Tin Photo Memory Board
A tin sheet from the hardware store makes a great (and inexpensive) memory board!

What You'll Need
Tin sheet
Spray adhesive
Photo to fit tin sheet or use decorative papers to fill in
Spray sealer
Wax paper
Cardboard box
Scissors
Embellishments - optional




How to Make It
1. Spray photo will sealer - this keeps the surface from getting scratched.  Let dry.
2. Place wax paper in cardboard box.
3. Place photo with white side up in box.
4. Spray with adhesive.
5. Immediately, smooth photo on tin.
6. Optional - cut decorative papers to fill-in open space on tin and add embellishments as desired.

Photo Tin Container
Photos dress up an ordinary container


What You'll Need
Photos
Tin or other container
Decoupage medium
Brush
Wax paper
Spray sealer
Dirt / Rocks / Succulent
Scissors

How to Make It
1. Cut around images.
2. Place wax paper on work surface. Place photo white side up on wax paper.  Brush on decoupage medium.  Place on tin. Brush decoupage medium over photo. Continue with other images. Let dry.
3. Spray with sealer. Let dry.
4. Place rocks in container, then dirt and press succulent in dirt.

 Photo Magnets
Use photos or decorative papers to create inexpensive magnets!
 

What You’ll Need

·         Photo

·         Decoupage medium

·         Brush

·         Wax paper

·         Marbles, flat-backed

·         Magnet

·         Scissors

 How to Make Them

1. Decide what area of photo you want to 'capture under glass' by placing marble over photo.
2. Brush decoupage medium on flat back of marble.  Place on image.  Let dry slightly.
3. Cut around edge.
4. Place magnet on back.

Celebration of Life

I wish everyday could be lollipops and gumdrops but that's not reality.  A very dear friend's mother passed away recently and I was asked to do a photo tribute to Gladys.  Gladys called me her 'daughter' and  I was honored to be a part of her life.  She was 94 and was out gardening the day before she was hospitalized.  I thought I'd share her photos in hopes that they can help others to celebrate the lives of someone special when the time comes. 

The 20" x 30" posters were very easily put together at Costco.  You just upload the photos you want to use and then arrange them in the easy-to-use collage maker.  You can even pick the border width and color! Can you believe they were ready in one hour???!!!  And, they were pretty inexpensive too.  I adhered them to some foamcore with spray adhesive and I was ready to go.

In honor of Gladys love of gardening, I came up with the idea of having everyone take a little of her garden home with them.  A friend and I cut succulents from Gladys' Garden, 'planted' them in plastic cups filled with dirt, wrapped each cup with two colors of tissue paper (Gladys loved jewel tones) and tied them with raffia. It brought some color to the celebration and were cherished by her friends and family.

Gladys, you are missed.

 2011 Costco Photo Contest Winners

Valentine's Day Breakfast Idea

Heart Shaped French Toast

Looking for a special treat to start off Valentine's Day (but seriously, why not any day)?  Here's a super easy way to add that specialness -  I placed some frozen Bridgeford bread dough (you have to let it rise before baking) in a heart shaped pan, baked it, sliced it, then did the typical French toast cooking.  To make it easier on yourself, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the shape out of a slice of regular bread!  Yummers!

Creating with Old Records

 

VaVaVabloom Vase or 

Desk Organizer

Design by Joan Fee

Get organized for the new year or add a colorful touch to your desk with fun record creations!

Supplies

• Oven
• 2 old scratched records
• Scissors
• Cookie sheet
• Glue, waterproof
• Glass or metal object, approximately 3” in diameter
• Pot holders 
• Cotton gloves

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place one record in oven on cookie sheet. Remove pliable record from oven.
2. Immediately, cut record in half.
3. Place one half of record back in oven until pliable.
4. Form around 3” diameter object and hold until set.
5. Place other half of record in oven until pliable.  Cut a 7” x ¼” and a ¼” x 1” wide strips. Make loops in end of long pieces. Wrap short piece around center of loops to form bow.   
6. Cut the center from one record.
7. If necessary, glue record together where they overlap.  Glue center of record to overlapped piece. Glue on bow. 
8. For vase, insert glass, fill with water and add flowers!

Check out more fun old record crafting ideas at www.lulu.com for the ebook Cheryl Ball and I created - it's filled with unique and crazy ideas for old records!

Happy New Year!

Here's to a healthy year filled with much happiness, creativity and fun!

Joan

New Year's Confetti Hot Dog Recipe

No matter if you're a kid or a kid-at-heart, you'll love this incredibly fun twist on a normal hot dog - make them healthier too with turkey or chicken hot dogs and reduced fat crescent rolls.

