Monday Montage #44

Oh how I LOVE Monday Montage!!! And oh, how I LOVE the beautiful weather we are having ... after more than three weeks of rain and clouds, the sun has been out for TWO WHOLE DAYS!!! And everything is SOOOO green!!! Which is why this card makes me so happy!

I know I have already said this before, but this new "Floral Wings" hostess set is gonna be SUCH a favorite. I made a card with it on the LAST Monday Montage hop ... it's a keeper!

Stamps: Floral Wings
Paper:  Tempting Turquoise, Watermelon Wonder, Whisper White
Ink:   Tempting Turquoise, Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush
Accessories: Island Indigo Chevron Ribbon, Bitty Banners Framelits, Pearl Basics, Mini Stapler

I am SO excited today!!! My cousin ... whom I haven't seen for nearly THIRTY years (which is odd, since I'm only 27!) will be passing through town and we are going to do some SERIOUS catching up!!! YAY!

Click "Back" to see Melissa Stout's stellar work, and/or the "Next" button to see Amy O'Neill's originality!

Fab Friday #65

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!!! FINALLY!!! And it is ALSO Fab Friday time!! I feel like I live on the upper west coast ... we have had steady rain pretty much EVERY day for almost four weeks!!! It's VERY green here right now!!! But I am ready for a few days of sunshine, to be sure!! Before we know it, it's gonna be summer and hot and more like a dessert here ...

This week we are playing with colors ... I am so grateful for challenges. I feel like I use the same stuff OVER and OVER and OVER ...

Stamps: Six-Sided Sampler, Gorgeous Grunge
Paper: Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Whisper White, Vellum
Ink: Night of Navy, Marina Mist, Hello Honey
Accessories: Hexagon Punch, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Postage Stamp Punch, Gold Sequin Trim, Bohemian Washi Tape

I love how rich these colors look together ... and that they can be "masculine" or "feminine" ...





Excited to see what all of our challenge players come up with!!

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
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Pam Steckman
Jan Tinklenberg

Today is the day for the annual end-of-year carnival that we do at the local elementary school ... my friend and I have been doing these carnivals for about 15 years ... LOTS of work ... but TONS of fun!!!

Control Freaks Preview Sneaky Peeky!!!

I am SO excited that the Control Freaks are sharing their creativity today with some of the NEW items that we were abe to preorder from the new 2015-2015 Stampin' Up Catalog!!! Did you SEE what Judy DiScipio made??? I love new stampy goodness, don't you???

I scream, you scream ... yeah-yeah-yeah ... y'all KNOW how the rhyme goes, right???? Ice cream is ALWAYS fun to create with!!! This set, called "Sprinkles of Life" is just happiness!!! Not only can you build ice cream cones ... but you can ALSO make a tree, a basket of flowers or leaves, or some fluffy clouds!! The BESTEST thing about this set is that the new Tree Builder Punch will coordinate with it so you won't have to do so much fussy cutting!!! HOORAY!!

Stamps: Sprinkles of Life
Paper: Watermelon Wonder, Mint Macaroon, Tip Top Taupe, Delightful Dijon, Cucumber Crush, Whisper White
Ink: Watermelon Wonder, Mint Macaroon, Tip Top Taupe, Delightful Dijon, Cucumber Crush, Whisper White
Accessories: Tiny Triangles Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Label Bracket Punch, Tree Builder Punch, Tip Top Taupe 1" Dotted Lace Trim, Gold Sequin Trim, Burlap Ribbon

Tie-dye BOKEH, anyone???? I used my sponge daubers and some of the new ink I got (along with a good ol' favorite) to make these colorful butterflies. I sponged the three colors of ink (Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush and Rich Razzleberry) onto some Whisper White cardstock. I then used my Aquapainter brush to "drip" little water spots into the tie-dye pattern I had made. Cut out the butterflies with the thinlits dies and added a little bit of cut up little bits of White 1 1/4" Jute Ribbon for their bodies and VOILA!! I know I am DEFINITELY going to be doing this technique again!!! Quick, easy and FUN!

