Janna Wilson

Kindergarten...seriously!?!?

Cash is still trying to wrap his head around the actually date/moment/time/morning he will get up and go to kindergarten. {giggle}  I can usually get through to him by saying you have to wake up "X" mornings but somehow I don't think telling him he has to wake up 100ish mornings would work this time. For now, I just say after summer...because he does understand that the sisters will get out of school and we all have more time at home for a while then they (and he) will go back to school. Whew!

The big day of registration was pretty monumental...getting to go to the school, tour, have milk and cookies and experience the classrooms and teachers. (click the image to find out all the products I used from JS)

I'm so bad, I just don't mess with my big camera so I catch it all with the iPhone...and Instagram :) Love it. I could totally live without the phone part...gotta have the camera. You can see how eager Cash was and how much fun he had the day we visited the school. Course I had to scrap it ;) I'm pretty much obsessed with all things Echo Park. oops! Would love to design for them someday?

And for those of you that I've scrapped with/around for years...how impressed are you that I can do boy pages! I didn't think I could! Its so fun!

Did I mention...that I got straight A's this semester. :) Just had to throw that in! I'm so excited! YAY!

 

Appreciate your teachers! FREE printable note card

It's that time of year again, time to do something sweet for your child's teacher. We do lots of personalized goodies at the store, stationery, acrylic cups, totes and so many fun things.  So here's a little card you can add to your gift.  I used these a couple of years ago and make packs of 10 or 20 personalized with Abby's teacher's names on them. Teachers always need fun stationery, right?

These print two to a sheet and you can add your teacher's name or put "THANK YOU" on it...personalize it however you like. The pdf is blank...no name included. If you're not savvy with Word or PS you can handwrite, stamp or add stickers to it.

Download the file here:  Teacher Note Card

NOTE:  You may have to set your printer settings to "BORDERLESS" in order to print this as is on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet.  You can print on plain or textured cardstock but these look FANTASTIC printed on bright white presentation paper like this Epson brand.

Hope you enjoy! 

 

PLEASE carefully read the Terms of Use when using my printable designs :) You are free to make these and give these as gifts but not for sale. Thank you!

 

My dancer...and a doodle :)

Been spending a lot of time running to and fro with the kids goings on...some fun things happening. Lots of dance recitals, tball and school trips! A couple of weeks ago Sara got to participate in her first Dance Show. Our school has a wonderful performing arts program and facility and the kids can get into dance class starting in 7th grade. Sara loved it this year. The big show at the end of the year was AWESOME. I can't even begin to tell how impressed I was...this was one of my fave acts from the night.  Caught Sara with pretty hair and make up before heading to the show...and scrapped my beautiful dancer:

Did this for a Jessica Sprague CT project...and LOVE the Schmootzy Stamped Alpha (DANCER) brush for the title! WOW! Looks like rub ons or stamping with paint SANS mess!!! Awesome. 

So I've been out of school for three days and I feel just as busy as ever. Going from 6:00 to midnight...whew! Got some freelance jobs going and trying to keep learning too...taking a creative class for the fun of it :) Ever learning...keeps me inspired.  Also working in my sketchbook...daily.

Want to do a collection of pretty words...

Been thinking about summer, sun, and together. 

Sad news today that the Meredith Corp. decided to cease publication of Scrapbooks etc. magazine. Working with those guys was the most wonderful experience...I am so grateful, thankful and have great respect for the editors, staff and my fellow contributors. Sad but I know they will all move on to something even better and bring their talent and professionalism to another publication and wishing them all the best.

Well, I'm on to my next task! Thanks for stopping in! 

 

Tball fun! (more Echo Park love)

I seem to be stuck on Echo Park , hmmm? 

I have to admit, I'm drawn to their clean designs and vintage feel. So fun to actually be designing layouts to share again. 

A few people have asked me if I'm going to print these or what? Its kind of strange since I was such a hard core traditional paper scrapbooker...I'm loving digital but I still want these to be something you can hold in your hand. So yes, I am printing...but not 12 x 12. I prefer 8 x 8 because the albums are easier to deal with and I can use regular matte presentation paper instead of purchasing the big stuff. 

Products used in this project are:

Echo Park Hybrids- Grand Slam Mini Theme, Note to Self Full Collection

and canvas paper (my design)

 

 

My first JSct layout: Echo Park Boys

I'm pretty sure I love creating boy pages just as much as girly ones! Its fun to kind of relax and create for the fun of it. I did this one in answer to the challenge posted here, but I also love all of the Echo Park stuff and really enjoy using it. Used a brand new Mini Theme by Echo Park "Boys" (coming May 7) and The Essentials stitches by Carina Gardner. LOVE!

I'm hooked on using my Instagrams.

geeked about web design!

Yep. I guess I'm ligit. I've designed two websites on my own-- (Bryan Alexis at UAFS is a pretty awesome web professor, if I do say so) and I'm pretty proud of the most recent...my portfolio website. This is bare bones coding from the ground up...wow! I've got a couple of issues in Safari browsers gonna troubleshoot that soon as I get a bit of time and I can't wait to add more of my work and tweak it a bit more. I actually never thought web design was something I'd be interested in doing but its really challenging...I love a good challenge. I've learned a lot and hope to keep at over the summer to hone my web skillz.

Hope you'll pop in and check it out. Try out the contact page and send me a note?

 

a day off? nahhhh...

I've been lying to myself and pretending I had a real day off today. Well, maybe not to do whatever I wanted but no school/work and I haven't done housework yet either :) oops!

