When you get asked to participate in something so fun as What would YOU make?  hosted by Lil Blue Boo, you don't say no.
You just don't.
You get a little scared.  A little intimidated.  Then you dig through your brain to come up with a project worthy of the gorgeous fabric that landed on your doorstep.

I hope that this little project quailfies.  It sure makes me happy, but most importantly, it makes my girlies happy.

We are on the go a lot.
A lot a lot a lot.

The girls color a lot.
A lot a lot a lot.

We have been using cookie sheets as little lap desks in the car forever.  Useful?  Yes.  Cute?  Not so much.  Plus the pens and crayons fly off and fall under the seats.  All the time.  If I have to mediate another THE PINK MARKER FELL BETWEEN THE SEATS MOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!! meltdown, I just might have a meltdown of my own.

So what is one to do with cute fabric, spray paint, glue and some magnets?
Change car art forever.


Here is what you will need my friends:
A large-ish cookie sheet.  Big enough to fit a full size piece of paper or coloring book.
Spray primer (not pictured but MANDATORY.)
Spray paint.
Magnet discs.
A can.
Strong glue.
Fabric.
Mod Podge.
Foam paintbrush.

First you need to prime your cookie sheet.
I didn't.  Dumb mistake.  Usually I have great luck with just a coat of spray paint, but the nonstick nature of the cookie sheet had other plans.  If you are a little OCD and like your projects to be durable do NOT SKIP THIS STEP.  I on the other hand am impatient and ADD and am just chocking the chippy paint to the shabby chic vibe.

After the primer is dry, paint the edges and bottom of the cookie sheet with your happy color spray paint.
I am a huge fan of Rustoleum Ultra Cover.  It is by far the best spray paint out there.
Trust me.  I've tried them all.
Let dry.

While the cookie sheet dries, get working on the can caddy.
It will be the saver of your sanity and the keeper of the pens, crayons and pencils.

If your little one is more of a crayon user, look for a shorter wider can, as opposed to a soup sized can.  Perhaps a nut can, which have the added benefit of an attached lid.

Remove the label.  Measure the can and cut a piece of fabric accordingly.
Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the can and smooth the fabric around it.
When dry, brush another smooth layer on top of the fabric.
Set aside to dry.

By now the cookie sheet should be dry.  Measure the interior and cut a piece of fabric accordingly.
Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the cookie sheet.  Smooth fabric over it.
When dry brush another layer of Mod Podge on top of the fabric, as well as over the painted areas of the cookie sheet.  It will dry clear and be an extra layer of protection from coloring accidents and crazy children.

Pair it with a coloring book, cute journal, or if you are the sewing type (or would like to become the sewing type) stitch up a matching personalized composition book cover.
They are really, really easy.  Pinky swear.

Then throw in a rainbow set of sparkly new markers that thankfully won't fall under the seats.  Yay on all levels!

This happy set would make a very special and affordable gift for the young ones in your life.
Plus I have a feeling that their parents would love your forever for it.
Road trips have never been easier, when my girls are armed with a fresh composition book and new markers.
They have even been utilized on hurried morning drives school to finish up last minute homework assignments.  I mean, other people do that....

 DVD player?  Who needs one?

Thank you so much Ashley and Lisa for asking me to participate.  It was so much fun!
Visit Lil Blue Boo to see the other amazing projects and for a chance to win two yards of this gorgeous fabric!

What would you make?

I fell in love with this chair from Urban Outfitters forever ago.
The price isn't too bad, but I wanted a bigger chair, a cozier chair, a chair that a little one or two or three or four could snuggle and read a book with me in.

So what do I do?
Buy a bunch of this fabric.

Throw this promising guide into my Paypal cart.
Because I'm lazy and I'm a girl, so it must be perfect for me.
I'm scared, but I am going to put my big girl skirt on and try, try, cry, try.

If all else fails, I might rope my mom into rescuing me (ready Mom?).
But if it goes well I will be reading, snuggling, and taking Shane's monthly pics in my brand new (to me) chair.

We will see...

Last week Leslie and I hosted a Love for Anika craft night.


Is there a better way to spend an evening than with sweet friends, unbelievable food, crafty crafts, all for a purpose?
Our friends can bring it!  The baking !  The cooking!  Are you kidding?
When guys get together they bring a bag of chips.
When girls get together it is a wonderland of deliciousness.
Not just yummy, but adorable.  
Cupcakes in a jar + Drew + her new sunny flower = happiness.
Erin's Meyer lemon cheesecake in mason jars just might be my new boyfriend.
Mique drove one billion miles through holiday traffic to join us.   Love her.  