Stamps: Friendly Wishes
Paper: Whisper White, Watermelon Wonder
Ink: Watermelon Wonder, Cucumber Crush, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Square Framelits Dies, Butterfly Thinlits Dies, Candy Dots, White Jute Ribbon, Aquapainter Brush

Next up??? The oh-so-marvelous Heidi Boos ... she will be SURE to inspire you!

Stamp Review Crew - Four Feathers Edition

The Stamp Review Crew is at it again!!! This time around we are all sharing a little bit of inspiration for the "Four Feathers stamp set (and thinlits dies!)!! I'm stuck in the green/purple universe ... LOVE putting these colors together!

Words cannot even BEGIN to tell you how happy I was when this stamp set/thinlits bundle came out last year!!! I have been making my own feathers with my eCutter for a LONG time ... this set has made it OHSOMUCH easier!!! What's NOT to love about feathers????? (I actually cheated a little ... didn't actually use the STAMPS for this set ... just the thinlits with the gorgeous new Bohemian washi tape.)

Stamps: Project Life Moments Like These
Paper: Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Arrows Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bohemian Washi Tape, Bitty Banners Framelits, Sequin Trim, Small Gold Clothespin, Linen Thread

Here's a photo of the stamp set AND the thinlits (you are DEFINITELY going to NEED them ... if you don't have them already!)







Clicking on the "previous" button will take you to see what Martha Inchley has done with this awesome set (LOVE everything she does!), and clicking on the "next" button will take you to Nancy Smith's creation (we were inspired by the same color combo, apparently!)

Monday Montage #43

What a whirlwind of a weekend!!! My mom and I flew to Reno to see my niece's graduation from the University of Nevada-Reno. The graduation was AWESOME!!! The sightseeing on Saturday was AWESOME!!! Coming home and having a load of things to get done??? NOT AWESOME!!! Why is it that we always need a "vacation" after we have a "vacation"?? Never have been able to figure that out!!

This is a little bit of "old" (items that will be retiring at the end of the month) and a little bit of "new" (items that I got with my preorder box of goodies that will be available to everyone on June 1!). I am having a love affair with the blue/green/purple combos this week ... I LOVE these colors together!

Stamps: Floral Wings
Paper:  Mint Macaroon, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White, Regals DSP Stack (soon to be retired)
Ink:   Blackberry Bliss, Rich Razzleberry, Mint Macaroon
Accessories: Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Bitty Banners Framelits (soon to be retired), Natural Chevron Ribbon, In Color Flower Embellishment, Hardware Essentials Clip (soon to be retired), Project Life Corner Rounder Punch

Is it possible to have jetlag from losing and then gaining ONE hour??? I highly doubt it ... but I'm going to use THAT as my excuse for being off at work this week!

Click "Back" to see what the magnificent Melissa Stout has created, and/or the "Next" button to be awed by Amy O'Neill's creativity!

Fab Friday #64

So much happening this week!!! So happy to be to Friday!!! And it's a FAB Friday, at that!!! My daughter had ACL surgery last week, so I've been playing nursemaid and Mom Taxi all week ... I am currently on my way to Reno with my mom to attend my niece's graduation from University of Reno-Nevada!!! So VERY proud of you, Cassie!!! You are AMAZING!!

And I am SO HAPPY to be able to play a little more with my "preorder" goodies ... the color combo in the "Bohemian" washi tape is GORGEOUS!!! Can't wait to get the thinlits dies that go with this stamp set, too!!! SO much fun!!

Stamps:Friendly Wishes
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo, Whisper White
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight
Accessories: Chalk Talk Framelits, Bohemian Washi Tape, Gold Sequin Trim, Pansy Punch, Petitie Pansy Punch, Large Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Candy Dots

This is such a FUN sketch!!! I think I will be using it again ... I feel like I'm stuck in a RUT!!









Excited to see what all of our challenge players come up with!!

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
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Pam Steckman
Jan Tinklenberg

Gotta dash ... getting ready to board a jet plane!!! Woot! Woot!!!

Fun with Some Sneaky New Products for Mother's Day!

