January 15, 2024 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy Paper Portfolio

It’s time for a monthly scraphappy post; as usual, I’ve made something out of paper. Last month I made a few scraphappy cards for my friend, Mary. Today, I’m sharing the portfolio I made to hold those cards.

Late last year in Florence (Firenze), I enjoyed a fun prowl through a paper store called Il Papiro. The items they sell are created with paper using the same methods and techniques used in traditional 17th-century artistry. I bought one sheet of adorned green paper, thinking I would use it to make Christmas cards.

I used the paper to die-cut Christmas trees for cards and a few bookmarks for the Little Free Library, with enough of a remnant to create a scraphappy portfolio.

After measuring the size of the cards, I folded the paper accordingly, scored the center to create dimension, then glued the center and both sides of the new folder. I folded the top half inward, then covered it with Washi tape for a clean edge. I used my last rub-on decal on the cover.

Click the links below to see what other crafters have shared this month. If you want to join us, please get in touch with Kate. She does a fantastic job keeping this fun and organized.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy,
Jan, Moira, Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Claire, Jean, Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,
Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,
Nóilin, Viv, Karrin, Amo, Alissa ,
Lynn, Tierney and Hannah

October 7, 2023 by Born To Organize

Mike Drinks Coffee in Italy: A Retrospective

My husband is passionate about his coffee. At home, he grinds the beans, froths the milk, and enjoys his cup with breakfast. He makes himself an espresso while working from home in the afternoon, but he never drinks coffee after 4.

Except in Italy.

For the past two weeks, Mike “Sweetie” Francini has enjoyed his coffee fix from Venezia to Roma with Firenze in between. He’s had a cup at the Zurich airport and again in Roma. He consumed small cups of the brew on a train.

When his coffee arrived at the end of a meal or in the company of a luscious pastry, I started documenting the ceremonial downing of each hot brew.

I am a blogger, after all.*

~ ~ ~

I learned (about ten minutes ago) that according to ellianos, Italy had its first taste of coffee in the 17th century when the “bustling port city of Venice became one of the first European hubs to import coffee beans from traders of the Ottoman Empire.”

In the late 19th century “Italy introduced espresso to the market. Espresso isn’t a specific type of Italian coffee. Rather, it’s an efficient and concentrated brewing method that can be used on any type of coffee bean. This new Italian method completely changed the way people enjoy coffee around the globe.”

*I prefer tea, which has been my hot beverage of choice my entire life. Dad hailed from England after all and my Nova Scotia-born mum drank instant black coffee. It wasn’t really a choice at all.

September 26, 2023 by Born To Organize

Murano, Burano, Venezia, and More

On our last full day in Venezia, we took a boat ride to Murano, famous for blown glass, and then on to Burano, an even smaller island known for lace-making.

I’ve seen glassblowing demonstrations before, but not in Italy. Everything is magical in Italy. One glassblower made an intricate vase, and the second shaped a glass horse in minutes. It was a Sunday, so the factory was closed, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

In addition to lace-making, Burano is known for its colorfully painted houses; the house’s color designates the owner. Once a home is painted blue, for instance, any future buyer has to leave the house blue.

As we crossed one of the piazzas, I stopped to greet this charming pup who thoroughly enjoyed a back scratch. We were both reluctant to part company so soon.

As for this Burano resident, she’s a feline’s feline, so in other words, “get lost.”

The boat ride back made me feel young again. We got to sit on the upper deck while the captain played popular tunes from his phone. The guide passed out small plastic cups filled with Prosecco, and it seemed we were all smiling or laughing.

A replica of a galleon sailed by to our delight, and we learned that it is something you can hire for a wedding.

After eating and more walking, we returned to our hotel to pack our bags for the following day.

We took a vaporeto (water bus) to catch our train on Monday, landing in Firenze late afternoon. We walked forty minutes with our travel bags through narrow, cobbled streets and crowded courtyards and decided to take a taxi next time. We forgot that we’re in our sixties and not our thirties.

We’re staying in another charming hotel, part apartment building, part small business, and part hotel. Our room is on a “half-floor,” which means we step off the glass elevator on the floor below and then walk up a few steps. I love the large hotel windows that open, letting in fresh air and light. This morning, Mike spotted a neighbor’s cat on the adjacent balcony. I feel right at home.

We lunched on paninis before spending time at the Galleria Uffizi. It was incredible seeing famous artwork in a gorgeous setting; however, an aching back and fatigue got the better of me toward the end. We stopped for refreshments, and now I’m resting at our hotel while Mike ventured out for a new pair of shoes.

My goodness, there is so much more to see and do! Thank you for following along.

Goodnight from River Arno, Firenze.