Yes, story time continues

It is closing in on the end of the year. The last night of 2008. Whatever you are doing tonight - be safe. When we wake in the morning it will be a new year - washed, clean, and ready for living.

So how appropriate for our Story Time today to be dedicated to "Believe" - I called these pages "Sisterhood." I love my angel girl and also enjoy using the pen nibs that I dip in ink. I did relish this page and especially after the darkness of the "Lost Downstairs" page.

You can see how intense the red really was. The Seize The Day - stands out. Not much more to say on these. Can you locate the old woman in the layout?

Have a great celebration tonight. I will be at the Casa Rio in San Antonio on the River Walk.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.....

Story Time Chapter Three

Today we deal with Neverland. One important landmark I had to find and get a photo of in London was the Peter Pan statue. Loren had seen the statue in a movie and wanted a photo of it. It is breathtaking. We were there on a cloudy, chilly, morning in March. It felt right. The statue was erected in 1912. The "quote" page dealt with the innocence of boyhood and I had a photo of Traitors Gate at the Tower of London. One of the saddest stories about the tower are the two young princes who disappeared - murdered by their uncle. I can't remember for sure if they ever found their bones at the Tower - I want to say yes they did but I would have to research it. I so love the History Channel!

Anyway, there was a haunting tree in the park where the statue is - a weeping willow - it looked to me like a fairy tree. I love using this image on a transparency. The boys I found in a magazine article. Neverland, as we know, were for all the lost boys.

The original photo of the tree -- is it not spectacular!

The next two pages deal with "lost downstairs" and is the darkest piece in this tag book. The quote for this page is from some 7 Gypsies rub-ons, "Where there's a will there's a way and where there is no way - Love will find something very close to a way." I dyed the tag red and used some of the photos from London. Wish I could have seen The Devil Tavern. The clip art is that of a young girl doing the laundry - once again the downstairs staff.

I feel the red adds an allure of evil, especially to the Generations Stamp....... the ghosts overseeing the process. I guess we will never know what is going through the mind of the young girl. What will her life hold? At times this page also reminds me of London burning in WWII. I really do watch too much History Channel!

Post Script for Monday -- RIP

Well, the pink camera kind-of bit the dust today. It kept kind-of turning itself off at the office today and there was no way I could take it to San Antonio and take the photos I need to take of the board meeting with it having "issues." I'm sure me hammering it had nothing to do with it. See the lens, you can't tell I hit it a few times with the hammer.....

Just wanted you to be able to view her - she is not totally dead - and I will still be able to use her in a pinch. But I just can't take a chance. Damn you Natasha. (see a previous post)..... Natasha did this. I know the murderess did it..... Look at those eyes. OK, I'm done ranting.

Now I would like to introduce you to Miss Black - you know your Basic-Black-kind-of-gal.... here she is. Yes, she is stunning in her own right and is just a little newer and slimmer version of Ms. Pink. (Don't tell Miss Black that I asked if they had a pink one and they were all sold out all over town - I thought they were bringing me a silver one and was so pleasantly surprised when I saw the black one! - COOL.)

That's all I had to say..... Need to pack a few more things in anticipation of San Antonio! Hee Haw, this Cowgirl is ready to go rope them cowboys. Hee Haw, giddy up and out-of-my-way. See you soon.

Honeysuckle Breeze Part Two "Story Time" Hour

Once again, girls and boys, we are at our second Story Time hour. Yes, I am ready to head out to San Antonio early tomorrow morning and am entering a few of these posts since I have no idea if I will be able to post to the blog from San Antonio. I will try. On December 18, you were introduced to Clarissa and her Aunt Priscella as Clarissa headed to London to become acquainted with her British roots. As I said, I loved doing this tag book.

On the right hand side to the above layout is the quote, "Like branches on a tree, we may grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one." I titled this page explore since it highlights some of my photos of London on the first night I was there. I loved the excitement of seeing Big Ben alive with lights! Keep in mind that on every other page we have the old woman from "Generations" hiding in the background. The quote highlights, for me, the essence of this book: "we may grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one." Remember, hold tight to your roots and those who love you.

The next section deals with cousins. I found several images to use on this page: clip art, photo of two children I took at Ellis Island, and Tim Holtz images. The shiny portion is that of a park in London I copied onto a transparency. The quote for this page deals with children, "Children come with both a curse and a blessing. . but they seldom discover these by themselves." Yes, it begins to look like the "haves" and the "have nots" on this page. I couldn't resist using the butterfly wings. I try to stay away from them but they crop up every once in a while. Till the next time..........

