Janna Wilson

Flower Love at Oopsey Daisy & Erin B's flower video

Just wanted to share this CUTE blog--- (where coincidentally she shared a tute of mine :) where there are DOZENS of ideas on making FLOWERS!!!  Three dozen to be exact.  Y'all know I love me some flowers (bad grammar yes :)!!!  Hop over there and check it out!  Blooming goodness I tell ya!

Oh and then there's this cool video that Erin did with a technique I taught at Inspiration Unlimited last year...gorgeous, girl!  Go directly to Erin's blog to check out the video tute she shared recently!

(lifted photo above from Erin's blog)

I swear I got high making 150 of these last year for this page we did in class...LOL!!!

in control?

Seldom does it happen, but occasionally, I feel like I've got a handle on life.  Today...I feel that way.  Oh, there are things that need to be done...the to do list is long as usual :)--laundry, work outside, baking for the upcoming Relay for Life Friday, general housework, need to catch up the checkbook, etc...but overall I feel a sort of calm.  Hope it's not the one before the storm!?

I got in high gear last week and started working on my dieting too.  Feels good to be in CONTROL of this too.  Honestly, I'm really doing a VERY low cal, crash diet balancing protein, fat and carbs. LOL!  --so not funny, but I want some results and we'll see what happens.  I've maintained my 28 lb. weight loss (within just about 5 lb) for about eight months.  I got complacent and just haven't taken it to the next level...I'm serious about it now.  Very.  In fact, it's DANG HARD!  But I'm seeing results, so I'm happy with that.  I still have 1 1/2 month to kick my brother in laws tail in our wager! 

Today, I'm going to get my house chores done and tidy up the Whimsy Shoppe --it's a HUGE mess of thread and fabric scraps after I shipped out lots of these last week!

(this is the black damask pattern of my Scrapbook Storage Slipcovers)

Love making these...such a great addition to inspire YOUR scrapbook space and stow your stuff!

This one is home with the sickies today...I'm betting she'll be miraculously better by noon or so :)  Pretty girl.

 

She will be adding these gorgeous flower accessories to the Whimsy Shoppe soon! 

Eleven going on...well, just growing WAY too fast. 

Cash and I are off to check out seedlings and then get busy with the rest of the day!

Hope you have a great one! xoxo

crafty happy...with my Big Shot

Last week it was Christmas for me...I got a Sizzix Big Shot!!!  Special thanks to an old friend and someone I admire tremendously, Julianna Hudgins, who is one of the celebrity spoke people for Sizzix/Ellison. 

I was a kid in the candy store as I opened the packages and admired all the awesome new dies!  WOWEE!!!  The Tim Holtz Alterations dies are some of my favorite...though I really LOVE these Scoreboards too!  Check out some of the newest and latest on the Sizzix blog! 

Love this one...

I wanted to share my first project that I used my New TOY to create.  Something I'm going to be adding to my Whimsy Shoppe is custom fabric stash/sticker bins in sets of three (they hold the long sticker sheets, amen :).  The thing I love about the Sizzix (original and the Big Shot) is that it cuts fabric like butter!  I created a very cool canvas label for this bin with the Styled Labels Die from Tim's Collection.

Oooh...wouldn't it be awesome to cut leather with these too!  COOL!  For these canvas labels...I just Heat N Bonded TWO layers together and Fray Checked the edges so the fabric won't ravel. 

(don't mind the poor photo...took this with my phone)

Anyway...I love how this turned out!  It was the perfect label idea.  You could stamp the label, use rub ons, or just write on the fabric.  Very cool.

I'll be creating the bin covers in some other patterns included a fabulous black and white damask, maybe some animal prints...who knows!?  This brown paisley is very classy!

In other news....

We had a great week last week...man it felt good to let my hair down and relax for a few days.  The girls and I did some crafty projects...we are not quite done, but we're making a bed for the American Girl dolls!  It's pretty cool if I do say so!  Yep...I can't wait to show y'all that!

We went to the Little Rock Zoo...stayed over at my sisters house and visited for a couple of days. 

(Cash was the map navigator)

Well, I better go for now!  Have a great afternoon!

SUPER ADORABLE skirt tute I just had to share!!!

You gotta check this out! I just love this idea!

Crafty girl, Amy, adapted my scallop making technique from HERE to design and create this layered ruffled skirt!  She's got an awesome tutorial you can follow along and make this flirty spring skirt for your little girly girl!  Have fun!!!

Attention DIY-ers...here's the dish!

I can't keep this to myself any longer....okay, I wasn't really trying to keep it to myself...I tell lots of folks about it I just don't have it linked yet or have blogged about it.  But anyway...if you are a crafter on any level...you will want to check out one of my favorite sources of inspiration...its called http://www.youcanmakethis.com/

It's a fabulous site with all types of downloadable and FREE project ideas and eBooks.  I visit there often for inspiration and to flip through the eye candy!   

Recently the owner has started a new site called DIY DISH!  These pillows in the latest newsletters really caught my eye. Oh and the chance to WIN one of TWO fabulous sewing machines they are giving away!!!  Woot woot!!

There's a pdf tutorial available for this so get on over to DIY DISH to download it!  Spread the word and you can have a chance to win a NEW sewing machine...not that I don't have 5 or 6.  :)  LOL!  I feel the sudden need to make pillows!!!  LOL!  Here's the video about the new DISH.

