Janna Wilson

And its a new day...

Friday. 

Fridays are still my favorite day of the week, I think.  Knowing that Scott is done with his hard work week and we'll have some time together as a family.  Time to relax or start a project here at home--we've got plenty of those to tackle here at our new-old place.  Home is really a state of mind...I think.  Speaking of home...here's what my sister and I gave my Mom for Christmas...

Its "the road home."  To the home that my Dad built with his own hands...where he and my Mother have lived for almost 30 years on a 100+ acre farm out in the country.  Oh how I hated living so far out when I was younger...25 minutes to town, a two hour bus ride to school...no friends to play with nearby.  Now, I look at this picture and I could tell a thousand stories about this road...this land...this place.  A place my Dad worked so hard for...to buy, to fence, to clear, to make our home.  Now, my brothers both live there closeby-- my sister works with my Dad on the farm still while making her way through college.  I'm really proud of what my Dad has worked so hard for...but mostly for the memories of home. 

Have a great weekend...

jw

      

happy Thursday

Just got home...been out today with the kids while we were having some painting done.  Can you believe we went to the mall and walked out with NOTHING!  Yep..not a thing.  We were so excited to get home and see our newly painted entryway/stairs/upstairs etc...its the happiest yellow/gold.  I really wanted something warm and welcoming to greet company...its really nice.  Its happy! 

Speaking of happy...I spoke to Teresa today.  OOooohh...she's got some exciting news on the horizon!!  If you thought you loved her designs...just wait!  She's got big things in store.  I think its coming sometime around the first!!  LOOKOUT!

On another note, not so happy I suppose, I just learned the news- just like many of you, that Junkitz has closed its doors.  I have a lot of strong/mixed feelings about this and of course many of you know that I left months ago.  There were a lot of reasons that I made the decision to leave...and I never felt that I needed to make them public.  Now, I suppose its pretty obvious why I left.  Many times I wondered why God put me in the position that I was...I felt really blessed, I felt like I was there for a reason and I still don't fully understand why.  But I know that my time there had a purpose in my own life and in others'.  I learned a lot over the last couple of years.  I learned a lot about the industry and how business works, I learned a lot about what really matters, I grew a lot as a person and have kind of figured out some of my strong points and my weak.  The best thing is that I made some really great friends and met some wonderful people in my travels.  And so...Scott has gotten his fair share of "I told you so's" in over the last year...(edited) lessons learned, moved on and thats all I have to say about that.  (Yep my conscience got the best of me and I decided I better get back on the high road.)

As I sip my hot apple cider this evening...here's a toast to "closure".

And the Winner is...

Jonnelle! You are the winner!

Please email me (jannawilson@cox.net) with your address, Jonnelle!  And I'll send out your package of Fiskars goodies! 

And a very special thank you to each of you that took some time to reply to my questions about classes.  You gals gave me a lot to think about and I appreciate the feedback so much. 

Hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays...better go, lots of clean up to do now! Take care!! jw

Recipe and Questions...

A few of you asked about the Buckeye recipe...here it is:

Buckeyes

• Melt 1 stick butter
• Stir in 2 cups peanut butter
• Stir together 3 1/2 cups Rice Crispies
• 3/4 box powdered sugar

Form into balls about the size of walnuts.  Dip into 6 oz. chocolate chips + 1/2 stick of wax.

I'd love to get YOUR thoughts about online workshops. 

I'm working on class projects for next year...and I was hoping I might get some feedback from you.  Especially those of you that have taken my classes in the past.

• What are your favorite projects? 
• Do you like supplements/printables or is a blog format with lots of images sufficient? 
• Do you like classes that allow you to work with what you have or work with a specific kit? 
• Why do you like taking classes or do you?  Why do you NOT take classes, if you're not a class taker? 
• What do you think could make an online class a better value?  Adding audio/video?
• Are you interested in just sb'ing or would you like a class that offers a mix of craft projects?

Any thoughts would be so helpful.  If you have a few moments to help me out...I'll throw your name in the hat for a few Fiskars items I have duplicates of!  I'll draw on Christmas Eve...so check back, okay!

Welcome to my world...

My scrap room was clean today...so I thought I would take some pictures to prove it.  I even did one project in here and cleaned it up afterward!  Serious!  I've been so proud of my new space with shiny new hardwood floors and my beautiful new OLD chair and this bargain mirror I found at Wal Mart the other day...I wanted to invite you over to see...check out the photo album over there----> :)

You can sit in my "THINKING" chair and flip through the latest issue of Scrapbooks etc. while I work on something at my table and we'll have coffee (or cocoa) and discuss whats coming at CHA or if you've got your Christmas shopping done.  hee hee. :)  Sounds like I'm a little starved for adult interaction, doesn't it?  LOL!

