30 Comments

I love the results with the pan pastels! We used stencils in recent workshop and they do wonders for making starting less overwhelming. I have been dreaming of getting some pan pastels and they gone up higher on my wishlist now.

Always inspired by your updates!

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Definitely worth buying one colour to see if you like them - I didn’t bother with the teeny sponges you can buy too, I just cut up a washing up one. Stencils are great just for getting going, aren’t they! Glad you are enjoying my updates 😊😊

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Absolutely love your newsletter! So inspiring!

I’ll be looking up the ‘Table Top Museums’, what a wonderful event!

You’ve given me the nudge I need to buy a printers letterpress tray and finally put my collections on display!

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Definitely worth putting table top museums in your diary for next year! And I’d love to hear more about your collections... really glad you enjoyed the newsletter!

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Blimey Jane, so much wonderful inspiration again! The stencil work is very up my street and yes I fondly remember my Viewmaster. (Loved my Worzel Gummidge reel!)

I'm so glad you're enjoying your violin making! : ) x

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Thankyou Fiona! And I did feel the stencils were a bit of a tribute to the Woodcock Way 🥰xx

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Oct 3, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

Another vintage issue! I don't know how you fit so much into every month! The stencil pictures are amazing and I love the street with added flowers. I'm looking forward to seeing your violin develop too! 🎻♥️ xx

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aw thankyou Nicola, that's lovely feedback and makes writing it all worthwhile! The stencils were so satisfying to do, I really want to experiment more with that medium. Though I definitely need to invest in some fixative first... XX

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Oct 2, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

Jane... you display the energy not of an about to turn 60 year old, but of a 16 year old! I am constantly in awe of what you manage to fit into your day with such infectious enthusiasm too... like making a violin is just your sort of everyday average activity!

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Ha ha I like being 59 much better than I liked being 16! And here's to un-average everyday activities... :)

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Loved this newsletter, Jane! So much juicy inspiration. I have lots of mini collections, it inspires me to keep going with them. All your school trips and workshops look ace! So great to do things like that, I reckon.

And your violin making...very exciting - I will follow along with glee! X

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Thankyou Ella! I’d love to see your mini-collections... I’ve definitely got sidetracked from picture book work lately but I’m really enjoying doing workshops and community things, I like the variety! Will share violin news - there’s a chance within a year I might have carved a scroll! X

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Oct 1, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

What a,wonderful, inspiring newsletter and so full of joi de vivre. A real tonic in these toxic times. Fee xx

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❤️Thankyou for being part of it! Xx

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Oct 1, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

Thanks so much for your lovely description of Mixture o Mercies Jane! A treat to read about your fiddle adventures too, do you go to Sore Fingers?

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I just had to look up Sore Fingers, sounds like the Bluegrass Blazin in Beauly... might have to give that a try one day but I need to learn some of the tunes first... so nice to meet you last month!

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Oct 1, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

Jane - you are now a luthier! How cool.

And thanks for the shout out about my newsletter ❤️

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My pleasure - I am looking forward to my cat coworker t-shirt! 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

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There’s always so many exciting things in your monthly round ups! The Table Top Museums are fascinating and have my brain whirring.

What beautiful artwork the children have made with stencils, are pan pastels less dusty than standard chalky pastel sticks?

I’m really looking forward to following your fiddle making progress! How satisfying to play something you made with your own hands!

Ps. I love that you made giant origami and sat in it as a child!

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Thankyou Nanette - the giant origami was a lot of fun. I’d say Panpastels are not really any less dusty than other pastels but you can probably apply them much more smoothly - it’s worth investing in just one colour to see if you like them.

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Lovely read Jane, the stencils are wonderful, the table top museum sounds so great, and your fiddle making amazing! I used to share a flat with a violin maker, long ago!

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Ooh fancy that! I’ve got a very very long way to go before I can call myself a violin maker but it’s fun to try!

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Jane, you're inspirational! You're ever curious and brave. I sometime feel my life staled and I want to learn something new but I often find myself making excuses not to even look for it. This post inspired me x

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Aw I’m glad it inspired you Momoko - I’m finding it really energising to start something completely new, I’d say find something short and give it a go, see how it feels!

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Oct 1, 2023Liked by Jane Porter

Wonderful art work. Did stencilling with silk screen on a course recently. Very poor results compared to yours xx

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Thankyou Rowena! I’d imagine stencils are much trickier to do on silk though it’d be fun to try..

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Wow, those stencil drawings are beautiful!

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Thankyou Helen! It’s given me the stencil bug!

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What a great read Jane. I’m so excited to hear more about your violin making. What a fantastic project!

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Thankyou Charlotte! I’ll be doing regular updates on the violin but it’s going to be slooooooooow! 🎻🎻🎻

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