Society of Addictive Scrapbook Syndromes (SASS) ??

1. Exciting News!!!! I am starting a non-profit organization and the mission statement is done – To create a world where men and women can craft to their hearts content without having to distress over developing MOE, or one or more of the related diseases that are currently affecting Scrapbookers Worldwide.   
2. Dr. J. Scrapman has graciously agreed to be on the Board of Directors. I am currently seeking other concerned men and women who are committed to helping us fulfill our mission. I have invited Mr. Tim Holtz, Ms. Teresa Collins, Ms. Jenni Bowlin and of course, Ms. Martha Stewart to sit on our Board of Directors. I am eagerly awaiting their response. 
3. Since I need to pay a fee to legally form a NPO, I have decided to sell my first ever coffee sleeve album. It is a wonderful example of both TTS - Tiny Tag Syndrome - (21 tags in this baby!) and MAM - Mini Album Madness - (Coffee Sleeve, need I say more?). Pictures below and posted video HERE. Please spread the word because the sooner I have the money, the sooner there will be a cure.
4. I have decided to hold a contest to come up with an official name for the organization. Currently, my top choice is Society of Addictive Scrapbook Syndromes or SASS for short. If however you have a better moniker, please enter your suggestion in the comment box below.  Winner will receive a gift certificate to a Treatment Center of choice. (I’m thinking either Michael’s or scrapbook.com)    
5. Updated list of Scrapbook diseases include: Hostivirus, Nestablities Neurapathy, Credit Card Stenosis, Invasive Maybe Someday Disorder and Swapphrenia. Dr. Scrapbook has actual case studies of these related diseases of MOE and will be publishing them on this blog in the near future. 
6. The winner of the courtesy retreat to The Patterned Paper Treatment Center is Kathy ScrapDaze. Sadly, she has decided to take the $25.00 Michael’s Gift Card instead of entering The Patterned Paper Treatment Center. We wish her luck. Kathy, please contact me at peacenpassion@yahoo.com and send me your address.

My First, but not last, Coffee Sleeve Mini Album!!

I only have MAM Stage Two because I have "yet" to make a Paint Stick mini.

I used my Domestic Goddess Paper from Graphic 45 that I had

been hoarding stashing.  

I added a coin envelope on the right because I didn't have another coffee sleeve

and needed someplace to put two tags!

TAGS, TAGS and more TAGS!!! 

Got those flowers for $.30 at Mike's. Perfect price and perfect match!!

To see this Mini in its entirety, watch the video HERE. I am open to any offers so spread the word and let's give this baby a good home. And remember, this NPO is for YOU so let me know if you like the name. 

The Patterned Paper Treatment Center - Santa Monica, CA

To all of us who are currently dealing with MOE and the other diseases/conditions that affect our daily life - there is hope! Dr. Scrapman, founder of the first treatment center solely devoted to Scrapbook Disorders, contacted me last week and has graciously offered one lucky FOLLOWER a courtesy stay at The Patterned Paper Treatment Center.

I have summarized the following information from the stack of materials Dr. Scrapman sent me, but if you have questions please feel free to leave a comment and I promise to answer. EllenBee

Welcome to the Patterned Paper Treatment Center, where we combine talent, creativity and imagination to help women battling the debilitating effects of Scrapbook Overload.

Dr. J Scrapman, the founder of The Patterned Paper Treatment Center, recognizes that each woman brings a different skill level to the treatment process. The Patterned Paper Treatment Center’s goal is to create a personalized treatment program to address each women’s unique issues.

Some of the areas we specialize in include:

·    Must Own Everything (MOE) – the compulsive need to own everything from a collection

·    Distress Ink Delusion (DID) – the overwhelming desire to collect every color distress ink on the market

·    Tiny Tag Syndrome (TTS) -  the obsessive need to add hundreds of tiny tags to mini albums

·       Mini Album Madness (MAM) – the urge to make mini albums from such obscure objects as toilet paper rolls, coffee sleeves and paint sticks

·    Coupon Palsy (CP) – a serious disorder that causes the woman holding a 40% off coupon to feel short of breath and shake uncontrollably

·    Wandering Washi Tape (WWT) – a new phenomenon that results in searching stores, Etsy and eBay to satisfy a longing for new Washi Tape

Our guests reside in beautifully decorated Shabby Chic suites featuring tea stained lace curtains, paper roses from Prima Marketing and white Jetmax cube furniture. Daily group therapy meetings will be taught by the staff, who are all graduates of Michael’s 4-part scrapbook course.  

