Monday Montage #125

How on EARTH can it already be OCTOBER 2018??!!?? I'm both happy and blown away by that!!! I LOVE Fall ... and Halloween is my very most FAVORITE holiday ... and I freakin' can't believe that it seems like we should only be in FEBRUARY!!! Thank GOODNESS for the Monday Montage girls and the excuse it gives me to get crafty!!

I nearly named our new puppy Aspen ... because she is brown and white ... and because I love Aspen trees. They remind me of the many, many hours I have spent hiking hither and yon. Aspens are BEAUTIFUL. So I had fun stamping some on my card!! The name of my puppy was overwritten by Juniper ... aka JuneBug ... aka Junie ... aka sweet puppy!!

Stamps: Winter Woods, Itty Bitty Greetings, Gallery Grunge
Paper: Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Wood Textures DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Accessories: Layered Leaves Dynamic Textured Impressions Folder, In the Woods Framelits Dies, Crumb Cake Bakers Twine

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
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog
Kaitlyn Zumbach - Create with Kaitlyn - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

My hubby and I are starting the Whole 30 meal plan this month as well. We spent a bunch of time this weekend pre-prepping food so that we would have things to eat and NOT to be tempted to eat the things that aren't really on the plan! I figure that ANY "diet" that includes the ability to eat BACON is going to be a very, very GOOD thing!!! I'm not quite sure how my three-day adventure in Disneyland in a couple of weeks is going to fit into this plan, but one day at a time, right???

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... all the crafty goodness you will see in one place with minimal effort!!

Fab Friday #147

Sooooo ... life with a puppy is ANYthing but BORING!! Juniper has been so much fun and amazingly easy to handle ... for a puppy, that is!!! The only "complaint" I can say I have about her is that she LOVES my 13-year-old toy poodle, Daisy, a little too much!!! We have resorted to a spray bottle to squirt her if she gets a little too enthusiastic whilst around Daisy!!! And she wants to help me stamp in the WORST way!!! She is particularly interested in paper bits, spools of ribbon and thinlits/framelits dies!!! It's hard to get mad at her when so is SOOOOOO stinkin' cute!!

Which brings me to the card I made for this week's Fab Friday Stampin' Challenge. I dropped my thinlits a couple of times ... and Juniper was on them like white on rice!!! It's a good thing I was paying attention, or they may have been bent beyond recognition (she doesn't really have much more than little puppy teeth, so she couldn't chew holes in them!)!

Stamps: Detailed With Love
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Gold Foil
Ink: Early Espresso, Soft Suede
Accessories: Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Tin Tile Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stitched Labels Framelits Dies, Pretty Pines Thinlits Dies, Braided Linen Trim, Sequins (which I snatched from an old Project Life kit!)

You could also turn this layout horizontally ... it would be cute both ways!










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

I am going to join my friend, Bree, on the Whole 30 Challenge starting on October 1st. Which is only a few days away ... I'm kind of excited yet kind of nervous to do it!! I guess I should try to plan out a menu and get some shopping done this weekend so that I will be ready!!

Happy Freakin' Holidays 2018!

I have caved in ... It is only September and I am already making CHRISTMAS cards!! Thanks to my fellow Control Freaks, we are highlighting things from the new Holiday Catalog! And BOY OH BOY are the projects on this blog tour are AMAZING!!! You should just have come from the block of the crafty, clever and creative Kelly Acheson!! You ARE getting in a holiday mood, aren't you???

This go 'round I decided to focus on the Swirls and Curls Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. It can be interpreted a lot of different ways, but I chose to do one more along the "elegant" lines, and one that is more "whimsical". I'm a sucker for classic Christmas colors ... red, green, white ... and GOLD!!! So that's what you got with this card (and I used my ever-favorite Trio Corner Punch!)!

Stamps: Merry Christmas to All
Paper: Whisper White, Shaded Spruce, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Trio Corner Punch, Sprig Punch, 5/8" Striped Burlap Trim, Gold Thread, Swirls and Curls Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

The dies that go with the Santa's Workshop Specialty Paper are SPOT ON, you guys!!! I mean, you don't even have to stamp or color if you don't want to or don't have time!! This card came together really quickly ... because I used a die to cut the Mrs. Santa image from the DSP ... easy peasy!!! And I LOVE it!!

Stamps: Signs of Santa
Paper: Whisper White, Coastal Cabana, Silver Foil, Santa's Workshop Speciality DSP
Ink: Coastal Cabana
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies,  Swirls and Curls Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Linen Thread, Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon, Santa's Signpost Framelits Dies


Next up???  ... super Cindy Elam!! I just LOVE her style!!!

And SOMETIMES I Craft withOUT Stamps!

