COSTCO 2009 Photo Contest Winner

Interesting photo.

Aleene and PattieWack at CHA

I so missed seeing Aleene at CHA. Here's a picture of Aleene and PattieWack in the i love to create booth. I learned so much from Aleene during my eight years at Creative Living and am thankful for each and every one of the hats / experiences I had there.

Make Healthy Fun Craft Academy

Everyone had a great time recycling foam trays into airplanes!

Craft and Hobby Assocation Craft SuperShow

Deborah Norville taught me to knit! She was so personable, talented and candid! She even dished about the Sag Awards, her leaving the Today Show. I even held her needle while she taught us to cast-on in her unique way!

Deborah Norville's new yarn line.

Have some buttons? Here's a cute way to use them.

Loved the balloon flowers.

All of the swooshes on this wall were done in crystals. Check out the hands.

This butterfly was about 4 feet across and very pretty.

The bird was huge. Check out the floor behind it - yup, it's feathers!

Beautiful butterflies hanging from the ceiling.

Craft and Hobby Association Highlights

I saw this posted on a booth and I liked what it had to say!


Paper butterflies - when I was a kid, everything was pink - pink bedroom, pink clothes, pink, pink, pink...

3D flowers on the side of a booth

I'm getting ready for my class reunion and was searching the trade show floor for ideas for decorations. Can you see this in purple and gold?

My dear friend, PattieWack.

My friend, Cheryl Ball, created with butterfly dress - love it, Cheryl!!! Can I borrow it for my class reunion?

It was old home week at the show. Crafty Chica AKA Kathy Cano-Murillo shows off cannon spray paints in the i love to create booth.

This girl was soooo getting into spraying on dye to make a cool scarf.

I had so much fun making a button pin in the Blumental Lansing booth - it was great to be a crafter and enjoy all of the make-it and take-its.

Can you tell what this dress is made from?

Purple and gold??? Hanging from the oak trees at my reunion?

Too cute, paper dress.

Paper booth display.

When my brother remodeled his house (the house I grew up in) he offered me an old lighting fixture from the hall. I'm thinking it would look great as the top of a mobile like this.

Kathy Ireland was on the floor showing her new trims.

Such a colorful display of afghans and hats.

Craft and Hobby Association Craft SuperShow Day 2

It has been an exciting day! I had breakfast with the very talented designer, Cheryl Ball and chatted with Kathy Cano Murillo, The Crafty Chica. I helped Kathy launch her product line a couple of years ago - I wrote all of the packaging and edited her instructions for the projects. She offered me a copy of her new book, so I will meet up with her tomorrow to get my copy!

I went to the convention center to pick up my badge this morning for the trade show tomorrow and decided to peek into the show. I'm so glad I did! I stumbled into a presentation by Deborah Norville - yes, the former Today Show host. She was so entertaining and I held her needle while she demonstrated a new casting-on technique for knitting! I will have to find some yarn and needles to try it out! Very inspiring!

I saw Pattie Donham, Aleene, Tiffany Windsor, Joann Pearson from Michaels, Julianna Hudgins, Maria Nerius - it was old Aleene's Creative Living days all over again! Loved it!!!!

The most exciting part of the day was that I sat down and did some make-it and take-its!!! Sometimes when you're 'in the biz' crafting because a job. For the first time in a long time, I was a Crafter - I made a beautiful bracelet using Blue Moon Beads and several other projects. I think I got my Craft Back!

Tomorrow's all business - you never know who you'll run into on the show floor.

Happy Crafting!
Joan

Craft and Hobby Association Craft SuperShow

Fabulous day at CHA!!! Had a blast teaching at the Craft Academy! Crafters are amazing! I had seriously thought about cancelling my make-it and take-its because of the weather. We saw several overturned cars along the freeway and the weather was something else! I dropped a friend off in Manhattan Beach and would love to go back sometime to do some window-shopping - fantastic looking home decor stores!

Tomorrow is a 'free' day - I'm thinking the show floor will be crazy with crafters!!! I might take a watercolor class. I'm having breakfast with Cheryl Ball!!! and will meet up with some more former Aleene's friends the next few days.