Getting Ready for San Antonio

Saturday was a running around kind of day all in anticipation of traveling to San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday for a board meeting. I will be there from Tuesday until Sunday and, at last, made up my mind not to deal with iffy TV stations in the hotel room. OK, Madison, WI, has jaded me - 6 channels of sports - no way, not again. I went to Circuit City and bought a cute little DVD player so I can take my new DVDs to watch on the plane and in the hotel room. I also broke down and bought some noise reduction headphones - but not Bose (too expensive) - made by Sony. I am impressed with them. I am powering up the batter pack on the DVD right now.

I am crossing my fingers that my digital camera will be OK. You see -- on Friday night the camera was on while I was hanging Natasha in the bathroom and it got kind of spooked (I'm certain Natasha did it) and fell (or jumped) off the sink and landed sideways (the bathroom tile is hard) on its lens which got a little crooked and wouldn't close until I took a hammer to it. Well, it was broke anyway so a hammer wasn't going to kill it. I think it is working. I need to also power up that battery. I love this little pink camera - it is several years old and works just great for me. The Circuit City guy literally winced when I shared the hammer story. I really don't want to go and buy another one. The lens itself is OK - oh well, we will see.

I gathered my writing materials, adhesives, color pencils all together in anticipation of the trip.

I then grabbed my "traveling" visual journal -- I am so loving this journal! And so happy I bought it prior to the Wisconsin trip....

I updated it by adding some elements using the sewing machine like a pull out page an accordion tag(s) I have had for a long time. San Antonio memories here I come! Can't wait to see what I can gather up in the airports. Guess what? -- I couldn't believe it when I had the Biography Channel on Christmas evening and they showed Haunted History featuring haunted San Antonio. I took notes and sewed into my visual journal.




While I had the sewing machine out, I sewed some of the canvas photos for the heritage book.

Yes, Aunt Mary and Mother got stitched with a little of the German Lutheran Prayer Book page behind them. Sunday will be a day of laundry, cleaning, and straightening up before my trip. I have had a wonderful week off and feel rested and ready to go back to work on Monday. That is a nice feeling! *wink*

Natasha Batti-Loupstein Lives

Once upon a time a calendar comes into your life and it makes a difference. Yes, I do have one for the upcoming year of 2009 thanks to a special friend. Each month you will get to see a new page come alive in "before" and "after" photos. Bless Edward Gorey! You rocked baby!

Today, for the month of January 2009, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Natasha Batti-Loupstein. A poor neglected murderess. You see Nat went to a party at the Vila Libellule in Nice and poisoned the canapes. Oh well, guess she didn't like them. I don't believe she will qualify as a judge on Top Chef! Way too emotional.

If I were hanging out with these girls, I think I would consider poisoning the canapes too. I found these beauties in an old cookbook entitled, "Out of Vermont Kitchens" circa 1939. I do like this illustration titled "Beverages & Canapes." They just don't look like a happy happy bunch of party goers. The only happy one seems to be the plump one drinking. This is not a happy gaggle of geese. OK, enough said.

Back to Natasha -- unlike, Natasha, I would not pulverize a paste necklace since I wouldn't be caught dead in a paste necklace. But then again, maybe, she was devious enough to sit in her craft room and make a necklace out of a poisonous material in order to pulverize and sprinkle over the canapes?

Who knows, unfortunately, this murderess is so obscure I can't find a bio on her even when googling her. Did she hang for her crime? How many died by eating those canapes? Is she haunting the hallways of the still standing villa?

Speaking of the Villa - yes, I did find a Villa Libellule in Nice -- ah ha - the story may be true, after all. Here is the description of the Villa - intriguing don't you think:

"Villa Libellule nestles in the centre of Menton, 200meters from beautiful sandy breach. The villa and garden is furnished in a happy mix of French, Scandinavian and Balinese style, with the cosy and luxurious Guldsmeden feel."

Hmmm, I wonder if "breach" means beach? Who knows. Hopefully, I did Natasha justice and she can rest in peace. The girls told me she is still haunting the halls of the Villa. Do tell, Nat, give it up. You, on the other hand, can rest assured she is hanging in my bathroom!

Scent of the Season

In Michelle Ward's Crusade No. 26 her challenge this month is "to select a scent for the holiday season, use it all month long, and document it in your journal." I ended up selecting some new bath scents from Bath and Body Works this month. One of my favorite traditions is having a bubble bath with candles glowing. I must have been doing this little tradition for a long time.....

