Let the birthdays begin!

I have some very dear friends that I send birthday cards to.  My biggest month is Apr/May.  I finally got started and here is the first card.  My dear friend Karen is one of my biggest cheerleaders.  She is always in my corner, sharing my posts and also sharing my work with co-workers.  I love her to pieces!  So I wanted to create a card to express this.  I have to say, the front of the card just happened to come together (i think it is still magic).  I was going for a look of a cafe.  What do you think?

I found the floor in a search on google for wooden floors.  Printed it out and cut out the part that I liked the best.  The envelope and wallpaper are Graphic 45.  The ScrappyDew file is called Tea Party Girls and here is the link http://shop.scrappydew.com/shop/item/65889 .  I really need to get some new printed scraps.  I have a whole closet full of beautiful paper and I use up the scraps first.  (if you don't use what stacks you have you can't buy more.....ya right)  Now for the inside.

Karen said she just loved the sentiment.  Neither of us have seen 29 or 110 pounds in quite a while.  So that is the official start for the birthdays. Currently I am working on a card for another BFF I have had for over 37 years.  

So that's it for today.  Take care and if you make something you would like to show off, see the coffee cup on the right hand side of my blog?  Click that and it will take you to my facebook page.  I would love to see what you are making!

Bright blessings, Jana

Enamel Dots on the cheap!

My friend Michelle, had posted a video showing how to make your own flat bottomed enamel dots.  Here is the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxH3w8ZKxhg (thanks to ScrapbenaCreations)  I thought that I would personally try this.  I've had great luck with You Tube videos before.  So off I went to Joanns. Found what I was looking for (1/2 off one item coupon in hand).  They are called Perler Beads.  Now I would imagine they come in different sizes.  I just got a small package to try this technique out.  So here we go.

In the 2000 piece package, there are 30 different colors and I separated them all

At my local grocer, I found sheets of parchment paper and fit them to my pan

I lined up a row of each color and baked at 285 degrees for 35 minutes

Here is a close up.

I had a leftover 6 compartment bead container and sorted these into color groups.  Now I have my own home made enamel dots to use and it did not cost hardly anything at all!  

So gang, watch the video and go make some yourself.

See ya back here on Saturday for the start of May birthday card season!

                                     

Happy Easter!

One last Easter project to share with you.  I sincerely wish that each and everyone of you have a very blessed Easter celebration.  There are so many traditions that families have when celebrating Easter.  Sunrise service is one that I remember well.  But before that, I was able to eat one piece of Easter candy.  I usually picked a chocolate Easter bunny and promptly ate the ears.  

ScrappyDew has a wonderful file that I just couldn't resist using.  It is located in the Vault under the heading previous freebies.  It is called Chocolate Bunny.  It's a super cute file and very quick to put together.  So head on over to ScrappyDew http://shop.scrappydew.com/ and get a vault membership.  You won't be sorry!!!  

The lyrics for this project are very simple.  I used scraps!  I have a lot of scraps and it was time to sort and trash.  I also used embroidery floss and some very and cute flower buttons.

So here it is...

Easy, very quick and super cute.  Make sure that you take a look at the ears.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!  Family and Friends together for a big meal....what could be better than that.  Enjoy your day!

Next week I will be back with what I hope to be the big push for May birthday cards.  Starting with a dear friend in Oklahoma!

Bright blessings, Jana

My FIRST Blog Hop!

Scrap Factory Doll Builder Program -
(enter the Giveaway below.)
Scrap Factory Expansion Pack by ScrappyDew Creations
Scrap Factory Expansion Pack by PPbN Designs
$10 Gift Card for Jo-Ann - by Michelle
To be eligible for prizes, leave some love on each of the
designers Blog Hop posts by April 15, 2014. Winners will be
announced on April 18, 2014.

Blog Candy 

Scrap Factory  Doll Builder Program - (enter the Giveaway below.) 

Scrap Factory Expansion Pack by ScrappyDew Creations

Scrap Factory Expansion Pack by PPbN Designs

Jo-Ann Gift Card - $10 by Michelle 

To be eligible for prizes, leave some love on each of the designers Blog Hop posts by April 15, 2014. Winners will be announced on April 18, 2014.

