Frankie

 I recently made a small army of these little Frankie treat boxes for a craft show. 

They're filled with 5 Oreo Halloween cookies. 

Isn't he so cute?!

Technique Club

 Yes, I've been very poor at keeping up on my blog. I was thinking about it tonight and thought I'd just quickly share a few of the cards I've done as samples for my Technique Club. 

I've been really enjoying building my reference notebook of techniques. 

Failure

 Yes. I've fallen back on keeping up on my blog. ☹️ Thank you to those who have been reading. I'll try and get back on track....but not today. 

National Cinema Day Reminder

Don't forget that this Sunday is National Cinema Day and if you're free, go and grab some of those $4 tickets. I'll be celebrating just a touch early tomorrow. I'm going to the movies with a friend to see Haunted Mansion.

I LOVE going to the movies and should go more often. I always wait to go with someone else, not wanting to go alone. I need to get over that and just go enjoy myself by myself. 

Just get over yourself Tonna!

National Second-hand Wardrobe Day

 Secondhand Wardrobe Day is coming up on August 25th. Since 2017 the day has encouraged deals and savings each year across the United States. You may find steals in secondhand and consignment stores on gently worn clothing for all ages. Secondhand shopping for your clothing offers numerous benefits beginning with the savings, for a fraction of the price of retail, thrifty shoppers can fill their wardrobe while pocketing the savings. This day benefits the Earth as well! Chances are, you have a clothing item (or 10) in your closet that you don’t wear, haven’t worn since the previous solar eclipse and have no plans to wear here or in a parallel universe. Instead of ending up in a landfill to join the 13 million tons of textiles disposed of each year those items can get another go around while freeing up some of your closet space. So why allow the stigma of wearing used clothing beat the scenario of  recycling, reusing, re-purposing. Plus, many local secondhand stores are set up as nonprofits raising additional funds for charitable organizations.  Try it! You may even find the experience fun. Thrifting is a treasure hunt where you never know what you'll find. 

The purchasing of second-hand clothes has been around since the 17th century. During this time, European secondhand merchants were buying and selling vast amounts of stock, bringing in huge amounts of money, making the venture quite profitable. In Venice for instance, courtesans procured clothing, by buying or renting, from such secondhand sources. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the use of pre-worn clothing was an experience familiar to nearly all classes in society. During World Wars I and II the profitable potential of worn clothing increased.

From there, the nature of the second-hand clothing grew in appreciation, and thus, markets for second-hand clothing grew creating an alternative option for clothing that encourages environmentally-conscious choices and a longer lifeline for clothing. In today’s economy, not only have thrift stores become popular among mainstream culture but online thrift shopping has begun. Companies such as ThredUp and Poshmark give people the opportunity to resell their clothes.

My experience with these stores began when I lost quite a lot of weight. I needed a cost effective way to buy my clothes as my weight went down. After doing this I just couldn't bring myself to buy one blouse for the price I could buy a whole outfit at the thrift store. When I tire of them I just redonate them and grab myself a little something at a bargain price. 

Enjoy the day and have fun. You just may find me there looking for a treasure. 

National Cenima Day

This is only the second year for this holiday. National Cinema Day will return this Sunday, August 27, for this second edition, with discounted admissions for all movies at over 3,000 participating theaters and 30,000 screens. Tickets for all tickets, all shows and all formats will be no more than $4. Some great concession discounts will also be offered. 

Last year’s event was held Sept. 3, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Tickets were $3. and 8.1 million people flocked to theaters. It was the highest-attended day for movies in 2022. It is designed to “celebrate the power of movies to bring us all together” to populate multiplexes during the dog days of summer and a way for studios to sell audiences on their fall lineups. A sneak peek of anticipated autumn releases will play before each screening.

World Honey Bee Day

World Honey Bee Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in August each year and brings a buzzing celebration for beekeepers, honey lovers, and all blooming things.

The day recognizes both the honey bee and the beekeepers who tend the hives as well as encouraging everyone to enjoy and buy locally grown honey. Another important part of the day includes learning about honey bees and providing them with a supportive environment. When we plant wildflowers, orchards, and other flowering plants, we support pollinators such as honey bees. They depend on the nectar of a variety of plants for their survival. But we depend on honeybees for our survival, too! Without their pollinating abilities, many nutritious plants wouldn’t reproduce. As an added bonus their  delicious honey is used in our baking, teas, and confections.

Honey bees do sting, but only if they perceive a threat, such as damage to their hive or being swatted at. What they seek is sweet nectar, so sugary drinks and sweets will attract them when flowers are not blooming yet. So, keep your beverages and sweet things covered. If a honey bee comes close, either hold still or move slowly away. The honey bee will fly along to the next sweet thing as long as it doesn’t feel threatened.

As a young girl I remember that a bee landed on my shoulder under the cover of the ruffled sleeve of my favorite dress. I was very scared and I froze which actually helped the situation and after a bit it flew away. I was not as lucky as an adult. Michael was gone so I was out attempting to mow a lawn for the first time and I stepped on one. Even then it would have been fine but this foolish woman was mowing the lawn in bare feet. Bad idea. 

Here are some cards I've made with a bee theme. This is a past one

And here is a simple little one we will be making in card class next week 

Anyway, enjoy World Honey Bee Day, wear your shoes when mowing a lawn, and don't threaten those bees.