Confetti Hot Dogs

for more kid-friendly recipes and craft projects visit our sister blog www.MakeHealthyFun.blogspot.com

What You’ll Need

• Turkey or Chicken Hot Dogs
• Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
• Food Coloring
• Baking Sheet
• Oven
• Plate
• Paintbrush or Something to Apply Dots

How To Make It!

1. Open package of crescent rolls. For each hot dog, use one crescent roll.

2. Roll a crescent roll between your hands or on work surface into a snake about ¼” wide.

3. Wrap around hot dog leaving space between. Place on baking sheet with the ends of the crescent facing down.

4. Place a drop of each color of food coloring on a plate.

5. Dip the non-bristle end of a paintbrush into one color of food coloring. Dot food coloring on crescent roll wrapped around hot dog. Dip paintbrush in food coloring and dot on again. Clean brush after changing each color.

6. Cook following instructions on crescent roll package.

Tons of other recipes and ideas are available in the 120-page Make Healthy Fun! book - check out the shopping page at the upper right for details.

Christmas

I got my nephew's a really cool Christmas gift - Air Swimmers.  A friend sent me a video months ago about them and I was so intrigued, I ordered it.  Then, I see it's one of the top gift items at Toys r Us.  It's huge, fun and really looks like it's swimming in the air.

I've had the idea for this cake for a couple of years and thought this was the year to try it out.

This was kind of a combo gift for my sister.  My parents were both rural mail carriers and we have this 'thing' about mailboxes.  I had my brother cut holes in the mailbox (not an easy thing) and then I gave my sister tons of succulents to choose from (from a friends garden) and she planted it.  My brother got into the fun and made himself a succulent garden and then my mom even found a pot and made one.  My sister is going to add a large 'cabbage' succulent in the front.  Can't wait to see the plants grow and spread to hopefully cover the mailbox.

I was headed out of town and decided to go through downtown Lemoore - I love small town America where there's still a Christmas tree in the center of town and decorations hanging over the street!

Happy Holidays!

Here's a fabulous way to keep the kids busy while they wait for holiday festivities or any day of the year!  And, it's a recycling project too!  It uses #6 plastic containers - and things from around your home.

I Shrunk the Plastic

Materials Needed

Cookie cutter, plastic or other plastic item for hanger

Wire or fishing line

#6 clear plastic containers

Plastic decorations: beads, toys, etc

Permanent pens

Scissors

Hole punch, small

Cookie sheet

Oven mitt

Candle

Paperclip

Plastic ring

Glue

1” wide braid

Oven or toaster oven

Directions

Draw design on clear plastic with permanent pens. NOTE: The designs will shrink about 50% of the original size. Cut out. Punch holes in top and bottom. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place clear plastic designs on cookie sheet and place in oven until they lay flat. This will only take a few minutes. Remove from oven using oven mitt. With adult supervision, make holes in plastic decorations by heating paperclip in candle flame. Insert into plastic to make holes. Thread beads, shrink plastic designs, toys, etc. on wire, knotting below item to secure. Make holes around bottom of cookie cutter edge with hot paperclip. Thread decorated wire in hole and knot. Repeat for all wires. Make three evenly spaced holes around top of cookie cutter. Cut three 12” pieces of wire. Insert each wire into a hole and knot. Gather wire at top and tie around plastic ring adding a bead, if desired.

Kitchen Transformation

Kitchen CHAOS!!!  My cabinets haven't been loved for 32 years but I have my fingers crossed that the Rust-oleum Cabinet Transformations will help me out with three EASY steps and make them beautiful!  I've deglazed (or in my case, degrossed them) and tomorrow comes the painting step.  I'll post more photos as I progress...

California's Central Coast

Morro Bay Lighted Boat Parade

Ragged Point

One day it's 80 degrees and the next there was a shark sighting...

Decorate Your Holidays with Antique Postcard Images

Digital images are a fabulous way to create inexpensive decorations for your home this holiday season.

All you have to do is print off an image, punch two holes about 1/2" apart, string through some ribbon and tie to your tree, a garland, down your staircase - share you ideas!  These vintage holiday and everyday images are from my great aunt's collection that are available on etsy.com

Post Office Humor

I got a chuckle out of this 'greeter' at a local post office.  He's soooo cute!

