July to December.

Good afternoon lovely friends and followers. Following on from yesterday's blog we are going to cover the second part of our crafty year...

July was the first Clarity Anglesey and thanks to help from Julie it went really well and was soon repeated and we have the village hall booked for more classes in 2016

At Clarity we had the release of the Christmas Wee Folk

I also got chance to travel to Bristol , stay with my lovely friend Yvonne and have a crafty weekend with a generous and talented group of crafty friends.

August and I was invited to demonstrate at the Paper Warehoues Summer Crafting event in Kendal...

This was a real treat especially as I was born in Kendal...such a fabulous shop and I am so happy to say that I now run regular classes there...

Things were busy with the Sweet Lilac Flowers design team too.

September was another busy month as we had the Clarity Open Days in Catterick and some more Christmas new releases.

Great Santa stamp ....looks fab in pyrography too.

And these gorgeous snowflakes...

October, this was the month that we got to play with the new Christmas Stencils...now you know how much I love to use Stencils

And get messy with Distress Inks..

November, yet another busy month with usual classes and the first of our local day workshop . Manchester Crafts was born and really well received...and yes more dates have been booked for 2016

It was Christmas on Hochanda tv..and playtime with the Color Burst powders from Ken Oliver.

December , already....

And we had new Wee Tree and Foliage stamps.

Plus some fantastic Stencils

So there we have a snap shot of the last six months...

I am so lucky to be able to meet and craft with such wonderful people and I would like to thank all the lovely crafters who attend my classes, support me with my magazine work, buy my crafty items, and come here to read and comment....I really could not do it without you...

I thank you from the bottom of my heart...

The last twelve months have been brilliant and I am so looking forward to the next twelve months...

Happy New Year all.....

Much love and hugs...

Jo. xxxx

 

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January to June 2015..

Good afternoon all and as always thanks for dropping in for a coffee and a catch up...

How is your week going? All o,k. here thanks...we have caught up with some special friends and had a wonderful family meal out last night....

As this year is drawing to a close , I thought we would have a look back at the crafty journey over the last twelve months...

And what a twelve months it has been.......

January started with Barbara launching the Claritystamps brand at CHA,

New stamps, stencils and masks...

And here in the UK the wonderful Wee Folk were born

I do love the versatility of these marvellous little silhouettes...

February and I was doing my regular workshops in Hazel Grove, Cheshire plus Edgeley , Stockport and Lindale in Cumbria.

We had these fab new stamps to play with

March and Barbara had German TV shows plus the new Bird Row stamps...which are still one of my favourite sets.

And I have always loved using white embossing powder on vellum

April was a busy month I had my usual classes, my Fussy and Fancy DT work, magazine work and I started to sell my cards , mixed media work and pyrography in a local shop...Crookilley Crafts Emporium in Bramhall, Cheshire.

I was amazed at how well my makes started to sell....

Also April saw the release of the Wee Fairies.

May and it was wedding season..

And I just had to include a sample using Jo's Bubbles Stencil....yes I actually designed a stencil...

Thanks Barb and Dave for making it...

June soon came round and it was our first Clarity Glasgow...a long way to travel ...but oh boy well worth it...

What a great bunch of ladies.

We had these fab geese and hen stamps,,,,perfect for my pyrography..

I think we will have a little breather there and carry on tomorrow , I do love to look back at designs...don't you? I do find it so hard to choose favourites as they all have a special place in my heart....it was even hard only choosing two per month to put on here.....!!!!

I had better get on....still got the dogs to walk, some ironing to do and a Birthday card to make...

Thanks for joining me for our first six months looking back....

Pop back tomorrow for the second instalment ....

Enjoy your evening..

Love and hugs

Jo. xxxx

 

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Lovely days.

Good afternoon all and thanks for popping in....it is good to see you at this festive time,,,grab a drink, something to eat and pull up a chair......I do hope that you had a wonderful Christmas.

We had a lovely time and it was so good to spend quality family time,,,and we even had an extra visitor for Christmas lunch...good job that I had my emergency chair ready,,..

I have been busy today making samples ready for next weekend when Barbara will be on our screens once again.....they are all finished and ready for posting tomorrow morning...

So I thought it was a good time to make a cup of tea and have a catch up...

Here is one of my samples from Pauls last show on Hochanda

 

I do love the Bird Row stamps....and as you know I do love to Mix And Match my stencils...

Here is a closer look...

I started with a piece of stencil card and stamped the birds..then added their individual masks...

Then I taped my stencils into place.

First the oval one...

Followed by this fabulous new background one.

Next I added some Distress inks...yes I know ...my favourite colours...

 

I also added a border to match the wooden branch...and added colour to my birds using my Soectrum Noir pencils. ( always remember to leave some white area when colouring in..)

I didn't have the correct colour of card for some matting and layering..so I made my own from some white card and an Alcohol marker.

Then some classic little white dots...and yes ...I do use these so much...

I added the word News from the word chains...I thought it was very apt ....

You see ' it was the little bird who told me '

I really enjoyed making this card....

I wonder what the News is though.....better ask the little birdie..!!!!

Enjoy your evening.....I am off to tackle my ironing mountain....as Mikey is such a love and gave me two huge bags of washing for Christmas......Bless him,,,,,.

Love and hugs ...

Jo. xxx

 

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Happy Christmas to one and all..

Good morning..and Happy Christmas to everyone.....

...hope Santa has been and left you some wonderful gifts.

Hope up have a wonderful day...filled with Family , friends, happy times and lots of love and laughter..

Wherever you are, stay safe and enjoy....

God bless....

Hugs and prayers

Jo. xxx

 

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I feel so blessed....

Good afternoon all, and thanks as always for sharing a few moments of your day with me....

Today I wanted to share with you some of the most wonderful pieces of art work that have been given to me,,,,

You see I feel so privileged and blessed to be able to meet such lovely crafters at my workshops, through social media, publications and this little blog...

Some of you have been coming regularly now for over four years.....hey soon you will get a medal....!!!!

I really do value each and every one of you ....and you are such a generous as well as talented bunch...

 

Just look at these beautiful cards...

And these

And these

And even some from you lovely blog followers too.

Talented at baking....( gluten free.....thanks Julie )

Talented with a sewing machine

Thanks Lucy...

And Debbie....

Beautiful orchids.

And lots of presents under the tree

Thank you so much.....

And those of you who sent emails with special messages yes, you brought a tear to my eye....

You see it is me who should Thank You....

Hope your preparations are going well....and to all my friends in Cumbria and Scotland extra big hugs...

Yesterday we saw for our selves the devastation, we had to drive through floods, had to take a 90minute detour due to closed roads and had to abandon meeting up with my sister , ....my thoughts and prayers are with you....

Love and hugs to all...

Jo. xxxxx

 

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