 Mason Jars (inspired by this post) plus some sun yellow spray paint.
I could have just stopped there, but instead I chose to do my civic duty by helping the city rid themselves some of their rampant wild daisies.
Did you know that in all the world, a simple daisy is my most favorite flower?
I'm a cheap date.
They are sunshine on a table, for zero dollars.
If this little trio doesn't make your smile, I am so, so worried about you.
There might need to be some therapy in your future.

Just gather your jars, plop them upside down on a tarp, or piece of cardboard.
Then lightly and evenly cover the outsides of each jar.
Lighter coats are better - less chance for icky drips.
Because the paint is on the outside, the flowers can rest in water on the inside.

If your jars will get a lot of use, or will be transported, keep in mind that the spray paint might scrape off a bit.  Either use spray primer first, or touch up with more paint as needed.

In declaring my ongoing love for all things spray and paint, I would be remiss in failing to mention whom in the vast sea of painting choices, holds my heart the dearest.
Rust-oleum Ultra Cover.  There is no other brand that comes close.  It has never, ever, ever let me down. Chances are, if you have had spray painting failures, it was the brand of paint's fault.  Not yours.  So go to Home Depot.  Fall in love with happiness and success in a can.  You will never be the same.

Now go paint.  And steal flowers.

Not really, but once in a while I like to be all Martha-y.

Glassine envelopes scream Martha to me.
I happen to have 1,000 of them.  Mainly because they have thousands of uses, and happen to come in that exact quantity.

I use them all of the time.  Favors, gifts, organizing...
Somehow the box of them is sort of Mary Poppins-esque.  It never, ever, ever is showing signs of running out. For sure one of the best crafty purchases that I have ever made.

So today?  What use did they serve?

They are housing these yummy, evil, addicting, wonderful chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz crackers.
Evil I tell you.
Don't get all weird on me if you haven't tried them.  Did I lead you wrong with toffee crack?

I will accept your apology now.  Once you try them, you will get weak in the knees.
They are the best kind of bad.

It is really, really, nice to have talented friends.
Really nice.
Especially when you can mooch off said talented friends.

Somehow I got into a card club with scrapbookers.
Cricut owning, paper loving, crop night hosting, scrapbook store class teaching, friends.
Friends whose obsession with paper rivals my obsession with fabric.

What they didn't know was Julie + Paper= no bueno.
I want to love paper crafts.  I want to stamp.  I want to make amazing scrapbook layouts for our family photos.  But I just can't.  Paper has no love for me.  The feeling in fact, is wholly mutual.

I am this odd duck surrounded by this crazy talent.
But they let me in anyway.
Mostly because they didn't know.
I'm tricky like that.

Every month has a different theme and we each make a dozen cards.  Then we meet,  eat and swap our creations.  I go home with 12 epic cards.  All much better than I could make on my own.  Awesome deal for me.  For them... they go home with eleven great cards.  One ish card.  It is brilliant.

After a few months of trying to make friends with paper, even trying to marry paper, fabric and my sewing machine, and having fail after fail, after fail, I decided to give digital scrapbooking a try.

I am so clueless, but I am so in love.  I can work on them at midnight.  I can work on them during nap time.  They don't make a mess.  I don't have to run to the store for supplies.  I may have the quirkiest cards, the simplest cards, but I no longer feel like my friends go home and throw them in the garbage.

Last month's theme was America.
Not only am not good with paper, but I am apparently not good with following instructions.
But horses are American right?
Houndstooth?
Maybe that's more British.
Semantics.
Who doesn't need a card with a horse head on it?  Honestly?
{All elements from this kit.}


This month's theme is friendship.
This card is random.
But you know I like me some random.
Pink, old papers, a Cali map, a quirkly cammy...
Those things are my fave.
{Elements from here, here, here, and here.
The font is Courier New.}

For the most part I make them in Picnik.  I am still overwhelmed by Photoshop, and it is on my list of goals for this year.  Picnik is easy.  It is amazing.  Their fonts... not amazing.
Here is a simple tutorial on how to layer images.

I enrolled in this class to help me on my Photoshop journey and am even considering taking a full semester class this coming fall at a local college.  Considering.  Loosely considering.  We will see where this journey leads me.  But so far I like the adventure.

For you pro digi scrappers, I would lovey, love, love any tips or links that you could share.
Doesn't it bug when a post only 99% tells you how to do something?
That 1% mystery drives you crazy, right?
I forgot to mention that I printed the above cards with my cheapy printer on white cardstock.  I formatted them in Pages (Word for you PC's).  I am sure there is some easy way to do it in Photoshop.  Just not in my skill set yet.  They all are long skinny cards, since long, skinny envelopes are the only size that Target carries.
Here is what the cammy card looks like.

It makes me smile.
Hope that answered any questions.
You are my fave.