Happy Fall, Y'all!! It's still in the mid-to-upper 90's here, so I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that we are halfway through September! However, when I cruise around looking at stuff on Pinterest AND spend a little time in the local craft store, it is very hard NOT to feel the FALL coming on!

A friend of mine posted a picture of a similar "Hocus Pocus" project on her Facebook page last week. I fell IN LOVE with it. Sadly, she said she had no pattern or anything, it was just something she had seen online somewhere and liked. Let's be clear, my friends ... I STAMP because I CANNOT draw. I'm NOT kidding!!! I STRUGGLE with stick figures ... and I'm NOT kidding!!! So this project seemed a bit daunting to begin with, but since the witches are a bit "abstract", I feel that this project is rather forgiving. I used 6" wide pieces of pine board (they are 1" thick ... the taller piece is about 22" high, and the shorter pieces are 18" high). I sketched in a VERY rough idea of each face on the boards to begin with (after I stained them, of course!). I worked backwards from the faces and just kinda "winged it" with the rest. The "I Smell Children" banner is only 1/2" thick ... I used my trusty Cricut and some vinyl to make a stencil, and then I painted the letters on to my stained board. I am SUPER happy with how this turned out!

This was pretty easy peasy ... whilst shopping at the local craft store a couple of months ago, I picked up this milk can for a SUPER good price. The other day, the fall "foliage" was on sale at same-said craft store. A few bits of trimming here and there and VOILA!!! Just needed to add a little checked ribbon as a bow and it was done!!! SUPER quick and easy!!

I plan on trying to do some paper crafting today ... I love when I have a little bit of time to play!!!

Fab Friday #146

The struggle is REAL, my friends!!! I have said before and I will say it again ... there is a REASON we call these "challenges" ... and there is a REASON why YOU should play along! It will most DEFINITELY get your brain working!!! Or as was the case for ME in this challenge ... it seemed to put my brain on LOCKDOWN!!

These colors are PRETTY, right??? Shouldn't be TOO hard to get something put together with them, RIGHT??!!?? I worked on this card for over TWO STINKIN' HOURS ... I could NOT get my groove going ... and this finished product is SOOOOO far away from where I started ... not EVEN kidding!!! But in the end, I guess I like it!

Stamps: Stitched All Around
Paper: Whisper White, Tranquil Tide, Balmy Blue, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Powder Pink
Ink: Tranquil Tide, Balmy Blue, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Powder Pink
Accessories: Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Stitched Labels Framelits Dies, Sunshine Wishes Thinlits Dies, Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon

I BELIEVE IN YOU!!! Y'all are going to make some BEAUTIFUL things with this combo!!








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

I am signed up to do the Red Bull 400 tomorrow morning ... which is a CRAZY CLIMB from the bottom to the top of a Nordic Ski Jump in Park City! I may end up getting my friend to do it instead (as it is already paid for) ... I'm STILL trying to get myself back to feeling well after the dumb bug bite/cellulitis episode last week! Sigh ... At least I can go and cheer my friend on and take pictures!!

Are We THERE Yet??!!??

This week has seemed REAAALLLY long ... and it's only Wednesday!!! It is taking me a little longer than I had hoped to recover from last weekend!! Between the half-marathon-that-never-seemed-to-end to my bout with a spider bite run amok, I'm just draggin' my wagon!!! At least I have Thursday and Friday of this week OFF, so that will be VERY appreciated!

My hubby and I have gotten into watching the series "Longmire" on Netflix. I started it and was WAAAYY ahead of my hubby when he started to watch ... then he passed me up (which is kind of a BIG deal, since he is not much of a television watcher ... except for sports!). I finally caught back up to where he was and now we have been spending our evenings watching an episode or two together. It's been kind of fun ... because we watch on our larger television in the basement, which is where my craft room is! So I have been getting in some crafty time whilst spending time with him, so it's a WIN-WIN!! This is the card I made with the Tropical Chic stamp set that I FINALLY caved in and had to have ... and it was TOTALLY worth the wait!!

I stamped the flowers in Mango Melody (my new VERY FAVE color!), and then used sponge daubers to add a little Poppy Parade around the centers ... I then added a little Wink of Stella (which you can't really see as clearly in the photo). So much fun!

Stamps: Tropical Chic
Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Night of Navy, Mango Melody
Ink:  Night of Navy, Mango Melody, Poppy Parade, Wink of Stella
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder,  Tropical Thinlits Dies, Night of Navy 1/2" Gingham Ribbon, Galvanized Clip

I already need a nap and it's only 9:00am ... and I have to be at work soon ... so I guess I will have to wait until later!! I'll probably fall asleep watching Longmire tonight!

Monday Montage #124

What a difference a day makes ... or a week ... or two weeks!!! Back home again and time for another Monday Montage Blog Hop!! I have had an eventful two weeks, and a SUPER eventful (in an odd sorta way) weekend! More on that later! For now, it's time to share what I have created with you!