I love how people refer to their creative spaces as their "studios," but for some reason, I just can't bring myself to do that.  Darn it!  It does look somewhat sophisticated and studio-ish, methinks...but I'm just a simple gal...studio is just too high fallooty a word for me...can't do it. 

Speaking of the decor...I am such a split personality when it comes to decorating...I love bright, fun looks--happy looking places, but I think the look of this room always overpowers my happy place look.  Love touches of red, the boldness of black and mixing woods, paints and finishes.  I just love texture.

Well, I suppose I better go clean the kitchen now...dinner mess still waiting on me.  Ah shucks!  Thats no fun. 

Its a good day!

I look out and the sun is shining...its a beautiful, cold, crisp day!  After a dreary bout of rain, I'm so thankful for this beautiful day that God has given us!  Lots to do to get ready for Christmas...but I'm not stressing.  I am going to try to make some candy each day this week...the girls love to help in the kitchen, so we all do it together!  I bought tins at Hobby Lobby and hopefully I'll be able to fill the tins by the weeks end with treats for friends if my plan works out.  One day at a time!  I'm going to finish up my Buckeyes today...this is Loretta, my Mother In Law's recipe.  Loretta passed away six years ago this month.  She was truly one of the most precious souls I've ever met...I loved her very much and still really miss her, especially this time of year because she loved the holidays so much.  But, never to be forgotten--her infectious laugh, her loving nature, her michevious grin-- which I can see everytime Scott smiles.  He has her selfless heart and so many other wonderful qualities of hers.  She was something else!  Something I really treasure is this notebook of her recipes...tried and true --and tweaked!  She had her favorites and this was one...if you've never had Buckeyes...they're like Reeses cups!  YUM!!

 

I've been up since about 3am...couldn't sleep, and I sure do love that quiet time in the middle of the night.  I may have to do that more often...get up at 3 or 4 and get a good start on the day.  Feels good.

Better get on about my day and quit piddling at my computer...wrapping, laundry, house cleaning, dinner plans-- lots of things to check off my list.

Merry Christmas!!

jw

My little artist...

Remember a few weeks ago I shared about Sara winning the Christmas card design contest...well, I had to share pictures!  She was just absolutely thrilled (so was I :) and received her award at the Art Center from the bank representative.  A $100 check...which she promptly cashed...LOL!  She is the proud owner of a hundred dollar bill.  hee hee. :)  In this picture she's holding one of the actual cards in her hand.

This is her artwork that won and the beautiful ribbon too!

She was even featured on the local tv news...she was so awesome on camera!  This girls got BIG things in store for her...I'm sure of it.  (proud Momma :)

It was such a neat experience...Sara's drawing was picked out of some 1200 designs.  So cool!! 

I've been playing again.  Totally wasting time, I tell you--oh, well --its fun and creative excercise, right!!  These tags are a bit smaller than the last ones...you can download them if you want to!

Download jannacandystripetags.pdf

Also check out the other free downloadables to the right down at the bottom of the middle collum. :)

Today-- I didn't get a whole lot accomplished. Getting my tires rotated really threw a wrench in my day!  Spent most of the morning on the phone with HP trying to figure out how to get my brand new printer fixed--lets just say we had an "incident."  Said "incident" involved one "baby boy" jerking the printer display CLEAN off of the printer!!  AHHHHH!  Abby was "watching" him while I went outside to get something from the car.  Note to self-- Abby can't babysit till she's....30!!!

I need to do something sticky...I mean, I need to create something with paper and adhesive.  I'm enjoying my clean scraproom so much, I guess I just hate to get a big project going and goof it all up!  I still want to share pictures of all my organizing--just waiting for the sun to come out for better pictures.  I have this really fun idea with the Heidi Grace file folders...just need to bring it out of my head and onto my scrap table!!  I find that is the hardest thing for me---my head is spinning with ideas, but seeing those ideas through and out of my head---very difficult.  I guess its the procrastinator in me?  Hmm?  It sure seems like most creative souls are procrastinators...are you? 

See now I'm procrastinating going to bed!  But I really need to...so long for now.

jw

already Wednesday...

Well, I have make up on today...thats a definite improvement over Monday and Tuesday.

