Storytelling in Pictures and Words over at PaperArtsy

Hello all, long time no blogpost - apologies!  But I'm back with a splash today... I'm delighted to be over at the PaperArtsy blog with a hand-stitched book full of storytelling using words and pictures, with a joyful spring colour palette.  And you can also turn the pages and listen to the stories embedded in them over on YouTube. 

The current theme on the blog is mixing and matching two different PaperArtsy stamp designers.  My project uses my own designs combined with some of France Papillon's eclectic range of stamp sets, and the whole thing is inspired by vintage book pages and illustrations.

I hope you'll hop over to PaperArtsy to find out how I brought together lots of different elements by using recurring colours and motifs.

And there's also a flip-through on my YouTube channel where you can hear me telling all the stories which emerged from the pages as I was creating them.  So catch the "how-to" over at PaperArtsy and the "listen-to" over on YouTube... I hope you'll enjoy all of it!

Happy springtime to you!

If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.
Oscar Wilde

Books are the mirrors of the soul.
From The Waves by Virginia Woolf

Brand New Stamps at PaperArtsy - and Stencils too!!

Hello all - I'm delighted to be sharing three brand new PaperArtsy stamp sets with you... and not only that, for the first time I have stencil designs to share too!

Join me for the launch video in the PaperArtsy People FB Group to hear about the springtime inspiration behind these new sets, as well as to see what I've been creating with them so far.

And of course you can take your time exploring the new designs as well as the samples over on the PaperArtsy blog - with lots of close-ups and angles full of creative inspiration for your springtime art and craft making.

I hope you'll love these new stamps and stencils as much as I do.  I can't wait to hear what you think of them, and I'm even more excited to see what you will be inspired to create with them.  Happy Springtime, all!

A Light exists in Spring
Not present on the Year
At any other period...
Emily Dickinson

There is no time like Spring,
When life's alive in everything...
Christina Rossetti

Words and Pictures YouTube is one year old!

I can hardly believe it's been a whole year of regular episodes on my YouTube channel - what a lovely new adventure it's been!  I hopped on to say hello "in person"... the first time of having my face on camera on the channel (though those who've seen PaperArtsy lives will be familiar with me doing that!).

I'm particularly proud of the generous, positive atmosphere in the comments section on the channel -  especially when you consider some of the interactions which go on in social media comments sections! - so when some people suggested that I should set up a Buy Me A Coffee page to allow them to make contributions to the creative journey.

So that is what I have done, and the anniversary message also talks about why and what that page is for, so do take a look if you're interested.

There are several new episodes available since I last posted here - one of them in a very surprising colour palette!  Check out the colourful journal cover, using my PaperArtsy Printed Tissue.

There's a chance to dive into one of my tag crates in a bit more detail, so come and enjoy that inspiration too.

You might enjoy these Window Women... they inspired lots of different storytelling ideas, not only from me but also from lots of the audience in their comments below the video.

Or how about some little rusty Valentine's envelopes - made with altered teabag sachets - perfect for popping a little love note into, or even a chocolate.

I hope you're all surviving February... there's some exciting news coming your way next week to brighten these winter days.  Do watch this space, and happy crafting all!

The time for action is now.  It is never too late to do something.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
Marthe Troly-Curtin

Happy New Year (belatedly!)

Hello all!  I thought I'd better hop over to wish you a happy New Year before January is over.  We're going to need all the happiness, creativity, light and beauty that we can get in 2025.  So here are some 2024 highlights to start that off... 

(First up - the top nine IG posts by numbers.)

Things are very busy behind the scenes. (When are they ever not, these days?)  I'm heading off to Frankfurt in early February, to make an appearance (or two) on the PaperArtsy stand at Creativeworld, the last of the large craft trade fairs, now that the US one is out of action.  

(Next up - my personal favourite top nine tag posts.)

And then in March, if you're in the Netherlands, you'll find me at the Art Specially fair in Nijkerk, demo-ing with some of my PaperArtsy stamps for De Hobby Studio - one of the Dutch PaperArtsy stockists. 

(And finally, my personal favourite top nine non-tag posts.)

And of course there are lots of exciting things bubbling in the pipeline at PaperArtsy that you'll need to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks...

For now, I'll just share a few links to recent YouTube episodes over at Words and Pictures (YT version!).  There's a new midweek series called Tag Time, as well as the usual Few Minutes of Fun to enjoy every Saturday.  Click the links below to join me at the craft table...

Long-time followers may notice there's a new colour creeping into focus!!

Tag Time - Birch Beauty

A Few Minutes of Fun with Tissue Paper Art Journal Covers

Tag Time - Rusty Mixed Media Tags with dried flowers

A Few Minutes of Fun with Mattints and Gel Prints and more

Tag Time - Grungy Rusty Cog Tag

A Few Minutes of Fun with Crackle Collage ATCs

Tag Time - Stamped Embossed Hedgerow Tags

And once I'm done bopping around Europe, there will be some news about more UK workshops coming in the spring too.

I hope you're all surviving the winter cold (or the winter heat if you are on the other side of the globe), and finding time to be creative.  Happy crafting, all!

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instil in us.
Hal Borland

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
Helen Keller