2025 Year in review: Jo Firth-Young

Introduction by Leandra

Jo has been a busy designer all year, particularly treating us to her monthly craftalong sessions (Jofy Jollies), which you can find through her Facebook Community JoFY Jamboree. Her 12 days of Christmas became 12 months of Christmas in 2025, with plenty of inspo looking at older stamps from her extensive collection, and newer ones!

This year she discovered the fun of monsters, adorable, squidgy ones! And of course mini monsters had to follow. Characters can add a playful element to your crafting, especially when googley eyes are added into the mix! But of course, at the heart of Jo's creativity are her wonderful florals and slightly retro patterns within her stencils. These are classic elements she loves to pair with soft colours, always with a touch of sparkle or a bit of bling. Lets take a look back at all the designs Jo brought to us in 2025

Hi everyone.  

Its time for an end of year review!! Wow, this year seems to have flown by and its been a been a monsterously fun year! In March I introduced you to my fun (not scary!) monsters, in July I brought you magical Christmas stamps & in September there were marvellous minis to finish the year!

FRIENDLY MONSTERS

The Monster Collection

JoFY139, JOFY140 & JOFY141

PS459, PS460 & PS461 (Large size)

March JOFY blog launch here

All the monsters make me smile, they are a little bit weird and not at all scary!  This panel especially makes me smile! The stencil PS460 gives it a retro, fun & happy vibe - perfect for these monsters who are happy little beings!

I intentionally didn't draw arms on the monsters - it makes them more versatile. It enables you to draw the arms your monster needs - to give expression, movement or enable them to carry or hold items. It also means that wings can easily be added (as shown in the sample below)!

Simple arms & hands designed for carrying items.  In the sample below the bunch of flowers were created using the flowers from JM83.

Martha Ponsanesi created the sample below in this blog post.  A really fun card using monsters from several sets and minis - I love how she's used the apertures of the tunnel card. Adorable.

Renata Peley created a bright, colourful panel featuring most of the monster 'family' with gorgeous colouring, you can see more of the details of this project here.

MINI MONSTERS

Mini Monsters

JM81 to JM88

Blog launch here

Here are some of the characters that can be created by adding different limbs, accessories and additional doodling on one single stamp. I altered JM85 but you could alter any of the monsters in a similar way.

These adorable monsters and panel were created by the very talented Etsuko Noguchi. She perfectly combined stamps from several different JOFY stamps sets and stencils.

JOFY 2025 CHRISTMAS

Christmas Collection

JoFY142, JOFY143 & JOFY144

PS477, PS478 & PS479 (Regular size)

July blog post here

On this card I used parts of the images, using a different detail in each panel - this can be a nice way to use up any left-over images you might have.

Keren Baker always creates beautiful, unusual samples & this year was no exception. The slim line cards she created, shown below, were among my favourites. You can read about them here.

JOFY 2025 MINI CHRISTMAS

Christmas Minis

JM89 to JM96
September blog post here

Mini stamps can be used to make big cards with a bit of pattern repeat.

This is one of 3 art journal spreads I designed with this Christmas release and I've included it here as the little mini monster (JM89) is front and centre.  I like how he is looking at Father Christmas, probably trying to convince him to include him on the 'nice' list. lol

The background stamp JM92 is also included on this page (on the left hand side of the photo) - its a great pattern that can be used throughout the year, not just at Christmas.

End of Year Project: Festive Monster Mash-up - 3 Tags

My 'end of year' project is a mash up of all this year's releases because I thought it would be fun to give the monsters a festive theme. There is a festive mini monster (JM89), affectionately known as Festive Fred, who came in very useful as his hat fitted several other monsters (I'm loving how funny (and small!) it looks on the monster from JOFY139). 

I created 3 festive tags and the designs/layouts can easily be adapted for greeting cards or decorations.

These are a few of the stamps I used. I gathered up all the stamps (& a couple of stencils) I designed this year & picked the ones that suited my ideas for each tag.

I covered the tags in gorgeous gel printed sheets from my stash - the circle print was created with stencil PS329 (one of my favourites). The shimmer is the gorgeous Pearl Glaze and Gold Fresco Finish paints.

Each of the 3 tags (various sizes) started in the same way.  I covered each tag with a panel of the gel printed paper & then added a different decorative layer to each.

Tag #1 'Top of the Nice list', features snowflakes (JOFY143) stamped and embossed in white.

Tag #2 'Greetings' I used JM95, (a really useful background word collage stamp) stamped and embossed with Platinum embossing powder.

Tag #3 'Reach for the Stars' has a stencilled background (PS478). I like how the matte chalk paint contrasts with the gel printed Pearl Glaze.

 

Note: On these tags I mixed and matched stamps - literally! I stamped out the images onto scrap paper, cut them apart & pieced them together to create another image, or situation as shown in the photo below. Its a great way to try out ideas without 'wasting' your good papers on something that isn't quite right.

Tag #1:  'Top of the Nice list'

I stamped the images onto coloured papers, added additional detail with coloured pencils and cut them out. (monster JOFY139, mini monster JM89)

I cut a 'hill' from printed paper, and stamped & embossed JM92 in white to resemble snow.

I stamped the words on JM91 onto kraft card to make a sign, glued it the tag along with the monster. A Christmas monster needs a touch of sparkle - I added Stickles onto the markings of his body.

I also stamped the  monster on white cardstock so I could paperpiece the eyes onto the monster's body. The sentiment tag uses one of the greetings from JOFY144 - you could also use the greetings from JM94.

Tag #2 'Greetings'

This is such a happy l little monster - I always think it looks like its dancing! I drew on simple arms which I think immediately gives them life and movement.

Here are the elements I used to create the image on the tag - monster from JOFY141, bauble stack from JOFY142, Santa hat was kindly loaned by Festive Fred on JM89.

I stamped the monster onto white card, cut out the eyes and attached them to a monster previously stamped on a gel printed sheet. I cut this out paying careful attention to the legs.

Once everything was assembled I blended around the edge of the tag with Snowflake Fresco Finish paint.

I bent the monsters legs and to make it look like he is sitting on the bauble.

The rainbow tag is from JOFY142, the greeting is JM94.

Tag #3: Reach for the stars

Festive Fred is such a funny little monster. I love his expression, it looks like he's up to something - he's a mischievous little monster.

I needed to shorten the Christmas tree I used (JOFY143) & you can see how I did that in the photo above.

This sentiment is on mini JM89.

Festive Fred (stamped onto the same gel printed paper that I used for tags #2 & 3) may have spots but they are sparkly spots, because he's special!

Pompom trim in a perfect addition to festive makes!

Tiny tags are a great way to add interest at the top of a tag, each of the 3 I made for here has 1 or two tags featuring sentiments or embellishments.

Making festive monsters was a lot of fun - I could keep going - so many ideas and options.  I hope this has inspired you to create your own 'Christmas Critter' and if you do please share them on the PaperArtsy socials.

www.jofy.co.uk

Facebook:  JoFY Jamboree!!

Instagram: @jofyjo

Take care and see you next year!

Jo