Succulent Wedding Ideas

I'm diving in!  It's succulent wedding week and this is my to do list!  

Art in the Park

An artist gave this to me today at the Morro Bay Art in the Park.  Heidi Borchers and I had a great time checking out all of the artwork, this guy was especially intriguing.

Mosaic Workshops

Are you looking for something fun to do this weekend?  Mosaic Artist, Heidi Borchers, is teaching two workshops on the beautiful California Central Coast just ten minutes from San Luis Obispo.  You get to chose from her amazing selection of tiles, baubles and trinkets to create a custom brick or stepping stone.  Check out the website for more details.  www.CreativeMeTime.com

San Luis Obispo Mini Maker Faire

Come join the fun!  Heidi Borchers and I will be at the SLO Mini Maker Faire showing you how to make beautiful bread dough roses.  It's free!  Tomorrow in Mission Plaza from 11-3.

Aleene's Bread Dough Roses

Save the Date - Next Saturday is the exciting San Luis Obispo Mini Maker Faire!  It's where 'makers' come together to show the public how things are made.  There will be FREE make it and take it's, demos, robots, crafts, books, food trucks and Heidi Borchers and I will be there and you can make a beautiful bread dough rose from white bread and glue in our booth.  11 to 3 in Mission Plaza.  Don't miss it!  It's a perfect family outing.

National Craft Month - Photo Candle Holder

March is National Craft Month

How are you getting your craft on today?  How about trying something new?  The rush is super for your overall health not to mention fun!  Here's a project that you can do right now that won't break the bank!
   
Photo Memory Candle Holder

By Joan Martin Fee

Don’t keep your photos on your computer, create lovely displays to share their beauty with inexpensive candle holders.  Use photos from vacations, headshots of family members for reunions or wedding favors, or images of nature look amazing too!

What You’ll Need

Computer and printer

Paper, regular or vellum

Photo of your choice

Craft knife with new blade

Cutting board

Glass candle holder, 3” high, circumference 11” (you can use any size candle holder just test fit the paper around it)

Tape or white glue

Battery operated votive candle

Ruler – optional

Scissors

How to Make It

1. Print picture so it covers 3” x 11” on the paper.  You may need to repeat the photo or enlarge or decrease it in size. 
2. Place image on cutting board, right side up.  Cut out details with craft knife.  If desired, use ruler as a straight edge to cut against. Remove cut out sections from image. 
3. Cut image to fit around candle holder, overlapping ends slightly.  Tape or tack at ends with glue.
4. Place candle inside, turn on and enjoy the memories!

Joan Martin Fee has been involved in the craft industry for a zillion years!  From designer to editor to teacher to television personality, she’s done it all.  She’s taking all that experience and her creativity and teaching workshops and holding creative retreats on the beautiful Central Coast of California.  Check out more of her designs at www.MakeHealthyFun.blogspot.com and her retreats and workshops at www.CreativeMeTime.com.

Mixed Media Madness Workshop

Mixed media is so fun!  There are no rules and you have access to Joan’s massive treasure chest of craft supplies to decorate three wood nesting boxes.  Whether your heart desires feathers, beads or metal trimmings, you’ll be in creative heaven searching for just that right trinket.  Experiment and let your creativity soar with a little of this or a lot of that and before you know it, you’ve created masterpieces for special gifts or as a beautiful accent for your home. 

Mixed Media Nesting Boxes Workshop 

Tuesday, March 25^th

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Los Osos, California (just a few minutes from the happiest place in the US - San Luis Obispo)

$50 (everything is included in the workshop, just bring YOU!)

More details can be found at  www.CreativeMeTime.com

Shrink Plastic Frame Workshop

Shrink Plastic Heart Frame Workshop

Wednesday, March 12th

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Los Osos, California

$30 (all supplies are included)

My passion for shrink plastic started when I was a kid and we lived ten miles from town without much to do on a farm, so being creative became an integral part of my life.  I took that passion and created many, many, many shrink plastic projects on the Aleene's Creative Living Television Show.  So many, in fact, that Tiffany Windsor, the host, dubbed me 'The Queen of Shrink-It'.  My passion continues today and I'm excited to be holding this workshop at Heidi Borcher's Studio where I'll let you in on all the shrink plastic secrets and show my archives of projects.

Amp-up a plain frame with colorful hearts made from shrink plastic.  Remember playing with Shrinky Dinks or Aleene’s Shrink-It?  Never heard of shrink plastic?  Either way, you’re in for a treat. Shrink plastic starts as a thin sheet, you draw on it, paint on it, print on it - you get the picture.  Then you get the fun of watching it shrink in the oven.  It shrinks in just a few minutes to 60% of original size to the thickness of a nickel.  Joan will show samples of other uses since it’s great for jewelry, cake decorating, home décor and kids’ projects.  Everything’s included in the workshop to create an 8” x 10” frame.  Come join the fun on the beautiful Central Coast just north of San Luis Obispo!

