Hi there. Grace here to share with you an image that best describes if not the most, one of the most precious gifts I have ever received.

Ever since I can remember I have been a huge fan of musical instruments. At first I wanted to learn voilin. No I'm not musically gifted, I am just purely elated to the idea of being able to play an instrument. Growing up in the Philippines, I didn't have much opportunity to learn any musical instrument so when I moved to the states in 8th Grade, I finally got my wish when my Aunt enrolled me in some piano lessons.

It was awesome and although I didn't stick with is as long as I should have (high school came in the way) I've always had a special spot for the Piano and the beautiful music we can create with it.

So fast forward to today and that desire for beautiful music still lives on. I had told my husband at the beginning of the year that I wante a piano for my birthday (which was in July). He said that if we can find a good deal that we will look into it. I know that a brand new one would be way over our budget so for six months I scoured the Craigslist site to find a used one in the area. There were deals alright but it was a matter of being the first one to see it. At times I was getting frustrated for not being able to find "the one". Fortunately after six months of religious searching I finally found one. I called the owner and by that afternoon we had hauled it to our home and found the perfect spot for it in our living room.

It was perfect timing as my birthday was just days away. This item and the gift of music brought to my home is priceless. And the best part of it all....it was only $50!

Now that's a deal!

Have a great day,

Grace

To learn more about the List it! Everyday life ebook, check it out here.

It's Tuesday, which only means one thing: we have a new episode of Books&Crafts available for your viewing pleasure!

Today, we're talking about scrapbooking inspiration you can find in the calendar, with awesome pages inspired by Elizabeth Dillow's book, The Scrapbooker's Almanac, available for sale directly from the author on her blog, elizabethdillow.typepad.com.

We also talk a little about a fun eBook called Creative Ideas for Events and Holidays, which you should also check out.

Make sure you watch our latest crafty episode for these ideas, plus our weekly book picks:

One of my favorite projects to make is a meaningful curio cabinet, like this sewing-themed one I made for my mom, featuring sewing notions for every letter of the alphabet. There's "embroidery" for E and "thread" for T and "zipper" for Z, not to mention a "measuring tape" for M.

Watch Awesome Alphabet Curios on mycraftchannel.com to see more about this project and other curios, too, including an "I Spy" curio idea and a "Christmas Countdown" curio by Angie Lucas. (The below image was taken before Angie found an ice skate for "I," Santa's underwear for "U," and a sleeping reindeer for "Z." You'll see them in the video though!)

Watch the epsisode here:

And also check out our awesome book picks for the week:

Yep, I marbled that decorative paper using Barbasol shaving cream and four colors of acrylic paint. It's like magic! Learn how on this week's installment of the Books & Crafts weekly web show. It's a super fun idea to try with your kids this summer. Watch Simple Crafts for Girls now.

Oh, and you'll also see how to make these darling Chinese lanterns too, plus a fun extra party trick that will amaze anyone under age 36. ;)

Supplies & measurements needed for perfect sized mini paper Chinese lanters:
Outer paper (7 x 4)
Inner paper (6.5 x 4)
Handle (6 x .5)
Tiny attacher
Brads (optional) for handle

This week's ideas were found in The Double Daring Book for Girls.

We've been so busy with Spring Training (which was SO fun!) and our upcoming eBooks (need some extra photography help anyone? Stay tuned for a fun annoucement later this month!) that we may have neglected to tell you about our FIVE newest episodes of Books & Crafts!

Yesterday, we released our 6th and final episode from season 3. And we're busy working on our 12 awesome installments for season 4. We have more ideas than we'll ever be able to film, but we'll give it the old college try anyway.

Our newest episode, Stamping Secrets, includes a special $2 coupon if you listen closely...
 

And here's another favorite from season 3, Glass Plate Collage inspired by the book Crafting a Meaningful Home:
 

To watch the rest of these fun, quick and simple videos (which include plenty of great ideas for Mother's Day, which is coming up this weekend), just click here.

In this episode of Books and Crafts it is all about playing. Thanks to Vicki Boutin and her awesome new book Angie had fun playing and she shares what she learned and made on today's episode of Books and Crafts at My Craft Channel.

We love Vicki and know you will too. Check out her book and don't miss her blog. She is genuine and bubbly with a strong desire to help us all get in touch with our inner artist.  Thanks Vicki!!