The Patterned Paper Treatment Center currently treats adult women of all ages from 18 to 70+.  But, as these diseases appear to be spreading to the male population, we have plans in the near future to expand the program to include men.  

We firmly believe that treatment should embrace not only the woman, but her family as well. We hold weekly family meetings at our LSS in their Crop Room, located just a few blocks from our luxurious campus.

We happily give tours of the facilities and would love to have you visit. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to bring cameras, scissors or adhesives onto the premises.

I just spoke with Dr. Scrapman and he has decided that if my LUCKY FOLLOWER is not yet ready to enter the center, he would be happy to send her a gift certificate to Michael's. He also wanted me to mention that he treats Stampitis.

Emergency Press Release from the World Health Organization

Los Angeles, Calif. May 14, 2012 - We would like to warn everyone about a serious communicable disease that is rapidly spreading called MOE - an acronym for Must Own Everything.  

Although not yet written up in the Medical Journals, it is a serious condition that affects thousands of scrappers worldwide. Epidemiologists are alarmed at the public's risk and are working non-stop to prevent a pandemic.

Facts: MOE is significantly more common in women than men. This gender difference has stimulated important research initiatives looking at the role of hormones in MOE. Scientists have identified factors in the distribution of MOE around the world that may eventually help determine what causes the disease. These factors include Tim Holtz, Martha Stewart, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and scrapbook.com.

Symptoms: The inability to own just one item from a collection offered by companies such as Prima Marketing, Graphic 45 and Doodlebug. This causes the subject to obsess over owning everything from the collection including: stamps, embellishments, flowers and ribbons – even if they don’t need it.

Treatment: Unfortunately, there is no treatment available at this time. Researchers are fearful that if a cure is not found soon, it will affect Washi Tape, punches and Glimmer Mist.

Actual case study: The subject was a 65-year-old otherwise healthy woman from Southern California who is currently employed. “A friend was in Tuesday Morning over the weekend and picked up the 6”x 6” pad of 7 gypsies Paddington. The cost was just $1.99. I have never wanted the line but the first thing I did upon receiving this gift was to go on the Internet and see what other matching items were available. A little voice kept asking me – do I need this? And I of course replied YES! I found stamps and numbered tags but is there more out there? Am I missing that one fabulous item that will complete the set?”

Do you think you might have MOE? If so, please leave your name below in a post. One Follower will receive a RAK. Warning: This RAK may exacerbate the symptoms of MOE.   

Happy Birthday to you...

I would like to tell you a story that I haven’t shared with many. My first pregnancy was a shocking surprise and I was around 9 weeks pregnant when I finally went to the doctor. My due date was May 10th. I was just nineteen and not over the moon excited. Before I even had a chance to work out my emotions, I had a miscarriage. I was almost 3 months pregnant when I lost the baby. I also lost a bit of my heart.

I had been trying for almost a year to get pregnant when we found out that there was a fertility problem with Cassandra’s dad. The doctor told us it would be miraculous if I got pregnant. We were going on vacation, but before leaving I went to this odd little novelty shop and purchased a small fertility goddess statue. I packed that along with my bathing suit.

Cassandra was conceived on that trip and I had an uneventful and joyous pregnancy. Because I was a bit overdue the doctor decided to induce me. He asked me what date I wanted and I told him I wanted to enjoy Mothers day. 
Five and a half hours after entering the hospital, Cassandra was born. It was at 2:34 PM on May 10th. 

My heart is whole.

 To celebrate Cassandra's 32nd Birthday

I made her this vintage Journal.