Abby had her track meet and that was fun...she was a little discouraged with 6th place in her first race but I reminded her to do her best on her next event and she was thrilled with 2nd! And she felt satisfied that she did her best.

I got a couple of pics...and this is why I love Photoshop-->

You can still see the selection around where the girl was. Just lasso'd the little girl and deleted with content-aware...I didn't mess with it anymore...even though I wanted to.  It left the track lines a bit wavy in the background but girl gone...mission accomplished :) Abby is the super star now!

Abby got second in the hundred meter dash :) Cash was cheering her on--->

And I went to Staples and took advantage of this awesome deal!!! And I came straight home and printed this for my laundry room - I love it!

This was a part of my final in Adv. Typography...oh you can see more here.  It was a fun project, I think I'm going to offer some of the prints in my Etsy shoppe! Fun!!!

Well, I'm on the run again-- happy Thursday!

 

 

one week till its over...

...the semester, that is. Whew. I'm so done with school right now. So ready to immerse myself in family, home, homemaking, my own projects. Right now I just feel like I'm sacrificing everything for school...and I just don't like that feeling. So if I can make it until next Friday...I'll be done...and least until July :)

We had Chicken Helper for dinner...now I'm not knocking it, cause it was actually decent tasting (I used leftover grilled chicken from last night's salads), but I didn't buy a "helper" of any sort for the first 15 years of our marriage. These last two years being in school...we've had a box a week. I try to make it a little more glamorous, but it is what it is. I'm so ready to do some good cooking. Enjoy all the good bounty the garden is growing and work on my very neglected landscaping and yard. I'm whining aren't I?!

LOL! I'll stop.

Guess what I did today...

yep, I got me a pedicure...DELUXE -with the rocks, sea salt, and parrafin. Mmmm.  I didn't even care what it cost-- my feet looked horrible and my nerves were shot! It was either a pedicure or start smoking! Nah..j/k. Love my turquoise toes! FUN! 

When I'm procrastinating...it seems I blog more. Interesting? 

Some very exciting news...I'm going here--->

yipee!!! All the years I traveled for scrapbooking and tradeshows, I never got to go to this in NYC and I ALWAYS wanted to. I'm thrilled to be going with my boss from my job! Her daughter in law designs invitations and cards and they do the show as a wholesaler so I will be working-- anybody else going to be there? Come by and see me for sure! Maybe sometime in the not so far off future I'll be there with my own designs? Hmm...

Having lots of fun so far getting into the swing of the JS Creative Team. I've been creating. I'll share soon!

Well, I better get back to my Art History essay. Not fun.

Good night :)

 

 

 

Jessica Sprague and ME! yipee!

I've been a lurker on Jessica Sprague's site for quite a few years...she caught my attention when she first came on board with CK back in the day (seems like forever ago) but all those years I resisted the temptation-- I really shied away from Digi scrapbooking. Of course I've always been handy with PS, but I just didn't think I could let go of the tactile medium for the 'puter scrapbooking. Well, here we are-- and I miss it...scrapbooking, that is. Time just doesn't allow me to do a whole lot of anything outside school/work but I think my future is looking oh so bright!  (insert a digi layout I did last summer and you can see my other attempts here)

So a few weeks ago, I caught a glimpse of the fact that JS was adding to their creative team...hmmm, I thought. A minimal committment and I'm going to be free of school in just a week and a half! I did it-- yep, I applied for the team. And on the 20th I found out I got picked along with 14 other talented gals! What a breath of fresh air. Given that my schedule is going to be a bit lighter for the rest of the year I'm really looking forward to this fun experience. 

I know I have to create in order to be creative...just keep trying new things, experimenting, making, playing. And I think this opportunity is just what I needed to keep me inspired and get some of these fun photos documented! I'm just so thrilled to have the chance to work with such professionals as Jessica and her team that makes it all run like a finely oiled machine. WOW. Its an impressive operation to say the least!

So, this means I'll have some fun content to post. I'll be experimenting and "growing my skills" as JS says! I can't wait to jump in! I'll keep you posted!  In the meantime...definitely check out jessicasprague.com :)

oh and hello-- look for this one to be scrapped soon, very soon- Cash and his cuz at their first t-ball game the other night!  CUTE!!!

 

puzzled...

(papers from Echo Park Note2Self at Jessica Sprague, note paper a freebie kit by Erica Zane, stitches by Carina Gardner)

Well, since I have been working on my craft/scrapbook website, I have been so rejuvenated by all my old projects...its really made me want to create...something, anything. I never really embraced digital scrapbooking-- I love the whole tactile aspect of paper, textures, etc. --plus I just didn't have time before. But given my experience as a designer, my limited time and the face that I REALLY have needed a creative release...well, here I am! Digital Scrappin'! LOL!  No, its really fun, and the best part is that there is absolutely NO mess! If you don't count the external hard drives, flash drives, cords and sketchbook!  LOVE getting these Instagrams on these pages.

You know me...I'm always dreaming of something, looking forward to a new adventure even though I really don't ever go anywhere at all LOL!!! I've had a lot of things going through my head. I love to learn new things and be challenged. I'm experimenting with some things right now, learning some new things (outside of school), and we'll see what happens.

I mentioned my craft website...want to visit? I may never get done because I have so much content but I thought it would be a good chance to practice my web skills.  Go peek at this...

Remember its a HUGE work in progress...but I'm excited to share-- Happy Sunday!