Monday Montage #59

My brain cells have been destroyed ... pretty much mostly ... I think. Christmas was AMAZING and WONDERFUL and AWESOME this year ... had a good friend (Bree Renwick, a fellow Monday-Montage-r actually) remind me to make LOTS of memories this year. That hit me right in my heart ... and we made a TON of lovely memories (had family here from out of town, the kids all home and my mama was so happy to have all of us around. And THEN I got food poisoning ... lucky for me it was the day AFTER Christmas. Still feeling a bit wobbly, but I am happy to report that I did NOT die!

Also quite happy to report that I got enough energy this afternoon so that I could make a card to share with you and all of my Monday Montage friends! New stamp-y toys are SO much fun!!! (and how SAD is it that I haven't shared my Christmas card yet???? I was quite late getting them out, so I never got a chance to post them ... but I WILL do it in a couple of days!!)

Flowers are just happy ... and I am INLOVELOVELOVE with the vine-y framelit that comes in the Botanical Builder Framelits!! I think it is my NEW favorite!!

Stamps: Botanical Blooms, Perfect Pairings (SAB)
Paper: Whisper White, Hello Honey, Calypso Coral, Lost Lagoon, Basic Black, Wildflower Fields DSP (Sale-a-Bration)
Ink: Blackberry Bliss
Accessories: Botanical Builder Framelits, Project Life Cards & Labels Framelits, Bermuda Bay Sequin Trim, Baker's Twine Combo Pack (SAB)

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... their creations are just BEAUTIFUL!!

Freaky Occasions/SAB Peekin'!

Oh ... the weather outside is FRIGHTFUL but the FREAKS are SO delightful!!! And since it's a week from Christmas ... we are doing a Sneak Peek for some of the SUPER fun stuff becoming available in January from the new Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogs!!! YAY!!!! Connie Babbert's "sweetheart" projects are ADORABLE, aren't they??? (If you've been touring around, her blog was just before mine!)

Ever since I was a little girl I have had a "thing" for teapots (which I think can be said of MANY little girls!)!  This little teapot diecut/stamp set combo is to DIE for!!! And I was absolutely CRUSHED when I went to make this card and realized that I had only ordered the DIES and NOT the stamp set!!! What the heck??? How on EARTH did I do THAT??? Gonna be time to reorder soon!

Stamps: Sunburst Sayings
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Hello Honey, Wildflower Fields DSP
Ink: Lost Lagoon
Accessories: Cups and Kettle Framelits, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, White Organza Ribbon, Bloomin' Hearts Thinlits, Decorative Dots Texutred Impressions Embossing Folder, Project Life Cards and Labels Framelits

Simple. Manly. Cards.  STRUGGLE. This is my life, my mantra ... sometimes the BANE of my EXISTENCE!!! SOOOO thrilled with the World Map "suite" of products coming out ... the stamps and embossing folder are FANTASTIC!!

Stamps: Going Global
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Sahara Sand
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Circles Framelits Dies, World Traveler Textured Impression Embossing Folder, Rhinestone Basics, Washi Punch, Natural Chevron Ribbon, Project Life Corner Rounder Punch

Next up??? Our Freak Mama!!! The amazingly-talented Lisa Martz!!! She has some DARLING "sheepish" creations you will LOVE!!

Monday Montage #58

'Tis the season to be JOLLY!!! I am NOT kidding!!! Welcome to Monday Montage! I have had a GREAT week!! I'll tell you about it in a minute ... first off, let's talk about what I made to share with you ...

It wasn't until AFTER I completed this card that I realized that the Project Life Holiday Cheer stamp set is actually RETIRED!! (Drat!!) I must confess that the reason I haven't made many holiday cards this season is that I didn't actually BUY much from the Holiday Catalog this year (GASP!!!)!!! Time was just getting away from me and I couldn't convince myself to buy something that wouldn't be in the "current" column for long (like, that's ever stopped me BEFORE???)! Anyway ... that's how I ended up with a retired set, I guess (but I really DID think it was still current!)!