From Crafter's Heaven,
Joan

I'm off to see Mickey!!! Full report on the Craft and Hobby Association SuperShow and Trade Show early next week!!! If you're going to be there, swing by the Craft Academy tonight from 6-7 and have some crafty fun!

What to do with an Old Baby Crib

My brother and sister-in-law were cleaning out their garage recently and were getting rid of the baby crib my nephews slept in. I had to rescue it, yet somewhat maintain it.

I live in a teeny, tiny house and I came up with the idea to attach the side pieces to the wall in my kitchen and bathroom and use them for storage.

I attached some sticky-backed magnetic pieces to the wood to hang knives so they're always at the ready. I put stuff way up at the top that I seldom use - bbq skewers and bread basket. My parents gave me some heirloom silverware a while back and I twist-tied it together and hung them up high.

I used S hooks and metal shower hooks to do the hanging.

Here's one end piece from the crib.

In the bathroom, I used plastic bins from the dollar store and attached them to the rungs with clips (also from the dollar store)

I still have one more end piece and the metal frame. Any ideas???

Girlfriendology Blog Talk Radio

Bummer, no Girlfriendology Blog Talk Radio interview today due to technical difficulties. We're rescheduled for January 29th at 2:00 EST and I'm sure I'll have even more inspiration to share after I'm back from the Craft & Hobby Association Craft SuperShow and trade show next week.

Girlfriendology Interview Date Change

Girlfriendology Blog Talk Radio Interview
Tuesday, January 12th
2:00 EST
11:00 PST
Go to the website below or call in at (347) 426-3761
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/girlfriendology

Girlfriendology Interview on Blog Talk Radio

Girlfriend's Guide to Health and Fitness for the Family

Do you need some ideas on how to get your family to exercise, eat healthy and unplug??? Tune-in to my interview Monday, January 11th on Girlfriendology's Blog Talk Radio show and I'll let you in on what I like to call 'Stealth Health'. Make Healthy Fun! is all about using creative projects and recipes to get your family to be healthy without them knowing it - it'll be your little secret weapon!!!

Girlfriendology Blog Talk Radio Interview

Monday, January 11th

2:00 EST

11:00 PST

Go to the website below or call in at (347) 426-3761

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/girlfriendology

Stop by, listen in and ask me some questions!!!

Craft and Hobby Association Craft SuperShow

Craft Academy
Class is now in session! Take your seat as expert crafters teach you basic skills and techniques at the SuperShow Craft Academy. The first 16 students to arrive each hour on the hour will participate in a hands-on educational experience. Come to the Craft Academy in booth 743 to see if your skills will get you on the Dean’s List!

The events are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check out all of the fun events at the CHA Craft SuperShow January 22nd & 23rd around the corner from Disneyland!!!
www.craftsupershow.com/eweb/StartPage.aspx

Craft and Hobby Association Celebrities Appearances

CHA Celebrities

My friend, Cheryl Ball, sent me this link today - geeee...I had no idea!!! I'm among celebs like Deborah Norville, Carol Duvall, Dee Greunig, Vickie Howell, DIY Gurus - Cathie Filian & Steve Piacenza, Aleene Jackson, Jo Pearson and Heidi Borchers!!!

http://www.craftsupershow.com/eweb/dynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=celebrities

Happy New Year!

My new year started in an 'ouch' way!!! I went sandboarding (just like snowboarding, but down a hill of sand). First time - perfect! I sat down on the board. Second time, we went to a higher hill and it was suggested I go head first. It was scary, but I made it to the bottom - not too bad, a whole lot of sand found its way to places it shouldn't be. After I collected myself, I saw blood on my hand. "Apply pressure" came to mind. I'm fine, but nursing a sore finger today. Then the other ouch was when I got back to my car - a $93 parking ticket!!!! Small prices to pay for a fun time.

I'm laying low today waiting to hear from a friend who's in the area touring a lighthouse then a fish taco lunch to start the new year off right!

Here's to an 'ouchless' new year!!!