1. MichelleMyBelle 

2. Dania

3. Ken

4. Jana   You are here!

5. Angie

6. Monica

Welcome to my projects for the Scrap Factory - Doll-A-Palooza Blog Hop! You have got to get this program!  It is such fun to be able to create paper dolls and use the NEW expansion set called Brick People.  Here is the link http://dash12.com/scrapfactory/  Sooooo happy you could spend some time with me!  I would love to hear what you think!!!!

I have created two paper dolls, one for each of my projects.  One is a little girl using the base set.  Hair Style #1 with outfit #6.  The next is using the new expansion set called Brick People.  I used the cook hat, the laugh face and the cook top and bottom.  Here is how they turned out.

This weekend I have two projects using Dollar Tree cookie sheets to create magnetic memo boards for Easter presents for my daughters.  I had been wanting to give this a try for a while.  These are the cookie sheets I purchased.

 The first step was to paint these with black spray paint.  My darling DH punched wholes in the end and hung them in the garage and painted them. (there is a reason he isn't allowed to paint, if you get my drift) After cleaning the garage, I needed to take the coating off the now runny black painted cookie sheets.  DH took them to the engine rebuilding shop we own and put the sheets in a solution to strip off the paint and coating.  Then our employee correctly painted them for me.  (only cost me 2 dozen cookies)

So it's time to decorate!  Here is a picture of what I used.

Now in my studio, I have an entire closet organized with all my crafting supplies. Usually what I do is start pulling containers and picking out a color palette and adding embellishments until the project tells me thats it.  It all clicks together and I start from there.  (i think it's magic, but i could be wrong....naaa) I cut a piece of paper to fit the inside of the cookie sheet and used the spray adhesive.  Once the paper is in position, I start decorating.   This is the really fun part.  (just a little hint, i never finally glue down everything until i dry fit it and like it, lessons from experience)  On the back of each paper doll person I put a strip of magnetic tape and added some magnets I also picked up at the Dollar Tree.

One daughter is really into baking.  She makes fantastic decorated cakes and cookies.  So she is getting the Brick person Cook memo board.  Here it is...

The other daughter is getting the girly girl memo board.  Here's the pic:

So that's it for this Saturday!  So happy you could visit.  Leave me a comment. Oh guess what...I now have a Facebook page for my blog (link is on the right hand side).  Not much yet, but keep checking back.  

Now head on over to5. Angie and see her wonderful project!

Bright blessings for a wonderful blog hop and Saturday!  Jana

Jelly Bean Time!

Hi All!  Hope you are seeing some sunshine wherever you are located.  We are expecting temps in the low 70's this upcoming week.  My lawn is so wet (how wet is it heehee) I have to wear my wellies to even mow it.  So this dry and warm weather will really help.

This week I have created a card for a young man that loves to receive mail.  He doesn't know it will be heading his way.  I hope to surprise him.  Also it's the first time I have used felt on a card.  So let's take a look.

I used the Easter Bunny Kids  file from ScrappyDew's website.  Here is the link to the file.  http://shop.scrappydew.com/shop/item/53318

This is just such a fun file and your imagination can come up with the perfect caption.  I decided that "Do I Smell Jelly Beans?" would suit.  Let me show you the card.

I hadn't experimented with cutting felt with my KNK Zing.  So I found my fabric blade and the KNK blade holder.  (i use roland blades and a click blade holder that i bought a long time ago)  I had saved the settings for the blade holder and got everything set up with the correct speed and force for felt.  Sticky mat ready and let's cut.  It was NOT a clean cut.  I had spent a half an hour, and said the heck with it and cut it out by hand.  I will try again, but I had a card to get done.  

The basket needed some embellishment so I used the lattice feature on the Make The Cut (MTC) program and then sized a oval in basic shapes to fit the handle.  I like the look of the basket. So this cute card is heading out to surprise a young man.  

Last week I had promised you a big announcement.  Well like all great things, more time is needed to have all the pieces in place.  So next Friday/Saturday I will have something very special to announce.  You will just have to check back.

Have a wonderful weekend, Bright blessings, Jana