Today's Sewing Project

Gosh...I know with all of this sewing I've been doing you'd think I'd quit with the paper and took up a new hobby completely!  You gotta check out todays project: Artist Portfolio  I saw something similar to this years ago made out of a washcloth to hold baby items (clippers, ointment, etc.) but thinking of my girls, I tweaked the idea a bit. 

Here's a smidge of the entire project:

So, today I am packing items in my scrap room.  Its got to be done.  Moving in 8 days!!! OH MY!!

Okay--I have to make you jealous now, guess what I had in the mail when I got home from Phoenix???  I'll give you a hint:  my first Scarlet Lime kit!  I'm so excited and sad at the same time.  I can't play with it till after we get to the new house.  :( I'm so sad.  I want to just roll around in all the goodies in that package.  Everybody else must LOVE it too-- the October MAIN kit has already SOLD OUT!!  Go Christy!!!

Well, I hear my little Cash man...time to Mommy-cize.

Have a great rest of the week--

-jw

Stitches and Stuff...

Took my Mother to get new specs today...and spent a bit of time at the mall while waiting around on LensCrafters.  Went to the bookstore--founds some bargain books of interest.  I'm not a reader (can you believe that I like picture books : ).  But I have been advised by friend Holly that I should read some of Jane Austen's work...found a book with her five novels all in one for like $8.  Seemed like a deal!  The problem with me reading is that when I start something, I just don't want to stop!!  So its hard to put down a good book, ya know?

Speaking of books...I REALLY want this book by Amy Karol.  I think I might just go order it when I'm done here.

                                    

Ooohhh...I'm mean!  Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on.  You'll have to check it out at the Fiskars site sometime in September.  Its quite fun!

The girls both stayed the night with friends so, tonight I sewed.  I finished another project that started off something like this...

                                     

I mentioned it yesterday...oh my goodness I just LOVE these fabrics!!  Shangri La by 3 Sisters for Moda.  Imagine this with a chocolate brown crushed velvet...mmmmmm!!!  Yummy, chocolate!! 

Tomorrow afternoon, my Mom and I are going to spend some time working on our sewing projects.  She is quilting Cash the CUTEST little quilt...all by hand.  Its turned out so nice.  She's really into quilting and has tried to persuade me to jump in, but I've been kind of hesitant.  Truthfully, very few of the older style quilt patterns do a thing for me.  I just love a patchwork quilt.  Just simple.  I love a mix of textures too...texture just adds so much.

Well, I s'pose I better get in bed.  Party at my house in the a.m. and my sewing stuff is strung out everywhere!!  Gotta get up early and clean house. yuck. 

Have a great weekend...God Bless y'all!

Still Sewing!

Well, I did some sewing yesterday.  Fun Fun!!  I can't share my project just yet but lets just say it involves the prettiest lime green wool felt, seed beads, hot pink thread & some blanket stitching (which I just learned how to do!), a little embroidery...SO CUTE!!!  I'm dying to post a picture.  Maybe I'll just have to make another (similar) one that I can show???  Hmmm?  Wonder if I have time to do that tomorrow?? 

I've been collecting boxes for my MOVE...not sure what to pack first.  Hmm?  I guess I could start with books, dishes (that we don't use), the girls' craft closet--I really can't digest the thought of actually moving.  We've lived in this house for five and a half years.  I bet we have twice as much stuff as we came here with--at least.  Scary!  And sad. 

Abby had her first birthday on the patio here.

Sara broke her arm three years ago in the backyard here.

Cash came home to here. 

We've made a lot of memories here...it will be a sad day to leave this home.

On a happy note!  Of course I've been thinking about what color I'm going to paint my craft/scrap room...I think I have to go with the blue...you can see the color here in the girls NOW room. 

I just LOVE this color!!  Its a Ralph Lauren color called Faded Seafoam--just so light and airy and happy.  I think I got the inpiration for this from Candice--I think she painted her scraproom this color in her new house a while back.  Good color.  My bedroom is going to be this color too!  This is what my room looks like now...I'm kinda tired of the green.  (It looks kinda pea green in the pic...its not really).

The house we're buying has lots of lovely paneling.  So we are formulating a plan to overhaul the paneled look.  Abby is not impressed with her would-be room all decked out with paneled walls.  She doesn't think it looks like a princess room at all!  LOL!

Sew, back to sewing!  I ordered some of my favorite fabric to make Sara a quilt (and other things) for her new room.  Of course, its Fresh Cut!  Mmmm, mmm, MMMM!  Love that stuff!  Also bought some more of Shangri La by 3 Sisters/Moda.  Making somepillows for my couch with it.  Isn't it RICH and just beautiful?  I think I have just about exhausted my Pay Pal account for now.  NO MORE EBAY for me...this week :)

Isn't it sad that you can't really sew things for much cheaper than you could go and buy them.  I was telling Scott the other night...that its really just a matter of design and preference with sewing these days rather than doing it out of neccessity.  Kinda sad.  But I suppose I am glad that we don't have to trade furs for Calico and sit up by the candlelight to work and make our own dresses after all of the other days work was done (thinking Little House in the Big Woods).  Especially since I HATE wearing dresses :)

Okay, well now, I'm done for now...TGIF!

Happy Weekend, y'all!

jw