Yep-yep!!! The Buffalo Check background stamp is the BEST STAMP EVER!!! I have a feeling I am going to end up using it ALL THE DANG TIME!!! I borrowed Bree's when I was in Walla Walla a couple of weeks ago. Ended up ordering one for myself, and it FINALLY came last Friday. Woot! Woot!! It will be fabulous in ANY season!!

And I can't decide if this card looks more Christmas-y than it does Fall-ish!! What do y'all think?? Like I said, I think I'm gonna love this stamp until it is pried from my cold, dead fingers!!


Stamps: Picked for You, Buffalo Check Background Stamp, Gallery Grunge
Paper: Whisper White, Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Watercolor
Ink: Poppy Parade, Flirty Flamingo, Cherry Cobbler, So Saffron, Soft Suede
Accessories: Corrugated Dynamic Textured Impressions Folder, Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies, Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies, Braided Linen Trim

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
Dani Dziama - Dani's Thoughtful Corner
Elizabeth Price - Seeinginkspots
Julie Warnick - Julie Warnick Stampin' Up! Blog - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Kaitlyn Zumbach - Create with Kaitlyn - NOT PARTICIPATING THIS WEEK
Melissa Stout - The Stamp Doc
Wendy Weixler - Wickedly Wonderful Creations - YOU'RE ALREADY HERE!!

So ... about my weekend ... it did NOT turn out how I had anticipated it to!!! I got up EXTREMELY EARLY to take a bus up to the start point for the Revel Big Cottonwood Half Marathon. When I first woke up, I wasn't feeling so hot. But being the stubborn sort of person that I am, I decided that I would probably feel better once I got up and moving ... (did I mention that "getting up early" means 3:30am???). Whilst waiting in the 55-degree temperature for nearly 90 minutes for the race to start ... wrapped up in a little space blanket ... I knew I was really in trouble. I was feeling really nauseous and achy ... and STILL decided I was going to tough it out. BAAAAAD IDEA!!! Not even halfway into the first mile I KNEW I was in DEEP DOODOO!! Subsequently, I turned in my VERY WORST half marathon finishing time EVER ... I ended up walking the last two miles! I noticed my heart rate was elevated into the 130's during that two-mile walk ... which is WAY too high for me at a walking pace.

A little back story. I was bit by SOMEthing Monday night on my inner right thigh. LIIIITTLE TEENY TINY mosquito kind of bite. Didn't think much of it ... until it started turning larger ... and angrier ... and more uncomfy! Apparently, it had turned into cellulitis (unbeknownst to me) ... and that is how I "ran" the race ... with a nasty infection on my leg. Fever, chills, body aches, nausea ... I was absolute TOAST by the time I got home. Didn't even shower ... just collapsed on my bed and went out!! When I woke again, I checked the bite ... NO BUENO!! It had gotten bigger, uglier, more inflamed and painful!! I KNEW I had a fever and elevated heart rate. I chucked myself out of bed and headed up to the UrgentCare. Although they did rule out a tick bite (and lyme disease), the doc said I had a nasty case of cellulitis and was dehydrated (hence, the elevated heart rate). Send home with antibiotics and anti-nausea meds. To make a long story shorter ... I ended up BACK at the Urgent Care on Sunday afternoon. It had spread even more and it was hurting and itching like the dickens!! Soooo ... I am on NEW antibiotics, am elevating and icing my leg, have it wrapped in a compression bandage, and am taking benadryl as often as is safe. I need a VACATION!!

So, I'm sitting propped in bed, TRYING to find a semi-comfortable position to be in that (a) keeps my leg elevated, (b) allows me to be propped up whilst keep said leg elevated, and (c) positioning the ice pack for my leg in a place where it will stay put, all whilst allowing me to lay on a heated corn bag for the aches in my bag from the infection!! Ta-DAAAAA! I have been semi-successful most of the day ... but it's wearing thin!

Moving on ...

Click "Back" for Melissa Stout and "Next" for Amy O'Neill ... all the crafty goodness you will see in one place with minimal effort!!

Outside the Box

It's kinda "funny" how I see techniques/ideas on how to do things that I used to edo ALL THE TIME ... and have forgotten about COMPLETELY!! This card comes from a few things I haven't done in a while ... and I stuck them ALL together!!

First thing??? Ombre. Everyone is doing everything ombre ... cakes, hair, clothing ... and CARDS! I started with some Flirty Flamingo and a sponge. I rubbed that across the bottom of my piece of Whisper White cardstock. Then, I did the same thing with some Blushing Bride, and finally with some Powder Pink. I did a "once-over" with the Powder Pink on the entire piece to make sure I was able to blend in any spots that looked too heavy.

