Monday Montage #186

First day of spring at it snowed ... also the second day of spring saw snow ... as well as the third day of spring! Honestly, we have had SUCH a low snow year that I know we need eeveery bit of snow we get. It is just SOOO ironic that we had to wait for a change of seasons to SPRING in order to get more snow! Glad I had some time to play this weekend so I could make a card for Monday Montage! YAY!

Now ... about this card. I thought I had it all figured out in my head before I started. Um ... DUH ... I didn't!! I knew I wanted to make a background "sunset sky", but I couldn't quite get what I was going for. I ended up using (from top to bottom) Soft Seaside, Balmy Blue, So Saffron, Mango Melody and Crumb Cake. I masked off a circle to make the moon, and I ripped a scrap of cardstock to make the mask the ground layers to give it some depth when I sponged the Crumb Cake. THEN the work began!! I could NOT figure out what I wanted to do with my images ... or how I wanted to layer them. LOTS of trial and error before I came up with this "framed photo" sort of look. I used some linen thread and created some barbed wire/rope for the frame border accent. Many accents and layers later, I finally decided to quit with what I had. It is what it is, but I guess that's how the creative process goes sometimes!

Stamps: Ride the Range

Paper: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Whisper White

Ink: Balmy Blue, Soft Seaside, So Saffron, Mango Melody, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Whisper White

Accessories: Stitched Rectangles Dies, Open Range Dies, Pinewood Planks Embossing Folder, Denim Ribbon, Linen Thread, Clear Epoxy Dots, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Stapler

Here's a blog roll just in case you get "stuck" trying to hop around ...

Monday Montage Hoppers
Amy O'Neill - Amy's Paper Crafts - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS

Breelin Renwick - Craft-somnia Momma
Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs
Charlet Mallet - Painted Orange
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS

Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

The good news??? I think, perhaps, that my Achilles tendon is FINALLY responding to all the things I've been having done to it in physical therapy!! I was actually able to walk some this weekend withOUT limping!! YAY ME!! Crossing my fingers for continued improvement in the days to come!

Click "Next" to see the "Amazing Things" Bree Renwick created ... and "Back" to see the beatuiful "Brushed Blooms" created by Melissa Stout!!

Celebrating - Freak Style!

Here we are again, playing with the Control Freaks! And this month, we are celebrating with our creations. Hopping around, you will just have come from the blog of birthday girl, Melissa Stout! So today I am celebrating HER!! YAY MELISSA!!

I created this card with inspiration from the Stampin' Fancy Friday Blog Hop ... who were using "Everything Ombre" as their inspiration. So, between celebrating my fellow freaky friend, Melissa, and doing a little color fade, this is the card I came up with. I keep telling you guys, if you DON'T have the Basic Patterns Masks, you MUST add them to your collection ... they are SOOOO fun to create with!

Stamps: Vine Design
Paper: Soft Sea Foam, Whisper White, Granny Apple Green, Pacific Point
Ink: Pacific Point, Pool Party, Balmy Blue, Soft Sea Foam, Granny Apple Green, Garden Green, Whisper White
Accessories: Flowering Vine Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Old Olive/Pretty Peacock 3/8" Reversible Ribbon, Basic Patterns Masks

Last week my hubby and I were able to get our first COVID shots ... and tomorrow I take my mama to get her second one! Crossing my fingers and hope she doesn't have too much of a reaction.

Next up??? Cindy Elam! Always fun to celebrate when you see what she has created!!

Fab Friday #209

Part of the interesting "fun" that has developed during this past year with the whole "Zoom" culture is that I can do a Zoom meeting at the same time I am creating something for the blog here. Being busy with my hands actually helps me better focus on what is being said. I'm sure I am ADD on some level, and the ability to quiet my brain while I do something with my hands! So here you have my creation for this week's Fab Friday Stampin' Challenge - sketch. It also ticks a box as a masculine card ... something I have needed to add to my aresenal of cards on hand. 

The Well Suited DSP is SO much fun to play with! The colors and patterns are muh-WAH!!! I had to do a little origami fold shirt to go with this darling little DSP

Stamps: Handsomely Suited
Paper: Cajun Craze, Well Suited DSP
Ink: Whisper White
Accessories: Suits & Ties Dies, 3/16" Braided Linen Trim

Simple, fun and FULL of possibilities!

Here's a link to the Fab Friday Challenge Blog so that you can play along:

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Mindy Backes
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers

Thursday was spent at physical therapy and running across town to go get our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine for COVID. We are VERY excited to be on our way to fully vaccinated. Sore arm, but nothing much else seems to be affeecting us, yet, so we are feeling very blessed!

Monday Montage #185

Don't ya just HATE looking for things??? I know that I DO!! Especially when it is something you know that you JUST HAD ... and it CAN'T be far!! I've been looking for my AirPods since Saturday night! I use those dang things every dang day all the dang time! And the "find my" app shows that the last time they were used I was at MY house ... at 3:38pm on Saturday. Where is the HECK did I put them down??? DAAAANG!! The "find my" app isn't very helpful when it comes to AirPods ... they have to be charged and NOT in the closed case. Seriously??? If I knew where the charged and closed case was in the first place I wouldn't have to be using the ding-dang app to find where they are, now would I??!!?? SHEESH!! At least I got a bunch of cleaning done whilst looking And I took a break from looking, cleaning and cooking to make a card for this week's Monday Montage, so at least THAT was fun!

I am most definitely feeling me some spring vibes!! It's still cold outside, but I am starting to see the signs of spring. LOVED playing with the Basic Patterns Masks again to create a little ombre effect for my background. A little Detailed Bands Dies and some vellum and I was done!

Stamps: Vine Design (sentiment)

Paper: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Vellum

Ink: Melon Mambo, Flirty Flamingo, Mango Melody, So Saffron, Whisper White Craft

Accessories: Detailed Bands Dies, Basic Patterns Mask, Trio Corner Rounder, Flowers for Every Season Gems, Whisper White Embossing Powder

Here's a blog roll just in case you get "stuck" trying to hop around ...

Monday Montage Hoppers
Amy O'Neill - Amy's Paper Crafts

Breelin Renwick - Craft-somnia Momma
Cathy Casey - Sugar Shack Designs
Charlet Mallet - Painted Orange
Cheryl Curtis - Pomp and Sustenance
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner 

Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

I have had three appointments with a physical therapist for my cranky Achilles tendon. Not feeling much of a difference yet, but I AM feeling hopeful that we are going to get things squared away. I sure hope so!! I miss running ... or even walking my dog!! Hopefully SOON

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout... beautiful creations, as always!!