Its STILL raining here (has been for days)...but I'm thankful that its rain instead of ice.  Sounds like lots of the US is having major problems with ice storms.  If YOU are-- here's to cozy fires and hot chocolate!  Hope you are safe.

Finally put the tree up Monday.  Wasn't quite finished with all the decoration as of the evening, figured I'd finish up in the morning.  We decided to put it in the corner sort of out of the way.  Somewhere in all of the tree trimming fun, something went awry- can you tell me why?

a. Cash was so mesmerized by its beauty that he pulled it over

b. A robber broke in to our house via the sliding door and knocked it down

c.  It was so heavy laden with disco ball ornaments on one side that it fell over by itself

If you answered C, then you win a candy cane!! LOL!!  Yep this is the sight I came upon at 5:30 yesterday morning.  Not too good.  By the way, even thought this tree looks small in the picture...its a nine foot tree.  mmm hmmm.   Obviously, things were broken.  Fortunately most of the valuable/sentimentals were either spared or repairable.  I definitely learned my lesson :)

Cash helped...put the lights on. 

Such a helper.

Scott and I celebrated 13 years of marriage Sunday the 9th.  Yep.  I've almost spent half my life with this man...got married when I was 18.  I can truly say that he is a wonderful husband and an awesome Daddy.  I am so lucky that he puts up with me...just ask my friends ;)  Now every few years he gets me something fabulous that I just love...and this year was the year--he got me this...

This OLD office chair is my NEW favorite thing...they just don't make em like this any more.  It came from our county courthouse-- he got another one that's oak-- and its marked 1927.  This one is newer, its cherry-- and I just LOVE it.  I love that he put some thought into a gift for me and got me something practical, useful and beautiful.  Its just gorgeous, so sturdy and even very comfortable.  Man I love him.

Well, I better get back to the laundry...before it comes to get me!!! 

Happy Hump day!

-jw

flexing my muscles...

  Hi there.  Still blogging from the ole' laptop.  Almost got my creative space in order...here's a peek--I can't show it all cause I have to iron my drapes still and clean out one corner.  I'm doing a very good job so far of putting things back (I have a problem with that :)-just ask Scott LOL!)  I'm so excited because I was able to put my "thinking" chair back in my space now that I have a bigger room...see it in the corner.  Its a cute little leopard print chair...comfy!

So about that muscle flexing...I remember Rhonna Farrer saying something about doing something creative everyday.  I think I probably do that already, but I've found that I do better at creating small things...things that give me immediate gratification and those small steps inspire and motivate me so much.  Like the tags I made the other day.  I've done a couple more sets...anybody interested?  Here are a couple of packages I wrapped today.  These tags are great if you are traveling with your gifts--no smushed bows and you still have a decorative touch.

Download jannabdaytags.pdf Just click here to download the birthday tags. 

Sara's birthday is the end of the month, so I made some special birthday tags in her honor.  Love how the color pops on this dotty paper (its from Hobby Lobby).

On this one I added red buttons to the holly berries to embellish it a bit.  Very simple, but so fun!  I printed the tags onto a cheaper Kodak photopaper--makes the colors really vivid and bright!

Download jannamerrytags.pdf You can download the Merry Christmas tag over there ----->>> 

So, lately I've kinda got this wild hair.  Itchin' to do something.  Set some bigger goals...even ones that seem out of reach.  Invest some time into something for ME.  Hmmm?  I think thats why I've been flexing my creative muscles, so to speak.  I've got so many ideas...just need to funnel them into focus.  I find pairing down all of my thoughts into a manageable plan sometimes so overwhelming!!  I really love creating little collections of art.  But now I'm feeling organized and rejuvenated...I'm waiting for my sign.  I feel like God is nudging me...I'm just waiting patiently for the reveal.  I have faith that it will become clear all in good time.

So for my creative work out--Last night I signed up for the 12 Days of Comfort and Joy with Teresa McFayden.  I just love her.  Totally not my style, really, but I'm so intrigued by her and her look and how she goes about creating.  Its so very interesting and fabulous and gorgeous.  I'm thinking I really need some of that glass glitter everybody's using now!  Its SO BEAUTIFUL!  Its so cool to step out of the old comfort zone and embrace a totally different style and method...I'm really enjoying the class with Teresa.  And I haven't even made anything yet!! LOL!!

Well, I think I need a cup of coffee...I'm going to go fire the old Bunn up and pour a steaming cup.  Anybody wanna have coffee with me?  Come on over ;)