In Mint Condition

It's hip to recycle, right - therefore, it's hip to craft.  Let me explain:  Before there were craft stores where we can buy all the supplies we need to make something, we used to "make things" from supplies we had around the house.  I remember creating a whole ensemble of chorus line dolls made from wooden beads, scraps of lace, ribbon and pipe cleaners.  Since it's no longer hip to smoke a pipe, these are now known as chenille stems.  Cardboard tubes, fabric from old clothes, yarn and more was all fair game for making something and making something from nothing is the fun part of the game.  Let me show you what I mean.  We'll start with this:

You should definitely not throw these away because look what you can make:

            

Cover tins with scraps of paper, ribbon and embellishments for a fun gift tin.  The final look is determined by the paper and how it's decorated.  Sand the tin lightly then spread tacky glue over the surface.  Lay the paper onto each side; let dry thoroughly then trim away excess.

So, don't throw those tins away!  They'll always be in "mint" condition and will make great gifts, with or without the mints.  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,
Julie  :)

BTW:  Don't forget we'll be announcing the next giveaway on 0404!!!

Happy Spring!

Can you believe that Winter has gone already and it's Spring! Before we know it it'll be Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas all over again.   Isn't it nice that there are still some things in life that we can count on.

We'll be having a new giveaway in 2 more weeks!  Giveaways will always be around the beginning of each month and the one for April will be on the 4th.  April is the 4th month, so the giveaway will be announced on the 4th!  May is the 5th month of the year, so the giveaway for May will be on the 5th, etc, etc.  Hopefully this will be easy to remember.  May 5th will have to be extra special, because Cinco de Mayo also happens to be my birthday.

Life in the Craft Lane is pretty busy right now, so I apologize for not posting a lot.  We start taping the new TV series the week of April 4th too - crikey, that's only 2 weeks away and I still have SO much to do to get ready for that.  I'll be posting photos and updating you throughout, so y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Wedding Projects Challenge

Don't forget to check out the wedding projects on our blogs this week.  There are some beautiful and creative ideas for you to see.  Mine are below the giveaway winner announcement.  Don't forget we'll be having another giveaway on 0404 and the project theme is Spring/Easter.  Y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

AND THE WINNER IS........

CONGRATULATIONS IVONNE!!  

You are now the proud owner of a Cricut Expression.  Please e-mail your shipping address to me: julie@juliemcguffee.com by midnight, Wednesday, March 16th.   My heartfelt thanks to everyone else who left such wonderful comments and joined our treasure hunt.  You may not have won a Cricut Expression this time, but I'm sure you discovered all kinds of treasures on the blogs along the way.  Today we're featuring projects for weddings, or anything associated with weddings.

The next giveaway will be announced on 0404, so y'all come back now!

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Wedding Projects Challenge

This weekend isn't exactly my favorite weekend of the year.  Time is precious and I intensely dislike the weekend when we set the clocks forward one hour.  I know we'll get the hour back in Fall, but it's small comfort when I get up at 7am only to find out that it's already 8am!  Tomorrow, however, is going to be an exciting day - it's my grandson's 5th birthday party!  It's also the day when I'll announce the winner of the Cricut Expression and one lucky person is going to be very, very excited.  I wish I could send one to all of you.  Perhaps it will make you feel better to know that I don't have one either!  

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments!  I'll post them tomorrow when I announce the winner.  I'm really glad to know that you enjoy the show and that there are so many Scrapbook Memories fans.  I appreciate your comments very much.  I genuinely love hosting the show and am looking forward to hosting the new series, which we'll be taping in April.  There are some changes which I'll tell you about later, but in my best Austrian accent, I'm happy to say that "I'll be back".

While you're waiting for the winner to be announced, let me tell you about the next GIVEAWAY.  Yes, there will be another one in April.  All the details will be announced on 0404.  The Designer Crafts Connection will have a Giveaway each month, plus we'll be sharing project ideas, tips and techniques which we hope you'll enjoy.  This month the challenge projects are all about weddings.  Here are the wedding favors I created for my son's wedding.

