We’re thrilled to be back with another Guest Showcase. Our lovely guest is Julia from JMC Designs and they’re here to answer our crafting questions! Be sure to check out their range of fabulous products here!
If you missed our last Guest Showcase with Edinburgh Honey Co. check it out here!
About JMC Designs
JMC Designs is a company where products are designed by crafters for crafters. Julia McNeill has been surrounded by various crafts and crafty influences her whole life, from art lessons on the beach with her uncle, sewing with her Gran and Mum and collage and model building with her Nan, she really has tried her hand at most forms of arts and crafts throughout the years. Whilst receiving help for severe anxiety she was encouraged by her therapist to share some of her artwork on social media, to allow herself to be seen. She followed through on this advice and was met with may requests to make her artwork available for the crafting community. As a result JMC Designs was launched in 2019 and has grown from strength to strength since then.
What got you into Crafting?
I think I have a very similar story to many crafters, as far back as I can remember I have always crafted in one form or another. My family was very creative, my Great Grandmother used to hand stitch teddys for a toy shop, my Grandmother was a tailor, my Grandfather and Uncle were both painters, my mum sewed, my Nan painted and used to make model villages with us out of recycled packaging and my Dad crochets.
I have fond memories of family holidays sitting on the beach, sketch book and pencil in hand having art lessons with my uncle.
Throughout the years I have done many forms of crafting, sewing, knitting and cross stitch, however about 18 years ago I started card making and paper crafting and this well and truly became my passion.
Why Did you Decide to Start your own crafting business?
Setting up JMC Designs was a happy accident. I was undergoing therapy for severe anxiety during which I did a small amount of art therapy, my therapist encouraged me to share my artwork on Social Media, I did so and got a really positive response, followed by so many messages asking if I could make my artwork available to crafters to work with. So, I started producing digital downloads and since then JMC Designs has grown from strength to strength.
Now that this is my job, I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else. I absolutely love it and have never been happier.
What do you enjoy about being part of the Hochanda Family?
I love being at Hochanda and it still feels very surreal that I am part of the Hochanda family and demonstrating my products. I have watched Hochanda since day one and I am an avid viewer, I have it on most days. So, when I first came to the studios, I will admit to feeling a little star struck.
It was nice that as I walked round the building It felt like I knew everyone. I was welcomed warmly and it soon felt like I belonged.
I love the fact Hochanda gives me the opportunity to be in the homes of fellow crafters, hopefully providing a little entertainment and inspiration for everyone watching.
What is your Favourite technique?
I love building scenes and colouring with my alcohol markers. I love colouring, I find it really therapeutic and can easily get lost in the process and hours will have passed without me noticing. I also just love watching a black and white image really come to life as you add in the colours and really make it your own.
What is one crafting tool that you cannot live without?
My Black pen, I honestly use it on everything I make. I love to use the chisel end of a pen to edge my card, but also the layers within a card. I really find it helps to frame the project and draw the eye in, also I just can’t resist doodling on absolutely everything, so I would be completely lost without my black pen.
What advice would you give to someone starting their crafting journey?
Just enjoy it, this is your hobby, what you are doing to relax for a bit of me time, so make sure you are enjoying it, don’t listen to your inner critic or compare yourself to others.
We have all been doing this for different lengths of time and have different styles. If I feel the need to make a comparison, to check my progress I compare some of my latest work with some of my earlier work rather than compare myself to others.
What’s is your favourite thing you ever made and why?
That’s a really hard question, as I can fall in and out of love with my projects all the time. I think the project I love the most is actually not a papercraft one, I did a cross stitch of a black and white wedding photograph of my grandparents for their 50th Wedding anniversary, it was such a labour of love and their reactions were priceless.
With regards to my favourite JMC and paper crafting projects, this can change weekly, even daily. I do love this project I made using the Garden Tots and an old scrabble set. I absolutely love recycling things that are ready to be thrown out and turn them into beautiful works of art.