Don't ya just love a day when you wake up early (but not TOO early!) without an alarm clock??? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, I have a very long "to-do" list, but I've already checked a couple of things off!!! This is gonna be a GOOD day!!! And why not???? It's also FAB FRIDAY!!!

When all else fails, go back to butterflies!!! That works for ME!!! I am going to admit that this color challenge had me a little stumped. It's a combo I probably never would have thought up on my own, but I really, really like it!! I just wanted to do something GOOD with it!!! In the end, I am quite happy with how this turned out ... I need more NEW stampy stuff!!! Bwahahaha!!

Stamps: Beautiful Bouquet
Paper: Whisper White, Flirty Flamingo, Melon Mambo, Lemon Lime Twist
Ink: Flirty Flamingo, Lemon Lime Twist
Accessories: Polka Dot Basics Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder Punch, Layering Circles Framelits Dies, Butterfles Thinlits Dies, Rhinestone Basics









Ooooooo!!!! I likey!!!











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

Fab Friday Challenge Blog

Check out the Fab blogs of my fellow Fab Friends:

Mindy Backes
Cindy Beach
Heather Heroldt
Brian King
Amy Koenders
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Jan Tinklenberg

Now that I am finished, I can check this off my "to do" list!!! Don't ya just LOVE that feeling of accomplishment??? My list has a good chance of getting finished today!! That, in and of itself, is nothing short of a Christmas Miracle!!

Running, running, running!!! This just seems to be the story of my life (literally AND figuratively). Can I make an AWFUL confession??? Sigh ... remember the Great Flood of Christmas 2016?? For those of you who missed it, we had to tear out about 30% of the ceiling in our basement ONE WEEK before Christmas ... the portion that happens to be directly above my craft room ... and it was RAINING (or should I say we had a WATERFALL)!! It was a MESS!!! My stamp cabinet got demolished when the guys were trying to move it out of the way to avoid the rain ... and I have MILES and MILES of piles that were created. The confession??? I STILL haven't cleaned it up and put it back together ... so stamping is tricky ... but Monday Montage is keeping me going!!

Another true confession??? I just discovered TODAY (whilst making my card) that I somehow MISSED ordering the "bundle" for this "Beautiful Bouquet" set!! REALLY???? How does that even HAPPEN??? I have done that more than a handful of times. GRRRRRrrrr!!! Something ELSE I need to add to my NEXT order!! But the flowers are pretty ...

Stamps: Beautiful Bouquet
Paper: Tranquil Tide, Powder Pink, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Tranquil Tide, Powder Pink, Night of Navy, Berry Bliss
Accessories: Layering Circles Framelits, Night of Navy 1/2" Gingham Ribbon

So ... putting it in BLACK&WHITE ... I plan to spend at least ONE HOUR every day this week working on cleaning up and reorganizing my craft room. This just HAS to happen. It's been hard ... the struggle is real!!! With my daughter's wedding it was put on the VERY BACK burner ... and every time I go and look at it I sigh and turn around. It's SO much work!! But it HAS to be DONE!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... every time I look at their creations it ends up costing me MONEY!!! They are AWESOME!!


Mon

Twice in one week??? And it's ONLY WEDNESDAY!!! Holy SMOKES!! New catalog goodies have been VERY helpful in motivating me to stamp something!! YAY ME!!! Paper Craft Crew is at it again! This week we are SKETCHING!!!

Pocketful of Sunshine??? WHAT??? How can you NOT fall in love with a stamp set called "Pocketful of Sunshine"??? I made the pocket have a little more of a "denim" look by dragging my Marina Mist inkpad across the paper from the top down and then from the bottom up ... does that make sense??? Anyway, I like how it came out!

Stamps: Pocketful of Sunshine
Paper: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Gold Foil
Ink: Basic Black, Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Versamark
Accessories: Pocket Framelits Dies, Mini Treat Bags Framelits (for sentiment), Night of Navy 1/2" Gingham Ribbon, Polka Dot Basics Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Corner Rounder Punch, Clear Embossing Powder











I love me a great sketch!!










Here's a link to the Paper Craft Crew Challenge so you can play along:

Paper Craft Crew #252

I have aNOTHER wedding this Friday. My "other" daughter (my daughter's just bestie ... she's been like one of my own since they were littles!)! There have been SOOOO many weddings in my universe this past year. Holy COW!! All of the "kids" from my kids' childhood are tying the knot ... I am NOT old!!

I love summer! I love being outside ... I love spending time with my family! We had an AWESOME weekend up at our family's condo at Bear Lake (on the border of Utah and Idaho). We ate, played games, jet skied, swam, ate some more, played croquet and just enjoyed being together!! And to top it off, I got to STAMP something!! Pretty perfect weekend, I'd say!! So now it's time to see what the Monday Montage girls are up to. Great idea, don't ya think??

I have NEVER-EVER been able to resist a stamp set with citrus in it. And I mean NEVER!! Whenever I see one, I try to talk myself out of it ... "do I really NEED another citrus stamp set??" The answer is YES!!! Duh!!! This one is particularly fun because it has a super-duper cute PUNCH that goes with it!! I'm in citrus HEAVEN!!

Stamps: Lemon Zest
Paper: Lemon Lime Twist, Daffodil Delight, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Lemon Lime Twist, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Lemon Builder Punch, Happy Birthday Thinlits Die, Stitched Shapes Framelits, Night of Navy 1/2" Gingham Ribbon

It has been SOOOO hot outside. Which means it is VERY hard for me to go running (and I hate that!!)!! I have TWO races at the end of August ... and I need to be able to stay in shape for that. Is there ANY way you can run without getting hot??? If you have any answers, let me know!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... summer fun at its finest!!


Mon

JULY??? How is that even POSSIBLE??? Didn't we just celebrate the coming in of the New Year??? Sheesh!! I FINALLY got a new catalog order ... and I wanted to order about TEN TIMES more than I actually did! So here is my first "new catty" card, just in time for this week's Monday Montage!


OHMYGOSH!!! This set has a NARWAHL!!! AND A SLOTH!!! I think it's caaaaaYOOOOT!!! It's going to get a LOT of use at my house, that's for SURE!! And the new In Colors??? SOOOOO much more gabby in person than in photos!!! I think I'm in love ...

Stamps: Quirky Critters
Paper: Tranquil Tide, Powder Pink, Crumb Cake, Watercolor
Ink: Basic Black, Tranquil Tide, Powder Pink
Accessories: Polka Dot Basics Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Circle Framelits, White Accents, Silver 1/8" Ribbon, Corner Rounder Punch

This is going to be a fun week! I LOVE getting together with family on holidays (or for ANY day!) ... food, laughter and FIREWORKS for the 4th of July!! BEST part about summer, right???

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... you will LOVE what that have to share!