I did it again! I did what I said I wouldn't do.  I went crazy with CHA new releases! I got a great deal of Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Confetti, Crate Paper Craft Market, Crate Paper Journey, Shimelle Cottage Living and even Amy Tan Rise and Shine. As soon as Cassie Box said she loaded these items in store, it was like I was possessed.  I was COMPELLED to go over there and add a gazillion items to my cart and check out! I still have lines here, that I haven't even opened.  With that being said, I will NOT be purchasing ANYTHING ELSE, until July! I have to use up some of this product I have. This is ridiculous!!!!! Especially when I am trying to DOWNSIZE my stash!

Is anyone else like this! and now I want all of the dylusional paints, now I may get those along with the last 2 of the new HS sprays! but, I will not buy anything else, I don't care HOW CUTE it is! I have to stop!!!!!  and the fact that I got a new job, making GREAT MONEY, makes it even more accessible and tempting.  Don't get me wrong, my hubby had no problem supporting my hobby, but I would sometimes feel bad at all the money I was spending.  Now......it's so easy for me to buy whatever I want, when I want! but, I am not going to do that anymore.  I have a HUGE CRAFT ROOM, and I have to often Purge or buy new storage to hold all of my stuff! I need to get BACK TO THE BASICS, EXERCISE SOME SELF CONTROL, AND CRAFT MORE.......AND SHOP LESS.

Am I the only one who feels this way?????? Please comment your thoughts below!
Btw, I got all of my goodies from Paper Issues.  CASSIE BOX ROCKS!!! Use coupon code INSTAGRAM for 20% off.
Until next time...

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours!

I love my craft room.  It's where i go to get peace of mind.  It is really my happy place! It's where i draw inspiration and where all the magic happens.  It doesn't matter if you have a large space or a small closet ( and i started in 99 when all i had was a small corner in my living room), love it and make it work for you!  Link your craftroom here and March 20th i will pick a winner to win some amazing goodies!  Tell a friend!!!

My first charm necklace.

I got it into my head that I wanted to make a charm necklace mixed media style.  And that's exactly what I did!  I had tons of articake charms just laying around waiting to be used.  I bought some chain and necklace closures and the rest was history.  I named the piece "the QUEEN BEE". I used charms that symbolized royalty.  And I love how it came out. What do you think?

Memory Planners

It seems like the scrapbooking industry has caught on to the whole planner craze.  Heidi Swapp and Teresa Collins both came out with their own line of planners and accessories for the planners this year and also Webster's Pages! My two personal favorites are the Heidi Swapp and The Webster's Pages Color Crush planners

You can learn about the Heidi Swapp planners in her blog post here.

You can learn more about the Webster's pages planners in their blog post here.

I already have both of HS planners on order.  The black and white and the watercolor planner.  And I am seriously debating whether or not I am going to order the Color Crush planner in Gold as well! The thing about the HS planners is that I don't know when I am going to receive them because of the port strikes.  It was supposed to ship late December and now it's mid February and we haven't received them. I heard they won't be available until March.  Which really sucks!!!!

Cassie Box owner of paper issues will have the Watercolor Heidi Swapp planners in on today if you are interested.  You can find her store here.

I can't wait to get my planners in my hands.  I was never sold on the whole FILAFAX craze, but once the scrapbook industry got involved, my EARS AND EYES perked right on up! The scrapbooking isn't a multi million dollar industry for nothing.  They are very smart and STRATEGIC with their marketing.  I didn't even think about memory planning until Heidi Swapp came out with her cute little folios.  Then I was SOLD.  Whatever Heidi Swapp touches turns to Gold.  She has been around for 15 years and still is in the game.  My hats off to her.  She definitely knows what she is doing.

If you do have a memory planner,  I am interested in knowing what kind, and please link your blog in the comments.  Until next time.......

ONE LITTLE WORD.......

First off let me apologize for my absence.  I have been so busy the month of January.  My husband's grandmother was admitted to the hospital 13 days before Christmas and we were running back and forth to the hospital, which is on the other side of town.  I am sad to report, that she passed away January 31st.  We were hopeful, that she'd get better, but God chose otherwise. Please say a prayer for our family at this time, especially for my husband and my younger son Jariel who is taking it very hard.  She was 93, but still full of life. It was very hard letting go.

I decided in January that I would choose a word monthly and use that word to apply to my daily life as well as use it to express myself CREATIVELY.  The word that I chose is PEACE.

I chose that word for many reasons. One, it just resonates with my spirit right now.  With so much drama in the world and even within my own family, I just want PEACE. Peace of MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

I will incorporate the word PEACE in all my works! Scrapbooking(12x12 layout), smash booking, a mini album, project life, a painting, art journal entry, and a mixed media art piece! I am very excited about this.

I encourage all of you to incorporate this into your daily lives as well as your creative ones.

I also encourage you to chose your own words monthly and link what you creative and I will showcase it right on my blog!

I have a black board that I purchased from Tuesday morning for 8 bucks! It is in a 9x12 frame that has a slot for a 4x6 picture and the rest is all chalk board.  I choose a picture of my liking to fit the word for the month and I display it all month long!

I encourage you all to join my journey for peace this month of FEBRUARY!
(I will be adding my creative pieces soon! Stay tuned........ )

I'm in the market for......

 IF YOU GUESSED A CRAFT TABLE YOU ARE RIGHT!!!!!! DING, DING, DING!!!!

These two craft tables are sort of similar to what I am looking for! I will be going to Ikea on tomorrow to get what I need.  I had a beautiful GLASS, dining room table that I worked on, and even though it was long and wide, it wasn't really functional.  I was always scared of breaking it! and eventually that's what happened.  It broke! I walked in my craft area and it tipped and fell over and shattered! I was devastated.  That was December 18th! R.I.P to my craft table.

I even shed a few tears.......


SERIOUSLY!

Now that I am no longer in mourning, I picked myself up by my bootstraps and decided to get a more FUNCTIONAL table,  yet STYLISH AND THE MOST IMPORTANT AFFORDABLE.   I have a kid in college and one who will soon be on her way! I HAVE TO SPEND MY NICKELS AND DIMES WISELY! KWIM??????


SO, i decided to get my table top and chair from Ikea, but my shelving units are from Target and in typical DANA fashion, my table top, bookshelves, and chair are not the same color! Nope! But, I am not going to spoil anything.  Once I get it all set up.  You will be the first to see it!!!!


I am so excited! Just hope nothing gets in the way of me going to IKEA on tomorrow!  Hubby promised he would take me to get everything on tomorrow! Can't hardly wait!

I have been challenged! !!!

I was challenged by my friend Julie to showcase my art. So,  I selected a few of my favorite creations.  I took various screenshots of my work on pinterest and instagram.  I know.  Lazy!  But I have a busy day ahead and I wanted to make sure I got it done!  I included art journaling entries,  12x12 layouts, atcs, tags,  smashbook entries, and a mini album i created!!! I hope you enjoy! 

Until next time!