Stamps:  Project Life Holiday Cheer (Retired)
Paper:  Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Very Vanilla
Ink:  Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories:  Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Petite Petals Punch, Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Gold 1/8" Ribbon, Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Linen Thread, Burlap Ribbon, Pearl Basics, Gold Sequin Trim, Tags & Labels Framelits Dies, Mini Stapler

Now ... about my week ... aside from the craziness of shopping and making an ATTEMPT to get my Christmas cards underway, I had an AWESOME Christmas party with my book group friends! I have been in this very same book group for 25 years (and I'm only 27 ... go figure!)! We had breakfast for dinner and showed up in our jammies (well, SOME of us did, anyway!)! We also do a book exchange ... which, I have to admit, turned into a freakin' LAUGH FESTIVAL!! I haven't laughed that hard in a VERY long time!! Some of us (and I won't name names) may actually have SNORTED a time or two ... aren't best friends just the BEST!!! It's SO fabulous to have friends that still love you when you snort whilst laughing!

I'm hoping to have my Christmas cards in the mail by midweek, so I will share a photo once they have been successfully been delivered to their recipients!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... two ladies who are not only WICKEDLY talented ... but two ladies that I ALSO feel I could laugh until I snort with!!

Fab Friday #79

Ok ... sooo ... I am a California Girl at heart. I was born and raised there. I was used to having Christmas holidays that were cold (by California standards) at about 50 degrees. However, since having moved to Utah when I was but 15 years old I quickly became accustomed to White Christmases (or at least GRAY ones!)!!! Usually by December 11 we are f-f-f-freezing!!! It got up to about 50 degrees today!! And it RAINED!!! What in the HECK is going ON here??? (I'm NOT complaining, mind you ... my mind is just having a hard time wrapping itself around the current temperature!)! Maybe THIS is why I have been so SLOW in getting into the Christmas Spirit this year!!

Thank Heaven for Fab Friday!!! This week's color challenge DEFINITELY got my Christmas groove going!! (And the fact that I have about a GAZILLION Christmas cards to make ... and a LOT more shopping/wrapping to do!)!

Stamps: Happy Scenes
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Mossy Meadow
Ink: Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Lucky Stars Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Project Life Cards and Labels Framelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Silver Sequin Trim, Beach House Washi Tape (Retired), All is Calm Washi Tape (Retired), Botanical Gardens Designer Washi Tape (coming next month in the Occasions Catalog!)

Nothing says Christmas like these colors, right????









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

How is it the weekend already??? (Not that I am complaining, mind you ... just don't know how the clock seems to speed up at this time of year!!!). I'm hoping to be VERY productive in the next few days ... UNLESS it snows ... then maybe I shall build a snowman inSTEAD of all the other things I have on my list!!!

And Now a Word From Our Sponsor ...

There's a VERY good chance that MANY of you will not even get the HUMOR in the title of this blog post! I am realizing more and more that I am *a-hem* older that a lot of people in my life ... and sometimes I am SUPER funny ... and they just don't GET it!!

The reason for the title is (hopefully obviously) that I'm taking a "time-out" from Christmas and holiday creating to play with my new preview goodies (coming in January in the form of goodness in the Occasions Catalog and the Sale-a-Bration event!! SOOOOO excited!!! This is the BIGGEST pre-order I have EVER allowed myself to make (not tellin' ... don't ask). SOOOOOOOOOOOO very much cute and beautiful stuff. I'm going to have to order MORE of it even!! Sigh ... anyone wanna help me rob a bank??? I will provide the masks ... but may need some help with the get-away car!!

I LOVE all things citrus-y!!! This little stamp set is a GEM!!! What's NOT to love about slices of sweet and tangy citrus??? Pretty much nothin' ...