What a weekend!!! Was so grateful to spend Mother's Day with my own mama and mother-in-law, as well as some of my daughters friends, my daughter and one of my sons (had to settle for a Skype session with my oldest son who is having a WONDERFUL adventure in China at the moment). My daughter had ACL reconstructive surgery last Thursday, so I have been in FULL-ON Mom Mode ... doing all the things that us mama's do best when our "littles" (even if they have grown into "bigs") need help recuperating. It's been great having her home and being able to spend some one-on-one time with her! Makes this mama happy!

So .... I pulled all of the goodies out of my preorder box that I received from SU on Thursday. I feel I hit the jackpot with the Floral Wings stamp set ... I guess I didn't "get it" when I saw the picture of it in the catty ... I am SO IN LOVE with it!!!! So happy to have it in my collection! Thought it was a PERFECT set to make Mother's Day cards for my mamas!!

Stamps: Floral Wings
Paper: Mint Macaroon, Tip Top Taupe, Whisper White
Ink: Mint Macaroon, Tip Top Taupe, Watermelon Wonder
Accessories: Bold Butterfly Framelits (New), Butterfly Thinlits, 1" Dotted Lace Trim (Top Top Taupe), Venetian Crochet Trim, Bitty Banners Framelits, Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Project Life Corner Rounder, Linen Thread, Pearl Basics

After a few more days of nurse-maiding and running my daughter to and from PT appointments, I will be leaving toward the end of the week to fly to Reno with MY mama to watch my niece graduate from college!!! SO proud of this girl!!! Never a dull moment around here, I swear!!

Monday Montage #42

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers and blooming and it's time for another round of Monday Montage!!! I seriously LOVE how the weather is RIGHT NOW ... cooler in the mornings and evenings and beautifully sunny and warm in the afternoon! So much to be grateful for!

I saw this color combo (Soft Sky and Early Espresso) in a sample in the current SU Catalog. I've been wanting to create something with it for a VERY long time ... so today was the day!! It's just so sharp and clean ...

Stamps: NONE!
Paper:  White Vinyl
Ink:   NONE!
Accessories:Silhouette eCutter, My Digital Studio (MDS)
MDS Downloads:Life is All Around (Adventure), Next in Line (Bracket Flourish)

Much happening this week ... hope I can survive all the running around that's on my schedule!

Click "Back" to get inspired by Melissa Stout, and/or the "Next" button to check out Amy O'Neill's fabulous style!

Fab Friday #63

It's Fab Friday, peeps!!! Where on EARTH did this whole week GO???? Last week at this time I was on my way down to Southern Utah for my very first Ragnar race (in Zion Park). Sheesh! It just ZIPPED by!!! And now the Fab Friday Stampin' Challenge Team is taking one last stab at the 2013-2015 In Colors ... Oh how I'm gonna miss these!!

Back to Ragnar for just a second ... I trained, I ran, I went to the gym ... I was PUMPED UP!!! I was STOKED!!! We got there and the weather looked a little iffy ... but everyone on my team (all eight of us), made it through our first leg. As we were starting the second round it started to rain ... and then it rained and rained ... and rained and rained ... the race was suspended ... again and again. After about 9 hours of raining that created a GINORMOUS mud pit EVERYwhere ... the race was called. There were a few crazies who actually tried to run additional legs of the race (in my opinion an INSANE and UNSAFE idea!) ... but we were done!!! Very mixed feelings about it ... I am proud I worked so hard to get there and that I was actually able to run part of the race ... just sad that it didn't go exactly as planned!! Sigh ... at least I'm ready for NEXT year!!!

Stamps: Crazy About You, Petite Pairs
Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Very Vanilla
Ink: Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding
Accessories: Delicate Designs Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Scalloped Tag Topper Punch, Decorative Label Punch 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, Coastal Cabana Thick Baker's Twine, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack/Piercing Tool, Pearl Basics

Not quite sure how I'm gonna go on without Coastal Cabana ... it's one of my all-time FAVE colors!!! Sigh ...




Excited to see what all of our challenge players come up with!!

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
Justin Krieger
Amanda Mertz
Brenda Myers
Pam Steckman
Jan Tinklenberg

Another crazy weekend ahead ... one of these days I'm going to PLAN a weekend where I have NOTHING to do ... and then I'm gonna DO it!!