Jo C-S Intro- 'Life happens'....

Hello!

It's my turn to introduce myself.

My name is Jo Capper-Sandon, Jo, short for Joanne.

I really don't enjoy having my photo taken any more now that I'm getting older (I was 47 this week feeling 97!) and so it was a challenge in itself finding one of me that wasn't taken in the 1980's.

I used to look much livelier,

with shiny white teeth...



...but then life happened ...

and kids...

and gravity....

...and thankfully Photo Shop lol....



I don't have a recent photo of me from the front (lots from the back...I always seem to be escaping or just out of shot thank fully), so you will have to use your imagination. I do have a nose, and my lippy isn't quite so pink, but you get the idea.

OK...where to begin?

I live here in the UK.........



Born up north in Cheshire (known for its cat and gorgeous cheese), I grew up in Staffordshire (famous for its pottery and its delicious oatcakes)and now live here in the south. 'Here' is also known as Kingston near Lewes (pronounced Loo-iss)is just outside Brighton, on the coast in East Sussex.

I live with my husband Dave and two sons, Zak, who is almost 20 and Kane who is 8. We live in a lovely, light and airy house that we had recently converted, in a quiet country village with a bit of land, an allotment and chickens.

My interest in all things arty-crafty began like most people, as a child, but seriously as a teenager, when at 16 I went to art college for a number of years, eventually studying Textiles.
I then 'did stuff' for 20 years and eventually became interested in making cards. I visited a blog the other day who's owner said she started making cards to save money- and I think thats why I thought it might be a good idea at the time, but it certainly hasn't saved me any! :0)

Since that fateful day of watching the magic act of heat embossing in my local craft store 8 years or so ago and watching cardmaking on TV, I've gone from 'Toppers and peel off stickers' to what I do now, which is playing with inks and stamps mainly.



I was once Guest Artist for Stamper's Sampler, have appeared on the cover of Craft Stamper(above shows an Art Journey article I wrote) and Take Ten, and now have my own line of stamps with a well known company in America(I know!! I don't believe it either!).
I design for a number of stamp companies, stores and a magazine here in the UK, The Netherlands and the USA which keeps me incredibly busy and the house permenantly scattered with stamps, inks and bits and pieces.




I also enjoy photography, as a number of us seem to here. I don't have a flashy camera, just a little digital snappy one, but its fine for capturing inspirational bits and pieces. The photograph above (the view from our garden) was shown on TV a few times last autumn which I was really pleased about. I have a blog called Jo Blogs Outdoors where my photography can be seen.

Here is an Art Journey blast from the past.










Reading all that back to myself, I don't seem to be doing too badly I suppose. Of course, I've only mentioned the glossy bits, the bits we mention when people say, Hello, I'm so and so...lovely to meet you...I thought the doom and gloom could stand to one side for a change lol :0)
I've enjoyed reading the introductions from members of the Art Journey team. I hope you are enjoying them too - there are still a few more to come.

Here is a sunny spring like card to finish with, using one of the new images from the Boys plate.




Have a very happy Easter weekend. Don't eat too many chocolate eggs!