Time For Flowers By Jo Firth Young ....

Wake up and smell the flowers!! ...or is that coffee...well whatever...we have a 'spesh sleb' appearance on the blog tonight from the one and only Jo Firth-Young. 

Jo has always been a star in my eyes (everyone say 'ahhhhhh') and she is one of the early crafting friends I made here in the UK when we arrived 12 years ago. Her style throughout has always been classy. There I've said it, that girls got class! (whispers ....even if she is from Essex) - clearly that statement is not to offend Essex people, digging furiously out of the hole....but it is generally a standing joke with any of us Essex-based people ! Not all of us are TOWIE clones ....even if we do happen to live in Brentwood where it is filmed....#fact  

{in case you are blissfully unaware and have no idea what I am on about... TOWIE is a 'loosely based on reality' TV show about Essex, more specifically Brentwood, Essex - think orange oompa loompa fake tans, short skirts, bright white teeth and people wot say 'your avvin a laff maaate' (you've got to be kidding me) 'innit' (isn't it) 'reem' (fabulous) 'I'm well jell' (I'm jealous of that). There is a whole tourism industry based around TOWIE here in Brentwood! Bonkers, but true! }

Not entirely sure I recovered from that one....but you get the drift.... Jo does like to say 'I'm not an Essex-girl, I'm a girl from Essex' .... and there is a difference in JoLand, so that is all that matters!....so where was I ...ahh yes, Jo is amazing! LOL If you ever get the chance to do a class with her BOOK IT! Don't think twice, just do it. More on that/ those later!

Her glorious flower series of stamps are selling so well in the shops we supply across the UK, and beyond, and she is fast developing her own 'fandom' - just thought I'd drop that new teen lingo word I learned from Miss 16 this week in there! LOL

As you know, in January we released this little baby as a taster of what was to come...

JOFY09

And late February its siblings arrived, which are clearly designed to work with the first set, and add more options to how you can grow yourself some JOFY flowers this Spring!

JOFY10

JOFY11

JOFY12

So not only is Jo doing demo days at various shops and teaching classes all over the UK in the next few months, but she has tonight created a project specially for this blog post! With new paints, grunge paste, stamps and more included, you are bound to get lots of ideas!!!

So please would you kindly welcome....the one and only Jo Firth-Young (claps wildly)

Thanks Leandra (I think!) ...this project uses one of the hanging chunky boards. They come in 2 sizes, and I have used the larger size. These are brilliant substrates for creating projects on - the papermache is smooth and supported on the inside so stamping directly onto the surface is not a problem (do dipping under pressure). 

Here's the finished article with step by steps of how I made it. 

I painted the substrate with Tinned Peas and Nougat, blending the colours top to bottom – these are two of my favourite ‘go-to’ colours. 

Next, Grunge Paste adds texture through a Crafters Workshop stencil, flower stems and grasses directly to the board. I masked off all the butterflies on the stencil because I didn’t want these – I use masking or sticky tape to do this (I prefer to use sticky tape as it is thinner). NB, I often tint GP with other Frescos, but this time i have used it straight from the tub - it dries a crisp white which I like a lot.

After I had dried the Grunge Paste I stenciled clocks (Crafters Workshop) onto the board (using a brush rather than a sponge to ensure the detail)…I used a combination of Elephant and French Roast Fresco Finish paint.

Next for the details – I stamped various flowers directly onto the board and then also onto book text paper.  The large flower is from JOFY10 and the seed heads are JOFY11.

I used Sherbet and Blood Orange Fresco Finish to colour the seed heads and to add a watery stain-style-wash to the big flower head.  I used a (Marvy le Plume) brush felt pen to draw around the lower edges of the flowers to add dimension.

Along the sides of the panel I added the phrase from JOFY09

So again, a big thanks to Jo for sharing with us such a fun way to use her stamps so effectively.

If you'd like to see Jo in action, here is a list of the events she has booked in

Colemans Craft Warehouse - demo day THIS Saturday  27 April, Rushden, Northants.

Jo will be demoing all day with stamps, Fresco Paints, Grunge Paste, stencils etc, and will be happy to answer your questions, or discuss with you ways of using PaperArtsy products with her Signature line of stamps.

The Stamp Attic - Workshop Weekend 18/19 May, Wantage, Oxon.

Saturday May 18th (cards)

Sunday May 19th (project)

This is your chance to enjoy some quality time with Jo. Her attention to detail with the way she uses colours, layers, stamps and embellishments is truly remarkable.
Book now to enjoy this opportunity while spaces are still available

Jo also returns for more classes at the Stamp Attic on:

Saturday July 6th

Sunday July 7th

Artistic Stamper, Workshop Saturday 22nd June,  Faversham, Kent

(class details to be finalised)

Crafting Time, Workshop Sunday 21 July, Shepreth, Cambridgeshire
(class details to be finalised)

A list of Jo's dates can also be found here on her blog

Don't forget our GD challenge is still open, be inspired by any of our GD this week, click HERE to upload/share your creativity.