The Carnival is in town!

I’m among friends here. Right? So I can admit how I used to feel about digital downloads. Right? They were in my NEVER-EVER-GONNA-HAPPEN list, along with stamps and TH Distress Inks. Fast forward to today. I am finishing up my term as a Design Team Member with Viva Las Vegastamps and cannot live without my Tattered Straw Distress Ink. Seriously folks, it is on almost every project I make. 

Now, let’s talk about digital downloads. In love. Cannot believe it took me this long to see how cost effective buying a kit is for the ever- on-a-budget scrapper like me. My first kit was a Vintage Zebra Journal using Cynthia's Journey from Ephemera's Vintage Garden. I love the way it turned out and it was the catalyst that forever changed my mind about digital kits.

When Debbie, of Ephemera's Vintage Garden, asked me to be a guest designer for her newest project Garden Carnival I was ready to fly through the air with the greatest of ease! Love the circus and love this kit. Check out my first project, a paperbag mini using Michael's circus themed paper bags, yellow/red/black polka dot paper and a bit of Washi tape. All the rest is from Debbi's kit.

Six folded bags and an afternoon of fun!

 

All stamps are from Michael's $1.50 bin

 

I have a love affair with envelopes

There is so much leftover that I am creating two more projects. Stay turned for the next one. Just a teaser but it's not an exaggeration to say it jut might be the thrift store find of the century!!! 

Have you tried a digital kit yet? If not, why not?

A day late but not a dollar short!

I am all aflutter because today yesterday is was National Butterfly Awareness Day! The main purpose of National Butterfly Awareness Day is to raise peoples’ awareness of Butterflies and their importance as pollinators in nature.

There is however one group of people who already know the importance of Butterflies – CRAFTERS! I can say with 100% certainty that each and every one of you has at least one Butterfly in your stash! Who am I kidding? You all have dozens, if not hundreds of Butterflies flying around your craft room.

 
Butterfly paper, embellishments, punches, dies, stickers and stamps. But, if you feel you might be lacking in the stamp department check out the selection at VLVStamps. They have 79 Butterfly Stamps for you to chose from, plus 4 Caterpillar Stamps.   

THIS is one of my favorite butterfly quotes. I may be known as the EllenBee, but Butterflies are a close second to being my favorite insect.

 

I used a piece of leftover corrugated cardboard, a scrap of Prima Paper, leftover lace and a bit of ribbon to make this very simple wall hanging. I rubbed white paint onto the corrugated cardboard then added two layers of distressed pretty paper and a handful of paper butterflies. In the center is a journaling spot that I carefully stamped and then EMBOSSED.    

The Metamorphosis of butterflies is one of the mysteries of Nature. The ability of these insects to change from the crawling caterpillar to the flying adult is magical. I believe it Butterflies, do you?

Are Planes Sexy?

My 90 year old aunt is truly a character from a best selling work of fiction. She came from a traditional Italian family and when both her sister and brother died, she was left with the responsibility of taking care of her parents. That meant giving up her apartment in the city and her exciting single life.

Instead of following her passion, Jean took a job in aerospace. And, for the next 20+ years she put her life on hold as she fulfilled her duties as the sole surviving child.

Despite all the odds, she did manage to be successful in both her life and career and although she never married, she led an active social life. Jean is a true artist, not a crafter like me, but she has always enjoyed looking at my Vintage Journals. She recently made the comment that one could never make a Vintage Journal about aerospace because it wasn’t sexy. I beg to differ Aunt Jean.

This is the first page of the Vintage Airplane Journal. It needed to set the tone of the Journal, so I chose my stamps carefully. Using VLVstamps I think I succeeded. Do you?

Zebra Dreams

Last month, while searching for Zebra images for my Vintage Zebra Journal, I happened upon this charming poem.

I dreamed I was riding a zebra
with curly pink hair on her head
and when I woke up in the morning
that zebra was there in my bed.



I rode into school on my zebra.
It caused all the teachers to scream.
But then I was slightly embarrassed
to find it was still just a dream.

I woke up again in my bedroom,
and saw with relief and a laugh
I don't have a pink-headed zebra.
I guess I'll just ride the giraffe.



--Kenn Nesbitt



 

I immediately fell in love and although it didn't quite fit in with the journal, I kenw it had a life in a future project. What I needed was a pink haired zebra, which I couldn’t find, but what about a painted Pink Striped Zebra from Viva Las Vegastamps? Can you say PERFECT?

I used one of my prized Dollar Tree boxes that I covered with Hot Pink Zebra Paper from Michael's. This was my first time using HELMAR Decoupage and Craft Paste. LOVED IT! 