Because, I have a former fiance (floating out there, every girl should have one) who reminded me, a number of years ago when our paths crossed, once again, that he use to call me Bubbles. I really don't think I look like a "Bubbles" but we won't go there. OK? Anyway, this half hour ritual indulged in with a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate is truly relaxing and it lets me shed any negativity that might still be hanging on me from the outside world. It washes my soul.

Scents rouse the soul -- I remember an event or individual at strange times - the scent passes me in the mall and I sometimes float away with it to a time long past. That can be both bad and good. My grandmother's scent -- was Coco Channel and the original Jergens lotion, my other grandmother, pine (when I was very young she let me do a little bubble bath using her beautiful green oil that smelled like pine cones and I was taken away to the land of Oz). Who knows, maybe that is where my love of bubble baths began.

My mother is definitely Avon's Imari. Although she has been gone 10 years, that quick smell brings her right back to me and she is holding me assuringly as mother's do. I miss that. Nice smell.

So I give you my two journal pages on my soul scents. I used pages from the journal we created in Michelle's workshop, The Painted Page, this past May.

I love this journal and it is still a work in progress and so I have not bound it just yet -- easier to work on this way. Thank you Michelle, for reminding me how important it is to document our scents.

And a Merry Christmas to all..........

Not much more to say on this holy day except I pray for all us that we have peace and serenity in the coming year.

For those of you under stress -- let it have a holiday and don't dwell on the negative.

No better way to celebrate than an adorable photo of my puppy nephew -- Oliver.

Oliver, I wish you love and puppy kisses as you celebrate your second Christmas in Florida. Oh yeah, also love to my family and friends - however - no puppy kisses for you!

Ho Ho Ho.................

Whoa - it is Christmas Eve Already!

Time flies when you are having fun, doesn't it? Yesterday was a busy day but managed to get all the running around done. It makes me crazy to have to go to the post office and pick up packages. I know, I know, in a kinder gentler me it shouldn't. They are simply being certain that I receive packages, especially since I live in condos and there is no manager's office - well, shucks, sweetie, I do have a screen door. No, no, I am being gentler and kinder - and I have signed (I don't know how many) releases. But anyway, you get my drift. I received --- Somerset in Love. OH MY, oh my. You have to consider getting yourself a copy. I am telling you -- you need to consider this! And such restraint I am practicing - I haven't really taken a serious sit-down to go through it page by page. Other things I need to get done. Hello, Stage Door Album.

I did finish Loren's Stage Door album. I distressed the outside a little, covered the inside page, and got a two page layout done using our Anne of Green Gables photos. She will just have to add her own program with all of the autographs. The program in the photos will show her the placement for it (I used my own). I also cut up a post card received prior to the play on the left hand side. It was fun. She, of course, has three others to add. I will now begin to take photos of her at the plays and hopefully in front of the sets. This is a work in progress!

Today is going to be rainy (or so our weather geeks tell us) and it is still so dreary right now. It is like - I smell Rain! OK that was sneaky segue...... Today I want to get a layout done for Michelle Ward's Crusade No. 26 challenge for December. If you remember, and you probably don't, one reason I started the blog was to participate in these challenges. They are fun which doesn't mean I do it every time. OK, I've only been blogging since the end of September.... This time it is "Scent of the Season" and you are to select a fragrance for the holidays and make a journal page with evidence of your new scent chosen to capture memories. Here's a hint for you. (yes, i can hear my brother, "oh Mimi, you are so sick" - "yes, Jimmy, but remember we come from the same set of parents - tag, your it" - some things never change you entire life especially with a brother!).

Have a good day as I get ready to do a page from the journal we made last May in Michelle's The Painted Page workshop in Wisconsin! PS - almost got the cross stitch done for the Christmas gift. Good thing I am not going over there on Christmas Day because I may be sewing and stuffing the pillow.

Yes, my Honeysucklers, Monday was busy

Yes, indeedy, I did get some things accomplished which were listed in my to-do-list yesterday. Today will be a more iffy day because I have places to be at during the day. My life is just so hustle bustle, it just reels or is that reals or (OK, yes that was over dramatic).

I managed to get two Rolodex cards done! Both have to do with Gettysburg, PA. One of the Ghost Hunters shows happened to be at the historic Cashtown Inn. Looks charming! AND they did declare it haunted. They don't do that often.

The next is Dobbin House Tavern. The dining I hear is exceptional. You can eat there for lunch without a reservation, however, you probably need one for the evening meal. I want also want to visit a scrapbook store there called, Forevermore Scrapbooks.

SO, how's that - ghostly inn in Cashtown (should be a great little shop there, don't you think?), lunch at Dobbin, and shopping at Forever! Yes, I am planning on doing a card for Forevermore. Ran out of time or ideas yesterday.