Interesting story (or not) ... when I was pregnant with my firstborn many-a-moon ago, I had TERRIBLE morning sickness (dare I say it was ALL-DAY-AND-ALL-NIGHT sickness??). I had trouble eating ANYthing. However, citrus was my friend ... citrus was delicious ... citrus took a teeny TINY bit of the edge off for me. So, I ended up eating at LEAST three whole grapefruits every dang day!!! I was CERTAIN my son was going to come out all puckered up!! Lucky for me (and him???) that didn't happen!!!

Stamps: Apple of My Eye
Paper: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Season of Cheer DSP (SEE??? I DID put a little Christmas in there!)
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Decorative Label Punch, Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, White Jute Ribbon, Candy Dots (Sutbles, Brights)

I am now going to dive DEEP into making an effort to get my Christmas cards made (it may turn out that they are "Happy New Year" cards!)!! Wish me luck!! I'm gonna NEED it!!

Monday Montage #57

Deck the Halls with Boughs of Hol-ly ... FA-LA-LA-LA-LA LA-LA-LA-LAAAAAA!! What comes after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and putting up ALL the Christmas decorations???? A WEEK-LONG NAP!!! Hahaha!! Don't I WISH??!!??? BUT ... Monday Montage DOES come after all those things!!

I now need to clean my CraftCave so that I can make all my Christmas cards (the rest of my house is not too bad at the moment, actually!)!!! But this card came together much more quickly than I had anticipated!! I LOVE looking in my Google images search or on Pinterest for inspiration, don't you??? Sometimes it's just a color scheme or a layout that just gets my gears rolling ... and the fact that I FINALLY got a new package of Blackberry Bliss cardstock (LOVE this color!)!

I was feeling SO in the mood for a Christmas tree (since I have decorated TWO of them already since Friday!)!! These little trees were MUCH quicker and easier, though. I feel a little like Bob Ross ... aren't these just "happy trees"???? I think so!


Stamps: Festival of Trees
Paper: Blackberry Bliss, Crumb Cake, Gold Foil DSP, Vellum
Ink: Blackberry Bliss, Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Banner Punch, Itty Bitty Punch Pack (Star), Tree Builder Punch, Gold 1/8" Ribbon

If I can actually get some time to make my family Christmas cards I will be excited!! I have one designed ... just need to see how feasible it is to "mass produce" ... I always seem to go overboard when it comes to making them!!

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... their creations are just BEAUTIFUL!!

Fab Friday #78 ... AKA Black Friday!

How can it be BLACK FRIDAY already again???? And it also happens to be Fab Friday!! HOORAY!!

To be honest, I have been a most SERIOUS Black Friday shopper for about 20 years ... no joke!! (For those of you not from the US, Black Friday is an INSANE excuse for retailers to get people to act like complete lunatics by waiting in line in the dark and cold, and then pushing past THRONGS of people to squeeze through the doors, and then RACING like a maniac to try to find that "special" item that you saw in the retailer's ad that was "on sale" for the "first-come/first-served" people). I have actually been very successful doing these for a great many years ...

HOWEVER ... it is really turned into a kind of UGLY thing! And I finally decided THIS year that I was going to forego the trek to any store at Zero Dark Thirty ... and I have been doing all my Black Friday shopping ONLINE!!! IN MY PAJAMAS!!! YAY ME!!

On to my card for this week's challenge ... there is a local florist shop that has the most GORGEOUS poinsettias I have EVER laid eyes on ... and I have been tempted MANY a year to buy one. Alas, we all know the life expectancy on a poinsettia is very limited ... and I can't seem to justify the $50+ it costs to buy one ... so I MADE one! And YES ... they DO look like this!!

Stamps: Among the Branches, Gorgeous Grunge
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Gold Foil
Ink: Crumb Cake, Really Red
Accessories: Softy Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Festive Flower Builder Punch, White Accents (Colored with gold Sharpie), Gold Sequin Trim, Circle Framelits, Burlap Ribbon

This is a really great and really simple layout ... LOTS of room for interpretation!






