Where I've been... plus a Christmas tag and a special Sweet Saturday

My sweet crafty friends,

While it's not completely foreign that I've gone a week without posting, it is unusual that I haven't visited all of your wonderful blogs, sprinkling sparkly notes about your projects. I wish it was due to the busy holiday season... but instead it has been from a fairly traumatic situation. A week ago, I was happily working on a Whimsical project as I often do on the weekends... then the next minute I was racing to the hospital. My sweet mom had a heart attack. :( Thank God it was 'minor'... though at the time, it looked anything but. Her whispered words for me to be with her "just in case" haunted me over the next several days spent in the hospital. I pondered going into a bit more detail here, but I'd rather forget it all. I'm trying to.

The important thing is that she survived, has returned home, and will soon begin rehabilitation in an attempt to strengthen her damaged heart. Prayer is far more effective than that, so we of course welcome any prayers. She cannot do much of anything as she recovers, so I am doing my best to take care of everything I can. I tried to craft once for a DT project, but never had I felt so far from creative or crafty.... just drained from a tough week. I still am. A card was just too hard.

I set it aside for later and instead made a simple little Christmas tag to put on a present for my mom. (Picture taken with my phone... sorry about that.)

"No Peeking"

I whipstitched around the layers for some fun texture, using a beautiful vintagey Christmas twine. It and the Santa (I believe from Winter Frolic?) were sent to me by my dear friend Jayne to use on some Christmas crafts. I love them! I centered the snowflakes with pretty green rhinestones and finished it off with some dark green ribbon and beautiful Prairie Bird Boutique crinkle ribbon. I sparklified Santa with Star Dust because he told me to. (Really!) The Whimsical Designs sentiment makes me smile, both in wording and the gorgeous swirly font. (If you click on the photo, you'll see the pretty curlie-Q letters and some fabulous camera blur.) It is from the Snow Much Fun set, which I completely adore. This particular stamp was perfect because I know my mom will be trying to peek at the gift beneath this simple little tag.

I will be catching up with your fantastic blogs in the next couple of days as things begin to settle down a bit in regards to my mom. I'm doing all I can for her and spending extra time with her, but your projects make me happy. Since the storm has eased, I will be visiting soon.

I mentioned that this is a special Sweet Saturday. I've posted all sorts of sweets over the last several months. Delicious cupcakes, muffins, fudge... and of course some tasty cakes. But today is sweeter than all of that combined. I get to hug my mom today... and nothing is sweeter than that. Smoosh your loved ones extra tight. And maybe even wish them a Sweet Saturday. :o)

Have a beautiful weekend-before-Christmas! :o)

Key Recipe Components:
 * Cricut cartridge: Classic Font, Winter Frolic (I think)
 * Stamp: Whimsical Designs~ Snow Much Fun
 * Paper: Recollections
 * Crinkle ribbon: Prairie Bird Boutique
 * Miscellaneous: iRock, Stickles