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

Inspired at Home

In case you missed The Crafty Chica and ME talking about my new ebook Guide to Shrink Plastic on the Inspired at Home blog radio show tonight, check it out at www.blogtalkradio.com/inspiredathome listed under "On-Demand Episodes".

Blog Talk Radio

Next Sunday Night!!!

The Crafty Chica and I are special guests on the Inspired at Home blog talk radio with Tiffany Windsor and Julianna Hudgins from my old Aleene's days. We're going to have a blast talking about my ebook Guide to Shrink Plastic and I'm sure we'll talk about 'the good ol' Aleene's days'!!! Check out the details!!! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/inspiredathome

Sunday, May 3rd 7:00 p.m. Eastern

This Week

Aprons and More Aprons!!!

It's been a whirlwind week with lots happening, but the thing that keeps coming back to me about the week is APRONS!!! Late last week I had the pleasure of editing instructions for seven aprons that the Duncan designers created for an upcoming Belle Armoire issue. They ranged from one that Cheryl Ball created that I called a Lucille Ball apron to a Peace Apron. All very clever and all very different.

Last Saturday, I met up with Cheryl Ball who was selling her handmade items at the Paso Robles Olive Oil Festival. She had the best aprons for sale - while I stood there she sold 3 (one with an olive on it, of course) and she's making some aprons for a new bakery that just opened in Paso. Cheryl's wasn't the only booth selling aprons, there was another one, but she was charging over $40 for hers. On my way out of town, I stopped at a quilt store and there were more aprons!!! I see the apron I bought on my last vacation is hanging in my storage building - time to get it out and at least make it a part of my kitchen decor. On Sunday, Cheryl, her sister Krissy and I had brunch in Morro Bay. It was nice to catch up with both of them.

Looking back on last week, I don't know how I fit it all in. A former co-worker mentioned about me being a butterfly and after just watching one in my yard fluttering around for place to place, I think she hit the nail on the head. I DO have to post pictures of my butterfly bathroom - I keep forgetting.

Last Wednesday I attended my first newcomer's club meeting - it was fabulous - the energy of the sixty-five ladies was fantastic. They have little off-shoot groups - one is for Chick Flicks, one gourmet cooking, one gardening and the one that was formed that day was The Valley Girls. It seems as though about 85% of the members are from The San Joaquin Valley - that shouldn't have been a surprise to me since that's where I'm from and here is where a lot of the Valley people vacation to get away from the heat.

Last Wednesday night I visited with Kathy Cano-Murillo, The Crafty Chica. She was in a nearby town debuting her new product line - the line I spent over a year editing instructions, writing packaging copy and getting it translated - it was a BIG job. It was so fun to see Kathy in all her glory. I had dinner with Kathy and her husband, Patrick. What a terrific evening! Thanks Kathy and Patrick for sharing your evening with me.

Saturday was spent shopping - I bought a most gorgeous Mission-style bookcase, begged my sister and nephew to come over and help me unload it - I bribed them with ice cream. We spent the rest of the evening chatting and having fun. My sister and husband lived in this house for a while way, way, back.

I also found some outstanding bargains on summer clothes - 75% at Penney's. I need summer clothes because...I'm going on a cruise to Cabo in October. I'm going with 14 very party people, so it will be fun and it's a place I've never been.

The rest of the weekend was spent organizing my storage building, putting books on my bookshelf and going through old files - being totally afraid to throw papers away. I figure I can always track stuff down if I had to.

I have been busy working in my yard, planting flowers and trying to figure out what to do with a yard that's pretty much just dirt...I'm sure you'll hear about that again.

The weather as been absolutely fantastic, so I've been taking lots of walks and everyday I have the windows open to let in the sounds of the ocean and the fresh air.

Well, my friends, I must get back to work - be sure to check out http://www.duncancrafts.com/ - we're adding over 50 new projects this month on the crafts and ceramics websites - everything from Halloween costumes for your dog to a garden candlestick to a Crafty Chica project - can't tell you what it is!

Enjoy your day!
joan

I'm Going Outside My Comfort Zone Big Time!!! YIKES!!!

When I was going through my journals in preparation for this new year, I ran across something I wrote when I was on vacation at Big Sur last year. It was there that I did a little (OK, big) brain dump and wrote things down as they came to me. One of the things on the list was voice lessons. I was shocked - I don't remember writing it because singing lessons have been coming to mind and I mentioned it to my mom and she said she's always wanted to take lessons.

