Jackie Ashton invited me to teach at her flagship Birds of a Feather event in Birmingham England and when I saw her layouts I knew she must be spotlighted! She’s a talented one and funny, sweet, positive, and oh so kind!
Name: Jackie Ashton
Location: Birmingham, England
Instagram: @jackiescraps
Pinterest: @jackie40
Facebook: Jackie Ashton
Tell us a little bit about you and how you got started scrapbooking: I’m married with a 19 year old son and we live in Birmingham UK. I’m originally from Lancashire, and I never imagined I was a creative person, but there must have been something that drew me to crafting and being creative. In the past I’ve enjoyed cross stitching, not on a big scale, just from time to time I would attempt a project or two, then just over 10 years ago I decided to attend a card making class and it was at this class that the tutor introduced some ‘memory keeping’ workshops, and after attending one or two sessions, I was hooked and scrapbooking soon became my choice of craft. I’m currently on a few DT teams: Hey Little Magpie, Bramble Fox, and UK Scrap Addicts and as well as teaching at my own retreats, I’ve been asked to teach at others up and down the UK.
Just over 12 months ago, two friends and myself formed our partnership called ‘Birds of a Feather UK’ that organises retreats and workshops in the West Midlands, UK. We have had the great pleasure of hosting both Paige Evans and Amy Tan, who flew to the UK to make their teaching debut with us.
What is your favorite thing to create? I’m a traditional 12×12 girl, but I do make the odd mini book now and again, and I love to mix my album pages with different sizes of layouts, including adding pocket pages. It allows me to document a little bit more of our lives, not just the big events. I love that scrapbooking allows me to create and be crafty whilst documenting my everyday life and allowing me to tell a story using pretty paper. But my biggest love is seeing my family looking though my albums and reliving those moments I’ve documented.
5 fun facts about me:
1. I’ve been married 22 years, however my husband is camera shy! I know, I know – I don’t understand it myself, but he is, so it’s very rare that you will see a layout with him in it, but it doesn’t stop him wanting to see what I’ve created and he encourages me in my ventures.
2. After working for 20 years as a PA/Secretary, I qualified as a Beauty Therapist, but I no longer practice … but love to be pampered when I get the chance … who doesn’t right?!
3. If a new paper range is released and it has even one paper that has a map on – I need the whole collection. I’m a wannabe traveller and just love anything travel related.
4. I’m a complete hoarder, of everything crafty, my craft room could supply 3 or 4 craft rooms and I would still have plenty left to play with.
5. I’ve meet some good friends though crafting over the years, and love that we meet up regularly both socially and for crafting. So much so, that twice a year I rent a cottage to have our own weekend ‘retreat’ giving us time to eat, scrap, laugh, and share our love of crafting.
YOU ROCK by Jackie Ashton
This layout came together from a photo I took of my son recently, when I look at the photo I just thought how cool he looked. I didn’t realise I had a style until I came to look through my albums and realised that I did. This layout has it all, inked background, ripped edges, die cut stars, ink splatters, messy thread…!
BE HAPPY by Jackie Ashton
I love layers and this layout was a fun one to put together. Inked background and a mixture of patterned paper, and stars… I think I have a thing about stars… and some machine stitching. Made it a fun layout to go with the fun photographs.
SUPER STAR by Jackie Ashton
I love how a cut file helps enhances your page, and I knew just what photographs I had to go with this Super Star one by Paige Evans, again more patterned paper layers and of course stars.
AWESOME by Jackie Ashton
Again using loads of die cut stars in various patterned papers and stamping words on the background paper. Adding depth to my layout using 3d foam to raise a few of the stars.
NO LIMITS by Jackie Ashton
I took my inspiration for this layout from the patterned papers from this collection, but wanted to add more texture, so I punched the circles, inked circles on the background, and added some hand stitched circle details which help to bring my layout to life.
A big thank you to Jackie for sharing her talent with us today!
I love the fun, colorful, collage-type backgrounds Jackie does. She’s inspired me to think outside the box!Thanks, Jackie!