Jacqueline's Jewels

Hello!

Tasnim here, and this week we are featuring an amazing artist! She is super talented, and personally, I think all her work should be framed and preserved :) Her work with stamps and inks is unequal and she will impress you every single time. Let's hear it from

Jacqueline de Groot

1.     Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
My name is Jacqueline de Groot, born in England, married to a Dutch man and living in France with our four boys of 24, 22, 19 and 17. We were called to the French Mission Field 20 years ago to distribute Biblical Foundational Teaching to the Francophone world. I love nature and live in the beautiful South of France surrounded by vineyards. My blog is http://myscrapbasket.blogspot.com 

2. How and when did you start crafting?
I have been paper crafting for about six years, but I have always loved being creative since I was at school and loved art.
I have been creative in so many ways but stamping and playing with paper is my passion. I love what the Crafting world has to offer via blogs, Pinterest, Stamp galleries, etc.
The old-fashioned, expensive cards that were for sale in the French shops made me look for a way to make my own type of cards that I would love to send to family and friends.

3. From where do you draw your inspiration?
Good question! In different ways. Sometimes I look at a stamp or a combination of stamps and I see a card in my mind. I love Pinterest for design ideas. Sometimes one of my own designs gets revisited and I make it again using different elements and colors. The Flickr gallery of Hero Arts provides so much inspiration too! I get inspired by Nature, colors and just try to express my heart through my hands!

4. How would you describe your style?
I want my cards to be pretty and use earthy colors. Love the vintage style too. The Post Card Tag Art card with the half-stamped Starburst lace, white embossed with the butterfly is closest to my favorite style of card-making.

I also love using up scraps and making grid cards. This is one of my favorite grid cards which I make for home decor framing.

5. Tell us briefly about your design process.
I make a card and keep the design process in mind for a future card.

6. What’s your favorite technique?
My favorite technique has to be collage. I love layering of stamps and stamping on patterned paper. One of my favorite collage cards is this one:

I also love using distress inks and spraying with water direct to the stamp - the result is always different and effective

7. What are your go-to colors?
Love pinks, burgundy, all tones of brown and beige, provence/sage green and denim blue.

8. How much time do you spend crafting every week?
I work in the mornings so I love to spend some time in my craft room in the afternoon, every day! I don't always keep my priorities right as sometimes I realise the dishwasher is still full and its four in the afternoon! I am very passionate about crafting, it gives me an outlet to express myself.

9. Do you sell your projects?
Yes, not all of them, but I have sold a lot of my cards and Grid designs for Home Decor projects. In this way I raise money for Mission Projects supported by our Church. I have put the cards I can't part with in a treasure chest.

10. What do you do when you are not crafting? Job? Other hobbies and interests?
As I said I work in the Office of Derek Prince Ministries France with my husband, one of my sons and a secretary. I pack in orders of books for the Francophone world and other administration work. We also support the local church with our Ministry. I also love cooking and photography.

Thank you Jacqueline for sharing your passion with us and these creations are just mind-blowing!!! Btw, you're the 91st  artist to be featured here and more inspiration is on the way =) Cheers