Monday Montage #163

What day is it??? Are you SURE??? To be fair, we have a family-owned business, and I still go to work (it just was off kilter for a while when the virus first hit and one of our family members tested positive). We have almost NO ONE coming in or out, so it's easy for me to go in on my work days and get things done, even if it's not for a full day sometimes. So that part of my schedule is still kinda intact. The rest of my "weekly benchmarks" are SOOOO lost!! I wake up some mornings and honestly don't even know what day it is (a fact I am SURE you can all relate to). It's CRAZY!!! But I am grateful for the wonderful and beautiful things I have in my life. And oh man ... how I miss HUGGING people!! EVERYONE is getting hugs when it will be safe to do so again. I have been doing a lot of spring cleaning and baking ... and some stamping, too!! I know it is Sunday night because TOMORROW it is Monday Montage Day!! At least some things are still dependable!

I have always loved ANY stamps with a butterfly image. I have probably made MORE cards over the years with butterflies on them than anything else (for those who want to see the cards I made for my son while he served a two-year mission for our church ... of which I sent one every week with a butterfly image on it ... because his nickname is "Butterfly Boy" ... long story), click on the "Follow the Butterflies" link in my sidebar. Here is another one to add to my collection ...

Stamps: Very Versailles, Butterfly Gala
Paper: Crumb Cake, Pretty Peacock, Very Vanilla
Ink: Crumb Cake, Pretty Peacock
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Dies, Butterfly Duet Punch, Stitched Rectangles Dies, Scalloped Lace Trim, 5/16" Braided Burlap Trim, Linen Thread, Champagne Rhinestones


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
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

I ate WAAAAY too much junk this weekend. Like, a-half-a-chocolate-cake-and-a-bunch-of-chocolate-chip-cookies too much! I'm going to be MUCH better this week because I kind of feel sick with all the fat and sugar in my system. But it was DELICIOUS!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... you will LOVE their creations (something else that is also dependable!)!

Fab Friday #188

Here we are ... again ... and we are STILL in quarantine!! Who would've believed on January 1st that this is where we would be in April?? Holy COW!!! I have found myself counting my blessing and re-evaluating a LOT of things. I am truly blessed and grateful for my family and friends the most!! Oh man ... HUGS ... how I miss HUGS!!!! But I digress ... welcome to Fab Friday, my friends!!

I made this card last night ... with every intention of posting it first thing this morning. You know how THAT goes!! I just realized that I had NOT posted it yet ... YIKES!!! I honestly don't know what day it is most of the time (which I am sure that most of you can relate to!)! The colors for this challenge aren't something that I would have put together myself, but that is why we call this a CHALLENGE, right??? I'm pretty happy with how it turned out!

Stamps: Very Versaille
Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Blushing Bride, Grapefruit Grove
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Pool Party, Blushing Bride, Grapefruit Grove
Accessories: Swirls & Curls Embossing Folder, Butterfly Duet Punch, Stitched Shapes Dies, Whisper White Baker's Twine, Whisper White 5/8" Flax Ribbon, Sahara Sand 5/8" Woven Threads Trim

Soft and spring-y ...











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

I made my first attempt at sourdough bread yesterday!! It turned out better than I thought it would, but not as good as it COULD be!! I guess I will need to keep trying to perfect this!! Being from the Bay Area, I am a great appreciator of really yummy sourdough ... going to keep trying!! Have a GREAT weekend!!

Monday Montage #162

On TOP of being quarantined, self distancing, recovering from the earthquake last month and everything else ... I had a CRACKED MOLAR and had to go into the dentist this morning!! (Something, I hate to admit, causes me more anxiety than just about anything else on the planet!! YUCK YUCK YUCK!!! In spite of the fact that I was the ONLY patient in the office, I still was a bit nervous about being there in the first place. Luckily, I don't need a root canal ... unluckily, I now have a temporary crown and will have to go back in a couple of weeks to have the permanent one put on. YUCK YUCK YUCK!!! Oh well ... Happy Monday Montage!

I think my favorite "In Color" that came out last spring is Purple Posy. And since they have had some issues with the ink pads, I have limited my use of it. I decided to throw caution to the wind and just use some today anyway!! Actually, I used Highland Heather and a little bit of Rich Razzleberry to make this lovely lilacs. Lilacs make me think of my childhood. We had a HUGE batch of them every year along our back fence. They smelled like HEAVEN!! I think they rank up in my top three favorite flowers for SURE!

Stamps: Beautiful Friendship, Band Together
Paper: Purple Posy, Whisper White
Ink: Highland Heather, Rich Razzleberry, Garden Green
Accessories: Detailed Bands Dies, Frosted Epoxy Droplets


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
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

Now that I can feel my face again (and the tooth inside, which quite honestly, feels like it's covered with lumps of cement!), I may need to see how my tooth likes food. I like food. The rest of my body likes food. Hopefully my tooth is feeling cooperative!

Click "Next" to see what Amy O'Neill ... and "Back" to check out Melissa Stout ... they both make me happy!

Fab Friday #187

Three more days of QUARANTINE ... YAY!! Not that it means THAT much. As social distancing continues, I don't see that many of us are getting out to go much of ANYwhere! My father in law is doing better every day ... this virus is NOT an easy road, you guys!! So very grateful that he is recovering!! And I am SO very grateful for my side occupation as a CRAFT HOARDER!! I have enough stuff in my craft room to make projects for MONTHS (and that is NO KIDDING!)!! Today I played for Fab Friday!!

The sketch this time around made me think of the Pocket Dies ... which I have not played with in quite some time!! The shape of the bottom edge of the pocket is the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the sketch, so it came together very easily! I LOVE the beautiful spring flowers. I have to say that I think daisies are my favorite flower (just like Meg Ryan in "You've Got Mail")! They are just so happy and cheerful ... don't you agree???

Stamps: Daisy Lane
Paper: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Brights DSP
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Poppy Parade
Accessories: Pocket Dies, Swirls & Curls Embossing Folder, Sahara Sand 5/8" Woven Threads Trim, Whisper White Baker's Twine

See what I mean??











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

So far this week I have baked some bread, made my own granola from scratch and completed a "teddy bear picnic" in my front window (cutout teddy bears dressed up in all sorts of ways)! I am going to tackle my spare room and storage room this weekend ... at least my "spring cleaning" is getting a chance this year!