Vintage Aleene's Creative Living Television Show - Macaroni Angels

Wowza!  This Aleene's Creative Living Television Show segment goes all the way back to 1993!  Sit back and learn how to make Macaroni Angels!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bofkbh3pDFw

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

Aleene's Family

Here's the fam minus daughter Candace.  

Aleene's Glue

About a month ago I received a notification on facebook that someone recognized me in a photo Tiffany Windsor posted.  It's embarrassing, but I had to ask the person to refresh my memory as to who she was.  Turned out she was a former co-worker at Aleene's and as we got more reacquainted we found out we both live in the same small town about an hour from where we worked. 

Last night we attended a Meet Up group here in town and saw each other for the first time in 17 years!!!  She came over for lunch today and we caught-up, brainstormed and had a great time.  She brought me these delicious leaf shaped cookies and attached a wonderful gift tag that reads: 
glue: something that binds together

What a lovely and thoughtful gift!  Thanks Carrie!

Crafting at Heidi's Studio

 Tiffany started a local MeetUp crafting group and this was our first get together.  Super fun!

Here's my finished mosaic heart

The new MeetUp Craft group

This is the in-process mosaic.  We glued broken glass pieces to a board and then grouted it.  Simple!

Butterfly Party Activities

I took the ladies on a kind of mystery day of celebrating.  We went to Heidi Borchers' studio and had a great afternoon of mosaic making.

Even Aleene and Tiffany Windsor showed up to say 'hi!'

 Here's my heart before the grout.

 Working....working...working...

 Taaaadaaaa...

 After I got home, I just had to add some swirls with a permanent pen.  I hung my mosaic on a quilt I have hanging on the wall.















After we were done with our mosaic projects, we journeyed to a dear friends house for a proper English tea prepared by another dear friend and her significant other. My friend's WONDERFUL home overlooks the bay and everywhere you look it is adorned with her amazing watercolor creations.  We all loved checking out her 900 square foot studio.  We had tons of little sandwiches, sausage rolls, sweets and lovely teas. 

 More edible butterflies

After the tea, some of the ladies went back to my house for a slumber party.  Denise owns a beauty shop and brought along the latest in nail polish - it was magnetic and so cool.  She brushed it on and while it was still wet placed a special magnet over the paint that made a design.  She said she could actually see it move.

Aleene's Mini Reunion

Last night was if time had stood still.  We had a mini Aleene's reunion and for some it had been years and years since they'd seen each other. 

There was Beth, the floor director of the Aleene's Creative Living television show (she kept our taping schedule on track - we usually taped 8-12 segments Monday through Friday), Tiffany Windsor, host of the show, Heidi Borchers, designer extraordinaire, Sharon Williamson took over from me as the instruction writer when I went on to be the editor of Aleene's Creative Living magazine, Lori was the producer making sure once the segments were taped that they were edited and ready for airing on television and Jean was a segment producer doing all the before, during and after handling of the people who appeared on the show.

It was great reminiscing, catching up and planning for upcoming reunions.

To think a bottle of glue started it all...

Magic of Christmas

Aleene's Magic of Christmas Book

I received a request last week from a reader wanting to locate the Aleene's The Magic of Christmas book from 1998. Well, I dug around a little in my craft room and found three copies. Looking through the 120 pages brought back amazing memories (I was the Editor on the project) of stunning ornaments, centerpieces, stocking ideas and tons more terrific holiday ideas. Anyone else looking for a copy??? There are only two left! Send me an email for details at craftproducts@yahoo.com

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

Inspired at Home Radio

With another click of the mouse!!!

I am honored to have been asked to be a guest on the Inspired at Home call-in talk show hosted by creativity experts Tiffany Windsor and Julianna Hudgins. I'll be on the radio show on blogtalkradio.com Sunday, May 3rd at 4 p.m. Pacific Time talking about my new ebook Guide to Shrink Plastic!!! Oh, my gosh, the Aleene's ladies are together again! What a hoot!