Boston, Baseball and Apple Pie

The first time I went to Boston was during the summer of 1963. My sister and I stayed overnight at the MIT dorms, then drove to Rockport, about an hour from Boston, for some good old fashioned partying, the way we did it back then – beer, cigarettes and make out sessions. It was during the time when the Boston Strangler was terrorizing the city and although I felt very safe in the dorms, that one night in Rockport was eight continuous hours of nightmares. Even so, I had a wonderful time visiting that enchanted little town.   

Last weeks tragedy affected us all. When the husband suggested I make a Boston Mini Album I immediately put aside my current project, the Vintage Airplane Journal, and created this Tribute to Boston and Baseball.

 I used a simple manila file folder, vintage images from Google

and one precious sheet of Boston Scrapbook Paper.

 The stamp of the Boston Baseball Player is from Artistic Outpost.

 The small Vintage Toy Baseball Player is from VLVStamps.

You can read about my Second Trip to Boston HERE.  And FYI, I now take all my own photos for The Womens Waiting Room with my Birthday present from the husband.  

Have you ever been to Boston? If you'd like to share, I'd love to hear how the bombing affected your life. Peace and love to Boston!

Beehive Storage

I can't believe I only have one more month as a VLVStamp Design Team member. This experience has been Bee-yond fabulous. The gals, especially the head honcho DeeDee, are all so talented and I have learned so much from them. I wanted to make something that I could keep in my craft studio - the Beehive - that would always remind me of VLVS.

  

As the EllenBee I have a growing collection of bumble bee ephemera. I had been storing it in a box but waned to display some it and thought that an altered clipboard would be the perfect item to alter. 

 

I started the project by rusting the metal clip with an inexpensive rust kit I found at Michael's. After adding a small bee charm I painted the front and back with yellow bumble bee paint. Next I distressed it with TH Vintage Photo distress ink. I then took out my Honeycomb Pattern Stamp and went to town on the front. To protect the board I added a layer of ModPodge. Last was the bee ribbon I received from a friend that I attached with Miracle Tape.

 

I added the Bumblebee stamp on kraft paper and a simple tag with one of my favorite quotes To Bee Or Not To Bee. VLVStamps has a ton more Bee stamps and I plan on adding more to my growing collection!

 

Full Frontal 

 

 

Backside

From A - Z you'll find whatever stamp you need at Viva Las Vegastamps!

Broken Wing

1964 will go down in history as the year The Beatles invaded the United States . I proudly owned every one of their albums and worshipped their music as if it was my religion. With each album I had a favorite song that I would play incessantly until the record was scratched with wear. With the White Album, released in 1968, that song was Blackbird. The line – take these broken wings and learn to fly - resonated with me. I listened to that song through break-ups with boyfriends, bad grades and fights with my parents. 

When I started this spring project for May Arts Ribbons, I knew I wanted to do a bird theme. Going through my avian ephemera I found a resin wing that I had received from an angel whose name I have long forgotten. I was so disappointed when I found it broken, but decided to use it as is. 

I hope my project inspires you to never give up, even if your wings are broken.

                                            

This little box is wrapped with love and May Arts Ribbons. 

 

The broken wing sits on top of a burlap nest - Dream on!

 

 The paper line is from Kaiser Craft Secret Bird Society -

I bought it solely because of the name.

 

 

Did you love the Beatles? Have a favorite song?

 

Crazy Love

Freud said it best. Love does make us crazy. We feel every emotion under the sun from elation and desire to sorrow and grief. One thing that has always puzzled me is that when I am sad I cry, and when I am happy I cry. I am married to a man who after one martini will tear up when he tells me how much he loves me. I love those tears of his. Freud said it best.

When I saw this HUGE 4 1/4" x 5 1/4" Freud Stamp I knew I had to add it to my growing collection of VLVstamps. I see lots of Freud inspired cards and projects in my future but I decided to start out small with an Artist Trading Card. I am crazy in love with this card. Hope you like it too!

 

Supplies

Freud Stamp
Heart Diagram Stamp
Embossing Powder
Miracle Tape
Scraps of red and white cardstock
Glass square piece
Heart Button
2 Photo corners