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

Tomorrow is the Annual Weixler Family Apple Pressing Day!!! Food, laughter, hugs, work ... and close to 500 GALLONS of apple juice are gonna happen!!! Best.Family.Tradition.EVER!!

It's Freakin' Christmas!! (ALMOST!)

As the temperatures drop it is getting inevitable that our thoughts turn to the holidays!! Good thing the Freaks are ALL OVER THAT!! Did you see the wonderful things that Dawn Olchefske made??? She is AWESOME!!

To be honest, I am sitting in the same-day surgery waiting room ... it is 6:02 PM ... and my daughter is having a little surgery to remove some scar tissue from an ACL reconstruction that was done six months ago!! They call it a Cyclops Lesion ... and least it SOUNDS cool!! Good thing(??) our maximum out-of-pocket expenditures have been met for her this year (what??)! I'm so grateful for modern medicine and their ability to "fix" things ...

So, it IS beginning to feel a bit lit Christmas (my crazy neighbors put Christmas lights on their house the day AFTER Halloween ... not EVEN kidding!)!!! It's taken me a while to get in the swing, but these cards sure helped!!!

Stamps: Peaceful Pines
Paper: Mossy Meadow, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer DSP, Season of Cheer DSP
Ink: Mossy Meadow
Accessories: Perfect Pines Framelits, Chalk Talk Framelits, Mini Treat Bag Framelits, Rhinestone Basics

And I know that this stamp set/edgelits die combo has been used a LOT since it came out (because, well ... it's GORGEOUS!) ... but I finally got a chance to play with it a little ... it's super FUN!!

I am actually enjoying the cooler temperatures (which is funny for me because I get cold SO easily). Since I have been getting seriously into running I have a whole different outlook for coldness!!

Stamps: Jingle All the Way
Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer DSP, Vellum
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Perfect Pines Framelits,, Silver 1/8" Ribbon, Sleigh Ride Edgelits, Lucky Stars Textured Impression Embossing Folder

Next up??? My running/stamping/online shopping/vertically-challenge partner in crime, Mindy Backes!!! Her "style" will AMAZE ya!

Monday Montage #56

Today I am feeling so totally grateful ... had a WONDERFUL day yesterday with our extended family doing the Annual Weixler Apple Pressing Day in Alpine. Couple of WEIRD things happened that could have had such TERRIBLE outcomes ... but didn't!!! Everyone is safe, happy and had a great time together. Amazing how easily we can take things for granted. Needless to say, I want to hug EVERYone today!!! (So consider yourself HUGGED if you are reading this!!)

Grateful to be part of this amazing group of women for the Monday Montage Blog Hop. They are sweet, kind, funny and WICKEDLY talented. A true blessing in my life, to be sure!! And after all of this crazy WARM AND MUSHY stuff on gratitude I have ... a CHRISTMAS card to share!!

This is one of the cards I made last weekend with my stamp club girls. I think I am TOTALLY addicted to the Mini Treat Bag Framelits Dies ... all the little accessories are so stinkin' CUTE!!! I have been using them a LOT lately!!

Stamps:  Cup of Cheer, Your Presents
Paper:  Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White, Gold Foil, Season of Cheer DSP
Ink:  Wild Wasabi, Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories:  Gold 1/8" Ribbon, Mini Treat Bag Framelits, Oval Framelits, Occasions Paper Piercing Template, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat

How can we be back to Monday ALREADY???!!! So additionally grateful this week that I only have to go to work two days out of five!!! And I have started my marathon training in EARNEST ... what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger, right???

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... super friends, amazing talent!! And an extra special "shout out" to Amy this week ... she just found out this past weekend that she will be a member of Stampin' Up's 2016 Artisan Design Team!!! You GO, girl!!

Fab Friday #77

Here we are back to another Fab Friday ... and I am ALMOST back to a "normal" schedule. My sister-in-law took over for me at work while I was doing a TON of globetrotting last month (okay ... I guess I was only actually "countrytrotting") ... and then she went out of town for a bit to celebrate her birthday with her daughter in NYC ... which means that I have been working a LOT of extra time ever since I got back from all my crazy running around!!

