Aluminum

 I tried to email photos to my account, but that didn't work either. I wanted to include photos of my creations. So sad, too bad.

I drink carbonated sugar free flavored water from cans. No artificial sweeteners, either. I saw some crafts with cans and saved some cans. Using a serrated knife, I sliced the top from the cans, then using scissors I cut down the side to the bottom and cut it off. This leaves a rectangle of material.

I save shipping materials along with cardboard and other stuff that drives the man in my house crazy. Using a piece of foamy looking sheets that come in the box with appliances to carve on, I traced the shape of a butterfly and then cut it out. I found I could get 3 -4 per "sheet".

I painted them with nail polish and added things like tiny jewels and such. Then, using the scraps I found that I could use scissors to cut very thin lines of aluminum that tend to curl up to make antlers. Even the trash man was impressed. I had a pkg of bamboo skewers hanging out in that drawer in the kitchen that holds various things like cupcake papers and decks of cards. You know you have that drawer, too!!

Keep in mind that I listen to audio books while sitting at my kitchen table. Lately, the books have been very British. This means that I have been speaking with a British accent. Aluminum sounds so much fancier that way. When I make an error, I will exclaim, "Bloody hell!" This makes it more fun, just ask my husband. Bad enough he can't hear well, but now he looks confused! I keep trying to broaden his horizons.

I hot glued some of my butterflies onto the top of the skewers. Then I thought about the hot sun and knew the glue would not hold. I ordered some floral wires that will disappear into the foliage and work much better. While on Pinterest I saw some bumblebees made with small wooden balls and it got my mind churning.

I made some templates and cut out some bee bodies and wings. This added a challenge; the butterflies were all one piece except for the antennae. My bees have two wings and a head to keep together. The painting was easy enough, but I would need better glue.

Bedtime brought another session of pondering while trying to go to sleep. I woke in the night, touched with inspiration! All I need is a very sharp large bore needle! I can then lay the pieces stacked atop each other, then pierce them all with the needle and small hammer, then thread the floral wire and clamp it with needle nose pliers. The wire will be left intact to attach my bees to tiny flower stems.

Speaking of flowers .... my hollyhocks are coming up. The pink ones from last year. I just bought and planted some black ones and am hoping they might appear this year. It will probably be next season, but that's okay. I ordered some blue hollyhock seed and planted those, as well. The daffodils put on a great show and are slowly falling off the stems. Tulips are few and far between, despite the number of bulbs I planted. 

My daylilies are coming in. No flowers yet and they need to be dug up and divided soon. Iris and lilies are popping out of the ground everywhere. The true sign of Spring has always been the Hosta breaking through the soil for me. I divided and planted so many last year, and it would appear that they all survived. My apple trees and blueberry plants are budding, and asparagus has started.

Two years ago, I bought a dozen strawberry plants and knew I would not get fruit the first year, but I got only a few last year. They should be full of blooms by now and they only have a few. That makes me sad!

Rain for the next day or so, then hoping I can install some butterflies and bees to my gardens!

While typing the title, I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be funny if I misspelled it?" Ironically, I see that I did misspell yesterday's title.