Last week on my way to my doctor's office I was stopped at a stop light and noticed a sign for singing lessons - I go by this place at least every two weeks and this was the first time I had seen the sign. When I got to my doctor's office, I noticed a cute metal Christmas tree and walked over to get a closer look and on it was written The Voice Shop. I questioned my doctor about it and she said that's where she takes voice lessons. Come to find out, The Voice Shop is the place I drive by - kind of spooky, if ya ask me. I knew then it was a sign for me to call and today, I called and left a message. This will be a very huge step outside of my comfort zone. One NEVER knows what will unfold before them - maybe even a voice shop.

It's been a week of mega overtime getting ready for our big trade show next month - I'm working on booth signs, the media kit, a huge catalog, ads and 10 kits for a new product launch we're doing at the trade show. I'm also busy with a brochure for some new glazes being added to our ceramic line, working on 30+ projects for the February web (www.duncancrafts.com) and doing a test for a potential new glue, so, overtime it is for a while.

I'm headed to my parents tomorrow for my dad's 81st birthday - hard to think it was a year ago that Marilyn Monroe graced his party.

As for my PC (Pulse Check) this week - I didn't get much accomplished, but with OT most every night, things have to go by the wayside. I did have dinner with The Crafty Chica (hey, Kathy!) and two other friends - it was a nice diversion.

Lindy and I continue to do our 30 minute workouts at lunch - thanks for the inspiration, Lindy! We keep all the fixing for an awesome salad at work, so we just have to assemble and we're back to work.

Oh, I almost forgot...take some time for yourself today, even if it's 10 minutes to add a little something to the project you're working on. As for me, I indulged in a 1-1/2 hour massage - this girl can make me feel like rubber!!!

Back to work - make today an outstanding day!
Joan

Crafty Chica, Birthday Party Cakes, Friends, Odd Creepy Things, Weight Watchers, PBS Preview Party, Walking, Hip Hop, Kindergarten, Weekend Trip, Concerts...

Let's see, did I forget anything that's happened or going to happen soon? Probably...life has been interesting, creepy, fun, rewarding and exhilarating...

Our friend Kathy Cano Murillo AKA Crafty Chica is expected in the office today and I can't wait!Her amazing energy is awesome and I'm excited to see her reaction to a new product line we're working on for her. It will be her first peek at what we've been working on for more than a month.

I'm getting down to the wire on centerpieces for a 50th birthday party my high school class is having next month. It's coming up quick and I still need to paint ceramic bisque in the shape of pieces of cake. When you put 7 of them together in a circle they form a cake - too cute! Everyone gets a 'piece of cake' filled with 70's candies as a favor. More pictures as I progress.

Today is my friend Frances' birthday so I have my party dress on and we're getting together at a local restaurant with her husband and our friend Doug. It feels like I haven't seen her in ages - she lives about 45 minutes away - but that's NO excuse!

Odd Things - I had one of the oddest things happen this weekend - one of those where I'm scratching my head still trying to see what the message is or why it happened - perhaps I'll never know! I went for a walk where I live early Saturday morning. I came back the same way I left. On the way back, I noticed a gold box laying on the ground - it was smashed as if someone had run over it. I picked it up and found a 30 year old diary in it authored by what I'm assuming was a farm wife in a small town about an hour south of here - she was an artist - there were wonderful drawings of people, animals, art displays, the studio she wanted to build. My first thought was to take it to the management office where I live. I sat and thumbed through the entries and read the letters inside - in one letter she talked about death and on the reverse she had her to do list. I felt very odd going through someones private thoughts. Then, I had one of those 'is this really happening?' moments - she mentioned going to a nearby town to get some craft supplies. Well, where she got her craft supplies was at Cheryl Ball's store. I work with Cheryl!!! There were several entries about Cheryl and her mom - the woman used to have Cheryl's mom critique her work. I keep asking myself why in this big huge world did I run across the diary and why Cheryl????

My company offers an in-house Weight Watchers program and we got started again a week ago - I'm very motivated - walking every day and going to a hip hop dance exercise class once a week.

Saturday night I went to the preview of a new PBS program. My friend Gloria knows the host of the show (OK, I have talked with Mark at parties and dinner, so I kind of know him!). It was interesting meeting people of diverse backgrounds. The food was awesome - I was impressed with the mini hamburgers in a 1/4 of a pita pocket.

My youngest nephew started Kindergarten yesterday - seems like he was just born yesterday, but in looking back over all the things we've done, we've both grown a lot.

I'm very excited about the upcoming weekend! A friend, her sister and I are going to a town south of Santa Cruz to shop and play! I've never been there, so I'm looking forward to the adventure and to see what kind of crafty things are available.

This last weekend I picked up tickets for a couple upcoming concerts - Big and Rich (they're a new one for me!) and Peter Frampton and the Doobie Brothers...so, it's concert month in September and birthday party month too!

Until next time - keep craftin'

Joan