Sign-up at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Creative Me Time Retreats & Workshop for Women

Mosaic Mirror Workshop
Featuring Heidi Borchers
Saturday, March 29th
Los Osos, California  
 www.CreativeMeTime.com

Mirror in progress

Our first Creative Me Time event features Heidi Borchers who was born into the crafting industry. As the daughter of Aleene Jackson, America's beloved "Mother of Crafting" and the inventor of Aleene's Tacky Glue, Heidi spent many of her childhood leisure hours in her mother's shop, gluing, creating, and learning. By the time she was a teenager, Heidi had become an accomplished artist, as well as an inventive designer.

A studio in the seaside town of Los Osos, California, is home to a sea of materials, finished designs, and works-in-progress. Hundreds of containers full of buttons, beads, trinkets, ceramic cookies, tiles and baubles await you for this project. The studio is also a classroom and store where Heidi will be holding this workshop.

Come explore the world of mosaics and learn Heidi's super easy and fun techniques.  Enjoy a day of Creative Me Time with fun ladies, a yummy lunch and take home your finished mirror!

Learn about Heidi's workshop and other retreats and workshops at www.CreativeMeTime.com

Julianna Hudgins and Pattie Wilkinson

The ladies enjoying the party.

Creativity Night at Heidi Borchers' Studio

Journal Jar

 Heidi Borchers opened up her studio recently for a very fun night of creativity!  It's always great to catch-up with Heidi about the good ol' Aleene's Creative Living days and glean a tiny bit of her creativity.  We used her awesome 3D paint resist technique to create beautiful paper using tissue paper.  We then decorated a journal, a jar and a tag with the paper.  The premise behind this lovely gift is to pull a topic out of the jar (yes, we created decorative little topic tags too) then write about the topic in the journal.  Such a great idea!

 Yep, that's tissue covering the journal.

Here's the paper I made.

Aleene's Creative Living Television Show

I posted the Shrinky Dinks Butterfly Necklace (below) on my facebook page and received this comment from an Aleene's show watcher - "I have all of you including Aleene on my friend's lists...you'd think I won the lottery when I discovered you ladies on here. That show brings such fond memories. ..I was a stay at home mom and it was one of the hilights of my day. That and watching the Home show. Ahhh...the good old days!"  Come on over to facebook and friend me at Joan Martin Fee - I'd love to hear from you!

Shrinky Dinks Butterfly Necklace

Back in the Aleene's days I was known as the Shrink-It Queen.  I saw a post on Mark Montano's page recently where he made a beautiful butterfly necklace using Shrinky Dinks and clip art.  I made his version now I need to make one using photos from my recent trip to Butterfly Wonderland.

Past Meets Today

Seize the Day!!!  

 I took that challenge a couple of weeks ago and emailed my former boss at iLoveTocreate about a possible collaboration.  I was headed to Fresno to a Bon Jovi concert (awesome, BTW!) and thought, why not take the bull by the horns and see if I can meet with her. 

I pitched my idea, she loved it and now I'm trying to make the numbers work.  Cross your fingers we can make this work because as a creative person you're going to want to get in on this exciting idea! 

After the meeting, I got the tour of my former work environment (it's been five years since I left) and surprised some old friends who didn't know I was coming.  Wish I'd had time to catch up with my old Aleene's Creative Living friend, Pattie Donham Wilkinson AKA Pattiewack, but for this trip my dance card was full.  It's always great to see her smiling face!!!

Aleene's Revisited

Sailboat Shelf

I wish I had this cute sailboat shelf to hang on the wall in my bathroom.  I think I'll just have to recreate it subbing in canvas or some other stiff material for the Aleene's Satin Sheen.  How can it be 15 years ago that I created this?  Time to hit that bucket list and go sailing...

Custom Photo Shoes

 Shoes, Shoes, Shoes!!!

Have you ever noticed how a great pair of shoes makes you feel confident, pretty, even sexy?  Do you have a special occasion coming up or need an extraordinary gift? Let Joan Martin Fee create special memory shoes from your photographs (or select a pair that were custom made from photos Joan took herself!)

Supply Joan with one to eight high-resolution photos which will be custom printed on high quality fabric. Then the real creativity begins when Joan uses her 20+ years of craft design expertise to transform your photos into a sensational shoe masterpiece adding charms, trinkets, beads, crystals and more to create a shoe that is as unique as you. Joan works with you to create the perfect shoe by chatting with you about your theme and then emails you photos so you're part of the creative process.

These shoes make a WOW! statement on your wedding day, as custom gifts for your bridesmaids, an amazing trip down memory lane at a reunion or as a special gift for a friend that will be cherished and remembered for years.  Let Joan custom create a pair just for you. www.etsy.com/shop/JoanMartinFee?ref=si_shop

What a sweet way to remember a special year (or occasion) with this adorable time capsule you make yourself!

FYI - this project is from the Aleene's Creative Living archives so some products may not be available. Substitute good quality products and you'll create a great project.

Wood Burning Projects

Was your New Year's resolution to organize your recipes, control your kid's treasures or frame your favorite photos?  Do it in a unique and very personal way with wood burned words.

New Year's Eve Party Hats

I'm dusting off the old Aleene's Creative Living archives for these great party hats for your New Year's Eve celebrations!

Michaels Trimmings for the Christmas Tree

I created these super easy ornaments way back in 1997 and they're still in vogue today.  You'll have plenty of amazing trims to choose from at Michaels and everything else is there to create stunning trimmings for your tree.