I wanted to add dimension to the top so added 4 layers,

starting with some embossed black tin. 

 

Lots of TH Black Soot, dot ribbon and bling complete the outside.

Inside I added dot paper and a darling Zebra Stripe flower

 I received from a new friend.

I think Zebras are rather interesting animals. Like their relatives, horses and donkeys, they are bright, social and vegetarians. But unlike their relatives, they can't be tamed by humans. I wonder why? Do you have any ideas?

Adventures in IKEAVILLE

#1 on my Bucket List was to visit IKEA.



Since my local store has plans to close in the next few years it was important to put a visit to IKEA on the top of my list. The reason they will be closing this so-called-small 242,000 square foot store is because they have plans to replace it with the largest IKEA in the United States. It will be nearly twice as large and will be able to house 10,000 items!

Although it wasn’t on her Bucket List, I managed to coerce drag convince Rhonda to tag along with me. I was giddy with excitement and as you can view below, we documented this momentous occasion for perpetuity.

 

We oohed ad aahed over everything. Tops on my Wish List were the pots of pretend sage plants, the doily-like tin ware and vast selection of storage bins. I did a lot of putting items in my cart and then returning them to the shelves because the only thing I really needed was a bar stool for the Beehive. I was afraid that everything would be too contemporary but the moment I found INGOLF at $59.99 I fell deeply, madly in love.

Lunch



Gotta admit that this vegetarian was tempted to try a bite of their Swedish

meatballs but was happy to dine on their vegetarian crepes.

 





After a quick reprise we continued our colorful tour.

 

 Rhonda found an adorable white plastic bin and although she had no idea where it would go or what would go into it, she felt she couldn’t leave the store without buying something, so in the cart it went.

The only hiccup on our journey was finding my little black Yaris in the massive parking structure. I must have walked a mile in my search, which was fine because I managed to walk off the cinnamon bun calories that called to both of us as we left the store.

The unopened chair-in-a-box has found a new home. No, not the Beehive. It has joined the corner in our dining room, next to the unopened box that houses my sewing machine. 

Parsley Sage Rosemary and...VLVStamps

Many years ago I dreamed of having a formal herb garden. In the center would be a small fountain and surrounding it would be old bricks and assorted herbs. Got the fountain but instead of a naked cherub I ended up with a naked frog. And although I did get the bricks and a great assortment of herbs, the rosemary took over and claimed the space as its own.

Two weeks ago I did a major overhaul and had the weeds rosemary cut back. The fountain broke and now houses flowers but I did add two different kinds of basil. To commemorate the rebirth of my herb garden I made a few herb candles. 

 
Supplies

Candles

White Tissue Paper
Ink
Rosemary Stamp, Sage Stamp, Thyme Stamp
Heat Gun
Ice pack – for when you burn your fingers!

 Directions

This is an easy-peasy craft that only takes a few minutes to complete. Stamp your design on one piece of tissue paper and then cut so it will fit on the front of the candle. No need to wrap the tissue around the candle unless your design surrounds the entire candle.  Hold the paper tight and gently move the heat gun over the paper until the wax melts. The white tissue paper changes color so you will know when it is done.

 

These $1.00 candles not only make great gifts but are really popular at craft fairs. Just make sure you have that ice pack nearby!!

The Bucket List

Three times in my life I have created a bucket list. The first was when I moved to Los Angeles with my family from New Jersey in 1971. I honestly can’t remember every item on the list but I know it included going to Paris, getting married and having a daughter. I was rather dramatic back then and wrote out the list on the inside of my closet door using a big, thick, black magic marker. I did achieve the above, but another item on the list is still yet to be crossed off – the hot air balloon ride.

When I got divorced I made another list. As before, I wrote it on my bedroom closet door and as before I again wrote - take a trip on a hot air balloon. As all of you know who saw my video I still have that damn hot air balloon trip on my current bucket list. They say that 3^rd time is a charm and I am determined to get my ass off the ground and take that trip before I kick the bucket!!

Hearing everyone’s list has been awesome. You ladies are all so talented and creative and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing a bit of yourself with me. I have been humbled, I have laughed and I have even gotten a bit teary eyed. Seventeen of you ladies did a video which makes $17 but I felt that I needed to make the prize a bit more substantial so I added 8 dollars and one lucky lady is going to get $25.00. Not enough to fulfill any of your bucket lists but certainly enough to put a smile on your face.

The husband picked the winner and his response was

"Green is my favorite color!"

Ms. Green Flamingo 717 come on down and collect your paypal $25 gift certificate! Send me your email address and I will put the loot in your account. To all the other ladies please know that you are all winners. You have made your dreams a reality by writing them down. One day.....