I was THRILLED when I headed down to the Craft Cave yesterday to create for this challenge ... and GUESS WHAT??!!??? It was actually CLEAN!!! The table was all cleared off and ready for me PLAY!!! That almost NEVER happens!!!

Stamps: Vintage Leaves, Gorgeous Grunge
Paper: Cajun Craze, Hello Honey, Very Vanilla, Typeset DSP
Ink: Cajun Craze, Blackberry Bliss, Hello Honey
Accessories: Greetings Thinlits, Leaflets Framelits, Burlap Ribbon, Woodlands Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, White Perfect Accents, Happy Haunting Designer Washi Tape

Lookie at all the purdy fall colors!!!









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

Tomorrow is the Annual Weixler Family Apple Pressing Day!!! Food, laughter, hugs, work ... and close to 500 GALLONS of apple juice are gonna happen!!! Best.Family.Tradition.EVER!!

Monday Montage #55

Somehow I KNEW the month of October was going to be a BLUR ... and it WAS!!! I had SO much fun and was SO very busy, but I can honestly say I'm ready for a break from all the crazy running around! Welcome to another version of Monday Montage! (Ironically, I am "officially" starting to train for my first marathon, so the running will CONTINUE, but it a different way!)

Fall is in full swing. After having been on BOTH coasts in the past two weeks, my barometer and thermometer are TOTALLY out of whack!!! Orlando was HOT and HUMID ... and Anaheim was HOT and a little LESS humid. Utah is TOTALLY chillin' ... the weather for Halloween was crisp and beautiful. I think we had about 500 trick or treaters!!! But the trees are GORGEOUS and the air smells like Heaven!! So this card totally expresses my sentiments at the moment ... grateful for this time of year. Grateful for my family. Grateful for the many wonderful opportunities that life gives me.

Stamps:  Among the Branches, Happy Scenes
Paper:  Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow
Ink:  Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey, Mossy Meadow, Early Espresso
Accessories:  Happy Hauntings Designer Washi Tape, Burlap Ribbon, Gold Sequin Trim, Venetian Crochet Trim, Squares Framelits Dies, Bitty Banners Framelits, Into the Woods Elements, Paper Piercing Tool/Mat

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... grateful for BOTH of them and the MOUNTAINS of inspiration I get from them ALL the time!

Fab Friday #76

Contrary to popular belief, I did NOT die, get kidnapped by a band of gypsies, run off and join the circus or go into the Witness Protection Program ... I am ALIVE AND WELL!!! I knew before the month of October started that I was going to have a hard time trying to get ANYthing done because I had SO many things on my calendar!!! Happy to report that I have come out on the other side relatively unscathed and happy! Today is our annual Halloween Carnival at the neighborhood elementary school ... something I ALWAYS look forward to (even though by tonight I will be exhausted and STILL happy!). Lots of work, but MUCH fun!

Fab Friday is upon us ... and since I have made quite practically NOTHING for Halloween, I was happy to be able to put some stamps and ink together for today's challenge and bring out a little bit of spooky at the same time!

Stamps: Among the Branches
Paper: Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Typeset Specialty DSP (fringy bits leftover from my Witching Decor Kit - the witch hat one!)
Ink: Tangelo Twist
Accessories: Rhinestone Basics (colored with black Sharpie), Bitty Bat Punch (retired ... admit it ... y'all have one of these and vow NEVER to sell it!), Circles Collection Framelits, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Sewing Machine

Nice and simple sketch ... which gives you a LOT of room to "interpret" and PLAY!










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

Off to the races!!! My day will be full of cakes (for the cake walk), pumpkins (for the pumpkin carving contest), costumes, kids, games, music, food, laughter and FUN! Whew!!! I'm wiped out just THINKING about it! Let the good times ROLL!