Repurpose an Old Baby Crib

Check out these cool ways to repurpose old baby cribs on the Encore Baby Registry website. I transformed my nephew's baby crib into storage pieces and am honored to be included in the article.
http://www.encorebabyregistry.com/blog/repurposed-crib-projects-upcycle-your-old-crib-out-of-the-landfill

Vintage Postcards Candle

What could be easier?  This beautiful candle created from a digital image of a vintage postcard would make the perfect hostess gift or a great way to bring the holidays to your home.

Colorful Candles

Apply double-sided tape on back of image. Place on candle. Glue on red and green crystals. Let dry.  That's it!  How cool is that?  Vintage postcard images are available at:  www.etsy.com/shop/joanmartinfee

Vintage Postcard Crafting

My family has amazing postcards that are over 100 years old that belonged to my Great Aunt Myrtle in Iowa.  I made this charming changeable vase with digital images of vintage postcards - here's how I did it:

 

Cha, Cha, Changeable Vase

If you don't have your own vintage postcards, digital images are available at http://www.etsy.com/shop/JoanMartinFee - two different sets of three are available for ALL your crafting projects - they're scalable too so you can make them just the right size for your projects. You also receive an inspirational instruction sheet filled with holiday decorating and gift ideas.

Layer red and green paper behind image cutting out with decorative edge scissors. Glue together with glue stick. Glue to piece of red paper that fits in vase. Place smaller vase or jar inside larger vase. When the holidays are over, remove the Santa image and replace it with an everyday image.

Aleene's Fusible Web

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!!!

An entire bolt of Aleene's Fusible Web.  I made many wonderful things with Aleene's Fusible Web over the years - quilt appliques, baby items, I even fused fabric to paper to make cards.  Well, it's time to make more room in my craft room.  Anyone interested? Drop me an email at craftproducts@yahoo.com and we can talk particulars.
 
16" x 50 yards - yup, 50 YARDS!!! Easy to follow iron-on instructions included.

Happy Halloween!!!!

Hello my pretties!

I have on my jack-o-lantern socks, ghost earrings and an orange blouse.  Let the fun begin!

Monarch Butterflies

The Monarch butterflies are back and I'm trying to get the perfect shot for a mobile...

Vintage Christmas Postcard Images

Are you ready for the holidays?  I've been busy crafting away using digital images of vintage Christmas postcards that belonged to my great aunt!  We're talking 100+ years old!  You can make everything from gift tags, embellish candles, make gift bags, create washable gifts (t-shirts, napkins, kitchen towels, etc., etc.), jewelry, changeable vase, holiday cards, holiday planner, ornaments and more ornaments!!! 

I'll be posting a new project every couple of days so keep checking back for instructions on how to create with these beautiful postcards.  BTW - it's NEVER too early to start creating for the holidays.

Joan

The postcard images are available at: 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JoanMartinFee

Crafting on Ellen

If you like to craft, you'll have to check out this Ellen segment...

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2011/10/ellen_in_my_ear_crafting_1014.php

Vintage Postcard Crafting

I'm listening to holiday music in October - before you think I've totally lost it - I'm making some Christmas projects using my great aunt's vintage holiday postcards.  My family has tons of her old postcards - it's a hoot to read these tidbits of the past and see the wonderful stamps and greetings.  I'll post my creations soon!!!  BTW - I'm not using the originals, I'm making copies. 

Photo Scavenger Hunt Ideas

I'm hosting a photo scavenger hunt and it was so much fun coming up with a list of items the attendees have to find and photograph.  I made it specific to the area we'll be.

I printed the list out on some old looking paper, rolled it up, put on a sticker (it's actually a self-adhesive address label that I printed on) and tied it with raffia for a kind of scavenger / pirate look.

Can't wait for the big event and see how everyone does...pictures this weekend!

Autographed Baseball

My friend, Marie, added this photo from her grandson's baseball themed birthday party - it's an autograph ball station, where she had a sharpie on the tray to sign the baseball and a candle holder she used as a pedestal for the 'theme ball'. The radio frame has their favorite Dodger announcer, Vin Scully in it!

Baseball Birthday Party Ideas

Check out my friend Marie's, awesome baseball party theme decorations for her grandson's first birthday.  Marie is always whipping up something creative - she teaches amazing projects at Quilter's Quarters in Hanford, California.  Check out her upcoming classes at www.quiltersquarters.net

Marie's last name is Wilder - that's why it says Wilder Field on the scoreboard!  Cute isn't it?

 Love the banners!!!

 Marie tells me the centerpieces were less than $8 each - most expensive item - the pail.  The words to Take Me Out to the Ball Game song are printed on the other side! 

Love the cake! 

Thanks for letting me share your awesome ideas, Marie!!!