 I used Prima Printery and Simple Stories Documented paper lines.

 Each page has space for her to record a memory of the year.

 Adding them all up equals 32.

I used Washi Tape, Jenni Bowlin, Melissa Francis and 7 Gypsies. 

To see more of her Birthday Journal please visit my YouTube channel

HERE

Do you have a special story about birthdays, births or miracles? Please do share! 

Don't Hate Me Because I Am Beautiful!

Yes, peacocks are beautiful. On the other hand, the female of the peafowl species, the peahen, well she’s plain. Not ugly and plain, just plain. Period. The male has to be beautiful to attract the peahen, but if I was a peahen I would have nothing to do with Mr. Cock. Who does he think he is? Fanning his feathers and strutting around as if he was the star of a TV station.

I hate that as a female I feel the need for make-up in order to feel pretty. Ever wonder why there is no make-up for men? And don’t get me started on weight issues. Can you imagine a guy saying, “If only I could lose those 5 pounds!” Never happen!! 

The husband looks great with his gray hair, It makes him look distinguished, but if I ever missed my monthly hair appointment I couldn’t leave the house. Does he worry about hairy legs, armpits and excess hair spouting up? Nope, never lost a moments sleep over it.

One of my greatest fears was that I would have hairy legs, be in an accident and have to disrobe. The bad news is that it actually happened two years ago when I fell down a flight of stairs at work. The good news (if you can call it that) was that I was in so much pain that I didn’t care who saw my unshaved legs.   

This set of cards was made with handmade paper. I was going to fancy up the card but instead decided to pay homage to the pea, instead of the cock!

I would love to see a peacock or peahen with feathers of gold and purple. 

I left the inside blank, except for a tiny peacock head stamp I found in

the dollar bin at Joanne's. No fowl was harmed in the making of these cards!

In my limited research on peacocks, I read about a peacock that attacked a child at the San Diego Zoo. PLEASE do not share my blog post with any angry peacocks. I wrote the above post in jest. Promise. 

Do you lie?

I am a terrible liar. And when I do manage to tell what I think is a believable lie, I usually forget what I said and end up telling another lie to make up for the original lie. There is an art to lying and I have no talent in that department.

When I was in 7th grade we girls had Home Economics to learn the basics of cooking and sewing. How archaic that seems now, doesn’t it? I remember my first sewing project, a calico pink apron. I wasn’t a born seamstress but I loved that apron dearly and proudly gave it to my mother - a woman who never wore aprons.

Our second project was a simple a-line skirt. I bought mossy green wool and had plans to wear the skirt with my cotton candy pink cashmere sweater. Notice a theme here? I was definitely into pink, from my glasses to my shoelaces. Making the skirt wasn’t that difficult, but finishing up was a chore that I despised. That damn hem! I waited until the last day to finish and as luck would have it, my grandparents came to visit. My grandfather had been a master tailor so naturally, he didn’t hesitate when I asked him to help me hem my skirt.

The next day I handed in my finished skirt. The teacher looked at the perfect stitches and asked me if I had hemmed it. Of course, I lied and answered yes. We stared at each other and I knew she knew I was lying. And I knew she knew that I knew she knew I was lying. But she said nothing. And I said nothing.

If memory serves me correctly I got a B minus on the skirt and I was thrilled that I hadn’t failed the course. I thought of my grandfather while making this mini.

This mini really is a mini - just 3" x 5".

The paper line is Material Girl by Cosmo Cricket.

There is actually plenty of room for pictures and journaling.

I added line drawn stitches - no way this gal is going to sew!

Sew easy to make, I had it finished in an afternoon.

It came with tons of journal spots and I used them all.

I have admitted to being a liar and know that I am not alone. A new survey shows the average person tells four lies a day, or 1,460 a year for a total of 88,000 by the age of 60, and the most common is: "I'm fine."  Others on the list include: "Nice to see you", "Sorry I missed your call", "The check's in the mail",  "This tastes delicious"  and sadly "Of course I love you".

Can you remember your last lie? Want to share? I hope so, and that's no lie!