mmm.... organization.

i had to laugh because i just saw a friends re-run (approximately in the season 8 or 9 or so era) where chandler decides to get a new job, so monica makes a big, labeled, organized set of files of different ideas for jobs he could pursue. it's alphabetized (of course) and they start with advertising, which is what he decides to go for... so he apologizes for her having wasted her time making the rest of the files when he picked the first one. monica replies, "are you kidding? i got to spend 8 hours alone with my label-maker!!!"

if you haven't met me, i'm a little bit like that. ok, a lot. i do have a bit of a crazy love for organizational supplies.

so, if you haven't seen this website, see jane work, it's a must! i also had to laugh when i saw this "office of the week" totally decked out in ellebee green:

my husband laughs whenever i say that because he thinks it's funny that i have claimed ownership over an entire shade of color for my business. i just love the color! in my dream world, i would have wall-to-wall bookshelves for my craft supplies, and they would all be organized in little labeled boxes and wire baskets full of color-coordinated fabrics like that top shelf up there. supplies are so much more inspiring when you can see them all at once!

they also have lots of fun, cheeky notepads and other office goodies with a bit of personality to make the day go faster! i've already decided i need these for corralling my craft magazines, i love the brown:

(ps- photos are thanks to seejanework's website).

for nesting! (or coasting?)

i finally got my current projects/products finished, photographed, organized for selling, and listed in the shop! they are just a few fun little updates, but totally new to ellebee studio... quilted coasters!

these are an absolute blast to make, and i couldn't resist using the amy butler prints, and i love how it looks combined with the linen for the backs! these are practically indestructable (and tossable into your washing machine which is the best part). plus the free-stitched edge give them a really laid-back beachy feel... which, if you're like me, makes it permissable to be completely anal about insisting everybody uses a coaster to begin with.

you can expect to see lots more of these coming up, they are so addictive to make! now then, anybody up for matching napkins?

speaking of new arrivals...

now that we've finally told all of our immediate family, i can stop chattering about secrets and shoes and just spill the beans already!

i'm expecting my own little petite B in early december!!!

i promise i did not intentionally coincide getting pregnant with launching my baby product line, but it did just seem to work out that way, and how fun is that!? matt and i really could not possibly be more excited! (you can read even more about it in our family blog).

finally, i'll have a reason to buy up all the adorable handmade baby things i've been loving on etsy, and i'm sure having my own little one will be a fabulous inspiration for the things of petite bee to come! (not to mention a great test market and build in baby-model!)

i had a little crafty fun in the way we told our families too... matt's dad's birthday was this week so we gave him a picture frame. i bought a shadowbox type frame and decorated it with some really cute jolee's and little stick-on squares that read "sweet baby B."

the supplies:



the finished frame:


for my side of the family, we gave a playdate invitation for our nephew to come play with his cousin-to-be when he or she (and we will find out!) arrives in december. i made a little template in paint, added the who/what/when info, and then used a little clip-art whale for the bottom corner to say hooray:


i had so much fun designing and making it that of course, now, there is one more idea for petite bee swirling around in my head. playdate invitations... birthday invitations... mommy calling cards... so many ideas, so little time! (not to mention energy these days. i thought 7 and a half weeks was too early in the pregnancy to be crashing out with no energy already!) i just can't wait to be big-pregnant, and of course to hold this little one in my arms and love and kiss on it and all the fun stuff that comes along with officially being a mommy. if i thought i was 'nesting' before, you better believe i've got some projects i want to start! baby quilts, crocheted blankets, a crib mobile, and about a million other things!

a shoe search.

ok, so i never claimed that this was a fashion blog, but if you're anything like me, sometimes the creativity just spills uncontrollably from genre to genre in your life! or maybe it's more about love of color, because ever since i saw the yellow cover of last spring's domino magazine, i've had yellow on the brain:

sorry for the fuzziness, but now you can get a visual... yellow flats, yellow printed dress, and a cute, classic tan trench coat. what could be better? keep in mind, i've been a black tee and jeans kind of girl for a long, long time. so not only a bright yellow dress, but a bright yellow outfit is pretty revolutionary for me.

i felt like i got the dress down pretty well, i got this one at target for about $25 in time to wear for easter sunday:

(a side note... unfortunately the dress is a bit thin and therefore slightly see-through, so i'm also finding myself on the hunt for a light yellow camisole to wear underneath, which apparently does not exist. may have to go with nude/skin-colored).

i had less luck with the flats. i found some really cute ones on clearance at the gap for $20... really cute yellow and white gingham, but i tried them on and they just plain hurt. ladies, life is too short for shoes that just plain hurt. unfortunately, i have a very wide foot and "just plain hurts" can usually be used to describe 90% of the shoes i try on.

in a perfect world, i might be the proud owner of these:


however, since a $430 price tag on a pair of shoes will never be a reality in my world, sigerson morrison might as well not be either.

a slightly unsatisfactory google search brought me to these:




but, having never even heard of the brand , i'm wary of ordering these online without being able to try them on. you never can be too sure how yellow the yellow will be either, although these look pretty.

and then of course, there were these:


yellow polka dots. i love polka dots . took me a minute to regain my composure... ok. reality is coming back to me, and these definitely look too narrow and painful. i do much better with the wide, slouchy, squishy flats, preferably with an elastic back part to keep it from digging into your heel.

so the search continues. i'm glad to see i'm not the only one a tad obsessed with yellow shoes at the moment!

(photos are thanks to the individual websites linked with each one).

busy times!

poor little neglected blog... oh how you suffer when we have lots going on in life!

things have been super busy here on the job front... we're waiting to hear definitely about a potential job offer that would mean a near-cross-country move away from our family and friends, and a completely new city, workplace, lifestyle, new friends... exciting, but a lot of change all at once! so you can see why we are literally on pins and needles for now, and hopefully we will hear some news this week.

i've also got another SUPER special secret project swimming around, just waiting to be revealed !

a new arrival for spring!

after a bit of delay (and about a week of very rainy weather that prevented any product photos) i am very happy and excited to announce the arrival of:

:::petite bee::: lovely little things for your little one!

these sweet little baby things are great for baby shower gifts... and i'm sure every momma deserves to replace some of those grungy, old, overused baby things if only to have some fun, new, pretty things to use everyday!

i'm also excited to be filling out the for nesting section of the shop as well... lots of great new coaster designs and prints, perfect for lemonade on the back porch this summer!

i bought some amy butler prints and went totally crazy with these coasters... they are so fun to make! there are also some new magnet sets, and i think what's coming next will have to be cloth napkin sets (maybe with matching coasters?) because i obviously can't resist making them!

i've also got some new notecard designs coming available soon, including some made of vintage wallpaper... stop on by anytime!