New {July 2015} PaperArtsy Products: JOFY - Part 1

Hi everyone, Jo Firth-Young here to introduce my newest stamps under the JOFY Designer Collection. Leandra shot a video recently to show you all my new products.
Here it is below...

But you might also like to take a look at the video for the products I released at the start of the year. Here is that video: 

I have 2 new stamp sets for you in this July 2015 release:

For this release I wanted to design more 'solid' images- ones that would create/give solid colour or pattern rather than detailed flowers. I felt these would complement the range.. and some more 'critters'.. this time its a friendly caterpillar.

Tonight we take a close up look at set 37, and tomorrow I have some more 'wingmen' who will work with set 38. Of course they all mix and match really well as you will see.

First up tonight we have Clare Charvill. Clare has previously created some lovely projects to teach in classes at PaperArtsy retailer Birds in the Barn using the JOFY stamps, so I'm very happy to have her as 'wingman'. She is well known for her work with Graphic 45 products, so JoFY style stamps are a totally different direction for her. You can find her blog at My Creative Spirit.

Shadow Box by Clare Charvill using JOFY 37

Clare created this lovely box frame, featuring the spikey flower and has created flowers by cutting up and re-purposing the circle border.

Caterpillar Manor by Clare Charvill using JOFY37

For this sample, Clare added a 'fairy door' to give the caterpillars a home. The spots on the mushrooms are created using the small dots from the circle border stamped onto book page. Ingenious.

Next up It's Lauren Hatwell. I've seen some of Lauren's projects previously on the PaperArtsy blog, and then on her own blog. Love her style. You can see for yourself on her blog here at Marvelous Mechanical Mouse Organ . I really liked how she thought just a little bit 'outside' the box.

Bloom and Grow by Lauren Hatwell using JOFY37

Here's what Lauren has to say about the cute little frame she created:  "I do love making my own home decor items so a framed scene was what I thought of as soon as I saw the stamps. The caterpillar is my favourite; I think he's great. I love the fact that all Jo's pieces can be altered slightly or moved around to make other things. It makes them so versatile."

Feeling Prickly by Lauren Hatwell

When I first saw this card it made me laugh out loud!  Part caterpillar, part porcupine!

Here's Lauren again:  "I couldn't resist adding some long hairs to the caterpillar for a fun card. I really like the fact that all Jo's stamps chime with others in the range and it makes it so easy to put together the look you want without losing that lovely JOFY style we all love so much. All I needed to add was some grass and the lettering."

Rolling Hills by Lauren Hatwell with JOFY 37

The 'most-clever-use-of-a-toadstool' award goes to Lauren for creating hills from the toadstool, however, she didn't stop there, she also added trees with equally clever use of the border! And the stalk of the spikey flower became the trunk of the trees!

Blooming Beautiful by Lauren Hatwell with JoFY 37

This sister card to the one above also uses white embossing powder which really helps the painted sections pop, I do love a bit of white on Kraft card!

Lauren always finishes her cards beautifully on the inside too!

Next up It's only Leandra Franich. Leandra recently taught with my new stamps at a retailer training day. Here is one of the samples using  JOFY37, and tomorrow you'll see the other 'twin' using JOFY38.

Under the Toadstools by Leandra Franich using JOFY37

Leandra says: "I tried out Jo's blended paint background idea on the wood block base with cool brown shades, then stamped and layered images and added some colour. The Toadstools were actually stamped on painted book page, and once cut out were easily curled slightly to add dimension (that sadly you can't see too well from this picture). The Old Gold stencilled paint catches the light in the background. I thinned 'chalk' with Satin Glaze to colour the word 'bloom' at the base."

Finally, I'd like to share with you a few of the items I have made with my stamps.

Printed Mushrooms by Jo Firth-young using JOFY37

I quite like making samples on grey-white board. The substrate is quite sturdy, and takes paint really well. The colours in this are minimalist, and the pop of pink adds a great accent.

Step One: basecoat the entire board with Buff, and with a babywipe dab Chalk over to soften it back for a mottled effect. Stamp the words 'bloom' in Snowflake over the background.

Step Two: Hand-draw 2 lines at the base, leaving a space large enough to fit the die cut words Bloom. 

Step Three: Mask off below the drawn lines (I use a very large post-it note) Stamp in Archival Ink (Jet Black) the Mushrooms, and other grassy elements

Step Four: Stamp the Spikey flower in Sepia/ Tree Branch or any other pale brown ink. Colour 2 of them (to the left and right) in Prawn thinned with water to make it less opaque.

Step Five: Paint some Altered Book page with Chalk paint. When the page is dry stamp the Mushrooms in black and dry. Add depth and shading with layers of diluted French Roast to the lower left and a touch of chalk to the top right. Cut out and stick on top of the mushrooms on the grey-white board.

Step Six: Paint your die cut letters in French Roast and stick in position. Add some more shading with French Roast the the trunks and a few spikes/ strokes around the base for depth.

Pink Bloomers by Jo Firth-Young using JOFY37

Here is a variation on the sample above. This time the Mushrooms are stamped onto scrapbook papers and cut out with additional shading added with translucent paint. The background is buff, and the base area is painted in French Roast. The background detail comes from my Stencil (PS011) in chalk over the buff background.

Please drop by my blog, JOFY if you get a chance. All my upcoming classes are listed on there with links to the shops I will be at for demos and classes over the next few months.

Currently, the following shops already have these new stamps available for you to buy, so please support your local independent on online retailer and buy your crafting supplies from them as often as you can. (current to July 10, 2015)

Artist Trading Post, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, UK.
Birds in the Barn, Marks Tey, Essex, UK.
Creafine, Papendrect, The Netherlands
Creativity Cards and Crafts, Eastbourne, UK
Imagine That Papercrafts, Essex, UK.
Loobi Crafts, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, UK
Scrapatouille, Brignoles, France.
Snazzys, Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.
Scrapbook Centrale, Quebec, Canada.
Stamping Corner, Zuid Holland, The Netherlands.
Stempelfee-Shop, Hilden, Germany.
That's Crafty, Harold Wood, London, UK
The Artistic Stamper, Faversham, Kent, UK
The Craft Barn, South Nutfield, Surrey, UK
The Craft Den, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, UK.

Don't forget, the Topic 12: Stencils challenge is open for an extra week, so only 2 more sleeps to get your entries in!  You have until Sunday, July 12th 5pm London time, to link your art. Perhaps Lin has inspired you to do some metal work tonight? It's a perfect fit with the Shiny Stuff Topic !!!