This week, we share a fun desktop flip-frame idea inspired by an episode of Heidi Swapp's "Create to Remember" show on MyCraftChannel.com! And thanks to the video editing skills of Rick the Camera Guy, you can't tell AT ALL (or can you?) that we had to record the ending (or "outro") about five times, because we kept dissolving into giggles.

As we were wrapping up, I said, "Hope to see you next week for more books and crap...uh, I mean, CRAFTS." Laughter. Tears. Hunched over guffaws. Inability to compose selves. We tried again and again, but one of us would bust up each and every time. We were holding our breath because to breathe meant to laugh. It's like when you get the giggles at church or in a corporate board meeting or, heaven forbid, at a funeral. And the very fact that you should NOT be laughing makes everything funnier.

Okay, we can do this, we'd say. Shake it off. Shake it off. We're PROFESSIONALS. "Okay, Rick, roll it.... And thank you for joining us for today's episode. (Wendy is shaking violently next to me with pent up laughter.) Hope to see you next week for more Books and... BWAHAHAHA!"

Sorry about that, Rick. Thanks for making us look good!

If you haven't seen it yet, also check out last week's episode, "DIY Pillowcase Monsters" (aka "Cuddle Creatures")! You'll love it! And we did not laugh inappropriately at ALL in the filming of this one.

And, speaking of monsters/creatures, have a look at what MY resident monster (Jovie the Olde English Bulldogge) did to my favorite purple-polka-dotted pillowcase monster? Naughty Jovie!

So you have printed off your favorites from your most recent travel or holiday photos and although you’ve narrowed down the pile from 300 to 10, you still feel like it’s a daunting task to get them on a double page spread. You want your photos to shine against the background but there are a few embellishments you want to add to it to create some pizzazz! Well did you know that the ebook “Double Page Design” can be your lifesaver?

That’s how I felt about the photos I used in this layout and the sketches on the end of the ebook gave me the perfect inspiration to complete this page in no time at all. It also helped me put everything I wanted (photos in prominent spots, embellishments and pattern papers sprinkled all over) cohesively in the page.

So if you are like me and needing some instant inspiration today to put together those pages with 7 or more photos then the Double Page Design ebook is just the answer! You will get design tips from the Write.Click.Scrapbook team on how to create two page spreads that have a cohesive and well designed look. Don’t forget the sketches at the back; I’m sure you’ll use them again and again.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock- (sky blue, pool) WorldWin; Pattern papers and stickers- Year-o-graphy, Simple Stories; Letter Stickers- Boiled blue, Alpha beans, Jillibean Soup; Corner rounder- Creative Memories; Tape- Source Unknown; Bling- BoBunny; Border punch- Scallop, Creative Memories; Black pen- Creative Memories; Adhesives- Glue Arts
 

Season two of Books & Crafts, our weekly web show, is underway on MyCraftChannel! We're three episodes in. So if you have a spare half hour this week, these are worth a watch!

Double-Page Design Tips (NEW THIS WEEK!)

This episode shares four favorite tips for creating well-designed, two-page spreads. AND there's a $2 coupon code at the end of the show episode! Watch now.

DIY Library Totes (featuring guest Kari Sweeten)

Guest Kari Sweeten from U-CreateCrafts.com shares four gorgeous ideas for library totes—one for every member of the family! Easy and ingenious. (And, here's a link to the sewing tutorial mentioned in the episode.)  Watch now.

Book Paper Garlands

Wendy and Angie share favorite tips for creating three different book-paper garlands. You'll LOVE these! Watch now.

Last Day!

Our introductory price of 20 percent off on our new eBook, Stamping Secrets, ends today. Hurry while you can still get it for $8.79!

And last week, ScrapbooksPlus.com, a new online scrapbooking retailer, offered Ella readers a special introductory coupon code, and today's the LAST DAY! Use code ELLAFEB50 at checkout through March 7 to save 50% on anything in the stamps and inks category, and you'll also get FREE SHIPPING on your order (to U.S. addresses). Thanks, ScrapbooksPlus!

Wendy and I are back on MyCraftChannel.com with another set of twelve Books & Crafts episodes! A new show airs every Tuesday for the next 12 weeks.

This week's episode is all about book-paper garlands. And at just 6 minutes long, it's short, sweet, and inspiring.

And at the end of the episode, all viewers get a coupon code (CREATIVE) to save $2 on Stacy Julian's awesome UR2 Cre8ive eBook. Join us!