Second technique that has been "re-found"?? Clear embossing on patterned DSP. I chose of piece of Basic Gray patterned paper from the Animal Expedition DSP. I stamped the image from Flourishing Phrases using some Versamark, then embossed it with clear embossing powder. Pulled my trusty sponges back out and rubbed over the ENTIRE piece of paper with some Granite Gray ink. You need to use a color that is darker than the original paper, or the clear emboss won't show up with the pattern from the DSP visible through it!!

The flower ... that dang flower!!! I spent WAY too much time changing my mind with that thing!!! I stamped the image in Whisper White, and then heat embossed it with Whisper White embossing powder ... on VELLUM, no less!!! Then I pulled out my lovely Stampin' Blends and set to work. I added and lifted so much color off of this baby ... I'm still not sure I'm super thrilled with it, but at least I got 'er done!

Lastly, I used a diecut for something "out of the box" ... the cute little fence die from the Farmhouse Framelits set to make the decorative border under the flower (there are two of them ... one from Whisper White and another from Smoky Slate, which I flipped upside-down and staggered so that the posts from the Smoky Slate one filled in the "spaces" from the Whisper White one!! I like it as a decorative border, actually!

Stamps: Flourishing Phrases
Paper: Basic Gray, Whisper White, Smoky Slate, Vellum, Animal Expedition DSP
Ink:  Flirty Flamingo, Blushing Bride, Petal Pink, Versamark ... Cajun Craze and Smoky Slate Stampin' Blends
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Clear Embossing Powder, Whisper White Embossing Powder, 5/8" Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon, Faceted Dots

It is WAAAYYYY tooo beautiful outside to be stuck in an office all day ... but stuck I must be!!! I shall have to enjoy the beautiful blue skies and fresh air through a window today. Tomorrow morning I will be up before the CHICKENS to be at the start line for the Revel Big Cottonwood 1/2 Marathon. Wish me luck!

Too Much??!?

Is there really such a thing as TOO MUCH when it comes to papercrafting??? I think NOT!!! Hahahaha ... actually, there IS!! But sometimes I have a hard time making the distinction as to when too much is just, well ... too much!! I love #allthethings ... paper, ribbon, ink, embellishment, embossing, diecuts! It's hard for me to staaaahhhhp sometimes.

Having said all that, I just kept on going whilst creating this little baby ... I stopped after the burlap ribbon and polka dot ribbon ... wait ... need some bakers twine ... nope ... needed more! Then I added the strip of gingham ribbon ... nope ... still needed MORE! The sentiment??? Almost there ... the little birdie!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE that little birdie peeking over at his elefriend! Still needed SOMEthing, right??? Added the pearls ... sigh ... still wanted to add MORE!!! The loops of linen thread were the last thing I added ... and THEN I finally declared this card FINISHED!!! Do you guys ever do that??? Most of the time I end up taking things back off and rearranging them ... not this time!

Stamps: Little Elephant
Paper: Very Vanilla, Blueberry Bushel, Petal Pink
Ink:  Blueberry Bushel, Petal Pink
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Tufted Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Classic Label Punch, Elephant Builder Punch, 5/8" Burlap Ribbon, Nature's Twine (Crumb Cake), Share What You Love Artisan Pearls, 5/8" Whisper White Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon, Linen Thread, Stapler

I'm off to do a training run ... can't WAIT for my puppy to be old enough to start running her with me! That's gonna be a while, so I will just play and snuggle with her for now instead!!!

Ta-ta!!!

How Do I Love Thee??

Let me COUNT the ways!!! I am finally caving in to the inevitability of FALL! I think I have mentioned here on The Blog that FALL is my most FAVORITE season of ALL ... at least a few dozen times!! I've been having a hard time letting go of the idea of summer ... had SOOOO much fun and the weather is pretty great right now!!! But the allure of the colors and smells has been just TOO MUCH for me lately ... hence, this card!

I was inspired to make this by my sweet friend and AMAZING artiste', Connie Collins! Her card is STUNNING!!! And I wanted to make something similar ... I love this new sprig punch paired with the leaf punch ... there are SO many different color combos you could do with this ... I'm thinking pinks and purples would be INCREDIBLE, right???

Stamps: Stitched All Around
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Soft Suede, Mango Melody (my new FAVE color!)
Ink:  Early Espresso
Accessories: Stitched Shapes Framelits, Stitched Labels Framelits, Sprig Punch, Trio Corner Punch, Subtle Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Gold Cord, Sequins (I snatched these from an old Project Life Kit I had because the colors were so "fall-ish" ...)

So it's Wednesday ... and the week is about half over ... three more days until the weekend!!! I am doing the Revel Cottonwood Half Marathon on Saturday ... I haven't been running as much this past month, so this shall be VERY interesting!!!

Enjoy your day!!