Hi there!  I'm Janna.  This blog is a glimpse of all the things I love...family, design, and anything artsy-crafty.  And yup, I designed ALL the graphics and goodies contained within :)

I'm a thirty-something full time college-mama to three kiddos, wife to Scott and lover of all things crafty.  Follower of Christ, maker of stuff, feeler of fabric, teacher of Sunday School, dreamer of big dreams, lover of Etsy, doodler extraordinaire, fond of all things Adobe, sewer of stitches, taker of pictures, baker of goodies, lover of letters, sniffer of paper, sticker of stickers, inspired by the world around me and definitely a certifiable cut and paste-er.  I also work part time in a fabulous local boutique called Inscriptions.  I get to lend a hand creating unique gifts, do some typesetting and play with all kinds of pretties all day!

Three.  It's my number.  Every designer knows...it's the magic number.  These are my THREE...

Scott and I got married in 1990-something when I was a wee babe...just 18. I've spent half my life with this guy...gladly :)

We had a sweet, tiny little girl in 1998...that's when I discovered my crafty soul.  I started sewing, making little frocks, hair dillies and then came the baby book.  No store bought book would do...no, no, no.  I created Sara's baby book from scratch...little did I know that it was a craft that would take me all over the place later in my life!  

Another sweet babe was born a couple of years later...by this time I was knee deep in scrapbooking and was even designing printable art for a website called Gracefulbee.com and on a couple of design teams creating projects.  A couple of years later I took a notion that I would love to share my craft and peddled my services to a nearby scrapbook store.  I began designing and teaching workshops in 2002 and taught up until I started back to school.  I've taught at dozen of venues from coast to coast and all over the country at consumer expos and events including Memories Expos, Scrapbook Expos and Creating Keepsakes University and CK other events.  I've designed a signature product line, have contributed hundreds of pages and projects for publication and have produced and taught numerous online classes as well for Scrapbooks etc. magazine as well as Got Crafts, a site I co-founded.  It's been one wild and crazy ride! Over the years I've worked closely with a number of scrapbook companies (Me and My Big Ideas, Junkitz, Fiskars, Deluxe Designs, EK Success, Scarlet Lime, Teresa Collins Designs etc) publications (PaperKuts, Creating Keepsakes, Scrapbooks etc., Simply Handmade, Ivy Cottage, and several idea books) and many other designers.  I still contribute regularly to Scrapbooks etc. magazine (was nominated to their 2007 and 2009 Creative Teams). 

Somewhere in the above (2007 to be exact)...insert the arrival of sweet baby #3...not quite on my to do list but the most precious blessing we could imagine.  Of course, I decided to quit making plans after Cash came along...because my plan was to go back to school in 2007 when both girls were in school.  God had other plans...and that was perfect.

With all of that said -I've learned one very important thing...that I probably should have learned from Dorothy when I was a wee little kid:  There's no place like home...no opportunity trumps spending time with and enjoying FAMILY.  There's a difference between being at home and being PRESENT.  For years I was so wrapped up in all my committments, I wasn't as present as I should have been. I really enjoy being at home with my family.  In the fall of 2009, I took inventory of my life, my path...and decided to make some changes.  I'm still evolving and learning what works and I suppose I always will be.

2010 was a fresh start for me in many ways.  FOCUS.  That was my one and only resolution.  So far...I'm seeing pretty clearly the direction I want to go. With my faith and my family first--I've stepped into some uncharted waters and am just holding strong to follow the Good Lord's will...just knowing that it is most important to me to grow my family, love my husband and try to be a good example in whatever I do.

I started back to college in the fall of 2010 and have just recently completed my third semester in the Graphic Design program at University of Arkansas Fort Smith.  Yay!!!  I should be able to finish my BS in a couple more years due to the scheduling of classes.  This has been a major life change for me and I've loved it!  I had a few semesters of college from previous years but it had been almost 10 years since I'd taken a class!  It was a huge decision but something I have always wanted to finish.  People always ask me how I do it...go to school, take care of a family and work part time...well, my answer is I don't...I'm not perfect, I can't possibly do it all.  I have some great kiddos, a supportive husband and most of all God's in the driver's seat...and I'm just along for the ride-- one day at a time. 

Thanks for visiting my little niche in the www-- come back and see me! 

xoxo