The first project is a matchbook with a photo of the happy couple inside.  I secured the bottom flap with a decorative brad using the Fastenator.  You can create the template for the matchbook in Photoshop Elements®, or Word® on your computer.  You can get 8 matchbook covers from one 8.5" x 11" piece of paper.  Each strip is 2" x 5".  Don't forget you'll need to print both sides and the second side (which will be the inside of the flap) will need to be turned upside down.  Use the drawing toolbar to do this.  Print a sample on regular paper first to make sure everything is lined up correctly.  It may take a little trial and error to figure out where the wording needs to be.  The photograph was printed separately then glued to the inside.

The seal for the clear favor box was also created in Word® then punched using a large scalloped punch from Marvy Uchida.  All the supplies and tools can be purchased at your local Michaels' store.

 

Here's a list of the supplies I used:  Textured pearl cardstock, paper trimmer, Fastenater and decorative brads, adhesive crystals, clear favor boxes, scalloped punch, pink ribbon and glue dots.

We'll be drawing the winner tomorrow, so y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Still Looking for the Logo?

Most of the designers in our group update their blogs on a regular basis, so you may have to scroll down a ways to find "Cricut".  Check their entries for March 3rd.  Good luck and y'all come back now!  The winner will be announced on March 13th!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Enter to Win a Cricut Expression

See the post below for details, but  DON'T FORGET   

to enter the drawing you 

have to list the names of the blogs where you find this logo.

There are at least 9.  List the names of the blogs in my "comments" section.  

These comments will not be published.  Good luck!

Yours truly,

Julie :)

Designer Crafts Connection

This might be a long post, so grab a cup of tea, or a glass of wine, put your feet up and enjoy.  This is going to be fun and really worth reading!

    Introducing the Designer Crafts Connection.................

 Look for this logo on your favorite blogs.  You'll see it on my blog in the sidebar on the left.  Click the "hop forward" button and it will take you to another designer's blog.  There you will find the same logo.  This logo is your ticket that will take you from blog to blog to discover projects, tips and techniques from some of the Arts & Crafts industry's premier designers.  If you start here and keep going forward you will end up here again.  Each month you will find projects created from different mediums with a central theme.  This month's theme is Weddings.  On March 13th, you will have the opportunity to check out a wide variety of projects suitable for weddings and anything connected with weddings - just in time to inspire William & Kate!

Tomorrow, March 3rd is the date for the official start just in time for National Craft Month and to celebrate I am giving away a Cricut Expression.

This is how you enter to win.  As you hop from blog to blog you will see this logo on 9 of them:

Make a note of the name of the blog where you saw the logo then list these names in the comments section of this post on my blog.  The winner will be announced here on March 14th.  (Please note: Due to shipping charges and customs regulations, I can only ship to a US address.)  Followers automatically qualify to enter, but if you leave a comment, you can be entered twice - just let me know you're a follower.   If you're not already a follower, you can sign up and be entered twice too!

I hope you enjoy your treasure hunt and all the exciting blogs you'll visit on your journey.  Be patient with each of us - sometimes the logo is easily seen at the top of a blog and sometimes it's at the bottom, but it's there and if you don't find  9 "Cricuts" the first time around, check again in a day or two.  Time gets away from us sometimes......    If you happen to get "stuck" somewhere click on the DC Connection button and it will take you to a list of all the blogs in the ring.  Skip over the one where you just got  "stuck" and click on the next on the list.  Designers are busy, busy, busy and blogging has to take a backseat sometimes, but we will have something special to share with you each month and......there will be a giveaway!  Not a Cricut each time, but something I hope you'll enjoy.  So, y'all come back now........  and tell your friends!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

MARCH is National Craft Month!

I'm kicking off National Craft Month with a very special giveaway!  If you haven't already heard, it's a Cricut Expression!  Details tomorrow - 03.03, so ya'll come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)