Monday Montage #184

This has been a VERY looooong week! (And I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.) I have so many lovely and wonderful friends who have lived through the most ridiculous of weeks down in Texas. I won't bore you with all the crazy I had going on, as it was NOTHING in comparison to what others had faced. I am so grateful for a warm house, running water, power ... and an infratrusture that exists in my state (Utah) that can keep the roads driveable in the coldest of weather. Gratitude ... something I have gained a keen focus on this past year ... I really do have a blessed life. And the fact that I have a lovely space in my home, full of tools and supplies, that allows me to create and unwind ... that is an extravagance I so often have taken for granted as well. Of course, I am also grateful for my fellow Monday Montage friends. Their creativity, kindness, and friendship have been more than I can truly ask for. I love that, through this blog hop, we have stayed connected with one another and feel like family.

I thought about this card all day. I had in my mind what I wanted to do, and when I had a chance to sit down and do it, I did it! The donkeys in this set really ARE darling! I had fun coloring this little guy! I even convinced myself to "stop" adding things, even though I felt like I needed to add more (a problem I face every time I make a card!)!

Stamps: Darling Donkeys

Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate, Balmy Blue

Accessories: Stitched Shapes Dies, Demin Ribbon, Flowers for Every Season Gems, 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

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 WEEK

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!!

Still struggling with my dang Achilles/bursitis thing on my left foot. Back to the doc again on Tuesday to start work on Plan C ... I really hope we figure out something that will make the dumb aches and pains go away!!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout... AMAZING and MARVELOUS!

Fab Friday #207

When was the last time YOU made a 15-minute card?? EVER???? Bueller ... Bueller??!?? I swear I haven't done it in YEARS (and that is NO exaggeration!)!  Luckily, the layout for this week's Fab Friday Stampin' Challenge was one of those VERY rare moments when I actually DID that!!

To be fair, the strawberry and little flowers were already stamped, cut, punched and sitting on my craft table (leftovers from the last card I posted).  So this just kinda fell into my lap ... and I LOVE it!! Why can't I do this ALL THE TIME???

Stamps: Sweet Strawberry, Buffalo Check
Paper: So Saffron, Whisper White, Basic Black, Flower & Field DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Garden Green, Mango Melody, So Saffron
Accessories: Messages Dies, Stitched Shapes Dies, Strawberry Builder Punch, Flowers for Every Season Ribbon Combo Pack (Whisper White), Stapler

I added a few more "layers" to accentuate my focal point ... this has SO many 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

And the saga of the "Achilles Tendonitis/Bursitis" continues on. The newest treatment is a brace and some steroids ... sigh ... will this EVER end???

Monday Montage #183

Why is it that weekends seem to just WHOOSH by in the blink of an eye??? If only weekends could be five days long and the work week could be just two days long ... who is with me??? Hahaha ... as if!! I didn't get my craft room cleaned up, though. And I even stamped and sewed and cooked some stuff!1 YAY ME!!! Thanks to Monday Montage I came up with a card that made me really happy!

This took a bit of time ... LOTS of colors, LOTS of stamping, LOTS of die cutting and LOTS of punching. I was kind of thinking about making a "quilt" of a card, and this is what I came up with. I still say that I need gingham ribbon in every single stinking color available! I think gingham makes EVERYthing look better, don't you?

Stamps: Sweet Strawberry, Berry Blessings

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, Misty Moonlight

Ink: Magenta Madness, Rich Razzleberry, Misty Moonlight, Pacific Point, Real Red, Mango Melody, Basic Black, Pear Pizzazz, Garden Green
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Dies, Layering Squares Dies, Strawberry Builder Punch, Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon

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 - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK

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 been doing a LOT of "down time" since I went to the podiatrist almost two weeks ago ... and I can't WAIT to get back to him this week to see what other suggestions he has for me! I have been doing a whole lot of NOTHING and taking a bunch of anti-inflammatory stuff to try to get it calmed down. I definitely have seen an improvement, but I still have a ways to go!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout their projects will make you smile!!