time again!  Two flower sets this week - 25 & 33

Another journal spread...

I started on a page in my journal which was a clean up spread - one where I'd wiped a brush/gelli plate/roller clean - and it was not pretty! lol 
I painted over it using a slightly dry babywipe (leaving some of that 'nasty' showing through to add depth) using Snowflake & Sea Glass - one of the lovely new Fresco Finish colours by Courtney Franich.
If you haven't seen them yet - here they are:

l to r, starting at the top: Mustard Pickle, Lemon Meringue, Mulled Wine, Peach Nectar, Blah-mange, Vintage Lace, Twilight, Surf's up, Pine Grove, Sea Glass, Koala, Eggshell.

I used Sea Glass and Snowflake on the background and then for the stenciled thistles I mixed Koala and Slate (irl Koala is lighter than shown on the photo) to get a mid grey colour.  The die cut stems are painted in shades of Peach Nectar mixed with Snowflake. The small 'flowers' are painted with Snowflake and Blah-mange.

The Thistle stencil is from the lovely people at Stencil Girl Products - if you're a stencil fan go visit their site - sooooo many stencils! lol

I coloured the stems with FaberCastell polychromos pencils - very relaxing to just sit and colour isn't it. :o)

OK, feeling good - 2 more weeks done and dusted - I am back on track....

I've been doing a bit of planning for the Bingo project - seeing where it will now finish because of the unscheduled breaks... it finishes (IF I don't take anymore unscheduled breaks...) on the 31st December!!!  How neat and tidy is that!  Couldn't've planned it better if I tried! lol

Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you next week...

Take care