Basically, on my mind, was starting Loren's stage door album as a place to keep all of her autographs from productions done by the Elden Street Players Theatre for Young Audiences. I have mentioned this before. YOU have to go see these plays! Anne of Green Gables was spectacular. Loren sat there spellbound by the whole production. (The next play will be Hansel and Gretel - what can I say, except, Yum Yum.....). The album is well on its way to being completed! TA DUM (that was a drum roll, thankie you).

The hardest part was selecting one album out of three I had. Since the red one, bought a number of years ago at the Pottery Barn on the sale table, was able to hold the complete playbills, it was chosen! Then how to decorate it (be still oh my poor chaotic mind) was the next question? (No kidding Sherlock.) I was so happy I could at last use the 7 Gypsies door pull. So "stage doorey" don't you think? I then found some clip art filed away that was in Somerset Studio magazine (just love their free art) and since I wanted these three characters on the outside, I need to protect them. After painting chip board black, I applied Mod Podge to top and bottom.

Well, I won't go into any descriptions -- just have a look. It is not done, but getting there. Today I will need to cover the inside page where the brads and eyelets show and then the back cover page just for consistency. I am looking right now at some butterfly paper with a lot of red. I do plan to distress the outside cover with just a little black paint. After all, it is the theatre!

Whew - today I have to run to the office, the grocery store, the bank, and tennis at noon. Life is tough in my lane....... and oh so fun when off on vacation. Picture me here in the jammies and smiling looking out the window knowing I don't have to scrape the heavy frost off the windows of my little red VW bug convertible. Burrrrr.

Oh, by the way, Harley wishes you a Merry Christmas (no, you haven't met Harley yet but you will in the New Year. Harley been in my life for a long time now and travels everywhere with me. He is his own character and loved around the world, I'm sure - at least in his mind and mine.)

Inner Peace and Honeysuckles

My dear cousin sent an email out the other day called "inner peace" and it was hysterical. However, I did focus on the quote that it was centered around by Dr. Phil, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished." Oh boy - tall order for me.

As we close on this year, it does get easier to get into this mind set -- or in other words I do want a clean slate to start the new year with. I had already decided that my time off this week would be centered around this very thing. My friend and I were laughing in the office when I said I was doing this and she reminded me that when I have time off I am usually frantically setting up tennis matches. She is so right -- especially when the weather is warm! So, Sunday was devoted to cleaning up some projects.

As the first order of business I had to clean my working space. Holy son-of-a-gun Batman there is a mat under all that stuff. Woooo Hoooo all the more to get messy again, my dear.

I grabbed my Rolodex and with the intention of finishing the Stanley Hotel vacation card. I had already printed some images off the web. As you know, the Stanley Hotel was the inspiration for the Stephen King novel The Shinning. He stayed in room 217 which is, supposedly, a really haunted room. A number of my favorite shows, Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted, have done their shows in the Stanley. I have a high school friend who lives in Colorado who got me a t-shirt from there. It is really cool in my kind of way. I was pleased with the outcome of the front and back of the card.

I put information on the back of the card to remind me of small details that get lost in this mumbled mind of mine.

I then moved on to finishing the inside of an old three ring binder that I decorated at least six months ago. As we all know, I have been MEANING to do this for soooo long and finally got it done. (FYI: This binder was inspired by a notebook Korie featured on her blog one time that holds all of her scrapbook layout ideas--She was in a frenzy to do a page-a-day for her daughter's scrapbook.)

I have been dying (translated, "hoarding") to use some old ribbon I bought at least 8 years ago from the French General. I stay away from this website because, for me, it can become very addictive! All done including the spine which I finally used a 7 Gypsies metal tag being saved for some unknown project (after all these years, the project must have come and gone and I didn't know it).

And finally - I stopped by the grocery store and discovered the most incredible find of the day --Pink Bicycle cards. No kidding. You probably know all about them - me - who knew. So I bought two of them and if Larcy is reading this from sunny Florida (it is in the teens here), yes, I picked you up one also in case you didn't know they were around. Are they just too cool for words. If you haven't seen them, I found them at the Giant Customer Service desk.

I am now ready to proceed to the projects for today which, hopefully, will include another Rolodex travel card, Loren's stage door album, my January calendar page, and, hopefully, more sewing on the Christmas present I am like so trying to get done by Christmas Day. Yes, I also worked on it last night watching TV. AND, of course, I have a two hour tennis match this evening. My life is good and right now filled with inner peace.... for a few moments, anyway, until I create chaos in this little room. Oh well, just think pink!