Bee-ing Optimistic

If one cannot find bird nests in any of the craft stores...what is the probability of finding bees? With my naive understanding that craft stores stock all crafts no matter the season and not thinking and maybe birds nests and bees are a spring theme and here we are in the midst of the fall season not the mention the early emergence of holiday items sneaking into every store - I was let down yet again. I had a little more luck with the bees than I did the birds nests - at least I could find bee themed items. But what I could find did not necessarily meet my expectations. I am not looking for googily eyed bees, not looking for cartoon bees, no looking for abstract bees...just a bee please. Like the ones I found at Hobby Lobby, but maybe made out of wood with little hearts nailed on for wings like the one lone bee I found clinging onto a cute bee hive made of coiled twine at a local craft store called Creations. I about let out a yelp when I found this great little bee - only to find out that he came as part of a package...a hideous doll was supposed to be holding him and the hive...and the dealer would not budge on selling them separately. So, I looked closely at how it was made in case I break down and just make my own. I should have snapped a pic for future reference. I can always go back - I doubt he leaves the store shelves any time soon being attached to that frightful doll.

I did find a bee stamp from Archiver's the scrapbooking store that will work perfectly for my idea for a present to match the theme of shower and I have some ideas on how to make my own bees. In addition to buying small wooden eggs painting them like the body of a bee and nailing little metal hearts to the body - I am thinking of also printing out an image of a bee and sticking them around the table settings and one the diaper cakes. And I am still one the hunt...I have not yet ventured out to Old Time Pottery or any of the cutesy stores on Mass Ave or up in Carmel or Broad Ripple. Plus I still have time. This is exactly why I am starting full-force now, because in a month when the shower actually takes place I do not want to be stuck not being able to find the decor and favors I want and having to settle for the norm.

Another thing I found at but they did not have a bee in stock - was creative hole-punches. Which may be a way to go for me instead of printing and cutting out a ton of bees by hand. I found this great one online at Paper Source.